Thank you for your interest in our Formmail Script. We recommend to read this documentation carefully.
It is important that the script will be called by a form or by a link from your website. That is for security reasons. The script checks the referring site and compare it with the information from the script configuration. In case it fits the script will be executed.
You can use the script in a direct and indirect way. The direct way is to link to the file 'index.php' directly and use the default templates (HTML and mail).
The indirect way uses already existing forms within a HTML page. With this method you are able to process several forms with the same script. HTML, mail templates, and all the further parameters are defined through hidden form fields within the HTML form.
The HTML template of the script have been generated by the specifications of XHTML 1.0. HTML tags like <br> or <input> contain an ending slash (<br /> or <input type="text" name="field" />).
If you open the script in your browser and get the error message 'Wrong or empty referrer (referring site)!', you will have to add the name of your server to the variable '$referring_server' in the file 'index.php'. The name of the server is usually the domain (enter it with and without www). Additionally you can add the IP address to the variable.
Example:
$referring_server = 'www.your-server.com, your-server.com, 127.0.0.1';
The following features has also been designed to prevent the abuse of the script by a third party (spammer). You can connect the number of e-mails to the IP address of the user.
| $ip_address_count |
Enter here the maximum number of e-mails which a user can send through the form. Once the user has reached this number he can send more e-mails after the next dial in to the internet. The number 0 (null, zero) set this function off.
When you set this feature on the logging function well be set on too. Please make sure that the directory 'logs' and the log file itself ('logs/logfile.txt') have writable permissions (chmod 777). |
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| $ip_address_duration |
This variable sets the time duration for the maximum number of e-mails. After that duration the user can send e-mails again.
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| $show_limit_errors |
Once the user has reached the maximum number of e-mails you can show him an error message.
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| $log_messages |
With this variable you can set the logging function on or off. If you want to use this feature please make sure that the directory 'logs' and the log file itself ('logs/logfile.txt') have writable permissions (chmod 777).
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| $path['logfile'] |
This variable contains the path to the log file.
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| $path['templates'] |
This variable contains the path to the template files (HTML and mail). The path can be relative (./templates/ or templates/) and absolute (i.e.: /usr/local/etc/httpd/.../formmail/templates/). Please pay attention to the ending slash.
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| $file['default_html'] | If you want to use the script in the direct way this variable must contain the file name of the HTML template. This template will then be used automatically. | |
| $file['default_mail'] | If you want to use the script in the direct way this variable must contain the file name of the mail template. This template will then be used automatically. |
The directory 'templates' contains the files for the layout. You can use HTML and CSS to customize the layout as you wish.
In case you are using a WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver, Frontpage or NetObjects please make sure that the software does not make any changes by itself.
The template files contain markers with { and } like: {txt_next_page}. These markers will be replaced by its counterparts from the language file 'languages/language.en.inc.php'. You are free to edit that file and change the words and phrases. You are also free to replace the markers within the template files by real words or put those markers to other positions within the template file. And you are also able to enhance the language file by using the given pattern.
Following placeholder is not included in the language file and should not be changed.
{message}
For every form field name in the template exists automatically a placeholder with the same name. That is to show the values of the form fields when an error occurs.
Example:
<input type="text" name="lastname" value="{lastname}">
You can add more fields to the form or change the existing. Please make sure that field name and placeholder name do not contain white spaces or special characters.
Every form field can be marked as mandatory field. The form will not be submitted until the form is filled in correctly. Enter all mandatory field names in following hidden form field in the template:
<input type="hidden" name="required_fields" value="" />
Example:
<input type="hidden" name="required_fields" value="lastname, email, subject" />
Like the mandatory fields you can define fields that you want to be checked for a right e-mail syntax.
<input type="hidden" name="email_fields" value="" />
Example:
<input type="hidden" name="email_fields" value="email" />
After the form has been submitted the user will be redirected to a page you can define in the following field:
<input type="hidden" name="thanks" value="" />
Example:
<input type="hidden" name="thanks" value="danke.html" />
You can open the script directly in your browser (call index.php) or call the script from an existing form in a HTML page. In the latter case you will have to define the HTML template in the following field:
<input type="hidden" name="html_template" value="" />
Example:
<input type="hidden" name="html_template" value="form.tpl.html" />
The mail template can be defined the same way:
<input type="hidden" name="mail_template" value="" />
You can define one single mail template,
<input type="hidden" name="mail_template" value="mail.tpl.txt" />
or you can define more than one mail template. Each of these templates can contain different recipients and contents:
<input type="hidden" name="mail_template" value="mail.tpl.txt, mail2.tpl.txt" />
At the top of the mail template are the header data like:
Recipient To:
Sender From:
Subject Subject:
Carbon Copy CC:
Blind Carbon Copy BCC:
You can define the e-mail recipient within the template like this:
To: name@your-server.com
Additionally, you can add several recipients with carbon copy and blind carbon copy:
CC: name@other-server.com
CC: chef@company.com
BCC: secret@company.com
The sender can be defined within the mail template or you can use the information from the form:
From: {email}
You also can add the name of the sender. In this case the name is followed by the e-mail address which stands between angle brackets.
From: {firstname} {lastname} <{email}>
Below the e-mail head area (header) follows an empty line (two line breaks) and below that line follows the mail content. You can customize the mail content as you like. If you add fields to the form you will have to place the name of those fields within curly brackets in the mail template.
The directory 'logs' and the file 'logfile.txt' must be writeable (chmod 777).
You can use the Formail Script for free. If you want to run the script without the link to STADTAUS.com you can purchase the full version online ($15/15 Euro).
The full version includes free updates and upgrades.
Contact: http://www.stadtaus.com/en/
More Scripts at STADTAUS.com:
Please visit our latest project MetaCollection. It is a resource for CGI and PHP related script archives.
Answers to your questions and solutions for your problems with the script you will find in our support forum.