Re: [GENERAL] Getting input from email...

On Mon, 26 Oct 1998, Herouth Maoz wrote:
> At 18:09 +0200 on 26/10/98, Dan Delaney wrote:
> > I'd like to set up a DB using postgreSQL to archive a
> > mailing list. How would I go about getting all of the mail
> > sent to the list to be automatically entered into the
> > database when it is sent? I assume I would need to set up an
> > email address for the list to send to, something like
> > "archive(at)blahblah(dot)org", but what would I need to do to get
> > it into the database? Something in sendmail? Use procmail?
> > Any ideas?
> Procmail is supposed to be the ultimate solution in this case. Never tried
> it myself. However, if you are working with the common unix and sendmail,
> you have the possibility of creating a ".forward" file in the "archive"
> user's home directory, in which there is one line which reads "|command".

Procmail can do this one, but it's sort of like using a shuttle for a
signal flare. Sendmail (or qmail, and probably any other Unix mail
server) will handle the "|command" syntax just fine. The options are:

1) A user who recieves just that mail, with "|add-to-db" in the
.forwrd file. add-to-db will get the message on standard in, and
should add it to the database.

2) The shuttle signal flare solution. Set it up for your account, and
use the following rule:

:0 c
* To:.*my-mail-list@
| add-to-db

which sort out mail to the list sent to you and put that in the db, as
well as delivering a copy through the rest of your .procmail.

3) Changing the mail list entry in /etc/aliases (or /etc/mail/aliase)
to include the "|add-to-db" command.

4) Add the "|add-to-db" entry to the list proper. This might have
security repercussions, though.

I like #3 myself. It ties the list to the archive at the delivery
agent, with no intermediearies.

>From the list archives - and my own activites - it seems that it's
email database time. Anyone else want to talk about them specifically?

<mike