Hidden Property / Non-Exchange Clients

[BobbyGraves]

Hi,

I have an idea for a simple utility program. I'd be looking to embed some VBA code into Outlook, such that when someone opens up a specific email template to start a message, it would prompt them for a short string of text. This functionality would only be required at creation, where we all use Outlook. I suspect that will be easy enough to figure out. However, I would ultimately need a place, such as a property, to place that text where it would remain indefinitely. I could put it in the message or subject line, but that's vulnerable to accidental removal or changing. I need a place that's more or less hidden from the mail's recipient. Perhaps more problematic, I need it to be a place that would not be subject to being stripped out by any email client. I have no idea what the recipients will be using.

Does such a place exist?

Cheers and thank you for your consideration.

-Bobby

[JP2112]

How about a global variable? That will persist throughout the life of the Outlook client.

[BobbyGraves]

Thanks for the reply, JP2112.

I need to figure out what a global variable is in this specific context, but you're saying it would persist throughout the life of the *Outlook* client. The thing is these messages will go to people outside of our company, using god-knows-what kind of email clients. I'm also under the impression that most Outlook functionality, including user-defined properties, are application or protocol-specific and tends to get stripped off when routed through, for instance, simple, no-bells-or-whistles email servers.

I guess what I was fishing for was if there might be some core architecture (SMTP maybe) that was common to all email clients and if so, does it maybe include a benign and unnecessary property that I could hide my text string in? If that sounds ignorant, it's probably because I am. :hi:

Thanks.

[JP2112]

Ah, ok, you could set a custom property, or a category, but maybe if you explain what you're trying to do, someone might be able to explain a better way to reach your goal.

[BobbyGraves]

Thanks again for your consideration JP2112. Basically, I need a place to hide a string of text that will help identify a type of message that we commonly send out. Also, it would contain an identifier (document ID#) to tell us where to file their reply. So, we'd send out a message with this information buried in it and then when we get the reply, it would be automatically processed and filed by way of rules and/or scripts. Now we can put this info in the subject line, but that's vulnerable to change during the reply process and putting it in the message body makes it even more vulnerable. I'm pretty sure the high level functionality that Outlook provides, such as hidden properties, is vulnerable to stripping when a message is routed through a non-Exchange server.

I was hoping maybe there was some core architecture that was common to all email clients and that it might contain an invisible property or an effective equivalent to hold my text string. But talking to someone today, it's pretty clear to me now that that's just not the case. :cry2:

We'll probably have to take our chances with the subject line.

Cheers.