Is it possible to send an email from SQL Server 2000 (using
xp_sendmail possibly) with HTML content that will be formatted as HTML
(instead of just plain text; showing the tags etc) when recieved by
Microsoft Outlook?

Hi Bill610-ga

As a fledgling SQL and ASP coder, I happen to have a link to a site
that details how to actually send html mail with sql using
xp_sendmail.

The hard part of this question, is the MS Outlook part. Outlook allows
individual users to set their email account to read or ignore html
code. So if  user has set their Outlook account to plain text only,
they will receive a page full of tags.

I have included the link as part of my comment, I don't feel I can
fully answer the part of the question in regards to Outlook. I think
there is a way to detect whether a e-mail client accepts html based
e-mails or not.

http://www.sqldev.net/xp/xpsmtp.htm

Search Engine: none used, personal link
Search Keywords: none used, personal link

You can also make a stored procedure to use third party software to
send html based e-mails ( believe this was to correct a problem prior
to sql2k which made it impossible to set content type for the email.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312839

Search Engine: none used, personal link
Search Keywords: none used, personal link


Last but not least, I know in the past I have used a piece of software
to send e-mails triggered by a stored procedure. It also will pull
information from a database for use in emails(Access, Centura SQLBase,
dBASE, FoxPro, Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server or a csv file), and has many
more amazing functions.

Most importantly from their website:
Gammadyne Software 
http://www.gammadyne.com/mmail.htm
"The message body can be either plain text or HTML, or both.  If the
end-user's email client cannot handle HTML, it will automatically
display the text body instead.  HTML can be used to create very
attractive messages, complete with formatted text, embedded graphics,
and scripts."

Search Engine: Google.com
Search Keywords: Gammadyne
 

Mother911-ga

Thanks Bill! Looking forward to helping you again.

Hi Bill610-ga

As a fledgling SQL and ASP coder, I happen to have a link to a site
that details how to actually send html mail with sql using
xp_sendmail.

The hard part of this question, is the MS Outlook part. Outlook allows
individual users to set their email account to read or ignore html
code. So if  user has set their Outlook account to plain text only,
they will receive a page full of tags.

I have included the link as part of my comment, I don't feel I can
fully answer the part of the question in regards to Outlook. I think
there is a way to detect whether a e-mail client accepts html based
e-mails or not.

http://www.sqldev.net/xp/xpsmtp.htm

Search Engine: none used, personal link
Search Keywords: none used, personal link

You can also make a stored procedure to use third party software to
send html based e-mails ( believe this was to correct a problem prior
to sql2k which made it impossible to set content type for the email.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312839

Search Engine: none used, personal link
Search Keywords: none used, personal link


Last but not least, I know in the past I have used a piece of software
to send e-mails triggered by a stored procedure. It also will pull
information from a database for use in emails(Access, Centura SQLBase,
dBASE, FoxPro, Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server or a csv file), and has many
more amazing functions.

Most importantly from their website:
Gammadyne Software 
http://www.gammadyne.com/mmail.htm
"The message body can be either plain text or HTML, or both.  If the
end-user's email client cannot handle HTML, it will automatically
display the text body instead.  HTML can be used to create very
attractive messages, complete with formatted text, embedded graphics,
and scripts."

Search Engine: Google.com
Search Keywords: Gammadyne

If you would accept this as an answer, let me know, if you need
further information, feel free to ask for clarification.

Mother911-ga

The user's Outlook settings are no problem, they have to do what I say. haha..
I installed the dll for the proc and everything works great. This is
what I was looking for. Thanks.

EXCELLENT!

I am so glad I could help, with your approval I will submit this as an answer.

Mother911-ga

Oh-- yes I approve.