LISTSERV Configuration Basics
Functional changes to your LISTSERV list can be made by making changes to a list's header. The list header determines things like who can send messages to the list, where replies to list messages go, who is the owner of the list etc. Only list owners have the ability to make changes to the list header. After logging in to the LISTSERV web interface and selecting a list, simply click on the Configuration button to view the list header. Changes can then be made to the list header keywords' parameters. Below is a simple list header with the basic keywords and their parameters explained.
Discussion List for WVU LISTSERV Testing
Subscription= By_owner
Ack= Yes
Confidential= Yes
Reply-to= List,Respect
Review=Private
Send= Private
Errors-To= Owner
Owner= JQPublic@mail.wvu.edu (John Public)
Notebook= No
This list is for WVU LISTSERV Administrators to discuss daily maintainence and performance of the WVU LISTSERV system.
- Title: At the top of the list is the title. Keeping the actual list name (address) short is best. You can always give more or better description with a good title.
- Subscription: This defines who can add, modify or delete list subscribers. In the above example, only the list owner can make these changes. Other parameters include Open (anyone can send an email to the list and subscribe) or closed (all attempted additions are denied and the list owner is not notified).
- Ack: Determines if an email acknowledgement is sent to to the person who sent to the list. The email will contain confirmation that the email has been processed as well as statistical information, like the number of recipients that received the email. Other options are MSG, No, and None.
- Confidential: The Yes or No parameters on this keyword will determine if the list is hidden or not when a command is sent to LISTSERV requesting a listing of all lists on the server.
- Reply-to: Defines where replies to list postings will go. In the example above, replies will go back to the list (all list subscribers). You can set replies to go back to the original Sender or a specific email address.
- Review: Set to either Private or Public. If set to Private, only list subscribers can review the names and email addresses of all list subscribers. If set to Public, anyone can review the list subscribers' information.
- Send: In the above example, Send equals Private, which means anyone subscribed to the list can post messages to the list. Set to Public, anyone can post a message to the list. Some lists restrict postings to either a list owner or editor.
- Errors-To: Any error messages received after postings will go to the determined location. The majority of the time, the list owner receives the errors. However, an email address can be specified for a specific person to handle errors. Errors can be caused by invalid email addresses to problems with external mail routing.
- Owner: Defines the person or persons responsible for maintaining the list by controlling access through subscription and the list keywords that define its function. Some lists have multiple owners listed in the header. Any owners' addresses and names posted after the Quiet: parameter will have full ownership privileges, but will not receive any error or administrative messages.
- List Description: Gives the owner the ability to insert a short, 4-5 line description of the list's purpose and who will be using the list.
Updated October 23, 2007