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.NET Framework 2.0
System.Net.Mail
MailMessage Class

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Microsoft Visual Studio 2005/.NET Framework 2.0

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.NET Framework Class Library
MailMessage Class

Note: This class is new in the .NET Framework version 2.0.

Represents an e-mail message that can be sent using the SmtpClient class.

Namespace: System.Net.Mail
Assembly: System (in system.dll)

Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Class MailMessage
    Implements IDisposable
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As MailMessage
C#
public class MailMessage : IDisposable
C++
public ref class MailMessage : IDisposable
J#
public class MailMessage implements IDisposable
JScript
public class MailMessage implements IDisposable

Instances of the MailMessage class are used to construct e-mail messages that are transmitted to an SMTP server for delivery using the SmtpClient class.

To specify the sender, recipient, and contents of an e-mail message, use the associated properties of the MailMessage class.

Mail part

Property

Sender

From

Recipient

To

Carbon copies (CC)

CC

Blind carbon copies (BCC)

Bcc

Attachments

Attachments

Subject

Subject

Message body

Body

Use the AlternateViews property to specify copies of an e-mail message in different formats. For example, if you send a message in HTML, you might also want to provide a plain text version in case some of the recipients use e-mail readers that cannot display HTML content. For an example that demonstrates creating a message with alternate views, see AlternateViews.

After assembling your e-mail message, you can send it by using the Send or SendAsync methods.

The following code example demonstrates creating and sending an e-mail message that includes an attachment.

C#
public static void CreateMessageWithAttachment(string server)
{
    // Specify the file to be attached and sent.
    // This example assumes that a file named Data.xls exists in the
    // current working directory.
    string file = "data.xls";
    // Create a message and set up the recipients.
    MailMessage message = new MailMessage(
       "jane@contoso.com",
       "ben@contoso.com",
       "Quarterly data report.",
       "See the attached spreadsheet.");

    // Create  the file attachment for this e-mail message.
    Attachment data = new Attachment(file, MediaTypeNames.Application.Octet);
    // Add time stamp information for the file.
    ContentDisposition disposition = data.ContentDisposition;
    disposition.CreationDate = System.IO.File.GetCreationTime(file);
    disposition.ModificationDate = System.IO.File.GetLastWriteTime(file);
    disposition.ReadDate = System.IO.File.GetLastAccessTime(file);
    // Add the file attachment to this e-mail message.
    message.Attachments.Add(data);
    //Send the message.
    SmtpClient client = new SmtpClient(server);
    // Add credentials if the SMTP server requires them.
    client.Credentials = CredentialCache.DefaultNetworkCredentials;
    client.Send(message);
    // Display the values in the ContentDisposition for the attachment.
    ContentDisposition cd = data.ContentDisposition;
    Console.WriteLine("Content disposition");
    Console.WriteLine(cd.ToString());
    Console.WriteLine("File {0}", cd.FileName);
    Console.WriteLine("Size {0}", cd.Size);
    Console.WriteLine("Creation {0}", cd.CreationDate);
    Console.WriteLine("Modification {0}", cd.ModificationDate);
    Console.WriteLine("Read {0}", cd.ReadDate);
    Console.WriteLine("Inline {0}", cd.Inline);
    Console.WriteLine("Parameters: {0}", cd.Parameters.Count);
    foreach (DictionaryEntry d in cd.Parameters)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("{0} = {1}", d.Key, d.Value);
    }
    data.Dispose();
}
System.Object
  System.Net.Mail.MailMessage
Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Windows 98, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 2.0
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Error in example      Jonathan Allen   |   Edit   |   Show History

You need to dispose all Attachment objects, or you will leave open file handles behind.

Calling Dispose on the MailMessage will trigger dispose calls in any attachments it contains.

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