How to use the mail() function in php?

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  • Nert
    New Member
    • Nov 2006
    • 64

    How to use the mail() function in php?

    hello every one, i need help..

    how can i use the mail() funtion in php? when ever i execute the mail function i continuesly receive this error message:

    Warning: mail() [function.mail]: Failed to connect to mailserver at "localhost" port 25, verify your "SMTP" and "smtp_port" setting in php.ini or use ini_set() in...
    what do i need to do in order for me to connect with my localhost mailserver?

    can anyone help me with this?
    thanks in advance..(^_^)

    --nert
  • ronverdonk
    Recognized Expert Specialist
    • Jul 2006
    • 4259

    #2
    Originally posted by Nert
    hello every one, i need help..

    how can i use the mail() funtion in php? when ever i execute the mail function i continuesly receive this error message:



    what do i need to do in order for me to connect with my localhost mailserver?

    can anyone help me with this?
    thanks in advance..(^_^)

    --nert
    Just do what the message says. Look in your PHP.INI for the SMTP, port and (If Windows) for the settings:
    Code:
    ; For Win32 only.
    SMTP = ??????
    smtp_port = 25
    
    ; For Win32 only.
    sendmail_from = ???
    
    ; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
    ;sendmail_path =
    Ronald :cool:

    Comment

    • j4uk3n
      New Member
      • Nov 2006
      • 2

      #3
      well i have a similar problem
      i downloaded this code from a tutorial website, and save it on

      c:\apache\htdoc s\testsendemail \index.php


      this is the code that i downloaded:
      [code=php]
      <?php

      //Check whether the submission is made
      if(isset($hidSu bmit)){

      //Declarate the necessary variables
      $mail_to=$txtEm ailto;
      $mail_from=$txt Emailfrm;
      $mail_sub=$txtS ub;
      $mail_mesg=$txt Msg;

      //Check for success/failure of delivery
      if(mail($mail_t o,$mail_sub,$ma il_mesg,"From:$ mail_from/r/nReply-to:$mail_from") )
      echo "<span class='textred' >E-mail has been sent successfully from $mail_sub to $mail_to</span>";
      else
      echo "<span class='textred' >Failed to send the E-mail from $mail_sub to $mail_to</span>";
      }
      ?>
      [/code]

      ||||
      ||||
      ||||
      ||||
      ||||

      this is the warning message that i received:

      Warning: Failed to Connect in c:\apache\htdoc s\testsendemail \index.php on line 13
      Failed to send the E-mail from to


      what should i do?
      sorry i'm a total newbie here, just started to learn how to use php.

      Comment

      • Nert
        New Member
        • Nov 2006
        • 64

        #4
        hi,

        i tried this stuff, but i still recieve the same error message.., am i missing something Sir?

        Code:
        ; For Win32 only.
        SMTP = localhost
        smtp_port = 25
        
        ; For Win32 only.
        sendmail_from = localhost
        
        ; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
        ;sendmail_path =
        --nert

        Comment

        • ronverdonk
          Recognized Expert Specialist
          • Jul 2006
          • 4259

          #5
          Originally posted by Nert
          hi,

          i tried this stuff, but i still recieve the same error message.., am i missing something Sir?

          --nert
          Does that mean that you have actually changed the PHP.INI settings to your own situation, saved it in C:\WINDOWS\ and it still does not run?
          Then show us these lines you have made in PHP.INI.

          Ronald :cool:

          Comment

          • Nert
            New Member
            • Nov 2006
            • 64

            #6
            Originally posted by ronverdonk
            Does that mean that you have actually changed the PHP.INI settings to your own situation, saved it in C:\WINDOWS\ and it still does not run?
            Then show us these lines you have made in PHP.INI.

            Ronald :cool:
            hi,

            i'm sorry sir this is just the first time i use the php mail function, and i don't have any idea about what configuration this function need in order to work.

            is this right sir?(^_^)

            [Syslog]
            ; Whether or not to define the various syslog variables (e.g. $LOG_PID,
            ; $LOG_CRON, etc.). Turning it off is a good idea performance-wise. In
            ; runtime, you can define these variables by calling define_syslog_v ariables().
            define_syslog_v ariables = Off

            [mail function]
            ; For Win32 only.
            SMTP = localhost
            smtp_port = 25

            ; For Win32 only.
            sendmail_from = localhost

            ; For Unix only. You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
            ;sendmail_path =

            ; Force the addition of the specified parameters to be passed as extra parameters
            ; to the sendmail binary. These parameters will always replace the value of
            ; the 5th parameter to mail(), even in safe mode.
            ;mail.force_ext ra_parameters =
            can i add another question sir?
            i don't even know how to configure smtp i tried to follow the instruction i found from an article in the internet, but don't know if my smtp really working know. Sir how do i know whether its really working?

            Comment

            • ronverdonk
              Recognized Expert Specialist
              • Jul 2006
              • 4259

              #7
              In order to use the mail() function you must have setup the php.ini parameters correctly.
              This means that you have to define in your php.ini:
              Code:
              SMTP =
              the name of the SMTP server. If you do not have your own SMTP server or your provider does not provide an SMTP server to you, you could specify the mail server that is attached to your standard email address, like smtp.mysite.com or alike.
              Code:
              sendmail_from=
              you can use an address at your SMTP server address, in a situation as abobe, uou could use your own email address here.[/code]

              Try it out and see if this setup works for you,

              Ronald :cool:

              Comment

              • ronverdonk
                Recognized Expert Specialist
                • Jul 2006
                • 4259

                #8
                Seeing your reply, which is the exact copy of your earlier post, and therefore removed, you do not quite understand what must be done.

                In order to use the mail function, you must configure some parameters in the php.ini file, that should be located in your C:\WINDOWS directory.
                The specific configuration directives for Windows are:
                • SMTP=
                  host name or IP address of the SMTP server PHP should use for mail sent with the mail() function.
                  I use my email provider's server for that. You can do same and specify something like SMTP=mail.mypro vider.com (just an example!)
                • smtp_port=
                  Usually defaults to 25, leave it 25.
                • sendmail_from=
                  "From:" mail address should be used in mail sent from PHP under Windows.
                  So you could define your own email adddress here.


                If you want more and a better explanation of these directives, refer to the php manual on mail() at PHP Mail functions

                And last: I am not Sir, my name is Ronald.

                Ronald :cool:

                Comment

                • Amorgos
                  New Member
                  • Jan 2007
                  • 4

                  #9
                  What about if the port is different than 25?
                  Still the function will work?

                  Thanks

                  Comment

                  • ronverdonk
                    Recognized Expert Specialist
                    • Jul 2006
                    • 4259

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Amorgos
                    What about if the port is different than 25?
                    Still the function will work?

                    Thanks
                    amorgos: you asked that already in a separate thread! Don't pollute this thread.

                    Ronald :cool:

                    Comment

                    • Colby
                      New Member
                      • Jul 2007
                      • 2

                      #11
                      How to use the mail() function in php?

                      Ronald,

                      I am also looking for a solution for sending mail from forms using PHP in Windows. I researched your replies to the previous person and checked my PHP.ini and code to see if it complied with your instructions. It does comply and I and getting the error: "Warning: mail() {function.funct ion]: smpt DERVER RESPONSE:530 AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED - FOR HELP GO TO HTTP://HELP.YAHOO.COM/HELP/US/SBC/CL...OP/POP-11.HTML IN d:\iNTERNET\aPA CHED2.2\HTDOCS\ MYSITE\messageS ent.php on line 8.

                      The error points to my code on line 8 of the messageSent.php code:
                      Code goes here:
                      [Code]
                      <?php
                      $to = "yourname@yours erver.com";
                      $subject = "This is the message subject";
                      $body = "this is the message body";
                      $headers = "From: yourname@yourse rver.com\n";
                      mail($to,$subje ct,$body,$heade rs); ; this is line 8 of the code
                      ?>

                      when the code attempts to send the message to my ISP's smtp server, the smtp server refuses the message because , I believe that there is no authentication set for it to use my isp's smtp server.

                      I use Yahoo and when I went to HTTP://HELP.YAHOO.COM/HELP/US/SBC/CLSL/MAIL/POP/POP-11.HTML,
                      I found that Yahoo only accepts certain email clients and Yahoo lists them.

                      There is also some discussion about paying for access to a smpt server, if you wish to send mail from your own site. I may be reading something wrong and I am looking for second opinions and some direction. Can anyone else provide some insight regarding how Yahoo or other ISPs handle this issue.

                      This may be why so many people are failing to be able to use smtp from their local host servers.

                      This is code from my PHP.ini file:
                      Code:
                      [mail function]
                      ; For Win32 only.
                      SMTP = smtp.pacbell.yahoo.com
                      smtp_port = 25
                      
                      ; For Win32 only.
                      ;sendmail_from = me@pacbell.net
                      
                      ; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
                      ;sendmail_path =
                      
                      ; Force the addition of the specified parameters to be passed as extra parameters
                      ; to the sendmail binary. These parameters will always replace the value of
                      ; the 5th parameter to mail(), even in safe mode.
                      ;mail.force_extra_parameters =

                      This is the code from my form:
                      Code:
                          <td><form id="form2" name="form2" method="post" action="">
                            <textarea name="body" cols="55" id="body"></textarea>
                          </form>    </td>
                        </tr>
                        <tr>
                          <td>&nbsp;</td>
                          <td><form id="form3" name="form3" method="post" action="">
                            <input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit" />
                          </form>    </td>
                        </tr>
                      The form and this code work well. My ISP seems to refuse to take messages from outside servers and or email clients other than those listed in the help page.

                      Is their a work around for this?
                      Last edited by Colby; Jul 2 '07, 03:42 AM. Reason: Misspellings

                      Comment

                      • kovik
                        Recognized Expert Top Contributor
                        • Jun 2007
                        • 1044

                        #12
                        Why is everyone hijacking this thread?

                        Anyway, the simplest way to send mail using SMTP is to use SwiftMailer. It is very easy to use, extremely object-oriented, and has it's own support board at DevNetwork.

                        Comment

                        • Colby
                          New Member
                          • Jul 2007
                          • 2

                          #13
                          Originally posted by volectricity
                          Why is everyone hijacking this thread?

                          Anyway, the simplest way to send mail using SMTP is to use SwiftMailer. It is very easy to use, extremely object-oriented, and has it's own support board at DevNetwork.
                          Thanks for the information. I will try Swiftmailer.

                          Comment

                          • eragon
                            Contributor
                            • Mar 2007
                            • 431

                            #14
                            sorry to use this thread, but its relavant to my problems, you see, therea a forum on my webite that is SUPPOSED to send me an email verification whenever someone posts a new thread, but it dosnt work.

                            heres the error:

                            Code:
                            Warning: mail() [function.mail]: Safety Restriction in effect. The mail() command is not allowed, contact the admin. in /forums/mboard.php on line 470
                            this file can be found at here

                            Comment

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