[comp.mail.sendmail] problems with DL errors

andy@acorn.co.uk (Andy Ingle) (06/07/90)

I am having problems setting up some internal distribution lists using
sendmail's :include: feature.  On a LAN with many Acorn RISC iX
workstations and one SUN 4/390 "mailhost" server I forward all
workstation mail to the mailhost for aliasing.  The problem occurs if
an :include: file contains a bad name - mail posted on the mailhost
gets delivered to all the good recipients ok but the same mail posted
on a workstation results in only an error message to the sender.

It appears that when the workstation gets a "User unknown" message in
response to an SMTP RCPT TO: command it gives up. If I pretend to be
sendmail by running "telnet mailhost 25" and continue anyway with a
DATA command then the message gets delivered.

Could I have overlooked some sendmail.cf problem on either the
workstation or the mailhost? Has anyone come across this before?

The distribute program solves this but creates the further problem of
multiple delivery when two (or more) lists are addressed and some users
are on both lists. Users find this unacceptable.

--Andy Ingle