E-mail basics

[Heckate]

Hi,

Sorry if this has already been addressed but i couldn't find all of what i need to know on the existing posts on the subject.

I need to know how some basic info on sending and receiving e-mails though FileMaker.

1. how do you get your received mail into filemaker? Do you have run a background script that's continually checking the mail client for new messages and then breaking it down? Are there any FileMaker features to help do this?

2. do i need to make any config changes to FM Server (7v3)?

3. how can i sent an attachment with the 'Send Mail' script step if I tick the 'do not show dialog box' option?

4. does the 'Send Mail' step always use MAPI? Can it directly send messages with SMTP or does it rely on the client mail program for that?

5. Can you send faxes from FileMaker? If so, how?

Is there a way to do this without plugins? Oh and it may be worth mentioning that i intend to use this solution on both PC and Mac's running Eudora 6.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Fitch]

Re: sending and receiving e-mails though FileMaker.

1. AFAIK only possible with a plugin -- unless you're talking about exporting mail from your email app, and importing into FileMaker. Sounds like a headache.

2. No.

3. Plugin, or some kind of OS scripting.

4. Relies on client.

5. OS scripting or plugin. Faxing is a whole separate issue.

I've had pretty good luck with SMTPit. That's only for sending mail; the company makes a separate product for receiving. In my experience, the time spent trying to work around FileMaker's limitations would outweigh the cost of a plugin.

[Steve T.]

Howdy!

CHECKING mail requires a plug-in; we used a freebie and it worked fine but could not really parse the message for you.. just dumped the whole thing into 1 field; maybe newer/other plug-ins do a better job.

SEND MAIL SCRIPT uses your computer's default e-mail application... Eudora is a good one and is on the supported e-mail client list by FileMaker, Inc. Others may/may not work.

SMTP could be used in FM4-6 via the web only. CDML web publishing allowed you to specify To, From, Subject, Body, SMTP server, etc., but CDML was dropped from FM7.

FAXING is now built-in to Mac OS X and should be almost as easy as printing if your computer is hooked up modem-style to a phone line. If you can print something, you should be able to fax it, too.

Good luck!

--ST

[Heckate]

thanks for your replies. Question for Steve T. though; what's the free plug-in you're using? I've been looking online and can only find ones you have to pay for. oh and i got the send mail script step to work with Eudora and Outlook Express in case you want to know.

The faxing is still an issue since most of the clients are running Windows. Guess i'll have to pay for a plugin

Thanks again