Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!mp.cs.niu.edu!rickert From: rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert) Newsgroups: comp.mail.sendmail Subject: Re: Sendmail primer/tutorial request Keywords: sendmail, primer, tutorial, help Message-ID: <1991Mar22.045530.27712@mp.cs.niu.edu> Date: 22 Mar 91 04:55:30 GMT References: Organization: Northern Illinois University Lines: 43 In article flint@cutmcvax.cs.curtin.edu.au (Daniel Baldoni) writes: > >Recently, a couple of users have asked that people send them information >and/or general help regarding sendmail. I know exactly how they must have OK. Here are the basic sources of information on sendmail. (But I bet you don't like my answer). Stage 1: The way to get started is with the man pages. They don't tell you much about setting things up, but if you have a sendmail that "sort of" works, they tell you about the various options. Admittedly some of the options won't make sense at this stage. Stage 2: Read the Sendmail Operations manual. It may be a little heavy for bedtime reading, but there is a lot there. You won't understand it all either. But it will explain some of the basic parts of 'sendmail.cf' such as the definition of macros and classes. You will probably be able to make some simple configuration changes, although you may be a little nervous about what you are doing. Stage 3: Pick up a book on compilers, or on computer languages, or on SNOBOL. The basic rewrite rulesets in 'sendmail.cf' are somewhat reminiscent of the BNF language of productions used to define computer languages. Familiarity with the pattern matching of SNOBOL can give you a good feel for what is going on. Stage 4: The definitive document on sendmail is the source code. Armed with that, and the 'grep' command, you can usually work out what is happening. >Anybody willing to volunteer to maintain a monthly FAQ for this newsgroup? >Preferrably somebody who knows exactly what they're doing that is. I am not sure you can find a volunteer for an FAQ. The questions are pretty diverse, so an FAQ might not be all that useful. But a number of people watch this newsgroup, and try to step in with help where needed. If you stay tuned to the newsgroup you might learn a lot, even if you don't understand all that is discussed. And, best of all, this is not a very noisy group. -- =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Neil W. Rickert, Computer Science Northern Illinois Univ. DeKalb, IL 60115 +1-815-753-6940