Outlook Object Model : Using Restrict method to get contacts based on specific categories

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Earlier i was working with one of the customer, where he wants to use Outlook Object Model to,

- retrieve the default contact folder items
- restrict on the retrieved items
- get the restricted items and gets its values – Full Name, Categories, FileAs… etc

Here is the way that i tried it – Code Snippet for your reference:

       Dim oOutlook As Outlook.Application

       Dim oNameSpace As Outlook.NameSpace

       Dim oFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder

       Dim oContacts As Outlook.Items

       Dim oContact As Outlook.ContactItem

       Dim oItems As Outlook.Items

       Dim oItem As Outlook.ContactItem

       Dim i As Integer

  

       ' Connect with Outlook & get the Namespace

       Set oOutlook = New Outlook.Application

       Set oNameSpace = oOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")

  

       ' Retrieve the default Contacts Folder

       Set oFolder = oNameSpace.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)

  

       ' Retrieve the Items collection

       Set oContacts = oFolder.Items

  

       ' Create a Restriction on the Items

       Set oItems = oContacts.Restrict("[Categories] = 'Friend'")

  

       ' Display the number of items that match the restriction

       MsgBox "Found: " & oItems.Count

  

       ' Process each of the Restricted Items

       For Each oItem In oItems

          Debug.Print "Full Name : " & oItem.FullName & " Categories:  " & oItem.Categories & "File as:" & oItem.FileAs

       Next

       

       ' Clean it up

       Set oItems = Nothing

       Set oOutlook = Nothing

Happy Outlook programming!!