README

      Qmail/Control      version 0.01
      Qmail/Control/Lock version 0.01
      ===============================

This module is not finished. Only the methods listed in the section on "METHODS" have been implemented, but at least these have been completed.

This module's interface will change before the next minor release. Specifically, the current nasty error return scheme will be replaced with a better one, similar to DBI's.

This version is being uploaded to get feedback. Version 0.02 will have a stable interface, support for most of Qmail's control files, [hopefully] a better and more portable locking system, and should be ready for production use.

INSTALLATION

Use the following to install this module:

        shell$ perl Makefile.PL
        shell$ make
        shell$ make test
        shell# make install

NAME

Qmail::Control - Perl extension for interfacing with Qmail's control files.

DESCRIPTION

Qmail::Control provides an interface for reliably modifying Qmail's control files from your Perl programs. It only provides an object oriented interface.

SYNOPSIS

use Qmail::Control;

my $control = Qmail::Control->new();

      # Get a shared lock on the control system.  This is important, because
      # when we're making decisions based on the return values of multiple
      # methods, we don't want to be fooled by a race condition.
      my $lock = $control->lock('shared');

      # Print all hosts which we accept mail for.
      my @rcpthosts = $control->get_rcpthosts();
      foreach (@rcpthosts) {
        print "Found a rcpthost for $_->{'host'}.";
        }

      # Print the list of virtual domains.
      my @virtualdomains = $control->get_virtualdomains();
      foreach (@virtualdomains) {
        print "Found a vdom for $_->{'domain'}, user is $_->{'user'}.";
        }

      # Get our default domain name.
      my $defaultdomain = $control->defaultdomain();

      # Now, we're going to start changing things in the system.  We must
      # get an exclusive lock before we do.
      $control->relock($lock, 'exclusive');

      # Add a rcpthost.
      # Multiple hash references are legal.
      $control->add_rcpthosts( {host => 'domain2.com'} );

      # Add a virtualdomain entry.
      # Multiple hash references are legal.
      $control->add_virtualdomain({
        domain => 'domain2.com',
        user   => 'domain2systemaccount',
        }); 

      # Set our default domain name.
      # Also, this works with defaulthost, and me.
      # Setting this to undef for any control file (except 'me', which is
      # required) will delete that file.  Use '' to clear out a file.
      $control->defaultdomain({ set => 'domain.com' }); 
 
      $control->unlock($lock);

METHODS

Qmail::Control->new() Creates a new Qmail::Control object.

                                  Returns a reference to the newly created
                                  object.

                                  Takes no arguments, currently. This may
                                  change, but the argumentless form will
                                  always exist.

    $control->lock();             Locks the Qmail control file subsystem.
                                  Note that currently, only Qmail::Control
                                  itself uses this locking system, and that
                                  it is entirely advisory. You should always
                                  lock the control file system before
                                  getting information from more than one
                                  Qmail control file.

                                  Returns a Qmail::Control::Lock object. You
                                  must keep track of this.

                                  Takes a single argument, either 'shared'
                                  or 'exclusive'. The Qmail::Control::Lock
                                  object that is returned will be locked in
                                  the way specified. If no argument is
                                  given, the lock object returned will not
                                  be locked at all!

                                  It's ok to use the relock() and unlock()
                                  methods provided by the lock object.

$control->get_rcpthosts(); Gets the list of hosts the system is set

to accept mail for.

                                  Returns a list of strings, each
                                  corresponding to a host that the system
                                  accepts mail for. If an error occurs, a
                                  list will be returned in which the first
                                  element is undef, the second element is a
                                  numeric error code, and the third argument
                                  is a detailed text explaining the error.

                                  Takes no arguments at the current time.

                                  The numeric error code is 0 for a system
                                  error or 1 for a control file syntax
                                  error.

$control->get_virtualdomains();

                                  Gets the list of virtualdomains on this
                                  system, and the user associated with each.

                                  Returns a list, each element representing
                                  one virtual domain. Each element is also a
                                  hash reference, with the keys 'domain' and
                                  'user'. It can also return an error code,
                                  like the one for get_rcpthosts().

                                  Takes no arguments.

AUTHOR

Paul Prince, <princep@charter.net>

SEE ALSO

the perl manpage. the Qmail::Control::Lock manpage.