Php mail function sends email every time page is refreshed

Question

I used the mail function to do a contact form and it all works fine. However, I just noticed that after sending an email, every time a refresh the page, even though the fields are empty, an email keeps being sent.

My code looks like this:

<form role="form" method="POST">
    <br style="clear:both">
    <h3 style="margin-bottom: 25px; text-align: center;">Contact a Conveyancing Property Lawyer Now</h3>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="name" name="name" placeholder="Name" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="email" name="email" placeholder="Email" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="mobile" name="mobile" placeholder="Contact Number" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="subject" name="subject" placeholder="Subject" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
        <select name="situation" id="situation">
            <option>Select Current Situation</option>
          <option class="placeholder" value="Unemployed">Unemployed</option>
          <option class="placeholder" value="Employed">Employed</option>
        </select>
    </div>
    <button type="submit" id="submit" name="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>

    <?php
        if (isset($_POST["submit"])) {
            $name = $_POST['name'];
            $email = $_POST['email'];
            $mobile = $_POST['mobile'];
            $subject_line = $_POST['subject'];
            $situation = $_POST['situation'];
            $from = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
            $to = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
            $subject = 'SchoemanLaw lead ...';

            $body ="From: $name <br/> E-Mail: $email <br/> Mobile:  $mobile Subject: $subject_line <br/> Situation: $situation";

            //$body ="From: $name\r\n E-Mail: $email\r\n Mobile:\r\n $mobile Subject: $subject_line\r\n Situation:\r\n $situation";

            // set content-type when sending HTML email
            $headers = "MIME-Version: 1.0" . "\r\n";
            $headers .= "Content-type:text/html;charset=UTF-8" . "\r\n";

            // More headers optional/headers 
            $headers .= "From:$from";

             // Check if name has been entered
            if (!$_POST['name']) {
                $errName = 'Please enter your name';
            }

            // Check if email has been entered and is valid
            if (!$_POST['email'] || !filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
                $errEmail = 'Please enter a valid email address';
            }

             // Check if mobile has been entered
            if (!$_POST['mobile']) {
                $errMobile = 'Please enter your number';
            }

            // If there are no errors, send the email
            if (!$errName && !$errEmail && !$errMobile) {
                if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
                    $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
                    echo $result;
                } else {
                    $result='<div class="alert alert-danger">Sorry there was an error sending your message. Please try again later.</div>';
                    echo $result;
                }
            }
        }   
    ?>
 </form>

How can I make the site forget all the details from the input fields once an email is sent?

I tried to follow this question here but I don't seem to be able to make it work on my site

Separate the display code from the processing code; when the form is submitted it sends the data to a processing file which sends the email, when it's done it just does a `header()` 302 redirect to *"thank you"* page or whatever. Since the processing file just does a redirect nothing will be cached in the browser and that page *can't* be reloaded. — CD001, Jun 28 '17 at 08:16
You can put the form and email processing into one file but you'll *need* the bit that *sends* the email to be different from the bit that displays the "thank you" message - if the bit that sends the email outputs *anything* to the browser the browser can cache it and it can be reloaded. — CD001, Jun 28 '17 at 15:12

Richard · Answer 1 · 2017-06-28T08:23:46.597

2

The easiest way is to add an forwarding in your code, like that:

EDIT: at @CD001 commentary

if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
  $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
  echo $result;
  // header('Location: ?successfull-submit'); exit; // this one would fail because above is an output.
  echo '<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=?successfull-submit">'; // its not a good /nice alternative but it "works".

edited Jun 28 '17 at 08:23

answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:16

Richard

618
1
9
15

That `header()` redirect will fail – CD001 Jun 28 '17 at 08:17

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 28 '17 at 09:21

Redirect to ?sent=1 without sending any output. And check 'sent' to determine whether or not to display the success message. Try below (assuming your script is contact.php). Also make sure

contact.php

<?php
    $result = '';

    if (isset($_POST["submit"])) {
        $name = $_POST['name'];
        $email = $_POST['email'];
        $mobile = $_POST['mobile'];
        $subject_line = $_POST['subject'];
        $situation = $_POST['situation'];
        $from = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
        $to = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
        $subject = 'SchoemanLaw lead ...';

        $body ="From: $name <br/> E-Mail: $email <br/> Mobile:  $mobile Subject: $subject_line <br/> Situation: $situation";

        //$body ="From: $name\r\n E-Mail: $email\r\n Mobile:\r\n $mobile Subject: $subject_line\r\n Situation:\r\n $situation";

        // set content-type when sending HTML email
        $headers = "MIME-Version: 1.0" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "Content-type:text/html;charset=UTF-8" . "\r\n";

        // More headers optional/headers 
        $headers .= "From:$from";

         // Check if name has been entered
        if (!$_POST['name']) {
            $errName = 'Please enter your name';
        }

        // Check if email has been entered and is valid
        if (!$_POST['email'] || !filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
            $errEmail = 'Please enter a valid email address';
        }

         // Check if mobile has been entered
        if (!$_POST['mobile']) {
            $errMobile = 'Please enter your number';
        }

        // If there are no errors, send the email
        if (!$errName && !$errEmail && !$errMobile) {
            if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
                //$result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
                //echo $result;
                header('Location:' . 'contact.php?sent=1');
                exit;
            } else {
                $result='<div class="alert alert-danger">Sorry there was an error sending your message. Please try again later.</div>';
                //echo $result;
            }
        }
    }

    if(isset($_GET['sent'])) {
        $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
    }   

    echo $result;
?>


<form role="form" method="POST">
    <br style="clear:both">
    <h3 style="margin-bottom: 25px; text-align: center;">Contact a Conveyancing Property Lawyer Now</h3>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="name" name="name" placeholder="Name" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="email" name="email" placeholder="Email" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="mobile" name="mobile" placeholder="Contact Number" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" id="subject" name="subject" placeholder="Subject" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
    </div>
    <div class="form-group">
        <select name="situation" id="situation">
            <option>Select Current Situation</option>
          <option class="placeholder" value="Unemployed">Unemployed</option>
          <option class="placeholder" value="Employed">Employed</option>
        </select>
    </div>
    <button type="submit" id="submit" name="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>

 </form>

Ravi · Answer 3 · 2017-06-28T08:21:19.080

0

You could use session variable and reset it after each request.

Or, prevent reloading same page using javascript.

Or, redirect to some other page upon completion (if possible)

edited Jun 28 '17 at 08:21

answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:15

Ravi

30,829
42
119
173

If you reset your $_POST with `$_POST=array(); ` it concerns only the code after this command. At a page reload the POST is still alive and have all values. – Richard Jun 28 '17 at 08:19
Correct. I will remove that part. – Ravi Jun 28 '17 at 08:20
Hope you dont mind updating the words with code snippet to make it easier for me. Just to emphasize, I dont really want to redirect to another page – Sidney Sousa Jun 28 '17 at 09:15

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:17

try like this,in your success message part..

<?php
        if (isset($_POST["submit"])) {
            $name = $_POST['name'];
            $email = $_POST['email'];
            $mobile = $_POST['mobile'];
            $subject_line = $_POST['subject'];
            $situation = $_POST['situation'];
            $from = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
            $to = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
            $subject = 'SchoemanLaw lead ...';

            $body ="From: $name <br/> E-Mail: $email <br/> Mobile:  $mobile Subject: $subject_line <br/> Situation: $situation";

            //$body ="From: $name\r\n E-Mail: $email\r\n Mobile:\r\n $mobile Subject: $subject_line\r\n Situation:\r\n $situation";

            // set content-type when sending HTML email
            $headers = "MIME-Version: 1.0" . "\r\n";
            $headers .= "Content-type:text/html;charset=UTF-8" . "\r\n";

            // More headers optional/headers 
            $headers .= "From:$from";

             // Check if name has been entered
            if (!$_POST['name']) {
                $errName = 'Please enter your name';
            }

            // Check if email has been entered and is valid
            if (!$_POST['email'] || !filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
                $errEmail = 'Please enter a valid email address';
            }

             // Check if mobile has been entered
            if (!$_POST['mobile']) {
                $errMobile = 'Please enter your number';
            }

            // If there are no errors, send the email
            if (!$errName && !$errEmail && !$errMobile) {
                if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
                     echo "<script>alert('Mail sent Successfully');</script>";
                     echo "<script>window.location = 'contact.php';</script>";
                } else {
                    echo "<script>alert('Mail not sent');</script>";
    echo "<script>window.location = 'contact.php';</script>";
                }
            }
        }   
    ?>

while redirect to another page you can restrict that duplication problem....

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:20

0

Just try redirecting to another page or another function that discards the old $_POST data.

answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:20

Redgren Grumbholdt

1,115
1
19
36

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:29

0

You can try to add CSRF token to your page to prevent double submission. Refer to this link: How to prevent multiple form submission on multiple clicks in PHP

answered Jun 28 '17 at 08:29

John Law

15
7

Codeformer · Answer 7 · 2017-06-28T10:00:17.820

When the user refreshes the page, it is possible that the same parameters are getting posted again. As a result, if (isset($_POST["submit"])) This condition becomes true and mail will be sent every time user reloads.

One solution is to redirect to the same page or to a different page on success full completion.

ie,

if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
                $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
                echo $result;
            }

Instead of the above method, redirect user to the same page or different page and show a message there. If you want to show the same page you can redirect with a flag in the query string as ?show_success_msg= true.

Then do this.

if(isset($_GET['show_success_msg']) && $_GET['show_success_msg'] == 'true') {
  $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
  echo $result;
}

Complete solution here:

<?php
    // Handle PHP code always on Top of the page (ie, Not after your HTML), You cant send headers if you have any content above it.

    if (isset($_POST["submit"])) {
        $name = $_POST['name'];
        $email = $_POST['email'];
        $mobile = $_POST['mobile'];
        $subject_line = $_POST['subject'];
        $situation = $_POST['situation'];
        $from = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
        $to = 'myemail@email.co.za'; 
        $subject = 'SchoemanLaw lead ...';

        $body ="From: $name <br/> E-Mail: $email <br/> Mobile:  $mobile Subject: $subject_line <br/> Situation: $situation";

        //$body ="From: $name\r\n E-Mail: $email\r\n Mobile:\r\n $mobile Subject: $subject_line\r\n Situation:\r\n $situation";

        // set content-type when sending HTML email
        $headers = "MIME-Version: 1.0" . "\r\n";
        $headers .= "Content-type:text/html;charset=UTF-8" . "\r\n";

        // More headers optional/headers 
        $headers .= "From:$from";

         // Check if name has been entered
        if (!$_POST['name']) {
            $errName = 'Please enter your name';
        }

        // Check if email has been entered and is valid
        if (!$_POST['email'] || !filter_var($_POST['email'], FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
            $errEmail = 'Please enter a valid email address';
        }

         // Check if mobile has been entered
        if (!$_POST['mobile']) {
            $errMobile = 'Please enter your number';
        }

        // If there are no errors, send the email
        if (!$errName && !$errEmail && !$errMobile) {
            if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) {
                $result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch soon</div>';
                echo $result;
            } else {
                header("Location: your_page.php?show_success_msg=true")
            }
        }
    }   
?>
<form role="form" method="POST">
<?php if(isset($_GET['show_success_msg']) && $_GET['show_success_msg'] == 
'true') {
$result='<div class="alert alert-success">Thank You ! We will be in touch 
soon</div>';
echo $result;
} ?>

<br style="clear:both">
<h3 style="margin-bottom: 25px; text-align: center;">Contact a Conveyancing Property Lawyer Now</h3>
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="name" name="name" placeholder="Name" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="email" name="email" placeholder="Email" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="mobile" name="mobile" placeholder="Contact Number" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<input type="text" class="form-control" id="subject" name="subject" placeholder="Subject" action="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);?> required>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
    <select name="situation" id="situation">
        <option>Select Current Situation</option>
      <option class="placeholder" value="Unemployed">Unemployed</option>
      <option class="placeholder" value="Employed">Employed</option>
    </select>
</div>
<button type="submit" id="submit" name="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>

I don't quite follow the use of show_success_msg. Hope you don't mind updating your answer with a full php code based on mine. Ideally I do not want a redirect to another page. Appreciate the support — Sidney Sousa, Jun 28 '17 at 09:12
The behavior is still the same. Actually, after submitting the form for the first time and I refresh the page, I see an alert that says that if I refresh the page, data will be repeatedly sent. — Sidney Sousa, Jun 28 '17 at 10:55
Then it was not redirected properly for some reason , do you see the new URL with the query string flag ? — Codeformer, Jun 28 '17 at 11:12
You maybe want to check the logic around `if (mail($to,$subject,$body,$headers)) { $result='
Thank You ! We will be in touch soon
'; echo $result; } else { header("Location: your_page.php?show_success_msg=true") }` — CD001, Jun 28 '17 at 15:18

Php mail function sends email every time page is refreshed

7 Answers7