This article is about sending SMS using PHP through MySQL Server. It is intended for web developers with a basic knowledge of the PHP and SQL technologies. The page contains a downloadable source code (see above), a list of aims you can achieve using the code, a list of prerequisites, a description and depiction of the architecture and operation of the system, step-by-step instructions about how to use the code and a detailed interpretation. It also includes a brief summary, answers to frequently asked questions, as well as links to related information.

The downloadable sample script inserts the message to be sent into the ozekimessageout database table. Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway periodically checks the table, and if it finds a row where the status is send, then it will try to send it. Inside the script you have to set the server name to where the MySQL Server is running, the username (specifying who can log in to the MySQL Server) with the password and the type of the SMS message.

The source code of the example application is structured in the following way:

sqlsmshandling.php:
This file contains page builder asp elements (text boxes, labels, etc.) and calls an insert function.

sqlsmshandling_functions.php:
   connectToDatabase(): connects to the MySQL Server and opens the database.
   closeConnection (): closes the connection.
   insertMessage (...): inserts the message to the outgoing database table.
   showOutgoingMessagesInTable(): selects the messages from ozekimessageout database table and shows it.
   showIncomingMessagesInTable(): selects the messages from ozekimessagein database table and shows it.
sqlsmshandling_inoutmessages.php:
   builds the page that shows the message tables.

Description of the process depicted in Figure 1 above:

Step 1: Create the HTML form
In the sqlsmshandling.php file, you create the form that requests the sms data and shows a frame for tables incoming and outgoing messages. The Internet user fills in the necessaries. Label and textbox pairs will be displayed. Labels identify the requested data for the Internet user, and they will type it in textboxes. The user will be asked to fill in the Recipient and Message text fields.

sqlsmshandling.php

... <form action="" method="post"> <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center"> <font style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px;">Compose message</font> <br /><br /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Recipient: </td> <td> <textarea name="textAreaRecipient" cols="40" rows="2">...</textarea> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top">Message text: </td> <td> <textarea name="textAreaMessage" cols="40" rows="10">...</textarea> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center"> <input type="submit" value="Send"> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan='2' align='center'> ... </td></tr> </table> </form> ...

Inside the last table row (<tr>) you perform the sending of the message, as well as the notification of the Internet user in case of an error.

... <?php if (isset($_POST["textAreaRecipient"]) && $_POST["textAreaRecipient"] == "") { echo "<font style=\"color: red; font-weight: bold;\">Recipient field mustn't be empty!</font>"; } else if (isset($_POST["textAreaRecipient"]) && $_POST["textAreaRecipient"] != "") { try { connectToDatabase(); if (insertMessage ($_POST["textAreaRecipient"], "SMS:TEXT", $_POST["textAreaMessage"])) { echo "<font style=\"color: red; font-weight: bold;\">Insert was successful!</font>"; } closeConnection (); } catch (Exception $exc) { echo "Error: " . $exc->getMessage(); } } ?> ...

Step 2: Processing data coming from the HTML form
After filling in the fields and clicking the Send button, the Web server receives the information about the form. At the beginning of the php script, check the data of the textbox fields. The Recipient box is mandatory. If it is empty, the processing will be aborted, and the Internet user will be informed about the error. If the checking is successful, you will insert a new row into the ozekimessageout database table (in insertMessage (...)). You need the following: the address of the computer running the MySQL Server [the default address is localhost (localhost means that the MyQL Server is installed on the same computer on which the PHP script is running)], the username (who is authorized to log in to the MySQL Server and to insert messages, the user's password, the message type (the default is SMS:TEXT), the recipient and the message data.

sqlsmshandling_functions.php

... function insertMessage ($recipient, $messageType, $messageText) { $query = "insert into ozekimessageout (receiver,msgtype,msg,status) "; $query .= "values ('" . $recipient . "', '" . $messageType . "', '" . $messageText . "', 'send');"; $result = mysql_query($query); if (!$result) { echo (mysql_error() . "<br>"); return false; } return true; } ...

...
function showOutgoingMessagesInTable()
{
    $query = "select id,sender,receiver,senttime,receivedtime,operator,status,msgtype,msg from ozekimessageout;";
    $result = mysql_query($query);
    if (!$result)
    {
        echo (mysql_error() . "<br>");
        return false;
    }

    try
    {
        echo "<table border='1'>";
        echo "<tr><td>ID</td><td>Sender</td><td>Receiver</td>
        <td>Sent time</td><td>Received time</td><td>Operator</td>";
        echo "<td>Status</td><td>Message type</td><td>Message text</td></tr>";
        while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
        {
            echo "<tr>";

            echo "<td>" . $row["id"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["sender"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["receiver"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["senttime"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["receivedtime"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["operator"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["status"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["msgtype"] . "</td>";
            echo "<td>" . $row["msg"] . "</td>";

            echo "</tr>";
        }
        echo "</table>";
        mysql_free_result($result);
    }
    catch (Exception $exc)
    {
        echo (mysql_error() . "<br>");
        return false;
    }

    return true;
}
...
            

In the article it has been explained how you can add SMS functionality to your website by using the downloadable PHP example code. You can freely use and modify that script. Using PHP scripts (and the Ozeki NG - SMS Gateway Server) you can create a lot of useful services(e.g.: you can add SMS functionality to a website or a corporate Intranet, create automated SMS notifications, increase website security by adding SMS login, etc.).

...
$query .= "values ('" . $recipient . "', 'SMS:WAPPUSH', '" . $messageText . "', 'send');";
...

<si>
<indication href="http://target_address" action="signal-high">
text of description
</indication>
</si>

...
$query = "insert into ozekimessageout (sender,receiver,msgtype,msg,status) ";
$query .= "values ('+449876543', '" . $recipient . "', '" . $messageType . "', '" . $messageText . "', 'send');";
...