How to write a filter for AutoFormatRule

Question

I am trying to add a filter to get all the subjects coloured Red which is sent to me(I am in the To list not in CC)

I tried many options but none of them worked to filter please help. I have the same code as below.

All the mails are colored red always it does not apply the filter.

private void AutoFormat()

        {

            try

            {

                AutoFormatRule afr;

                TableView tv;

 

                tv = applicationObject.ActiveExplorer().CurrentView;

                MessageBox.Show(tv.AutoFormatRules.Count.ToString());

 

                for (int i=1;i<=tv.AutoFormatRules.Count;i++)

                {

                    AutoFormatRule rl =  tv.AutoFormatRules[i];

                    if(rl.Name=="TestAFRule")

                    {

                        tv.AutoFormatRules.Remove(i);

                        MessageBox.Show("Deleted" + rl.Name);

                    }

                }

 

 

                afr = tv.AutoFormatRules.Add("TestAFRule");

                //afr.Filter = "urn:schemas:mailheader:to LIKE [e-mail]";

                //afr.Filter = "urn:schemas:httpmail:to LIKE [e-mail]";

                //afr.Filter = "urn:schemas:httpmail:fromemail" + " = '[e-mail]'";

                //afr.Filter = "[Subject] = 'test'";

                //afr.Filter ="\"urn:schemas:httpmail:fromemail\"" +" = '[e-mail]'";

 

                string criteria = "@SQL=\"urn:schemas:httpmail:subject\" = 'test'";

                //string criteria = "@SQL=\"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office#Subject\" = 'test'";

                afr.Filter = criteria;

 

                MessageBox.Show(afr.Filter);

 

 

                afr.Font.Color = OlColor.olColorRed;                

                afr.Enabled = true;

 

                tv.Save();

                tv.Apply();

                MessageBox.Show("Done");

            }

            catch(System.Exception ex)

                {

                    MessageBox.Show("Err:" + ex.Message);

                }

 

        }

Answer 1

Creating that rule manually from the Outlook UI returns the following for the Filter property:

"http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x0e04001f" CI_STARTSWITH '[e-mail]'

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption
Redemption - what the Outlook
Object Model should have been

Answer 2

I created a filter from Outlook UI. I got the Filter string in code for that.

Then I tried creating a new AutoFormatRule with that same filter string. but even then it doesnot get applied to the new rule that i created. I dont know why is that?

Answer 3

Do you see the new rule with the correct filter in the Outlook UI?

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption
Redemption - what the Outlook
Object Model should have been

Answer 4

No, the new rule(created from C#) is displayed in list of rules in Outlook UI. It shows the font settings correctly. but Filter is not set at all. If I go and set it(filter) in Outlook UI it works. But when I try to set the same from C# it doesn't set the filter. I don't understand this behavior. I feel its a bug with Outlook. Is it so?

I am struglling because of this issue and is not able to proceed further.

 

Answer 5

The following script (you can run it from OutlookSpy or Outlook VBA) worked perfectly for me:

 

set tv = application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentView
set afr = tv.AutoFormatRules.Add("TestAFRule")
afr.Filter = " ""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x0e04001f"" CI_STARTSWITH '[e-mail]' "
afr.Font.Color = olColorRed
afr.Enabled = true
tv.Save
tv.Apply

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption
Redemption - what the Outlook
Object Model should have been

Answer 6

Hi KavithaPaul,

 

Any update? Have you tried the code provided by Dmitry? Does this helps?

 

---

Best Regards, Calvin Gao [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us
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Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.

Answer 7

I tried it but not working

Answer 8

When and how did you try it?

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption
Redemption - what the Outlook
Object Model should have been

Answer 9

I am having the same problem trying to create an AutoFormatRule programmatically from a .NET Outlook Add-in.  The rule is created and the font is set correctly but my filter is not being set.  Has anyone resolved this issue?

Answer 10

Have you tried the script above?

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption Redemption - what the Outlook Object Model should have been Version 5.4 is now available!

Answer 11

hi Dmitry,

maybe I'm a bit late to this Topic, but I have a similar Problem. I tried your code and I have the problem the guys described before. The rule is created and the fontsettings are perfect. But the filter in the UI is empty.

Anyway the rules I create by code are working. I'm setting the filter with the following code. If I do that on Outlook 2007 SP2 the tableview shows "wird geladen" (on a english UI it must be something like "is loading"). But never stops showing that. On a earlier Outlook 2k7 or Outlook 2010 and later everthing works fine. You have any idea how I can reset my filter so Outlook 2k7 SP2 will stop loading?

thx. Jürgen

internal const string c_RuleFilterSchema = "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/string/{00020329-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}/";
internal const string c_VariableState = "BRImportState";

string state = "Completed";
string filter = "\"" + Connect.c_RuleFilterSchema + Connect.c_VariableState + "/0000001f\" = '" + state + "'";
rule.Filter = filter;

Answer 12

I don't know, sorry.

---

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/redemption Redemption - what the Outlook Object Model should have been Version 5.4 is now available!