Mark Bixby wrote:
..
> > So as part of your porting exercise can you also write/provide a tool that
> > reads and imports the existing sendmail settings into your new version?
>
> This may be really really hard to do because of the complex nature of
> sendmail.cf.  But Jeff is a really bright guy, so maybe he will be able to come
> up with something clever.  :-)

Note: "complex" is an understatement. Tricky and subtle are other words
that I'd apply to it that are fit to print.

>
> Sendmail.cf is a rules-based config file that implements much of the
> functionality of sendmail.  Because of the multi-year jump in versions between
> sendmail ports, it would be extremely unadvisable to copy an old sendmail.cf to
> use with the latest sendmail.

Yes! Also, you cannot do diffs between them and get much useful results.
Listen to Mark: "extremely unadvisable" means "do not do it"!

>
> If you have been good and followed my advice at
> http://www.bixby.org/mark/sendmailix.html about using the macros to create your
> sendmail.cf, then it will be easy for you to migrate to the new sendmail.  All
> you have to do is just re-expand the macros and you will get the new default
> functionality.

The macros should be the *only* method used to make changes, assuming you do
want your sendmail to actually work!

Speaking as a person who has made and maintained sendmail.cf modifications by
hand over the years in Unix (back before there were macros), let me repeat
Mark's sage advise: Do not modify your sendmail.cf directly, change the
macros instead.  Furthermore, make a few changes as possible.

Make a copy of everything before you change anything. Make very, very clear
comments about what you changed *and* why.  This is no place to be reserved
in your explanations to those who come later.  You (or they) will appreciate
it next time when you upgrade your sendmail and you have forgotten everything
you ever learned about it.  If someone else should have to step in for you
because you have left by then, they will praise your legacy rather than
condemn you.

Richard

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--
Richard L Gambrell, Director of Computing Systems and Networks
Information Technology Division
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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