Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 1:03
PM
Subject: [IMail Forum] NT Registry
Problem
TM,
I am sending the email that you requested
detailing the mailall and makelist problem that I reported to you. I am
sending this to the imail_forum as well, since you indicated that this was a
"bug" in the software, and my description would be turned over to the
development team. I have also included the workaround that I am
currently using. I invite Ipswitch or other users to post other
workarounds should they know of a superior method.
:::::::
DETAILS: IMail Version 6.04, Windows NT 4.0
SP6, Using NT SAM for user database
PROBLEM #1:
When using the mailall program to send mail to
all users on a system/domain, the program fails to send mail to all
users.
PROBLEM #2:
When using the makelist program to generate a
list of all uses, the program fails to "list" all users on they
system/domain.
OBSERVATIONS:
When using the NT SAM for the user database,
IMail stores "user information" in the NT Registry under the following
key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Ipswitch/IMail/DOMAINS/<YOUR_DOMAIN>/USERS
Only users stored in this portion of registry are
sent mail via mailall program or in the list generated by the makelist
program. Apparently the mailall and makelist program access this portion
of the registry when "figuring out" who all of the users for a given domain
are. The crux of the problem appears to be that the users stored in the
registry are (possibly) only a subset of the set of all users for a
domain. The interesting thing is that the Imail Administrator program
will show a particular user that is NOT stored in the registry. This
user can receive mail that is addressed to them on the To, cc, or bcc
lines. However, since they are not in the registry, they do not receive
mail sent via mailall or by lists generated by makelist.
I have come up with two workarounds for this
problem. One which allows the Imail administrator to force a particular
user to be written into the registry, the other which allows the user to force
their own entry into the registry.
Using the IMail administrator program, bring up a
user. Make some change the users record (e.g. add a space to their name
and then remove it). Hit the apply button. This will force this
particular user's record to be written to the registry.
The end users may also make a change to their
password (via webmail, NT Security Dialogue, Password Control Panel, or
Chooser (for Mac)). This forces the users entry into the portion of the
registry in question.
I cannot find any common characteristic amongst
the users I have who exhibit this problem. The one that is particularly
insidious about this problem is that it is always displayed amongst new users
we add with NT Usrmgr. They do not appear in the IMail portion of the
registry until we/they force their entry in. We add numerous users in
bulk several times a year, so this is a big headache for us.
SH
--
Steve Hall
Associate Director
Knox College
Computer and
Telecommunications Services
Galesburg IL
