M1 Monterey Email Test just spins

[xairbusdriver]

Two very basic things you can check/verify:

First, always quit any app while looking at its .plist file! We're not going to edit/change the file! Look but don't touch!

1. Find the "com.trixology.weathercat.plist". Use Get Info (command+I) and see if it is recording the last time you modified your prefs.
Path: your Mac/Users/yourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.trixology.weathercat.plist
2. With TextWrangler/BBEdit (or another text editor), open that com.trixology.weathercat.plist file and search for SMTP. There should be the following text:

<key>emailSMTPPort</key>
<integer>587</integer>
<key>SMTPServer</key>
<string>smtp.YOURsmtpSERVERname</string>

NOTE: The <string> and the <integer> values should be whatever you have inserted in the WC Prefs/Email-SMTP Server text boxes.

[drewaz]

Two very basic things you can check/verify:

First, always quit any app while looking at its .plist file! We're not going to edit/change the file! Look but don't touch!

1. Find the "com.trixology.weathercat.plist". Use Get Info (command+I) and see if it is recording the last time you modified your prefs.
Path: your Mac/Users/yourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.trixology.weathercat.plist
2. With TextWrangler/BBEdit (or another text editor), open that com.trixology.weathercat.plist file and search for SMTP. There should be the following text:

<key>emailSMTPPort</key>
<integer>587</integer>
<key>SMTPServer</key>
<string>smtp.YOURsmtpSERVERname</string>

NOTE: The <string> and the <integer> values should be whatever you have inserted in the WC Prefs/Email-SMTP Server text boxes.

Thanks ....  I'm out on the road but will give this a try when I return home.

[drewaz]

Two very basic things you can check/verify:

First, always quit any app while looking at its .plist file! We're not going to edit/change the file! Look but don't touch!

1. Find the "com.trixology.weathercat.plist". Use Get Info (command+I) and see if it is recording the last time you modified your prefs.
Path: your Mac/Users/yourUserName/Library/Preferences/com.trixology.weathercat.plist
2. With TextWrangler/BBEdit (or another text editor), open that com.trixology.weathercat.plist file and search for SMTP. There should be the following text:

<key>emailSMTPPort</key>
<integer>587</integer>
<key>SMTPServer</key>
<string>smtp.YOURsmtpSERVERname</string>

NOTE: The <string> and the <integer> values should be whatever you have inserted in the WC Prefs/Email-SMTP Server text boxes.

I'm back in town and followed the above instructions.

The date of most recent preference change and the SMTP setting are both in the plist file and mirror my WC preference.

[elagache]

Dear drewaz and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Sorry, I'm definitely running out of ideas on this problem.  It is a long shot, but perhaps replace the WeatherCat application file itself.  Obviously quit WeatherCat first, download a copy of WeatherCat from Trixology.com:

https://trixology.com/weathercat/

Replace the WeatherCat application file in the Application folder and start WeatherCat up again.

Let us know what you discover.

Edouard

[Steve]

Might as well delete the current app and restart before launching the new copy, just to clear any OS register, too.


Good luck!

[drewaz]

I'm willing to try but .....  if I install a new copy will I loose all of my archived/saved weather data?  I guess I could find it in a back up but that I'd rather not lol

thanks

[Blicj11]

You won't lose any WC data by deleting and reinstalling the app.

There is a new issue with gmail servers no longer allowing third-party apps like WeatherCat to send admin emails using a gmail account. For gmail accounts, the issue is solved simply by turning on 2FA and tweaking the gmail settings. You can read more about the gmail issue here ==> https://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=3427.0

I mention this because it is possible Cox has implemented some similar security measure that won't let a third party app access your legacy email account as it has in the past. This is more likely than the M1 chip or WC being the culprit. I think it's worth a call to Cox tech support to ask if they still allow third-party apps to access your account with a simple username and password.

[drewaz]

so .....  I deleted WC (with TrashMe) and installed a fresh copy of WC, entered the info in Preferences, restarted the computer, crossed my fingers and hit the TEST button but the test email failed as it did before.

I called Cox a couple of days ago and they weren't of much help so I changed the email to my iCloud email and this is what didn't work today.  I guess I will try with the Cox email again later this evening.

Thanks everyone for helping me!  Every time I've had an issue you have responded with thoughtful advice ...  what a wonderful group you are!!!!  Much much appreciated.

[elagache]

Dear drewaz, Blick and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I called Cox a couple of days ago and they weren't of much help so I changed the email to my iCloud email and this is what didn't work today.

Did you create an application specific password when you made the change?  Apple is now requiring this just like Google has done.  Without it, indeed WeatherCat won't be able to connect.

Let us know.

Edouard

[drewaz]

Dear drewaz, Blick and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I called Cox a couple of days ago and they weren't of much help so I changed the email to my iCloud email and this is what didn't work today.

Did you create an application specific password when you made the change?  Apple is now requiring this just like Google has done.  Without it, indeed WeatherCat won't be able to connect.

well, no I didn't.  I have used my current Cox and iCloud passwords.

sorry for asking for more!  but can you be more specific and what to do and how to do it?  it's a new concept to me.

Thanks as always!

Let us know.

Edouard

[elagache]

Dear drewaz and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Did you create an application specific password when you made the change?  Apple is now requiring this just like Google has done.  Without it, indeed WeatherCat won't be able to connect.

well, no I didn't.  I have used my current Cox and iCloud passwords.

sorry for asking for more!  but can you be more specific and what to do and how to do it?  it's a new concept to me.

No worries.  I don't know if Cox might be changing their requirements (they might.)  However, Apple has required an application specific password for a long time.  Here is Stu's posting from 2016 advising us about it:

https://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=2356.msg22954#msg22954

He directs us to this Apple Technical Support document:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204397

If you follow those instructions, you should be able to create password that will allow WeatherCat to use your iCloud email address.

Let us know if that gets you unstuck.

Edouard

[drewaz]

Dear drewaz and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Did you create an application specific password when you made the change?  Apple is now requiring this just like Google has done.  Without it, indeed WeatherCat won't be able to connect.

well, no I didn't.  I have used my current Cox and iCloud passwords.

sorry for asking for more!  but can you be more specific and what to do and how to do it?  it's a new concept to me.

No worries.  I don't know if Cox might be changing their requirements (they might.)  However, Apple has required an application specific password for a long time.  Here is Stu's posting from 2016 advising us about it:

https://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=2356.msg22954#msg22954

He directs us to this Apple Technical Support document:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204397

If you follow those instructions, you should be able to create password that will allow WeatherCat to use your iCloud email address.

Let us know if that gets you unstuck.

Edouard

I created an icloud app specific password but it didn't work ...  still getting the message that the test email failed. 

once again, your help is much appreciated. 

[elagache]

Dear drewaz and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I created an icloud app specific password but it didn't work ...  still getting the message that the test email failed. 

once again, your help is much appreciated.

Sorry that you are still struggling with this.  How do you retrieve your email?  Do you use a web interface or do you an email client like Apple Mail?  GoDaddy has forced me to struggle with a similar set of issues, and it was much easier for me to run tests using my email client than using WeatherCat.  Try using exactly the same settings in something like Apple Mail and see if it gives some sort of error message that could help us figure out what is going on.

Edouard

P.S. Sorry I didn't think about this sooner, but what do you see in the WeatherCat log when the email fails.  Perhaps there is a clue right there.

[drewaz]

so ....  I use Apple Mail to retrieve emails from Cox.  I set the mail preference in WC to mirror the setup in Apple Mail including the port and did a test and once again got this message:  "WeatherCat was unable to send a test email to xxxxxxx@cox.net.  You suggested this:  "Try using exactly the same settings in something like Apple Mail and see if it gives some sort of error message that could help us figure out what is going on:  is that what you wanted me to do?  I'm a touch out of my league here I think lol.

these are from the WC log:
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert' Triggered***
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert'*** Sending alert email...
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Email: Couldn't send Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert' xxxxxxxx@cox.net***. Mail failure

11:33:11 AM 07-Jul-2022: Email: Test failed. Couldn't send error.

a BIG thanks for your interest and help!

[elagache]

Dear drewaz and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I apologize but I'm really unable to imagine what is causing your problems.

so ....  I use Apple Mail to retrieve emails from Cox.  I set the mail preference in WC to mirror the setup in Apple Mail including the port and did a test and once again got this message:  "WeatherCat was unable to send a test email to xxxxxxx@cox.net. 

I assume that Apple Mail has absolutely no problem sending messages - only WeatherCat.  Could you perhaps give us screenshots of the Apple Mail settings that you are using for Cox?  It is a long shot, but just in case.

You suggested this:  "Try using exactly the same settings in something like Apple Mail and see if it gives some sort of error message that could help us figure out what is going on:  is that what you wanted me to do?

Actually, I was wondering about using iCloud with WeatherCat.  Since you had created an application specific password so that WeatherCat could use iCloud, I was wondering what would happen if you provided those settings in a test account using Apple Mail.  I'm still trying to differentiate if the problem is internal to WeatherCat or somehow network related.

these are from the WC log:
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert' Triggered***
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert'*** Sending alert email...
11:21:01 AM 07-Jul-2022: ***Email: Couldn't send Custom Alert 'Int. temp > 85 Alert' xxxxxxxx@cox.net***. Mail failure

11:33:11 AM 07-Jul-2022: Email: Test failed. Couldn't send error.

Oh well, I was hoping that perhaps there would be a more specific error message.

Please keep us updated and we'll keep trying to help!

Edouard