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36 Multiple user mailboxes

The wildcard facility of the generic `prefix' and `suffix' options for directors allows you to configure Exim to permit users to make use of arbitrary local part prefixes or suffixes in any way they wish. A director such as


userforward:
  driver = forwardfile
  file = .forward
  suffix = -*
  suffix_optional
  filter

runs a user's `.forward' file for all local parts of the form "username-*". Within the filter file the user can distinguish different cases by testing the variable `$local_part_suffix'. For example:


if $local_part_suffix contains -special then
  save /home/$local_part/Mail/special
endif

If the filter file does not exist, or does not deal with such addresses, they fall through to subsequent directors, and, assuming no subsequent use of the `suffix' option is made, they presumably fail. Thus users have control over what suffixes are valid.

Alternatively, a suffix can be used to trigger the use of a different `.forward' file -- which is the way a similar facility is implemented in another MTA:


userforward:
  driver = forwardfile
  file = .forward${local_part_suffix}
  suffix = -*
  suffix_optional
  filter

If there is no suffix, `.forward' is used; if the suffix is "-special", for example, then `.forward-special' is used. Once again, if the appropriate file

does not exist, or does not deal with the address, it is passed on to subsequent directors, which could, if required, look for an unqualified `.forward' file to use as a default.


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