Sending URL in SMTP Email body producing errors

HI,

I am testing running workflows with conditional Email output.

I set up a really simple workflow for testing purposes using a text input tool. In field A, the content looks like this:

Support link: https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB56502

When I input this to the SMTP tool as "Body: Use Field Ticked : A"

I get this error:

Error: Email (2): Exception parse error line: 7 column: 68 Unterminated entity reference, 'id'

If I hardcode the exact same text into the SMTP tool config in the Body section, it goes through fine.

It seems like the SMTP parser needs to not treat the contents of an incoming text field as part of the parsable script. It is a perfectly normal thing to want to send a failure email e.g. with a documentation link, report URL or similar to the error recipient.

Strangely, if I choose "Subject: Use field ticked : A", it goes through no problem - it just seems to be the body where Alteryx chokes on the URL.

Attached: input file

Success Success Failure Failure

SMTP_input.csv

SMTP.yxmd

Output

Bug

Accepted answers

Thableaus

@SrucBI

Looks like using "&" instead of "&" would be a way to escape the special character.

Could you give it a try?

This way:

Support link: https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB56502)

Cheers,

All comments

Thableaus

Hi @SrucBI

The problem lies on the "&" before "id" character of your link (Support link: https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB56502)

I guess "&" is considered as a special character in the XML language and it messes up the syntax of the tool XML configuration

I'm not so sure what would be the workaround in this case, but I'll dive into this to try to find some solution.

At least we have the root cause of the problem.

Cheers,

Thableaus

@SrucBI

Looks like using "&" instead of "&" would be a way to escape the special character.

Could you give it a try?

This way:

Support link: https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB56502)

Cheers,

farahb001

'Exception parse error line: 7 column: 12 Expected entity name for reference’

This error also came up for me when i was attempting to put punctuation into the subject of the email body. It didn't seem to like an '&' in the body of the email message (i created a subject in the formula tool and then attached it to the email). My subject of the email also had some HTML in it and it wasn't happy with the '&'. I changed it to 'and' and it was fine.

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