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05.09.2008 at 08:32AM PDT, ID: 23389747
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Intermittent Problem With A Sendmail Script
Tags: PHP, Linux
Since recently moving my client's site from a Windows server to a Linux server, a critically important PHP sendmail script has been failing to work around 10-20% of the time.

The host says there's nothing wrong because every time they test the script, it works.  But I've done my own tests, and without a doubt the script occasionally fails to produce an email, something that never happened when the site was on the Windows server.  I even managed to get someone to do a server "reset," but the problem remains.

So far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with either the script or the html form that points to it.

Since everything worked until moving to a new server, it stands to reason that there's something wrong with the new server.  But what could that be?  What could be causing an intermittent problem like this?  Usually something like this either works or it doesn't.  What am I failing to consider?
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Question Stats
Zone: OS
Question Asked By: macrolific
Solution Provided By: Ray_Paseur
Participating Experts: 1
Solution Grade: A
Views: 9
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05.09.2008 at 08:37AM PDT, ID: 21533955

Rank: Master

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05.09.2008 at 08:40AM PDT, ID: 21533979

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05.09.2008 at 08:47AM PDT, ID: 21534054

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05.09.2008 at 08:54AM PDT, ID: 21534131

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05.09.2008 at 09:10AM PDT, ID: 21534284

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05.09.2008 at 10:42AM PDT, ID: 21535038

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05.09.2008 at 10:45AM PDT, ID: 21535059

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05.09.2008 at 11:41AM PDT, ID: 21535444

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05.10.2008 at 05:15AM PDT, ID: 21538693

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05.11.2008 at 10:11AM PDT, ID: 21542944

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05.12.2008 at 09:54AM PDT, ID: 21548579

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05.12.2008 at 10:00AM PDT, ID: 21548635

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05.09.2008 at 08:37AM PDT, ID: 21533955

Rank: Master

Please post the script.  Thanks!
 
05.09.2008 at 08:40AM PDT, ID: 21533979
Okay, here it is, and thanks.
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<?php
ini_set("sendmail_from","ifs@domain.com");
$subject = 'Online Enrollment';             // Subject of email sent to you.
$emailadd = 'apps@domain.com';           // Your email address. This is where the form information will be sent.
$fromadd = 'ifs@domain.com';  //address for from field to pass authentication
$from = "To: $emailadd\nFrom: IFS <" . $fromadd . ">\nX-Mailer: PHP/" . phpversion();
$url = 'https://www.domain.com/confirm/confirm.htm';   // Where to redirect after form is processed.
$req = '0';   // Makes all fields required. If set to '1' no field can not be empty. If set to '0' any or all fields can be empty.
 
// --------------------------Do not edit below this line--------------------------
$text = "Results from form:\n\n";
$space = '  ';
$line = '
';
foreach ($_POST as $key => $value)
{
	if ($req == '1')
	{
		if ($value == '')
		{echo "$key is empty";die;}
	}
	$j = strlen($key);
		if ($j >= 20)
		{echo "Name of form element $key cannot be longer than 20 characters";die;}
	$j = 20 - $j;
		for ($i = 1; $i <= $j; $i++)
		{$space .= ' ';}
	$value = str_replace('\n', "$line", $value);
	$conc = "{$key}:$space{$value}$line";
	$text .= $conc;
	$space = '  ';
}
mail($emailadd, $subject, $text, $from);
echo '<META HTTP-EQUIV=Refresh CONTENT="0; URL='.$url.'">';
 
?>
Open in New Window
 
05.09.2008 at 08:47AM PDT, ID: 21534054
By the way, the script always redirects to the confirmation page, even when it doesn't send an email.
 
05.09.2008 at 08:54AM PDT, ID: 21534131

Rank: Master

Macrolific - here are a couple of thoughts.  

The mail command may take time to process (if the server is very busy) and the meta refresh could intervene.  Perhaps change CONTENT="0 to CONTENT="2...?

Second, the mail command returns false if it fails - you might want to test the command with something like this:

if (!mail($emailadd...)) { /* ISSUE ERROR MESSAGE */ }

Not sure about having the "to" address in the "from" field, - that looks odd.  Could it trip a spam filter somewhere, maybe?

Those are not conclusive, but worth a try.  HTH, ~Ray
 
05.09.2008 at 09:10AM PDT, ID: 21534284
Ray, thanks.  I'm not an experienced programmer.  Could you please explain
1) where in the script I should place you line of code:

if (!mail($emailadd...)) { /* ISSUE ERROR MESSAGE */ }

2) Is that meant to be literal, or should I replace "$emailadd..." with my email address?
3) What will this do?  Will it post the error, or will it do something else?

Jon
 
05.09.2008 at 10:42AM PDT, ID: 21535038

Rank: Master

Try the segment below.  Replace "911" with your phone number ;-)

Bear in mind that with the refresh, your site visitor will only see the Please Call message for a moment.  I will post another option below...
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<?php
ini_set("sendmail_from","ifs@domain.com");
$subject = 'Online Enrollment';             // Subject of email sent to you.
$emailadd = 'apps@domain.com';           // Your email address. This is where the form information will be sent.
$fromadd = 'ifs@domain.com';  //address for from field to pass authentication
$from = "From: IFS <" . $fromadd . ">\nX-Mailer: PHP/" . phpversion();
$url = 'https://www.domain.com/confirm/confirm.htm';   // Where to redirect after form is processed.
$req = '0';   // Makes all fields required. If set to '1' no field can not be empty. If set to '0' any or all fields can be empty.
 
// --------------------------Do not edit below this line--------------------------
$text = "Results from form:\n\n";
$space = '  ';
$line = '
';
foreach ($_POST as $key => $value)
{
        if ($req == '1')
        {
                if ($value == '')
                {echo "$key is empty";die;}
        }
        $j = strlen($key);
                if ($j >= 20)
                {echo "Name of form element $key cannot be longer than 20 characters";die;}
        $j = 20 - $j;
                for ($i = 1; $i <= $j; $i++)
                {$space .= ' ';}
        $value = str_replace('\n', "$line", $value);
        $conc = "{$key}:$space{$value}$line";
        $text .= $conc;
        $space = '  ';
}
if (!mail($emailadd, $subject, $text, $from)) { echo "<br />MAIL COMMAND FAILED FOR $emailadd<br />Please call 911<br />"; }
echo '<META HTTP-EQUIV=Refresh CONTENT="2; URL='.$url.'">';
 
?>
Open in New Window
 
05.09.2008 at 10:45AM PDT, ID: 21535059

Rank: Master

This one will leave the error message on the screen and will not redirect.
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<?php
ini_set("sendmail_from","ifs@domain.com");
$subject = 'Online Enrollment';             // Subject of email sent to you.
$emailadd = 'apps@domain.com';           // Your email address. This is where the form information will be sent.
$fromadd = 'ifs@domain.com';  //address for from field to pass authentication
$from = "From: IFS <" . $fromadd . ">\nX-Mailer: PHP/" . phpversion();
$url = 'https://www.domain.com/confirm/confirm.htm';   // Where to redirect after form is processed.
$req = '0';   // Makes all fields required. If set to '1' no field can not be empty. If set to '0' any or all fields can be empty.
 
// --------------------------Do not edit below this line--------------------------
$text = "Results from form:\n\n";
$space = '  ';
$line = '
';
foreach ($_POST as $key => $value)
{
        if ($req == '1')
        {
                if ($value == '')
                {echo "$key is empty";die;}
        }
        $j = strlen($key);
                if ($j >= 20)
                {echo "Name of form element $key cannot be longer than 20 characters";die;}
        $j = 20 - $j;
                for ($i = 1; $i <= $j; $i++)
                {$space .= ' ';}
        $value = str_replace('\n', "$line", $value);
        $conc = "{$key}:$space{$value}$line";
        $text .= $conc;
        $space = '  ';
}
if (!mail($emailadd, $subject, $text, $from)) { 
	echo "<br />MAIL COMMAND FAILED FOR $emailadd<br />Please call 911<br />"; 
	die("Not Redirected to $url");
} else { 
	echo '<META HTTP-EQUIV=Refresh CONTENT="2; URL='.$url.'">'; 
}
 
?>
Open in New Window
Accepted Solution
 
05.09.2008 at 11:41AM PDT, ID: 21535444
Ray, I won't know until some time passes -- a few more hours or maybe even through the weekend -- if the problem is solved.  But I'm cautiously optimistic.

Thanks so much for your help.  I've implemented your changes and I have my fingers crossed.

Thanks again!

Jon
 
05.10.2008 at 05:15AM PDT, ID: 21538693

Rank: Master

John, good luck this weekend.  Post again if this doesn't help isolate the problem! ~Ray
 
05.11.2008 at 10:11AM PDT, ID: 21542944
Ray, thanks very much for the supportive sentiment.  The problem IS still there, and I'm pursuing it with tech support at my host.  I don't think there's anything wrong with the script, but we'll see....

Thanks again.
 
05.12.2008 at 09:54AM PDT, ID: 21548579

Rank: Master

I've sen a lot of these scripts, and I don't think there is anything wrong with the script, either!  Glad tht host tech support is involved - I expect they will be best equipped to find and fix.  Hope the fix comes soon, ~Ray
 
05.12.2008 at 10:00AM PDT, ID: 21548635
Thanks so much for the concern, Ray.  Actually, the host is "officially" claiming that there's a problem with the script.  Unofficially, they are admitting to me that there must be a problem with their server.  But they've thus far been unable to find the problem!  This has been an extraordinary headache, as I'm sure you can imagine.

I'm about ready to switch to a new system of doing things.  I've converted the site for e-commerce, and all correspondence of data will be done by Authorize.Net after today.

So I've just got to hang in there for a few more hours.  But, man, what a pain in the ass this has been!
 
 
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