Bug: SMTP Email Sender not populating Notification FromEmail field

[markdav-is]

🐛 Bug Description

SMTP is configured correctly with an Email Sender, but when notifications are created, the FromEmail field in the Notification table remains NULL/empty, causing "Invalid Sender: <>" errors when attempting to send emails.

📋 Environment

• Platform: Oqtane (.NET 10)
• Deployment: MonsterASP production server
• Database: SQL Server (db38494.databaseasp.net)
• Configuration: Server/appsettings.Production.json

🔍 Current Configuration

SMTP Settings (Admin Panel)

Enabled: Yes
Host: mail1001.mailasp.net
Port: 587
SSL Options: Automatic
Authentication: Basic
Username: postmaster@tentrees.org
Password: (configured)
Email Sender: postmaster@tentrees.org ✅

appsettings.Production.json

{
  "RenderMode": "Interactive",
  "Runtime": "WebAssembly",
  "Database": {
    "DefaultDBType": "Oqtane.Database.SqlServer.SqlServerDatabase, Oqtane.Server"
  },
  "ConnectionStrings": {
    "DefaultConnection": "Server=db38494.databaseasp.net; ..."
  },
  "Localization": {
    "DefaultCulture": "en-ZA"
  }
}

Missing: Installation.HostEmail configuration

❌ Actual Behavior

When notifications are created (e.g., via "Test SMTP Configuration"):

Database Record:

NotificationId: 7
FromEmail: [EMPTY/NULL] ❌
ToEmail: postmaster@tentrees.org
Subject: 10Trees SMTP Configuration Test
Body: SMTP Server Is Configured Correctly

Result:

Notification Job: Succeeded
Processing Notifications For Site: Default Site
Notification Id: 3 Has An Invalid Sender: <> And Has Been Deleted
Notifications Delivered: 0

✅ Expected Behavior

Notifications should use the configured SMTP Email Sender as the default FROM address:

NotificationId: 7
FromEmail: postmaster@tentrees.org ✅
ToEmail: postmaster@tentrees.org
Subject: 10Trees SMTP Configuration Test

🔍 Root Cause Analysis

Oqtane checks these sources for notification FromEmail in order:

1. Notification.FromEmail (explicitly set in code)
2. Site.Email (site default email)
3. Host User Email (from Installation.HostEmail) ← Missing!
4. NULL (causes error)

Without Installation.HostEmail in appsettings:

• No Host user email is set during installation
• Notifications default to NULL FromEmail
• SMTP sends fail with "Invalid Sender" error

🔧 Proposed Solution

Add Installation section to Server/appsettings.Production.json:

{
  "RenderMode": "Interactive",
  "Runtime": "WebAssembly",
  "Database": {
    "DefaultDBType": "Oqtane.Database.SqlServer.SqlServerDatabase, Oqtane.Server"
  },
  "ConnectionStrings": {
    "DefaultConnection": "Server=db38494.databaseasp.net; ..."
  },
  "Installation": {
    "HostEmail": "postmaster@tentrees.org",
    "HostPassword": "TempPassword2026!",
    "DefaultAlias": "tentrees.org"
  },
  "Localization": {
    "DefaultCulture": "en-ZA"
  }
}

This will:

1. Create Host user with email postmaster@tentrees.org
2. Use this as default FROM for all notifications
3. Fix "Invalid Sender" errors

📝 Workaround

Option 1: SQL Update

UPDATE [Notification] 
SET FromEmail = 'postmaster@tentrees.org'
WHERE FromEmail IS NULL OR FromEmail = '';

Option 2: Manual Configuration

1. Admin Dashboard → Site Settings
2. Set Host Email to postmaster@tentrees.org
3. Restart application

✅ Acceptance Criteria

• Add Installation section to appsettings.Production.json
• Verify Host user is created with correct email
• Test SMTP configuration successfully sends email
• Verify Notification.FromEmail is populated with postmaster@tentrees.org
• Document requirement in DEPLOYMENT.md
• Update .github/copilot-instructions.md with Oqtane configuration best practices

🔗 Related Files

• Server/appsettings.Production.json
• DEPLOYMENT.md
• .github/copilot-instructions.md

📊 Priority

Medium - Blocks email notifications in production but has workarounds

🏷️ Labels

• bug
• configuration
• production
• email
• oqtane

---

Environment: Production MonsterASP
Branch: feature/5-village-data-management
Discovered: 2026-01-19