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PHP Extension

Outlook -- Search Multiple Folders

See more Outlook Examples

I don't yet see how it's possible to do a recursive search of Outlook folders using the Microsoft Graph API. My best guess is to somehow use OData v4.0's $expand query option, but the hierarchical structure of the "mailFolder" and "messages" Microsoft Graph resources don't quite fit. Suggestions are welcome and can be sent to support@chilkatsoft.com.

This example will iterate over a list of folder previously obtained by a recursive traversal of the Outlook mail folders. (See the link in the example code below.)

A separate search is performed on each desired folder, and the results are combined into a single result set.

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.68 or greater.

This example applies to: Exchange Online | Office 365 | Hotmail.com | Live.com | MSN.com | Outlook.com | Passport.com

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<?php

include("chilkat.php");

$success = false;

// This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
// See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

$http = new CkHttp();

// Use your previously obtained access token here:
// See the following examples for getting an access token:
//    Get Microsoft Graph OAuth2 Access Token (Azure AD v2.0 Endpoint).
//    Get Microsoft Graph OAuth2 Access Token (Azure AD Endpoint).
//    Refresh Access Token (Azure AD v2.0 Endpoint).
//    Refresh Access Token (Azure AD Endpoint).

$http->put_AuthToken('MICROSOFT_GRAPH_ACCESS_TOKEN');

// This example will iterate over the folders previously discovered by recursively traversing the Outlook folders
// as shown in this example:  Outlook Recursive Folder Traversal)

// The XML map produced by the recursive traversal looks like this:

// 	<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
// 	<hashtable>
// 	<e><k>/Sent Items</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEJAAAA</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEMAAAA</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Junk Email</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEiAAAA</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox/xyz</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwEAAAA=</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox/abc/subFolderA/a</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwIAAAA=</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox/abc</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huv8AAAA=</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Outbox</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgELAAAA</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox/abc/subFolderA</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwAAAQ==</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Inbox/abc/subFolderB</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwMAAAA=</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Archive</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAG8XunwAAAA=</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Deleted Items</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEKAAAA</v></e>
// 	<e><k>/Drafts</k><v>AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEPAAAA</v></e>
// 	</hashtable>

// We'll iterate over the folders, and search all folders beginning with "/Inbox" (effectively, we're recursively searching
// everything under Inbox)
$xmlMap = new CkXml();
$success = $xmlMap->LoadXmlFile('qa_data/outlook/folderMap.xml');
if ($success != true) {
    print 'Failed to load XML folder map.' . "\n";
    exit;
}

// We're going to return just the message id, subject, and FROM name/address.
$http->SetUrlVar('select','id,subject,from');

// Our search will be for emails with the word "sample" in the subject.
$http->SetUrlVar('filter','contains(subject,'sample')');

$json = new CkJsonObject();
$json->put_EmitCompact(false);

$jsonCombined = new CkJsonObject();
$jsonCombined->put_EmitCompact(false);

$sbResponse = new CkStringBuilder();
$sbPath = new CkStringBuilder();
$numFolders = $xmlMap->get_NumChildren();
$i = 0;
$j = 0;
$k = 0;
while ($i < $numFolders) {
    $xmlMap->put_I($i);
    $sbPath->SetString($xmlMap->getChildContent('e[i]|k'));

    if ($sbPath->StartsWith('/Inbox',true) == true) {

        print '------------------------------------------------------------------' . "\n";
        print 'Searching ' . $sbPath->getAsString() . "\n";

        // Search this mail folder..
        $http->SetUrlVar('folder_id',$xmlMap->getChildContent('e[i]|v'));

        $sbResponse->Clear();
        $success = $http->QuickGetSb('https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}',$sbResponse);
        if (($success != true) and ($http->get_LastStatus() == 0)) {
            print $http->lastErrorText() . "\n";
            exit;
        }

        $json->LoadSb($sbResponse);

        if ($http->get_LastStatus() != 200) {
            print 'HTTP response status = ' . $http->get_LastStatus() . "\n";
            print $json->emit() . "\n";
            print 'Failed.' . "\n";
            exit;
        }

        print $json->emit() . "\n";

        // Each mail folder search will return JSON with a value array, which is non-empty if any matching messages were found:

        // 			{
        // 			  "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEMAAAA')/messages(id,subject,from)",
        // 			  "value": [
        // 				Individual messages, if any, are listed here.
        // 			  ]
        // 			}

        $numMessages = $json->SizeOfArray('value');
        $j = 0;
        while ($j < $numMessages) {
            $json->put_J($j);

            // Add this message to the final result set.
            $jsonCombined->put_K($k);
            $jsonCombined->UpdateString('value[k].folderPath',$sbPath->getAsString());
            $jsonCombined->UpdateString('value[k].id',$json->stringOf('value[j].id'));
            $jsonCombined->UpdateString('value[k].subject',$json->stringOf('value[j].subject'));
            $jsonCombined->UpdateString('value[k].from.emailAddress.name',$json->stringOf('value[j].from.emailAddress.name'));
            $jsonCombined->UpdateString('value[k].from.emailAddress.address',$json->stringOf('value[j].from.emailAddress.address'));
            $k = $k + 1;

            $j = $j + 1;
        }

    }

    $i = $i + 1;
}

// Show the final combined JSON search result.
print '------------------------------------------------------------------' . "\n";
print 'Combined Search Results:' . "\n";
print $jsonCombined->emit() . "\n";

// Sample output for the above program:

// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEMAAAA')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//     {
//       "@odata.etag": "W/\"CQAAABYAAADn68XtMop0TpsYJGpfKXY9AADOpwfr\"",
//       "id": "AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAcA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEMAAAA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAM6Jj10AAAA=",
//       "subject": "A sample email with Amazon in the body",
//       "from": {
//         "emailAddress": {
//           "name": "Chilkat Software",
//           "address": "support@chilkatsoft.com"
//         }
//       }
//     }
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox/xyz
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwEAAAA%3D')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox/abc/subFolderA/a
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwIAAAA%3D')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//     {
//       "@odata.etag": "W/\"CQAAABYAAADn68XtMop0TpsYJGpfKXY9AADOpzfb\"",
//       "id": "AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAcA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwIAAADn68XtMop0TpsYJGpfKXY9AAAAzombFQAAAA==",
//       "subject": "Sample email from admin@chilkat.io",
//       "from": {
//         "emailAddress": {
//           "name": "Chilkat Software",
//           "address": "admin@chilkat.io"
//         }
//       }
//     }
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox/abc
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huv8AAAA%3D')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox/abc/subFolderA
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwAAAQ%3D%3D')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Searching /Inbox/abc/subFolderB
// {
//   "@odata.context": "https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/$metadata#users('me')/mailFolders('AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgAuAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAEA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwMAAAA%3D')/messages(id,subject,from)",
//   "value": [
//   ]
// }
// 
// ------------------------------------------------------------------
// Combined Search Results:
// {
//   "value": [
//     {
//       "folderPath": "/Inbox",
//       "id": "AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAcA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAgEMAAAA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAM6Jj10AAAA=",
//       "subject": "A sample email with Amazon in the body",
//       "from": {
//         "emailAddress": {
//           "name": "Chilkat Software",
//           "address": "support@chilkatsoft.com"
//         }
//       }
//     },
//     {
//       "folderPath": "/Inbox/abc/subFolderA/a",
//       "id": "AQMkADAwATM0MDAAMS1iNTcwLWI2NTEtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADsVyfxjDU406Ic4X7ill8xAcA5_vF7TKKdE6bGCRqXyl2PQAAAL8huwIAAADn68XtMop0TpsYJGpfKXY9AAAAzombFQAAAA==",
//       "subject": "Sample email from admin@chilkat.io",
//       "from": {
//         "emailAddress": {
//           "name": "Chilkat Software",
//           "address": "admin@chilkat.io"
//         }
//       }
//     }
//   ]
// }
// 

?>