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ListProc: Common subscriber commands

Contents Before you start Commands Subscribe or Unsubscribe Obtaining list information Lists existing at Personal Settings Archives ListProc Links ListProc Home ListProc Lists vs. Exchange Lists Users Glossary ListProc Netiquette Acronyms & Smileys

Before you start

The following table lists the most common commands used by subscribers. Please note the following rules when using the examples shown:

• All commands shown are sent to the KU ListProc administrative address: listproc@ku.edu. However, these commands will work with any ListProc server.
• Commands are placed on the first line of the body of a message (not the SUBJECT: line!).
• All items shown in italics (or, for speech browsers, listed as variables) must be replaced with appropriate information relevant to your situation. For example:
  • Substitute your list's name (not the email address!) for listname.
  • Substitute your own name for Firstname Lastname.
  • Substitute your list password (not your email password!) for password. Your password was provided in the welcome message at the time you joined the list.
• Items shown in brackets ([]) are optional. If you use the optional item, omit the brackets.
• The commands must be entered exactly as presented here (do not add any extraneous characters, such as a period (.) or a signature), including spaces, with the following exceptions:
  • Commands are always entered on one line. Although some example shown in the table below may appeaar on two lines in your browser, type them all on one line (with spaces separating each item) when you submit them to listproc@ku.edu.
  • Do not include the brackets shown to indicate optional items.
• Many of these commands require you to be a member of the list before you can use the command. This may vary from list to list also.
• Several Listproc commands have alternate names. These alternate names are listed as "aliases" below, and are merely synonyms.

Table of common subscriber commands

Command	Result	Comments
How to join or leave a list
sub listname firstname lastname	Adds you to a list so that you receive mail from it. (alias: join)	Do not list your email address in the command. ListProc uses the email address contained in the From: header of your message. It is therefore important that you subscribe from the email address you intend to use to participate on the list. Most list servers send a confirmation that your request has been filled. This may take a few minutes or several days.
unsub listname	Removes you from a list so that you do not receive mail from it. (alias: signoff)	This message must be sent from the email address with which you are subscribed. If this is not possibile (i.e., you have changed email providers), contact the list owner for assistance.
How to obtain information about a list
review listname [short] review listname [subscribers]	Retrieves information about a list, such as whether or not it is available in digest form, and a list of the email addresses subscribed to it.	Depending on how the list is configured, the review command may not be available to subscribers. Using the short option retrieves only list configuration information, omitting the list of subscribers. This is helpful in cases where the membership of a list is quite large (e.g., over 50). The subscribers option retrieves only a list of the subscribers.
recipients	Retrieves a list of email addresses subscribed to a list.	This is functionally equivalent to review subscribers. The list of subscribers provided shows only those that are not set to be concealed. See the conceal command for more information.
info listname	Returns the contents of the list's info file, if any.	The info file is intended for providing information about a list to persons interested in finding out more about the list without necessarily subscribing. If the list owner has not created an info file, ListProc returns a messages saying no information is available.
What lists exist at KU?
lists local	Retrieves the names and brief descriptions of all of lists housed at KU.
lists local keyword	Gets a list of mailing lists that contain the search keyword(s) in their name or description.	If you want to use more than one search term, put a space between each one.
Commands affecting personal subscription settings
query listname	Shows you what options you have configured for a list.
which	Provides the names of all the lists to which you are subscribed on the KU list server.
set listname conceal yes	Conceals the fact that you are subscribed to the list.	The results of a review command do not list the addresses of those whose subscriptions are set to conceal. By default, all subscriptions at KU are not concealed.
set listname conceal no	Ensures that your name appears on the list of subscribers for the list.	If you have previously set your subscription to conceal, this command returns your subscription to revealed status.
set listname mail postpone	Leaves you subscribed to the list, but halts the receipt of mail from it.	Use this when you are on vacation or temporarily unable to retrieve email. See set listname mail for more information.
set listname mail	Resumes mail delivery after a subscription has been set to postpone.	This command will cause you to receive list messages as individual messages, regardless of whether your subscription was set to digest mode before setting it to postpone. See also set listname mail ack
set listname mail ack	Ensures that you receive (individual) copies of messages that you send to the list. (This is the default at KU.)	Without the ack option, you do not receive copies of your own messages that you send to the list. This command can also be used to resume mail delivery after a subscription has been set to postpone.
set listname mail digest	Allows you to receive a compilation of the day's messages as one message.	The digest is usually delivered after midnight.
set listname mail noack	Ensures that you do not receive copies of messages that you send to the list.
set listname password currentaddress newaddress	Changes your subscription from one email address to another.	You must send this command from the address under which you are currently subscribed. Once completed, the original address will no longer be valid; the address given in "new-address" will be used instead.
set listname currentpassword newpassword	Changes your password. First provide your current password, then your new password.	Passwords are case-sensitive and must be typed exactly as registered with ListProc.
purge password	Removes you (unsubscribes) from all mailing lists on the KU list server.
How can I search and retrive information from the archives? See note below.
index listname	Returns a list of archived files available for a given list.
search listname keyword	Searches an archive for the keyword(s) provided.	In order to convey the search terms you desire, you can use a single word or phrase, or a regular expression in which ^ (carat) negates whatever follows, | (vertical bar) and & (ampersand), respectively, provide logical OR and AND, < and > (lesser and greater) are used to group parts of regular expressions, and . (period) matches any character (i.e., a wildcard).
get listname filename	Retrieves a file from a list's archives.	Filename comes from the list of files retrieved using the index command.

Note: Not all lists have archives. The default settings for lists created at KU is that messags are not archived. If the list is archived, the owner should provide that information in the welcome message. If the archives are password protected you must add /password to the commands shown in this section..

The Table of common subscriber commands was adapted and updated with permission from Shamash: The Jewish Internet Consortium (http://shamash.org/help/listuser-t.html). David Rosenthal, Web Author.