mail() function

Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 1:56 pm

You'll probably want to talk to montego and/or look over his wiki docs.

Montego wrote:

The traditional RavenNuke(tm)/PHP-Nuke Content Management System (CMS) was written back when the PHP mail() function was ubiquitous in its use and it was also quite easy to implement. These CMS' used the mail() function for key features like: user registration activation, user/admin notifications, Newsletter mailings, private message and forum emails and notifications, etc. Over time, as exploits against the PHP mail() across all PHP-based systems reached the "breaking point", Web Hosts began to lock down the use of the PHP mail() function in favor of authenticate SMTP. As soon as these lock downs began to occur, these fine scripts stopped working properly..

http://wiki.montegoscripts.com/w/Mailer_Introduction
http://montegoscripts.com/

Subject Matter Expert Joined: Feb 23, 2004 Posts: 358

Unfortunately it's impossible for us to 'guess' your server's evironment and restrictions. These types of threads can go on forever, because as support personel, we will spend whatever time's necessary to get you up and running.

If you could communicate with your hosting provider, we can wipe out about 20 unnecessary postings back and forth. Find out what they DO support, if anything, and maybe they can even guide you in the right direction. If they can't, get as much information as possible (especially what ports might be blocked), and then we can probably get you squared away.

Also, remember, if your provider becomes to much of a hassle and has too many restrictions, you might be better served finding a new provider. We have come a LONG way in the last 6-8 years with security, both server-side and software-side. Some providers are just too lazy and lock down too much. IMO, they deserve to have business walk elsewhere.

- Keith

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:32 pm

Thanks for the info, Scott...

What have you done with your php.ini in regards to email settings? Anything? Can you post that section of your php.ini in between code tags? (please xxxx out any passwords etc.)

We have to get your php to be able to send mail since you are on localhost.

- Keith

registered · Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:38 pm

scott_1980, you are trying to use Mercury from a local PC/server? You do know that XAMPP has strong warnings against using it for a production web site. This is a very non-standard set up so do please be patient with us as we try and help you. You won't need Mercury IF you have an external SMTP connection that you can use, such as with your ISP. You need an external server that you can use to be your "relay". You may already have an email account with your ISP. If they have the settings to use for a email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird for POP or IMAP, there is a good chance you can use that and use the SMTP settings within the Mailer.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:47 pm

scott_1980, first question is why are you hosting this yourself? It forces you to have to also know how to play "Data Center". 99.9% of RavenNuke(tm) production sites (yes, I am guessing) are run using web hosting accounts. Most, if not all, of these types of accounts provide access to email, which also includes authenticated SMTP. This is what the Mailer is meant for. Even when I use a local XAMPP run site for my development/test environment, I simply configure the Mailer to use my web hosting account's incoming SMTP connection to send mails... works like a charm.

Unfortunately, since I've never had to configure my own production environment, I'm not going to be much help for you with the php.ini settings.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:18 pm

Scott, in your php.ini, the SMTP = part is going to your website, it should be going to your ISP (as Montego alluded to, you don't need Mercury here).

Mail functions are a separate "art form", and something few of us here are expert at. I would suggest an XAMPP forum or tutorial on setting up mail functions. You should also be able to find very easy test scripts to test your settings as you tweak them. Once your XAMPP setup is sending mail with a test script, I would imagine your RN mail will come up working.

This is an issue that has nothing to do with RN, and instead is a server-side setup issue. Please Google your mail issue with XAMPP and see if you can get that going.

As for Montego's suggestions, they are spot on, especially for a new webmaster. While I develop heavily on my localhost, I do not use ANY mail features while doing so. A site that is ready for production gets uploaded to a *nix server, and then stuff like mailing is tested. Essentially, we are the blind trying to lead the blind. Wink

There are many issues relating to a XAMPP environment (not just mail) that make it extremely challenging to run a production site on. That's adding extra overhead for a new webmaster, and has caused more than one new webmaster to just walk away in frustration. Developing by localhost is a God send, and we would all be 1000% less efficient without it. However, trying to turn a dev environment into a production enviornment... well.. let's just say you need to have a high threshold for pain. Wink

- Keith

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:32 pm

Just keeping things in the proper perspective...

The only idiotic questions are the ones you don't ask (assuming you at least TRIED helping yourself first with a few Google and/or Forum searches).

and...

Once you become fairly good at any programming language, you will get bored and turn to helping others, to break up the monotony a bit and keep your blades sharp. We learn from helping others through issues we might not have encountered yet. It's all good man. The amount of people offering free support would dwindle to a trickle if we didn't get anything out of it. We do. We never stop learning.

Cheers,
- Keith

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 9:26 am

Just be careful with XAMPP in a production mode as it is pretty much wide open security-wise. And, to be honest, just going through their security check and lock down isn't enough safety to run a production site. I just want to make sure you understand the risks that you take is all. I applaud you though for wanting to do this yourself. I, too, do this for a hobby, but once you get going and down the road, that hobby could end up meaning a lot to you and you wouldn't want to lose it all. So, make sure you have a really good backup plan, keeping several months worth IMO, keep up on ALL O/S and other security updates, and if you can somehow separate this server/PC from the rest of your personal home network, that would be best. I'd feel slightly better if you were running Linux instead of Windows on this thing... but it still isn't a guarantee.

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:05 pm

You might have missed something in the last few exchanges...

You need to find a test mail script that will run from your webroot outside, and independent from RN. If you can get that script (which should be VERY small) to send emails, then move on to RN email functions.

We can't advise you on how to tweak RN for SMTP emailing until we are SURE your server can send them reliably.

- Keith

registered · Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:16 pm

Here is a link that may help also.

http://fordflux.com/blog/how-to/php-sendmail-and-xampp-on-windows/