From: planders at mail.utexas.edu (Preston Landers)
Date: 24 Apr 1999 12:15:39 -0500
Subject: controling a Python daemon with mail
References: <84k8v3t4sw.fsf@mail.utexas.edu> <Pine.A32.3.90.990423203148.23052I-100000@elvis.med.Virginia.EDU>
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"Steven D. Majewski" <sdm7g at Virginia.EDU> writes:

> Yeah -- mailbox and rfc822 aren't the prettiest modules in the Python
> libraries! Here's where the class browser in the Mac Python IDE comes
> in handy, along with some interactive snooping. 

Thank you! Your message was most helpful.  Unlike a snotty reply I
recieved in email that just said "You didn't read the docs."

> Thus you don't have to check the spool periodically -- the program
> gets triggered as part of the mail delivery. There are unix programs
> like procmail & filter that already do this. ( and procmail has 

Yeah, I considered this.  I actually use fetchmail & procmail for my
day to day email.  It does have advantages, particularly like you
describe ... the script isn't running continuously but is invoked for
each message.

> Or, you can use procmail to selectively send particular messages to
> another script. 

Right, right.  I'd want some kind of validation on who's allowed to
send messages to this script.

> You might also want to look a Mailman  -- which is a mailing list
> manager written in Python. It may already have most of the tools 
> you need for your responder. 

I only glanced briefly at that package but I may go back and look at
it again more carefully.  At the time, it seemed like overkill.  In
fact, since my needs aren't very complicated, and I already know a bit 
about procmail, I may just go with that.

Once again, your message was quite helpful and pointed me in the right 
direction.  Thanks a lot!!!!

--Preston




