Random Whitespace appearing in html emails

[galimatias]

I'm using PHP5. There is a strange anamoly on html emails that are being sent out. A random whitespace appears in the content, but always toward the end pointing to a possible character count issue.

See below for examples of how the space wanders and is random:

1- "Th ere are several things being discussed in this email."
2- "There are se veral things being discussed in this email."
3- "There are severa l things being discussed in this email."

This whitepace issue happens after the email is sent.

Anybody have any ideas?

[konrad]

I've had similar problem with mail() function. After spending one day trying to find out whats wrong, I discovered I sent too long lines. Check this out - hope it helps.

[galimatias]

Thanks for your response. What do you mean by "too long lines"? Ty!

[NogDog]

Suppose your message text is in the variable $message; then you can use wordwrap to make sure no line is longer than 70 characters with:

$message = wordwrap($message, 70);

[galimatias]

Oh right. No, that's not the problem. The lines are short. Here's the exact text in the email:

//
This email is to notify you of the following new hire.

Name: Mark Van Orman
New Hire Database ID #: 260
Title of Series or Project: Bad Hair Daze
Title of Position: Storyperson
Start Date: 12-04-2006
Requestor: Kimberley Mooney

OPERATIONS INFORMATION

Office Type: None
Building:
Specialty Furniture:
Specialty Supplies:
Additional Office Equipment:
Phone: TBD
Speaker Phone: No
Display Phone: No
Call Locations: Southern California
Location #: TBD
Intercom: No
Additional Extensions:
Cube Setup:
Intercom: No
Office Notes:

TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION

Computer System Required: None

This application can be viewed here.

[bradgrafelman]

Show us the code that builds & sends the message.

[galimatias]

Well, I apologize in advance for the amount of code that is to come. But, this email is the culmination of a five page wizard with a lot of information. I'm using mysql, php 5 & xsl/xml plus front-end (css/javascript/etc)

Once the data on the last form page is saved to the database, it goes to the function below:

function email_params(){
$candidate = new candidate;
$candidate->load($_REQUEST['id_candidate']);

$legal = $REQUEST['show_legal'];
$legal_boo = $REQUEST['legal_boo'];
$notify_cp = $REQUEST['show_notify_cp'];
$notify_hr = $REQUEST['show_notify_hr'];
$notify_person = $REQUEST['show_notify_person'];
$notify_prod = $REQUEST['show_notify_prod'];
$notify_finance = $REQUEST['show_notify_finance'];
$cc_notes = $REQUEST['cc_notes'];

$action = $candidate->get_prop('action');
$process_email = $candidate->get_prop('process_email');

$cmd = new c_get_employees;
$emparray = $cmd->process();

$test = 1;

if($test){
header('content-type:text');
}

$cp_list = $test? '#[e-mail]' : '#[e-mail]';
$hr_list = $test? '#[e-mail]' : '#[e-mail]';
$legal_list = $test? '#[e-mail]' : '#[e-mail]';
$op_list = $test? '[e-mail]' : '[e-mail]';
$prod_list = $test? '#[e-mail]' : '#[e-mail]';
$tech_list = $test? '[e-mail]' : '[e-mail]';
$newhire_list = $test? '[e-mail]' : '[e-mail]';
$finance_list = $test? '#[e-mail]' : '#[e-mail]';
$paraperson = $test? '[e-mail]' : '[e-mail]';

mysql_select_db('tag');
$emp = new employee;
$emp->load($candidate->get_prop('id_prepared_by'));
$name = $emp->get_prop('name_first');
$name = $name." ".$emp->get_prop('name_last');
$from = $emp->get_prop('email');
$dept = $emp->get_prop('department');
mysql_select_db('new_hire');

$to = $from . ','; // start with the originators email

//BUILD EMAIL TO LIST

$type ='';// email type toggle
if($legal == 'on'){
$type = 'legal';
}

if($legal =='on'){
$to .= $legal_list . ',';
}else{
if($REQUEST['action'] == 'Completed'){
if($REQUEST['legal_boo'] == false){
$to .= $newhire_list . ',';
}
}
if($notify_cp == 'on'){
$to .= $cp_list . ',';
}
if($notify_hr == 'on'){
$to .= $hr_list . ',';
}
if($notify_person == 'on'){
$to .= $paraperson . ',';
}
if($notify_prod == 'on'){
$to .= $prod_list . ',';
}
if($notify_finance == 'on'){
$to .= $finance_list . ',';
}
//if($cc_notes != ''){
//$to .= $cc_notes . ',';
//}
}

//END BUILD EMAIL TO LIST

//$to = preg_replace("/,$/","",$to);
$to .= $op_list . "," . $tech_list;

if($test){
echo $to . "\nCC:$cc_notes\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n";

}
//take user home
//echo "from: $from \n\n\n\n";

$action = $_REQUEST['action'];

$body = $this->build_email($candidate,$emp,$type,$action);

//echo "body: $body \n\n\n\n\n";

   if($action == 'In Process'){
                    $subject = 'Potential New Hire Notification';
           }else if($action == 'Completed'){
                   $subject = 'New Hire Verification';

//if($_REQUEST['legal_boo'] == false){
//$to .= $newhire_list . ',';
//}
}else{
$subject = 'New Hire Denied';
}

if($legal_boo){
$subject = 'The following deal has been closed.';
}

   if($type =='legal'){

$subject .= " - Legal Action Required";
}

//send email
$this->send_mail($from,$name,$to,$cc_notes,$subject,$body);

if(!$test){
header('Location:index.php?c=home');
}
}
function build_email($candidate,$employee,$type,$action){
$body .= '<p style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12px;"><br />';
if($action == 'In Process'){
$body .= 'This email is to notify you of the following new hire.<br /><br />';
if($_REQUEST['work'] == 'Yes'){
$body .= 'Work eligibility has been met.<br/><br/>';
}
}

            else if($action == 'Completed'){
                    $body .= 'This email is to notify you the following new hire has been verified.<br /><br /> ';
            }
            else{
                    $body .= 'This email is to notify you the following new hire has been denied.<br/><br/>';
            }

if($REQUEST['legal_boo']){
if($REQUEST['action'] == 'Denied'){
$body .= "Deal Denied.<br/><br/>";
}else if($REQUEST['show_w_eligible'] == 'on' && $action != 'Completed'){
$body .= "Work eligibility needs to be verified.<br /><br />";
}else if($REQUEST['work'] == 'Yes'){
$body .= "Work eligibility has been met.<br /><br />";
}else{
$body .= "Work eligibility does NOT need to be verified.<br /><br />";
}
}

if($_REQUEST['legal_notes']){
                    $body .= 'Legal Notes: ' . $_REQUEST['legal_notes'] . "<br /><br />";
            }

if($_REQUEST['id_position_type'] == '2'){
$body .= 'This is a single assignment.<br/><br/>';
}
else{
$body .= '<br/><br/>';
}

$body .= '<b>Name:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('name_first') . ' ' . $candidate->get_prop('name_last') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>New Hire Database ID #:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('id_candidate') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Title of Series or Project:</b> '.$candidate->get_prop('project') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Title of Position:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('title') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Start Date:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('a_start_date') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Requestor:</b> ' . $employee->get_prop('name_first') . ' ' . $employee->get_prop('name_last') . '<br/><br/>';
$body .= "<b>OPERATIONS INFORMATION</b><br /><br />";
$body .= '<b>Office Type:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('office_type') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Building:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('building') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Specialty Furniture:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('spec_furn') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Specialty Supplies:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('spec_supp') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Additional Office Equipment:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('addl_equip') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Phone:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('c_phone') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Speaker Phone:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('s_phone') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Display Phone:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('d_phone') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Call Locations:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('call_loc') . '<br/>';

$body .= '<b>Location #:</b> '.$candidate->get_prop('location_num') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Intercom:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('intercom') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Additional Extensions:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('add_ext') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Cube Setup:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('cube_set') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Intercom:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('intercom') . '<br/>';
$body .= '<b>Office Notes:</b> ' . $candidate->get_prop('off_notes') . '<br/><br />';
$body .= "<b>TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION</b><br /><br />";
$body .= '<b>Computer System Required:</b> ';
$body .= $candidate->get_prop('comp_sys')? $candidate->get_prop('comp_sys') : 'None';
$body .= '<br/>';

if($_REQUEST['action'] == 'In Process'){
if($type == 'legal'){
$body .= '<br/>Legal action is required in order for this application to move forward. The ';

}else{
$body .= '<br/>This ';
}
$body .= 'application can be viewed <a href="http://tva.disney.pvt/tag/new_hire/index.php?c=create_record&id_candidate=' . $candidate->get_prop('id_candidate') . '">here</a>.<br/><br/><br/>';
}
$body .= '<br/><br/>THIS IS AN AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED EMAIL.</p>';
return $body;
}

function send_mail($from, $name, $to, $cc_notes, $subject, $body){

// to send email
ini_set('SMTP', 'yu-cala-hga1.swna.wdpr.disney.com');
ini_set('sendmail_from', $from);
$headers = 'MIME-Version: 1.0' . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1' . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'From: ' . $name . '<'. $from . ">\r\n";
$headers .= 'Cc: ' . $cc_notes . "\r\n";
$headers .= 'Reply-To:' . $from . "\r\n";

mail($to, $subject, $body, $headers);
}

[bradgrafelman]

I'll try to peruse your code in a second, but in the meantime...

When posting PHP code, please use the board's [PHP][/PHP] bbcode tags - they make the code much, much easier to read (as well as aiding the diagnosis of syntax errors). You should edit your post now and add these bbcode tags to help others in reading/analyzing your code.