Problem configuring Mercury Mail server using the book "estart your web store..."

Hi,

I'm having issues with testing Mecury using XAMPP - stuck on page 39. When I click send on the Mercury Mail test screen I get the message "Error! The message was not successfully sent!". I think my mercury.ini file and my httpd.conf file look okay.

Using the following:
xampp 1.7.3
Windows 7 (64-bit)

I tried re-starting xampp and the PC but to no avail. Apache seems to be working fine - I have other virtual hosts set up okay.

Code:

---

#  MERCURY.INI generated by Mercury Setup
#
#
#  Sample Bindery Mode / Standalone Mode MERCURY.INI file.
#  This sample file implements most of the possible switches for each
#  module, but you can edit it to do less if you wish.
#
#  Anything after a '#' to the end of the line is a comment and
#  is stripped out before parsing. Trailing and leading whitespace
#  is also stripped before parsing. Many sample commands have been
#  left in this file commented out for reference purposes.
#
#  Note that in general, manual modification of this file is NOT
#  RECOMMENDED - use the Mercury "Configuration" menu to change the
#  program's settings wherever possible.
#

[General]
#  myname:          localhost    Canonical name for this server


myname:          example.com        # Canonical name for this server
timezone:        +0000    # Time Zone to add to date fields
file_api:        1    # Use the file api instead of queues
mailqueue:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\QUEUE    # Where mail should be put for delivery
smtpqueue:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\QUEUE    # Where the SMTP client should look for mail
newmail_path:    C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MAIL\~N    # Where to find the users' WinPMail mailboxes.

[Protocols]
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYS.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYP.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYE.DLL
# C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYC.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYD.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYH.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYF.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYW.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYX.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYI.DLL
C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURYB.DLL

[Mercury]
failfile:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\failure.mer    # Delivery failure notification template
confirmfile:  C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\confirm.mer    # Delivery confirmation template
aliasfile:    C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\alias.mer    # System-wide alias file
synfile:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\synonym.mer    # User synonym database
listfile:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\lists.mer    # List of lists
logfile:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\CORE\~y-~m-~d.log    # Traffic logging file
# bitnethost:  cunyvm.cuny.edu      # Relay host for ".bitnet" rewrites
logwidth:      30    # Width of address fields in logfile
retpath:      1    # Do/Don't use 'return-path' for errors
maxhops:      30    # Used to detect mailing loops
gullible:      0    # If NZ, don't validate 'From' fields
poll:          10  # Seconds between queue polling cycles
scratch:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH    # Where we can write temp files
returnlines:  15    # How many lines of failed messages to return
postmaster:    Admin    # NetWare UIC of postmaster
broadcast:    1    # Yes, we want broadcast notifications, but
receipts:      0    # ... no broadcasts for receipt confirmations
PM_notify:    1    # Do/Don't send errors to the postmaster
change_owner:  1    # Change message ownership to recipient
# noticeboards: SYS:PUBLIC/NB        # Where to find Pegasus Mail noticeboards
auto_tzone:    1    # If NZ, obtain timezone information from OS
LogLevel:      15    # System message reporting level
LogMax:        100    # Maximum number of system messages to store
RetryPeriod:  30    # Period between job retries (minutes)
MaxRetries:    16    # Maximum number of times a job can fail
TwoPasses:    1    # If NZ, process submission queue in 2 passes
Autoaddress:  0    # If NZ, auto-generate user addresses based on name
Daily_exit:    0    # If NZ, auto-restart each day after maintenance
No_Areply:    0    # If NZ, disable automatic replies system-wide
Alt_Forward:  0    # If NZ, allow alternate forwarding specification
Maint_hour:    2    # Hour for daily maintenance (24-hour clock)
Maint_min:    0    # Minute for daily maintenance
Retry_Mode:    0    # If NZ, use progressive backoff for queue retries
Local_DSNs:    1    # If NZ generate Delivery Status for local users only
DSN_time1:    10800    # Seconds deferred before first DSN is sent
DSN_time2:    86400    # Seconds deferred before second DSN is sent
DSN_time3:    259200    # Seconds deferred before third DSN is sent
Host_in_title: 0    # If NZ, show hostname in system tray and taskbar
Lingering:    0    # Enable or disable 'lingering mailboxes'
Linger_Timeout: 60  # Seconds before a lingering mailbox is shut down
Alert_Host:    notify.pmail.com    # Host to check for licensee advisories
Alert_Interval: 720  # Frequency in minutes (min 240) for checks
Alert_Flags:  3    # Flags controlling advisory checks

[MercuryC]
Host:            # mail mail host which relays for us
Failfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\failure.mer
Poll : 30
Scratch : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH
ReturnLines : 15
Timeout : 30
ESMTP : 1
POP3_Auth : 0
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYC\~y-~m-~d.log
Log_Verbose : 0
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYC
Session_logmode : 0

[MercuryE]
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYE
Session_logmode : 0
Poll : 15
Timeout : 60
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYE\~y-~m-~d.log
Log_Verbose : 0
DNS_Timeout : 20
DNS_Retries : 4
Transcripts : 1
MaxThreads : 10

[MercuryD]
Scratch : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH\MERCURYD
Timeout : 30
Poll : 120
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYD
Session_logmode : 0

[MercuryS]
Debug : 1
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYS\~y-~m-~d.log
Timeout : 30
Relay : 0
Strict_Relay : 0
Allow_Illegals : 0
SMTP_Authentication : 0
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\ESSIONS\MERCURYS
Session_logmode : 0
Compliance_Settings : 0
Maximum_Failed_Rcpts : 4
Max_Relay_Attempts : 4
SSL_Mode : 0
ST_Blacklisting : 288
No_VRFY : 0
SMTP_ConnFlags : 0

[MercuryP]
Scratch : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH\MercuryP
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYP\~y-~m-~d.log
Stack : 32768
Mark_Read : 1
SSL_Mode : 0
Login_Disabled : 0
UIDL_nul_list : 1
New_UIDs : 1
No_NUL_passwords : 1
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYP
Session_logmode : 0
Timeout : 60

[MercuryX]
Cmd_Wait: 1
IE4_Dialling: 0
Use_ETRN: 0
Clients_only: 0
Drain_queues: 1
Sunday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Monday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Tuesday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Wednesday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Thursday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Friday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0
Saturday: 0000,0000,0,0,0,0

[Domains]
localhost: localhost
localhost: [127.0.0.1]

example.com: example.com

[Maiser]
Maiser:          Maiser  # 'Username' of mail server account
Helpfile:        C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\maiser.hlp  # Help sent on failed maiser requests
Lookupfile:      C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\maiser.lkp  # Format file for the 'lookup' command
Send_dir:        C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\SENDABLE  # Directory for the 'send' command
Logfile:        C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MAISER\~y-~m-~d.log  # Mail server log file
Notify:          C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY\TMP  # Dir. for pending 'notify' commands
NoList:          N  # If 'Y', disable the 'list' command
Local_only:      Y  # If 'Y', local 'notify' commands only

[MercuryH]
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYH\~y-~m-~d.log
Timeout : 30

[MercuryI]
Scratch : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH\MERCURYI
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYI\~y-~m-~d.log
Timeout : 120
Server_Port : 143
Charset : ISO-8859-1
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYI
Session_logmode : 0
Idle_Timeout : 1800
SSL_Mode : 0
Login_Disabled : 0
No_NUL_passwords : 1

[MercuryB]
Scratch : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SCRATCH\MERCURYB
Logfile : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\LOGS\MERCURYB\~y-~m-~d.log
Timeout : 120
Server_Port : 2224
Session_logging : C:\xampp\xampp\MercuryMail\SESSIONS\MERCURYB
Session_logmode : 0
Idle_Timeout : 1800

[Groups]

[Rewrite]

[Statistics]
StatFlags:    0  # Statistical reporting settings
STF_Hours:    24  # How often to write stat log files
STM_Hours:    24  # How often to e-mail stat log files

---

Any help much appreciated as always!

Cheers,
Adam.

Hi ajhb,

If you are looking to work with Mercury, do consider using the XAMPP version highlighted in the book instead. This is because there have been quite a number of changes to MercuryMail and other bundled software since newer XAMPP's versions were released. You will need to search through various posts in the forums to find a solution that will apply to your problem(s)

Alternatively, you can skip the Mercury configuration altogether as it is not integral to the functioning of a Zen Cart site. This saves you time and trouble as you will need to re-configure your Zen Cart email settings (covered in Chapter 4) after you move your store to your web host anyway. Just set "Send Emails" to false under Configuration > E-mail Options when running Zen Cart on XAMPP without Mercury.

Lastly, do remember to go through the various Errata, Gotchas, and Updates (includes free 1.3.9f PDF update) section on our site too. Those sections can be accessed via the Book Support side-box on our site.

Thanks Canopy, I've been rooting around the support forum for a while and have found some useful tips regarding the install (I already have a functioning site but need a new development environment as I have a new PC - but it's two years since I installed originally and I've forgotten how to do everything). Good to come back to your book though, I only just remembered I had it - proven very useful again - thanks!

As per your advice I'll probably just skip the mail section, everything else is now working thanks to the 1.3.8a patches I found to get it working with PHP 5.3 - they saved me the headache of upgrading for now.

Now just need to import my actual site... :mellow:

Cheers,
Adam.