best way to send email to multiple users?

[ejwf]

Hello
I have a query that brings up an array of 100+ user email addresses
I want to send the same e-mail to the all of the users
what is the best way?
I have this so far

$today = date('Y-m-d');

$body1 = "blah blah blah";

$sql = "SELECT testdate FROM tblDate ORDER BY DateId DESC LIMIT 1";
$result = mysql_query($sql)
	or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
  $testdate = $row["testdate"];

if ($testdate == $today)
{
$sql = "SELECT Email FROM tblUser WHERE Level >= 3";
$result1 = mysql_query($sql)
	or die(mysql_error());
while($row1 =  mysql_fetch_array($result1))
  $Email[] = $row1["Email"];

foreach($Email as $value)
{
mail ("$Email", "test", "$body1");
}
}

[Ceril]

Umm, Just out of my head:
Add all the emails to the headers of the mail at the right place, belive this should be listed in the comments on php.net 🙂

[Roger_Ramjet]

The 'best way' is to let your SMTP server do all the work. Just add all the user addresses as Bcc (blind carbon copy). The server will then replicate your 1 email to everyone on the list. 100 may be pushing the envelope for some smtp servers though. imap mail

[ejwf]

thanks Roger Ramjet
But how do I add all the names to bcc of the e-mail?

ByTheWay this code is going to be run via CRON as an automated e-mail - untouched by human hand! - so I need the code to do everything with no user input........

regards

[Roger_Ramjet]

$result = mysql_query($email_query);
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$bcc_list = "Bcc: " . $row['email'];
while $row = mysql_fetch_array($result) {
    $bcc_list = $bcc_list .  "; " . $row['email']
}

mail ("$Email", "test", "$body1", "$bcc_list");

Very brief example only. You should read the manual on mail()
to find out how to include additional headers, like Bcc, for your email .

[ejwf]

thanks for all this
what I really would like clarification on is;
I have 100+ email addresses in the array
if I keep the code

$sql = "SELECT Email FROM tblUser WHERE Level >= 3";
$result1 = mysql_query($sql)
	or die(mysql_error());
while($row1 =  mysql_fetch_array($result1))
  $Email[] = $row1["Email"];

foreach($CEmail as $value)
{
mail ("$CEmail", "subject", "$body1");
}

will it send an e-mail to each of these addresses i.e. send 100+ e-mails rather than going down the route of sending one e-mail with 100+ addresses in the bcc field as suggested in this thread....

ALSO...

if I want to put variables in the body of the e-mail (like $username), can I make them specific to the e-maill address?
Can I use a query such as

$sql = "SELECT username FROM tblUser WHERE Email = $Email";
$result2 = mysql_query($sql)
	or die(mysql_error());
while($row2 =  mysql_fetch_array($result2))
  $username = $row2["username"];

and if I specify

$body = " dear $username Blah Blah Blah";

would this put the correct user name in the body of the e-mail relating to each e-mail address
i.e. for the e-mail address [e-mail] the body of the e-mail would be Dear abc blah blah blah........

thanks

[bubblenut]

If your after a fast sollution then take a look at the class I posted in answer to another post a couple of days ago here. It might be a little more difficult to use (although not a lot really) but it will be pretty damned quick.

[ejwf]

Bubblenut.....
Do I take it from your suggestion that what I was asking does not work...... what do you think

I have taken a look at you code (I'm struggling to get my head round php as it is but that is just mind blowing....me a newbie
with a capital N !)

are you saying that if I cut and paste that code it will just work - no didn't think so !!!😉 - can you either go back to step one and point out where I would have to modify the code to make it mine, or tell me how I can modify my little basic code to do what I want it to do (send 1 e-mail to each person in the Email array, and add variables into the body of the e-mail that are specific to that person - thanks)

[bubblenut]

Firstly, if you use your code with the for loop and execute the mail function seperately for each email, yes, it will work. I use this method myself for smaller lists (upto about 200 ppl) but it takes quite a long time. You can just copy and paste my code in the main part, but I just had a thought. There's a PEAR Mail class which handles multiple mails like this and will certainly be a lot more robust than mine. Check it out here.

[ejwf]

thanks bubblenut
I have had a look at the PEAR Mail class and I am going to sit down and read all about it !........
If you don't hear from me again I've sorted it !
but thanks for your suggestions and help