Is there a way to create a new Outlook email from Access 2002 without using the SendObject command? - vba

Question

I have a client that is using Access 2002 because it allows Replication. He is using this on Windows 10 with Outlook from Office 365.
The goal is to create a new email with all of the info filled in and attach a scanned proposal so that my client can review the email, make any changes that he wants and then send it.
In Access, the SendObject command creates and opens a plain text email and while this email is open my Outlook macro to scan a document and attach it to the email will not run.
So I would like to create a new Outlook email from Access that allows me to run my Outlook macro.
Or if I could get Access 2002 to create an email and attach the scanned document to it, I think I could get by with using msgboxes to verify specific items.
Below is the Access macro with the SendObject command followed by the Outlook macro.
Private Sub EmailProposal_Click()
'Access macro.
Dim stDocName As String
Dim stEmailAddress As String
Dim stSubject As String
Dim stMessage As String
stDocName = "rptProposal"
stEmailAddress = Forms!RequestForm!EmailAddress.Value
stSubject = "PROPOSAL"
stMessage = "Your proposal is attached." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "If you have any questions, please call us."
'Email the proposal.
DoCmd.SendObject acReport, stDocName, acFormatRTF, stEmailAddress, , , stSubject, stMessage
End Sub
Sub Scan()
'Outlook macro.
Dim myItem As Outlook.MailItem
Dim myAttachments As Outlook.Attachments
On Error Resume Next
Dim objCommonDialog As WIA.CommonDialog
Dim objImage As WIA.ImageFile
Dim strPath As String
Set objCommonDialog = New WIA.CommonDialog
'This shows the dialog box. I'd rather tell it what to do instead of having to manually choose each time.
Set objImage = objCommonDialog.ShowAcquireImage
strPath = Environ("TEMP") & "\TempScan.jpg" 'Save the scan.
If Not objImage Is Nothing Then
objImage.SaveFile strPath ' save into temp file
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
If TypeName(ActiveWindow) = "Inspector" Then
If ActiveInspector.IsWordMail And ActiveInspector.EditorType = olEditorWord Then
ActiveInspector.WordEditor.Application.Selection.Inlineshapes.AddPicture strPath 'Insert into email. I want to attach it instead.
End If
End If
Kill strPath
Else
MsgBox "The Scan macro in Outlook did not find a document." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & _
"Please place the proposal in the printer so it can be scanned.", vbOKOnly
End If
lbl_Exit:
Set objImage = Nothing
Set objCommonDialog = Nothing
Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
Beep
Resume lbl_Exit
End Sub

Answer 1

It seems you just need to automate Outlook for sending out emails with the required content set up. Take a look at the following articles that give you the basics of Outlook automation:
Automating Outlook from a Visual Basic Application
Automating Outlook from Other Office Applications
Sub Send_Mail_Outlook()
Dim OutApp As Object
Dim OutMail As Object
Dim strbody As String
Set OutApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
Set OutMail = OutApp.CreateItem(0)
strbody = "Hi there" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"This is line 1" & vbNewLine & _
"This is line 2" & vbNewLine & _
"This is line 3" & vbNewLine & _
"This is line 4"
On Error Resume Next
With OutMail
.To = "eugene#astafiev.com"
.CC = ""
.BCC = ""
.Subject = "This is the Subject line"
.Body = strbody
'You can add a file like this
'.Attachments.Add ("C:\test.txt")
.Send 'or use .Display
End With
On Error GoTo 0
Set OutMail = Nothing
Set OutApp = Nothing
End Sub