ASP email problem

[abichap]

Hi people. I'm trying to send email using a normal HTML form using ASP. But the problem is i don't know how. Its seem like SMTP is invloved. Can I send an email on my PC (without uploading to my server becoz i have none). Can I do it via localhost ?

[abichap]

;)

[abzoid]

In order to send email using ASP your host server must be configured to use one or more COM objects, such as CDOmail or ASPmail. You then create a form handler script in ASP that configures the form content to fit the parameters (sender, recipients, subject, etc.) of the chosen COM object and send the mail via the configured SMTP (outgoing mail) server.

You cannot do this via your local machine since you have no SMTP server.

[abichap]

thanks. i've tried searching through the net for solutions but to no avail. Do you have any link to some website which can teach me this? where do i get the smtp server? Is there a script to bypass the smtp server?

[abzoid]

The SMTP server is provided by your web host. You cannot "bypass" it, as it provides an essential function in the send mail process.

You can read about how to use the ASPmail object at
http://www.serverobjects.com/comp/Aspmail4.htm

[abichap]

thanks abzoid. since there is no way that we can bypass the server, do we have a script where it is a standalone smtp server?

[abzoid]

The SMTP server (the outgoing email portion of the mail server) cannot be stand alone. The ASPmail or CDOmail object runs on a web server which in turn communicates with the mail server. Both are essential to the process. The same applies to PHP and PERL based sendmail scripts.

[SeiferTim]

unless you need to have a certain type of form, try http://www.hostedscripts.com/
Its free, and I use it on my site: http://www.bahamutsoft.com , and it works nice! :beam:

[abichap]

Originally posted by abzoid
The SMTP server (the outgoing email portion of the mail server) cannot be stand alone. The ASPmail or CDOmail object runs on a web server which in turn communicates with the mail server. Both are essential to the process. The same applies to PHP and PERL based sendmail scripts.

so it means that i must have a web server to do the testing?

[SeiferTim]

Essentially, anything you would be doing with sending mail with a script, would have to be done on a server that allows the SMTP functions...

[abichap]

Originally posted by SeiferTim
Essentially, anything you would be doing with sending mail with a script, would have to be done on a server that allows the SMTP functions...

hmm.. i thought it was possible to do it via my computer maybe from dreamweaver or something. I guess I'm wrong.

[SeiferTim]

You could do what I've done, and run an Apache Web-Server, and add functions to it for SMTP, or you could try using IIS (I prefer Apache). That would let you do everything off your computer.

[abichap]

Originally posted by SeiferTim
You could do what I've done, and run an Apache Web-Server, and add functions to it for SMTP, or you could try using IIS (I prefer Apache). That would let you do everything off your computer.

apache is something new to me though i have heard of it before but haven't tried using it. you mean you installed apache and added functions to it for smtp and you can send emails from your computer locally?

[SeiferTim]

in a nutshell....... yes.
Check out: http://www.apache.org
Apache is a FREE Web Server. I'd recomend you read how to use it before you start messing with it, though.
Check out my Server http://seifertim.no-ip.com to see it in action.

[abzoid]

??? You're going to run ASP on an Apache server? Yes, I know that it can be done using ChiliSoft, but it seems like overkill just to be able to run ASP locally, and Apache alone still has no mail server.

You *can* run ASP pages on your local machine by simply instally MicroSoft Personal Web Server, however that alone still does not solve the initial intent of this thread which was to test ASP mail scripts locally, since there is no associated SMTP server.

[SeiferTim]

I think it was called James, or something... the thing that lets yourun a web-server on Apache.... but I think what they are tyring to do is use code to call a SMTP server...