PidTagSearchKey Canonical Property

Applies to: Outlook 2013 | Outlook 2016

Contains a binary-comparable key that identifies correlated objects for a search.

Property Value
Associated properties:
PR_SEARCH_KEY
Identifier:
0x300B
Data type:
PT_BINARY
Area:
ID properties

Remarks

This property provides a trace for related objects, such as message copies, and facilitates finding unwanted occurrences, such as duplicate recipients.

MAPI uses specific rules for constructing search keys for message recipients. The search key is formed by concatenating the address type (in uppercase characters), the colon character ':', the email address in canonical form, and the terminating null character. Canonical form here means that case-sensitive addresses appear in the correct case, and addresses that are not case-sensitive are converted to uppercase. This is important in preserving correlations among messages.

For message objects, this property is available through the IMAPIProp::GetProps method immediately following message creation. For other objects, it is available following the first call to the IMAPIProp::SaveChanges method. Because this property is changeable, it is unreliable to obtain it through GetProps until a SaveChanges call has committed any values set or changed by the IMAPIProp::SetProps method.

For profiles, MAPI also furnishes a hard-coded profile section named MUID_PROFILE_INSTANCE, with this property as its single property. This key is guaranteed to be unique among all profiles ever created, and can be more reliable than the PR_PROFILE_NAME (PidTagProfileName) property, which can be, for example, deleted and recreated with the same name.

The following table summarizes important differences among the PR_ENTRYID (PidTagEntryId), PR_RECORD_KEY (PidTagRecordKey), and this property.

Characteristic PR_ENTRYID PR_RECORD_KEY PR_SEARCH_KEY
Required on attachment objects
No
Yes
No
Required on folder objects
Yes
Yes
No
Required on message store objects
Yes
Yes
No
Required on status objects
Yes
No
No
Creatable by client
No
No
Yes
Available before SaveChanges
Depends on the provider implementation
Depends on the provider implementation
For messages, Yes. For others, It depends on the provider implementation.
Changed in a copy operation
Yes
Yes
No
Changeable by client after a copy
No
No
Yes
Unique within ... Entire world
Provider instance
Entire world
Binary comparable (as with memcmp)
No -- use IMAPISupport::CompareEntryIDs
Yes
Yes

Protocol specifications

[MS-OXPROPS]

Provides references to related Exchange Server protocol specifications.

[MS-OXCMSG]

Handles message and attachment objects.

[MS-OXOABK]

Specifies the properties and operations for lists of users, contacts, groups, and resources.

Header files

Mapidefs.h

Provides data type definitions.

Mapitags.h

Contains definitions of properties listed as alternate names.

See also

PidTagResponsibility Canonical Property

PidTagStoreRecordKey Canonical Property

MAPI Properties

MAPI Canonical Properties

Mapping Canonical Property Names to MAPI Names

Mapping MAPI Names to Canonical Property Names