MailList Controller 
Email Mailing List Management, Bulk Mail and Newsletter Software for Windows


F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

How to install the service using a different user account?
Can I use opt-in on a linked (external) list?
Do you have a list of SMTP error codes?
Does the application work under a Terminal Services environment?
Does it work together with my Anit-Virus solution?
Firewall Settings
SMTP Mailserver Connection Problems
Problem: Task "canceled"
Problem: Task  never starts
Using McAfee Virusscan and MailList Controller
The editor crashes after importing a HTML file
How do I upgrade from version 5.x to 6.x?
Can I use an IMAP server?
How can I backup my lists and settings?
Using CSS in Email
SMTP Error 550 (unable to relay for)
SMTP Error 221
How to import Plain Text (.CSV) and MS Excel files
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How to install the service using a different user account?

Please use the following syntax: 
HOSTNAME\username or .\username
DOMAINNAME\username

You can also change the user from Start->System->Administration->Services
Select "MailList Controller" and "Properties". Now change the user.

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Can I use opt-in on a linked (external) list?

No, the external database is opened read-only. This list mode supports opt-out only. The status information is stored inside MailList Controller.

Please use an internal (standard) list instead and import the recipients.
The internal (standard) list supports opt-in and opt-out. (subscribe and remove)

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Do you have a list of SMTP error codes?

211 System status, or system help reply
214 Help message
220 <domain> Service ready
221 <domain> Service closing transmission channel
250 Requested mail action okay, completed
251 User not local; will forward to <forward-path>
354 Start mail input; end with <CRLF>.<CRLF>
421 <domain> Service not available, closing transmission channel
450 Requested mail action not taken: mailbox unavailable
451 Requested action aborted: local error in processing
452 Requested action not taken: insufficient system storage
500 Syntax error, command unrecognized
501 Syntax error in parameters or arguments
502 Command not implemented
503 Bad sequence of commands
504 Command parameter not implemented
550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable [E.g., mailbox not found, no access]
551 User not local; please try <forward-path>
552 Requested mail action aborted: exceeded storage allocation
553 Requested action not taken: mailbox name not allowed [E.g., mailbox syntax incorrect]
554 Transaction failed

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Does it work together with my Anit-Virus solution?

Yes,  but if it includes an active mail-scanner for outgoing messages, it could be required that you change the "#perCon" setting in the (MailList Controller) "Program Options" section "Send Options". Norton Antivirus for example, acts as a relay between the MailList Controller Mail Service and your external mailserver. If you have problems, please select a lower value, e.g. 10. 

See also: Error 100xx with McAfee (or other Anti-Virus products)

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Firewall Settings

If the connection test fails or you cannot connect to your external mailserver, please check your firewall if the program is allowed to access the internet. MailList Controller does not listen on any ports for incoming connections. It does not require port forwarding or NAT. It just uses port 25 (SMTP) for outgoing messages. Try port 587 if port 25 is blocked.

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SMTP Mailserver Connection Problems

If you cannot connect to the mailserver, please check the SMTP settings (List Settings - section "Outgoing Messages(SMTP)"): host-name of the External Mailserver, the username and also the password. 

Please try to send a test message using the internal editor (Send Test Email).

ERROR: Could not connect to server!
S: EMPTY


This means that either the hostname of the mailserver is incorrect, or the mailserver is listening on a different port. The default port is 25, if you are sure, that the hostname is correct, then please try port 587.

Its also possible that your firewall or anti-virus solution is blocking the outgoing traffic. (Please check your settings or disable it for a test)

ERROR: Could not connect to server!
S: 221 ....


221 is an authentication error, so either the username/password is incorrect, or the mailserver uses a different authentication method.
The default "Authentication" is "SMTP login with username and password". 

If it fails, please try "POP before SMTP" (make sure you also specified a POP server in the section "Incoming Messages(POP3)").  Disable incoming messages if you only want to use the pop3 server to authenticate!

If this also fails, please try "None". "None" is only required in rare cases, e.g. if you are authenticated through your connection or IP.

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Problem: Task "canceled"

The following reasons are possible, if the program does not send out the message and you see "canceled" in the "Sent Messages" section:

a) Managed List (default, non-linked)

The list does not have any members or does not have any members with status "Subscriber". The program sends out messages to "Subscribers" only!

b) Linked List

The mail service (which runs as windows service) cannot access the external database. This sometimes happens if the external database is located on a networked drive. 

The mail service runs with the user permissions "local system", of the machine on which it is installed. You can change the user in the "Program Options" -> "Run Program Setup" -> "Custom Setup" -> click "Next" until you see "Run Service as User" and check it. Enter the username and password and click on "Finish".

Please use the following syntax: 
HOSTNAME\username or .\username
DOMAINNAME\username

You can also change the user from Start->System->Administration->Services
Select "MailList Controller" and "Properties". Now change the user.

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Problem: Task never starts

The mail service (which runs as windows service) cannot access the "data" dir. This sometimes happens if data-dir is located on a networked drive. 

The mail service runs with the user permissions "local system", of the machine on which it is installed. You can change the user in the "Program Options" -> "Run Program Setup" -> "Custom Setup" -> click "Next" until you see "Run Service as User" and check it. Enter the username and password and click on "Finish".

Please use the following syntax: 
HOSTNAME\username or .\username
DOMAINNAME\username

You can also change the user from Start->System->Administration->Services
Select "MailList Controller" and "Properties". Now change the user.

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Using McAfee Virusscan and MailList Controller

By default McAfee VirusScan blocks all outgoing messages sent by any program that it does not recognise. To solve this problem you need to tell McAfee that amlcSVC.exe (MailList Controller mail service) and editor.exe (internal editor - if you want to send a test message) is a 'trusted' program for sending emails. (Optional: If you want to run the connection test in the new list wizard, you should also add nlw.exe.)

1. Right click on the McAfee icon in the task tray
2. Select "Virus Scan Console"
3. Double-click on "Access Protection"
4. Click on the "Port Blocking" tab
5. Select "Prevent mass mailing worms from sending email" and press "Edit"
6. Add  "amlcsvc.exe,editor.exe" in the "Excluded Processes" edit field.

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The editor crashes after importing a HTML file

This problem is caused by an error in the system file mshtml.dll when importing an
UTF-8 charset encoded HTML file.

e.g.
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">

You can fix it by changing the charset, e.g.
charset=
iso-8859-1 or charset=windows-1252

Please install all available security updates for Internet Explorer to fix this problem.
windowsupdate.microsoft.com

We also recommend not to use UTF-8 for an email. You should use: e.g.
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
or <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">

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How do I upgrade from version 5.x to 6.x

!!! Please make a backup/export all your lists before going further !!!


The installation only requires a few steps:

Please uninstall the 5.x version first. 

Now install the new 6.x version and start the program.

Select "Custom Setup" and click "Next"

Click on "Browse" to select the "data" directory of the previous version.
The default location is "c:\program files\arclab\maillist controller\data".

Click "Next", "Next" and "Finish".

Now the program should run and show your existing lists.

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Can I use an IMAP server?

You can use an IMAP server, if the server supports both IMAP and POP3. It will not work with an "IMAP only" server.

Important: Please make sure that "Allow my POP application to delete messages from the server" is enabled on your mailserver, otherwise the program would receive the same messages again and again, which could result in duplicate messages!

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How can I backup my lists and settings?

You can either export your lists and drafts using the export functions, or backup the complete "data" folder (this works only when using an internal database, this will not work when using an ODBC database!).

The program stores all lists and settings inside the "data" folder. The default location for version 6 is inside the "public documents" or "shared documents" system folder. Please take a look at the "Program Options" for the exact data-dir location or use the function "File->Misc->Explore Data-dir". Its also possible to move your lists from one machine to the other by replacing the data-folder. Please make sure, that the mail service is stopped and the program closed before copying the data-folder.

We recommend to backup or export your lists on a regular base!

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Using CSS in Email

there are some issues about using CSS in Email and some mailclients are not or not fully supporting CSS. You should try to avoid CSS in email messages, use basic HTML and tables instead of CSS style formatting.

A typical problem:

\n (newline) followed by a (Single) dot indicates the end of the message, so it will be replaced by the mailclient. e.g. ".definition { ... }" would be replaced by "definition { ... }" or "..definition { ... }"

As a result of this replacement, all ".definition" CSS styles will not work, but other styles e.g. body { ... }, a.link { ... }, td { ... } are working fine.

Solution:
You can use class selectors, which ensure that each style would begin with a letter instead of a dot. e.g. ".definition { ... }" -> "div.definition { ... }", "img.definition { ... }" or "td.definition { ... }" (depending on your code).

The best soltion is to avoid CSS in email messages, use basic HTML and tables instead of CSS style formatting.

You can find many articles about using CSS in email on the net, just google for "CSS in email".

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SMTP Error 550 (unable to relay for)

S:
550 5.7.1 unable to relay for

this means that you need to authenticate before sending out an email.

The default "Authentication" is "SMTP login with username and password". 

If it fails, please try "POP before SMTP" (make sure you also specified a POP server in the section "Incoming Messages(POP3)").  Disable incoming messages if you only want to use the pop3 server to authenticate! 

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SMTP Error 221

S: 221 ....


221 is an authentication error, so either the username/password is incorrect, or the mailserver uses a different authentication method.
The default "Authentication" is "SMTP login with username and password". 

If it fails, please try "POP before SMTP" (make sure you also specified a POP server in the section "Incoming Messages(POP3)").  Disable incoming messages if you only want to use the pop3 server to authenticate! 

If this also fails, please try "None". "None" is only required in rare cases, e.g. if you are authenticated through your connection or IP.

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How to import Plain Text (.CSV) and MS Excel files

MailList Controller
can import MS Access, MS Excel and Plain Text (.csv) format files directly - other formats are supported through ODBC.

The plain text .csv file should have the column names (field names) in the first line and one record on each line. Fields divided by a semikolon (;).

e.g.
Email;Name
support@
yourdomain.tld; Support
office@
yourdomain.tld
; Office

The MS Excel file should also contain the column (field) names in the first row.

Please check the sheet for invalid cells (e.g. with ####### in it) and for too large texts if you have problems using the import function.

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