In my previous scripts I’ve included a function to send log files to an on-premises Exchange server. I’ve now put together an example script to improve this function to send emails to external e-mail providers, for example: Office 365, Outlook.com or GMail.com.

I’ve added this code to all of my previous scripts both here on this blog and on my TechNet profile.

This new code is designed to support many different requirements:

• No logging at all.
• Logging but with no e-mail.
• Logging with e-mail.
• E-mail with username & password authentication, with SSL.
• E-mail with username & password authentication, without SSL.
• E-mail with no authentication at all.

Please note: If you have two-factor authentication setup for the external email provider you’ll need to generate an application specific password to use.

• SMTP server for Office 365: smtp.o365.com
• SMTP server for Outlook.com: smtp.live.com

Here’s the break down of the PowerShell script with an explanation of the code:

Here we configure the command line switches available.

Param(
    [alias("l")]
    $logpath,
    [alias("sendto")]
    $mailto,
    [alias("from")]
    $mailfrom,
    [alias("smtp")]
    $smtpserver,
    [alias("user")]
    $smtpuser,
    [alias("pwd")]
    $smtppwd,
    [switch]$usessl)

Now, if the logging option was configured, the script sets the log output file location and starts logging.

If ($logpath) {
    $logfile = "test.log"
    $log = "$logpath\$logfile"
    Start-Transcript $log
}

Because this is just an example script, here are some example commands.

Write-Host "Hello World 1"
Write-Host "Hello World 2"
Write-Host "Hello World 3"

If logging was configured, here the log is stopped.

If ($logpath) {
    Stop-Transcript

Now comes the complicated part. If logging was configured then the script also checks if an SMTP server was configured and if it was then the variables for the e-mail subject line and the body of the e-mail are created.

    If ($smtpserver) {
        $mailsubject = "Test Log"
        $mailbody = Get-Content -Path $log | Out-String

If an e-mail password was configured then a variable containing the username and password is created.

        If ($smtppwd) {
            $smtpcreds = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $smtpuser, $($smtppwd | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force)

If SSL was configured, then the script uses the variables created previously and executes the Send-MailMessage command using SSL.

            If ($usessl) {
                Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver -UseSsl -Credential $smtpcreds
            }

If SSL was not configured then the script sends the e-mail without using the SSL option.

            Else {
                Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver -Credential $smtpcreds
            }
        }
    }

Here we go all the way back to if a user name and password were configured, and if they weren’t then the script will attempt to send the email without any authentication.

        Else {
            Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver
         }
    }
}

Here’s the complete PowerShell script:

Param(
    [alias("l")]
    $logpath,
    [alias("sendto")]
    $mailto,
    [alias("from")]
    $mailfrom,
    [alias("smtp")]
    $smtpserver,
    [alias("user")]
    $smtpuser,
    [alias("pwd")]
    $smtppwd,
    [switch]$usessl)

##Start log
If ($logpath) {
    $logfile = "test.log"
    $log = "$logpath\$logfile"
    Start-Transcript $log
}

Write-Host "Hello World 1"
Write-Host "Hello World 2"
Write-Host "Hello World 3"

If ($logpath) {
    Stop-Transcript

    ## If email was configured, set the variables for the email subject and body
    If ($smtpserver) {
        $mailsubject = "Image Factory Log"
        $mailbody = Get-Content -Path $log | Out-String

        ## If an email password was configured, create a variable with the username and password
        If ($smtppwd) {
            $smtpcreds = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList $smtpuser, $($smtppwd | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force)

            ## If ssl was configured, send the email with ssl
            If ($usessl) {
                Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver -UseSsl -Credential $smtpcreds
            }

            ## If ssl wasn't configured, send the email without ssl
            Else {
                Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver -Credential $smtpcreds
            }
        }

        ## If an email username and password were not configured, send the email without authentication
        Else {
            Send-MailMessage -To $mailto -From $mailfrom -Subject $mailsubject -Body $mailbody -SmtpServer $smtpserver
        }
    }
}

## End

I hope this helps in some way. If you’d like to get in touch with me please leave a comment or tweet me.

-Mike

Follow Mike on Twitter: @Digressive