Create and Read MS Outlook Distribution Lists in C# .NET

readme.md

Read the complete article on how to create and read MS Outlook distribution lists in C#: https://blog.aspose.com/2022/04/06/create-ms-outlook-distribution-lists-in-csharp-net/

create-outlook-distribution-list.cs

string displayName1 = "Sebastian Wright";
string email1 = "SebastianWright@dayrep.com";

string displayName2 = "Wichert Kroos";
string email2 = "WichertKroos@teleworm.us";

string strEntryId1;
string strEntryId2;

// Create distribution list from contacts
using (PersonalStorage personalStorage = PersonalStorage.Create("list.pst", FileFormatVersion.Unicode))
{
    // Add the contact folder to PST
    Aspose.Email.Storage.Pst.FolderInfo contactFolder = personalStorage.CreatePredefinedFolder("Contacts", StandardIpmFolder.Contacts);

    // Create contacts
    strEntryId1 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName1, email1));
    strEntryId2 = contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(new MapiContact(displayName2, email2));

    // Create a collection to keep members
    MapiDistributionListMember member1 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName1, email1);
    member1.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member1.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId1);

    MapiDistributionListMember member2 = new MapiDistributionListMember(displayName2, email2);
    member2.EntryIdType = MapiDistributionListEntryIdType.Contact;
    member2.EntryId = Convert.FromBase64String(strEntryId1);

    // Add members to collection
    MapiDistributionListMemberCollection members = new MapiDistributionListMemberCollection();
    members.Add(member1);
    members.Add(member2);

    // Create list
    MapiDistributionList distributionList = new MapiDistributionList("Contact list", members);
    distributionList.Body = "Distribution List Body";
    distributionList.Subject = "Sample Distribution List using Aspose.Email";

    // Add distribution list to PST
    contactFolder.AddMapiMessageItem(distributionList);
}

read-outlook-distribution-list.cs

// Load PST file
MapiMessage message = MapiMessage.Load("list.pst");

// Fetch distribution list
MapiDistributionList dlist = (MapiDistributionList)message.ToMapiMessageItem();

// Get members collection
MapiDistributionListMemberCollection members = dlist.Members;

// Read each MapiDistributionListMember from collection
MapiDistributionListMember member1 = members[0];