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Subsections


8. List configuration parameters

The configuration file is made up of paragraphs separated by empty lines and introduced by a keyword.

However the number of parameters is important, the minimal list definition is very short, only owner and subject parameter are needed because all the other parameter have a default value.

keyword value

WARNING: configuration parameters must be separated by empty lines and EMPTY LINES ONLY !

8.1 List description


8.1.1 subject

subject subject-of-the-list

This parameter indicates the subject of the list, which is sent in response to the LISTS mail command. The subject is a free form text limited to one line. This parameter is not used by Sympa if ~sympa/expl/lists file exists (e.g. static list of lists).


8.1.2 visibility

(Default value: conceal)

visibility parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

visibility conceal | noconceal

This parameter indicates whether the list should be listed when replying to LISTS command. This parameter is not used by Sympa if ~sympa/expl/lists file exists (e.g. static list of lists).


8.1.3 lang

(Default value: lang robot parameter)

Example:

\lparam {lang} cn-big5

This parameter defines the language used for the list. It is exploited to initialize user's lang preference ; Sympa command reports are extracted from the associated messages catalog.

See 6.3, page [*] for available langages.


8.1.4 host

(Default value: host robot parameter)

host fully-qualified-domain-name

Domain name hosting the list (used for From: , for example).Default value is set in /etc/sympa.conf file.


8.1.5 owner

The config file contains one owner paragraph per owner.

Example:

owner
email serge.aumont@cru.fr
gecos C.R.U.
info Tel: 02 99 76 45 34
reception nomail

The list owner is usually the person who has the authorization to send ADD (see 9.2, page [*]) and DELETE (see 9.2, page [*]) commands on behalf of other users.

When the subscribe parameter (see 8.3.1, page [*]) specifies a restricted list, the owner is the only one who has the capability to subscribe users. In this case, SUBSCRIBE requests are forwarded to him.

There may be several owners of a single list; in this case, each owner is defined by a paragraph introduced by the owner keyword.

The owner directive is followed by one or several lines giving details regarding the owner's characteristics:


8.1.6 editor

The config file contains one editor paragraph per moderator (or editor).

Example:

editor
email Pierre.David@prism.uvsq.fr
gecos Pierre (Université de Versaille St Quentin)

The editor of a list is the only one authorized to send messages in the list when the send parameter (see 8.3.6, page [*]) is set to editor.editorkey or editorkeyonly This parameter is used also to redistribute mail in some other situation ( privateoreditorkey ).

The syntax of this directive is the same as that of the owner parameter (see 8.1.5, page [*]), even when several moderators are defined.

8.2 Data source related

8.2.1 user_data_source

(Default value: file|database, if using a DBMS)

user_data_source file | database | include

Sympa allows the mailing list manager to choose how Sympa loads subscribers' data. Subscriber's informations can be stored in a text file, in a RDBMS or included from various external sources (list, flat file, LDAP directory, RDBMS).

8.2.2 ttl

(Default value: 3600)

ttl delay_in_seconds

Sympa caches users data extracted using the include parameter. The time to leave of these data in Sympa can be controled with this parameter. The default value is 3600.

8.2.3 include_list

include_list listname

This parameter will be interpreted only if user_data_source is set to include. All subscribers of list listname will become subscribers of the current list. You may include as many lists as needed using one include_list listname line for each included list. You can include any list whatever is its user_data_source definition. In particular, you can include lists which are also defined by inclusion of other lists. Be carefull not to include list A in list B and then list B in list A : this would start an infinite loop.


8.2.4 include_sql_query

include_sql_query

This parameter will be interpreted only if the user_data_source value is set to include, it is the begining of a paragraph which defines the SQL query parameters :

Example :

user_data_source include

include_sql_query
      db_type oracle
      host sqlserv.admin.univ-x.fr
      user banalise
      passwd mysecret
      db_name scolarship
      sql_query SELECT DISTINCT email FROM student


8.2.5 include_ldap_query

include_ldap_query

This paragraph defines parameters for a LDAP query returning a list of subscribers. This paragraph is used only if user_data_source is set to include. This feature requires Net::LDAP (perlldap) Perl module.

Example :

    include_ldap_query
    host ldap.cru.fr
    suffix dc=cru, dc=fr
    filter (&(cn=aumont) (c=fr))


8.2.6 include_file

include_file path to file

This parameter will be interpreted only if the user_data_source value is set to include, the file is interpreted as one email per line (line beginning with a "#" are ignored).

8.3 Commands' behaviour


8.3.1 subscribe

(Default value: open)

subscribe parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

Subscribe parameter define the rules for subscribing to the list. Predefined scenari are :

subscribe open | owner | closed | auth |

When the optional notify parameter option is set, owners receive a notification of each subscription, unless their owner definition include the nomail option.


8.3.2 unsubscribe

(Default value: open)

unsubscribe parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

This parameter specifies the unsubscription method for the list. Use open_notify or auth_notify to allow owner notification of each unsubscribe command. Predefined scenari are :

unsubscribe open[_notify] | auth[_notify] owner closed


8.3.3 add

(Default value: owner)

add parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

This parameter specifies who can perform ADD command Predefined scenari are :

add auth | owner | closed


8.3.4 del

(Default value: owner)

del parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

This parameter specifies who can perform DEL command Predefined scenari are :

del auth | owner | closed


8.3.5 remind

(Default value: owner)

remind parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

This parameter specifies who can perform remind command Predefined scenari are :

remind owner | listmaster


8.3.6 send

(Default value: private)

send parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

Predifined scenarii are :

public | private | privateoreditorkey | privateorpublickey | editor | editorkey | editorkeyonly

This parameter specifies who can send messages to the list ; it is performed by scenari :


8.3.7 review

(Default value: owner)

review parameter is defined by scenario (see 6.4, page [*])

This parameter specifies who can use the REVIEW (see 9.1, page [*]), administrative requests. Predifined scenari are :

review public | private | owner |

8.4 List tuning


8.4.1 reply_to

(Default value: sender)

reply_to sender | list | email

This parameter indicates whether the Reply-To: field should point to the sender of the message (sender) or to the list itself (list) or to anyother e-mail. If Reply-To: SMTP header field is set in incoming message, Sympa will never modify it.

Note: it is unadvisable to change this field, especially to point to the list. Experience demonstrates that numerous users, thinking they are responding to the sender, send private messages to a list. This can lead to an embarrassing situation.


8.4.2 max_size

(Default value: max_size robot parameter)

max_size number-of-bytes

Maximum size of a message in 8-bit bytes. Default value is set in /etc/sympa.conf file.


8.4.3 anonymous_sender

anonymous_sender value

If this parameter is set for a list, all messages distributed in that list are anonymized. The SMTP From: fields are replace by anonymous_sender). value. Various other field are removed (Received:, Reply-To:, Sender: X-Sender:, Message-id:, Resent-From:


8.4.4 custom_header

custom_header header-field: value

This parameter is optional. The header specified with this parameter will be placed in each of the message headers distributed in the list. As of release 1.2.2 of Sympa, it is possible to put several custom header lines in the configuration file at the same time.

Example: custom_header X-url: http://www.cru.fr/listes/apropos/sedesabonner.faq.html.

8.4.5 custom_subject

custom_subject value

This parameter is optional. This parameter specifies a string which is added to the subject of distributed messages (this is intented to help users who do not use automatic tools to sort incoming messages).

Example: custom_subject [sympa-users].


8.4.6 footer_type

(Default value: mime)

footer_type (optional, default value is mime) mime | append

List owners may decide to add message header or footer to messages sent to the list. This parameter defines the way a footer/header is added to a message.

8.4.7 digest

digest daylist hour:minutes

Definition of digest mode. If this parameter is filled in, subscribers can select the receive option in multipart/digest MIME format. Messages are then grouped together and this compilation is sent to the subscribers in accordance with the rythm selected with this parameter.

Daylist designates a list of days in the week in number format (from 0 for Sunday to 6 for Saturday), separated by commas.

Example: digest 1,2,3,4,5 15:30

In this example, Sympa sends digests at 3:30 PM from Monday to Friday.

WARNING: if the sending time is too late, Sympa may not be able to process it. It is essential that Sympa scans the digest queue at least once between the time laid down for sending of the digest and 12:00 PM. Usually do not use digest time later than 11:00 PM.

8.4.8 default_user_options

default_user_options parameter starts a paragraph to define a default profile for the subscribers of the list.

8.4.9 cookie

(Default value: cookie robot parameter)

cookie random-numbers-or-letters

This parameter is a secret item for generating authentication keys for administrative commands (ADD, DELETE, etc.). This parameter should remain secret, even for owners. The cookie is applied to all list owners, and is only taken into account when the owner has the auth parameter (owner parameter, see 8.1.5, page [*]).

Example: cookie secret22


8.4.10 priority

(Default value: default_list_priority robot parameter)

priority 0-9a-z

This is the priority Sympa will process messages for this list. This is applied while going through the spool.

0 is the highest priority. The following priorities can be used: 0...9 A...Z a...z. z is a special priority since messages will stay in spool forever (useful to hangup a list).

Available since release 2.3.1.


8.5 bounce

bounce

This paragraph defines bounce management parameters :

8.6 Archives related


8.6.1 archive

If the config file contains a archive paragraph Sympa will manage an archive of this list

Example:

archive
period week
access private

If parameter archive is specified, archives are accessible to users through the GET command, and the index of the list archives is given by the INDEX command (last message of a list is availible using LAST command).

period day | week | month | quarter | year

This parameter specifies how archiving is organised: by day, by week, by month, by quarter or by year. Generation of automatic list archives requires creation of an archive directory in the root of the list (~sympa/expl/mylist/archives/) where these documents will be put.

access private | public | owner | closed |

This parameter specifies who is allowed to send GET, LAST or INDEX commands.


8.6.2 web_archive

If the config file contains a web_archive paragraph Sympa will copy all messages ditributed in the list to the "queueoutgoing" spool. It is intented to be use with WWSympa html archive tools. This paragraph must contain at least the access parameter to control who can browse the web archive.

Example:

web_archive
access private

Value for web_archive access parameter must be one of the following : access private | public | owner | closed | listmaster


next up previous contents index
Next: 9. Using Sympa commands Up: Sympa Automatic Multi-posting System Previous: 7. Creation of mailing lists   Contents   Index
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2000-03-31