Topics*

  • Verbose Console Logging

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    To aid in tracking down problems when communicating with mail servers Mailings includes a feature called "Verbose console logging."

    On the "Logs" tab of the Preferences window is an option named "Verbose console logging."

    When you check this checkbox Mailings will log a copy of every command sent to the mail server, as well as the responses received. This is useful when trying to determine where a session with a mail server is going bad.

    After you turn on verbose logging select "Console Log..." in the File menu to open up the Console log window for Mailings.

    Click the "Clear" button at the top to clean up the window. Now retry the mailing and send me the contents of log in the window.

  • Mail Server reports error 550

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    The error message that accompanies the error code of 550 varies, but it could be a "Relay Denied" condition. The following document discusses the error in the context of a specific mail server:

    Eudora.com: 550 or 553 Relay Denied Error

    This document states that "If you are getting the "550 Relay Denied" error message, the outgoing mail server cannot verify who you are and will not allow you to send mail."

    Another possibility is that the mail server detects you are spamming. An interesting reference which discusses the 550 error code, specifically as it relates to anti-spam, is:

    Lonestar.org : Having Trouble Sending Mail?

    Refer to the section named "Mail Blocked due to Junk Mail Controls" as it relates to anti-spam tactics in use by some mail servers.

  • Importing Recipients

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    Mailings can import recipients names and addresses from a tab or comma delimited (separated) text file whose lines can be in any of the following formats (with no extraneous spaces):

    • (Persons First Name)(tab or comma)(Persons Last Name)(tab or comma)(Persons email address)(carriage-return)

    • (Persons Name)(tab or comma)(Persons email address)(carriage-return)

    • (Persons email address)(tab or comma)(Persons Name)(carriage-return)

    • (Persons email address)(carriage-return)

    In order for this to work properly the email addresses must contain the "@" character in them.

  • The mail message isn't displaying correctly in the mail client

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    Many email readers (including Apple Mail, Entourage etc.) do not render HTML as well as a full featured web browser, such as Safari or FireFox Please keep this in mind when you design an HTML formatted mailing. The use of advanced features of HTML, JavaScript, etc. should be used cautiously.

    For example, some mail readers do not display HTML pages that contain framesets, and can't properly handle menus, or menu selections, generated with JavaScript.

    Some suggestions:

    • Trial and Error testing.

      At a minimum, you should use the Mailer window's "Preview" button to test the mailing in your own default mail reader and adjust as required.

      You should also test your HTML formatted email in the the mail readers that you expect to be receiving it of course, especially if the level of its complexity is high. Ideally HTML content will be used for text formatting and the inclusion of images only, esp. when the target recipients are likely to be using a number of different email readers.

    • Include a "Plain Text Alternative"

      The Mailer window has a message editore button named "Txt" which enables you to create a plain text message not including any HTML that should be used as an alternative to the HTML mailing you are sending. If the mail reader can not read HTML it will display the contents of the plain text alternative instead.

    • Relinking

      Mailings can optionally "relink" all URL's in the HTML it is sending so that they are full URL's of the form

      http://www.host-name.com/path/filename.html
      with no relative URL's. This usually enables the HTML email to behave better in browser-based email clients (ex. HotMail).

      To specify the "relink" option open the Mailings Preferences window (Command-; or select "Preferences..." from the Mailings menu) and then select the "Advanced" tab. Now select "Relink" for "Relative Links" and not "Base Tag" from the popup menu.

    • Verify the recipients HTML

      Most mail readers will provide a means of seeing the "raw source" of an email. You can do this to check that the HTML Mailings is sending is formed correctly. Simply send yourself a preview, then view its source in the mail reader. Now compare the contents with the source generated by your web browser.

  • Your mail server stops sending mail in the middle of a mailing

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    Your mail server may be imposing a limit on the rate you are sending mail, or the number of emails you are sending in a given time period.

    First you need to determine if this is the case, and if it is you need to know what the restrictions are.

    Then you can use a Mailings feature named "Throttle" to adjust the rate mail is delivered to the recipients. Open the Preferences window and select the "Throttle" tab.

  • You're having trouble authenticating to the mail server

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    • Are you sure you need to authenticate? Mailings will try to authenticate to the mail server whenever the "Username" and "Password" fields contain any text. Try removing the text from both fields and resending. A mail server will likely terminate a session that tries to authenticate when it is not necessary to do so. (You may ask how a mail server can do this: it can check the IP address of the mailer instead.)

    • Your mail server uses another authentication method. Mailings can authenticate using a variety of methods. The type of authentication which is used is selected from the "Authentication" popup menu in the server section of the mailer window.

  • The HTML in the Preamble is not formatting and I can see the HTML code itself

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    If you are using the Preamble alone to be the body of the mail message then it should only contain plain text.

    HTML in your preamble will only display properly when used with a mailing that specified an HTML page for the main content.

  • Error -3180

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    This error means that your mail server unexpectedly terminated the STMP session it was having with Mailings. This is not an error returned by your mail server, it is generated by the networking system software. Mail servers are expected to return error codes and strings rather than suddenly disconnect without reply, but in some situations they don't. Check with your ISP.

  • SMTP Error Messages

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    Below is a list of SMTP server error codes that you may see in the Progress window or log, along with an explanation of what the code probably means.

    If you experience any of these SMTP server errors you should contact the ISP maintaining the mail server for assistance.

    211
    A system status or help reply.
    214
    Help Message.
    220
    The server is ready.
    221
    The server is ending the conversation.
    250
    The requested action was completed.
    251
    The specified user is not local, but the server will forward the mail message.
    354
    This is a reply to the DATA command. After getting this, start sending the body of the mail message, ending with "\r\n.\r\n."
    421
    The mail server will be shut down. Save the mail message and try again later.
    450
    The mailbox that you are trying to reach is busy. Wait a little while and try again.
    451
    The requested action was not done. Some error occurmiles in the mail server.
    452
    The requested action was not done. The mail server ran out of system storage.
    500
    The last command contained a syntax error or the command line was too long.
    501
    The parameters or arguments in the last command contained a syntax error.
    502
    The mail server has not implemented the last command.
    503
    The last command was sent out of sequence. For example, you might have sent DATA before sending RECV.
    504
    One of the parameters of the last command has not been implemented by the server.
    550
    The mailbox that you are trying to reach can't be found or you don't have access rights.
    551
    The specified user is not local; part of the text of the message will contain a forwarding address.
    552
    The mailbox that you are trying to reach has run out of space. Store the message and try again tomorrow or in a few days-after the user gets a chance to delete some messages.
    553
    The mail address that you specified was not syntactically correct.
    554
    The mail transaction has failed for unknown causes.

  • Images in my HTML mailing don't display in Hotmail

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    This is a problem that also may occur with .Mac web based mail, and many other browser-based mail clients. This problem stems from the fact that all mail messages are recomposed by the web based mail service so that they display in a browser, and in particular this means that they alter the HTML, such as the image source references.

    To solve this problem open the Mailings Preferences window (Command-; or select "Preferences..." from the Mailings menu) and then select the "Advanced" tab. Now select "Relink" for "Relative Links" and not "Base Tag" from the popup menu.

* The display of some images or other user interface items may be different from the current version of the program due to intervening software updates.