mad-lawsuit/DEPLOYMENT_EMAIL_TESTING.md

Email Notification System - Deployment & Testing Guide

Overview

Email notification system has been implemented for the MAD Lawsuit v2.0 website. When a new docket entry is created via the admin dashboard, an email notification is automatically sent to subscribers.

Testing Mode Configuration

IMPORTANT: The system is currently in TESTING MODE and will ONLY send emails to chris@deafgain.org.

Testing Mode Details

• Test Recipient: chris@deafgain.org
• Purpose: Verify email functionality without spamming all 28 production subscribers
• Location: app/Http/Controllers/Admin/DocketEntryController.php (line ~155)

Production Code (Currently Commented Out)

// Production code (commented out for testing):
// $subscribers = Subscription::where('is_active', true)->get();
// foreach ($subscribers as $subscriber) {
//     Mail::to($subscriber->email)->send(
//         new NewDocketEntryNotification($entry, $subscriber->unsubscribe_token)
//     );
// }

Deployment Steps

1. SSH to Production Server

ssh chaulmark@10.4.0.205

2. Navigate to Project Directory

cd ~/websites/v2.mad-lawsuit.org

3. Pull Latest Code

git pull origin main

4. Rebuild Docker Container

docker compose down
docker compose up -d --build

5. Verify Container Status

docker compose ps
docker compose logs -f app

6. Clear Laravel Caches

docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan config:clear
docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan cache:clear
docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan view:clear

Testing the Email System

Test Procedure

1. Login to Admin Dashboard

   • URL: https://v2.mad-lawsuit.org/admin/login
   • Username: eliza
   • Password: AXEoZWk2AMAD0naw

2. Create a Test Docket Entry

   • Navigate to "Docket Entries" → "Create New Entry"
   • Fill in the form:
     • Date: Today's date
     • Title: "TEST - Email Notification System"
     • Summary: "This is a test entry to verify email notifications are working correctly."
     • Notes: (optional)
   • Click "Create Docket Entry"

3. Verify Email Delivery

   • Check chris@deafgain.org inbox
   • Look for email with subject: "New Court Filing: TEST - Email Notification System"
   • Verify email formatting and content

4. Check Logs

   docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 tail -f storage/logs/laravel.log
   

   • Look for log entries:
     • "Sending email notification for new docket entry"
     • "Email notification sent successfully"

Expected Email Content

• Subject: New Court Filing: [Entry Title]
• From: MAD Lawsuit Court Docket system@deafgain.org
• To: chris@deafgain.org
• Content:
  • Professional header with case name
  • Filing date, title, and summary
  • "View Full Docket" button linking to https://v2.mad-lawsuit.org
  • Unsubscribe link (placeholder during testing)

SMTP Configuration

Gmail SMTP Settings (Already Configured in .env)

MAIL_MAILER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_USERNAME=system@deafgain.org
MAIL_PASSWORD=ojvlysraxwjriwzy
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS="system@deafgain.org"
MAIL_FROM_NAME="MAD Lawsuit Court Docket"

Gmail App Password

• Email: system@deafgain.org
• App Password: ojvlysraxwjriwzy (16-character Google App Password)
• Note: This is NOT the regular Gmail password

Switching to Production Mode

When Ready to Send to All Subscribers

1. Edit DocketEntryController.php

   # On production server
   cd ~/websites/v2.mad-lawsuit.org
   nano app/Http/Controllers/Admin/DocketEntryController.php
   

2. Update sendEmailNotifications Method (around line 155)

   • Comment out the testing code:

     // TESTING MODE (comment out when ready for production)
     // $testEmail = 'chris@deafgain.org';
     // $testToken = 'test-unsubscribe-token';
     // Mail::to($testEmail)->send(new NewDocketEntryNotification($entry, $testToken));
     

   • Uncomment the production code:

     // Production code:
     $subscribers = Subscription::where('is_active', true)->get();
     foreach ($subscribers as $subscriber) {
         Mail::to($subscriber->email)->send(
             new NewDocketEntryNotification($entry, $subscriber->unsubscribe_token)
         );
     }
     

3. Commit and Deploy

   git add app/Http/Controllers/Admin/DocketEntryController.php
   git commit -m "Switch email notifications to production mode - send to all subscribers"
   git push origin main
   
   # On production server
   git pull origin main
   docker compose down
   docker compose up -d --build
   docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan config:clear
   

Troubleshooting

Email Not Received

1. Check Laravel Logs

   docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 tail -100 storage/logs/laravel.log
   

2. Check Gmail SMTP Connection

   docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan tinker
   # In tinker:
   Mail::raw('Test email', function($msg) {
       $msg->to('chris@deafgain.org')->subject('Test');
   });
   

3. Verify .env Configuration

   docker exec mad-lawsuit-v2 php artisan config:show mail
   

Common Issues

• Authentication Failed: Verify Gmail App Password is correct
• Connection Timeout: Check firewall rules for port 587
• SSL/TLS Errors: Ensure MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls (not ssl)

Files Modified

New Files Created

1. app/Mail/NewDocketEntryNotification.php - Mailable class
2. resources/views/emails/new-docket-entry.blade.php - HTML email template

Modified Files

1. app/Http/Controllers/Admin/DocketEntryController.php - Added email sending logic
2. .env - Updated SMTP configuration

Current Status

• ✅ Email notification system implemented
• ✅ Professional HTML email template created
• ✅ SMTP configured with Gmail
• ✅ Testing mode active (chris@deafgain.org only)
• ✅ Code committed and pushed to repository
• ⏳ Awaiting deployment to production server
• ⏳ Awaiting email functionality testing

Next Steps

1. Deploy to production server (10.4.0.205)
2. Test email delivery to chris@deafgain.org
3. Verify email formatting and content
4. Once confirmed working, switch to production mode
5. Update documentation with test results

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Last Updated: December 18, 2025 at 10:21 AM MST Status: Ready for deployment and testing Git Commit: 9687b9b9