comment notifications died

[Noelb]

I've stopped being notified when comments are posted, no settings have been changed, no postfix log entries, and no errors in any apache logfile or php_error file, even set the log option to debug, nothing, zilch.

However, we can rule out postfix, and likely apache mail scripting, since if I use the contact page to send myself a test private message, postfix gets it and delivers it.

I'm running ser 2.4 this is on a php 7 machine, it shares another bit of software that does not run on php8 - yet, so hesitant to update to 8.3 (maybe by December they tell us) but anyway, how can I find out where the comments are failing - they are received and in the dashboard and approvable, I'm just not getting told about them.

[onli]

Hi Noelb, could you solve this?

I would have to suggest that this is not possible - something has to have changed, and likely candidate is the mail setup, even if the contact form still works. Maybe some filter somewhere?

If nothing shows up in the logs, it could be necessary to debug this in the code, by adding echo statements. The serendipity_mailSubscribers function is in include/functions_comments.inc.php. And there is a serendipity_sendMail function in include/functions.inc.php. At least there it would be possible to check that the mail sending is being triggered.

[DavidC]

Was this ever resolved, please?

I have a new setup & the new User request email is not being delivered.

[onli]

DavidC, do you get the comment notification emails when someone commented to an entry?

[DavidC]

DavidC, do you get the comment notification emails when someone commented to an entry?

In my case they cannot create an account so they don't even see a Comment prompt - I was hoping that the answer to this might give me a hint as to how to solve that.

[onli]

Hm :/ The issue is that it really is a completely different story if one specific kind of email does not arrive vs no email arrives, ever. And then again it depends on whether only s9y can send no email, or nothing on the server can.

Do you have ssh access to the server? Can you place arbitrary PHP files?

Because the next step would be to run a test script like https://conetix.com.au/support/simple-php-mail-test/ (note the email domain that has to be changed), to check whether the server can send mails.

[DavidC]

The linked instructions say "Alternatively, place the file in your httpdocs directory so that it can be called from your website."
Would creating a "test-email.php script" file in the HTTP folder (see attachment), then pasting-in the supplied code, work?
Thanks.

[onli]

In this case it'd be better to put it into your first folder, website_4e6f... Code under bundled-libs is not supposed to be executable like that.

[DavidC]

OK, good to know.
It's in there.
ssh to bluehost isn't playing nicely atm ... will sort that tomorrow.

[DavidC]

Do I need to manually trigger the php code - or is it supposed to be triggered when someone tries to subscribe?

[onli]

It's not integrated. You have to visit the file you uploaded with your browser. So if you saved it as mailtest.php, visit https://www.yourblognamehere.com/mailtest.php

[DavidC]

Cool!
The test email was delivered.
What do I check next, please?

Note: I just tried the subscribe, again, on my wife's computer. Nada.

[onli]

Okay, now we know the issue is not on the server.

Please check one more thing: On your blog, the email address of the blog (Configuration -> General Settings) is correct, the same one that worked with the test script?

If that address is correct I will have a closer look at the plugin myself.

[DavidC]

Blog's E-Mail address: admin@imperfectchristians.net

Account name in Thunderbird: admin@imperfectchristians.net

[onli]

And that was the same in the testscript?