Guide for installing Mailman with DirectAdmin

[loretta]

Hello

I was wondering if someone could give me\tell me a guide for installation of mailman configured with directadmin?

 

[smtalk]

Install Mailman:

cd /usr/local/src
groupadd mailman
/usr/sbin/useradd -d /usr/local/mailman -s /bin/false -g mailman mailman
chown mailman:mailman /usr/local/mailman
chmod 02775 /usr/local/mailman
wget -O mailman-2.1.17.tgz http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/mailman/mailman-2.1.17.tgz
tar xzf mailman-2.1.17.tgz
cd mailman-2.1.17
./configure --with-cgi-gid=mailman --prefix=/usr/local/mailman
make
make install
#Changes for suexec (fixing "error: directory is writable by others")
/usr/local/mailman/bin/check_perms -f
chmod 755 /usr/local/mailman/cgi-bin
chmod u-s,g-s /usr/local/mailman/cgi-bin/*
chmod 777 /usr/local/mailman/logs
chown -R mailman:mailman /usr/local/mailman
crontab -u mailman /usr/local/mailman/cron/crontab.in
cp -f /usr/local/mailman/scripts/mailman /etc/init.d/mailman
#Change master password
/usr/local/mailman/bin/mmsitepass
#Create a mailman list
/usr/local/mailman/bin/newlist -q -e hostname.com mailman [email protected] [B]password[/B]
#Apply template to the sitelist
/usr/local/mailman/bin/config_list -i /usr/local/mailman/data/sitelist.cfg mailman

Changes needed for exim.conf:
Before primary_hostname add:

# Home dir for your Mailman installation -- aka Mailman's prefix
# directory.
MAILMAN_HOME=/usr/local/mailman
MAILMAN_WRAP=MAILMAN_HOME/mail/mailman

Add mailman user to trusted_users list.

After begin routers add:

mailman_router:
driver = accept
require_files = MAILMAN_HOME/lists/$local_part/config.pck
local_part_suffix_optional
local_part_suffix = -bounces : -bounces+* : \
-confirm+* : -join : -leave : \
-owner : -request : -admin
transport = mailman_transport

After begin transports add:

mailman_transport:
driver = pipe
command = MAILMAN_WRAP \
'${if def:local_part_suffix \
{${sg{$local_part_suffix}{-(\\w+)(\\+.*)?}{\$1}}} \
{post}}' \
$local_part
current_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
home_directory = MAILMAN_HOME
user = mailman
group = mailman

Add the following lines to /etc/httpd/conf/extra/httpd-includes.conf file (however, it's recommended to create a virtual host for mailman):

Alias /mailman_images/ /usr/local/mailman/icons/
Alias /mailman/archives/ /usr/local/mailman/archives/public/
Alias /pipermail/ /usr/local/mailman/archives/public/

ScriptAlias /mailman/ /usr/local/mailman/cgi-bin/

# Uncomment the following line, replacing www.example.com with your server's
# name, to redirect queries to /mailman to the listinfo page (recommended).

# RedirectMatch ^/mailman[/]*$ http://www.example.com/mailman/listinfo

Add email forwarders for your list (e.g. test):

test:              "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman post test" 
test-admin:        "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman admin test" 
test-bounces:      "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman bounces test" 
test-confirm:      "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman confirm test" 
test-join:         "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman join test" 
test-leave:        "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman leave test" 
test-owner:        "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman owner test" 
test-request:      "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman request test" 
test-subscribe:    "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman subscribe test" 
test-unsubscribe:  "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman unsubscribe test"

Now edit /usr/local/mailman/Mailman/mm_cfg.py and set:

    DEFAULT_EMAIL_HOST = 'mail.domain.com'
    DEFAULT_URL_HOST = 'www.domain.com'
    IMAGE_LOGOS = '/mailman_images/'
    add_virtualhost(DEFAULT_URL_HOST, DEFAULT_EMAIL_HOST)
    VIRTUAL_HOSTS = {'www.example.com': 'example.com',
                     'www.example2.com': 'example2.com'}

#Syntax is {virt ":" real "," virt ":" real}

Start mailman:

chmod 755 /etc/init.d/mailman
chkconfig --add mailman
/etc/init.d/mailman start

That's it, restart Exim and Apache Good luck!

 

[tlchost]

Install it in /usr/lib/mailman. Changes needed for exim.conf:

Will this allow any user to have mailmain lists in his/her domain?

If so, is there a way to have a selection between majordomo and mailman in the control panel?

thanks
Thom

 

[smtalk]

tlchost, no it won't, only root will be able to do that. You should ask DA to include MailMan into DA interface (or you can write a 3rd party plugin)

 

[tlchost]

tlchost, no it won't, only root will be able to do that. You should ask DA to include MailMan into DA interface (or you can write a 3rd party plugin)

Thanks.....I will keep it a big secret from my users....but I do plan to use it for myself. Can I specify the domain that will have the list?

I would hope it's added to DA....I have lost several accounts because they either use mailman, or simply don't like majordomo.

Thanks very much for posting the how to .

 

[smtalk]

Yes, you can Everything is written in Mailman FAQ.

 

[chatwizrd]

See if you can get this thread set with sticky topic. This has good info for many users.

 

[nobaloney]

Done. But perhaps I should move it to the How-To section instead?

Jeff

 

[tlchost]

Done. But perhaps I should move it to the How-To section instead?

Jeff

You could, but for neophytes like myself...the how to might address things like:

Mailman docs say to run this command:

useradd -c''GNU Mailman'' -s /no/shell -d /no/home -g mailman mailman

On Centos5, the system gives back a list of options, which tells me the command isn't correct.

Perhaps someone can tell me the correct line for Centos?

Thanks

 

[smtalk]

useradd mailman Or: useradd mailman -d /no/home.

 

[chatwizrd]

You could, but for neophytes like myself...the how to might address things like:

Mailman docs say to run this command:

useradd -c''GNU Mailman'' -s /no/shell -d /no/home -g mailman mailman

On Centos5, the system gives back a list of options, which tells me the command isn't correct.

Perhaps someone can tell me the correct line for Centos?

Thanks

The reason for the error is because they use " instead of ' if you change it to -c'GNU Mailman' it will be ok.

 

[smtalk]

Just updated my post Including Mailman installation and httpd.conf changes.

 

[nobaloney]

So should we make this a How-To?

Jeff

 

[tlchost]

HowTo

So should we make this a How-To?

Yes....it works....and I can tell ya that SMTALK is very helpful.

Thom

 

[tlchost]

Adding Mailman Virtual Hosts

Adding Mailman Virtual Hosts version 0.9
(c)07-22-08 Thom LaCosta

A Mailman installation can provide mailing list service for all domains on
a server. At this time, the system administrator must perform certain
functions. Once these functions are accomplished, either the Systems
Administrator or the Site Administrator can finish the installation.

Mailman can be installed via the steps posted at
http://directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25596&highlight=mailman

A. Add mailman virtual host
At this time, only the system administrator can perform this function
Log in via SSH as admin or root
cd /usr/local/mailman/Mailman
Edit the file mm_cfg.py
At the end of the file, add the virtual host after these lines
#################################################
# Put YOUR site-specific settings below this line.
add_virtualhost( 'mailman.the_domain.you_add' )

restart mailman
service mailman restart

B. Add DNS Entry
This step must be performed by the System Administrator unless the Site
Administrator had been given access to DNS Management. Add two
entries via DNS Management as follows:

www.mailman A the_ip_that_the_domain_uses
mailman A the_ip_that_the_domain_uses

C. Add virtual Host Container to /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
Sample

<VirtualHost 12.180.200.76:80>


ServerName www.mailman.virtual_domain
ServerAlias www.mailman.virtual_domain virtual.domain
ServerAdmin [email protected]
DocumentRoot /usr/local/mailman
ScriptAlias /mailman/ /usr/local/mailman/cgi-bin/

UseCanonicalName OFF

User mailman
Group mailman
CustomLog /var/log/httpd/domains/mailman.virtual_domain.bytes bytes
CustomLog /var/log/httpd/domains/mailman.virtual_domain.log combined
ErrorLog /var/log/httpd/domains/mailman.virtual_domain.error.log

<Directory /usr/local/mailman/cgi-bin/>
AllowOverride All
Options ExecCGI
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>

Alias /pipermail/ /usr/local/mailman/archives/public/
<Directory /usr/local/mailman/archives/public>
Options Indexes MultiViews FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride All
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>

Restart Apache
service httpd restart

D. Add aliases
Each new Mailman list requires aliases to be entered in /etc/aliases
Mailman will send a message to the list owner with the aliases to add
There are two ways to add the aliases for Mailman. One is to add them
via the control panel as forwarders. The other method is to simply add
the aliases via an ssh session and restart Exim when finished
service exim restart

Sample Alias File for list named new-list
new-list: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman post new-list"
new-list-admin: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman admin new-list"
new-list-bounces: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman bounces new-list"
new-list-confirm: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman confirm new-list"
new-list-join: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman join new-list"
new-list-leave: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman leave new-list"
new-list-owner: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman owner new-list"
new-list-request: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman request new-list"
new-list-subscribe: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman subscribe new-list"
new-list-unsubscribe: "|/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman unsubscribe new-list"

service exim restart

E. Creating List
The new list can be created via the web once the virtual host information
propagates.
One would browse to
www.mailman.the_ip_that_the_domain_uses/mailman/admin
select create a list and at
www.mailman.the_ip_that_the_domain_uses/mailman/create
create the list new-list, use the email of the list owner and select send
notification to list owner

The list may be created prior to propagation via ssh. If you're logged in
as root and create the lists,
cd /usr/local/mailman/lists/name_of_the_new_list and change ownership
and group of the files to mailman
chown mailman:mailman

Another method would be to su to mailman ( su mailman ), change to the
mailman directory cd /usr/local/mailman and issue the command bin/newlist

 

[keefe007]

Is there any reason why directadmin doesn't migrate from majordomo to mailman? Majordomo hasn't been updated more than 8 years.

 

[tlchost]

Is there any reason why directadmin doesn't migrate from majordomo to mailman? Majordomo hasn't been updated more than 8 years.

I would hope that DA adds mailman for virtual sites without removing MajorDomo...I have some users that will move away if MajorDomo disappears, and I now have some new users since I can offer mailman. Having both seems to be the way to go.

 

[nobaloney]

Is there any reason why directadmin doesn't migrate from majordomo to mailman? Majordomo hasn't been updated more than 8 years.

Perhaps it's not easy? I don't know.

Have you contacted anyone at DirectAdmin to ask them yourself?

Or at least posted a feature request?

Jeff

 

[tekyn]

Thanks so much for the detailed instructions on getting Mailman up and running!

One additional thing I ran into is that Mailman versions 2.1.2 may complain if you do not have a "mailman" list configured. I dug up this error (and the solution) on the following page:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/why_is_mailman_complaining_site_list_is_missing_mailman.html

 

[LawsHosting]

# ./configure --with-cgi-gid=mailman
checking for --with-python... no
checking for python... /usr/bin/python
checking Python interpreter... /usr/bin/python
checking Python version... 2.4.4
checking that Python has a working distutils... configure: error:

***** Distutils is not available or is incomplete for /usr/bin/python
***** If you installed Python from RPM (or other package manager)
***** be sure to install the -devel package, or install Python
***** from source. See sec. 15.1 of the Installation Manual for
***** details

Er, what does this mean.......