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Exim4 and Virtual Users .forward Files

Some days ago I began to wonder why some mails in mail account were filtered by Exims .forward file why some are not. It took until today that I found out what was the problem and how to fix it.

I implemented a virtual users/domains system for Exim using several different documentations and tutorials. Right now some parts of my system include the documentation on

http://www.tty1.net/virtual\_domains\_en.html

Now the problem is that the userforward router is only working for accounts whose $local_part is an existing system user. I came up with the following additional router that solves the problem. Its written for the MySQL table layout that is specified in the Tutorial above.

virtualuserforward:
  debug_print = "R: virtualuserforward for $local_part@$domain"
  driver = redirect
  domains = +local_domains
  file = ${lookup mysql{SELECT CONCAT(home,'.forward') AS forward FROM users \
        WHERE id='${quote_mysql:$local_part}@${quote_mysql:$domain}'}}
  no_verify
  no_expn
  check_ancestor
  directory_transport = address_directory
  file_transport = address_file
  pipe_transport = address_pipe
  reply_transport = address_reply
  allow_filter

  user = ${lookup mysql{SELECT uid FROM users \
        WHERE id='${quote_mysql:$local_part}@${quote_mysql:$domain}'}}
  group = ${lookup mysql{SELECT gid FROM users \
        WHERE id = '${quote_mysql:$local_part}@${quote_mysql:$domain}'}}

Now each virtual user is using the .forward file in its actual system user account home directory. The next problem was: $home is not defined in this case in the .forward file syntax: Its empty. So replacing $home with its obvious path leads to the final solution.

Published: 2008-06-14 Tags: #Linux