Discussion between nixda and ymar

Stack Exchange

20:22

2

Q: How do I make Outlook 2010 print attachments automatically?

I'm trying to get Outlook 2010 to print attachments automatically apon arrival. I've found this on the internet. The VBA code is Sub LSPrint(Item As Outlook.MailItem) On Error GoTo OError 'detect Temp Dim oFS As FileSystemObject Dim sTempFolder As String Set oFS = New Fi...

nixda

If you open the VBA editor, you could set a break point to the beginning of your macro. Then, repeat your test with sending a mail. The editor will pop up und you can execute the macro line by line with F8. This way, we get more details, which line causes the error.

Have you tried this VBA code too? Or maybe this rule-based solution‌‌?

ymar

@nixda As for the second question, yes a couple of times, mostly in this version, and nothing seemed to happen. But I didn't add any rules here -- I just ran the script as Diane Poremsky advises in her post.

@nixda The error message appears after I press F8 with this line highlighted: "MsgBox Err.Number & " - " & Err.Description".

@nixda The solution in the second link is to a different problem. Rules alone are not enough to print attachments automatically. They only allow to print messages.

nixda

The second line On Error GoTo OError is a error handler. Disable it temporarly with a ' in front and repeat the mail test. A different line should now cause the error.

ymar

@nixda Now there's no error message at all, and nothing seems to happen. Should I list the lines that actually do get highlighted? (Not all of them do.)

Bartek

Hi, thank you!

The code skips from "For Each oAtt In Item.Attachments" right to "If Not oFS Is Nothing Then"

nixda

20:24

ok mom

Item is a parameter. In other words, its your mail. Hmm, this indicates, that our macro doesn't know the mail

or your mail has no attachment

You can elabote this:

Bartek

Oh, wait. The last one doesn't have an attachment... I'll try again.

nixda

Ok everything I say assumes, you have a break point and a real test with a mail

Ah!

ok I wait

Bartek

I have no idea what's going on now... I've stopped reveiving the emails...

nixda

hm, currently you are trying to fix it?

Bartek

Yes... Wow, something happened! I need to try again. Sorry!

I'm really confused right now. I got a couple of mails at the same time. I think maybe my connection was slow. One of them seems to have triggered the default printer...

But now it doesn't work again...

nixda

20:34

ok Im confused too :D

Bartek

Okay one more attempt!

:)

Okay...

Now the email definitely does have the attachment.

And nothing happens.

The code skips between the lines I mentioned earlier

"For Each oAtt In Item.Attachments" right to "If Not oFS Is Nothing Then"

nixda

In this case, when you triggered the mail with an attachment: You can right click on "item" and select "add watch". Now with CTRL+G you open a "direct window" to view all properties of item (your mail)

There has to be something called "attachments"

Bartek

do I have to highlight "item"?

nixda

No, only right click it

Bartek

I have the options: "watch expression", "break when value is true", "break when value changes". The frst one?

nixda

20:42

ah ok, maybe they call it other in outlook VBA editor. I have only Excel VBA editor in front of me

I think its "Watch expression"

Bartek

okay

ctrl+g open a window titled "immediate"

*opened

nixda

ah mom

wrong shortcut

menu bar > view > watch window

Found it?

Bartek

okay, it's open (it opened earlier, without ctrl+g)

nixda

Now send yourself amail and let the macro be triggered. Dont forget a break point

Right after that, go to the watch window and look through the propteries of "item"

*properties

Bartek

okay, I have a tree. I clicked the plus sign next to "item" to expand.

nixda

20:47

correct

Bartek

I see a lot of things.

nixda

something called "attachments"?

Bartek

Oh, there's attachments too.

:)

nixda

wohow

and is this subtree empty ?

Bartek

no

The branches are:

application, class, count, parent, session, item 1.

nixda

20:49

"Item 1" is our winner

if you have 2 attachments. there would be item 1 and item 2

Bartek

Okay, it expands too.

okay :)

nixda

thats enough. We know what we wanted

there IS an atachment and the macro should be able to see it

Bartek

okay, I see

nixda

now the question is, why the for-loop doesn't loop through the attachments which is stored under "Item.Attachments"

Bartek

Hey!

nixda

20:52

Can you please watch "oAtt" and do the same procedure again`Does it gets a value when the line "For Each oAtt In Item.Attachments" is executed?

Bartek

say I just ran it again...

nixda

yes?

Bartek

sorry, without the "say"

It worked!

nixda

repeat it

i dont trust it :D

Bartek

Okay. I have no idea what's going on.

nixda

20:53

So, the printer started?

Bartek

yes...

But not this time!

geez...

I mean the "save as" window popped up, because it's not a real printer.

But now it skipped the improtant lines again, and nothing happened

And Outlook sees an attachment there still.

nixda

Wait, have you stopped the macro with the break point and forgot to stop it completely? Break point = pause, so every second mail send can't trigger the macro because its still running

Bartek

hmm

I just ran the macro to the last line.

Until it stopped highlighting anything

and then sent the new mail

nixda

ok, thats the right way

Bartek

geez... Let me try it again, I don't trust myself.

For heaven's sake...

I didn't send a new mail...

Just kept going with the F8 thing

It started over, and now the printer is triggered

nixda

21:00

Now you know it. Always this procedure: set break point > send mail > let macro be triggered > finish the macro with F8

Don START the macro with F8

So, finally everthing is working?

Bartek

Okay. I'll start over. The editor doesn't highlight anything in yellow. Just the breakpoint in red

Is this the right starting point?

nixda

correct, personally I prefer to set the break point an the first line Sub LSPrint(Item As Outlook.MailItem)

*on

Bartek

Yes, that's where my breakpoint is set

okay. I'll send the mail.

alright. the script is running, the first line is highlighted in yellow now.

so I start going with the F8

It've gone through the whole thing and it didn't work.

nixda

merde

Bartek

okay, I'll keep pressing f8

I can't, it just gives me the bell sound and nothing happens.

nixda

21:06

Was says "Watch expression" on item > attachments ?

Was the loop again skipped?

Bartek

yes, it was. And the attachments node is not expandable now.

the script is not running though

Sorry!

nixda

You see attachments only when the script was triggered correctly with an mail+attachment

Bartek

I mean the "Item" node is not expandable

but there is an attachment

I can see it in outlook

nixda

Yeah, if I understand you right, you haven't triggered the macro first with an mail send event :)

Bartek

huh? I don't understand...

say Okay, I'm trying again

sorry for this "say", it's a habit from a different place

nixda

21:11

We have already done this step 5 minutes ago. I just want you to repeat it. send a mail > look if "item 1" is expandable and report it to me

Bartek

Okay. I've done it.

It is expandable during the run

nixda

ok mom

Bartek

but the loop was skipped again

nixda

Ah thats the important info

VBA does have an attachment but the loop is skipped

Bartek

okay

But not always :/

nixda

21:13

There has to be something wrong with the code, not with your execution or mail

Bartek

but it does work sometimes!

nixda

yea thats the strange point

I have no clue

Bartek

It's okay :)

Thank you very much, I've learned a lot anyway.

nixda

I'm really sorry.

Bartek

it's no trouble. I'll sleep on it and try again.

nixda

21:16

The only logic explanation must be, that the parameter "item" (your mail) is differs

-is

But I assume you always use the same mail same attachment, same procedure

Bartek

you mean I should look at how the parameter changes during the run?

nixda

You could look if the parameter "item 1" changes BETWENN runs (one working and one failing run

*between

Bartek

Yes I do. I the title and the content differ (they're like "dsfsf"), but that I believe shouldn't matter. Other things seem to be the same

Okay

I'll try that :)

nixda

title shouldn matter, thats right

Bartek

the attached file is always the same

nixda

21:19

ok

Bartek

maybe someone will answer the question then :) I'll post an update with a summary of these experiments.

nixda

Thats fine

Bartek

maybe someone'll have something to say

okay :)

nixda

At least you learned how to debug VBA

Bartek

I did! Thanks a lot! :)

nixda

21:20

break point + F8 + Watch expression + Watch window :)

Ok, then. My apologiez again and good night. Its late here :)

Bartek

It seems way easier than with any programming language I've tried.

okay!

nixda

Indeed it is"

Bartek

good night

nixda

bye

Bartek

:)

bye

Transcript for

Discussion between nixda and ymar