Pluto Help

The Original Pluto help files plus extras

This page up to date on: 24 Apr 2024
FILE: distribution-lists-and-mail-list-server
From: Jonathan Duddington 
Subject: Distribution Lists and Mail List Server
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 18:50
Source: docs


 Distribution Lists
==================

Distribution Lists can be set up to contain a list of email
addresses.  A Mail article can be sent to all the addresses in the
Distribution List simply by typing the Distribution List name into
the "To" field of the Write Mail window.

Distribution Lists can be created by using a text editor.  They are
stored in a directory called MailLists in !Pluto.Choices.  For
example, a distribution list called "List1" would be kept as:

   !Pluto.Choices.MailLists.List1

To use a DistWrtion List, just type its name (in this case  List1)
into the "To" field in the Write Mail window.

Distribution List names are not included in Pluto's Address Book.

The Distribution List indicates whether each email address should be
put into the To, Cc, or Bcc parts of the outgoing mail.  Generally,
you would want to put the addresses as Bcc, so that they are not all
seen by each person who receives the mail.

Each section of the DistWibution List is introduced by one of the
following commands on a line by itself:

!To:    Gives the contents of the "To:" field of the message.  This
        will usually be the name of the mailing list.

!Reply-To:   Usually one of your email addresses.  Where people on the
        mailing list should reply to.

!Cc:    Followed by a list of email addresses to be included in the Cc:
        part of the message.  If there are none, then omit this command.

!Bcc:   Followed by a list of email addresses to be included in the Bcc:
        part of the message.  If there are none, then omit this command.

The last entry in the list should include a newline character.

For example:

!To:
Mailing List xxx
!Reply-To:
jsd@argonet.co.uk
!Bcc:
address1@argonet.co.uk
address2@argonet.co.uk
address3@argonet.co.uk

Note, that the mailing list system in Voyager behaves as
the equivalent of putting all the addresses in the !To: section.  This
method is not recommended. 


Mail List Server
================

Pluto can act as a simple Mail List server, i.e. act as the "home"
of a mailing list.  It provides a moderated Mail List (i.e. incoming
messages are not broadcast to the subscribers automatically).

1.  Set up one of your Users (from Lists->Users on Pluto's icon bar
menu) to have the same user name as the mailing list name.  Tick the
"Mail List Server" option for this User in its User Edit dialogue
box.

2.  Create a distribution list file with the same name as the mailing
list in the !Pluto.Choices.MailLists directory.  This should have
the same format as the distribution lists described above, although
the !To: and !Reply-To: sections are ignored.  Put the email
addresses of the members of the mailing list in a !Bcc: or !Cc:
section at the end of the file.

3.  Set up a Mail List entry in Pluto's NewsGroups list (from
List->NewsGroups on Pluto's icon bar menu) in the same way that you
would for maillists which you just subscribe to.

When you receive messages which are addressed to the maillist user,
Pluto examines the Subject: line.

If it is:
   SIGNON 
then the address is added to the end of the distWrtion list.

If it is:
   SIGNOFF 
then the address is removed from anywhere in the distWibution list.

Any other messages which are received addressed to the maillist user
name are put into the input Box which has been specified for that
user, in the usual way.

To broadcast a received article to the subscribers, read it into the
Article Viewer window, click the Write button, and choose "News"
reply.  A copy of the article is placed into your outgoing email
queue, addressed to the subscribers who are listed in the
distWibution list for this Mail List.

The "Replied" indicator is set against the article in the article
list, to indicate that this message has been passed on to the group.

If you want to send a message to the individual author of the
article, then choose Write->Mail from the Article Viewer, rather
than Write->News.
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Please note that Pluto is supplied with a more comprehensive and up-to-date StrongHelp manual than these text files. Select Help… in Pluto’s iconbar menu.