1 on FML NT Version

1.1 Introduction


fml runs on a lot of operating systems, so fml on NT4 is just one of
them. But NT4 differs a lot from UNIX, so we cannot use usual
technique on UNIX. Some functions do not work but almost all
functions work well I believe.
# Attention: please do not consult me with NT4 and commercial products
# itself.


The almost same code as UNIX works on NT4. The difference is around
fork(), exec() and alarm(). We emulate timeout using Win32 perl module
but it is less degree of freedom than UNIX signal;_;.


The default in retrieving file is tar.gz on UNIX but MIME/Multipart on
NT4 since tar, gzip does not exist on standard NT4. The default for
some functions are changed for this type reasons.

1.2 Required and Test Environment


You need MTA and ntperl. I tested fml master source using ntperl by
activestate.com. Other perl ports to NT4 exist but I've not tested
them. If you try and succeed it, please let me know.


My test environment is 

	i486 architecture
	NT 4.0 service pack 1
	Pw32i307.exe
	ataman rlogind
	MetaInfo Sendmail 2.x 


1.3 Two Kinds of fml for NT4


A lot of MTA's on NT4 runs with limited functions. MTA provides SMTP
and POP servers but not others. We need "prog mailer" function which
runs fml.pl and puts mail into fml.pl. I have experimented and found
a prog mailer in MetaInfo Sendmail (2.x) works well.


For this lack of functions, two variations of fml for NT4 exist.


	1.	the same as UNIX (prog mailer type)
		Configuration is the same as on UNIX.	
	2.	POP3 type
		fml gets mail from POP server and 
		injects it to fml.pl to run a mailing list.


1.4 A Case of MetaInfo Sendmail (prog mailer type)


Configuration with MetaInfo Sendmail is the same as on UNIX
fundamentally. You need not to run ntfml.cmd but msend.cmd if you use
digest delivery periodically.


The current installer (after 2.1A#6) asks you whether your MTA is
MetaInfo or not. If it is MetaInfo Sendmail, you follows INSTALL, cut
and paste examples e.g. aliases and runs "newaliases". Please see
the file INSTALL.


makefml creates examples for each type (prog mailer or POP). If you
change MTA after running a ML, you may not use examples in $DIR
directly.


In aliases MTA runs include.cmd and injects an input mail to
include.cmd. include.cmd runs fml.pl wrapped by wrapper.pl. When you
set up aliases, fml delivery and command functions work.


For digest delivery, you need to run msend.cmd periodically. You will
need to use OS functions (I don't know the detail).


1.5 Mechanism (POP version)


A lot of MTA on NT4 has only SMTP and POP servers and cannot run the
program. In POP version you need to set up ML name account in POP
server. fml extracts mail for ML by POP3 and injects it to fml.pl
(mailing list emulation). # This function is implemented on UNIX in
1995, and the same technique # is used on NT4.

* prog mailer version


	mail -> sendmail -> fml.pl


* POP version

	mail	-> sendmail -> mail spool
				|
				V POP3
				popfml.pl	->	fml.pl
		    sendmail <-	<-	<-	<-	


* ntfml.pl 

    infinite loop {

	popfml.pl runs one three minutes.

		----> POP SERVER account = elena
		<----

	If mail for elena ML exist
		runs fml.pl

	elsif not, sleep again
    }



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Copyright (C) 1993-1999 Ken'ichi Fukamachi
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