Support for recipient variables when batch-sending

[kJamesy]

From the manual: http://documentation.mailgun.com/user_manual.html#batch-sending when batch-sending, Mailgun only knows to send emails to individual recipients (i.e. one recipient in the 'to' field) when you use recipient variables. Batch sending has an advantage over using the Mailgun::send in a loop since there's only one API call with the former therefore less loading time for the user. And then there's the advantage of using the same to personalise the emails.
Could you kindly add this feature?

Great work!

[kJamesy]

Here's my two pence:
Message.php

public function recipientVariables($variables)
{
    if ( is_array($variables) ) {
        $this->{'recipient-variables'} = json_encode($variables);
    }
}

Usage in Controller:

$users = User::take(2)->get();

$variables = [], $data = [];
foreach ($users as $user) {
    $variables[$user->email] = ['id' => $user->id, 'first_name' => $user->first_name];
}

Mailgun::send('emails.newsletter', $data, function($message) use ($users,$variables)
{
    foreach ($users as $user) {
        $message->to($user->email, $user->first_name . ' ' . $user->last_name);
    }

    $message->recipientVariables($variables);
});

(Apologies, can't get Github to format it nicely)

[Bogardo]

@kJamesy I will definitely have a look at it.

[kJamesy]

Great, thanks.

[Bogardo]

@kJamesy It has been added.
There are now two ways to register the recipient variables

1. The way you proposed with a recipientVariables method
2. Passing them as an array with the to method

$recipients = array(
    "foo@bar.com" => array(
        'first' => 'Foo',
        'last'  => 'Bar'
    ),
    "johndoe@example.com" => array(
        'first' => 'John',
        'last'  => 'Doe'
    )
);
Mailgun::send('emails.welcome', $data, function($message) use ($recipients)
{
    $message->to($recipients);
});

And in your emails you can use the variables like this:

 Hi there %recipient.first% %recipient.last%

I'll try to update the docs tomorrow.
Please let me know if this works for you.

[kJamesy]

Cool stuff!
Will the to field still show the user first name + last name when the email is received?

[Bogardo]

If I understand your question correctly, yes you can:

$recipients = array(
    "Foo Bar <foo@bar.com>" => array(
        'first' => 'Foo',
        'last'  => 'Bar'
    ),
    "John Doe <johndoe@example.com>" => array(
        'first' => 'John',
        'last'  => 'Doe'
    )
);

[kJamesy]

Yes, I didn't even read the code correctly, was 3AM when I saw this! That makes sense. Cheers

[elambro]

Hi!

Could you please make this work with ->cc and ->bcc as well? I receive the Mailgun error "The parameters passed to the API were invalid. Check your inputs!".

Thank you!

[kJamesy]

@elambro, this is a very good coincidence because I am having the exact same error this today! Not seen it before. Not using CC or BCC either!

[elambro]

@kJamesy, It must be for a different reason though. Mine works perfectly fine with recipient variables as

    $message->to($variables); $message->bcc($email_address);

But it fails if I try to use variables in the bcc field. e.g.

    $message->to($variables); $message->bcc($other_variables);

[Bogardo]

I'll take a look at it.

[azamat-sharapov]

I can't get this work. Has anybody used this feature? I tried both ways like described above, but variables don't get replaced in message body.

[azamat-sharapov]

Okay, important note to anyone who can't get this work: Make sure you are not using catch_all config option! It won't work with it.