Send an email or text message

Use cases

• Event detection – Academic RIO Device monitors an array of sensors and sends a text message when a sensor value goes out of range
• Remote data logging – Device monitors environmental conditions through one or more sensors, stores the measurements, and forwards them by email to one or more recipients either on demand or periodically

Features

• Easy to code, especially when using the “Send Email” Express VI
• Conforms to the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ( SMTPSimple Mail Transport Protocol, a standard for Internet-based email systems. ) standard, a simple method for Internet hosts to send and receive email messages
• Implements TLS (Transport Layer Security) to ensure the secure (private) transmission of email, which is often required by modern SMTP servers
• Send the email to an “SMS Gateway” service to text a mobile phone number when you know the carrier (service provider)
• Use the low-level email VIs for advanced features such as attachments (single and multiple), CC and BCC recipients (carbon copy, blind carbon copy), and email headers such as “importance” level

Keep in mind

• You must designate a 3rd-party SMTP server such as Google Gmail or one provided by your own Internet Service Provider (ISP); LabVIEW does not implement its own SMTP server
• No built-in support to receive email

You can adjust the power-on system date with NI MAX or a browser.

LabVIEW block diagram elements

Example code

• Install the Academic RIO software set add-on called “SMTP Client with SSL Support”; it is not installed by default, and this example code will not run without it
• Connect your Academic RIO Device to your PC using USBLAN, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi. NOTE: Not all Academic RIO Devices have Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity options.
• Verify that the Device has Internet access either by connecting to a home wireless router or by sharing your PC’s Internet connection through a wired network
• Download and unpack the rt_email.zip (for use with NI myRIO 1900) or the NIELVISIII-rt_email.zip (for use with NI ELVIS III) archive, and then double-click the ".lvproj" file to open the project. NOTE: This project was written for a NI myRIO 1900 or NI ELVIS III connected by USBLAN at IP address 172.22.11.2. If you are using a different IP address or another Academic RIO Device (Example: NI myRIO 1950 or NI RIO Control Module) do the following:
  • If using the NI myRIO 1950 or NI RIO Control Module start with the NI myRIO 1900 Archive.
  • Different IP address: Right-click on the "NI myRIO 1900" Device, choose "Properties", and then enter the new IP address
  • Different device:
    • Right-click on the top of the project hierarchy, select "New Targets and Devices", keep the "Existing target or device" option, and then find and select your particular device
    • Select all of the components under the "NI myRIO 1900" device: click the first one and then shift+click the last one
    • Drag the selected components to the new device
    • Right-click the "NI myRIO 1900" device and select "Remove from project"
• Open the “RT Main” block diagram
• Double-click the “Send Mail” Express VI and enter the following information:
  • “Sender’s Email Address” = your Google Gmail account, e.g., “myaccount@gmail.com”
  • “Username” = Google account username, e.g., “myaccount”
  • “Password” = Google account password

• Return to the front panel and enter the following:
  • “Recipients” = one or more destination email addresses separated by commas
  • “Subject” = subject line
  • “Message” = body of the email message
• Run “RT Main” and observe the following behavior:
  • The “Internet OK” indicator signals that the RT can successfully access the Internet; refer to the “check internet access” subVI for details
  • The “Send Email” Express VI runs only when Internet access is available
  • When all goes well the recipient should receive the RT-generated email message within several seconds or perhaps as long as a minute or so, depending on the nature of the recipient’ email system
• Follow these instructions to send an SMS (Short Message Service) text message to a mobile phone:
  • Limit the message body to 160 characters
  • Do an Internet search on “email to SMS gateway” to obtain the email domain of the mobile phone provider for the number you wish to text. For example, Verizon Wireless mobile phone numbers can be reached within the email domain “vtext.com.” Alternatively, use the Whitepages.com reverse lookup feature to find the carrier for a given mobile number.
  • Form the email address as 10digitnumber@vtext.com where 10digitnumber is the numbers-only (no hyphens) mobile phone number
• Repeat the above techniques to send email from the PC using “PC Main”

Troubleshooting tips

• “Error 7 occurred at Call Library Function Node in LabVIEWSMTPClient.lvlib:Open Handle.vi” (File not found) – This error indicates that the Academic RIO Device is missing the required software set add-on called “SMTP Client with SSL Support.” Follow these instructions to install the Academic RIO Device software set add-on
• “Internet not accessible, therefore making no attempt to send email message” (the “check internet access” subVI was unable to connect to the Microsoft Network Connectivity Status Indicator website, a sign that Internet access is limited or unavailable) – Check the Device Network Configuration page (browse to 172.22.11.2) to determine if one of the active network adapters has a “Gateway” IP addresses other than 0.0.0.0. Also try running the “check internet access” VI located under “My Computer” to learn whether or not your development system can reach the Internet.
• “Error 56 occurred at LabVIEWSMTPClient.lvlib:Send.vi” (the network operation exceeded the user-specified or system time limit.) – This is one possible symptom of lack of Internet access. Try running the “check internet access (tcp)” VI under the “NI myRIO 1900” target to confirm that you have Internet access.
• “Error 363504 occurred at LabVIEWSMTPClient.lvlib:Send.vi2280005” (Invalid username or password combination) – Double-check the username and password fields; you will also need to enable the “Allow less secure apps” option on your Gmail account “Sign-in & security | Connected apps & sites” tab.
• “Error 363507 occurred at LabVIEWSMTPClient.lvlib:Send.vi” (LabVIEW could not verify the authenticity of the server) – Verify that the Device system date is reasonably close to the actual date, i.e., within a few days, so that the secured TLS connection may be established to the output mail server. The Device does not have an onboard real-time clock (RTC), therefore each power cycle resets the date back to the last time the Device executed a controlled shutdown, possibly many months into the past. You can adjust the power-on system date with NI MAX or a browser.
• “Error 363513 occurred at LabVIEWSMTPClient.lvlib:Send.vi” (An error occurred while sending data on the network) – verify that the “Recipients” control contains either a single email address or comma-separated multiple addresses.

Expected results

Developer walk-through

Outline

• Review overall structure:
  • RT Main (same as PC Main)
    • First runs “check internet access (tcp)” VI to confirm Internet connection
    • Runs “Send Email” Express VI
    • Reports system data and time (must be reasonably accurate; adjust by browsing to 172.22.11.2 or use NI MAX)
  • “check internet access (tcp)” VI
    • Open a TCP connection the Microsoft Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI) site, port 80
    • Take successful connection as indicator that Internet is generally accessible
• Locate the functions subpalette
  • Data Communication | Protocols | SMTP Email
  • Data Communication | Protocols | TCP