Sending Emails - Please Help!

[Theresa]

Hi,

The college I work at is moving towards providing students with links to web pages via email instead of mailing hard copies of the calendar. Therefore I need your help as I have not sent out emails through alpha5. I�m assuming I have the capability to send emails.

I would like to set up a letter that will be in the form of a merge letter.

I noticed there is a list of 4 options to send an email and a list of 2 options to send the email. What do you recommend?

We would also like the email message to indicate it is coming from the following email account: Fleming Info Centre

The letter will look something like this:

Dear Prospective Student,

Thank you for your inquiry about Fleming College. Fleming offers over 90 full-time programs to choose from. We are pleased to send you a link(s) to the program(s) you are interested in. For a quick summary of the programs, be sure to refer to the Program Guide located at the front of the calendar. For additional details about our student bursaries and scholarship programs, information for both on-campus and off-campus housing, recreation services and much more, please visit our website at www.flemingcollege.com. A Fleming College student will be calling you in the next month to answer any questions you may have about Fleming's programs and services.

For a listing of Fleming�s programs please click on the following link:
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/ProgramsList.cfm

Sincerely,


Fleming College

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Again,

I have been testing out how to send an email and created a button with the following coding: The only problem I have is when the button is pushed, it asks for a value --- not sure what this means. I also want it to only send an email for the current record when button is pushed. How do I specify this?

'Send an e- mail message using the default external e-mail clilent.
if is_object(topparent.this) then
form_name = topparent.name()+".this"
else
form_name = ""
end if
to_var = a5_eval_expression("=email")
param_to = to_var
param_subject = "TEST"
param_cc = ""
param_bcc = ""
message_var = a5_eval_expression("="Dear F_Name~:"+chr(13)+chr(10)+chr(13)+chr(10)+"Thank you for your inquiry about Fleming College. Fleming offers over 90 full-time programs to choose from. We are pleased to enclose materials to assist you in evaluating your post-secondary options. The Fleming College calendar provides information about the College, programs, and the services we provide. For a quick summary of the programs, be sure to refer to the Program Guide located at the front of the calendar. For additional details about our student bursaries and scholarship programs, information for both on-campus and off-campus housing, recreation services and much more, please visit our website at www.flemingcollege.com. A Fleming College student will be calling you in the next month to answer any questions you may have about Fleming's programs and services."+chr(13)+chr(10)+chr(13)+chr(10)+"For a list of our current full-time programs please click on the following link:"+chr(13)+chr(10)+"http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/ProgramsList.cfm")
param_message = message_var
attachment_list = ""
param_attachments = alltrim(attachment_list)
'Send the e-mail using the external e-mail client
email_client_external(param_to,param_subject,param_message,param_attachments,param_cc,param_bcc)

Thanks for your help....

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

It would make more sense for us if you provide a sample of the table, with its support files, upon which you are basing your form.


to_var = a5_eval_expression("=email")

means nothing if we don't know from whence the value in email will be derived.

param_attachments = alltrim(attachment_list)

is similarly obscure.

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

Attached is a zipped file that I created for testing and below is some context as to what I am trying to do. Thanks so much for your help.

I have created a button on page 4 (of the form) so that the data entry clerk can click on the button and be able to send an email. I would also like the field �SEND_BY� populated with a 1 to indicate the request for information was sent by email.

The button works (with the exception of populating the field) but IT has to change the email settings in order to actually send the email.

Here are some examples of what I would like:

If prospective student expressed interest in programs that had the same centre codes, we would like to send them a link to the centre page. For example:

If CTR1 CTR2 CTR3 = �L&J� the link will be (Record 1 has data to test this out)
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/...0and%20Justice

If CTR1 CTR2 CTR3 = �MBS� the link will be (Record 2 has data to test this out)
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/...0and%20Tourism

If prospective student expressed interest in programs that have centre codes that are not all the same, we would like to send them a link to each of the programs they listed. For example: (Record 3 has data to test this out)
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/...rogramCode=BAH
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/...ProgramCode=EC
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/...ProgramCode=TV

If prospective student expressed interest in programs that have NO centre codes we would like to send them the following link. For example: (Record 4 has data to test this out)
http://www.flemingc.on.ca/Full-time/ProgramsList.cfm

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

See how this does.

I added a field to the programs table to hold the program link in addition to the group link. I realized later that the program link is easily derived by an expression but didn't go back to change that.

I added the send_by to the fourth tab, hid it, added an action script element to set it to 1 when the email is sent.

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

I am having trouble trying to send the email as the coding is embedded in the message. I contacted IT and they indicated to me that it is an alpha5 issue. Here is the message I sent and what they said: I'm hoping you can figure out what I am doing wrong as I am getting further and further behind in sending out requests. Once again, thank you for your time.
------------------------------
My message:
I have made some progress but I have a big problem when sending the email. The email message includes all the coding as follows:

="Dear" + " " + F_Name + rtrim(",") + crlf(3) +\cr\lf\cr\lf"We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College.\cr\lf\cr\lfWhen you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at:\cr\lfhttp://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\cr\lf\cr\lfMaking a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life. \cr\lf\cr\lfThank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact."

Any ideas?

THEIR RESPONSE:Hi Theresa,

If I recall correctly, you were having trouble getting Alpha 5 to correctly interpret your formula and substitute in the names of the recipients etc.
This is really an Alpha 5 issue, and I'm not familiar with that product. I'd hope their tech support would be able to help you out.
If not, I'd suggest starting with a really simple example ie. What if you send a message with just: =F_Name
in it? Does that substitute in the name of the person? If so, you can start building on that. If not, there is something fundamentally wrong.

Sorry I can't be more help on that front. Hope you work it out.

Matthew

>>> Theresa Watson 10/13/2007 1:32 PM >>>
Hi Matthew,

Thanks for your concern --- I have made some progress thanks to you but I have a big problem when sending the email. The email message includes all the coding as follows:

="Dear" + " " + F_Name + rtrim(",") + crlf(3) +\cr\lf\cr\lf"We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College.\cr\lf\cr\lfWhen you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at:\cr\lfhttp://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\cr\lf\cr\lfMaking a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life. \cr\lf\cr\lfThank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact."

Any ideas?

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Try

="Dear" + " " + F_Name + rtrim(",") + crlf(5) +"We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College."+crlf(2)+"When you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at:\cr\lfhttp://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\\"+crlf(2)+"Making a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life."+ crlf(2)+"Thank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact."

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

Still not working. I wonder it if could be the way alpha5 is configured to send the email?

Theresa

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

Still not working. I wonder it if could be the way alpha5 is configured to send the email?

Theresa

When I try it in the interactive editor I get

? "Dear" + " " + F_Name + rtrim(",") + crlf(5) +"We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College."+crlf(2)+"When you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at:\cr\lfhttp://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\\"+crlf(2)+"Making a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life."+ crlf(2)+"Thank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact." 
= Dear Tom,




We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College.

When you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at:\cr\lfhttp://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\

Making a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life.

Thank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact.

So it appears the expression is correct.

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

I got it to work without the coding but when I inserted your scenarios (in bold), I got an error message "expected value".

I also will have to include text at the beginning of each scenario. For example:

If programs are all in the same school (scenario 1), I would like to add "Our school listing of programs is available here". I will need text before each scenario but I can override what you put in.

If this is too complex, perhaps I will just send the alphabetical list link for now.

Let me know what you think and if this is even doable?

Thanks so much!
Theresa





="Dear" + " " + rtrim(f_Name) + ", " + crlf(2) +"We are emailing you in response to your request for information about full-time programs at Fleming College." case(P_Ctr1 = P_Ctr2 .and. P_Ctr2 = P_Ctr3,lookup("programs","group = "+quote(P_Ctr1),"g_link"),alltrim(P_Ctr1) = "" .or.alltrim(P_Ctr2) = "".or.alltrim(P_Ctr3) = "",lookup("programs","group = "+quote(P_Ctr1),"g_link"),P_Ctr1!=P_Ctr2.or.P_Ctr2!=P_Ctr3.or.P_Ctr3!=P_Ctr1,lookup("programs","acad_prg = "+quote(P_P1code),"ap_link")+crlf()+lookup("programs","acad_prg = "+quote(P_P2code),"ap_link")+crlf()+lookup("programs","acad_prg = "+quote(P_P3code),"ap_link"))+crlf(2)+"When you are ready to apply to Fleming College, you can do so through the Ontario College Application Service at: http://www.ontariocolleges.ca/portal/page/portal/ONTCOL/Home\\"+crlf(2)+"Making a choice about your college options can be difficult. To help you with your decision, one of our students will be trying to contact you by phone to answer any questions you have about Fleming College programs, services and student life."+ crlf(2)+"Thank you for choosing our Email / Go Paperless service. Reducing paper consumption helps to reduce our environmental impact."

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Remember we are building a character string to be the email body. When you insert something you have to stop the string, tell Alpha to concatenate something, then start the string again.

Fleming College." case(P_Ctr1

should be

Fleming College."+case(P_Ctr1

Your are ok at the other end with "ap_link"))+crlf(2)

because you have a + after the expression and before the crlf(2).

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Stan,

I must be your worst nightmare - I added the + but it is still not working. I'm not sure what else to do as I am not a programmer. The expression builder does not indicate a problem but when I click on the button it still says 'expected value' -- not even sure what this means.

Theresa

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Theresa,

I took a look using the file that Stan uploaded earlier using both the expression therein and also the latest expression you are trying as in your previous post number 10. I think your remaining problem may be carriage returns that you have entered or that end up there due to cut and pasting code in the expression builder. In the action scripting code editor open the expression builder to edit the expression. Now very carefully remove any carriage returns. I don't mean the Crlf()s that you are programming in but actual carriage returns that are typed into the expression builder. (Ones that you may be tempted to put in there to make the expression more readable)

It seems that even with them in there the expression calculates properly and also when you close the expression builder all looks Ok. However when calculated at run time these carriage returns show up as 'cr\lf\' and interrupt the calculation.

After I cleaned up the carriage returns I was able to get properly formatted emails.

Hopefully this will do the trick.



Just as a minor aside. This part of the expression

"Dear" + " " + rtrim(f_Name) + ", " + .....

Can be simplified to

"Dear " + f_Name - "," +

The extra space after Dear is just entered with in the quotes and instead of rtrim() follow the f_name field with a - instead of a +. In this case the - acts as a trimming concatenting operator. See this page in the help.


PS I know (or knew) your area reasonably well. Lived in Belleville for 18 years. 67-85 Went through there (Peterborough) two years ago on family holiday. Had to show the kids the lock.


EDIT: Just realized your using v5. I tested in v8. Hopefully the advice still applies.

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Well, that was a nice try. But no cigar. Although I do think the carriage returns in the expression are a problem.

It turns out, after testing in v5,that the problem is in the overall length of the expression. If while you have the full expression in place you examine (with the glasses button on the toolbar)the xbasic behind the action you will see that the expression is cut short and is then missing an end quote. Which causes the error.
I have re-attached Stan's version with another form containing one button that has two action. The first sets a variable to the last part of your message and the second has the email action which uses the variable at the end of the expression to complete the email. Your original form is missing cause I think I corrupted it by opening with v8:o. Just use this sample as a guide to edit your app.


I also added some alltrims around some of your lookups because they were returning the full 250 (mostly empty) characters from the table and adding blank space and word wrapping in the email.


Hopefully this helps better than the last message.

[Theresa]

Re: Sending Emails - Please Help!

Hi Tim,

Thanks so much. I did try it based on your first post but no luck so I just sent a generic message to get things rolling. I will look at your 2nd post in the next week to see if I can get it figured out.

BTW - I have a niece who lives in Belleville and a brother and sister that live in Kingston. Nice to see someone on here that is used to our Canadian winters - although we were wearing shorts yesterday and today appears to be another nice day.