Oracle Database Tips by Donald Burleson

APEX's HTMLDB_MAIL package

The ability to send email from APEX is provided by the HTMLDB_MAIL package.  This package uses the UTL_SMTP package in Oracle.

send(
        p_to in varchar2,
        p_from in varchar2,
        p_body in [ varchar2 | clob ],
        p_body_html in [ varchar2 | clob ] default null,
        p_subj in varchar2 default null,
        p_cc in varchar2 default null,
        p_bcc in varchar2 default null );

The send procedure is used to send email.  The two columns, p_body and p_body_html will accept either a data type of varchar2 or clob.  However, they must match each other.  If a varchar2 is used in one, the other must be NULL or a varchar2.  The same holds true for a clob.   They need to match or be NULL.

Example:

declare
   s_pager easy_person.pager%type;
begin
   select pager
   into   s_pager
   from   easy_person
   where  id = :P1080_ID;

   htmldb_mail.send(
      p_to => s_pager,
      p_from => 'easyhtmldb@rampant.cc',
      p_body => :P1080_TEXTMSG,      p_subj => 'Text
 message from HTML DB' );
   htmldb_mail.push_queue( 'localhost', 25 );
end;

htmldb_mail.push_queue(
         p_smtp_hostname in varchar2 default,
         p_smtp_portno in number default );

When using the htmldb_mail.send procedure to send emails, a mail queue is used.  Mail is sent from the queue at ten minute intervals.  This procedure can be used to force the mail in the queue to be sent immediately.  An example of that is shown in the example code for the htmldb_mail.send procedure.

The above book excerpt is from:

Easy HTML-DB Oracle Application Express

Create Dynamic Web Pages with OAE

ISBN 0-9761573-1-4   

Michael Cunningham & Kent Crotty

http://www.rampant-books.com/book_2005_2_html_db.htm