mailresponder

Stuart Rackham, srackham@methods.co.nz

1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

mailresponder allows users to set up auto-replies and mail forwarding
via an easy to use graphical user interface, it relives the systems
administrator from having to manage the task manually.

mailresponder comprises a client-side GUI application for configuring
server-side email auto-repling and message forwarding on a Linux mail
/ file server.

The current mailresponder package includes GNU/Linux server-side
scripts and a Windows 95/98/NT/2000 client application.

The operational environment will consist of a GNU/Linux mail / file
server connected via a local area network to multiple client PCs (this
is the typical Linux office server environment).

The mailresponder client program stores auto-replying and message
forwarding parameters in the user's home directory on the Linux
server. The actual auto-replying and message forwarding is carried out
by procmail (using mailresponder procmail scripts).

1.2 Requirements

mailresponder was designed to work in a typical small office
environment consisting client PCs serviced by a GNU/Linux server on a
local area network.

The Linux server will:
- Run the sendmail mail server delivering mail to local user accounts.
- Use procmail as the local delivery agent (most Linux distributions
  ship with sendmail pre-configured to use procmail use procmail as
  the local delivery agent).
- Be running the Samba file server with PC users having read/write
  access to their home directory on the server.

1.3 Obtaining mailresponder

mailresponder is available in source and binary tarball distributions
and can be downloaded from http://www.methods.co.nz/mailresponder

winmailresponder-src-<version>.tar.gz
Windows 9X/NT/2000 source code distribution (Delphi 4 source code +
SGML documentation source).

winmailresponder-bin-<version>.tar.gz
Windows 9X/NT/2000 binary distribution (Executables + HTML
documentation).

Both the source and binary distributions include the server-side
GNU/Linux server-side scripts.

1.4 Vocabulary

Auto-replying:
When an incoming mail message is recieved a standard reply is
immediately and automatically sent back to the sender. You can
optionally respond to all messages or just once to each sender.

Mail forwarding:
When mail forwarding is enabled incoming mail messages are
automatically forwarded to email addresses in the 'Forward-to' address
list. Copies of forwarded mail can be optionally retained.

1.5 Release History

Releases are listed in reverse chronological order.

Version 0.5.0.7 (27-Sep-2001)
----------------------------
Plugged mail loop in forwarding procmail(1) recipe in .procmailrc
file.

Version 0.5.0.6 (4-Oct-2000)
----------------------------
Initial release, Windows client written in Delphi 4.

2. Installation

mailresponder is installed to a shared user accessible directory on
the Linux server that is accessible to all client PCs.

2.1 Prerequisites

See the 'Requirements' section above.

2.2 Files

mailresponder adds the following files to your system:

These files are installed to the mailresponder (shared) program
directory:
MailResponder.exe  - Windows executable.
mailresponder.ini  - Shared admin INI (DOS format),
procmailrc         - Installed automatically to ~/.procmailrc (UNIX format).

These files, in each users server home directory, are maintained by
the mailresponder client:
.autoreply.lock    - Transient procmail lock file.
.procmailrc        - procmail auto-reply and forward recipes (UNIX format).
mailresponder.txt  - Auto-reply message body (DOS or UNIX format).
mailresponder.db   - Auto-reply 'once' address cache.
mailresponder.log  - procmail log, enabled in .procmailrc (UNIX format).
mailresponder.rc   - procmail rcfile for inclusion in .procmailrc (UNIX format).

NOTE:
'DOS format' refers to text files delimited with crlf character pairs.
'UNIX format' refers to text files delimited with single lf characters.

2.3 Installing mailresponder

Installation is simple, just copy the client binary distribution files
to a shared location on the server then manually edit a couple of
parameters in the mailresponder.ini configuration file. Here's how:

- First, you'll probably need to logon as root.

- Unpack the client binary tarball to a temporary locatation, for
  example:

  # mv winmailresponder-bin-5.0.6.tar.gz /tmp
  # cd /tmp
  # tar xzf winmailresponder-bin-5.0.6.tar.gz

- Create a user readable mailresponder directory on the server, for
  example:

  # mkdir ~smbguest/public/mailresponder

- Copy the unpacked mailresponder files to the shared directory, for
  example:

  # mv /tmp/winmailresponder-bin-5.0.6/* ~smbguest/public/mailresponder

- Now edit the mailresponder.ini configuration file and modify the
  HomeDir and MailDomain parameters in the [Main] section to match
  your system. For example:

  # vi ~smbguest/public/mailresponder/mailresponder.ini

  If your editor doesn't (remember to save in DOS format).

- Delete any existing .procmailrc files from the server home
  directories of users who will be using MailResponder.

- Unless you want the users to be able to modify their server home
  directory from MailResponder it is recommended it be set read-only.

- Lastly, put shortcuts to mailresponder.exe on the users Desktop or
  Start Menu.

NOTE:
If some users do not map their home directory to the same HomeDir set
in the [Main] section, you will need to place the differing HomeDir
parameter in a section named with the users logon name. This can be
done by editing mailresponder.ini manually or, if the user has write
access to mailresponder.ini, using the client Tools|Options menu
command.

That's all. The procmail scripts and configuration files are installed
to the users home directory automatically by the mailresponder client.

TODO: An install script to do all of the above (Makefile target).

2.4 Notes

- mailresponder automatically installs all neccessary files in users
  server home directory when and as they're needed.
- mailresponder won't overwrite an existing .procmailrc file in the
  users home directory. This prevents existing .procmailrc files being
  overwritten and allows customisation of the default mailresponder
  .procmailrc file.
- The mailresponder Windows client makes no run-time assumptions
  (apart from requiring Window 9X,NT or 2000).
- The mailresponder Windows client does not use or make any changes to
  the Windows registry.
- The mailresponder Windows client does not need to be installed on
  client PCs, in fact it's nuch better from an administration
  viewpoint if a single shared server executable is installed.
- MailResponder consists of a single executable (no system DLLs), an
  INI file and a procmail RC file.

2.5 Uninstalling mailresponder

To uninstall:
- Delete the shared mailresponder executables directory and its
  contents.
- Delete .procmailrc and mailresponder.* from user home directories.
- Delete any client PC Desktop shortcuts to the mailreponder client
  application.

TODO: An install script to do all of the above (Makefile target).

2.6 Recompiling the mailresponder client

The source distribution contains all the Delphi 4 source code
necessary to recompile winmailresponder. Unless you need to modify
winmailresponder you probably won't want to do this and will just use
the pre-compiled binary distribution.

2.7 BUGS

Bugs almost certainly exist. If you find a bug or have any suggestions
please email them to Stuart Rackham <srackham@methods.co.nz>.

3. Using the mailresponder Windows Client

The primary user interface is a single application window.
- See the 'Vocabulary' section above.
- If you're unsure of the function of Window contols hover the mouse
  cursor over them and read the pop-up help text.

3.1 Commands

Apply Settings:
Saves the current settings (to the users home directory on the server)
and, if necessary, activates auto-replies and mail-forwarding.

3.2 Options

The Options dialog window is opened by executing the
'Tools|Options...' menu command. There are two option parameters:

EMail address:
Set this to your email address.

Home folder:
This should be the name of your home folder on the server (this is
where your mailresponder settings are stored). If the Home folder is
incorrect then saving your mailresponder settings will have no effect.
This option may have been disabled as a security precaution, in which
case you need to talk to the systems administator.