mail configuration

[asmith]

i've install my php not on the a real domain on net, but local,

so i'm using simply "http://localhost/"  , and i'm using apache .

 

for the activation link for the registered users, i found out the codes, in some part i have :

 

/ send e-mail to ...

$to=$email;

 

// Your subject

$subject="Your confirmation link here";

 

// From

$header="from: your name <your email>";

 

// Your message

$message="Your Comfirmation link \r\n";

$message.="Click on this link to activate your account \r\n";

$message.="http://www.yourweb.com/confirm.php?passkey=$confirm_code";

 

// send email

$sentmail = mail($to,$subject,$message,$header);

 

.

.

.

 

i wanted to know should't i configure anything in my php.ini  for sending e-mails ? i hvn't done any changes in that file, last changes was main changes to make it work ...

so what should i do  to still use my localhost ? (i'm just training and studing php) can i send mail with my "http://localhost/" ?

[PFMaBiSmAd]

can i send mail with my "http://localhost/" ?

Short answer - no, not directly. You need a public mail server.

 

There are two problems - The php mail() function "looks" like an un-authenticated email client. You also don't have an email server on your localhost computer (and just for learning and testing - installing, configuring, and meeting all the DNS requirements for an email server is out of the question.)

 

You can send an email to or through your email account at an ISP, but you would need to use SMTP authentication (username/mailbox name and password) against that email account, which the php mail() function does not support.

 

To do this you need to use one of the php mailer classes, such as phpmailer http://phpmailer.codeworxtech.com/ or swiftmailer http://www.swiftmailer.org/

 

You basically need to make php look like an authenticated SMTP (sending only) email client. Actual settings vary by ISP and most ISP's have instructions for sending to/through them from a php script. If they don't have php specific instructions, just use typical instructions for setting up a client program like Outlook.

 

The good news is that once you get your code working with one of the php mailer classes, you only need to change settings when you put your code onto a live web server.