Re: [Exim] RFCs and Null senders <>

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Author: Tabor J. Wells
Date:  
To: Xander D Harkness
CC: exim Users
Subject: Re: [Exim] RFCs and Null senders <>
On Thu, Aug 14, 2003 at 02:34:03AM +0100,
Xander D Harkness <xander@???> is thought to have said:

> I have a query regarding the null sender that is frequently used for
> bounces and warnings.
>
> I have read through RFC2822 and specifically the following:
>
> Here are the bits:
>
> sender          =       "Sender:" mailbox CRLF
> mailbox         =       name-addr / addr-spec
> name-addr       =       [display-name] angle-addr
> angle-addr      =       [CFWS] "<" addr-spec ">" [CFWS] / obs-angle-addr
> addr-spec       =       local-part "@" domain

>
> So it can't be less than Sender: <@> even if the local-part and domain can
> be null. I don't know about the obsolete definition.


This specifically refers to the Sender: header which appears in the body of
a message. RFC2822 deals with the format of an email message and how it is
handled by your mail reader.

> If I read RFC2821 it states that for undeliverable mail the return path
> should be set to <>


RFC2821 deals only with the SMTP transfer of an email between two systems.
MAIL FROM:<> is what is used in the envelope of the message.

>
> Are these two at odds? - Or am I mis-reading the RFCs
>


In terms of traditional postal mail RFC2821 describes what you put on the
envelope and how the post office gets it from one place to another before it
reaches your intended destination. RFC2822 describes what goes on the paper
inside the envelope.

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Tabor J. Wells                                     twells@???
Fsck It!                 Just another victim of the ambient morality