• tcllib smtp package failing on gmail

    From Tim Wallace@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jan 30 14:36:12 2024
    I'm running the latest versions of tclsh8.6 and tcllib but my script
    circa 2018 that sends emails just quit authenticating with SMTP LOGIN
    and SMTP PLAIN. It seems that google wants two-factor authentication
    (not really needed by me since all my passwords are unique) and then an
    app password. But this was supposed to happen in the middle of last
    year, and my script just started failing this month. Maybe
    grandfathered in?

    The smtp dialog says 535-5.7.8 Username and Password not accepted.

    Can any of you email gurus tell me if that is feasible with the smtp
    package and this setup? How would I enter the app password--can I
    hardwire it into the script somehow? I don't see such an option in the smtp::sendmessage

    If Google is now a hassle, could yahoo or somewhere else still work?

    Thanks,

    --Tim

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  • From Tim Wallace@21:1/5 to Tim Wallace on Tue Jan 30 14:59:36 2024
    On 1/30/24 14:36, Tim Wallace wrote:
    I'm running the latest versions of tclsh8.6 and tcllib but my script
    circa 2018 that sends emails just quit authenticating with SMTP LOGIN
    and SMTP PLAIN. It seems that google wants two-factor authentication
    (not really needed by me since all my passwords are unique) and then an
    app password.  But this was supposed to happen in the middle of last
    year, and my script just started failing this month.  Maybe
    grandfathered in?

    The smtp dialog says 535-5.7.8 Username and Password not accepted.

    Can any of you email gurus tell me if that is feasible with the smtp
    package and this setup?  How would I enter the app password--can I
    hardwire it into the script somehow?  I don't see such an option in the smtp::sendmessage

    If Google is now a hassle, could yahoo or somewhere else still work?

    Thanks,

    --Tim

    I tried the 2 step verification method (distinct from 2-factor
    authentication) and made an app password. Putting that thing into my script...eureka! We'll see what headaches the 2fa thing causes me
    elsewhere, but since I'm on Android, hopefully not too much. I'll
    change my Thunderbird password to this as well if I need to.

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  • From Tim Wallace@21:1/5 to Alan Grunwald on Wed Jan 31 14:56:12 2024
    On 1/31/24 13:24, Alan Grunwald wrote:
    On 30/01/2024 19:59, Tim Wallace wrote:
    On 1/30/24 14:36, Tim Wallace wrote:
    I'm running the latest versions of tclsh8.6 and tcllib but my script
    circa 2018 that sends emails just quit authenticating with SMTP LOGIN
    and SMTP PLAIN. It seems that google wants two-factor authentication
    (not really needed by me since all my passwords are unique) and then
    an app password.  But this was supposed to happen in the middle of
    last year, and my script just started failing this month.  Maybe
    grandfathered in?

    The smtp dialog says 535-5.7.8 Username and Password not accepted.

    Can any of you email gurus tell me if that is feasible with the smtp
    package and this setup?  How would I enter the app password--can I
    hardwire it into the script somehow?  I don't see such an option in
    the smtp::sendmessage

    If Google is now a hassle, could yahoo or somewhere else still work?

    Thanks,

    --Tim

    I tried the 2 step verification method (distinct from 2-factor
    authentication) and made an app password.  Putting that thing into my
    script...eureka!  We'll see what headaches the 2fa thing causes me
    elsewhere, but since I'm on Android, hopefully not too much.  I'll
    change my Thunderbird password to this as well if I need to.

    I spent years trying to work out how to do this. It's done now and I
    can't recall the details, but I think the vital step was setting an app password. I don't think two-factor authentication came into it at all,
    but from what you're saying it seems that Google may have changed things around a year or so back. As far as I recall, I don't have two factor authentication switched on and the email mechanism I put together with smtp::sendmessage was still working earlier this week. "2 step
    verification" doesn't ring any bells at all.

    Please post something if you want me to dig into my setup a bit more.


    Yes, the app password is the key. Pasting the 16 alpha-numeric random
    app password into my script replacing my regular password did the trick.
    The option to generate an app password is grayed out until you enable
    2-step Verification.

    So go to your google account settings at myaccount.google.com, pick the "Security" option at left, and turn on the 2-step Verification.

    At this point before, a grayed-out "create app password" option below
    came to life, but it doesn't seem to be there now! Putting app in the
    "search google account" brought up some options, including the app
    password, and selecting that brought up the app password dialog!

    It's warning me that I should make sure I really need it before I do it,
    so perhaps it knew I had been denied access with my script and hence
    made it easier to do before. Or perhaps it knows I already have an app password now, which I can use for multiple apps. Definitely I would try re-using the one I have before I created a new one. The complexity of
    Google is incredible.

    --Tim

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  • From Tim Wallace@21:1/5 to Luc on Wed Jan 31 20:38:02 2024
    On 1/31/24 20:31, Luc wrote:
    On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:56:12 -0500, Tim Wallace wrote:

    I think they are planning to disable app passwords too. I vaguely
    remember reading about it, the deadline is around June.


    The deadline for changing to app passwords was at least a year ago, I
    think! So these things seem kind of flexible.

    Google's support page states that:

    "Starting in autumn of 2024, you and your users must use OAuth with
    third-party apps to access Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts.
    OAuth is a more secure access method. You will no longer use a password
    for access (with the exception of app passwords)."

    I am using the "oath2" method in Thunderbird, but it sounds like the app passwords will still be good.

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  • From Luc@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jan 31 22:31:31 2024
    On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:56:12 -0500, Tim Wallace wrote:

    I think they are planning to disable app passwords too. I vaguely
    remember reading about it, the deadline is around June.

    --
    Luc


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