mysql & import files

issues importing automatically from an email

[dawlish]

I have a site that was developed using php and mysql.
I would like to offer some of my customers who advertise on the site a means by which they can automatically have their data updated by means of sending an import file via email.

I believe that this sort of thing is possible.
Could anyone offer any advice or point me in the direction of where I might find some info on how to do this.

The main question I have is how can I extract the file from an email on the server and automatically import the data rather than saving the file attachment and importing manually.

Thanks in advance.

[Mark_A]

dawlish it is not completely clear to me what data you want to collect and email to your customers.

Is it some kind of tabular log data? if so you could use some kind of logrotate progam to batch it up and email it to them.....

What kind of data is it and what format is it in?

[Mardi_Gras]

Mark_A - I think what Dawlish wants to do is not send an e-mail to his customers but allow his customers to send an e-mail to him. The information in that e-mail would then be automatically imported into the database, updating the customer's ad, which I presume is prepared dynamically from information in the database.

[Mark_A]

Mardi_Gras now I read his message again more carefully I think you are right.

Why not allow them to update their details via a web form?

[lorax]

I agree with Mark_A. A form would be much easier.

If you'd like the chance to review edits before making them active you could add a field to your db for verification.

[dawlish]

Sorry, I don't think my message was clear enough.

Essentially i run a site of classified adverts. Advertisers can log in and manage their ads online however some of them want to add 100+ adverts and they will need to update them every 2-3 days. This is a time consuming job logging in to the website and adding each advert manually.

On other sites they advertise they can apparently email a feeder file which is a delimited file which is imported into the database automatically from an email which contains the file as an attachment.

Can anyone advise on how this is possible?