Re: Adding mail() Parameter to Set Return Path

At 22:16 30-10-2002, Michael Sisolak wrote:

Several months ago the imap_sendmail.c routines were merged into the standard Win32 sendmail.c code. One of the results of this was that the TSendMail function gained a parameter to specifically set the mail header return path. The imap_mail() function can use this parameter, but the standard mail() function cannot (it is always set to NULL). Based on the number of comments on the mail() manual pages about issues that occur when the return path is always the sendmail_from ini value, it appears that it would be useful to add an additional optional parameter to mail() to set the return path. The only downside I see to this is that the value would only work for the internal Win32 sendmail code and not the standard Unix calls to sendmail. Any thoughts on this?

Another downside, is that many SMTP servers by default ignores hardcoded Return-Path values - sendmail for instance, doesn't allow this on a socket, and only from a trusted user who is allowed to use -f on the command-line. If you choose to implement this, be warned that the MAIL FROM: command may override any attempts to set this. I think a parameter to set the MAIL FROM: user, will work much better. Last time I looked the 'From:' header is copied onto 'MAIL FROM:'. Separating those will have a more flexible and cross-platform solution, since you map that address to /usr/sbin/sendmail -f <MAIL_FROM_USER> on *nix. If you are going to work on this, could you please also look into bug #20056. Changes made to the win32 sendmail back in may IIRC involved fixes to address \n on less tolerant mailers. The problem is that MIME mail sent through the extra headers is now broken, since \r\n\r\n is truncated to \r\n. Met vriendelijke groeten / With kind regards, Webmaster IDG.nl Melvyn Sopacua