Working with Distribution Lists

It is possible to create a Distribution list using Aspose.Email API that is a collection of multiple contacts. A distribution list can be saved to disc in Outlook MSG format and can be viewed/manipulated by opening it in MS Outlook.

Creating and Saving a Distribution List

The following code snippet shows you how to create and save a distribution list.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-email/Aspose.Email-for-.NET
string dataDir = RunExamples.GetDataDir_Outlook();

string displayName1 = "Sebastian Wright";
string email1 = "[e-mail]";

string displayName2 = "Wichert Kroos";
string email2 = "[e-mail]";

string strEntryId1;
string strEntryId2;

string path = dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst";

if (File.Exists(path))
{
    File.Delete(path);
}

// Create distribution list from contacts
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create(dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_out.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    FolderInfo contactFolder = personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    // Create contacts
    strEntryId1 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName1, email1));
    strEntryId2 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName2, email2));

    // Create distribution list on the base of the created contacts
    MapiDistributionListMember member1 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName1, email1);
    member1.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member1.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId1);

    MapiDistributionListMember member2 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName2, email2);
    member2.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member2.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId2);

    MapiDistributionListMemberCollection members = new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection();
    members.Add(member1);
    members.Add(member2);

    MapiDistributionList distributionList = new MapiDistributionList("Contact list", members);
    distributionList.Body = "Distribution List Body";
    distributionList.Subject = "Sample Distribution List using Aspose.Email";

    // Add distribution list to PST
    contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList);
}


string path1 = dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst";

if (File.Exists(path1))
{
    File.Delete(path1);
}

// Create one-off distribution list members (for which no separate contacts were created)
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create(dataDir + "CreateDistributionListInPST_OneOffmembers_out.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to pst
    FolderInfo contactFolder = personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    MapiDistributionListMemberCollection oneOffmembers = new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection();
    oneOffmembers.Add(new MapiDistributionListMember("John R. Patrick", "[e-mail]"));
    oneOffmembers.Add(new MapiDistributionListMember("Tilly Bates", "[e-mail]"));

    MapiDistributionList oneOffMembersList = new MapiDistributionList("Simple list", oneOffmembers);
    contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(oneOffMembersList);
}

Reading a Distribution List from a PST

The following code snippet shows you how to read a distribution list from a PST.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-email/Aspose.Email-for-.NET
MapiMessage message = MapiMessage.FromFile(fileName);
MapiDistributionList dlist = (MapiDistributionList)message.ToMapiMessageItem();

Update Distribution List in PST

The following code snippet shows you how to update a distribution list in PST.

// For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-email/Aspose.Email-for-.NET
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create(dataDir + "UdateDistributionList.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to PST
    FolderInfo contactFolder =
        personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    // Create contacts
    string contactId1 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact("Test1", "[e-mail]"));
    string contactId2 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact("Test2", "[e-mail]"));

    // Create distribution list on the base of the created contacts
    MapiDistributionListMember contact1 =
        new MapiDistributionListMember("Test1", "[e-mail]")
        {
            EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact,
            EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(contactId1)
        };

    MapiDistributionListMember contact2 =
        new MapiDistributionListMember("Test2", "[e-mail]")
        {
            EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact,
            EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(contactId2)
        };

    MapiDistributionList distributionList1 = new MapiDistributionList("Contact list1",
        new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection { contact1, contact2 })
    {
        Body = "Distribution List Body1",
        Subject = "Sample Distribution List1"
    };

    // Add distribution list to PST
    string distributionListId1 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList1);

    // Create second distribution list
    string contactId3 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact("Test3", "[e-mail]"));

    MapiDistributionListMember contact3 =
        new MapiDistributionListMember("Test3", "[e-mail]")
        {
            EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact,
            EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(contactId3)
        };

    MapiDistributionList distributionList2 = new MapiDistributionList("Contact list2",
        new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection { contact3 })
    {
        Body = "Distribution List Body1",
        Subject = "Distribution List1"
    };

    // Add distribution list to PST
    string distributionListId2 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList2);

    // Add first distribution list to the second
    MapiDistributionListMember dl =
        new MapiDistributionListMember(distributionList1.DisplayName, null)
        {
            EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.DistributionList,
            EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(distributionListId1)
        };

    distributionList2.Members.Add(dl);

    // update DL in PST
    contactFolder.UpdateMessage(distributionListId2, distributionList2);
}