Bizarre behavior with Send Mail command

[charper]

I've got a script I run from different layouts that does nothing but execute a Send Mail command. If I run the script from any layout other than one particular layout it works fine - mail system launches (I'm using Hotmail). But if I execute the script from this one particular layout a browser window opens and displays the standard "This Page Cannot be Displayed Message".

The crazy thing is that this worked fine before I went in and edited the Send Mail settings which I have since reset to their original values. Any ideas on how to get this craziness to stop? I don't even care anymore about WHY its happening. I just really need the problem to go away.

[charper]

The good news is I found out what the problem was. The Send Mail command was failing because the message string (which is coming from a calculated field I build on the fly) was too darn big. Apparently there's a limit to length of this string: 500-600? 512? When the message exceed this limit, the Send Mail command can't open Hotmail.

The bad news is that I HAVE to exceed this limit. The string needs to be 3 or 4 times larger than this in some cases. And you can only specify ONE text field for the Send Mail message parameter. So now what? Filemaker seems hell bent on not letting you send useful report information via email.

(No, I don't want to do the PDF thing).

[Vaughan]

This might be a limit in the string length that can be sent to the e-mail program via the send mail step, rather than a limit in FMP. Text fields can hold 64000 characters so it's not that.

You might have to try alternatives: first give the Open URL step a go (it's free) though there'll probably be a limit there too.

If that fails, you'll prolly need to get a SMTP plug-in.

[CobaltSky]

Like Vaughan, I am inclined to think that the problem is not a limitation imposed by FileMaker - but is more probably to do with the operating system or email client application (or setup) or some combination of the two.

For what it's worth, I have set up scripts which operate correctly in test and on client machines, using the Send Mail [ ] command to transfer blocks of text which are over 1,000 characters, and these have in each case worked reliably in both Mac and Win envoronments with a variety of supported email client applications. So not only is it unlikely to be an FM problem as such, but it is probably something very specific to the system and/or email cleint app you are using.

As Vaughan also says, there are other options which entail the use of third party plug-ins. These are worth considering, though they will cost a little. Two notable options include:

Comm-Unity Networking Systems:

http://www.smtpit.com/

Dacons International:

http://www.dacons.net/fmplugins/mailit/prodinfo/index.html

There are others, but the above two are cross-platform and widely used.