OutLook and GetSharedDefaultFolder problem

Reading shared calenders like 'TestRig 1', 'TestRig 2', 'TestRig 3' using .GetSharedDefaultFolder() worked as a charm until
'TestRig 11' and 'Test Rig 12' where added 😢.

'TestRig11 and 12 you can find but not TestRig1 anymore, using 'TestRig 1' is almost same as 'TestRig 11' only the last char is new.

The Fix: 'TestRig 1' is a view name, so changing to the real mail address instead testrig1@mytestcenter.com and the problem was solved 😀


The Code:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub ReadCalendarFromOutlook(calName As String)
        Dim application As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.Application

        Dim myNamespace As Outlook.NameSpace
        Dim myRecipient As Outlook.Recipient
        CalDay1.Scroll2Time(Now)
        CalDay1.SetupTimeLine()
        CalDay1.ClearAllEvents()
        lblCalInfo.Visible = False

        If calName = "" Then
            lblCalInfo.Visible = True
            lblCalInfo.Text = "No Calendar available"
            Exit Sub
        End If
        Try
            myNamespace = application.GetNamespace("MAPI")

            myRecipient = myNamespace.CreateRecipient(calName)

        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("It looks like you are missing OutLook on the computer :(")
            Exit Sub
        End Try

        Try
            Dim folder As Outlook.Folder = DirectCast(application.Session.GetSharedDefaultFolder(myRecipient, Outlook.OlDefaultFolders.olFolderCalendar), Outlook.Folder)
            Dim todayAppointments As New List(Of Outlook.AppointmentItem)()

            ' ------------- Get Appointment for Date selected --------------------------------
            Dim query = From p In folder.Items.Cast(Of Outlook.AppointmentItem)() Where p.Start.[Date] = DateTimePicker1.Value.[Date]

            ' ------------- Get ReCurrent Appointment for Date selected --------------------------------
            Dim q1 As Outlook._AppointmentItem
            Dim query2 = From p In folder.Items.Cast(Of Outlook.AppointmentItem)()


            For Each q1 In query2

                If q1.IsRecurring Then
                    Dim aRecurrent As Outlook.RecurrencePattern = q1.GetRecurrencePattern
                    Dim dx As DateTime
                    ' dx = New DateTime(DateTimePicker1.Value.Year, DateTimePicker1.Value.Month, DateTimePicker1.Value.Day, q1.Start.Hour, q1.Start.Minute, 0)
                    dx = DateTimePicker1.Value.[Date] + q1.Start.[TimeOfDay]
                    Dim ap As Outlook.AppointmentItem = Nothing
                    Try
                        ' .GetOccurence() seems a bit strange, it returns ap=Nothing if a Appoinment is found ??? ELSE it returns a ComException
                        ap = aRecurrent.GetOccurrence(dx)
                        ' ap = nothing, so we found an appointment
                        CalDay1.AddEvent(DateTimePicker1.Value.[Date] + q1.Start.[TimeOfDay], DateTimePicker1.Value.[Date] + q1.End.[TimeOfDay], q1.Subject + vbCrLf + q1.Location)
                    Catch ex1 As System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
                        ' We end up here if appointment wasn't found for selected day
                        Debug.Print(ex1.Message)
                    Catch ex As Exception
                        Debug.Print(ex.Message)
                        End Try

                    Else
                        If q1.Start.[Date] = DateTimePicker1.Value.[Date] Then
                            CalDay1.AddEvent(q1.Start, q1.End, q1.Subject + vbCrLf + q1.Location)
                        End If
                    End If
                    q1 = Nothing
                Next


            Catch ex As Exception
            Debug.Print("Error: " + ex.Message)

            ' NB: If you got error msg "Outlook does not recognize one or more names"
            ' Then use CalName="TestRig1@testcenter.com instead of "TestRig 1"
            ' When we added TestRig11 and 12, using "TestRig 1" stopped working.
            
            lblCalInfo.Visible = True
                lblCalInfo.Text = "Failed to read Calendar" + vbCrLf + calName
            End Try

    End Sub

Weird .Net error Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.

I got this error when closing a form, and it isn't pointing to a certain line of code it just happens.
The code has been running without problem for more than 5 year. But then I had to change from Win7 VS2013 to Win10 VS2017, BAM! I got this error.

System.InvalidOperationException
  HResult=0x80131509
  Message=Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.
  Source=mscorlib
  StackTrace:
   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowInvalidOperationException(ExceptionResource resource)
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.Enumerator.MoveNextRare()
   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.Enumerator.MoveNext()
   at Microsoft.VisualBasic.PowerPacks.ShapeCollection.Dispose(Boolean disposing)
   at Microsoft.VisualBasic.PowerPacks.ShapeContainer.Dispose(Boolean disposing)
   at System.ComponentModel.Component.Dispose()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Dispose(Boolean disposing)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.Dispose(Boolean disposing)
   at MN_Bargraph.MN_BarGraph.Dispose(Boolean disposing) in C:\MN_Bargraph\UserControl1.Designer.vb:line 13

It said something about .Designer.vb line 13
So I comment out the line as shown below



Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            'MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub

Now no errors, why this works or what the designer.vb code does, don't ask me.

I'm happy and clueless, good enough for me for now 😂

Share folder C$ failes with 'access denied'

Sometimes you fail to access other computers C: drive using \\computername\c$

Add or update the following on the computer you want have access to:



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
create or modify 32-bit DWORD: LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy
set the value to: 1


Info was found here