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mail

Last update:
May 18, 2026
Note:
In ColdFusion (2018 release), script functions implemented as CFCs are deprecated in ColdFusion.

Description

Used to sends an e-mail message, that optionally contains query output, using an SMTP server.

Syntax

Mode
Syntax
Creating the service
new mail() or createObject("component", "mail")
Initializing the attributes
Any one of the following:
  • mailService=new mail(_attribute-value_pair_)
  • mailService.setAttributes(_attribute-value_pair_)
  • mailService.set_AttributeName_(attribute_value)
  • mailService.send(attribute-value_pair)
Executing the service action
mailService.send(_attribute-value_pair_)

Properties

from
to
subject
bcc
cc
charset
debug
failto
group
groupcasesensitive
mailerid
maxrows
mimeattach
password
port
priority
query
replyto
server
spoolenable
startrow
timeout
type
username
useSSL
useTLS
wraptext
remove
body
All attributes supported by the tag cfmail can be used as attribute-value pairs. For example,
<cfmail from="#form.mailFrom#">
can be used as
mailerService.setFrom(form.mailFrom);

See also

cfmail, Function summary

History

ColdFusion 9: Added this function.

Methods

  • addParam
    Description
    Used to add cfmailparam tags. For example, to attach a file or add a header to an e-mail message.
    Syntax
    mailService.addParam(attribute-value pair)
    Returns
    Nothing
    Arguments
    All attributes supported by the cfmailparam tag can be used as attribute-value pairs.
  • addPart
    Description
    Used to add cfmailpart tags. For example, one part of a multipart e-mail message.
    Syntax
    mailService.addPart(attribute-value pair)
    Returns
    Nothing
    Arguments
    All attributes supported by the cfmailpart tag can be used as attribute-value pairs.
  • send
    Description
    Used to invoke the mail service to send an e-mail message.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.send(attribute-value pair)
    Arguments
    All attributes supported by the cfmail tag.
  • setAttributes
    Description
    Sets attributes for the mail function.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.setAttributes (attribute-value pair)
    Arguments
    All attributes supported by the cfmail tag.
  • getAttributes
    Description
    Gets attributes that were set for the mail function.
    Returns
    Returns a struct with all or some of the attribute values.
    Syntax
    mailService.get_Attributes_ (attributelist)
    Arguments
    A comma-separated list of attributes. If no list is specified, all defined attributes are returned.
  • clearAttributes
    Description
    Removes all attributes added for the mail function.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.clearAttributes(attribute_list)
    Arguments
    A comma-separated list of attributes.
  • clearParams
    Description
    Removes cfmailparam tags that were added using the addParam method.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.clearParams()
    Arguments
    None
  • clearParts
    Description
    Removes cfmailpart tags that were added using the addPart method.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.clearProcResults()
    Arguments
    None
  • clear
    Description
    Removes all attributes, cfmailparam tags, and cfmailpart tags that were added using the methods addParam and addPart.
    Returns
    Nothing
    Syntax
    mailService.clear()
    Arguments
    None

Usage

This function corresponds to the tag cfmail. For usage details, see the Usage section for cfmail.

Example

<h3>Sending mail in cfscript</h3> 
 <cfscript> 
 /* create mailer service */ 
 mailerService = new mail(); 
 if(IsDefined("form.mailto")) 
 { 
 if(form.mailto is not "" AND form.mailfrom is not "" AND form.Subject is not "" 

and form.attachment is not "") 
 { 
 savecontent variable="mailBody"{ 
 WriteOutput("This message was sent by an automatic mailer built with cfmail:

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =" & "<br><br>" & form.body); 
 } 
 /* set mail attributes using implicit setters provided */ 
 mailerService.setTo(form.mailto); 
 mailerService.setFrom(form.mailFrom); 
 mailerService.setSubject(form.subject); 
 mailerService.setType("html"); 
 /* add mailparams */ 
 mailerService.addParam(file=expandpath(form.attachment),type="text/plain",remove

=false); 
 /* send mail using send(). Attribute values specified in an end action like "send" will not persist after the action is performed */ 
 mailerService.send(body=mailBody); 
 writeoutput("<h3>Thank you</h3>" & "<p>Thank you, " & mailfrom & "<br>" & "Your message, " & subject & ", has been sent to " & mailto & "</p>"); 
 } 
 } 
 </cfscript> 
 <p> 
 <form action = "mail1.cfm" method="POST"> 
 <table> 
 <tr> 
 <td>TO</td> 
 <td><input type = "Text" name = "MailTo"></td> 
 </tr> 
 <tr> 
 <td>FROM</td> 
 <td><input type = "Text" name = "MailFrom"></td> 
 </tr> 
 <tr> 
 <td>SUBJECT</td> 
 <td><input type = "Text" name = "Subject"></td> 
 </tr> 
 <tr> 
 <td>ATTACHMENT</td> 
 <td><input type = "file" name = "attachment"></td> 
 </tr> 
 </table> 
 <hr> 
 MESSAGE BODY: 
 <br> 
 <textarea name ="body" cols="40" rows="5" wrap="virtual"></textarea> 
 <!--- Establish required fields. ---> 
 <input type = "hidden" name = "MailTo_required" value = "You must enter a recipient"> 
 <input type = "hidden" name = "MailFrom_required" value = "You must enter a sender"> 
 <input type = "hidden" name = "Subject_required" value = "You must enter a subject"> 
 <input type = "hidden" name = "Body_required" value = "You must enter some text"> 
 <input type = "hidden" name = "attachment_required" value = "You must select a file"> 
 <p><input type = "Submit" name = ""></p> 
 </p> 
 </form>

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