MX Class

Properties   Methods   Events   Config Settings   Errors  

The MX class enables querying of mail exchange (MX) records from a Domain Name Server (DNS). Thus, it will find out the names of the mail servers accepting email for a given email address or domain.

Syntax

ipworks.MX

Remarks

The class will attempt to automatically determine the name of a DNS server from the system settings or from the value of the DNSServer property.

The class operates in synchronous or asynchronous mode, depending on the value of the Timeout property. Calling the Resolve method makes the class query the DNSServer. The Response event is fired for each server that handles mail for the email address. The class will fill out the MailServer property with the most preferred mail server and will set the Status property to "OK" or to an error message upon completion.

The RequestId property may be used to identify requests and is used in the Response event. The user may set its value before sending out requests and then match the responses to the request using the RequestId parameter in the Response event.

Property List

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The following is the full list of the properties of the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Method List

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The following is the full list of the methods of the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Event List

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The following is the full list of the events fired by the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

Config Settings

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The following is a list of config settings for the class with short descriptions. Click on the links for further details.

DNSPort Property (MX Class)

This property includes the port where the DNS server is listening.

Syntax

public int getDNSPort();
public void setDNSPort(int DNSPort);

Default Value

53

Remarks

This property contains the port where the DNS server is listening. The default value is 53, but you may set this property to any other value for use with experimental servers and such.

This property is not available at design time.

DNSServer Property (MX Class)

This is the address of the DNS server.

Syntax

public String getDNSServer();
public void setDNSServer(String DNSServer);

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the address of the DNS server. The class attempts to find the default DNS server for the machine where it is installed, and provide it in the DNSServer property. You may change it to any particular DNS server you want to query. While any internet host running a DNS service will suffice, it is preferable to use either the DNS server for your network or the DNS server for the domain that you are querying.

If the class cannot determine the default DNS server address, the property value will be an empty string.

Note: Automatic discovery of the default DNS server is not supported in the Java edition.

This property is not available at design time.

Idle Property (MX Class)

The current status of the class.

Syntax

public boolean isIdle();

Default Value

True

Remarks

This property will be False if the component is currently busy (communicating or waiting for an answer), and True at all other times.

This property is read-only.

LocalHost Property (MX Class)

The name of the local host or user-assigned IP interface through which connections are initiated or accepted.

Syntax

public String getLocalHost();
public void setLocalHost(String localHost);

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the name of the local host as obtained by the gethostname() system call, or if the user has assigned an IP address, the value of that address.

In multihomed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface) setting LocalHost to the IP address of an interface will make the class initiate connections (or accept in the case of server classs) only through that interface. It is recommended to provide an IP address rather than a hostname when setting this property to ensure the desired interface is used.

If the class is connected, the LocalHost property shows the IP address of the interface through which the connection is made in internet dotted format (aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd). In most cases, this is the address of the local host, except for multihomed hosts (machines with more than one IP interface).

Note: LocalHost is not persistent. You must always set it in code, and never in the property window.

MailServer Property (MX Class)

This property includes the mail server with the lowest precedence value (lowest cost to reach).

Syntax

public String getMailServer();

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property contains the mail server with lowest precedence value (lowest cost to reach). After all events are fired, this property holds the name of the best mail server for the supplied email address, and the Status property holds the completion status.

This property is read-only.

RequestId Property (MX Class)

This property identifies each request.

Syntax

public int getRequestId();
public void setRequestId(int requestId);

Default Value

0

Remarks

This property identifies each request. This may be useful if several email addresses need to be resolved. Each request may be identified by the user before starting a query by calling the Resolve method.

If a custom value is needed for RequestId, the property must be set before resolving an email address. The class increments RequestId automatically after sending each request.

This property is not available at design time.

Status Property (MX Class)

The status of the request is empty while in progress. This property is set to OK or to an error message upon completion.

Syntax

public String getStatus();

Default Value

""

Remarks

This property is reset each time the Resolve method is called. When a response comes from the DNSServer, this property is set to "OK" in case of success or to an error message as described in the Response event.

This property is read-only.

Timeout Property (MX Class)

This property includes the timeout for the class.

Syntax

public int getTimeout();
public void setTimeout(int timeout);

Default Value

60

Remarks

If the Timeout property is set to 0, all operations return immediately, potentially failing with a WOULDBLOCK error if data cannot be sent immediately.

If Timeout is set to a positive value, data is sent in a blocking manner and the class will wait for the operation to complete before returning control. The class will handle any potential WOULDBLOCK errors internally and automatically retry the operation for a maximum of Timeout seconds.

The class will use DoEvents to enter an efficient wait loop during any potential waiting period, making sure that all system events are processed immediately as they arrive. This ensures that the host application does not freeze and remains responsive.

If Timeout expires, and the operation is not yet complete, the class throws an exception.

Note: By default, all timeouts are inactivity timeouts, that is, the timeout period is extended by Timeout seconds when any amount of data is successfully sent or received.

The default value for the Timeout property is 60 seconds.

Config Method (MX Class)

Sets or retrieves a configuration setting.

Syntax

public String config(String configurationString);

Remarks

Config is a generic method available in every class. It is used to set and retrieve configuration settings for the class.

These settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the Config method.

To set a configuration setting named PROPERTY, you must call Config("PROPERTY=VALUE"), where VALUE is the value of the setting expressed as a string. For boolean values, use the strings "True", "False", "0", "1", "Yes", or "No" (case does not matter).

To read (query) the value of a configuration setting, you must call Config("PROPERTY"). The value will be returned as a string.

DoEvents Method (MX Class)

This method processes events from the internal message queue.

Syntax

public void doEvents();

Remarks

When DoEvents is called, the class processes any available events. If no events are available, it waits for a preset period of time, and then returns.

Interrupt Method (MX Class)

This method interrupts the current method.

Syntax

public void interrupt();

Remarks

If there is no method in progress, Interrupt simply returns, doing nothing.

Reset Method (MX Class)

This method will reset the class.

Syntax

public void reset();

Remarks

This method will reset the class's properties to their default values.

Resolve Method (MX Class)

This method resolves an email address.

Syntax

public void resolve(String emailAddress);

Remarks

This method resolves an email address. Calling this method directs the class to query DNSServer at port DNSPort about MX records related to EmailAddress.

The server's response is provided through one or more Response events.

After the query completes, the MailServer property is set to the best mail server and the Status property includes the result description of the response.

Valid queries are email addresses like name@company.com or hostnames and domains like domain.com.

Example. Determine Top Priority Mail Server of Email Address:

MXControl.Resolve "email@server.com" While MXControl.MailServer = "" MXControl.DoEvents() End While BestMailServer = MXControl.MailServer

Error Event (MX Class)

Fired when information is available about errors during data delivery.

Syntax

public class DefaultMXEventListener implements MXEventListener {
  ...
  public void error(MXErrorEvent e) {}
  ...
}

public class MXErrorEvent {
  public int errorCode;
  public String description;
}

Remarks

The Error event is fired in case of exceptional conditions during message processing. Normally the class throws an exception.

The ErrorCode parameter contains an error code, and the Description parameter contains a textual description of the error. For a list of valid error codes and their descriptions, please refer to the Error Codes section.

Response Event (MX Class)

This event is fired for each MailServer accepting email for the domain.

Syntax

public class DefaultMXEventListener implements MXEventListener {
  ...
  public void response(MXResponseEvent e) {}
  ...
}

public class MXResponseEvent {
  public int requestId;
  public String domain;
  public String mailServer;
  public int precedence;
  public int timeToLive;
  public int statusCode;
  public String description;
  public boolean authoritative;
}

Remarks

A Response event is fired for each mail server handling email for the requested domain. The RequestId parameter identifies the request and equals the value of RequestId property right before the Resolve method is called. MailServer is the name of the server handling the email for the requested Domain. A lower Precedence value should be preferred. The TimeToLive parameter gives the validity time in seconds before the DNSServer should be queried again.

Possible values for the StatusCode and Description parameters are as follows:

After the last Response event is fired, the class sets the MailServer and Status properties to the best MailServer and the error or success code, respectively.

Config Settings (MX Class)

The class accepts one or more of the following configuration settings. Configuration settings are similar in functionality to properties, but they are rarely used. In order to avoid "polluting" the property namespace of the class, access to these internal properties is provided through the Config method.

UDP Config Settings

Socket Config Settings

Base Config Settings

Trappable Errors (MX Class)

MX Errors

UDP Errors

SSL Errors

TCP/IP Errors