Re: Problem with comments in alias file

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Author: Philip Hazel
Date:  
To: Joe Metzger
CC: exim-users
Subject: Re: Problem with comments in alias file
On Mon, 27 Jan 1997, Joe Metzger wrote:

> 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.


Well yes, but only as part of an RFC 822 address. Exim treats each line
as an address - and you clearly want that, since you are starting each
new address on a new line. At least its error message is clear:

>      == 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)"


At least, I think "empty address" is fairly clear. When I wrote it I
felt that a purported address that turned out to be empty was probably
some kind of error.

What do other people think? I could of course make it ignore such
addresses. If I did so, it would also do this in .forward files, since
they are also just a list of addresses, and handled by the same code.

Meanwhile, a work-round is to change

(Only addresses below this line can be automatically removed)

to

# (Only addresses below this line can be automatically removed)


--
Philip Hazel                   University Computing Service,
ph10@???             New Museums Site, Cambridge CB2 3QG,
P.Hazel@???          England.  Phone: +44 1223 334714