Collaborative Data Objects (CDO) Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

  1. What is the difference between CDO (previously known as Active Messaging and OLE Messaging), Simple MAPI, Common Messaging Calls (CMC), and Extended MAPI (usually referred to as MAPI)? Q200018
  2. What is the difference between OLE Messaging, Active Messaging, and CDO? Q176916
  3. Where can I get CDO or the Active Messaging Library? Can I distribute CDO? Q171422, Q191363
  4. I am using the CDO library to work with Contact items/Task items/Journal items. Is this a good approach?
    Answer: No. Use the Outlook Object Model instead.
  5. I set up Outlook Express as my default mail client. Now, my CDO/Extended MAPI application doesn't work on that system. Why? Q239576, Q192119
  6. How can I programmatically access or control the Microsoft Outlook Express client? Q239576
  7. I installed Outlook 98. Now my CDO (or Extended MAPI) application has stopped working. What can I do? Q214631, Q194077
  8. How can I create a Microsoft Visual Basic ActiveX DLL to send mail? Q200150
  9. How can I send a Rich Text Formatted (RTF) message or HTML message by using MAPI and/or CDO? Q216344, Q172038
  10. How can I find the alias of a mailbox and what Exchange server homes it? Q183917
  11. How can I loop through all the mailboxes in the Global Address List (GAL)? Q203019
  12. How can I get the SMTP address of a mailbox/user? Q196507
  13. Are there any CDO code samples that are written in Microsoft Visual C++ or Microsoft Visual J++?
    Answer: Here are some of them: Q178480, Q195545, Q195842, Q216723, Q216721

Collaboration Data Objects for NTS Components (CDONTS)/CDO from ASP

  1. I want to write an ASP messaging application. How should I start? http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/msdn_aspmess.htm 
  2. How do I configure an Exchange mailbox for anonymous access? Q195681
  3. How can I view the content of a public folder from an ASP page? Q178552
  4. How do I render a calendar in an ASP with CDO? Q181483
  5. How do I read AddressBook properties from an ASP page? Q179082

  6. How can I learn about some common ASP errors and solutions? Q195849, Q181739, Q193451, Q179639
  7. How can I set SMTP header properties by using CDONTS? Q233293
  8. I get some error messages when I send mail with CDONTS. What could be the possible reasons? Q214667, Q228465

CDO from Event Services

  1. I want to install my custom script; however, I can't find the Agents tab in Outlook. Q201618 , Q184661
  2. I would like to write a custom agent. Is there a sample available? Q192339
  3. How do I relate a deleted message with the original one? Q231160
  4. I plan to install my script on X number of folders. Are there performance issues that I need to be aware of? Q181036
  5. ACL/Rules samples/Events script CDO code fails after I apply Exchange Server 5.5 SP2. Why? Q234213, Q234630
  6. Can we reduce the time interval for the scheduled (OnTimer) event to less than 15 minutes? Answer: No.


Last Reviewed: Tuesday, February 13, 2001