What Is an Outlook Template?
Outlook email templates (.oft files) are predefined message drafts that can be used multiple times. Message files in OFT (Outlook File Template) format help to avoid composing one and the same content from scratch. They often include a subject line, body content, recipients, and layout settings. Unlike .msg or .eml files, .oft files are designed specifically to be reused as drafts. In this article, you’ll learn how to read, create, and edit these reusable drafts in C# using Aspose.Email for .NET - all without the need for Microsoft Outlook installed. This is especially helpful for automating email tasks or building template-based messaging features into your .NET applications.
How to Process OFT Files in C#
To work with Outlook draft files in C#, we’ll use the Aspose.Email for .NET library. It allows you to handle email messages, attachments, folders, and templates without relying on Microsoft Outlook or other external dependencies.
To start using the library, you need to add it to your project. The easiest way is through NuGet Package Manager. You can install it using the command line:
PM> Install-Package Aspose.Email
Or, in your .csproj file:
<PackageReference Include="Aspose.Email" Version="XX.X.X" />
Note: Replace XX.X.X with the latest version number. You can find it on NuGet.org.
Once installed, you can start using MapiMessage, MailMessage, and other classes provided by the library to read, create, and update reusable drafts in your .NET application.
Detecting OFT Format
Before working with a file, you may want to check whether it is in .oft format. Aspose.Email provides two simple ways to achive this.
Method 1: General File Type Detection
Use the FileFormatUtil utility class to detect the format of an email or document file by analyzing its binary structure. It returns a FileFormatInfo object containing the detected type.
This is useful when you don’t know the file extension or want to verify the format before loading it into memory.
Method 2: Template Check After Loading
Once you’ve loaded a .msg or .oft file using MapiMessage, you can use the IsTemplate property to check whether the message is marked as a template.
This approach is more specific and should be used after loading the message when you want to confirm its internal structure or metadata.
Converting MSG to OFT
If you have an .msg file that you would like to use multiple times, Aspose.Email allows you to transform it into a draft. The following code sample shows how to perform this task:
Optional: Use Explicit Save Options
When saving a message as an Outlook template, Aspose.Email gives you control over the output format using saving options. The output files can be opened in Outlook or further modified.
- MsgSaveOptions class defines how a message should be saved in MSG format. It inherits from SaveOptions and provides specific settings configured to work with Outlook message files, including templates. You can create an instance of MsgSaveOptions and specify the desired save type explicitly.
- SaveOptions.CreateSaveOptions(…) is a factory method that returns an appropriate SaveOptions instance based on the MailMessageSaveType value you pass in. It simplifies the creation of saving options when you don’t need to configure additional properties.
Saving an EML File as an Outlook Template
You can also create reusable Outlook messages from .eml files. The code below converts .eml to a valid .oft file ready for use within Microsoft Outlook.
Optional: Using SaveOptions Explicitly
The code samples below demonstrate how to save an email (any MIME-compliant email) as an Outlook message draft in two different ways:
Loading and Modifying OFT Files
Message draft files can be loaded just like any other Outlook message using MapiMessage. Once loaded, you can modify any of the fields programmatically before saving or sending.
The following code sample demonstrates how to load and edit an OFT in C#:
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned how to work with Outlook email templates (OFT files) in C# using the Aspose.Email for .NET library. We explored how to detect, create, convert, and modify them programmatically without relying on Microsoft Outlook. With support for both .msg and .eml conversions, and flexible save options, Aspose.Email provides a powerful solution for automating template-based email workflows in .NET applications.
Explore more resources provided by Aspose.Email for free:
- API reference offers in-depth information on classes and methods.
- Documentation provides comprehensive guides with examples.
- Support forum allows users to seek help and discuss issues.
- Blog features updates, tutorials, and best practices.