Problem with comments in alias file

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Author: Joe Metzger
Date:  
To: exim-users
Subject: Problem with comments in alias file
I am trying to find an MTA that will work with the Smartlist mailing list
package. I don't want to use sendmail. Exim provides a number of
features I really like. Especially eximon for monitoring the queues.

Smartlist manages lists by managing dist files that are :included: into
the alias file. An example alias entry is:

    #
    # t1 created Fri Jan 24 17:07:29 CST 1997 by
    #
    t1:         |/var/smartlist/.bin/flist t1
    t1-request: |/var/smartlist/.bin/flist t1-request
    t1-dist:    :include:/var/smartlist/t1/dist



An example dist file(/var/smartlist/t1/dist) is:

    t1-digests@???
    (Only addresses below this line can be automatically removed)
    bit2@???



The comment line starting "(Only addr..." causes problems with exim.
This appears to be a valid RFC822 comment. However, exim complains about
it and does not deliver any of the mail.

    /var/exim/bin/exim -v -M 0vnvBe-00022z-00
    delivering message 0vnvBe-00022z-00
    LOG: MAIN
      Unfrozen by auto-thaw
    LOG: MAIN
      == t1-dist@??? D=system_aliases defer (-17):
       <t1-dist@???> - error in alias file: empty
      address in "(Only addresses below this line can be
      automatically removed)"
    LOG: MAIN
      Frozen



Is there any way to get smartlist to ignore RFC 822 style comments in the
alias file?

More information about smartlist can be found at:
ftp://ftp.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/pub/packages/procmail/SmartList.README


*************************************************************************
* Joe Metzger                          Ames Office: (515)294-1939       *
* Computer Systems Engineer            LBNL Office: (510)486-5740       *
* Network Information Services Group   metzger@???                   *
* ESnet, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory  314 Wilhelm, ISU, Ames IA, 50011 *
*************************************************************************