How can I reply to the most recent email? - vba

Question

I loop through all the emails on my inbox and stop as soon as I get a hit. I get the oldest one. I'd like to get the most recent one instead.
Dim objNS As Outlook.Namespace: Set objNS = GetNamespace("MAPI")
Dim olFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
Set olFolder = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
Dim Item As Object
For Each Item In olFolder.Items
If TypeOf Item Is Outlook.MailItem Then
Dim oMail As Outlook.MailItem: Set oMail = Item
If InStr(oMail.Subject, "Whatever") > 0 Then
'Do something
Exit For
End If
End If
Next

Answer 1

You can use the Items.Sort method of the MAPIFolder object.
Dim objNS As Outlook.Namespace: Set objNS = GetNamespace("MAPI")
Dim olFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
Set olFolder = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
olFolder.Items.Sort "ReceivedTime", True ' Sort items by received date in descending order
Dim Item As Object
For Each Item In olFolder.Items
If TypeOf Item Is Outlook.MailItem Then
Dim oMail As Outlook.MailItem: Set oMail = Item
If InStr(oMail.Subject, "Whatever") > 0 Then
'Do something
oMail.ReplyAll
oMail.Display 'This will open the reply window
Exit For
End If
End If
Next

Answer 2

Never loop through all items in a folder, always use Items.Find/FindNext (if you want to find one or more items) or Items.Restrict (if you want to find all matches).
If you want the items in a particular order, sort them first using Items.Sort, e.g., Items.Sort "ReceivedTime", true
In you participial case, use a query like the one below. Note that it is on the PR_NORMALIZED_SUBJECT MAPI property since it is indexed (unlike PR_SUBJECT).
#SQL="http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x0E1D001F" LIKE '%whatever%'
The following will do the job:
set oItems = olFolder.Items
oItems.Sort "ReceivedTime", true
set oMail = oItems.Find "#SQL=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x0E1D001F"" LIKE '%whatever%'"
if not (oMail is Nothing) Then
'Do something
End If