[Issue] Mail Merge E-Mail setup

[jgribbin]

I am attempting to setup Mail Merge E-Mail. I have attempted setting it up for 4 different email accounts and run into errors each time I try the 'Test' button'.

On all of these setups, I'm basically copying working setups out of my Thunderbird client.

I have domain mail setup through Gmail. When I set this up, OpenOffice doesn't seem to like port 465 (gmail is all SSL/TLS). this causes OpenOffice to lock.

I have a regular Gmail account. jimgribbin <at> gmail.com. It uses the same smtp server as my domain mail, smtp.gmail.com, but port 587 instead. With this on 'Test', I get: Establish network connection - Successful; Find outgoing mail server - Failed.

I also have a pop/smtp mail accounts with my company and my ISP. They behave in the same way as my regular gmail account. Actually, with my regular Gmail, company, and ISP account test OK if tested BEFORE putting in the server authentication information.

Under some situations I also get: Establish network connection - Failed. I don't know what network connection is being referred to, I have Internet access the whole time.

Jim G

[acknak]

Have you read the Forum Survival Guide?

What OS are you using? OOo version (probably not important, but who knows)?

I'm not sure if this is possible. As far as I can find it should work. People report problems but never follow up to produce a "smoking gun" to show where the problem is.

Here are the most relevant issues I could find:
Issue 75498: configuring mail merge to gmail fails
Issue 76655: can't connect to SMTP via Port 25 using TLS

[jgribbin]

I thought I read through that and did a search, missed them somehow.

It might have been that I overlooked it because I wasn't yet looking for posted bugs as at this point. I figure I'm the one doing something wrong.

[acknak]

That's the problem: there's no one who has nailed everything down to say either "it works and here are the settings I used", or "it doesn't work, and here's what happened..."

If I were following up, I think I'd start with the mailmerge.py script, as that's what's doing all the work. If that will run by itself, it should be easier to find out what's going on with the connection, rather than fiddling with OOo and getting error messages with little useful information.

Perhaps there are more detailed discussions around as well--I haven't looked very hard.

[gsoundsgood]

I fear there are problems with gmail secure connections...
with non-gmail accounts everything seems to work...

haven't found any workaround for gmail accounts, yet...

this is the error i get...

"smtplib.SMTPSenderRefused: (530, '5.7.0 Must issue a STARTTLS command first. y34sm10623381iky.2', u'noveprove@gmail.com'), traceback follows
/opt/openoffice.org/basis3.0/program/python-core-2.3.4/lib/smtplib.py:676 in function sendmail() [raise SMTPSenderRefused(code, resp, from_addr)]"

[pearj]

I got it working with Gmail.

If you patch mailmerge.py by hand with the attached patch file on this: Bug 76655

Then I used port 587 and smtp.gmail.com

I also had to delete the mailmerge.pyc file that was in the same directory as mailmerge.py

[acknak]

Note: This patch has been incorporated in the ongoing developer snapshots for OOo 3.2, so if you want to use this feature, you may want to skip installing the patch and instead test a snapshot build that includes the patch.

The latest snapshot is available from: http://download.openoffice.org/next

[danielson]

I installed that Ooo 3.2 build, set GMail smtp account to port 587 and left SSL unchecked and it works!



XP Home SP2

BTW, i also found this version to be much snappier overall.

[acknak]

Great! Thanks for the follow-up.

[DavidH]

I'm using OOo 3.1.1 on OS X 10.6, no patches, and Gmail Test Settings works with:

• Port = 587, and
• Use secure connection (SSL) checked OR unchecked, or
• Use secure connection (SSL) checked and Server Authentication settings entered with The outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires authentication checked and settings entered for The outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires separate authentication (which I don't think Gmail does, but I didn't feel like playing with the incoming mail server settings in case IMAP complicated matters)

So perhaps it doesn't need OOo 3.2, just 3.1.X or later and port 587 set?

Note that I haven't tried yet actually using it ...

[PiezoSapphire]

Did anybody get this to work? I tried setting the port to 465 and checking use SSL, but 3.2.0 just hangs during the testing. 587 aborts because it doesn't have SSL.

[rogeroren]

On one computer it would not accept my email settings, but on another it will. For my netscape account, I had to have my netscape email address as sender, though I could have a different email address to reply to, for the server to accept my username and password (SSL off, but authenticated by my username and password for smtp). I've sent some test emails, but what I really want to do is attach a seperate pdf to the emails also. Is this possible? When I say to use adobe pdf, it makes the message into a pdf and attaches it.

Roger Oren
XP/Ubuntu/OS X

[danielson]

Is it possible that Java be installed as prerequisite?

[DavidH]

Yes, I did get it to work with the settings I outlined in my 16 Dec posting.

Worked with both 3.1.1 and 3.2.

Sorry I didn't update it at the time.

[mikeroark]

Okay, I have searched threads, tried everything listed here and am still unable to do an email send of a mail merge using smtp.gmail.com. I am unable to get a test to work and when sending the I get the "starttls message" as noted earlier. I am using OO 3.2 and still no luck. Is there anything up to date on this issue?

[carlosv]

Hi,

Finally, I got it working with Gmail on LibreOffice 3.3 on Ubuntu 10.04.

So go to: Tools>Options

on the menu: LibreOffice Writer (or OpenOffice Writer) on the E-mail merge SMTP server options do:

server name: smtp.gmail.com
port: 587
check: Use secure connection (SSL)

and then (here is what it was failing in my case):
on the SERVER AUTHENTICATION:
uncheck the first option: The Outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires authentication.

That made the trick for me. Now on the: TEST SETTINGS. And all perfect.

Bye

[dld1219]

Just set up OOo 3.3 & Libre Office 3.4 mail merge, in windows XP SP3, which worked 1st time by these settings:

settings: [example for gmail; appropriate server name (yahoo, etc) and ports used may need altering] {for gmail using SSL}
smtp.gmail.com port 587 use secure checked
authentication: outgoing (smtp server) mail server req's authentication unchecked
outgoing " " req's separate authentication checked
outgoing req's same as incoming unchecked
incoming:
pop.gmail.com port 995

DLD

[fourteenergirl]

So sorry to re-open this topic, but I'm still unable to get mail merge to work with gmail.

Tools | Options | OpenOffice.org Writer | Mail Merge E-mail, and these settings: server name: smtp.gmail.com and port: 587 without the Use secure connection earns this error:

<class 'smtplib.SMTPSenderRefused'>: (530, '5.7.0 Must issue a STARTTLS command first. p6sm7452647pbf.3', u'voconnor@gmail.com'), traceback follows
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\program\python-core-2.6.1\lib\smtplib.py:698 in function sendmail() [raise SMTPSenderRefused(code, resp, from_addr)]
C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice.org 3\Basis\program\mailmerge.py:226 in function sendMailMessage() [self.server.sendmail(sendermail, truerecipients, msg.as_string())]

When selecting the SSL checkbox, and clicking Server Authentication, it doesn't matter whether I set the outgoing mail server (top section) or the outgoing and incoming (bottom option) or select or unselect The outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires authentication check box, I only get this error:

OpenOffice.org could not connect to the outgoing mail server. Check your system's settings and the settings in OpenOffice.org. Check the server name, the port and the secure connections settings

Even when I use the settings from Thunderbird, server name: imap.googlemail.com, and port 587 the Test Settings shows success for both incoming and outgoing, but when I send the mail merge document, I get the big fat error above.

Nothing seems to work ... can anyone point me to a solution?

FYI: I tried the port 465/no SSL and that locked up Writer (as already noted).

[jpsanchez]

Finally I did it.
The problem with the connection between openoffice mail merge and gmail, was resolved like this:
smtp configutation smtp.gmail.com
port 578

[TAGarrisonLLC]

It's 2016 and there is nowhere, and I've searched (unless in some buried archive), where there is some assistance for those "NOT" using Gmail settings. I'm using Windows 10. My partner was unable to figure out how to use his settings from his E-mail program, Thunderbird, to set up OO mail merge. And, quite frankly, there are too many variations that "could" work. So here is some help.
The simple answer is, it's almost always the "Port". Sometimes it's the SSL which should not be selected if you are using a "typical" server.
Get the E-mail settings for your Internet connection (i.e. Cox; Comcast; AT&T; whatevercompany...). You can search "whatevercompany mail server" and usually find the right answer quickly.
For Cox, it's smtp.cox.net for outgoing, but no SSL, and port 587.
Make sure in "Authentication Settings", "The outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires authentication" is checked. The information in that upper portion is required in order to connect to the company through which you have your Internet connection. And, that is the most secure as well as easiest method to send your multiple mail forms via mail merge.
You need your "User name" and "Password" for the account you have with your Internet connection.
In this example, it's Cox.net
User Name: FrankJones@cox.net
Password: mycatsname321
Click "OK" and you are done with that window.
Back in the main window (Tools > Options > OpenOffice Write > Mail Merge E-mail), you need the "Outgoing server (SMTP) Settings" with the correct information.
The "User information" is good to have so it appears well when you send your document. But it's no critical for the mail merge to send.
"Outgoing server (SMTP) settings" is critical.
For "Server name", this must be whatever you use to connect to your Internet connection company. In this case, for Cox, it's "smtp.cox.net" (no quotes).
If you check the "Use secure connection (SSL)", that will not work. Leave that box "unchecked".
In "Port", use 587 as the correct port.
The port is also critical. If you have 487, 562 or 25 (25 is so old but is default in mail merge settings...NOBODY uses that port anymore), those will not work.
Your Internet connection company may use a different port. So you need to check with your Internet connection company to see what port they use. They should list 1 port for SSL, and 1 port for TLS. Using SSL is nice, but unless you have already established a secure connection through OO, you may not be able to use that port setting.
Once you have the above entered, click on "Test Settings...".
You should get an immediate reply referring to the fact that OO has established a connection.
If you do not get a positive response, or no response in say 3 minutes, you have a setting or two incorrect.
Look at the port first. If you are using whatever port number, try the "other" port number recommended by your Internet connection company.
Just make sure that whatever port you use, the SSL port will require you check the box "Use secure connection (SSL)" or it won't work.
If you do not have the box for SSL checked, then make sure you are using the correct port number and test again.

[Villeroy]

I don't wanta spoil your party but: https://bz.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=116295