How to Create a campaign in MailChimp using ASP.Net

Question

I need to create and send immediately campaigns in MailChimp.com. I used C# wrapper Percepective MCAPI.dll for this purpose.

from the MailChimp API, Its clear that we cannot lists but can create campaigns. I tried code but the campaignID is retured null; no exception thrown atleast. I did set the campaigntype to Auto.

here is my code snippet:

try
{
     string apiKey = "api-us2";   // API KEY is valid
     string emailAddress = "ravinderpal.singh@abc.net";
     listsForEmailInput lstForEmailInput = new listsForEmailInput(apiKey, emailAddress);
     listsForEmail cmd = new listsForEmail(lstForEmailInput);
     listsForEmailOutput lstEmailOutPut = cmd.Execute();

     List lstResults = lstEmailOutPut.result;
     string listID = lstResults[0]; // Got Precraeted List ID( Valid Confirmed )

     Console.WriteLine("\n" + listID);                


     // compaign Create
     campaignCreateOptions campaignCreateOpt = new campaignCreateOptions();
     campaignCreateOpt.list_id = listID;
     campaignCreateOpt.subject = " New Campaign from dev_Anil";
     campaignCreateOpt.from_email = "anil.k@abc.net";
     campaignCreateOpt.from_name = "anil";

     Dictionary content = new Dictionary();
     content.Add("html", "Helloaasdsa");
     content.Add("text", "Hi all !! this is dev_anil");
     content.Add("url", "");
     content.Add("archive", "");

     campaignSegmentOptions csOptions = new campaignSegmentOptions();
     csOptions.match = "any";  // Could not set Condition -- need help for this

     // Need to set a Dictionary typeOptions because null is not supported
     Dictionary typeOptions = new Dictionary();

     campaignCreateParms campaignCreateParms = new campaignCreateParms(apiKey, EnumValues.campaign_type.auto, campaignCreateOpt, content, csOptions, typeOptions);
     campaignCreateInput campaignCreateInput = new campaignCreateInput(campaignCreateParms);
     campaignCreate campaignCreate = new campaignCreate(campaignCreateInput);
     campaignCreateOutput ccOutput = campaignCreate.Execute(campaignCreateInput);
     string abc = ccOutput.result;   // This comes out to null

}
 catch(Exception ee)
{
     Console.WriteLine("\n\n Exception :" + ee.Message);  // no exception
}

can anybody show me the right direction and what is wrong with the code.

any help would be much appreciated.

thanks.

Answer 1

I solved this problem and here is code as solution. here listID is precreated List ID in your account in Mailchimp.

private void CreateCampaignAndSend(string apiKey, string listID)
{
            Int32 TemplateID = 100;
            string campaignID =string.Empty;


        // compaign Create Options
        campaignCreateOptions campaignCreateOpt = new campaignCreateOptions();
        campaignCreateOpt.list_id = listID;
        campaignCreateOpt.subject = "subject";
        campaignCreateOpt.from_email = "abc@xyz.com";
        campaignCreateOpt.from_name = "abc";
        campaignCreateOpt.template_id = TemplateID;

        // Content

        Dictionary<string, string> content = new Dictionary<string, string>();
        content.Add("html_ArticleTitle1", "ArticleTitle1");
        content.Add("html_ArticleTitle2","ArticleTitle2");
        content.Add("html_ArticleTitle3", "ArticleTitle3");
        content.Add("html_Article1", "Article1");
        content.Add("html_Article2", "Article2");

        // Conditions
        List<campaignSegmentCondition> csCondition = new List<campaignSegmentCondition>();
        campaignSegmentCondition csC = new campaignSegmentCondition();

        csC.field = "interests-" + 123; // where 123 is the Grouping Id from listInterestGroupings()
        csC.op = "all";
        csC.value = "";
        csCondition.Add(csC);

        // Options
        campaignSegmentOptions csOptions = new campaignSegmentOptions();
        csOptions.match = "all";  



        // Type Options
        Dictionary<string, string> typeOptions = new Dictionary<string, string>();
        typeOptions.Add("offset-units", "days");
        typeOptions.Add("offset-time", "0");
        typeOptions.Add("offset-dir", "after");

        // Create Campaigns

        campaignCreate campaignCreate = new campaignCreate(new campaignCreateInput(apiKey, EnumValues.campaign_type.plaintext, campaignCreateOpt, content, csOptions, typeOptions));
        campaignCreateOutput ccOutput = campaignCreate.Execute();

        List<Api_Error> error = ccOutput.api_ErrorMessages;  // Catching API Errors


        if (error.Count <= 0)
        {
            campaignID = ccOutput.result;

        }
        else
        {
            foreach (Api_Error ae in error)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("\n ERROR Creating Campaign : ERRORCODE\t:" + ae.code + "\t ERROR\t:" + ae.error);

            }
        }

    }

Answer 2

I removed the url and archive from the content. Then the campaign was created just fine:

       // campaign Create
        campaignCreateOptions campaignCreateOpt = new campaignCreateOptions();
        campaignCreateOpt.list_id = listId;
        campaignCreateOpt.subject = " New Campaign from Someemone";
        campaignCreateOpt.from_email = "someone@home.com";
        campaignCreateOpt.from_name = "someone";


        Dictionary<string, string> content = new Dictionary<string, string>();
        content.Add("html", "Lots of cool stuff here.");


        campaignSegmentOptions csOptions = new campaignSegmentOptions();
        csOptions.match = "any";  // Could not set Condition -- need help for this

        // Need to set a Dictionary typeOptions because null is not supported
        Dictionary<string,string> typeOptions = new Dictionary<string, string>();

        campaignCreateParms campaignCreateParms = new campaignCreateParms(apiKey, EnumValues.campaign_type.trans, campaignCreateOpt, content, csOptions, typeOptions);
        campaignCreateInput campaignCreateInput = new campaignCreateInput(campaignCreateParms);
        campaignCreate campaignCreate = new campaignCreate(campaignCreateInput);
        campaignCreateOutput ccOutput = campaignCreate.Execute(campaignCreateInput);
        string newCampaignId = ccOutput.result;   // Not null anymore