Using Master Form V4 as a Subscription List Mailer

Master Form V4 can process many different kinds of forms, one of which is a form to send an email to everyone on a list.

You provide an email template and a file that contains email addresses. Then you type your message into a form.

Master Form V4 then inserts your message into the email template and sends it to every email address it finds in the file.

I'll show you how to do it, step by step.

If anything is unclear, or if you wish to modify the examples provided here, please consult the Master Form V4 Manual.

Emailing to a Subscription List with Master Form V4

First, let's make the mailing form.

Let me note right here, and please understand if I repeat this — it is important — do not put this form on your server or, if you do, put it into a securely password-protected directory. The form can reside on your hard drive and loaded into your browser when you're ready to use it.

This is to prevent spammers and anyone else bent on theft or mischief from gaining access to the form and sending email to your list.

Here is an example mailing form:

<form method="POST" action="/cgi-bin/mfv4/MasterFormV4.cgi">
<input type="hidden" name="requiredfields" value="subject,message">
<input type="hidden" name="emailtemplate" value="templates/emailezine.txt">
<input type="hidden" name="redirect" value="http://example.com/">
<p>
Subject: <input type="text" name="subject" style="width:200px;">
</p>
<p>
The message for the email:

<textarea name="message" rows="9" cols="44">
</textarea>
</p>
<p>
<input type="submit">
</p>
</form>

Verify the URLs in the FORM tag and the hidden fields are correct. Adjust as necessary.

Here is how the above form would print on your web page.

Below is an explanation of each hidden field, along with an example if the hidden field refers to a template.

Hidden field name="requiredfields"

This hidden field's value contains a comma-separated list of the field names that are required to contain information before the form can be successfully submitted.

Hidden field name="emailtemplate"

Here is an example email template for the subscriber:

Return-Path: <bounces@example.com>
To: yourname@example.com
From: "Ezine LLC" <ezine@example.com>
Bcc: [[EMAILS filename]]
Subject: [[subject]]

~~~                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                ~~~
~~~            E z i n e   L L C            ~~~
~~~                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                ~~~

[[message]]

~~~                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                ~~~
To unsubscribe, provide the email address 
this was sent to in the form at 
http://example.com/remove.html
~~~                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                ~~~

The one-click unsubscribe link mentioned in Unsubscribe Form Processing with Master Form V4 can not be used here because only one email is sent, with the email addresses of your list in a Bcc: header line.

The ezine header and footer, if they are unchanging, can be part of the email template. Then the [[subject]] and [[message]] placeholders are replaced with what you provide on the mailing form before being sent to the email addresses found in the file containing email addresses.

The Bcc: line contains a special placeholder that extracts the email addresses from the file specified in the placeholder. The email addresses will be inserted into the Bcc: header line, addresses separated with a comma. See The File Containing Email Addresses for more information about this file.

Hidden field name="redirect"

This is the URL the browser will be redirected to when the emailing is complete.

The File Containing Email Addresses

Some types of files that qualify:

1. A database CSV file — those mentioned in the articles linked to in the "Related Articles" box, above, for example.

2. A plain text file you create in NotePad or BBEdit.

3. The entire file of emails from a Thunderbird or Eudora folder. (Other email reading programs might also maintain their emails in a plain text file.)

4. A plain text file exported from desktop spreadsheet or database programs, such as tab-delimited or CSV files, for examples.

Note that there is a limit to the number of email addresses that can be sent to all at one time. I don't know what that limit is, but it would be the maximum amount of information sendmail can process on the Bcc: header line.

You're probably okay with several hundred addresses, unless your hosting company has introduced additional restrictions. On the other hand, you might be able to send to a thousand or more all at once.

Put one of your own email addresses as the last address in the file. As your list grows, monitor each mailing to verify you receive a copy of the email at that address. When you no longer receive a copy, it may be that the limit of information on the Bcc: header line has been exceeded.

There are no formatting requirements so long as it is a plain text file. Master Form V4 scans the entire file and extracts any email addresses it finds.

Sending Email to a List with Master Form V4

1. Upload the email template to the location specified in the form's hidden field name="emailtemplate"

   (For extra security, you can upload the email template just before using the emailing form and remove the template from your server immediately after the emailing has been accomplished. If you forget to upload the email template before using the form, Master Form V4 will let you know with an error message.)

2. Upload a file containing one or more email addresses, storing it on your server in the location you've specified in the [[EMAILS...]] placeholder.

3. Use the mailing form.

4. Remove the file with the email addresses from the server — for security and so you can maintain the list on your computer instead of needing to maintain it online.

Will Bontrager