Could not instatiate mail function

[dude_s]

What do you have set for your Admin->Configuration->Email Options->Contact us Pulldown? What happens if you leave it blank?

Nothing. It is blank.
The same error also appears when the system wants to send an order confirmation etc, not only at Contact Us.

[DrByte]

What version of Zen Cart?

[dude_s]

Zen Cart 1.3.7.1
Database Patch Level: 1.3.7.1
v1.3.7.1 [2007-10-08 04:21:09] (Fresh Installation)

PHP Version 4.4.7

I know there is a newer version out, but I was hoping to get around having to upgrade as the cart is t quite customized. I was careful to use overrides whereever I could, but I'm still a bit iffy. Never upgraded before.

[dude_s]

Nobody has an idea?

[simeonchikov]

I get this error message when the system wants to send an order confirmation, but from Contact Us everything is working fine and the emails are ariving.

Any ideas?

I use PHP, because I'm having trouble setting up smpt/smtpauth for my hosting provider.

[bosh]

Hi All,

I've recently installed Zen 1.3.8a on Linux and while testing the mail transaction
to Nochex pay services PHP threw this:
Email Error: Could not instantiate mail function.

So I thought I'd apply a couple of checks.

1. Invoking the following script ...

<?php
$title = 'Title Test';
$content = 'Content Test';
$to = 'myselff@my_address.com';
$from='admin@my_shop_domain.com';
mail($to, $title, $conten, 'FROM:'.$from.'\n) or die("Error trying to send mail");
?>

from Zen Carts root creates the desired effect ... the test mail arrives in my
pesonal mailbox. This proves that the undelying mail transport (PHP), on my
hosting service, functions.

2. Go into zen admin and send a private email to a customer, my_self@my_address.com
This works as well, proving that Zen's interaction with the PHP mail transport
layer is OK.

After taking a look at this site: http://uk3.php.net/function.mail
I see that, if any of the passed arguments strings to PHP's mail() function is
ill-constructed or port/protocl settings are wrong PHP will barf with, guess what!
Error: Could not instantiate mail function.

I decided that this now puts the onus on the email addresses defined in admin,
although they look OK, or the 'nochex_apc_handler.php' configuration settings.

So, I'm now examining as to where in the code that this issue occurs. If anyone
beats me to it or knows the real solution or has any other thoughts on this matter
please tell us all. If I find it then I definitely will. Please note, suggesting
another mail transport setting such as sendmail doesn't fix the issue.

[simeonchikov]

Please note, suggesting
another mail transport setting such as sendmail doesn't fix the issue.

Absolutely, as I mentioned above PHP works for me everywhere except when sending confirmation email to the customer after checkout, and a copy to the admin (me). The problem is exactly what you've said, if I can find the line(s) in the code, I will write asap.

Btw I ditched Zen and switched to osc, I couldn't handle with it. :)

Cheers

[bosh]

OK peeps,

I''ll tell you I've found out so far and what I've done about it. I'm not saying
the issue has gone away yet but now Nochex receives whats being sent, whatever
that is because is complains with a wrong "email address" or "Merchant ID". But
that should be fixable.

Fistly, I examined the code /include/classes/class.phpmailer.php. The first thing
that struck me was - it's old and it really shouldn't be sitting ontop of PHP 5.x.x.
Your host is using PHP 5.x.x aren't they, perhaps you should move.

Anyway I went here; phpmailer.codeworxtech.com/index.php
and downloaded PHPMailer for PHP5/6 and unzipped/tar'd them into a tempory directory.

Secondly, after doing a few eyeball checks (I'm not that cavalier), I did
this ...
1. replaced - /include/classes/class.phpmailer.php
2. replaced - /include/classes/class.smtp.php
3. added - /include/classes/class.pop3.php

also in /include/classes/support/ I replaced all the language files provided
in the download. Although I only needed the English one, I like to be consistant.

Now, as I said, more testing is required on the PHP side before I'm satisfied and
it's unlikely I'll be using SMPT so I won't be testing that. Perhaps someone
else who requires SMPT would undertake that and provide some feedback for others
who might want to use it

As for myself, when I'm satisfied with my testing I'll tell you here whether
its broken anywhere or that its all OK.

Cheers All.

[Daveed]

This issue could be as simple as a malformed email in the Configuration>E-Mail Options in the "Send Copy of Order Confirmation Emails To" section. The email need to be - Name 1 <email@address1>, Name 2 <email@address2> (if you have more than one)

[jandc]

Usually such "sudden" malfunctions are a result of changes to your server, made by your hosting company.

"Email Error: Could not instantiate mail function."

i just got this message after sending a whole bunch of newsletters out. i have myself in the contact list so i can verify everything and i did get mine. obviously, i can't check everyone else's email to see if it went through so how would i konw if everyone received theirs?

just to make sure i'm clear, the screen filled up w/ a bunch of green checkmarks indicating sent mail, and toward the end of the page, the error message popped up.

i'm wondering if i "overloaded" the mail server somehow? i haven't looked at the code but it looks like the newsletter opens and closes the mail() function over and over again for each iteration/record (rather than just sending out one big BCC email). is that the case? and is it possible that half my emails went out and the other half "crapped out" before completing?

any advice would be great. thx.