Pkg exim4 users - Jan 2009 - Local delivery to accounts without home directories

Hi there,

Is it possible to enable local delivery to /var/mail/<user> when
<user>
does not have a home directory?

I''ve commented out the userforward redirect router (which looks for
$home/.forward files) and the maildir_home transport (which I don''t
use,
but thought might affect things) without success.

The error message I get is:

 "No such file or directory: failed to chdir to /home/<user>"

Any advice/tips/pointers much appreciated.

Sebastian
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap

If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to give the poor 
mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.

Where did you have in mind?

Regards
Neil

Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> Is it possible to enable local delivery to /var/mail/<user> when
<user>
> does not have a home directory?
> 
> I''ve commented out the userforward redirect router (which looks
for
> $home/.forward files) and the maildir_home transport (which I
don''t use,
> but thought might affect things) without success.
> 
> The error message I get is:
> 
>  "No such file or directory: failed to chdir to
/home/<user>"
> 
> Any advice/tips/pointers much appreciated.
> 
> Sebastian
-- 
Neil Briscoe
CensorNet Ltd - professional & affordable Web & E-mail filtering
neil.briscoe at censornet.com web: www.censornet.com
tel: 0845 230 9592 / fax: 0845 230 9591 / main office: 0845 230 9590
snail: The Old Post Office, Bristol Rd, Hambrook, Bristol BS16 1RY. UK.
MSN: nbriscoeuk at hotmail.co.uk

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Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to give the
poor
> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>
> Where did you have in mind?
The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
/var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 

Seb
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap

Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at censornet.com>:
>   
>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to give
the poor
>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>
>> Where did you have in mind?
>>     
>
> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>
> Seb
>   
There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to /var/spool/<user> 
if that is what you want.
I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only 
if there is no user home directory.
I don''t know how to accomplish that.

-- 
Robert Steinmetz, AIA
Principal
Steinmetz & Associates

On Wed, 28 Jan 2009, Robert Steinmetz AIA wrote:
> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> > Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
> > 
> >> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to
give the poor
> >> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
> >>
> >> Where did you have in mind?
> >
> > The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
> > /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
> >
> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
/var/spool/<user>
> if that is what you want.
> I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only 
> if there is no user home directory.
> I don''t know how to accomplish that.
Normally I think delivery is deferred if exim cannot check the user''s
home
directory for .forward file or procmail rc file.
IIRC there is a home_directory option you can set to try to fool this 
check. For example, use /home/fakehomedir for all your users.

But in fact, if your users have any need for configuration files, or even 
pop bulletin support or something like that, you''re probably going to
need
a home directory for each user anyway.

Or are you planning to use something like teapop or courier/cyrus (I 
always forget which does what) with virtual pop boxes?

HTH,
Maarten

Quoth Robert Steinmetz AIA <rob at
steinmetznet.com>:
> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
>>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to
give the poor
>>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>>
>>> Where did you have in mind?
>>
>> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
>> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>
> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
/var/spool/<user>
> if that is what you want.
I think that option is already in play, i.e., this is where mail is
already being delivered, but I''ve just discovered that it only works if
the user in question has a home directory.
> I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only 
> if there is no user home directory.
Yes, sorry.  I realise now that the wording of my original post was not
at all clear in that respect.

Seb
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap

Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> Quoth Robert Steinmetz AIA <rob at steinmetznet.com>:
>> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>>> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
>>>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to
give the poor
>>>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>>>
>>>> Where did you have in mind?
>>> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
>>> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
/var/spool/<user>
>> if that is what you want.
> 
> I think that option is already in play, i.e., this is where mail is
> already being delivered, but I''ve just discovered that it only
works if
> the user in question has a home directory.
> 
You will probably find that the router being used calls check_local_user 
a description of which can be found at 
http://exim.choma.hu/exim-html-4.62/doc/html/spec_html/ch15.html
>> I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only 
>> if there is no user home directory.
> 
> Yes, sorry.  I realise now that the wording of my original post was not
> at all clear in that respect.
So if you want to find what calls check_local_user first use

/usr/sbin/exim4 -bt user

which will output a list of routers called, ending in the router that is 
actually used.

Now you can check whether that router really does use check_local_user 
and if so, remove that check - if that is what you really want.  Or 
perhaps one of the other options will work for you.

Regards
Neil

-- 
Neil Briscoe
CensorNet Ltd - professional & affordable Web & E-mail filtering
neil.briscoe at censornet.com web: www.censornet.com
tel: 0845 230 9592 / fax: 0845 230 9591 / main office: 0845 230 9590
snail: The Old Post Office, Bristol Rd, Hambrook, Bristol BS16 1RY. UK.
MSN: nbriscoeuk at hotmail.co.uk

CensorNet Ltd is a registered company in England & Wales No. 05518629
VAT registration number 901-2048-78

Any views expressed in this email communication are those
of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states
them to be the views of a member of CensorNet Ltd.  CensorNet Ltd does not
represent, warrant or guarantee that the integrity of this communication
has been maintained nor that the communication is free of errors or
interference.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scanned for viruses, spam and offensive content by CensorNet MailSafe

Try CensorNet free for 14 days. Provide Internet access on your terms.
Visit www.censornet.com for more information.

Quoth Maarten Bezemer <mcbexim at robuust.nl>:
> On Wed, 28 Jan 2009, Robert Steinmetz AIA wrote:
>
>> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>>> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
>>> 
>>>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to
give the poor
>>>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>>>
>>>> Where did you have in mind?
>>>
>>> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
>>> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>>>
>> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
>> /var/spool/<user> if that is what you want.  I understood you
wanted
>> a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only if there is no user
>> home directory.  I don''t know how to accomplish that.
>
> Normally I think delivery is deferred if exim cannot check the
user''s home
> directory for .forward file or procmail rc file.
... which is why I commented out the userforward router, but it has made
no difference.
> IIRC there is a home_directory option you can set to try to fool this
> check. For example, use /home/fakehomedir for all your users.
Hmm... interesting.  I''ll check this out.  Thanks a lot.
> But in fact, if your users have any need for configuration files, or
> even pop bulletin support or something like that, you''re probably
> going to need a home directory for each user anyway.
My users aren''t really human users :-) i.e., I''m not providing
an email
service.
> Or are you planning to use something like teapop or courier/cyrus (I 
> always forget which does what) with virtual pop boxes?
Virtual pop boxes yes, teapop/courier/cyrus no.  Actually, it''s to
provide blog posting via email functionality for the WordPress blogs
I''m
hosting.  (WordPress can be configured to check pop boxes and publish
the contents of whatever it finds).

Seb
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap

Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>> Quoth Robert Steinmetz AIA <rob at steinmetznet.com>:
>>> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>>>> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
>>>>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you
have to give the poor
>>>>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>>>>
>>>>> Where did you have in mind?
>>>>
>>>> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
>>>> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>>>
>>> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
/var/spool/<user>
>>> if that is what you want.
>> 
>> I think that option is already in play, i.e., this is where mail is
>> already being delivered, but I''ve just discovered that it only
works if
>> the user in question has a home directory.
>
> You will probably find that the router being used calls
> check_local_user a description of which can be found at
> http://exim.choma.hu/exim-html-4.62/doc/html/spec_html/ch15.html
That sounds like a very good tip.  I''ll check it first thing tomorrow.
Thanks.
>>> I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool
only
>>> if there is no user home directory.
>> 
>> Yes, sorry.  I realise now that the wording of my original post was not
>> at all clear in that respect.
>
> So if you want to find what calls check_local_user first use
>
> /usr/sbin/exim4 -bt user
>
> which will output a list of routers called, ending in the router that is 
> actually used.
>
> Now you can check whether that router really does use check_local_user 
> and if so, remove that check - if that is what you really want.  Or 
> perhaps one of the other options will work for you.
Another valuable piece of advice.  Thanks again.

Seb
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap

We use it with aliases/virtual users and it works for us. I get mail for 
virtual users defined in /etc/aliases in /var/mail
It''s been so long since I set it up I don''t recall what I did.

Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> Quoth Robert Steinmetz AIA <rob at steinmetznet.com>:
>   
>> Sebastian Tennant wrote:
>>     
>>> Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
>>>       
>>>> If the user doesn''t have a home directory, you have to
give the poor
>>>> mail system some clue as to where it should deliver things.
>>>>
>>>> Where did you have in mind?
>>>>         
>>> The usual location, i.e., the mbox file in the spool directory;
>>> /var/mail/<user> on a stock Debian box. 
>>>       
>> There is a configuration option to deliver all mail to
/var/spool/<user>
>> if that is what you want.
>>     
>
> I think that option is already in play, i.e., this is where mail is
> already being delivered, but I''ve just discovered that it only
works if
> the user in question has a home directory.
>
>   
>> I understood you wanted a conditional delivery, to use /var/spool only 
>> if there is no user home directory.
>>     
>
> Yes, sorry.  I realise now that the wording of my original post was not
> at all clear in that respect.
>
> Seb
>   

-- 
Robert Steinmetz, AIA
Principal
Steinmetz & Associates

Quoth "Neil S. Briscoe" <neil.briscoe at
censornet.com>:
> You will probably find that the router being used calls
> check_local_user
Exactly.  Using your ''exim4 -bt <user>'' tip I
established that the
router in question is local_user, and sure enough it contains the line
check_local_user, which I commneted out, and deliveries to accounts
without home directories now work.
> remove that check - if that is what you really want.
I''ve already checked to see if exim now delivers messages with local
parts that don''t exist as accounts, and it dosen''t, so
that''s OK (the
local_user router is skipped entirely if the local part is not a local
user).
> Or perhaps one of the other options will work for you.
Setting router_home_diectory to some directory or other would do it, but
this is a litlle messy.

If there aren''t any unforseen consequences I''ll stick with
simply
commenting out check_local_user.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Seb
-- 
Emacs'' AlsaPlayer - Music Without Jolts
Lightweight, full-featured and mindful of your idyllic happiness.
http://home.gna.org/eap