Скачать или смотреть Sending MIME Formatted Messages with PHPMailer: Is It Possible?

Discover if sending `MIME` formatted messages using `PHPMailer` is possible and explore alternative solutions.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/73077761/ asked by the user 'A_L' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1221269/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/73078885/ provided by the user 'Synchro' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/333340/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: PHPMailer to send MIME message

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Sending MIME Formatted Messages with PHPMailer: Is It Possible?

When working with email applications in PHP, PHPMailer is often the go-to library due to its simplicity and extensive features. However, a common question arises: Can we send a MIME formatted message using PHPMailer? This guide explores this question in detail and provides insights on possible solutions.

Understanding the Problem

The user inquiry revolves around the inability to find documentation that directly supports sending a MIME formatted message using PHPMailer. The user specified that they already have an email formatted in MIME, with specific headers and a multipart body structure, and wanted to know if PHPMailer could handle this format without using its high-level methods like $mail->setFrom, $mail->Subject, or $mail->Body.

Here's an example of the MIME message structure they provided:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The challenge lies in whether PHPMailer can take this raw MIME content and send it as-is.

The Solution: What You Need to Know

Direct Support in PHPMailer

The straightforward answer is no, out of the box, PHPMailer does not support sending standalone MIME formatted messages directly without going through its structured methods. The library is optimized for building email messages using its own API, which provides a robust interface for composing emails with optional fields such as the sender, subject, and body.

Alternative Approaches

If you specifically require sending MIME formatted messages without using PHPMailer's conventional methods, consider the following approaches:

Custom SMTP Client Class: You could theoretically create a new client class that leverages PHPMailer's lower-level SMTP functionalities. However, this approach is complex and may not align with PHPMailer's intended purpose. It would require substantial coding to ensure compatibility and reliability.

Explore Other Libraries: There are other PHP libraries designed for email handling that might better suit your needs for sending raw MIME content. Consider using:

Symfony's Mail Component: A feature-rich option that allows for more flexibility and control over email formatting.

Laminas Mail: Another robust library that provides functionality for handling MIME messages effectively.

Conclusion

While PHPMailer is a powerful and widely-used library for sending emails in PHP, it is not designed to handle raw MIME formatted messages directly without following its structured API. If you require the ability to send MIME messages as-is, consider either extending PHPMailer's functionality through custom classes or exploring alternative libraries like Symfony's Mail Component or Laminas Mail to meet your emailing needs. Happy coding!