Change flags across multiple folders?

[Handvprice]

1) Is there a way to clear the flags on mails across multiple folders? I can list them with Advanced Find, but it doesn't allow changing them there like one can within a folder. (The "Find and Replace" 3rd-party addins can only change text not flags, or are limited to Contacts.)

2) When using Outlook 2003's (yeah, I know it's old, but so am I) Advanced Find's Advanced tab, I'm finding different files using "Flag Status|Exists" and "Flag Status|Not equal to|Unflagged". What is the true meaning of those search field?

Thanks in advance Diane (or whoever else)

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Are you clearing all or just some? You could use a macro if you wanted to clear all - it could filter using an if statement but would apply to all meeting that condition.

Flag status exists means the flag status field exists -for a pst, this should be everything that has a flag or had a flag that you cleared. Exchange should show all messages as the field is added by the server.

Does not equal unflagged should find only items with status between not started and complete, no cleared items.

 

[Handvprice]

Appreciate the rapid response! In my case, the flags I want to clear are set by mapilab's duplicate email finder (a colored flag without a colored background), and sometimes I want to clear the settings before running it again. The overall project is getting rid of backup copies of pst's, deleting duplicate emails and keeping the few that were unique. I don't yet know how to write a macro; any guides to suggest?
And since I'm not dealing with completed flags or Exchange, I'd expect the two search patterns to return similar results, although I haven't been able to replicate the situation when they differed. I like your suggestion that having cleared a flag makes it exist but be unflagged. (Curiously, I've run across some mails that show flags, but that neither search found.)

 

[Diane Poremsky]

One of the macros on this page works with all messages in a selected folder - Working with All Items in a Folder or Selected Items

In the do whatever section, you'll use the code to set the flag to no flag -you could do it without the if statement, but this might speed it up a bit if there are a lot of messages.

  With obj
 If .IsMarkedAsTask = True Then
  ' do whatever
Debug.Print obj.Subject
.ClearTaskFlag
  .Save
end if
  End With

updated with code that works. plus i forgot to add .save to change the changes.

 

[Handvprice]

Unfortunately (although I'm not versed in macros), I believe that macro only works on items all in 1 folder, whereas I was trying to do it across multiple folders at once.
BUT, SOLVED! I found that adding a custom search to the "Search Folders" at the bottom of the Outlook 2003 list of folders (in my case searching for "Flag Status not equal to unflagged") gives a list across multiple folders that you *can* change the flag status in, as opposed to the "Advanced Find" window that you can't change them in! I found this reported nowhere on the web (although I'm sure it was already known), and it would answer many people's requests. I respectfully suggest you create a Slipstick article mentioning this. TY.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Yeah, search folders can be very helpful, but are often forgotten by users.