Developer Support Limitations with Outlook Express

Programmatic access to, or control of the Microsoft Outlook Express client is not supported. Simple MAPI is the only supported access to Outlook Express messages. This includes all versions of Outlook Express, even if the specific version is not listed in the Applies To section.

Simple MAPI is a set of functions and related data structures you can use to add messaging functionality to C, C++, or Visual Basic Windows applications. The Simple MAPI functions are available in C and C++ and Visual Basic versions.

Microsoft recommends developers that desire to write custom messaging applications use either Collaboration Data Objects (1.x), Extended MAPI, or Microsoft Outlook Object Model. All these APIs ship with Microsoft Outlook clients (excluding Microsoft Outlook 98 Internet Mail Only version).