- The vacation setting
- The reply setting
- The Echo setting
- Auto-reply forms
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This chapter discusses the auto reply utility. It
covers:
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The auto-reply handler |
The auto-reply handler is pretty much what it sounds like: It's a way to automatically send messages back to anybody who sends a message to an account which has the auto-reply feature activated.
You can use it in order to:
Information about the auto-reply handler that you may not need for the technically curious.
You'll notice that the auto-reply feature is categorized in its own automatic reply information section of the account form. As you may recall if you've read those parts of the manual that discuss such things, incoming messages are routed from the message channel (which is how they enter your mail system) to the account handler. The account handler then consults the account database, and can either forward a message back to a message channel (to deliver to another address at another host) or to the local delivery channel (for delivery to a user).
Similarly, the account handler can forward a message to the auto-reply handler module. Because messages are forwarded to the account handler in much the same way as they are forwarded to the message and delivery channels, the account handler configuration fields (see illustration below) are considered to be a specialized form of delivery. Thus the special automatic reply category (figure 7.0a).
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [no]
Reply-Mode: [vacation]
Reply-Message: []
[]
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Figure 7.0a: The automatic reply information section of the account form.
The auto-reply module processes incoming messages somewhat differently depending on the setting (see below for details). In all three cases, however, it extracts the address to which it will reply from the envelope of the message (the return-path). In the vacation and reply settings, the body of the incoming message will be discarded, while with the echo setting the original incoming message will be included (as a MIME attachment) with the outgoing reply message which is generated and sent to the extracted address.
The three auto-reply modes act along the following algorithm (figure 7.0b):
| Mode | Include Original Message? | One Reply Only? |
|---|---|---|
| Vacation | no | yes |
| Reply | no | no |
| Echo | yes | no |
Figure 7.0b: How the auto-reply handler determines what to do based on which setting of the utility is selected.
The auto-reply feature includes extensive precautions to avoid generating reply-messages to mailing-lists (which would be a mail loop, and very unpleasant for the list subscribers). Any address which includes the following signs of a mailing list will not be replied to:
Note: In E-mail forms you can use MIME attachments to specify the text you wish to include in the auto-reply message (note: only text MIME attachments will be accepted by post.office. Non-text mime attachments will generate an error message). In the outgoing message, the text will be included in the body of the message rather than appended as a MIME attachment
Note: When requesting an account or information E-mail form for a mail account which has a reply message which is over 10 lines, or contains a line over 77 characters in width, the reply message will be returned as a MIME attachment with the form by post.office. If you need to edit the attachment open it and make your changes, then re-include it in the form as attachment per instructions in chapter 4. This is not an issue if you are using the web forms.
When the auto-reply handler is set on "vacation," it will generate a single response to any person who sends E-mail to that account. The handler keeps track of who it sends responses to, so that multiple messages from the same origin will receive but one response.
The point of the vacation feature is to let people know in a non-intrusive way that you are on vacation, out of town on business, ill, etc. ... . Anybody who sends you messages while the vacation feature is activated will receive one notice. Any subsequent messages they send will not be responded to, as it is hoped at that point that they already know you are out of town and do not expect to be able to contact you until you return.
The vacation feature is set up so that any user with a post.office account can activate and de-activate it themselves using the information form. Instructions on how to fill out the information form to use the vacation feature are discussed in section 5.1.7 as well as in the user manual (provided in an appendix).
Warning!
The postmaster should generally not replace a users current delivery with vacation when they set up the auto-reply handler for an account, or they will find when the user returns from vacation that all their E-Mail was thrown away. Rather, vacation should generally be used in addition to their normal delivery method, so their mail is held for retrieval by them upon their return. Users are prevented from making this mistake since the Information form will not be accepted with a delivery of Vacation only.
The vacation message will go to anybody who sends you mail while this feature is activated. So it is a good idea to have it be a concise, all-purpose message.
Generally you want to tell people that you are not reading your mail, and when you are going to be back.
To set the vacation feature you must:
The figure (7.1a) below illustrates how the vacation feature can be filled out using the account form (E-mail). Only part of the form is shown.
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [yes]
Reply-Mode: [vacation]
Reply-Message: [Hey Folks!]
[I'm on Vacation from now until June 23rd]
[I've asked my computer to let anybody who E-mails me know that I will]
[not be able to read my mail until I get back. If you absolutely need]
[to get in touch with me, You can find me on the John Muir trail for the]
[next month. Or you can E-mail Sales@Software.com and somebody will help]
[you. See you when I get back!]
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Figure 7.1a: You must specify all three of the above fields in order to use the vacation feature of the auto-reply utility. Don't change your normal delivery though, or your mail won't be there for you when you get back.
The reply feature generates a message to anybody who sends a message to the account for which it is activated.
The reply feature can be set only by the postmaster, and is useful for special accounts that are set up for the purpose of disseminating information of one kind or another. This feature is used to set up something analogous to an FTP site on the Internet, which is a place where people can log on and get files. The advantage of the reply feature is that it makes information accessible via E-mail, so that it is accessible to folks who have access to E-mail but can't FTP.
The reply message must be text, and can be inserted directly onto the form or as a text attachment when using the E-mail form.
If you want the reply message to be a short text message, the easiest thing to do is to insert it directly in the field provided on the account form in the "Reply-Message" field. If the reply message consists of a larger text message and you are using the E-mail forms interface, your best bet is to enclose the file as a MIME attachment; if you are using the Web, simply paste it in.
To set up the reply feature you must:
The figure below illustrates how the reply feature can be filled out using the account form. Only part of the form is shown.
Internet-Addresses: [FAQ@Software.com]
.
.
.
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [yes]
Reply-Mode: [reply]
Reply-Message: [Attachment 1]
[Attachment 2]
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Figure 7.2a: You must specify all three fields in order to use the reply feature in order to activate the feature, select the mode you want to use, and finally include the reply message.
The echo feature is like the reply feature in that it generates a message to anybody who sends a message to the account. In addition, it returns the mail which was sent to it (as a MIME attachment), so that the sender who triggered the feature gets back the original message he or she sent as well as the message which you entered.
One use of this feature might be prior to completely deleting an account in order to notify people that the account which they have contacted is no longer a valid account. For example, it can be used to advise people that the person they tried to contact is no longer available by E-mail and that no E-mail address is available for that person (otherwise you could simply forward all mail for that person to their new address using an SMTP channel alias).
The echo feature is intended, like the vacation feature, to inform people about the status of the account they have contacted.
Since the echo feature is often used to advise people that the account they have contacted is no longer an active account, you want to be as informative as possible. You may want to include another address where people can write for more information.
To set up the echo feature you must:
The figure below (7.3a) illustrates how the echo feature can be filled out using the account form. Only part of the form is shown.
Internet-Address: [Jane.Doe@Software.com]
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [yes]
Reply-Mode: [Echo]
Reply-Message: []
[You have received this message because you tried to contact:]
[]
[ Jane Doe <Jane.Doe@Software.com>]
[]
[Jane can no longer be reached at this address. She request that you]
[contact her at her new address:]
[]
[ Jane Doe <JD@Whitehouse.gov>]
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Figure 7.3a: An example of how to use the Echo feature.
Note: another option, if someone moves from your system to a new address, is simply to set up a channel alias for them to forward their mail to their new address (refer to Chapter 5).
Three forms are used to configure the auto-reply handler:
The information form is used by users to set up the vacation feature for their account.
The Information form includes two fields which are relevant to setting the vacation handler:
Send-Vacation-Notices: [no]
Vacation-Message: []
[]
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Figure 7.4a: Relevant fields on the information form. Auto reply feature is disarmed.
In order to activate the vacation feature, the user must write the word "Vacation" in the first field, and then enter the message that will be sent to anybody who writes to the account in the second. For example:
Send-Vacation-Notices: [yes]
Vacation-Message: [To whom it may concern:]
[I am on vacation at the men's colony]
[In relaxing Soledad, California]
[for the next 30 to 60 days. I will not]
[be reading my E-mail until I return]
[In case of emergency, please contact my]
[associate Jane Doe at her E-mail address:]
[Jane.Doe@Software.com]
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Figure 7.4b: The information form as it might appear filled out
As you can see from the above example, when using the E-mail form you can add as many extra sets of brackets as you need in order to accommodate the length of your message
The account form is used by the postmaster to configure all three auto-reply settings.
Three fields of the account form are relevant to the auto-reply handler and they are illustrated below:
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [no]
Reply-Mode: [vacation]
Reply-Message: []
[]
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Figure 7.4c: the auto reply fields of the account farm.
You must specify yes in the AutoReply-Delivery field in order to activate the auto-reply utility.
The word Vacation, Echo, or Reply is inserted in the brackets to activate the desired feature.
The message is inserted in the "Reply-Message" field, and if you wish to use MIME include the attachment here. For more details on how to use MIME, look at section 4.2.2 in chapter 4.
For example, to set up an account to make your unbelievably good recipe for chocolate fudge swirl mocha glazed puffed rice treats available at the address: "unbelievably.good.treat@your.domain" you should fill out the account form like this:
Internet-Addresses: [unbelievably.good.treat@your.domain]
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [yes]
Reply-Mode: [Reply]
Reply-Message: [For the taste sensation of your life, you will need]
[the following ingredients:]
[]
[3 cups puffed rice]
[10 lbs butter]
[2 cups flour]
[and so on....]
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Alternatively, if you have would prefer to include the recipe as a MIME attachment, your fields would look like this (remember, you still have to fill out the rest of the form):
Internet-Addresses: [unbelievably.good.treat@your.domain]
----- AUTOMATIC REPLY INFORMATION -- ** Optional ** -----------------------
AutoReply-Delivery: [yes]
Reply-Mode: [Reply]
Reply-Message: [Attachment]
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The default messages of the message form are used in the event that the auto-reply handler is activated but no message is entered
If no default messages are entered, then the account manager will not accept the information and account forms (above) unless reply-messages are specified. However, default messages make sense, since users may forget to specify a vacation message. It may be easier to provide them with a default than to have to show them how to set it up correctly.
This is what the message form looks like:
Postmaster-Password: [] (REQUIRED FOR THE FORM TO BE ACCEPTED)
Reply to this form, placing the desired information between square brackets.
For help with individual fields, see the descriptions following the form.
===== HOST FINGER INFORMATION =============================================
Host-Finger-Info: [Welcome to v.1.6 of post.office.]
[]
===== AUTO-REPLY DEFAULT MESSAGES (Used When No Message is Specified) -----
Default-Vacation-Message: [a]
[b]
[c]
Default-Echo-Reply-Message: [I]
[II]
[III]
Default-Info-Reply-Message: [A]
[B]
[C]
Note: When submitting this form via E-mail, MIME Attachments can be used
to specify the information for these fields.
See "Using Attachments to Submit Information" below for details.
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For example, you could fill it out like this:
===== AUTO-REPLY DEFAULT MESSAGES (Used When No Message is Specified) -----
Default-Vacation-Message: [I'm on vacation and will be unable to]
[respond to your message until I return.]
[]
[You will only receive this message once,]
[even if you send me more mail.]
Default-Echo-Reply-Message: [The person to whom you sent mail is no]
[longer with our organization. Regretfully,]
[no forwarding information is available.]
[]
[Postmaster@This.Domain]
Default-Info-Reply-Message: [Sorry for the inconvenience, but the information]
[to be returned by this automatic reply server has]
[not been set up properly. Please send a message]
[to Postmaster@This.Domain including a copy of]
[this message (and header), and the address you]
[originally sent mail to.]
[]
[Thanks for your help.]
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