POST(8)POST(8)NAMEpost - deliver a message
SYNOPSIS
/usr/lib/post [-alias aliasfile] [-filter filterfile] [-nofilter]
[-format | -noformat] [-mime | -nomime] [-msgid | -nomsgid] [-mes‐
sageid localname | random] [-verbose | -noverbose] [-watch |
-nowatch] [-width columns] [-mts smtp | sendmail/smtp | send‐
mail/pipe] [-server servername] [-port portname/number] [-sasl]
[-nosasl] [-saslmaxssf ssf] [-saslmech mechanism] [-user username]
[-tls] [-notls] file [-version] [-help]
DESCRIPTION
Post is the default program called by send to deliver the message in
file to local and remote users. In fact, most of the features attrib‐
uted to send in its manual page are performed by post, with send acting
as a relatively simple preprocessor. Thus, it is post which parses the
various header fields, appends a “Date:” line, and interacts with the
mail transport system. Post will not normally be called directly by
the user.
Post searches the “To:”, “cc:”, “Bcc:”, “Fcc:”, and “Resent-xxx:”
header lines of the specified message for destination addresses, checks
these addresses for validity, and formats them so as to conform to
ARPAnet Internet Message Format protocol, unless the -noformat flag is
set. This will normally cause “@local-site” to be appended to each
local destination address, as well as any local return addresses. The
-width columns switch can be used to indicate the preferred length of
the header components that contain addresses.
If a “Bcc:” field is encountered, its addresses will be used for deliv‐
ery, and the “Bcc:” field will be removed from the message sent to
sighted recipients. The blind recipients will receive an entirely new
message with a minimal set of headers. Included in the body of the
message will be a copy of the message sent to the sighted recipients.
If -filter filterfile is specified, then this copy is filtered (re-for‐
matted) by mhl prior to being sent to the blind recipients. Alter‐
nately, if the -mime switch is given, then post will use the MIME rules
for encapsulation.
The -alias aliasfile switch can be used to specify a file that post
should take aliases from. More than one file can be specified, each
being preceded with -alias. In any event, the primary alias file is
read first.
The -msgid switch indicates that a “Message-ID:” or “Resent-Mes‐
sage-ID:” field should be added to the header.
The -messageid switch selects the style used for the part appearing
after the @ in “Message-ID:”, “Resent-Message-ID:”, and “Content-ID:”
header fields. The two acceptable options are localname (which is the
default), and random. With localname, the local hostname is used.
With random, a random sequence of characters is used instead. Note
that the -msgid switch must be enabled for this switch to have any
effect.
The -verbose switch indicates that the user should be informed of each
step of the posting/filing process.
The -watch switch indicates that the user would like to watch the
transport system's handling of the message (e.g., local and “fast”
delivery).
Under normal circumstances, post uses the “From:” line in the message
draft as the identity of the the originating mailbox. A “From:” line
is required in all message draft. By default the message composition
utilities such as comp, repl and mhmail will automatically place a
“From:” line in the message draft. There are two ways to override this
behavior, however. Note that they apply equally to “Resent-From:”
lines in messages sent with dist.
The first way is to supply a “Sender:” line. The value of this field
will be used as the originating mailbox identity when submitting the
message to the mail transport system. If multiple addresses are given
in the “From:” line, a “Sender:” line is required. If an “Envelope-
From:” line is supplied when multiple addresses are given in the
“From:” line, a “Sender:” header will be generated using the value of
the “Envelope-From:” line, if the “Envelope-From:” line is not blank.
The second way is to supply a “Envelope-From:” line. The value of this
field will be used as the originating mailbox identity when submitting
the message to the mail transport system. This will override both the
value of the “From:” line and a “Sender:” line (if one is supplied).
The “Envelope-From:” line is allowed to have a blank value; if the
value is blank, then the mail transport system will be instructed to
not send any bounces in response to the message. Not all mail trans‐
port systems support this feature.
The mail transport system default is provided in /etc/nmh/mts.conf but
can be overriiden here with the -mts switch.
If nmh is using the SMTP MTA, the -server and the -port switches can be
used to override the default mail server (defined by the servers entry
in /etc/nmh/mts.conf ).
If nmh has been compiled with SASL support, the -sasl and -nosasl
switches will enable and disable the use of SASL authentication with
the SMTP MTA. Depending on the SASL mechanism used, this may require
an additional password prompt from the user (but the “.netrc” file can
be used to store this password). -saslmech switch can be used to
select a particular SASL mechanism, and the the -user switch can be
used to select a authorization userid to provide to SASL other than the
default.
If SASL authentication is successful, nmh will attempt to negotiate a
security layer for session encryption. Encrypted data is labelled with
`(sasl-encrypted)' and `(sasl-decrypted)' when viewing the SMTP trans‐
action with the -snoop switch. The -saslmaxssf switch can be used to
select the maximum value of the Security Strength Factor. This is an
integer value and the exact meaning of this value depends on the under‐
lying SASL mechanism. A value of 0 disables encryption.
If nmh has been compiled with TLS support, the -tls and -notls switches
will require and disable the negotiation of TLS support when connecting
to the SMTP MTA. Encrypted data is labelled with `(tls-encrypted)' and
`(tls-decrypted)' when viewing the SMTP transction with the -snoop
switch.
FILES
/etc/nmh/mts.conf nmh mts configuration file
/etc/nmh/MailAliases global nmh alias file
/usr/bin/refile Program to process Fcc:s
/usr/lib/mhl Program to process Bcc:s
PROFILE COMPONENTSpost does NOT consult the user's .mh_profile
SEE ALSOmhmail(1), send(1), mh-mail(5), mh-alias(5), mh-tailor(5)
Standard for the Format of ARPA Internet Text Messages (RFC-822)
DEFAULTS
`-alias' defaults to /etc/nmh/MailAliases
`-format'
`-nomime'
`-nomsgid'
`-messageid localname'
`-noverbose'
`-nowatch'
`-width 72'
`-nofilter'
CONTEXT
None
BUGS
“Reply-To:” fields are allowed to have groups in them according to the
822 specification, but post won't let you use them.
nmh-1.5-2 July 21, 2012 POST(8)
