[X-Unix] how to send mail from commandline?

[Ben Gold]

I've wanted occasionally to be able to send an email from the command  
line also.

I've always wondered if there is no way to send one without turning  
on Postfix?   I always thought it would be possible to simply send  
out a message much like my Apple Mail program does – some command  
where I type in the destination, message, AND my ISPs mail server.

Is this not possible?

Why do I need to run a server just to send an email?  If numerous  
programs can connect to my ISPs mail server, why can't I?

Or do I misunderstand that Postfix is a server, not a client?

I don't know a lot about *nix, but I was hoping this was possible.



On Nov 9, 2005, at 1:21 PM, ..lj wrote:

>
> On Nov 9, 2005, at 10:07, Warren Pollans wrote:
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> When I try "hello | sendmail -fwarren at meyer-pollans.net  
>> warren at meyer-pollans.net" I get an error that indicates (from  
>> googling) that it wants/needs postfix - I'm on a G3 ibook  
>> (10.3.9)  -  the error is "... warning: unable to look up public/ 
>> pickup ..."  I tried it this way because this is what works on my  
>> linux box
>>
>> What's the easiest way to send mail from the commandline?  I'm  
>> trying to send the contents of a text file - this is the log from  
>> a series of tests that I've run - I'm having the script that runs  
>> the tests mail me the results.  I'm just trying to get things  
>> setup so that I can run from my ibook while I'm traveling
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Warren
>>
>
> Apple has now included Postfix instead of sendmail in Panther  
> client and server. Here are the steps you need to do and watch out  
> for if you want to enable this MTA on your client machine.
>     1.       Edit the MAILSERVER=-NO- line in /etc/hostconfig.  
> Change it to read MAILSERVER=-YES- or -AUTO-. Save and exit the file.
>     2.       Open up /etc/postfix/main.cf, and edit these lines to  
> reflect your setup. These are examples from my setup; yours might  
> be different.
>         ◦     LINE 67: myhostname = pb.ljs-world.com
>         ◦     LINE 75: mydomain = ljs-world.com
>         ◦     LINE 91: myorigin = $mydomain
>         ◦     LINE 105: inet_interfaces = all
>         ◦     LINE 152: mydestination = $myhostname, localhost. 
> $mydomain
> Save your work, and exit the file.
>     3.       Open up /etc/postfix/master.cf, and uncomment line 77  
> -- change #smtp inet n - n - - smtpd to smtp inet n - n - - smtpd.  
> Save and exit the file.
> After a reboot or a postfix (re)start, the postfix MTA will be  
> running. (sudo start postfix)
>
>
> This will also allow you to use localhost as a SMTP, but some  
> ISP's  mail servers won't accept your email for fear you are a  
> spammer.
> You could put a relay line in /etc/postfix/main.cf that will help.
>
> relayhost = smtp.yourisp.com
>
> ..lj
>
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