Php mail function sends email every time page is refreshed - php

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

Answer 1

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".

Answer 2

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>

Answer 3

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....

Answer 4

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

Answer 5

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)

Answer 6

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

Answer 7

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>