for Subscribers
Email commands
Sending commands to ListServ® by email
This page contains forms and links for generating commands which can be sent to ListServ® by email.
Note: All the forms, except for pinging the server, require your browser to support and allow JavaScript 1.2. (Either Netscape or Internet Explorer version 4, if configured to allow scripts, is adequate.) Previous misuse has made this security restriction necessary; the list administrator apologizes for the inconvenience and will assist any participants who are inconvenienced by it.
The "From:" header field in the email must match the subscription's email address. The match is case-insensitive; distinctions between upper- and lower-case alphabets are ignored. Only a matching address is required; the name, if any appears in the "From:" field, need not match.
All the forms work the same way:
- Fill out the required information, then click a "Generate the command" link.
- The script composes the email command as a "mailto:" link before the mouse-click action is performed. Your browser must be configured to send email from the correct address.
- Check the email. You should have a one-line command, followed by a line
consisting of a double hyphen
("--"). - Make sure the double hyphen is a separate line; it prevents ListServ® from trying to process any signature added by your email. If your email client didn't include the line break, add it.
- Send the email. (If you don't send it, nothing will happen.)
Note: The email is addressed to the ListServ® server, not the list.
Some commands require additional steps: confirmation exchanges or a wait for approvals. The sequence of events is described for each.
Subscribe, start or stop email, or assign a name to a subscription
The command created with this form can serve any combination of three purposes: requesting a subscription a list, starting or stopping list email, and assigning your name to an existing subscription.
Note: To generate this command, you need a browser that supports JavaScript 1.2 (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Version 4 or later) and is configured to allow scripts to run. See the requirements section for more information.
Changes to existing subscriptions are immediate; ListServ® sends a report when they're processed. (When turning list email on, the report is self-contradictory, but the command does work.)
New subscription requests require more steps:
- ListServ® sends a confirmation request with instructions. If not confirmed, either by email or by accessing a URL, ListServ® discards the request. The timeout is several days.
- After confirmation, new subscribers receive a "Welcome" message containing useful information about the list and archives.
Subscription request form:
Generate the command to subscribe.
Unsubscribe from the list
This form generates an email command to sign you off (remove your address from) the list. You do not have to sign off just to stop email temporarily; you can set an option to suspend delivery, instead. See the "Signing off" page for more information about alternatives.
Note: To generate this command, you need a browser that supports JavaScript 1.2 (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Version 4 or later) and is configured to allow scripts to run. See the requirements section for more information.
ListServ® answers the command with a confirmation request containing instructions. You can confirm either by email or by clicking a URL. If confirmation is not received within the allowed time (several days), ListServ® discards the command.
Form:
Generate the command to sign off the list(s).
Set subscription options
This form generates an email command to change option settings for your subscription.
Note: To generate this command, you need a browser that supports JavaScript 1.2 (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Version 4 or later) and is configured to allow scripts to run. See the requirements section for more information.
ListServ® answers the command with a confirmation request containing instructions. You can confirm either by email or by clicking a URL. If confirmation is not received within the allowed time (several days), ListServ® discards the command.
The default selection for each choice is to leave your current setting unchanged, whatever it may happen to be. (The script doesn't know it.) Choices marked "[D]" are the defaults used for new subscriptions.
Form:
Generate the command to change subscription options.
Check subscription status
This form generates an email command to obtain a report of subscription status, including option settings.
Note: To generate this command, you need a browser that supports JavaScript 1.2 (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Version 4 or later) and is configured to allow scripts to run. See the requirements section for more information.
Form:
Generate the command to query status and option settings.
Change the subscription's email address
This form generates a request to change the email address for an existing subscription. This allows you to redirect email but keep all your other settings.
Note: To generate this command, you need a browser that supports JavaScript 1.2 (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape Version 4 or later) and is configured to allow scripts to run. See the requirements section for more information.
You must have access to email at both addresses for this.
The procedure takes several steps, described in detail on the "Other changes (address)" page section. You should read it before you start.
Form:
Generate the command to change the subscription address.
Make sure the IEEE server is responding
This link generates a command to check server responses. You send a "thanks" command.
The IEEE server should reply, "You're welcome!"
Link:
Generate the command to ping ListServ®.