Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : Email Header - How to change Return Path

[hostchamp]

This happens with all php and cgi formail scripts hosted on my server. When one submits a form the "Return path" email header carries our email address; apache@www.server.com . Now i understand all bounced message will be received by apache@www.server.com instead of the domain which hosts the formmail script.

My MTA is Sendmail. We do not use Cpanel or any other Control panel.

What is the solution?

[ambirex]

From the manual: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mail.php

PHP Code:

<?php
mail("nobody@example.com", "the subject", $message,
     "From: webmaster@{$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']}\r\n" .
     "Reply-To: webmaster@{$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']}\r\n" .
     "X-Mailer: PHP/" . phpversion());
?>

also, you can set it with your php.ini file or ini_set() function:
http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.mail.php

[Zadmin]

well add extra headers to ur php like this

<?php
mail("nobody@example.com", "the subject", $message,
     "From: webmaster@{$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']}\r\n" .
     "Reply-To: webmaster@{$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME']}\r\n" .
     "X-Mailer: PHP/" . phpversion());
?>

[hostchamp]

I am not sure if i made myself clear. For instance please review a sample cgi formmail script submitted from one of my customer domains hosted on my server.

---------------------------------
Return-Path: <apache@www.myhostingservername.com>
Received: (from apache@localhost)
To: recipient@domain.com
From: sender@somename.com
-----------------------------------

In the above formmail script; the recipient address is set as recipient@domain.com, however please note the following header which the Sendmail MTA appends to all php and cgi form mail scripts;
Return-Path: <apache@www.myhostingservername.com>

How do you set the "Return-Path" header to be same as the recipient email address.

Do note that this is not script dependent but MTA (Sendmail) dependent as far i know.

[davevad]

Add this to the Apache virtualhost part:
php_admin_value sendmail_path "/usr/sbin/sendmail -t -i -f example@example.com"
You can use it in the mail() function as well, as fourth variable after the mail body. If I'm not mistaken you have to write: -f example@example.com (without "-s)

[hostchamp]

Originally posted by davevad
Add this to the Apache virtualhost part:
php_admin_value sendmail_path "/usr/sbin/sendmail -t -i -f example@example.com"
You can use it in the mail() function as well, as fourth variable after the mail body. If I'm not mistaken you have to write: -f example@example.com (without "-s)

I guess this should fix it, many thanks for this much needed tip mate!

[hostchamp]

Dave another question:

This would do the trick for php based formmail scripts.

What would be solution for cgi/perl based formmail scripts?

Is there a virtualhost directive for cgi as well?