Hello,

 

I've begun to learn the basics of PHP and have been trying to create a simple contact form. I'm using XAMPP for Apache etc. I've configured php.ini to what i think is correct:

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
; http://php.net/smtp
SMTP = *****.*****.co.uk
; http://php.net/smtp-port
smtp_port = 25

; For Win32 only.
; http://php.net/sendmail-from
;sendmail_from = ***@********.co.uk

; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
; http://php.net/sendmail-path
;sendmail_path = "\"C:\xampp\sendmail\sendmail.exe\" -t"

I've taken the script from an online tutorial on how to create a simple contact form. The PHP is as follows:

 

<?php
  $email = $_GET['email'] ;
  $message = $_GET['message'] ;
  mail( "***@********.co.uk", "Email Subject", $message, "From: $email" );

   ?>

Every time i try to use the form to test it i get the same error coming up:

 

Warning: mail() [function.mail]: SMTP server response: 553 This SMTP server requires authorisation. Most mail clients can be configured with "my server requires authorisation" to allow this in C:\xampp\htdocs\sendmail.php on line 4

 

I'm using MS Outlook 2003 as my mail client.

I've tried so many different things to try and sort it but have got nowhere.

 

Can anybody offer any advice.

 

Thanks

For a start i wouldn't use the "get" method when using forms, always use "post". The "get" method sends data in a very exposed way by including it inside the browser bar(URI).

 

And it looks like you have something missing from the mail function? I have included the code for a contacts form that i always use...

 

 

HTML:

 

<form id="feedback" method="post" action="">
<p>
<label for="name">Name:</lable>
<input name="name" id="name" type="text" class="formbox" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="email">Email:</lable>
<input name="email" id="email" type="text" class="formbox" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="comments">Comments:</lable>
<textarea name="comments" id="comments" cols="50" rows="8"></textarea>
</p>
<p>
<input name="send" id="send" type="submit" value="send message" />
</p>
</form>

 

PHP:

 

<?php

// Process the email using an if statement(conditional)

if(array_key_exists('send', $_POST)){
  &to = 'yourmemail@mail.com'; // Use your own email address here
  &subject = 'Enquiry from web site';

// Process the $_POST variables 

$name = $_POST['name'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
$comments = $_POST['comments'];

// Build the email message

$message = "Name: $name ";
$message .= "Email: $email ";
$message .= "Comments: $comments ";

// Send it using the mail() function and store the value inside the $mailSent variable

$mailSent = mail($to, $subject, $message);

}

?>

 

This is the very bare bones of a web form and there is other ways of doing forms but this is how i was taught. You can add loads more if desired such as redirect the user to another page by using the $mailSent variable.

 

Let me know if you have any problems with it or you want to add a bit more to it?

Your error message tells you that your server needs authorization. So you have to put an username and a passwort into the mix. Heres how it works: http://email.about.com/od/emailprogrammingtips/qt/PHP_Email_SMTP_Authentication.htm

Thanks for your comments. As mentioned before the script is just very basic and is something i've found off the net to test with. I will have a look at your code and see how it works.

 

Thanks for the link. I'm going to have a look through and see if i finally get there.

Hi Neilp.

 

I've had a go at using the script you sent me and it's coming up with an error saying 'Unexpected '&'on the follwing line:

 

&to = 'yourmemail@mail.com'; // Use your own email address here

 

I've put in the email address i would like it sending to. Am i supposed to change anything else?

 

Thanks

Hi

It should be $to and $subject instead of &to and &subject.

Hi Rallport,

 

As mentioned i'm a complete beginner to php and am just learning the basics now. For now my problem is setting up my computer to be able to send test emails from a contact page hosted on my computer using xampp. Still struggling with it now.

I used the script you mentioned as i was suggested to me and as i have no php experience i've gone with it. i initially used a much simpler script purely for testing purposes (setting up the sendmail i should say)

 

TopShopper,

Thanks for that. It's sorted things out with that error now.