Working with Outlook Distribution Lists using Email C++ Library

Working with Distribution Lists

It is possible to create a Distribution list using Aspose.Email API that is a collection of multiple contacts. A distribution list can be saved to disc in Outlook MSG format and can be viewed/manipulated by opening it in MS Outlook.

Creating and Saving a Distribution List

The following code snippet shows you how to create and save a distribution list with C++ Email Library API.

For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/kashifiqb/Aspose.Email-for-C
System::String dataDir = RunExamples::GetDataDir_Outlook();
    
System::String displayName1 = L"Sebastian Wright";
System::String email1 = L"[e-mail]";
    
System::String displayName2 = L"Wichert Kroos";
System::String email2 = L"[e-mail]";
    
System::String strEntryId1;
System::String strEntryId2;
    
System::String path = dataDir + L"CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst";
    
if (System::IO::File::Exists(path))
{
    System::IO::File::Delete(path);
}
    
// Create distribution list from contacts
{
    System::SharedPtr<PersonalStorage> personalStorage = PersonalStorage::Create(dataDir + L"CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst", Aspose::Email::Outlook::Pst::FileFormatVersion::Unicode);
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    System::SharedPtr<FolderInfo> contactFolder = personalStorage->CreatePredefinedFolder(L"Contacts", Aspose::Email::Outlook::Pst::StandardIpmFolder::Contacts);
    
    // Create contacts
    strEntryId1 = contactFolder->AddMapiMessageItem(System::MakeObject<MapiContact>(displayName1, email1));
    strEntryId2 = contactFolder->AddMapiMessageItem(System::MakeObject<MapiContact>(displayName2, email2));
    
    // Create distribution list on the base of the created contacts
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionListMember> member1 = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMember>(displayName1, email1);
    member1->set_EntryIdType(Aspose::Email::Outlook::MapiDistributionListEntryIdType::Contact);
    member1->set_EntryId(System::Convert::FromBase64String(strEntryId1));
    
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionListMember> member2 = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMember>(displayName2, email2);
    member2->set_EntryIdType(Aspose::Email::Outlook::MapiDistributionListEntryIdType::Contact);
    member2->set_EntryId(System::Convert::FromBase64String(strEntryId2));
    
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionListMemberCollection> members = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMemberCollection>();
    members->Add(member1);
    members->Add(member2);
    
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionList> distributionList = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionList>(L"Contact list", members);
    distributionList->set_Body(L"Distribution List Body");
    distributionList->set_Subject(L"Sample Distribution List using Aspose.Email");
    
    // Add distribution list to PST
    contactFolder->AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList);
}
    
    
System::String path1 = dataDir + L"CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst";
    
if (System::IO::File::Exists(path1))
{
    System::IO::File::Delete(path1);
}
    
// Create one-off distribution list members (for which no separate contacts were created)
{
    System::SharedPtr<PersonalStorage> personalStorage = PersonalStorage::Create(dataDir + L"CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst", Aspose::Email::Outlook::Pst::FileFormatVersion::Unicode);
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    System::SharedPtr<FolderInfo> contactFolder = personalStorage->CreatePredefinedFolder(L"Contacts", Aspose::Email::Outlook::Pst::StandardIpmFolder::Contacts);
    
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionListMemberCollection> oneOffmembers = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMemberCollection>();
    oneOffmembers->Add(System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMember>(L"John R. Patrick", L"[e-mail]"));
    oneOffmembers->Add(System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionListMember>(L"Tilly Bates", L"[e-mail]"));
    
    System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionList> oneOffMembersList = System::MakeObject<MapiDistributionList>(L"Simple list", oneOffmembers);
    contactFolder->AddMapiMessageItem(oneOffMembersList);
}

Reading a Distribution List from a PST

The following code snippet shows you how to read a distribution list from a PST.

For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/kashifiqb/Aspose.Email-for-C
System::SharedPtr<MapiMessage> message = MapiMessage::FromFile(fileName);
System::SharedPtr<MapiDistributionList> dlist = System::DynamicCast<Aspose::Email::Outlook::MapiDistributionList>(message->ToMapiMessageItem());