Programmatically determine the current Outlook item

This example uses the Explorer.SelectionChange event to display the name of the current folder and some information about the selected item. The code then displays the selected item.

Applies to: The information in this topic applies to VSTO Add-in projects for Outlook. For more information, see Features available by Office application and project type.

Example

C#

Outlook.Explorer currentExplorer = null;

private void ThisAddIn_Startup
    (object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
    currentExplorer = this.Application.ActiveExplorer();
    currentExplorer.SelectionChange += new Outlook
        .ExplorerEvents_10_SelectionChangeEventHandler
        (CurrentExplorer_Event);
}

private void CurrentExplorer_Event()
{
    Outlook.MAPIFolder selectedFolder =
        this.Application.ActiveExplorer().CurrentFolder;
    String expMessage = "Your current folder is "
        + selectedFolder.Name + ".\n";
    String itemMessage = "Item is unknown.";
    try
    {
        if (this.Application.ActiveExplorer().Selection.Count > 0)
        {
            Object selObject = this.Application.ActiveExplorer().Selection[1];
            if (selObject is Outlook.MailItem)
            {
                Outlook.MailItem mailItem =
                    (selObject as Outlook.MailItem);
                itemMessage = "The item is an e-mail message." +
                    " The subject is " + mailItem.Subject + ".";
                mailItem.Display(false);
            }
            else if (selObject is Outlook.ContactItem)
            {
                Outlook.ContactItem contactItem =
                    (selObject as Outlook.ContactItem);
                itemMessage = "The item is a contact." +
                    " The full name is " + contactItem.Subject + ".";
                contactItem.Display(false);
            }
            else if (selObject is Outlook.AppointmentItem)
            {
                Outlook.AppointmentItem apptItem =
                    (selObject as Outlook.AppointmentItem);
                itemMessage = "The item is an appointment." +
                    " The subject is " + apptItem.Subject + ".";
            }
            else if (selObject is Outlook.TaskItem)
            {
                Outlook.TaskItem taskItem =
                    (selObject as Outlook.TaskItem);
                itemMessage = "The item is a task. The body is "
                    + taskItem.Body + ".";
            }
            else if (selObject is Outlook.MeetingItem)
            {
                Outlook.MeetingItem meetingItem =
                    (selObject as Outlook.MeetingItem);
                itemMessage = "The item is a meeting item. " +
                     "The subject is " + meetingItem.Subject + ".";
            }
        }
        expMessage = expMessage + itemMessage;
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        expMessage = ex.Message;
    }
    MessageBox.Show(expMessage);
}

VB

Dim WithEvents currentExplorer As Outlook.Explorer = Nothing

Private Sub ThisAddIn_Startup(ByVal sender As Object, _
     ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Startup
    currentExplorer = Me.Application.Explorers.Application.ActiveExplorer
    AddHandler currentExplorer.SelectionChange, AddressOf _
        currentExplorer_Event
End Sub

Public Sub currentExplorer_Event()
    Dim selectedFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder = _
        Me.Application.ActiveExplorer().CurrentFolder
    Dim expMessage As String = "Your current folder is " _
        & selectedFolder.Name & "." & vbCrLf
    Dim itemMessage As String = "Item is unknown."
    Try
        If Me.Application.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Count > 0 Then
            Dim selObject As Object = Me.Application.ActiveExplorer _
                .Selection.Item(1)
            If (TypeOf selObject Is Outlook.MailItem) Then
                Dim mailItem As Outlook.MailItem = _
                    TryCast(selObject, Outlook.MailItem)
                itemMessage = "The item is an e-mail message." & _
                    " The subject is " & mailItem.Subject & "."
                mailItem.Display(False)
            ElseIf (TypeOf selObject Is Outlook.ContactItem) Then
                Dim contactItem As Outlook.ContactItem = _
                   TryCast(selObject, Outlook.ContactItem)
                itemMessage = "The item is a contact." & _
                    " The full name is " & _
                    contactItem.Subject & "."
                contactItem.Display(False)
            ElseIf (TypeOf selObject Is Outlook. _
                AppointmentItem) Then
                Dim apptItem As Outlook.AppointmentItem = _
                   TryCast(selObject, Outlook.AppointmentItem)
                itemMessage = "The item is an appointment." _
                    & apptItem.Subject & "."
            ElseIf (TypeOf selObject Is Outlook.TaskItem) Then
                Dim taskItem As Outlook.TaskItem = _
                    TryCast(selObject, Outlook.TaskItem)
                itemMessage = "The item is a task." & _
                    " The body is " & taskItem.Body & "."
            ElseIf (TypeOf selObject Is Outlook.MeetingItem) Then
                Dim meetingItem As Outlook.MeetingItem = _
                    TryCast(selObject, Outlook.MeetingItem)
                itemMessage = "The item is a meeting item. " & _
                    "The subject is " & meetingItem.Subject & "."
            End If
        End If
        expMessage = expMessage & itemMessage
    Catch ex As Exception
        expMessage = ex.Message
    End Try
    MsgBox(expMessage)
End Sub

Compile the code

This example requires:

• Appointment, contact, and e-mail items in Microsoft Office Outlook.

Related content

• Outlook object model overview
• How to: Programmatically retrieve a folder by name
• How to: Programmatically search for a specific contact