How do I enable XAMPP to locally use the php's mail() function so I can test my mail() scripts locally without having to upload to my server?

Question

I am currently using XAMPP and Thunderbird 3 and wish to set up my local server to send mail to e-mails like gmail/hotmail/(anymail) so I can test out my php scripts that are using the mail() function. It would save some time as it would bypass the step of tediously saving and uploading the php file every time a minor change is made.

Things I have done but have not worked: (through various existing tutorials online)

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1. Installed XAMPP (successfully installed as I already use this for my other work)
2. Installed Mercury for XAMPP
3. In Mercury

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a. click on Configuration -> Manage Local Users
b. Create New User

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          Username: **root**
          Password: **root**
c. click on Configuration -> Mercury SMTP
d. make the following changes

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          IP Interface to use: **127.0.0.1**
          Listen to TCP/IP port: **25**
          Announce Myself as: **127.0.0.1**
e. click on Configuration -> Mercury POP 3
f. make the following changes

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          Listen to TCP port: **110**
          IP Interface to use: **127.0.0.1**
g. click on Configuration -> MercuryE SMTP client Configuration
h. make the following changes

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          Identify Myself as: **127.0.0.1**
          Name server: **127.0.0.1**
i. click on Configuration -> Mercury D pop3 client
j. make the following changes

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          POP3 Host: **127.0.0.1**
          Username: **root**
          Password: **root**

4. Installed Thunderbird 3 5. In Thunderbird

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a. click on Tools -> Account Settings
b. In Account Settings

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    i. click on Account Actions -> Add Mail Account
    ii. In Add Mail Account

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        Your name: **root**
        Email address: **root@localhost.com**
        Password: **root**
    iii. click next
    vi. under Editing Config set as following

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        Username: **root**
        Incoming: 127.0.0.1   POP/IMAP
        Outgoing: 127.0.0.1   SMTP
    v. click Create Account
c. send test mail to myself (this part doesn't work for me, it says mail sent successfully but when I check inbox in Thunderbird, there is no mail.)

4. Test PHP mail() script (I haven't gotten to this step yet as I have not yet been able to successfully set up a local mail server.)

Answer 1

These helped me out when I was having trouble.

http://www.danieltmurphy.com/setting-up-mercury-smtp/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU4PT7xMSO0

Mercury can be activated from the Xampp control panel.