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Subsections


6. sympa.conf parameters

The /usr/local/sympa-os/etc/sympa.conf configuration file contains numerous parameters which are read on start-up of Sympa. If you change this file, do not forget that you will need to restart Sympa afterwards.

The /usr/local/sympa-os/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.

6.1 Site customization


6.1.1 domain

This keyword is mandatory. It is the domain name used in the From: header in replies to administrative requests. So the smtp engine (qmail, sendmail, postfix or whatever) must recognize this domain as a local address. The old keyword host is still recognized but should not be used anymore.

Example: domain cru.fr


6.1.2 email

(Default value: sympa)

Username (the part of the address preceding the @ sign) used in the From: header in replies to administrative requests.

Example: email listserv


6.1.3 listmaster

The list of e-mail addresses of listmasters (users authorized to perform global server commands). Listmasters can be defined for each virtual robot.

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


6.1.4 listmaster_email

(Default value: listmaster)

Username (the part of the address preceding the @ sign) used in the listmaster email. This parameter is useful if you want to run more than one sympa on the same host (a sympa test for example).

If you change the default value, you must modify the sympa aliases too.

For example, if you put :

listmaster listmaster-test

you must modify the sympa aliases like this :

listmaster-test: "| /home/sympa/bin/queue listmaster@my.domain.org"

See 5.1,page [*] for all aliases.


6.1.5 wwsympa_url

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

This is the root URL of WWSympa.

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


6.1.6 rss_url

(Default value: http://<host>/sympa/rss)

This is the root URL of WWSympa's rss channel.

Example: wwsympa_url https://my.server/sympa/rss


6.1.7 soap_url

This is the root URL of Sympa's SOAP server. Sympa's WSDL document refer to this URL in its service section.

Example: soap_url http://my.server/sympasoap


6.1.8 spam_protection

spam_protection (Default value: javascript)

There is a need to protection Sympa web site against spambot which collect email adresse in public web site. Various method are availble into Sympa and you can choose it with spam_protection and web_archive_spam_protection parameters. Possible value are :


6.1.9 web_archive_spam_protection

(Default value: cookie)

Idem spam_protection but restricted to web archive. A additional value is availible : cookie which mean that users must submit a small form in order to receive a cookie before browsing archives. This block all robot, even google and co.


6.1.10 color_0, color_1 .. color_15

They are the color definition for web interface. Thoses parameters can be overwritten in each virtual robot definition. The color are used in the CSS file and unfortunitly they are also in use in some web templates. The sympa admin interface show every colors in use.


6.1.11 dark_color light_color text_color bg_color error_color selected_color shaded_color

Deprecated. They are the color definition for previous web interface. Thoses parameters are unused in 5.1 and higher version but still availible.style.css, print.css, print-preview.css and fullPage.css


6.1.12 logo_html_definition

This parameter allow you to insert in the left top page corner oa piece of html code, usually to insert la logo in the page. This is a very basic but easy customization. Example: logo_html_definition <a href="http://www.mycompagnie.com"><img style="float: left; margin-top: 7px; margin-left: 37px;" src="http:/logos/mylogo.jpg" alt="my compagnie" /></a>


6.1.13 css_path

Pre-parsed CSS files (let's say static css files) can be installed using Sympa server skins module. Thoses CSS files are installed in a part of the web server that can be reached without using sympa web engine. In order to do this edit the robot.conf file and set the css_path parameter. Then retart the server and use skins module from the "admin sympa" page to install preparsed CSS file. The in order to replace dynamic CSS by thoses static files set the css_url parameter.


6.1.14 css_url

By default, CSS files style.css, print.css, print-preview.css and fullPage.css are delivred by Sympa web interface itself using a sympa action named css. URL look like http://foo.org/sympa/css/style.css . CSS file are made parsing a web_tt2 file named css.tt2. This allow dynamique definition of colors and in a near futur a complete definition of the skin, user preference skins etc.

In order to make sympa web interface faster, it is strongly recommended to install static css file somewhere in your web site. This way sympa will deliver only one page insteed of one page and four css page at each clic. This can be done using css_url parameter. The parameter must contain the URL of the directory where style.css, print.css, print-preview.css and fullPage.css are installed. You can make your own a sophisticated new skin editing thoses files. The server admin module include a CSS administration page that can help you to install static CSS.


6.1.15 cookie

This string is used to generate MD5 authentication keys. It allows generated authentication keys to differ from one site to another. It is also used for reversible encryption of user passwords stored in the database. The presence of this string is one reason why access to sympa.conf needs to be restricted to the Sympa user.

Note that changing this parameter will break all http cookies stored in users' browsers, as well as all user passwords and lists X509 private keys.

Example: cookie gh869jku5


6.1.16 create_list

(Default value: public_listmaster)

create_list parameter is defined by an authorization scenario (see 12, page [*])

Defines who can create lists (or request list creations). Sympa will use the corresponding authorization scenario.

Example: create_list intranet


6.1.17 global_remind

(Default value: listmaster)

global_remind parameter is defined by an authorization scenario (see 12, page [*])

Defines who can run a REMIND * command.

6.2 Directories


6.2.1 home

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/expl)

The directory whose subdirectories correspond to the different lists.

Example: home /home/sympa/expl


6.2.2 etc

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/etc)

This is the local directory for configuration files (such as edit_list.conf. It contains 5 subdirectories: scenari for local authorization scenarios; templates for the site's local templates and default list templates; wws_templates for the site's local html templates; global_task_models for local global task models; and list_task_models for local list task models

Example: etc /home/sympa/etc

6.3 System related


6.3.1 syslog

(Default value: LOCAL1)

Name of the sub-system (facility) for logging messages.

Example: syslog LOCAL2


6.3.2 log_level

(Default value: 0)

This parameter sets the verbosity of Sympa processes (including) in log files. With level 0 only main operations are logged, in level 3 almost everything is logged.

Example: log_level 2


6.3.3 log_socket_type

(Default value: unix)

Sympa communicates with syslogd using either UDP or UNIX sockets. Set log_socket_type to inet to use UDP, or unix for UNIX sockets.


6.3.4 pidfile

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/etc/sympa.pid)

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

Example: pidfile /var/run/sympa.pid


6.3.5 umask

(Default value: 027)

Default mask for file creation (see umask(2)). Note that it will be interpreted as an octual value.

Example: umask 007

6.4 Sending related


6.4.1 distribution_mode

(Default value: single) Use this parameter to determine if your installation nrun only one sympa.pl daemon that process both messages to distribute and commands (single) or if sympa.pl will fork to run two separate processus one dedicated to message distribution and one dedicated to commands and message pre-processing (fork). The second choice make a better priority processing for message distribution and faster command response, but it require a bit more computer ressources.

Example: distribution_mode fork


6.4.2 maxsmtp

(Default value: 20)

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

Example: maxsmtp 500


6.4.3 log_smtp

(Default value: off)

Set logging of each MTA call. Can be overwritten by -m sympa option.

Example: log_smtp on


6.4.4 max_size

(Default value: 5 Mb)

Maximum size allowed for messages distributed by Sympa. This may be customized per virtual robot or per list by setting the max_size robot or list parameter.

Example: max_size 2097152


6.4.5 misaddressed_commands

(Default value: reject)

When a robot command is sent to a list, by default Sympa reject this message. This feature can be turned off setting this parameter to ignore.


6.4.6 misaddressed_commands_regexp

(Default value: (subscribe|unsubscribe|signoff))

This is the Perl regular expression applied on messages subject and body to detect misaddressed commands, see misaddressed_commands parameter above.


6.4.7 nrcpt

(Default value: 25)

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


6.4.8 avg

(Default value: 10)

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


6.4.9 sendmail

(Default value: /usr/sbin/sendmail)

Absolute path to SMTP message transfer agent binary. Sympa expects this binary to be sendmail compatible (postfix, Qmail and Exim binaries all provide sendmail compatibility).

Example: sendmail /usr/sbin/sendmail


6.4.10 sendmail_args

(Default value: -oi -odi -oem)

Arguments passed to SMTP message transfer agent


6.4.11 sendmail_alias

(Default value: defined by makefile, sendmail_aliases)

Path of the alias file that contain all lists related aliases. It is recommended to create a spécific alias file so Sympa never overright the standard alias file but only a dedicated file.You must refer to this aliases file in your sendmail.mc :


6.4.12 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 MUA's, adding menus.


6.4.13 remove_headers

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

This is the list of headers that Sympa should remove from outgoing messages. Use it, for example, to ensure some privacy for your users by discarding 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


6.4.14 anonymous_headers_fields

(Default value: Sender,X-Sender,Received,Message-id,From,X-Envelope-To,Resent-From,Reply-To,Organization,Disposition-Notification-To,X-Envelope-From,X-X-Sender)

This parameter defines the list of SMTP header fields that should be removed when a mailing list is setup in anonymous mode (see 18.4.3, page [*]).


6.4.15 list_check_smtp

(Default value: NONE)

If this parameter is set with a SMTP server address, Sympa will check if alias with the same name as the list you're gonna create already exists on the SMTP server. It is robot specific, i.e. you can specify a different SMTP server for every virtual robot you are running. This is needed if you are running Sympa on somehost.foo.org, but you handle all your mail on a separate mail relay.


6.4.16 list_check_suffixes

(Default value: request,owner,unsubscribe)

This paramater is a comma-separated list of admin suffixes you're using for Sympa aliases, i.e. mylist-request, mylist-owner etc... This parameter is used with list_check_smtp parameter. It is also used to check list names at list creation time.


6.4.17 urlize_min_size

(Default value: 10240)

This parameter is related to the URLIZE subscriber reception mode ; it defines the minimum size (in bytes) for MIME attachments to be urlized.


6.5 Quotas


6.5.1 default_shared_quota

The default disk quota for lists' document repository.


6.5.2 default_archive_quota

The default disk quota for lists' web archives.


6.6 Spool related


6.6.1 spool

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool)

The parent directory which contains all the other spools.


6.6.2 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: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/msg


6.6.3 queuedistribute

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/distribute)

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.4 queuemod

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/moderation)

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.5 queuedigest

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.6 queueexpire

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/expire)

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.7 queueauth

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/auth)

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.8 queueoutgoing

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/outgoing)

This parameter is optional and retained solely for backward compatibility.


6.6.9 queuebounce

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/bounce)

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


6.6.10 queuetask

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/task)

Spool to store task files created by the task manager. This parameter is mandatory and must be an absolute path.


6.6.11 tmpdir

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/spool/tmp)

Temporary directory used by OpenSSL and antiviruses.


6.6.12 sleep

(Default value: 5)

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


6.6.13 clean_delay_queue

(Default value: 1)

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

Example: clean_delay_queue 3


6.6.14 clean_delay_queuemod

(Default value: 10)

Expiration delay (in days) in the moderation spool (as specified by queuemod). Beyond this deadline, messages that have not been processed are deleted. For moderated lists, the contents of this spool can be consulted using a key along with the MODINDEX command.


6.6.15 clean_delay_queueauth

(Default value: 3)

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

6.7 Internationalization related


6.7.1 localedir

(Default value: /usr/local/sympa-os/locale)

The location of multilingual catalog files. Must correspond to ~src/locale/Makefile.


6.7.2 supported_lang

Example: supported_lang fr,en_US,de,es

This parameter lists all supported languages (comma separated) for the user interface. The default value will include all message catalogues but it can be narrowed by the listmaster.


6.7.3 lang

(Default value: en_US)

This is the default language for Sympa. The message catalog (.po, compiled as a .mo file) located in the corresponding locale directory will be used.


6.7.4 web_recode_to

If you set this parameter to a charset then web pages will be recoded to this specified charset. This is usefull to have web pages in UTF-8, allowing multi-lingual contents. You should check that customized web templates, topics.conf, list config files, info files are all using the same charset.

Example :

web_recode_to   utf-8

Note : if you recode web pages to utf-8, you should also add the following tag to your mhonarc-ressources.tt2 file :

<TextEncode>
utf-8; MHonArc::UTF8::to_utf8; MHonArc/UTF8.pm
</TextEncode>

6.8 Bounce related


6.8.1 bounce_warn_rate

(Default value: 30)

Site default value for bounce. The list owner receives a warning whenever a message is distributed and the number of bounces exceeds this value.


6.8.2 bounce_halt_rate

(Default value: 50)

FOR FUTURE USE

Site default value for bounce. Messages will cease to be distributed if the number of bounces exceeds this value.


6.8.3 welcome_return_path

(Default value: owner)

If set to string unique, sympa will use a unique e-mail address in the return path, prefixed by bounce+, in order to remove the corresponding subscriber. Requires the bounced daemon to run and bounce+* alias to be installed (plussed aliases as in sendmail 8.7 and later).


6.8.4 remind_return_path

(Default value: owner)

Like welcome_return_path, but relates to the remind message. Also requires the bounce+* alias to be installed.


6.8.5 expire_bounce_task

(Default value: daily)

This parameter tells what task will be used by task_manager.pl to perform bounces expiration. This task resets bouncing information for addresses not bouncing in the last 10 days after the latest message distribution.


6.8.6 purge_orphan_bounces_task

(Default value: Monthly)

This parameter tells what task will be used by task_manager.pl to perform bounces cleaning. This task delete bounces archives for unsubscribed users.


6.8.7 eval_bouncers_task

(Default value: daily)

The task eval_bouncers evaluate all bouncing users for all lists, and fill the field bounce_score_suscriber in table suscriber_table with a score. This score allow the auto-management of bouncing-users.


6.8.8 process_bouncers_task

(Default value: monthly)

The task process_bouncers execute configured actions on bouncing users, according to their Score. The association between score and actions has to be done in List configuration, This parameter define the frequency of execution for this task.


6.8.9 minimum_bouncing_count

(Default value: 10)

This parameter is for the bounce-score evaluation : the bounce-score is a note that allows the auto-management of bouncing users. This score is evaluated with,in particular, the number of messages bounces received for the user. This parameter sets the minimum number of these messages to allow the bounce-score evaluation for a user.


6.8.10 minimum_bouncing_period

(Default value: 10)

Determine the minimum bouncing period for a user to allow his bounce-score evaluation. Like previous parameter, if this value is too low, bounce-score will be 0.


6.8.11 bounce_delay

(Default value: 0) Days

Another parameter for the bounce-score evaluation : This one represent the average time (days) for a bounce to come back to sympa-server after a post was send to a list. Usually bounces are arriving same day as the original message.


6.8.12 default_bounce_level1_rate

(Default value: 45)

This is the default value for bouncerslevel1 rate entry ([*], page [*])


6.8.13 default_bounce_level2_rate

(Default value: 75)

This is the default value for bouncerslevel2 rate entry (18.5.3, page [*])


6.8.14 bounce_email_prefix

(Default value: bounce)

The prefix Username (the part of the address preceding the @ sign) used in the bounce email. The email is used to collect bounce. This parameter is useful if you want to run more than one sympa on the same host (a sympa test for example).

If you change the default value, you must modify the sympa aliases too.

For example, if you put :

bounce_email_prefix bounce-test

you must modify the sympa aliases like this :

bounce-test+*: "| /home/sympa/bin/queuebounce sympa@my.domain.org"

See 5.1,page [*] for all aliases.


6.8.15 default_remind_task

(Default value: 2month)

This parameter defines the default remind_task list parameter.

6.9 Priority related


6.9.1 sympa_priority

(Default value: 1)

Priority applied to Sympa commands while running the spool.

Available since release 2.3.1.


6.9.2 request_priority

(Default value: 0)

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

Available since release 2.3.3


6.9.3 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


6.9.4 default_list_priority

(Default value: 5)

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

Available since release 2.3.1.

6.10 Database related

The following parameters are needed when using an RDBMS, but are otherwise not required:


6.10.1 update_db_field_types

Format: update_db_field_types auto | disabled

(Default value: auto)

This parameter defines if Sympa may automatically update database structure to match the expected datafield types. This feature is only available with mysql.


6.10.2 db_type

Format: db_type mysql | Pg | Oracle | Sybase

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

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


6.10.3 db_name

(Default value: sympa)

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


6.10.4 db_host

Database host name.


6.10.5 db_port

Database port.


6.10.6 db_user

User with read access to the database.


6.10.7 db_passwd

Password for db_user.


6.10.8 db_options

If these options are defined, they will be appended to the database connect string.

Example for MySQL:

db_options	mysql_read_default_file=/home/joe/my.cnf


6.10.9 db_env

Gives a list of environment variables to set before database connexion. This is a ';' separated list of variable assignments.

Example for Oracle:

db_env	ORACLE_TERM=vt100;ORACLE_HOME=/var/hote/oracle/7.3.4


6.10.10 db_additional_subscriber_fields

If your subscriber_table database table has more fields than required by Sympa (because other programs access this table), you can make Sympa load these fields. You will then be able to use them from within mail/web templates and authorization scenarios (as [subscriber->field]). This parameter is a comma-separated list.

Example :

db_additional_subscriber_fields 	billing_delay,subscription_expiration


6.10.11 db_additional_user_fields

If your user_table database table has more fields than required by Sympa (because other programs access this table), you can make Sympa load these fields. You will then be able to use them from within mail/web templates (as [user->field]).

This parameter is a comma-separated list.

Example :

db_additional_user_fields 	address,gender


6.10.12 purge_user_table_task

This parameter refers to the name of the task (Example: monthly) that will be regularly run by the task_manager.pl to remove entries in the user_table table that have no corresponding entries in the subscriber_table table.

6.11 Loop prevention

The following define your loop prevention policy for commands. (see 14.9, page [*])


6.11.1 loop_command_max

(Default value: 200)

The maximum number of command reports sent to an e-mail address. When it is reached, messages are stored with the BAD prefix, and reports are no longer sent.


6.11.2 loop_command_sampling_delay

(Default value: 3600)

This parameter defines the delay in seconds before decrementing the counter of reports sent to an e-mail address.


6.11.3 loop_command_decrease_factor

(Default value: 0.5)

The decrementation factor (from 0 to 1), used to determine the new report counter after expiration of the delay.

6.12 S/MIME configuration

Sympa can optionally verify and use S/MIME signatures for security purposes. In this case, the three first following parameters must be set by the listmaster (see 23.4.2, page [*]). The two others are optionnal.


6.12.1 openssl

The path for the openSSL binary file.


6.12.2 capath

The directory path use by openssl for trusted CA certificates.

A directory of trusted certificates. The certificates should have names of the form: hash.0 or have symbolic links to them of this form ("hash" is the hashed certificate subject name: see the -hash option of the openssl x509 utility). This directory should be the same as the directory SSLCACertificatePath specified for mod_ssl module for Apache.


6.12.3 cafile

This parameter sets the all-in-one file where you can assemble the Certificates of Certification Authorities (CA) whose clients you deal with. These are used for Client Authentication. Such a file is simply the concatenation of the various PEM-encoded Certificate files, in order of preference. This can be used alternatively and/or additionally to capath.


6.12.4 key_passwd

The password for list private key encryption. If not defined, Sympa assumes that list private keys are not encrypted.


6.12.5 chk_cert_expiration_task

States the model version used to create the task which regularly checks the certificate expiration dates and warns users whose certificate have expired or are going to. To know more about tasks, see 14.10, page [*].


6.12.6 crl_update_task

Specifies the model version used to create the task which regurlaly updates the certificate revocation lists.


6.13 Antivirus plug-in

Sympa can optionally check incoming messages before delivering them, using an external antivirus solution. You must then set two parameters.


6.13.1 antivirus_path

The path to your favorite antivirus binary file (including the binary file).

Example :

antivirus_path		/usr/local/bin/uvscan


6.13.2 antivirus_args

The arguments used by the antivirus software to look for viruses. You must set them so as to get the virus name. You should use, if available, the 'unzip' option and check all extensions.

Example with uvscan :

antivirus_args		--summary --secure

Example with fsav :

antivirus_args		--dumb	--archive

Exemple with AVP :

antivirus_path  /opt/AVP/kavscanner
antivirus_args  -Y -O- -MP -I0

Exemple with Sophos :

antivirus_path  /usr/local/bin/sweep
antivirus_args  -nc -nb -ss -archive

Exemple with Clam :

antivirus_path  /usr/local/bin/clamscan
antivirus_args  --stdout


6.13.3 antivirus_notify

sender | nobody

(Default value: sender)

This parameter tells if Sympa should notify the email sender when a virus has been detected.


next up previous contents index
Next: 7. Sympa and its database Up: Sympa Mailing Lists Management Software version Previous: 5. Mail aliases   Contents   Index
root 2005-06-16