7
Postfix to Sendmail compatibility interface
11
\fBsendmail\fR [\fIoption ...\fR] [\fIrecipient ...\fR]
21
The Postfix \fBsendmail\fR command implements the Postfix to Sendmail
22
compatibility interface.
23
For the sake of compatibility with existing applications, some
24
Sendmail command-line options are recognized but silently ignored.
26
By default, Postfix \fBsendmail\fR reads a message from standard input
27
until EOF or until it reads a line with only a \fB.\fR character,
28
and arranges for delivery. Postfix \fBsendmail\fR relies on the
29
\fBpostdrop\fR(1) command to create a queue file in the \fBmaildrop\fR
32
Specific command aliases are provided for other common modes of
35
List the mail queue. Each entry shows the queue file ID, message
36
size, arrival time, sender, and the recipients that still need to
37
be delivered. If mail could not be delivered upon the last attempt,
38
the reason for failure is shown. This mode of operation is implemented
39
by executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.
41
Initialize the alias database. If no input file is specified (with
42
the \fB-oA\fR option, see below), the program processes the file(s)
43
specified with the \fBalias_database\fR configuration parameter.
44
If no alias database type is specified, the program uses the type
45
specified with the \fBdefault_database_type\fR configuration parameter.
46
This mode of operation is implemented by running the \fBpostalias\fR(1)
49
Note: it may take a minute or so before an alias database update
50
becomes visible. Use the \fBpostfix reload\fR command to eliminate
53
These and other features can be selected by specifying the
54
appropriate combination of command-line options. Some features are
55
controlled by parameters in the \fBmain.cf\fR configuration file.
57
The following options are recognized:
58
.IP "\fB-Am\fR (ignored)"
59
.IP "\fB-Ac\fR (ignored)"
60
Postfix sendmail uses the same configuration file regardless of
61
whether or not a message is an initial submission.
62
.IP "\fB-B \fIbody_type\fR"
63
The message body MIME type: \fB7BIT\fR or \fB8BITMIME\fR.
65
Go into daemon mode. This mode of operation is implemented by
66
executing the \fBpostfix start\fR command.
67
.IP "\fB-bh\fR (ignored)"
68
.IP "\fB-bH\fR (ignored)"
69
Postfix has no persistent host status database.
71
Initialize alias database. See the \fBnewaliases\fR
74
Read mail from standard input and arrange for delivery.
75
This is the default mode of operation.
77
List the mail queue. See the \fBmailq\fR command above.
79
Stand-alone SMTP server mode. Read SMTP commands from
80
standard input, and write responses to standard output.
81
In stand-alone SMTP server mode, mail relaying and other
82
access controls are disabled by default. To enable them,
83
run the process as the \fBmail_owner\fR user.
85
This mode of operation is implemented by running the
86
\fBsmtpd\fR(8) daemon.
88
Do not collect or deliver a message. Instead, send an email
89
report after verifying each recipient address. This is useful
90
for testing address rewriting and routing configurations.
92
This feature is available in Postfix version 2.1 and later.
93
.IP "\fB-C \fIconfig_file\fR (ignored)"
94
The path name of the \fBsendmail.cf\fR file. Postfix configuration
95
files are kept in the \fB/etc/postfix\fR directory.
96
.IP "\fB-F \fIfull_name\fR
97
Set the sender full name. This is used only with messages that
98
have no \fBFrom:\fR message header.
99
.IP "\fB-f \fIsender\fR"
100
Set the envelope sender address. This is the address where
101
delivery problems are sent to, unless the message contains an
102
\fBErrors-To:\fR message header.
103
.IP "\fB-G\fR (ignored)"
104
Gateway (relay) submission, as opposed to initial user submission.
105
.IP "\fB-h \fIhop_count\fR (ignored)"
106
Hop count limit. Use the \fBhopcount_limit\fR configuration
109
Initialize alias database. See the \fBnewaliases\fR
112
When reading a message from standard input, don\'t treat a line
113
with only a \fB.\fR character as the end of input.
114
.IP "\fB-L \fIlabel\fR (ignored)"
115
The logging label. Use the \fBsyslog_name\fR configuration
117
.IP "\fB-m\fR (ignored)"
118
Backwards compatibility.
119
.IP "\fB-N \fIdsn\fR (ignored)"
120
Delivery status notification control. Currently, Postfix does
121
not implement \fBDSN\fR.
122
.IP "\fB-n\fR (ignored)"
123
Backwards compatibility.
124
.IP "\fB-oA\fIalias_database\fR"
125
Non-default alias database. Specify \fIpathname\fR or
126
\fItype\fR:\fIpathname\fR. See \fBpostalias\fR(1) for
128
.IP "\fB-o7\fR (ignored)"
129
.IP "\fB-o8\fR (ignored)"
130
To send 8-bit or binary content, use an appropriate MIME encapsulation
131
and specify the appropriate \fB-B\fR command-line option.
133
When reading a message from standard input, don\'t treat a line
134
with only a \fB.\fR character as the end of input.
135
.IP "\fB-om\fR (ignored)"
136
The sender is never eliminated from alias etc. expansions.
137
.IP "\fB-o \fIx value\fR (ignored)"
138
Set option \fIx\fR to \fIvalue\fR. Use the equivalent
139
configuration parameter in \fBmain.cf\fR instead.
140
.IP "\fB-r \fIsender\fR"
141
Set the envelope sender address. This is the address where
142
delivery problems are sent to, unless the message contains an
143
\fBErrors-To:\fR message header.
144
.IP "\fB-R \fIreturn_limit\fR (ignored)"
145
Limit the size of bounced mail. Use the \fBbounce_size_limit\fR
146
configuration parameter instead.
148
Attempt to deliver all queued mail. This is implemented by
149
executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.
151
Warning: flushing undeliverable mail frequently will result in
152
poor delivery performance of all other mail.
153
.IP "\fB-q\fIinterval\fR (ignored)"
154
The interval between queue runs. Use the \fBqueue_run_delay\fR
155
configuration parameter instead.
157
Schedule immediate delivery of all mail that is queued for the named
158
\fIsite\fR. This option accepts only \fIsite\fR names that are
159
eligible for the "fast flush" service, and is implemented by
160
executing the \fBpostqueue\fR(1) command.
161
See \fBflush\fR(8) for more information about the "fast flush"
164
This command is not implemented. Use the slower \fBsendmail -q\fR
167
Extract recipients from message headers. These are added to any
168
recipients specified on the command line.
170
With Postfix versions prior to 2.1, this option requires that
171
no recipient addresses are specified on the command line.
172
.IP "\fB-U\fR (ignored)"
173
Initial user submission.
175
Variable Envelope Return Path. Given an envelope sender address
176
of the form \fIowner-listname\fR@\fIorigin\fR, each recipient
177
\fIuser\fR@\fIdomain\fR receives mail with a personalized envelope
180
By default, the personalized envelope sender address is
181
\fIowner-listname\fB+\fIuser\fB=\fIdomain\fR@\fIorigin\fR. The default
182
\fB+\fR and \fB=\fR characters are configurable with the
183
\fBdefault_verp_delimiters\fR configuration parameter.
185
This feature is available in Postfix version 1.1 and later.
187
As \fB-V\fR, but uses \fIx\fR and \fIy\fR as the VERP delimiter
188
characters, instead of the characters specified with the
189
\fBdefault_verp_delimiters\fR configuration parameter.
191
Send an email report of the first delivery attempt (Postfix
192
versions 2.1 and later). Mail delivery
193
always happens in the background. When multiple \fB-v\fR
194
options are given, enable verbose logging for debugging purposes.
195
.IP "\fB-X \fIlog_file\fR (ignored)"
196
Log mailer traffic. Use the \fBdebug_peer_list\fR and
197
\fBdebug_peer_level\fR configuration parameters instead.
203
By design, this program is not set-user (or group) id. However,
204
it must handle data from untrusted users or untrusted machines.
205
Thus, the usual precautions need to be taken against malicious
210
Problems are logged to \fBsyslogd\fR(8) and to the standard error
217
.IP \fBMAIL_CONFIG\fR
218
Directory with Postfix configuration files.
219
.IP \fBMAIL_VERBOSE\fR
220
Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes.
222
Enable debugging with an external command, as specified with the
223
\fBdebugger_command\fR configuration parameter.
224
.SH "CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS"
229
The following \fBmain.cf\fR parameters are especially relevant to
231
The text below provides only a parameter summary. See
232
postconf(5) for more details including examples.
233
.SH "TROUBLE SHOOTING CONTROLS"
238
The DEBUG_README file gives examples of how to trouble shoot a
240
.IP "\fBdebugger_command (empty)\fR"
241
The external command to execute when a Postfix daemon program is
242
invoked with the -D option.
243
.IP "\fBdebug_peer_level (2)\fR"
244
The increment in verbose logging level when a remote client or
245
server matches a pattern in the debug_peer_list parameter.
246
.IP "\fBdebug_peer_list (empty)\fR"
247
Optional list of remote client or server hostname or network
248
address patterns that cause the verbose logging level to increase
249
by the amount specified in $debug_peer_level.
250
.SH "RESOURCE AND RATE CONTROLS"
255
.IP "\fBbounce_size_limit (50000)\fR"
256
The maximal amount of original message text that is sent in a
257
non-delivery notification.
258
.IP "\fBfork_attempts (5)\fR"
259
The maximal number of attempts to fork() a child process.
260
.IP "\fBfork_delay (1s)\fR"
261
The delay between attempts to fork() a child process.
262
.IP "\fBhopcount_limit (50)\fR"
263
The maximal number of Received: message headers that is allowed
264
in the primary message headers.
265
.IP "\fBqueue_run_delay (1000s)\fR"
266
The time between deferred queue scans by the queue manager.
267
.SH "FAST FLUSH CONTROLS"
272
The ETRN_README file describes configuration and operation
273
details for the Postfix "fast flush" service.
274
.IP "\fBfast_flush_domains ($relay_domains)\fR"
275
Optional list of destinations that are eligible for per-destination
276
logfiles with mail that is queued to those destinations.
282
The VERP_README file describes configuration and operation
283
details of Postfix support for variable envelope return
285
.IP "\fBdefault_verp_delimiters (+=)\fR"
286
The two default VERP delimiter characters.
287
.IP "\fBverp_delimiter_filter (-=+)\fR"
288
The characters Postfix accepts as VERP delimiter characters on the
289
Postfix sendmail(1) command line and in SMTP commands.
290
.SH "MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS"
295
.IP "\fBalias_database (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
296
The alias databases for local(8) delivery that are updated with
297
"\fBnewaliases\fR" or with "\fBsendmail -bi\fR".
298
.IP "\fBcommand_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
299
The location of all postfix administrative commands.
300
.IP "\fBconfig_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
301
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf
303
.IP "\fBdaemon_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
304
The directory with Postfix support programs and daemon programs.
305
.IP "\fBdefault_database_type (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
306
The default database type for use in newaliases(1), postalias(1)
307
and postmap(1) commands.
308
.IP "\fBdelay_warning_time (0h)\fR"
309
The time after which the sender receives the message headers of
310
mail that is still queued.
311
.IP "\fBmail_owner (postfix)\fR"
312
The UNIX system account that owns the Postfix queue and most Postfix
314
.IP "\fBqueue_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)\fR"
315
The location of the Postfix top-level queue directory.
316
.IP "\fBsyslog_facility (mail)\fR"
317
The syslog facility of Postfix logging.
318
.IP "\fBsyslog_name (postfix)\fR"
319
The mail system name that is prepended to the process name in syslog
320
records, so that "smtpd" becomes, for example, "postfix/smtpd".
321
.IP "\fBtrigger_timeout (10s)\fR"
322
The time limit for sending a trigger to a Postfix daemon (for
323
example, the pickup(8) or qmgr(8) daemon).
327
/var/spool/postfix, mail queue
328
/etc/postfix, configuration files
332
pickup(8), mail pickup daemon
333
qmgr(8), queue manager
334
smtpd(8), SMTP server
335
flush(8), fast flush service
336
postsuper(1), queue maintenance
337
postalias(1), create/update/query alias database
338
postdrop(1), mail posting utility
339
postfix(1), mail system control
340
postqueue(1), mail queue control
341
syslogd(8), system logging
345
Use "\fBpostconf readme_directory\fR" or
346
"\fBpostconf html_directory\fR" to locate this information.
347
DEBUG_README, Postfix debugging howto
348
ETRN_README, Postfix ETRN howto
349
VERP_README, Postfix VERP howto
355
The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.
360
IBM T.J. Watson Research
362
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
added
removed
man/man1/sendmail.1
