MailBurstTM: FAQs


Here are some examples, questions, and answers that demonstrate some of the program's features. The questions and answers are structured to answer both general questions and questions you will have after trying out the demo version.

Also, be sure to read the Mini-Tutorial and

Installation sections.


1. When the MacOS supports multiple domains will MailBurst still be useful?

Yes!

Whether your machine serves one domain or several, MailBurst is primarily a smart mail hub.

Yes, it handles multiple/virtual domains, but its flexibility, speed, and ease of use make it an ideal tool for anyone running AIMS/EIMS.


2. How do I use info@domain1.com and info@domain2.com?

To have mail sent to your server at info@domain1.com be forwarded to joe@X.com and info@domain2.com be forwarded to jim@Y.com, simply add both domains to your domain list, and add a forwarding account named info for each domain, with a proper outgoing address.



3. Can I have mail sent to info@domain1.com be forwared to more than one person?

Yes. Just add a second (or more) address after joe's address (accounts):




4. Can I have all mail sent to a domain forwarded regardless of the user name?

Sure, create an incoming address named "*". (Be sure to tell AIMS/EIMS to save mail for the user named: "any-name", a default and non-removable user name, to the :MailBurst:mail folder. )

This is great when you have a client that wants to add new email addresses all the time for specials or promotions.

Once you set up this address, your administrative work is over!



5. If I use a wild card does it apply to all addresses

Only addresses that don't match a specific entry. Specific entries are checked first, and if no match is found, the program will try to match with wild cards that a re specified.




6. Can I have MailBurst forward mail for "webmaster" at all my domains to one account?

Sure, just create a domain named "*" in the domain screen. Then add what ever accounts you wish to have handled across all the domains. Once "webmaster" is listed for the "*" domain, unless a domain has a specific entry for "webmaster" all mail for webmaster will be sent to the address list specified in the "*" domain.



7. What if I forward all mail for webmaster to me, but one customer wants to receive her domain's webmaster email?

Again, if a domain has a specific listing for "webmaster", then this will override the "webmaster" account in the "*" domain.

On our servers, most domain's do not have a "webmaster" entry, so the "*" domain's webmaster handles the email. In the few domains that do have "webmaster" entries, we list our internal webmaster as one of the addresses to deliver mail as well, so both our internal webmaster and the domain's webmaster get the mail.



8. What is the order of precedence used to match incoming email to the list of domains and accounts? 

1) addresses that match BOTH user name and host
2) addresses that match a user name and a host alias
3) addresses that match a user name and an alias with an '*'
4) addresses that match a user name and any host (user@*) 
5) addresses that match any user and a single host (*@host)
6) addresses that match any user and an alias
7) addresses that match any user and an alias with an '*'



9. If I have mail coming in for subdomains, do I have to enter a domain and full set of accounts for each domain?

No. You can use an ALIAS for single subdomain hosts or a wild card to handle them all. (Alias records cause the incoming host to appear as if it came into the alias host):



10. How can I test my configuration?

Use the Test command in the file menu.


11. How limited is the demo version?

The demo version will handle 3 domains, and simply place mail for other domains into the MailBurst:hold folder. Additionally, the demo version ignores the MailBurst drop folder.


12. What happens when an address can't be processed?

The program will send a message to the ADMIN when an address can not be processed. Once you fix the config file, and it is reloaded (either automatically or by hand or AppleEvent) the message will be re-processed.

If an address can not be processed, you will receive an email message only the first time that address is processed each time the program reads the config file (e.g., if 100 messages are received to an address, you will get only one error message.)


13. If I want to change the config file with a text editor, can I disable the GUI?

Yes, just add a line "NoGUI" anywhere in the config file.



14. If I change the config file with a text editor, do I need to re-start the program?

No, by default, the program will automatically reload the config file if you have enabled the Auto Config file update option in the preferences dialog.

15. How fast is MailBurst and are there any limits to the number of users or domains?

Fast and no realistic limits (like driving a sports car).

We run a 5,000 user domain in a 4Mb partition. When working with very large configurations, the program will recommend that you use the large footprint version. This version requires more RAM, and is a touch slower, but enables you to display thousands of addresses using the GUI. The regular version will inform you when you need to use the large footprint version. All it requires is double-clicking the other version and you're on your way.

If you want to test out some large configurations, we've included some sample files and a Perl script you can use to further stress test the program. Remember, though, more accounts means more RAM, and with more RAM comes more management overhead. While run-time peformance is not affected greatly, reloading a config file with 5,000 addresses can take up to 45 seconds. (You can test run-time performance using a large config file and the Test command under the File menu.)

The largest mail file test we have run to date involved 5,000 mail messages that AIMS/EIMS had deposited in the MailBurst:Mail folder. We double-clicked on MailBurst and 10 minutes, 39 seconds later, MailBurst had processed all 5,000 messages and delivered them back to AIMS/EIMS to forward. That's on a 117 Mhz PPC (PowerBook 5300ce).

Check out the testimonials section for our customers' experiences.

Note that for multiple recipients, you are limited to 255 outgoing or notification addresses. If you're looking for more, we recommend using a mailing list program (we've held back implementing a full set of mailing list features, as we feel there are enough solutions on the market... if you feel otherwise, do let us know!)


16. What's in the log file?

Every time the program sends a file to AIMS/EIMS, it logs the date, time, status, original address, the new address, and the size of the file to the log file.

10/01/96 09:05:05 OK info@dantowitz.com david@dantowitz.com 3135


17. Can messges be saved to a file?

Sure, check out the Details dialog box for special settings for each account.


18. Can I set up an Auto Reply?

Sure, check out the Details dialog box for special settings for each account.


19. Can I reject message based on size?

Sure, check out the Details dialog box for special settings for each account.

20. Can I create my config file automatically, with a script or CGI?

Yes, the format is pretty simple. Just open up the file and have a look. We have many users doing this already. Soon we'll add an official description of the file format to the docs.

21. Can I BOUNCE mail?

Yes, set up any account as bounce rather than forward and mail to that account will be bounced back to the sender with a 550 message.

22. Can I customize the message sent when mail is BOUNCED?

Sure, but rather than setting up the account as bounce, set it forward, and set up an Auto Reply message for the account. Simply leave the outgoing address box empty and mail to this account will generate an auto reply with your message to the sender and delete the incoming message.

23. EIMS is bouncing my mail with a 550 error is this EIMS or MailBurst?

EIMS 1.1.2 has many important bug fixes and work arounds for existing OT bugs, but one new feature has lead many of our users to use AIMS 1.1.1 in favor of EIMS 1.1.2.

When SMTP mail comes in, the following is done:
  1. If the domain in the FROM adddress matches a local domain go to step 2, otherwise send the mail.
  2. If the user in the FROM address matches a POP user, send the mail
  3. Otherwise REJECT the mail.

To enable EIMS to send mail from a CGI or other software, add an account with the name used by the CGI (or use EIMS 1.2, 2.0, or AIMS 1.1.1).

Note that this "feature" does not block strange people from sending mail using your SMTP... it only blocks sending mail from non-existent POP accounts on local domains.


21. What is the Large Footprint version/where did it go?

Earlier versions of 2.0 had a normal and a Large Footprint (LFP) version, but this is no longer the case.

The details:
The large footprint version was used for configurations that need to display more than 32k of data in a list box. This limit is imposed by the MacOS' built-in ListManager. The large footprint version replaces the MacOS List Manager with StoneTable, which can handle more than 32k in a list box and therefore requires more RAM. When you have a large configuration, the program will try to allocate enough RAM, but you may get a request to increase the RAM partition if memory runs low.

Click here for more info on large configurations and performance.

MailBurst uses StoneTable(tm), by StoneTablet Publishing. All rights to StoneTable(tm) and its documentation are retained by StoneTablet Publishing and are © 1992-1995 StoneTablet Publishing.


22. Can I edit config files myself?

Yes, the syntax is quite simple. Just examine the lines in the file after creating a simple config with the GUI.

To Forward mail, use the Multi command: 


Multi user@domain.com realuser@realdomain.com
Multi user2@domain.com firstDest@domain.com secondDest@domain.com
Each element on the line is separated by a TAB (spaces will also work). To indicate more than one destination, simply place additional destinations on the same line, separated by TABs.

To bounce or trash mail, change "Multi" to "Bounce" or "Trash". The commands may be in any order. By default, the program will write config files alphabetically by domain and user.

Other settings are simple to glean from the config file. Semi-colon ";" is used to start a comment for those generating their config files using other software. The upcoming manual will detail the config file format in further detail.


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© 1997 Dantowitz Consulting & Research, Inc.