You can use sockets and connect to their mail server (bit after the @) and
"pretend" to send an email to them, but cancel the request before you
actually send anything - doesn't always work though, as some servers will
report back the all users are correct
This is the code I use - a bit long though - if anyone can find a better
way, please email me
<?
//
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
if (!class_exists("mail_exchange_class"))
{
class mail_exchange_class
{
//
------------------------------------------------------------------------
function get_mx_reply($f)
{
$body = "";
do
{
$line = fgets($f, 1024);
$body .= "$line\n";
$ch = substr($line, 3, 1);
}
while ($ch == "-");
return $body;
}
//
------------------------------------------------------------------------
function send_mx_msg($f, $str)
{
fputs($f, $str);
return mail_exchange_class::get_mx_reply($f);
}
//
------------------------------------------------------------------------
function check_email($email)
{
list($user, $host) = explode("@", $email);
// --- check if there's a mail server
// -------------------------------------
if (!getmxrr($host, $mx_arr, $wt_arr))
{
return false;
}
// --- check if user exists at mail server
// ------------------------------------------
// try connecting to one of the mail servers
$i = 0;
$num_mx = count($mx_arr);
do
{
$mx_server = $mx_arr[0];
$f = fsockopen($mx_server, 25);
$i++;
}
while (!$f && $i < $num_mx);
if (!$f)
{
return false;
}
// "talk" with mail server to determine user validity
$flag = true;
// default to: user exists
$rep = mail_exchange_class::get_mx_reply($f);
// welcome message
$rep = mail_exchange_class::send_mx_msg($f, "helo anonymous\n");
// introduce ourselves
$rep = mail_exchange_class::send_mx_msg($f, "mail from:<$email>\n");
// say we want to send a msg
$rep = mail_exchange_class::send_mx_msg($f, "rcpt to:<$email>\n");
// say who it's to
if (substr($rep, 0, 3) != "250")
// check if user exists
{
$flag = false;
// ... now we know they don't exist
}
$rep = mail_exchange_class::send_mx_msg($f, "rset\n");
// reset all the buffers
$rep = mail_exchange_class::send_mx_msg($f, "quit\n");
// log off from server
fclose($f);
// return status
return $flag;
}
}
}
?>
then to use:
$email = "[EMAIL PROTECTED]";
if (mail_exchange_class::check_email($email))
; // user probably exists
else
; // user doesn't exist, or can't connect to server
I think that's all you need of this code - there's lots more, there's an
email class and an attachment class that goes with it, but it's need to
check the address
HTH
Martin
-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Willison [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 9:27 AM
To: Steven Walker
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [PHP] Email Verification
Steven Walker wrote:
> Does anybody know any good ways (or available code) for verifying
> email addresses?
>
> Checking syntax is not enough.. I'd like to actually be able to test
> whether the email address exists.
The only way to be sure is to send them an e-mail with a link or
validation code that they must use to prove the address exists - or if
it's for an account just tell them that the (random) password for their
account will be e-mailed to the address they provide.
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