Return-Path header preference not being sent

[srelan]

I used to use a custom "Errors-To" header to all bulk mail. However, almost none of my recipients servers honor it. Upon looking at large commercial bulk mail I receive, all seem to use Return-Path for handling their bounces.
So, I tried using MBM's 'Return-Path' custom header preference. However, it does not seem to work at all. Even though I can see the header line in the MBM preview window as correct, all outgoing messages are being sent with the "from" address in the Return-Path header, not what I entered nor what is displaying correctly in preview before it goes out.
I've examined all my seeded email accounts and all indeed receive the message without my preferred setting Return-Path address.

1. how are others here properly handling bounces (to a separate account from the sender address)?
2. how do you get MBM to honor the preferences for Return-Path ?

[stanbusk]

Actually a server is free to overwrite the Return-Path header with the data it finds more adequate for your message. The same way, a server is free to use the From, Return-Path or Errors-To header to send bounces. If the server is properly configured and is following standards it will use the Errors-To header, unfortunately this is not always the case.

[srelan]

Hi, after some more of my own research testing both MBM and some simple PHPMail scripts for testing I didn't realize (and want to verify with maxprog) that the Return-Path header MUST be the very first line of the message header. If it is not, I'm told from my old mail vendor that it is ignored and replaced with the email address used in the "From" statement.

This seems in line with the problems I'm having getting ANY MBM emails I send to have the Return-Path preference setting honored.

Is MBM sending the Return-Path as the 1st line of the header (above ALL else, date, from, subject, etc)? Or is it inserting it at the bottom along with Errors-To, etc.?

[stanbusk]

Right now it is placed on second or third position. I will fix that on ext version then.

[steve]

Hi there,

I'm having the same problem. MBM 6.5 has the placement of the Return-Path header just below the Reply-To header. But it hasn't made any difference. The Return-Path custom header in MBM Preferences is still being overwritten and not used.

[stanbusk]

Next version v6.6 will fix this. You will be able to set the 'Return-Path' header just by adding an address to the 'Errors' field in the settings panel.