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setting_up_the_vacation_1_email_auto-responder_on_sdf [2021/03/22 06:13] – created hc9setting_up_the_vacation_1_email_auto-responder_on_sdf [2021/03/22 06:33] (current) – [Misc:] hc9
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-===== Setting up the vacation(1) email auto-responder on SDF: =====+====== Setting up the vacation(1) email auto-responder on SDF: ======
  
 ==== What: ==== ==== What: ====
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 ==== How vacation(1) works: ==== ==== How vacation(1) works: ====
  
-The tool uses two files - "$HOME/.vacation.msg" and "$HOME/.vacation.db" by default - to a) issue an auto-reply message, and b) track who and when a sender was replied to. vacation(1) is usually called via a user's "$HOME/.forward" file, but as the tool can read from stdin(4) there are other possibilities, ie. in conjunction with procmail(1).+The tool uses two files - ''$HOME/.vacation.msg'' and ''$HOME/.vacation.db'' by default - to a) issue an auto-reply message, and b) track who and when a sender was replied to. vacation(1) is usually called via a user's ''$HOME/.forward'' file, but as the tool can read from stdin(4) there are other possibilities, ie. in conjunction with procmail(1).
  
 === Basic setup procedure: === === Basic setup procedure: ===
  
-  * initialize the DB file; initialization creates the DB file if it doesn't exist and sets/resets the vacation interval timer - the period it waits to resend an auto-reply. The default interval is one (1) week; to specify an different interval use "'-t nu'", where "n" is an integer and "u" is "s", "m", "h", "d", or "w" (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks; week is default). If "n" = 0 and "u" is omitted, a notice is sent for every message. If "n" is set to a very large number, say 9999, no sender will ever receive more than one notice. +  * initialize the DB file; initialization creates the DB file if it doesn't exist and sets/resets the vacation interval timer - the period it waits to resend an auto-reply. The default interval is one (1) week; to specify an different interval use '''-t nu<nowiki>'</nowiki>'', where "n" is an integer and "u" is ''s'', ''m'', ''h'', ''d'', or ''w'' (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks; week is default). If "n" = 0 and "u" is omitted, a notice is sent for every message. If "n" is set to a very large number, say 9999, no sender will ever receive more than one notice. 
-  * create the auto-reply message. The message needs to be a routable email file with a header and body section. A "$SUBJECT" variable is supported for a more customized response. +  * create the auto-reply message. The message needs to be a routable email file with a header and body section. A ''$SUBJECT'' variable is supported for a more customized response. 
-  * edit the "$HOME/.forward" file to pipe mail through vacation(1); it's good idea to test the configuration beforehand using the vacation(1) "'-d'" debug option.+  * edit the ''$HOME/.forward'' file to pipe mail through vacation(1); it's good idea to test the configuration beforehand using the vacation(1) '''-d<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' debug option.
  
 ==== Some examples: ==== ==== Some examples: ====
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 <code> <code>
-  % vacation -I                       # initialize DB; defaults to 30 days+% vacation -I                       # initialize DB; defaults to 30 days
  
-  % cat > $HOME/.vacation.msg         # create minimal auto-reply message +% cat > $HOME/.vacation.msg         # create minimal auto-reply message 
-  From: sdf_user@sdf.org +From: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-  Subject: Vacation notice +Subject: Vacation notice 
-  Precedence: bulk+Precedence: bulk
  
-  I will be out of the office until next week. +I will be out of the office until next week. 
-  ^D+^D
  
-  % cat > $HOME/test.msg              # create test message for debugging +% cat > $HOME/test.msg              # create test message for debugging 
-  From frog@mud.bog +From frog@mud.bog 
-  To: sdf_user@sdf.org +To: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-  Subject: Hop on over here+Subject: Hop on over here
  
-  Check out my new pad! +Check out my new pad! 
-  ^D+^D
  
-  % vacation -d sdf_user < test.msg   # test w/o actually replying +% vacation -d sdf_user < test.msg   # test w/o actually replying 
-   => + => 
-      To: frog@mud.bog +    To: frog@mud.bog 
-      Auto-Submitted: auto-replied +    Auto-Submitted: auto-replied 
-      From: sdf_user@sdf.org +    From: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-      Subject: Vacation notice +    Subject: Vacation notice 
-      Precedence: bulk+    Precedence: bulk
  
-      I will be out of the office until next week.+    I will be out of the office until next week.
  
-   note: if executed as-is more than once there won't be any output; use + note: if executed as-is more than once there won't be any output; use 
-         the '-t0' option to override the default 30 day response time.+       the '-t0' option to override the default 30 day response time.
  
-  % cat > $HOME/.forward              # retain a copy & pipe to vacation(1) +% cat > $HOME/.forward              # retain a copy & pipe to vacation(1) 
-  \sdf_user, "|/usr/bin/vacation sdf_user" +\sdf_user, "|/usr/bin/vacation sdf_user" 
-  ^D+^D
 </code> </code>
  
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 <code> <code>
-  % vacation -I -t 2d                 # initialize DB; set timer to 2 days +% vacation -I -t 2d                 # initialize DB; set timer to 2 days 
-  % cat > $HOME/.vacation.msg         # create custom auto-reply message +% cat > $HOME/.vacation.msg         # create custom auto-reply message 
-  From: sdf_user@sdf.org +From: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-  Subject: Out of the office +Subject: Out of the office 
-  Delivered-By: vacation(1) on SDF +Delivered-By: vacation(1) on SDF 
-  Precedence: bulk+Precedence: bulk
  
-  I will be out of the office until next week; please contact +I will be out of the office until next week; please contact 
-  George about $SUBJECT if it's urgent. +George about $SUBJECT if it's urgent. 
-  ^D+^D
  
-  % cat > $HOME/test2.msg             # create test message for debugging +% cat > $HOME/test2.msg             # create test message for debugging 
-  From frog@mud.bog +From frog@mud.bog 
-  To: sdf_user@sdf.org +To: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-  Subject: the penski account+Subject: the penski account
  
-  Can you get this done this week? +Can you get this done this week? 
-  ^D+^D
  
-  % vacation -d sdf_user < test2.msg  # test w/o actually replying +% vacation -d sdf_user < test2.msg  # test w/o actually replying 
-   => + => 
-      To: frog@mud.bog +    To: frog@mud.bog 
-      Auto-Submitted: auto-replied +    Auto-Submitted: auto-replied 
-      From: sdf_user@sdf.org +    From: sdf_user@sdf.org 
-      Subject: Out of the office +    Subject: Out of the office 
-      Delivered-By: vacation(1) on SDF +    Delivered-By: vacation(1) on SDF 
-      Precedence: bulk+    Precedence: bulk
  
-      I will be out of the office until next week; please contact +    I will be out of the office until next week; please contact 
-      George about the penski account if it's urgent.+    George about the penski account if it's urgent.
  
-  % cat > $HOME/.forward  # retain a copy & pipe to vacation(1) +% cat > $HOME/.forward  # retain a copy & pipe to vacation(1) 
-  \sdf_user, "|/usr/bin/vacation sdf_user" +\sdf_user, "|/usr/bin/vacation sdf_user" 
-  ^D+^D
 </code> </code>
  
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   - setup ssh(1) [[http://sdf.org/?tutorials/SSH-SDF#public_key|public key authentication]] to host //tty//   - setup ssh(1) [[http://sdf.org/?tutorials/SSH-SDF#public_key|public key authentication]] to host //tty//
   - on //ma.sdf.org// create a test.msg and test things before committing: <code>   - on //ma.sdf.org// create a test.msg and test things before committing: <code>
-    sdf_user@ma: cat test.msg | ssh sdf_user@tty "cat - | vacation -d -t0 sdf_user" +  sdf_user@ma: cat test.msg | ssh sdf_user@tty "cat - | vacation -d -t0 sdf_user" 
-     => +   => 
-        To: frog@mud.bog +      To: frog@mud.bog 
-        Auto-Submitted: auto-replied +      Auto-Submitted: auto-replied 
-        From: sdf_user@ma.sdf.org +      From: sdf_user@ma.sdf.org 
-        Subject: Vacation notice +      Subject: Vacation notice 
-        Precedence: bulk +      Precedence: bulk 
-        ...+      ... 
 +</code> 
 +  - edit ''$HOME/.forward'' on //ma.sdf.org// like so: <code> 
 +  # .forward 
 +  \sdf_user, "| ssh sdf_user@tty 'cat - | vacation sdf_user' "
 </code> </code>
-  - edit "$HOME/.forward" on //ma.sdf.org// like so: 
-    # .forward 
-    \sdf_user, "| ssh sdf_user@tty 'cat - | vacation sdf_user' " 
  
 === ex.4) using vacation(1) with procmail(1): === === ex.4) using vacation(1) with procmail(1): ===
  
-Users of the procmail(1) program probably won't want to disable it just to make use of vacation(1). The following illustrates how to integrate vacation(1) into a typical user's "$HOME/.procmailrc" file; it should be inserted above any "delivery" recipes so all messages are passed through:+Users of the procmail(1) program probably won't want to disable it just to make use of vacation(1). The following illustrates how to integrate vacation(1) into a typical user's ''$HOME/.procmailrc'' file; it should be inserted above any "delivery" recipes so all messages are passed through:
  
 <code> <code>
-  # ~sdf_user/.procmailrc +# ~sdf_user/.procmailrc 
-  ... +... 
-  ## selective vacation(1) auto-responder filter setup: +## selective vacation(1) auto-responder filter setup: 
-  VACATION_SENDER=`formail -rx "To:"` +VACATION_SENDER=`formail -rx "To:"` 
-  VACATION_LIST=$HOME/.vacation.list +VACATION_LIST=$HOME/.vacation.list 
-  VACATION_MSG=$HOME/.vacation.msg +VACATION_MSG=$HOME/.vacation.msg 
-  VACATION_DB=$HOME/.vacation.db+VACATION_DB=$HOME/.vacation.db
  
-  ## Send vacation(1) notification if SENDER is in VACATION_LIST : +## Send vacation(1) notification if SENDER is in VACATION_LIST : 
-  :0 c  # "c" => keep a copy of msg +:0 c  # "c" => keep a copy of msg 
-  ## uncomment next line to do selective notifications +## uncomment next line to do selective notifications 
-  #* ? egrep $VACATION_SENDER $VACATION_LIST +#* ? egrep $VACATION_SENDER $VACATION_LIST 
-  | /usr/bin/vacation -F R -f $VACATION_DB -m $VACATION_MSG sdf_user+| /usr/bin/vacation -F R -f $VACATION_DB -m $VACATION_MSG sdf_user
 </code> </code>
  
-The "$HOME/.vacation.list" is just a simple text file listing those email addresses you want to send notifications to, one per line. If you don't need the functionality just leave the "'egrep'" line commented out.+The ''$HOME/.vacation.list'' is just a simple text file listing those email addresses you want to send notifications to, one per line. If you don't need the functionality just leave the '''egrep<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' line commented out.
  
-Note that "$HOME/.vacation.db" still needs to be initialized since this filter is just a pipe to vacation(1) which does the real processing.+Note that ''$HOME/.vacation.db'' still needs to be initialized since this filter is just a pipe to vacation(1) which does the real processing.
  
 ==== Misc: ==== ==== Misc: ====
  
   * There is a "pure procmail" filter option that implements much of the vacation(1) functionality; see the procmailex(5) manpage for code.   * There is a "pure procmail" filter option that implements much of the vacation(1) functionality; see the procmailex(5) manpage for code.
-  * Passing the "'-F R'" option to vacation(1) forces checking of the Return-Path: field which can help in some cases. See the vacation(1) manpage for details as well as other options. +  * Passing the '''-F R<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' option to vacation(1) forces checking of the Return-Path: field which can help in some cases. See the vacation(1) manpage for details as well as other options. 
-  * The "$HOME/.vacation.db" file is a hashed Burkeley DB binary file. It can be read somewhat using strings(1); useful for determining who has been auto-replied to: <code> +  * The ''$HOME/.vacation.db'' file is a hashed Burkeley DB binary file. It can be read somewhat using strings(1); useful for determining who has been auto-replied to: <code> 
-        % strings $HOME/.vacation.db | grep "@" +      % strings $HOME/.vacation.db | grep "@" 
-        frog@mud.bog +      frog@mud.bog 
-        itchy@bed.bug+      itchy@bed.bug
 </code> </code>
  
setting_up_the_vacation_1_email_auto-responder_on_sdf.1616393619.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/03/22 06:13 by hc9