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fastmail - quick batch mail interface to a single address |
fastmail [-b bcc-list] [-c cc-list] [-C comments] [-d] [-f fromname] [-i msg-id] [-r replyto] [-R references] [-s subject] filename|- address-list |
Fastmail is a low-level interface to the mail system that allows batch processing of mail. It’s intended for mailing to very large groups of people in a staggered fashion. The starting options are; |
-b bcc-list |
This allows a list of people to receive blind-carbon copies, or BCCs, of the message. This list should be full email addresses. |
-c cc-list |
This allows a list of people to receive carbon copies, or CCs, of the message. This list should be full email addresses. |
-C comments |
This allows a Comments: line to be added to the RFC822 header with any text you desire. |
-d |
Debug. This is helpful for strange, unfriendly errors from the program (etc). |
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-f from |
This overrides the users name in the From: line, so that if the user was x@y, and their name was MrX then the default From: line would be "From: x@y (MrX)". Using "-f Joe" when invoking this, though, would change it to "From: x@y (Joe)" |
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-i msg-id |
This allows a message-id to which this message refers. |
-r replyto |
Occasionally, you might send mail but want the replies to go to a different address (very common with mailing lists). There is a header for this purpose called "Reply-To:" which can be utilized by using this starting option. For example, we could send mail with a reply-to to list-request by using "-r list-request". The header generated would then be of the form "Reply-To: list-request". |
-R references |
This allows descriptive/reference text for this message. |
-s subject |
The subject of the message is specified by using this starting option. |
Either the name of the file containing the message, or a - to indicate usage of standard-in is required. |
Let’s say we’re user "big" on machine "big-vax" and we have a shell script called ’batch-mail’ that contains the following lines: # # Batch Mail - batch mailing of a file to a LOT of users # # Usage: batch-mail "from" "subject" filename sender_copy = $LOGIN replyto = "The-Mr-Big-list" fastmail -b $sender_copy -r $replyto -f "$1" -s "$2" $3 person1 sleep 10 fastmail -r $replyto -f "$1" -s "$2" $3 person2 sleep 10 fastmail -r $replyto -f "$1" -s "$2" $3 person3 sleep 10 fastmail -r $replyto -f "$1" -s "$2" $3 person4 < etc > with the invocation: batch-mail "Mr. Big" "Warning to all" warning.text would mail a copy of the ’warning.text’ file to person1, person2, person3, etc. "$LOGIN" will also receive a copy of the first message in the mail, silently. Each resultant message will include the headers: From: big-vax!big (Mr. Big) Subject: Warning to all Reply-To: The-Mr-Big-list This program should turn out to be considerably faster than the alternative methods of accomplishing this task. |
/usr/lib/sendmail sendmail transport if available |
Elm Development Group |
sendmail(1), rmail(1), elm(1L) |
Bill Pemberton flash@virginia.edu |
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