Sending Methods
The software has various sending methods for different purposes. These methods are as follows:
Direct Sending
This is default sending method. The software has its own engine which sends email messages. This build-in engine check domains and send emails automatically. Although its seems to be preferable, this method has drawbacks: Email controller mechanism at the recipient side checks the IP of the sender where software is located and if this IP has no MX records, in other words, if it is not classified as email sending SMTP server, for some recipients of domains like hotmail.com, aol.com, their server can assign email messages as bulk emails. In this case, it is preferable to install and use the software on a server which has a MX record or at least a static IP.
Most favorable feature is that, problematic sending processes are listed in STATUS LIST. Using failure list, bad formatted and invalid emails may be queried.
By default, the flat text file TBLEMAILS.txt contains recipients addresses which are also visible in the JOB LIST. The file is line-by-line-email-addresses format.
TBLBADEMAILS.txt is the file which contains bad formatted, failed email addresses list. The content of the file is filled when there is a failure in any recipient email address process. The file is in comma-separated-value format and contains two columns: First is email address and The latter is related error detail.
Clicking on Options from the menu will provide 3 different sending methods. If direct sending is selected, Direct Sender tab will be enabled while other sending methods will remain disabled.
On the Direct Sender tab, DNS (Domain Name System) field is generally filled automatically. If it is by chance empty or another DNS is in question, this field may be replaced.
SMTP Sending
Second method of sending is SMTP sending. This method requires special sending parameters to be entered. If there is already SMTP Server available (i.e. from Internet Service Provider), parameters of SMTP Server(s) can be entered on SMTP Sender section of Options menu. If more than one SMTP server are entered, servers will be used one-by-one successively for recipients. If exception occurs or any SMTP Server gives error other than recipient related error, this SMTP Server is automatically unchecked so that only checked SMTP Servers continues sending emails.
SMTP parameters can be entered inside the grid. Each row is for a single SMTP server. To validate parameters values must be ENTERed. Also, a combobox value must be selected to determine the type of authentication.
Other than standard email sending tools, SSL enabled SMTP Servers can be used in the software. To do so, two dynamic link libraries must be added to the folder where software resides. libeay32.dll and ssleay32.dll must be downloaded from the internet and put to the software directory. These files are not deployed with software and they must be behaved separately.
TLS is automatically chosen if possible so there is no specific configuration for this parameter.
For SMTP accounts which do not use SSL, port number is generally 25.
“Unselect SMTP Account” check box, below the section is to control SMTP Servers where there are multiple SMTP servers. If one server gives error, I.e when its quota for the account is full for the day, this SMTP Server is automatically unchecked so other SMTP Servers which are checked, continue their sending processes.
For example, if SMTP Server account is from gmail.com, because of the fact that gmail.com has SSL enabled servers, parameters must be entered accordingly. While writing this tutorial SMTP server host name is smtp.gmail.com:587 and port number is 465. Gmail.com is given as an example here and the user must consider the fact that it has a limited quota for their account and the account must not be used for excessive email sending and must not be used for activities such as spamming. Beware that SPAMMING IS ILLEGAL. The purpose of the software is to send emails to opt-in mailing list or newsletter list where all recipients were subscribed and they are willing to receive email to be sent.
MAPI Sending
Third method of email sending is MAPI sending. In most cases, it is the most convenient method. If the user has already email client installed on their computer such as Windows Live Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird or Outlook, the software can bypass emails to one of these clients, so that this client will send them using email account installed on its own. This way email sending will be similar to manually sending emails using email client but much more quickly and automatically feeded. In such case, a group of recipients will be located on BCC header of the message and To field will be the same as the sender name. BCC which means blind carbon copy will ensure that recipient won't see their email address nor another recipients addresses on the message. The number of recipients in a group referenced above can be determined from the MAPI sending section.
Database Settings
Software has its own SQL enabled database which store data in flat text files. But other databases can be used also by means of ODBC. ODBC is an interface that makes it possible for applications to access data from a variety of database management systems. ODBC is already installed on Windows systems, but some databases like MySQL require freely available software driver installed on the system. For MySQL case, a driver like MySQLConnector is required whose download is available on the internet.
To create a database connection, user must follow Control Panel, Administrative Tools and from there choose ODBC, click on User DSN and follow the steps to create a database connection. After a successful connection, from Database Settings section of the software ODBC connection name defined using the procedure above must be selected from the combo box, and other empty fields must be filled with required information. Once these steps are done, the software stores these information in an encoded file to restore later so the user does not need to enter the same settings again.
The fields in Database Settings section must be followed in order. For example After choosing ODBC combo box, server name, database name user name, and password must be filled, driver must be selected for the database type used. Then After clicking on List button, table names must be listed on table name section. Select the table containing recipients addresses and Show Table button will be enabled. Clicking on it will dispose table results on the grid just below. Click on any cell associated with recipients column and background of this column will be colored as blue. This means that the colored column will represent recipients addresses and they will be added to job list for further sending operation.
Actions
Actions section has an important role if any database is used to manage mailing list. Actions are a set of SQL queries which control behavior of sending system. Currently (as version 7.0) only ODBC connected databases can be used for actions. Support for software build-in database (flat text files) will be available in future versions.
First SQL is for retrieving email addresses to be sent. This SQL will query the database, fetch email addresses and will put these addresses into the job list.
Second SQL is for determining bad formatted email addresses. The SQL is triggered when any error occurs while sending. Predefined parameters are available to be used in SQL for better email handling. They are replaced with their associated value.
These parameters are
%%EML%% This parameter represents email address of the recipient for the sending process instance.
%%ERR%% This parameter represents error description of the sending process instance.
%%EML%% parameter can also be used inside body of the message. Preferred usage is to insert this parameter for a link to unsubscription purpose or to identify email.
Third SQL is triggered when an email was operated successfully. INSERT, UPDATE or DELETE operation are preferred function to log valid email addresses.
