Answer: Sendmail configuration on Debian using Mailscanner

[Harry Hanson]

I think perhaps some clarification is in order here, as this method simply
does not work on many setups. I've seen similar questions on usenet asking
how to get this combination working (sendmail/mailscanner/debian) however
have not seen any replies. apparenlty debian rather messes up the sendmail
start scripts, at least in comparison to other linux flavors.

in redhat for instance, the startup up script calls sendmail using the
'sendmail -q15m' command, however a recursive grep shows no files containing
that in this debian install.

following the method posted below and in the faq (editing sendmail.conf)
does not work for me either.

running woody w/ sendmail 8.12.3-6. the /etc/init.d/sendmail startup script
contains the note:

 * *** Do not edit this file *** Instead edit /etc/mail/sendmail.conf

however the change suggested below in /etc/mail/sendmail.conf does not start
a second daemon. the line referred to, by default reads:

# DAEMON_PARMS="";  String  Listener parms
#       Any parameters here will be ignored when run from cron.
#       Note that MISC_PARMS and CRON_PARMS, if applicable, will override
#       anything declared herein.
#
DAEMON_PARMS="";

editing that to read:

DAEMON_PARMS="-bd -OPrivacyOptions=noetrn -ODeliveryMode=queueonly
-OQueueDirectory=/var/spool/mqueue.in";

seems to have no apparent affect on how sendmail starts.

They have put a script called 'sendmail' in /usr/share/sendmail which is run
by ???. I am not sure.. despite it's length for the sake of brevity I'll
only put in the start of that file:

#!/bin/sh -e
#---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
# $Sendmail: sm_helper.sh,v 8.12.3 2003-09-17 18:35:09 cowboy Exp $
#
# Copyright (c) 1998-2003 Richard Nelson.  All Rights Reserved.
#
#       Debian helper function script for Debian Sendmail
#         Note: this file supports 8.7.6 - 8.12.7
#
# Notes (to all):
#       *
#
# Notes (to self):
#       * clean_queues fubar, esp wrt MSP
#
#---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
#
set -e;

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
# Parameters for the sendmail daemon
# Do *NOT* touch these lines, instead, edit /etc/mail/sendmail.conf
# The _PARMS lines are listed in precedence order
#---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Get_Parameters () {

        # Main configuration parameters in /etc/mail/sendmail.conf
        DAEMON_MODE='Daemon';
        DAEMON_PARMS='';
        QUEUE_MODE="$DAEMON_MODE";
        QUEUE_INTERVAL='10';
        QUEUE_PARMS='';
        MSP_MODE="$QUEUE_MODE";
        MSP_INTERVAL="$QUEUE_INTERVAL";
        MSP_PARMS="$QUEUE_PARMS";
        MISC_PARMS='';
        CRON_PARMS='';

        # Secondary (non-documented) parameters in /etc/mail/sendmail.conf
        # Caveat Emptor: change these at your own risk - they impact several

as you can see, there is a

DAEMON_PARMS='';

value here, however editing the sendmail.conf and running 'make' or
'sendmailconfig' does not seem to alter this particular script.

manually editing this, running 'make' and restarting seems to have no affect
either... only one instance is called in sendmail.cf:

O QueueDirectory=/var/spool/mqueue

where is sendmail instructed to put incoming in /var/spool/mqueue.in?

i've run across several method on how to do this (even regarding amavisd,
since the issue here is sendmail, not mailscanner), however none of them
seem to work.

any suggestions/hints/tips would be greatly appreciated.

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 15:20:34 +0100, Julian Field <mailscanner at ECS.SOTON.AC.
UK> wrote:

>Can you add that to the faq-o-matic please?
>
>At 14:57 22/08/2003, you wrote:
>>OK, I posted a question a long time ago asking how to get
>>Mailscanner working using Debian's Sendmail package. I finally had
>>some time to mess with this a week or two ago, and got it to work.
>>It is very simple. Here is how to do it:
>>
>>edit /etc/mail/sendmail.conf
>>
>>change the line DAEMON_PARMS to
>>DAEMON_PARMS="-bd -OPrivacyOptions=noetrn -ODeliveryMode=queueonly
>>-OQueueDirectory=/var/spool/mqueue.in";
>>
>>cd /etc/mail
>>
>>type "make"
>>
>>very important: restart sendmail (/etc/init.d/sendmail restart)
>>
>>
>>If you want to verify that this is actually working, shut down
>>Mailscanner, and send an email to the server. You should see it get
>>deposited in /var/spool/mqueue.in. It should *not* move from that
>>folder until you start Mailscanner back up.
>>
>>
>>--
>>Kurt Yoder
>>Sport & Health network administrator
>
>--
>Julian Field
>www.MailScanner.info
>MailScanner thanks transtec Computers for their support