User commands

HELP

Return an email with instructions for the use of Sympa commands.

INFO listname

Report the configuration settings of the specified list (owner, subscription mode, etc.) and its description.

LISTS

Reports the names of lists managed by Sympa. This list will return only those lists that the user is authorized to see. (A listowner can restrict the visibility of a list).

REVIEW listname

Returns a list of the addresses of subscribers (if the list configuration authorizes it.) Since subscriber addresses can be abused by spammers, it is strongly recommended that you only authorize members and owners to access the subscriber list.

WHICH

Returns the list of lists to which you are subscribed (or are owner or a moderator of).

STATS listname

Returns statistics for the specified list: number of messages received, number of messages sent, megabytes received, megabytes sent.

INDEX listname

Returns an index of e-mail archives for specified list.

GET listname archive

Allows a user to retrieve archives for a list (see above).

LAST listname

Allows a user to receive the last message distributed in a list (see above). Access to this command may be restricted by the listowner.

SUBSCRIBE listname firstname lastname

Requests sign-up to the specified list. The firstname and name are optional. If the list is configured by the listowner with restrictions on subscription, this command is sent to the listowner for approval.

INVITE listname user@host name

Invite someone to subscribe to the specified list. The name is optional. The command is similar to the ADD command but the specified person is not added to the list but invited to subscribe to it instead.

UNSUBSCRIBE listname [ user@host ]

Requests unsubscription from the specified list. You can wildcard this command, so UNSUBSCRIBE * means unsubscription from all lists.

SET listname DIGEST

Puts the subscriber in digest mode for the listname list. Instead of receiving mail from the list in a normal manner, the subscriber will periodically receive it in a DIGEST. This DIGEST compiles a group of messages from the list, using multipart/digest MIME format.

The sending period for these DIGESTs is regulated by the list owner.

SET listname SUMMARY

Puts the subscriber in summary mode for the listname list. Instead of receiving mail from the list in a normal manner, the subscriber will periodically receive the list of messages. This mode is very close to the DIGEST reception mode but the subscriber receives only the list of messages. This option is only works if the digest mode is also set.

SET listname NOMAIL

Puts subscriber in nomail mode for the listname list. This mode is used when a subscriber no longer wishes to receive mail from the list, but nevertheless wishes to retain the possibility of posting to the list. This mode therefore prevents the subscriber from unsubscribing and subscribing later on.

It can be used to suspend receipt of list mail - eg. when a user goes away on vacation

SET listname TXT

Puts the subscriber in txt mode for the listname list. This mode is used when a subscriber wishes to receive mails sent in both HTML and plaintext format only in plaintext.

SET listname HTML

Puts subscriber in html mode for the listname list. This mode is used when a subscriber wishes to receive mails sent in both HTML and plaintext format only in HTML.

SET listname URLIZE

Puts subscriber in urlize mode for the listname list. This mode is used when a subscriber wishes not to receive attached files. Any attached files are replaced by a URL leading to the file stored on the list server.

SET listname NOT_ME

Puts subscriber in not_me mode for the listname list. This mode is used when a subscriber wishes not to receive a copy of the message that he has sent to the list.

SET listname MAIL

Puts the subscriber in normal mode (default) for the listname list. This option is mainly used to cancel the nomail, summary or digest modes. If the subscriber was in nomail mode, for example, he or she will again receive mail from the list in a normal manner.

SET listname CONCEAL

Puts the subscriber in conceal mode for the listname list. The subscriber will then become invisible during a REVIEW on this list. The listowners will, however, still see the whole subscriber list.

SET listname NOCONCEAL

Puts the subscriber in noconceal mode (default) for the listname list. The subscriber will then become visible during a REVIEW of the list. (ie. it cancels the conceal mode.

QUIT

Ends acceptance of commands. This can prove useful when the message contains additional lines at the end, such as the case where a signature is automatically added by the user's mail client.

CONFIRM key 

If the listowner has set the list up for key-based posting, then messages are only distributed in the list after an authentication phase by return e-mail, using a one-time password (numeric key). For this authentication, the sender of the message is requested to post the CONFIRM key command to Sympa to 'release' the message for distribution.

QUIET

This command is used for silent (mute) processing: no report is returned for commands prefixed with QUIET.