Sending via E-mail

Built-in Send E-mail Form

The RadSocialShare control offers the ability to send a link, provided in the UrlToShare property, via an e-mail, not just to the social networks. In order to do so there is a built-in form that prompts the user for the required information - sender name, e-mail, recipient mail and name, optional subject and message body. The URL can also be altered. There are several requirements to activate this functionality:

1. Add the SendEmail button that will open the form to the MainButtons or CompactButtons collection of the RadSocialShare:

   ASP.NET

   <telerik:RadSocialButton SocialNetType="SendEmail" />
   

2. Set all the properties from the EmailSettings inner tag - FromEmail (the e-mail from which the message will ultimately be received by the recipient), SMTPServer (the server that will be handling the requests), UserName (for the server) and Password (for the server).

   ASP.NET

   <telerik:RadSocialShare RenderMode="Lightweight" ID="RadSocialShare1" runat="server">
       <EmailSettings SMTPServer="localhost" FromEmail="[e-mail]" Password="password"
           UserName="username" />
   </telerik:RadSocialShare>
   

   Alternatively, e-mail settings can be set in the code-behind on every page load (e.g., taken from the web.config's appSettings through the ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["yourKey"]).

   The e-mail settings are private information and are not managed by the ViewState to avoid any security implications.

   C#

   protected void Page_Init(object sender, EventArgs e)
   {
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.SMTPServer = "localhost";
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.FromEmail = "[e-mail]";
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.Password = "password";
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.UserName = "username";
   }
   

   VB

   Protected Sub Page_Init(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.SMTPServer = "localhost"
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.FromEmail = "[e-mail]"
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.Password = "password"
       RadSocialShare1.EmailSettings.UserName = "username"
   End Sub
   

No server error will be thrown if these properties are not set, yet the e-mail will not be received as there is no server to send it. It is up to the developer to setup the mail server in each individual case according to the custom security policy, requirements and scenario of the site.

Using the E-mail Agent from the User's Machine

The RadSocialShare control also allows the user to use the system's mail client - for example MS Outlook, Outlook Express, etc. This feature is activated by adding the MailTo button to either the MainButtons or CompactButtons collection of the RadSocialShare:

<telerik:RadSocialButton SocialNetType="MailTo" />

Clicking the MailTo button results in the default mail agent opening a blank e-mail template with the UrlToShare property preset as the message body. The user can fully customize the mail and it will be sent from his/her account that is set up in the local e-mail client.

See Also

• The <smtp> element in the web.config