FAQ - Email: Using LISTSERV Discussion Lists

Table of Contents General Questions about LISTSERV Use at UIC Where can I view or download the Listserv manual on-line? How can I request that a new Listserv list be created? How do I change the header values (the configuration) of my list? I sent a message for my Listserv to listserv@uic.edu but I received an error message: Unrecognized command. I sent a command to the Listserv and I did not receive a reply from the server. I receive messages from the list, but when I try to post to the list, I receive an error message stating that I am not subscribed to the list. What should I do? How do I quit from a Listserv List? When I post messages to a Listserv list, I do not receive them, although I am also subscribed to this list. Why? Can I view messages that were posted to the list earlier although I've already deleted my copy? How do I configure and setup my Listserv List? How do I obtain a personal password for managing a Listserv list? How can I add/delete people from my list?

Question 1.1 Where can I view or download the Listserv manual on-line?

• See the online Listserv manual, both for list subscribers and list owners, from LSOFT.

Question 1.2 How can I request that a new Listserv list be created?

• Visit our Listserv Creation Web page

Question 1.3 How do I change the header values (the configuration) of my list?

The new way, on the Web

Use the ACCC Listserv Management Utility

The old way, by email

• First, you have to get a copy of the header. Send a message to listserv@uic.edu with
  GET LISTNAME (header PW=****** in the body of the message.
  You will receive an email message with a listing of your list configuration.
• To change the configuration, reply to the message containing the list configuration. Remove the > mark from the message, and alter the values of the list configuration as desired.
• Also, make sure to change the beginning of the message to
  PUT LISTNAME (header PW=******
• Send the email message to listserv@uic.edu. You should receive a confirmation note telling you the changes have been implemented.

Question 1.4 I sent a message for my Listserv to listserv@uic.edu but I received an error message: Unrecognized command.

• The reason that your message was not processed was because you sent it to the LISTSERV server itself instead of the list to which you are trying to post. You should re-send your message to the list where you want your message to appear. For example, sending a message to academy@uic.edu will send a message to the list named academy.

Question 1.5 I sent a command to the Listserv and I did not receive a reply from the server.

• When you wish to execute a command, it needs to be sent to the listserv@listserv.uic.edu or listserv@uic.edu email address. If you sent your command to a list, for example academy@uic.edu, then you actually sent your command as an email message to everyone who is subscribed to the list.
• Or use:
  • The ACCC Listserv Subscriber Utility to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change the options for your subscriptions to UIC Listserv lists.
  • The ACCC Listserv Management Utility to manage UIC Listserv lists that you own.

Question 1.6 I receive messages from the list, but when I try to post to the list, I receive an error message stating that I am not subscribed to the list. What should I do?

• This can occur if you are receiving mail from a Listserv at a different address from the one with which you are posting.
  • For example, if you are subscribed to a Listserv list as adabyron@uic.edu, but when you send mail it says that it's from adabyron@tigger.uic.edu, the Listserv will not recognize these as the same person and reject the mail.
• To repair this, either re-subscribe to the list with your proper address, or change your email program to reflect your correct FROM address. In Pine, this can be done under SETUP->CONFIG; change the user-domain setting. In Eudora, this is set in the Return Address field in Tools->Options->Sending Mail.

Question 1.7 How do I quit from a Listserv List?

The new way, on the Web

Use the ACCC Subscriber Utility

The old way, by email

• You quit (signoff or unsubscribe from) a Listserv list by sending a message to listserv@uic.edu with a line in the message body saying:
  SIGNOFF listname
  where listname is the name of the mailing list. This message must be sent from the same email address you used to subscribe to the list.
• For example, to sign off the ACADEMY Listserv list, you would send an email note to listserv@uic.edu with this in the body of the note:
  SIGNOFF ACADEMY

Question 1.8 When I post messages to a Listserv list, I do not receive them, although I am also subscribed to this list. Why?

• All Listserv lists are set up with default Subscriber Options, one of which is that subscribers to a list do not receive copies of their own postings. You can change your settings, however; see the online Listserv manual for details.
• Or use the ACCC Subscriber Utility

Question 1.9 Can I view messages that were posted to the list earlier although I've already deleted my copy?

• Listserv lists distribute their messages by email, and they are stored in your mailbox. If you turn off receipt of messages or delete messages from your mailbox, there is normally no way of retrieving them. However, some lists are configured to archive all messages sent to them. In this case, there are methods of reviewing the list email.

The new way, on the Web

Use the UIC Listserv Archives

The old way, by email

• To order a copy of a notebook archive log, send Listserv a GET command followed by the name of the file:
  GET LISTNAME LOG####
  where "####" corresponds to the year and month of the archive. For example, to retrieve the monthly log archive of the ACADEMY list from January of 1998, you would send the following note to listserv@uic.edu:
  GET ACADEMY LOG9801

Question 1.10 How do I configure and setup my Listserv List?

The new way, on the Web

Use the ACCC Listserv Management Utility

The old way, by email

• If you wish to change some of the original configuration keywords or add some more advanced keywords, you will have to GET the list header via email, make the appropriate changes, and email it back to the Listserv (you will need a personal password to do this).
  To obtain the list header, send a note to listserv@uic.edu with the GET command. For example, send this note to get the header for the list MYLIST:
  GET MYLIST (header PW=your-password-here
  
• For more details, see the online List Owners manual.

Question 1.11 How do I obtain a personal password for managing a Listserv list?

The new way, on the Web

Use the ACCC Listserv Management Utility

The old way, by email

• To create a personal password, you send the following command to listserv@uic.edu, but putting in your actual password in the place of "your_password"
  PW ADD your_password
• To remove your password, you send the command
  PW RESET PW=mypassword
  To change your password, send the command:
  PW Change newpassword PW=oldpassword
• For more details, see the online List Owners manual

Question 1.12 How can I add/delete people from my list?

The new way, on the Web

Use the ACCC Listserv Management Utility

The old way, by email

• The syntax for adding people is
  ADD listname netaddress full_name pw=your_password
  
  • For example,
    ADD ACADEMY adabyron@uic.edu Ada Byron Lovelace pw=bluegreenred
    
• The syntax for deleting people is
  DELete listname netaddress pw=your_password
  
• You can add/delete multiple entries by sending an email message with a line for each person, followed by your password.

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