Multiple address in MailAddress constructor

Question

i was trying to add multiple to address like this.

MailAddress mailAddressTo = new MailAddress("[email protected];[email protected]","Vetrivelmp");

but throws error like

An invalid character was found in the mail header: ';'

Solution 1

You cannot use the MailAddress constructor for specifying multiple receipts, but you can to use the MailMessage object as showed below.

Using the MailMessage (not MailAddress) constructor:

var msg = new MailMessage("[email protected]", "[email protected], [email protected]");

another way is:

MailMessage mail = new MailMessage();
mail.To.Add("[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]");

another way is:

MailMessage msg = new MailMessage();
msg.To.Add("[email protected]");
msg.To.Add("[email protected]");
msg.To.Add("[email protected]");
msg.To.Add("[email protected]");

Solution 2

Actually, semicolon is not a valid delimiter. Unfortunately, MSDN does not document this, had to find out this by myself.

If you want to add more addresses, divide them by comma. And the space will divide display name and email address. The "To" property accepts following formats:

• [email protected]
• "[email protected], [email protected]"
• "Name [email protected]"
• "name [email protected], [email protected]"

etc...

I wrote more about this topic in this blog post

Solution 3

Use a comma (,) as the separator instead of semicolon (;).

If multiple e-mail addresses separated with a semicolon character (";") are passed in the addresses parameter. a FormatException exception is raised.

• MailAddressCollection.Add(String) Method

Examples that work

MailAddressCollection.Add(String):

using (MailMessage msg = new MailMessage())
{
  ...
  msg.To.Add("[email protected], [email protected]");
  ...
}

MailAddressCollection.Add(MailAddress):

using (MailMessage msg = new MailMessage())
{
  ...
  msg.To.Add(new MailAddress("[email protected]", "Vetrivelmp"));
  msg.To.Add(new MailAddress("[email protected]", "Vetrivelmp1"));
  ...
}

Solution 4

There might be a question of why you are wanting to do this? Something like MailMessage.To is a MailAddressCollection whose Add method is overloaded to take multiple e-mail addresses in a string, separated by a comma (see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms144695.aspx).

The usual use for MailAddress objects is to add them to e-mails and if you have multiple addresses then I assume you want to add them to one of the To, CC etc. fields in which case the Add overload should do you nicely. If there is something else then you are going to have to provide more context for what you are trying to do.

Solution 5

Here's another variation on this theme, FWIW:

    SenderEmail = "[email protected]";
    RecipientEmail = "[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]";
    MailMessage msg = new MailMessage(SenderEmail, RecipientEmail);

Note the commas. Further details can be found at MSDN here.

View more solutions

Comments

[Vetrivel mp]

what is difference bw mine and yours?

[Vetrivel mp]

see i know this but how to set in the constructor itself?

[Chris]

His has a MailMessage object for a start. I've actually explained a bit of this in my answer. the simple answer is that mail.To is a MailAddressCollection that allows multiple e-mail addresses. MailAddress only ever holds a single address (the fact its singular may help you remember this).

[Vetrivel mp]

yes but if i am giving format like "[email protected]<sapce>;<sapce>sample1&google.com". it takes seconde email id and sending mail. is this correct functionality?

[Vetrivel mp]

reason is i have predefined code that i am not supposed to change. so is that possible to add multiple ids inside mailaddress consturctor or not?

[Massimiliano Peluso]

this will work new MailAddress("[email protected]", "Vetrivelmp");

[Vetrivel mp]

you know why this is happening?

[Chris]

No, you can't. A MailAddress object is for a single Mail Address. msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/… is the docs that should hopefully answer any other questions you have on the object.

[Massimiliano Peluso]

even if there is an issue with MailAdress object you have to use the MailMessage for multiple address as MailAddress is for only one address

[Matt Hogan-Jones]

Would mail.To = "[email protected];[email protected];[email protected]"; really work? MailMessage.To is a MailAddressCollection object. You can't assign a string to it - you'd need to use the .Add method and your list of email addresses would have to be separated by commas, not semi-colons.

[snumpy]

@MassimilianoPeluso Your first code sample throws an error. The second line should read mail.To.Add("[email protected],[email protected],her@hercomp‌​any.com");

[Massimiliano Peluso]

@MattJones have fixed my answer. Thanks!

[Massimiliano Peluso]

@snumpy I have fixed my answer. Thanks!

[Adam Miller]

In your last example, "name [email protected], [email protected]", the MailMessage was interpreting a test I did as "name email" as the email prefix. I had to do it like this: "Adam Miller <[email protected]>"

[Arkaine55]

@AdamMiller I think this answer addresses the question about multiple addresses in a MailAddress constructor better. But I agree the answer by Tscharek is more correct because it explains using semicolon as the address delimiter is wrong no matter what.

[Judah Gabriel Himango]

That doesn't do what you think it does. That sends an email only to [email protected], and the person's name will appear as [email protected]

[smoore4]

You are right. It should be like this: "[email protected],[email protected]". And it is a string not a MailAddress.

[Ralph Willgoss]

The delimeter is in the documentation now - docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/…