/usr//bin/vacation [solved]

[Patkos Csaba]

I'm trying to set up an autoresponder/vacation system.

 

SO. Mandriva 2007.0

Mail: Postfix

Filters: Amavis / spamassasin + clamav

 

I installed the "vacation" application. I made the configurations, .forward files and .vacation.msg files for a user. When the user receives an email, it is delivered with no error to the mailbox and to the /usr/bin/vacation application.

 

here is what appears in /var/log/mail/info:

Sep 16 13:04:29 bahn postfix/local[585]: E0EF41CF492: to=<user.name@domain.name>, relay=local, delay=0.44, delays=0.12/0.22/0/0.1, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to mailbox)

Sep 16 13:04:29 bahn postfix/local[585]: E0EF41CF492: to=<user.name@domain.name>, relay=local, delay=1, delays=0.12/0.22/0/0.67, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to command: /usr/bin/vacation user.name)

 

***Note: user.name is replaced with actual user name, and domain.name is replaced with real domain name.

 

The problem is that the sender gets no reply. There is nothing in the logs indicateing even a try to send mail to the sender.

 

The command "vacation -I" was ran, and yes, there is a vacation.db file in users home folder.

 

Any help would be usefull. Thanks.

Edited September 17, 2007 by Patkos Csaba

[iphitus]

Please don't use these, they're rude and an absolute pain.

 

If people need to know you're on holiday, then you can notify them beforehand. For those who don't need to know, they can wait until you return.

 

James

[Patkos Csaba]

I don't want to use autoresponder ... my boss wants. So I don't have much a choise ...

[Reiver_Fluffi]

Please don't use these, they're rude and an absolute pain.

 

If people need to know you're on holiday, then you can notify them beforehand. For those who don't need to know, they can wait until you return.

 

James

 

I disagree, it is a good practice for people that are in business to use an auto responder. In many cases it is not reasonable for them to furnish all of their (numerous?) customers, suppliers, and other affected stakeholders with this information beforehand. There's nothing rude about clearly stating to the sender why you will not be attending to their email in good time, it is very good communication, it would be very rude not to, ignorant, maybe.

[iphitus]

I disagree, it is a good practice for people that are in business to use an auto responder. In many cases it is not reasonable for them to furnish all of their (numerous?) customers, suppliers, and other affected stakeholders with this information beforehand. There's nothing rude about clearly stating to the sender why you will not be attending to their email in good time, it is very good communication, it would be very rude not to, ignorant, maybe.

 

It's also responding to spam, mailing lists, newsletters, mass emails, other autoresponders...

 

In all but the smallest businesses, the business doesnt go on hold if one person goes away. Customers can be handled by someone else, and for important clients, some other form of communication beforehand would suffice. Email is impersonal, and for most businesses - it shouldnt be and won't be the primary form of communication

 

I still maintain that there are better avenues of informing people of your absence than a spam generating boilerplate auto responder.

 

Regardless, this discussion is moot, as Patkos Csaba doesn't have a choice.

 

 

Patkos: First, check see if the mail isnt being collected as spam.

 

After that, do a test and trace it through the system, try and find where it's dissappearing. If you know bin/vacation is receiving the mail, try passing an email to it manually and see if it dispatches it correctly. If it appears to dispatch it properly... check the sending server, see what it's doing. Just look at bits, test them in isolation, trying to find the path of the email.

 

James

[Patkos Csaba]

I tested manually /usr/bin/vocation this way:

 

su user.xxx

/usr/bin/vacation -j user.xxx

From: user.yyy@mail.com

 

The result was no error, and NO mail was sent to the specified address.

 

su user.xxx

/usr/bin/vacation -j user.xxx

<<any text without a Form field >>

 

Result is an error in /var/log/mail/info, stateing there is no Form field. That is OK.

 

However, I can not find the reason why there is no reply sent.

 

Can someone explain me what should happen? /usr/bin/vacation sends the (autorespons) mail, or it passes somehow to postfox. Where should I look for logs since nothing wrong appears in /var/log/mail/info or errors or warning, also there is nothing related with mails or vacation in /var/log/messages or /var/log/syslog or /var/log/secure.

I'm stuck. I have no ideea how to follow what is happening with /usr/bin/vacation after it receives the mail.

[Patkos Csaba]

Also I am open to any suggestion for other autoresponder aplications.

 

There is no way to use some application through amavis-new to autoreply messages? I looked at google but find nothing.

 

Thanks.

Edited September 17, 2007 by Patkos Csaba

[Patkos Csaba]

SOLVED IT. THE VACATION APPLICATION FROM MANDRIVA RPM IS BROKEN.

 

If some of you has the same problem, just download this one:

http://www.ayradyss.org/programs/#vacation

 

Thanks.