handling failed emails

Author: Friedrich Weinmann

MailDaemon/MailDaemon.psd1

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 	RootModule = 'MailDaemon.psm1'
 
 	# Version number of this module.
-	ModuleVersion = '1.1.7'
+	ModuleVersion = '1.2.13'
 
 	# ID used to uniquely identify this module
 	GUID = 'd5ba333f-5210-4d69-83f0-150dd0909139'
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 	# Modules that must be imported into the global environment prior to importing
 	# this module
 	RequiredModules = @(
-		@{ ModuleName='PSFramework'; ModuleVersion='1.12.346' }
+		@{ ModuleName='PSFramework'; ModuleVersion='1.13.416' }
 	)
 
 	# Assemblies that must be loaded prior to importing this module

MailDaemon/changelog.md

@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 1.2.13 (2026-02-11)
+
++ New: Emails that could not be sent will no longer be permanently attempted to resend - after 14 days
++ Upd: Install-MDDaemon - now supports remote-deployment of the daemon task using credentials
++ Upd: Install-MDDaemon - now installs eventlog for MailDaemon
++ Upd: Invoke-MDDaemon - adds logging to the Windows Eventlog by default
++ Fix: Install-MDDaemon - no longer fails when the daemon task already exists
++ Fix: Invoke-MDDaemon - fails to use authentication for SMTP
+
 ## 1.1.7 (2026-02-10)
 
 + Upd: Invoke-MDDaemon - implements `UseSSL` as configured
@@ -25,7 +34,7 @@
 ## 0.1.1 (2019-02-09)
 
 + Fix: Bug in Install-MDDaemon causing errors during installation
- 
+
 ## 0.1.0 (2019-02-09)
 
 + New: Everything

MailDaemon/en-us/strings.psd1

@@ -2,29 +2,30 @@
 # Write-PSFMessage, Stop-PSFFunction or the PSFramework validation scriptblocks
 @{
 	# General
-	'General.ModuleMissing'						    = 'The MailDaemon module could not be found in sufficient version on: {0}. Terminating Execution. To install or update to the current version, use Install-MDDaemon or access the PSGallery directly using "Install-Module MailDaemon".'
+	'General.ModuleMissing'                         = 'The MailDaemon module could not be found in sufficient version on: {0}. Terminating Execution. To install or update to the current version, use Install-MDDaemon or access the PSGallery directly using "Install-Module MailDaemon".'
 
 	# Invoke-MDDaemon
-	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Start'			    = '{0} - Sending Mail: "{1}" From {2} to {3}'
-	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Failed'			    = '{0} - Failed to send email!'
-	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Success'			    = '{0} - Email sent successfully'
-	'Invoke-MDDaemon.ManageSuccessJob.Failed'	    = '{0} - Failed to move mail task to the "sent" folder!'
+	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Abandon'              = '{0} - Abandoning email after failing to send it within the configured timespan ({1})' # $email.Taskname, $abandonThreshold
+	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Start'                = '{0} - Sending Mail: "{1}" From {2} to {3}'
+	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Failed'               = '{0} - Failed to send email!'
+	'Invoke-MDDaemon.SendMail.Success'              = '{0} - Email sent successfully'
+	'Invoke-MDDaemon.ManageSuccessJob.Failed'       = '{0} - Failed to move mail task to the "sent" folder!'
 
 	# Copy-Module
-	'Copy-Module.ReceivingModule'				    = 'Receiving Module from {0}: {1}'
-	'Copy-Module.ReceivingModule.Failed'		    = 'Failed to receive Module from {0}: {1}'
-	'Copy-Module.InstallingModule'				    = 'Installing module {0} on: {1}'
+	'Copy-Module.ReceivingModule'                   = 'Receiving Module from {0}: {1}'
+	'Copy-Module.ReceivingModule.Failed'            = 'Failed to receive Module from {0}: {1}'
+	'Copy-Module.InstallingModule'                  = 'Installing module {0} on: {1}'
 
 	# Send-MDMail
-	'Send-MDMail.Folder.CreationFailed'			    = 'Failed to create outgoing mail folder: {0}'
-	'Send-MDMail.Email.NotRegisteredYet'		    = 'No email has been set up yet!'
-	'Send-MDMail.Email.Sending'					    = 'Queueing email for sending: {0}'
-	'Send-MDMail.Email.SendingFailed'			    = 'Failed to queue email for sending: {0}'
-	'Send-MDMail.Email.TriggerFailed'			    = 'Failed to trigger the Mail Daemon task to send {0}'
+	'Send-MDMail.Folder.CreationFailed'             = 'Failed to create outgoing mail folder: {0}'
+	'Send-MDMail.Email.NotRegisteredYet'            = 'No email has been set up yet!'
+	'Send-MDMail.Email.Sending'                     = 'Queueing email for sending: {0}'
+	'Send-MDMail.Email.SendingFailed'               = 'Failed to queue email for sending: {0}'
+	'Send-MDMail.Email.TriggerFailed'               = 'Failed to trigger the Mail Daemon task to send {0}'
 
 	# Set-MDDaemon
-	'Set-MDDaemon.UpdatingSettings'				    = 'Starting Daemon configuration update on {0}'
-	'Set-MDDaemon.UpdateSetting'				    = 'Updating the Daemon configuration setting {0} to {1}'
+	'Set-MDDaemon.UpdatingSettings'                 = 'Starting Daemon configuration update on {0}'
+	'Set-MDDaemon.UpdateSetting'                    = 'Updating the Daemon configuration setting {0} to {1}'
 
 	# Update-MDFolderPermission
 	'Update-MDFolderPermission.Granting.DaemonUser' = 'Assigning write permissions as daemon account to {0} on "{1}" and "{2}"'

MailDaemon/functions/Install-MDDaemon.ps1

@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@
 	
 	.PARAMETER SentPath
 		The folder in which emails that were successfully sent are stored for a specified time before being deleted.
+
+	.PARAMETER FailedPath
+		The path where mails that could repeatedly not be sent are moved to.
 	
 	.PARAMETER DaemonUser
 		The user to grant permissions needed to function as the Daemon account.
@@ -41,6 +44,12 @@
 	
 	.PARAMETER MailSentRetention
 		The time to keep successfully sent emails around.
+
+	.PARAMETER MailAbandonThreshold
+		How long we attempt to send an email before abandoning it and moving it to -FailedPath.
+
+	.PARAMETER MailFailedRetention
+		How long we keep an abandoned email around before removing it entirely.
 	
 	.PARAMETER SmtpServer
 		The mailserver to use for sending emails.
@@ -59,6 +68,10 @@
 	.PARAMETER UseSSL
 		Use SSL for sending emails.
 
+	.PARAMETER NoLogging
+		Disables logging.
+		Unless specified, this setup step will also prepare the windows eventlog by creating a dedicated eventlog for MailDaemon.
+
 	.EXAMPLE
 		PS C:\> Install-MDDaemon -ComputerName DC1, DC2, DC3 -TaskUser $cred -DaemonUser "DOMAIN\MailDaemon" -SmtpServer 'mail.domain.org' -SenderDefault 'daemon@domain.org' -RecipientDefault 'helpdesk-t2@domain.org'
 		
@@ -85,6 +98,9 @@
 
 		[string]
 		$SentPath,
+
+		[string]
+		$FailedPath,
 
 		[string]
 		$DaemonUser,
@@ -94,6 +110,12 @@
 
 		[Timespan]
 		$MailSentRetention,
+
+		[Timespan]
+		$MailAbandonThreshold,
+		
+		[Timespan]
+		$MailFailedRetention,
 
 		[string]
 		$SmtpServer,
@@ -108,7 +130,10 @@
 		$RecipientDefault,
 
 		[switch]
-		$UseSSL
+		$UseSSL,
+
+		[switch]
+		$NoLogging
 	)
 
 	begin {
@@ -161,6 +186,7 @@
 		#region Setup Task Configuration
 		if (-not $NoTask) {
 			$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute powershell.exe -Argument "-NoProfile -Command Invoke-MDDaemon"
+			if ($NoLogging) { $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute powershell.exe -Argument "-NoProfile -Command Invoke-MDDaemon -NoLogging" }
 			$triggers = @()
 			$triggers += New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtStartup -RandomDelay "00:15:00"
 			$triggers += New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -At "00:00:00" -Daily
@@ -184,7 +210,7 @@
 		#endregion Setup Task Configuration
 
 		#region Preparing Parameters
-		$parameters = $PSBoundParameters | ConvertTo-PSFHashtable -Include 'PickupPath', 'SentPath', 'MailSentRetention', 'SmtpServer', 'SenderDefault', 'RecipientDefault', 'UseSSL'
+		$parameters = $PSBoundParameters | ConvertTo-PSFHashtable -Include 'PickupPath', 'SentPath', 'FailedPath', 'MailSentRetention', 'MailAbandonThreshold', 'MailFailedRetention', 'SmtpServer', 'SenderDefault', 'RecipientDefault', 'UseSSL'
 
 		$paramMainInstallCall = @{
 			ArgumentList = $parameters
@@ -246,21 +272,35 @@
 			if ($TaskUser) { $parametersSave['AccessAccount'] = $TaskUser }
 			Save-MDCredential @parametersSave
 
-			$parametersInvoke = @{ $parametersInvoke['ComputerName'] = $ComputerName }
+			$parametersInvoke = @{ ComputerName = $ComputerName }
+			if ($Credential) { $parametersInvoke['Credential'] = $Credential }
 			Invoke-PSFCommand @parametersInvoke -ScriptBlock {
 				Set-MDDaemon -SenderCredentialPath "C:\ProgramData\PowerShell\MailDaemon\senderCredentials.clixml"
 			}
 		}
 		#endregion Securely store credentials
+
+		#region Setup Logging
+		if (-not $NoLogging) {
+			Invoke-PSFCommand @parametersInvoke -ScriptBlock {
+				if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -gt 5 -and -not $IsWindows) { return }
+				Set-PSFLoggingProvider -Name eventlog -InstanceName MailDaemonInvoke -LogName MailDaemon -Source MailDaemon -Enabled $true -Wait
+				Write-PSFMessage -Message "Setting up MailDaemon logging"
+				Disable-PSFLoggingProvider -Name eventlog -InstanceName MailDaemonInvoke
+			}
+		}
+		#endregion Setup Logging
 
 		#region Setup Task
 		if (-not $NoTask) {
-			foreach ($computerObject in $ComputerName) {
-				if ($ComputerName.Type -like 'CimSession') { $parametersRegister["CimSession"] = $computerObject.InputObject }
-				elseif (-not $ComputerName.IsLocalhost) { $parametersRegister["CimSession"] = $ComputerName }
-				
-				$null = Register-ScheduledTask @parametersRegister
-			}
+			Invoke-PSFCommand @parametersInvoke -ScriptBlock {
+				param ($ParametersRegister)
+
+				$taskObject = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName $ParametersRegister.TaskName -ErrorAction Ignore
+				if ($taskObject) { $taskObject | Unregister-ScheduledTask }
+
+				$null = Register-ScheduledTask @ParametersRegister
+			} -ArgumentList $parametersRegister
 		}
 		#endregion Setup Task
 	}