Details
While a Listserv distribution list is typically managed via the web interface, if access is limited, it can just as easily be managed by sending commands to the list via email.
To manage the list via email, send email to listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu with an appropriate command in the body of the mail message.
Email Command Basics
The standard format for sending commands to a listserv list is to send an email to the listserv server, with no SUBJECT line, and with the COMMAND in the body.
TO: listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu
SUBJECT:
BODY:
COMMAND listname [options]
Common Commands Initiated by Subscribers
Subscribe to a list:
SUBSCRIBE listname username
Leave or Unsubscribe to a list:
SIGNOFF listname
Change email address (must be sent from old address)
CHANGE listname newemailaddress
Change list options (for example, to go to DIGEST mode)
SET listname DIGEST
For more options on the SET command, see the Command Reference Guide entry for SET.
Common Commands Initiated by list owners
Add a subscriber to the list and notify them
ADD listname emailaddress First Last
Remove a subscriber, but do not notify them
QUIET DELETE listname emailaddress
Query for a specific subscriber
QUERY listname FOR emailaddress
Change subscriber’s email address
CHANGE listname oldemailaddress newemailaddress
Review list of subscribers
REVIEW listname
Change list options for a user (for example, to change from DIGEST mode to NODIGEST mode )
SET listname NODIGEST FOR emailaddress
For more options on the SET command, see the Command Reference Guide entry for SET.
List owner list configurations
If you need to make specific changes to the list configuration, including changes to the owner, editors, or moderators, first retrieve the configuration to confirm the current settings. The following GET command below with no options specified will LOCK the list awaiting changes to the configuration or until UNLOCKed.
Get list configuration
GET listname (HEADER
This will return an email with the header information in the following format:
PUT LIST-TEST1 LIST PW=********
*
* Testing Listserv settings
*
*
* .HH ON
* listname : sample description for listname
* Owner=name@email.address (some one)
* Editor=name@email.address (some one)
* Moderator=name@email.address (some one)
* Subscription= by owner, confirm.
* Renewal=6-monthly,delay(25)
* SET listname NORENEW for name@email.address
* Validate= YES,CONFIRM
* Review= Private
* Confidential= No
* Send= Private
* Notify= Owners
* Errors-To= Owner
* Auto-Delete= Yes, Semi-Auto,Delay(4),Max(100)
* Notebook= yes,d:\archive,monthly,private
* Digest= yes,d:\archive,daily,01,1000
* .HH OFF
*
This is the description of the list. Anything without an * on the line is treated as description text.
You can make any changes to this header that you need to make, then simply copy the contents of the information block into a new command message back to the listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu address, with the PUT command intact, but changing the “********” to your actual password.
For example, one common change might be to revise the names of Moderators or Editors on the list. Note also that any line that does not begin with an * is considered part of the list description.
Further Reference
For more information about the header configuration, see the L-Soft List Header Keyword Reference guide.
For a complete list of email commands, see the Command Reference guide.