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Accessing a User's Shared Contacts Folders in EWS

A while back I posted a sample of creating a Shortcut to a Shared Calendar folder using EWS here . In this post I'll look at how you can do the inverse which is reading and accessing the folders associated with these shortcuts. A users Shared Contacts folder's will appear like the following in Outlook


These Shortcuts are special items that are saved in the Common Views folder in the Non_IPM_Subtree of a mailbox. The data for the shortcut item is saved in a number of properties which are documented in the following Exchange protocol document http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee157359(v=exchg.80).aspx

So to access these shortcuts from EWS requires a few different operations, the first is you need to use a FindFolder operation on the Root of the Mailbox to located the CommonViews Folder. Once you have the CommonViews FolderId you then use the FindItems operation to find any of the Items where the PidTagWlinkGroupName is set to Shared Contacts, which will effectively filter the items returned just to the shared contacts (note at this point if you are using a localized version of Outlook you need to use the localized text name for the node).

Once you have access to the ShortCut Items the next step is to read the PidTagWlinkStoreEntryId property from the ShortCut item. To get the mailbox that this shortcut refers to you can extract the X500 address from StoreId format which is documented here . You can resolve the X500 Address to an SMTP address using the resolveName operation and then use the SMTP address bind to the shared Contacts folder normally in EWS.

I've posted a sample powershell script to access and query all the Shared Contact folders in a Mailbox here the code itself looks like

  1. ## Get the Mailbox to Access from the 1st commandline argument  
  2.   
  3. $MailboxName = $args[0]  
  4.   
  5. ## Load Managed API dll    
  6. Add-Type -Path "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange\Web Services\2.0\Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.dll"    
  7.     
  8. ## Set Exchange Version    
  9. $ExchangeVersion = [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExchangeVersion]::Exchange2010_SP2    
  10.     
  11. ## Create Exchange Service Object    
  12. $service = New-Object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExchangeService($ExchangeVersion)    
  13.     
  14. ## Set Credentials to use two options are availible Option1 to use explict credentials or Option 2 use the Default (logged On) credentials    
  15.     
  16. #Credentials Option 1 using UPN for the windows Account    
  17. $psCred = Get-Credential    
  18. $creds = New-Object System.Net.NetworkCredential($psCred.UserName.ToString(),$psCred.GetNetworkCredential().password.ToString())    
  19. $service.Credentials = $creds        
  20.     
  21. #Credentials Option 2    
  22. #service.UseDefaultCredentials = $true    
  23.     
  24. ## Choose to ignore any SSL Warning issues caused by Self Signed Certificates    
  25.     
  26. ## Code From http://poshcode.org/624  
  27. ## Create a compilation environment  
  28. $Provider=New-Object Microsoft.CSharp.CSharpCodeProvider  
  29. $Compiler=$Provider.CreateCompiler()  
  30. $Params=New-Object System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerParameters  
  31. $Params.GenerateExecutable=$False  
  32. $Params.GenerateInMemory=$True  
  33. $Params.IncludeDebugInformation=$False  
  34. $Params.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("System.DLL") | Out-Null  
  35.   
  36. $TASource=@' 
  37.   namespace Local.ToolkitExtensions.Net.CertificatePolicy{ 
  38.     public class TrustAll : System.Net.ICertificatePolicy { 
  39.       public TrustAll() {  
  40.       } 
  41.       public bool CheckValidationResult(System.Net.ServicePoint sp, 
  42.         System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate cert,  
  43.         System.Net.WebRequest req, int problem) { 
  44.         return true; 
  45.       } 
  46.     } 
  47.   } 
  48. '@   
  49. $TAResults=$Provider.CompileAssemblyFromSource($Params,$TASource)  
  50. $TAAssembly=$TAResults.CompiledAssembly  
  51.   
  52. ## We now create an instance of the TrustAll and attach it to the ServicePointManager  
  53. $TrustAll=$TAAssembly.CreateInstance("Local.ToolkitExtensions.Net.CertificatePolicy.TrustAll")  
  54. [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::CertificatePolicy=$TrustAll  
  55.   
  56. ## end code from http://poshcode.org/624  
  57.     
  58. ## Set the URL of the CAS (Client Access Server) to use two options are availbe to use Autodiscover to find the CAS URL or Hardcode the CAS to use    
  59.     
  60. #CAS URL Option 1 Autodiscover    
  61. $service.AutodiscoverUrl($MailboxName,{$true})    
  62. "Using CAS Server : " + $Service.url     
  63.      
  64. #CAS URL Option 2 Hardcoded    
  65.     
  66. #$uri=[system.URI] "https://casservername/ews/exchange.asmx"    
  67. #$service.Url = $uri      
  68.     
  69. ## Optional section for Exchange Impersonation    
  70.   
  71. #PropDefs   
  72. $pidTagStoreEntryId = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(4091, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  73. $PidTagNormalizedSubject = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x0E1D,[Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::String);   
  74. $PidTagWlinkType = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6849, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  75. $PidTagWlinkFlags = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684A, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  76. $PidTagWlinkOrdinal = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684B, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  77. $PidTagWlinkFolderType = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684F, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  78. $PidTagWlinkSection = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6852, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  79. $PidTagWlinkGroupHeaderID = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6842, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  80. $PidTagWlinkSaveStamp = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6847, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  81. $PidTagWlinkGroupName = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6851, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::String)  
  82. $PidTagWlinkStoreEntryId = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684E, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  83. $PidTagWlinkGroupClsid = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6850, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  84. $PidTagWlinkEntryId = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684C, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  85. $PidTagWlinkRecordKey = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x684D, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  86. $PidTagWlinkCalendarColor = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6853, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  87. $PidTagWlinkAddressBookEID = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6854,[Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  88. $PidTagWlinkROGroupType = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6892,[Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Integer)  
  89. $PidTagWlinkAddressBookStoreEID = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ExtendedPropertyDefinition(0x6891,[Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.MapiPropertyType]::Binary)  
  90.   
  91.   
  92. $SharedFolders = @{}    
  93.     
  94. #$service.ImpersonatedUserId = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ImpersonatedUserId([Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ConnectingIdType]::SmtpAddress, $MailboxName)   
  95. Write-Host ("Getting CommonVeiwFolder")  
  96. #Get CommonViewFolder  
  97. $folderid = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.FolderId([Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.WellKnownFolderName]::Root,$MailboxName)     
  98. $tfTargetFolder = [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.Folder]::Bind($service,$folderid)    
  99. $fvFolderView = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.FolderView(1)   
  100. $SfSearchFilter = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.SearchFilter+IsEqualTo([Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.FolderSchema]::DisplayName,"Common Views")   
  101. $findFolderResults = $service.FindFolders($tfTargetFolder.Id,$SfSearchFilter,$fvFolderView)   
  102. if ($findFolderResults.TotalCount -gt 0){   
  103.     $ExistingShortCut = $false  
  104.     $cvCommonViewsFolder = $findFolderResults.Folders[0]  
  105.     #Define ItemView to retrive just 1000 Items      
  106.     #Find Items that are unread  
  107.     $psPropset= new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.PropertySet([Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.BasePropertySet]::FirstClassProperties)    
  108.     $psPropset.add($PidTagWlinkStoreEntryId)  
  109.     $psPropset.add($PidTagWlinkFolderType)  
  110.     $cntSearch = New-Object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.SearchFilter+IsEqualTo($PidTagWlinkGroupName, "Shared Contacts");  
  111.     $ivItemView =  New-Object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ItemView(1000)     
  112.     $ivItemView.Traversal = [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ItemTraversal]::Associated  
  113.     $ivItemView.PropertySet = $psPropset  
  114.     $fiItems = $service.FindItems($cvCommonViewsFolder.Id,$cntSearch,$ivItemView)      
  115.     foreach($Item in $fiItems.Items){  
  116.         $idVal = $null  
  117.         if($Item.TryGetProperty($PidTagWlinkStoreEntryId,[ref]$idVal)){  
  118.             Write-Host("Processing " + $Item.Subject)  
  119.                 $ssStoreID = $idVal;  
  120.                 $leLegDnStart = 0;  
  121.                 $lnLegDN = "";  
  122.                 for ($ssArraynum=($ssStoreID.Length - 2);$ssArraynum -ne 0; $ssArraynum--)  
  123.                         {  
  124.                             if ($ssStoreID[$ssArraynum] -eq 0)  
  125.                             {  
  126.                                 $leLegDnStart = $ssArraynum;  
  127.                                 $lnLegDN = [System.Text.ASCIIEncoding]::ASCII.GetString($ssStoreID, $leLegDnStart + 1, ($ssStoreID.Length - ($leLegDnStart + 2)));  
  128.                                 $ssArraynum = 1;  
  129.                             }  
  130.                         }  
  131.                         Write-Host($lnLegDN)  
  132.                         $ncCol = $service.ResolveName($lnLegDN, [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ResolveNameSearchLocation]::DirectoryOnly, $true);  
  133.                         if ($ncCol.Count -gt 0)  
  134.                         {  
  135.                             try  
  136.                             {  
  137.                                 $SharedContactsId = new-object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.FolderId([Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.WellKnownFolderName]::Contacts, $ncCol[0].Mailbox.Address);  
  138.                                 $SharedContactFolder = [Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.Folder]::Bind($service, $SharedContactsId);  
  139.                                 $SharedFolders.Add($ncCol[0].Mailbox.Address, $SharedContactFolder);  
  140.                             }  
  141.                             catch  {  
  142.                                 Write-Host "Error getting Shared Folder"  
  143.                             }  
  144.                         }  
  145.               
  146.         }                               
  147.     }  
  148. }  
  149. if($SharedFolders.Keys.Count -ne 0){  
  150.     foreach($mbFolder in $SharedFolders.Keys){  
  151.         #Define ItemView to retrive just 1000 Items      
  152.         $ivItemView =  New-Object Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.ItemView(1000)      
  153.         $fiItems = $null      
  154.         do{      
  155.             $fiItems = $service.FindItems($SharedFolders[$mbFolder].Id,$ivItemView)      
  156.             #[Void]$service.LoadPropertiesForItems($fiItems,$psPropset)    
  157.             foreach($Item in $fiItems.Items){        
  158.                 Write-Host ("Mailbox : " + $mbFolder)  
  159.                 Write-Host ("Contact : " + $Item.Subject + " : " + $Item.EmailAddresses[[Microsoft.Exchange.WebServices.Data.EmailAddressKey]::EmailAddress1])  
  160.             }      
  161.             $ivItemView.Offset += $fiItems.Items.Count      
  162.         }while($fiItems.MoreAvailable -eq $true)   
  163.     }  
  164. }  


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All sample scripts and source code is provided by for illustrative purposes only. All examples are untested in different environments and therefore, I cannot guarantee or imply reliability, serviceability, or function of these programs.

All code contained herein is provided to you "AS IS" without any warranties of any kind. The implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are expressly disclaimed.