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@talkingmoose
Created November 6, 2011 16:21
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Permanently delete Outlook for Mac messages
tell application "Microsoft Outlook"
set theMessages to the selection
permanently delete theMessages
end tell
@ManSinha
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@NeilLowe
Thank you for posting that script. I got an account here specifically so that I could say "thank you" to you.
May I ask how did you come about it?
Thanks

@jon-cedar
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I have accidentally discovered a way round the script error descibed above.

I have some 2012 emails stuck in a local sent items folder, and I also got an error with this script:
Microsoft Outlook got an error: Can’t make {outgoing message id 18809, outgoing message id 18795 ...... outgoing message id 17890, outgoing message id 17793} into type message.

I had a look in Outlook's Main identity folder, and for all the message ids listed that I checked there was no message file in Data Records/Messages, but there is a Message Source file. However, when opened, the source files were for 2014 emails.
This led me to think that, assuming the error message ids correspond to the ids in the Main Identity folder, the 'stuck' messages (or Outlook's index) may be corrupted in a way that makes them appear to have a different id. (Rebuilding the database doesn't help at all with this issue.)

When I tried testing the script on a single message to identify its id, the script worked!
Selecting even 2 messages caused the error, but I was able to delete all the problem messages one at a time with this script.

I've left all the info about messages and source above in case it helps anyone else get to the bottom of it, but if you get the error, try using the script on your emails one at a time.

@VisualNation
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Thank you sir. Worked perfectly.

@win-lee
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win-lee commented May 31, 2016

Thanks, helped me too. Worked perfectly.
Still don't knot why these messages couldn't be deleted, but they are gone now :-)

@imSeva
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imSeva commented Jul 10, 2017

Hi,

I have a meeting invite that is stuck in the outbox and can not delete it using the script. I receive this error message:
+++++
Result:
error "Microsoft Outlook got an error: calendar event id 6151 doesn’t understand the “permanently delete” message." number -1708 from calendar event id 6151
+++++
Is there another command I need to use to delete a meeting invite vs. a message?

Thanks

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