The easiest way to interact with your users is to make PHP send emails, using special forms and the PHP mail function. The main idea of it is that a developer can create special PHP email forms for sending emails straight from the script.
Using PHP mail() you can, for example, send weekly newsletters, or configure your email box to receive error messages. Therefore, the function provides with not only means of communication but also a custom error log.
Contents
PHP mail Function: Main Tips
- PHP mail function allows you to send emails directly by using PHP script.
- This function is integrated into PHP's core, but requires a working email system installed to your system (which must be defined in the php.ini file)
Options for Runtime Configuration
The way PHP mail() function behaves is always affected by the settings defined inside php.ini. The table below provides a list of these runtime configurations that you can apply:
| Name | Default value | Description | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| mail.add_x_header | "0" | This function is used for adding X-PHP-Originating-Script, purpose of which is to include UID of script followed by filename. Usable in PHP 5.3.0 and newer | PHP_INI_PERDIR |
| mail.log | NULL | Path to file that will include all previous calls to the PHP mail function. This log will include full path to directory of script file, line number, recipient address and required headers. Usable in PHP 5.3.0 and newer | PHP_INI_PERDIR |
| SMTP | "localhost" | For Windows only: The DNS name or IP address of the SMTP server | PHP_INI_ALL |
| smtp_port | "25" | For Windows only: The SMTP port number. Usable in PHP 4.3.0 and newer | PHP_INI_ALL |
| sendmail_from | NULL | For Windows only: Specify From address that will be used for sending mail using PHP mail() function | PHP_INI_ALL |
| sendmail_path | "/usr/sbin/sendmail -t -i" | Specify location of program sendmail. This directive also works in Windows. Ignores SMTP, smtp_port and sendmail_from if set. | PHP_INI_SYSTEM |
Functions for Email Sending
In the table below, you can see the functions you can use when you want to PHP send email:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| ezmlm_hash() | Calculate hash value required by EZMLM |
| mail() | Allow sending emails directly from script |
PHP mail Function: Summary
- Using an inbuilt
mail()function, you can send emails via your PHP script. - For this function to work properly, your system must have an email system installed, working, and defined in php.ini.