OL2002: How to Simulate a Form "Create" Event in VBScript (294557)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2002
This article was previously published under Q294557

SUMMARY

Microsoft Outlook does not provide a Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) event that runs only when a new Outlook item is created. This article describes a method you can use to simulate this functionality.

MORE INFORMATION

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When a new form is created, Outlook runs an Item_Open event in VBScript. However, after the item is saved in a folder, the Item_Open event also runs when the item is reopened. In addition, Outlook also runs the Item_Read event when an item is opened from a folder.

The following sample VBScript code illustrates how you can place code in the Item_Open event so it will only run when the item is first created. It checks to see if the Created field of the item is populated. If the Created field does not have a date value, the item must be a new item. If the Created field is populated with a date value, the item has already been saved, and is, therefore, being reopened.

Sub Item_Open()

   MsgBox "This is the Item_Open event."

   ' 1/1/4501 represents a Date field with no value.
   If Item.CreationTime = #1/1/4501# Then
      MsgBox "Open: Code to run when item created goes here."
   Else
      MsgBox "Open: Code to run when item opened goes here."
   End If

End Sub

Sub Item_Read()

   MsgBox "This is the Item_Read event."

End Sub

REFERENCES

For additional information about available resources and answersto commonly asked questions about Microsoft Outlook solutions, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

287530 OL2002: Questions About Custom Forms and Outlook Solutions

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB294557
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