The Mother Board

[Ak423]

Is there any way to check if an email address actually exists before sending out a "form" email using Java mail?

I've got a form that needs to be sent out to an email address provided by the user, and I need to check if the email address exists, and if it doesn't return some kind of a error message.

So, any java pros that can help me, it would be much appreciated.
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The Superior Inferiority

[Roach412]

if it "exists"? i don't think so. the only way to accomplish that is to actually send an email to the address, and see if you receive a reply from the admin(system) saying it's invalid.

the only way to validate that the information itself is valid is to do some string comparisons, finding the original (address) portion up to the @ symbol, then finding the remaining host information (i.e. hotmail) and then the affiliation (i.e. .com or .edu).

that will let you know whether it's a "valid" address...but not that it exists.

-Roach
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[GodSquirrel]

why not have the receiver of the email click a validation link?

[Deman Risu]

As a previous poster said, the only way to really "check" if an email address exists is to email it and see what happens. If it doesn't exist, you'll get an email from the "mailer daemon" usually.