What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

chiefoldmist

26 Feb 2003 26 Feb '03

16:22

Dear All I am trying to set up a mail server for my small home network. I have a domain name (pipandtim.com) with unlimited email addresses but these all get forwarded to one email address. I can get fetchmail to retrieve the email but i want to be able to distribute the received email (tim@pipandtim.com & pip@pipandtim.com) to the two internal users - my wife and I. Having thought i had done my research i settled on using procmail. Having set it up it promptly failed - i adjusted it and it failed again (repeat for 3 days). I then decided to read the man pages - and came across "Procmail is not the proper tool for sharing one mailbox among many users". What should i use please ? Thanks in advance Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

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Bruce Marshall

26 Feb 26 Feb

16:32

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Wednesday 26 February 2003 11:22 am, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

Dear All

I am trying to set up a mail server for my small home network. I have a domain name (pipandtim.com) with unlimited email addresses but these all get forwarded to one email address.

I can get fetchmail to retrieve the email but i want to be able to distribute the received email (tim@pipandtim.com & pip@pipandtim.com) to the two internal users - my wife and I.

Having thought i had done my research i settled on using procmail. Having set it up it promptly failed - i adjusted it and it failed again (repeat for 3 days).

I then decided to read the man pages - and came across "Procmail is not the proper tool for sharing one mailbox among many users".

What should i use please ?

I would use procmail...... But I would do it this way: fetchmail --> procmail (global) --> /var/mail/<mailboxes> ---> Kmail POP3 (from mailboxes) I've been doing the above for many years, and I have /etc/procmailrc set up to: 1) Use Spamassassin to kill almost all spam 2) Make a backup of the last 200 emails received 3) sort the email in personal, lists, work, etc. Works like a charm especially the Spamassassin part.

...

Thanks in advance

Tim

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

-- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 02/26/03 11:29 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ "I'm worried that the universe will soon need replacing. It's not holding a charge."

chiefoldmist

20:43

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Wednesday 26 February 2003 11:22 am, chiefoldmist

...

wrote:

<snip>

...

I would use procmail......

But I would do it this way:

fetchmail --> procmail (global) --> /var/mail/<mailboxes> ---> Kmail POP3 (from mailboxes)

I've been doing the above for many years, and I have /etc/procmailrc set

Bruce Thanks for at least confirming that i wasn't barking up the wrong tree. I still appear to have not got the syntax righ for the /etc/procmailrc file. I keep getting these sorts of error messages: to=<*@pipandtim.com>, relay=local, delay=1, status=bounced (unknown user: "*") Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/qmgr[8254]: 33E83D59E: to=, relay=none, delay=0, status=bounced (bad host/domain syntax: ".pipandtim.com") Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/cleanup[8654]: A90C6D549: message-id=<20030226203002.A90C6D549@pipandtim.com> Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/local[8653]: 33E83D59E: to=<*@pipandtim.com>, relay=local, delay=0, status=bounced (unknown user: "*") Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/smtp[8658]: 13D71D541: to=, relay=server0011.freedom2surf.net[194.106.56.14], delay=0, status=sent (250 2.0.0 h1QKXNpl012540 Message accepted for delivery) Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/qmgr[8254]: A90C6D549: from=<>, size=3282, nrcpt=1 (queue active) Feb 26 20:30:02 antenna postfix/smtp[8659]: 331D8D596: to=, relay=server0011.freedom2surf.net[194.106.56.14], delay=0, status=sent (250 2.0.0 h1QKXNpl012541 Message accepted for delivery) Feb 26 20:30:03 antenna postfix/smtp[8658]: A90C6D549: to=, relay=server0011.freedom2surf.net[194.106.56.14], delay=1, status=sent (250 2.0.0 h1QKXNpl012546 Message accepted for delivery) Feb 26 20:30:03 antenna postfix/local[8660]: D1B31D56A: to=<:0H@pipandtim.com>, relay=local, delay=1, My procmailrc file looks like this: :0H * pip@ /var/mail/pip Can you tell me what i have got wrong? TIA Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

Bruce Marshall

21:09

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Wednesday 26 February 2003 15:43 pm, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

My procmailrc file looks like this: :0H

* pip@ /var/mail/pip

Can you tell me what i have got wrong?

First, it's not obvious to me that procmail is even being called yet. Where did you find these messages? In /var/log/messages ? Did you enable the call to procmail in your postfix setup? Try this for starters as a /etc/procmailrc: MAILDIR = /var/spool/mail LOGFILE=/var/log/proclog VERBOSE=no :0 * ^TOpip@ /var/mail/pip Then look in /var/log/proclog and see if it's even being called. -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 02/26/03 16:04 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ "If you connect to the World Wide Web via a 'Down Home Page', you might be a 'high tech Redneck'"

chiefoldmist

21:29

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Wednesday 26 February 2003 15:43 pm, chiefoldmist

...

wrote:

...

Then look in /var/log/proclog and see if it's even being called.

Bruce Not sure if it is - the messages are coming from /var/log/mail - and changing the procmailrc file to your suggestion just produces more error messages: Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9302]: 9AB5BD596: to=, relay=local, delay=2, status=bounced (unknown user: "logfile=/var/log/proclog") Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9310]: 9A3AED57B: to=, relay=local, delay=1, status=bounced (unknown user: "maildir=/var/spool/mail") Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9297]: 9AB5BD596: to=<*@pipandtim.com>, relay=local, delay=1, status=bounced (unknown user: "*") So something is reading the procmailrc file. Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

Bruce Marshall

21:43

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Wednesday 26 February 2003 16:29 pm, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Wednesday 26 February 2003 15:43 pm, chiefoldmist

...
wrote:

Then look in /var/log/proclog and see if it's even being called.

Bruce

Not sure if it is - the messages are coming from /var/log/mail - and changing the procmailrc file to your suggestion just produces more error messages:

Looks to me like postfix is trying to send your procmailrc as an email... And.. any idea where the *@pipandtim.com is coming from? And to test this I assume you are sending yourself an email to your ISP server and then using fetchmail to retrieve it? Any messages you can get out of your fetchmail log? You are logging your fetchmail activity?

...

Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9302]: 9AB5BD596: to=, relay=local, delay=2, status=bounced (unknown user: "logfile=/var/log/proclog")

Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9310]: 9A3AED57B: to=, relay=local, delay=1, status=bounced (unknown user: "maildir=/var/spool/mail")

Feb 26 21:21:17 antenna postfix/local[9297]: 9AB5BD596: to=<*@pipandtim.com>, relay=local, delay=1, status=bounced (unknown user: "*")

So something is reading the procmailrc file.

Tim

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

-- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 02/26/03 16:41 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ "I've learned- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones who do."

chiefoldmist

27 Feb 27 Feb

07:26

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Wednesday 26 February 2003 16:29 pm, chiefoldmist

...

And.. any idea where the *@pipandtim.com is coming from?

You are logging your

...

fetchmail activity? 6 messages for tim-timschofield-f2s-com at server0034.freedom2surf.net.

reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:1 of 6 (1477 header octets) . (121 body octets) not flushed reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:2 of 6 (1174 header octets) . (192 body octets) not flushed reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:3 of 6 (1121 header octets) . (192 body octets) not flushed reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:4 of 6 (1670 header octets) . (37184 body octets) .................................... not flushed reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:5 of 6 (1358 header octets) . (8785 body octets) ........ not flushed reading message tim-timschofield-f2s-com@server0034.freedom2surf.net:6 of 6 (1284 header octets) . (41428 body octets) .................... Yes am doing exactly as you described - sending myself emails addressed to the two people. Procmail (i think) is being called as per the SuSE Unofficial FAQ from the postfix main.cf -> mailbox_command = /usr/bin/procmail with /etc/procmailrc. Fetchmail is a cron job being run by root. The *@pipandtim.com is coming from the procmailrc file - it appears to be attaching anything from this file to @pipandtim.com and then trying to forward it. Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

Bruce Marshall

16:03

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Thursday 27 February 2003 2:26 am, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

The *@pipandtim.com is coming from the procmailrc file - it appears to be attaching anything from this file to @pipandtim.com and then trying to forward it.

And what's in your procmailrc now? -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 02/27/03 11:03 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Fahnestock's Rule of Failure: "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that shows you tried"

chiefoldmist

17:26

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Thursday 27 February 2003 2:26 am, chiefoldmist

...

wrote:

...

And what's in your procmailrc now?

MAILDIR = /var/spool/mail LOGFILE=/var/log/proclog VERBOSE=no :0 * ^TOpip@ /var/mail/pip Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

Bruce Marshall

18:57

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Thursday 27 February 2003 12:26 pm, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Thursday 27 February 2003 2:26 am, chiefoldmist

...
wrote:

And what's in your procmailrc now?

MAILDIR = /var/spool/mail LOGFILE=/var/log/proclog VERBOSE=no

:0

* ^TOpip@ /var/mail/pip

I'm at a loss.... I think you have more problems than just a procmail problem. There's nothing wrong with your /etc/procmailrc file, but something is reading the file and doing strange things with it. Something in your setup of postfix, or fetchmail or ??? is not right.

...

Tim

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

-- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 02/27/03 13:55 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ " Help wanted telepath: you know where to apply."

chiefoldmist

20:38

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

--- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On Thursday 27 February 2003 12:26 pm, chiefoldmist

...

I'm at a loss.... I think you have more problems than just a procmail problem.

Bruce Thanks for all your help - i have come to the same conclusion i have reintalled postfix to start with a default settings. In one of your messages you said you had your setup to go fetchmail -> procmail. With this did you bypass postfix in someway ? Tim __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com

Jerry A!

22:41

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

On Thu, Feb 27, 2003 at 08:38:58PM +0000, chiefoldmist wrote: : --- Bruce Marshall wrote: > On : Thursday 27 February 2003 12:26 pm, chiefoldmist : : > : > I'm at a loss.... I think you have more problems : > than just a procmail : > problem. : : Bruce : : Thanks for all your help - i have come to the same : conclusion i have reintalled postfix to start with a : default settings. : : In one of your messages you said you had your setup to : go fetchmail -> procmail. : : With this did you bypass postfix in someway ? Just jumping in here. But yes you can configure fetchmail to deliver directly to procmail and thus bypass your MTA (which may not allow relaying, even from localhost). On the commandline, you would do something like: fetchmail -m "procmail -d %T" <whatever else you usually type> Or, in your .fetchmailrc just add the following to the entry: mda "procmail -d %T" For example: poll my.mail.server with protocol imap port 993: aka mymailserver mda "procmail -d %T" fetchall, mimedecode; Please let us know if this works for you. If so, I recommend keeping it b/c it bypasses the wasted cycles of dumping your mail to your MTA and then to an MDA for delivery. However, if you like graphing out mail patterns then delivering via postfix and using one of it's logfile parsers is the way to go. But now I'm getting off topic. --Jerry Open-Source software isn't a matter of life or death... ...It's much more important than that!

Carlos E. R.

28 Feb 28 Feb

00:55

New subject: [SLE] What is the proper tool for sharing a POP mailbox ?

The 03.02.27 at 17:26, chiefoldmist wrote:

...

...
And what's in your procmailrc now?

MAILDIR = /var/spool/mail LOGFILE=/var/log/proclog VERBOSE=no

:0 * ^TOpip@ /var/mail/pip

...

From some logs you posted, I infer you are using postfix. I also understand that that procmail file is "/etc/procmailrc", and that fetchmail is called by root. Is that so? Then, I'm afraid this will simply not work: When using procmail, postfix will not be able to send mail to

I would use - but I'm very unsure if it would work: VERBOSE=on :0 * ^TOpip /var/mail/pip However, there is one more issue, an important one. What MTA are you using? the root, period. See the postfix faq for the proper explanation. Root mail has got to be forwarded to some other user, and this one can use procmail rules to forward to somebody else. -- Cheers, Carlos Robinson

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Bruce Marshall
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chiefoldmist
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