5 .\" include the -mh macro file
8 .TH POST %manext8% MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
10 post \- deliver a message
15 \%[\-alias\ aliasfile]
17 \%[\-filter\ filterfile] \%[\-nofilter]
18 \%[\-format] \%[\-noformat]
20 \%[\-mime] \%[\-nomime]
21 \%[\-msgid] \%[\-nomsgid]
25 \%[\-watch] \%[\-nowatch]
33 \fIPost\fR is the default program called by \fIsend\fR\0(1) to deliver
34 the message in \fIfile\fR to local and remote users. In fact, most of
35 the features attributed to \fIsend\fR in its manual page are performed by
36 \fIpost\fR, with \fIsend\fR acting as a relatively simple preprocessor.
37 Thus, it is \fIpost\fR which parses the various header fields, appends
38 From: and Date: lines, and interacts with the mail transport system.
39 \fIPost\fR will not normally be called directly by the user.
41 \fIPost\fR searches the \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqcc:\*(rq, \*(lqBcc:\*(rq,
42 \*(lqFcc:\*(rq, and \*(lqResent\-xxx:\*(rq header lines of the specified
43 message for destination addresses, checks these addresses for validity,
44 and formats them so as to conform to ARPAnet Internet Message Format
45 protocol, unless the `\-noformat' flag is set. This will normally cause
46 \*(lq@\fIlocal\-site\fR\*(rq to be appended to each local destination
47 address, as well as any local return addresses. The `\-width\ columns'
48 switch can be used to indicate the preferred length of the header
49 components that contain addresses.
51 If a \*(lqBcc:\*(rq field is encountered, its addresses will be used for
52 delivery, and the \*(lqBcc:\*(rq field will be removed from the message
53 sent to sighted recipients. The blind recipients will receive an entirely
54 new message with a minimal set of headers. Included in the body of the
55 message will be a copy of the message sent to the sighted recipients.
56 If `\-filter\ filterfile' is specified, then this copy is filtered
57 (re\-formatted) by \fImhl\fR prior to being sent to the blind recipients.
58 Alternately, if the `\-mime' switch is given, then \fIpost\fR will use
59 the MIME rules for encapsulation.
61 The `\-alias\ aliasfile' switch can be used to specify a file that post
62 should take aliases from. More than one file can be specified, each
63 being preceded with `\-alias'. In any event, the primary alias file is
66 The `\-msgid' switch indicates that a \*(lqMessage\-ID:\*(rq or
67 \*(lqResent\-Message\-ID:\*(rq field should be added to the header.
69 The `\-verbose' switch indicates that the user should be informed of
70 each step of the posting/filing process.
72 The `\-watch' switch indicates that the user would like to watch the
73 transport system's handling of the message (e.g., local and \*(lqfast\*(rq
76 Under normal circumstances, \fIpost\fR constructs the "From:" line of the
77 message from the user's UNIX username, the full name from the GECOS field of the
78 passwd file, and the fully-qualified name of the local machine (e.g. `From: "Dan
79 Harkless" <dan@machine.company.com>'). However, there are three ways to
80 override these values. Note that they apply equally to "Resent-From:" lines in
81 messages sent with \fIdist\fR.
83 The first way is GECOS-based username masquerading. If "mmailid" in the
84 mts.conf file has been set to non-zero, this processing is activated. If a
85 user's GECOS field in the passwd file is of the form "Full Name <fakename>" then
86 "fakename" will be used in place of the real username. For instance, a GECOS
87 field of "Dan Harkless <Dan.Harkless>" would result in `From: "Dan Harkless"
88 <Dan.Harkless@machine.company.com>'. Naturally if you were doing something like
89 this you'd want to set up an MTA alias (e.g. in /etc/aliases) from, for
90 instance, "Dan.Harkless" to "dan".
92 The second way to override default construction of "From:" is to set the
93 \fB$SIGNATURE\fR environment variable. This variable overrides the full name
94 from the GECOS field, even if GECOS-based masquerading is being done.
96 The third way, which will override either of the previous two, is to specify a
97 "From:" line manually in the message draft. It will be used as provided (after
98 alias substitution), but to discourage email forgery, the user's real address
99 will be used in the SMTP envelope "From:" and in the "Sender:" line. However,
100 if the system administrator has allowed address masquerading by setting
101 "mmailid" to non-zero in mts.conf, the SMTP envelope "From:" will use the
102 address given in the draft "From:", and there will be no "Sender:" header. This
103 is useful in pretending to send mail "directly" from a remote POP3 account, or
104 when remote email robots give improper precedence to the envelope "From:". Note
105 that your MTA may still reveal your real identity (e.g. sendmail's
106 "X-Authentication-Warning:" header).
109 ^%etcdir%/mts.conf~^nmh mts configuration file
110 ^%etcdir%/MailAliases~^global nmh alias file
111 ^%bindir%/refile~^Program to process Fcc:s
112 ^%libdir%/mhl~^Program to process Bcc:s
114 \fIpost\fR does \fBNOT\fR consult the user's \&.mh\(ruprofile
116 \fIStandard for the Format of ARPA Internet Text Messages\fR (RFC\-822),
118 mhmail(1), send(1), mh\-mail(5), mh\-alias(5), mh\-tailor(5)
120 `\-alias %etcdir%/MailAliases'
138 \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq fields are allowed to have groups in them according
139 to the 822 specification, but \fIpost\fR won't let you use them.
projects / mmh / blob