PR_RECORD_KEY 

The PR_RECORD_KEY property contains a unique binary-comparable identifier for a specific object.

Quick Info

Remarks

The PR_RECORD_KEY property facilitates locating references to an object, such as finding its row in a contents table. PR_RECORD_KEY cannot be used to open an object; use the entry identifier for that purpose.

An attachment subobject should be uniquely identified within a message by PR_RECORD_KEY. This identifier is the only attachment characteristic guaranteed to stay the same after the message is closed and reopened. The store provider must preserve PR_RECORD_KEY across sessions to ensure this guarantee.

For folders, this property contains a key used in the folder hierarchy table. Typically this is the same value as that provided by the PR_ENTRYID2JH9H8T property.

For message stores, this property is identical to the PR_STORE_RECORD_KEYA7Y8__ property.

In a message store object, PR_RECORD_KEY should be unique across all store providers. One way to do this is to combine the value of the PR_MDB_PROVIDER5X5__OB property for the store (unique to that provider type) with a GUID14AUUS3 structure  or other value unique to the specific message store.

PR_RECORD_KEY is always available through the IMAPIProp::GetPropsK06IXU method following the first call to the IMAPIProp::SaveChanges21IFXQ method. Some providers can make it available immediately after instantiation.

A client or service provider can compare PR_RECORD_KEY values using memcmp. This is not possible for entry identifier values. However, PR_RECORD_KEY is guaranteed to be unique only within the same message store or address book container; two objects from different containers can have the same PR_RECORD_KEY value.

One distinction between the record and search keys is that the record key is specific to the object, whereas the search key can be copied to other objects. For example, two copies of the object can have the same PR_SEARCH_KEY value but must have different PR_RECORD_KEY values.

The following table summarizes important differences among PR_ENTRYID2JH9H8T, PR_RECORD_KEY, and PR_SEARCH_KEY_7GFC6.