Can anyone help, please.

I had no luck getting an answer I could understand over at the Web Forms board so I thought I'd ask here.

It's just a standard simple 'contact us' form I built in VWD Express (VB). I can't figure out how to send my form textbox values in an email, and display a 'thank you' form.

I have seen lots of confusing code with no explanations. I'm new and need the details like exactly where such code goes.

Thank you.

Protected  Sub Send_Email() 
            Dim msgMail As MailMessage =  New MailMessage() 
            msgMail.To = "..." 'To email address
            msgMail.From = "..." 'From email address
            msgMail.Subject = "Test Email"
            msgMail.BodyFormat = MailFormat.Text
            Dim strBody As String =  BuildMessage() 
            msgMail.Body = strBody
 
        Try
            SmtpMail.SmtpServer = "mail.something.something" 'Your Mail server
            SmtpMail.Send(msgMail)
        Catch ex As System.Exception
 
        Finally
            Response.Redirect("Thanks.aspx") 'Thank you page
        End Try
End Sub
 
'this is to build a simple text email
Public Function BuildMessage() As String
        String strBody = "Date & Time of Request:                 " + txtDateTime.Text + "\n" +
                         "Organization Name:                      " + txtOrgName.Value + "\n" +
                         "Building / Location:                    " + txtLocName.Value + "\n" +
                         "Email Address:                          " + txtEmail.Value + "\n" +
                         "Person Reporting Problem:               " + txtPersonName.Value + "\n" +
                         "Telephone:                              " + txtTel.Value + "\n" +
                         "Equipment Type:                         " + txtEquType.Value + "\n" +
                         "Make/Model Number:                      " + txtMakeNum.Value
 
        Return strBody.ToString()
End Function

Do you have access to an email server that you can use in your application?

You will need System.Web.Mail namespace.

This is so frustrating I'm exhausted. 

Well, I have several email accounts if that's what you mean. I found this code to allegedly use the default.

'Specify to use the default Smtp Server

SmtpMail.SmtpServer = ""

'Now, to send the message, use the Send method of the SmtpMail class

There's got to be something important I'm missing.

Where specifically does this line go?     <% @Import Namespace="System.Net.Mail" %>

Why does the tutorial use   Imports System.Net>Mail   instead?

 Why am I getting errors like:  Property 'To' is 'ReadOnly'?   'String' cannot be converted to 'System.Net.Mail.MailAddress'?    'BodyFormat' is not a member of 'System.Net.Mail.MailMessage'?     'SmtpMail' is not declared?

Thank you for your help.

None of this is my code. I've tried several versions I've found. I just can't make it work.

Where does this go? <% @Import Namespace="System.Web.Mail" %>

Or is it this? Imports System.Net.Mail

This code was from a guy yesterday on the Web Forms board.

http://forums.asp.net/t/971802.aspx

Calling the function from code

MailHelper.SendMailMessage("[email protected]", "[email protected]", "[email protected]",

"[email protected]", "Sample Subject", "Sample body of text for mail message")

MailHelper.vb

Imports System.Net.Mail
Public Class MailHelper
   ''' <summary>
   ''' Sends an mail message
   ''' </summary>
   ''' <param name="from">Sender address</param>
   ''' <param name="recepient">Recepient address</param>
   ''' <param name="bcc">Bcc recepient</param>
   ''' <param name="cc">Cc recepient</param>
   ''' <param name="subject">Subject of mail message</param>
   ''' <param name="body">Body of mail message</param>
   Public Shared Sub SendMailMessage(ByVal from As String, ByVal recepient As String, ByVal bcc As String, ByVal cc As

String, ByVal subject As String, ByVal body As String)
      ' Instantiate a new instance of MailMessage
      Dim mMailMessage As New MailMessage()
      ' Set the sender address of the mail message
      mMailMessage.From = New MailAddress(from)
      ' Set the recepient address of the mail message
      mMailMessage.To.Add(New MailAddress(recepient))

      ' Check if the bcc value is nothing or an empty string
      If Not bcc Is Nothing And bcc <> String.Empty Then
         ' Set the Bcc address of the mail message
         mMailMessage.Bcc.Add(New MailAddress(bcc))
      End If

      ' Check if the cc value is nothing or an empty value
      If Not cc Is Nothing And cc <> String.Empty Then
         ' Set the CC address of the mail message
         mMailMessage.CC.Add(New MailAddress(cc))
      End If

      ' Set the subject of the mail message
      mMailMessage.Subject = subject
      ' Set the body of the mail message
      mMailMessage.Body = body

      ' Set the format of the mail message body as HTML
      mMailMessage.IsBodyHtml = True
      ' Set the priority of the mail message to normal
      mMailMessage.Priority = MailPriority.Normal

      ' Instantiate a new instance of SmtpClient
      Dim mSmtpClient As New SmtpClient()
      ' Send the mail message
      mSmtpClient.Send(mMailMessage)
   End Sub
End Class

Web.config

<?

xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
   <system.net>
      <mailSettings>
         <smtp from="[email protected]">
            <network host="smtp.yourdomain.com" port="25" userName="yourUserName" password="yourPassword"/>
         </smtp>
      </mailSettings>
   </system.net>
</configuration>

...and this one is from 4GuysFromRolla.com

Source Code for Creating an ASP.NET Visitor Feedback Page
<% @Import Namespace="System.Web.Mail" %>
<script language="vb" runat="server">

Sub btnSendFeedback_Click(sender as Object, e as EventArgs)

  'Create an instance of the MailMessage class
  Dim objMM as New MailMessage()

  'Set the properties - send the email to the person who filled out the
  'feedback form.
  objMM.To = "[email protected]"
  objMM.From = txtEmail.Text

  'If you want to CC this email to someone else, uncomment the line below
  'objMM.Cc = "[email protected]"

  'If you want to BCC this email to someone else, uncomment the line below
  'objMM.Bcc = "[email protected]"

  'Send the email in text format
  objMM.BodyFormat = MailFormat.Text
  '(to send HTML format, change MailFormat.Text to MailFormat.Html)

  'Set the priority - options are High, Low, and Normal
  objMM.Priority = MailPriority.Normal

  'Set the subject
  objMM.Subject = "4GuysFromRolla.com - Feedback"

  'Set the body
  objMM.Body = "At " + DateTime.Now + " feedback was sent from an ASP.NET " & _
               "Web page.  Below you will find the feedback message " & _
               "send by " & txtName.Text & "." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & _
               "---------------------------------------" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & _
               txtMessage.Text & vbCrLf

  'Specify to use the default Smtp Server
  SmtpMail.SmtpServer = ""
 
  'Now, to send the message, use the Send method of the SmtpMail class
  SmtpMail.Send(objMM)

  panelSendEmail.Visible = false
  panelMailSent.Visible = true
End Sub

</script>

<html>
<body>
  <asp:panel id="panelSendEmail" runat="server">
    <form runat="server">
      <h2>We are interested in your feedback!  Please enter the following
      requested information below to send us your comments.</h2>

      <b>Your Name:</b>
      <asp:textbox id="txtName" runat="server" />
      <br>

      <b>Your Email Address:</b>
      <asp:textbox id="txtEmail" runat="server" />
      <p>

      <b>Your Message:</b><br>
      <asp:textbox id="txtMessage" TextMode="MultiLine"
                      Columns="40" Rows="10" runat="server" />
      <p>

      <asp:button runat="server" id="btnSendFeedback" Text="Send Feedback!"
                  OnClick="btnSendFeedback_Click" />
    </form>
  </asp:panel>

  <asp:panel id="panelMailSent" runat="server" Visible="False">
    An email has been sent to the email address you specified.  Thanks!
  </asp:panel>
</body>
</html>

ok the confusion, on your part might be caused by this::

Where does this go? <% @Import Namespace="System.Web.Mail" %>--------------this is only used if you are not using the code behind page and writing the script directly into your aspx page

Or is it this? Imports System.Net.Mail ---------------------------this is used if you are using a class file and or code behind page.

you will need to decide which method you wish to use...both will work, you just need to figure out your preference.

you will also have to ensure that when you test the application that you are using the correct smtpserver, if you are testing from lets say your home and are trying to test this application through your

web host smtpserver that it might fail to send because a lot of times your isp will block any smtp mail sending that is not going through there server(at least that is how it is for me, i use bellsouth.net).

hope that helps.

I know it can be confusing at first but once you get it working you will see it is easy.

<% @Import Namespace="System.Web.Mail" %> goes at the top of your aspx page (after the page directive) if you are writing the server code in aspx page. The Imports System.Net.Mail goes in the aspx.vb page. If you are using aspx.cs, keyword Imports is changed to "using".

Both are namespaces that contain classes to handle your email applications and almost do the same thing, but I believe System.Web.Mail is deprecated now. Use System.Net.Mail instead.

Now coming to the email server, it is the server that handles the incoming and outgoing mails for your web application. It is not gmail, or yahoomail or any other email client. What you are refering to as servers are actually clients that work with email servers (smtp servers) at the backend. I would suggest you clear your .Net fundamentals first and then jump to building applications. It will be very hard for us to teach you A-Z of .Net here.

Thank you all for your help. I'm confident you've given me the answers even though I don't understand them.

I'll study and continue trying to figure it out and if I'm successful I'll post the elementary explanation that I seek for others in my position. I'm really surprised that such a seemingly common task is so illusive with no ready-made tools for it (see BlueVoda.com). For example, I've already learned to handle my test database using the VWD tools. They should have made this tool, too.

Thank you.

Hello RichCfl,

Here is a tutorial Vedio teching you about How Do I: Create a ?Contact Us? Page? in this site.

Hope it can give you some helps,

Jessica