[smooth]

Hey everyone

Here at the office, they want to be able to have an automated email to go out when it is an agent's birthday.

Should I use ASP (since my host uses that) and integrate it withing my web space, or is there a program that I can use to do this?

I know I will probably need a database if I do it within my webspace.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[1002richards]

Hi,
One of my friends has this system set up within his Gmail account, would that system be any use to you?

richard

 

[smooth]

I'm not sure really, I'll have to look into that. The only problem I would see with that is I want to be able to send html emails out, and I can't seem to get those to work within Gmail.

Right now I am sending emails using Thunderbird (Mozilla), and sending them as Plain Text/HTML, so ones that can't receive HTML still get the plain text of the message. I'll definitely look into Gmail though :up:

Any other suggestions?

 

[knight_47]

I'm pretty sure this can be done in PHP pretty easily, i'm not that good with php yet, so I'll probably write one up with sloppy code:

<?php
$date = //some way of determining the date, i'm pretty sure there is a function, but i can't look that up right now, i have to leave to school in a few mins.
$tom = "January 1, 2007";
$stacy = "January 3, 2007";

if $date == $stacy
{
echo "Happy birthday stacy!";

//insert email code here
}

?>

 

[smooth]

That's a good start knight :up: That gives me a few ideas on how to possibly implement it.

I was thinking of using a database, though, since I'll have around 200 or more birthdays to check, and I already have the login script, with each individuals username and password. I'm guessing I could also just add to that database, a field for birthday.

I'm also using ASP, but the code above gives me a good starting idea. I think that's on the right track though.

Any other suggestions?

 

[namenotfound]

I'm not sure really, I'll have to look into that. The only problem I would see with that is I want to be able to send html emails out, and I can't seem to get those to work within Gmail.

Right now I am sending emails using Thunderbird (Mozilla), and sending them as Plain Text/HTML, so ones that can't receive HTML still get the plain text of the message. I'll definitely look into Gmail though :up:

Any other suggestions?

Well I know if you sent an html attachment to a gmail address, it uses that attachment as the body of the email (or it did last time I tried, which was a year ago). But you'd have to bank on your agents having gmail

 

[smooth]

Well I know if you sent an html attachment to a gmail address, it uses that attachment as the body of the email (or it did last time I tried, which was a year ago). But you'd have to bank on your agents having gmail

Yeah, I don't think but about 3 of them have gmail

I would like something similar to Birthday Alarm, but where it sends out a email that is wishing a Happy Birthday, rather than reminding me of a birthday.

 

[jimredbaron]

Ok.. I found another separate thread that may help you build something. http://forums.phplist.com/viewtopic.php?t=2789

 

[smooth]

Thanks for the link jim

It gives me a good idea, like the post above, of what to basically start with. Unfortunately, I need ASP, since my Web Host uses that.

 

[namenotfound]

I'm guessing you have a windows server? If you want, you can install PHP on a windows server. If interested, you can give this a quick read:

http://us2.php.net/install.windows

 

[smooth]

Thanks for the link namenotfound I'll have to see about doing that as well on the in-house server

I know the web host I have is a windows server, running ASP, so I mainly need ideas using ASP, since I can't install php on their server.

 

[smooth]

bump

 

[redivivus]

You could do this with C++ though I'm not exactly sure how to send complex emails.

 

[MMJ]

A user on a different forum who asked the same question. It should help:

http://forums.asp.net/thread/1257561.aspx

Since you want it in a db and you are on windows then this should be just right for you.
=====

This should be a good starting place:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=asp+birthday+script&btnG=Google+Search

===
Other:

http://www.devasp.net/net/articles/display/434.html

 

[smooth]

Thanks for all the suggestions given :up:

Thank for the links MMJ, I'll check them out later on today

 

[MMJ]

No problem.