From: ghc@vger.niddk.nih.gov (Gerson H Cohen)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.mail.pmdf
Subject: Problem with personal aliases
Date: 25 Aug 92 12:27:38 GMT
Organization: The Internet
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Resent-Date: 25 Aug 1992 08:27:38 -0400 (EDT)
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X-MX-Warning: Warning -- Invalid "To" header.
Errors-To: epmdf@YMIR.CLAREMONT.EDU
Resent-Message-ID: <01GNZJVBLTAQ95O3MS@YMIR.CLAREMONT.EDU>
X-Vms-To: IN%IPMDF
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I have toyed with the idea of using a personal aliase data base instead
of the logical name configuration which I now use and have come across
some behaviour which I think bothers me.  For demonstration I have set
up the following entry in the db:

Key                               Value
--------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------
helix                             ghc@helix.nih.gov
[1 entry shown]

When I send mail to that address, the mail received is:

> From GHC@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV Tue Aug 25 08:12:32 1992
> Received: from vger.niddk.nih.gov by helix.nih.gov (5.64/helix-1.0)
> 	id AA25374; Tue, 25 Aug 92 08:12:30 -0400
> Received: from VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV by VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV (PMDF #2319 ) id
>  <01GNZPM4BITC9EDJ8O@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV>; Tue, 25 Aug 1992 08:12:24 EDT
> Date: 25 Aug 1992 08:12:24 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Gerson H Cohen <GHC@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV>
> Subject: test
> To: HELIX:;@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
> Message-Id: <01GNZPM4BSGY9EDJ8O@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV>
> X-Vms-To: IN%HELIX
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
> Status: R
>
> the test

with an address which is rather strange.  I tested the entry using pmdf test
and got the following:

>   channel                = l
>   channel flags #1       = BIDIRECTIONAL MULTIPLE IMMNORMAL
>   channel flags #2       = HEADERINC
>   channel flags #3       = LOGGING
>   channel flags #4       = EIGHT_NEGOTIATE RULES
>   channel flags #5       =
>   channel flags #6       = LOCALUSER
>   channel flags #7       = NOSWITCH NOREMOTEHOST NODEFRAGMENT DATEFOUR
>   channel envelope address type =  SOURCEROUTE
>   channel header address type =  SOURCEROUTE
>   channel official host  = VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
>   channel local alias    =
>   channel queue name     =
>   channel daemon name    =
>   channel user name      =
>   notices                = 1 3 5 7
>   channel rightslist ids =
>   header To: address     = HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
>   header From: address   = HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
>   envelope To: address   = HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV  (route (VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV,VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV))
>   envelope From: address = HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
>   name                   =
>   mbox                   = HELIX
> Extracted address action list:
>     HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
> Extracted 733 address action list:
>     HELIX@VGER.NIDDK.NIH.GOV
> Expanded address:
>   HELIX: ;
> Submitted address list:
>   mtcp_local
>     ghc@helix.nih.gov (helix.nih.gov)

Apparently, the address goes out on the local channel first and is only later
is the proper destination is determined and the mail rerouted to mtcp_local.

This procedure leaves me a bit cold.  Have I set it up correctly?  Is
there any way to have the outgoing mail have a TO: address which is more
logical.  I realize that the header to address does not determine the
actual to, but its appearance is somewhat strange.

-
Dr Gerson H Cohen
National Institutes of Health
Bldg 2, Room 312
Bethesda, MD  20892
'Phone: (301)496-4295
Internet: ghc@vger.niddk.nih.gov
BITNet:   ghc@nihklmb