newalias(1) General Commands Manual newalias(1)
NAME
newalias - install new elm aliases for user or system
SYNOPSIS
Remarks
replaces the former functionality of the command.
DESCRIPTION
The command creates new alias database files from an alias text file for use by and other programs. For user aliases, this functionality
can also be performed from the Alias Menu of the program (see elm(1)).
Options
recognizes the following option:
Global.
The program updates the system alias files instead of a user's alias files.
Operation
Without the option, updates a user's alias files, based on an input file named
Upon finding the file, it creates the output files named
With the option, updates the system alias files, based on an input file named
Upon finding the file, it creates the output files named
In either case, you need read access to the file and write access to the other files and the directory.
Text File Entries
Each entry in either file is expected to be in the following format:
The field names are defined as follows:
address-list A blank- or comma-separated list of one or more mail addresses, personal alias names, and/or group alias names.
In practice, each item is tested first as an alias name. If it is not an alias name, it is assumed to be a mail
address. A mail address can be in Internet form in UUCP form or in alias form (see sendmail(1M)). It can also be
the name of a local mail user, which is appended with the local host name in Internet form.
alias-list A blank- or comma-separated list of alias names. Each name identifies the same alias entry. An alias name can be
made up of letters digits underscores dashes and periods Alias names are not case-sensitive, so and are equivalent.
comment A string containing any information you wish about the entry, such as location and phone numbers. It is displayed in
the Alias Menu of the program, but does not transmit it in a mail message. This field can contain any characters
except an unquoted equal sign See the Quoting Characters subsection.
firstname The first name of the person (or group). It is combined with lastname to form the fullname. This field can contain
any characters except an unquoted equal sign or an unquoted comma See the Quoting Characters subsection.
The only first name under the Personal or Group Aliases subheading below is: in
lastname The last name of the person (or group). It is combined with firstname to form the fullname. This field can contain
any characters except an unquoted equal sign an unquoted semicolon or an unquoted comma See the Quoting Characters
subsection.
The last names under the Personal or Group Aliases subheading below are: and
fullname The combination of firstname lastname. It is usually sent in a mail header in parentheses after the address. It is
also displayed in the Alias Menu of the program and by the command (see elm(1) and elmalias(1)).
The delimiters have the following precedence:
o The first and second equal signs mark the end of the alias-list and the beginning of the address-list, respectively. Both equal signs
are required.
o The first comma after the first equal sign and before the second equal sign marks the beginning of the comment field.
o The first semicolon after the first equal sign and before the next comma or second equal sign marks the beginning of the firstname
field.
A personal or individual alias has only one address in address-list, as in:
A group alias has two or more addresses in address-list, as in:
Entries can be continued over several lines; the continuation lines must start with a blank (a space or tab).
A comment is any line starting with a number sign It is ignored.
Blank lines and comments can be interspersed within entries.
Quoting Characters
You can include normally excluded characters in firstname, lastname, comment, and mail addresses in address-list by escaping each character
with a backslash or by enclosing the string in quotation marks ("). To include a quotation mark or a backslash, escape it with a back-
slash, whether inside or outside quotation marks.
FILES
User alias database data table
User alias database directory table
User alias database hash table
User alias source text
System alias database data table
System alias database directory table
System alias database hash table
System alias source text
AUTHOR
was developed by HP.
SEE ALSO
elm(1), elmalias(1), mail(1), mailx(1).
newalias(1)