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ASP.NET Examples to Send SMS, Receive SMS.

Introduction

This tutorial demostrates how it is possible to write ASP.NET scripts/applications to send and receive SMS using VisualGSM Enterprise Server.

We shall go through 2 methods which you can use to send SMS through VisualGSM Enterprise:

1). Execute an SQL statement to insert the new message into VisualGSM LOGLOG table.

2). Issue an HTTP GET to VisualGSM Enterprise CSEND web API.

VisualGSM Enterprise can forward received SMS messages to your ASP.NET script via HTTP GET.

Note:- For complete API parameters, please refer to the VisualGSM Enterprise API Guide.

Software Requirement

1). VisualGSM Enterprise Server (SMS Gateway)
2). ASP.NET and IIS 5 (you may use higher versions)
3). Sample ASP.NET scripts

Procedure

Example 1:- Creating an ASP.NET script to send SMS by executing an SQL statement to insert the new message into VisualGSM LOGLOG table.

2. ASP.NET/IIS environment.

If you do not have ASP.NET/IIS running on your server, you may install IIS from Add/Remove Programs in the control panel of Microsoft Windows XP or higher. Choose Add/Remove Windows Components and then select Internet Information Services. This will install Mirosoft IIS on your PC and will create a folder Inetpub on the root folder of your Windows installation drive.

If Microsoft .NET SDK was installed before IIS then configure ASP.NET for IIS by following steps given below:
1) Open Command Prompt and change current directory to the .NET framework directory that is present inside the Windows installation directory.
2) Type following command and press Enter:
aspnet_regiis.exe -i

Download the Sample ASP.NET Scripts and extract the folder aspnet-samples and contents to c:\inetpub\wwwroot\.

3. Configure and run ASP.NET script.

There are 3 ASP.NET files, (mssql_insert_db.aspx,mysql_insert_db.aspx,oracle_insert_db.aspx).

Select the file which corresponds to the database you are using for VisualGSM Enterprise and amend the parameter url, user and password to your setup.

For example, for SQL Server, please configure mssql_insert_db.aspx:

Dim url as String ="localhost" 'MSSQL host/ip address.
Dim user as String = "sa"
Dim pass="password"

After that, run mssql_insert_db.aspx from your web browser: http://127.0.0.1/aspnet-samples/mssql_insert_db.aspx

Note:-Please amend "127.0.0.1" to the address of your IIS server.

On success, you should get a return message "Data Inserted Successfully!".

Note: If you encounter a database error, please troubleshoot using the following steps:

For MSSQL:

i). Ensure that SQL Server service is running and your url is correct.

Also ensure that your MSSQL accepts TCP/IP connections. Run SVRNETCN.exe in Bin folder of MSSQL. Select TCP/IP and Click on Enable. Click OK and then restart SQL Server.

For Oracle:

i). Ensure that Oracle is properly installed.

ii) Ensure that the TNS Service Name that you provided in url is working by using the tnsping utility that comes with Oracle.

For MySQL:

i). Ensure that MySQL is properly installed.

ii) Ensure that MySQL Connector 3.51 is also installed.

4. Start VisualGSM Service.

Start VisualGSM Service using the "Start" button on VisualGSM Enterprise Manager.

Note:- If VisualGSM service does not start, refer to the returned message and check your setup. Refer to the next section, troubleshooting.

Proceed with live SMS testing (see Step 3). Refer to the sms server log file for testing details.

Example 2:- Using a ASP.NET script to send SMS by issuing an HTTP GET to VisualGSM Enterprise CSEND web API.

1. Install VisualGSM Enterprise Server.

If you have not installed VisualGSM Enterprise Server, you can download the installers from this link (VisualGSM SMS Gateway Download). Refer to the "Quick Start Checklist" on how to configure VisualGSM Enterprise Server.

Note:- For CSEND API to work, you must install and configure IIS (or Apache). Please refer to the "Readme" and "QuickStart Checklist" files in your VisualGSM Enterprise installer download.

3. Open sendsms.aspx from your browser.

Open sendsms.aspx using an editor or Notepad, and change the value of url string to the URL of CSEND API (csend.exe or csend.dll) on your VisualGSM Enterprise Server.

For example:

Dim url="http://127.0.0.1/cgi-bin/csend.exe"

After that, open sendsms.aspx from your browser.

Note:- If you encounter an error, please check if you have configured the permissions on your IIS (refer to "QuickStart Checklist").

Example 3:- Setting up VisualGSM Enterprise to forward received SMS messages to your ASP.NET application via HTTP GET.

3. Following that, create the HTTP type keyword to forward received SMSes to sms2aspnet.aspx.

Run VisualGSM Enterprise Manager, and click on "Keyword" tab.

Scroll through the table and select the keyword with the name "NOKEYWORD". Click on "Edit ", change the Type to "HTTP URL" (refer to the below screen capture for details).

Please set URL as:

Note:-Please amend "127.0.0.1" to the address of your IIS server.

Set Parameter as:

N={N}&KEYWORD={KEYWORD}&M={M}&PORT={PORT}&COMMMETHOD={COMMMETHOD}&SMSC={SMSC}&SEQNO={SEQNO}&SENDFROM={SENDFROM}

Click on the TEST button to simulate the Keyword Action.

5. Start VisualGSM Service and test your new setup.

Start VisualGSM Service using the "Start" button on VisualGSM Enterprise Manager.

Send some SMSes to your VisualGSM Enterprise Server - you should receive a response SMS similar to the following example:

PhoneNumber:+6590601300
Keyword:Hello
Message:World
Modem Port:COM4
COMMMETHOD:
SMSC Number:
DB Seqno:1255491
Sendfrom:

Note:- If VisualGSM service does not start, refer to the returned message and check your setup. Refer to the next section, troubleshooting.

Proceed with live SMS testing (see Step 3). Refer to the sms server log file for testing details.

6. Redirecting received SMS to another recipient or group of users.

If you need to redirect received SMS to another recipient or group of users, please amend sms2aspnet.aspx to the following (Note: The following example is for MySQL).

To use, send the following message to the SMS Gateway:

[Recipient-Group] Hi, how are you!

Replace [Recipient-Group] with your recipient/group name.

Response.Write("Thank you, your message has been forwarded to Group:" & Request.Params("KEYWORD")

Dim connection as OdbcConnection = GetConnection("url", "user","pass") 'Replace url, user, and pass with appropriate values

Dim destination as String = Request.Params("KEYWORD")

Dim content as String = Request.Params("M") & "- SMS forwarding service from Visualtron"

content= content.Substring(0,160) 'limits the redirected SMS to a maximum of 1 SMS length.

Dim command as OdbcCommand

Try

connection.Open() 'Open the connection

command = connection.CreateCommand() 'Create Command object to execute any type of SQL

command.CommandText = "INSERT INTO LOGLOG (DESTINATION,CONTENT ) VALUES ('" & destination & "','" & content & "')"

comm.ExecuteNonQuery() 'Run the SQL and insert the message details into DB

Response.Write("Data Inserted Successfully!")

Finally

End Try

Troubleshooting

If you are facing any issues, please refer to the sms_server_log.txt file for logging details.

Default path for sms server log:
c:\Program Files\Visualtron Software Corporation\VisualGSM\vgsmlog\sms_server_log.txt

If you have any questions or comments, you may post on the support forum for this tutorial - click here.

Relevant links

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VisualGSM Enterprise API Guide