[FAQ's: OD] How do I send an email using Outlook?

Microsoft Office Outlook must be installed on your system in order to automate it using code.

These are a few code examples (Early Binding) of how to send an email using the Outlook Object Model in VB 6, VB.NET, and C#.

Outlook 2003 And VB 6 Code Example:

VB Code:

Option Explicit
'Add a reference to MS Outlook xx.0 Object Library
Private Sub Command1_Click()
    Dim oApp As Outlook.Application
    Dim oEmail As Outlook.MailItem
    Set oApp = New Outlook.Application
    Set oEmail = oApp.CreateItem(olMailItem)
    With oEmail
        .To = "[email protected]"
        .CC = "[email protected]"
        .Subject = "Spam - Meow!!!"
        .BodyFormat = olFormatPlain
        .Body = "Blah, blah, blah..."
        .Importance = olImportanceHigh
        .ReadReceiptRequested = True
        .Attachments.Add "C:\Cat.bmp", olByValue
        .Recipients.ResolveAll
        .Save
        .Display 'Show the email message and allow for editing before sending
        '.Send 'You can automatically send the email without displaying it.
    End With
    Set oEmail = Nothing
    oApp.Quit
    Set oApp = Nothing
End Sub

Outlook 2003/2005 And VB.NET 2003 Code Example:

VB Code:

Option Explicit On
Option Strict On
'Add a reference to MS Outlook xx.0 Object Library
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
'Imports Microsoft.Office.Core
 
Public Class Form1
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
 
    Private moApp As Outlook.Application
    Private mbKillMe As Boolean = True
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim oEmail As Outlook.MailItem
        Me.Cursor = Cursors.WaitCursor
        oEmail = DirectCast(moApp.CreateItem(Outlook.OlItemType.olMailItem), Outlook.MailItem)
        With oEmail
            .To = "[email protected]"
            .CC = "[email protected]"
            .Subject = "Spam - Meow!"
            .BodyFormat = Outlook.OlBodyFormat.olFormatPlain
            .Body = "Blah, blah, blah..."
            .Importance = Outlook.OlImportance.olImportanceHigh
            .ReadReceiptRequested = True
            .Attachments.Add("C:\Cat.bmp", Outlook.OlAttachmentType.olByValue)
            .Recipients.ResolveAll()
            .Save()
            .Display() 'Show the email message and allow for editing before sending
            '.Send() 'You can automatically send the email without displaying it.
        End With
        Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Try
            moApp = CType(GetObject(, "Outlook.Application"), Outlook.Application)
            mbKillMe = False
        Catch ex As Exception
            If moApp Is Nothing Then
                moApp = New Outlook.Application
                mbKillMe = True
            End If
        End Try
        If moApp Is Nothing Then
            MessageBox.Show("Outlook is not installed or available.", "RobDog888's Outlook FAQ", MessageBoxButtons.OK)
            Me.btnCreate.Enabled = False
            Exit Sub
        End If
        
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Form1_Closing(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs) Handles MyBase.Closing
        If mbKillMe = True Then
            If Not moApp Is Nothing Then
                moApp.Quit()
                moApp = Nothing
            End If
        End If
    End Sub
 
End Class

Outlook 2003 And C# 2003 Code Example:

Code:

---

using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Collections;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Data;
using Outlook = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook;
/// using Outlook = Microsoft.Office.Core.Outlook;

namespace Outlook_Email_CS
{
        /// <summary>
        /// Summary description for Form1.
        /// </summary>
        public class Form1 : System.Windows.Forms.Form
        {
        private System.Windows.Forms.Button button1;
                /// <summary>
                /// Required designer variable.
                /// </summary>
                private Outlook.Application moApp;
                private System.ComponentModel.Container components = null;

                public Form1()
                {
                        /// Required for Windows Form Designer support
                        InitializeComponent();
                }
                /// <summary>
                /// Clean up any resources being used.
                /// </summary>
                protected override void Dispose( bool disposing )
                {
                        if( disposing )
                        {
                                if (components != null)
                                {
                                        components.Dispose();
                                }
                        }
                        base.Dispose( disposing );
                }

                "Windows Form Designer generated code"

                /// <summary>
                /// The main entry point for the application.
                /// </summary>
                [STAThread]
                static void Main()
                {
                        Application.Run(new Form1());
                }
                private void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
                {
                        moApp = new Outlook.Application();
                }

                private void Form1_Closing(object sender, System.ComponentModel.CancelEventArgs e)
                {
                        moApp.Quit();
                        moApp = null;
                }

                private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
                {
                        Outlook.MailItem oEmail = (Outlook.MailItem)moApp.CreateItem(Outlook.OlItemType.olMailItem);
                        oEmail.Recipients.Add("[email protected]");
                        oEmail.CC = "[email protected]";
                        oEmail.Recipients.ResolveAll();
                        oEmail.Subject = "Spam - Meow!";
                        oEmail.BodyFormat = Outlook.OlBodyFormat.olFormatPlain;
                        oEmail.Body = "Blah, blah, blah...";
                        oEmail.Importance = Outlook.OlImportance.olImportanceHigh;
                        oEmail.ReadReceiptRequested = true;
                        oEmail.Attachments.Add(@"C:\Cat.bmp", Outlook.OlAttachmentType.olByValue);
                        oEmail.Recipients.ResolveAll();
                        oEmail.Save();
                        oEmail.Display(false); /// Show the email message and allow for editing before sending
                        /// oEmail.Send(); /// You can automatically send the email without displaying it.
                }
        }
}

---