Please help me with PHP mailer

[Reaper1242]

Hey guys,

I'm hoping someone can help me here. I'm building a site based on an HTML 5 template. I'm still trying to figure out PHP though. I'm really more of a visual person so this whole coding thing just hurts my brain .

The template has the contact form set up perfectly but there's no mailer. I'd really appreciate it if someone could tell me how to add a mailer based on this form.

Thanks in advance.

<form action="#" method="post">
      	<p><input type="text" name="name"  value="Your Name" id="name" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Name'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Name') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
        <p><input type="text" name="email" value="Your Email" id="email"  onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Email'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Email') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
        <p>
          <textarea cols="20" rows="7" name="message" id="message" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Message'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Message') {this.value = '';}" >Your Message</textarea>
        </p>
        <p><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Send Message" class="button" /></p>
      </form>

 

[murraybiscuit]

most (linux) hosts have a formmail cgi script.
just ask your host if it's available, what url to post to and what hidden fields to use.
they should have a faq which covers this common request in the hosting support section of their website.

the term "phpmailer" is more commonly known as a php library which sends mails. you would not be using "phpmailer" to send your mails.

 

[Reaper1242]

most (linux) hosts have a formmail cgi script.
just ask your host if it's available, what url to post to and what hidden fields to use.
they should have a faq which covers this common request in the hosting support section of their website.

Excellent that could make my life easier. Much appreciated.

 

[Aquilla]

Hey guys,

I'm hoping someone can help me here. I'm building a site based on an HTML 5 template. I'm still trying to figure out PHP though. I'm really more of a visual person so this whole coding thing just hurts my brain .

The template has the contact form set up perfectly but there's no mailer. I'd really appreciate it if someone could tell me how to add a mailer based on this form.

Thanks in advance.

<form action="#" method="post">
      	<p><input type="text" name="name"  value="Your Name" id="name" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Name'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Name') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
        <p><input type="text" name="email" value="Your Email" id="email"  onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Email'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Email') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
        <p>
          <textarea cols="20" rows="7" name="message" id="message" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Message'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Message') {this.value = '';}" >Your Message</textarea>
        </p>
        <p><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Send Message" class="button" /></p>
      </form>

mail($to, $subject, $message);
http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php

not quite sure if that is what you want...?

 

[_kabal_]

this is a real simple example:

form.html :

<form action="email.php" method="post">
  <p><input type="text" name="name"  value="Your Name" id="name" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Name'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Name') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
  <p><input type="text" name="email" value="Your Email" id="email"  onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Email'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Email') {this.value = '';}" /></p>
  <p>
    <textarea cols="20" rows="7" name="message" id="message" onblur="if (this.value == ''){this.value = 'Your Message'; }" onfocus="if (this.value == 'Your Message') {this.value = '';}" >Your Message</textarea>
  </p>
  <p><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Send Message" class="button" /></p>
</form>

email.php:

<?php
  $to = $_POST["email"];
  $subject = "my subject";
  $message = $_POST["message"];
  mail($to, $subject, $message);
?>

 

[SilverNodashi]

most (linux) hosts have a formmail cgi script.
just ask your host if it's available, what url to post to and what hidden fields to use.
they should have a faq which covers this common request in the hosting support section of their website.

You might notice more and more hosts not offering formmail cgi script any more due spam abuse, and you'll be forced to use a PHP script.

the term "phpmailer" is more commonly known as a php library which sends mails. you would not be using "phpmailer" to send your mails.

There's actually a script called PHPMailer as well: http://phpmailer.worxware.com/




@Reaper1242:

You could either use the basic PHP mail() function, or a more advanced option like PHPMailer, which will allow you to send mail via an SMTP server if your host requires that all scripts on their server have SMTP authentication enabled.

Check this out:

Simple PHP mail sending example:

http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mail.asp
http://www.sitepoint.com/advanced-email-php/
http://www.daniweb.com/web-development/php/threads/38784


More Advanced PHP mail sending example:



http://phpmailer.worxware.com/index.php?pg=tutorial#2
http://phpmailer.worxware.com/index.php?pg=examplebsendmail
http://phpmailer.worxware.com/index.php?pg=examplebsmtp




Lastly, you should also look at adding some security to your script, like human verification, and probably some "filters" to make sure the end user only types what he's supposed to into the fields. i.e. a phone number field should only allow digits (upto say 13 or 14?) and he shouldn't be allowed to paste PHP code into the form fields directly either.

 

[_kabal_]

he shouldn't be allowed to paste PHP code into the form fields directly either.

you mean like this?

<?php echo("pasting php into form inputs is fine"); ?>

 

[SilverNodashi]

you mean like this?

<?php echo("pasting php into form inputs is fine"); ?>

Yup. Google XSS and SQL injection and you'll see what people could do if they wanted to. Even if you don't have MySQL setup, or use MySQL on the forum one could still do anything a PHP script can do if they really wanted to.

 

[_kabal_]

damn those no sarcasm fonts on the internet in my previous post I obviously "pasted" php code in a form input, to show that it is fine.

your previous post implied that php injection is possible, which it is not, unless some daft oke writes everything wrapped in an eval().

 

[SilverNodashi]

damn those no sarcasm fonts on the internet in my previous post I obviously "pasted" php code in a form input, to show that it is fine.

your previous post implied that php injection is possible, which it is not, unless some daft oke writes everything wrapped in an eval().

We're seeing more and more attempts from "daft okes" who write PHP code in eval() and since eval() is (still?) enabled on many servers it would be better to properly secure the contact form nonetheless.

 

[_kabal_]

you are assuming that someone who uses eval() would then know how to secure their content.
if someone knows how to prevent injection, they wouldnt be the type of person who would be using eval()

 

[SilverNodashi]

you are assuming that someone who uses eval() would then know how to secure their content.
if someone knows how to prevent injection, they wouldnt be the type of person who would be using eval()

True, but the majority of people on here ( and the internet in general ) host their websites on shared servers, and in many cases the shared servers have eval() enabled since one of the client's on that server actually needs it and knows how to secure it. But the reseller, or server owner doesn't know what eval() does or how to set it up only for one user. Instead he enables it, or loose a client.

 

[_kabal_]

to have php injection happen with eval, you would have to explictly declare something like:

<?php eval("echo(\"evaled code\")); ?>

or

<? php eval("$_POST[\"field_name\"]");

having eval() "enabled" or not is irrelevant