Author Topic: Problem with sign-up and welcome e-mails (Read 2165 times)

tunji · « **on:** February 24, 2006, 11:13:02 am »

Test mails are working fine, as is the "send an e-mail" option. However, welcome and confirmation e-mails are not going out at all. I have been watching the status of the e-mail server and when it is supposed to be doing these mails there is no attempt to even connect, however when doing tests or the send a mail it happens instantly.

Any ideas?

Running 1.84 on Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition with MySQL 4.0.18-nt, connecting to mail server via SMTP with auth.

DW · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2006, 05:09:49 pm »

Welcome, confirmation, and some notification emails are sent with the internal PHP mail function to prevent too many connections to the server. Please make sure that the PHP mail() function works. The following script, copied to a php file and browsed to, might be used as a test.

Code: [Select]


<?php// config$domain = "example.com";$toaddr = "you@NOTexample.com";// end config$fromaddr = "mytest@$domain";$returnpath = "bounceme@$domain";// codeecho date("l, F jS g:ia T");echo "<br>testing mail() function..<br>sending mail.. ";if(mail($toaddr,'mailtest','mailtest',"From: \"Mytest\" <$fromaddr>\nReturn-path: <$returnpath>")) echo "mail seems to be sent ok<br>"; else "mail NOT sent ok!?<br>";?>


If the function is not working you will need to have your system administrator configure it.

Regards,
DW

tunji · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2006, 05:42:48 am »

Thank you, that managed to point me to where the problem was (php.ini), however it has opened up other problems.

PHPMail is very slow when using an external server as the mail server. Is there a way of speeding up the process? Presently there is a long wait between clicking subscribe and the confirmation page. The local server does not presently have SMTP installed on it and I would like to keep it that way if possible. The web and mail servers are on the same local network so there is no bottleneck there, it just seems that PHP Mail is a lot slower than using the SMTP server settings in list mail.

If you tell me that the only way is to install a local SMTP server then I guess I will have to, but I would rather avoid that if at all possible.

DW · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2006, 04:46:26 pm »

Unfortunately, installing your own local SMTP server may be the only way to speed this up. You could also find a closer-to-home, faster SMTP server or web host, to send to externally in hopes of reducing the delay time.

Regards, DW

tunji · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2006, 10:17:14 am »

*NB; This message is from the webhost and website maintenace company for this user account. The client has given me his login to deal with these problems*

The mail server I was trying to use was on the same physical network, so couldn't be any "closer to home". As it was the only way, I have installed the local SMTP server.

Now we have the mail outs working there is a rather fatal error occuring.

If there is *any* text in the HTML section the mail just doesn't send. In preview it says "sent to..." but nothing comes through and no errors show. Remove all HTML and the message turns up fine.

This rather makes the ability to add HTML rather pointless and the lack of error notification makes it impossible to debug. Is there an error log file anywhere? There are no PHP errors being reported client or server side. Is this an incompatibility with Windows? Never had any other PHP users complain about mail errors before but I cannot be sure that any on that particular server are using HTML e-mails. Is your system tested on Windows Server 2003?

DW · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2006, 11:03:43 am »

Have you also added a text version of your message? When sending HTML the text version is also included (and required). The program should normally prevent you from sending or saving without entering text. Instead of re-creating the HTML email in text you might simply use a message code of the type "Link to HTML" as your text message.

Regards

tunji · « **Reply #6 on:** March 09, 2006, 01:39:34 am »

Yes, there is a full text version (that works fine) but if there is any text at all in the HTML box it won't send.

I checked for malformed HTML but even a single line like this:

<strong>Test</strong>

Just doesn't send. As mentioned, Listmail also reports that it has sent when it doesn't.

DW · « **Reply #7 on:** March 09, 2006, 02:07:55 am »

Please submit your information and I will investigate.

Regards