simple mail() usage

aaron_karp

Hi, I'm trying to write a script for a page that lets users retreive lost passwords from my MySQL database using a simple form. I know how to use the mail("to", "subject", "text") function, but I don't know how to do anything else with it.

Is there any way to designate the "FROM" address, without altering the php.ini file (I don't have access to it, as far as i know)? Similarly, can you recommend anywhere with a good PHP mail tutorial?

Thanks for looking!

creocast

The full syntax of the mail() function is:

mail("recipient", "subject", "message", "mail headers");

To add information to the email like the from address you must include this information in the mail headers. For example:

$headers .= "From: $name < $email >\n";
$headers .= "X-Sender: < $email >\n";
$headers .= "X-Mailer: yourdomain.com form\n"; // mailer
$headers .= "X-Priority: 1\n"; // Urgent message!

Replace the variable $name with who you want it to be sent from and $email with their email address. Then use the mail function in the following way.

mail("email to send to", "subject here", "Message goes here", $headers);

aaron_karp

This helps a lot. Thank you.

lkrlinda

ALSO Thanks - but I am not getting bounced back emails for invalid email addresses.
Any ideas?

dkberman

try adding this to the header to get the bounced messages.

"Reply-To: $name < $email >\n"

lkrlinda

I did. Doesn't work.

Teen0724

I've heard of it being done this way

mail("to","subject","message","From: Whatever"."More headers");

dkberman

"From: Whatever"."More headers" will give the same result as what creocast did with the
$headers .= "From: $name < $email >\n";
$headers .= "X-Sender: < $email >\n";
$headers .= "X-Mailer: yourdomain.com form\n"; // mailer
$headers .= "X-Priority: 1\n"; // Urgent message!