[comp.os.vms] DECNET Mail <-> SMTP

MCCALPIN%FSU.MFENET@NMFECC.ARPA (05/28/87)

We have a VMS machine acting as a communications gateway between our many
mostly incompatible campus nets, and we have an ULTRIX machine to act as a
DECNET to TCP/IP gateway.  The ULTRIX machine is running the standard
(DEC supplied ?) generic ARPA sendmail configuration file.
I have figured out how to send mail from DECNET to SMTP mailers:
        ULTRIX_host::"name@UNIX_host"
(An extra set of quotes is needed if this is to be used as a forwarding
address).
The big question is how to send mail the other way. I have tried every
conceivable combination of "DECNET_host::name"@ULTRIX_host that I can 
think of, but the ARPA address parser converts the :: to .. before
it can realize that it wants to send the address to the Mail-11 program.
Any helpful hints would be appreciated.
Please reply directly, as I do not usually read this list.
                                john d mccalpin
                                mccalpin@fsu.mfenet
                                mcalpin@fsu.bitnet
                                (mccalpin%fsu.mfenet@nmfecc.arpa)

wcwells@MICA.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP (05/29/87)

In reply to:

	Date: 	Thu, 28 May 87 08:33:18 PDT
	From: MCCALPIN%FSU.MFENET@nmfecc.arpa
	To: INFO-VAX@KL.SRI.COM
	Comment: From MCCALPIN@FSU.MFENET on 28-MAY-1987 11:27:12.66 EDT
	Subject: DECNET Mail <-> SMTP
	
	... The big question is how to send mail the other way. I have
	tried every conceivable combination of
	"DECNET_host::name"@ULTRIX_host that I can think of, but the
	ARPA address parser converts the :: to .. before it can realize
	that it wants to send the address to the Mail-11 program.
	Any helpful hints would be appreciated.
	Please reply directly, as I do not usually read this list.
	                                john d mccalpin
	                                mccalpin@fsu.mfenet
	                                mcalpin@fsu.bitnet
	                                (mccalpin%fsu.mfenet@nmfecc.arpa)
	
Some possible address formats are:

    node#user@gatewaydomainname
    user%node@gatewaydomainname
    user%localdomainname@gatewaydomainname

I believe the number sign (#) has been traditionally used as a
subsitution for "::" in the local part of an internet/decnet gateway
address.  However, the delimiter character used is dependant upon
what has been programmed at the mail gateway.

There are two place the conversion might be done: (1) sendmail.cf file,
(2) the DECNET mail sender (in /usr/net/bin ?).

Have you tried checking the gateway documentation or contacting your
gateway postmaster?

Bill Wells

postmaster@jade.berkeley.edu

FRY@JPNKEKVM.BITNET (Alan Fry) (05/30/87)

Have you tried exclamation mark (!) to replace ::?  I seem to remember this
used by ARPA to specify path for mail.