How to: Obtain a Folder Object from a Folder Path

  • Article

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