using SelectNamesDialog

[code_monkey_number_9]

question about using the SelectNamesDialog when automating Outlook 2007 from
Access 2007: the MSDN Office Developer Center remarks that, for the Display
method, "When displaying the Select Names dialog box, Display uses the
previous location and size (indicated by the top, left, width, and height) of
the dialog box."

For me this means that when I display the box, it is consistently hidden
behind one or more other open windows. When I call the dialog from my access
form, I have to click on the Outlook application (on the start bar) to
'activate' outlook for the dialog to appear.

Is there a way to set the dialog's position and/ or focus?

Here's how I'm calling the dialog:

Dim olApp As Outlook.Application
Dim olNS As Outlook.Namespace
Dim olDialog As SelectNamesDialog
Dim olAddressList As AddressList
Dim olRecipient As Outlook.Recipient
Dim strTo As String
Dim x As Integer

Set olApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
Set olNS = olApp.GetNamespace("MAPI")

Set olDialog = olNS.GetSelectNamesDialog
Set olAddressList = olNS.GetGlobalAddressList

With olDialog
.InitialAddressList = olAddressList
.SetDefaultDisplayMode olDefaultMeeting
If .Display Then

For Each olRecipient In .Recipients
x = x + 1
strTo = strTo & .Recipients(x) & "; "
Next
End If
End With

Me.Text12 = strTo

Set olApp = Nothing
Set olNS = Nothing
Set olDialog = Nothing
Set olAddressList = Nothing

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

The dialog is modal to Outlook, not to all open windows. That's why you have
to select Outlook to bring it to the front.

You would have to get the window handle of that dialog using the
FindWindow() Win32 API method. Then you'd have to set it to a topmost window
if you want it in front of all other windows most likely using the
SetWindowLong() Win32 API call.

 

[code_monkey_number_9]

Wow, a celebrity answer! Thanks, Ken!

The dialog is modal to Outlook, not to all open windows. That's why you have
to select Outlook to bring it to the front.

You would have to get the window handle of that dialog using the
FindWindow() Win32 API method. Then you'd have to set it to a topmost window
if you want it in front of all other windows most likely using the
SetWindowLong() Win32 API call.

 

[Dalton_L]

Thank you Ken. I am looking for a solution also, and I see where your answer
is heading. What I am stuck on is how to execute the API functions you
suggested in the Access VBA module. Since the SelectAnmes dialog is modal,
the Access code exectuion stops at the call to .Display.

I'm sure I am overlooking something fairly simple here.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Since the dialog is modal to Outlook and isn't present in the collection of
windows before you call Display, which displays the dialog modally, you can
try getting the main Outlook window first using FindWindow(), then making
that the top window and giving it focus before you call Display.

The main Outlook window (Explorer) has a class name of "rctrl_renwnd32",
the caption will vary depending on what folder you're in, but you can get
that from ActiveExplorer.Caption.

Once you have that information you have enough to use SetWindowLong() or
SetWindowPos() to set the Outlook window on top, then the dialog should
display on top of that window.

To make a window display at the top of the z-order you can use the HWND_TOP
argument, or to make it the topmost of all windows you can use HWND_TOPMOST.
You can get information on declaring and calling those Win32 API functions
from the MSDN library.