Check for existant email?

[Fritz_Doll]

PHP has it's nice filter to check if an email follows a valid email format, but how do i check if the email exists?

[gar onn]

function EmailValidation($email) {  	$email = htmlspecialchars(stripslashes(strip_tags($email))); //parse unnecessary characters to prevent exploits 	 	if ( eregi ( '[a-z||0-9]@[a-z||0-9].[a-z]', $email ) ) { //checks to make sure the email address is in a valid format 	$domain = explode( "@", $email ); //get the domain name 		 		if ( @fsockopen ($domain[1],80,$errno,$errstr,3)) { 			//if the connection can be established, the email address is probabley valid 			return true; 			/* 			 			GENERATE A VERIFICATION EMAIL 			 			*/ 			 		} else { 			return false; //if a connection cannot be established return false 		} 	 	} else { 		return false; //if email address is an invalid format return false 	} }

Found this with google...

[Fritz_Doll]

all it does is verify that the domain exists, not the email.an example $email was "flargleinglelop@yahoo.com" <- i know the domain exists.I also went to yahoo and went to the sign up form, "flargleinglelop@yahoo.com" is available to take.however the script outputs True, which is wrong.

[[dx]]

What about if someone uses personal domain which is not in your script. For example user@w3schools.com How will you check then? Don't bother yourself with it.

[Fritz_Doll]

So, just take their word that they are submitting a valid address? I guess I could, It's for account validation and password recovery. I'll just put a flag on their account until they validate their email (They'll just have some trouble getting their password back if it isn't valid).

[boen_robot]

You could send a confirmation email... that's how this forum does it - send a unique email with a link they must go to. When the unique URL is accessed, assume it came from the email and mark it as existant.

[Fritz_Doll]

So just assume it exists, then verify that it exists if I get a response. I'll try that.

[Fmdpa]

If you are doing this for a login, then Boen_robot's suggestion is the best. Many login systems these days are dependent upon a valid email address. You could automatically generate a password, then send it to that email address. If the individual signing up knows this, then they'll will most likely enter a valid address.

[thescientist]

So just assume it exists, then verify that it exists if I get a response. I'll try that.

i guess. Force them to prove to you its real, by having the user follow up with a confirmation email.

[Fritz_Doll]

I like that suggestion, generate a password. If they log in with the password I give them, then I'll change their password to what they had desired. Thanks for the suggestions!

[thescientist]

I like that suggestion, generate a password. If they log in with the password I give them, then I'll change their password to what they had desired. Thanks for the suggestions!

Passwords, I though this was about emails? Regardless after they login, or authorize, or whatever, just set a flag in their profile in the DB somewhere from false to true, or from inactive, to active, or something like that, to confirm their email is authentic.