path: root/doc/texinfo/programs/comsatd.texi

@c This is part of the GNU Mailutils manual.
@c Copyright (C) 1999-2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file mailutils.texi for copying conditions.
@comment *******************************************************************
@pindex comsatd

Comsatd is the server which receives reports of incoming mail and
notifies users about it.  By default, it prints subject, sender
name and email, followed by first five lines of each newly arrived message
to the tty of the recipient user.  Users can customize this behavior.

@menu
* Starting comsatd::       Invocation.
* Configuring comsatd::    Configuration of @command{comsatd}.
* dot.biffrc::             A per-user configuration file.
@end menu

@node Starting comsatd
@subsection Starting @command{comsatd}

@table @option
@item -d
@itemx --daemon
Run as a standalone daemon.

@item -i
@itemx --inetd
The server is started from @file{/etc/inetd.conf} file:

@example
comsat dgram  udp wait  root  /usr/sbin/comsatd \
comsatd -c /etc/comsat.conf
@end example

This is the default operation mode.

@item -t[@var{file}]
@itemx --test[=@var{file}]
Test mode.  In this mode, @command{comsatd} takes two arguments:
@acronym{URL} of a mailbox and @acronym{QID} of the message from that
mailbox and prints the notification to the current user tty
(@file{/dev/tty}), or @var{file}, if it is supplied.  If the
@file{~/.biffrc} file exists, it will be used.  For example:

@example
$ comsatd --test /var/mail/root 34589
@end example

Notice, that @var{file} is an optional argument.  When supplied, it
should follow the short option form immediately, or the long option
form after the equals sign, e.g.:

@example
$ comsatd --test=logfile /var/mail/root 34589
@end example

@noindent
or

@example
$ comsatd -tlogfile /var/mail/root 34589
@end example

@item --foreground
Don't detach from the controlling terminal, remain in foreground.
@end table

See also @ref{Common Options}.

@node Configuring comsatd
@subsection Configuring @command{comsatd}

Following configuration statements affect the behavior of
@command{comsatd}:

@multitable @columnfractions 0.3 0.6
@headitem Statement @tab Reference
@item debug   @tab @xref{debug statement}.
@item logging @tab @xref{logging statement}.
@item mailbox @tab @xref{mailbox statement}.
@item locking @tab @xref{locking statement}.
@item acl     @tab @xref{acl statement}.
@end multitable

@menu
* General Settings::
* Security Settings::
@end menu

@node General Settings
@subsubsection General Settings

These statements control the general behavior of the comsat daemon:

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} max-lines @var{number}
Set maximum number of message body lines to be output.
@end deffn

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} allow-biffrc @var{bool}
Enable or disable processing of user's @file{.biffrc} file.  By default,
it is enabled.
@end deffn

@node Security Settings
@subsubsection Security Settings

These statements control the way @command{comsatd} fights possible
flooding attacks.

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} max-requests @var{number}
Set maximum number of incoming requests per
@samp{request-control-interval}.
@end deffn

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} request-control-interval @var{duration}
Set the request control interval.
@end deffn

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} overflow-delay-time @var{duration}
Set initial amount of time to sleep, after the first overflow occurs.
@end deffn

@deffn {Comsatd Conf} overflow-control-interval @var{duration}
Set overflow control interval.  If two consecutive overflows happen
within that interval, the overflow-delay-time is doubled.
@end deffn

@node dot.biffrc
@subsection A per-user Configuration File

By default, when a notification arrives, @command{comsatd} prints subject,
from headers and the first five lines from the new message to the user's
tty.  The user is allowed to change this behavior by using his own
configuration file.  This file should be located in the user's home
directory and should be named @file{.biffrc}.  It must be owned by the
user and have its permissions bits set to 0600. (@emph{Please note},
that the use of per-user configuration files may be disabled, by
specifying @samp{allow-biffrc no} in the main configuration file, see
@pxref{Configuring comsatd}).

The @file{.biffrc} file consists of a series of statements.  Each
statement occupies one line and defines an action to be taken upon
arrival of a new mail.  Very long lines may be split using @samp{\} as
the last character on the line.  As usual, comments may be introduced with
@samp{#} character.

The actions specified in @file{.biffrc} file are executed in turn.
The following actions are defined:

@table @asis
@item beep
Produce an audible signal.
@item echo [-n] @var{string} [@var{string}...]
Output the arguments to the user's terminal device.  If several
arguments are given they will be output separated by single
spaces.  The newline character will be printed at the end of the
output, unless the @option{-n} option is used.
@item exec @var{prog} @var{arglist}
Execute program @var{prog} with arguments from @var{arglist}.  @var{prog}
must be specified with absolute pathname.  It may not be a setuid or
setgid program.
@end table

In the description above, @var{string} denotes any sequence of
characters.  This sequence must be enclosed in a pair of double-quotes,
if it contains whitespace characters.  The @samp{\} character inside a
string starts a C escape sequence.  Following meta-characters may be
used in strings:

@table @asis
@item $u
Expands to username
@item $h
Expands to hostname
@item $H@{name@}
Expands to value of message header @samp{name}.
@item $B(@var{c},@var{l})
Expands to message body.  @var{c} and @var{l} give maximum number of
characters and lines in the expansion.  When omitted, they default to 400, 5.
@end table

@subsubheading Example I

Dump to the user's terminal the contents of @samp{From} and
@samp{Subject} headers followed by at most 5 lines of message body.
@example
@group
echo "Mail to \a$u@@$h\a\n---\n\
From: $H@{from@}\n\
Subject: $H@{Subject@}\n\
---\n\
$B(,5)\
---\n"
@end group
@end example

@noindent
The above example can also be written as:
@example
@group
echo Mail to \a$u@@$h\a
echo ---
echo From: $H@{From@}
echo Subject: $H@{Subject@}
echo ---
echo $B(,5)
echo ---
@end group
@end example

@subsubheading Example II

Produce a bell, then pop up the xmessage window on display :0.0 with
the text formatted in the same manner as in the previous example.

@example
@group
beep
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xmessage \
-display :0.0 -timeout 10 "Mail to $u@@$h \n---\n\
From: $H@{from@}\n\
Subject: $H@{Subject@}\n\
---\n\
$B(,5)\
---\n"
@end group
@end example