[comp.sys.apollo] UNIX Mail/Sendmail and Distribution lists

mcdonald%loki.edsg@UMIX.CC.UMICH.EDU (louis mcdonald) (08/03/88)

I have a question about using distribution lists in
UNIX mail (mail/sendmail).

I have a list of about 20 people (addresses) in a file.

I would like to send mail to all of them via this file.

In VMS Mail, at the To: prompt you can give a file of
addresses by saying @filename

The receipient will see only @filename for the To: field
of the mail. I would like to do the same thing with UNIX
mail. Basically, provide a distribution list, and not
have all the receipents listed in the received mail.


Louis McDonald
mcdonald%loki.edsg@hac2arpa.hac.com

bgo@pbhya.PacBell.COM (Bud Odekirk) (08/03/88)

>I have a question about using distribution lists in
>UNIX mail (mail/sendmail).

I know of two ways to send mail to a list of people.

Method #1

Make up a list of the logins, ie;
login1
login2
login3
pbhya!login4

Then use the command; `mail `cat list` 
or to mail a document; mail `cat list` <filename

Method #2

Make an executable file that has the following info;
mail login1 login2 login3 pbhya!login4

Note: You can send mail to users in several systems, if you indicate
the complete path in your file.

Bud Odekirk

weber_w@apollo.COM (Walt Weber) (08/06/88)

In article <8808021844.AA00672@loki.edsg> mcdonald%loki.edsg@UMIX.CC.UMICH.EDU (louis mcdonald) writes:
>I have a question about using distribution lists in
>UNIX mail (mail/sendmail).

>The receipient will see only @filename for the To: field
>of the mail. I would like to do the same thing with UNIX
>mail. Basically, provide a distribution list, and not
>have all the receipents listed in the received mail.

This sounds like /usr/lib/aliases will provide exactly what you
wish.  Type "man 5 aliases" in a bsd4.2 shell for more info.

...walt...
-- 
Walt Weber               PHONE: (617) 256-6600 x7004
Apollo Computer          GENIE: W.WEBER
Chelmsford, People's Republic of Massachusetts

kts@quintro.UUCP (Kenneth T. Smelcer) (08/09/88)

In article <8808021844.AA00672@loki.edsg> mcdonald%loki.edsg@UMIX.CC.UMICH.EDU (louis mcdonald) writes:
>I have a question about using distribution lists in
>UNIX mail (mail/sendmail).
>
>I have a list of about 20 people (addresses) in a file.
>
>I would like to send mail to all of them via this file.
>

Mail has a built-in command called 'alias' which will do this.  You set it
up by creating a '.mailrc' file in your home directory, and add a line
like the following:

alias users john mary susan roy

This will assign the user names the identifier 'users', so all you have
to do is 'mail users'.  The user names can be any valid mail path, including
bang paths or internet style addresses.  For more info, type 'man mail'.

-- 
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Ken Smelcer     Quintron Corporation - Quincy, Il.
UUCP:           {elroy,lll-winken,laidbak}!spl1!quintro!kts
 or             uunet!wucs1!wuibc!quintro!kts