Application.AdvancedSearch Method (Outlook)
Performs a search based on a specified DAV Searching and Locating (DASL) search string.
Syntax
expression .AdvancedSearch(Scope, Filter, SearchSubFolders, Tag)
expression A variable that represents an Application object.
Parameters
Name |
Required/Optional |
Data Type |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Scope |
Required |
String |
The scope of the search. For example, the folder path of a folder. It is recommended that the folder path is enclosed within single quotes. Otherwise, the search might not return correct results if the folder path contains special characters including Unicode characters. To specify multiple folder paths, enclose each folder path in single quotes and separate the single quoted folder paths with a comma. |
Filter |
Optional |
Variant |
The DASL search filter that defines the parameters of the search. |
SearchSubFolders |
Optional |
Variant |
Determines if the search will include any of the folder's subfolders. |
Tag |
Optional |
Variant |
The name given as an identifier for the search. |
Return Value
A Search object that represents the results of the search.
Remarks
You can run multiple searches simultaneously by calling the AdvancedSearch method in successive lines of code. However, you should be aware that programmatically creating a large number of search folders can result in significant simultaneous search activity that would affect the performance of Outlook, especially if Outlook conducts the search in online Exchange mode.
The AdvancedSearch method and related features in the Outlook object model do not create a Search Folder that will appear in the Outlook user interface. However, you can use the Save method of the Search object that is returned to create a Search Folder that will appear in the Search Folders list in the Outlook user interface.
Using the Scope parameter, you can specify one or more folders in the same store, but you may not specify multiple folders in multiple stores. To specify multiple folders in the same store for the Scope parameter, use a comma character between each folder path and enclose each folder path in single quotes. For default folders such as Inbox or Sent Items, you can use the simple folder name instead of the full folder path. For example, the following two lines of code represent valid Scope parameters:
Scope = "'Inbox', 'Sent Items'"
Scope = "'" & Application.Session.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox).FolderPath _
& "','" & Application.Session.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderSentMail).FolderPath & "'"
The Filter parameter can be any valid DASL query. For additional information on DASL queries, see Filtering Items and Referencing Properties by Namespace. Note that you cannot use a JET query for the Filter parameter of Advanced Search. If Instant Search is enabled on a store that contains a folder specified in the Scope parameter, you can use Instant Search keywords to improve the performance of your search. If you use Instant Search keywords and Instant Search is not enabled, Outlook will return an error and your search will fail.
Example
The following Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) example searches the Inbox for items with subject equal to Test and displays the names of the senders of the e-mail items returned by the search. The AdvancedSearchComplete event procedure sets the boolean blnSearchComp to True when the search is complete. This boolean variable is used by the TestAdvancedSearchComplete() procedure to determine when the search is complete. The sample code must be placed in a class module such as ThisOutlookSession, and the TestAdvancedSearchComplete() procedure must be called before the event procedure can be called by Outlook.
Public blnSearchComp As Boolean
Private Sub Application_AdvancedSearchComplete(ByVal SearchObject As Search)
Debug.Print "The AdvancedSearchComplete Event fired"
If SearchObject.Tag = "Test" Then
m_SearchComplete = True
End If
End Sub
Sub TestAdvancedSearchComplete()
Dim sch As Outlook.Search
Dim rsts As Outlook.Results
Dim i As Integer
blnSearchComp = False
Const strF As String = "urn:schemas:mailheader:subject = 'Test'"
Const strS As String = "Inbox"
Set sch = Application.AdvancedSearch(strS, strF, “Test”)
While blnSearchComp = False
DoEvents
Wend
Set rsts = sch.Results
For i = 1 To rsts.Count
Debug.Print rsts.Item(i).SenderName
Next
End Sub
The following Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications example uses the AdvancedSearch method to create a new search. The parameters of the search, as specified by the Filter argument of the AdvancedSearch method, will return all items in the Inbox and Sent Items folders where the Subject phrase-matches or contains "Office". The user's Inbox and Sent Items folders are specified as the scope of the search and the SearchSubFolders property is set to True. When the search is complete, the GetTable method is called on the Search object for performant enumeration of search results.
Public m_SearchComplete As Boolean
Private Sub Application_AdvancedSearchComplete(ByVal SearchObject As Search)
If SearchObject.Tag = "MySearch" Then
m_SearchComplete = True
End If
End Sub
Sub TestSearchForMultipleFolders()
Dim Scope As String
Dim Filter As String
Dim MySearch As Outlook.Search
Dim MyTable As Outlook.Table
Dim nextRow As Outlook.Row
m_SearchComplete = False
'Establish scope for multiple folders
Scope = "'" & Application.Session.GetDefaultFolder( _
olFolderInbox).FolderPath _
& "','" & Application.Session.GetDefaultFolder( _
olFolderSentMail).FolderPath & "'"
'Establish filter
If Application.Session.DefaultStore.IsInstantSearchEnabled Then
Filter = Chr(34) & "urn:schemas:httpmail:subject" _
& Chr(34) & " ci_phrasematch 'Office'"
Else
Filter = Chr(34) & "urn:schemas:httpmail:subject" _
& Chr(34) & " like '%Office%'"
End If
Set MySearch = Application.AdvancedSearch( _
Scope, Filter, True, "MySearch")
While m_SearchComplete <> True
DoEvents
Wend
Set MyTable = MySearch.GetTable
Do Until MyTable.EndOfTable
Set nextRow = MyTable.GetNextRow()
Debug.Print nextRow("Subject")
Loop
End Sub