How to get text values of rules in MS Outlook using VBA?

I am trying to get the text value(s) of the conditions for a rule that I have set up in MS Outlook.

I have created a rule named "TestRule" with a condition based on text in the message Body (it must have the text "zzz" in it) and also a condition based on text in the Message Header (it must have the text "aaa" in it). (Of course, this rule will probably never run, this is just to test for whether I can read the conditions in the rule.) The rule and the conditions are enabled.

Here is the code that I am using

Dim olRules As Outlook.Rules
Dim olRule As Outlook.Rule

Set olRules = Application.Session.DefaultStore.GetRules
Set olRule = olRules.Item("TestRule")

Debug.Print olRule.Conditions.Body.Text
Debug.Print olRule.Conditions.MessageHeader.Text

However, both debug.print lines give an error of "Type mismatch".

How can I read the current value of the conditions?

(I have checked and double-checked: there is a rule named "TestRule".)

Solution

GD DRC,

I've putten some more effort into your problem and I think I've figured out why you get the type mismatch.

You have likely added some keywords to the "body" condition as well as to the "messageheader" condition ? These individual entries are added to an array, the "olRule.Conditions.Body.Text" array.

Your below lines of code;

olRule.Conditions.Body.Text
Debug.Print olRule.Conditions.MessageHeader.Text

are essentially asking the 'debug.print' mehtod to print an array, yet it does not know how to do that. As it does not understand which part of the array to print. Depending on the amount of entries you have made the identifier of each entry will necessarily require an identifier to point to the unique array entry.

So:

olRule.Conditions.Body.Text(0) will point to the first entry in the array.
olRule.Conditions.Body.Text(1) will point to the second entry in the array.

There are a couple of ways to solve your coding issue:

Set a breakpoint on the line:

olRule.Conditions.Body.Text

So that execution stops just prior to executing the line of code. Open your 'Locals Window' (through View|Locals Window) and open olRule.Text and you will see as many array entries as you have added.

Amend your code to read as per below

Main subroutine

Sub TestRule()
Dim olRules As Outlook.Rules
Dim olRule As Outlook.Rule

Set olRules = Application.Session.DefaultStore.GetRules
Set olRule = olRules.Item("TestRule")

Debug.Print TypeName(olRule)

printArray olRule.Conditions.Body.Text
printArray olRule.Conditions.MessageHeader.Text

End Sub

printArray subroutine

Private Sub printArray(ByRef pArr As Variant)
    Dim readString As Variant

    If (IsArray(pArr)) Then             'check if the passed variable is an array

        For Each readString In pArr

            If TypeName(readString) = "String" Then 'check if the readString is a String variable
                Debug.Print readString
            End If

        Next

    End If

End Sub

You could also integrate the second subroutine in the first but it is better coding practice do perform repetative tasks either in a Function or in a separate subroutine (you could then use it for other methods in same module as well :-))

Trust this will provide you with the solution !

Goodluck !