Yes, it is possible using either Win32::OLE or some of the built-ins of the active state distro. (use OLE;)

use OLE;
$ActiveSession = CreateObject OLE "MAPI.Session" || 
        die "CreateObject: $!";
$Message = $ActiveSession->Outbox->Messages->Add();
$Recipient = $Message->Recipients->Add();
$Recipient->{Name} = "Erik Olson"; # to address
$Recipient->{Type} = 1; # ugly constant, means this is a To address
$Recipient->Resolve();             # resolve name - hope it's there
$Message->{Subject} = "A Message From Perl";
$Message->{text} = "Perl does automation!";
$Message->Update();                # save it
$Message->Send(1, 0, 0);           # send it - don't show UI
$ActiveSession->Logoff();          # end session
[download]

This code is from learning Perl on Win32 systems. It should give you an idea how this all works.

Once you find the Object defs for the AOL client, you should be golden.
~Hammy

thanks a bunch, now i just need to find those object definitions...

______________________________________________
RIP
Douglas Noel Adams
1952 - 2001

For the MS Office suite, the reference can be found here (look at the ToC in the left frame):

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vbawd10/html/wotocObjectModelApplication.asp

Not too sure there is an OLE interface to the AOL software though, which makes Win32::OLE rather ineffective in this case :) But if you find any docs at some AOL site, please post the URL here so we all get to know.

/J

The object defintions are documented somewhere or another by Microsoft, and the typelib is self-describing and there are programs to browse it. In my experience, it takes both to figure out Office because the docs are incomplete from a technical point, and the defs don't tell you what the function is really for.

You might look at Win32::OLE Browser in the local docs. For me, it is :

file:///C:/Perl/html/lib/site/Win32/OLE/Browser.html

Not that it has tons of documentation for the objects (dunno if it even has the AOL objects), but it's pretty cool. It actually browses objects from the web page.

• Win32::ActAcc
• Win32::GuiTest

/J

Yeah! thanks a lot, that GuiTest module is gonna work perfect.

______________________________________________
RIP
Douglas Noel Adams
1952 - 2001