Sendmail Problem

[Steve Bouffe]

Hi All,

Had this function ruinning on our web server for more than 8 years now and just now it's not sending emails.

It seems to fail on the Helo command.

Here is the output of the function

SendMail

Error  0 
localhost misterdj
Buffer RCPT TO error: 504 5.5.2 <misterdj>: Helo command rejected: need fully-qualified hostname
Mail From [email protected]
Mail To [email protected]
Reply 
MessageType text/html;
Subject Order Confirmation
---- Message ----
Copy Email<br><br>Order Confirmation<br><br>86.156.44.13<br><br><table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4><tr><td align=center><a href=http://www.djsuperstore.co.uk>
<img src=http://www.djsuperstore.co.uk/logos/djsuperstore.gif border=0><br>www.djsuperstore.co.uk</a></td><td>&nbsp;</td><td><b>DJ Superstore<br>Unit 5, Airborne Industrial Estate,<br>A127 Arterial Road, Leigh On Sea,<br>Essex, SS9 4EX, UK<br>Tel 01702 520020</td></tr></table><br>
Order Confirmation Number :M-W-15699:<br><br>
Placed Tuesday 18/11/2008 - 15:45:17</b><br><br>
<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 bordercolor=black class=t2bk><tr><td>Customer Number 11120<br>Mr Some Customer</td></tr></table>
<br>
Your Order :-<br><br>
<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 bgcolor=silver bordercolor=black>
<tr><td><b>Qty<td><b>Order Code<td colspan=2><b>Description<td align=right><b>Unit Price<td align=right><b>Line Total
<tr><td>1</td><td>106362<td nowrap>Pioneer</td><td>HDJ1000 Headphones<td align=right nowrap>£ 119.00<td align=right nowrap>£ 119.00
<tr><td colspan=3 rowspan=2>&nbsp;</td><td colspan=2>Shipping Charge<td align=right nowrap>£ 0.00</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan=2>Order Total</td><td align=right nowrap>£ 119.00</td></tr>
</table><br>
Your order will be despatched as soon as possible.<br><br>Thank you for your order.<br><br>DJ Superstore
-----------------
86.156.44.13

FUNCTION SendMail( BYVAL MailFrom AS STRING, BYVAL MailTo AS STRING, BYVAL Reply AS STRING, BYVAL MessageType AS STRING, BYVAL Subject AS STRING, BYVAL Message AS STRING ) AS LONG
	'
	LOCAL LocalHost AS STRING
	LOCAL TL1 AS long
	LOCAL Buffer AS STRING
	local TS1 as string
	' ** Get the local host name
	HOST ADDR TO hTCP_GL
	HOST NAME hTCP_GL TO LocalHost
	' ** Connect to mail server
	hTCP_GL = FREEFILE
	TCP OPEN "smtp" AT $MailHost AS hTCP_GL
	IF ERR THEN
		Buffer = "Error connecting to mailhost"
		GOTO SendError
	ELSE
		TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
		IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "220" THEN
			GOTO SendError
		END IF
	END IF
	' ** Greet the mailhost
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "HELO " + localhost
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "250" THEN
		Buffer = "HELO error: " + Buffer
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	' ** Tell the mailhost who we are
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "MAIL FROM: <" + MailFrom + ">"
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "250" THEN
		Buffer = "MAIL FROM error: " + Buffer
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	' ** Tell the mailhost who the message is for
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "RCPT TO: <" + MailTo + ">"
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "250" THEN
		Buffer = "RCPT TO error: " + Buffer
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	' ** Send the message
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "DATA"
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "354" THEN
		Buffer = "DATA error: " + Buffer
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "Content-Type: " + MessageType
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "From: " + MailFrom
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "To: " + MailTo
	IF Reply <> "" THEN
		 TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "Reply-To: " + Reply
		 end if
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "Subject: " + Subject
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, ""		'end of header
	' ** Send the message
	WHILE LEN( Message ) > 0
		TL1 = INSTR( Message, "ÿ" )		' "ÿ"=chr$(255)
		IF TL1 = 0 THEN
			TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, Message;
			IF MessageType = "text/html;" THEN 
				TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "<BR>"
				end if
			IF Messagetype = "text/plain;" THEN
				 TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, ""
				 end if
			Message = ""
		ELSE
			TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, LEFT$( Message, TL1 - 1 );
			IF MessageType = "text/html;" THEN
				 TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "<BR>"
				 end if
			IF Messagetype = "text/plain;" THEN
				 TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, ""
				 end if
			Message = MID$( Message, TL1 + 1 )
		END IF
	WEND
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "."
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "250" THEN
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	' ** Say goodbye
	TCP PRINT hTCP_GL, "QUIT"
	TCP LINE hTCP_GL, Buffer
	IF LEFT$( Buffer, 3 ) <> "221" THEN
		Buffer = "QUIT error: " + Buffer
		GOTO SendError
	END IF
	TCP CLOSE hTCP_GL
	FUNCTION = - 1
	'  Done
	EXIT FUNCTION
SendError :
	FUNCTION = ERR
	TCP CLOSE hTCP_GL
	'
	#IF %Environ = %Live
		'
		ON ERROR RESUME NEXT
		'
		TS1 = GetNextRef( $UserFilesDataDir + "Ref\Ref.wmm", "", 0, 9999999, 1 )
		TL1 = FREEFILE
		OPEN $UserFilesDataDir + TS1 + ".wmm" FOR OUTPUT AS #TL1
		'	STD_OUT( "An error has occured. " + STR$( ERR ) + " (error log generated)<br><br>")
		'	STD_OUT( "<a href=clg.cgi>Please click here to continue</a>")
		PRINT #TL1, "SendMail" 
		print #TL1
		print #TL1, "Error " ERR
		print #TL1, "localhost "localhost
		print #TL1, "Buffer " Buffer
                          print #TL1, "Mail From " MailFrom
		print #TL1, "Mail To "MailTo
		print #TL1, "Reply " Reply
		print #TL1, "MessageType " MessageType
		print #TL1, "Subject " Subject 
		
		print #TL1, "---- Message ----"
		print #TL1, Message
		print #TL1, "-----------------"
		PRINT #TL1, ENVIRON$( "REMOTE_ADDR" )
		CLOSE #TL1
		'
END FUNCTION

[Steve Bouffe]

Wondering if it's a problem on their mail server?

Just modified the sendmail routine from the downloads area. The program fails just after the print "3" statement and outputs

1
2
3
Error State
RCPT TO error: 504 5.5.2 <misterdj>: Helo command rejected: need fully-qualified
 hostname

#COMPILE EXE
#INCLUDE "PBCGI.INC"

'------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FUNCTION PbMain() AS LONG

  LOCAL hTcp      AS LONG
  LOCAL params    AS LONG
  LOCAL x         AS LONG

  LOCAL buffer    AS STRING
  LOCAL localhost AS STRING

  LOCAL mailto    AS STRING
  LOCAL mailfrom  AS STRING
  LOCAL mailhost  AS STRING
  LOCAL subject   AS STRING
  LOCAL email     AS STRING
  LOCAL required  AS STRING

  mailto   = "[email protected]"
  mailfrom = "[email protected]"
  mailhost = "smtp.mail.areti.net"
  subject  = "test"
  
' ** Connect to mail server
  hTCP = FREEFILE
  TCP OPEN "smtp" AT mailhost AS hTCP
  IF ERR THEN
    Buffer = "Error connecting to mailhost"
    GOTO SendError
  ELSE
    TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
    IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "220" THEN
      GOTO SendError
    END IF
  END IF

' ** Get the local host name
  HOST NAME TO localhost

' ** Greet the mailhost
  print "1"
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "HELO " + localhost
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "250" THEN
    Buffer = "HELO error: " + Buffer
    GOTO SendError
  END IF
  print "2"
' ** Tell the mailhost who we are
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "MAIL FROM: <" & mailfrom & ">"
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "250" THEN
    Buffer = "MAIL FROM error: " + Buffer
    GOTO SendError
  END IF
  print "3"
' ** Tell the mailhost who the message is for
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "RCPT TO: <" + mailto + ">"
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "250" THEN
    Buffer = "RCPT TO error: " + Buffer
    GOTO SendError
  END IF
  print "4"
' ** Send the message
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "DATA"
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "354" THEN
    Buffer = "DATA error: " + Buffer
    GOTO SendError
  END IF

  TCP PRINT hTCP, "From: " & mailfrom
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "To: " & mailto
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "Subject: " & subject
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "X-Mailer: PowerBASIC mailer.exe (www.powerbasic.com)"
  TCP PRINT hTCP, ""

  tcp print hTCP, "This is a test email message"

' ** We're done sending the message
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "."
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "250" THEN
    GOTO SendError
  END IF

' ** Say goodbye
  TCP PRINT hTCP, "QUIT"
  TCP LINE hTCP, Buffer
  IF LEFT$(Buffer, 3) <> "221" THEN
    Buffer = "QUIT error: " + Buffer
    GOTO SendError
  END IF

  TCP CLOSE hTCP

' ** Redirect the user's browser to the new page
  

  FUNCTION = -1

Done:
  EXIT FUNCTION

SendError:
  print "Error State"
  print buffer
  TCP CLOSE hTCP
  waitkey$
  GOTO Done

END FUNCTION

[Joe Byrne]

Steve,

Just off the top of my head, you might be trying to connect to a server that is enforcing a reverse look-up on your domain name. If so, you'll need to make sure that you have a reverse DNS entry for your email server that matches exactly to the IP address. Many ISPs that provide static addresses and do your DNS for you fail to create a reverse IP entry for your domain so it points back to their domain name instead.

Another thing to look at:

localhost misterdj
Buffer RCPT TO error: 504 5.5.2 <misterdj>: Helo command rejected: need fully-qualified

The domain name you are passing in the Helo statement is 'misterdj'. The server is saying that it wants a real domain name. ie: mail.misterdj.com

Clearly this is an anti-spam attempt by the receiving server, so you're going to have to change your headers to match what that server is looking for.

[Steve Bouffe]

Thanks Joe,

Been speaking to the ISP and they did make changes.

Looks like I need to be using relay.mail.areti.net instead as smtp.mail.areti.net requires a username and password.

Just out of interest, whats the syntax for defining this in the function?

[John Petty]

Steve
Little different answer for you than Joe's which would more properly apply if you are sending direct to many different mail servers, but as I read your code you don't have your own mail server but are just sending outgoing emails via your ISP's mail servers.
In that case it sounds like they have simply split the mail load between primarily incoming and outgoing mail (very common), so simply change to the new outgoing server name they have given.
Whilst the word "relay" in the name is unusual, I would imagine it is locked down from being an open relay and only accepts outgoing mail IP addresses that it knows belong to the ISP.
As for the qualified domain name and reverse lookup, these then no longer apply to you as the final receiving mail server will be verifying that information about your ISP's server names not yours.
John

[Steve Bouffe]

Thanks John, after checking you are correct. The mail server is only available to my ISP's customers in the datacentre.

I still have an issue when sending emails close together in time. The first one goes out ok but the second does not.

I don't have the time yet to fully work out why.

[John Strasser]

That's another common anti-spam measure (in the smtp server). In the same league as an isp limiting the number of people in the To:/CC:/BCC: fields.

The best way I've found is to place a 2-5 sec delay (random) between each outgoing email.

- or -

get your own server

- or -

use a service like goldbar.net, aweber (personally, I like goldbar better), or listbox.com (I've used their POBOX email service since 96 and LOVE it).

Hope this helps.

JS