Mail server not recognised

[Andrea30]

Hi

I'm setting up my first Actinic site (using version Actinic Catalog 6.0.2.0.0.0.0.DATA).

I've uploaded the site to my web server, and have run three test transactions (I'm using WorldPay in test mode) which have all been successful. I can also download the orders fine, but when it comes to sending out Order Receipt confirmations to my customers, I am getting the Error message:

"Failed to communicate with the SMTP server
"Failed to communicate with the SMTP server.
Possible Cause:
Network transmission problems.
Recommendation:
Retry
Resolution:
If retry fails, check your SMTP settings
or contact your ISP.
The error was:
58330andreakathleencurd@hotmail.comError returned from SMTP server (1:
Command: send Filename: "

I am using localhost as my SMTP server setting in Advanced | Network Setup (my hosting company, Tollon, have advised that email is sent from the http server, rather than a separate SMTP server). I've also tried using my IP address.

When I run the Test in Advanced | Network Setup I get the following error message:

"The computer you specified as your mail server is not a valid mail (SMTP) server. Check the computer name or address and try again."

As a complete novice at this kind of thing, my best guess it that the CGI script that runs the email messaging doesn't recognise localhost or my IP address as an SMTP server address and is therefore not sending the emails. Does anyone know how I can resolve this?

Many thanks in advance for your help. Reading this forum has already helped me solve quite a few problems - so thanks for that too!

Andrea

[I-CC]

Have you tried it with "localhost" but within the Web | Configure Website Details option, i.e. not the test within the Network Setup dialog?

Give that a try to see if that produces a better result for you.

If that all fails, then you will need to resort to smtp tweeks to the scripts, or v7 which will provide for an authenticated SMTP server connection.

[Andrea30]

Hi Techno-web (and anyone else out there who may be able to help)

Many thanks for your suggestions. I have tried checking the mail server settings in Web | Configure Web Site details, but without any success I'm afraid.

I've been looking through the CGI scripts to see which ones refer to the SMTP settings, and have located the following two files:

sts000999
mailscript

In sts000999, I have found some code that refers to the mail server.

sub CheckSendMail
{
my ($address, $server, $flag, $sDebugMessage);
$address = 'contactus@wendovercrafts.co.uk';
$server = 'localhost';
$flag = '1';
$sDebugMessage = "";
if ($flag == 1)
{
my ($nProto, $them, $nSmtpPort, $sLocalHost, $sMessage, $serverIP);
$sLocalhost = `hostname`;
chomp $sLocalhost;
if ($sLocalhost eq "")
{
$sLocalhost = "www.actinic.com";

I am not hosting my site with Actinic (although that option was available with the Actinic Catalog package I have, I decided to use my own host, and switched off the Actinic hosting in Advanced | Network Setup). If the sts000999 is still referring to actinic.com, does this mean it still 'thinks' that Actinic is the host - do you think this could be causing the problem I am having with sending emails from my site?

Many thanks again. Any help is greatly appreciated, as we are trying to launch the website in two weeks time!

Best regards

Andrea

[NormanRouxel]

I think that's a diagnostic script (run by Advanced / Network Setup / Test) that you're looking at there so it won't be relevant.

The script that contains the e-mail sending routine is ACTINIC.pm but I'd suggest looking at all other options before tinkering there as this script works fine for nearly everyone.

However if your ISP requires Authenticated SMTP then you may have a problem as ASMTP isn't supported by Actinic 6 (7 has it now).

Norman