Outlook 2003 Contacts via ODBC

Matt Neimeyer · External Since: Feb 28, 2007 Posts: 3

Hey All,

I know that there are samples that show how to access the Outlook
contact list via ADO but I have a third party application that allows us
to add an ODBC datasource as an additional source for contacts and then
define an INI file that matches the fields. This is a custom built
application that ties into our CRM backend and the developer doesn't
seem to exist anymore so we can't find an upgrade. we plan to migrate
but nothing soon (thanks Mgmt)...

I need to set up the INI like so...

[OutlookODBC_DSNName]
PrimaryKey=OutlooksPrimaryKey
ContactFirstName=OutlookContactFirstName
ContactLastName=OutlookContactLastName

and so on...

Is there anywhere out there an ODBC driver that allows reading and
writing for the Outlook 2003 Contact List?

Thanks!

Matt

Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlo · External Since: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3213

There is an ODBC driver that can be installed with Access, but it's very
limited. It only exposes some 40 odd properties of a contact item and you
can't add to that. Plus I have no idea about that INI file, that's not
normally used and no one would necessarily know how the software translates
that INI into it's accesses to Outlook.

If you look at the database information at www.outlookcode.com you will see
examples of using the ODBC driver with Outlook but that code is all ADO or
DAO code that just uses the driver, how you would try to integrate with your
existing software is another question.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm

"Matt Neimeyer" <matt DeleteThis @cybersportsinc.com> wrote in message
news:OQcNxs1WHHA.1636@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hey All,
>
> I know that there are samples that show how to access the Outlook contact
> list via ADO but I have a third party application that allows us to add an
> ODBC datasource as an additional source for contacts and then define an
> INI file that matches the fields. This is a custom built application that
> ties into our CRM backend and the developer doesn't seem to exist anymore
> so we can't find an upgrade. we plan to migrate but nothing soon (thanks
> Mgmt)...
>
> I need to set up the INI like so...
>
> [OutlookODBC_DSNName]
> PrimaryKey=OutlooksPrimaryKey
> ContactFirstName=OutlookContactFirstName
> ContactLastName=OutlookContactLastName
>
> and so on...
>
> Is there anywhere out there an ODBC driver that allows reading and writing
> for the Outlook 2003 Contact List?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Matt

Matt Neimeyer · External Since: Feb 28, 2007 Posts: 3

> Plus I have no idea about that INI file, that's
> not normally used and no one would necessarily know how the software
> translates that INI into it's accesses to Outlook.

Oh... that was just an example that if I know the field names I can do a
mapping into our CRM system. To much info... sorry...

> If you look at the database information at www.outlookcode.com you will
> see examples of using the ODBC driver with Outlook but that code is all
> ADO or DAO code that just uses the driver, how you would try to
> integrate with your existing software is another question.

I guess my goal is that if I connect to the DSN with some application
and and issue "SELECT * FROM MagicOutLookTable" I get all of my
contacts. And that with that info I can use other standard SQL style
commands to insert new contacts, update old contacts etc. It's not a
particularly "bright" application but it does exactly what we need.

Matt

Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlo · External Since: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3213

Did you look at that link I provided? That's how you'd have to do it.

I haven't done anything with those methods since Outlook 2003 came out,
that's how I happen to know that you only get some 40-odd contact fields,
but it does work.

One thing to look out for though with that connector is the field names in
the returned recordset. They don't match the Outlook property names in many
cases. Also, as I mentioned, if a field that you want isn't there you can't
get it without using Outlook automation code and bypassing the ODBC driver.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm

"Matt Neimeyer" <matt.RemoveThis@cybersportsinc.com> wrote in message
news:O%23MXi84WHHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Plus I have no idea about that INI file, that's
>> not normally used and no one would necessarily know how the software
>> translates that INI into it's accesses to Outlook.
>
> Oh... that was just an example that if I know the field names I can do a
> mapping into our CRM system. To much info... sorry...
>
>> If you look at the database information at www.outlookcode.com you will
>> see examples of using the ODBC driver with Outlook but that code is all
>> ADO or DAO code that just uses the driver, how you would try to integrate
>> with your existing software is another question.
>
> I guess my goal is that if I connect to the DSN with some application and
> and issue "SELECT * FROM MagicOutLookTable" I get all of my contacts. And
> that with that info I can use other standard SQL style commands to insert
> new contacts, update old contacts etc. It's not a particularly "bright"
> application but it does exactly what we need.
>
> Matt

Matt Neimeyer · External Since: Feb 28, 2007 Posts: 3

Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
> Did you look at that link I provided? That's how you'd have to do it.

I did look... But like you said. It's not broad enough to do what I need.

Thanks though.

Matt

RM · Joined: Mar 24, 2007 Posts: 5

Maybe this can help:
GeniusConnect will synchronize OutlookÂ® data with any relational database that supports ODBC (MS Access, mySQL, MS SQL Server, Oracle etc.).
http://www.geniusconnect.com