autoresponder

Hi. I'm new to DiscountASP.net, and am trying to set up an autoresponder for a specific email account.

That is, I want anyone who sends email to that account (say '[email protected]')to get an auto response message sent back to them.

I am using email v2, and when I try to add an autoresponder, I get 3 fields to fill in:

Username: ____________ @mydomain.com
Forward to: ____________

Autoresponse message: _________________________________________

OK, so the first (username) is the email account for which the autoresponder should be active (joe); the third is the message to be in the autoresponse.

What is "Forward to" for? I don't want to forward the original incoming message or the outgoing autorespoinse message to anyone. I presume that the original incoming message will still be sent to joe's email box. so what's up with "Forward to" ??

Then when I click "Add Account", I get:





System Temporarily Unavailable


Please try back again later.

If problem persists, please contact our support department.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

- The DiscountASP.NET Team


Dazed and Confused ...

 

... and yes, I looked at the email FAQ; here's what's there:


The autoresponder is a unique email address that has two functions.

1. When you receive an incoming email to the autoresponder email address, an automated message that you can specify is sent to the sender. (e.g., you can send back an 'We received your order' message)
   
   
   
2. The incoming message is forwarded to another email address so that you can review all incoming email messages.

Note that the autoresponder feature cannot currently be enabled for an existing POP account. It must be a unique email address that responds to incoming mail and then forwards to another address. <!-- END DETAILS -->


What the heck does that mean? OK I have to forward it to someone (gosh knows why). But "cannot currently be enabled for an existing POP account" huh ??


OK, so joe is going on a trip; he wants people sending him email to be told he'll be away until a certrain date, and he still wants to get the incoming email messages in his email inbox when he returns. Howcan Iconfigure this simple functionality?

 

Thanks for the response Bruce.


I've never heard the term "vacation messaging" before, and it sounds like a bit of a misnomer, because joe is actually going on a business trip, and we're expecting him to come back with new clients, not a tan


So whatDiscountASPis calling an "autoresponder" is actually a forwarding alias that also sends a message back to the original sender.


In all the other systems I've used, including, I believe, MS Exchange, an autoresponse is just something you can add to an existing pop email account.


In any case, it is what it is, and I've found a way to do what I need (even if it is a bit tedious - I'd hate to have to do that for 50 perople every week in a larger company!). So I'll be fine, thanks.


I certainly will look forward to using the Vacation messaging feature when it's implemented.


Cheers

 

Blaise: Can you please post your workaround? It might be useful for some of the rest of us.


Bruce: Any idea when/if "vacation forwarding" might be implemented? Would it be something accessible via the API? Is it even likely that it will be implemented or is it one of those things that probably requires security to be turned off or some other undoable thing?

 

Anyone wanting a responder "Out of office ...." message could do something like this (not pretty but it works):


Deep breath now ...


1. Set up a second pop mail box [email protected]...on Dasp Control Panel


2. Clear all mail fromregular popmailbox and delete account (do this at dead of nite)


3. Set up new Autoresponder box with user name same as regular mailbox (one you just deleted)


4. Forward Auto to second pop mail box [email protected] - catches all your incoming mail


5. Add vacation message to Autoresponder and save.


6. If you must read your mail on vacation at [email protected] ,webmail will get you there.


7. When you return to office, delete Autoresponder box and set up regular pop mailbox with your regular username, and ....


8. ... tell yourself you will never take another vacation untildasp sets up that "Vacation Message" we keep hearing about.


R.

 

I've seen other mail systems setup pop's as like [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] and have forwards like [email protected] --> [email protected].

Setting up your mail like this can give you the flexibility of just changing the forward [email protected] to point to [email protected] instead of having to nuke your account and recreate it. And when you go on vacation, you can forward to an autoresponder and another co-workers pop, so he can take over your workload while you're out.


Joel Thoms
DiscountASP.NET
http://www.DiscountASP.NET

 

Both of those solutions might work, but I think I'd have to shower a few times to stop feeling dirty after using them...