xref: /csrg-svn/libexec/comsat/comsat.8 (revision 61421)
1*61421Sbostic.\" Copyright (c) 1983, 1991, 1993
2*61421Sbostic.\"	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
318954Smckusick.\"
443764Strent.\" %sccs.include.redist.man%
518954Smckusick.\"
6*61421Sbostic.\"     @(#)comsat.8	8.1 (Berkeley) 06/04/93
735554Sbostic.\"
847462Scael.Dd
947462Scael.Dt COMSAT 8
1047462Scael.Os BSD 4.2
1147462Scael.Sh NAME
1247462Scael.Nm comsat
1347462Scael.Nd biff server
1447462Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS
1547462Scael.Nm comsat
1647462Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION
1747462Scael.Nm Comsat
1828325Skarelsis the server process which receives reports of incoming mail
1918954Smckusickand notifies users if they have requested this service.
2047462Scael.Nm Comsat
2147462Scaelreceives messages on a datagram port associated with the
2247462Scael.Dq biff
2347462Scaelservice
2418954Smckusickspecification (see
2547462Scael.Xr services 5
2628325Skarelsand
2747462Scael.Xr inetd 8 ) .
2847462ScaelThe one line messages are of the form:
2947462Scael.Pp
3047462Scael.Dl user@mailbox-offset
3147462Scael.Pp
3218954SmckusickIf the
3347462Scael.Em user
3418954Smckusickspecified is logged in to the system and the associated terminal has
3547462Scaelthe owner execute bit turned on (by a
3647462Scael.Dq Li biff y ) ,
3747462Scaelthe
3847462Scael.Em offset
3918954Smckusickis used as a seek offset into the appropriate mailbox file and
4018954Smckusickthe first 7 lines or 560 characters of the message are printed
4118954Smckusickon the user's terminal.  Lines which appear to be part of
4247462Scaelthe message header other than the
4347462Scael.Dq From ,
4447462Scael.Dq \&To ,
4547462Scael.Dq Date ,
4647462Scaelor
4747462Scael.Dq Subject
4847462Scaellines are not included in the displayed message.
4947462Scael.Sh FILES
5047462Scael.Bl -tag -width /var/run/utmp -compact
5147462Scael.It Pa /var/run/utmp
5247462Scaelto find out who's logged on and on what terminals
5347462Scael.El
5447462Scael.Sh SEE ALSO
5547462Scael.Xr biff 1 ,
5647462Scael.Xr inetd 8
5747462Scael.Sh BUGS
5818954SmckusickThe message header filtering is prone to error.
5928325SkarelsThe density of the information presented is near the theoretical minimum.
6047462Scael.Pp
6118954SmckusickUsers should be notified of mail which arrives on other
6228325Skarelsmachines than the one to which they are currently logged in.
6347462Scael.Pp
6418954SmckusickThe notification should appear in a separate window so it
6518954Smckusickdoes not mess up the screen.
6647462Scael.Sh HISTORY
6747462ScaelThe
6847462Scael.Nm
6947462Scaelcommand appeared in
7047462Scael.Bx 4.2 .
71