This seems to be a constant issue with the SendGrid Web API and emailing attachments. I've found many, many posts across the web all of whom are having this same issue... but none of them seem to be answered with a solution. SendGrid's own canned response is use one of their libraries... but the question remains how do you attach files when you are using a language that does not have a library.
I've tried contacting SendGrid support myself on this issue... even offered to pay for support to get an answer but they thought I was asking for a "code review" which I wasn't. The question is simply this: What is needed to upload attachments to the SendGrid Web API.
I previously used to just provide the file location within the suggested API format as seen here: Previous Example of Posting to SendGrid Using VBA and this seemed to work fine for a while for myself and several others... but lately something has changed. Providing a simple file path no longer seems to work. So what do I need to do now? Should I encode the file? If so what encoding should I use base64? Any help in this would be greatly appreciated by me and many others!!
Here is my base64 attempt but it is having the same issue as my previous file path attempts i.e. the attachment shows in the email... but it can not be opened.
Private Sub SendEmail()
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim SQL As String
Dim byteData() As Byte
Dim xmlhttp As Object
Dim eTo As String
Dim eFrom As String
Dim eBody As String
Dim eSubject As String
Dim eToName As String
Dim HttpReq As String
Dim ePass As String
Dim eUser As String
Dim strXML As String
Dim strAttachments As String
Dim strBase64 As String
eSubject = Me.txtSubject
eBody = Me.txtMessage
eFrom = SenderEmail
eUser = SendGridUser
ePass = SendGridPass
' If Groups List/ Else Contacts List
If Me.chkGroups <> 0 Then
SQL = "SELECT * FROM qryContactsInSelectedGroups WHERE ContactType = 'Email'"
Else
SQL = "SELECT * FROM qrySelectedContacts WHERE ContactType = 'Email'"
End If
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(SQL, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
If Not (rs.EOF And rs.BOF) Then
rs.MoveFirst
Do Until rs.EOF = True
eTo = rs.Fields("ContactValue").Value
eToName = rs.Fields("FirstName").Value & " " & rs.Fields("LastName").Value
' Set the Server URL to the form input
HttpReq = "https://api.sendgrid.com/api/mail.send.xml?" _
& "api_user=" & eUser _
& "&api_key=" & ePass _
& "&to=" & eTo _
& "&toname=" & eToName _
& "&subject=" & eSubject _
& "&text=" & eBody _
& "&from=" & eFrom _
& GetAttachments()
' files[file1.jpg]=file1.jpg&files[file2.pdf]=file2.pdf
Set xmlhttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
' adoStream.Position = 0
xmlhttp.Open "POST", HttpReq, False
xmlhttp.send
byteData = xmlhttp.responseBody
Set xmlhttp = Nothing
strXML = StrConv(byteData, vbUnicode)
Call EmailResponse(strXML, rs.Fields("ContactID").Value)
Debug.Print strXML
rs.MoveNext
Loop
End If
Set rs = Nothing
End Sub
Private Function GetAttachments() As String
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim SQL As String
Dim currentAttachment As String
Dim strAttachments As String
Dim Encoded64 As String
SQL = "SELECT * FROM tblMessageAttachments WHERE [MessageID] = " & MessageID
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(SQL, dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)
If Not (rs.EOF And rs.BOF) Then
rs.MoveFirst
Do Until rs.EOF = True
' Set Current Attachment
currentAttachment = rs.Fields("AttachmentLocation").Value & rs.Fields("AttachmentName").Value
Encoded64 = EncodeFile(currentAttachment)
strAttachments = strAttachments & "&files" & Chr(91) & rs.Fields("AttachmentName").Value & Chr(93) & "=" & Encoded64 'currentAttachment
'strAttachments = strAttachments & Encoded64
' Debug.Print strAttachments
rs.MoveNext
Loop
Debug.Print strAttachments
GetAttachments = strAttachments
End If
End Function
Private Function EncodeFile(text As String) As String
Dim arrData() As Byte
arrData = StrConv(text, vbFromUnicode)
Dim objXML As MSXML2.DOMDocument
Dim objNode As MSXML2.IXMLDOMElement
Set objXML = New MSXML2.DOMDocument
Set objNode = objXML.createElement("b64")
objNode.DataType = "bin.base64"
objNode.nodeTypedValue = arrData
EncodeFile = Replace(objNode.text, vbLf, "")
Set objNode = Nothing
Set objXML = Nothing
End Function
This code has some additional code and logic to attach multiple attachments:
Option Explicit
Sub SendEmailUsingSendGrid()
Dim HttpReqURL As String: HttpReqURL = "https://api.sendgrid.com/api/mail.send.json"
Const adSaveCreateNotExist = 1
Const adSaveCreateOverWrite = 2
Const adTypeBinary = 1
Const adTypeText = 2
Const adModeReadWrite = 3
Dim YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME As String
YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME = "username"
Dim YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD As String
YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD = "password"
Dim multiPartUploadBoundary As String
multiPartUploadBoundary = "123456789abc"
Dim eTo As String
eTo = "to@example.com"
Dim eToName As String
eToName = "To Name"
Dim eSubject As String
eSubject = "My Subject"
Dim eBody As String
eBody = "This is a test!"
Dim eFrom As String
eFrom = "from@example.com"
Dim outputStream As Object
Set outputStream = CreateObject("adodb.stream")
outputStream.Type = adTypeText
outputStream.Mode = adModeReadWrite
outputStream.charset = "windows-1252"
outputStream.Open
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "api_user", YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "api_key", YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "to", eTo
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "toname", eToName
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "subject", eSubject
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "text", eBody
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "from", eFrom
Dim filesToAttach As New Collection
filesToAttach.Add "C:\temp\test.png"
filesToAttach.Add "C:\temp\test2.jpg"
AddMultipleFilesToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, filesToAttach
outputStream.WriteText "--" + multiPartUploadBoundary + "--" + vbCrLf
Dim binaryStream As Object
Set binaryStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
binaryStream.Mode = 3 'read write
binaryStream.Type = 1 'adTypeText 'Binary
binaryStream.Open
' copy text to binary stream so xmlHttp.send works correctly
outputStream.Position = 0
outputStream.CopyTo binaryStream
outputStream.Close
binaryStream.Position = 0
Dim xmlHttp As Object
Set xmlHttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
xmlHttp.Open "POST", HttpReqURL, False
xmlHttp.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" + multiPartUploadBoundary
xmlHttp.setRequestHeader "Content-Length", Len(binaryStream.Size)
xmlHttp.send binaryStream.Read(binaryStream.Size)
binaryStream.Close
End Sub
Sub AddParameterAndValueToStream(stream As Variant, boundary As String, paramName As String, value As String)
stream.WriteText "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""" + paramName + """" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText vbCrLf
stream.WriteText value + vbCrLf
End Sub
Sub AddFileToStream(stream As Variant, boundary As String, name As String, filePath As String)
Dim fileBytes As String
fileBytes = ReadBinaryFile(filePath)
stream.WriteText "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""files[" + name + "]""; filename=""" + name + """" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText vbCrLf
stream.WriteText fileBytes + vbCrLf
End Sub
Sub AddMultipleFilesToStream(stream As Variant, boundary As String, filePaths As Collection)
Dim fileCount As Integer
fileCount = filePaths.Count
For n = 1 To fileCount
Dim fileName As String
Dim filePath As String
filePath = filePaths(n)
fileName = Right(filePath, Len(filePath) - InStrRev(filePath, "\"))
AddFileToStream stream, boundary, fileName, filePath
Next n
End Sub
Function ReadBinaryFile(strPath)
Dim oFSO: Set oFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Dim oFile: Set oFile = oFSO.GetFile(strPath)
If IsNull(oFile) Then MsgBox ("File not found: " & strPath): Exit Function
With oFile.OpenAsTextStream()
ReadBinaryFile = .Read(oFile.Size)
.Close
End With
End Function
Here it is!
Option Explicit
Sub SendEmailUsingSendGrid()
Dim attachmentPath As String: attachmentPath = "C:\temp\test.png"
Dim HttpReqURL As String: HttpReqURL = "https://api.sendgrid.com/api/mail.send.json"
Const adSaveCreateNotExist = 1
Const adSaveCreateOverWrite = 2
Const adTypeBinary = 1
Const adTypeText = 2
Const adModeReadWrite = 3
Dim YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME As String
YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME = "username"
Dim YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD As String
YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD = "password"
Dim multiPartUploadBoundary As String
multiPartUploadBoundary = "123456789abc"
Dim eTo As String
eTo = "to@example.com"
Dim eToName As String
eToName = "To Name"
Dim eSubject As String
eSubject = "My Subject"
Dim eBody As String
eBody = "This is a test!"
Dim eFrom As String
eFrom = "from@example.com"
Dim outputStream As Object
Set outputStream = CreateObject("adodb.stream")
outputStream.Type = adTypeText
outputStream.Mode = adModeReadWrite
outputStream.charset = "windows-1252"
outputStream.Open
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "api_user", YOUR_SG_CREDS_USERNAME
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "api_key", YOUR_SG_CREDS_PASSWORD
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "to", eTo
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "toname", eToName
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "subject", eSubject
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "text", eBody
AddParameterAndValueToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "from", eFrom
AddFileToStream outputStream, multiPartUploadBoundary, "test.png", "C:\temp\test.png"
outputStream.WriteText "--" + multiPartUploadBoundary + "--" + vbCrLf
Dim binaryStream As Object
Set binaryStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
binaryStream.Mode = 3 'read write
binaryStream.Type = 1 'adTypeText 'Binary
binaryStream.Open
' copy text to binary stream so xmlHttp.send works correctly
outputStream.Position = 0
outputStream.CopyTo binaryStream
outputStream.Close
binaryStream.Position = 0
Dim xmlHttp As Object
Set xmlHttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
xmlHttp.Open "POST", HttpReqURL, False
xmlHttp.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" + multiPartUploadBoundary
xmlHttp.setRequestHeader "Content-Length", Len(binaryStream.Size)
xmlHttp.send binaryStream.Read(binaryStream.Size)
binaryStream.Close
End Sub
Sub AddParameterAndValueToStream(stream As Variant, boundary As String, paramName As String, value As String)
stream.WriteText "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""" + paramName + """" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText vbCrLf
stream.WriteText value + vbCrLf
End Sub
Sub AddFileToStream(stream As Variant, boundary As String, name As String, filePath As String)
Dim fileBytes As String
fileBytes = ReadBinaryFile(filePath)
stream.WriteText "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""files[" + name + "]""; filename=""" + name + """" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" + vbCrLf
stream.WriteText vbCrLf
stream.WriteText fileBytes + vbCrLf
End Sub
Function ReadBinaryFile(strPath)
Dim oFSO: Set oFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Dim oFile: Set oFile = oFSO.GetFile(strPath)
If IsNull(oFile) Then MsgBox ("File not found: " & strPath): Exit Function
With oFile.OpenAsTextStream()
ReadBinaryFile = .Read(oFile.Size)
.Close
End With
End Function
Please see my "Here it is!" answer. I'm leaving this answer here for historical reasons only.
Try with something like this:
' Set the Server URL to the form input
HttpReqURL = "https://api.sendgrid.com/api/mail.send.json"
boundary = "----------------------------123456789abc"
Set xmlhttp = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
xmlhttp.Open "POST", HttpReqURL, False
xmlhttp.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" + boundary
dataToSend = "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""api_user""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + YOUR_API_USER + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""api_key""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + YOUR_API_KEY + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""to""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + eTo + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""toname""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + eToName + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""subject""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + eSubject + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""text""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + eBody + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""from""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + eFrom + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""files[1]""; filename=""myPDF.pdf""" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + BASE64ENCODEDFILE + vbCrLf
dataToSend = dataToSend + "--" + boundary + "--" + vbCrLf
xmlhttp.send dataToSend