Using HTML in mail()...

**Niaad** · March 23rd, 2001, 15:45

I know that to send mail in PHP, you can use this function:

Code:

mail("$to","$subject","$body");

What I don't know how to do is make that send the email in HTML format, that way I can use HTML tags, so everything isn't all run together.

Any help would be much appreciated, as I have attempted using HTML tags (including <html> and </html> to start and stop HTML) in the email, but it just all comes through as plain text.

I have a feeling I am making some really stupid oversight, but would somebody give me a hint as to what that oversight is?

**atlas** · March 23rd, 2001, 18:16

It depends on the content-type headers that are sent with the message. It appears that PHP just sends messages with

Code:

Content-Type: text/plain

Most messages with HTML code have

Code:

Content-Type: multipart/alternative

as the main content-type of the message, then there is another attachment which is identified by a

Code:

Content-Type: text/html

---
In PHP

Code:

mail($to,$subj,$message,"Content-Type: text/html");

---

Plain text emails are way better though

-mk
atlascgi.com

[Edited by atlas on 03-23-2001 at 07:26 PM]

**Niaad** · March 24th, 2001, 12:16

lol, if they are way better, is there anyway to make it so all of the data sent to me isn't all run together?

**Koolguy** · March 24th, 2001, 12:22

\n i think

[Edited by Koolguy on 03-24-2001 at 08:25 PM]

**Niaad** · March 24th, 2001, 12:29

Ah, thank you! I used \n instead, because I've seen that used in PHP before, and it works great.

Thanks everybody! (This forum rules

)

**cowax** · March 24th, 2001, 12:40

Would that with CGI as well?

**atlas** · March 24th, 2001, 13:30

Yep, \n is just the newline character -- not language specific

-mk
atlascgi.com

**cowax** · March 28th, 2001, 16:31

I meant Content-Type. I tried this but it didnt work:

Code:

	open(MAIL, "|$mail_prog -t");
	print MAIL "To: $recipient \n";
	print MAIL "From: whoknows99\@hotmail.com \n";
	print MAIL "Subject: TEST \n\n";
        print MAIL "Content-type: text/html\n\n ";
	print MAIL "<font color=red>Testing \n\n";
	close (MAIL);

**atlas** · March 28th, 2001, 17:39

I never send HTML mail, but I'm assuming that you'd need to do the multipart/alternative method I described above.

PHP probably takes care of that for you.

-mk

**LeX** · March 28th, 2001, 22:45

Check out http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php and look at the posts below.

**atlas** · March 28th, 2001, 23:03

Originally posted by LeX
Check out http://php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php and look at the posts below.

I believe the question was not about PHP anymore -- the PHP question has been answered

-mk

**Niaad** · March 28th, 2001, 23:05

lol, yeah, atlas answered it...

**LeX** · March 28th, 2001, 23:34

I thought that maybe you could use a few more features... okay, fine. Just trying to help, sheesh...

**puDDs** · March 29th, 2001, 00:10

Originally posted by cowax
I meant Content-Type. I tried this but it didnt work:

Code:

open(MAIL, "|$mail_prog -t"); print MAIL "To: $recipient \n"; print MAIL "From: whoknows99\@hotmail.com \n"; print MAIL "Subject: TEST \n\n"; print MAIL "Content-type: text/html\n\n "; print MAIL "Testing \n\n"; close (MAIL);

The reason that's not working is that "Content Type" has to be part of the headers...the "\n\n" at the end of line 4 ends the headers...

Try this instead:

Code:

  open(MAIL, "|$mail_prog -t");
  print MAIL "To: $recipient \n";
  print MAIL "From: whoknows99\@hotmail.com \n";
  print MAIL "Subject: TEST \n";
  print MAIL "Content-type: text/html\n\n ";
  print MAIL "<font color=red>Testing \n\n";

As well, I believe (but I'm not positive), that you need proper html coding...using <html> and <body> tags, etc...

**lyew** · April 6th, 2001, 01:14

Just conjecturing...

I suppose you could use the heredoc syntax to simplify your script.

For eg.

<?

$MessageText <<<EOD
Dear friend, 
How are you... blah blahblah
<<<EOD;

mail("$to","$subject","$MessageText","Content-Type: text/html");

?>

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