elmalias(1)

NAME

elmalias − create and verify elm user and system aliases

SYNOPSIS

elmalias [-q]
elmalias alias-list
elmalias -l [regular_expression]

DESCRIPTION

elmalias is used for setting, checking and listing aliases. If no options are specified, elmalias attempts to install a new set of personal aliases.

elmalias recognizes the following options:

-c alias_list Search for the alias or aliases specified by alias_list; User file is searched first, then the system alias file. If a match is found, the value of the alias is printed out; otherwise an error message is generated.

-l regular_expression
List all aliases available to the requesting user in the user and system alias files. Aliases are sorted alphabetically and listed, one line per alias, in a format similar to the following:

aliasaddress(fullname)

If an optional regular_expression is used, only aliases matching the specified expression are listed. Otherwise, all are listed. regular_expression follows Extended Regular Expression syntax (see regexp(5)).

-q Install the system-wide alias set for all elm users on the machine. This option is restricted to users with appropriate privileges. A complete list of system-wide aliases to be installed must exist in file /usr/mail/.elm/aliases.text. elmalias then creates aliases.hash and aliases.data, to complete installation of the new system-wide alias list.

none specified Install local user aliases. A complete list of user aliases to be installed must exist in file $HOME/.elm/aliases.text Installation is complete when elmalias has created the data files $HOME/.elm/aliases.hash and $HOME/.elm/aliases.data.

Alias Text Files

The format of file aliases.text is:

alias [, alias, ...] = [fullname =] address [, address, ...]

Addresses can be explicit routing or addressing information for a specific mailbox (such as user@host.domain ) or another alias. If more than one alias is listed as the first part of the line, all will have the same value. If more than one address is listed, the specific alias is assumed to be a group rather than individual alias. An alias definition can be continued across multiple lines of the aliases.text file by starting the second and successive lines of the definition with either a space or tab character. (See EXAMPLES )

EXAMPLES

Assume file aliases.text contains the following:

# sample alias file
mom                   = my_mother@a.computer
dad,father,pop = Father = host!otherhost!dad
parents               = mom dad
siblings              = brother1
      brother2
      sister

Listing this file produces:

dad     host!otherhost!dad (Father)
father host!otherhost!dad (Father)
mom     my_mother@a.computer
parents !mom,dad
pop     host!otherhost!dad (Father)
siblings!brother1,brother2,sister

WARNINGS

The user alias file is always searched before the system alias file. Thus a user can override a system alias by having an alias of the same name defined in the user file. To prevent unexpected results, this factor should be considered when creating system and user alias files.

AUTHOR

elmalias was developed by HP.

FILES

$HOME/.elm/aliases.text alias source for user

$HOME/.elm/aliases.hash alias hash table for user

$HOME/.elm/aliases.data alias data file for user

/usr/mail/.elm/aliases.text alias source for system

/usr/mail/.elm/aliases.hash alias hash table for system

/usr/mail/.elm/aliases.data alias data file for system

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