SMTP: Err Msg: Error Translating Message to SMTP...

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

The following error message sometimes appears in the SMTPGATE.LOG file:

   Error translating message to smtp:  protocol error

CAUSE

The SMTP gateway could not successfully translate the message to SMTP format. The message may be corrupted.

When the Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP determines that there is a message ready to go out of the gateway, it extracts the message from the mailbag and converts it to the Microsoft Mail File Format (MMFF), in a file called FROM_NC.API. This file is then converted to SMTP format as two files--one for the envelope information (SMTP_OUT.822) and one for the message headers and body (SMTP_OUT.TXT). If there is a problem converting the FROM_NC file to SMTP_OUT.822 or to SMTP_OUT.TXT, the message is appended to the file OUTBAD.API, and the above error is written to the SMTPGATE.LOG file.

RESOLUTION

Examine the OUTBAD.API file for possible corruption. The file will be in MMFF format, as defined in the Microsoft Mail Software Development Kit "File Format API for Gateways and Applications" manual. You can also examine the OUTBAD.API file (by viewing it or using the debug program) to get the originator's name, and ask the originator to send the mail again.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q98159
   TITLE     : SMTP: Err Msg: ERROR Translating Message to SMTP...