Leonardo -- Thanks for the question regarding "Sending e-mail! -- Oracle 8i specific response", version 8.1.5

Submitted on 30-May-2000 16:53 Central time zone

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Last updated 1-Feb-2010 11:50

You Asked

How to send personalized email to clients registered in my portal www.intrainternet.com 
using the information stored in our Database Oracle 8i automatically?

and we said...

This is a sample chapter from my book Expert One on One Oracle -- it describes how to 
send email from Oracle versions 816 and higher (the java only approach described about 
halfway through works in 815 and higher)

UTL_SMTP and sending mail

UTL_SMTP, introduced for the first time in Oracle 8.1.6, is an interface to the Simple 
Mail Transfer Protocol. It requires that you have an SMTP server in your network 
somewhere ? most sites I have been to have at least one SMTP server running as it is the 
most popular method for sending mail.

The UTL_SMTP package is best suited for sending small, text only emails from the 
database. While its API supports the sending of attachments and everything else ? it is 
left to you to actually encode the multi-part document ? for example turning binary 
attachments into mime-encoded documents.

We've already seen how to use UTL_SMTP in the DBMS_JOB section where we made it 
'apparently' execute faster by doing it asynchronously. In this section we?ll revisit 
that example, build upon it ? adding additional functionality. We will also look at an 
alternative to UTL_SMTP that provides somewhat much more functionality ? including the 
ability to easily send attachments with the email. Since SMTP is a very low level 
protocol, we'll reuse existing public domain code to get an SMTP interface at much higher 
level ? and we'll get it with very little code. 

UTL_SMTP ? a larger example

In the DBMS_JOB section, we explored how to make sending email using UTL_SMTP appear to 
execute faster.  We also made email transactional in nature in that section ? if you 
rollback the email does not get sent, if you commit ? out it goes.  I highly recommend 
the use of DBMS_JOB as a layer on your emails routines for these reasons.  In that 
section, the example UTL_SMTP routine we used was:

tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace
  2  PROCEDURE send_mail (p_sender       IN VARCHAR2,
  3                       p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
  4                       p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
  5  as
  6     l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'aria.us.oracle.com';
  7     l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
  8  BEGIN
  9     l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
 10     utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
 11     utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
 12     utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
 13     utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
 14     utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
 15     utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
 16     utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
 17  end;
 18  /
Procedure created.

tkyte@TKYTE816> begin
  2          send_mail( 'thomas.kyte@oracle.com',
  3                     'tkyte@oracle.com',
  4                     'Hello Tom' );
  5  end;
  6  /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

That works OK but is very limited in nature.  It sends email to exactly one recipient, 
you cannot CC or BCC anyone, you cannot setup a subject -- the email always arrives with 
a ?blank? subject line.  We would like to support more options with this package. 

A full discussion of all of the possibilities with UTL_SMTP would require in depth 
knowledge of the SMTP protocol itself ? something that is outside the scope of this book. 
 Readers interested in all of the opportunities available with SMTP should review RFC812 
? which is the description of SMTP.  This is available online at

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc821.html

 Below, I will simply present how to send an email using UTL_SMTP that supports:

o Multiple ?to? recipients
o Multiple ?cc? recipients
o Multiple ?bcc? recipients
o A single body of up to 32k in size
o A subject line
o A descriptive ?from? line (instead of showing just the email address as the ?from? in 
the email client)

A specification for a PLSQL package that supports this might look like the following.  In 
here, we define an array type to allow for a caller to easily send a list of recipients 
as well as provide the external specification of the PLSQL routine we will be 
implementing:

tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace package mail_pkg
  2  as
  3          type array is table of varchar2(255);
  4
  5          procedure send( p_sender_email in varchar2,
  6                          p_from         in varchar2,
  7                          p_to           in array default array(),
  8                          p_cc           in array default array(),
  9                          p_bcc          in array default array(),
 10                          p_subject      in varchar2,
 11                          p_body         in long );
 12  end;
 13  /
Package created.

The package body for this implementation is relatively straightforward ? if understand 
just enough of the SMTP protocol and what an email looks like (how email clients get the 
From, To, CC and so on).  Before we look at the code, we?ll look at what an email might 
actually look like. Consider the following ASCII text:

Date: 13 May 01 12:33:22
From: Oracle Database Account <tkyte@us.oracle.com>
Subject: This is a subject
To: tkyte@us.oracle.com, thomas.kyte@oracle.com
Cc: tkyte@oracle.com

Hello Tom, this is the mail you need

That is what you would transmit as the body of the email using UTL_SMTP to have the email 
client set the From, Subject, and so on.  There are no SMTP commands to do that magic, 
rather, this header information is placed right in the body of the email itself ? 
separated from the text of the email by a blank line.  Once we understand that ? sending 
an email with all of the options we need is pretty easy.  The only thing we need to 
understand beyond that is that in order to send the email to more then one recipient, we 
simply call UTL_SMTP.RCPT more then once ? with different names.  That?s all of the 
information we need to know then to send an email.

So, here is the package body.  We start with a couple of constants and globals.  You will 
of course need to change the g_mailhost to be the name of a server you have access to, 
Aria is my machine inside of Oracle ? you will not be able to access that:

tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace package body mail_pkg
  2  as
  3
  4  g_crlf        char(2) default chr(13)||chr(10);
  5  g_mail_conn   utl_smtp.connection;
  6  g_mailhost    varchar2(255) := 'aria.us.oracle.com';
  7

Next we have an internal (unpublished) function to send an email to many recipients ? it 
in effect addresses the email.  At the same time, it builds the ?To:? or ?Cc:? lines that 
we?ll eventually send as part of the email itself and returns that formatted string.  It 
was implemented as a separate function since we need to do this separately for the To, 
CC, and BCC lists:

  8  function address_email( p_string in varchar2,
  9                          p_recipients in array ) return varchar2
 10  is
 11      l_recipients long;
 12  begin
 13     for i in 1 .. p_recipients.count
 14     loop
 15        utl_smtp.rcpt(g_mail_conn, p_recipients(i) );
 16        if ( l_recipients is null )
 17        then
 18            l_recipients := p_string || p_recipients(i) ;
 19        else
 20            l_recipients := l_recipients || ', ' || p_recipients(i);
 21        end if;
 22     end loop;
 23     return l_recipients;
 24  end;
 25
 26

Now we have the implementation of our published function ? the one people will actually 
call to send mail.  It starts with an internal procedure writeData that is used to 
simplify the sending of the email headers (the To:, From:, Subject: records).  If the 
header record is NOT NULL, this routine will use the appropriate UTL_SMTP call to send it 
? along with the necessary end of line marker (the carriage return/line feed):

 27  procedure send( p_sender_email in varchar2,
 28                  p_from         in varchar2 default NULL,
 29                  p_to           in array default array(),
 30                  p_cc           in array default array(),
 31                  p_bcc          in array default array(),
 32                  p_subject      in varchar2 default NULL,
 33                  p_body         in long  default NULL )
 34  is
 35      l_to_list   long;
 36      l_cc_list   long;
 37      l_bcc_list  long;
 38      l_date      varchar2(255) default
 39                  to_char( SYSDATE, 'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss' );
 40
 41      procedure writeData( p_text in varchar2 )
 42      as
 43      begin
 44          if ( p_text is not null )
 45          then
 46              utl_smtp.write_data( g_mail_conn, p_text || g_crlf );
 47          end if;
 48      end;

Now we are ready to actually send the mai.  This part is not very different from the very 
simple routine we started with.  It begins in exactly the same fashion ? by connecting to 
the SMTP server and starting a session:

 49  begin
 50      g_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(g_mailhost, 25);
 51
 52      utl_smtp.helo(g_mail_conn, g_mailhost);
 53      utl_smtp.mail(g_mail_conn, p_sender_email);
 54

Here is where it differs, instead of calling UTL_SMTP.RCPT once ? it uses are 
address_email function to call it potentially many times, building the ?To:? and ?Cc:? 
list for us as well.  It builds the BCC list but we won?t actually send that (we don?t 
want the recipients to see that list!)

 55      l_to_list  := address_email( 'To: ', p_to );
 56      l_cc_list  := address_email( 'Cc: ', p_cc );
 57      l_bcc_list := address_email( 'Bcc: ', p_bcc );
 58

Now, we use the OPEN_DATA call to start sending the body of the email.  The code on lines 
61 through 68 generates the header section of data.  Line 69 sends the body of the email 
(the contents of the email) and line 70 terminates the email for us. 

 59      utl_smtp.open_data(g_mail_conn );
 60
 61      writeData( 'Date: ' || l_date );
 62      writeData( 'From: ' || nvl( p_from, p_sender_email ) );
 63      writeData( 'Subject: ' || nvl( p_subject, '(no subject)' ) );
 64
 65      writeData( l_to_list );
 66      writeData( l_cc_list );
 67
 68      utl_smtp.write_data( g_mail_conn, '' || g_crlf );
 69      utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn, p_body );
 70      utl_smtp.close_data(g_mail_conn );
 71      utl_smtp.quit(g_mail_conn);
 72  end;
 73
 74
 75  end;
 76  /
Package body created.

And that?s it, now since I have many email addresses (tkyte@us.oracle.com, 
tkyte@oracle.com, thomas.kyte@oracle.com, utility@aria.us.oracle.com) I can test this API 
like this:

tkyte@TKYTE816> begin
  2      mail_pkg.send
  3      ( p_sender_email => 'tkyte@us.oracle.com',
  4        p_from => 'Oracle Database Account <tkyte@us.oracle.com>',
  5        p_to => mail_pkg.array( 'tkyte@us.oracle.com',
                                           'thomas.kyte@oracle.com' ),
  6        p_cc => mail_pkg.array( 'tkyte@oracle.com' ),
  7        p_bcc => mail_pkg.array( 'utility@aria.us.oracle.com' ),
  8        p_subject => 'This is a subject',
  9        p_body => 'Hello Tom, this is the mail you need' );
 10  end;
 11  /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

And that call is exactly what generated the ASCII text:

Date: 13 May 01 12:33:22
From: Oracle Database Account <tkyte@us.oracle.com>
Subject: This is a subject
To: tkyte@us.oracle.com, thomas.kyte@oracle.com
Cc: tkyte@oracle.com

Hello Tom, this is the mail you need

We saw above ? that is what got sent to all of those recipients ? including 
utility@aria.us.oracle.com, although we cannot see that recipient since it was bcc?ed.

That covers most of the typical uses of the UTL_SMTP supplied package.  Above I did say 
it is capable of sending email with attachments and such but that would require an 
inordinate amount of effort on our part.  We would have to:

o Learn how to format a multi-part mime encoded document, no small feat
o Base-64 encode binary data (or use some equivalent encoding technique such as 
uuencoding, binhex, and so on)

That would be (conservatively) a couple of hundred, if not thousands of lines of PL/SQL 
code.  Rather then do that, I will suggest that you use the already written and very 
robust JavaMail API as described below.


Loading and using the JavaMail API


In order to use the UTL_SMTP package, you must already have a Java enabled database in 
Oracle8i.  This is because UTL_SMTP relies on UTL_TCP and UTL_TCP in turn is built on 
Java functions. (Remember, if you don't have a Java enabled database you can use UTL_HTTP 
as described above to send simple emails). So, if you are able to use UTL_SMTP, you must 
have a Java enabled database, we can go to the Sun website and download their JavaMail 
API. This will give us the ability to send much more complicated emails from the 
database; including attachments. The following is based on work performed by a coworker 
of mine, Mark Piermarini who helps me out with lots of my Java issues.

If you go to

http://java.sun.com/products/javamail/index.html,

you'll be able to download their JavaMail API. The download you get will consist of a 
couple of hundred files; only one of which we are interested in. After you download the 
JavaMail API ? make sure also to get their the JavaBeansTM Activation Framework extension 
or JAF (javax.activation). This is needed to run the JavaMail API package.

After you have downloaded these two sets of files ? you will need to extract mail.jar 
from the JavaMail APIdownload and activation.jar from the JAF download. This is all you 
will need from this ? feel free to read through the documentation, there is a lot of 
functionality in there we are not using, we are just using the 'send an email' part of 
the API. The API includes functions for receiving mail as well from IMAP, POP, and other 
sources.

We will need to load the mail.jar and activation.jar into the database using loadjava but 
before we can do that we must repackage them. These jar files are compressed in a format 
that is not understood by the database byte code interpreter. You need to 'unjar' and 
'rejar' them without compression or use a tool such as WinZip to 'rejar' them into a zip 
file. What I did on Windows 2000 was:

1. Used WinZip to extract the contents of mail.jar into my c:\temp\mail directory
2. Used WinZip to create a new archive c:\temp\mail8i.zip
3. Put the contents of c:\temp\mail\*.* including subdirectories into this new archive

I did the same thing for activation.jar ? only replacing mail with activation in the 
above steps. Now we are ready to load these zip (or jar files, whatever you named them) 
into the database. These need to be loaded using the SYS user since they have 'protected' 
Java packages that regular users cannot upload. We will use the commands:

loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip
loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public activation8i.zip

Where:

o -u sys/manager: is the userid and password for your SYS account.  As stated previously, 
some of the packages are protected and must be loaded as SYS
o -o: is shorthand for ?oci8, I am using the oci8 driver. You could use the thin driver 
as well but you'll need to modify the command to do so
o -r: is short for ?resolve. This will resolve all external references in the loaded 
classes helping to verify that the loaded java classes will be able to function after we 
load them
o -v: is short for ?verbose.  This gives us something to do while loadjava is running. We 
can see it work through each step of its process.
o -f: is short for ?force. This isn't necessary on the first load but is OK to use. If 
you try a loadjava and hit an error, you can correct it, and reload ? then you would 
either need to use the dropjava command to drop the jar file from the database or use 
?force. Using ?force just makes it easier for us.
o -noverify: does not attempt to verify the bytecode. You must be granted 
oracle.aurora.security.JServerPermission(Verifier) to execute this option. In addition, 
this option must be used in conjunction with -r. SYS has this privilege. This is needed 
because the bytecode verifier will flag some issues with the mail.jar file and this works 
around that issue.
o -synonym: creates public synonyms for these classes. Since we will not install the mail 
java code we write as SYS, this allows us to 'see' the SYS loaded java classes.
o -g public: grants execute on these loaded classes to PUBLIC. If this is not desirable, 
change the ?g to be just the user you want to create the 'send mail' routines in, for 
example -g UTILITY_ACCT.
You can find out more about loadjava and the above options in the Oracle8I Java 
Developers Guide.

After these packages are loaded, we are ready to create a Java stored procedure to 
actually send the mail. This procedure will act as a thin layer on top of the JavaMail 
API and will let us ultimately write a PL/SQL binding layer with the following spec:

tkyte@TKYTE816> desc send
FUNCTION send RETURNS NUMBER
 Argument Name                  Type                    In/Out Default?
 ------------------------------ ----------------------- ------ --------
 P_FROM                         VARCHAR2                IN
 P_TO                           VARCHAR2                IN
 P_CC                           VARCHAR2                IN
 P_BCC                          VARCHAR2                IN
 P_SUBJECT                      VARCHAR2                IN
 P_BODY                         VARCHAR2                IN
 P_SMTP_HOST                    VARCHAR2                IN
 P_ATTACHMENT_DATA              BLOB                    IN
 P_ATTACHMENT_TYPE              VARCHAR2                IN
 P_ATTACHMENT_FILE_NAME         VARCHAR2                IN

This function will give us the ability to use CC's and BCC's and send an attachment. It 
is left as an exercise for the reader to implement passing arrays of BLOBs or overloading 
this to support CLOB or BFILE types for attachments as well.

The Java stored procedure we will create follows. It uses the basic functionality of the 
JavaMail API class and is relatively straightforward. Again, we are not going into all of 
the uses of the JavaMail API (that could be a book in itself), just the basics here.  The 
?mail? class below has a single method ?send?.  This is the method we will use to send a 
message.  As it is implemented, it returns the number 1 if it is successful in sending 
the meial and a 0 otherwise.  This implementation is very basic ? it could be much more 
sophisticated, providing support for many attachment types (CLOBS, BFILES, LONGS and so 
on).  It could also be modified to report back to the caller the exact error received 
from SMTP such as ?invalid recipient, no transport, and so on.


tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace and compile
  2  java source named "mail"
  3  as
  4  import java.io.*;
  5  import java.sql.*;
  6  import java.util.Properties;
  7  import java.util.Date;
  8  import javax.activation.*;
  9  import javax.mail.*;
 10  import javax.mail.internet.*;
 11  import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
 12  import oracle.sql.*;
 13
 14  public class mail
 15  {
 16    static String dftMime = "application/octet-stream";
 17    static String dftName = "filename.dat";
 18
 19    public static oracle.sql.NUMBER
 20                         send(String from,
 21                              String to,
 22                              String cc,
 23                              String bcc,
 24                              String subject,
 25                              String body,
 26                              String SMTPHost,
 27                              oracle.sql.BLOB attachmentData,
 28                              String attachmentType,
 29                              String attachmentFileName)

The above argument list matches up with the SQL call specification we outlined above ? 
the arguments are mostly self explanatory.  The two that might need some clarification 
are the attachmentType and the attachmentFileName.  The attachmentType should be a MIME 
(Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions) type ? as you might be familiar with from HTML 
documents.  The MIME type of a GIF image for example is ?image/gif?, the mime type of a 
plain text document would be ?text/plain?, an HTML attachment would be ?text/html? and so 
on.  The attachmentFileName in this example is NOT the name of an existing OS file that 
would be attached but rather the filename of the attachment in the email itself ? what 
the recipient of this email will see the name of the attachment as.  The actual 
attachment is the oracle.sql.BLOB that is sent to this routine.  Now, onto the body of 
the code.  We begin by setting the session property ?mail.smtp.host? to the name of the 
SMTP host the caller sent to us ? the JavaMail API reads this value when deciding what 
SMTP server to connect to:

 30    {
 31      int rc = 0;
 32
 33      try
 34      {
 35        Properties props = System.getProperties();
 36        props.put("mail.smtp.host", SMTPHost);
 37        Message msg =
 38          new MimeMessage(Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null));
 39

Next, we set up the email headers.  This part tells the JavaMail API who the message if 
from, who to send it to, who to send a ?carbon copy? (cc) or ?blind carbon copy? (bcc), 
what the subject of the email is and what date should be associated with the email:

 40       msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
 41
 42       if (to != null && to.length() > 0)
 43          msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,
 44                            InternetAddress.parse(to, false));
 45
 46       if (cc != null && cc.length() > 0)
 47          msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,
 48                            InternetAddress.parse(cc, false));
 49
 50       if (bcc != null && bcc.length() > 0)
 51          msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,
 52                            InternetAddress.parse(bcc, false));
 53
 54       if ( subject != null && subject.length() > 0 )
 55            msg.setSubject(subject);
 56       else msg.setSubject("(no subject)");
 57
 58        msg.setSentDate(new Date());
 59

Next, we use one of two methods to send an email.  If the attachmentData argument is not 
null, then we will MIME encode the email ? a standard that supports the sending of 
attachments and other multi-part documents.  We do this by setting up multiple MIME body 
parts ? in this case two of them, one for the body of the email (the text) and the other 
for the attachment itself.  Lines 76 through 78 need a little additional explanation.  
They are how we can send an email via a BLOB.  The JavaMail API doesn?t understand the 
oracle.sql.BLOB type natively (it is after all a generic API).  In order to send the BLOB 
attachment, we must provide a method for the JavaMail API to get at the BLOB data.  We 
accomplish that by creating our own DataHandler ? a class with an interface that the 
JavaMail API understands how to call in order to get data to populate the attachment.  
This class (BLOBDataHandler) is implemented by us as a nested class below.

 60        if (attachmentData != null)
 61        {
 62          MimeBodyPart mbp1 = new MimeBodyPart();
 63          mbp1.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
 64          mbp1.setDisposition(Part.INLINE);
 65
 66          MimeBodyPart mbp2 = new MimeBodyPart();
 67          String type =
 68              (attachmentType != null ? attachmentType : dftMime);
 69
 70          String fileName = (attachmentFileName != null ?
 71                             attachmentFileName : dftName);
 72
 73          mbp2.setDisposition(Part.ATTACHMENT);
 74          mbp2.setFileName(fileName);
 75
 76          mbp2.setDataHandler(new
 77             DataHandler(new BLOBDataSource(attachmentData, type))
 78          );
 79
 80          MimeMultipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
 81          mp.addBodyPart(mbp1);
 82          mp.addBodyPart(mbp2);
 83          msg.setContent(mp);
 84        }

If the email does not have an attachment ? setting the body of the email is accomplished 
very simply via the single call to setText:

 85        else
 86        {
 87          msg.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
 88        }
 89        Transport.send(msg);
 90        rc = 1;
 91      } catch (Exception e)
 92      {
 93        e.printStackTrace();
 94        rc = 0;
 95      } finally
 96      {
 97        return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
 98      }
 99    }
100

Now for our nested class BLOBDataSource.  It simply provides a generic interface for the 
JavaMail API to access our oracle.sql.BLOB type.  It is very straightforward in its 
implementation:

101    // Nested class that implements a DataSource.
102    static class BLOBDataSource implements DataSource
103    {
104      private BLOB   data;
105      private String type;
106
107      BLOBDataSource(BLOB data, String type)
108      {
109          this.type = type;
110          this.data = data;
111      }
112
113      public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
114      {
115        try
116        {
117          if(data == null)
118            throw new IOException("No data.");
119
120          return data.getBinaryStream();
121        } catch(SQLException e)
122        {
123          throw new
124          IOException("Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.");
125        }
126      }
127
128      public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
129      {
130        throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
131      }
132
133      public String getContentType()
134      {
135        return type;
136      }
137
138      public String getName()
139      {
140        return "BLOBDataSource";
141      }
142    }
143  }
144  /

Java created.

Now that we have the Java class created for PL/SQL to bind to, we need to create that 
binding routine to map the PL/SQL types to their Java Types and to bind the PL/SQL 
routine to this Java class. That is simply:

tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace function send(
  2      p_from                  in varchar2,
  3      p_to                    in varchar2,
  4      p_cc                    in varchar2,
  5      p_bcc                   in varchar2,
  6      p_subject               in varchar2,
  7      p_body                  in varchar2,
  8      p_smtp_host             in varchar2,
  9      p_attachment_data       in blob,
 10      p_attachment_type       in varchar2,
 11      p_attachment_file_name  in varchar2) return number
 12  as
 13  language java name 'mail.send( java.lang.String,
 14                                 java.lang.String,
 15                                 java.lang.String,
 16                                 java.lang.String,
 17                                 java.lang.String,
 18                                 java.lang.String,
 19                                 java.lang.String,
 20                                 oracle.sql.BLOB,
 21                                 java.lang.String,
 22                                 java.lang.String
 23                               ) return oracle.sql.NUMBER';
 24  /

Function created.

Now, the very last thing we must do before using this is to ensure our user (the owner of 
the above "mail" class and "send" stored procedure) has sufficient privileges to execute 
the routine. Those would be the following:

sys@TKYTE816> begin
  2    dbms_java.grant_permission(
  3       grantee => 'TKYTE',
  4       permission_type => 'java.util.PropertyPermission',
  5       permission_name => '*',
  6       permission_action => 'read,write'
  7    );
  8    dbms_java.grant_permission(
  9       grantee => 'TKYTE',
 10       permission_type => 'java.net.SocketPermission',
 11       permission_name => '*',
 12       permission_action => 'connect,resolve'
 13    );
 14  end;
 15  /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Note that in the grant on java.net.SocketPermission, I used a wildcard in the 
permission_name. This allows TKYTE to connect to and resolve ANY host. Technically, we 
could put in there just the name of the SMTP sever we will be using.  That would be the 
minimal grant we needed. This is needed in order to resolve the hostname of our SMTP host 
and then connect to it.  The other permission, java.util.PropertyPermission, is needed in 
order to set the mail.smtp.host in our sessions properties.

Now we are ready to test. I reused some code from the DBMS_LOB section where we had a 
routine "load_a_file". I modified that and the DEMO table to have a BLOB column instead 
of a CLOB and loaded the mail8i.zip file we loaded in as a class into this demo table. 
Now I can use the following PL/SQL block to send it to myself as an attachment in an 
email from the database:

tkyte@TKYTE816> set serveroutput on size 1000000
tkyte@TKYTE816> exec dbms_java.set_output( 1000000 )

tkyte@TKYTE816> declare
  2    ret_code number;
  3  begin
  4    for i in (select theBlob from demo )
  5    loop
  6      ret_code := send(
  7                    p_from => 'tkyte@oracle.com',
  8                    p_to => 'tkyte@oracle.com',
  9                    p_cc => NULL,
 10                    p_bcc => NULL,
 11                    p_subject => 'Use the attached Zip file',
 12                    p_body => 'to send email with attachments....',
 13                    p_smtp_host => 'aria.us.oracle.com',
 14                    p_attachment_data => i.theBlob,
 15                    p_attachment_type => 'application/winzip',
 16                    p_attachment_file_name => 'mail8i.zip');
 17      if ret_code = 1 then
 18        dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
 19      else
 20        dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
 21      end if;
 22    end loop;
 23  end;
 24  /
Successfully sent message...

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

You definitely want to set serverouput on and call the DBMS_JAVA.SET_OUTPUT routine on 
when testing this. This is because the exception is being printed by the Java stored 
procedure to System.out and by default that will go into a trace file on the server. If 
you want to see any errors in your SQLPlus session, you

Reviews

Very Good but a small doubt March 29, 2001 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Srinivas from India(Secunderabad)

How do i send the mails thru oracle 7.1 database as ourt dataBase is not Oracle 8. can u plz send 
me ur suggestion...will the same solution work for Oracle 7.1???

Great Solution for Email sending from within Database April 9, 2001 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bijay R. Tuladhar from Hayward, CA

This is one of the most useful solutions.
Thank you Tom for helping us all!

E-Mail April 12, 2001 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Gopal KVS from Secunderabad India

Excelent, but sending mails has been discussed, how about receiving mails.

June 11, 2001 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bhagat Singh from India

jar files July 9, 2001 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Shawn from Toronto, ON,Canada

I tried to un-jar them and re-jar the files.  while using loadjava I am getting a java.util 
exception.
Any suggestions?  Or can you send me the re-jar'ed files and tell me where to get them.

Thanks,

I run until step 3, error occurs, can not continue... July 12, 2001 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: yong@airmedia.com from USA

The error message is :
$ loadjava -u user/paswd@db -o -r -f -v mail.java
initialization complete
loading  : mail
creating : mail
resolver :  
resolving: mail
errors   :  mail
    ORA-29535: source requires recompilation
    mail:31: Class Message not found.
    mail:31: Class MimeMessage not found.
    mail:37: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:39: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:41: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:44: Undefined variable or class name: Transport
     Info: 6 errors
loadjava: 8 errors

Can anyone help me out? Thanks in advance.

July 24, 2001 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Rajesh Jaswal from Hoshiarpur, Punjab

Very good solution.

Excellently simplified solution July 26, 2001 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Akthar & Kamalanathan - akthar.aj@ebridgex.com from Singapore

Neatly done with correct step, We would like to comment(checklist) something on positive sense ,
1. First to start with Check whether JVM for Oracle is installed, else run 
$oracle_home/javavm/install/initjvm.sql
2.Set(add) classpath $oracle_home/sqlj/lib/translator.zip
3.Follow the steps 1,2,3,4 given in the TOM's response with only change on step 4 you have to "desc 
send" not "desc mail". Step 5 make changes to suit your SMTP HOST.
4. You are done ...

Wish u Happy Oracle Mailing on 8.1.5.

Mail-trouble October 25, 2001 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vera from Russia

Don't you think that in the sentence loadjava parameter -s (synonym) for activation8i.jar and 
mail8i.jar elso must be present ?

December 28, 2001 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Kiro

It is good but how to attach file to my e-mail?

Having problem in stage 3 January 26, 2002 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Kazi Nazmul Hassan from Bangladesh

Dears,
When running on step 3 i got the following errors.
Can anyone help me out of it?

D:\mail>loadjava -u marchant/marchant@itcmis -o -r -f -v mail.java
arguments: '-u' 'marchant/marchant@itcmis' '-o' '-r' '-f' '-v' 'mail.java'
creating : source mail
loading  : source mail
creating : mail
resolving: source mail
errors   : source mail
    ORA-29535: source requires recompilation
    mail:31: Class Message not found.
    mail:31: Class MimeMessage not found.
    mail:37: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:39: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:41: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
    mail:44: Undefined variable or class name: Transport
     Info: 6 errors
The following operations failed
    source mail: resolution
exiting  : Failures occurred during processing

Thanks

Followup January 27, 2002 - 10am Central time zone:

use NOVERIFY as well.

On Januarary 27th, 2002 -- I totally rewrote the answer to this.  The answer above is now an 
extract from my book which has better step by steps.....  Follow those.

getting error January 27, 2002 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Arindam Kar from Midlle East

HI all

While loading Jar files I am getting the following error, can any body tell me why??
 loadjava -u sys/change_on_install -o -r -
v -g public activation8i.jar java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: oracle/jdbc/driver/OracleDriver
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJava.getConnection(LoadJava.java:526)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJava.fileIsDifferent(LoadJava.java:442
)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJava.loadAndCreateJar(LoadJava.java:93
1)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJava.processLoadAndCreate(LoadJava.jav
a:1149)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJava.process(LoadJava.java:1021)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJavaMain.run(LoadJavaMain.java:193)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.LoadJavaMain.main(LoadJavaMain.java:49)

Can I send email from D2K? January 28, 2002 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sazzadur Rahman Tusar from Bangladesh

I tried to send email from D2K but it failed.
I used OLE2.OBJ_TYPE as per your writings earlier, but it shows error, because OBJ_TYPE is not a 
procedure.
How it will be solved?
Would you please give me a solution?

I have something missing...?? January 31, 2002 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Yogeeraj from Mauritius

hi,
I tried the first example, it does not seem to work. Any Idea?
thanks in advance
Yogeeraj
========================================
SQL> begin
send_mail( 'ydegambur@cmt.mu',
'ydegambur@cmt.mu',
'Hello Deg' );
end;
/  2    3    4    5    6
begin
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-20001: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 83
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 121
ORA-06512: at "SW.SEND_MAIL", line 8
ORA-06512: at line 2

SQL>
==============================================

Followup January 31, 2002 - 7am Central time zone:

you did not use a valid mail host in your send_mail routine.  You are getting an error back from 
the "smtp" server (which isn't an smtp server) saying "i'm not available"

you did change:

  5  as
  6     l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'aria.us.oracle.com';
  7     l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
  8  BEGIN

to have a hostname that would be valid for you right?

Great it works!! February 1, 2002 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Yogeeraj from Mauritius

Hi,

thanks for locating the error for me. Indeed, there was an error in the address.

sorry for any inconveniences.
;)

For sure, this will help me proceed in my implementations and research.

Best Regards
Yogeeraj

TOM you are simply GREAT..!!!!! February 18, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Manoj Bajaj from Singapore

Tom this mail routine we are using it since last few months and is running and mailing well. thank 
u so much.

I have made some changes to this routine to send multiple files / attachments ..ofcourse by not 
passing blob array ..(as did not know I to do that ..!!!) but by reading files in java program..! I 
would like to send u the source.

 Mean I would also like to know one thing what decides total attachment size to be sent in one 
mail. In one database sch I can send attachments of 1MB whereas in other I'm restricted to 6 
MB..I'm cannot find what is restricting me from sending bigger attachments...Any clue...unix or 
oracle parameter as these two are on diff  unix servers but SMTP is same.

 Once again Many thanks for ur continuous support.

Error handling February 21, 2002 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sudip Sarkar from India

Hi Thomas,
Your solutions are simply great. I have used your code to send email. But I facing a peculiar 
problem. Once there was a problem in the SMTP server and it stopped responding, now at that moment 
I fired a mail from the database. The result was that my sesion got hung.
Is there any way of trapping the error.

February 25, 2002 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: manoj from singapore

Hi Check the trace file generated in user_dump_dest ..directory on your server u may get the exacty 
nature of problem there.

Looks promising, but am having problems installing - loadjava fails February 25, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bob Yexley from Dayton, OH USA

Thanks so much for this solution.  If I can get it working, it will be a HUGE help and solution for 
our needs.

I am trying to follow the instructions laid out here, and did everything they said to do, but am 
having problems with the loadjava command for mail8i.zip.  When I ran it, it loaded everything 
fine, but ran into problems when trying to resolve referenced objects.  I'm getting ORA-29534, and 
the result is 45 unresolved object references after the load.  The loading of the activation8i.zip 
worked great, no problems at all, but had problems with SOME of the objects in mail8i.zip.  Here is 
one example of the errors that I am getting:

==========================================================
skipping : com/sun/mail/imap/Rights$Right is already resolved
skipping : javax/mail/IllegalWriteException is already resolved
skipping : com/sun/mail/iap/Argument is already resolved
resolving: com/sun/mail/smtp/SMTPMessage
errors   :  com/sun/mail/smtp/SMTPMessage
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/mail/internet/MimeMessage could not be resolved
resolving: javax/mail/internet/MimeMessage
errors   :  javax/mail/internet/MimeMessage
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/activation/DataHandler could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/activation/DataSource could not be found
resolving: javax/mail/FolderClosedException
errors   :  javax/mail/FolderClosedException
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/mail/Folder could not be resolved
==========================================================

Any idea what's wrong, and/or how I can fix it??

-::YEX::-
<)))><

Followup February 25, 2002 - 2pm Central time zone:

show me a cut and paste of your loadjava command.

Response to followup February 26, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bob Yexley from Dayton, OH USA

My loadjava command was as follows:

C:\MyDir>loadjava -u sys/password@orcl -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip

Followup February 26, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone:

Can you reload both the activation and mail ZIP files using another user? This will facilitate 
debugging and we can use it to check the resolver for any problems. Also, add '-debug' to your 
loadjava commands and send that output to mbpierma@us.oracle.com.

Some problem! can anyone help February 26, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Raza from Toronto, Canada

I was trying tom's example 1 and have this error! can any one help me out
begin
    mail_pkg.send
    ( p_sender_email => 'rkazmi@rci.rogers.com',
      p_from => 'Oracle Database Account <rkazmi@rci.rogers.com>',
      p_to => mail_pkg.array( 'kazmi81@hotmail.com',
                                      'kazmi@rogers.com' ),
      p_cc => mail_pkg.array( 'kazmi5221@rogers.com' ),
      p_bcc => mail_pkg.array( 'utility@aria.us.oracle.com' ),
      p_subject => 'This is a subject',
      p_body => 'Hello Raza, this is the mail you need' );
end;

ORA-29540: class oracle/plsql/net/TCPConnection does not exist
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 678
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 247
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 99
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 121
ORA-06512: at "SYS.MAIL_PKG", line 49
ORA-06512: at line 2

and what needs to be done!!!???

Followup February 26, 2002 - 2pm Central time zone:

search for 

ORA-29540

on this site.

Another problem!! February 26, 2002 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Raza from Toronto, Canada

After issuing the following command
(RCIS_DEV)$ loadjava -user sys/change_on_install@rcis_dvl plsql.jar   

I got this error!!
          
SQL Error while connecting with oci8 driver to rcis_dvl: ORA-01031: insufficient
 privileges                                                                     
                                                                                
could not open connection                                                       
loadjava: 2 errors

Followup February 26, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone:

this should not be done over the network -- the file you are loading must be the one on the server 
anyway so... don't use the network.

Sending e-mail! -- Oracle 8i specific response February 26, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Harvey from MO USA

Do we need to do the same things for Oracle9i as you described in this detailed instruction?  If it 
is different, could you explain it also in detail?

Thanks a lot!

Harvey

Followup February 26, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone:

should work in 9i, haven't loaded it up myself as yet but the steps would basically be the same 
(you don't have to use sys and probably won't be able to use sys in most cases in 9i, that would be 
different)

yes, you would need to do this in 9i if you wanted to send email with attachments.

Implemented the SMTP mail sending attachments pure Oracle code February 26, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ashokkumar Sankaran from USA

Thx for your Valuable ideas

We have succefully implmented the SMTP mail with any attachments Including Binary in Pure oracle 
code

(i .e It Converts Binary to Base 64 format)

Thx
Ashok

Problem using loadjava February 27, 2002 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

I cant get it work!

I have two instances running on the same machine, 
I have opened the telnet session on box where my database is,  and trying to load plsql.jar by 
issuing the following command.
(RCIS_DEV)$ loadjava -user sys/change_on_install@rcis_dvl plsql.jar
And getting this error.. 

SQL Error while connecting with oci8 driver to rcis_dvl: ORA-01031: insufficient
 privileges

could not open connection
loadjava: 2 errors

I checked my $ORACLE_SID which is set to rcis_dvl
and if I issue loadjava without @rcis_dvl
(RCIS_DEV)$ loadjava -user sys/change_on_install plsql.jar

Then I get this error!!
                      
SQL Error while connecting with oci8 driver to default database: ORA-01034: ORAC
LE not available                                                                
ORA-27101: shared memory realm does not exist                                   
IBM AIX RISC System/6000 Error: 2: No such file or directory                    
                                                                                
could not open connection                                                       
loadjava: 2 errors                                                              
What should be done!!! you advice
Thanks in advance
Raza

Followup February 27, 2002 - 10am Central time zone:

You should log in as the Oracle software owner.

You should verify your oracle_home and oracle_sid

You should verify that you can then:

sqlplus sys/change_on_install


then run loadjava.

March 1, 2002 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: xue li

Very nice!

But where can i get more information about UTL_SMTP.

Followup March 1, 2002 - 9am Central time zone:

all supplied packages are documented in the supplied packages guide

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/A87860_01/doc/appdev.817/a76936/utl_smtp.htm#1000695

....

BCC List April 3, 2002 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Chris Soza from London

Tom,

In your pl/sql solution if bcc list is not written out with writeData, can you explain how it will 
work ?

Thanks,

Chris

Followup April 3, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone:

because this:

 15        utl_smtp.rcpt(g_mail_conn, p_recipients(i) );



does the actual sending, the writing of the CC and TO list is only for display -- the call to 
writedata with that doesn't affect WHO the email is actually sent to -- just what the email client 
displays.

Partly April 4, 2002 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sandeep Pathak from India

I have followed all the instructions. And they were successfull also. But when I type the following 
command

SQL> desc send
ERROR:
ORA-04043: object send does not exist

I get the above said error.
Can anybody help me.
The mail8i and activation8i, are proper. But if anybody has a working version please send on 
sandeep@inbox.net

Followup April 4, 2002 - 11am Central time zone:

If you run this:

tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace function send(
  2      p_from                  in varchar2,
  3      p_to                    in varchar2,
  4      p_cc                    in varchar2,
  5      p_bcc                   in varchar2,
  6      p_subject               in varchar2,
  7      p_body                  in varchar2,
  8      p_smtp_host             in varchar2,
  9      p_attachment_data       in blob,
 10      p_attachment_type       in varchar2,
 11      p_attachment_file_name  in varchar2) return number
 12  as
 13  language java name 'mail.send( java.lang.String,
 14                                 java.lang.String,
 15                                 java.lang.String,
 16                                 java.lang.String,
 17                                 java.lang.String,
 18                                 java.lang.String,
 19                                 java.lang.String,
 20                                 oracle.sql.BLOB,
 21                                 java.lang.String,
 22                                 java.lang.String
 23                               ) return oracle.sql.NUMBER';
 24  /

Function created.



(which is above, in the answer), you will not get that response.  Me thinks you skipped a step or 
two.

mail.jar and activation.jar April 4, 2002 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Chris Soza from England

Tom

I downloaded the javamail package as per your note. However, in the archive there is no 
activation.jar file. Any idea how I can get this ?. I downloaded the 1.2 version.

Also, thanks for explaining how bcc list works.

Rgds, Chris

Followup April 4, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone:

It is separate, goto java.sun.com and search for activation.

error April 4, 2002 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: nagarju

tom,

i run the following snippet of code, i get the error

declare
  l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'our mailserver ip';
  l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
begin
  l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, 'nagarjuk@yahoo.com');
utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, 'nagarajuk@hotmail.com');
utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'pakka ma');
utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;

ORA-20002: 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for nagarajuk@hotmail.com
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 86
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 223
ORA-06512: at line 8

can you tell me why is this?
i get this error what ever the email address i give in the recpt

please help

Followup April 4, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone:

contact your email guys/network guys.

the server you are attempting to use is not set up to relay, this is NOT an oracle issue, not a 
UTL_SMTP issue, it is a SMTP configuration issue.  You are probably using the WRONG mailhost as 
it's not setup to relay (anti-spamming defense)

email body size April 4, 2002 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: manohar

tom,

  is there a limit on the email body size like you mentioned in your answer as 32k only.

please reply.

thanks

Followup April 4, 2002 - 3pm Central time zone:

Only as I have it coded.  I am passing the body as a single plsql varchar2 variable.

If you passed a temporary clob and wrote it out 32k at a time, you could make it as large as you 
wanted.  There is no limit (well, 4gig)

sending multiple emails in a single SP April 4, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: nagaraju

If i have to send multiple emails,like typicallly.

i have a cursor that returns email addresses and other detials. i need to loop and email the other 
details to the email address

is it only the following way or anyother simple way

declare
l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'our mail server';
l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
g_crlf        char(2) default chr(13)||chr(10);
 begin
  l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
  utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
  for rec in c_email_cur
  loop
  utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, 'nagarajuk@hotmail.com');
  utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, rec.email_address);
  utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
  utl_smtp.write_data( l_mail_conn, 'Date: ' || sysdate || g_crlf );
      utl_smtp.write_data( l_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || 'Testing utl_smtp' || g_crlf ); 
  utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,'To: ' || rec.email_address || g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'This is a Reminder for a Notification Received originally on: 
March 1, 2002.'|| g_crlf);
utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,  g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'The Access Removal form attached requires your immediate 
attention.  '||rec.somevalue || g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Access Removal Request For:'|| g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,  g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
end loop;
 utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;

any suggestions?

thanks

Followup April 4, 2002 - 7pm Central time zone:

Yes, use modular code and factor out repeated processing

Write a send_mail routine (or just use the ones above).

then it becomes:

begin
   for rec in ( select ... )
   loop
         send( .... );
   end loop;
end;
/

Thats what procedures are all about.

Attaching a bfile April 9, 2002 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Johan Snyman from JHB SA

Can you please indicate how the code need to be changed to e-mail a bfile as an attachment (I have 
to e-mail compressed files in an OS filesystem).

I am just starting to learn Java and don't even know where to start with above mentioned problem 
(although I expect at least the BLOBDataSource nested class to change or a similar class for bfile 
to be added).

By the way - which resources would you suggest for learning Java, coming from an Oracle background 
?

Followup April 9, 2002 - 7am Central time zone:

Should be as easy as changing p_attachment_type to BFILE and opening the BFILE in plsql before 
calling java -- the api for reading a bfile in java is the same as a blob.

You might consider:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1861006020/

it has some nifty utilities in it.  It is written for the PLSQL developer that wants to get their 
feet wet with some java.

Email from database April 10, 2002 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randy Richardson from St. Louis, MO

Tom,  

Is there a way to validate the TO list before sending?  Or do you have to just send and let the bad 
email addresses fail?  We are using MS exchange 2000 mail server and would like to do validation 
against the address book.

Thanks.

Followup April 10, 2002 - 10am Central time zone:

Well, the email is coming from the database (on the server)

The address book is in exchange or on the client...


If you can ask MS how to access the address book via java, we can certainly do that.  (hmm, isn't 
this how email viruses get started?)

I'm doubtful, all kinds of security issues with accessing the address book (you have to "trust" the 
oracle account) and I don't know if Java can access that or not.  We could use C as well if they 
support that -- but the security issues abound.

java option in oracle April 15, 2002 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: srividhya from bangalore, India

Hi Tom,

  Thanks a lot for the mail.It is really great and working fine.We had installed on the development 
database(oracle 8.1.6) and had no problems with it. However, when we tried to deploy on our live 
database(oracle 8.1.6), we are facing a lot of installation problems. We realized that the java 
option has not been set when the database was setup(1.5 years ago).The database size is 25GB.How do 
we set the java option?We are not able to set the java option as an incremental update.How do we do 
that.
Thanks in advance.
Please reply...!!. We are just held up in deploying it.

Followup April 16, 2002 - 7am Central time zone:

Have you run initjvm.sql found in $ORACLE_HOME/javavm/install

Failure tracking from Oracle April 18, 2002 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: rajiv

tom,

is it possible to track the failure of an email.

assume that i am sending email using utl_smtp with TO list has one person and CC list has 10 
persons.
now email was sent to all the CC people but not to the TO list person.

in this case i need to send an email to an ADMIN saying email to that TO person is failed

is it possible?

Followup April 18, 2002 - 12pm Central time zone:

the email will bounce tot he REPLY-TO address.  set the reply-to to admin.  I believe there is an 
"error-to" or something like that as well.  you would have to look it up somewhere....

Failure tracking from Oracle April 22, 2002 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: rajiv

tom,

can you give me how do set the reply-to address to admin.
because when i tried in the following way mail is not sent to the admin. but the bounced mail come 
to the from addressee only.

declare
l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'our mail server'; 
l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
l_toaddr   varchar2(50) := 'xyz@xyz.com'; -- invalid email id
l_fromaddr varchar2(50); -- assign the from address here
l_replyto varchar2(50);
g_crlf        char(2) default chr(13)||chr(10);
 begin
  l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
  utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
  utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, l_fromaddr);
  utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, l_toaddr);
  utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
  utl_smtp.write_data( l_mail_conn, 'Date: ' || sysdate || g_crlf );
      utl_smtp.write_data( l_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || 'Testing utl_smtp' || g_crlf ); 
  utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,'To: ' || l_toaddr || g_crlf);
  utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,'REPLY-TO: ' || l_replyto || g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'This is a Reminder for a Notification Received originally on: 
March 1, 2002.'|| g_crlf);
utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,  g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'The Access Removal form attached requires your immediate 
attention.  ' || g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Access Removal Request For:'|| g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,  g_crlf);
 utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
 utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;

good but have error in downloading mail.zip April 24, 2002 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: shamim from New Delhi, India

Great Service  done my you TOM
Hi Tom Your answer and subsequent followup are very informative. I tried it , activation.zip 
doenloaded perfectly but I am facing problem in downloading of mail.zip ,It is showing error while 
recolving objects,
in the same way as Mr.Bob Yexley   have. and send the debugged code at mbpierma@us.oracle.com., BUt 
message comes that this id doed not exist.
So please if he have given some solution to Mr.Bob Yexley  problem Forward it to me.

Followup April 24, 2002 - 7am Central time zone:

drop the us. from the email address (as should have been indicated in the bounced email, we've 
stopped using the country specific domain name)

PL/SQL to do email and appointment May 3, 2002 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Binh Ta from Maryland, USA

Hi Tom,
Very helpful indeed.  But I can you answer my follow-up question too please:  How can one use 
PL/SQL to create Appointments in Exchange?  I've searched practically the whole internet but found 
nothing.  Would really appreciate if you can shedsome light.  Many thanks.   Binh Ta.

Followup May 3, 2002 - 11am Central time zone:

No idea, I know nothing about exchange.  We can do com automatation calls from plsql on NT using 
the "com cartridge".

E-mail May 24, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Munz from Reston, USA

Tom:

Do I understand that if I want to send an  email but with a subject line and a message pulled out 
of the database I can do it with PL/SQL.

I only need to use jAVAMAIL API when I need t osend attachments.

THank you,

Followup May 25, 2002 - 9am Central time zone:

You never *need* javamail, you could use utl_smtp 100%.

It is just much much easier with javamail to send attachments, it does the work for you.

UTL_SMTP is sufficient for sending text based email

email May 31, 2002 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Munz from Reston, USA

Tom:

If you do not want to use named parameters and not cc or bcc anyone in email how do you pass 
parameters.

I am getting an error when I do:

begin
 mail_pkg.send(
           'myname@att.com',
       null,
       mail_pkg.array('myname@att.com'),
      mail_pkg.array('   '),
      mail_pkg.array('   '),
       'This is a subject',
       'Hello Tom, this is the mail you need' );

dbms_output.put_line('Message sent to the user successfully');
end;
/

Can't you pass null values to an array.

Thanks,

Followup May 31, 2002 - 10am Central time zone:

why don't you want to use named parameters?  they are better then positional, you are not calling 
this from SQL so that is not an issue.

Otherwise, arrange the parameters to suit your needs (but wait, that'll break your other code 
unless it uses named parameters)

I would recommend you use a named parameter, it is more readable, less ambigous and if someone 
changes the order on you later -- you are PROTECTED.

You can do this:

begin
   mail_pkg.send( 'sender email', 'from', mail_pkg.array('to'), 
                   mail_pkg.array(), mail_pkg.array(), 
                  'subj', 'body' );
end;
/

as well.  You are not passing an empty array - you passed an array with some blank strings -- very 
different.  Just pass empty arrays (like I have them defaulted to)

database link June 10, 2002 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: frustrated mailer from Ohio

TCPConnection class is not loaded in database I want to send mail out from, but the classes are 
loaded in another db behind the firewall that I can access through a db link.

I have tried creating a synonym for UTL_SMTP using the db link.  Should this work?

I also tried writing a package that accepts the same inputs send mail does, but just calls send 
mail across the db link with the same arguments it was called with. 

This doesn't work either.  I get wrong number or type arguments.

Can you show how you would call UTL_SMTP across a db link from a db that doesn't have the java 
classes installed?

Followup June 11, 2002 - 10am Central time zone:

utl_smtp uses a record.  you are probably not defining your connection record using this remote 
utl_smtp package.


tkyte@TKYTE816> create or replace
  2  PROCEDURE send_mail (p_sender       IN VARCHAR2,
  3                       p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
  4                       p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
  5  as
  6     l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'aria.us.oracle.com';
  7     l_mail_conn ALIAS_FOR_UTL_SMTP.connection;

but, sigh, without an example and the error message cut and pasted from sqlplus, its really hard to 
tell

Some details when using UTL_SMTP... June 19, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sven Bleckwedel from Santos, Brazil

Hi TOM,

Your explanation was very useful to help me to implement this resource in a database that i 
administer.  When using another character set (in my case, WE8ISO8859P1) some problems appeared, 
but i´ve found some tips that helped me to solve this problem, too:

<quote>
The original SMTP protocol communicates using 7-bit ASCII. But if the target SMTP server supports 
8BITMIME extension, the user can convert the non-US7ASCII data to RAW and use the write_raw_data 
procedure to send data using 8-bit MIME 
encoding
...
Using the utl_smtp and utl_tcp packages requires that the JServer option is installed in the 
database.
Reference: Oracle8i Supplied PL/SQL Packages Reference, 65 UTL_SMTP
<quote>

- The code, before changes:

 61 writeData('Date: ' || l_date);
 62 writeData('From: ' || nvl(p_from, p_sender_email));
 63 writeData('Subject: ' || nvl(p_subject,'(nosubject)'));
 64
 65 writeData( l_to_list );
 66 writeData( l_cc_list );
 67
 68 utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn, '' || g_crlf);
 69 utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn, p_body );
 70 utl_smtp.close_data(g_mail_conn );
 71 utl_smtp.quit(g_mail_conn);

- After changes are made, at lines 65-67 and 72:

 61 writeData('Date: ' || l_date);
 62 writeData('From: ' || nvl(p_from, p_sender_email));
 63 writeData('Subject: ' || nvl(p_subject,'(no subject)'));
 64
 65 utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn,'MIME-Version: 1.0' || g_crlf);
 66 utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn,'Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1' || g_crlf)
 67 utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn,'Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit' || g_crlf);
 68
 69 writeData( l_to_list );
 70 writeData( l_cc_list );
 71 
 72 utl_smtp.write_raw_data(g_mail_conn,utl_raw.cast_to_raw(g_crlf || p_body));
 73 utl_smtp.close_data(g_mail_conn );
 74 utl_smtp.quit(g_mail_conn);

- But, other problems appeared:

SQL> @send_mail3

Package created.

Warning: Package Body created with compilation errors.

SQL> show errors
Errors for PACKAGE BODY MAIL_PKG:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- ---------------------------------------------
72/5     PL/SQL: Statement ignored
72/14    PLS-00302: component 'WRITE_RAW_DATA' must be
                    declared

Searching for the reason, in Metalink:

fact: Oracle Server - Enterprise Edition 8.1.6.1 
fact: PL/SQL 8.1.6 
symptom: Calling utl_smtp.write_raw_data within application 
symptom: Procedure UTL_SMTP.WRITE_RAW_DATA Does Not Exist 
cause: <Bug:1239254> Procedure UTL_SMTP.WRITE_RAW_DATA does not exist 
fix: Apply patch 8.1.6.2 or upgrade to 8.1.7.

After applying the latest patch (8.1.6.3.1, for HP-UX 11.0), the problem was solved !

Sven Bleckwedel
Unix/Oracle Admin

June 25, 2002 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sheryl Smith from UK

Tom,
When I loadjava 
i.e. 
loadjava -u sys/passwr -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonyn  -g public mail8i.zip

I get the following errors:
resolving: mail/javax/mail/search/ComparisonTerm
Error while resolving class mail/javax/mail/search/ComparisonTerm
    ORA-04043: object /fdec8a69_ComparisonTerm does not exist

resolving: mail/com/sun/mail/handlers/message_rfc822
Error while resolving class mail/com/sun/mail/handlers/message_rfc822
    ORA-04043: object /83f5d240_message_rfc822 does not exist

resolving: mail/javax/mail/FolderNotFoundException
Error while resolving class mail/javax/mail/FolderNotFoundException
    ORA-04043: object /45ac233_FolderNotFoundExcepti does not exist

resolving: mail/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/BODY
Error while resolving class mail/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/BODY
    ORA-04043: object /a31a955b_BODY does not exist

resolving: mail/javax/mail/search/SentDateTerm
Error while resolving class mail/javax/mail/search/SentDateTerm
    ORA-04043: object /70998eaf_SentDateTerm does not exist
.....

What do I need to do?
Thanks.

File system file as attachment June 27, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vikas

Hi Tom,
This uses the file stored in the database for attachment. can you pl tell me how to do it for file 
system. Actually I want to use a browse button for attachments in which user will select file from 
client os(own system). I am using mod_plsql. Do i need to upload that file in the database and than 
execute your procedure. or there is any direct apporach. I am wondering how it can be done? Because 
mod_plsql does not support file system uploads( from client file system to server file system).

Followup June 27, 2002 - 2pm Central time zone:

If you want to

a) send email from the server
b) with a file from the client

you'll have to upload the file to the server (mod_plsql will be great for that).  Then, it'll be in 
a blob and the code will work "as is".  After you email the document, delete the blob.

I cannot recompile java source mail July 10, 2002 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tom Jaros from Czech Republic

I used following way of loadjava:

C:\SourceSafe\frm_rep\mail\JavaMail>loadjava -u sys/gambac12@x -o -r -v -f -synonym -g public 
mail8i.zip
initialization complete
loading  : mail.jar
creating : mail.jar
resolver :

C:\SourceSafe\frm_rep\mail\JavaMail>loadjava -u sys/gambac12@x -o -r -v -f -synonym -g public 
activation8i.zip
initialization complete
loading  : activation.jar
creating : activation.jar
resolver :

When I tried to create java source I got the warning message about error in source:
SQL> show error
Errors for JAVA SOURCE mail:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:98: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         BLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      mail:132: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         CLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      mail:54: Class Message not found.
0/0      mail:54: Class MimeMessage not found.
0/0      mail:59: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:61: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:62: Variable msg may not have been initialized.

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:65: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:65: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:68: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:68: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:77: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:77: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:86: Undefined variable or class name: Transport
0/0      Info: 14 errors

In database there are only mail.jar and activation.jar, I can see them in SQL Navigator in java 
resources. What was wrong in loadjava?

Followup July 11, 2002 - 6pm Central time zone:

My name is Mark Piermarini and I work for Tom. He asked me to help you. I have a few questions:

1. Database version?
2. Operating system of the database host?
3. Did you load activation8i.zip before mail8i.zip?
4. Did you get any errors when loading either of the ZIP files? (if so then send those as well).
5. Are any of the classes marked invalid when you look at them with SQL Navigator?
6. What user is running the SQL to create the PL/SQL wrapper and java stored procedure? SYS or 
another user?
7. Have you tried loading the ZIP and SQL file as another user? (might not work depending upon you 
database version).

If I recall correctly, there was an issue with the "-g" option for loadjava but i'll have to get 
your DB version before verifying that as a potential problem.

attached BFILE July 29, 2002 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: kiro from Bulgaria

If someone is interested for attachement of bfile see below:
In Java source I have changed BLOB to BFILE, but as Tom said it can work as it is with BLOB.

 create or replace function send_bfile(
        p_from                  in varchar2,
        p_to                    in varchar2,
        p_cc                    in varchar2,
        p_bcc                   in varchar2,
        p_subject               in varchar2,
        p_body                  in varchar2,
        p_smtp_host             in varchar2,
        p_attachment_data       in BFILE,
       p_attachment_type       in varchar2,
       p_attachment_file_name  in varchar2) return number
   as
   language java name 'mail_bfile.send_bfile( java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  oracle.sql.BFILE,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String
                               ) return oracle.sql.NUMBER';



set serveroutput on size 1000000
exec dbms_java.set_output( 1000000 );

 declare
    ret_code number;
    l_bfile bfile := bfilename( 'MY_FILES', 'mail8i.zip' ) ;
  begin
       dbms_lob.fileopen(l_bfile) ;
       ret_code:=send_bfile(
                    p_from => 'Welcome_From_my_Database',
                    p_to => 'my@myserv.com',
                    p_cc => null,
                    p_bcc => NULL,
                    p_subject => 'Use the attached Zip file',
                    p_body => 'to send email with attachments....',
                    p_smtp_host => 'smtpHOST',
                    p_attachment_data => l_bfile,
                    p_attachment_type => 'application/winzip',
                    p_attachment_file_name => 'mail8i.zip');

      if ret_code = 1 then
        dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
      else
        dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
      end if;  
dbms_lob.fileclose( l_bfile ) ;  
  end;

I have tried on 9i and it is working fine!

Tom
do you have idea how big could be an attached file?
Could you give as a link or info where we can find info about MIME types?
Thanks 
kiro

Error trying to run javamail.send function August 1, 2002 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Richard Smith from Bensenville, IL USA

I successfully executed the pl/sql based mail functions in the article, loaded the JAXF and 
javamail apis and created the java stored procedure, granted permissions, and created the pl/sql 
wrapper function.  Then when I execute an anonymous block using the same values for from, to, and 
smtp host as in the utl_smtp examples I get the following error:

javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: No provider for Address type: rfc822
at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:516)
at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:155)
at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:81)
at mail.send(mail:71)
FAILED TO SEND

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Followup August 5, 2002 - 9am Central time zone:

do a search for

javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: No provider for Address type: rfc822

on www.google.com.

......
According to Sun's JavaMail FAQ:

Usually this is because JavaMail can't access the configuration files in mail.jar, possibly because 
of a security permission problem; see this item for more details. Also, make sure that you haven't 
extracted the mail.jar contents; you should include the unmodified mail.jar file in the server's 
CLASSPATH. 
.................


It is a java thing, not a database thing here.  You might be missing a permission

LoadJava Errors...8.1.7 August 5, 2002 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sikandar Hayat Awan from Pindi Bhattian - Pakistan

Oracle OEM 8.1.7 on WINNT 4 Sp-5

1/7 >Banner
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
With the Partitioning option
JServer Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production

2/7 >Error When I am trying to send
ORA-29540: class oracle/plsql/net/TCPConnection does not exist
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 678
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 247
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 99
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 121
ORA-06512: at "SYS.MAIL_PKG", line 49
ORA-06512: at line 2
Note: I have configured SMTP email on the same server in OEM and it is working fine.

3/7 >The following statement is successful giving no error
Plsql/jlib
loadjava -user sys/mypass@cstring plsql.jar 

4/7 >I have downloaded both files from java-sun-com and performed the steps u mentioned
1. Used WinZip to extract the contents of mail.jar into my c:\temp\mail directory 
2. Used WinZip to create a new archive c:\temp\mail8i.zip 
3. Put the contents of c:\temp\mail\*.* including subdirectories into this new archive 
5/7 >Then issued the following command and received 422 errors if I ommit -g public then 210 
errors. I have also changed the user but same result.

D:\Sikandar\Java>loadjava -u sys/mypass -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip
The name specified is not recognized as an
internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
initialization complete
loading  : mail8i/javax/mail/internet/NewsAddress
creating : mail8i/javax/mail/internet/NewsAddress
loading  : mail8i/com/sun/mail/util/QDecoderStream
creating : mail8i/com/sun/mail/util/QDecoderStream
loading  : mail8i/com/sun/mail/util/QEncoderStream
creating : mail8i/com/sun/mail/util/QEncoderStream
loading  : mail8i/javax/mail/internet/InternetHeaders
creating : mail8i/javax/mail/internet/InternetHeaders
loading  : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/IMAPFolder$ProtocolCommand
creating : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/IMAPFolder$ProtocolCommand
loading  : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/Namespaces
creating : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/Namespaces
....
loading  : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/BASE64MailboxDecoder
creating : mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/BASE64MailboxDecoder
....
loading  : 
Error while granting to mail8i/com/sun/mail/util/QEncoderStream
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist
....
synonym  : mail8i/javax/mail/AuthenticationFailedException
loadjava: 422 errors

6/7 > 
D:\Sikandar\Java>loadjava -user sys/mypass -o -r -v -f mail.java
The name specified is not recognized as an
internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
internal error: unanticipated exception: java.io.FileNotFoundException: mail.java
java.io.FileNotFoundException: mail.java
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:56)
        at java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:75)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.loadjava.LoadJava.processLoadAndCreate(LoadJava.java:1512)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.loadjava.LoadJava.process(LoadJava.java:1422)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.loadjava.LoadJavaMain.run(LoadJavaMain.java:299)
        at oracle.aurora.server.tools.loadjava.LoadJavaMain.main(LoadJavaMain.java:58)
resolver :
loadjava: 1 errors

**********************************************************
7/7 >In the loadjava help there is no -debug parameter so how to specify it?

"Also, add '-debug' to your loadjava commands and send that output to mbpierma@us.oracle.com."

The following is response from your server,
   ----- Transcript of session follows -----
... while talking to inet-mail1.oracle.com.:
>>> RCPT To:<mbpierma@us.oracle.com>
<<< 553 5.7.1 <mbpierma@us.oracle.com>... Oracle email addresses in the country-specific format 
have been retired. Please contact the intended recipient by other means to obtain their correct 
address. For additional assistance, please contact your local Oracle office representative. 550 
5.1.1 <mbpierma@us.oracle.com>... User unknown

Please let me know for any further query.

All Good ..But need to encrypt the attachments...! August 8, 2002 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Manoj Bajaj from Singapore

Tom, Life for programmer has never been easy. We started using the email utility..Now it sends 
attachments...many attachments tooo...but now one more secutiry reuirement..To encrypt the 
attachments and send ...imp. the user / receiver shoud be able to decrypt it ..how ?? hope u can 
show some path...

Followup August 8, 2002 - 9am Central time zone:

beyond the scope of asktom here.  It'll be very specific to the email client.

sorry.

Sending multiple emails August 27, 2002 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Excellent work Tom,
Here is my problem..
I am trying to run the procedure given by you in a cursor...
(we need to automate the email sending procedure...a job will run in the morning)...
Recipient, to, cc, bcc...all the info will come from a table:
SQLWKS> desc tab_email
Column Name                    Null?    Type
------------------------------ -------- ----
RECIPIENT                               VARCHAR2(500)
CC                                      VARCHAR2(500)
BCC                                     VARCHAR2(500)
SUBJECT                                 VARCHAR2(500)
MESSAGE                                 VARCHAR2(900)

recipient, cc, bcc will be comm-delimited list of email addresses for example,
a record from the tab_email (Recipient) will be  stored exactly like this in the database:
'this@hotmail.com','that@yahoo.com'



CREATE OR REPLACE procedure send_emails as

cursor c_cur is
select * from tab_email;

begin

for c_rec in c_cur loop


mail_pkg.send
    ( p_sender_email => '"automated mail"',
      p_from => '"automated mail"',
      p_to => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.RECIPIENT),
      p_cc => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.cc),
      p_bcc => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.bcc),
      p_subject => c_rec.subject,
      p_body => c_rec.message);
      

end loop; 

end;


this compiles fine.....but when I run it....
I get 

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-20002: 501 5.5.4 Invalid arguments
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 86
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 204
ORA-06512: at "MANAGER.MAIL_PKG", line 54
ORA-06512: at line 1

If I don't pass values through a cursor....the procedure works O.K.
Is there a Tom Classic way of getting this going....

I am using PL/SQL solution because we don't have attachment issues.
We are using Oracle 8i (8.1.7.1.1)

Thanks..Always

Followup August 27, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone:

Well, my line 54:

 49  begin
 50      g_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(g_mailhost, 25);
 51
 52      utl_smtp.helo(g_mail_conn, g_mailhost);
 53      utl_smtp.mail(g_mail_conn, p_sender_email);
 54

Here is where it differs, instead of calling UTL_SMTP.RCPT once ? it uses are 
address_email function to call it potentially many times, building the ?To:? and 
?Cc:? list for us as well.  It builds the BCC list but we won?t actually send 
that (we don?t want the recipients to see that list!)

 55      l_to_list  := address_email( 'To: ', p_to );
 56      l_cc_list  := address_email( 'Cc: ', p_cc );
 57      l_bcc_list := address_email( 'Bcc: ', p_bcc );

contains no code, so I don't know if it is a problem with your:

sender_email
p_to
p_cc
p_bcc


Suggest you code this:

CREATE OR REPLACE procedure send_emails as

cursor c_cur is
select * from tab_email;

begin

for c_rec in c_cur loop

begin
mail_pkg.send
    ( p_sender_email => '"automated mail"',
      p_from => '"automated mail"',
      p_to => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.RECIPIENT),
      p_cc => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.cc),
      p_bcc => mail_pkg.array(c_rec.bcc),
      p_subject => c_rec.subject,
      p_body => c_rec.message);
exception
   when others then
      raise_application_error( -20002, 
      '"' || c_rec.recipient || '" "' || c_rec.cc || '" "' || c_rec.bcc || '"' );
end;

end loop; 

end;


run that and your error message will including the "bad" stuff that you can test with from the 
command line to see what you need to fix up.

Another issue...thanks for the first reply August 27, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom,


I actually came up with another solution...again from your site...
I created a function:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION MAIL_ARRAY (PSTRING VARCHAR2) RETURN MAIL_PKG.ARRAY AS

   L_ARRAY MAIL_PKG.ARRAY := MAIL_PKG.ARRAY();
BEGIN
   FOR X IN (SELECT A.COLUMN_VALUE
              FROM   THE (SELECT CAST(in_list(PSTRING) AS MYTABLETYPE_VARCHAR2)
                       FROM   DUAL) A
            )
   LOOP
     L_ARRAY .EXTEND;
     L_ARRAY (L_ARRAY.COUNT) := X.COLUMN_VALUE;
END LOOP;

RETURN L_ARRAY;

END MAIL_ARRAY;

/


Then I ran the procedure like this:
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE SEND_EMAILS AS

CURSOR C_CUR IS
select * from tab_email;

BEGIN

FOR C_REC IN C_CUR LOOP

MAIL_PKG.SEND
    ( P_SENDER_EMAIL => '"Automated Mail Message"',
      P_FROM => '"Automated Mail Message"',
      P_TO => MAIL_ARRAY(C_REC.RECIPIENT),
      P_CC => MAIL_ARRAY(C_REC.CC),
      P_BCC => MAIL_ARRAY(C_REC.BCC),
      P_SUBJECT => C_REC.SUBJECT,
      P_BODY => C_REC.MESSAGE);
      

END LOOP; 

END;


This work's perfect...and there is always a "BUT"  :)
My table structure that will feed the records to the cursor
will be like this:

SQLWKS> desc email
Column Name                    Null?    Type
------------------------------ -------- ----
EMAILID                        NOT NULL NUMBER
RECIPIENT                      NOT NULL VARCHAR2(500)
CC                                      VARCHAR2(500)
BCC                                     VARCHAR2(500)
SUBJECT                        NOT NULL VARCHAR2(255)
SUBMITDT                       NOT NULL DATE
SENTYN                         NOT NULL VARCHAR2(1)
SENTDT                                  DATE

SQLWKS> desc email_message
Column Name                    Null?    Type
------------------------------ -------- ----
MESSAGEID                      NOT NULL NUMBER
EMAILID                        NOT NULL NUMBER
MESSAGE                        NOT NULL VARCHAR2(900)


so, 
"CURSOR C_CUR IS
select * from tab_email;"

will change to
"
CURSOR C_CUR IS
SELECT E.EMAILID, M.MESSAGEID, E.RECIPIENT, CC,BCC, SUBJECT, SENTYN, SENTDT
FROM EMAIL E, EMAIL_MESSAGE M
WHERE E.EMAILID = M.EMAILID (+)
ORDER BY EMAILID, MESSAGEID;
"


email_message.emailid is an FK to EMAIL.emailid.
so that, an emailid can have multiple messages..so there won't be any constraint on the length of 
the message...keep concatenating...
fine...
"BUT"
Now we have declared p_body in mail_pkg.send as LONG...so that
is 32000 approx.
Maximum length of a message (all the messageid's combined for an emailid) that I have seen in our 
data is 16452.
(Concatenated message for an emailid will be passing as mail_pkg.send(p_body) parameter)

So, at some point there is a chance this code might break..
Is there a better way to do this...

Thanks Always...

Followup August 27, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone:

rewrite my stuff to use CLOBS instead of LONGS and store the message in a clob instead.

If a plain text email exceeds 32k -- man, that must be one heck of an email.

CLOBS hmmmm August 27, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom,

:)))))))))))))))))
Well, it did go to 16452.....
We are sending contractors emails about their projects..something something...
it's not somebody writing their lifestory :))))))
Anyway,
I will change LONG to CLOB....

Thanks a zillion to the power infinity for the Superfly Quick replies...

You are the Best...

CLOB fails on utl_smtp.write_data :( August 27, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

I changed procedure send to:

procedure send( p_sender_email in varchar2,
                p_from         in varchar2 default NULL,
                p_to           in array default array(),
                p_cc           in array default array(),
                p_bcc          in array default array(),
                p_subject      in varchar2 default NULL,
                p_body         in clob  default NULL )

so, p_body is a CLOB now..
"BUT" it fails to compile..because data is varchar2

utl_smtp:
PROCEDURE write_data(c     IN OUT NOCOPY connection,
                       data  IN            VARCHAR2);

Now, How was it working with LONG anyway?

Here is the line and the error:

70>     utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn, p_body );

"70/5     PLS-00306: wrong number or types of arguments in call to 'WRITE_DATA' "

Any ideas....

Thanks...

Followup August 27, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone:

Well you have to rewrite the code ALL OF THE WAY down to the utl_smtp.write_data call and write the 
CLOB out 32k at a time!

getting error August 28, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

getting 

ORA-29532: Java call terminated by uncaught Java exception: java.lang.NullPointerException: Null 
buffer

on 8.1.7.1.1

worked ok on 8.1.7.3.0

any ideas...

Followup August 29, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone:

Nope, you must have missed a grant or something like that.

Put some debug in there and snoop around - i've used this on pretty much every release of Oracle 
since 815

followup to my response above August 28, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Just wanted to clarify...
I am using utl_smtp...just the way you said to send email..
no java..then
Why this Java error..

Followup August 29, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone:

UTL_SMTP is written in java.

Time for some debug.  Find out where it is happening.

found the error August 30, 2002 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

if you pass null to the p_body..that's when ora-29532 java error occurs..
NVL took care of that issue..

Thanks Tom.....

excellent piece of art! September 10, 2002 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Arielito Lopez from Atlanta, GA

thanks for this information...it helps a lot!

I get an error when I using Javamail September 24, 2002 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mukesh Thakkar from Kansas City, KS

Hi
I am running Oracle 8.1.7 RDBMS on windows NT/2000. I can get utl_smtp to work fine sending emails. 
However when I use the Javamail API as shown I get the following errors
javax.mail.SendFailedException: No recipient addresses
at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:110)
at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:80)
at mail.send(mail:132)
Failed to send message...

Any ideas?
Thanks
Mukesh Thakkar

Followup September 24, 2002 - 3pm Central time zone:

Well, thats a java exception -- you must have not sent the right inputs (like a recipient - a to 
list) down to the routine.

It worked fantastic on Oracle 9i on Sun Solaris !!! Thanks a lot October 10, 2002 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Arun Srivastav from INDIA

I followed all the steps, except deviated while running loadjava with user as system and I got 
errors, then went back to SYS and it ran through.

It is very very useful, specially in the project I am working with i.e. Digital Asset Management. A 
lot of files and reports are required to be mailed as attachment for reviews, reports, etc. 

Thanks a lot !!!

load java Problem October 28, 2002 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vikas Sharma from Delhi India

hi Tom/Mark Piermarini,

I  got the error while doing loadjava and creating javasource. But when i create the javasource in 
sys user i dont receive any errors and it gets created sucessfully.   Following are the errors 

loadjava -u sys/change_on_install@demo_mtl -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip

resolving: mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/FLAGS
Error while resolving class mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/FLAGS
    ORA-04043: object mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/FLAGS does not exist

resolving: mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/MessageLiteral
Error while resolving class mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/MessageLiteral
    ORA-04043: object mail8i/com/sun/mail/imap/MessageLiteral does not exist

resolving: mail8i/javax/mail/internet/SharedInputStream
Error while resolving class mail8i/javax/mail/internet/SharedInputStream
    ORA-04043: object mail8i/javax/mail/internet/SharedInputStream does not exist
......
like That 392 Errors
*******************************************************

Following are the error when loading activation.zip
loadjava -u sys/change_on_install@demo_mtl  -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public 
activation8i.zip

Error while granting to activation8i/javax/activation/SecuritySupport12$2
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

Error while granting to activation8i/javax/activation/CommandMap
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

Error while granting to activation8i/com/sun/activation/registries/MailcapTokenizer
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

Error while granting to activation8i/javax/activation/MimeType
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

Error while granting to activation8i/javax/activation/DataHandler
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

Error while granting to activation8i/javax/activation/SecuritySupport12$4
    ORA-04042: procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist
......
loadjava: 76 errors
*******************************

When i tried to create java source in  it gives Errors,
But when i create the javasource in sys user i dont receive any errors and it gets created 
sucessfully.

ERROR for JAVA SOURCE mail when some other user:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:98: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         BLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      mail:132: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         CLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      mail:54: Class Message not found.
0/0      mail:54: Class MimeMessage not found.
0/0      mail:59: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:61: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:62: Variable msg may not have been initialized.

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:65: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:65: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:68: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:68: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:77: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:77: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:86: Undefined variable or class name: Transport
0/0      Info: 14 errors

I created function send in sys and tried to send mail but that there alos i am to send mail and get 

sys@DEMO.MIS1>/
Failed to send message...

The non java version is working fine. i could send mail with that.

My database version 8.1.7.0
I loaded activiation.zip first 
errors i showed you while loading zip files.

Kindly help me.

Regards,

Vikas sharma

email October 30, 2002 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

If I want to CC several people do I create a variable that holds all emails included in ' ' and 
separated by a comma and use it in 

v_email1:= 'mike@yahoo.com';
v_email2:= 'John@aol.com';
v_email3:= 'mary@msn.com';
v_cc_list := v_email1||','||v_email2||','||v_email3;

p_cc => mail_pkg.array( v_cc_list ),

2.  Would the email package work if the p_to has a null variable while the p_cc has a list of 
emails or you have to have to.  The reason I ask this is that sometimes you send emails based on 
user profile flag. The to person may have it off while the one on CC is on.

Thank you

Followup October 31, 2002 - 4pm Central time zone:

not as I have the code written.  you would do it just like the example does for the p_to parameter 
below:

tkyte@TKYTE816> begin
  2      mail_pkg.send
  3      ( p_sender_email => 'tkyte@us.oracle.com',
  4        p_from => 'Oracle Database Account <tkyte@us.oracle.com>',
  5        p_to => mail_pkg.array( 'tkyte@us.oracle.com',
                                           'thomas.kyte@oracle.com' ),
  6        p_cc => mail_pkg.array( 'tkyte@oracle.com' ),
  7        p_bcc => mail_pkg.array( 'utility@aria.us.oracle.com' ),
  8        p_subject => 'This is a subject',
  9        p_body => 'Hello Tom, this is the mail you need' );
 10  end;
 11  /

an array, not a comma delimited string.  YOu would have to parse the string into an array 
somewhere.

email October 31, 2002 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1. What do you use to parse a string into an array.  Do you have any reference for examples?

2.  How about if I declared a variables of an array type

 type emailArray is table of varchar2(8);
  email                   emailArray:=emailArray(null,null,null,null,null;

Then I select first email into email(1) and second into 
email(2) and so on.

Would just use this then:

p_to => mail_pkg.array(email)

would this work.

Followup October 31, 2002 - 9pm Central time zone:

1) search for

str2table

for an example (on this site)

2) or just

...
  l_emails mail_pkg.array := mail_pkg.array();  /* gotta use the SAME type, don't
                                                invent your own!!!! */
....
begin
   ....
   l_emails.extend(4);
   l_emails(1) := ...
   l_emaisl(2) := ....
......



and then just


   p_to => L_emails,

..and under Oracle9i ? December 2, 2002 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mario from Italy

From your reply:

" loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip
loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public "

1) But under Oracle9i you can log in as "sys" only with the special "as sysdba". How can I 
workaround it?

Apparently the "Java Developers Guide", for Oracle9iR2 obviously, doesn't say anything about this 
issue. 

2) Is there a better way under Oracle9i to send an email with an attachment?

Thank you very much Tom

Mario from Rome, Italy

email December 4, 2002 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

Can you still use utl_smtp to send emails out out of the database to users outside of a firewall, 
if you have a database server that is not on the internet.  Server has classified info and is only 
accessed through app server.

Thanks,

Followup December 4, 2002 - 8am Central time zone:

only if you can send an email out from the command line using "mail" from the server.

Do you have an SMTP relay to the outside?  if not, no go.  Nothing to do with utl_smtp here, more 
with the firewall policies and how it is setup.  If the database server HOST can send emails to the 
outside, then utl_smtp certainly can.  If not, then no.

excellent December 31, 2002 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mohammed Saleemuddin from Riyadh(KSA)

Hi Tom,

Your procedure of sending mails from D2K was execellent.i got it within notime and is working fine 
till now.
here my reqiurements,realted to ur application.sending is ok.my question is ,when i recieve the 
mail,it will go to my exchange server.
what i want is,recieve the mails in D2k form itself.is there any possibility that i can store the 
incoming mails in D2K form instead of going in exchange server.plz,help me out in this matter.
waitng for ur answer.
thanks
Mohd.salim.
Riyadh.

Followup December 31, 2002 - 1pm Central time zone:

forms is just an application development tool.  It doesn't "store anything"

You must mean the database, the java apis above are capable of "reading" mail as well as sending 
it. You just need read up on the java mail api and then you'll have to build a set of tables and 
such to store the retrieved mail in.

loadjava error - please help January 8, 2003 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Michael from Australia

Hi Tom

I have downloaded JavaMail 1.3 and did everything up to the point of loading mail8i.zip into the 
database.

When our DBA execute loadjava for mail8i.zip using the SYS account, she encountered 422 errors, a 
sample of these is:

resolving: temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/iap/Argument
Error while resolving class temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/iap/Argument
    ORA-04043: object /8db2db4c_Argument does not exist

resolving: temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/iap/Protocol
Error while resolving class temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/iap/Protocol
    ORA-04043: object /26640416_Protocol does not exist

resolving: temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/FetchResponse
Error while resolving class temp/javamail13/extracted_mail/com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/FetchResponse
    ORA-04043: object /3e15cf74_FetchResponse does not exist

We are using oracle 8i:

Connected to:
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
With the Partitioning option
JServer Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production

Could you please tell me where we went wrong?

Thanks in advance

Followup January 8, 2003 - 4pm Central time zone:

try loading it not into sys, but your own schema and see what happens.  that way you can work with 
it.

(not sure, but maybe i have the loadjava's backwards?  try activation first)

Benchmarking January 23, 2003 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Scott from Perth, Western Australia - world's best city!

G'day Tom

For those who are interested, I did some benchmarking (on our development box) to compare the two 
emailing methods.

1 - SMTP
2 - Javamail

The SMTP benchmark used on session, and mailed within that session. This was much better 
performance than using one session per email.

Each count represents a batch of 5 emails, to split the load, in case the server activity varied.
Sum and avg is in hsecs.

No attachments...(ie - 200 emails - 100 each)

    SUM_1      SUM_2      AVG_1      AVG_2    COUNT_1    COUNT_2
--------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
     3423       2040      85.58         51         20         20

44kb attachment included.

    SUM_1      SUM_2      AVG_1      AVG_2    COUNT_1    COUNT_2
--------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
   202041      74569     3741.5    1380.91         27         27

So when using attachments, Javamail had even better performance compared to UTL_SMTP.

Here are some other runs with various conditions varied. Each number represents a run of 100/50 
emails, so server usage may have affected some of these results.
Javamail outperformed UTL_SMTP in all but runs 7 and 8.
The first two runs using UTL_SMTP (1 and 3) are opening one session per email - hence the long 
run-time.
-- (100 emails each)
 1 #1: 10752 hsecs  (10.75 seconds) 
 2 #2:  6100 hsecs    
 3 #1: 10329 hsecs   
 4 #2:  5247 hsecs    
 5 #1:  6537 hsecs    
 6 #2:  5287 hsecs    
 7 #1:  4789 hsecs    
 8 #2:  5047 hsecs    
 9 #1:  6060 hsecs    
10 #2:  2910 hsecs    
11 #1:  7344 hsecs    
12 #2:  4214 hsecs    
-- attachments (50 emails each)
13 #1: 46616 hsecs   
14 #2: 19054 hsecs   
15 #1: 40845 hsecs   
16 #2: 17496 hsecs 

Thanks for your contributions, Tom.

Great - Spot on January 24, 2003 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Michael from Australia

Following your suggestion, we have successfully loadjava for the zip files and implemented it.

You were right in saying activation8i.zip needs to be loaded first.

Thanks again.

util_smtp package February 20, 2003 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: naivedya from USA

It is very good, for sending mails. But at the same time I wish to attach my attachments (txt, doc, 
etc. or database fields). How do I do this with PL/SQL (no Java) ??

Rgds

Followup February 20, 2003 - 7am Central time zone:

with tons and tons of code.

Lets see, you would have to write a mime encoder.
You would have to write a base64 encoder.
You would have to write tons and tons and tons of code.

Now, in 8i, utl_smtp is in java so you are already using java -- in for a penny -- in for a pound 
as they say.  you are using java already so just add a "little bit more" and you won't have to 
write scads of code.

Characters not in us7ascii March 26, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Salaam Yitbarek from Ottawa, ON Canada

So we are now successfully sending email using UTL_SMTP all except for one thing -- accented 
characters in the subject field.

From the Solaris command line, I can successfully send mail with accented characters. However, 
using UTL_SMTP, this does not work.

I don't mind it not working in the body, since we're sending html (&agrave instead of à), but the 
subject line is a problem.

Our database character set is we8iso8859pi.

Followup March 26, 2003 - 6pm Central time zone:

see

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/A87860_01/doc/appdev.817/a76936/utl_smtp.htm#1000695

...
Note that the original SMTP protocol communicates using 7-bit ASCII. Using UTL_SMTP, all text data 
(in other words, those in VARCHAR2) will be converted to US7ASCII before it is sent over the wire 
to the server.
......


You can use javamail instead if you like.

UTL_SMTP and sending mail March 28, 2003 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A K Prasanna from India

I was pretty frustrated that "Expert One on One Oracle"
is not available in the library to refer to this topic but I don't think I need any book now.Thank 
you very much.

email table April 24, 2003 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1.  How do you send results of the emp table (or any sql query) using the above email package.

Basically the result of this SQL command
 select * from emp1;

Thank you,

Followup April 24, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone:

same way you get it onto an html page.

run it, fetch it, send it.  put it in a big string, email it.

email table April 24, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

I did this:

v_data   long default null;

FOR x in (select * from emp) 
LOOP
v_data:=v_data||x.empno||' '||x.ename||' '||x.job||' '
||x.mgr||chr(10);
END LOOP;

then in the email package
 p_body => v_data

However the data is not lined up as it does in SQL*PLUS. 

Is this how you do it and can i get it lined up?

Thank you,

Followup April 24, 2003 - 4pm Central time zone:

well, I don't email myself "select * from table" output.

I email things like "hey, click on this link and you'll get a really pretty report on the web".

But anyway, think fixed width

to_char( x.emp, '99999' || ' ' || rpad( x.ename, 20 ) || ' ' || rpad( ....

email April 24, 2003 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1.  When you schedule the job as
 dbms_job.submit(l_job,'SEND_EMAIL(JOB);');
DOes that send the email as soon as you hit commit?

I did it but it did not send an email. Is it because 
job_queue_processes = 0.

2.  Do you delete records in tables email_parameters and job table after you commit or every 
period.

Thank you

Followup April 24, 2003 - 6pm Central time zone:

1) if you do not have job queues set up to run jobs, it'll not run.  set up the job_queue_processes 
and it'll send shortly after you commit.


2) you can do whatever suits your needs, what I do isn't relevant here.  I keep them as an audit 
and purge every now and again when I feel like it with truncate.

Large to Lists April 25, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randall from St. Louis

Tom,  Thanks for all the help.  We have utl_smtp in 8.1.7 working great now for some time.  We use 
it to notify employees when changes are scheduled on systems that would affect them. 

We did get an error today, 
      "ORA-20001: 452 Too many recipients"

The email that it was tring to send had 512 names on it with the TO list having a length of 14215.  
The email body is only about 6k and will never have a body bigger that 10k.  Even thought this 
large TO list is not normal, it can happen.   So I guess I will write some logic to break up the TO 
list and send multi SMTP emails.  

Can you tell me what the limits are for UTL_SMTP for:
    1.  number of recipients
    2.  total size of TO: list (can you have multi TO: headers?)
    3.  max size of subject line
    4.  Does the 32k limit include body, TO list, and subject or just the size of the body.

Thanks for all the help and have a good weekend.

Followup April 25, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone:

this is NOT a utl_smtp limit.

this IS a smtp limit imposed by your SMTP server


snipped from RFC 2821 which talks about this



4.5.3.1 Size limits and minimums
[snip]
  recipients buffer
     The minimum total number of recipients that must be buffered is
     100 recipients. Rejection of messages (for excessive recipients)
     with fewer than 100 RCPT commands is a violation of this
     specification. The general principle that relaying SMTP servers
     MUST NOT, and delivery SMTP servers SHOULD NOT, perform validation
     tests on message headers suggests that rejecting a message based
     on the total number of recipients shown in header fields is to be
     discouraged. A server which imposes a limit on the number of
     recipients MUST behave in an orderly fashion, such as to reject
     additional addresses over its limit rather than silently
     discarding addresses previously accepted. A client that needs to
     deliver a message containing over 100 RCPT commands SHOULD be
     prepared to transmit in 100-recipient "chunks" if the server
     declines to accept more than 100 recipients in a single message.

  Errors due to exceeding these limits may be reported by using the
  reply codes. Some examples of reply codes are:

     500 Line too long.
  or
     501 Path too long
  or
     452 Too many recipients (see below)
  or
     552 Too much mail data.

  RFC 821 [30] incorrectly listed the error where an SMTP server
  exhausts its implementation limit on the number of RCPT commands
  ("too many recipients") as having reply code 552. The correct reply
  code for this condition is 452. Clients SHOULD treat a 552 code in
  this case as a temporary, rather than permanent, failure so the logic
  below works.

  When a conforming SMTP server encounters this condition, it has at
  least 100 successful RCPT commands in its recipients buffer. If the
  server is able to accept the message, then at least these 100
  addresses will be removed from the SMTP client's queue. When the
  client attempts retransmission of those addresses which received 452
  responses, at least 100 of these will be able to fit in the SMTP
  server's recipients buffer. Each retransmission attempt which is
  able to deliver anything will be able to dispose of at least 100 of
  these recipients.

  If an SMTP server has an implementation limit on the number of RCPT
  commands and this limit is exhausted, it MUST use a response code of
  452 (but the client SHOULD also be prepared for a 552, as noted
  above). If the server has a configured site-policy limitation on the
  number of RCPT commands, it MAY instead use a 5XX response code.
  This would be most appropriate if the policy limitation was intended
  to apply if the total recipient count for a particular message body
  were enforced even if that message body was sent in multiple mail
  transactions.

email April 25, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1.  The email package seems to mandate a p_from email address.  What about if the email message is 
an a system alert and it is not really from anyone. What do you do in this case? Do you put a dummy 
email address?

2.  IF you have multiple send email triggers do you always use the same email_parameters table.  
Would there ever be a conflict in job id if one for example schedules the job two days later?

Thank you,

Followup April 25, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone:

1) put in postmaster@host or something meaningful.  mail cannot be sent without a from

2) one table, dbms_job generates a unique id using a sequence.

email with two emails addresses May 7, 2003 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1. Do you know why the email package fails when I add two variables in the p_to list?  

2. It seems also if I put a  variable for the cc_list it does not work if that vairable is null. I 
had to create an if statement to check if v_cc_email is null and include if it is not and not 
include if it is. Does this sound correct?

 mail_pkg.send(
  p_sender_email=>l_rec.sender_email,
  p_from=>null,
  p_to=>mail_pkg.array(l_rec.pvt_email,l_req.request_email),
  p_cc=>mail_pkg.array(),
  p_bcc=>mail_pkg.array('xxx@yahoo.com'),
 p_subject => 'Request# '||l_rec.request_id||' - Shipment has been Completed',
 p_body => l_rec.email_data);

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-20002: 501 5.5.2 Syntax error in parameters scanning "TO"
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 86
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 223
ORA-06512: at "PSSADMIN.MAIL_PKG", line 13
ORA-06512: at "PSSADMIN.MAIL_PKG", line 55
ORA-06512: at line 7

Followup May 8, 2003 - 9am Central time zone:

probably has nothing to do with "two"

probably has everything to do with your email address not being well formed in one of those two 
variables...

without an isolated, standalone, complete, runnable by my test case -- well, i won't be able to 
say.

email May 8, 2003 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1.  The variables are defined for two valid email addresses. You can set any two variables and try 
to pass them into the p_to list and it will fail.  I created an array variable instead.  The 
problem with array vairable "l_emails" is that you have to extend it exactly to the number of 
emails you are sending.  When I did l_emails.extend(2) and my second email in the email_parameters 
table was null the email package failed.  I had to pass i and figure out what i is.

Followup May 8, 2003 - 6pm Central time zone:

show us the test case -- eh?


thats all I ask, self contained, reproducible, SMALL <<<=== really important.

your solution described fits NOT AT ALL with the problem presented:

 mail_pkg.send(
  p_sender_email=>l_rec.sender_email,
  p_from=>null,
  p_to=>mail_pkg.array(l_rec.pvt_email,l_req.request_email),
  p_cc=>mail_pkg.array(),
  p_bcc=>mail_pkg.array('xxx@yahoo.com'),
 p_subject => 'Request# '||l_rec.request_id||' - Shipment has been Completed',
 p_body => l_rec.email_data);



there is nothing to .extend there -- you are creating a temporary array.  what you describe as your 
fix could have nothing to do with the example provided.

Send email does not work constantly May 9, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A Reader from USA

Hi Tom,
I have system trigger that uses the send mail procedure to send email to me whenever there is a 
defined server error.  The trigger sometimes works fine, I mean I receive emails when the errors 
occur.  Sometimes it does not work (I dont receive any emails where the errors occur).  I know 
that by checking the trace files because there will be a trace file generated when the defined 
error appears.  I want receive all of the emails when errors occur.  My question: Where should I 
start with the debugging, the procedure or the trigger?  Or the ora_is_servererror sometime does 
not response to the errors?  My tests worked fine.  The sendmail procedure was copied and modified 
from the beginning of this thread.
Thank you for your help.

CREATE OR REPLACE TRIGGER systrig_servererror
after servererror on database
begin
  IF (ora_is_servererror(60) or ora_is_servererror(4020)) THEN
    sendmail('dba@ourcompany.com','dba@ourcompany.com','A deadlock is detected in prod_db');
  ELSIF (ora_is_servererror(1555)) THEN
    sendmail('dba@ourcompany.com','dba@ourcompany.com','Check rollback segments in prod_db');
  END IF;
end;
/

Followup May 9, 2003 - 5pm Central time zone:

If the sending of emails did not work -- asktom would be broken, my internal website would be 
broken.

suggest you stick an "insert into msg_table (some string)" to see that the error is getting fired.

1555's are not written to traces.

email May 9, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

TOm:

Here is the code. The email fails if the second email is null.

PSD> edit
Wrote file afiedt.buf

  1  declare
  2  l_rec           email_parameters%rowtype;
  3  l_emails        mail_pkg.array:=mail_pkg.array();
  4  begin
  5  select * into l_rec from email_parameters where id=108;
  6  dbms_output.put_line(l_rec.sender_email);
  7  dbms_output.put_line(l_rec.pvt_email);
  8  dbms_output.put_line(l_rec.request_email);
  9   l_emails.extend(2);
 10   l_emails(1) := l_rec.pvt_email;
 11   l_emails(2) := l_rec.request_email;
 12   mail_pkg.send(
 13          p_sender_email=>l_rec.sender_email,
 14     p_from=>null,
 15             p_to=>l_emails,
 16             p_cc=>mail_pkg.array(),
 17     p_bcc=>mail_pkg.array(),
 18     p_subject => 'Request# '||l_rec.request_id||' - Shipment has been Completed',
 19          p_body => l_rec.email_data);
 20* end;
 21  /

declare
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-20002: 501 5.5.2 Syntax error in parameters scanning "TO"
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 86
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 223
ORA-06512: at "IMSADMIN.MAIL_PKG", line 13
ORA-06512: at "IMSADMIN.MAIL_PKG", line 55
ORA-06512: at line 12

Followup May 9, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone:

It is exactly what I said above then


probably has everything to do with your email address not being well formed in 
one of those two variables...


tell me, is 'null' a valid email?  no, it is not.  Hence, you get the SMTP error (not an oracle 
error) of 501 saying "hey, that is not a valid well formed email address"

email May 9, 2003 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1. How would you get around it if one of the cc emails is null.  Do you always check how many 
emails are not null and then do extend(i) rather than a fixed count?

2.  The email package works if one of the emails is not valid at all? e.g, if i type 123@yahoo.com 
it will still work, even though it is not valid email?

Followup May 10, 2003 - 7am Central time zone:

i would make darn sure there were no null emails in the array

obviously, since you own the code, you can modify the lowest level routine to just ignore nulls.


123@yahoo.com is perfectly "valid".  It might not exists, but it conforms to the rules for email 
address format.

mail_pkg not working in the trigger May 12, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: asusarla from Nz

This goes into Exception and uses send_mail
li_rec changerequest%ROWTYPE;
CURSOR li (arg IN NUMBER) IS
 SELECT * FROM changerequest WHERE changerequestid= arg;
 BEGIN
 SELECT emailaddress, preferredname, surname
 INTO recipient, givenname, surname
 FROM mituser
 WHERE mituserid = :new.raisedby;
 IF :new.statuslookup = 8 THEN
 subjectline := 'Your New Follow-up request #'||:new.changerequestid;
 message_body := 'Dear '||givenname||' '||surname||','||crlf||crlf;
 message_body := message_body||'Thank you for submitting your ';
 message_body := message_body||'Follow-up ';
 message_body := message_body||'request # '||:new.changerequestref||'.'||crlf||crlf;
 message_body := message_body||'Your request for the following ';
 message_body := message_body||'has been received:'||crlf||crlf;
 message_body := message_body||'changerequestid';
 OPEN li (:new.changerequestid);
  LOOP
 FETCH li INTO li_rec;
 EXIT WHEN li%NOTFOUND;
 message_body :=message_body||SUBSTR(RPAD(li_rec.changerequestref,14),1,14)||tab;
 message_body :=message_body||SUBSTR(RPAD(li_rec.shortdescription,16),1,16)||crlf;
END LOOP;
message_body := message_body||crlf||' Please do not reply to it.';
End If;
MAIL_PKG.SEND(
 p_sender_email => 'aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz',
 p_from => 'The Request Processing System
 <aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz>',
 p_to => mail_pkg.array('aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz',recipient),
 p_cc => mail_pkg.array('aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz '),
 p_bcc => mail_pkg.array('aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz'),
 p_subject => subjectline,
 p_body => message_body);
 EXCEPTION
 WHEN OTHERS THEN
 BEGIN
 SEND_MAIL(

Followup May 12, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone:

when others means you have a bug in your code.

get rid of it.  then you'll actually be able to tell what bug you have as you'll get a meaningful 
error message.

mail_pkg not working in the trigger May 12, 2003 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: asusarla from Nz

The other part of this trigger is as follows. I get an email with send_mail procedure with the 
message.If I try to run it with just mail_pkg does not allow the table to be updated.

EXCEPTION
 WHEN OTHERS THEN
 BEGIN
 SEND_MAIL(
P_SENDER => 'aparna.susarla@barnardos.org.nz',
 P_RECIPIENT => recipient,
 P_MESSAGE => 'A problem occurred during the firing of '||
 'trigger trg_changerequeststatus '||
'for request #'||:new.changerequestid);
 EXCEPTION
 WHEN OTHERS THEN
 null;
 END;
 END;
/

Followup May 13, 2003 - 7am Central time zone:

you have a bug.

the "when others" exception handler is hiding this bug from you.

"when others" in code that is not followed by "RAISE" is a bug.  You have two that I see.  What 
happens when send mail fails?  Oh - no one EVER knows.

lose the when others, fix the third bug that is hiding in there once you know where and what it is!

Bulk email and sessions May 13, 2003 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bastiaan from The Netherlands

Hi Tom,

We are using a similar procedure to send mail from our (PL/SQL web-) applications. From one of 
these applications we send personalised mail to people on a mailing list. We have a job scheduled 
to handle this. Now we have reached a point where our mailing list contains about 1500 
mail-adresses, and the procedure that is scheduled in the job starts to fail. After investigating 
it turned out that the procedure failed every time it reached the 493rd person on the list. At that 
time there were 7 other sessions active (checked in v$sessions). Turns out that 493 + 7 is the 
maximum number of sessions we specified in the init.ora. Does every utl_smtp connection to a 
mailserver cause a (hidden) session to be started? Or is this just a coincidence?

Followup May 13, 2003 - 9am Central time zone:

believe it is a coincidence. I send hundreds/thousands of emails daily using this technique.


do you have an error message.

May 13, 2003 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

hello tom,

I took this from your 1st sample above:

declare
  l_mailhost  VARCHAR2(255) := 'DEESSMAIL';
  l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;

  p_sender    VARCHAR2(50) := 'me@somewhere.net';
  p_recipient VARCHAR2(50) := 'me@somewhere.net';
  p_message   VARCHAR2(20) := 'message content';

BEGIN
  l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
  utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
  utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
  utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
  utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
  utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
  utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
  utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;

but got only EMPTY messages. can you give some advice?

Followup May 13, 2003 - 4pm Central time zone:

I just used that block (changed the email/l_mailhost) and recieved:

From - Tue May 13 16:53:30 2003
X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
Return-Path: <tkyte@oracle.com>
Received: from rgmum12.us.oracle.com by rgmum13.us.oracle.com
    with ESMTP id 188485611052859142; Tue, 13 May 2003 14:52:22 -0600
Return-Path: <tkyte@oracle.com>
Received: from rgmgw4.us.oracle.com by rgmum6.us.oracle.com
    with ESMTP id 157896281052858993; Tue, 13 May 2003 16:49:53 -0400
Received: from rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
    by rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) with ESMTP id h4DKnoa16288
    for <thomas.kyte@rgmumsmtp.oraclecorp.com>; Tue, 13 May 2003 14:49:51 -0600 (MDT)
Received: (from mailora@localhost)
    by rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) id h4DKnmb16120
    for thomas.kyte@rgmumsmtp.oraclecorp.com; Tue, 13 May 2003 14:49:48 -0600 (MDT)
X-Authentication-Warning: rgmgw4.us.oracle.com: mailora set sender to tkyte@oracle.com using -f
Received: from rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
    by rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) with ESMTP id h4DKnLa15341
    for <tkyte@oracle.com>; Tue, 13 May 2003 14:49:21 -0600 (MDT)
Received: from gmamersmtp.oraclecorp.com (dhcp-amer-vpn-gw2-west-141-144-91-44.vpn.oracle.com 
[141.144.91.44])
    by rgmgw4.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) with SMTP id h4DKnLJ15321
    for tkyte@oracle.com; Tue, 13 May 2003 14:49:21 -0600 (MDT)
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 14:49:21 -0600 (MDT)
From: tkyte@oracle.com
Message-Id: <200305132049.h4DKnLJ15321@rgmgw4.us.oracle.com>

message content


As my email -- sounds like it might be a problem with your email client, ask it to show you the RAW 
email message (like I did above -- ctl-u if you are using mozilla, although mozilla shows it right 
the first time)


we are just talking "straight to smtp" here.  You can do this with telnet - so the issue is NOT in 
the database.

Bulk email and sessions part II May 14, 2003 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bastiaan from The Netherlands

Hi Tom,

Thank you for looking into my problem. The error messages I get back from the procedure are:

ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-00018: maximum number of sessions exceeded

I don't understand this because there is only 1 job, that runs the procedure. The procedure just 
takes a cursor loop through a table, and sends an email for every record...

My idea is that it's maybe the mail-server that doesn't accept any more connections (because of the 
421 SMTP error), but within the procedure the smtp connection is closed, and at any given moment 
there should be only one connection from the database to the mailserver...

Followup May 14, 2003 - 7am Central time zone:

I haven't seen this myself -- but then, I use one connection call period in my procedures.

Seding Email ! July 7, 2003 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: vinodhps from India, Chennai.

Hi.. Tom ,
Hope you are fine,
 
as you said i created the procedure.. but iam getting the same error , how to solve this problem 
can you please help me out..

oiisdba@TEST902> create or replace
  2  PROCEDURE send_mail (p_sender       IN VARCHAR2,
  3                       p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
  4                       p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
  5  as
  6     -- Note that you have to use a host
  7     -- that supports SMTP and that you have access to.
  8     -- You do not have access to this host and must change it
  9     l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'tnpl.co.in';
 10     l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
 11  BEGIN
 12     l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
 13     utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
 14     utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
 15     utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
 16     utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
 17     utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
 18     utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
 19     utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
 20  end;
 21  /

Procedure created.

oiisdba@TEST902> set serveroutput on
oiisdba@TEST902> declare
  2          l_start number := dbms_utility.get_time;
  3  begin
  4          send_mail( 'someone@there.com',
  5                     'shabobby@yahoo.com', 'hey there' );
  6          dbms_output.put_line
  7          ( round( (dbms_utility.get_time-l_start)/100, 2 ) ||
  8            ' seconds' );
  9  end;
 10  /
declare
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 138
ORA-06512: at "OIISDBA.SEND_MAIL", line 11
ORA-06512: at line 4

Followup July 7, 2003 - 7am Central time zone:

that means, just as it did before, that your host you are using is not running smtp services.  
tnpl.co.in is not running smtp on port 25.  

ask your SA's where there is an smtp server in your network that does relaying.

Sending Email ! July 7, 2003 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: vinodhps from India,Chennai

Hi.. Tom,
we got only one mail server and can we get the host name if i know the ip address of mail server, 
if yes can you tell me .
if i try with that ip address iam getting error

oiisdba@TEST902> /
declare
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed rcpthosts
(#5.7.1)
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 98
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 240
ORA-06512: at "OIISDBA.SEND_MAIL", line 14
ORA-06512: at line 4

It is SMTP mail server only ..
can you help me Tom

Followup July 7, 2003 - 8am Central time zone:

you are going to need to talk to your system admins here, this is not an Oracle error, it is purely 
an SMTP configuration issue at this point.

it is probably that you are not allowed to relay mail to @there.com

July 16, 2003 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Flemming from Denmark

Hi Tom
I have a problem with the time-stamp of the email. In my code I have this statement:
utl_smtp.write_data(v_smtp_connection, 'DATE: '|| to_char(sysdate,'DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI') || 
utl_tcp.CRLF);
I have verified that the time is correct in the code, but on the email the label for Sent shows a 
time that is 2 hours later. Any ideas ?
/Flemming

Followup July 16, 2003 - 9am Central time zone:

timezones perhaps -- if it is correct to the 'minute', i would guess a time zone change is taking 
place either along the way or by the email client itself.

Ackownledgement Email... July 20, 2003 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: vinodhps from India,chennai

Hi Toms,
Now its working fine, and your Book and your website are so useful and your new book was good.. i 
read all the 3 chapters.. waiting to get one copy for me .. so when it is going to come in market.. 
(India)..

well i got recuirement, that after we send mail, is it possible to know that whether they have 
opened the mail , something like Ackownledgement - mail.when the opened..... 

Is it possible Tom , If so how can we do that tom.

Thankyou

Followup July 20, 2003 - 9am Central time zone:

that is a protocol private to email -- the CLIENT recieving it must be willing to send it (i for 
example, have that disabled -- i do not send ack's back)

then, you would need a client to read it.

In short - yes, you could -- but it would be fairly involved and outside of "an example" (meaning 
I'm not going to build it)

You would need to 

a) find out what the protocol for acknowledgement is (something in the header undoubtably)

b) send that

c) figure out how you want to read the email (could be a java stored procedure in the database if 
you wanted)

acknowledgemen Mail July 21, 2003 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: vinodhps from India, chennai

Hi Toms ....
for you responce ..
i searched in google.. i could not able to find any document which will help me..out ..

i will try myself..can you give some useful links or site where i can find anything about 
acknowledgemen mail ...tom

all i want is just to know wether they read the mail or not.

a) "(something in the header undoubtably)"

Can you explain this tom.

Thank you for your time

Followup July 21, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone:

to tell whether they read a mail, the CLIENT must participate (meaning there is NO WAY you can rely 
on this even a little -- I for example disallow 100% the use of this feature on my client, it is 
NONE of your business when or if I've read your mail).

there must be some header that does this, me, being a database guy, not an email guy -- doesn't 
know the header in general.

try searching for

"return receipt" "header"

on google

Returning mail July 22, 2003 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: vinodhps from India, Chennai

Hi Tom,
Thanks I will try to get that
Thanks for you time tom

sending email attachments July 23, 2003 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Able from KSA

Hi Tom, 

Please help me, as I got the following errors which is misguiding when i run the script to create 
procedure for sending attachment through mail. I have successfully loaded mail.jar and 
activation.jar files (Javamail API)

I appreciate your earlier reply.


Errors for JAVA SOURCE MAIL:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
0/0      MAIL:83: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         BLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      MAIL:31: Class Message not found.
0/0      MAIL:32: Class MimeMessage not found.
0/0      MAIL:38: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      MAIL:41: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      MAIL:44: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      MAIL:45: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      MAIL:46: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      MAIL:49: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      MAIL:49: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      MAIL:52: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      MAIL:52: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      MAIL:62: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      MAIL:62: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      MAIL:71: Undefined variable or class name: Transport

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
0/0      Info: 15 errors

Sending e-mail to groups of users at once July 30, 2003 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Daryl Green from Arlington, VA

Tom, 

How can you use these methods to send e-mails to a group of users (at once) instead of addressing 
them each individually. I have security set up on my NT 8.1.6.3 database with profiles and would 
like to automatically send an email to all users whose password will expire in 10 or less days on a 
daily basis until the password has been successfully changed. Also, i have a web form (using Webdb) 
to allow user to change their passwords. I want to send an individual e-mail to them. How can this 
be done!

Thanks for all of you help!!!

Followup July 30, 2003 - 2pm Central time zone:

you have to make an RCPT call once for each user is all.

Very nice July 31, 2003 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sikandar Hayat from Pindi Bhattian - Pakistan

Hi TOM,
I tried this 8i but it was not working there may be due to my poor knowledge of Java. Now in 
Oracle9i Rel2 I have tried and it is working.

Thanks for such a cool stuff.

How to send email to local users? August 8, 2003 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sikandar Hayat from Pindi Bhattian - Pakistan

I am able to send email to those who have SMTP account. Now our many local users don't have 
internet account so let me know if is there any way to send emails to them. We are using window 
with exchange server 5.5.

Followup August 10, 2003 - 11am Central time zone:

exchange supports SMTP.

I am not getting the Message body September 3, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sara from Atlanta, GA

I have used your query...but i am not getting any message body..? what is the problem in the query.

create or replace PROCEDURE send_mail (p_sender       IN VARCHAR2,
                         p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
                         p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
    as
       l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'smtpgw.cdc.gov';
       l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
    BEGIN
       l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
      utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
      utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
      utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
      utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
      utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
      utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
      utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
   end;

 begin
     send_mail( 'bcv5@cdc.gov',
                'bcv5@cdc.gov',
                       'Hello Tom' );
    end;
If i run the procedure all i am getting is the from email id.

Awaiting your response

Followup September 4, 2003 - 8am Central time zone:

in your email client, use the option to view the original unformatted email.  Perhaps your client 
is hiding it from you. (this works -- this is just standard smtp stuff -- nothing simplier -- but I 
can imagine the email client you are using it mucking it up somehow.  Lets see the "real" email)

reply immd.. September 16, 2003 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: suresh from India

  How to pass PL/SQL TABLE FROM D2K TO PL/SQL PROCEDURE. ?

   I declared one Package of two pl/sql table types and one Procedure , i am access these 
types(declare variable of that type) in D2K and papulate some values on that pl/sql tables(fornt 
end), after that i called Packed Procedure by passing these PL/SQL Tables from frontend D2K TO THAT 
Package Procedure backend , how to do this ?

  is their any Prob's appares ? by passing frontend tables(pl/sql) to back end of (same type).
   reply tom, immd...

Followup September 16, 2003 - 12pm Central time zone:

sorry, don't do forms, don't have forms, haven't touched forms since 95'

you can try otn.oracle.com -> discussion forums.

Sending fax September 23, 2003 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom

Is there anything 8i , 9i or 10G which would enable faxing from the database, just like emailing 
from the database, illustrated in this example ?

Thanks

Followup September 23, 2003 - 11am Central time zone:

drop a java stored procedure in there -- there must be one out there that can interface with some 
fax software.

(oracle collaboration suite does this as well)

For time zones September 25, 2003 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Jon from Richmond, KY USA

Thanks Tom, this works great for us.

We were concerned at first because our time was coming out wrong.  Then we realized that we needed 
to append ' -0400' to the date so that it would show the time for the correct time zone (in our 
case, EST).  Just thought other people may have ran into this problem...

Getting error when using JavaMail October 2, 2003 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Andrew T. Nguyen from Kansas City, MO USA

Hi Tom,

I am running Oracle 8.1.7 on Windows 2000. I can get UTL_SMTP to send emails fine. However when I 
use the Javamail API as shown, I get the following errors:

javax.mail.SendFailedException: Sending failed;
  nested exception is:
        class
javax.mail.MessagingException: Could not connect to SMTP host: localhost, port:
25;
  nested exception is:
        java.net.ConnectException: Connection refused
at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:218)
at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:80)
at mail.send(mail:86)
Failed to send message...

I used the same smtp host in the Utl_smtp and it worked fine.  Any idea?
Thanks

Followup October 3, 2003 - 8am Central time zone:

your sendmail is running on the host "localhost"?  127.0.0.1??

Reply: Getting error when using JavaMail October 3, 2003 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Andrew from Kansas City, MO USA

Yes, I tested on my PC with local host 127.0.0.1.
Is it OK for this JavaMail setting? Do I need to set up some thing else for the local host?

Thanks.

Followup October 3, 2003 - 10am Central time zone:

should work OK i suppose.  i'm not an smtp/java expert by anymeans.  this is simply saying "the 
connection didn't work -- we tried"

you did do the grants right?  using dbms_java??

Reply: Getting error when using JavaMail October 4, 2003 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Andrew from Kansas City, MO USA

Hello Tom,

It worked....  I found the error in the Java stored procedure, fixed, and recompiled in database 
and the javamail api works fine.

Thank you very much.

ORA-03113 while calling utl_smtp.open_connection October 10, 2003 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mohan from India

When I call the function UTL_SMTP.OPEN_CONNECTION from a PL/SQL block gives the error ORA-03113: 
end-of-file on communication channel. How to catch the exception here.

Followup October 10, 2003 - 8am Central time zone:

ora 3113 sort of means "bamm, your dead, game over player one, do not pass go, do not collect $200"

Your session is over.

Please contact support for this one.

most useful October 13, 2003 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: appreciative fan from MA

Tom,

Been using this for awhile, and keep coming back to this link to find this procedure when it is 
needed in different places (since I don't keep it in my shirt pocket).

The package spec and package body for the send procedure are out of sync now though.  default NULLS 
that are present in the body are missing from the spec on two or three of the attributes.

Followup October 13, 2003 - 11am Central time zone:

they've always been like that :)

it just wasn't a problem until you upgraded to 9i!  I had a bug that was OK in 8i, not in 9i.  Just 
remove the defaults.

Error Encountered October 21, 2003 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anirudh Sharma from N.Delhi, India

Hi Tom,
I encountered the following error while trying to send the mail through java.
anirudh@DW9I01T.US.ORACLE.COM 9.2> ed
Wrote file afiedt.buf

  1  declare
  2    ret_code number;
  3  begin
  4    for i in (select attachment from mailattachment )
  5    loop
  6       ret_code := send(
  7                     p_from => 'anirudhs@noida.hcltech.com',
  8                     p_to => 'anirudhs@noida.hcltech.com',
  9                     p_cc => null,
 10                     p_bcc => NULL,
 11                     p_subject => 'testing',
 12                     p_body => 'JAI HIND',
 13                     p_smtp_host => 'exch-01.noida.hcltech.com',
 14                     p_attachment_data => i.attachment,
 15                     p_attachment_type => 'text/plain',
 16                     p_attachment_file_name => 'hello.txt');
 17       if ret_code = 1 then
 18         dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
 19       else
 20         dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
 21       end if;
 22     end loop;
 23*    end;
anirudh@DW9I01T.US.ORACLE.COM 9.2> /
javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: smtp
at javax.mail.Session.getService(Session.java:750)
at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:689)
at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:632)
at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:612)
at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:667)
at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:154)
at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:80)
at mail.send(mail.java:86)
Failed to send message...

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------
I tried to exclude Oracle from this and do the process using java itself. Wrote follo code in java 
but it gave the same error:
  import java.util.Properties;
    import javax.mail.*;
   import javax.mail.internet.*;

   public class MailJava
   {

    public static void send(String mailserver,String subject ,String to[], String from, String 
messageText) throws AddressException, MessagingException
    {
     try
    {
        Properties mailProps = new Properties();
        mailProps.put("mail.smtp.host", mailserver);
        //mailProps.put("mail.debug", true);
        Session mailSession = Session.getDefaultInstance(mailProps, null);
        //mailSession.setDebug(true);
        // Construct addresses

        int toCount = to.length;
        InternetAddress[] toAddrs = new InternetAddress[toCount];
        for (int i = 0; i < toCount; ++i)
        {
            toAddrs[i] = new InternetAddress(to[i]);
        }
        InternetAddress fromAddr = new InternetAddress(from);
         // Create and initialize message
        Message message = new MimeMessage(mailSession);
        message.setFrom(fromAddr);
        System.out.println("30::"+Message.RecipientType.TO);
        message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO, toAddrs);
        System.out.println("35::"+subject);
        message.setSubject(subject);
        System.out.println("40::"+messageText.toString());
        message.setContent(messageText.toString(), "text/plain");

        // Send message
        Transport.send(message);
    }
    catch(Exception e)
    {
        System.out.println(e);
    }
}

public static void main(String[] args)
{
    
//MailJava.send(exch-01.noida.hcltech.com,"testSubject","anirudhs@noida.hcltech.com","From","","","G
o_to_Hell","I****Love****You","exch-01.noida.hcltech.com","text/plain","anything.zip");
    String too[] = {"anirudhs@noida.hcltech.com"};
    try{
    MailJava.send("EXCH-01","testSubject",too,"From","Error report");
}
catch(Exception e){System.out.println(e);}
}
}
--------------------------
-------------------------

D:\temp\activation8i>javac MailJava.java

D:\temp\activation8i>javac MailJava.java

D:\temp\activation8i>java MailJava
30::To
35::testSubject
40::Error report
javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: smtp

D:\temp\activation8i>javac MailJava.java

D:\temp\activation8i>java MailJava
30::To
35::testSubject
40::Error report
javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: smtp
------------------------
--------------------------
Please throw some light on what the problem could actually be.
Thanks,
Anirudh

Followup October 21, 2003 - 5pm Central time zone:

well, that would be a java/smtp question.  apparently, you don't have an smtp server at that 
hostname.

Sending Email Raw data October 22, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vikas Sharma from Delhi India

Hi Tom,

I am sorry if i am posting this review at a wrong place.

I am trying to send mail using utl_smtp. I am not using the javamail api. I have writtena code 
using utl_smtp and setting up the MIME headers to send the text, html and any text files 
succesfully. 

But i am facing problem in sending the birary file. I have set the mimie headers, i getting my file 
data send to mail server also but when i try to download the file it download with junk raw data.

To send the binary attachments i am doing the following things.
1. setting the mime headers to 

--abs2sc3d74F7A1CD   

Content-Type: application/octet
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="mail.doc"
Content-Description: test-part-2
Content-Transfer-Encoding:base64

2. After setting the header i read the content of my file "mail.doc" and load the content to a blob 
using dbms_lob.loadfromfile. so now i have the content of the file into a blob. now i am using the 
following peice of code to write the blob data on SMTP

   ======================
   l_offset  := 1;
   l_ammount := 57;
   while l_offset < dbms_lob.getlength(l_blob) loop
     utl_smtp.write_raw_data(l_connection,
          
(utl_encode.base64_encode(utl_raw.cast_to_raw(dbms_lob.substr(l_blob,l_ammount,l_offset)))));
           l_offset  := l_offset + l_ammount ;
           l_ammount := least(57,dbms_lob.getlength(l_blob) - l_ammount);
   end loop;
   utl_smtp.write_data(l_connection,end_boundary); -- writing end boundary
   
  =================================================
  
  I am not sure is this the correct way of doing it. I have the data into a BLOB Do i need to cast 
in raw before i use utl_smtp.write_raw_data.? 

If i cast to raw it using 
(utl_smtp.write_raw_data(l_connection,
          
(utl_encode.base64_encode(utl_raw.cast_to_raw(dbms_lob.substr(l_blob,l_ammount,l_offset))))); 

then the result of the content of files are like 
 =============================== 
  Content-Transfer-Encoding:base64
  
  RDBDRjExRTBBMUIxMUFFMTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAw
  M0UwMDAzMDBGRUZGMDkwMDA2MDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAxMDAwMDAw
  MjEwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMTAwMDAwMjMwMDAwMDAwMTAwMDAwMEZFRkZGRkZGMDAwMDAwMDAyMDAwMDAwMEZG
 
 =================

If i dont use the use utl_raw.cast_to_raw ie using
utl_smtp.write_raw_data(l_connection,
 (utl_encode.base64_encode(dbms_lob.substr(l_blob,l_ammount,l_offset)))); 

then the result are as follows
 
===============
Content-Transfer-Encoding:base64

0M8R4KGxGuEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPgADAP7/CQAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAA
IQAAAAAAAAAAEAAAIwAAAAEAAAD+////AAAAACAAAAD/////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
=================

Pl suggest what i am doing wrong. i think somting is wrong when i am doing conversion of blob to 
raw.

Regards,

Vikas Sharma

Followup October 22, 2003 - 6pm Central time zone:

sorry -- i don't know myself how to mime encode an entire email.  I took the easy way out and 
borrowed the code from sun.

I would suggest the same to you!  Its a nightmare trying to encode that junk.

UTL_SMTP with raw data October 22, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vikas Sharma from Delhi India

Hi Tom,

Thanks For the reply.

I tried the Java API approach earlier also but it did not worked out. Recently I tried again but 
getting error 

declare
  ret_code number;
begin
  for i in (select filename from mailattachments)
  loop
    ret_code := send(
                  p_from => 'vikas03@acme.com',
                  p_to => 'vsharma012@hotmail.com',
                  p_cc => NULL,
                  p_bcc => NULL,
                  p_subject => 'Use the attached Zip file',
                  p_body => 'to send email with attachments....',
                  p_smtp_host => 'mtlweb',
                  p_attachment_data => i.filename,
                  p_attachment_type => 'application/winzip',
                  p_attachment_file_name => 'ld_mem_banks.zip');
    if ret_code = 1 then
      dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
    else
      dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
    end if;
  end loop;
end;
/
javax.mail.SendFailedException: Sending failed;
  nested exception is:
        class javax.mail.MessagingException: IOException while sending message;
  nested exception is:
        javax.activation.UnsupportedDataTypeException: no object DCH for MIME type multipart/mixed;
        boundary="----=_Part_1_-909169289.1066049169595"
at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:218)
at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:80)
at mail.send(mail:86)
Failed to send message...

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
 
i posted the error earlier also see above. 
So i thought i will go for mime approach. And  try with that.

Can you pl suggest me why i am encounter the above error my database is 8i(8.1.7). I loaded the 
mailapi version javamail 1.3 and frame work jaf-1.0.2 on sys account using your guide lines. 

Btw pl tell me how can i use the blob data with  "utl_smtp.write_raw_data" i am doing as following 
: 

utl_smtp.write_raw_data(l_connection,
    (utl_encode.base64_encode(utl_raw.cast_to_raw(dbms_lob.substr(l_blob,l_ammount,l_offset)))));

Is this correct?
 
Thanks & Regards 

Vikas Sharma

Followup October 22, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone:

i'll have a java dude take a look see and if he has any advice, will follow up.

base64 encoding -- as I remember it takes 3 bytes to store 2 or something like that.  probably a 
boundary value condition, not sure that you can just "substr" like that and encode chunks.  (this 
is why this becomes "hard".  you have learn all about b64 encoding, something I haven't looked at 
in years myself)

and he says (the java guy)

Can you ask them to send a description of their table named  "mailattachments". I wonder why they 
are setting the "filename" column  to the actual data.

Also, it's looking for a data handler for "multipart/mixed" but I  wonder why they are trying to 
attach that type to a mail message.

Even though he said he followed your instructions, I'd still like to  see exactly how they loaded 
the the mail.jar and activation.jar

API Error October 22, 2003 - 8pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Vikas Sharma from Delhi India

Hi Tom,

Thanks,

If you want i can send you the complete description how i loaded classes and what error (output of 
loadjava) i got earlier by Email. It is not big abt 7k zip file. 

Actually when i tried to load mail.zar on sys using loadjava i received few errors but then again i 
tried for second time, i did NOT get any error. 

But my loadjava of activation.zar was finished with out any error on sys.

Thanks And Regards

Vikas Sharma

JavaMail on 9.2.0.4? October 23, 2003 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Doyle Freeman from West Des Moines, IA

Is javamail still the best way to send an email with large attachments from pl/sql?
--
To be more clear about my specific issue.
--
I am creating an app with html db (love it by the way).
--
The user is able to select a file from their client machine and upload it. I then want to email 
that file to another party after I have done some validation on it thru pl/sql. I have a pl/sql 
package that gets fired after the file is uploaded that is reading the blob and verifying some 
business rules. If all of the business rules pass, then I want to email the blob as an attachment 
to another party.
--
Would you use the javamail through pl/sql to accomplish this, or is there a better way now?
--
Thanks

Followup October 23, 2003 - 1pm Central time zone:

yes.  it is the best way (until 10g)

java mail -- it is the best way.

Sending CLOB/BLOB with javamail October 23, 2003 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: paul from Ottawa, ON, Canada

I dont do this with UTL_SMTP but we do it with javamail if you want to go back to that approach.

Here is some background. 
a GTT gets populated with a list of external files and/or blobs, and/or clobs to attach to mail, 
-we figure out mimetype based on extension.
-we use send_as_name to allow user to change filename of source document while sending.

the Java reads the GTT and  for each record in resultset determines if File/Blob/Clob
[..]
if (rset.getString("file_type").equals("BLOB"))
  {
   MimeBodyPart mbp = new MimeBodyPart();
   mbp.setDisposition(Part.ATTACHMENT);
   mbp.setFileName(rset.getString("send_as_name"));
   mbp.setDataHandler
(new DataHandler(new BLOBDataSource(rset.getBlob ("blob_data") , set.getString "mime_type"))));
   mp.addBodyPart(mbp);
}
[..]
BLOBDatasource simply returns a binaryDatastream like so...
static class BLOBDataSource implements DataSource
{
private java.sql.Blob   data;
 private String type;
BLOBDataSource(java.sql.Blob data, String type)
{
this.type = type;
this.data = data;
}
 public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
{
 try
{
if(data == null)
throw new IOException("No data.");
return data.getBinaryStream();
} catch(SQLException e)
{
throw new
IOException("Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.");
}
}
public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
{
throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
}
public String getContentType()
{
return type;
}
public String getName()
{
return "BLOBDataSource";
}
}

Then we add the mp to the msg
 msg.setContent(mp);

This was cobbled together from code here at asktom and also on OTN.
It will do fileattachments from o/s BLOBS (binarystream) and CLOBS (asciistream) 

It might be easier to do the binary stuff this way than with CAST

Thanks Paul October 23, 2003 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Does anybody have any code for this, strictly using PL/SQL with javamail? 
Sorry, reading java code is not my strength.

Followup October 23, 2003 - 1pm Central time zone:

umm, yes, the original answer above is strictly using plsql with javamail.  all of the code is 
there.

Best way until 10g? October 23, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Doyle Freeman from West Des Moines, IA

Just curious. What will be the best way with 10g?

Followup October 23, 2003 - 7pm Central time zone:

UTL_MAIL :)

plsql api that supports attachments.


  PROCEDURE send_attach_varchar2(
                 sender         IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS,
                 recipients     IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS,
                 cc             IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 bcc            IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 subject        IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 message        IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 mime_type      IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS
                                   DEFAULT 'text/plain; charset=us-ascii',
                 priority       IN PLS_INTEGER DEFAULT 3,
                 attachment     IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS,
                 att_inline     IN BOOLEAN  DEFAULT TRUE,
                 att_mime_type  IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS
                                   DEFAULT 'text/plain; charset=us-ascii',
                 att_filename   IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL);
                                                                                                    
                              
  PROCEDURE send_attach_raw(
                 sender         IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS,
                 recipients     IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS,
                 cc             IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 bcc            IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 subject        IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 message        IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL,
                 mime_type      IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS
                                   DEFAULT 'text/plain; charset=us-ascii',
                 priority       IN PLS_INTEGER DEFAULT 3,
                 attachment     IN RAW,
                 att_inline     IN BOOLEAN  DEFAULT TRUE,
                 att_mime_type  IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS
                                   DEFAULT 'application/octet',
                 att_filename   IN VARCHAR2 CHARACTER SET ANY_CS DEFAULT NULL);

POP3 November 16, 2003 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Praveen Sehgal from Virginia

Is there ANY way to retreive  email directly into the database?

Followup November 16, 2003 - 10am Central time zone:

load the java mail apis in there, and yes, you can read email.

or, if you use the collaboration suite, the database is email.

Retriving Mail IN 10g November 19, 2003 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: vikas Sharma from Delhi India

Hi Tom,

Just curios to know that can we retrive the eamil to database using 10g.

Thanks,

Regards

Vikas Sharma

Followup November 21, 2003 - 3pm Central time zone:

sure, just like you can in 9i, 8i -- you load the java mail API and retrieve it, store it, do 
whatever you like with it.

Error occurs while using UTL_SMTP November 26, 2003 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ken from Canada

Hi Tom,

The solution is very helpful, but when I tried it, got some error messages:

SQL> begin
  2      pk_mail.send
  3      ( 'kchiang@toronto.bata.com',
  4        'kchiang@TORONTO.BATA.COM',
  5        'This is a testing mail',
  6        'Hello Ken, this is a testing mail'  );
  7  end;
  8  /

begin
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 550 Unable to relay for kchiang@toronto.bata.com
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 98
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 240
ORA-06512: at "ADP6_ADMIN.PK_MAIL", line 51
ORA-06512: at line 2

What could be the possible reason and solution to it?  Please help!

Followup November 27, 2003 - 10am Central time zone:

your smtp server is not configured to be a relay, it is not allowed to forward mail.

either

a) find someone who knows how to configure smtp and reconfigure your server to permit relays

b) use another smtp server.

November 27, 2003 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ken

Hi Tom, 

Don't worry, my problem has been resolved, the problem was due to the wrong SMTP mail server name.

Thank you.

Sending Files as attachment December 5, 2003 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Jatinder from CA USA

Hi Tom,

Just wanted to let you know that there's some information on TechNet that talks about using 
UTL_SMTP for sending emails with attachments.

http://otn.oracle.com/sample_code/tech/pl_sql/htdocs/Utl_Smtp_Sample.html

I am not sure if I follow how can I attach a document with the email. Basically, what I want to do 
is that we have a repositary of thousands of documents and the user can pick the document they want 
to have. Upon selection, the program should be able to email the selected documents to the user. 
Can you please let me know how I can achieve that using UTL_SMTP package.

Thanks in advance.

Followup December 6, 2003 - 8am Central time zone:

i don't use utl_smtp for attachements, really hard.

i use the java mail api, demonstrated above.  you send it a blob and away she goes.

utl_smtp February 7, 2004 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ruben

Tom, How we can accomplish to send text to wireless 
devices such as a mobile or pager?
It is possible via UTL_SMTP?

Thanks a lot for you reply.

Followup February 7, 2004 - 3pm Central time zone:

sure, if you can email your stuff right now (like phone_number@skytell.com works) it is sort of 
obvious how to do it.

If you cannot, you might need something like 9iAS wireless that does SMS and other protocols.

Email Package February 13, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Steven Foskett from Boston, MA, USA

Hi Tom:

This was extremly straight forward and to the point. I was able to use your example and implement 
it very quickly.

Great Work

February 28, 2004 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Thanks a lot Tom....The examples were great

not compiling in 8.1.7.4 but compiles in 9.2.0.4.0 March 11, 2004 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: seekanth gadhiraju from tampa, fl usa

Based on you Java expample i wrote the following.  But it compiles fine and also works fine in 
9.2.0.4.0 but when i try to compile in 8.1.7.4 it compile with errors here are the details.

My Code
-------


SQL> select version from v$instance;

VERSION                                                    
----------------- 
9.2.0.4.0                       

SQL> create or replace and compile
  2      java source named "gsijavamail"
  3      as
  4      import java.io.*;
  5      import java.sql.*;
  6      import java.util.Properties;
  7      import java.util.Date;
  8      import javax.activation.*;
  9      import javax.mail.*;
 10     import javax.mail.internet.*;
 11     import oracle.sql.*;
 12     public class gsijavamail
 13     {
 14   public static oracle.sql.NUMBER send(String host,
 15          String to,
 16          String from,
 17          String cc,
 18          String bcc,
 19          String RtnRcpt,
 20          String RtnPath,
 21          String ReplyTo,
 22          String priority,
 23          String Subject,
 24          String text,
 25          String filename)
 26   throws AddressException, SendFailedException, MessagingException{
 27   int rc = 0;
 28   try {
 29   Properties properties = System.getProperties();
 30   properties.put("mail.smtp.host",host);
 31   Session session = Session.getInstance(properties,null);
 32   MimeMessage message = new MimeMessage(session);
 33  
 34   MimeBodyPart attachment = new MimeBodyPart();
 35   Multipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
 36   MimeBodyPart mtxt = new MimeBodyPart();
 37   mtxt.setContent(text,"text/html");
 38   mp.addBodyPart(mtxt);
 39  
 40   message.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
 41   message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,InternetAddress.parse(to));
 42   message.setSubject(Subject);
 43   message.setText(text);
 44   message.setSentDate(new Date());
 45  
 46   if (priority != null)
 47   {
 48    message.addHeader("X-Priority", priority);
 49   }
 50   if (priority == "1")
 51   {
 52    message.addHeader("Priority", "Urgent");
 53    message.addHeader("Importance", "high");
 54   }
 55  
 56   if (cc != null)
 57   {
 58    message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,InternetAddress.parse(cc));
 59   }
 60  
 61   if (bcc != null)
 62   {
 63    message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,InternetAddress.parse(bcc));
 64   }
 65  
 66   if (RtnRcpt != null)
 67   {
 68    message.addHeader("Return-Receipt-To:",RtnRcpt);
 69   }
 70   if (RtnPath != null)
 71   {
 72    message.addHeader("Return-Path:", RtnPath);
 73   }
 74   if (ReplyTo != null)
 75   {
 76    message.addHeader("Reply-To:", ReplyTo);
 77   }
 78  
 79   if (filename != null )
 80   {
 81    File f = new File(filename);
 82    FileDataSource fds = new FileDataSource(f);
 83    attachment.setDataHandler(new DataHandler(new FileDataSource(f)));
 84    attachment.setFileName(fds.getName());
 85    mp.addBodyPart(attachment);
 86   }
 87  
 88   message.setContent(mp);
 89   Transport.send(message);
 90   rc = 1;
 91   } catch (Exception e)
 92    {rc = 0;
 93    }
 94    finally {
 95             return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
 96            }
 97  
 98   }
 99  }
100  
101  /

Java created.

in 8.1.7.4
--------
SQL> select version from v$instance;

VERSION                                                                         
-----------------                                                               
8.1.7.4.1                                                                       

SQL> create or replace and compile
  2      java source named "gsijavamail"
  3      as
  4      import java.io.*;
  5      import java.sql.*;
  6      import java.util.Properties;
  7      import java.util.Date;
  8      import javax.activation.*;
  9      import javax.mail.*;
 10     import javax.mail.internet.*;
 11     import oracle.sql.*;
 12     public class gsijavamail
 13     {
 14   public static oracle.sql.NUMBER send(String host,
 15          String to,
 16          String from,
 17          String cc,
 18          String bcc,
 19          String RtnRcpt,
 20          String RtnPath,
 21          String ReplyTo,
 22          String priority,
 23          String Subject,
 24          String text,
 25          String filename)
 26   throws AddressException, SendFailedException, MessagingException{
 27   int rc = 0;
 28   try {
 29   Properties properties = System.getProperties();
 30   properties.put("mail.smtp.host",host);
 31   Session session = Session.getInstance(properties,null);
 32   MimeMessage message = new MimeMessage(session);
 33  
 34   MimeBodyPart attachment = new MimeBodyPart();
 35   Multipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
 36   MimeBodyPart mtxt = new MimeBodyPart();
 37   mtxt.setContent(text,"text/html");
 38   mp.addBodyPart(mtxt);
 39  
 40   message.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
 41   message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,InternetAddress.parse(to));
 42   message.setSubject(Subject);
 43   message.setText(text);
 44   message.setSentDate(new Date());
 45  
 46   if (priority != null)
 47   {
 48    message.addHeader("X-Priority", priority);
 49   }
 50   if (priority == "1")
 51   {
 52    message.addHeader("Priority", "Urgent");
 53    message.addHeader("Importance", "high");
 54   }
 55  
 56   if (cc != null)
 57   {
 58    message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,InternetAddress.parse(cc));
 59   }
 60  
 61   if (bcc != null)
 62   {
 63    message.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,InternetAddress.parse(bcc));
 64   }
 65  
 66   if (RtnRcpt != null)
 67   {
 68    message.addHeader("Return-Receipt-To:",RtnRcpt);
 69   }
 70   if (RtnPath != null)
 71   {
 72    message.addHeader("Return-Path:", RtnPath);
 73   }
 74   if (ReplyTo != null)
 75   {
 76    message.addHeader("Reply-To:", ReplyTo);
 77   }
 78  
 79   if (filename != null )
 80   {
 81    File f = new File(filename);
 82    FileDataSource fds = new FileDataSource(f);
 83    attachment.setDataHandler(new DataHandler(new FileDataSource(f)));
 84    attachment.setFileName(fds.getName());
 85    mp.addBodyPart(attachment);
 86   }
 87  
 88   message.setContent(mp);
 89   Transport.send(message);
 90   rc = 1;
 91   } catch (Exception e)
 92    {rc = 0;
 93    }
 94    finally {
 95             return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
 96            }
 97  
 98   }
 99  }
100  
101  /

Warning: Java created with compilation errors.

SQL> show err
Errors for JAVA SOURCE gsijavamail:

LINE/COL ERROR                                                                  
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------      
0/0      gsijavamail:23: Class AddressException not found in throws.            
0/0      gsijavamail:28: Class Session not found.                               
0/0      gsijavamail:28: Class Session not found.                               
0/0      gsijavamail:28: Undefined variable or class name: Session              
0/0      gsijavamail:29: Class MimeMessage not found.                           
0/0      gsijavamail:29: Class MimeMessage not found.                           
0/0      gsijavamail:31: Class MimeBodyPart not found.                          
0/0      gsijavamail:31: Class MimeBodyPart not found.                          
0/0      gsijavamail:32: Class Multipart not found.                             
0/0      gsijavamail:32: Class MimeMultipart not found.                         
0/0      gsijavamail:33: Class MimeBodyPart not found.                          

LINE/COL ERROR                                                                  
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------      
0/0      gsijavamail:33: Class MimeBodyPart not found.                          
0/0      gsijavamail:49: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:55: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:60: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:65: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:69: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:73: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:79: Class FileDataSource not found.                        
0/0      gsijavamail:79: Class FileDataSource not found.                        
0/0      gsijavamail:85: Variable message may not have been initialized.        
0/0      gsijavamail:86: Undefined variable or class name: Transport            

LINE/COL ERROR                                                                  
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------      
0/0      Info: 22 errors                                                        
SQL> spool off;

Followup March 11, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone:

you didn't load the java packages into the db for 8i

How to load March 11, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: sreekanth gadhirjau from tampa, fl usa

tom,

on  9.2.0.4.0  i did not load any classes explicitly. I just compiled.  here is what happend.

we are running oracle 11i application on 8.1.7.4.  We are in the middle of upgrading the database 
to 9i release 2.  So we cloned the test system from production 11i system and then upgraded the 
database to 9i. now this one compiles in 9i but not in 8i.  

Do i need to download the javamail api from sun site to load these classes? Please tell me how to 
load these classes.

thanks
sreekanth.g

Followup March 11, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone:

see above, the above example (step by steps) were developed for 8i.  the step by step are there in 
the original answer.

error while loading javaclass with loadjava March 12, 2004 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: sreekanth gadhiraju from tampa, fl usa

tom,

when try to load mailapi using the loadjava it is giving the following error

C:\mailapi\tmp>loadjava -u SYS/password0@NINE -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g
public mail8i.zip >output.txt
arguments: '-u' 'SYS/password@NINE' '-o' '-r' '-v' '-f' '-noverify' '-synonym'
'-g' 'public' 'mail8i.zip'
creating : resource META-INF/javamail.charset.map
SQL Error while connecting with oci8 driver to NINE: ORA-01031: insufficient pri
vileges

exiting  : could not open connection

thanks
sreekanth.g

Followup March 12, 2004 - 4pm Central time zone:

ctl-f 1031 <enter>

smtp error while sending an email March 12, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Eugene from Seattle

Hi Tom,
Hope you can tell me why I may get this error?

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE Ep_Sendmail_1 
                                                (p_sender IN VARCHAR2,
                                          p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
                                          p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
AS
     l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := '192.168.1.6';
     l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;

BEGIN
     l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
     utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
     utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
     utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
     utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
     utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
     utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
     utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
END Ep_Sendmail_1;
/

SQL> begin
  2  ep_sendmail_1('epipko@unionbay.com',
  3  'epipko@unionbay.com', 
  4  'Hello there');
  5  end;
  6  /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Then our email program gives us following errors:

X-Mail-Format-Warning: Bad RFC2822 header formatting in MAIL FROM:epipko@unionbay.com
X-Mail-Format-Warning: Bad RFC2822 header formatting in RCPT TO:epipko@unionbay.com
X-GWIA: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 13:41:45 -0800; 192.168.1.6([192.6.1.80])
Received: from 192.168.1.6
 ([192.6.1.80])
 by unionbay.com; Thu, 11 Mar 2004 13:41:45 -0800
X-Mail-Format-Warning: Bad RFC2822 header formatting in Hello

Followup March 12, 2004 - 7pm Central time zone:

what "email" program??  I mean, how does an email program fit into this?

what is ctl-f 1031 <enter> March 13, 2004 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: sreekanth gadhiraju from tampa, fl usa

tom,

can you please explain ctl-f 1031 <enter>  ?

thanks
sreekanth.g

Followup March 13, 2004 - 10am Central time zone:

search for 1031 on this page -- its been asked and answered in the past.

ctl-f should pop up the little "search" dialog
1031 is the number you want to search for
<enter> will do it (the search)....

e mail March 23, 2004 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: alex from uk

Tom

I am having trouble in tacking the undelivered mails using SMTP.
Can you please advise me who can we tracke these

Followup March 24, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

when I send an email using utl_smtp from asktom

and it is not deliverable

it comes back to me, in my inbox.  The error will goto whomever "sent" it (you can use an 
errors-to: record as well, or something like that, you'd just google the smtp protocol and see what 
options you have)

Soooo, whatever you are using in the from should be getting the "bounce".  I sure do :)

problem getting activation8i.zip to resolve April 7, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Jim from Fall River, MA

Hi Tom!

I'm running 8i standard (8.1.5.0.0 w/ the java option) on win2k and am having a heck of a time 
trying to get through the first step of getting the uncompressed archive to load successfully... 
here's my command and a trimmed output

>loadjava -u sys/system -o -r -v -f -synonym -g public activation8i_uncomp.zip
initialization complete
loading  : com/sun/activation/registries/LineTokenizer
creating : com/sun/activation/registries/LineTokenizer
.
. (all successful loads and creates)
.
loading  : javax/activation/FileTypeMap
creating : javax/activation/FileTypeMap
resolver :
resolving: com/sun/activation/registries/LineTokenizer
resolving: javax/activation/ActivationDataFlavor
resolving: javax/activation/DataHandlerDataSource
Errors in javax/activation/DataHandlerDataSource:
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/activation/DataHandler could not be r
esolved
com/sun/activation/registries/MailcapFile is already resolved
resolving: javax/activation/CommandInfo
Errors in javax/activation/CommandInfo:
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/activation/DataHandler could not be r
esolved
resolving: javax/activation/DataHandler
Errors in javax/activation/DataHandler:
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/activation/CommandMap could not be re
solved
resolving: com/sun/activation/viewers/ImageViewer
Errors in com/sun/activation/viewers/ImageViewer:
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/activation/DataHandler could not be r
esolved
. 
.  (lots of failed resolves)
.
resolving: javax/activation/FileTypeMap
Errors in javax/activation/FileTypeMap:
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYS.javax/activation/MimetypesFileTypeMap could
 not be resolved
synonym  : com/sun/activation/registries/LineTokenizer
.
. (lots of successful create synonyms)
.
synonym  : javax/activation/FileTypeMap
loadjava: 24 errors

you'll probably notice that i had to remove the -noverify option, my version of loadjava does not 
recognize it for some reason..

prior to this i've run initjvm.sql as well, ... 

i've seen that you redirected a few ppl to email your java dude, i don't want to bother him but 
would it be cool to do so?

many thanks from the kid from MA that always asks you to sign your books/have your pic taken w/ me

-jim

utl_smtp April 22, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Andre de Jager from South Africa

No, I do not think that this helped me at all. 

How do I send attachments using the utl_smtp package. I keep on getting the email message, but the 
attachment is a empty blank page with the following on the page:
attachment_file_name

My code:
Procedure adj_send_email_test as 

   CRLF CONSTANT                 varchar2(10)  := utl_tcp.CRLF; 
   BOUNDARY CONSTANT             varchar2(256) := '-----7D81B75CCC90D2974F7A1CBD'; 
   FIRST_BOUNDARY CONSTANT       varchar2(256) := '--'||BOUNDARY||CRLF; 
   LAST_BOUNDARY CONSTANT        varchar2(256) := '--'||BOUNDARY||'--'||CRLF; 
   MULTIPART_MIME_TYPE CONSTANT  varchar2(256) := 'multipart/mixed; boundary="'||BOUNDARY||'"'; 

   conn utl_smtp.connection; 
   from_name                     varchar2(255) := 'André de Jager'; 
   from_address                  varchar2(255) := 'andre.dejager@newname.co.za'; 
   to_address                    varchar2(255) := 'andre.dejager@newname.co.za'; 
   cc_address                    varchar2(255) := ''; 
   subject                       varchar2(255) := 'Wilgers Visits'; 
   mime_type                     varchar2(255) := 'text/html'; --'xls/csv'; 
   attachment_file_name          varchar2(2500) := 'c:\extracts\hosp\stats.htm'; --'stats.xls'; 
   mailhost                      varchar2(255) := '172.27.0.250'; 

   Procedure send_header(name   in varchar2,
                         header in varchar2) is 

   begin 
      utl_smtp.write_data(conn, name||': '||header||CRLF); 
   End; 

BEGIN 

   conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(mailhost); 
   utl_smtp.helo(conn,mailhost); 
   utl_smtp.mail(conn,'< '||from_address||' >'); 
   utl_smtp.rcpt(conn,'< '||to_address||' >'); 
   utl_smtp.open_data(conn); 
   send_header('From','"'||from_name||'" <'||from_address||'>'); 
   send_header('To',''||to_address||''); 
   cc_address := to_address;
   send_header('cc',''||cc_address||''); 
   send_header('Date',to_char (sysdate, 'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss')|| ' +1100'); 
   send_header('Subject',subject); 
   send_header('Content-Type',MULTIPART_MIME_TYPE); 

   -- Close header section by a crlf on its own 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn,CRLF); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn,'This is a multi-part message in MIME format.'||CRLF); 

   ---------------------------------------- 
   -- Send the main message text 
   ---------------------------------------- 
   -- mime header 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, FIRST_BOUNDARY); 
   send_header('Content-Type',mime_type); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, CRLF); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, '<html><body><b>see attachment</b></body></html>'); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, CRLF); 

   -- add the attachment 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, FIRST_BOUNDARY); 
   send_header('Content-Type',mime_type); 
   send_header('Content-Disposition','attachment; filename= '||attachment_file_name); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, CRLF); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, '<html><body><b>attachment_file_name</b></body></html>'); 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, CRLF); 

   -- Close the message 
   utl_smtp.write_data(conn, LAST_BOUNDARY); 

   -- Close connection 
   utl_smtp.close_data(conn); 
   utl_smtp.quit(conn); 

end; 
/

Followup April 22, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

guess you got bored reading after the first paragraph or two?

<quote>
Loading and using the JavaMail API

In order to use the UTL_SMTP package, you must already have a Java enabled 
database in Oracle8i.  This is because UTL_SMTP relies on UTL_TCP and UTL_TCP in 
turn is built on Java functions. (Remember, if you don't have a Java enabled 
database you can use UTL_HTTP as described above to send simple emails). So, if 
you are able to use UTL_SMTP, you must have a Java enabled database, we can go 
to the Sun website and download their JavaMail API. This will give us the 
ability to send much more complicated emails from the database; including 
attachments. The following is based on work performed by a coworker of mine, 
Mark Piermarini who helps me out with lots of my Java issues.
</quote>

PLSQL Mail routine vs Java April 29, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Barry Chase from Louisville, KY USA

The article was very helpful, however it leaned towards JavaMail as the end all solution. 
Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to get that installed on our AIX platform here for a number of 
non-technical reasons.

Through some net scouring and laborious hours of effort of my own, I came up with a PLSQL solution 
which handles attachments (including binary) and produces formatted emails.

I would be happy to share it with the masses, but I don't know how to get it posted it here for 
others to use. I also have a PLSQL FTP solution, which contains binary support as well.

I have the code at my website, and I would post it here, but I don't want to be seen as posting 
inappropriate material in the forum.

Any suggestions on what I can do to share my code with others ?

Followup April 29, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone:

just plug a URL in here -- it'll become a link.  no worries on that.

Pure PLSQL solution for Email and FTP (both with binary support) April 30, 2004 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Barry Chase from Louisville, KY USA

Thanks for letting me share this. Any feedback would be welcome.

I have been working on my package solutions for Email and FTP routines for close to a year now. I 
have posted my updates in the downloads area of my website

http://www.mylxhq.com

The initial code was gleened from the web from elsewhere, but I provide a number of enhancements 
that took the routines to the next level and made them production ready. Below are some sample 
scripts that can be used to test the packages. The mail package header needs to have your mail 
server inserted in it before you compile it though.

Assuming that you have have compiled in the FTP and Email Packages that I have prepared, you can 
then use the following sample script to email a text file and email a binary file. 

/* Formatted on 2004/04/09 14:06 (Formatter Plus v4.8.0) */
DECLARE
   l_rows                        NUMBER;
   l_sql                         VARCHAR2 (32000);
   p_status                      VARCHAR2 (32000);
   p_error_msg                   VARCHAR2 (32000);
   p_elapsed_time                VARCHAR2 (100);
   p_bytes_trans                 NUMBER;
   p_trans_start                 DATE;
   p_trans_end                   DATE;
   l_blob                        BLOB;
   l_blob_len                    NUMBER;
BEGIN
   hum_mail_tools.mail_files
                    (from_name                     => 'admin@mylxhq.com'
,                    to_name                       => 'bsc7080mqc1@mylxhq.com'
,                    subject                       => 'MAIL_FILES :: Sample TXT file'
,                    MESSAGE                       => 'Local DB Server ascii attachment in email.'
,                    priority                      => 3
,                    filename1                     => '/xfer/INTF0047/sample.txt'
,                    DEBUG                         => 0
                    );
--
   l_blob                     :=
      hum_mail_tools.get_local_binary_data (p_dir                         => '/xfer/INTF0047'
,                                          p_file                        => 'sample.pdf');
   l_blob_len                 := DBMS_LOB.getlength (l_blob);
   hum_mail_tools.mail_files_binary
                    (from_name                     => 'admin@mylxhq.com'
,                    to_name                       => 'bsc7080mqc1@mylxhq.com'
,                    subject                       => 'TEST08APR2004'
,                    MESSAGE                       => 'Local DB Server binary attachment in email.'
,                    priority                      => 3
,                    filename                      => 'sample.pdf'
,                    binaryfile                    => l_blob
,                    DEBUG                         => 0
                    );
   DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('fini');
END;

To perform FTP operations of PUT and GET, you can follow this sample script. 


/* Formatted on 2004/04/09 12:35 (Formatter Plus v4.8.0) */
SET linesize 2000

DECLARE
   p_status                      VARCHAR2 (32000);
   p_error_msg                   VARCHAR2 (32000);
   p_elapsed_time                VARCHAR2 (100);
   p_remote_path                 VARCHAR2 (2000);
   p_local_path                  VARCHAR2 (2000);
   p_hostname                    VARCHAR2 (100);
   p_username                    VARCHAR2 (100);
   p_password                    VARCHAR2 (100);
   p_files                       VARCHAR2 (4000);
   p_bytes_trans                 NUMBER;
   p_trans_start                 DATE;
   p_trans_end                   DATE;
   lbok                          BOOLEAN;
   lnfilescnt                    NUMBER := 0;
   lnfiles_array                 hum_ps_parse.atoms_tabtype;
   lnfiles_empty_array           hum_ps_parse.atoms_tabtype;
   t_files                       ftp_interface.t_ftp_rec;
   p_failed                      CHAR (1) := 'N';
   -- This could be put in the header of your package
   p_debug                       CHAR (1) := 'N';
BEGIN
--
   IF p_failed = 'N'
   THEN
--
-- Lets setup our output header columns
--
-- To process a file as a different name use the # symbol
-- test.txt#test.txt20032801
-- Would be used if you wanted to send the file test.txt but copy to remote server as 
test.txt20032801
      DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   RPAD ('FILENAME', 40)
                            || ' | '
                            || RPAD ('STATUS', 15)
                            || ' | '
                            || RPAD ('BYTES', 15)
                            || ' | '
                            || RPAD ('START TIME', 25)
                            || ' | '
                            || RPAD ('END TIME', 25)
                            || ' | '
                            || 'ERROR MESSAGE');
      DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (CHR (10));
--
-- Let us PUT a file
--
      p_files                    := 'sample.doc#sample1.doc';
      lbok                       :=
         ftp_interface.put (p_localpath                   => 'localpath'
,                           p_filename                    => p_files
,                           p_remotepath                  => 'remotepath'
,                           p_username                    => 'username'
,                           p_password                    => 'password'
,                           p_hostname                    => 'server'
,                           v_status                      => p_status
,                           v_error_message               => p_error_msg
,                           n_bytes_transmitted           => p_bytes_trans
,                           d_trans_start                 => p_trans_start
,                           d_trans_end                   => p_trans_end
,                           p_port                        => 21
,                           p_filetype                    => 'BINARY'
                           );

      IF lbok = TRUE
      THEN
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   RPAD (p_files, 40)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (p_status, 15)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_bytes_trans), 15)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_trans_start
,                                                'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS')
,                                       25)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_trans_end
,                                                'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS')
,                                       25)
                               || ' | '
                               || p_error_msg);

         IF p_status <> 'SUCCESS'
         THEN
            p_failed                   := 'Y';
         END IF;

         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   'FTP PROCESS FAILED := '
                               || p_failed);
      ELSE
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (p_error_msg);
         p_failed                   := 'Y';
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   'FTP PROCESS FAILED := '
                               || p_failed);
      END IF;

--
-- Let us GET a file
--
      p_files                    := 'sample1.doc';
      lbok                       :=
         ftp_interface.get (p_localpath                   => 'localpath'
,                           p_filename                    => p_files
,                           p_remotepath                  => 'remotepath'
,                           p_username                    => 'username'
,                           p_password                    => 'password'
,                           p_hostname                    => 'server'
,                           v_status                      => p_status
,                           v_error_message               => p_error_msg
,                           n_bytes_transmitted           => p_bytes_trans
,                           d_trans_start                 => p_trans_start
,                           d_trans_end                   => p_trans_end
,                           p_port                        => 21
,                           p_filetype                    => 'BINARY'
                           );

      IF lbok = TRUE
      THEN
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   RPAD (p_files, 40)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (p_status, 15)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_bytes_trans), 15)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_trans_start
,                                                'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS')
,                                       25)
                               || ' | '
                               || RPAD (TO_CHAR (p_trans_end
,                                                'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MI:SS')
,                                       25)
                               || ' | '
                               || p_error_msg);

         IF p_status <> 'SUCCESS'
         THEN
            p_failed                   := 'Y';
         END IF;

         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   'FTP PROCESS FAILED := '
                               || p_failed);
      ELSE
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (p_error_msg);
         p_failed                   := 'Y';
         DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (   'FTP PROCESS FAILED := '
                               || p_failed);
      END IF;
   END IF;

   DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line (CHR (10));
   DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('FINI');
END;

To perform DELETEs and RENAMEs isn't much different. I have only tested the binary ftp support with 
zip files, and it works just fine. I haven't found an upper file size limit yet. 

It is important to note that in order to handle binary files it requires some to setup Database 
Directories in Oracle which refer to physical drive locations. This gives Oracle the correct 
permissions to read files from the filesystem.

message as sms to mobile May 6, 2004 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anurag from INDIA

Hi!,

Great information! How can I extend this facility as sms to multiple mobile nos.

thanks,

Followup May 6, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

send multiple mails?

sms May 6, 2004 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anurag from INDIA

actually, I wanted to write event based triggers, and would like to send db acute problems(db 
server messages) on my senior and mine mobile as sms eg. instance crash, block corruption, locking 
etc. We are unable to work on its algorithm.

Followup May 6, 2004 - 9am Central time zone:

use OEM (enterprise manager) -- it has such hooks.

otherwise, you will be scripting this yourself.  figuring out how to talk to sms (easiest way for 
me is, well, email -- email my phone number a message).


virtually every off the shelf monitoring tool, of which there are hundreds, does this out of the 
box.

multiple email addresses in a variable doesn't seem to work May 9, 2004 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: ht from california

Tom,
I get this error when trying to use a variable that contains " 'a@y.com','b@y.com' ":

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 553 malformed address:

As your example proves, hardcoding the array works fine:

pkg1.send_email
        (
        in_from_email => 'x@y.com',
        in_from_alias => 'X <'x@y.com'>,
        in_to => test_mail_pkg1.array
                --'a@y.com','b@y.com', <-- works fine
                (l_addresses), <-- doesn't work
        in_cc => pkg1.array('c@y.com'),
        in_bcc => pkg1.array(d@y.com'),
        in_subject => 'this is the subject',
        in_body => 'this is the body'
       );

What am I missing here?  I also reviewed your example that uses a cursor to loop through each 
address but:

1.  I would like to have all email addresses shown in the "to:" label so the addressees know who 
else received the email.
2.  My data is stored in the db as a string (a@y.com,b@y.com, ...).

TIA
ht

Followup May 10, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

you have to PARSE THE STRING into array elements -- each name gets a RCPT call.

a,b -> invalid emails

a
b

are "ok emails".....  You have to send an array, not a single string.  if you want to send a single 
string, parse it in the lower level routines around the commas.

Sending a string (not an array) works fine. May 10, 2004 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: ht from california

Basic question about using dbms_job inside of a trigger. May 14, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: ht from california

Tom,
This is a very basic question.  I'm trying to use dbms_job inside of a trigger to execute dbms_job. 
 As you advised, this will prevent emails from being sent (using utl_smtp) before the update is 
commited.
I cannot figure out how to create the trigger using dbms_job and I'm sure it's something "basic" 
that I'm missing.


>connect scott/tiger
Connected.
>create or replace trigger emp_aru
  2  after update on emp
  3          for each row
  4  declare
  5          variable jobno number;
  6  begin
  7
  8  -- create a job that will not send the email unless the update is committed.
  9  dbms_job.submit
 10          (
 11          :jobno,
 12          'scott.x'
 13          );
 14  end;
 15  /

Warning: Trigger created with compilation errors.

>show errors;
Errors for TRIGGER EMP_ARU:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
2/17     PLS-00103: Encountered the symbol "NUMBER" when expecting one of
         the following:
         := . ( @ % ; not null range default character
         The symbol ":=" was substituted for "NUMBER" to continue.

8/9      PLS-00049: bad bind variable 'JOBNO'
>----------------------------------------------------------
>
>exit;
Disconnected from Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.3.0 - 64bit Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP and Oracle Data Mining options
JServer Release 9.2.0.3.0 - Production

Followup May 15, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone:

do you have access to expert one on one Oracle?  I have lots and lots and lots of examples in there 
(appendix on dbms_job and utl_smtp)

basically -- none of that is "trigger code", it looks like a mixture of sqlplus (variable, :x) and 
plsql.


I'm afraid to give you a code snippet here as there seems to be a misunderstanding of plsql vs 
sqlplus totally.  I don't want to send you down the wrong path .

Email from PL/SQL - Basic question June 11, 2004 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Hi

How do I find out mail host to send mail from PL/SQL?

Thanks

Followup June 11, 2004 - 4pm Central time zone:

ask your system administrator??

utl_mail.send error on 10g June 29, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: LC from Madison, WI

Tom, any thoughts on why this won't work?

Your help is always appreciated.

_____________________________________
SQL> BEGIN 
  2  utl_mail.send (
  3  SENDER     => 'add1@mycompany.com', 
  4  RECIPIENTS => 'add2@mycompany.com', 
  5  SUBJECT    => 'test',
  6  MESSAGE    => 'test');
  7  end;
  8  /
BEGIN
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29261: bad argument
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 28
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 257
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 116
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 139
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 228
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 350
ORA-06512: at line 2

Followup June 29, 2004 - 4pm Central time zone:

did you:

....
You define the SMTP_OUT_SERVER parameter in the init.ora rdbms initialization file. However, if 
SMTP_OUT_SERVER is not defined, this invokes a default of DB_DOMAIN which is guaranteed to be 
defined to perform appropriately.

utl_mail.send sends, but... June 29, 2004 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: LC from Madison, Wi

Thanks so much for your help.  I added the parameter and it works now... well kinda.  The message 
sends, but I get 
<quote> 
 <=?WE8ISO8859P1?Q?
</quote>

appended to the front of the "SENDER", "RECIPIENTS", and "SUBJECT" and the "RECIPIENTS" are bc'd as 
well.  

Thoughts on that?

Followup June 29, 2004 - 7pm Central time zone:

the email client is supposed to handle that -- it is a standard way of encoding that information so 
it can be displayed correctly.  what email client are you using?

email client July 1, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: LC from Madison, WI

I am using Novell GroupWise both C/S and web.  My SMTP mail host is setup to deny relaying to 
outside addresses so I am unable to test other clients.

Followup July 1, 2004 - 7pm Central time zone:

try a different client and see if it is because your client does not conform to the standard.

If not, you can always use utl_smtp and just "do it yourself", it is very easy (see above)

Empty Message July 29, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Reader from CA

Hi Tom,

I used the very basic example to send a mail,

********
CREATE OR REPLACE procedure send_mail(p_message in varchar2)
as
l_mailhost varchar2(200) := 'mail.mydomain.com';
p_sender  varchar2(200) := 'development@mydomain.com';
p_recipient  varchar2(200) := me@mydomain.com';
l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
begin
l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost,25);
utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn,l_mailhost);
utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn,p_sender);
utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn,p_recipient);
utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn);
utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn,p_message);
utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn);
utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;
/
*********
SQL> exec send_mail('test');

but when I get the mail the message body contains 


<Message>
Error Reading Message or message with NULL body!!
</Message>

I get the same in both IE and Mozilla Firefox. One of my friend used the same code to send me the 
mail from his Mailserver and it comes just fine. So is there something wrong with my Mail Server?

Thanks

Followup July 29, 2004 - 11am Central time zone:

remove utl_smtp from the loop, test with telnet:


[tkyte@tkyte-pc tkyte]$ telnet hostname 25
Trying 138.1.161.112...
Connected to hostname
Escape character is '^]'.
220 rgmgw2.us.oracle.com ESMTP Sendmail Switch-3.1.4/Switch-3.1.0 - Ready at Thu, 29 Jul 2004 
09:18:50 -0600 - Unauthorized Usage Prohibited.
helo hostname
250 rgmgw2.us.oracle.com Hello tkyte-pc.us.oracle.com [138.1.120.255], pleased to meet you
Help mail
214-2.0.0 MAIL FROM: <sender> [ <parameters> ]
214-2.0.0       Specifies the sender.  Parameters are ESMTP extensions.
214-2.0.0       See "HELP DSN" for details.
214 2.0.0 End of HELP info
mail from: tkyte@oracle.com
250 2.1.0 tkyte@oracle.com... Sender ok
help rcpt
214-2.0.0 RCPT TO: <recipient> [ <parameters> ]
214-2.0.0       Specifies the recipient.  Can be used any number of times.
214-2.0.0       Parameters are ESMTP extensions.  See "HELP DSN" for details.
214 2.0.0 End of HELP info
rcpt to: tkyte@oracle.com
250 2.1.5 tkyte@oracle.com... Recipient ok
help data
214-2.0.0 DATA
214-2.0.0       Following text is collected as the message.
214-2.0.0       End with a single dot.
214 2.0.0 End of HELP info
data
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
test
.
250 2.0.0 i6TFIoBF001928 Message accepted for delivery
quit
221 2.0.0 rgmgw2.us.oracle.com closing connection
Connection closed by foreign host.
[tkyte@tkyte-pc tkyte]$



you do the stuff in bold using your own email address and host.

Empty Message July 29, 2004 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Reader

Hi Tom,

I tried the said things, but I still get a mail to my account with 
<Message>
Error Reading Message or message with NULL body!! 
</Message>

So I tried from Oracle 10g with UTL_MAIL.SEND, and voila!! it worked just fine.I am able to get the 
Subject as well as the body of the mail properly, but using the same procedure from 10g also did 
not work. So now I am really up against the wall.
By the way my Oracle Version for the previous attempt was Oracle 9i Release 2,from a Linux and 
Windows Box(from where I am getting the Empty Message).
Any chances of solving the problem ?

Thanks and Regards

Followup July 30, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

if you did that with telnet and you got that -- problem is somewhere on your end -- with your smtp 
/ email client setup.  we've removed Oracle from the loop entirely and are just using standard, 
documented, reliable SMTP commands.  sorry.

It is an excellent information but not useful to me August 10, 2004 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader from India

It is an excellent information. But it is not useful to me. I am sending an email through oracle 
stored procedure but it doesn't support html formatting. When a mail goes uses find the html tags 
etc. in the mail

So How do I solve. I have tried hardly But yet didn't get success. So can you help earlies

Thanks

amol@skinternational.com

Followup August 10, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

search for

utl_smtp html

and see what you see

Oracle 8.0 August 19, 2004 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Yogesh from Pune, India

Does this specification / information applies to oracle 8.0?  If not, then how can we send mail 
from oracle 8.0?

Followup August 19, 2004 - 9am Central time zone:

it is very very difficult.

going into the way back machine.....

there is no utl_smtp in 8
there are no external procedures in 8
there are no java subroutines in 8

there is however utl_file and utl_http.  so, what i've done in times gone by is:

a) use utl_file to create a uniquely named file with the email in it.
b) write a cgi-bin script that runs under the webserver that takes the name of the person to email 
to and the name of the file to email
c) send the mail from plsql via utl_http.request( '

http://127.0.0.1/cgi-bin/send_mail?p_name=....&p_file=.....'

);

I use 127.0.0.1 because the webserver must be running on the server (to be able to see the utl_file 
file) and I don't want just any john doe to be able to send email as if it was "oracle" on this 
machine.


You can also just do 

a) use utl_file to create a uniquely named file that includes the target email address
b) use a cron job to periodically pick up all "spooled" files and send them.

August 19, 2004 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randy from Warren, MI

Tom,  
  I set up your JavaMail API from your book and when I execute I receive the following error:

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29531: no method send in class mail
ORA-06512: at "SYS.SEND", line 0
ORA-06512: at line 6

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

August 19, 2004 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randy

Disregard last question, works great!  Changed BLOB to BFILE in java source mail and problem was 
solved.

August 20, 2004 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randy

Tom, 
  Any idea why the javamail API adds an extra space to my attachments?  The spacing is not an issue 
when I view the files on the server.  Attachments are sent from BFILEs.  I wonder if anyone else 
has encountered similar problems.

Error sending email August 24, 2004 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Hi Tom,

I have a procedure for sending emails, the code is provided below:

create or replace PROCEDURE send_mail 
(p_sender       IN VARCHAR2,
 p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
 p_message   IN VARCHAR2)
as
l_mailhost VARCHAR2(255) := 'smtp.1and1.com';
l_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
BEGIN
    l_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
    utl_smtp.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
    utl_smtp.mail(l_mail_conn, p_sender);
    utl_smtp.rcpt(l_mail_conn, p_recipient);
    utl_smtp.open_data(l_mail_conn );
    utl_smtp.write_data(l_mail_conn, p_message);
    utl_smtp.close_data(l_mail_conn );
    utl_smtp.quit(l_mail_conn);
end;
/

When I execute this procedure, I am getting ora-29278. pls help.

begin
send_mail(this@there.com', 'this1@there.com', 'Test email');
end;
/

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 138

Thanks.

Followup August 24, 2004 - 11am Central time zone:

421 Service not available

that is an SMTP error.  

use the same approach documented above with telnet to reproduce without utl_smtp at all.

Followup using telnet August 24, 2004 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Hi Tom,

As per your suggestion, I used telnet to try the SMTP connection. This is what happened. I did the 
following:

C:\>telnet smtp.1and1.com 25

The response was
Connecting to smtp.1and1.com...
220 Welcome to Nemesis ESMTP server on mrelay

and then it is just waiting at this point and I was not able to type anything after this.

pls help.

Thanks.

Followup August 24, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone:

sounds like an SMTP problem -- it should just work, always does for me, if it does not, not much i 
can do from the database side.

send email August 30, 2004 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader

SQL> create sequence sm_seq;

Sequence created.

SQL> create or replace procedure sm(p_to in varchar2,
  2   p_from in varchar2,
  3   p_subject in varchar2,
  4   p_body in varchar2)
  5  is
  6   l_output utl_file.file_type;
  7   l_filename varchar2(255);
  8   l_request varchar2(2000);
  9  begin
 10   select 'm' || sm_seq.nextval ||'.EMAIL.'||p_to
 11   into l_filename
 12   from dual;
 13   l_output :=utl_file.fopen('/tmp',l_filename,'w',32000);
 14   utl_file.put_line(l_output,'From: '||p_from);
 15   utl_file.put_line(l_output,'Subject: '||p_subject);
 16   utl_file.new_line(l_output);
 17   utl_file.put_line(l_output,p_body);
 18   utl_file.new_line(l_output);
 19   utl_file.put_line(l_output,'.');
 20   utl_file.fclose(l_output);
 21   l_request :=utl_http.request('

http://192.168.5.1/cgi-bin/smail?'

|| l_filename);
 22   dbms_output.put_line(l_request);
 23  end sm;
 24  /

Procedure created.

SQL> begin
  2  sm('tkyte@us.oracle.com','tkyte@us.oracle.com','Testing','hello world');
  3  end;
  4  /
begin
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06510: PL/SQL: unhandled user-defined exception
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_FILE", line 98
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_FILE", line 192
ORA-06512: at "SYSTEM.SM", line 13
ORA-06512: at line 2

Whould u please give me a good suggestion

Followup August 30, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

maybe setup utl_file so that it can work?

SQL> show parameter utl_file_dir

odds are /tmp is not in it.

sending email,loadjava August 30, 2004 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader

I have downloaded required file like activation.jar and mail.jar.I followed ur way though it should 
be more easier.

1. Used WinZip to extract the contents of mail.jar into my c:\temp\mail 
directory
2. Used WinZip to create a new archive c:\temp\mail8i.zip
3. Put the contents of c:\temp\mail\*.* including subdirectories into this new 
archive

but how and where i use the following process

loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip
loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public 
activation8i.zip

would u please inform me

Followup August 30, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

command line.

send email August 31, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader

you said and sql output
SQL> show parameter utl_file_dir;
NAME                                 TYPE    VALUE
------------------------------------ ------- 
utl_file_dir                         string
code i have previously written and error is same
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06510: PL/SQL: unhandled user-defined exception
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_FILE", line 98
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_FILE", line 192
ORA-06512: at "VIS.SM", line 13
ORA-06512: at line 2

SQL> loadjava -u sys/manager -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public activation8i.zip;
SP2-0734: unknown command beginning "loadjava -..." - rest of line ignored.
Please Please inform me

Followup August 31, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

see, your utl_file_dir *is not set* -- fix that.

loadjava is a command line command, 

$ loadjava .....

not a sqlplus command.

sending mail September 1, 2004 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader

How can i fix it up 

UTL_FILE/smtp

even from ur book expert one-on-one.

I tried to load loadjava.but huge errore.i don't know.how to fix it up.

http://www.oracle.com/technology/sample_code/tech/pl_sql/htdocs/Utl_Smtp_Sample.html

error in demo_mail package body

Line # = 138 Column # = 14 Error Text = PLS-00302: component 'WRITE_RAW_DATA' must be declared
Line # = 138 Column # = 5 Error Text = PL/SQL: Statement ignored
Line # = 145 Column # = 14 Error Text = PLS-00302: component 'WRITE_RAW_DATA' must be declared
Line # = 145 Column # = 5 Error Text = PL/SQL: Statement ignored

my version is
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.6.0.0 - Production

would u please inform me precisely and elaborately
please..........

Followup September 1, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

precisely and elaborately... hmmm

anyway

SQL> desc utl_smtp


does your release have write_raw_data or not.

Sending e-mail to multple recipients September 1, 2004 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Muneer Raza from Geneva, Switzerland

I am using Tom'example to send e-mail to multiple recipients. It works fine if I hard code the 
e-mail address
p_to => mail_pkg.array( 'mraza@beckman.com','rramanan@beckman.com' ).
But If I pass the more than one recipient e-mail address it fails with the following error message.

Cause:  FDPSTP failed due to ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 501 Syntax error, parameters in 
command "RCPT TO:'mraza@beckman.com','rramanan@beckman.com'" unrecognized or missing
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", l

I also tried the following, but no luck, got the same error
l_user := '''mraza@beckman.com''' || ',' || '''rramanan@beckman.com''';
p_to => mail_pkg.array(l_user),

Followup September 1, 2004 - 10am Central time zone:

if that is how you are passing multiple recipients, it is no wonder it fails.

you just send an email to the SINGLE user

    'x@y.z,'r@a.b'

when you probably meant to send an email to two individuals.


soooo, put the recipients INTO AN ARRAY

  l_user.extend;
  l_user(l_user.count) := l_user1;
  l_user.extend;
  l_user(l_user.count) := l_user2;
  .....

Error on java source September 3, 2004 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Matt Larson from Topeka, KS USA

I copied the code you had for creating java source above but I could not get it to work. I am 
getting the following error when I try to create the java source "mail"

create or replace and compile  java source named "mail"
                                                 *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29536: badly formed source: Encountered "length" at line 34, column 23.
Was expecting one of:
"instanceof" ...
")" ...
">" ...
"<" ...
"?" ...
"==" ...
"<=" ...
">=" ...
"!=" ...
"||" ...
"&&" ...
"++" ...
"--" ...
"+" ...
"-" ...
"*" ...
"/" ...
"&" ...
"|" ...
"^" ...
"%" ...
"<<" ...
">>" ...
">>>" ...
"." ...
"[" ...
"(" ...

Followup September 3, 2004 - 6pm Central time zone:

SQL> set define off


otherwise & has "meaning" to sqlplus and mucks up the code.

sending mail September 8, 2004 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader

SQL>desc utl_smtp
but nothing about write_raw_data
what should i do?

i am using broadband connection.

Followup September 8, 2004 - 9am Central time zone:

what does your connection type have to do with the version of Oracle you are using?

if you don't have write_raw_data, you won't be using that API, you need "more current software".

This package is great November 16, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Stan from CA, USA

But I have a question of using it.
When I populate variable with multiple recipients I get an error 20002: 501. Example: to_v := 
'sss@sss.com, ttt@ttt.com, ooo@ooo.com';
When I use single e-mail there is no probles.

Please help.

Followup November 16, 2004 - 11pm Central time zone:

not sure which one you are referring to.

the really simply one, doesn't deal with parsing a comma delimited list.

the other one takes an ARRAY (eg: neither parses a comma delimited list of names to email to...)

e-mail and attachment (oracle version 9.2.) December 2, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader from UK

Tom,

I will run a report and save the output as a csv file. Then I need to send this file as an 
attachment. How can I achieve this?

Thanks

Sending e-mail! -- Oracle 8i specific response December 7, 2004 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Followed your notes to setup the Loading and using the JavaMail API.  The OS is HP-UX  B.11.23  and 
DB is Oracle 9.2.0.5

When running the following command I got the following error:
loadjava -u sys/sonysys1 -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail9i.zip

The following operations failed
    class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1: resolution
    class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator: resolution
exiting  : Failures occurred during processing

Problem with charset in JAVAMAIL December 10, 2004 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Violeta from Lithuania

Hi, Tom,
Thank you, this article was very usefull for me! But I have problems with JAVAMAIL.
 
I use character set "BLT8MSWIN1257" and when I send mail with attachment, body of recieved mail is 
OK, but I can not read attached text file. 

I had to use attachmentData in CLOB, so I've modified your code, so this is my code:
 
"public static oracle.sql.NUMBER
                          send(String from,
                               String to,
                               String cc,
                               String bcc,
                               String subject,
                               String body,
                               String SMTPHost,
      oracle.sql.CLOB attachmentData,
                               String attachmentType,
                               String attachmentFileName)
" 


I replaced "oracle.sql.BLOB" to "oracle.sql.CLOB".
I added additional class:




"    static class CLOBDataSource implements DataSource
    {
      private oracle.sql.CLOB   data;
      private String type;

      CLOBDataSource(oracle.sql.CLOB data, String type)
      {
          this.type = type;
          this.data = data;
      }

      public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
      {
        try
        {
          if(data == null)
            throw new IOException("No data.");

     /*     return data.getAsciiStream();*/
          return data.getCharacterStream();

        } catch(SQLException e)
        {
          throw new
          IOException("Cannot get input stream from CLOB.");
        }
      }

      public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
      {
        throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
      }

      public String getContentType()
      {
        return type;
      }

      public String getName()
      {
        return "CLOBDataSource";
     }
    }
"
 Then I replaced "BLOBDataSource" with "CLOBDataSource",
but attached text file is undecipherable. What Did I wrong? 

Thank You very much.

Followup December 10, 2004 - 8pm Central time zone:

email doesn't understand "non standard charactersets" (well, it may well, but I'm no smtp expert)

basically -- things like that would need be base64 encoded (7bit ascii data) to be transmitted.

Table rows contents into mail body section December 11, 2004 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tanweer from USA

Hi,
I want to send Table rows into the email BODY section 

Can you guide me to take "emp" table contents 

Thanks

Followup December 11, 2004 - 7am Central time zone:

just build a string that represents your email body, nothing fancy or special.

Email of SQL query output (i.e Tables rows contents with columns name for e.g dept) December 13, 2004 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tanweer from USA

Hi,

I am using following code where I put the SQL output Can you guide me Please


CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE SEND_MAIL_TCP (
    msg_from     VARCHAR2 := 'sender@testing.com'
  , msg_to       VARCHAR
  , msg_subject  VARCHAR2 := 'E-Mail message from your database'
  , msg_text     VARCHAR2 := ''
)
IS
  c   UTL_TCP.CONNECTION;
  rc  INTEGER;
BEGIN 
  c  := UTL_TCP.OPEN_CONNECTION('localhost', 25);       -- open the SMTP port 25 on local machine
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'HELO localhost'); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'MAIL FROM: '||msg_from); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'RCPT TO: '||msg_to); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'DATA');                  -- Start message body 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'Subject: '||msg_subject); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, ''); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, msg_text); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, '.');                     -- End of message body 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'QUIT');
  UTL_TCP.CLOSE_CONNECTION(c);                          -- Close the connection 
EXCEPTION 
  WHEN others THEN 
    RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20000, 'Unable to send e-mail message from PL/SQL routine.'); 
END;

Thanks

Followup December 13, 2004 - 10am Central time zone:

rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, msg_text);

put your sql output there..

Email of SQL query output (i.e Tables rows contents with columns name for e.g dept) December 14, 2004 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: tanweer from USA

Hi,

I have putted the SQL Query "Select * from dept;" in place of "msg_text"

OR even pass into the parameter of procedure "SEND_MAIL_TCP "

But the result doesnot display into the mail body section

Thanks in Adv

Followup December 14, 2004 - 9am Central time zone:

of course not.  you have to run the query, get the data, format the data, output the data.

FYI for UTL_SMTP if via Web Form December 14, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Meyer from Baltimore, MD

This is an FYI for those using UTIL_SMTP as a building block in their apps....

I just found this out today (after one of my app's had been in production for years working 
fine)...new problem, debugged it and thought this could save others some steps as I first looked at 
the network, firewall, relay settings based on googling the error mesg.

As a part of SMTP, a period "." on its own line in the data/body (SMTP DATA COMMAND) tells SMTP the 
body text is done....(CRLF.CRLF)

If a person fills out a form on your site...and that form text becomes emailed text....and if that 
person put a period alone on its own line in that form they wrote...it causes an SMTP error (all 
text following the "command" in the email body becomes invalid SMTP commands).

The solution I found was add a space after any periods that are followed by a newline in the text 
before I give to SMTP....(space between the perod and the newline)...it looks the same in the email 
but it not the CRLF.CRLF command 

 replace(
         THE_BODY_BLOB,
         '.'||chr(13),
         '. '||chr(13)
         ); 

This takes place on all the periods in the body...but only "Fixes" it if the period starts the new 
line.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Meyer

December 14, 2004 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

I have a same requirement as this one, sending emails from my stored procedure.
I am trying to use the package you suggested here, 
Util_SMTP.Open_Conection ( host        IN  VARCHAR2, 
   port        IN  PLS_INTEGER DEFAULT 25, 
   c           OUT connection, 
   tx_timeout  IN  PLS_INTEGER DEFAULT NULL) 
What is the value of host is this case?
I am trying to send email to my personal account.
Thanks!

Followup December 15, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone:

your SMTP server hostname

Email of SQL query output (i.e Tables rows contents with columns name for e.g dept) December 15, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: tanweer from USA

Hi,

Can you give the detail IDEA how the any Query Data send into the email BOdy section.

suppose my Query is that : SQL > Select Deptno, dname from dept ;

Thank you in Advance

Followup December 15, 2004 - 1pm Central time zone:

for x in (select * from emp)
loop 
   UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, x.ename || ', ' || x.empno );
end loop;

Email of SQL query output (i.e Tables rows contents with columns name for e.g emp) December 16, 2004 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tanweer from USA

Hi,
Thanks for your assistance,
I used ur code but I am not able to receive any mail
please can you check it

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE SEND_MAIL_TCP (
    msg_from     VARCHAR2 := 'tanweer_q@yahoo.com' ---'sender@testing.com'
  , msg_to       VARCHAR
  , msg_subject  VARCHAR2 := 'E-Mail message from your database'
  , msg_text     VARCHAR2 := ''
)
IS
  c   UTL_TCP.CONNECTION;
  rc  INTEGER;
BEGIN 
  c  := UTL_TCP.OPEN_CONNECTION('localhost', 25);       -- open the SMTP port 25 on local machine
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'HELO localhost'); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'MAIL FROM: '||msg_from); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'RCPT TO: '||msg_to); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'DATA');                  -- Start message body 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'Subject: '||msg_subject); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, ''); 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, msg_text);
  for x in (select * from emp)
  loop 
       rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, x.ename || ', ' || x.empno );
  end loop; 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, '.');                     -- End of message body 
  rc := UTL_TCP.WRITE_LINE(c, 'QUIT');
  UTL_TCP.CLOSE_CONNECTION(c);                          -- Close the connection 
EXCEPTION 
  WHEN others THEN 
    RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20000, 'Unable to send e-mail message from PL/SQL routine.'); 
END;

EXEC SEND_MAIL_TCP ( msg_to => 'tanweer_q@rediffmail.com', msg_text => 'This is a test message.');

Regd Tanweer

Followup December 16, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

worked for me.

It is highly unlikely your smtp server is actually running on localhost however.  And if it were, 
it is really unlikely others would allow it to relay through them.


This has nothing to do with Oracle right now, you need to find out what your smtp server 
configuration on your site really is (eg: go into your email client and see what smtp server your 
email client is configured to use)

December 16, 2004 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tanveer,

It is not working for me too. What TOm says should be true as, the same thing was wroking at my 
earlier clients place.
I am not able to figure out how to fix this though...

Let me know if you find something!

Thanks!

following operations failed December 21, 2004 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Yiming from Houston, TX

Hi, Tom
When I follows your step to loadjava, first activation8i, then mail8i I got the message at last:

.....
The following operations failed
    source msgshow: resolution
    source smtpsend: resolution
exiting  : Failures occurred during processing

Then I try to create or replace and compile
 java source named "mail" at a user account I got:

Enter value for to: 
old  37:        if (to != null && to.length() > 0)
new  37:        if (to != null length() > 0)
Enter value for cc: 
old  40:       if (cc != null && cc.length() > 0)
new  40:       if (cc != null length() > 0)
Enter value for bcc: 
old  43:       if (bcc != null && bcc.length() > 0)
new  43:       if (bcc != null length() > 0)
Enter value for subject: 
old  46:       if ( subject != null && subject.length() > 0 )
new  46:       if ( subject != null length() > 0 )
 java source named "mail"
                   *
ERROR at line 2:
ORA-29536: badly formed source: Encountered "length" at line 34, column 23.

Was expecting one of:

"instanceof" ...

")" ...

">" ...

"<" ...

"?" ...

"==" ...

"<=" ...

">=" ...

"!=" ...

"||" ...

"&&" ...

"++" ...

"--" ...

"+" ...

"-" ...

"*" ...

"/" ...

"&" ...

"|" ...

"^" ...

"%" ...

"<<" ...

">>" ...

">>>" ...

"." ...

"[" ...

"(" ...

Could you tell me what's wrong.  My database version is 9iR2.  Thanks

Followup December 21, 2004 - 7pm Central time zone:

SQL> set define OFF

following operations failed December 21, 2004 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: yiming from Houston, TX

Hi, Tom,
The problem has been solved.  I download javamail1.3 version instead of new 1.3.2 and follow your 
step reload java again. At last no any message showed up.

.....
skipping : resource javamail-1.3/mail.jar
granting : execute on resource javamail-1.3/NOTES.txt to public
skipping : resource javamail-1.3/NOTES.txt
granting : execute on resource javamail-1.3/README.txt to public
skipping : resource javamail-1.3/README.txt
verifier : on

But when I create or replace and compile
 java source named "mail" at scott there are error msg like:
scott@TEST1> show errors
Errors for JAVA SOURCE mail:

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:83: Interface DataSource of nested class mail.
         BLOBDataSource not found.

0/0      mail:31: Class Message not found.
0/0      mail:32: Class MimeMessage not found.
0/0      mail:38: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:41: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:44: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:45: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:46: Variable msg may not have been initialized.
0/0      mail:49: Class MimeBodyPart not found.

LINE/COL ERROR
-------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
0/0      mail:49: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:52: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:52: Class MimeBodyPart not found.
0/0      mail:62: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:62: Class MimeMultipart not found.
0/0      mail:71: Undefined variable or class name: Transport
0/0      Info: 15 errors

when I connect sys then "Java created." 

You gave us so many very useful tips.  Thank you very much.

Error in email December 22, 2004 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: tanweer from USA

SQL> DECLARE
  2    l_mailhost    VARCHAR2(64) := 'abctrad.com'; --'mail.mycompany.com';
  3    l_from        VARCHAR2(64) := 'tanweer_q@yahoo.com';--'me@mycompany.com';
  4    l_subject     VARCHAR2(64) := 'Test Mail';
  5    l_to          VARCHAR2(64) := 'tanweer_q@rediffmail.com';--'you@mycompany.com';
  6    l_mail_conn   UTL_SMTP.connection;
  7  BEGIN
  8    l_mail_conn := UTL_SMTP.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
  9    UTL_SMTP.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
 10    UTL_SMTP.mail(l_mail_conn, l_from);
 11    UTL_SMTP.rcpt(l_mail_conn, l_to);
 12  
 13    UTL_SMTP.open_data(l_mail_conn);
 14    
 15    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Date: ' || TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI:SS') || 
Ch
r(13));
 16    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'From: ' || l_from || Chr(13));
 17    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || l_subject || Chr(13));
 18    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'To: ' || l_to || Chr(13));
 19    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, '' || Chr(13));
 20    
 21    FOR i IN 1 .. 10 LOOP
 22      UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'This is a test message. Line ' 
 23      || To_Char(i) || Chr(13));
 24    END LOOP;
 25    
 26    UTL_SMTP.close_data(l_mail_conn);
 27  
 28    UTL_SMTP.quit(l_mail_conn);
 29  END;
 30  /
DECLARE
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00604: error occurred at recursive SQL level 1
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: character string buffer too small
ORA-06512: at line 8
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 451 4.3.0 Data command failed.
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 317
ORA-06512: at line 26

Followup December 22, 2004 - 8am Central time zone:

ops$tkyte@ORA9IR2> DECLARE
  2    l_mailhost       VARCHAR2(64) := 'xxxx.com'; --'mail.mycompany.com';
  3    l_from        VARCHAR2(64) := 'tom@yahoo.com';--'me@mycompany.com';
  4    l_subject        VARCHAR2(64) := 'Test Mail';
  5    l_to          VARCHAR2(64) := 'tkyte@oracle.com';--'you@mycompany.com';
  6    l_mail_conn      UTL_SMTP.connection;
  7  BEGIN
  8    l_mail_conn := UTL_SMTP.open_connection(l_mailhost, 25);
  9    UTL_SMTP.helo(l_mail_conn, l_mailhost);
 10    UTL_SMTP.mail(l_mail_conn, l_from);
 11    UTL_SMTP.rcpt(l_mail_conn, l_to);
 12
 13    UTL_SMTP.open_data(l_mail_conn);
 14
 15    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Date: ' || TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI:SS') || 
Chr(13));
 16    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'From: ' || l_from || Chr(13));
 17    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || l_subject || Chr(13));
 18    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'To: ' || l_to || Chr(13));
 19    UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, '' || Chr(13));
 20
 21    FOR i IN 1 .. 10 LOOP
 22      UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'This is a test message. Line '
 23      || To_Char(i) || Chr(13));
 24    END LOOP;
 25
 26    UTL_SMTP.close_data(l_mail_conn);
 27
 28    UTL_SMTP.quit(l_mail_conn);
 29  END;
 30  /
 
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.


I cannot reproduce and have never seen that.

the only remotely similar thing I see is with shared server connections (it is similar only).  Are 
you using shared server, does it reproduce when you use a dedicated server.

Just to share......... December 29, 2004 - 10pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sikandar Hayat Awan from Pindi Bhattian - Pakistan

Hi,
I found a bug ralted to utl_mail in 10g posted on metalink so thought to share it with all of.

Hi,
Installed utl_mail package, set the smtp_out_server parameter in the init.ora and tried sending 
mail using the following example.

begin
utl_mail.send(sender=>'testd',recipients=>'satish.iyer@abc.com,subject=>'test 
message',message=>'Text message only',
mime_type=>'text/html');
end;

I am receiving the mail okay, however the sender, recepient and the subject in the mail are 
preceeded by the database character set.
Like this...
"=?US7ASCII?Q?testd?=@lgis2000.abc.com"

--- Oracle Response ----
 This is due to bug 3506588 which is fixed in upcoming release of Oracle 10G. Currently backports 
for this bug do not exist. 

--------URL----------

http://metalink.oracle.com/metalink/plsql/ml2_gui.startup

Sending to many one by one using utl_smtp January 13, 2005 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Purrah from Pretoria, RSA

Hi Tom  
The solution you wrote 2/3 years ago was very helpful
but I have a a problem when sending to many recipients. I call the send procedure and pass some 
arguments which are different addresses  then at some stage it will give me the ff errors.
ORA-20001: 421 Server too busy
and then after that it will give....
ORA-20001: 421 Service not available
 Is there a way of keeping the UTL_SMTP working and ready to receive more requests..

Regard and Thanks for the Good work you doing

Followup January 13, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

ask your system admins, this is a problem with your smtp server itself -- nothing in the database.

UTL_MAIL February 2, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: a reader from UK

Hi Tom,

I have been looking into sending attachments using Oracle 10g. Could you explain me the following 
lines, in context with the operational notes given below.

"However, if SMTP_OUT_SERVER is not defined, this invokes a default of DB_DOMAIN which is 
guaranteed to be defined to perform appropriately."

Operational Notes
You must both install UTL_MAIL and define the SMTP_OUT_SERVER.

To install UTL_MAIL: 
sqlplus sys/<pwd>
SQL> @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/utlmail.sql
SQL> @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/prvtmail.sql


You define the SMTP_OUT_SERVER parameter in the init.ora rdbms initialization file. However, if 
SMTP_OUT_SERVER is not defined, this invokes a default of DB_DOMAIN which is guaranteed to be 
defined to perform appropriately.

Thanks in advance,

Followup February 3, 2005 - 1am Central time zone:

it is saying "if you don't set the smtp out server, we'll use what we find in the db_domain 
parameter - and that is probably not your smtp server so set the smtp out server parameter so mail 
can actually be sent"

possible workaround for empty mail messages. February 3, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: G.J. Ruiter from netherlands.

Subject: possible workaround for empty messages.

Hello Tom,
Two people mentioned that they got an empty message(
May 13, 2003 and July 29, 2004)

I had the same problem, but here everything after a blank line was sent.
 message:='line1'||crlf||crlf||'line2'||crlf||'line3';
and I received:
------------

line2

line3
------------
This also happened when I tested using Telnet, only data after a blank line was sent.
We use Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service 5.5.2657.72), the problem does not occur when I 
send mail to other accounts which probably use other mail servers.

Also; here everything works when I start my message with a blank line. 

Yours sincerely,

G.J. Ruiter.

Email Validation February 3, 2005 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ray DeBruyn from Ottawa, Canada

Using utl_smtp, you make a connection to the email server and essentially run commands. The 
utl_smtp package has a function to validate the email, the problems are that you need permission on 
the email server to run the command and the task requires connecting to the remote server to 
validate the email. If you wish validate 100 emails, it could be time consuming, but it could be 
used to validate an individual email as it is inserted or updated.
Validating against the email client assumes that this email is in your address book.

Still having problems with loadjava February 17, 2005 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Jean C. from Venezuela

Hi Tom
I'm having this situation in my test DB:

$ loadjava -user sys/xxxxxxx plsql.jar
Error while creating resource META-INF/MANIFEST.MF
    ORA-03113: end-of-file on communication channel

loadjava: 1 errors

When I check the trace file, this is what I get:
/var/log/oracle/dnod/users/ora_20803.trc
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.4.0 - Production
JServer Release 8.1.7.4.0 - Production
ORACLE_HOME = /opt/oracle/8.1.7
System name:    Linux
Node name:      dexter1
Release:        2.4.27
Version:        #1 Mon Oct 18 09:49:41 VET 2004
Machine:        i686
Instance name: DNOD
Redo thread mounted by this instance: 1
Oracle process number: 12
Unix process pid: 20803, image: oracle@dexter1 (TNS V1-V3)

*** SESSION ID:(18.18176) 2005-02-17 11:16:19.674
Exception signal: 11 (SIGSEGV)
*** 2005-02-17 11:16:19.703
ksedmp: internal or fatal error
Current SQL statement for this session:
create or replace java resource named "META-INF/MANIFEST.MF"  using 'META-INF/MANIFEST.MF'
----- Call Stack Trace -----
calling              call     entry                argument values in hex
location             type     point                (? means dubious value)
-------------------- -------- -------------------- ----------------------------
Cannot seek to string table section header in /lib/libdl.so.2.
Exception signal: 11 (SIGSEGV)
*** 2005-02-17 11:16:19.767
ksedmp: internal or fatal error
Current SQL statement for this session:
create or replace java resource named "META-INF/MANIFEST.MF"  using 'META-INF/MANIFEST.MF'
----- Call Stack Trace -----
calling              call     entry                argument values in hex
location             type     point                (? means dubious value)
-------------------- -------- -------------------- ----------------------------
Cannot seek to string table section header in /lib/libdl.so.2.
Exception signal: 11 (SIGSEGV)
*** 2005-02-17 11:16:19.831
ksedmp: internal or fatal error
Current SQL statement for this session:
create or replace java resource named "META-INF/MANIFEST.MF"  using 'META-INF/MANIFEST.MF'
----- Call Stack Trace -----
calling              call     entry                argument values in hex
location             type     point                (? means dubious value)
-------------------- -------- -------------------- ----------------------------
Cannot seek to string table section header in /lib/libdl.so.2.
Shadow_Core_Dump = PARTIAL

I'm stucked here.
Thanks in advanced

Followup February 17, 2005 - 1pm Central time zone:

3113, 7445, 600 -> call support please.

sometime getting error ORA-29279 April 12, 2005 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sikandar Hayat Awan from Pindi Bhattian - Pakistan

I have configured automatic emailing with job scheduling and everything is working fine. But few 
job are failing with the following error,

ORA-12012: error on auto execute of job 4211
ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 501 5.5.4 Invalid Address
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 98
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 240
ORA-06512: at "SYSTEM.SKR_EMAIL_HTML", line 20
ORA-06512: at "CPO.IGP_EMAIL", line 128
ORA-06512: at line 1

The percentage of such is 5 out of 100 so trying to figure it out why these jobs are failing.

Thanks in advance for your time and cooperation.

Followup April 12, 2005 - 7am Central time zone:

http://www.greenend.org.uk/rjk/2000/05/21/smtp-replies.html

your request (inputs) to smtp were invalid.

add exception handler, log inputs so you can test it in sqlplus -- you'll probably see what was 
wrong just looking at it.

April 18, 2005 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

I am using 9.2.0.5 Database on Sun Solaris.

10g? April 30, 2005 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: whizkid from APAC

Will this work in 10g as well? We have recently upgraded our database 10.1.0.4 (RH Linux ES 3). 
JavaMail was working beautifully for our 9i database but after the upgrade, I loaded activation & 
sendmail into the database 

PROCEDURE Send_Mail_Attach(DataPeriod VARCHAR)
AS
      ret_code NUMBER;
    BEGIN
      FOR i IN (SELECT * FROM DAILY_FILE_STORE WHERE TRUNC(FILE_DATE) = TRUNC(SYSDATE) AND 
file_name LIKE 'KFL%')
      LOOP
        ret_code := Send(
                     p_from => 'xxx@xxx.com',
                     p_to => 'xxx@xxx.com',
                     p_cc => 'xxx@xxx.com',
                     p_bcc => NULL,
                     p_subject => 'Data for ' || DataPeriod,
                     p_body => 'Dear User, Please find attached the upload data for the period 
mentioned in the subject line.',
                     p_smtp_host => '172.28.70.44',
                     p_attachment_data => i.FILE_DUMP,
                     p_attachment_type => 'application/ms-excel',
                     p_attachment_file_name => i.FILE_NAME);
       IF ret_code = 1 THEN
         dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
       ELSE
         dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
       END IF;
     END LOOP;
   END;

SQL> set serverout on
SQL> exec send_mail_attach('KFL29APR2005')
Failed to send message...

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

There's a utl_mail procedure in 10g which does this but I think there's a limitation on the size of 
the attachment.

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE Mail_Attach (dir1 VARCHAR2, filename VARCHAR2)
AS
     l_output   utl_file.file_type;
     l_file          RAW(32767);
     l_size          NUMBER;
     BLOCK           NUMBER;
     b               BOOLEAN;
     l_start NUMBER := 1;
     TYPE ARRAY IS TABLE OF VARCHAR2(255);
     l_data ARRAY := 
ARRAY('xx@indiainfo.com','xx@email.com','xx@yahoo.co.in','xx@bajajallianz.co.in' );
   BEGIN
     UTL_FILE.FGETATTR(dir1, filename, b, l_size, BLOCK);
     l_output := utl_file.fopen(dir1, filename, 'r' );
     utl_file.get_raw(l_output, l_file, l_size);
     utl_file.fclose( l_output );
     FOR i IN l_start .. l_data.COUNT
     LOOP
         UTL_MAIL.SEND_ATTACH_RAW (
               sender     => 'Bagic@Mailer',
               recipients => l_data(i),
               subject    => 'KFL Data for ' || TO_CHAR((SYSDATE-1),'DD-MON-YYYY'),
               attachment => l_file,
               message    => 'Dear User, Please find attached the upload data for the period 
mentioned in the subject line.',
               att_inline => FALSE,
               att_filename => filename);
               l_start := l_start + 1;
     END LOOP;
   END;
/


SQL> exec mail_attach('UTL_PATH','KFL29-APR-2005')
BEGIN mail_attach('UTL_PATH','KFL29-APR-2005'); END;

*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: raw variable length too long
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_ENCODE", line 243
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 118
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 324
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 414
ORA-06512: at "PROD.MAIL_ATTACH", line 18
ORA-06512: at line 1

SQL> select directory_name, directory_path from dba_directories where directory_name like '%UTL%';

DIRECTORY_NAME                 DIRECTORY_PATH
------------------------------ ----------------------------------------
UTL_PATH                       /app/oracle/admin/DWH/utl

SQL> !ls -l /app/oracle/admin/DWH/utl
total 28
-rw-r--r--    1 oracle   oinstall    25360 Apr 30 15:26 KFL29-APR-2005

Followup April 30, 2005 - 11am Central time zone:

utl_mail would be much much easier.  I haven't bothered even trying in 10g

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/B14117_01/appdev.101/b10802/u_mail.htm#996728

I have tried utl_mail in 10g May 1, 2005 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: whizkid from APAC

and pasted the results of that above..

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE Mail_Attach (dir1 VARCHAR2, filename VARCHAR2)
AS
     l_output   utl_file.file_type;
     l_file          RAW(32767);
     l_size          NUMBER;
     BLOCK           NUMBER;
     b               BOOLEAN;
     l_start NUMBER := 1;
     TYPE ARRAY IS TABLE OF VARCHAR2(255);
     l_data ARRAY := 
ARRAY('xx@indiainfo.com','xx@email.com','xx@yahoo.co.in','xx@bajajallianz.co.in' 
);
   BEGIN
     UTL_FILE.FGETATTR(dir1, filename, b, l_size, BLOCK);
     l_output := utl_file.fopen(dir1, filename, 'r' );
     utl_file.get_raw(l_output, l_file, l_size);
     utl_file.fclose( l_output );
     FOR i IN l_start .. l_data.COUNT
     LOOP
         UTL_MAIL.SEND_ATTACH_RAW (
               sender     => 'Bagic@Mailer',
               recipients => l_data(i),
               subject    => 'KFL Data for ' || 
TO_CHAR((SYSDATE-1),'DD-MON-YYYY'),
               attachment => l_file,
               message    => 'Dear User, Please find attached the upload data 
for the period mentioned in the subject line.',
               att_inline => FALSE,
               att_filename => filename);
               l_start := l_start + 1;
     END LOOP;
   END;
/


SQL> exec mail_attach('UTL_PATH','KFL29-APR-2005')
BEGIN mail_attach('UTL_PATH','KFL29-APR-2005'); END;

*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: raw variable length too long
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_ENCODE", line 243
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 118
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 324
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_MAIL", line 414
ORA-06512: at "PROD.MAIL_ATTACH", line 18
ORA-06512: at line 1

SQL> select directory_name, directory_path from dba_directories where 
directory_name like '%UTL%';

DIRECTORY_NAME                 DIRECTORY_PATH
------------------------------ ----------------------------------------
UTL_PATH                       /app/oracle/admin/DWH/utl

SQL> !ls -l /app/oracle/admin/DWH/utl
total 28
-rw-r--r--    1 oracle   oinstall    25360 Apr 30 15:26 KFL29-APR-2005

Is there a restriction on the length of the attachment? I have searched your site and metalink but 
couldnt find anything...

Followup May 1, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

I don't see all followups to every review -- and I tend not to re-read the page when I get new ones 
(so if there isn't any reference to something above, I don't really put them together...)


can you see support note                                                                            
                                   
                                                                                                    
          
  Note 269375.1

Note: 269375.1 May 3, 2005 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: whizkid from APAC

Tom, that note is not accessible to me. It says your search returned no hits. Maybe its an internal 
document. Can you copy & paste the contents here? or can you email it to me?

Thanks a lot!

Followup May 3, 2005 - 1pm Central time zone:

Looks like an issue -- can you work with this:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/sample_code/tech/pl_sql/htdocs/Utl_Smtp_Sample.html

for now, it seems to work well.

wher is problem (PLZ help me) May 5, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: bhaskar from INDIA

package com.tattva.pms.servlet;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import javax.mail.*;
import javax.mail.event.*;
import javax.mail.internet.*;
import java.net.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
import java.io.*;
import javax.activation.*;        
import com.tattva.pms.Mailing.*;

public class MailerS extends HttpServlet {

   String  to = "";
    String cc = "";
    String bcc = "";
    String from = "";
    String subject = "";
    String message1 = "";
     
public void init(ServletConfig config) throws ServletException{
    super.init(config);
    System.out.println("star333333333");

}  
  public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
      throws ServletException, IOException {
      
      String [] str = null;

                 Properties props =null;
                Session session = null;
                props = System.getProperties();
                props.put("mail.smtp.host","10.0.0.180");
                session = Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null);

    System.out.println("start44444444444");


    HttpServletResponseWrapper responseWrapper = new HttpServletResponseWrapper(response);
    PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
    response.setContentType("text/plain");

      String[] recipients    = request.getParameter("to");
    cc = request.getParameter("cc");
    bcc = request.getParameter("bcc");
    from = request.getParameter("from");
    subject = request.getParameter("subject");
    message1= request.getParameter("message"); 
    System.out.println("aaatotototo"+to);
    System.out.println("bbfromfromfrom"+from);
    System.out.println("cccsubjectsubject"+subject);
    System.out.println("message"+message1);
    System.out.println("the vale of From");

    if(!(everythingIsSet())){

            System.out.println("Could not send email.");
    }
   
       try {
        System.out.println("start try block");
        MimeMessage message2 = new MimeMessage(session);
        //    MimeMessage message = new MimeMessage(session);

    //        System.out.println("start if block");
            System.out.println("the To value"+to);


            if( (!(to.trim().equalsIgnoreCase(""))) && !(to==null) && 
(!(to.trim().equalsIgnoreCase("null")))  ){
            System.out.println("In if block");

            str =to.split(",");  
            System.out.println("for set message block");
        //InternetAddress[] address = {new InternetAddress(to)};
            // message2.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,address);




             //    Stringp[] recipients = {"one@test.com", "two@test.com"};

               InternetAddress[] addressTo = new InternetAddress[recipients.length];
                 for (int i = 0; i < recipients.length; i++) {
                              addressTo = new InternetAddress(recipients);
                                     }
                             message2.addRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO, addressTo);
                        /*   message.setRecipient(Message.RecipientType.TO,new 
InternetAddress(str[0], false));

            for (int i=1; i< str.length;i++) {
            System.out.println("the I value is"+i);
                System.out.println("before send to message block");

                    message.addRecipient(Message.RecipientType.TO,new InternetAddress(str[i], 
false));
                    System.out.println("after send to message block");

                   
            }*/
            }
                        System.out.println("In if block for cc");

            System.out.println("the Cc value"+cc);

            if( (!(cc.trim().equalsIgnoreCase(""))) && !(cc==null) && 
(!(cc.trim().equalsIgnoreCase("null")))  ){
                            System.out.println("In if block in cc condition");

                   str = cc.split(",");
                               System.out.println("for setmessage block for cc");
                            InternetAddress[] address = {new InternetAddress(cc)};
                             message2.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,address);

                   /*message.setRecipient(Message.RecipientType.CC,new InternetAddress(str[0], 
false));
            for (int i=1; i< str.length;i++) {
                    System.out.println("before send to message block  for cc");

                        message.addRecipient(Message.RecipientType.CC,new InternetAddress(str[i], 
false));
                System.out.println("after send to message block CC");

                      }*/    System.out.println("sage block");

            }
            System.out.println("theBCc value"+bcc);

            if( (!(bcc.trim().equalsIgnoreCase(""))) && !(bcc==null) && 
(!(bcc.trim().equalsIgnoreCase("null")))  ){
                   str = bcc.split(",");
                 /*  message.setRecipient(Message.RecipientType.BCC,new InternetAddress(str[0], 
false));
                         for (int i=1; i< str.length;i++) {
                              message.addRecipient(Message.RecipientType.BCC,new 
InternetAddress(str[i],false));
                              }*/
                              InternetAddress[] address = {new InternetAddress(bcc)};
                            message2.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,address);
                                         System.out.println("theBCCCCCCCCC");

                    }
             System.out.println("fromfromfromfromfrom1111111");

            message2.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
             System.out.println("fromfromfromfromfrom222222222222");
            message2.setSubject(subject);
                         System.out.println("mmmmmmmmmmmmm"+message2);

            message2.setText(message1);
             System.out.println("11111111111ghjhhnbmbbjmbbhhbhbhn");

            Transport.send(message2);
        System.out.println("Totlatotltotltolto"+message2);

        
            System.out.println("sucess");
        } 
        catch (MessagingException e) {
            System.out.println("mailer Exception"+e.getMessage());
        }
    
    }

  boolean everythingIsSet() {
        if((to == null) || (from == null) || 
           (subject == null) || (message1 == null))
            return false;

        if((to.indexOf("@") == -1) ||
            (to.indexOf(".") == -1))
            return false;

        if((from.indexOf("@") == -1) ||
            (from.indexOf(".") == -1))
            return false;

        return true;
    }
}

Followup May 5, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

looks like code?  not sure what to say...

Multiple ORA-29521 errors. May 6, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Stacey Jones from Atlanta, GA USA

When I issue the following statement:

loadjava -u system/test@tds_test -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail8i.zip

I get the following error stack...

skipping : class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPProtocol
synonym  : com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPProtocol
granting : execute on class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPResponse to public
skipping : class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPResponse
synonym  : com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPResponse
granting : execute on class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1 to public
resolving: class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1
errors   : class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/auth/callback/NameCallback could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/auth/callback/PasswordCallback could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/sasl/RealmCallback could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/sasl/RealmChoiceCallback could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/auth/callback/CallbackHandler could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/auth/callback/Callback could not be found
synonym  : com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1
granting : execute on class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator to public
errors   : class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator
    ORA-29534: referenced object SYSTEM.com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator$1 could 
not be resolved
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/sasl/SaslException could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/sasl/Sasl could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/sasl/SaslClient could not be found
    ORA-29521: referenced name javax/security/auth/callback/CallbackHandler could not be found
synonym  : com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/IMAPSaslAuthenticator
granting : execute on class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/INTERNALDATE to public
skipping : class com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/INTERNALDATE
synonym  : com/sun/mail/imap/protocol/INTERNALDATE

...I went to metalink and it suggested putting "<JDK_HOME>/lib" in the classpath but that didn't 
help.  Any help you can give is much appreciated!

Followup May 6, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone:

what version of the database.

How to email multiple attachments to multiple people with JavaMail API May 9, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Yai from Savannah, GA

Hi Tom,

I learned from your Expert one-on-one how to email to multiple people using utl_smtp.  Now I want 
to email multiple attachments to multiple people.  You suggested JavaMail API if attachments were 
involved, but how can I email multiple attachments to multiple people?

Thank you very much.

Followup May 9, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone:

code is all here, you just need to modify it to suit your needs.

NoSuchProviderException May 10, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Stacey Jones from Alpharetta, GA USA

I resolved my previous exception.  I was using a newer version of the mail class than you used.  
Downloaded the older version and got past that error but now when I run this test block:

declare
    ret_code number;
begin
 dbms_output.enable( 1000000 );
 dbms_java.set_output( 1000000 );
 commit;
   ret_code := send(
                  p_from => 'rsjones@ups-scs.com',
                  p_to => 'rsjones@ups-scs.com',
                  p_cc => NULL,
                  p_bcc => NULL,
                  p_subject => 'Use the attached Zip file',
                  p_body => 'to send email with attachments....',
                  p_smtp_host => 'winsmtp.ups.com',
                  p_attachment_data => null,
                  p_attachment_type => null,
                  p_attachment_file_name => null);
    if ret_code = 1 then
      dbms_output.put_line ('Successfully sent message...');
    else
      dbms_output.put_line ('Failed to send message...');
    end if;
end;
/

I get this error:

javax.mail.NoSuchProviderException: No provider for Address type: rfc822
  at javax.mail.Session.getTransport(Session.java:475)
  at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:154)
  at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:80)
  at mail.send(mail:71)
Failed to send message...

I checked Metalink and it mentioned that the CLASSPATH needed to be updated with the location of 
the classes, did that and got the same result.

Followup May 10, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone:

and did you do the above exactly... never had that problem myself.

NoSuchProviderException continued... May 10, 2005 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Stacey Jones from Alpharetta, GA USA

Yes.

Followup May 10, 2005 - 11pm Central time zone:

sorry, never have encountered that problem myself.  setting the classpath won't do a thing (the 
database has its OWN environment)

NoSuchProviderException continued... May 11, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Stacey Jones from Alpharetta, GA USA

I forgot to mention I'm on 8.1.7.4 on HP UX.  What versions of the mail and activation jar files 
did you download from Sun?  Any other suggestions?  Should I open a TAR?

Followup May 11, 2005 - 8am Central time zone:

really old ones. (this thread is about 4 or 5 years old)

You can try a tar but I'm doubtful it would go very far - you are loading 3rd party code into the 
database as an application -- if all of the bits and pieces are not there, not much we can do.

appointment/meeting request from DB June 1, 2005 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Shiju from Brussels

Tom, Could you please explain how can we send a MS outlook appointment/meeting request from Oracle 
backend procedure?

Thanks

Followup June 1, 2005 - 11am Central time zone:

not really, you'd have to tell me how to create an MS outlook appt/meeting first.

Re: appointment/meeting request from DB June 2, 2005 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Can we call MS DLLs (using external proc) for achieving the same? If so, it would be great to get 
an example from you?

Thanks

Followup June 2, 2005 - 4pm Central time zone:

I don't do windows.

But if you have expert one on one Oracle -- I have a rather EXTENSIVE chapter on how to do 
extprocs.

If you search this site, there are lots of examples


And they are well documented -- how to setup, use etc.

You have to write the integration code, your layer to be called from the database, I cannot do 
that.

Problem with execution June 6, 2005 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Byron Ward from St. Louis, MO

When I execute this statement:

begin
     afm.mail_pkg.send
     ( p_sender_email => 'sender@domain.com',
       p_from => 'Oracle Database Account < oracle@domain.com >',
       p_to => mail_pkg.array( 'user@domain.com','user1@domain.com' ),
       p_cc => mail_pkg.array( 'user2@domain.com' ),
       p_bcc => mail_pkg.array( 'user3@domain.com' ),
       p_subject => 'This is a test',
       p_body => 'Hello, this is the mail you need' );
 end;

I get the following error:


        afm.mail_pkg.send
        *
ERROR at line 2:
ORA-06550: line 2, column 9:
PLS-00306: wrong number or types of arguments in call to 'SEND'
ORA-06550: line 2, column 9:
PLS-00306: wrong number or types of arguments in call to 'SEND'
ORA-06550: line 2, column 9:
PLS-00306: wrong number or types of arguments in call to 'SEND'
PL/SQL: Statement ignored

It seems to be a problem with the array, but I can't get it to accept it.  If I take the arrays out 
and switch them to varchar2, I can send just fine.  But this eliminates the funcionallity of 
multiple recipients that I need.

Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Byron

Followup June 6, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone:

well, if you need to use afm.mail_pkg to call it, why not to reference the array?

are you logged in as AFM?
if not, do you have your own copy of mail_pkg in your current schema?

if you use the right type, afm.mail_pkg.array( .... ) what then?

Duh!! June 7, 2005 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Byron Ward from St. Louis, MO

Sorry about the post.... I must be an idiot.

I can't believe I missed such a minor thing.

Thanks!

Why ñ/Ñ character are not displayed? June 17, 2005 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Eduardo from Spain (Madrid 2012)

Hi, I´m using the standards DEMO_BASE64 and SEND_MAIL packages for sending email through Oracle9i. 
But in Spain we have a special character (ñ). If I send an email using this special character I 
wouldn´t view it.

Can you help me?

Best Regards

Followup June 17, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone:

if you base 64 encode the 8 bit data, it should transmit just fine.  What do your recieved email 
headers look like?  what is the character set of your database.

June 23, 2005 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Eduardo

Thanks, that works fine. I changed the write_data by write_raw_data

Client (Outlook) and Database in diferent language June 29, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ricardo Patrocínio from Portugal

Hello Tom,

When I send e-mails to users with the e-mail client in a different language than the language in 
the database this client's can not understand the Date in the e-mail and always assume it to be 
January.

This is happening with a Database in English and a Client in Portuguese.

How can I solve this issue?


Thank you in advance,
R.P.

Followup June 29, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

read about the smtp protocol and send encoded messages?  

I mean, what happens when you (using english) just email them (using portuguese) without a database 
after all..

SMS by PC to Mobile July 12, 2005 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Md. Tanweer Qasim

Hi,
I need the detail how can I send a sms of Oracle Database information (e.g: send emp table's total 
record) to mobile.

How can I Communicate PC to any Mobile in the World.

What can I take the step from begin.
Can you provide the detail idea  

Thanks
Regard
Tanweer

Followup July 12, 2005 - 4pm Central time zone:

there is Oracle 10gAS wireless edition (middle tier)

of course, with most phones, you can email a text message to them as well, I use that a lot.  
utl_smtp or in 10g utl_mail will do that well

utl_smtp.open_connection August 24, 2005 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ujif from Russia

Hi Tom.
I've written a procedure which uses the utl_smtp to send
a email to myself. When I run the procedure on this point:
mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(mailhost, 25)

the following error occurs:
ORA-29532: Java call terminated by uncaught Java exception: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 678
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_TCP", line 671
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 99
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 121
...

Followup August 24, 2005 - 10am Central time zone:

version, java stuff loaded?

Sending mail with characters of spanish language October 12, 2005 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Alvaro from Bogota, Colombia (South America)

Hi Tom:

This question answer me on how to send characters of spanish language.

Thanks,

Alvaro Alonso
Bogota, Colombia (South America)
2005-10-12

Followup October 12, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone:

read the beginning of this

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/appdev.920/a96612/u_smtp.htm#1000695

Tracking Bounce Emails October 13, 2005 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ravi Kumar from Gurgaon, India

Hi Tom..

It is very very useful thread for me, I have read about the UTL_SMTP package and applied in my 
project to send emails from our Application. And It is working fine, thanks to you :). 

Now I need to do something to track bounced emails.

Currently My Application sending the emails like this.

1.  Selection Screen (From Where we can select the persons to send an email)

2.  Inside the loop I am sending the emails to the selected persons one by one and generating a 
History Sequence No for each email and storing the details in Email_History Table.

Now What I want to do is..., I want to send this History Sequence No with each email in a Hidden 
way, So that if the mail bounce back, I can get this History Sequence No Back and can trace it in 
my History Table. can you please suggest me what is the best method to do that. (I mean How to send 
the History Sequence No with each Email so that I can get it back in all type of bounces)

Thanks & Regards
Ravi Kumar..

net send through the db October 19, 2005 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Dan from Portsmouth NH

In our development environment, whenever someone wants to take down a database they do a "net send 
*" which alerts a lot of people whether or not they care about this...
I tested to see if "net send /users" knew about database sessions and it didn't.
Is there any way to throw a message to the screen of everyone that has a database session?

Followup October 19, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

you'd have to query the database and feed that to "net send".

net send through db October 19, 2005 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Dan

OK, so I've got this:

DECLARE
   CURSOR c
   IS
      SELECT DISTINCT osuser
                 FROM v$session
                WHERE osuser != 'SYSTEM';
BEGIN
   FOR r IN c LOOP
      host (net send '||r.osuser||': database going down');
   END LOOP;
END;
/

but I've tried a couple variations of the actual "net send"
part of it, and can't find any that are legal...

Thanks.

Followup October 19, 2005 - 12pm Central time zone:

there is no "host" command in plsql persay, a sqlplus script could be:


set feedback off
set heading off
set pagesize 99999
set trimspool on
set echo off

spool tmp.sql
begin
   for x in ( select distinct osuser from v$session where osuser <> 'SYSTEM')
   loop
      dbms_output.put_line( 'host net send ....' );
   end loop;
end;
/
spool off
@tmp.sql


(not tested, but the gist is there...)

Email within 10g October 19, 2005 - 8pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Jasbir Kular from Toronto, Ontario

Hi All, 

10g comes with JavaMail and I was able to compile and run the "mail" java program provided at the 
beginning of this thread without having to loadjava the Sun javamail classes.  I wanted to do this 
because UTL_MAIL seems limited to only RAW and VARCHAR2 attachments.  I wanted to easily use BFILE 
attachments.  The "mail" java program provided by Tom and his team is excellent and I think that 
program or some variation of it should be used for the implementation of UTL_MAIL.  The current 
form of UTL_MAIL seems like a layer on top of UTL_SMTP.  

Thanks.

Required some clarification October 20, 2005 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mousumi Ghosh from New Delhi, India

When we attach a file in case of sending e-mail from pl/sql
we can use 
1.SYLK file format.
2.HTML 
Using HTML we can create the file and format it as we required.
Then why should we use SYLK file format.
I am working in Oracle 10g.
Is it for the older version of Oracle where we can't use HTML in PL/SQL code? or for all versions 
of Oracle we can use HTML.
Please clarify why should we use SYLK file format?

Followup October 20, 2005 - 8am Central time zone:

use the format you want to use???

send mail through oracle9i - Need little more help-urgent October 27, 2005 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Priya Job K from INDIA

i want to get the ip address of my server programmatically
to set mailhost . now it is fixed as local host.
Please help as early as possible

Followup October 27, 2005 - 7am Central time zone:

select host_name from v$instance;


the hostname is what you need.  You can also:


ops$tkyte@ORA10GR2> select utl_inaddr.get_host_address, utl_inaddr.get_host_name from dual;

GET_HOST_ADDRESS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GET_HOST_NAME
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
192.168.0.75
me

November 14, 2005 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Randy

Tom,
  I have a question about using the date with DBMS_JOB.  I have the following code in my HTML_EMAIL 
procedure.


------

select sessiontimezone into timezone_ora from dual;
    
    timezone_info := substr(timezone_ora,1,3) || substr(timezone_ora,5,2) || ' (GMT)'; 
    
    l_date := to_char(SYSDATE,'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss')|| timezone_info;
    
    l_connection := utl_smtp.open_connection( p_smtp_hostname, p_smtp_portnum );
    utl_smtp.helo( l_connection, p_smtp_hostname );
    utl_smtp.mail( l_connection, p_from );
    utl_smtp.rcpt( l_connection, p_to );
    

    l_temp := l_temp || 'Date: '|| l_date || chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'MIME-Version: 1.0' ||  chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'To: ' || p_to || chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'From: ' || p_from || chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'Subject: ' || p_subject || chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'Reply-To: ' || p_from ||  chr(13) || chr(10);
    l_temp := l_temp || 'Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=' ||
                         chr(34) || l_boundary ||  chr(34) || chr(13) ||
                         chr(10);
-------------------------------------------------------

When I execute the HTML_EMAIL procedure directly within SQLPlus the date in the mail client is 
correct.  However, when the procedure is called using DBMS_JOB next_date, next_sec the date always 
comes back 1 day behind at 7:00 p.m.  I can not understand why DBMS_JOB would be causing this 
change.  Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Randy

Followup November 14, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone:

you do not show the dbms_job call???!?!  that is the only important part here.

November 15, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

The dbms_job only calls the procedure.  For example,

declare jobno number;
BEGIN
   DBMS_JOB.SUBMIT(jobno, 
      ' begin
   PEOBCT_WSAR;
 end;', TRUNC(SYSDATE) + 05/24, 'NEXT_DAY(TRUNC(SYSDATE), ''MONDAY'') + 05/24');
END;

The PEOBCT_WSAR sends out the email messages..

 as
 begin
 html_email(
         p_to                => 'user',
         p_from              => 'from database',
         p_subject           => 'subject',
         p_text              => 'WSAR can be viewed in HTML',
        p_html              => 'email message from database....',
        p_smtp_hostname     => 'smtp.server',
         p_smtp_portnum      => '25');
 end;

When I run the dbms_job manually the date/time is correct in the client.  When Oracle runs the 
DBMS_JOB the date/time is incorrect and always one day behind @ 7:00 pm.  That is the part that 
makes no sense to me...

Followup November 15, 2005 - 11am Central time zone:

show me what you mean by "incorrect" - are you saying the next_date is getting set wrong.

It seems that next date would ALWAYS be a monday at 5am.  show me what you see.

November 15, 2005 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

The dbms_job next_date is correct.  The date that displays in the email client is not correct.  The 
date in the client is correct if I run the procedure and/or dbms_job manually.  It is not correct - 
off by approx 1 day and always 7:00 p.m. - in the email client.  

Thanks,
Randy

Followup November 15, 2005 - 2pm Central time zone:

I'll bet your timezone on the server is "wrong".

check that out - the server timezone sounds wrong.

December 13, 2005 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Bidyut Shah from Pune India

Hi Tom,

The information is very very useful. But what I see is that the mails can be send to same domain, 
like if I can send mail from abc@xyz.com to pqr@xyz.com, but if I want to send mail from 
abc@xyz.com to abc@pqr.com

Please advice.

Thx ... Bids

Followup December 13, 2005 - 9am Central time zone:

ask your network/system administrators - they are the ones that configure the SMTP servers.  They 
have undoubtedly disallowed relaying in order to not be used by spammers.

ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available December 17, 2005 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ram from India

Hi,
My client wants to address a section of Customers, and wants to send promotional mails. I have 
written a procedure for sending mails. I am picking the recepient email ids from the database. My 
procedure runs fine, if addressed to a small number of customers (say upto 1000), when increased, I 
get this error
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 374
ORA-06512: at line 301
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 374
ORA-06512: at line 272
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Error: timeout exceeded
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
I am not able to figure out where the issue could be. 
Can u pls help me ?

Regards,
Ram

Followup December 17, 2005 - 11am Central time zone:


talk to your SA or network guys, you do not have a SMTP server setup at the place you are trying to 
get to.  You need to ask them "so, what is the correct host name and port number for me to use to 
send email over SMTP from this server?"

SMTP issue December 19, 2005 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Ram from India

Actually, I am able to open, handshake and close connections (without any text messages, only the 
connections), through the same procedure. The connection is getting established 'n' number of times 
I am scheduling it for. But, when the message to be sent is being put, it sometimes sends 800 mails 
or sometimes 1 mail, after which the connection hangs. I am establishing the connection in the loop 
for every record. I also logged only the records that are being fetched, without the connection, 
and it is also working fine, which means there is no issue with the procedure.
Is there any issue in sending from a db which is shared server?

Regards,
Ram

Followup December 19, 2005 - 7am Central time zone:

you are hitting your smtp server too hard and fast then, it cannot keep up.  sleep for a bit 
between emails, give it a chance.

problem *not* in database.

email February 13, 2006 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: mo

Tom:

1. Is there a way to confirm if the email was sent from the smtp server to the destination and 
track that?

2. Does this package success means that the email was sent to the smtp server only but you do not 
know what happens afterwards (reached destination)?

thanks,

Followup February 13, 2006 - 5pm Central time zone:

1) hah, no.  

2) correct.  It does not mean the recipient will ever actually get it, as with all email

February 23, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Warren Tolentino from USA

Tom,

What is the number of characters allowed to pass a value to the parameter p_send_email for the 
"utl_smtp.mail(g_mail_conn, p_sender_email)".

Thanks,
Warren

Error to get POP3 mail February 24, 2006 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Kato from AR

Hi Tom:

I want to read POP3 mails with a PLSQL function, then i loaded the java mail apis into Oracle 
Database 9i R2. and gave this grants:

begin
      dbms_java.grant_permission(
         grantee => 'USER',
         permission_type => 'java.util.PropertyPermission',
         permission_name => '*',
         permission_action => 'read,write,execute'
      );      
      dbms_java.grant_permission(
         grantee => 'USER',
        permission_type => 'java.net.SocketPermission',
        permission_name => '*',
        permission_action => 'connect,resolve'
     );
     
      DBMS_JAVA.GRANT_PERMISSION('USER', 'SYS:java.lang.RuntimePermission', 'writeFileDescriptor', 
'');
      DBMS_JAVA.GRANT_PERMISSION('USER', 'SYS:java.lang.RuntimePermission', 'readFileDescriptor', 
'');
   end;
   /

GRANT JAVAUSERPRIV TO USER;

After i created this class:

CREATE OR REPLACE AND RESOLVE JAVA SOURCE NAMED "GETMail"
AS import java.io.*;
   import java.sql.*;
   import java.util.Properties;
   import java.util.Date;
   import javax.activation.*;
   import javax.mail.*;
   import javax.mail.internet.*;
   import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
   import oracle.sql.*;
public class GETMail {
  public static oracle.sql.NUMBER getMail(String host, String username, String password) throws 
Exception
   {
    int rc = 1;
    String cFrom;
    String cTo;
    String cSubject;
    String cData;    
    // Create empty properties
    Properties props = new Properties();
    // Get session
    Session session = Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null);
    // Get the store
    Store store = session.getStore("pop3");
    // Connect to store
    store.connect(host, username, password);
    // Get folder
    Folder folder = store.getFolder("INBOX");
    // Open read-only
    folder.open(Folder.READ_ONLY);
    try
    {
    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader (
      new InputStreamReader(System.in));
    // Get directory
    Message message[] = folder.getMessages();
    for (int i=0, n=message.length; i<n; i++) {
       cFrom    = message[i].getFrom()[0].toString();  
       cSubject = message[i].getSubject().toString(); 
       cData    = message[i].getContent().toString(); 
       // Display header
       System.out.println(i + ": " + message[i].getFrom()[0]+ "\t" + message[i].getSubject());
       // Display message content
       System.out.println(message[i].getContent());
       // Store from field and subject
       #sql { INSERT INTO MAIL_USER ( MLU_FROM , MLU_TO , MLU_SUBJECT , MLU_DATA , MLU_FECHA_REC)
                     VALUES(:cFrom,'2',:cSubject,:cData, SYSDATE) };
       System.out.println("INSERT Ok");
    }
   } catch (Exception e)
    {
     e.printStackTrace();
     rc = 0;
   } finally
     {
       // Close connection 
       folder.close(false);
       store.close();
       return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
     }
  }
}
/

And this function:

CREATE OR REPLACE 
function getmail(
        host                  in varchar2,
        username              in varchar2,
        password              in varchar2) return number
   as
   language java name 'GETMail.getMail( java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String,
                                  java.lang.String                                  
                                ) return oracle.sql.NUMBER';
/

And tryed to real mail with:

declare
cCad number(10);
begin 
 cCad := getMail('intranet.mail.server','user','password');
 dbms_output.put_line('ret='||cCad);
end;

The result is:

1) If mail account for user don't have mail, NO ERROR: getMail return 0
2) If mail account for user have mail,  this is the ERROR:

java.lang.SecurityException: cannot read <Resource Handle: META-INF/mailcap.default|SYS|431> 
because USER does not have execute privilege on it
  at oracle.aurora.rdbms.SecurityManagerImpl.checkRead(SecurityManagerImpl.java)
  at oracle.aurora.rdbms.Handle.inputStream(Handle.java)
  at oracle.aurora.rdbms.url.jserver.JserverURLConnection.getInputStream(JserverURLConnection.java)
  at java.net.URL.openStream(URL.java)
  at java.lang.ClassLoader.getResourceAsStream(ClassLoader.java)
  at java.lang.Class.getResourceAsStream(Class.java)
  at javax.activation.MailcapCommandMap.loadResource(MailcapCommandMap.java:173)
  at javax.activation.MailcapCommandMap.<init>(MailcapCommandMap.java:162)
  at javax.activation.CommandMap.getDefaultCommandMap(CommandMap.java:55)
  at javax.activation.DataHandler.getCommandMap(DataHandler.java:146)
  at javax.activation.DataHandler.getDataContentHandler(DataHandler.java:578)
  at javax.activation.DataHandler.getContent(DataHandler.java:511)
  at javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage.getContent(MimeMessage.java:1339)
  at RecuperaMail.getMail(RecuperaMail.java:39)
salida=0

The error is in this sentence:
   cData    = message[i].getContent().toString();

I tried:

GRANT EXECUTE ON "META-INF/mailcap.default" TO USER; 

But nothing, it generated this error:

ORA-04042:procedure, function, package, or package body does not exist

I don't understand How Do i assign this grant?

Thanks for your help.


Kato.

Followup February 24, 2006 - 11am Central time zone:

 
sys@ORA10GR2> grant execute on java resource "META-INF/mailcap.default" to ops$tkyte;
 
Grant succeeded.

Attach File Direct to mail March 10, 2006 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Debasish Ghosh from india

Excellent. I use your code and it's running quite well. thanks for that, but I want to attah file 
directly with mail( as we do in normal mail) not through BLOB.

Thanks for advance
Debasish

Followup March 10, 2006 - 12pm Central time zone:

ummm, well, don't know what to say here.


You are not running "outlook" or whatever you run on your pc in the database right...

and given that outlook or whatever just lets you pick a file from the operating system....

and that a file is just another word for "blob" in effect.


tell me - what is meant by "attacht directly with mail"????  that doesn't compute.

and remember, we are writing software here, to run in the database, not pushing buttons on a gui.

Failing to load into Linux April 25, 2006 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Debasish from india

Win windows it is running fine. 

but I am trying to unjar the mail.jar and activtion.jar file into linux through loadvjava. 

$ loadjave not found.

pl. help me and tell the procedure what i have to follow in Linux for sending mail through java 
procedure.

Followup April 25, 2006 - 5am Central time zone:

it should be there, look again.  I am assuming of course the dba installed that component (the java 
stuff)

What is JAVA STUFF April 26, 2006 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Debasish from india

actully we have no DBA, pl. instruct me how to load lava Suuff on Linux

Followup April 26, 2006 - 8am Central time zone:

talk to the guy that installed the software, they must have read the installation guide right - 
they know how to use dbca and add/remove software components.

Or utilize support for installation and configuration issues.


(hey - who is backing up your databases?  Please ask them to "try a restore, just to prove you can 
do it" - today, really fast)

HTML emails June 5, 2006 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

Thanks Tom for this great idea. I have used successfuly with attatchements.

However, I could not send HTML formatted emails using JavaMail API.

How could I send attachments along with HTML emails using the JavaMail API???

Thanks in advance
Emad

Followup June 5, 2006 - 7am Central time zone:

search this site for html email

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/search?p_string=html+email

the html is "an attachment"

Sending too many emails take so long time June 6, 2006 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

Thanks Tom for your quick reply. I have already used the package developed at

http://www.oracle.com/technology/sample_code/tech/pl_sql/htdocs/Utl_Smtp_Sample.html

to send emails from Oracle. I am sending HTML formatted emails, either with attachements or not.

However, when I try to send emails to many recipients, say 10,000 emails, it takes so much time.

I have followed your idea and I have submit it as job, but I have noticed that this job took 11200 
sec to send 10000 emails.

I have disabled the line that sends the email and I have ran the job again, it took only few 
seconds (2-3 seconds only).

My friend has told me this could be because of the handshaking the UTL_SMTP package is doing with 
the email server. The UTL_SMTP package has to establish a connection each time it needs to send an 
email!. 

I have optimized the code, so instead of sending indvidual emails, I have concatenated 50 emails, 
which is the maximum limit I can use, to send them as once as BCC. The speed improved, but just so 
little.

The time reduced from 11200 seconds to be 7349 seconds.

I have read in this thread that you are using this at Oracle to send thousands of emails daily.

Would you please point me where I could have done something wrong?? Where I can improve the speed 
of sending emails?

Thanks
Emad

Followup June 6, 2006 - 8am Central time zone:

smtp *ain't fast* that way.

you sent 10,000 (thousands) of emails in about 3 hours.  You just showed how that can happen?

You have done it correctly with the bcc - if you are sending the same exact email, you should bcc 
as many people as you can (send one email, not one email per person)

So, why just "50"?

Thanks June 6, 2006 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

Thanks Tom for this quick helpful reply.

Regarding the 50 emails, it is because the university IT policy, where I work, has determined the 
maximum limit for any email sent to contain only 50 email addresses!!!. Unfortunately, this has 
been applied to the mailing system we have implemented.

Before, we were BCCing as many as we can and send the email as once.
Anyhow, you had, and still, make it clear for me where is the problem. I already expected it to be 
as I mentioned before.

Thanks again and again for your continuous help and efforts.

Emad

Followup June 7, 2006 - 6am Central time zone:

tell the university IT community that because of their rule, they need to buy you 10 more smtp 
servers.

Formatting in UNIX mails June 7, 2006 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Pretaish from UK

Hi Tom, 

Currently I am sending emails to my clients through sendmail utility of UNIX. These mails contain 
details of various stock market deals. Now, they want the email text to be formatted. E.G. the 
headers should be in Bolds..

Please let me know how it can be accomplished.

Regards

Followup June 7, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone:

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/asktom/f?p=100:11:::::P11_QUESTION_ID:1739411218448

But I am not using Utl_Smtp June 8, 2006 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: pretaish from UK

Hi Tom,

Thanks ! 

The link given by you describes the means to format mails sent through Utl_Smtp. But I need to send 
mails directly from UNIX using SENDMAIL, without any involvement of Database. 
Could you please suggest any such link to me. 

Thanks in Advance

Followup June 8, 2006 - 9am Central time zone:

...
without any involvement of Database. 
......


That does not compute.  You just lost me.  :)

Umm, I sort of do "this database thing"

If you want to do something "outside of the database", well, this would not be the right place to 
ask.

Java problems July 3, 2006 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mike Friedman from Shenzhen

We're trying to implement this in a 10gR1 DB.

When we run the line

        Transport.send(msg);

We throw an error - Exception: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError.

Note:  We originally had other problems but we dropped the mail.zip and reinstalled with 1.3.1 and 
that went away.

Anyway, when we check dba_java_classes we see that javax/mail/Transport has Kind "INTERFACE".  That 
can't be right - shouldn't it be a class?

Where can we go from here?

Do we also need to downgrade JAF?

Followup July 7, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone:

the utl_mail package in 10g supports attachments, have you considered just using that rather than 
loading external java packages?

About mail with attachment July 20, 2006 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Gladys from USA

Hi Tom, the topic is very usuful for me, thank you.
I have 9i and I have other questions, I am using the demo mail Packages thet I get this page, this 
is great, but if I want sent .pdf attachment in a local pc, how can I read the attachment to encode 
it and sent.
Thank you

Followup July 22, 2006 - 5pm Central time zone:

you sort of have to get it into the database where PLSQL (which is sending the mail) runs.

About mail with attachment July 24, 2006 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Gladys from USA

Yes Tom, I understood, but my question is if I use this code to read and encode a file in http 
place, how can I the same operation  (read and encode), with which procedure for read an encode a 
file in a directory in a local pc ?
The code is :

  req := utl_http.begin_request('

http://192.168.1.5/webShared/Attachm/'||PAttachment

;  
  resp := utl_http.get_response(req);

  BEGIN
    LOOP
      utl_http.read_raw(resp, data, demo_mail.MAX_BASE64_LINE_WIDTH);
      demo_mail.write_raw(
        conn    => conn,
        message => utl_encode.base64_encode(data));
    END LOOP;
  EXCEPTION
    WHEN utl_http.end_of_body THEN
      utl_http.end_response(resp);
  END;  

Here I use utl_http procedure. In a local computer, no http place what procedure Can I use ?
Thank you so much.

Followup July 24, 2006 - 11am Central time zone:

I'll say it again: you have to get the file to the database server, unless and until you do - you 
will NOT be attaching it to anything coming from the database server!

It would be very virus like if we could reach back to your machine and just pick up any file we 
wanted wouldn't it.

About mail with attachment July 24, 2006 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Gladys from USA

Sorry Tom, I don't explain you well. I have the file in a directory in my Database server, but my 
http server is other, and with this procedure I can not get nothing from my database server.
Thank you

Followup July 24, 2006 - 2pm Central time zone:

now, I am really not following you.

"i cannot get nothing from my database server"?  


I don't know what you mean.  what does the http server have to do with anything??

if you are sending email via PLSQL - it starts with the database server, ends with the database 
server and never has anything to do with anything else other than the database server.

local pc - don't mention it, doesn't count, cannot access it.
http server (another server, any other server) - don't mention it, doesn't count, cannot access it.


it is all about stuff on the database server - that is all you have access to - period.

About mail with attachment July 31, 2006 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: xgla from USA

Hi, Tom, finally I understood you.
In this moment, I has un bfile in the data base with a pointer to my file, but I am trying to read 
it with this code, but It doesn't working

declare
  MyFile BFILE ;
  v_Amount BINARY_INTEGER := 57 ;
  v_Position INTEGER := 1 ;
  BuffFile RAW(1024) ;
begin
      Select Attachm into MyFile
       from twf.Attachm_Temp
       where secu = PSecu ;
      IF (DBMS_LOB.FILEEXISTS(MyFile) != 0) then
         flag := 12 ;      
      end if ; 
      If DBMS_LOB.FILEISOPEN(MyFile)<> 1 then
        DBMS_LOB.OPEN(MyFile, DBMS_LOB.LOB_READONLY);
      end if ;

      LOOP
        BuffFile := DBMS_LOB.SUBSTR(MyFile, 255,v_Position);
    
        demo_mail.write_raw(
          conn    => conn,
          message => utl_encode.base64_encode(BuffFile));
        flag := flag + 1 ;
        v_Position := v_Position + v_Amount ; 
      END LOOP;
      DBMS_LOB.CLOSE (MyFile); 
     EXCEPTION 
       WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN 
        flag := 11 ;  
     end ;
end ;

The DBMS_LOB doesn't working, I don't know why, the procedure lost here, and not return the 
variable flag.
What other procedure could I use instead DBMS_LOB to read my BFILE ?
Thank you so much.
Bye xgla

Followup July 31, 2006 - 10am Central time zone:

"my car isn't working"

"why"?

Nope, I won't tell you the error message on the console.
I won't describe the sounds it makes.
I won't tell you the operating environment (for example, no, I won't tell you if I fill the gas 
regularly, have the oil changed and so on).

so, why isn't my car working?  It is a Toyota Prius (that is my code).

About mail July 31, 2006 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Gladys from USA

Tom, I have other question about mail. I have 9i data base, but I am working in 10g forms builder.
I am trying to send email directly for report, and I am getting the error REP-50159. I am looking
for in the report documentation, and I get this :
REP-50159: Executed successfully but there were some errors when distributing the output

This error can occur for a number of reasons when sending report output to an e-mail destination.

Cause 1: Mail server is not configured properly.

Action 1: Configure the mail server in the server configuration file
(ORACLE_HOME\reports\conf\server_name.conf) and the Reports Builder configuration file
(ORACLE_HOME\reports\conf\rwbuilder.conf). The pluginParam element should specify the outgoing SMTP
server name. For example:

<pluginParam name="mailServer">smtpserver.mycompany.com</pluginParam>

For more details, refer to the chapter "Configuring OracleAS Reports Services" in Oracle
Application Server Reports Services Publishing Reports to the Web.

Cause 2: The mail server is not responding or is not up and running.

Action 2: Check if the mail server is up and running and is responding in a timely manner. You can
use your Microsoft Outlook client to connect to the mail server and check the status.

Cause 3: A valid recipient e-mail address is not specified for the desname keyword.

Action 3: Specify a valid recipient e-mail address for the desname keyword.

Cause 4: The mail server is SSL-enabled. SSL = Secure Sockets Layer

Action 4: Use a non-SSL mail server. Oracle Reports does not support SSL-enabled mail servers to
send e-mail.

I checked all of causes, and everythig is ok in my server. I am sending to my own email address,
the smtp server is well configurated, my mail server is workig ok, and it doesn't is a SSL mail
server.
Could you give me any suggestion ?
Thank you so much
Bye Gladys

Followup July 31, 2006 - 10am Central time zone:

sorry, never have used reports myself.  suggest you use the otn.oracle.com discussion forums, there 
is one for forms/reports.

want to semd e-mail August 2, 2006 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

want to semd e-mail  when cpu utilization is more than 80% on windows and unix both.
what  is the parameter to capture cpu_utlization

Followup August 2, 2006 - 12pm Central time zone:

that is sort of an OPERATING SYSTEM fact, not a database fact.

Look to your OS.  Enterprise Manager can actually do this for you - are you running any sort of 
systems management tool?

(and be prepared to get slammed with email, 80% is pretty "low" not to be hitting it normally from 
time to time)

how can we do it from oem August 2, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

how can I do it from oem.
couldn't find anything

Followup August 3, 2006 - 9am Central time zone:

10g EM - reports on everything from the OS on up.  It is just there (right on the front page in 
fact) of the application itself.

cpu utilization August 3, 2006 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

is there any parameter in oracle to capture cpu utilization.

Followup August 3, 2006 - 4pm Central time zone:

of the database?  v$sysstat has that and tons more.

v$osstat August 3, 2006 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

What I found from net that there is v$osstat but there busy_ticks , idle ticks doesn't give 
substabtila information to be used.

Awesome August 14, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: bc from Macomb Twp, MI

Tom,

Your explanations and examples are awesome. I have been using the javamail based send function for 
a while now and works it great everytime.

I was wondering as to what needs to be changed ( In the JavaMail based send function ) if I need to 
send the body in html format ? 

Thanks
BC

Followup August 14, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone:

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/asktom/f?p=100:11:::::P11_QUESTION_ID:1739411218448

Thanks August 15, 2006 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: BC from Macomb Twp. MI

Tom,

Thanks for the quick reply.

BC

user authentication August 18, 2006 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Thomas from Essen, Germany

Hi Tom,

is there a way to implement user authentication in the java stored procedure? Similar to:
utl_smtp.command(c, 'AUTH LOGIN');

Kind regards
Thomas

Followup August 18, 2006 - 8am Central time zone:

authentication to WHAT exactly (please don't say "the database" since if you are running a java 
stored procedure you are already authenticated of course)

user authenication August 21, 2006 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Thomas from Essen, Germany

Sorry, for my unexact question!

We have to authenticate at the mail-server. In our project this is a MS Exchange Server 2003 and we 
have to authenticate by username and password. In utl_smtp we use the commands:

   utl_smtp.command(c, 'AUTH LOGIN');
   utl_smtp.command(c, demo_base64.encode(utl_raw.cast_to_raw(i_username)));
   utl_smtp.command(c, demo_base64.encode(utl_raw.cast_to_raw(i_pwd)));

Is there a similar way in your java stored procedure?

Thank you for your help!
Thomas

Followup August 27, 2006 - 9am Central time zone:

I don't know, I've never used MS exchange.  This really isn't an Oracle question as all you need is 
"java" plus "MS exchange" to get it working - once you figure that out, we can load that java into 
the database.

For file in local PC can't i use UTL_SMTP? September 22, 2006 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mpals from Portugal

"local pc - don't mention it, doesn't count, cannot access it."
This is still true for ORACLE 10g?
Can i use UTL_SMTP for sending emails with local pc files attach?

Followup September 22, 2006 - 3pm Central time zone:

utl_smpt runs, has run, will run, will always run...

   on the server.  server must be able to see files one way or the other


client can copy file to server (blob)

Useful information September 25, 2006 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Karthik from India

This is a good information.

Calling Java Procedure in PL/SQL September 28, 2006 - 8am Central time zone

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Reviewer: v k ravi from India

Hi tom
i'm calling a java program in a pl/sql function
but it's showing this error
ORA-29549: class IMIS.JDelete has changed, Java session state cleared

Here is my code 
=======================================
import java.io.*;
public class JDelete
{
public static int delete(String filename)
{
File f = new File("\\\192.168...\\d:\\"+filename);
boolean b = f.delete();
if (b)
return 1;
else
return 0;
}
}
=======================

loadjava -user imis/imis@imis -resolve JDelete.class
===============================
create or replace function fdelete
(fine in varchar2) return number
as
language java
name 'JDelete.delete(java.lang.String) return int';
======================================
select fdelete('Ravi.class') from dual;
=> it return 0
while file exists there

======================================
my System environment is 
OS XP SP2
DB 9.2i
java jdk1.4

thx 
v k ravi

Followup September 29, 2006 - 5am Central time zone:

that happens when the java is recompiled after you called it once, just call it again.  

basically the code was wiped out

October 3, 2006 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

I had execute again, but it doesn't do any thing
thx & regards
v k ravi

Followup October 3, 2006 - 6am Central time zone:

and if you reconnected?

October 4, 2006 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: V K Ravi from India(Noida)

hi Tom

Now it's working.
But i'm now facing new problem.
My requirement is that i have to call IExplorer.
My database is loaded on Linux 9.
for which i have written following code & give following permissions :-

grant javasyspriv to vinay;
dbms_java.grant_permission('VINAY','java.io.FilePermission','/usr/bin/mozilla','execute');

import java.lang.*;
class ExecDemo
{
    public static void caal(String s)
    {
            Runtime r = Runtime.getRuntime();
        Process p = null;
        Thread  t = Thread.currentThread();
        try
        {
            p = r.exec(s);
               }
        catch(Exception e)
            {System.out.println(e);}

    }
}
CREATE OR REPLACE
procedure fexc(p_name IN VARCHAR2)
AS
LANGUAGE JAVA
NAME 'ExecDemo.caal(java.lang.String)';


when i'm executing this code on linux(where my DB is loaded)
it's working fine.
Begin
Fexc(/usr/bin/mozilla);
End;

but when i execute this procedure from other system(say a client system with windows env.) it's not 
run mozilla.
what's the problem?
is any other permission required to call remote executable
file, but in my previous code (for deleting file) it's deleting file of remote machine.

Followup October 4, 2006 - 7am Central time zone:

umm, the code runs on the server, not on the client, even if you got iexplore to start, you would 
never be able to see it, it doesn't run as you on your terminal

What precisely are you trying to accomplish here?????

October 4, 2006 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: V K Ravi from India(Noida)

On our's ERP on some places i have to send sms to clients
which depends upon conditions, so i have to make that program in backend(it's working fine from 
Forms6i but after running that URL i havn't any control to close IE and it must require internet 
connection on client for that reason i have choose java).
For sending SMS i have to start IE on server with an URL.
after some time(say 1 or 2 sec.) IE will be closed. so my work will be done, but i hang here.I'll 
be very  pleased if u help me out.
thx & regards
ravi

Followup October 4, 2006 - 5pm Central time zone:

better find "a better more reliable" way to do this.

I serioulsy DOUBT you need IE

I think you might need something that can "do a url"
That could be utl_http

but IE will have absolutely nothing at all to do with it.

October 6, 2006 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: ravi from India

Ok tom i know that this is not a proper solution,
and rightnow i'm trying to use java.net package.
Hope here i'l get solution.
But i still wondering whyn't my procedure was working if
i was executing procedure from client side.
is any priviliges missing? what's the reason?
thx
ravi

Followup October 6, 2006 - 8am Central time zone:

umm, because IE is a "gui" that needs "a screen", and you don't "have one" in the database.


This ain't unix.

Read mails and write to a table November 14, 2006 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Nikhil

Hello Tom,
I want to read an E-Mail, extract attachments (Text or Excel) and write it to a table.

Can you give me some suggestion or steps as to how to go about? I'm using Oracle 10g.

Thanks

Followup November 14, 2006 - 8am Central time zone:

well, when you have figured out how to read an email, extract the attachments - and have the 
attachments, we can help you out with getting them into a BLOB:

http://download-uk.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/appdev.102/b14249/toc.htm

November 15, 2006 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emu from Australia

Adding attachments can be quite easy - when they are plain text anyway.  I've been sending 
mulitiple attchments this way for ages safely without the need for hundreds of lines of code! So if 
your sending basic attachments probably no need to use the java library, just do it yourself using 
utl_tcp.  

Really its simple enough and I'm sure you can google up an example.  I did.

Sending Email form Developer 6i and Oracle 9i November 20, 2006 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Razaul Karim from Bangladesh

Mr. Tom,

I have followed UTL_SMTP accordingly for sending email from Developer 6i Forms. It is working well 
when I sending single line in message. But, I want to send multi-line message. When send the 
multi-line message then it is not working and giving the following error:

ORA-29278

Please give me a solution, I will be very grateful to you.

Followup November 20, 2006 - 1pm Central time zone:

$ oerr ora 29278
29278, 00000, "SMTP transient error: %s"
// *Cause:  A SMTP transient error occurred.
// *Action: Correct the error and retry the SMTP operation.


i guess retry, i mean, what else can one say - it is hard to debug your code without seeing your 
code.

and if your code is not TINY, we don't want to see it.

Great Help November 23, 2006 - 4am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Mandeep from India

Dear Tom,
The example and steps given are the best help anyone interested in sending e-mail with attachments 
from Oracle can get. Thanks to you. 

I am facing a little problem.. may be you can guide me on that..

I implemented the steps suggested in the example for sending e-mail with attachements from orcale 
9i (Windows) and everything was working perfect. 

Now, I implemented the same steps on Oracle 9i (Unix) in a different environment and different 
exchange server but the same application installation, the email is received without any body & 
attachments. 

I compared the "Internet Headers" of the e-mails from two installations and there seems to be 
something missing in the later one.. have a look...

-----------------------------------------------------------
----Oracle 9i (Windows) E-Mail Internet Headers-----
 
Microsoft Mail Internet Headers Version 2.0
Received: from <server name> ([10.112.98.57]) by <exchange server> with Microsoft 
SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830);
             Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:09:01 +0530
Message-ID: 640014161.21158766743408.JavaMail.javamailuser@localhost
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:09:03 +0530 (IST)
From: <from id>
To: <to id>
Subject: Product costs
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; 
            boundary="----=_Part_2_-694063661.1158766743408"
Return-Path: <from id>
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 20 Sep 2006 15:39:01.0141 (UTC) FILETIME=[E5139C50:01C6DCCA]


------=_Part_2_-694063661.1158766743408
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
 

------=_Part_2_-694063661.1158766743408
Content-Type: Text/csv; name=10862009.csv; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=10862009.csv
 

------=_Part_2_-694063661.1158766743408
-----------------------------------------------------------
----Oracle 9i (Unix) E-mail Internet headers-----

Microsoft Mail Internet Headers Version 2.0
Received: from <server name> ([10.10.11.107]) by <exchange server name> with Microsoft 
SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.1830);
  Thu, 23 Nov 2006 10:12:21 +0800
Message-ID: <-1445021043.11164247919094.JavaMail.javamailuser@localhost>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 10:11:59 +0800 (GMT+08:00)
From: <from id>
To: <to id>
Subject: Product costs and Prices
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; 
 boundary="----=_Part_1_2028079228.1164247919089"
Return-Path: <from id>
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 23 Nov 2006 02:12:21.0138 (UTC) FILETIME=[CEDD3F20:01C70EA4]

 
---------------------------------------------------------

Any help on the same will be highly appreciated.

Thanks and regards,
Mandeep

Mailing from Oracle 10g IDS December 1, 2006 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Arindam Mukherjee from Kolkata, India

Sir,

The current setup is Oracle application server (10G) on Linux OS and Microsoft Exchange Is on 
Windows 2003 server. Application server configuration file is configured to point to the exchange 
server as an SMTP server. For any report (Oracle Reports - 10g IDS) when DESTYPE is MAIL and 
DESNAME as email address, works very well when email address is one of the addresses defined in 
local domain, but gives error when email address is not from the local domain. For example hcl.in 
is the local intranet domain. There is user with name Arindam Mukherjee in this domain. When I send 
mail to arindamm@hcl.in, it is sent successfully, but when I try to send to arindamkol@yahoo.co.in, 
I get an error.

Could you kindly help me have the solution?

Followup December 1, 2006 - 6am Central time zone:

please use 

a) support
b) the forums on otn.oracle.com

for this one, I haven't used those tools in a decade myself.

December 4, 2006 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Arindam Mukherjee from Kolkata, India

Sir,

 Could you kindly help me solve the following proble? I have already serched in Google but could 
not get any positive help. you are my last resort. Please help me on this following code.

Version details are as follows :

1> Application server : Oracle 10G Version 10.1.2.0.2

2> OS: Linux Red Hat Enterprise edition release 4.

BEGIN
  :ErrorStatus := SendMailJPkg.SendMail(
  SMTPServerName => '10.118.6.205',
  Sender    => 'deepakmc@hcl.in',
  Recipient => 'deepakmc@hcl.in',
  CcRecipient => '',
  BccRecipient => '',
  Subject   => 'This is the subject line: Test JavaMail',
  Body => 'This is the body: Hello, this is a test' ||
  SendMailJPkg.EOL || 'that spans 2 lines',
  ErrorMessage => :ErrorMessage,
  Attachments  => SendMailJPkg.ATTACHMENTS_LIST(
  'C:\temp\hira.log',
  'C:\temp\IMP_SAI.BAT'
  )
);
END;
/

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

SQL> print

ERRORMESSAGE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ERRORSTATUS

-----------

          0


Now if I change "Recipient => 'cmdeepak@gmail.com'," i.e., outside of local Network, I am getting 
the following problem.

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

 

SQL> print

ERRORMESSAGE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
javax.mail.SendFailedException: Sending failed;

  nested exception is:

        javax.mail.SendFailedException: Invalid Addresses;

  nested exception is:

        javax.mail.SendFailedException: 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for cmdeepak@gmail.com


javax.mail.SendFailedException: Invalid Addresses;

  nested exception is:

        javax.mail.SendFailedException: 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for cmdeepak@gmail.com

ERRORSTATUS

-----------

          1


Please kindly help me have the solution. I am really in great problem in this issue. Looking 
forward to your caring support.

Followup December 4, 2006 - 7am Central time zone:

talk to your network administrators, the smtp server you are connecting to is NOT allowed to send 
mail outside of your machine - this is done to prevent spammers from hijacking you.  

You need to find out what your companies real smtp server is

can we detect for mail box full December 5, 2006 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: rahul from india

Hi Tom,

I was just wondering if using the error codes returned by utl_smtp can we find if the recepients 
mailbox is full.
Does the error code 552 means the same?

Thanks,
Rahul.

Followup December 5, 2006 - 9pm Central time zone:

look up the specification for smtp??  we are just telling you what was returned, we don't make up 
the numbers - they are told to us.

BCC name December 5, 2006 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Parag J Patankar from INDIA

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your excellent PL/SQL script for sending email. I have tried to send email with BCC 
option, it works fine. But I have noticed that person in mailing list of BCC receives mail, but he 
can not see his address in BCC. 

Can you show me how to do this changes ? This query I am asking you because of academic intrest.

thanks & regards
PJP

Followup December 6, 2006 - 9am Central time zone:

that is the point of bcc, to NOT see the address.

BCC option December 6, 2006 - 11pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Parag J Patankar from India

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your answer regarding BCC. But If send mail thru Lotus Notes, to myself with BCC option, 
I can see only my address at BCC. Can you show me how to do this change in your Oracle Code ?

thanks & regards
PJP

Followup December 7, 2006 - 9am Central time zone:

nope, because BCC should not be seen - this has NOTHING to do with the Oracle code - this is "smtp" 
and the email client.

Is it an error or warning? February 8, 2007 - 9am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sumanth from India

Hi Tom,

First of all thanks to you for this excellent resource

I have followed you steps in creating java source


SQL>set define off


  1  create or replace and compile java source named mymail
  2  as
  3      import java.io.*;
  4      import java.sql.*;
  5      import java.util.Properties;
  6      import java.util.Date;
  7      import javax.activation.*;
  8      import javax.mail.*;
  9      import javax.mail.internet.*;
 10      import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
 11      import oracle.sql.*;
 12  public class mymail
 13     {
 14      static String dftMime = "application/octet-stream";
 15      static String dftName = "filename.dat";
 16      public static oracle.sql.NUMBER
 17                           send(String from,
 18                                String to,
 19                                String cc,
 20                                String bcc,
 21                                String subject,
 22                                String body,
 23                                String SMTPHost,
 24                                oracle.sql.BLOB attachmentData,
 25                                String attachmentType,
 26                                String attachmentFileName)
 27  {
 28        int rc = 0;
 29        try
 30        {
 31          Properties props = System.getProperties();
 32          props.put("mail.smtp.host", SMTPHost);
 33          Message msg=new MimeMessage(Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null));
 34          msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
 35          if (to != null && to.length() > 0)
 36            msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,InternetAddress.parse(to, false));
 37         if (cc != null && cc.length() > 0)
 38            msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,InternetAddress.parse(cc, false));
 39         if (bcc != null && bcc.length() > 0)
 40            msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,InternetAddress.parse(bcc, false));
 41         if ( subject != null && subject.length() > 0 )
 42              msg.setSubject(subject);
 43         else msg.setSubject("(no subject)");
 44          msg.setSentDate(new Date());
 45          if (attachmentData != null)
 46          {
 47            MimeBodyPart mbp1 = new MimeBodyPart();
 48            mbp1.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
 49            mbp1.setDisposition(Part.INLINE);
 50            MimeBodyPart mbp2 = new MimeBodyPart();
 51            String type =
 52                (attachmentType != null ? attachmentType : dftMime);
 53            String fileName = (attachmentFileName != null ?
 54                               attachmentFileName : dftName);
 55            mbp2.setDisposition(Part.ATTACHMENT);
 56            mbp2.setFileName(fileName);
 57            mbp2.setDataHandler(new
 58               DataHandler(new BLOBDataSource(attachmentData, type))
 59            );
 60            MimeMultipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
 61            mp.addBodyPart(mbp1);
 62            mp.addBodyPart(mbp2);
 63            msg.setContent(mp);
 64          }
 65          else
 66          {
 67            msg.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
 68          }
 69          Transport.send(msg);
 70          rc = 1;
 71        } catch (Exception e)
 72        {
 73          e.printStackTrace();
 74          rc = 0;
 75        } finally
 76        {
 77          return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
 78        }
 79      }
 80      static class BLOBDataSource implements DataSource
 81      {
 82        private BLOB   data;
 83        private String type;
 84        BLOBDataSource(BLOB data, String type)
 85        {
 86            this.type = type;
 87            this.data = data;
 88        }
 89        public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
 90        {
 91          try
 92          {
 93            if(data == null)
 94              throw new IOException("No data.");
 95            return data.getBinaryStream();
 96          } catch(SQLException e)
 97          {
 98            throw new
 99            IOException("Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.");
100          }
101        }
102        public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
103        {
104          throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
105        }
106        public String getContentType()
107        {
108          return type;
109        }
110        public String getName()
111        {
112          return "BLOBDataSource";
113        }
114      }
115*   }
116  /

Operation 160 succeeded.

SQL>
SQL>

what is this "Operation 160 succeeded." mean?

Followup February 8, 2007 - 11am Central time zone:

it means you have a really old release of sqlplus you are using against a newer release of the database.

Possible to remove Message-Id: <blah blah> from message? March 7, 2007 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Paul Vanover from Oak Ridge, TN

Your examples are excellent. I just had one follow-on question. When I send a message, somewhere in the message (seems to vary) I get this:

Message-Id: <iss.798ba011.7dd7.45eed9b7.9fb19.ca@cpmx.mail.saic.com>

It is embedded within the message and it isn't exactly in a great place. In my latest example, it gets embedded after the first line of the message. It seems like it would be at the end or something.

Anyway, I was just wondering if there is any way to make that go away, or at least make it appear where I want it to appear in my message? Thanks so much for your help.

Followup March 7, 2007 - 11am Central time zone:

we don't put that there, not from "us"

if your smtp server is putting it in the wrong place (that belongs in the header, should not be visible in the message itself), then there is something wrong with your smtp server.

Thanks for responding, I think I figured it out. March 7, 2007 - 12pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Paul VanOver from Oak Ridge, TN

I think I figured out the problem. When you said it belonged in the header, you were right, of course.

I added this:

  -- Last header block.
  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, UTL_TCP.CRLF || UTL_TCP.CRLF);

to my pl/sql and the problem went away. It was like I needed to take up an additional line in the header before starting my message text, or something like that. This is all new to me. Anyway, I included a snippet of how it is now and it is working perfect. It doesn't include the line I mentioned in my last message.

Thanks so much again for your help!

Paul

  UTL_SMTP.open_data(l_mail_conn);
  
  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'From: ' || pFromEmailAddr || UTL_TCP.CRLF);
  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'To: ' || pToEmailAddr || UTL_TCP.CRLF);
  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || pSubject || UTL_TCP.CRLF);

  -- Last header block.
  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, UTL_TCP.CRLF || UTL_TCP.CRLF);

  UTL_SMTP.write_data(l_mail_conn, pMessage);

  UTL_SMTP.close_data(l_mail_conn);
 
  UTL_SMTP.quit(l_mail_conn);

Time Zone issue? March 8, 2007 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Paul VanOver from Oak Ridge, TN

Using the techniques described in this topic, I have created a nice little utility package in Oracle for sending email messages. I have resolved all the issues I was having, except for one.

Here is a code snippet:

    g_mail_conn := UTL_SMTP.open_connection(pMailHost, 25);
    UTL_SMTP.helo(g_mail_conn, pMailHost);
    UTL_SMTP.mail(g_mail_conn, pFromEmailAddr);

    l_to_list := LoadEmailList('To: ', pToEmailAddr);
    l_cc_list := LoadEmailList('Cc: ', pCCEmailAddr);

 
    UTL_SMTP.open_data(g_mail_conn);
  
    UTL_SMTP.write_data(g_mail_conn, 'Date: ' || to_char(systimestamp, 'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss 
tzh:tzm') || UTL_TCP.CRLF);
    UTL_SMTP.write_data(g_mail_conn, 'From: ' || nvl(pFromEmailAddr,'unknown@unknown.com') || 
UTL_TCP.CRLF);
    UTL_SMTP.write_data(g_mail_conn, 'Subject: ' || nvl(pSubject,'(NO SUBJECT)') || UTL_TCP.CRLF);

If you will notice I am using systimestamp and I have added the tzh:tzm to the format string and it returns the -5:00 for my time zone quite nicely. I am hoping this resolves all my time zone issues.

When I get messages that are sent from my oracle package, there is only one thing I don't know how to resolve. The Received Date on the message is perfect, but if I modify Microsoft Outlook, and add the Sent column to the email view, the times are wrong on those messages. They are 5 hours off. Is there some other attribute in the header I was suppose to set???

The data looks like this in Outlook:

From                 Subject   Received          Sent
vanoverp@saic.com    test      3/8/07 3:34 PM    3/8/07 10:34 AM

Thanks so much for any guidance you may provide.

Paul

Followup March 8, 2007 - 8pm Central time zone:

you'd have to ask "outlook" what they are looking at.

not sure what they expect there.

oops, I did it again. March 8, 2007 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Paul VanOver from Oak Ridge, TN

I figured it out. I had a mistake in the format in the to_CHAR method.

I changed it to

to_char(systimestamp, 'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss tzhtzm')

and life is all good now. YES YES YES>..

Thanks so much for all these awesome examples.

paul

sending attachements March 12, 2007 - 10am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tomasz G. from Poland

Hi Tom,

Is there a way to send email with attachement from oracle by not using java solution (class and procedure send_mail) ?

I'm using oracle Xe and I cannot apply java solution for this.. maybe there is some other solution

Regards Tomasz

Followup March 12, 2007 - 9pm Central time zone:

utl_mail

sending attachements March 14, 2007 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tomasz G. from Poland

Yes but utl_mail is for smtp servers without autentication mode. I have server with autentication, oracle XE and I need to send email with attachements... is it possible?

Regards Tomasz

Followup March 14, 2007 - 8am Central time zone:

sure, you just have to encode it yourself.

eg:

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/asktom/f?p=100:11:0::::P11_QUESTION_ID:1739411218448

the way tyler sent HTML as an attachment in that example

sending attachements March 19, 2007 - 8pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Tomasz G. from Poland

Ok finally I've got it. The secret was in MIME headers and boundaries. Now I can create emails with attachements (all types) where I want.

Thank you for help

mail March 27, 2007 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: sam

Tom:

I have an application that send an email via a trigger after a user creates an order. IN the last month, some emails have not been going through. I check my email table and there is a record but emails were not received.

DO you have an idea what might be causing this and whehter it is realted to 9iR2 patch for timezone thing.

I tested it in SQl*plus and sometimes I received and email and sometimes I do not.

declare
begin
mail_pkg.send(p_sender_email=>'my_email@system.com',
p_from=>null,
p_to=>mail_pkg.array('my_email@system.com'),
p_cc=>mail_pkg.array(),
p_bcc=>mail_pkg.array('my_email@system'),
p_subject => 'ORder Confirm',
p_body => 'test1'||Chr(10)||'test2');
end;

Followup March 28, 2007 - 11am Central time zone:

you should never ever send email in a trigger.

http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2005/08/something-different-part-i-of-iii.html

http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2005/08/part-ii-seeing-restart.html

http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2005/09/part-iii-why-is-restart-important-to.html

however, if you run that plsql block and it returns without error, and you sometimes do not get the email - the problem is NOT in the database.

look to your email system, your SMTP server. it is broken.

email March 29, 2007 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: sam

Tom:

THe tirgger always worked but it seemed something is in the smtp server

ORA-12012: error on auto execute of job 23716
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 451 4.3.2 Please try again later
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 221
ORA-06512: at "XXX.MAIL_PKG", line 61
ORA-06512: at "XXX.SEND_EMAIL", line 37
ORA-06512: at line 1

I just ran this job and it worked. WHat do you think might be going in the smtp server that causes this?

Followup March 30, 2007 - 12pm Central time zone:

I'd ask the owner of said SMTP server

probably - overloaded or file system full.

send email to smtpout.secureserver.net April 3, 2007 - 12am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Razaul Karim from Bangladesh

Mr. Tom,

I have followed UTL_SMTP accordingly for sending email from Developer 6i Forms. It is working well last 1 year when our smtp server was vmail2.bdcom.com. Presently we are using godaddy mail server (smtpout.secureserver.net). When I am sending a mail from Dev 6i the system is giving following error message.

ORA-29279

I am using the following Code:
create or replace package mail_pkg
as
type array is table of varchar2(255);

procedure send( p_sender_email in varchar2,
p_from in varchar2,
p_to in array default array(),
p_cc in array default array(),
p_bcc in array default array(),
p_subject in varchar2,
p_body in long );
end;
/

create or replace package body mail_pkg
as

g_crlf char(2) default chr(13)||chr(10);
g_mail_conn utl_smtp.connection;
-- g_mailhost varchar2(255) := 'vmail2.bdcom.com'; -- Host name of Mail Server (bdcom).
g_mailhost varchar2(255) := 'smtpout.secureserver.net'; -- Host name of Mail Server (bdcom). mail.bdbiz.net

function address_email( p_string in varchar2,
p_recipients in array ) return varchar2
is
l_recipients long;
begin
for i in 1 .. p_recipients.count
loop
utl_smtp.rcpt(g_mail_conn, p_recipients(i) );
if ( l_recipients is null ) then
l_recipients := p_string || p_recipients(i) ;
else
l_recipients := l_recipients || ', ' || p_recipients(i);
end if;
end loop;
return l_recipients;
end;

procedure send( p_sender_email in varchar2,
p_from in varchar2,
p_to in array default array(),
p_cc in array default array(),
p_bcc in array default array(),
p_subject in varchar2,
p_body in long)
is
l_to_list long;
l_cc_list long;
l_bcc_list long;
l_date varchar2(255) default
to_char( SYSDATE, 'dd Mon yy hh24:mi:ss' );

procedure writeData( p_text in varchar2 )
as
begin
if ( p_text is not null ) then
utl_smtp.write_data( g_mail_conn, p_text || g_crlf );
end if;
end;

begin
g_mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(g_mailhost, 25);

utl_smtp.helo(g_mail_conn, g_mailhost);
utl_smtp.mail(g_mail_conn, p_sender_email);

l_to_list := address_email( 'To: ', p_to );
l_cc_list := address_email( 'Cc: ', p_cc );
l_bcc_list := address_email( 'Bcc: ', p_bcc );

utl_smtp.open_data(g_mail_conn );

writeData( 'Date: ' || l_date );
writeData( 'From: ' || nvl( p_from, p_sender_email ) );
writeData( 'Subject: ' || nvl( p_subject, '(no subject)' ) );

writeData( l_to_list );
writeData( l_cc_list );

utl_smtp.write_data( g_mail_conn, '' || g_crlf );
utl_smtp.write_data(g_mail_conn, p_body );
utl_smtp.close_data(g_mail_conn );
utl_smtp.quit(g_mail_conn);
end;
end;
/

Please give me a solution, I will be very grateful to you.

Followup April 3, 2007 - 11pm Central time zone:

use telnet, telnet to the server and just converse with it.

take oracle out of the loop, you'll see the error lies with your conversation with the smtp server.

IOException while sending message April 4, 2007 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anderson Onir from Porto Alegre, RS BRAZIL

TOM

We are using a solution based in this answer on Oracle DB version 10.1.0.3 for years, but now we upgrade to version 10.2.0.3 and i receive this exception:

javax.mail.MessagingException: IOException while sending message;
  nested exception is:
    java.io.IOException: Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.
    at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.sendMessage(SMTPTransport.java:625)
    at javax.mail.Transport.send0(Transport.java:169)
    at javax.mail.Transport.send(Transport.java:98)
    at mailX.send(mailX:221)
Caused by: java.io.IOException: Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.
    at mailX$BLOBDataSource.getInputStream(mailX:263)
    at javax.activation.DataHandler.writeTo(DataHandler.java:304)
    at javax.mail.internet.MimeBodyPart.writeTo(MimeBodyPart.java:1350)
    at javax.mail.internet.MimeBodyPart.writeTo(MimeBodyPart.java:845)
    at javax.mail.internet.MimeMultipart.writeTo(MimeMultipart.java:361)
    at com.sun.mail.handlers.multipart_mixed.writeTo(multipart_mixed.java:85)
    at javax.activation.ObjectDataContentHandler.writeTo(DataHandler.java:883)
    at javax.activation.DataHandler.writeTo(DataHandler.java:316)
    at javax.mail.internet.MimeBodyPart.writeTo(MimeBodyPart.java:1350)
    at javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage.writeTo(MimeMessage.java:1683)
    at com.sun.mail.smtp.SMTPTransport.sendMessage(SMTPTransport.java:585)
    ... 3 more

my code is:

CREATE OR REPLACE AND RESOLVE JAVA SOURCE NAMED "mailX"
AS import java.io.*;
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.Properties;
import java.util.Date;
import javax.activation.*;
import javax.mail.*;
import javax.mail.internet.*;
import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
import oracle.sql.*;



public class mailX
{
  static String dftMime = "application/octet-stream";
  static String dftName = "filename.dat";

  public static oracle.sql.NUMBER
                       send(String from,
                            String to,
                            String cc,
                            String bcc,
                            String subject,
                            String body,
                            String SMTPHost,
                            boolean multiAttachment,
                            boolean notification)
  {
    int rc = 0;
    OracleConnection connection = null;      // Database Connection Object

    try
    {
      Properties props = System.getProperties();
      props.put("mail.smtp.host", SMTPHost);
      Message msg =
        new MimeMessage(Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null));

     msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
     if (notification)
     {
        msg.setHeader("X-Confirm-Reading-To", from);
        msg.setHeader("Disposition-Notification-To", from);
     }

     if (to != null && to.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,
                          InternetAddress.parse(to, false));

     if (cc != null && cc.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,
                          InternetAddress.parse(cc, false));

     if (bcc != null && bcc.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,
                          InternetAddress.parse(bcc, false));

     if ( subject != null && subject.length() > 0 )
          msg.setSubject(subject);
     else msg.setSubject("(sem assunto)");

      msg.setSentDate(new Date());

      if (multiAttachment)
      {
        MimeBodyPart mbp1 = new MimeBodyPart();
        mbp1.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
        mbp1.setDisposition(Part.INLINE);

        MimeMultipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
        mp.addBodyPart(mbp1);

        String type = dftMime;

      try {
        int rowFetched = 0;

        connection = (OracleConnection)new oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver().defaultConnection();
        OraclePreparedStatement stmt = (OraclePreparedStatement)connection.prepareStatement
                                ("SELECT ds_nome, conteudo " +
                                 "  FROM hw_temp_anexos    " );

        OracleResultSet rset = (OracleResultSet)stmt.executeQuery();
// Execute query and get Resultset

        oracle.sql.BLOB b;

        // Loop through Result Set and fetch the result
        while (rset.next()) {
          MimeBodyPart mbp2 = new MimeBodyPart();

          rowFetched ++;

          String fileName = rset.getString("ds_nome"); // Fetch ds_nome

          mbp2.setDisposition(Part.ATTACHMENT);
          mbp2.setFileName(fileName);

          b = rset.getBLOB("conteudo");

          mbp2.setDataHandler(new
             OracleDataHandler(new BLOBDataSource(b, type))
          );

          mp.addBodyPart(mbp2);
        }

        // Close the Resultset and statement object
        rset.close();
        stmt.close();
        msg.setContent(mp);

      } catch (SQLException ex) { // Trap SQL Errors
        ex.printStackTrace();

      } finally {
         try{
           if (connection != null || !connection.isClosed())
               connection.close();   // Close the database connection
           } catch(SQLException ex){
             ex.printStackTrace();
           }
        }

      }
      else
      {
        msg.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
      }
      Transport.send(msg);
      rc = 1;
    } catch (Exception e)
    {
      e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
  }


  // Nested class that implements a DataSource.

  static class BLOBDataSource implements OracleDataSource
  //DataSource
  {
    private oracle.sql.BLOB data;
    private String type;

    BLOBDataSource(oracle.sql.BLOB data, String type)
    {
        this.type = type;
        this.data = data;
    }

    public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
    {
      try
      {
        if(data == null)
          throw new IOException("No data.");

        return data.getBinaryStream();
      } catch(SQLException e)
      {
        throw new
        IOException("Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.");
      }
    }

    public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
    {
      throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
    }

    public String getContentType()
    {
      return type;
    }

    public String getName()
    {
      return "BLOBDataSource";
    }
  }

}
/


DESC hw_temp_anexos;

Describing hw_temp_anexos....
NAME                            Null?     Type
------------------------------- --------- -----
TEA_ID                                    NUMBER
CONTEUDO                                  BLOB(4000)
TEA_OSUSER                                VARCHAR2(30)
TEA_USER                                  VARCHAR2(30)
STAMP                                     DATE
DS_NOME                                   VARCHAR2(256)
NR_IP_HOST                                VARCHAR2(40)
NR_IP_NET                                 VARCHAR2(40)
DT_INSERT                                 DATE
NO_USER_INSERT                            VARCHAR2(30)

What may be causing this IOException?

Followup April 4, 2007 - 3pm Central time zone:

debug it - whittle it down, make it small, get the least amount of code humanly possible to reproduce your issue

and the problem may well become self evident.

IOException while sending message April 4, 2007 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anderson Onir from Porto Alegre, RS BRAZIL

My code on last review are incorrect...

The correct is this:

CREATE OR REPLACE AND RESOLVE JAVA SOURCE NAMED "mailX"
AS import java.io.*;
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.Properties;
import java.util.Date;
import javax.activation.*;
import javax.mail.*;
import javax.mail.internet.*;
import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
import oracle.sql.*;



public class mailX
{
  static String dftMime = "application/octet-stream";
  static String dftName = "filename.dat";

  public static oracle.sql.NUMBER
                       send(String from,
                            String to,
                            String cc,
                            String bcc,
                            String subject,
                            String body,
                            String SMTPHost,
                            boolean multiAttachment,
                            boolean notification)
  {
    int rc = 0;
    OracleConnection connection = null;      // Database Connection Object

    try
    {
      Properties props = System.getProperties();
      props.put("mail.smtp.host", SMTPHost);
      Message msg =
        new MimeMessage(Session.getDefaultInstance(props, null));

     msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
     if (notification)
     {
        msg.setHeader("X-Confirm-Reading-To", from);
        msg.setHeader("Disposition-Notification-To", from);
     }

     if (to != null && to.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,
                          InternetAddress.parse(to, false));

     if (cc != null && cc.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,
                          InternetAddress.parse(cc, false));

     if (bcc != null && bcc.length() > 0)
        msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,
                          InternetAddress.parse(bcc, false));

     if ( subject != null && subject.length() > 0 )
          msg.setSubject(subject);
     else msg.setSubject("(sem assunto)");

      msg.setSentDate(new Date());

      if (multiAttachment)
      {
        MimeBodyPart mbp1 = new MimeBodyPart();
        mbp1.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
        mbp1.setDisposition(Part.INLINE);

        MimeMultipart mp = new MimeMultipart();
        mp.addBodyPart(mbp1);

        String type = dftMime;

      try {
        int rowFetched = 0;

        connection = (OracleConnection)new oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver().defaultConnection();
        OraclePreparedStatement stmt = (OraclePreparedStatement)connection.prepareStatement
                                ("SELECT ds_nome, conteudo " +
                                 "  FROM hw_temp_anexos    " );

        OracleResultSet rset = (OracleResultSet)stmt.executeQuery();
// Execute query and get Resultset

        oracle.sql.BLOB b;

        // Loop through Result Set and fetch the result
        while (rset.next()) {
          MimeBodyPart mbp2 = new MimeBodyPart();

          rowFetched ++;

          String fileName = rset.getString("ds_nome"); // Fetch ds_nome

          mbp2.setDisposition(Part.ATTACHMENT);
          mbp2.setFileName(fileName);

          b = rset.getBLOB("conteudo");

          mbp2.setDataHandler(new
             DataHandler(new BLOBDataSource(b, type))
          );

          mp.addBodyPart(mbp2);
        }

        // Close the Resultset and statement object
        rset.close();
        stmt.close();
        msg.setContent(mp);

      } catch (SQLException ex) { // Trap SQL Errors
        ex.printStackTrace();

      } finally {
         try{
           if (connection != null || !connection.isClosed())
               connection.close();   // Close the database connection
           } catch(SQLException ex){
             ex.printStackTrace();
           }
        }

      }
      else
      {
        msg.setText((body != null ? body : ""));
      }
      Transport.send(msg);
      rc = 1;
    } catch (Exception e)
    {
      e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return new oracle.sql.NUMBER(rc);
  }


  // Nested class that implements a DataSource.

  static class BLOBDataSource implements DataSource
  {
    private oracle.sql.BLOB data;
    private String type;

    BLOBDataSource(oracle.sql.BLOB data, String type)
    {
        this.type = type;
        this.data = data;
    }

    public InputStream getInputStream() throws IOException
    {
      try
      {
        if(data == null)
          throw new IOException("No data.");

        return data.getBinaryStream();
      } catch(SQLException e)
      {
        throw new
        IOException("Cannot get binary input stream from BLOB.");
      }
    }

    public OutputStream getOutputStream() throws IOException
    {
      throw new IOException("Cannot do this.");
    }

    public String getContentType()
    {
      return type;
    }

    public String getName()
    {
      return "BLOBDataSource";
    }
  }

}
/

PL/SQL - Email April 23, 2007 - 5am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Rajesh Shridharan from India

Hi Tom,

I am trying to implement Email solution through PL/SQL using Oracle 9i. I want to send the Email to id in yahoo / rediffmail, However I am getting error :

ORA-29279: SMTP permanent error: 553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of
allowed rcpthosts (#5.7.1)

Can you please explain how can I can implement this?

Regards

Rajesh Shridharan

Followup April 23, 2007 - 4pm Central time zone:

see your network people and ask them to add you to the list of domains that are allowed rcpthosts....

nothing to do with the database
everything to do with your smtp server.

smtp server May 1, 2007 - 5pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

I checked with the email server admin about the email problems from an oracle application (emails not getting sent out or even received by email server) and he suggested to install an smtp server on the box where the database is installed or have the oracle application do queueing for the busy smtp server as it gets backed out sometimes?

1. How do you install/configure an smtp server on a unix box running oracle? can this be done?

2. Does MAIL_PKG in oracle suport queueing. Since we are using a job to schedule the email, is not this queueing since if the job fails (server down) oracle will try to send the job 14 times in 5 minute intervals?

Thanks,

Followup May 1, 2007 - 9pm Central time zone:

1) your email server admin would know how to do that - it is just smtp, a simple service.

2) Oracle supports job queueing, you would have a job that tries to send mail and upon failure, would just try again later.

you could use dbms_job
you could use dbms_scheduler
you could use AQ and do it yourself in however you see fit.

java.security.AccessControlException error June 4, 2007 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Anne from MN, USA

I have 2 schema's in a 9.2.0.4 database : bps and mr_proj. Package SendMailJPkg is compiled in bps schema as authid CURRENT_USER. Sending email with attachment works from from bps schema. My problem is when I send email with attachement by running bps.SendMailJPkg from mr_proj schema : I get java.security.AccessControlException error. Ending email without attachment works fine from mr_proj. I am not sure what I am doing wrong...Could you please help.

This are the steps I followed:

1. In bps schema : create public synonym SendMailJPkg for bps.SendMailJPkg;

2. grant execute on SendMailJPkg to mr_proj;

 exec dbms_java.grant_permission( 'MR_PROJ', 'SYS:java.util.PropertyPermission', '*', 'read,write' 
)

 exec dbms_java.grant_permission( 'MR_PROJ', 'SYS:java.net.SocketPermission', 
'smtp.dnr.state.mn.us', 'resolve' )

exec dbms_java.grant_permission('MR_PROJ', 'SYS:java.io.FilePermission', 
'/r03/app/oracle/admin/mris/mr_proj/log/*','read');

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

commit;

3. Log out and login as mr_proj

Here is the script test_sendmail.sql :

--Simple test 
var ErrorMessage VARCHAR2(4000);  
var ErrorStatus NUMBER;

-- enable SQL*PLUS output;
SET SERVEROUTPUT ON size 1000000
-- redirect java output into SQL*PLUS buffer;
exec dbms_java.set_output(5000);
declare
   --bps@mristest
   --g_dir varchar2(1000) :=  '/r03/app/oracle/admin/mris/bps/log';
   --g_file varchar2(1000) :=  'psb75.req';

   --mr_proj@mristest
   g_dir varchar2(1000) :=  '/r03/app/oracle/admin/mris/mr_proj/log';
   g_file varchar2(1000) :=  'abj.req';


BEGIN
   :ErrorStatus := SendMailJPkg.SendMail(
                SMTPServerName => 'smtp.dnr.state.mn.us',
                Sender    => 'oracle@pinky.dnr.state.mn.us',
                Recipient => 'bella.joseph@dnr.state.mn.us',
                Subject   => 'This is the subject line: Test JavaMail  Attachments',
                Body => 'This is the body: Hello, this is a test' ||
                         SendMailJPkg.EOL || 'that spans 2 lines',
                ErrorMessage => :ErrorMessage,
                Attachments  => SendMailJPkg.ATTACHMENTS_LIST(g_dir || '/' || g_file  )
   );
END;
/
print

mr_proj@mris> @test_sendmail;

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29532: Java call terminated by uncaught Java exception: java.security.AccessControlException: 
the Permission (java.io.FilePermission /r03/app/oracle/admin/mris/mr_proj/log/abj.req read) has not 
been granted to BPS. The PL/SQL to grant this is dbms_java.grant_permission( 'BPS', 
'SYS:java.io.FilePermission', '/r03/app/oracle/admin/mris/mr_proj/log/abj.req', 'read' )

It is complaining that the permission is not given to BPS. However I do not want BPS to be able to 
access mr_proj's log dir, that's kind of why I defined the SendMailJPkg as authid CURRENT_USER.

Appreciate your help Tom.

Followup June 6, 2007 - 12pm Central time zone:

it'll need it - you eventually call other non-current user bits of Oracle.

the plsql/java called by compiled plsql is compiled/linked with the definer - (eg:

you can create an authid current_user procedure 'p' OWNED BY 'owner', to be run by 'runner'

owner has been granted execute on P2
runner has not

P compiled by OWNER can invoked P2
when P is executed by RUNNER - P will invoked P2 successfully.

It is "SQL" that is invokers rights capable.

Can't send mail using UTL_SMTP June 22, 2007 - 6am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Sukhendu from India

Hi Tom,

When I am trying to send a simple mail through pl/sql using oracle 9.1 . It throws the following error:

ORA-04067: not executed, package body "ME.UTL_SMTP" does not exist
ORA-06508: PL/SQL: could not find program unit being called: "ME.UTL_SMTP"

What should I have to do to send the mail. Please suggest.

Thanks,
Sukhendu

Followup June 22, 2007 - 10am Central time zone:

utl_smtp is a sys owned package, sort of like dbms_output, and the rest.

whatever "ME" is is wrong.

unable to configure utl_smtp July 25, 2007 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Chitta from India

Hi Tom, 
I am using 9.2.0.7.0 database and try to configure automatic mail from database to my personal ID. 
presently i am getting mail from Application now my requirment is from database.
but i got error like:
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29278: SMTP transient error: 421 Service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 138
ORA-06512: at "MAAEC.SEND_TO_NA_MAAEC", line 9
ORA-06512: at "MAAEC.SERVER_ID_CHECK", line 25
ORA-04088: error during execution of trigger 'MAAEC.SERVER_ID_CHECK'


i had checked with SA that the SMTP was configured properly.
please advice where i need to look in?

Thanks in Advance,
Chitta

Followup July 26, 2007 - 5pm Central time zone:

no, it isn't.

or you are using the wrong smtp server.

test by ctl-f'ing for

remove utl_smtp from the loop, test with telnet:

on this page.

sending e-mails October 2, 2007 - 11am Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom,

I created send_mail procedure (in 10.2) as following:

create or replace PROCEDURE send_mail (      p_sender IN VARCHAR2,
                           p_recipient IN VARCHAR2,
                           p_message IN VARCHAR2)
AS
    mailhost    VARCHAR2(255) := '***.com';
    mail_conn  utl_smtp.connection;
BEGIN
    mail_conn := utl_smtp.open_connection(mailhost, 25);
    utl_smtp.helo(mail_conn, mailhost);
    utl_smtp.mail(mail_conn, p_sender);
    utl_smtp.rcpt(mail_conn, p_recipient);
-- If we had the message in a single string, we could collapse
-- open_data(), write_data(), and close_data() into a single call to data()
    utl_smtp.open_data(mail_conn);
    utl_smtp.write_data(mail_conn, p_message);
    utl_smtp.close_data(mail_conn);
    utl_smtp.quit(mail_conn);
END;

and execute it by

SQL> exec send_mail(p_sender=>'*.com', p_recipient=>'*.com', p_message=>'Test');

PL/SQL-Prozedur erfolgreich abgeschlossen.

What I received is a mail with a zero body (p_message string is ignored)

I spent two hours trying to find an error...What I did wrong? It is the same code as in your book.

Followup October 5, 2007 - 10am Central time zone:

I see you have a language other than english set there, are you sure your email body is simple ASCII text (smtp expects that)

that works (the routine), works for me - you can do it all in telnet without Oracle if you want to test and see what you see there.

ctl-f for

test with telnet

on this page for an example

Reader December 17, 2007 - 1pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Pat from Austin, TX USA

In 9i I was sucessfully able to send email with attachments. Now my requirement is to save the sent 
email in the database for audit purpose. Can you please explain options?

Followup December 17, 2007 - 3pm Central time zone:

option 1:

a) insert

??? seems rather straightforward, relational databases have tables, insert your stuff into a table.

Just like any other data you have a requirement to keep.

December 21, 2007 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Pat from Austin, TX

Thanks for your response Tom.
I have a requirement to save as how the email show if we do a save as,I have to save with all the 
header info.
1)Is there any way we can recieve an email in the database, so that i can save the received email. 
or 
2)Is there any way we can direct the out of the sent email to save to a table.

Followup December 21, 2007 - 4pm Central time zone:

java has lots of support for connecting to email data stores (IMAP, POP) and would give you the ability to "read the mail"

Just like I demonstrated above for sending - you can certainly do the same for reading.

But basically, you'll be writing a program to read email from an email server, format the data, and insert it into the database - not necessary to have the program that does that IN the database, probably doesn't make sense to have it in the database - sounds more like an external program that runs on it's own accord, reading mail, formatting it, inserting it.

Another option would be to use an email server that stored the data in the database in the first place - we have one (collaboration suite) for example.

December 21, 2007 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Pat from Austin, TX

Thanks Tom you are wonderful.

UTL_SMTP and Shared Server January 5, 2008 - 3am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

Hi Tom,

We have been using the package utl.smtp to send email in our database. We have built a package 
called DEMO_MAIL which uses the UTL_SMTP package. The code has run successfully for more than 3 
years without any problem. Lately, we changed our server configuration from Dedicated server to 
Shared.
End users starts to report problems while our applications try to send emails
the error code was as follows:

ORA-29278: SMTP Transient error: 421 service not available
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 17
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 96
ORA-06512: at "SYS.UTL_SMTP", line 138
ORA-06512: at "ORAPROG.DEMO_MAIL", line 240
ORA-06512: at "ORAPROG.DEMO_MAIL", line 118
ORA-06512: at line 118

We have done the following tests:

* When connecting to the server using a didected connection there is no problem.
* When connecting to the server using a shared server the above error occurs and sometimes it works 
successfully!.

Moreover, when we execute it many times we start to receive the error:

ORA-30678 too many open connections

Despite our code close the session with mail server.

Is there any problem in using UTL_SMTP with Shared Server configuration in Oracle Database??


Thanks.

Followup January 7, 2008 - 7am Central time zone:

you may contact support and reference bug 4083461 but....

one easy way to correct this AND have it be faster all around for your end user experience would be....

to use dbms_job to schedule the sending of the email. What I do on asktom is

a) insert the email information into a table (this is instantaneous for the end user)

b) commit my transaction.

Every 5 minutes or so, a job wakes up, queries the email table for unsent mail - sends it.

Sending Email January 7, 2008 - 4pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Rich Bulan from Vermilion, OH USA

Tom,
We've successfully implemented email workflow via the database examples that you've provided. I 
would love to see some additional examples that utilize some of the advanced features of email. 
*How to email messages (and subject lines) in non-ASCII character sets (French Canadian)?
*Examples for how bounce back emails are handled?
*Clear documentation on what really happens when we send emails via these procedures like utl_smtp 
or utl_mail. The information from documentation could really use some comprehensive examples: 
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/appdev.111/b28419/u_smtp.htm#sthref19034

Thanks!

Followup January 7, 2008 - 5pm Central time zone:

You'd have to read up on the SMTP protocol itself - OR use the java api's - but that is outside the scope of a database question sort of- you want to learn SMTP.

for bounce backs, you'd have to write an email client that wakes up, reads the inbox, parses the email and figures out what it wants to do (it is just a data problem - think of the inbox you have your bounces go to as if it were a bunch of files, you can use pop or imap to read them - just like we use smtp to send them)

As for "what happens", you want to read the SMTP RFC - we just open a tcp/ip socket to a SMTP server and speak their documented protocol - ctl-f for telnet on this page and you'll see a rather "raw" conversation. There is on magic here, it is all just "smtp speak" - and that protocol is well documented (google it and you'll find a lot of references)

Sending emails from Shared Server January 8, 2008 - 1am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

Yes Tom, it seems it is a bug, and according to Metalink note 358776.1, patch 9.2.0.8 should solve 
it.

I will test it and see about it.

It is also solved in Oracle 10g R2. However, we are currently discussing upgrading to Oracle 10g R2 
or Oracle 11g R1. I hope the patch solve our problem till we upgrade.

Thanks for your cooperation

Followup January 8, 2008 - 7am Central time zone:

I would still use dbms_job

it'll make email "transactional", so if the surrounding transaction rolls back - so does the email. If you commit, the email will be sent. The end user transaction will go from taking measurable seconds to instantaneous.

No way we should send email in real time, background it regardless.

Sending emails from Shared Server January 10, 2008 - 2am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Emad Kehail from Palestine

We have applied patch 9.0.2.8 and everything is fine now. 
Regarding your point about transactional emails. As always you were right here. I have talked to 
our developers. They are using Oracle Forms and they are sending emails either from POST-INSERT, 
POST-UPDATE, POST-DELETE or database triggers.
This could lead to problems if the form has executed the trigger and sent the email, then the 
database might rollback the transaction if a constraint is violated for example or anything else 
happened prevented the database from *committing* the transaction.

I do believe now we need to follow your idea about how we send emails.

Many thanks for your valuable hints.

Problems with loadjava February 6, 2008 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: Natalia from Argentina

Hi Tom. I'm trying to create the objects needed to send emails with attatchments. When i execute
loadjava -u sys/xxxx -o -r -v -f -noverify -synonym -g public mail.zip
I get many errors ORA-29521 and ORA-29534.
My database is 9.2.0.6
Please help me
Thanks in advance
PS: Sorry for my poor english!!!

Mail and attachment February 22, 2008 - 7am Central time zone

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Reviewer: Nilesh

Hi Tom,

I have 2 different database, both have the same oracle version i.e. 9i. The above java mail package 
worked perfectly for one database and I was able to send mail with attachment.

For another DB when I am trying to create Java Class its give error of ORA-03113: end-of-file on 
communication channel and the DB get disconnected.

Please help me out.

Thanks in Advance

Followup February 22, 2008 - 7am Central time zone:

ora-600
ora-7445
ora-3113

all mean "please utilize support"

email March 22, 2008 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

1.  Is installing java api the only choice to send an email with an attachment in oracle 9i 
database?

2.  Can the attachemnt work with any column type meaning if I have document_table with a blob i can 
select the file from that row. What about if i have a varchar2(2000) column would that be attached 
as I need to create a file first?

thanks,

Followup March 24, 2008 - 11am Central time zone:

you have utl_smtp in 9i

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/appdev.920/a96612/u_smtp.htm#1000695

and smtp is just a protocol, you would encode the attachments (using base64 or uuencode) and create a "correct and proper SMTP 'document'"

It requires more code than using something out of the box, but it can definitely be done. Tyler Muth did it with "html mail" here:

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/asktom/f?p=100:11:0::::P11_QUESTION_ID:1739411218448

he did not have to encode the html attachment, as it was just ascii text, but the concept is the same

email March 24, 2008 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

It seems the java option is easier as you have all the code written for it.

With utl_smtp do I need to add more coding/testing or
the procedure html_email( ) will handle everything?

2. also, can attachements be any column type like "CLOB", "BLOB", varchar2(4000), etc.

Is there anything special that needs to be done for each type.

Thanks,

Followup March 24, 2008 - 7pm Central time zone:

html_email will send.....

html, nothing more, nothing less. It was an example of what you would have to do...

2) using javamail - it won't matter, it will encode them, doing it YOURSELF, you would have to write different interfaces/implementations for each type of course.

email March 24, 2008 - 2pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

Another small question on utl_smtp. I already use that for plain text emails "no attachments". Does 
this mean that I already have the Jave code requried or do i still need to download those two files 
(mail.jar and activation.jar).

is there a way to check if those two file are already compiledi nto the database.

thanks,

Followup March 24, 2008 - 7pm Central time zone:

read that html email answer again.

see what tyler did there with the "attachment" stuff.

that is what you would have to code, AFTER encoding documents using base64/uuencode

if base64/uuencode mean nothing to you - please use the javamail api :)

if that means something to you and you understand the attachments and how SMTP wants them and all - you'll be able to make the decision "build versus buy" here (write it or use the java mail API)

mail March 24, 2008 - 3pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

Per your instructions i downloaded "jaf-1_1_1.zip" and "javamail-1_4_1.zip" from the Sun website.

I extracted each file contents and did find mail.jar and activation.jar.

Then I got lost on your instructions. You say to

1.  Use winzip to extract the contents of mail.jar into c:\temp\mail dierctory. There is no files 
inside this exectable file??

Did you mean something else?

2.  Use winzip to create a new archive c:\temp\mail8i.zip.

Do you mean a new archive of the original files in "javamail-1_4_1.zip".

3.  Put the contents of c:\temp\mail\*.8 including subdiretories into this new archive.

I thought you want us to extract the mail,jar only first. What are we zipping here exactly?

Thanks,

email March 24, 2008 - 9pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

Yes, I am not familiar with uuencode and base 64 encoding.

It seems the java api would be easier.

Can you just clarify the above steps on installing the two files.

Followup March 25, 2008 - 6am Central time zone:

a jar file is a zip file - just unzip it.

jar file March 25, 2008 - 6pm Central time zone

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Reviewer: A reader

Tom:

I tried this many times and it does not work. These are executable files.

I ran winzip and i opened javamail-1_4_1.zip. This zip file has two files "mail.jar" and 
"mailapi.jar".

These are defined as "Executable jar file". I selected the files and clicked "extract" but nothing 
is done. I do not think these have any files inside them.

So what do you do now. do you unjar and rejar those for compilation into t