Allow ability to NOT attach file in PHP mail form

spastickyle · October 27, 2016

I am trying to create a simple mail form with multiple attachments for our HR department. When I choose not to attach a file, or in the case of allowing multiple attachments, not attaching a second file, I get the following error. I'm assuming that the foreach is looking for the file extension and seeing null in the array (hense the blank when displaying the $ext in the error message when die is called). The HR department wants to have multiple attachments in case an applicant wants to submit a cover letter and resume. But my code so far won't allow an applicant to submit a resume without a cover letter.

Notice: Undefined index: extension in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\MultipleEmailAttachments.php on line 18 File has the extensions which is not allowed

I'm not a proficient PHP programmer, but I want to expand my knowledge. How can I prevent null values (in this case, no file attachment) from adding to the array?

Thanks in advance.

Here's the php code:

<?php


 error_reporting(E_ALL);
 ini_set('display_errors', 1);
 ini_set("SMTP","123.456.789.123");
 ini_set("smtp_port","25");


if(isset($_FILES) && (bool) $_FILES) {
  
     $allowedExtensions = array("pdf","doc","docx","gif","jpeg","jpg","png","rtf","txt");


     $files = array();
     foreach($_FILES as $name=>$file) {
        $file_name = $file['name']; 
        $temp_name = $file['tmp_name'];
        $file_type = $file['type'];
        $path_parts = pathinfo($file_name);
        $ext = $path_parts['extension'];
        if(!in_array($ext,$allowedExtensions)) {
           die("File $file_name has the extensions $ext which is not allowed");
        }
        array_push($files,$file);
     }


     // email fields: to, from, subject, and so on
     $to = "mail@example.com";
     $from = "webmaster@example.com"; 
     $subject ="test attachment"; 
     $message = "this is a simple test message";
     $headers = "From: $from";


     // boundary 
     $semi_rand = md5(time()); 
     $mime_boundary = "==Multipart_Boundary_x{$semi_rand}x"; 


     // headers for attachment 
     $headers .= "\nMIME-Version: 1.0\n" . "Content-Type: multipart/mixed;\n" . " boundary=\"{$mime_boundary}\""; 


     // multipart boundary 
     $message = "This is a multi-part message in MIME format.\n\n" . "--{$mime_boundary}\n" . "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=\"iso-8859-1\"\n" . "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit\n\n" . $message . "\n\n"; 
     $message .= "--{$mime_boundary}\n";


     // preparing attachments
     for($x=0;$x<count($files);$x++){
        $file = fopen($files[$x]['tmp_name'],"rb");
        $data = fread($file,filesize($files[$x]['tmp_name']));
        fclose($file);
        $data = chunk_split(base64_encode($data));
        $name = $files[$x]['name'];
        $message .= "Content-Type: {\"application/octet-stream\"};\n" . " name=\"$name\"\n" . 
        "Content-Disposition: attachment;\n" . " filename=\"$name\"\n" . 
        "Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64\n\n" . $data . "\n\n";
        $message .= "--{$mime_boundary}\n";
     }
     // send

     $ok = mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers); 
     if ($ok) { 
        echo "<p>mail sent to $to!</p>"; 
     } else { 
        echo "<p>mail could not be sent!</p>"; 
     } 
} 

?>

<html>

<body>

</form>

</body>

</html>

Edited October 27, 2016 by spastickyle

NotionCommotion · October 27, 2016

Hi spastickyle,

While not a direct answer, the following will show you what the problem is. I typically start off with print_r() and the pre tags as I showed unless I am working with json in which I don't use the pre tags. Sometimes, you want more information, and should use var_dump() instead of print_r().

Try this, and display what it prints out.

     $files = array();
     echo('<pre>'.print_r($_FILES,1).'</pre>');
     foreach($_FILES as $name=>$file) {
        $file_name = $file['name'];
        $temp_name = $file['tmp_name'];
        $file_type = $file['type'];
        $path_parts = pathinfo($file_name);
        echo('<pre>'.print_r($path_parts,1).'</pre>');
        $ext = $path_parts['extension'];
        if(!in_array($ext,$allowedExtensions)) {
           die("File $file_name has the extensions $ext which is not allowed");
        }
        array_push($files,$file);
     }

mac_gyver · October 27, 2016

you should use an array name for the form field, with the array index being a unique name if you need to identify which field a file was selected for. if you leave the index value out, you will get integer indexes, starting at 0.

next, you MUST test if a file was successfully uploaded before you can reference any of the file information. if a file wasn't selected, the ['error'] element of the uploaded file information will be -

UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE

Value: 4; No file was uploaded.

the ['error'] element will be - UPLOAD_ERR_OK if the file was successfully uploaded. see example #3 at this link - http://php.net/manual/en/features.file-upload.post-method.php for how you can define the form field and loop over the file information.

spastickyle · October 27, 2016

Hi spastickyle,

While not a direct answer, the following will show you what the problem is. I typically start off with print_r() and the pre tags as I showed unless I am working with json in which I don't use the pre tags. Sometimes, you want more information, and should use var_dump() instead of print_r().

Try this, and display what it prints out.
     $files = array();
     echo('<pre>'.print_r($_FILES,1).'</pre>');
     foreach($_FILES as $name=>$file) {
        $file_name = $file['name'];
        $temp_name = $file['tmp_name'];
        $file_type = $file['type'];
        $path_parts = pathinfo($file_name);
        echo('<pre>'.print_r($path_parts,1).'</pre>');
        $ext = $path_parts['extension'];
        if(!in_array($ext,$allowedExtensions)) {
           die("File $file_name has the extensions $ext which is not allowed");
        }
        array_push($files,$file);
     }

Thanks for the suggestion. I got the following output which confirms what I suspected. null is in the array and null is not one of the accepted files. Which got me to test a rather dirty fix. I added "" to $allowedExtensions and now it works when I choose not to attach a file. The obvious issue with this is malicious files with no extensions.

Array
(

[attach1] => Array

(

[name] =>

[type] =>

[tmp_name] =>

[error] => 4

=> 0

)

)

Notice: Undefined index: extension in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\jobcontactmail.php on line 19 File has the extensions which is not allowed

spastickyle · October 27, 2016

you should use an array name for the form field, with the array index being a unique name if you need to identify which field a file was selected for. if you leave the index value out, you will get integer indexes, starting at 0.

next, you MUST test if a file was successfully uploaded before you can reference any of the file information. if a file wasn't selected, the ['error'] element of the uploaded file information will be -

the ['error'] element will be - UPLOAD_ERR_OK if the file was successfully uploaded. see example #3 at this link - http://php.net/manual/en/features.file-upload.post-method.php for how you can define the form field and loop over the file information.

Thanks Mac_gyver. The code in example 3 requires an upload path which I'm trying to avoid. My reasoning may seem frivolous but I want this to be as idiot proof as possible and directory structures and permissions seem like another element for my client to screw up.

NotionCommotion · October 27, 2016

Looks like your form name was "attach1", however, something is wrong with your form as you received error 4 (UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE)

spastickyle · October 27, 2016

Looks like your form name was "attach1", however, something is wrong with your form as you received error 4 (UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE)

Yes, that's correct. When i attach a file, it worked great, no problems. But when i choose to not attach a file, I get the error. I want the ability to submit my contact information without having to attach a file if I don't have one. Attach1 is the name of the first attachment input. There is UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE because there is no file by choice.

Edited October 27, 2016 by spastickyle

mac_gyver · October 27, 2016

the ['error'] element will be - UPLOAD_ERR_OK if the file was successfully uploaded. see example #3 at this link - http://php.net/manual/en/features.file-upload.post-method.php for how you can define the form field and loop over the file information.

Thanks Mac_gyver. The code in example 3 requires an upload path which I'm trying to avoid. My reasoning may seem frivolous but I want this to be as idiot proof as possible and directory structures and permissions seem like another element for my client to screw up.

it requires nothing. it's just a dang example and this stuff is called software for a reason. if it doesn't do what you want, you can change it so that it does.

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Allow ability to NOT attach file in PHP mail form

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