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

[RobDog888]

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:

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 = "meow@example.com"
        .CC = "ruff@example.com"
        .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

[RobDog888]

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

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 = "meow@example.com"
            .CC = "ruff@example.com"
            .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

[RobDog888]

Outlook 2003 And C# 2003 Code Example:

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("bgates@microsoft.com");
			oEmail.CC = "meow@example.com";
			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.
		}
	}
}