vacation(1)        UNIX System V(BSD Compatibility Package)         vacation(1)


NAME
      vacation - reply to mail automatically

SYNOPSIS
      /usr/ucb/vacation [ -I ]
      /usr/ucb/vacation [ -j ] [ -aalias ] [ -tN ] username

DESCRIPTION
      vacation automatically replies to incoming mail.  The reply is contained
      in the file .vacation.msg, that you create in your home directory.

      This file should include a header with at least a `Subject:'  line (it
      should not include a `From:'  or a `To:'  line).  For example:
            Subject: I am on vacation
            I am on vacation until July 22.  If you have something urgent,
            please contact Joe Jones (jones@f40).
                  --John

      If the string $SUBJECT appears in the .vacation.msg file, it is replaced
      with the subject of the original message when the reply is sent; thus, a
      .vacation.msg file such as
            Subject: I am on vacation
            I am on vacation until July 22.
            Your mail regarding "$SUBJECT" will be read when I return.
            If you have something urgent, please contact
            Joe Jones (jones@f40).
                  --John

      will include the subject of the message in the reply.

      No message is sent if the `To:'  or the `Cc:'  line does not list the
      user to whom the original message was sent or one of a number of aliases
      for them, if the initial From line includes the string -REQUEST@, or if a
      `Precedence: bulk' or `Precedence: junk' line is included in the header.

      The following options are available:

      -I   Initialize the .vacation.pag and .vacation.dir files and start
           /usr/ucb/vacation.

      If the -I flag is not specified, and a user argument is given,
      /usr/ucb/vacation reads the first line from the standard input (for a
      `From:'  line, no colon).  If absent, it produces an error message.  The
      following options may be specified:

      -aalias
           Indicate that alias is one of the valid aliases for the user running
           /usr/ucb/vacation, so that mail addressed to that alias generates a
           reply.





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vacation(1)        UNIX System V(BSD Compatibility Package)         vacation(1)


      -j   Do not check whether the recipient appears in the `To: ' or the
           `Cc:'  line.

      -tN  Change the interval between repeat replies to the same sender.  The
           default is 1 week.  A trailing s, m, h, d, or w scales N to seconds,
           minutes, hours, days, or weeks respectively.

USAGE
      To start /usr/ucb/vacation, create a .forward file in your home directory
      containing a line of the form:

            \username, "|/usr/ucb/vacation username"

      where username is your login name.

      Then type in the command:

            /usr/ucb/vacation -I

      To stop /usr/ucb/vacation, remove the .forward file, or move it to a new
      name.

      If /usr/ucb/vacation is run with no arguments, it will permit you to
      interactively turn /usr/ucb/vacation on or off.  It will create a
      .vacation.msg file for you, or edit an existing one, using the editor
      specified by the VISUAL or EDITOR environment variable, or vi(1) if
      neither of those environment variables are set.  If a .forward file is
      present in your home directory, it will ask whether you want to remove it
      and turn off /usr/ucb/vacation.  If it is not present in your home
      directory, it creates it for you, and automatically performs a
      `/usr/ucb/vacation -I' function, turning on /usr/ucb/vacation.

FILES
      ~/.forward
      ~/.vacation.mesg

      A list of senders is kept in the files .vacation.pag and .vacation.dir in
      your home directory.

SEE ALSO
      sendmail(1M)

      vi(1) in the User's Reference Manual











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