Accessing Outlook data from database or programatically from ASP.NET

[Hrvoje Vrbanc]

Hi all!

I'm not sure whether I post this in the correct group but nevertheless, here
is my problem:

I would like to manipulate Outlook data (tasks, contacts, calendar, etc.)
programatically from an ASP.NET apllication, more precisely I would like to
be able to add and change contacts and enter events to calendar in the
Outlook from a web application. Now, the logical way seemed to be to link
from an MS Access database to objects within Outlook and then to access
those tables from within my ASP.NET code. However, I've noticed something
strange: for example, the linked table "Calendar" doesn't contain fields
showing the beginning and end of certain event in the calendar. This fact
rendered this approach useless.

Is there a way to approach full Outlook data programatically or from Access
or SQL Server?

Thank you,
Hrvoje

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Actually, that's not logical at all. Think about it: ASP.NET code runs on
the server. If the code is running on the server, whose Outlook data will it
access? And since only one instance of Outlook can be running on any machine
at any given moment, how will multiple users be managed? Not to mention the
fact that the linked table method in Access has major limitations, including
the inability to show even all the reasonably important fields. (While
articles have been written on how to expand on this method's obvious
features, I've never been able to duplicate the results. See
http://www.outlookcode.com/d/database.htm#linkedtables . )

You didn't say anything about the environment in which this application will
be running. That will determine whether it's more appropriate to use WebDAV
to access the data in your organization's Exchange mailboxes directly or
write an ASP.NET custom web component that uses client-side code to automate
the copy of Outlook running on the user's desktop.

FYI, there is a newsgroup specifically for general Outlook programming
issues "down the hall" at microsoft.public.outlook.program_vba or, via web
interface, at
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.outlook.program_vba