PMDF System Manager's Guide

The OpenVMS version of PMDF also has the ability to use aliases stored in logical name tables. This facility differs from similar facilities in VMS MAIL in that a separate set of logical name tables can be used and multi-valued logical names can be used to make an alias translate to multiple addresses. The name tables must be protected such that they are world readable.

This facility is enabled by setting the NAME_TABLE_NAME PMDF option to the name of the logical name table which contains the aliases. This name can be a logical name in the process or system directory that in turn specifies the table; this can be a search list if multiple tables are to be searched. If the NAME_TABLE_NAME option is not explicitly set, logical names are not used as a source of alias information.

Logical name table aliases are consulted after the personal alias database but before the system alias file or database.

As an example, suppose that a table named ALIAS_TABLE is to be used. The following DCL commands create the table and store two aliases in it. The aliases are gripes and help which translate, respectively, to system@example.com and consultants@example.com.

$ CREATE/NAME_TABLE/PROTECTION=(S:RWED,O:RWED,G:RE,W:RE) ALIAS_TABLE $ DEFINE/TABLE=ALIAS_TABLE GRIPES "system@example.com" $ DEFINE/TABLE=ALIAS_TABLE HELP "consultants@example.com"

The NAME_TABLE_NAME option in the PMDF option file, PMDF_OPTION_FILE, should then be set to

NAME_TABLE_NAME=ALIAS_TABLE

Mail then sent to in%gripes (in%"gripes@example.com") or in%help (in%"help@example.com") from within VMS MAIL will then be sent, respectively, to system@example.com or consultants@example.com. Similarly, mail received from the network which is addressed to gripes@example.com or help@example.com will be properly handled.