function mail(): error "SMTP server response: 501 #5.1.1 bad address"

[bonski]

hello everybody.. i just want to know what this error means...

Error: mail() [function.mail]: SMTP server response: 501 #5.1.1 bad address


the smtp set up was correct.. valid emails... and port. so im just wondering why this error still occurs.

looking forward for your suggestions.. thanks!

[Purple]

Hi bonski and welcome to TSDN,

If you take a look at the rfc defining SMTP codes here you will see the error you are getting described as:

5.X.X   Permanent Failure
 
       A permanent failure is one which is not likely to be resolved by
       resending the message in the current form.  Some change to the
       message or the destination must be made for successful delivery.

and

 X.1.X   Addressing Status
 
          The address status reports on the originator or destination
          address.  It may include address syntax or validity.  These
          errors can generally be corrected by the sender and retried.

and

     X.1.1   Bad destination mailbox address
 
          The mailbox specified in the address does not exist.  For
          Internet mail names, this means the address portion to the
          left of the "@" sign is invalid.  This code is only useful
          for permanent failures.

so it looks like the mailbox you are sending to is not correct...

Post the code doing the mail send, lets take a look at that..

Regards

Purple

[bonski]

thanks purple.. ok.. here are the codes..


the values are just for dummies.. ^__^

//generate_newletter.php
 
$firstname = 'firstname';
$lastname = 'lastname';
$sendlog_message = 'message here';
 
$receiver_name = $firstname." ".$lastname;
 
$receiver_email1='[e-mail]';
$receiver_email2=''; 
 
$sender_name = 'me';
$sender_email = '[e-mail]';
$Cc_email=$receiver_email2;
$Bcc_email="";
 
$subject = 'test';
 
//this line.. opens our mail template...
$message_arr = file('crm_template/sample.htm');
 
$msg = '';
foreach ($message_arr  as $line_num => $line) {     
       while (preg_match("/(฿)([\w]+)/i", $line, $found_var)) { // loop when found "@" in that line ($line)      
          // ........(ß).....find the character when begin with "ß"
          // .......([w]+)/i......(......) set of  sub pattern
          //  .........................[\w] mean find word (can be combine of charactor +number)
          // ..........................+   mean [w] can be more than one character
          // ...........................i    (after "/") mean to match with case-sensitive              
          $temp_var=$$found_var[2];    
          $line=ereg_replace($found_var[0],$temp_var,$line);    
 
     } // end while (preg_match (...
     $msg.= $line;                
}// end foreach
 
include('send_email.php');
 
 
the other page where na mail function is location.. here it is..
 
//send_email.php
 
$to = $sender_email;
 
$header    = "From: \"".addslashes($sender_name)."\" <".$sender_email.">\r\n";
if (isset($Cc_email)){
    $header   .= "Cc: ".$Cc_email."\r\n";
}
if (isset($Bcc_email)){
    $header   .= "Bcc: ".$Bcc_email."\r\n";
}
 
$header   .= "Reply-To: ".$to."\r\n";
$header   .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=TIS-620 \n";
$header   .= "MIME-Version: 1.0 \r\n";
 
//in this line.. this is our smtp server... i dont know whats wrong with this.. but it works on outlook... ^__^
ini_set('SMTP','mail.asianet.co.th');
 
//so this is where the problem is...
if(mail("\"".$receiver_name."\" <".$receiver_email1.">", $subject, $msg, $header)){
    echo 'SENT!!!!';
}else{
    echo 'FAILED!!!!';
}
 

thanks.. just inform me if there's something not right with these codes...

[Purple]

Hi Bonski,

That was interesting.. I think there were a couple of issues in there.. one is still unresolved.. try this as a working half way house:

send_email.php

[PHP]<?php
//the other page where na mail function is location.. here it is..

//send_email.php

$to = $sender_email;

$header = "From: \"".addslashes($sender_name)."\" <".$sender_email.">\r\n";
if (isset($Cc_email) and $Cc_email <> ""){
$header .= "Cc: ".$Cc_email."\r\n";
}
if (isset($Bcc_email) and $Bcc_email <> ""){
$header .= "Bcc: ".$Bcc_email."\r\n";
}

$header .= "Reply-To: ".$to."\r\n";
$header .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=TIS-620 \r\n";
$header .= "MIME-Version: 1.0 \r\n";

//in this line.. this is our smtp server... i dont know whats wrong with this.. but it works on outlook... ^__^
ini_set('SMTP','sbs-server');
echo "here =>".$receiver_email1."<= here";
echo "here =>".$header."<= here";
//so this is where the problem is...
//if(mail("\"".$receiver_name."\" <".$receiver_email1.">", $subject, $msg, $header)){
if (mail($receiver_email1.">", $subject, $msg, $header)) {
echo 'SENT!!!!';
}else{
echo 'FAILED!!!!';
}
?>[/PHP]

the headers were being malformed cause the isset check was passed but the variables were actually == ""

the name element prefix to the email address on the mail() function isn't working for me - I pass it back to you to have a play..

Let me know how you get on..

Regards Purple

[bonski]

ei purple..

ok.. i think the problem was not with the $header variable.. because it was just concatenating the values... ok.. here's why..

i tried to create another page... without too much variables..

//test_mail.php
[PHP]
$header = "From: kris <[e-mail]>\r\n";
$header .= "Cc: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Bcc: \r\n";
$header .= "Reply-To: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=TIS-620 \n";
$header .= "MIME-Version: 1.0 \r\n";

echo $header;//here i display the $header.. there nothing wrong..

ini_set('SMTP','mail.asianet.co.th');

if(mail("me <[e-mail]>", "test", "message here", $header)){
echo 'SENT!!!!';
}else{
echo 'FAILED!!!!';
}
[/PHP]

so i had this short code.. still the same result.. uhmmm.. about the code.. 5.x.x means permanent failure.. im just wondering if there's any alternative solution for that.. or.. what's the best solution with that?

thanks again purple..^___^

[Purple]

Hi,

I suggest you try changing:

[PHP]mail("me <[e-mail]>", "test", "message here", $header)[/PHP]

to

[PHP]mail("[e-mail]", "test", "message here", $header))[/PHP]

that will work

Purple

[Purple]

Hi,

I have done a little reading on this - even got a book out !!

It would appear some MTA's don't support extended address or are rstricted in what the will support - I suspect this is the issue we are experiencing with your to format.

Regards Purple

[bonski]

hahaha.. what a crazy afternoon... ok

so now.. what i did, i follow your suggestion and also i took out the $header variable from the mail() function... and IT WORKS... thanks man...

here it is

[PHP]
$header = "From: kris <[e-mail]>\r\n";
$header .= "Cc: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Bcc: \r\n";
$header .= "Reply-To: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=TIS-620 \n";
$header .= "MIME-Version: 1.0 \r\n";
echo $header;
ini_set('SMTP','mail.asianet.co.th');
if(mail("[e-mail]", "test", "message here")){
echo 'SENT!!!!';
}else{
echo 'FAILED!!!!';
}
[/PHP]


uhmmm.. its really confusing.. coz the last time i used this code.. it was working.. coz i was trying to send html contents... so if i took this code out..

$header = "From: kris <[e-mail]>\r\n";
$header .= "Cc: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Bcc: \r\n";
$header .= "Reply-To: [e-mail]\r\n";
$header .= "Content-Type: text/html; charset=TIS-620 \n";
$header .= "MIME-Version: 1.0 \r\n";

how am i suppose to generate html contents on email.. i mean is there something wrong with this headers?

purple.. thank you so much for your time.. i really appreciate it.. ^__^..

[Purple]

Hi Bonski,

I am pleased you have it working..

as an aside if you haven't already, take a look at this.

sending text or HTML as the message body should make no difference.

Regards Purple

[bonski]

ei purple
thank you so much man..

and thanks also for the link you gave me about errors.. i knew about mysql_error().. but the error_reporting() is kinda new to me.. and i'd been looking for something like that since morning.. so that i could track down whats wrong.. so thank you so much..

take care always..^__^..