Path: utzoo!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!crdgw1!barnett From: barnett@grymoire.crd.ge.com (Bruce Barnett) Newsgroups: alt.sources Subject: Ease 3.0 - A High Level Language for sendmail.cf files Message-ID: Date: 23 Feb 91 07:09:46 GMT Sender: news@crdgw1.crd.ge.com Reply-To: barnett@crdgw1.ge.com Distribution: alt Organization: GE Corp. R & D, Schenectady, NY Lines: 50 This is the first official release of Ease 3.0, the high level language for sendmail. This version is radically different from the earlier version. You can convert a SunOS, Ultrix, HP/UX, or IDA sendmail.cf file into the Ease language, *without* editing the file. The Ease language can be converted back into the *identical* sendmail file. I make this claim because I compared the input and the output, and except for some cosmetic differences, the translation is perfect. I also include the script I used so you can perform the same test. In the (I hope) rare case that the conversion isn't perfect, I have included an escape hatch - the asm(".......") function, which can be used to insert a raw sendmail.cf line into the output file. Why use ease? - Well, instead of R$*<@$%y.LOCAL>$* $#ether$@$2$:$1<@$2>$3 you get: if ( zero_or_more <@ any_in_etc_hosts."LOCAL"> zero_or_more ) resolve (mailer (ether), host ($2 ), user ($1<@$2>$3)); If that's not enough, I have included a package I use to perform exhaustive testing of sendmail rules before I install a new version. I also included some tips on debugging sendmail files. So you see, there is no longer a reason to complain about the awful syntax of sendmail anymore.... :-) Some History: I did not write the original version of Ease or Cfc. However I made extensive modifications a year ago, and sent the changes to the authors. My changes were never posted, but I did distribute my patches to a dozen people. I now have permission from the authors to distribute this new version to the network. So I fixed some more bugs, added support for HP/UX, and improved the support for the IDA sendmail rules. I must have fixed 150 bugs, and it wasn't even my code. I hope you forgive me if you find an ugly bug with the code. Or if the Makefile gives you fits. Nevertheless, I feel my effort will be of use. -- Bruce G. Barnett barnett@crd.ge.com uunet!crdgw1!barnett Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com