Auto-forward HTML emails with added suffix to subject line

paulkaye · #1 12-03-2015, 01:03 AM

Hi,
I receive emails from an external system, and would like to set up a rule that can automatically forward them to another email address but with an added suffix in the subject line. The emails I receive are in HTML format.
I've spent a few hours trying to achieve this, and my best luck was by following this post, but the forwarded mails were a little messy (I think they were converted into plain text).
I don't usually work with macros or VBA, so if you have a solution, I'd be very grateful if you could provide full instructions!
Thanks in advance,

Paul

gmayor · #2 12-03-2015, 02:07 AM

The following script run from a rule will forward the message to a given address with the additional text you specify. I have included a macro to test it

Code:

Option Explicit
Sub Test()
Dim olMsg As MailItem
    On Error Resume Next
    Set olMsg = ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
    ForwardWithSubject olMsg
lbl_Exit:
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Sub ForwardWithSubject(olItem As Outlook.MailItem)
Dim olOutMail As Outlook.MailItem
Const strAddr As String = "someone@somewhere.com"
Const strSubject As String = " Additional subject text"
    Set olOutMail = olItem.Forward
    With olOutMail
        .Subject = .Subject & strSubject
        .To = strAddr
        .Display  'Change to .Send after testing
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Set olOutMail = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub

paulkaye · #3 12-03-2015, 02:44 AM

Thanks, Graham. Could you explain what you mean by "I have included a macro to test it"?

(Also, I just noticed your full name - are you the gmayor who has a web page on MS Word's find/replace functions? If so, thank you - I've had that page bookmarked for years, and refer back to it frequently!)

gmayor · #4 12-03-2015, 04:33 AM

The main macro 'ForwardWithSubject' is intended to be run as a script from an Outlook rule. The other macro 'Test' calls that macro to process a selected message in your inbox, so that you can establish it does what you require.

Yes I am the same G Mayor - http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm I contribute to several forums as well as providing a web resource for Word users.

paulkaye · #5 12-03-2015, 04:51 AM

Hi Graham,
So then many of us owe you a big thank you for all of the help & resources you've provided!
Regarding the script you provided, I can test it myself simply by sending myself an email with the criteria that will trigger the rule that runs the script. Therefore I haven't included the test code you provided. I also didn't include the words "Option Explicit" as I wasn't sure what they were. So, my code simply says (with the subject suffix and email address filled in):

Code:

Sub ForwardWithSubject(olItem As Outlook.MailItem)
Dim olOutMail As Outlook.MailItem
Const strAddr As String = "someone@somewhere.com"
Const strSubject As String = " Additional subject text"
    Set olOutMail = olItem.Forward
    With olOutMail
        .Subject = .Subject & strSubject
        .To = strAddr
        .Display  'Change to .Send after testing
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Set olOutMail = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub

What happens is almost perfect - but the mail doesn't get sent. I end up with the message window open and waiting for me to click "send". I think that it would be perfect if I could have this whole thing run without my intervention at all. Any thoughts?

gmayor · #6 12-03-2015, 05:48 AM

Option Explicit should go at the top of the module. It forces you to declare your variables and is good practice.

The test macro saves you the bother of sending messages to test the code.

Did you see the comment in the line beginning .Display ?

Change .Display to .Send when you are happy with the result.

paulkaye · #7 12-03-2015, 06:10 AM

I warned you that I was a novice! I didn't see the comment - I didn't even know you could have comments in the middle of a line!

It works perfectly - thank you!

paulkaye · #8 12-09-2015, 03:42 AM

I don't know what's happened, but unfortunately this seems to have stopped working! Here's the script as it currently appears:

Code:

Option Explicit
Sub ForwardWithSubjectGmayor(olItem As Outlook.MailItem)
Dim olOutMail As Outlook.MailItem
Const strAddr As String = "[email address removed]"
Const strSubject As String = " [added string removed]"
    Set olOutMail = olItem.Forward
    With olOutMail
        .Subject = .Subject & strSubject
        .To = strAddr
        .Send
    End With
lbl_Exit:
    Set olOutMail = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub

And this is what the rule looks like:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...utlookrule.png

Any idea why it would have stopped working?!
In case it's relevant, when I first checked, the rule description included "this machine only" (which I think appeared by itself), but I removed that in case that was the problem - but it didn't help.
You advice would be much appreciated!
Paul

gmayor · #9 12-09-2015, 05:14 AM

It still works for me

paulkaye · #10 12-09-2015, 05:21 AM

I suspect that the reason my picture of the rule wouldn't work is that my url was https (and that's my only option - using Dropbox).
Anyway, do you have any idea why the rule/script might have stopped working? Did I do anything to the script? Should I just rewrite the rule?

paulkaye · #11 12-09-2015, 05:32 AM

I've now rewritten the rule from scratch, searching for asdfghjkl in the subject line. And it's not working!
In case it's relevant, my rule doesn't say "and stop processing more rules", like yours does.

paulkaye · #12 12-24-2015, 07:29 AM

*nudge*
I'd be really grateful if you (or anyone) could help me work out why this stopped working! It was perfect while it worked! I think it stopped working the first time I restarted my PC.
Paul

gmayor · #13 12-25-2015, 01:08 AM

Outlook can be fussy about macro security and it seems probable that your system's macro settings may be blocking the code. One possibility is to use selfcert.exe (in the Outlook application folder) and use it to digitally sign the macro project (from the VBA editor - Tools > Digital Signature.)

paulkaye · #14 12-25-2015, 01:54 AM

Hi Graham,
I was just about to write to you to say it hadn't worked, but then started to look at other security settings. After having added the certificate, it seems I needed to restart Outlook (when I closed Outlook I was prompted to save the VBA project). When I restarted I got an alert about the electronic signature, and after I accepted it, it started to work again.
Thank you again for being so generous with your time and knowledge!
Paul

paulkaye · #15 01-24-2016, 02:31 AM

Hi again,
How can I add a CC address to the mails that are sent my this macro?
Also, if I edit the macro, do I need to self-sign it again?
Thanks,
Paul

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