(SQL Server) Convert HTML File to Email with Embedded Images

Converts an HTML file into an email with embedded images and sends. The HTML image may contain IMG tags with SRC attributes referencing images on the local filesystem or on the Web. The MHT component will gather all referenced images, style sheets, etc. regardless of whether they are located on the filesystem or the Web via an http or https URL.

Chilkat ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

-- Important: See this note about string length limitations for strings returned by sp_OAMethod calls.
--
CREATE PROCEDURE ChilkatSample
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @hr int
    DECLARE @iTmp0 int
    -- Important: Do not use nvarchar(max).  See the warning about using nvarchar(max).
    DECLARE @sTmp0 nvarchar(4000)
    -- This example assumes the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    -- See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    -- The mailman object is used for receiving (POP3) 
    -- and sending (SMTP) email.
    DECLARE @mailman int
    -- Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.MailMan" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.MailMan', @mailman OUT
    IF @hr <> 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Failed to create ActiveX component'
        RETURN
    END

    -- The MHT component can be used to convert an HTML page
    -- from a URL, file, or in-memory HTML into an email
    -- with embedded images and style sheets.
    DECLARE @mht int
    -- Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Mht" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Mht', @mht OUT

    DECLARE @email int
    -- Use "Chilkat_9_5_0.Email" for versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0
    EXEC @hr = sp_OACreate 'Chilkat.Email', @email OUT

    -- There are two ways of embedding images in emails: with CIDs
    -- and without.  When using CIDs, the IMG SRC attributes use
    -- urls that begin with "cid:" and the corresponding image
    -- embedded within the email includes a Content-ID header field.
    -- When not using CIDs, the IMG SRC attribute can have a URL,
    -- path, etc. and the corresponding image embedded within
    -- the email has a matching Content-Location header field.

    -- When testing with GMail, if CIDs are used the email will
    -- be displayed with images blocked (by default) unless
    -- the user allows them to be displayed.  Without CIDs,
    -- the images are automatically displayed.

    -- When testing with Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Outlook Express, 
    -- embedded images display correctly with our without CIDs.

    -- When testing with Yahoo! Mail, embedded images display OK.
    -- However, the Yahoo! Mail user has the option of blocking
    -- images.  If this is turned on, the CID images will still 
    -- display correctly even though images are blocked.  Why?
    -- It's because when viewing the email there is no external
    -- HTTP request to fetch an image.  Therefore, a spammer 
    -- cannot get an indication that you've read the email. 
    -- However, if CIDs are not used, the images are blocked by 
    -- any Yahoo! Mail user that has image blocking turned on --
    -- even though the images are embedded.

    -- I haven't tested Hotmail yet...
    -- Regardless, there is no perfect solution.  If CIDs are used,
    -- GMail users may block your embedded images, if CIDs are not
    -- used, Yahoo! Mail users may block your embedded images.

    -- I recommend setting using CIDs.  This is what Mozilla Thunderbird
    -- does by default, and it's the more clear an unambiguous way
    -- to indicate that images are indeed embedded.
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mht, 'UseCids', 1

    -- Create an email from an HTML file.
    DECLARE @emlStr nvarchar(4000)
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @mht, 'GetEML', @emlStr OUT, '/Users/chilkat/temp/bonaireFishing.html'
    EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mht, 'LastMethodSuccess', @iTmp0 OUT
    IF @iTmp0 <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mht, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mailman
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mht
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @email
        RETURN
      END

    DECLARE @success int
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @email, 'SetFromMimeText', @success OUT, @emlStr
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @email, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mailman
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mht
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @email
        RETURN
      END

    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @email, 'Subject', 'Test HTML email from HTML file.'

    -- This example is tested in:
    -- Outlook 2000, Eudora 7, Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5.0.9, Outlook Express 6, GMail, Yahoo Mail
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @email, 'AddTo', @success OUT, 'Chilkat Support', 'support@chilkatsoft.com'

    -- Note: Chilkat does not regularly check our GMail and Yahoo
    -- email accounts.  Please send support email to support@chilkatsoft.com
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @email, 'AddTo', @success OUT, 'Chilkat on Yahoo', 'chilkat_software@yahoo.com'
    EXEC sp_OAMethod @email, 'AddTo', @success OUT, 'Chilkat on GMail', 'chilkat.support@gmail.com'

    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @email, 'From', 'chilkat@live.com'

    -- Send email using smtp.live.com
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpHost', 'smtp.live.com'
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpUsername', 'chilkat@live.com'
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpPassword', 'test123'
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mailman, 'SmtpPort', 587
    EXEC sp_OASetProperty @mailman, 'StartTLS', 1

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @mailman, 'SendEmail', @success OUT, @email
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mailman, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mailman
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mht
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @email
        RETURN
      END

    EXEC sp_OAMethod @mailman, 'CloseSmtpConnection', @success OUT
    IF @success <> 1
      BEGIN
        EXEC sp_OAGetProperty @mailman, 'LastErrorText', @sTmp0 OUT
        PRINT @sTmp0
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mailman
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mht
        EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @email
        RETURN
      END


    PRINT 'HTML Email Sent!'

    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mailman
    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @mht
    EXEC @hr = sp_OADestroy @email


END
GO