How to get a specific folder with GetDefaultFolder and delete unneeded folders that it has created

Question

I was trying to figure out how to access my folders with a Python program (see this SO answer.) When I ran this:

outlook = win32com.client.Dispatch("Outlook.Application")
namespace = outlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
for i in range(50):
    try:print(i,namespace.GetDefaultFolder(i).Name)
    except:pass

The above program revealed or created some folders that I cannot figure out how to delete, such as:

• Reminders
• the file so that changes to the file will be reflected in your item.
• RSS Subscriptions

In addition to being unable to delete these folders, I still haven't actually found the folders I'm looking for programmatically. In Outlook, I have folders that I have created that are at the same level as Inbox, Sent Items, etc... but I don't know how to access the parent folder of these.

My folder structure:

• ▼ My email address
  • Inbox
  • Drafts
  • Sent Items
  • ...
  • Folder I want to find
  • ...
  • the file so that changes to the file will be reflected in your item.
  • Reminders
  • RSS Subscriptions
  • Search Folders

Answer 1

GetDefaultFolder's argument is a enumeration. You can either use a numeric value that's courteously given in the doc,

or, as per Accessing enumaration constants in Excel COM using Python and win32com , access it via the symbolic value:

#need to only do this once per machine; after that, a regular Dispatch will do
o = win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch("Outlook.Application")

from win32com.client import constants
o.GetDefaultFolder(constants.olFolderContacts)

As you could see, accessing a default folder that didn't yet exist creates it. See e.g. How to Hide or Delete Outlook's Default Folders on how to deal with them.

Answer 2

You need to specify a value from the OlDefaultFolders enumeration without iterating over all possible values for the GetDefaultFolder method.

You can't delete IPM folders like Inbox, Outbox and etc. using the Outlook object model.