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Latest News: Listserv upgraded to version 15.5
Listserv was successfully upgraded to version 15.5 on March 14, 2008.
Some of the answers to the Frequently Asked Questions are related to the old version, 14.5. Please be
patient as we update this site to reflect the current version. You can also email cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
with any List Owner question.
LISTSERV List Owner Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I ...
How do I add a message to the bottom of every message that goes out
to my list (bottom banner)?
- Point your web browser to the UB List Owner's Web Interface .
- Select your list after login.
- From the List Management pull-down navigation menu,
choose "Customization", then "Mail Templates"
- Toggle "Select Template Category" to read "All Templates"
- Under "Select Template", choose "Bottom Banner for plain text postings [BOTTOM_BANNER]"
and click the "Edit Template" button.
- Add or Edit the text in the "Contents:" box and click "Update" when finished. This should
be a plain-text only message.
- Optional: If desired, repeat steps 5 and 6 for "Bottom Banner for HTML posting
[BOTTOM_BANNER_HTML]". You can use HTML code here to create a HTML message.
- The listserv machine will choose the correct template, [BOTTOM_BANNER] or
[BOTTOM_BANNER_HTML], based on the content type of the message being distributed to the list.
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How do I add a message to the top of every message
that goes out to my list (top banner)?
- Point your web browser to the UB List Owner's Web Interface .
- Select your list after login.
- From the List Management pull-down navigation menu,
choose "Customization", then "Mail Templates"
- Toggle "Select Template Category" to read "All Templates"
- Under "Select Template", choose "Top Banner for plain text postings [TOP_BANNER]"
and click the "Edit Template" button.
- Add or Edit the text in the "Contents:" box and click "Update" when finished. This should
be a plain-text only message.
- Optional: If desired, repeat steps 5 and 6 for "Top Banner for HTML posting
[TOP_BANNER_HTML]". You can use HTML code here to create a HTML message.
- The listserv machine will choose the correct template, [TOP_BANNER] or
[TOP_BANNER_HTML], based on the content type of the message being distributed to the list.
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How do I add or edit the Welcome message to my list?
- Point your web browser to the UB List Owner's Web Interface .
- Select your list after login.
- From the List Management pull-down navigation menu,
choose "Customization", then "Mail Templates"
- Under "Select Template", choose "Welcome Message".
and click the "Edit Template" button.
- Add or Edit the text in the "Contents:" box and click "Update" when finished. This should
be a plain-text only message.
Your welcome message will be sent out to each new subscriber, unless they are added 'quietly'.
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How do I add a Farewell message to my list?
- Point your web browser to the UB List Owner's Web Interface .
- Select your list after login.
- From the List Management pull-down navigation menu,
choose "Customization", then "Mail Templates"
- Under "Select Template", choose "Farewell Message".
and click the "Edit Template" button.
- Add or Edit the text in the "Contents:" box and click "Update" when finished. This should
be a plain-text only message.
Your farewell message will be sent out to each subscriber signing off, unless they
are deleted 'quietly'.
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How do I add files to my list catalog?
Before you can add files to your list you need to send email to
cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
so they can create the necessary listname.catalog
file and add it to the site.catalog file.
Remember to put the real name of your list everywhere in the below steps
where I have the word 'listname'.
Once that is ready you can:
Send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
GET listname.catalog
PW=your-personal-listserv-password
The file you receive will look something like this:
*
*
listname.catalog
/ssa/listserv/notebooks/listname/listname.catalog ALL
OWNER(listname)
listname.welcome
/ssa/listserv/notebooks/listname/listname.welcome ALL
OWNER(listname)
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NOTE: This file is wider than 80 characters and care
MUST be taken to ensure that the lines wrap and
DO NOT break!
You should add a line to this file for each file you want to make available
similar to the lines already there. For example:
name-of-your-file
/ssa/listserv/notebooks/listname/name-of-your-file ALL
OWNER(listname)
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Once you have edited the listname.catalog
file you email it back to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
If all goes well you should get back a success message.
You also need to add a PUT command as the first line of that
file similar to this:
PUT name-of-your-file listname
PW=your-personal-listserv-password
Then email that file to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
If all goes well you should get back a success message.
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How do I add a message logs (archiving) to my list?
If the Notebook= field of your
list header is set to "No" then you need
to send email to
cit-listserv@buffalo.edu so they can modify your list header
for you. The Notebook= fields is on of the list header settings
which the list owner cannot change.
If you already have archiving and would like to make your
archive available
via the web then you also need to send email to
cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
so they can modify your list header for you.
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How do I add or edit the Owners / Editors on my list?
In order to do this, you will need to edit the list header configuration. Log
into the List Owner Web
Interface, select your list and click 'Configuration'. You need
to use the cursor to modify the Owner=
and/or Editor= lines in the header of your
list to remove, edit, or add Owners and Editors. The syntax for these lines is:
Owner= userid@node.net (firstname lastname)
Editor= userid@node.net (firstname lastname)
Make sure to click 'Update' when you have finished!
Tips and tricks:
- You may have more than one
Owner= and
Editor= for your list. In fact, we encourage each list to have a backup owner.
Remember to have the new list owner / editor subscribe to the list. Unless they
are subscribed, they will not receive any list email.
See the FAQ " What are the differences between an
owner and editor? for details on the differences between a List Owner and Editor.
See the FAQ "How do I change the header
settings of my list?" for additional information on editing the list header.
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What are the differences between a list owner and list editor?
Every list must have at least one list owner. This is defined by one of more
Owner= lines in the list header configuration.
- An owner is defined as a person with the ability to edit the list header
configuration, and add / remove subscribers to a list.
- An owner does not have the ability to post email to or receive email from the
list, unless they are also listed as a subscriber. Do not assume that
since they are an owner then they can "do anything ."
- If in the list header configuration,
Errors-to= Owner
(singular) is displayed, then the first owner listed (nearest
the top of the header) receives all the error messages. If
Errors-to= Owners (plural) is displayed, all the owners receive
any error messages.
An editor is only needed for a moderated list (only when
Send= Editor is used in the list header configuration. If
Send= Public or
Send= Private is used, an Editor is meaningless.
- An editor is defined as a person with the ability to post to a moderated
list.
- The first editor listed (nearest the top of the header) acts as the moderator.
They receive all the postings from subscribers to approve. If you want all
the editors to be able to approve posting, you must use the keyword
Moderator= All, emailaddress1, emailaddress2, ...
- An editor will not receive list email unless they are also subscribed to
the list.
Tips and tricks:
See the FAQ "How do I add or edit the Owners / Editors on my list?" for additional information on editing the list header.
Return to top.
How do I add someone to my list?
If you have access to a web browser then visit the List Owner Web Interface.
- Log on with your email address and listserv password
- Select the list to add / remove subscribers from the pull down list (if you own more than one list)
- Select "Subscriber Management" from the "List Management" pull down menu.
- Follow the directions and examples on the page to either examine and delete a a subscriber, or to add one
If you don't have web access then you can send
listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
the command:
add listname username@domain
firstname lastname
Example: add test-list jpublic@buffalo.edu Joe Public
To remove people from your list, use the command:
del listname username@domain
Use the word "quiet" (without quotes) before "add" or "del" if you
do not want the person receive notification.
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How do I change the header fields of my list?
- The NEW way:
- Visit the
List Owner Web Interface. You will need to enter your email address and
personal listserv password to log on. Select the list you wish to edit from the
pull-down list and click the "Configuration" button to
directly edit the list header.
- The OLD way still works:
- Send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
get listname (head nolock
- When you get the list header back in your email
forward or mail it back to
listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
The important thing here is to make sure:
- it doesn't contain any lines before the PUT line
- it doesn't contain any
'>' signs
- your signature file is not attached at the beginning or end
While in the editor:
- Removed all the lines above the
PUT listname LIST PW=XXXXXXXX line
- Change the
XXXXXXXX in that line to whatever your personal LISTSERV password is (see
How do I get a personal LISTSERV password?)
- Change whatever header fields you want to change
- Send the mail and wait for the "success" mail message back from LISTSERV
See the LISTSERV
List Owner Manual
Appendix B
for more information about header settings.
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How do I change my owner or editor address on my list?
If your email address changes, LISTSERV will no longer recognize you
as an owner of your list. Hopefully you will have some advance warning that
your email address is going to change and can take the steps to ensure that
you will continue to be able to maintain your list.
If your list is setup to be moderated, i.e. your header setting is
Send= Editor, then you also need to add your new address
in the Editor= line in your list header.
What you need to do is modify the Owner= and/or
Editor= line to the header of your list with the address
of the new owner. The syntax for these lines is:
* Owner= userid@node.net (firstname lastname)
* Editor= userid@node.net (firstname lastname)
Once you do this you will be able to maintain your list from your new
email addresses. You may have more than one * Owner= and
Editor= for your list. In fact, we encourage each list to
have a backup owner.
If you change your address, you should also unsubscribe from the
the ubown-l list and re-subscribe from your new address.
See the FAQ "How do I change the header
settings of my list?" for information.
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How do I delete a list I no longer need?
Send cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
a mail message asking that your list be deleted.
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How do I find out the settings for my list?
Send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
get listname (head nolock
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How do I find out who is on my list?
Send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
review listname
To find all the subscribers who may have set their subscription to
CONCEAL send the command:
query listname with conceal for *@*
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How do I get a personal LISTSERV password?
LISTSERV no longer uses list-based passwords. It now allows each list
owner to have their own Personal LISTSERV Password which they can use to
interact with LISTSERV when they need to modify/maintain their list.
To get a Personal LISTSERV Password visit the site: https://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?GETPW1=LMGT1 on the web, or send
listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
pw add what-you-want-for-a-password
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How do I make my list archives available via the web interface?
If you want your list archives available via the web interface you have
to follow the following guidelines. Please note that only cit-listserv@buffalo.edu can
change the value of the * Notebook= list header field so
you need to email them if you want that field changed.
If you want the archives to be wide open, you must code
* Confidential= No
* Notebook= Yes,where,interval,Public
If you want the archives to be "wide open" but don't want a link on the
main archives page, you would code
* Confidential= Yes
* Notebook= Yes,where,interval,Public
If you want the archives to be accessible only by subscribers (with a
password) and to have a link on the main archives page, you would code
* Confidential= No
* Notebook= Yes,where,interval,Private
And if you want the archives to be accessible only by subscribers (with
a password) but you do not want a link on the main archives page, you would
code
* Confidential= Yes
* Notebook= Yes,where,interval,Private
Finally, if you want the archives to be available via the interface
(either with or without a password), and you want a link on the main
archives page, but you do not want your list to appear in the CataList or
global list of lists, you would need to code
* Confidential= Service
and "Notebook=" would be either Public or Private depending on your
preference, as above.
Please note carefully that coding the Confidential= keyword has other
implications. For instance, if you want your list to show up in the
CataList or be available via the Global List Exchange (GLX), you must set
"Confidential= No". Thus advertising your list globally is not compatible
with having your archives available via the web but not having a link on
the server's main archives index page.
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How do I remove someone from my list?
If you have access to a web browser then visit the UB List Management
web site.
If you don't have web access then you can send
listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
the command:
quiet del listname email-address
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How do I rename a list?
Send cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
a mail message asking that your list be renamed and include the current name
and the new name for your list. This is not a simple process so please be
patient.
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How do I reuse my class list?
If you have a class discussion list from a previous semester and you want
to reuse it for this semester you need to send the following commands to
listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu to remove all the old subscribers and then
re-add yourself:
quiet del listname *@*
sub listname your-firstname your-lastname
Once you've done that you can either:
- Tell your students to send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
sub your-list your-firstname your-lastname
- Add them yourself by sending listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu a set of
add command. For example:
add your-list userid@acsu.buffalo.edu their-firstname
their-lastname
add your-list userid@acsu.buffalo.edu their-firstname
their-lastname
- Send email to
cit-listserv@buffalo.edu with the registration number for your
course and ask them to add your currently registered students to your
list. Be sure to tell them the name of your list and any other email
addresses that should be on your list, such as other instructors and
teaching assistants.
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How do I setup automatic subscriber renewal for my list?
If you'd like LISTSERV to automatically (and on a regular basis) send out
a note to each of your subscribers to check to see if their email addresss
is still correct you need to modify (or add) the "Renewal=" setting on your
list header.
The format for the
Renewal
setting is:
Renewal= interval1,interval2...,intervalx,Delay(number),Probe
The "Probe" parameter causes listserv to send out the PROBE1 and PROBE2
messages which are defined in the default.mailtpl file. If
you'd like to design your own messages you need to add the PROBE1 and PROBE2
sections to your listname.mailtpl file. If
you don't already have a listname.mailtpl file
you need to send email to
cit-listserv@buffalo.edu
so they can create the necessary listname.mailtpl
(if you don't already have a listname.mailtpl
file).
Once that is ready you can add the PROBE1 and
PROBE2 templates to your
listname.mailtpl file.
To update your listname.mailtpl file,
first send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the command:
GET listname.mailtpl
Make sure you add a line similiar to this as the very first line of
that file you want to update:
PUT listname.mailtpl PW=your-personal-listserv-password
Once you have edited that file you should
email it back to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
If all goes well you should get back a success message.
Return to top.
How do I update files in my list catalog?
Remember to put the real name of your list everywhere in the below steps
where I have the word 'listname'.
To update a file, first send listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu the
command:
GET name-of-file.you-want-to-update
listname.catalog
Make sure you add a line similiar to this as the very first line of
the file you want to update:
PUT name-of-file.you-want-to-update PW=your-personal-listserv-password
Once you have edited that file you should
email it back to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu
If all goes well you should get back a success message.
Return to top.
How do I find out what lists I currently own?
Send an Email to: cit-listserv@buffalo.edu requesting that we
check to see what lists you own. Make sure to include ALL email addresses
that you use and may be listed as owner for.
Return to top.
How do I edit or delete my list archives?
You can edit your archives to remove a post or edit the complete archives.
Instructions are available at:
http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8d/qs/editlogs.html
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