sendmail.1   [plain text]


.TH SENDMAIL 1 
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.SH NAME
sendmail
\-
Postfix to Sendmail compatibility interface
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
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.nf
\fBsendmail\fR [\fIoption ...\fR] [\fIrecipient ...\fR]

\fBmailq\fR
\fBsendmail -bp\fR

\fBnewaliases\fR
\fBsendmail -I\fR
.SH DESCRIPTION
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The Postfix \fBsendmail\fR command implements the Postfix to Sendmail
compatibility interface.
For the sake of compatibility with existing applications, some
Sendmail command-line options are recognized but silently ignored.

By default, Postfix \fBsendmail\fR reads a message from standard input
until EOF or until it reads a line with only a \fB.\fR character,
and arranges for delivery.  Postfix \fBsendmail\fR relies on the
\fBpostdrop\fR(1) command to create a queue file in the \fBmaildrop\fR
directory.

Specific command aliases are provided for other common modes of
operation:
.IP \fBmailq\fR
List the mail queue. Each entry shows the queue file ID, message
size, arrival time, sender, and the recipients that still need to
be delivered.  If mail could not be delivered upon the last attempt,
the reason for failure is shown. This mode of operation is implemented
by executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.
.IP \fBnewaliases\fR
Initialize the alias database.  If no input file is specified (with
the \fB-oA\fR option, see below), the program processes the file(s)
specified with the \fBalias_database\fR configuration parameter.
If no alias database type is specified, the program uses the type
specified with the \fBdefault_database_type\fR configuration parameter.
This mode of operation is implemented by running the \fBpostalias\fR(1)
command.
.sp
Note: it may take a minute or so before an alias database update
becomes visible. Use the \fBpostfix reload\fR command to eliminate
this delay.
.PP
These and other features can be selected by specifying the
appropriate combination of command-line options. Some features are
controlled by parameters in the \fBmain.cf\fR configuration file.

The following options are recognized:
.IP "\fB-Am\fR (ignored)"
.IP "\fB-Ac\fR (ignored)"
Postfix sendmail uses the same configuration file regardless of
whether or not a message is an initial submission.
.IP "\fB-B \fIbody_type\fR"
The message body MIME type: \fB7BIT\fR or \fB8BITMIME\fR.
.IP \fB-bd\fR
Go into daemon mode. This mode of operation is implemented by
executing the \fBpostfix start\fR command.
.IP "\fB-bh\fR (ignored)"
.IP "\fB-bH\fR (ignored)"
Postfix has no persistent host status database.
.IP \fB-bi\fR
Initialize alias database. See the \fBnewaliases\fR
command above.
.IP \fB-bm\fR
Read mail from standard input and arrange for delivery.
This is the default mode of operation.
.IP \fB-bp\fR
List the mail queue. See the \fBmailq\fR command above.
.IP \fB-bs\fR
Stand-alone SMTP server mode. Read SMTP commands from
standard input, and write responses to standard output.
In stand-alone SMTP server mode, mail relaying and other
access controls are disabled by default. To enable them,
run the process as the \fBmail_owner\fR user.
.sp
This mode of operation is implemented by running the
\fBsmtpd\fR(8) daemon.
.IP \fB-bv\fR
Do not collect or deliver a message. Instead, send an email
report after verifying each recipient address.  This is useful
for testing address rewriting and routing configurations.
.sp
This feature is available in Postfix version 2.1 and later.
.IP "\fB-C \fIconfig_file\fR (ignored)"
The path name of the \fBsendmail.cf\fR file. Postfix configuration
files are kept in the \fB/etc/postfix\fR directory.
.IP "\fB-F \fIfull_name\fR
Set the sender full name. This is used only with messages that
have no \fBFrom:\fR message header.
.IP "\fB-f \fIsender\fR"
Set the envelope sender address. This is the address where
delivery problems are sent to, unless the message contains an
\fBErrors-To:\fR message header.
.IP "\fB-G\fR (ignored)"
Gateway (relay) submission, as opposed to initial user submission.
.IP "\fB-h \fIhop_count\fR (ignored)"
Hop count limit. Use the \fBhopcount_limit\fR configuration
parameter instead.
.IP \fB-I\fR
Initialize alias database. See the \fBnewaliases\fR
command above.
.IP "\fB-i\fR"
When reading a message from standard input, don\'t treat a line
with only a \fB.\fR character as the end of input.
.IP "\fB-L \fIlabel\fR (ignored)"
The logging label. Use the \fBsyslog_name\fR configuration
parameter instead.
.IP "\fB-m\fR (ignored)"
Backwards compatibility.
.IP "\fB-N \fIdsn\fR (ignored)"
Delivery status notification control. Currently, Postfix does
not implement \fBDSN\fR.
.IP "\fB-n\fR (ignored)"
Backwards compatibility.
.IP "\fB-oA\fIalias_database\fR"
Non-default alias database. Specify \fIpathname\fR or
\fItype\fR:\fIpathname\fR. See \fBpostalias\fR(1) for
details.
.IP "\fB-o7\fR (ignored)"
.IP "\fB-o8\fR (ignored)"
To send 8-bit or binary content, use an appropriate MIME encapsulation
and specify the appropriate \fB-B\fR command-line option.
.IP "\fB-oi\fR"
When reading a message from standard input, don\'t treat a line
with only a \fB.\fR character as the end of input.
.IP "\fB-om\fR (ignored)"
The sender is never eliminated from alias etc. expansions.
.IP "\fB-o \fIx value\fR (ignored)"
Set option \fIx\fR to \fIvalue\fR. Use the equivalent
configuration parameter in \fBmain.cf\fR instead.
.IP "\fB-r \fIsender\fR"
Set the envelope sender address. This is the address where
delivery problems are sent to, unless the message contains an
\fBErrors-To:\fR message header.
.IP "\fB-R \fIreturn_limit\fR (ignored)"
Limit the size of bounced mail. Use the \fBbounce_size_limit\fR
configuration parameter instead.
.IP \fB-q\fR
Attempt to deliver all queued mail. This is implemented by
executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.

Warning: flushing undeliverable mail frequently will result in
poor delivery performance of all other mail.
.IP "\fB-q\fIinterval\fR (ignored)"
The interval between queue runs. Use the \fBqueue_run_delay\fR
configuration parameter instead.
.IP \fB-qR\fIsite\fR
Schedule immediate delivery of all mail that is queued for the named
\fIsite\fR. This option accepts only \fIsite\fR names that are
eligible for the "fast flush" service, and is implemented by
executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.
See \fBflush\fR(8) for more information about the "fast flush"
service.
.IP \fB-qS\fIsite\fR
This command is not implemented. Use the slower \fBsendmail -q\fR
command instead.
.IP \fB-t\fR
Extract recipients from message headers. These are added to any
recipients specified on the command line.

With Postfix versions prior to 2.1, this option requires that
no recipient addresses are specified on the command line.
.IP "\fB-U\fR (ignored)"
Initial user submission.
.IP \fB-V\fR
Variable Envelope Return Path. Given an envelope sender address
of the form \fIowner-listname\fR@\fIorigin\fR, each recipient
\fIuser\fR@\fIdomain\fR receives mail with a personalized envelope
sender address.
.sp
By default, the personalized envelope sender address is
\fIowner-listname\fB+\fIuser\fB=\fIdomain\fR@\fIorigin\fR. The default
\fB+\fR and \fB=\fR characters are configurable with the
\fBdefault_verp_delimiters\fR configuration parameter.
.sp
This feature is available in Postfix version 1.1 and later.
.IP \fB-V\fIxy\fR
As \fB-V\fR, but uses \fIx\fR and \fIy\fR as the VERP delimiter
characters, instead of the characters specified with the
\fBdefault_verp_delimiters\fR configuration parameter.
.IP \fB-v\fR
Send an email report of the first delivery attempt (Postfix
versions 2.1 and later). Mail delivery
always happens in the background. When multiple \fB-v\fR
options are given, enable verbose logging for debugging purposes.
.IP "\fB-X \fIlog_file\fR (ignored)"
Log mailer traffic. Use the \fBdebug_peer_list\fR and
\fBdebug_peer_level\fR configuration parameters instead.
.SH "SECURITY"
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By design, this program is not set-user (or group) id. However,
it must handle data from untrusted users or untrusted machines.
Thus, the usual precautions need to be taken against malicious
inputs.
.SH DIAGNOSTICS
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Problems are logged to \fBsyslogd\fR(8) and to the standard error
stream.
.SH "ENVIRONMENT"
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.IP \fBMAIL_CONFIG\fR
Directory with Postfix configuration files.
.IP \fBMAIL_VERBOSE\fR
Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes.
.IP \fBMAIL_DEBUG\fR
Enable debugging with an external command, as specified with the
\fBdebugger_command\fR configuration parameter.
.SH "CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS"
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The following \fBmain.cf\fR parameters are especially relevant to
this program.
The text below provides only a parameter summary. See
postconf(5) for more details including examples.
.SH "TROUBLE SHOOTING CONTROLS"
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The DEBUG_README file gives examples of how to trouble shoot a
Postfix system.
.IP "\fBdebugger_command (empty)\fR"
The external command to execute when a Postfix daemon program is
invoked with the -D option.
.IP "\fBdebug_peer_level (2)\fR"
The increment in verbose logging level when a remote client or
server matches a pattern in the debug_peer_list parameter.
.IP "\fBdebug_peer_list (empty)\fR"
Optional list of remote client or server hostname or network
address patterns that cause the verbose logging level to increase
by the amount specified in $debug_peer_level.
.SH "RESOURCE AND RATE CONTROLS"
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.IP "\fBbounce_size_limit (50000)\fR"
The maximal amount of original message text that is sent in a
non-delivery notification.
.IP "\fBfork_attempts (5)\fR"
The maximal number of attempts to fork() a child process.
.IP "\fBfork_delay (1s)\fR"
The delay between attempts to fork() a child process.
.IP "\fBhopcount_limit (50)\fR"
The maximal number of Received:  message headers that is allowed
in the primary message headers.
.IP "\fBqueue_run_delay (1000s)\fR"
The time between deferred queue scans by the queue manager.
.SH "FAST FLUSH CONTROLS"
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The ETRN_README file describes configuration and operation
details for the Postfix "fast flush" service.
.IP "\fBfast_flush_domains ($relay_domains)\fR"
Optional list of destinations that are eligible for per-destination
logfiles with mail that is queued to those destinations.
.SH "VERP CONTROLS"
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The VERP_README file describes configuration and operation
details of Postfix support for variable envelope return
path addresses.
.IP "\fBdefault_verp_delimiters (+=)\fR"
The two default VERP delimiter characters.
.IP "\fBverp_delimiter_filter (-=+)\fR"
The characters Postfix accepts as VERP delimiter characters on the
Postfix sendmail(1) command line and in SMTP commands.
.SH "MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS"
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.IP "\fBalias_database (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The alias databases for local(8) delivery that are updated with
"\fBnewaliases\fR" or with "\fBsendmail -bi\fR".
.IP "\fBcommand_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The location of all postfix administrative commands.
.IP "\fBconfig_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf
configuration files.
.IP "\fBdaemon_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The directory with Postfix support programs and daemon programs.
.IP "\fBdefault_database_type (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The default database type for use in newaliases(1), postalias(1)
and postmap(1) commands.
.IP "\fBdelay_warning_time (0h)\fR"
The time after which the sender receives the message headers of
mail that is still queued.
.IP "\fBmail_owner (postfix)\fR"
The UNIX system account that owns the Postfix queue and most Postfix
daemon processes.
.IP "\fBqueue_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
The location of the Postfix top-level queue directory.
.IP "\fBsyslog_facility (mail)\fR"
The syslog facility of Postfix logging.
.IP "\fBsyslog_name (postfix)\fR"
The mail system name that is prepended to the process name in syslog
records, so that "smtpd" becomes, for example, "postfix/smtpd".
.IP "\fBtrigger_timeout (10s)\fR"
The time limit for sending a trigger to a Postfix daemon (for
example, the pickup(8) or qmgr(8) daemon).
.SH "FILES"
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/var/spool/postfix, mail queue
/etc/postfix, configuration files
.SH "SEE ALSO"
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pickup(8), mail pickup daemon
qmgr(8), queue manager
smtpd(8), SMTP server
flush(8), fast flush service
postsuper(1), queue maintenance
postalias(1), create/update/query alias database
postdrop(1), mail posting utility
postfix(1), mail system control
postqueue(1), mail queue control
syslogd(8), system logging
.SH "README_FILES"
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.nf
Use "\fBpostconf readme_directory\fR" or
"\fBpostconf html_directory\fR" to locate this information.
DEBUG_README, Postfix debugging howto
ETRN_README, Postfix ETRN howto
VERP_README, Postfix VERP howto
.SH "LICENSE"
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The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.
.SH "AUTHOR(S)"
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Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA