Article ID: 173604
Article Last Modified on 2/12/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Outlook 97 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q173604
SUMMARY
This article provides an overview of using the CommandBars collection and CommandBar object in a Microsoft Outlook 97 solution. Common issues and examples are also provided as a starting point for working with CommandBars.
Topics covered include:
- Overview
- VBScript Syntax for Using Command Bars
- Using the FindControl Method
NOTE: The CommandBars collection is provided by the "Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library."
MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft Support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:
Overview
In Office 97, menus and toolbars are combined into one collection called CommandBars. The CommandBars collection is included in the Office 97 object model, making them fully programmable.
However, unlike other Microsoft Office applications, Outlook 97 command bars cannot be modified through the user interface. In addition, the Outlook object model does not support many of the options that are available through command bars in either the application or forms windows. While you can programmatically create a custom toolbar, there is no way to assign either standard Outlook commands or custom functions to the buttons. Also, Outlook does not provide a means to store custom toolbars, so any programmatic changes will be lost when you exit Outlook.
However, because the Office CommandBars collection is available through the Outlook object model, you can execute existing Outlook commands or display particular dialog boxes.
From a developer's point of view, the main window in Outlook (the "application window") is referred to as "Explorer" and the form windows are referred to as "inspectors." Both types of windows have command bars (including both menus and toolbars). When working with the Outlook command bars, it is always important to make sure you are working with the correct set of command bars.
- Use the Explorer objects (ActiveExplorer/GetExplorer) to refer to the main application window in Outlook.
Use the Inspector objects (ActiveInspector/GetInspector) to refer to an Outlook item's window.
To reference To create a Window type an open window, use: new window, use: ------------------------------------------------------------ Application ActiveExplorer method GetExplorer method Item/Form ActiveInspector method GetInspector method
Syntax for Referencing a Command Bar
The following simplified syntax will always work in both Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications and Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript):
Set MyCB = <Inspector object>.CommandBars.Item("Menu Bar")
The following simplified syntax will work using Automation if the Inspector object is declared as type Inspector, but this will fail in VBScript:
Set MyCB = <Inspector object>.CommandBars("Menu Bar")
For example, this Visual Basic for Applications subroutine will not generate an error:
Sub TestCommandBars()
Dim ol As New Outlook.Application
Dim myInspector As Inspector
Set myInspector = ol.ActiveInspector
Set MyCB = myInspector.CommandBars("Menu Bar")
End Sub
However, the following sample code will generate the "Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment" error message:
Sub TestCommandBars()
Dim ol As New Outlook.Application
Dim myInspector As Object
Set myInspector = ol.ActiveInspector
Set MyCB = myInspector.CommandBars("Menu Bar")
End Sub
Using the FindControl Method
You can use the FindControl method to reference any Outlook commands (or controls, in relation to the CommandBars object model) if you know the internal value Outlook has assigned for each command. Using the internal ID means that you can use more concise syntax when executing CommandBar commands.
For example, consider a custom Outlook form that uses a custom command button to print the form. Assuming the command button is named cmdPrint, the following VBScript code examples will display the File Print dialog box:
Sub cmdPrint_Click()
Item.GetInspector.CommandBars.FindControl(,4).Execute
End Sub
Sub cmdPrint_Click()
Item.GetInspector.CommandBars.Item("Menu Bar").Controls("File") _
.Controls("Print...").Execute
End Sub
Outlook's command IDs can be obtained from the CommandBars collection by using the following sample Automation code. This code must be run from Microsoft Word 97 since it will create a new document and insert a tab- delimited listing of the information in the document.
Sub GetIDsForInspector()
' The Outlook object library must be referenced.
Dim objOL As New Outlook.Application
Dim objCommand As Object
Set cb = objOL.ActiveExplorer.CommandBars
' Create a new Word document.
Documents.Add
With Selection
' 3500 is the maximum # of Controls Outlook has defined.
For I = 1 To 3500
Set lbl = cb.FindControl(, I)
If lbl Is Nothing Then
' Do nothing.
Else
' Insert CommandBar name, Command name, and ID.
.TypeText lbl.Parent.Name & Chr(9) _
& lbl.Caption & Chr(9) & I
.TypeParagraph
End If
Next
End With
End Sub
The following list of IDs was generated from running the code above on each of the Outlook item types and the application window (Explorer). The data was reformatted into the table format below.
NOTE: Because many of the Outlook windows, or inspectors, contain the same controls, duplicate controls were removed to consolidate the data. If you need to determine exactly which commands are available for each type of Outlook item or the application window, you can use the code example above to create a listing for that particular item.
CommandBar Control ID
-----------------------------------------------------------
Align Bottom 3073
Align Center 3074
Align Left 3070
Align Middle 3075
Align Right 3071
Align To Grid 3142
Align Top 3072
Appointment Cancel Invitation 2487
Appointment Forward 356
Appointment New Appointment 1992
Appointment New Event 1909
Appointment New Meeting Request 2777
Arrange Buttons Bottom 1655
Arrange Buttons Right 1656
Center In Form Horizontally 1644
Center In Form Vertically 1645
Compose Choose Form... 1910
Compose Choose Template... 3176
Compose Forward 356
Compose New Mail Message 1995
Compose New Mail Message 2986
Compose New Post in This Folder 1972
Compose New Post in This Folder 2007
Compose Post Reply to This Folder 1985
Compose Reply 354
Compose Reply to All 355
Contact Forward 356
Contact New Contact 1993
Contact New Contact from Same Company 1908
Contact New Letter to Contact 2498
Contact New Task for Contact 1979
Contact Plan a Meeting... 1084
Context Menu Categories... 1888
Context Menu Mark as Unread 1675
Context Menu Move to Folder... 1679
Context Menu New Contact from Same Company 1908
Context Menu Open 746
Context Menu Print 2521
Dial Phone New Call... 2501
Edit Categories... 1888
Edit Clear 47
Edit Copy 19
Edit Copy to Folder... 1676
Edit Cut 21
Edit Links... 759
Edit Mark All as Read 1906
Edit Mark as Read 1674
Edit Mark as Unread 1675
Edit Paste 22
Edit Paste Special... 755
Edit Revise Contents 3273
Edit Select All 756
Edit Undo 128
File Add to Outlook Bar... 1969
File Archive... 1886
File Close 2011
File Close All Items 722
File Copy to Folder... 1676
File Delete 478
File Exit 752
File Exit and Log Off 1891
File Import and Export... 2577
File Move to Folder... 1679
File Open 2779
File Post 2988
File Print Preview 109
File Print... 4
File Properties 750
File Save 3
File Save and New in Company 1915
File Save As... 748
File Save Attachments... 3167
File Send 3037
Find All Messages from Sender... 2607
Find All Related Messages... 2684
Folder Copy "Inbox"... 2499
Folder Create Subfolder... 1660
Folder Delete "Inbox" 2500
Folder Move "Inbox"... 2506
Folder Properties for "Inbox" 2502
Folder Rename "Inbox"... 2512
Form Advanced Properties 3166
Form Display This Page 1971
Form Rename Page... 1879
Form Separate Read Layout 1920
Form Set Grid Size... 2686
Form Design Align Center 668
Form Design Align Left 664
Form Design Bring to Front 166
Form Design Control Toolbox 548
Form Design Edit Compose Page 2514
Form Design Edit Read Page 2516
Form Design Field Chooser 1748
Form Design Group 164
Form Design Left 3070
Form Design Properties 222
Form Design Publish Form As... 1913
Form Design Send to Back 167
Form Design Snap to Grid 2993
Form Design Ungroup 165
Form Design View Code 1561
Form Design Width 1646
Go Calendar 3128
Go Contacts 3129
Go Deleted Items 3134
Go Go to Folder... 1868
Go Inbox 3127
Go Journal 3132
Go My Computer 3135
Go Notes 3131
Go Outbox 3171
Go Sent Items 3133
Go Tasks 3130
Help About Microsoft Outlook 927
Help About this Form 2503
Help Contents and Index 983
Help Microsoft Outlook Help 984
Help What's This? 124
Horizontal Spacing Decrease 1649
Horizontal Spacing Increase 1650
Horizontal Spacing Make Equal 3137
Horizontal Spacing Remove 1651
Insert File... 777
Insert Item... 2505
Journal Forward 356
Journal New Journal Entry 1994
Journal Post Reply to This Folder 1985
Layout AutoLayout 2984
Layout Show Grid 2991
Layout Size to Fit 551
Layout Size to Grid 2992
Layout Tab Order... 469
Microsoft on the Web Best of the Web 3031
Microsoft on the Web Free Stuff 3021
Microsoft on the Web Frequently Asked Questions 3023
Microsoft on the Web Microsoft Home Page 3091
Microsoft on the Web Microsoft Office Home Page 3029
Microsoft on the Web Online Support 3024
Microsoft on the Web Product News 3022
Microsoft on the Web Search the Web... 3032
Microsoft on the Web Send Feedback... 3030
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 14 3034
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 15 3035
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 16 3036
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 5 3025
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 6 3026
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 7 3027
Microsoft on the Web Web Help 8 3028
Microsoft on the Web Web Tutorial 3033
New Item Appointment 1106
New Item Choose Form... 1910
New Item Choose Template... 3176
New Item Contact 1099
New Item Folder... 1755
New Item Journal Entry 1989
New Item Mail Message 1757
New Item Meeting Request 1754
New Item Note 1758
New Item Office Document 2576
New Item Post in This Folder 2687
New Item Task 1100
New Item Task Request 2006
Next Flagged Message 1999
Next High Importance Item 1871
Next Incomplete Task 1899
Next Item 360
Next Item from Sender 1901
Next Item in Conversation Topic 1903
Next Last Item in Folder 1991
Next Unread Item 2000
Open Shared Folder Exchange Server Folder... 1863
Open Shared Folder Personal Folder... 1876
Order Bring Forward 170
Order Send Backward 171
Outline Collapse All 1917
Outline Collapse This Group 1870
Outline Expand All 1916
Outline Expand This Group 1884
Page Setup Define Print Styles... 1894
Page Setup Memo Style 746
Previous First Item in Folder 1865
Previous Flagged Message 1998
Previous High Importance Item 1872
Previous Incomplete Task 1900
Previous Item 359
Previous Item from Sender 1902
Previous Item in Conversation Topic 1904
Previous Unread Item 2001
Previous Unread Item 2001
Previous Unread Item 2001
Previous Unread Item 2001
Previous Unread Item 2001
Redial None 746
Remote Close 923
Remote Connect... 1102
Remote Disconnect 1103
Remote Mark to Retrieve 1104
Remote Mark to Retrieve a Copy 1753
Remote Remote Tools 1101
Remote Unmark 1921
Remote Unmark All 1105
Size To Both 1648
Size To Height 1647
Standard Address Book... 353
Standard Assign Task 1976
Standard AutoDialer 568
Standard AutoPreview 1744
Standard Back 1017
Standard Check Names 361
Standard Contact 1099
Standard Copy 19
Standard Current View 1893
Standard Cut 21
Standard Day 1094
Standard Delete 478
Standard Digitally Sign Message 719
Standard Document Map 1714
Standard Edit Series 2010
Standard Explore Web Page 2497
Standard File... 1079
Standard Find Items... 2683
Standard Folder List 1077
Standard Forward 356
Standard Forward 1018
Standard Go to Today 1098
Standard Group By Box 1750
Standard Importance: High 1074
Standard Importance: Low 1075
Standard Invite Attendees 1086
Standard Item 359
Standard Item 360
Standard Mark Complete 2985
Standard Message Flag... 1678
Standard Message Header 1751
Standard Microsoft Outlook Help 984
Standard Month 1096
Standard Move to Folder 2778
Standard New Meeting with Contact 1980
Standard New Message to Contact 1978
Standard Next Item 2614
Standard Paste 22
Standard Plan a Meeting... 1084
Standard Previous Item 2615
Standard Print 2521
Standard Print Preview 109
Standard Print... 4
Standard Recurrence... 1977
Standard Reply 354
Standard Reply to All 355
Standard Save 3
Standard Save and Close 1975
Standard Save and New 1665
Standard Seal Message with Encryption 718
Standard Send 2617
Standard Send Status Report 1760
Standard Undo 128
Standard Up One Level 1762
Standard Week 1095
Task Cancel Assignment 2004
Task Forward 356
Task New Task 1997
Task New Task Request 1761
Task Reply 354
Task Reply to All 355
Task Skip Occurrence 1919
Tasks Choose Form... 1910
Tasks Choose Template... 3176
Tasks New Task 1997
Tasks New Task Request 1761
Tasks Post Reply to This Folder 1985
Tasks Save Task Order 1912
Toolbar List Standard 761
Tools Address Book... 353
Tools AutoCorrect... 793
Tools AutoSignature... 1078
Tools Check for New Mail 1677
Tools Check for New Mail On... 1890
Tools Check Names 361
Tools Design Outlook Form 2519
Tools Empty "Deleted Items" Folder 1671
Tools Find Items... 2683
Tools Letter Wizard... 796
Tools Options... 522
Tools Protect Document 336
Tools Recall This Message... 2511
Tools Record in Journal 1672
Tools Resend This Message... 3165
Tools Services... 1882
Tools Spelling... 2
Vertical Spacing Decrease 1652
Vertical Spacing Increase 1653
Vertical Spacing Make Equal 3138
Vertical Spacing Remove 1654
View Bcc Field 1860
View Calendar... 1987
View Define Views... 1862
View Field Chooser 1748
View Filter... 1752
View Format Columns... 1898
View Format View... 1875
View From Field 1867
View Group By... 1666
View Master Document 2190
View Outlook Bar 2515
View Show Fields... 2009
View Sort... 2916
View Status Bar 850
REFERENCES
For more information about creating solutions with Microsoft Outlook 97, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Additional query words: OutSol OutSol97
Keywords: kbhowto kbprogramming KB173604
