Trigger a PHP script based on incoming email?

[awaresoft]

Anyone know if its possible to trigger a PHP script when a specific email account receives an email? I'm sure this is possible as this must be how auto-responder software is written?

I have a process that submits a file (via email) to another service and gets a text email back containing a URL to the converted version of the file. I would like my script to grab that URL and retrieve the file it points to.

Clear as mud?

Open to ideas.

Thanks,
Malcolm

 

[DRJ478]

I would recommend to have a CRON job running which checks the mail for the specific account. PHP has IMAP functions - which in spite of the naming also work for POP3.
You would need:
1. A cron tab for the job
2. PHP command line capability to trigger the script by the cron job (there's a workaraound)
3. The script which checks the mail, analyzes it and retrieves the file from the URL

Not too difficult.

 

[awaresoft]

DRJ478,

Thanks for your follow-up. Can you elaborate on point 2, specifically your comment "there's a workaround"?

Is there a specific syntax I need to use to invoke PHP from the command line, using CRON, in a LunarPages environment?

I'm under the impression that I can have an incoming email directly trigger a script so that I don't need to poll a POP3/IMAP account via CRON. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

If so, how do I configure my mail system to trigger script(s) for a specific mailbox account. Can I do the same for an FTP account?

Thanks,
Malcolm

 

[DRJ478]

You are probably talking about procmail - used to filter mail and can also trigger a script. Read up on procmail.
Ask the lunarpages guys if they have PHP available as a command line version.
FTP: That depends on the ftp server software.

 

[awaresoft]

DRJ478,

Thanks for your help! I'm off to find answers to your questions.

Malcolm