diagnosing smail (2)

[kotsya@u.washington.edu (David Stern)]

Hi,

This is a slightly shorter version of some questions I asked earlier 
regarding smail configuration.  I've read all the smail docs available 
and there is no definitive smail resource, so I'd really appreciate it 
if someone would *PLease* take a few moments to reply.

1.) How can I find out what ident_sender, as well as all other 
variables, are assigneded as?  (I need to know so I can test what is 
happening; e.g.: when I set visible_name to u.washington.edu, and 
restart smail and inetd or reboot, there is no change, but I don't know 
why. I've tried echoing and mailing the variables, but I must be doing 
it wrong.)

2.) Why does "from_field" require it begin "From:" (as shown in the man 
page below) and does "from_field" rewrite the "From:" line, or the 
"Sender:" line and how does it decide? (It seems ambiguous.)

8<------------------- man smailconf(5) --------------------->8

  from_field
    type: string
    
    This string will be expanded to form From: or Sender:
    fields. The expanded string must begin with "From:", 
    which may be replaced by other strings to form an   
    actual header field. The default value is:

      From: $sender${if def:sender_name: ($sender_name)}

8<---------------------------------------------------------->8

3.) What is the difference between the roles of Sender:, Return-path:, 
and From: lines and are each required according to RFC's?  (It was my 
understanding that there was some contention as to whether the Sender: 
line was required, but that it was desirable because it acts as an 
"envelope", which is a good thing for some MTA's and MUA's.  I'm not 
clear about the roles of Return-path:, From:, and Sender: or which are 
required.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-- 
David Stern                          
------------------------------------------------------------------
                             http://weber.u.washington.edu/~kotsya
                                           kotsya@u.washington.edu




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