NYCPHP Meetup

[Andrew Yochum]

On Fri, Jan 13, 2006 at 02:18:07PM -0500, Kenneth Downs wrote:
> OK, here's a brain teaser.  I've got my own answer in mind for this, but
> I'd be really curious to see if anyone else has any ideas.
> 
> The problem is simple:  All emails flowing through a certain domain must
> be tracked and associated with a job in a database.  The following rules
> apply:
> 
> 1) Must not require re-inventing an SMTP server, or any C coding in an
> existing SMTP server.  By the same token we don't want to re-invent
> webmail and force everyone to use it.  Solution must be in pure PHP,
> though may use any plug-in or extension system that an SMTP server
> provides that allows coding in PHP.
> 
> 2) Must require minimal if not zero change in habits for users.  For
> instace, requiring users to put complicated codes into their emails won't
> work because people won't do it.
> 
> 3) Some kind of pool of un-matchable emails should be available to an
> admin who then matches them to jobs.
> 
> 4) Every email should slot into a job, and replies should be sortable into
> threads by UI software.
> 
> So how would you do that?

Configure your SMTP server or procmail to filter all email through a PHP
script.  Parse, munge (like adding a tracking number to the subject),
store it in your DB & pass it through to the recipient.  This is much
the same way many spam filters and email-based help desk apps work...
and CLEW.

HTH,
Andrew


-- 
Andrew Yochum
Plexpod
andrew at plexpod.com
718-360-0879