Managing Distribution Lists in PST Files

Creating and Managing Distribution Lists

Create and Save 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.The following code snippet shows you how to create and save a distribution list.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-email/Aspose.Email-for-.NET
string dataDir = RunExamples.GetDataDir_Outlook();

string displayName1 = "Sebastian Wright";
string email1 = "[e-mail]";

string displayName2 = "Wichert Kroos";
string email2 = "[e-mail]";

string strEntryId1;
string strEntryId2;

string path = dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst";

if (File.Exists(path))
{
    File.Delete(path);
}

// Create distribution list from contacts
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create(dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    FolderInfo contactFolder = personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    // Create contacts
    strEntryId1 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName1, email1));
    strEntryId2 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName2, email2));

    // Create distribution list on the base of the created contacts
    MapiDistributionListMember member1 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName1, email1);
    member1.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member1.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId1);

    MapiDistributionListMember member2 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName2, email2);
    member2.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member2.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId2);

    MapiDistributionListMemberCollection members = new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection();
    members.Add(member1);
    members.Add(member2);

    MapiDistributionList distributionList = new MapiDistributionList("Contact list", members);
    distributionList.Body = "Distribution List Body";
    distributionList.Subject = "Sample Distribution List using Aspose.Email";

    // Add distribution list to PST
    contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList);
}


string path1 = dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst";

if (File.Exists(path1))
{
    File.Delete(path1);
}

// Create one-off distribution list members (for which no separate contacts were created)
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create(dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    FolderInfo contactFolder = personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    MapiDistributionListMemberCollection oneOffmembers = new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection();
    oneOffmembers.Add(new MapiDistributionListMember("John R. Patrick", "[e-mail]"));
    oneOffmembers.Add(new MapiDistributionListMember("Tilly Bates", "[e-mail]"));

    MapiDistributionList oneOffMembersList = new MapiDistributionList("Simple list", oneOffmembers);
    contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(oneOffMembersList);
}

Read Distribution Lists

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

using Aspose.Email.Storage.Pst;
using Aspose.Email.Mapi;

// Load the PST file
using (var pst = PersonalStorage.FromFile("your.pst"))
{
    // Get the Contacts folder
    var folder = pst.GetPredefinedFolder(StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    if (folder != null)
    {
        foreach (var msgInfo in folder.EnumerateMessages())
        {
            // Check if the message has the "IPM.DistList" message class
            if (msgInfo.MessageClass == "IPM.DistList")
            {
                // Extract the distribution list
                var distList = (MapiDistributionList)pst.ExtractMessage(msgInfo).ToMapiMessageItem();
                
                // Now, you can work with the distribution list
                // (e.g., access its members, display its properties, or make modifications)
            }
        }
    }
}

Update Distribution Lists

The following code snippet shows you how to update a distribution list in PST.

using Aspose.Email.Mapi;
using Aspose.Email.Storage.Pst;

// Load PST file
using (PersonalStorage pst = PersonalStorage.FromFile("my.pst"))
{
    // Get Contacts folder
    var folder = pst.GetPredefinedFolder(StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    // Add a new member to each distribution list in PST
    foreach (var msg in folder.EnumerateMessages())
    {
        // Check if the message has the "IPM.DistList" message class
        if (msg.MessageClass == "IPM.DistList")
        {
            var distList = pst.ExtractMessage(msg).ToMapiMessageItem();

            // Create a new member to add
            var member = new MapiDistributionListMember("Edward R. Manuel", "[e-mail]");
            distList.Members.Add(member);

            // Update Distribution List in PST
            folder.UpdateMessage(msg.EntryIdString, distList);
        }
    }
}