MAPI wouldn't run while Windows 2003 Server is on the log off mode. How to make it run?

Hi all:

First of all, thanks for your help regarding the MAPI on my previous post.
It runs perfectly well. Problem arise though; I put the program on Windows'
Scheduled Task and hope that it would run on some specific time. However, I
found out that Windows fail to execute the MAPI. Yes, Windows did run the
task, but it simply didn't send the MAPI.

Question:
How to somehow force Windows to execute MAPI even though it is on the log
off state?

TIA,
Willianto

Dan
Mon Mar 03 10:36:25 CST 2008

So what happens? Is there an error? Does your PC burst into flames? You
haven't exactly said.

Does the mail get created but not sent? Some details would help.

Dan

Willianto wrote:
> Hi all:
>
> First of all, thanks for your help regarding the MAPI on my previous
> post. It runs perfectly well. Problem arise though; I put the program
> on Windows' Scheduled Task and hope that it would run on some
> specific time. However, I found out that Windows fail to execute the
> MAPI. Yes, Windows did run the task, but it simply didn't send the
> MAPI.
> Question:
> How to somehow force Windows to execute MAPI even though it is on the
> log off state?
>
> TIA,
> Willianto

Jan
Wed Mar 05 09:28:45 CST 2008

Hi,
I have no experiences in it, but:
if your app runs on server and no one is logged in, what OE should MAPI
use? AFAIK the OE is always configured for specific user (if configured
at all).

If you configure the scheduled task, you can (or must) set the user
account ("launch this task as user ...."). In my Win2K the default user
for scheduled task is "SYSTEM", that has none MAPI-config of course.
Does it help to play a little with this option? I do not know if it is
sufficent to run the scheduled task this way to achieve the
MAPI-environment of this specific user.



Willianto napsal(a):
> Hi Dan,
>
>> So what happens? Is there an error? Does your PC burst into flames?
>
> Umm... no, although burst into flames might help to locate the exact error
> <lol>
>
> Ok now, sorry for not conveying the problem well. I'll try to put it better;
> My task is to create an apps on a factory that read daily transaction and
> send the data to the office in another city. What I have done is I created
> an application, that create a temporary database, read required data, and
> compressed the data (using rar). After that, the user should send the rar
> file (DAILY_TRANS.RAR) by e-mail. Because the user wants to automate the
> sending process, I add some code to send it via MAPI mail. (The code was
> modified from Craigs Boyd's SendViaMAPI procedure found on his blog - see
> attached mylib.vcx) and automatically run the apps on some specific time
> with Windows' Scheduled Tasks help.
>
> PROBLEM:
> The applicaton runs on the server (Windows 2003 Server SP2). Thus,
> obviously, most of the time the server is on the log off state. I found that
> the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR created succesfully on expected time. The Windows
> Scheduled Tasks indicate that the apps runs fine (got it from the 'Last Run
> time'), but the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR doesn't exist in the OE outbox. BUT, if
> I log in to the server, say at 10:57 (the task is scheduled to run on
> 11:00), and use the server (so that it won't go to the lock mode/log off),
> then the apps runs fine, and this time the sending process also runs as
> expected.
>
> QUESTION:
> How to make the apps able to send the mail even though the Win2K3 is on the
> log off mode?
>
> I hope I convey this better now.
> I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Willianto
>
>
>

Dan
Wed Mar 05 10:33:32 CST 2008

I'd start with Jan's suggestion and check the user ID assigned to the
scheduled task.

But there's actually a possibility that OE was designed NOT to run unless
there's a valid Windows logon. I don't know, but I can see that happening.

For this type of mail, MAPI is kinda the wrong choice. You should probably
bypass the mail *client* (using MAPI) and use SMTP to communicate directly
with a mail *service*.

Dan

Willianto wrote:
> Hi Dan,
>
>> So what happens? Is there an error? Does your PC burst into flames?
>
> Umm... no, although burst into flames might help to locate the exact
> error <lol>
>
> Ok now, sorry for not conveying the problem well. I'll try to put it
> better; My task is to create an apps on a factory that read daily
> transaction and send the data to the office in another city. What I
> have done is I created an application, that create a temporary
> database, read required data, and compressed the data (using rar).
> After that, the user should send the rar file (DAILY_TRANS.RAR) by
> e-mail. Because the user wants to automate the sending process, I
> add some code to send it via MAPI mail. (The code was modified from
> Craigs Boyd's SendViaMAPI procedure found on his blog - see attached
> mylib.vcx) and automatically run the apps on some specific time with
> Windows' Scheduled Tasks help.
> PROBLEM:
> The applicaton runs on the server (Windows 2003 Server SP2). Thus,
> obviously, most of the time the server is on the log off state. I
> found that the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR created succesfully on expected
> time. The Windows Scheduled Tasks indicate that the apps runs fine
> (got it from the 'Last Run time'), but the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR
> doesn't exist in the OE outbox. BUT, if I log in to the server, say
> at 10:57 (the task is scheduled to run on 11:00), and use the server
> (so that it won't go to the lock mode/log off), then the apps runs
> fine, and this time the sending process also runs as expected.
>
> QUESTION:
> How to make the apps able to send the mail even though the Win2K3 is
> on the log off mode?
>
> I hope I convey this better now.
> I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Willianto

Willianto
Wed Mar 05 20:15:40 CST 2008

Hi Dan, Hi Jan:

Jan wrote:
> if your app runs on server and no one is logged in, what OE should MAPI
> use? AFAIK the OE is always configured for specific user (if configured at
> all).

Jan, OE is configured properly (afaik). The account is already specified and
it can receive and send messages properly. I also have configured the
scheduled task and make it run as valid user (actually I even run it as an
administrator) and obviously with the password.

Dan wrote:
> But there's actually a possibility that OE was designed NOT to run unless
> there's a valid Windows logon. I don't know, but I can see that happening.

Well, looks like I have to give up. I think you're right. If only you were a
Microsoft support people, I think you're reply would be: "It is by design"
<LOL>

> For this type of mail, MAPI is kinda the wrong choice. You should probably
> bypass the mail *client* (using MAPI) and use SMTP to communicate directly
> with a mail *service*.
I am considering this. But problem is it won't be that easy to do so. See,
I'm sending the e-mail to gmail account which means I have to use SSL. I
cannot use simple SMPT or Winsock. I'm thinking to use blat and stunnel to
create an SSL layer, but I'm afraid it won't be easy -- at least not as easy
as MAPI.

Anyway, thank you very much for replying. Still, if you have more idea about
this, I am looking forward to hearing about it.

WBR,
Willianto
"Dan Freeman" <spam@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ePVJo6tfIHA.2448@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> I'd start with Jan's suggestion and check the user ID assigned to the
> scheduled task.
>
> But there's actually a possibility that OE was designed NOT to run unless
> there's a valid Windows logon. I don't know, but I can see that happening.
>
> For this type of mail, MAPI is kinda the wrong choice. You should probably
> bypass the mail *client* (using MAPI) and use SMTP to communicate directly
> with a mail *service*.
>
> Dan
>
> Willianto wrote:
>> Hi Dan,
>>
>>> So what happens? Is there an error? Does your PC burst into flames?
>>
>> Umm... no, although burst into flames might help to locate the exact
>> error <lol>
>>
>> Ok now, sorry for not conveying the problem well. I'll try to put it
>> better; My task is to create an apps on a factory that read daily
>> transaction and send the data to the office in another city. What I
>> have done is I created an application, that create a temporary
>> database, read required data, and compressed the data (using rar).
>> After that, the user should send the rar file (DAILY_TRANS.RAR) by
>> e-mail. Because the user wants to automate the sending process, I
>> add some code to send it via MAPI mail. (The code was modified from
>> Craigs Boyd's SendViaMAPI procedure found on his blog - see attached
>> mylib.vcx) and automatically run the apps on some specific time with
>> Windows' Scheduled Tasks help.
>> PROBLEM:
>> The applicaton runs on the server (Windows 2003 Server SP2). Thus,
>> obviously, most of the time the server is on the log off state. I
>> found that the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR created succesfully on expected
>> time. The Windows Scheduled Tasks indicate that the apps runs fine
>> (got it from the 'Last Run time'), but the file DAILY_TRANS.RAR
>> doesn't exist in the OE outbox. BUT, if I log in to the server, say
>> at 10:57 (the task is scheduled to run on 11:00), and use the server
>> (so that it won't go to the lock mode/log off), then the apps runs
>> fine, and this time the sending process also runs as expected.
>>
>> QUESTION:
>> How to make the apps able to send the mail even though the Win2K3 is
>> on the log off mode?
>>
>> I hope I convey this better now.
>> I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you.
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>> Willianto
>
>