You would use the Categories collection and iterate that in Outlook 2007 and
read the registry for the master list in earlier versions (if it exists). In
addition to the master list you have to account for default categories in
earlier versions.

One-off categories only in items would have to be iterated on an item by
item basis.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Professional Programming Outlook 2007.
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options.
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm


"Mueller-Lynch Thomas" wrote
in message ...
We would like to have a dropdown box with all the categories (master and
personal) of Outlook within our forms application written in VB.net

We know that there is a difference between OL 2003 and OL 2007.
Nevertheless
the app should enumerate die categories in both versions.

Of course we don't want to loop through all items to get all the
categories
(to store them within an array).

Is there a way to get them easily?
Thanks
Thomas