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Subsections


4. sympa.conf parameters

The /etc/sympa.conf configuration file contains numerous parameters which are read on start-up of Sympa and allow the program to run. If you have to change this file, do not forget that you have to restart Sympa.

The /etc/sympa.conf file contains directives in the following format:

keyword value

Comments start with the # character at the beginning of a line. Empty lines are also considered as comments and are ignored. There should only be one directive per line, but their order in the file is of no importance.

4.1 Site customization


4.1.1 host

This keyword is mandatory. It is the name of the machine used in From: header during responses to administrative requests.

Example: host listhost.cru.fr


4.1.2 email

(Default value: sympa)

Address (left part, name before the @ sign) used in From: header during responses to administrative requests.

Example: email listserv


4.1.3 listmaster

The list of email address of listmasters (person who can perform global serveur command).

Example: listmaster postmaster@cru.fr,root@home.cru.fr


4.1.4 wwsympa_url

(Default value: http://<host>/wws)

This is the root URL of WWSympa.

Example: wwsympa_url https://my.server/wws


4.1.5 cookie

This string is used to generate MD5 authentication keys. It allows such authentication keys to differ from one site to another.

Example: cookie gh869jku5

4.2 Directories


4.2.1 home

(Default value: ~sympa/expl)

The directory containing lists' subdirectories.

Example: home /home/sympa/expl


4.2.2 etc

(Default value: ~sympa/etc)

This is the local directory for configuration files (like edit_list.conf. It contains 3 subdirectories : scenari for local scenari and templates for local site's templates and default lists' templates and wws_templates for local site's html templates.

Example: home /home/sympa/etc

4.3 System related


4.3.1 syslog

(Default value: LOCAL1)

Name of sub-system (facility) for sending messages.

Example: syslog LOCAL2


4.3.2 log_socket_type

(Default value: inet)

Sympa communication with syslogd can be performed using either UDP or Unix socket type. Set log_socket_type to inet to use UDP or unix for Unix sockets.


4.3.3 pidfile

(Default value: ~sympa/sympa.pid)

The file where the sympa.pl daemon stores its process number. Warning: the sympa user must be able to write in this file, and to create it if it doesn't exist.

Example: pidfile /var/run/sympa.pid


4.3.4 umask

(Default value: 027)

Default mask for file creation (see umask(2)).

Example: umask 007

4.4 Sending related


4.4.1 maxsmtp

(Default value: 20)

Maximum number of SMTP delivery child processes launched by Sympa. This is the main load control parameter.

Example: maxsmtp 500


4.4.2 max_size

(Default value: 5 Mb)

Maximum size allowed for messages distributed by Sympa. This may be custumized per list by setting max_size list parameter.

Example: max_size 2097152


4.4.3 nrcpt

(Default value: 25)

Maximum number of recipients per sendmail call. This grouping factor makes it possible for the MTA (sendmail) to optimize the number of SMTP sessions for message distribution.


4.4.4 avg

(Default value: 10)

Maximum number of different internet domains within addresses per sendmail call.


4.4.5 sendmail

(Default value: /usr/sbin/sendmail)

Absolute call path to SMTP message transfert agent (sendmail for example).

Example: sendmail /usr/sbin/sendmail


4.4.6 rfc2369_header_fields

(Default value: help,subscribe,unsubscribe,post,owner,archive)

RFC2369 compliant header fields (List-xxx) to be added to distributed messages. These header-fields should be implemented by MUAs, adding menus.


4.4.7 remove_headers

(Default value: Return-Receipt-To,Precedence,X-Sequence,Disposition-Notification-To)

This is the list of headers that Sympa should remove from the outgoing messages. Use it, for example, to ensure some privacy to your users, while not retaining all the anonymous options. It is (for the moment) site-wide. It is applied before the Sympa, rfc2369_header_fields, and custom_header fields are added.

Example: remove_headers Resent-Date,Resent-From,Resent-To,Resent-Message-Id,Sender,Delivered-To,Return-Receipt-To,Precedence,X-Sequence,Disposition-Notification-To

4.5 Spool related


4.5.1 spool

(Default value: ~sympa/spool)

The parent directory which contains all the other spools.


4.5.2 queue

The absolute path of the directory which contains the queue, used both by the queue program and the sympa.pl daemon. This parameter is mandatory.

Example: queue /home/sympa/queue


4.5.3 queuemod

(Default value: ~sympa/spool/moderation)

This parameter is optional and still supported for backward compatibility.


4.5.4 queuedigest

(Default value: ~digest)

This parameter is optional and still supported for backward compatibility.


4.5.5 queueexpire

(Default value: ~sympa/spool/expire)

This parameter is optional and still supported for backward compatibility.


4.5.6 queueauth

(Default value: ~sympa/spool/auth)

This parameter is optional and still supported for backward compatibility.


4.5.7 queueoutgoing

(Default value: ~sympa/spool/outgoing)

This parameter is optional and still supported for backward compatibility.


4.5.8 queuebounce

(Default value: ~sympa/spool/bounce)

Spool to store bounces (non-delivery reports) received at mylist-owner or bounce+* address by bouncequeue program. This parameter is mandatory and must be a absolute path.


4.5.9 sleep

(Default value: 5)

Waiting period (in seconds) between each scan of main queue. Never set this value to 0!


4.5.10 clean_delay_queue

(Default value: 1)

Conservation time (in days) for ``bad'' messages in spool (as specified by queue). Sympa keeps messages rejected for various reasons (badly formatted messages, messages coming from loops, etc.) in this directory, under a name prefixed by BAD. This configuration variable controls the number of days these messages are kept.

Example: clean_delay_queue 3


4.5.11 clean_delay_queuemod

(Default value: 10)

Expiration date (in days) in moderation spool (as specified by queuemod). Beyond this deadline, messages that have not been processed are deleted. The content of this spool can be consulted for each moderated list using a key along with the MODINDEX command.


4.5.12 clean_delay_queueauth

(Default value: 3)

Expiration delay (in days) in an authentication queue. Beyond this deadline, messages not enabled are deleted.

4.6 Internationalization related


4.6.1 msgcat

(Default value: ~sympa/nls)

This is the multilinguale catalogs location (nls). Must be set accordind to the ~src/nls/Makefile.


4.6.2 lang

(Default value: us)

The is the language for Sympa. The corresponding message catalog (.cat) located in msgcat directory will be used.

4.7 Bounce related


4.7.1 bounce_warn_rate

(Default value: 30)

This is the site default value for bounce. Above this rate of bouncing addresses in a list, listowner receives a warning for each mail distributed in the list.


4.7.2 bounce_halt_rate

(Default value: 50)

NOT USED YET

This is the site default value for bounce. Above this rate of bouncing addresses in a list, messages for the list aren't distributed.


4.7.3 welcome_return_path

(Default value: owner)

If set to string unique, sympa will use a unique email adresse in the return path starting with bounce+ in order to remove the related subscriber. You need the bounced deamon and the plussed aliases as in sendmail 8.7 and above.


4.7.4 remind_return_path

(Default value: owner)

Like welcome_return_path but efficient with the remind message.

4.8 Priority related


4.8.1 sympa_priority

(Default value: 1)

Priority applied to Sympa commands while running the spool.

Available since release 2.3.1.


4.8.2 request_priority

(Default value: 0)

Priority for processing of messages for mylist-request, ie for owners of the list.

Available since release 2.3.3


4.8.3 owner_priority

(Default value: 9)

Priority for processing messages for mylist-owner in the spool. This address will receive non-delivery reports (bounces) and should have a low priority.

Available since release 2.3.3


4.8.4 default_list_priority

(Default value: 5)

Default priority for messages if not defined in list configuration file.

Available since release 2.3.1.

4.9 Database related

The following parameters are needed when using a RDBMS and not required otherwise:


4.9.1 db_type

Database management system used (e.g. mysql, Pg, Oracle)

This corresponds to the DataBase Driver (DBD) name and is therefore case-sensitive.


4.9.2 db_name

(Default value: sympa)

Name of the database containing user information. See detailed description on database structure, [*], page [*].


4.9.3 db_host

Database host name.


4.9.4 db_user

User with read access on the database.


4.9.5 db_passwd

Password for db_user.

4.10 Loop prevention

The following define your loop prevention policy for commands. (see 8.7, page [*])


4.10.1 loop_command_max

(Default value: 200)

The maximum number of command reports sent to an email address. When it is reached, messages are kept as BAD and reports are not sent anymore.


4.10.2 loop_command_sampling_delay

(Default value: 3600)

This parameter defines the delay, expressed in seconds, over which the counter of sent report (to an email address) is decreased.


4.10.3 loop_command_decrease_factor

(Default value: 0.5)

This is the decreasing factor (from 0 to 1), used to determine the new report counter when the delay is over.

4.11 S/MIME configuration

Sympa optionaly can verify and use S/MIME signature for security purpose. In this case, two optionel parameters must be assigned by the listmaster, see 7.4.2, page [*].


next up previous contents index
Next: 5. WWSympa Up: Sympa Mailing Lists Management Software Previous: 3. Installing Sympa   Contents   Index
root 2000-12-20