[RESOLVED] PHP Mail() Problem

aaronfenker

I receive this error:

PHP Warning: mail() [function.mail]: SMTP server response: 501 5.5.4 Invalid Address in D:\clients\ebiblecommentary.com\concordia-seminary.ca\concordia-seminary.ca_demo\register.php on line 464

Both of my mail() uses fail, and I'm not sure why. I've followed the same syntax before on this my server and not had a problem.

My code is below:

$email = $_SESSION['email'];
        $to = $email;
        $subject = "Thank you " . $_POST['fname'] . " for registering with CLTS.";
        $headers = "From: CLTS Online Application System\r\n";
        $headers .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" . "\r\n";
        $msg = <<<EOHTML
            <div style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; color: #f93;">
                Thank you {$_SESSION['fname']} {$_SESSION['lname']}, your registration is complete!
            </div>
            <br />
            Your account is now active.  You may now begin your application process for your the academic programme you wish to enter.  If you encounter any problems during the process please contact the Web Adminstrator at <a href="{webmaster}">{$webmaster}</a>
            <br />
            <font style="font-szie: 12pt; font-weight: bold; color: black;">Remember:</font>&nbsp;&nbsp;At no time will anyone from the Seminary ask you for your username or password. Please do not forget your password as it has been encrypted in our database and we cannot retrieve it for you. However, should you forget your password you can request a new one.
            <br />
            <br />
            <div style="font-szie: 12pt; font-weight: bold; color: black;">
                Below is your account information.  Please do not loose this email.
            </div>
            <b>Your Account Number</b>: {$account_num}
            <br />
            <b>Your Username</b>: {$_SESSION['email']}
            <br />
            <b>Your Password</b>: {$_SESSION['password']}
EOHTML;
        $message = "<html>" . $msg . "</html>";

    mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) or die("<font color=\"red\">ERROR!</font> Please contact the webmaster.<br /> Sorry for the inconvenience.");

//This informs the Webmaster        

        $to = $webmaster;
        $subject = $_POST['fname'] . " " . $_POST['lname'] . " has registered an account.";
        $headers = "From: CLTS Online Application System\r\n";
        $headers .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" . "\r\n";
        $msg = <<<EOHTML
            <div style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; color: #f93;">
                {$_SESSION['prefix']} {$_SESSION['fname']} {$_SESSION['lname']} has registered an account with the Seminary.
            </div>
            Their CLTS Application System Account Number is <b>{$test}</b>
            <br />
            The Application System has created the following applications for them:
                {$apps}
EOHTML;
        $message = "<html>" . $msg . "</html>";

    mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers) or die("<font color=\"red\">ERROR!</font> Please contact the webmaster.<br /> Sorry for the inconvenience.");

NogDog

First thing I'd do is an echo or var_dump() of $to, to make sure it contains the expected email address after it is set.

aaronfenker

I did that and $to does contain the right email address.

NogDog

I didn't catch this the first time:

$headers = "From: CLTS Online Application System\r\n";

The "From:" header's value must be a valid email address on your host. (If you want replies to go to some other address that is not on your web host, then use a "Reply-To:" header for that email address, but sendmail requires at least a valid "From:" address.)

aaronfenker

I don't understand why because I've used another form where I use:

$to = "cltswebmaster@gmail.com";
        $subject = $send['0'] . " " . $send['1'] . " " . $send['3'] . " is submitting his Application";
        $headers = "From: FormHandler.php\r\n";
        $headers .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" . "\r\n";

That code works, and this is why I am a bit puzzled.

NogDog

Does the program that works run on the same server?

aaronfenker

Yes it does.

NogDog

Maybe the one that works does so because there are no spaces in the value, so it at least could be an email address? (I'm just speculating here.)

In any case, neither is correct in terms of the mail header protocols, and really should be a valid email address indicating the source of the email (and not doing so may trigger a lot of spam filters). Also, in many cases a host will refuse to send the message without a valid email address in the From: header, so your script may not port to other servers well even if it does currently work as is.

aaronfenker

NogDog wrote:
Maybe the one that works does so because there are no spaces in the value, so it at least could be an email address? (I'm just speculating here.)

In any case, neither is correct in terms of the mail header protocols, and really should be a valid email address indicating the source of the email (and not doing so may trigger a lot of spam filters). Also, in many cases a host will refuse to send the message without a valid email address in the From: header, so your script may not port to other servers well even if it does currently work as is.

I took your advice and I changed my $headers. They no look like this:

$email = $_SESSION['email'];
        $to = $email;
        $subject = "Thank you " . $_POST['fname'] . " for registering with CLTS.";
        $headers = "Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "From: CLTS Online Application System <cltswebmaster@gmail.com>" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "Reply-To: cltswebmaster@gmail.com" . "\r\n";

and:

$to = "cltswebmaster@gmail.com";
        $subject = $_POST['fname'] . " " . $_POST['lname'] . " has registered an account.";
        $headers = "Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "From: CLTS Online Application System <cltswebmaster@gmail.com>" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "Reply-To: cltswebmaster@gmail.com" . "\r\n";

It still doesn't work.

NogDog

Is "cltswebmaster@gmail.com" a valid email address on the sending server? If not, it is probably being rejected as an attempt to use the server as an email relay. (The Reply-To does not have to be on the sending server, but in most cases the From address must be.)

aaronfenker

Is there anyway that I can check that?

NogDog

Do you have an email account on the web host you are using? If so, you should be using an existing email account there for the From address.