Changing the return path

[RFH Reseller: Rappie]

Does anyone have any experience in changing the return-path?

The default retrun-path seems to be phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com. I've tried :

ini_set("sendmail_from",$return_path);

But that doesnt seem to have any effect. Is that correct Warren?

Are there other ways to change the retrun-path in PHP?

[orginal post]Do need to flag (using the fifth parameter to mail, -f) if I want to change the return path in PHP()?[/]

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Use the PHP mail() headers parameter:

<?php
$to = 'nobody@example.com';
$subject = 'the subject';
$message = 'hello';
$headers = 'From: webmaster@example.com';

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
?>

[RFH Reseller: Rappie]

Use the PHP mail() headers parameter:

No luck

The return-path is still the same: phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com.

Received: from wsspam03.livemail.com ([123.0.120.95]) by livemail.com  with MailEnable ESMTP; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:36:05 +0200
X-Barracuda-URL: http://123.0.120.95:80/cgi-bin/mark.cgi
Received: from xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
 by wsspam03.livemail.com (Spam Firewall) with ESMTP id 454F536F2A9
 for <my-mail@domain.com>; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:36:53 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com (xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com [83.245.63.100]) by wsspam03.livemail.com with ESMTP id lIuHPHPRDa1LbxuA for <my-mail@domain.com>; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:36:53 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from xenon ([127.0.0.1]) by xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959);
  Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:36:53 +0100
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:36:53 +0100
X-Barracuda-BBL-IP: 127.0.0.1
X-Barracuda-RBL-IP: 127.0.0.1
X-ASG-Orig-Subj: the subject
Subject: the subject
To: my-mail@domain.net
From: webmaster@example.com
Message-ID: <XENONBJHsxPCFj2AhGw0000043d@xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com>
Return-Path: <phpmail_domain.com@periodicnetwork.com>

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Then change that one also

<?php 
$to = 'nobody@example.com'; 
$subject = 'the subject'; 
$message = 'hello'; 
$headers = 'From: webmaster@example.com' . '\r\n' . 'Return-Path: webmaster@example.com'; 

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers); 
?>

[RFH Reseller: Rappie]

Then change that one also

It doesnt change anything. The same return-path is still being used: phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com.

Received: from wsspam03.livemail.com ([123.0.120.95]) by livemail.com with MailEnable ESMTP; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:35:04 +0200
X-ASG-Debug-ID: 1219350953-406f012e0000-Y0bWxX
X-Barracuda-URL: http://193.93.174.91:80/cgi-bin/mark.cgi
Received: from xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
 by wsspam03.livemail.com (Spam Firewall) with ESMTP id 92DA164CEAA
 for <my-mail@domain.net>; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:35:53 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com (xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com [123.0.120.95]) by wsspam03.livemail.nl with ESMTP id nWuD59cR49lYH6YK for <my-mail@domain.net>; Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:35:53 +0200 (CEST)
Received: from xenon ([127.0.0.1]) by xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959);
  Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:35:54 +0100
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:35:54 +0100
X-Barracuda-BBL-IP: 127.0.0.1
X-Barracuda-RBL-IP: 127.0.0.1
X-ASG-Orig-Subj: the subject
Subject: the subject
To: my-mail@domain.net
From: webmaster@example.com
Message-ID: <XENONIiGXix4A2DreBB00000456@xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com>
Return-Path: <phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com>

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Even when you specify the Return-Path header for mail()?

[RFH Reseller: Rappie]

Unfortunately, Yes. I've tested it with the code you provided above. Adding Return-Path header doenst make much differences. I did some more tetsing.

When I send test mails to mailboxes on MailEnable, LotusNotus or SmarterMail systems the Return-Path stays: phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com

Strangely though,

With Gmail and Hotmail the custom Return-Path does get added to the header. But unfortunately so is the default retrun-path: phpmail_<domain>@periodicnetwork.com

Delivered-To: my-gmail@gmail.com
Received: by 10.150.198.16 with SMTP id v16cs218708ybf;
        Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:33:25 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.210.136.10 with SMTP id j10mr1448466ebd.43.1219408404364;
        Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:33:24 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <phpmail_domain@periodicnetwork.com>
Received: from xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com (xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com [83.245.63.100])
        by mx.google.com with ESMTP id j8si4985896gvb.1.2008.08.22.05.33.22;
        Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:33:24 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of phpmail_domain@periodicnetwork.com designates 83.245.63.100 as permitted sender) client-ip=83.245.63.100;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of phpmail_domain@periodicnetwork.com designates 83.245.63.100 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=phpmail_domain@periodicnetwork.com
Received: from xenon ([127.0.0.1]) by xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959);
	 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:33:26 +0100
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:33:26 +0100
Subject: the subject
To: my-gmail@gmail.com
From: webmaster@example.com
Return-Path: webmaster@example.com
Message-ID: <XENONoTR3The0h2Wn9o0000046f@xenon.lon.periodicnetwork.com>
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 22 Aug 2008 12:33:26.0372 (UTC) FILETIME=[46393240:01C90453]

[RFH Reseller: nick]

I can confirm this, it is picking up the value from the local sendmail_from variable, and ignoring anything you try and set in the script.
There was a bug report on something similar a long while ago: http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=28976

[RFH Reseller: Rappie]

Thanks Nick for the confirmation.

What I am after is getting bounced emails routed back to the sender or the original Return-path address. Searching google I quickly found that adding Return-Path to the header doenst do anything at all. (nothing usefull anyway).

Its the ini_set("sendmail_from",$return_path); that will do all the magic. I've successfully tested it on another server. It will change the retrun-path and allow me to receive bounced emails. But it seems to be disabled on RFH. Can you confirm this Warren?

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Nothing is disabled in PHP on our shared web servers, try changing the INI setting and then outputting a phpinfo() - does it show the new address?