Rewrite Reply-To dependent on another header

[Phill Harvey-Smith-3]

Hi all,

Re-sending this as it didn't appear to make it to the list, apologies if
anyone gets it twice !

I am a member of an email mailing list that's list owner insists on
setting the reply address back to the original sender rather than the
more conventional reply to the list.

So what I would like to do is insert a Reply-To: header that by default
sends replies back to the list. There are other headers that I can use
to identify the list messages, so that I only re-write the correct
messages, infact one of the headers the list software inserts, has the
address of the list.

I know the correct way to get this fixed is to convince the list admin
to change things but they seem adamant that this is the best way of
doing things despite the fact that I get the feeling most of the4 list
members don't.

Cheers.

Phill.

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[Heiko Schlittermann]

Hello Phill,

Phill Harvey-Smith <phill-list@...> (Do 16 Jul 2009 15:59:29 CEST):
> Hi all,
>
...
>
> I am a member of an email mailing list that's list owner insists on
> setting the reply address back to the original sender rather than the
> more conventional reply to the list.

Your're not talking about *this* list? ;-) -- I'm not sure about what is
more conventional. Both solutions have pros and cons. From my POV it's
heavily dependant on the list audience. The more qualified they (the
subscribers) are (talking about the ability to use a mail client), the
more I'd tend not to modify the Reply-To/From etc, because they are able
to differentiate betweena "(r)reply" and a "(l)ist reply".

> So what I would like to do is insert a Reply-To: header that by default
> sends replies back to the list. There are other headers that I can use
> to identify the list messages, so that I only re-write the correct
> messages, infact one of the headers the list software inserts, has the
> address of the list.

You could use a "headers_add = Reply-To: ... " in your transport, probably combined
with a "headers_remove = reply-to.

Here is some untested pointer.

    # Macros for readability
    IS_LIST = match{$h_list-id:}{exim-users}
    # or this one:
    # IS_LIST = def:h_list-post:

    begin transports:
       
    local_user:
        ...
        headers_remove = ${if IS_LIST {Reply-To}}
        headers_add    = ${if IS_LIST {${address:${sg{$h_list-post:}{mailto:}{}}}}}

    Best regards from Dresden/Germany
    Viele Grüße aus Dresden
    Heiko Schlittermann
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[Ian Eiloart]

--On 16 July 2009 14:59:29 +0100 Phill Harvey-Smith
<phill-list@...> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Re-sending this as it didn't appear to make it to the list, apologies if
> anyone gets it twice !
>
> I am a member of an email mailing list that's list owner insists on
> setting the reply address back to the original sender rather than the
> more conventional reply to the list.
>
> So what I would like to do is insert a Reply-To: header that by default
> sends replies back to the list. There are other headers that I can use
> to identify the list messages, so that I only re-write the correct
> messages, infact one of the headers the list software inserts, has the
> address of the list.

If you're the only affected list member, then follow Heiko's advice for
inbound messages.

Ask the list owner before adding such headers to your posts, though. It's
the list owner's policy, and it becomes part of the list culture, which
should be respected. If list members in general don't like it, then set up
a rival list, or lobby the owner to change the policy.

> I know the correct way to get this fixed is to convince the list admin
> to change things but they seem adamant that this is the best way of
> doing things despite the fact that I get the feeling most of the4 list
> members don't.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Phill.



--
Ian Eiloart
IT Services, University of Sussex
01273-873148 x3148
For new support requests, see http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/help/

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[David Cantrell (at home)]

On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 12:04:59AM +0200, Heiko Schlittermann wrote:

> Phill Harvey-Smith <phill-list@...> (Do 16 Jul 2009 15:59:29 CEST):
> > I am a member of an email mailing list that's list owner insists on
> > setting the reply address back to the original sender rather than the
> > more conventional reply to the list.
> Your're not talking about *this* list? ;-) -- I'm not sure about what is
> more conventional. Both solutions have pros and cons. From my POV it's
> heavily dependant on the list audience. The more qualified they (the
> subscribers) are (talking about the ability to use a mail client), the
> more I'd tend not to modify the Reply-To/From etc, because they are able
> to differentiate betweena "(r)reply" and a "(l)ist reply".

The solution to this religious argument for "more qualified" subscribers
like what everyone here should be is for the list to leave reply-to
alone and leave it up to subscribers to do this:

:0 fHw
* ^List-Id:.*A user list for the exim MTA
| formail -i "Reply-To: exim-users@..."

which I am sure is easily translatable for those HEATHEN DEVIL
WORSHIPPERS who don't worship at the church of procmail.

--
David Cantrell | Hero of the Information Age

PERL: Politely Expressed Racoon Love

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[Phill Harvey-Smith-3]

Ian Eiloart wrote:
>> So what I would like to do is insert a Reply-To: header that by default
>> sends replies back to the list. There are other headers that I can use
>> to identify the list messages, so that I only re-write the correct
>> messages, infact one of the headers the list software inserts, has the
>> address of the list.
>
> If you're the only affected list member, then follow Heiko's advice for
> inbound messages.

Nope not the only affected member, and I know of at least one other
member that does a similar thing, though with a different MTA.

> Ask the list owner before adding such headers to your posts, though.
> It's the list owner's policy, and it becomes part of the list culture,
> which should be respected. If list members in general don't like it,
> then set up a rival list, or lobby the owner to change the policy.

We have asked the list owner to change it, but their response is a
stunning scilence.... Setting up a rival list is probably not a feasable
  option as this list has been in operation for a number of years and is
therefore well known, has well known archives etc.

And no it wasn't this list, bbc micro users mailing list for anyone
that's interested :)

Cheers.

Phill.


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[Ian Eiloart]

--On 17 July 2009 12:28:51 +0100 Phill Harvey-Smith
<phill-list@...> wrote:

> Ian Eiloart wrote:
>>> So what I would like to do is insert a Reply-To: header that by default
>>> sends replies back to the list. There are other headers that I can use
>>> to identify the list messages, so that I only re-write the correct
>>> messages, infact one of the headers the list software inserts, has the
>>> address of the list.
>>
>> If you're the only affected list member, then follow Heiko's advice for
>> inbound messages.
>
> Nope not the only affected member, and I know of at least one other
> member that does a similar thing, though with a different MTA.

Ah, that's not quite what I meant. What I meant was "the only list member
who will be affected by your Exim fix". I didn't mean "the only list member
who doesn't like the list policy".

>> Ask the list owner before adding such headers to your posts, though.
>> It's the list owner's policy, and it becomes part of the list culture,
>> which should be respected. If list members in general don't like it,
>> then set up a rival list, or lobby the owner to change the policy.
>
> We have asked the list owner to change it, but their response is a
> stunning scilence.... Setting up a rival list is probably not a feasable
>   option as this list has been in operation for a number of years and is
> therefore well known, has well known archives etc.
>
> And no it wasn't this list, bbc micro users mailing list for anyone
> that's interested :)
>
> Cheers.
>
> Phill.

--
Ian Eiloart
IT Services, University of Sussex
01273-873148 x3148
For new support requests, see http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/help/

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