Outlook2000 problem with external app sending mail

Win98 SE SP2
IE 5.5 SP2
Outlook 2000


I am so hoping someone can help me!

I sell on eBay, and I am using their auction management software "Sellers Assistant Pro" or "SAP ". It's a terribly buggy program, just horrible, but it's the best of the lot unfortunately.

The latest problem seems to be involving Outlook. They (eBay) keep telling me it's Outlook, but I dont think so. Here's what's happeng:


When I send out the End Of Auction email from SAP, it uses my existing mail app - Outlook. Outlook does not have to be open. I have never had a problem with it before. Suddenly, now, when I send these emails, I get a dialog box with the following message:

"A Program is trying to automatically send email on your behalf. Do you want to allow this? "

Yes No Help

"If this is unexpected, it may be a virus, and you should choose "No "


If I choose "Yes ", a status bar shows something loading, and then SAP hangs to the point of sometimes having to shut down cold. Ctl+alt+del shows SAP as "Not Responding ".


If I choose "No ", I get the following message:

Error #32026 Generated by MAPIMessages
Not Supported
At Location: Before Send "

And then you click "ok "


The only change I had made since my last auctions, was to install a firewall, (Sygate), which I have since uninstalled. I emailed eBay support, and this is the answer I received:


Thank you for contacting Technical Support for Seller's Assistant. It's still coming up with this message even after you uninstalled the firewall software? The MAPI setup with Seller's Assistant is pretty straight forward. You select the option to use an external program to send mail, you then open Internet Explorer, go to tools-internet options and select the "programs" tab. Under this tab, make sure that Outlook is selected in the "email" dropdown because this is where SAPro looks when determining which external mail program to use. That's it. As long as your email account is setup in Outlook, you're all set. There may be some settings in the registry that weren't uninstalled when you uninstalled the firewall program. This may be causing the issue. You may want to contact support for the vendor of this firewall software and see if they can pinpoint the issue. The messages you're receiving are definately coming from either the firewall software or McAfee.

Please let me know if I can be of any more assistance.




I checked the IE settings - fine. I even checked my Opera settings even though I dont email via Opera. I have pored over every setting I can find in Outlook and it all looks fine too.

This is where it gets weird. Tonight, suddenly, I was able to email a few customers without a problem. For about 45 minutes it worked. Now, suddenly, I get the error box again. I'm freaking, I have people that bought stuff and I can't contact them properly.

I guess I'm looking for either what may be causing this, or how to prove technically to eBay that it's their lousy software , or just further troubleshooting I can try.

Since it's now sporadic, that wouldnt be a registry setting - that doesn't make sense.

Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to include all pertinent info.

Thank you so much!

 

I get the exact same message when I use Outlook 2000 through our accounting program.

I haven't been able to find the cause but I found a way for it to work. When the message comes up there is a box that allows you to set the amount of time the program can access Outlook. There is a drop down list where you can change the time from 1 minute to 10 minutes. I found that by setting this to 10 minutes it allows the program plenty of time to work. You will probably still get the program not responding if you hit C A D but given a little time it should work. At least it always has for me.

Sometimes it will work with only the one minute setting, but most of the time I need to extend the time.

HTH

 

Kevin,

You too, huh? Well at least now I know I'm not crazy!

I'll try that to see if it works, but I still have to find a fix - if I'm emailing 40 people, I cant be waiting 10 minutes in between each one.

I shot an email off to McAfee, and Sygate has a forum too. So between eBay, Mcafee, Sygate, and here, HOPEFULLY someone will know something about this!

When I find out anything, I'll keep you posted, so maybe you can get yours fixed too.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q262631&

 

I have SP1 installed already - I will have to do some reading when I get some time - maybe tomorrow morning. Thanks for the tip!

 

OH, and by the way - it's working again... go figure...

 

mlee11 - I see the same behavior when originating email from a program called Vantive (a trouble call tracking program). It started for me when I installed OfficeXP. Tighter security I guess or maybe there was a security upgrade on Exchange Server at about the same time.

The only possible "fix" I can suggest to you is make another mail program your default email if possible.

In my case from work, I can't since we use Exchange Server and it won't work with OE or much of anything other than Outlook.

And BTW - the "10 minute" window KevinSaul suggested is simply the maximum time that Outlook will attempt the send. If it finishes quicker, you are back in business right after the post is sent.

 

Thanks for your reply. I had misunderstood what you meant yesterday when I read what you said about using another program to send mail. I was thinking that you meant I'd actually have to <i>use</i> another program, and I wont switch to OE from O. But DUH! Upon reading another reply I got from someone on the Sygate Personal Firewall board, I realized that I can just tell IE to use OE to send mail from SAP, and it wouldnt impact my regular mail.
Just not thinking!

Here's the reply from the other board just in case anyone's interested:


I can't speak to the SAP software specifically, but the error you're seeing from Outlook is due to a recent installation of the Security Update. At some point you must have installed the service pack that contains this. There is no working around that. I don't think even uninstalling & reinstalling Outlook 2000 would help. The same "feature" is built into Outlook 2002 (aka Outlook XP).

SAP is using a simple MAPI call to send the message. Since the security updates make it difficult for external programs (trojans, etc) to send mail behing your back, the "Send" call results in the dialog you see. The error you get hitting "No" is correct and expected.

*But*, once you hit "Yes" the message should go and SAP should be happy. That it hangs is a testament to its quality. :- >

As an experiment, try selecting Outlook Express as your mail program in your IE settings. Depending on what version of IE (and, by extension, OE) you have installed you may or may not get the same warning. Regardless, the behaviour may be different from SAP's perspective.




And, to keep from having to type out again the results of my testing, here's my reply:


"*But*, once you hit "Yes" the message should go and SAP should be happy. That it hangs is a testament to its quality" - bpsmith, truer words have not been spoken! You cannot IMAGINE all of the problems I and others have with this program. It is so poorly written it's unbelievable, and they gouge us $15.00 a month.

But I need all my email to funnel into the same place (my own Outlook inbox) and most auction software uses either web based mail, or it's own stand-alone mail, so there is not much else to choose from.

ANYway, thank you so much for your reply. (Not that eBay has even replied yet at all. GREAT customer service, isnt it...)

I did as you sugested - changed IE setting to OE, went into SAP to the one sales record that was definitely giving me a hassle, and sent a test mail. It worked. I switched everything back to Outlook, and it still worked.

It's hard to say if this showed definitive results, as the error has been sporadic. But I was finding that for new sales after July 18, I could email people, it seemed to be the July 18 sales that I was having a problem with. So now that that one sale works - who knows. It may have 'fixed' itself, or may just be a fluke.

The whole **** program is a fluke. I get so aggravated with it and eBay's poor support.

I might as well install the firewall again; mix it up a bit! LOL

Thanks!



So, I seem to be back in business for now, go figure. That crappy little program will wait until I have 30 auctions closing and die on me again just for spite. I just know it!

Thanks for all your help, if eBay ever emails me back, I'll have to let you know what useless drivel they tell me, just for a chuckle.

As a shameless plug, my eBay ID is ShopThisWay - check out the big Back To School sale starting July 29! Mention this board, and I'll give you free shipping! (To the U.S. only)

Thanks again!