EXTENDING LISTMANAGER WITH PROGRAMS
How can I extend ListManager with my own programs?
ListManager allows you to add your own programs into the ListManager execution stream. Extensions can be added to match phrases, auto-responders, list postings, and the listmanager@ ListManager address.
Your scripts can let the normal ListManager execution stream continue, or they can interrupt it.
For example, you can write an extension that logs each use of an auto-responder. This would allow you to keep track of when people received information, and you could use this information to follow up with them. Or, perhaps your auto-responder is programmed to send one document to people inside your company and another document to people outside your company. In such a case, your program would actually replace the default auto-responder behavior.
Another use of technology would be to extend the checking ListManager does on list postings. For example, your script might count the number of greater-than symbols,
(">") which indicate message quoting, and refuse messages postings where the bulk of the posting is a quote of someone else's message.
To add your own extensions to ListManager, you need to tell ListManager when you want it to run your program. In the configuration screens for Match Phrases and Auto-
Responders, List Settings and Server Settings, there are two fields for extension scripts. This gives you the option to run a script before the default ListManager action takes place, and to run a script after the action has taken place.
With an auto-responder extension, your script will be run any time an email message comes in to the auto-responder's email address. This is similar to adding a program to the Sendmail "aliases" file.
With a match phrase extension, your script will be run any time the match phrase is found in the context it is defined for. For example, you could trap for offensive words in a message posting to your list, and your script would be run when the match phrase saw them. Note: Match phrases can be attached to auto-responders, list postings, and the listmanager@ address, so that multiple scripts can be run. For instance, if you have a match phrase extension, and an auto-responder extension, if the match phrase is found on that auto-responder, it will run, and then the auto-responder extension will run.
With a List extension, your script is run any time a posting is made to the mailing list.
Your can prevent the list posting from being accepted by deleting it before the default action is taken.
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