PHP mail(): Main Tips
- Using PHP
mail()lets you send emails using a script and communicate with your website visitors. - It's a great way to use data forms.
Correct Syntax: Parameters Explained
To avoid cases of PHP mail not working, always make sure you use the correct syntax in your PHP mail scripts:
mail(to, subject, message, headers, parameter);
Seems rather simple, doesn't it? See how PHP mail() works in a short PHP mail script example below:
Example
<?php
// The text
$text = "The first message";
// use wordwrap() if the lines are more than 70 characters
$text = wordwrap($text, 70);
//send the email
mail("test@test.com", "My subject", $text);
?>Now, let's break it down and talk about each parameter that is used in the formula above:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| to | This parameter is needed to specify the recipient of the email. |
| subject | This parameter is needed to name the subject and can't have any newline characters. |
| message | This parameter is used to write the message inside the email. A single line must not use more than 70 characters and ought to be split using \n to avoid PHP mail not working. |
| headers | This parameter is optional and used to add new PHP mail headers (CC, BCC, From, etc.). All PHP mail headers must be separated using \r\n to avoid PHP mail not working. |
| parameters | This parameter is optional and allows you to specify more additional parameters. |
Note: If you want to make PHP send mail, you must use the header From as it is required. It can be set with this parameter or by editing the php.ini file.
Usage: Code Example
Let's see one more PHP mail example to make sure we got it right. In this code, you can notice that more mail headers are added:
Example
<?php
$to = "test@test.com";
$subject = "My subject";
$txt = "Test";
$headers = "From: admin@test.com" . "\r\n" .
"CC: notadmin@test.com";
mail($to, $subject, $txt, $headers);
?>