3 ezmlm-manage \- automatically manage a mailing list
5 .B ezmlm-manage [-bBcCdDeEfFlLmMsSqQuUvV]
9 handles administrative requests for the mailing list
12 as well as for the associated digest list.
15 is normally invoked from a
18 It reads a mail message from its standard input,
19 and a mail envelope from the
24 environment variables.
30 .IR list\fB-\fIaction\fB-\fIbox\fB=\fIdomain .
39 is the target of the request.
41 sends a response to the target.
42 It attaches the original message to the end of its response.
45 may instead be of the form
46 .IR list\fB-\fIaction .
47 Then the envelope sender
48 is used as the target.
53 to match the first line of
60 followed by ``-digest'', the request is assumed to be for the
61 associated digest list.
63 handles these requests similarly, except that digest list subscriber addresses
65 .IR dir\fB/digest/subscribers ,
67 .IR dir\fB/subscribers .
72 followed by ``-allow'', the request is assumed to be for the
75 database. This database is used to store aliases of subscribers for lists
76 allowing only posts only if the envelope sender is a subscriber.
79 database follow the same rules as for the main list. The ezmlm messages are
80 the same as those used for normal subscription, but refer to the
81 .I list\fB-allow@\fIhost
82 list. As this feature is designed for advanced uses and remote administrators
83 only, this is not a problem.
85 No message is sent out to confirm additions to or removals from this
86 database. However, the user can
87 verify the change using the
92 addresses similarly controls
94 database for blocking posts with certain envelope senders.
95 This database is available
96 to remote administrators only, and only if the list has been set up with
98 .BR ezmlm-manage(1) ).
100 No message is sent out to confirm additions to or removals from this database.
101 However, the remote admin can
102 verify the change using the
108 .I dir\fB/mailinglist
111 field in its response.
112 If the incoming message has a
118 also refuses to respond to bounce messages.
124 will add general instructions and the request to the outgoing message.
128 will not add general instructions and the request to the outgoing message.
129 This information gives the recipient of a confirmation request some
130 information about the inciting message. Use of this switch will deny the
131 recipient that information.
144 commands. This is useful for closed lists, where the owner for
145 some reason wants to keep an archive, without making it available.
150 switch for backwards compatibility.
155 switch for backwards compatibility.
159 allows remote administrators to edit files in
165 Text file editing not allowed.
169 The information in the ``From:'' is extracted from subscribe confirm
170 messages and added to
172 together with the subscriber address. This makes it easier for the list owner
173 to help a subscriber who cannot determine his/her subscription address. If the
175 switch is used, the information is instead extracted from the subscribe
179 Ignore ``From:'' headers.
183 will send a subscriber list in reply to the
186 the number of subscribers in reply to the
192 exist and target (the address the reply is to be sent to) is a moderator.
204 For lists with moderated subscription, require moderator approval also
205 for unsubscribe requests. Remote admins are normally informed about
206 unsuccessful unsubscribes. This creates problems when there is more
207 than one moderator. Therefore, when the
209 switch is used, the notification is suppressed. Moderators can still
210 determine the result by using the
216 Requests to unsubscribe from moderated lists do not require moderator approval.
221 will be notified if the are added or removed from the subscriber list.
224 Target addresses will not be notified if they are added/removed from the
225 subscriber list by remote admin or moderator action. Also, the target will
226 not be notified if they were successfully added/removed when the
230 switches, respectively, are used.
234 Quiet. The list-owner is not notified of subscription events.
237 The list-owner is notified about failed unsubscribe attempts. Usually, these
238 are from subscribers that do not remember their subscription address and
239 require administrative assistance. Remote admins are notified when a unsubscribe
240 request initiated by them fails. Thus, the owner is not notified about these
248 and in addition, the list-owner is notified about all additions to or removals
249 from the subscriber database. This is sometimes desired by owners of small
255 will handle subscriptions with the normal target handshake.
259 will eliminate the target handshake from the subscription
260 process. This allows anyone to subscribe anybody else. DO NOT use this
261 option, unless you know what you are doing. This option may be useful for
262 some moderated lists.
267 will handle unsubscribe requests with the normal target
272 will eliminate the target handshake from the unsubscription
273 process. This allows anyone to unsubscribe anybody else. DO NOT use this
274 option, unless you know what you are doing.
290 will use the character set listed for all messages. Otherwise, the
291 default ``us-ascii'' will be used. The character set can be suffixed
292 by ``:'' followed by a code. If the code is ``Q'', outgoing messages are
293 sent as ``Quoted-Printable'', if it is ``B'' they are sent ``base64'' encoded.
294 Otherwise, text is sent as is.
296 Incoming text for the
298 is accepted unencoded or in either of these encodings.
306 is an appropriate code
307 (depending on the target, the approximate time, and other factors),
309 adds the target to the mailing list
310 if subscriptions are not moderated.
311 For subscription moderated lists,
313 sends a confirmation request to the moderators with the right
315 address in its response.
323 is an appropriate code
324 (depending on the target, the approximate time, and other factors),
326 adds the target to the mailing list. If the target was not already a
327 subscriber, a welcome message is sent to the target.
334 does not subscribe the target,
335 but it identifies the right
337 address in its response.
339 This confirmation mechanism
340 (1) verifies that the target is reachable
342 (2) protects the target against forged subscription requests.
348 are used in the same way to delete the target from the mailing list.
349 Unsubscribes do not require moderator confirmation.
353 are used to confirm moderator-initiated unsubscribes for lists configured
354 with remote administration (see MODERATION).
361 returns a message to the target indicating whether or not the target address
371 returns the contents of
374 .IR dir\fB/text/info ,
381 rejects all subscription and unsubscription attempts.
382 However, if the list is configured with remote administration,
383 moderator-initiated subscribe and unsubscribe requests will still be
389 will still send help.
390 .SH "TEXT FILE EDITING"
397 switch is used, and the target address is that of a remote administrator,
399 will reply with a list of editable file in
401 and instructions for editing. Cookies for editing expire approximately 27.8
402 hours after they are issued, or when a file has been changed, whichever is
403 sooner. The size of the updated file is limited to 5120 bytes.
411 switch is used, and the target address is that of a remote administrator,
413 will return an editable copy of
421 will verify that the edit cookie is still valid and that the file has
422 not been modified since the cookie was issued. If the cookie passes
426 .IR dir\fB/text\fI/file .
427 .SH "ARCHIVE RETRIEVALS"
436 .IR dir\fB/archive/ .
437 This can be disabled with the
445 rejects all archive retrieval attempts.
449 exists, subscriptions are moderated. Users can
450 unsubscribe without moderator action, but moderator confirmation is required
455 starts with a forward slash, it is assumed that the content this is the base
456 directory for the moderator database (
463 The moderator names are assumed
464 to be stored in a set of files in
465 .IR /moddir\fB/subscribers/ .
467 I to add, remove, and list moderators, use respectively:
486 Subscription requests from potential
487 subscribers will be sent for a second round of confirmation to all the
489 If a moderator approves the request, a message confirming the
490 subscription will be sent to the subscriber. The
491 subscriber will not know which moderator approved the subscription.
493 If more than one moderator replies to the confirmation request, the subscriber
494 will not receive duplicate messages about being on (or not on) the mailing list.
496 Unsubscribe requests from users are handled as for non-moderated lists.
498 All subscribe confirmation requests requiring moderator action have a subject of
499 .B CONFIRM subscribe to\fI listname@host.
500 All unsubscribe confirmation requests in reply to moderator-initiated
501 unsubscribe dialogs have a subject of
502 .B CONFIRM unsubscribe from\fI listname@host.
506 exists (remote administration), moderators can initiate a request to
507 subscribe a user 'username@userhost' by sending mail to
508 .IR listname-subscribe\fB\-username=userhost\fI@host .
509 The moderator (not the subscriber) will receive the confirmation request,
510 and can complete the transaction. Moderators' request to unsubscribe
511 users are handled analogously. Once an address is successfully added to
512 or removed from the subscriber database by a moderator or remote admin,
513 the user is notified of the action. If a moderator or remote admin's subscribe
514 confirmation does not result in a change, i.e. if the address already was a
515 subscriber, no notification is sent. If a remote admin's
516 unsubscribe confirmation does not result in a change, i.e. the address was
517 not a subscriber, a notification is sent to the remote admin. This is to make
518 the remote admin aware that the address unsubscribed most likely is not the
519 subscriber's subscription address.
522 starts with a forward slash, it is assumed that the content this is the base
523 directory for the moderator database (
525 The moderator names are assumed
526 to be stored in a set of files in
527 .IR /moddir\fB/subscribers/ .
532 exist, and both contain directory names, the directory name in
538 It is possible to set up
539 a mailinglist for moderators only by using
541 as the list directory. Make sure that such a list is not public! Otherwise,
542 anyone can become a moderator by subscribing to this list.
546 and target is a moderator,
548 will in addition to the usual help send
549 .I dir\fB/text/mod-help
550 containing instructions for moderators.
554 and target is a moderator, the list is set up for subscription moderation
555 or remote administration, and the
557 command line switch is used,
559 will reply with an unsorted subscriber list. Extensions for digest subscribers
560 and auxillary databases are supported (see above).
565 will reply with the contents of the
567 file with the same access restrictions as for the
~mdw / ezmlm / blob