Pulling email from global address list (not name)

Question

I am currently trying to pull the distribution list(s) emails from my Global Address List. I have it partially functioning right now, by partially I mean that I am currently able to successfully pull the name of the distribution list, but not the email. This is what I have so far:

    public class DistributionListDetails
    {
        public string DistributionListId { get; set; }
        public string DistributionListEmail { get; set; }
    }

    public List<DistributionListDetails> DistributionListInformtion { get; set; }


    [WebMethod]
    public static List<DistributionListDetails> GetDistributionLists()
    {
        List<DistributionListDetails> distributionLists = new List<DistributionListDetails>();

        //create Outlook application. 
        Outlook.Application oApp = new Outlook.Application();

        //get Mapi NameSpace and Logon. 
        Outlook.NameSpace oNS = oApp.GetNamespace("mapi");

        //get Global Address List. 
        Outlook.AddressLists oDLs = oNS.AddressLists;
        Outlook.AddressList oGal = oDLs["Global Address List"];

        //get a specific distribution list. 
        string sDL = "TestDL";
        Outlook.AddressEntries oEntries = oGal.AddressEntries;
        Outlook.AddressEntry oDL = oEntries[sDL];

        if (oDL.Manager != null)
        distributionLists.Add(new DistributionListDetails
            {
                DistributionListId = oDL.Name,
                DistributionListEmail = oDL.Manager.ToString()
            });

        //get all of the members of the distribution list. 
        oEntries = oDL.Members;
        Outlook.AddressEntry oEntry = default(Outlook.AddressEntry);

        //adding distribution lists to list
        distributionLists.AddRange(oGal.AddressEntries.Cast<Outlook.AddressEntry>().Select(
            x => new DistributionListDetails
                 {
                     DistributionListId = x.Name,
                     DistributionListEmail = x.Name
                 }).Take(400));

        //log off. 
        oNS.Logoff();

        //clean up. 
        oApp = null;
        oNS = null;
        oDLs = null;
        oGal = null;
        oEntries = null;
        oEntry = null; 

        return distributionLists;
}

I am basically using the Interop Outlook service (which I am not thrilled about), to open up Outlook and retrieve the name of the distribution lists from the Global Address List. What I thought I would be able to do to get the DL email address would be something like this in my LINQ query:

DistributionListID = x.Email

Or something of that nature, but it does not give me any type of option like that. My end product is I would like to email the distribution lists from a web application (hence why I need the email address). I thought I would be able to just strictly use the name since I am using Interop and it would be smart enough to email it, but I was wrong.

Currently I am throwing it this :

My Distribution List

But it is expecting this (this does work, I have tested it in debugging):

My Distribution List <MyDistributionListEmail@mycompany.com>

So after all of that, does anyone have any advice on how I can pull the email addresses of the DL's?

when you run this code does it return a List ` distributionLists.AddRange(oGal.AddressEntries.Cast().Select( x => new DistributionListDetails { DistributionListId = x.Name, DistributionListEmail = x.Name }).Take(400));` ..? if not what if you add `.ToList()` at the end.. — MethodMan, Dec 15 '15 at 21:48
Yeah, it is returning exactly what it should at the moment. I just want it to return the email address instead of name... — Code, Dec 15 '15 at 21:50

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 15 '15 at 21:51

2

Use AddressEntry.Address. If you want SMTP adders, use AddressEntry.GetExchangeUser().PrimarySmtpAddress.

Do not use LINQ with OOM objects, use a good old "for" loop.

answered Dec 15 '15 at 21:51

Dmitry Streblechenko

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I had a for loop, but it was incredibly slow (took over 45 seconds to pull 400 records). The LINQ query takes around 2 seconds... I will try this suggestion. Stand by – Code Dec 15 '15 at 21:55
LINQ will use "foreach" loop internally. Which can cause you to run out of RPC channels in case of an online mode. – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 15 '15 at 21:57
Hmm ok... Where are you saying to add your suggestion? – Code Dec 15 '15 at 21:57
It is not giving me the option of "AddressEntry.Address"? – Code Dec 15 '15 at 22:02
It would be x.Address. – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 15 '15 at 22:03
That gives me this: "/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Group (some long id)/cn=Recipients/cn=a group number".. I was looking for the email address. Did I miss something? – Code Dec 15 '15 at 22:09
As I mentioned above - "If you want SMTP adders, use AddressEntry.GetExchangeUser().PrimarySmtpAddress." – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 15 '15 at 22:13
I tried that as well, I get this error " Object reference not set to an instance of an object." When I do this - "DistributionListId = x.GetExchangeUser().PrimarySmtpAddress". From the look of the error is looks like it is pulling in a null? – Code Dec 15 '15 at 22:16
Any reason that could be happening? – Code Dec 15 '15 at 22:27
Do you get null for all GAL items? It could because it is an external recipient, or there was a connection error. – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 15 '15 at 22:42
I don't get it for x.Name – Code Dec 15 '15 at 22:43
Name is always available. And Address. Again, do you get null for all items? Or just some? – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 15 '15 at 22:45
Hmm, let me check. Good Point – Code Dec 15 '15 at 23:22
I tested with DisplayType, ID and Parent and all three returned correctly – Code Dec 15 '15 at 23:27
Again, do you get null for all GAL items? Or just some? – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 16 '15 at 19:49
OOM usually does not raise any errors in GetExchangeUser, just silently fails. You can try to retrieve the PR_SMTP_ADDRESS property (DALS name `http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x39FE001F`) or PR_EMS_AB_PROXY_ADDRESSES multivalued property (DASL name `http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x800F101F`) using AddressEntry.PropertyAccessor.GetProperty. – Dmitry Streblechenko Dec 17 '15 at 15:01
Thank you very much for your continued help on this. The PR_SMTP_ADDRESS seems to do the trick. – Code Dec 17 '15 at 15:45

Pulling email from global address list (not name)

1 Answers1