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<!--startcut ==============================================-->
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<title>Configuring Mailman on a Debian [Woody] system with Exim LG #91</title>
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<BIG><BIG><STRONG><FONT COLOR="maroon">Configuring Mailman on a Debian [Woody] system with Exim</FONT></STRONG></BIG></BIG>
<BR>
<STRONG>By <A HREF="../authors/price.html">Rich Price</A></STRONG>
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<H2>INTRODUCTION</H2>
<P>
This mini HOWTO is a product of my attempt to configure Mailman on a
Debian [Woody] system that uses Exim as its MTA. I started taking
notes when I realized that the information that I needed was scattered
over a large number of FAQs and README files.
<P>
Please note that most of this material appears in the documentation
that comes with the Mailman package. I have merely compiled it in a
more coherent and readable form.
<P>
I assume at the start that both Apache and Exim are up and running.
The Mailman package should be installed with "apt-get install mailman".
<P>
Debian mailman installs with the following directory structures:
<PRE>
/etc/mailman is the location of the mailman config file [mm_cfg.py].
/var/lib/mailman is where the lists and archives will be created.
/usr/lib/mailman is where Mailman is installed.
/usr/doc/mailman is where the documentation can be found.
</PRE>
<P>
Note that for all installed files User is "root" and Group is "list".
<H2>THE EXIM CONFIGURATION FILE</H2>
<P>
First you should make the following changes to exim configuration file.
<P>
Insert this at end of main configuration settings section
(<A HREF="misc/price/exim1.txt">Text Version</A>):
<PRE>
# Mailman stuff
# home dir for mailman
MAILMAN_HOME=/var/lib/mailman
# wrapper script for mailman
MAILMAN_WRAP=MAILMAN_HOME/mail/wrapper
# user and group for mailman
MAILMAN_UID=list
MAILMAN_GID=daemon
</PRE>
<P>
Insert this at end of transports configuration section
(<A HREF="misc/price/exim2.txt">Text Version</A>):
<PRE>
# Mailman stuff
##
## Three transports for list mail, request mail and admin mail
## respectively
## Mailman is installed in MAILMAN_HOME
## Mailman is configured to be invoked as user exim
list_transport:
driver = pipe
command = MAILMAN_WRAP post ${lc:$local_part}
current_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
home_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
user = MAILMAN_UID
group = MAILMAN_GID
list_request_transport:
driver = pipe
command = MAILMAN_WRAP mailcmd ${lc:$local_part}
current_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
home_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
user = MAILMAN_UID
group = MAILMAN_GID
list_admin_transport:
driver = pipe
command = MAILMAN_WRAP mailowner ${lc:$local_part}
current_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
home_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
user = MAILMAN_UID
group = MAILMAN_GID
</PRE>
<P>
In directors configuration section change system_aliases to look like this
(<A HREF="misc/price/exim3.txt">Text Version</A>):
<PRE>
system_aliases:
driver = aliasfile
file_transport = address_file
pipe_transport = address_pipe
file = /etc/aliases
search_type = lsearch
user = list
</PRE>
<P>
Insert this in directors configuration section just before the user mailbox part
(<A HREF="misc/price/exim4.txt">Text Version</A>):
<PRE>
# Mailman Stuff
## Directors section [this deals with local addresses]
##
## First 2 directors rewrite list-owner or owner-list to list-admin
## This is only done if the list exists.
## List existence checks are done by seeing if the file
## MAILMAN_HOME/lists//config.db exists.
list_owner_director:
driver = smartuser
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/${lc:$local_part}/config.db
suffix = "-owner"
new_address = "${lc:$local_part}-admin@${domain}"
owner_list_director:
driver = smartuser
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/${lc:$local_part}/config.db
prefix = "owner-"
new_address = "${lc:$local_part}-admin@${domain}"
## The next 3 directors direct admin, request and list mail to the
## appropriate transport. List existence is checked as above.
list_admin_director:
driver = smartuser
suffix = -admin
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/${lc:$local_part}/config.db
transport = list_admin_transport
list_request_director:
driver = smartuser
suffix = -request
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/${lc:$local_part}/config.db
transport = list_request_transport
list_director:
driver = smartuser
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/${lc:$local_part}/config.db
transport = list_transport
</PRE>
<H2>THE APACHE CONFIGURATION FILE</H2>
<P>
Next you should make the following changes to the apache
configuration file.
<P>
Add this to the 'Main' server configuration
(<A HREF="misc/price/apache.txt">Text Version</A>):
<PRE>
ScriptAlias /mailman/ /usr/lib/mailman/cgi-bin/
<Directory /usr/lib/mailman/cgi-bin/>
AllowOverride None
Options ExecCGI
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
Alias /pipermail/ /var/lib/mailman/archives/public/
<Directory /var/lib/mailman/archives/public>
Options Indexes MultiViews FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
Alias /mmimages/ /usr/share/doc/mailman/images/
<Directory /usr/share/doc/mailman/images>
Options Indexes MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
</PRE>
<P>
Then syntax check your changes with this command.
<P>
apache -k -f <modified/config/file>
<P>
If all is well you won't get any error messages.
<P>
<H2>THE MAILMAN CONFIGURATION FILE</H2>
Next make these changes to mailman configuration file [mm_cfg.py].
Remember, this is the file found at /etc/mailman.
<P>
Modify these two existing lines as shown:
<PRE>
DEFAULT_HOST_NAME = '{mail.server}'
DEFAULT_URL = 'http://{web.server}/mailman/'
</PRE>
<P>
Where {web.server} is the fully qualified name of your server
and {mail.server} is the non-local part of your email address.
<P>
For example, let's say that your server ralph in your domain
bigboy.org has a DNS alias [c record] of www and an mx record
for bigboy.org. In this case neither {web.server} nor
{mail.server} would be ralph.bigboy.org. Your config would be:
<PRE>
DEFAULT_HOST_NAME = 'bigboy.org'
DEFAULT_URL = 'http://www.bigboy.org/mailman/'
</PRE>
<P>
You should also add the following new line to mm_cfg.py:
<PRE>
IMAGE_LOGOS = '/mmimages/'
</PRE>
<H2>ALIASES</H2>
<P>
Add the following lines to /etc/aliases:
<PRE>
mailman-owner: mailman
mailman: postmaster
</PRE>
<P>
This assumes that you already have a postmaster alias.
<H2>SITE PASSWORD</H2>
<P>
Next create your site password with the command:
<P>
/usr/lib/mailman/bin/mmsitepass <site-password>
<P>
Where <site-password> is the Mailman master password which can
be used anywhere that individual user or mailing list
administrator passwords are required. This password gives the
mailman site administrator the ability to adjust things when
necessary.
<H2>TESTING</H2>
<P>
You are now ready to test Mailman. To do this, you should create
a list named test. This list should be deleted after you are done
using it. If you find problems while testing then fix them and
then re do this test procedure from the start.
<P>
First run the job /usr/lib/mailman/bin/newlist
and respond as follows to its prompts:
<PRE>
Enter the name of the list: test
Enter the email of the person running the list: {you@domain.name}
Initial test password: {you-pick-it}
{Make note of the alias lines that are now printed. See below.}
Hit enter to continue with test owner notification...{Enter}
</PRE>
<P>
Next add the lines specified by newlist to the alias file.
They should look something like this:
<PRE>
## test mailing list
## created: 31-Mar-2003 root
test: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/wrapper post test"
test-admin: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/wrapper mailowner test"
test-request: "|/var/lib/mailman/mail/wrapper mailcmd test"
test-owner: test-admin
</PRE>
<P>
Wait for Mailman to send you [the list owner] an email.
This email will start with something like the following text:
<P>
----- start of excerpt -----
<P>
The mailing list `test' has just been created for you. The following
is some basic information about your mailing list.
<P>
Your mailing list password is:
<P>
{password}
<P>
You need this password to configure your mailing list. You also need
it to handle administrative requests, such as approving mail if you
choose to run a moderated list.
<P>
You can configure your mailing list at the following web page:
<P>
http://{your.web.server}/mailman/admin/test
<P>
The web page for users of your mailing list is:
<P>
http://{your.web.server}/mailman/listinfo/test
<P>
----- end of excerpt -----
<P>
After you receive this email, go to the web page
"http://{your.web.server}/mailman/admin/test"
and sign in with the supplied password. At this time, you might want
to review the General Options section of this Administration web page.
[The other sections of this web page are also worth a glance.] Add
some text in the description sections to familiarize yourself with
how updates are done. [It's all rather straightforward and self
documenting.] When you are done, save your updates and logout.
<P>
Next go to the web page
"http://{your.web.server}/mailman/listinfo/test"
and review the page. Use this page to subscribe to the list.
<P>
You should soon get a confirmation request email. Follow the
instructions on this email to confirm your subscription request.
<P>
Send an Email to the list. If you get it, the install was a success.
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<P>
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<P>
<img ALIGN="LEFT" ALT="[BIO]" SRC="../gx/2002/note.png">
<em>
Rich Price has been using computers for around 35 years and Linux
for around 10 years. And he hasn't got tired of either quite yet.
</em>
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<CENTER><SMALL><STRONG>
Copyright © 2003, Rich Price.
Copying license <A HREF="../copying.html">http://www.linuxgazette.com/copying.html</A><BR>
Published in Issue 91 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, June 2003
</STRONG></SMALL></CENTER>
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