NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/comp/os/vms/22022

Text File | 1993-01-27 | 2.9 KB | 61 lines

Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Path: sparky!uunet!destroyer!gatech!asuvax!franz
From: [e-mail] (Chris Franz)
Subject: Re: Tool to edit vmsmail_profile.data
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Arizona State University
References: <[e-mail]>,<[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 17:32:39 GMT
Lines: 50

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Carl J Lydick) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Bob Marshall) writes:
> >In article <[e-mail]>,
> >[e-mail] (Chris Franz) writes:
> >>
> >>Running VMS 5.5-1 on VAX 6410
> >>
> >>I need a tool (command procedure) to edit vmsmail_profile.data.
> >>Does such an animal exist?
> >
> >I have a very good procedure to do this. It was written by Alan Zirkle
> >many years ago, but it is still up-to-date as of VMS 5.5-2. I use it all
> >the time. It allows you to easily manipulate the VMSMAIL_PROFILE.DATA
> >record for any user. If anyone is interested I can mail them a copy.
> >I thought about posting it, but it's 578 lines long.
>
> Depending on what he wants to do with the file, he may already have such a
> program.  It's called SYS$SYSTEM:MAIL.EXE.  This program will allow you do
> modify the forwarding address for any user (or even for aliases).  It allows
> you to set the personal name field for any user.  Combined with the SUBMIT/USER
> command, it allows you to set the mail directory for any user, or to zero that
> user's new mail count (though iusing if tor the latter is discouraged, as it
> requires that you move all of his real new mail to a different folder).
>
> So, my question to Chris is, "What the hell is it you really want to do?"

I guess brevity is not a virtue in this group.  Let me follow the
guidelines and elaborate.  Our VMS environment is very dynamic.  I
create and delete hundreds of accounts every semester.  When an
account is terminated (files backed up and deleted, username removed
from sysuaf and quota file), I wanted a way to remove all mail
customization the user had done.  The defusing of a forwarding
address, resetting the mail directory, and zeroing the new mail
count are three things that can be done using various approaches
as mentioned above, however, a record for that username remains
in the mail profile.  Over time, old bones start to accumulate
in the closet.  I wanted a way to remove the the username and
all of its associated settings from vmsmail_profile.data.

Many thanks to:

Bob Marshall ([e-mail])
Michael N. LeVine ([e-mail])
Chris Melaro ([e-mail])
Anthony Spinillo ([e-mail])

for sending assorted DCL/C source to do the job.

Chris Franz
[e-mail]