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<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
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<link rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' href='postfix-doc.css'>
<title> Postfix manual - aliases(5) </title>
</head> <body> <pre>
ALIASES(5)                                                          ALIASES(5)

<b><a name="name">NAME</a></b>
       aliases - Postfix local alias database format

<b><a name="synopsis">SYNOPSIS</a></b>
       <b>newaliases</b>

       <b>postalias -q</b> <i>name</i> <b>[</b><i>file-type</i><b>]:[</b><i>file-name</i><b>]</b>

<b><a name="description">DESCRIPTION</a></b>
       The  optional  <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a>  table  (<a href="postconf.5.html#alias_maps">alias_maps</a>) redirects mail for local
       recipients. The redirections are  processed  by  the  Postfix  <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a>
       delivery  agent.  This  table  is always searched with an email address
       localpart (no domain portion).

       This is unlike <a href="virtual.5.html"><b>virtual</b>(5)</a> aliasing (<a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">virtual_alias_maps</a>)  which  applies
       to  all  recipients: <a href="local.8.html">local(8)</a>, virtual, and remote, and which is imple-
       mented by the <a href="cleanup.8.html"><b>cleanup</b>(8)</a> daemon. That table is often  searched  with  a
       full email address (including domain).

       Normally,  the <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a> table is specified as a text file that serves
       as input to the <a href="postalias.1.html"><b>postalias</b>(1)</a> command to create an indexed file for fast
       lookup.  The  location of this file is system-dependent. This text will
       use <b>/path/to/aliases</b>.

       Execute the command "<b>newaliases</b>  to  rebuild  the  indexed  file  after
       changing the text file. Execute "<b>postalias -q</b> <i>name</i> <b>/path/to/aliases</b>" to
       query a default-type  indexed  file,  or  execute  "<b>postalias  -q</b>  <i>name</i>
       <i>type</i><b>:/path/to/aliases</b>" to specify an explicit type.

       The  default  indexed  file  type  is configured with the <a href="postconf.5.html#default_database_type">default_data</a>-
       <a href="postconf.5.html#default_database_type">base_type</a> parameter. Depending on the  platform  this  may  be  one  of
       <a href="lmdb_table.5.html">lmdb</a>:, <a href="CDB_README.html">cdb</a>:, <a href="DATABASE_README.html#types">hash</a>:, or <a href="DATABASE_README.html#types">dbm</a>: (without the trailing ':').

       When  the  table  is provided via other means such as NIS, LDAP or SQL,
       the same lookups are done as for ordinary indexed files.  Managing such
       databases is outside the scope of Postfix.

       Alternatively,  the  table  can be provided as a regular-expression map
       where patterns are given as regular  expressions.  In  this  case,  the
       lookups  are  done in a slightly different way as described below under
       "REGULAR EXPRESSION TABLES".

       Users can control delivery of their own mail  by  setting  up  <b>.forward</b>
       files  in  their home directory.  Lines in per-user <b>.forward</b> files have
       the same syntax as the right-hand side of <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a> entries.

       The format of the alias database input file is as follows:

       <b>o</b>      An alias definition has the form

                   <i>name</i>: <i>value1</i>, <i>value2</i>, <i>...</i>

       <b>o</b>      Empty lines and whitespace-only lines are ignored, as are  lines
              whose first non-whitespace character is a `#'.

       <b>o</b>      A  logical  line  starts  with  non-whitespace text. A line that
              starts with whitespace continues a logical line.

       The <i>name</i> is a local address (no domain part).  Use double  quotes  when
       the  name contains any special characters such as whitespace, `#', `:',
       or `@'. The <i>name</i> is folded to lowercase,  in  order  to  make  database
       lookups case insensitive.

       In  addition,  when  an alias exists for <b>owner-</b><i>name</i>, this will override
       the envelope sender address, so that delivery diagnostics are  directed
       to  <b>owner-</b><i>name</i>,  instead of the originator of the message (for details,
       see <b><a href="postconf.5.html#owner_request_special">owner_request_special</a></b>, <b><a href="postconf.5.html#expand_owner_alias">expand_owner_alias</a></b>  and  <b><a href="postconf.5.html#reset_owner_alias">reset_owner_alias</a></b>).
       This is typically used to direct delivery errors to the maintainer of a
       mailing list, who is in a better position to  deal  with  mailing  list
       delivery problems than the originator of the undelivered mail.

       The <i>value</i> contains one or more of the following:

       <i>address</i>
              Mail  is  forwarded to <i>address</i>, which is compatible with the <a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc822">RFC</a>
              <a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc822">822</a> standard.

       <i>/file/name</i>
              Mail is appended to <i>/file/name</i>. For details on  how  a  file  is
              written  see the sections "EXTERNAL FILE DELIVERY" and "DELIVERY
              RIGHTS" in the <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> documentation.  Delivery is not  limited
              to  regular  files.   For  example, to dispose of unwanted mail,
              deflect it to <b>/dev/null</b>.

       |<i>command</i>
              Mail is piped into <i>command</i>. Commands that contain special  char-
              acters,  such  as  whitespace, should be enclosed between double
              quotes. For details on how a command is executed  see  "EXTERNAL
              COMMAND DELIVERY" and "DELIVERY RIGHTS" in the <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> documen-
              tation.

              When the command fails, a limited amount of  command  output  is
              mailed  back  to  the  sender.  The file <b>/usr/include/sysexits.h</b>
              defines the expected exit status codes. For example, use  <b>"|exit</b>
              <b>67"</b>  to simulate a "user unknown" error, and <b>"|exit 0"</b> to imple-
              ment an expensive black hole.

       <b>:include:</b><i>/file/name</i>
              Mail is sent to the  destinations  listed  in  the  named  file.
              Lines  in <b>:include:</b> files have the same syntax as the right-hand
              side of <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a> entries.

              A destination can be any destination that is described  in  this
              manual  page.  However, delivery to "|<i>command</i>" and <i>/file/name</i> is
              disallowed by default. To enable,  edit  the  <b><a href="postconf.5.html#allow_mail_to_commands">allow_mail_to_com</a>-</b>
              <b><a href="postconf.5.html#allow_mail_to_commands">mands</a></b> and <b><a href="postconf.5.html#allow_mail_to_files">allow_mail_to_files</a></b> configuration parameters.

<b><a name="address_extension">ADDRESS EXTENSION</a></b>
       When  alias database search fails, and the recipient localpart contains
       the optional  recipient  delimiter  (e.g.,  <i>user+foo</i>),  the  search  is
       repeated for the unextended address (e.g., <i>user</i>).

       The   <b><a href="postconf.5.html#propagate_unmatched_extensions">propagate_unmatched_extensions</a></b>   parameter  controls  whether  an
       unmatched address extension (<i>+foo</i>) is propagated to the result of table
       lookup.

<b><a name="case_folding">CASE FOLDING</a></b>
       The <a href="local.8.html">local(8)</a> delivery agent always folds the search string to lowercase
       before database lookup.

<b><a name="regular_expression_tables">REGULAR EXPRESSION TABLES</a></b>
       This section describes how the table lookups change when the  table  is
       given  in the form of regular expressions. For a description of regular
       expression lookup table syntax, see <a href="regexp_table.5.html"><b>regexp_table</b>(5)</a>  or  <a href="pcre_table.5.html"><b>pcre_table</b>(5)</a>.
       NOTE: these formats do not use ":" at the end of a pattern.

       Each regular expression is applied to the entire search string. Thus, a
       search string <i>user+foo</i> is not broken up into <i>user</i> and <i>foo</i>.

       Regular expressions are applied in the order as specified in the table,
       until a regular expression is found that matches the search string.

       Lookup results are the same as with indexed file lookups.  For security
       reasons there is no support for <b>$1</b>, <b>$2</b> etc. substring interpolation.

<b><a name="security">SECURITY</a></b>
       The <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> delivery agent disallows regular  expression  substitution
       of $1 etc. in <b><a href="postconf.5.html#alias_maps">alias_maps</a></b>, because that would open a security hole.

       The  <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a>  delivery  agent will silently ignore requests to use the
       <a href="proxymap.8.html"><b>proxymap</b>(8)</a> server within <b><a href="postconf.5.html#alias_maps">alias_maps</a></b>. Instead it will  open  the  table
       directly.  Before Postfix version 2.2, the <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> delivery agent will
       terminate with a fatal error.

<b><a name="configuration_parameters">CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS</a></b>
       The following <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>main.cf</b></a> parameters are  especially  relevant.   The  text
       below  provides  only  a  parameter  summary.  See <a href="postconf.5.html"><b>postconf</b>(5)</a> for more
       details including examples.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#alias_database">alias_database</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b>
              The alias databases for <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> delivery that are updated  with
              "<b>newaliases</b>" or with "<b>sendmail -bi</b>".

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#alias_maps">alias_maps</a> (see 'postconf -d' output)</b>
              Optional  lookup  tables  that  are  searched only with an email
              address localpart (no domain) and that apply  only  to  <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a>
              recipients;  this  is  unlike  <a href="postconf.5.html#virtual_alias_maps">virtual_alias_maps</a> that are often
              searched with a full email address (including domain)  and  that
              apply to all recipients: <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a>, virtual, and remote.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#allow_mail_to_commands">allow_mail_to_commands</a> (alias, forward)</b>
              Restrict <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> mail delivery to external commands.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#allow_mail_to_files">allow_mail_to_files</a> (alias, forward)</b>
              Restrict <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> mail delivery to external files.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#expand_owner_alias">expand_owner_alias</a> (no)</b>
              When   delivering   to   an   alias   "<i>aliasname</i>"  that  has  an
              "owner-<i>aliasname</i>"  companion  alias,  set  the  envelope  sender
              address to the expansion of the "owner-<i>aliasname</i>" alias.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#propagate_unmatched_extensions">propagate_unmatched_extensions</a> (canonical, virtual)</b>
              What  address  lookup  tables copy an address extension from the
              lookup key to the lookup result.

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#owner_request_special">owner_request_special</a> (yes)</b>
              Enable special  treatment  for  owner-<i>listname</i>  entries  in  the
              <a href="aliases.5.html"><b>aliases</b>(5)</a>  file,  and  don't  split  owner-<i>listname</i>  and  <i>list-</i>
              <i>name</i>-request address localparts when the <a href="postconf.5.html#recipient_delimiter">recipient_delimiter</a>  is
              set to "-".

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#recipient_delimiter">recipient_delimiter</a> (empty)</b>
              The  set of characters that can separate an email address local-
              part, user name, or a .forward file name from its extension.

       Available in Postfix version 2.3 and later:

       <b><a href="postconf.5.html#frozen_delivered_to">frozen_delivered_to</a> (yes)</b>
              Update the <a href="local.8.html"><b>local</b>(8)</a> delivery agent's idea of  the  Delivered-To:
              address  (see  <a href="postconf.5.html#prepend_delivered_header">prepend_delivered_header</a>) only once, at the start
              of a delivery attempt; do not update the  Delivered-To:  address
              while expanding aliases or .forward files.

<b><a name="standards">STANDARDS</a></b>
       <a href="https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc822">RFC 822</a> (ARPA Internet Text Messages)

<b><a name="see_also">SEE ALSO</a></b>
       <a href="local.8.html">local(8)</a>, local delivery agent
       <a href="newaliases.1.html">newaliases(1)</a>, create/update alias database
       <a href="postalias.1.html">postalias(1)</a>, create/update alias database
       <a href="postconf.5.html">postconf(5)</a>, configuration parameters

<b><a name="readme_files">README FILES</a></b>
       <a href="DATABASE_README.html">DATABASE_README</a>, Postfix lookup table overview

<b><a name="license">LICENSE</a></b>
       The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

<b>AUTHOR(S)</b>
       Wietse Venema
       IBM T.J. Watson Research
       P.O. Box 704
       Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA

       Wietse Venema
       Google, Inc.
       111 8th Avenue
       New York, NY 10011, USA

                                                                    ALIASES(5)
</pre> </body> </html>