Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Mass Email using Mass Update (Read 6536 times)
nateboone
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Mass Email using Mass Update
Jan 1st, 2007 at 10:51pm
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Hi--

For a mass update spec, I'm trying to use this programming to send out a mass e-mail using this code (LE6 is my email field):

---------------------------------
(variables, etc.)

emailSuccess = @SendMail("smtp.pacbell.yahoo.com", "WE KIDS",
"Mr. Nick <mrnick@WeKids.org>", LE6, "", "", "Hi " + firstName + "--"
+ @NewLine() + @NewLine() + emailInsert + @NewLine() + bottomAddress)

if emailSuccess = 0 then
@MsgBox("Congratulations! The mass e-mail was successful!","","")
else
@MsgBox("Sorry, the mass e-mail was unsuccesful.","","")
--------------------------------
Which is unsuccessful, because I'm trying to do this with Outlook Express.  When I do the following:

-----------------------------------------------
Outlook_Exp_Path = @Chr(34) + "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" + @Chr(34)

OutLook_failure = @Shell(Outlook_Exp_Path + " " + "/mailurl:mailto:" + LE6) 

IF NOT OutLook_failure = 0 THEN 
@Msg("Couldn't open Outlook Express")
----------------------

I am succesful in opening the email in Outlook Express with the email address.  How do I combine these two in order to do this for a mass e-mail?

Thanks

  
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The Cow
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #1 - Jan 1st, 2007 at 11:09pm
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When you use the @sendmail command in SBasic, your application becomes an email client talking to an email server. Outlook is also an email client. You will need to choose which email client you want to use for this task, either Sesame or Outlook - but not both.

The reason the @sendmail command may not be successful is that your email server might require a password to be used. Look in your outlook smtp settings and see if outlook is usually sending a password. If it is, you will need to use a command line email client and the @Shell command. If it isn't, then somethinig else is wrong and you may be able to use 1.1.4 @SendMail.
  

Mark Lasersohn&&Programmer&&Lantica Software, LLC
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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #2 - Jan 1st, 2007 at 11:15pm
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yes... outlook is usually sending a password.  What is a command line email client and how do I use it?
  
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The Cow
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #3 - Jan 1st, 2007 at 11:32pm
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A command line email client is a small program that lets you set the email address, body of the email, maybe attach a file, and send that email to that email address all from a command line. In other words, it does not have a graphical user interface, nor require any user intervention to send the mail once the program has been started up.

I can't tell you specifically how to use any particular command line email client. Most of them will have startup flags that control the program's behavior. These startup flags will be specific to each specific program. The program at this address: http://caspian.dotconf.net/menu/Software/SendEmail/ documents its startup options right on the web site. I don't know if this one is any good or not. I use Unix to send and get email. Unix has several command line email clients built in.

I don't send or receive email on MS Windows, so I can't really recommend one command line email client over another. If you enter "command line email client" (without the quotes) into Google, it will return with several dozen, some of which are free or nearly free. It may be possible to run outlook from the command line using startup flags to cause it to send an email.
  

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Bob_Hansen
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #4 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 12:55am
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I know that I have submitted Outlook command line instructions here over the past few years.  No time to look right now, but do a Search for Outlook. 

Note that Outlook and Outlook Express are different email clients and use different syntax. 
Review the Search results carefully, but I think both have been submitted.

  



Bob Hansen
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The Cow
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #5 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 1:06am
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If you want to use outlook express as a command line email client, here is a MS support page on how to do it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192341
  

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Bob_Hansen
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #6 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 3:54am
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I submitted this on 5/3/2004, but the link it refers to has been removed.  Perhaps Mark/Erika can bring it back?

Quote:
There are a number of Outlook items that can be created with @Shell.
The basic syntax for Outlook with command switches is:
"FullPath\Outlook.exe /c ipm.class" 

On March 7, I submitted the correct syntax to use with Outlook on the forum at: http://www.lantica.com/Forum2/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=archived;action=display ;num=1083335529;start=5

====================
Here is an excerpt from some of my old notes for Outlook Express and/or Outlook:
Code
Select All
var n as int
var vRe as String		//Subject of Email
var vEmail as string		//Recipient Email address
var vBody as string		//Body of Email
var vAttach as string		//Fullpath and name of attached file
Var vPath as string		//Full path of Email Client

vEmail = "myname@myplace.com"
vBody = "This is what goes into the body of the Email."
vAttach = "c:\config.sys"
vRe = "This is a test of the Subject line"

/*
//Outlook Express - GOOD
WriteLn("Outlook Express")
vPath = @CHR(34) + "C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe" + @CHR(34)
n = @Shell(vPath + "/mailurl:mailto:" + vEmail + "?Subject=" + vRe)
*/

//Outlook - GOOD
WriteLn("Outlook")
vPath = @CHR(34) + "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OUTLOOK.EXE" + @CHR(34)
n = @Shell(vPath + " /c ipm.note /m mailto:" + vEmail + "?Subject=" + vRe) 


This causes Outlook to open for entry, so it is not ideal for mass mailing. 
But Spencer Wulwick did come up with a utility to do that. 
I am sure he will send you a copy if you request one.

SpencerWulwick wrote on Feb 2nd, 2006 at 4:07am:
Hi -

This message is primarily for "Captain Infinity."

Although still not finalized, I have sent you a revised copy of my @SENDMAIL database.

You mentioned in another thread, that you wanted to see the different messages on the tab page.

When you open the database, you should be in "Search" mode.  Just click on the "Read First" tab.  You'll see a message that many of the tab pages cannot be seen in Search mode but you can see them in Search/Update and Add modes. 

When you press F10 to retrieve the first record, the message on the Read First Tab will be completely different.

  



Bob Hansen
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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #7 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 4:24am
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Thanks for your help Bob...  I sent him a note, so I'll let you know how it goes when I hear back.
  
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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #8 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 4:30am
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Just for kicks... in your code you never actually applied "vBody", your variable for the text body of the e-mail.  How would that fit in?  I tried:

... + "&body=" + "test text")

with no go.
  
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Bob_Hansen
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #9 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 5:59am
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I mentioned it was an excerpt.  The section for the body was for Firefox and Mozilla.  I thought I stripped out all of the Mozilla stuff.  I don't believe that there is a switch for the body in Outlook.  As I noted, this code opens up Outlook for you to enter the body, not good for mass emailing.  I would use the Sesame's Sbasic command for @SendMail to do mass mailings. 

You could include a copy to yourself and keep that copy as a record of what was sent if you need a copy in a Sent Folder.  If using OUtlook, you could set up a Rule that would move the incoming message directly into your Sent Folder.

Re your use of @SendMail problem:
Your SMTP address looks kind of strange to me.
If you check the settings in Outlook, does it have smtp.pacbell.yahoo.com ?
The SMTP is usually your ISP, and I am surprised to see yahoo as the ISP
Yours may be OK, just not one I have seen before.
  



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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #10 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 2:44pm
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Nate,

This may have gotten buried in the various exchanges. Here again is a support page showing how to automate Outlook from command line, which you can do from Sesame using @Shell.

Quote:
If you want to use outlook express as a command line email client, here is a MS support page on how to do it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192341

  

- Hammer
The plural of anecdote is not data.
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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #11 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 5:20pm
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Bob--

I used this link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274456

to make sure I was looking at the right place for my SMTP server, and I'm pretty sure that this is what it is... am I looking in the wrong place? 

"The Cow" mentioned before that: "The reason the @sendmail command may not be successful is that your email server might require a password to be used. Look in your outlook smtp settings and see if outlook is usually sending a password. "

Would this change somehow if no password were used?  What if the settings were set up to "remember password"?
  
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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #12 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 5:24pm
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Hammer-

This is the link I used to get "&body=testtext" to try to input into the body of the e-mail, but I must be doing it wrong...
  
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Ray the Reaper
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #13 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 6:50pm
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nateboone wrote on Jan 2nd, 2007 at 5:20pm:
Bob--

I used this link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274456

to make sure I was looking at the right place for my SMTP server, and I'm pretty sure that this is what it is... am I looking in the wrong place?


Sounds like you are looking in the right place. You will want the value that is in the "Outgoing mail (SMTP):" field on the servers tab. If that is the value that you have then you have the right one.

Quote:
"The Cow" mentioned before that: "The reason the @sendmail command may not be successful is that your email server might require a password to be used. Look in your outlook smtp settings and see if outlook is usually sending a password. "

Would this change somehow if no password were used?  What if the settings were set up to "remember password"?


The Sendmail Command is not Outlook Express or tied in with it so setting the Remember Password option in Outlook Express has no affect on the SendMail command. What Error number is being returned by the @SendMail() command? Just add the following line of code after the @SendMail() call and let me know what number it displays.

Code
Select All
WriteLn(emailSuccess)  



-Ray
  

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ryoxall@lantica.com
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Ray the Reaper
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #14 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 7:11pm
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nateboone wrote on Jan 2nd, 2007 at 5:24pm:
Hammer-

This is the link I used to get "&body=testtext" to try to input into the body of the e-mail, but I must be doing it wrong...


Hello,

You would use that syntax with @ASynchShell() but it would not be ideal for a Mass E-mail as it will bring up a Outlook Express Message to each person you are e-mailing with the fields filled in.

An example of it, just in case you have another area where you want to be able to click and have Outlook open with a message that has the subject and address already filled in, would be.

Code
Select All
Var vSuccess as Int

vSuccess = @ASynchShell("Mailto:" + Email + "?subject=Thank%20You") 



You would Replace Email with the name of the element that has the E-mail address stored in it. When run this code will open a new message in Outlook express that has the "To:" field filled in with the e-mail address from the application, and has the subject filled in with "Thank You".

-Ray
  

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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #15 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 8:20pm
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Ray--

The Error Number is "-3"

--Nate
  
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #16 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 8:59pm
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Hello Nate,

Do you have an @pacbell.net email address that you can try using as the From address as a quick test?

-Ray
  

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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #17 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 10:00pm
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yes... I am using Jewel-ya@pacbell.net to test as follows:

emailSuccess = @SendMail("smtp.pacbell.yahoo.com", "WE KIDS",
"TEST <Jewel-ya@pacbell.net>", LE6, "", "", "Hi " + firstName + "--"
+ @NewLine() + @NewLine() + emailInsert + @NewLine() + bottomAddress)

etc.
  
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #18 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 10:04pm
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Does that return the same -3 error code?

-Ray
  

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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #19 - Jan 2nd, 2007 at 10:13pm
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Yes.

BTW, this code is in the Global Code section of my mass update spec.  Should it be anywhere else?
  
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #20 - Jan 3rd, 2007 at 1:57am
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nateboone wrote on Jan 2nd, 2007 at 10:00pm:
yes... I am using Jewel-ya@pacbell.net to test as follows:

emailSuccess = @SendMail("smtp.pacbell.yahoo.com", "WE KIDS",
"TEST <Jewel-ya@pacbell.net>", LE6, "", "", "Hi " + firstName + "--"
+ @NewLine() + @NewLine() + emailInsert + @NewLine() + bottomAddress)

etc.


Nate, in the example above you are supplying your email address as "TEST <Jewel-ya@pacbell.net>". Instead, try setting it as just "Jewel-ya@pacbell.net", without the nickname ("TEST") or the enclosing angle braces ("<" and ">"). @SendMail will supply the angle braces, you don't need to.
  

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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #21 - Jan 3rd, 2007 at 2:27am
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Ok... I tried that but unfortunately got the same result, a failure with a -3 failure code.   Sad
  
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #22 - Jan 3rd, 2007 at 2:30am
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That's strange. I checked the source code and -3 is the error returned when the email server does not like the email address supplied as the sender. It definitely will not like an address with the nickname and the angle braces on it. So leave those off. Can you think of any other reasons that server would not like the supplied sender email address?
  

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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #23 - Jan 3rd, 2007 at 2:38am
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Okay, I just checked that email server using telnet so I could see what was going on. The server is waiting until you send the "MAIL FROM:" message to give you the "authentication required" error that means that that server requires a login and password. When we wrote the @SendMail command, most servers (virtually all) spoke the "HELO" version of the POP protocol that requires that you don't send the login and password. But, as everyone is aware, spammers took advantage of that and abused third party mail servers. So, these days we see mail servers that speak the EHLO version of the POP protocol that requires a login and password, or the server requires that you come from a IP address that is part of its family.

For Sesame 2.0, we added the login and password as optional arguments, so @SendMail can happily talk with either kind of email server.

I would recommend that you find and use a command line email program.
  

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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #24 - Jan 3rd, 2007 at 4:01am
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Nate -

Go to my website:  [url]www.s-o-s.bz[/url], click on FEEDBACK and send me the completed form.  I will be happy to send you a copy of my database which demonstrates the use of @sendmail for mass mailings.

Also, feel free to call me to discuss it, if you like:  (813) 889-9725.
  

- Spencer

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nateboone
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #25 - Jan 4th, 2007 at 7:14pm
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So is Sesame 2.0 out yet?  Where I might be directed for more info about this?
  
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Re: Mass Email using Mass Update
Reply #26 - Jan 4th, 2007 at 7:19pm
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Nate -

You don't need Sesame 2.0 to use @sendmail (just in case that's why you're asking ... and we would [b]ALL[/b] like to see (and have) version 2.0.

Did you receive my database?  Does it help?  Any questions?  Again, you are welcome to call me at (813) 889-9725 if you need assistance implementing it.

I recently sent out over 400 personalized e-mails by typing it once and with a few mouse clicks.  I would be ABSOLUTELY LOST without @sendmail, at this point.
  

- Spencer

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