How to: Obtain a Folder Object from a Folder Path

Outlook Developer Reference

This topic shows a function that accepts a folder path and returns a Folder object that corresponds to the specified folder. For example, if you provide the folder path "Mailbox - Dan Wilson\Inbox\Customers", the code in the TestGetFolder procedure will display the Folder object that corresponds to the Customers folder under Dan Wilson's Inbox, if the Customers folder exists under the Inbox. If the Customers folder does not exist, GetFolder will return Nothing.

  Function GetFolder(ByVal FolderPath As String) As Outlook.Folder
    Dim TestFolder As Outlook.Folder
    Dim FoldersArray As Variant
    Dim i As Integer
        
    On Error GoTo GetFolder_Error
    If Left(FolderPath, 2) = "\\" Then
        FolderPath = Right(FolderPath, Len(FolderPath) - 2)
    End If
    'Convert folderpath to array
    FoldersArray = Split(FolderPath, "\")
    Set TestFolder = Application.Session.Folders.item(FoldersArray(0))
    If Not TestFolder Is Nothing Then
        For i = 1 To UBound(FoldersArray, 1)
            Dim SubFolders As Outlook.Folders
            Set SubFolders = TestFolder.Folders
            Set TestFolder = SubFolders.item(FoldersArray(i))
            If TestFolder Is Nothing Then
                Set GetFolder = Nothing
            End If
        Next
    End If
    'Return the TestFolder
    Set GetFolder = TestFolder
    Exit Function
        
GetFolder_Error:
    Set GetFolder = Nothing
    Exit Function
End Function

Sub TestGetFolder() Dim folder As Outlook.Folder Set folder = GetFolder ("\Mailbox - Dan Wilson\Inbox\Customers") If Not(folder Is Nothing) Then folder.Display End If End Sub