XFOR: Using the Mapisend.exeUtility with the AT Scheduler

The Microsoft BackOffice Resource Kit contains a program, Mapisend.exe, which is a 32-bit command line utility to send mail messages and file attachments. This program is also available in the Microsoft Mail Resource Kit.

Microsoft Exchange Server Administrators may need to run this program automatically, using the AT Scheduler in Windows NT or the Winat.exe program that ships in the Windows NT Resource Kit.

This article explains how to send mail using Mapisend.exe and the AT Scheduler.

Programs scheduled with the Windows NT AT Scheduler are run by the Windows NT Schedule service. To send mail to an Exchange mailbox using the Mapisend.exe program, the Windows NT Schedule service must start using a domain account. By default, the Windows NT Schedule service starts using the LocalSystem account.

To use the Mapisend.exe program with the AT scheduler:

1. Log on to Windows NT with a domain account, for example Domain\User.
2. In Windows NT Control Panel, double-click Services.
3. Click the Schedule tab, and then click Startup.
4. Under Log On As, click This Account, and then click the ellipsis to bring up the list of domain users. Select Domain\User.
5. In the Password and Confirm Password fields, type the password for Domain\User.
6. Under Startup Type, click Automatic. This causes the service to automatically start when the computer is started.
7. Click OK, and then close the Services dialog box.
8. In Windows NT Control Panel, double-click Mail and Fax.
9. Create a profile with the name Sendmail. Add the Exchange Server service to the profile.
10. Make sure that the Windows NT account, Domain\User, that you specified to start the Windows NT Schedule service has permissions to open the Exchange mailbox specified in the profile. Start the Exchange Server Administrator program, and in the mailbox's properties, on the Permissions page, give the mailbox (the mailbox that the profile you created in step 9 points to) Send As permission (or Mailbox Owner permission). On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Permissions tab, and make sure you select the correct options so that the Permissions page is displayed for each mailbox object, with the user rights.
11. You can place the following command in a batch file that you can then use with the AT Scheduler service or the Winat.exe program:
    mapisend.exe -u profile name -p password -r recipients -s subject
    The profile name is the name of the profile you created in step 9, Mapisend. Mapisend.exe requires a password. The password specified with the -p option is only to prevent Mapisend.exe from failing. It is not used.

Please refer to the documentation accompanying the Mapisend.exe program for more information on all the command line switches available.

NOTE: For the AT Scheduler to successfully run the Mapisend.exe program, you must be logged on to Windows NT as a Domain\User. This User must be the account used to start the Windows NT Schedule service and must have access to the mailbox that Mapisend.exe logs on to.