test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

**Rik** · Jun 17 '07, 04:35 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:05:43 +0200, William Gill <noreply@gcgrou p.net>
wrote:

My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.

Don't need to, just use any SMTP server you like, it's not like working
with sockets on UNIX. Local, ISP, doesn't matter.

Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text file
or to an installed text editor.
>
Right now I can modify the script to use something instead of mail(),
then change it when I put into production, but I would really like to
test the script in its production form w/o having to actually send email.
>

Why go to the trouble of simulating an SMTP server? Define a function
my_mail(), let it log to a file while testing, let it call mail() on
production, and you're set. Just one little change ( or pehaps even make
the function behaviour dependend on some enivronmental variables so it
automatically chooses the right action.
--
Rik Wasmus

**William Gill** · Jun 17 '07, 05:05 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

That works, but then I need to go pull the email (assuming I was on the
original distribution) and verify everything was as expected. If I
could simulate the smtp server I could check the format and content
regardless of who it's actually sent to.

Bill

Rik wrote:

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:05:43 +0200, William Gill <noreply@gcgrou p.net>
wrote:
>

>My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
>server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.

>
Don't need to, just use any SMTP server you like, it's not like working
with sockets on UNIX. Local, ISP, doesn't matter.
>

>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
>mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text
>file or to an installed text editor.
>>
>Right now I can modify the script to use something instead of mail(),
>then change it when I put into production, but I would really like to
>test the script in its production form w/o having to actually send email.
>>

>
Why go to the trouble of simulating an SMTP server? Define a function
my_mail(), let it log to a file while testing, let it call mail() on
production, and you're set. Just one little change ( or pehaps even make
the function behaviour dependend on some enivronmental variables so it
automatically chooses the right action.
--Rik Wasmus

**Rik** · Jun 17 '07, 09:25 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:58:34 +0200, William Gill <noreply@gcgrou p.net>
wrote:

That works, but then I need to go pull the email (assuming I was on the
original distribution) and verify everything was as expected. If I
could simulate the smtp server I could check the format and content
regardless of who it's actually sent to.
>

Or you could 'override' the 'to' (CC/BCC) fields in you
my_mail()-function, so it'll always be sent to you, possibly with the
original emailadresses in another header/in the content.

--
Rik Wasmus

**gosha bine** · Jun 17 '07, 09:25 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

William Gill wrote:

My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.
>
Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text file
or to an installed text editor.

I have the following in my php.ini

sendmail_path = php -r
"file_put_conte nts('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"

this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log

--
gosha bine

extended php parser ~ http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~ http://www.tagarga.com/blok

**William Gill** · Jun 17 '07, 09:45 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

That's a thought! It still means going to mail to see the result, but
using IMAP I could leave that window open while I test.

I just have to remember to always use the my_mail() wrapper instead of
mail().

Thanks,

Bill

Rik wrote:

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:58:34 +0200, William Gill <noreply@gcgrou p.net>
wrote:
>

>That works, but then I need to go pull the email (assuming I was on
>the original distribution) and verify everything was as expected. If
>I could simulate the smtp server I could check te format and content
>regardless of who it's actually sent to.
>>

>
Or you could 'override' the 'to' (CC/BCC) fields in you
my_mail()-function, so it'll always be sent to you, possibly with the
original emailadresses in another header/in the content.
>
>
--Rik Wasmus

**Michael Fesser** · Jun 17 '07, 09:55 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

..oO(gosha bine)

>William Gill wrote:

>>
>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
>mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text file
>or to an installed text editor.

>
>I have the following in my php.ini
>
>sendmail_pat h = php -r
>"file_put_cont ents('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>
>this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log

Nice idea ...

Micha

**William Gill** · Jun 17 '07, 10:05 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on my
Linux boxes though.

Bill

gosha bine wrote:

William Gill wrote:

>My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
>server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.
>>
>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
>mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text
>file or to an installed text editor.

>
>
I have the following in my php.ini
>
sendmail_path = php -r
"file_put_conte nts('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>
>
this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>
>

**gosha bine** · Jun 17 '07, 10:25 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

William Gill wrote:

Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on my
Linux boxes though.

Works just fine for me. Make sure you've copied it properly.
Also, please do not top-post. Post your replies below the quoted text.

>
Bill
>
gosha bine wrote:

>William Gill wrote:

>>My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
>>server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.
>>>
>>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that
>>employ mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a
>>text file or to an installed text editor.

>>
>>
>I have the following in my php.ini
>>
>sendmail_pat h = php -r
>"file_put_cont ents('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>>
>>
>this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>>
>>

--
gosha bine

extended php parser ~ http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~ http://www.tagarga.com/blok

**William Gill** · Jun 18 '07, 12:05 AM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

gosha bine wrote:

William Gill wrote:

>Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on
>my Linux boxes though.

>
Works just fine for me. Make sure you've copied it properly.

Fixing the cut and paste error, and commenting out the "SMTP =" and
'smtp_port =' entries fixed the parse error. Now Xp is complaining
about php not being a recognized command when it's called from inside
Apache.

I'll keep fiddling with it.

Also, please do not top-post. Post your replies below the quoted text.

Mea culpa.

>
>

>>
>Bill
>>
>gosha bine wrote:

>>William Gill wrote:
>>>My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
>>>server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.
>>>>
>>>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that
>>>employ mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a
>>>text file or to an installed text editor.
>>>
>>>
>>I have the following in my php.ini
>>>
>>sendmail_pa th = php -r
>>"file_put_con tents('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>>>
>>>
>>this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>>>
>>>

>
>

**shimmyshack** · Jun 18 '07, 02:05 AM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

On Jun 17, 10:22 pm, gosha bine <stereof...@gma il.comwrote:

William Gill wrote:

My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.

>

Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text file
or to an installed text editor.

>
I have the following in my php.ini
>
sendmail_path = php -r
"file_put_conte nts('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>
this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>
--
gosha bine
>
extended php parser ~http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~http://www.tagarga.com/blok

thanks for that idea, very nice. (verified on xp)

**William Gill** · Jun 18 '07, 07:35 AM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

gosha bine wrote:

William Gill wrote:

>Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on
>my Linux boxes though.

>
Works just fine for me. Make sure you've copied it properly.

Finally! I had to put the entire path specification to php.exe, even
though it was clearly in %PATH%. Anyway works great and is just what I
needed.

Also, please do not top-post. Post your replies below the quoted text.
>
>

>>
>Bill
>>
>gosha bine wrote:

>>William Gill wrote:
>>>My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
>>>server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.
>>>>
>>>Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that
>>>employ mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a
>>>text file or to an installed text editor.
>>>
>>>
>>I have the following in my php.ini
>>>
>>sendmail_pa th = php -r
>>"file_put_con tents('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>>>
>>>
>>this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>>>
>>>

>
>

Thanks,

Bill

**gosha bine** · Jun 18 '07, 08:35 AM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

On 18.06.2007 01:51 William Gill wrote:

>
gosha bine wrote:

>William Gill wrote:

>>Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on
>>my Linux boxes though.

>>
>Works just fine for me. Make sure you've copied it properly.

>
Fixing the cut and paste error, and commenting out the "SMTP =" and
'smtp_port =' entries fixed the parse error. Now Xp is complaining
about php not being a recognized command when it's called from inside
Apache.

Add php directory to your path (My
Computer/Properties/Advanced/Environment, edit PATH then restart Apache)
or provide the full path to php executable (e.g. c:\path\to\php\ php.exe)

--
gosha bine

extended php parser ~ http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~ http://www.tagarga.com/blok

**gosha bine** · Jun 18 '07, 11:05 PM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

William Gill wrote:

>
>
gosha bine wrote:

>William Gill wrote:

>>Looks good, but it causes a parsing error on WinXP. I may use it on
>>my Linux boxes though.

>>
>Works just fine for me. Make sure you've copied it properly.

>
Finally! I had to put the entire path specification to php.exe, even
though it was clearly in %PATH%. Anyway works great and is just what I
needed.
>

Glad to hear it was helpful, Bill.

--
gosha bine

extended php parser ~ http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~ http://www.tagarga.com/blok

**Patrick** · Jun 19 '07, 01:05 AM

Re: test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

On Jun 17, 5:22 pm, gosha bine <stereof...@gma il.comwrote:

William Gill wrote:

My development machine (WinXP, Apache 2.2.4) does not have an smtp
server, and I don't really want to install one if I can help it.

>

Does anyone know of a simple method of testing php scripts that employ
mail() by simulating an smtp server and directing output to a text file
or to an installed text editor.

>
I have the following in my php.ini
>
sendmail_path = php -r
"file_put_conte nts('c:/mail.log',file_ get_contents('p hp://stdin'),FILE_AP PEND);"
>
this logs all emails sent via mail() to c:\mail.log
>
--
gosha bine
>
extended php parser ~http://code.google.com/p/pihipi
blok ~http://www.tagarga.com/blok

I would like to try this with my linux box. Do I put that line below
my sendmail_path line? 'php://...' has to be replaced with what for
linux?

Anything else I need to change? for example, I'm not sure if I should
put my global smtp server(google) where it says SMTP = localhost and
remove localhost, because it says just above it 'For Win32 only'.

I think I'm getting confused over reply.. basically, what is the step
by step procedure for this alternative you mention(other smtp, instead
of setting one up) in a Linux box?

Thanks,
-Patrick

test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

test mail() on development machine w/o smtp server

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