email_smtp_send error trapping

[Pizzadude]

I am attempting to send email via amazon SES mail server. I am getting intermittent success and failures. It seems that sometimes the message I am sending never hits their server, although flag = email_smtp_send(pm,ps) returns true.

If there a log somewhere or a method to trap any result or response that would indicate where this is going wrong?

dim SMTP as c = "email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com"
dim TCPPort as n = 587
dim Username as c = "username"
dim EmailPassword as c = "password"
dim EmailReturnAddress as c = "[email protected]"
dim Mode as c = "TLS"

dim pm as P
dim ps as P
dim msg as c = "Test Message"
dim subject as c = "Test Subject"

flag = (email_smtp_open(ps, SMTP, TCPport, UserName, EmailPassword, Mode))

if flag = .t. then
pm.to = "[email protected]"
pm.from = "[email protected]"
pm.subject = "Test from code editor 1530"
pm.html_message = "This is a test"

flag = email_smtp_send(pm,ps)

[irwincohen]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

Check out:
http://www.alphasoftware.com/alphafo...rom-the-server
Irwin

[Pizzadude]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

Here is an update....

email_smtp_send does not capture the complete conversation with an smtp server. So there is no help in diagnosing the problem.

It appears that email_smtp_send has trouble, at least when sending to email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com, with TLS mode.
If I change to SSL, using port 465, it works reliably.

I am wondering if anyone can comment on why email_smtp_send fails using TLS.


Secondly, I have found when using the code in post#1, if I add any code, even debug(1), after the final line of code, it sends successfully.
Any ideas on that?

[irwincohen]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

Here is a udf that I have used to send email via godaddy.com for several years using alpha 5 v9 and v12. It has run quite well. Note I am not setting the mode but I guess SSL is the default. Occasionaly the first send attemp fails hence the second try after a pause. Maybe that is why a debug helps.
I hope this helps,
Irwin

'Date Created: 25-Dec-2010 11:46:46 AM
'Last Updated: 15-Oct-2015 09:09:14 PM
'Created By  : Irwin
'Updated By  : Administrator
'Result is < 10 if the email was not sent
'open1	send1a  send1b 	open2   send2a  send2b	total
' 0			x      x		0       x       x		0     neither open
' 1			0      0		0       x       x		1     1st open, no send, 2nd no open
' 0			x      x		2       0       0		2     2nd open, no send
' 1			0      0		2       0       0		3     both open, neither send
' 1			10     x 		x       x      	x		11    1st open and send1a
' 1			0     100		x       x      	x		101   1st open and send1b
' 0			x      x		2      20      	x		22    1st no open, 2nd open and send2a
' 0			x      x		2      0      	200		202   1st no open, 2nd open and send2b
' 1			0      0		2      20      	x		23    1st open, no send, 2nd open and send2a
' 1			0      0		2      0      	200		203   1st open, no send, 2nd open and send2b
'sent > 10, failed < 10

function emailcore as n (loginid as c, thesubject as c, thetext as c, theattachments as c)
emailcore = 0
dim pm as P
dim ps as P
dim eflag as l
eflag = .f.
ps.timeout = 10000
eflag = email_smtp_open(ps, "email_server", 3535, "email_user", "password")
if eflag
	emailcore = emailcore + 1
	pm.to = alltrim(demoval("Prefemail", loginid))	'get email address to send to
	pm.from = "my_email_addr"
	pm.from_alias = "alias"
	pm.subject = thesubject
	pm.attachments = theattachments
	pm.message = thetext
	eflag = email_smtp_send(pm, ps)		'send 1a
	if eflag	'.f.=not sent, .t.=sent
		emailcore =  emailcore + 10
	else
		eflag = email_smtp_send(pm, ps)	'send 1b
		if eflag
			emailcore = emailcore + 100
		end if
	end if
	if .not. email_smtp_close(ps)
		emailcore = emailcore - 1000
	end if
end if
if eflag = .f.	'.f.=not sent, .t.=sent
	sleep(5)
	ps.timeout = 10000
	eflag = eemail_smtp_open(ps, "email_server", 3535, "email_user", "password")
	if eflag
		emailcore = emailcore + 2
		pm.to = alltrim(demoval("Prefemail", loginid))	'get email address to send to
		pm.from = "my_email_addr"
		pm.from_alias = "alias"
		pm.subject = thesubject
		pm.attachments = theattachments
		pm.message = thetext
		eflag = email_smtp_send(pm, ps)		'send 2a
		if eflag	'.f.=not sent, .t.=sent
			emailcore = emailcore + 20
		else
			eflag = email_smtp_send(pm, ps)	'send 2b
			if eflag
				emailcore =  emailcore + 200
			end if
		end if
		if .not. email_smtp_close(ps)
			emailcore = emailcore - 2000
		end if
	end if
end if
end function

[Pizzadude]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

That is a nice method to make repeated attempts to open the connection and send until it sends successfully, but I don't think it addresses my issues.

email_smtp_open default mode is "", so it is not using SSL or TLS.

I am only seeing my attempts failing when using TLS. With SSL it works every time.

The documentation for email_smtp_open says it can use TLS.

I would like see a comment from Alpha, or anyone who has experienced problems or success with TLS.

[Davidk]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

It may be a timing issue, and Irwin's code gives you a hint about what might help. In trying to figure out a problem with Office365 SMTP mail it was found a larger timeout was needed. Maybe that would help here... at least worth a try. Try setting ps.timeout = 25000 or larger... and then, if it works, back down until it starts failing again.

[Pizzadude]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

I will try experimenting with the timeout, but the timeout is "The number of milliseconds the function will wait to establish the connection before timing out." And the problem I am having is not the connection to the server, it is the email_smtp_send that fails.

I am also going to set up with another email service that uses TLS to see if I get the same problem.

Irwin, I just notice that one line in your code reads "eemail_smtp_open", with an extra "e". That part must not ever fire, as it should throw an error.

[Davidk]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

Understood... but... using the built-in Email Settings for testing (View, Settings, Email) the Test in this section reports back the various stages of connection. I could see my connection as successful, but the email send failed. Changed the timing and it seems ok. Just something to try. My own ISP has no issues with the default timing. But Office365 was failing.

[Pizzadude]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

BUILT_IN EMAIL SETTINGS FOR TESTING!!!!

I did not know that was there! It may be just what I have been looking for!

I will be testing this weekend.

Thank you, David .

[irwincohen]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

Thanks Joe about: Irwin, I just notice that one line in your code reads "eemail_smtp_open", with an extra "e". That part must not ever fire, as it should throw an error.
That was a typo entered when I revised the line to remove my account and password. I look forward to you testing results.
Irwin

[richardurban]

Re: email_smtp_send error trapping

I thought that the built-in email settings are only for the email_send and email_send2 command, or for sending emails using the built in alpha five functionality, such as that found on desk top applications in the tools|e-mail wizard.