Hi everybdy,

I install sendmail + Squirrelmail 1.4.5 + dovecot + CentOS 5.4
I tried to configure local_autorespond_forward-3.0-1.4.0.tar.gz with compatibility-2.0.16-1.0.tar.gz packages + vacation-1.2.6-1.centos.i386.rpm
--Every thing works with the vaccation and forwarders when i have the user login shell as
----------------------------
"username:x:501:501:None:/home/username:/bin/bash"
-----------------------------

but doesn't work when i just want the user only able to use POP/IMAP to the server so i changed
---------------------
"username:x:501:501:None:/home/username:/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login"
----------------------
Error i have is:
==============
The original message was received at Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:06:57 +0545
from localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]

----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
"|/usr/bin/vacation username"
(expanded from: <username@example.com>)

----- Transcript of session follows -----
550 5.7.1 /home/username/.forward: line 2: "|/usr/bin/vacation testftp"... User username@mail.example.com doesn't have a valid shell for mailing to programs
==============
Note:- every thing autoresponder/vacation works when i change usernames' shell login to "/bin/bash" and no error when i add a line
":/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login" inside /etc/shells file.
===============
Is there any ticks for it so that i can use autoresponders for vacation.
Please help and thanks in advance.

Because /usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login likely isn't a valid shell? Is it listed in your /etc/shells file? You probably want /usr/sbin/noshell or /sbin/nologin.

Hi rweaver boss,

This was not much easy as u replied just thinking about valid shell. Anyway i m very happy for ur reply. But it has very easy solution. Please go through this.

>Because /usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login likely isn't a valid shell?

Actually this "/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login" is valid for dovecot program which allows added system (PAM auth) users only to access through 110/143 (POP/IMAP) ports only. But not the bash shell like environment which is vulnerable for your system security in some extents who are only supposed to use POP/IMAP environments.

>Is it listed in your /etc/shells file?
I had added the shell "/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login" inside the /etc/shells file but it doesn't work. The problem is that the shell becomes valid and doesn't show any error which seems perfect. But still there is a problem in depth which i really don't want i:e auto-respond email from the destination email address doesn't reply any auto_respond email of vacation/auto_responder feature.

Causes:
1.Sendmail only runs shells which are valid under system home directory based users by default and yes in deed with the shells under /etc/shells. Boss main question is that how i could have a home dir with shell like /bin/false, /sbin/nologin ..etc. Ok forget Everything. What i want is just make it valid where ever whatever my scrpt shell.
2.Where and How ?
But the question is that how sendmail package (mainly vacation or autoresponder of squirrelmail deal with the shell "/usr/libexec/dovecot/pop3-login") and i want the sendmail to make it valid for my system which can only be done through /etc/shells and other system-authentication mechanism. Actually i needed clue which i have done now.

Boss Just Add a line "/SENDMAIL/ANY/SHELL/" inside /etc/shells file
========================
#echo "/SENDMAIL/ANY/SHELL/" >> /etc/shells
========================

[root@mail ~]# vi /etc/shells
/bin/sh
/bin/bash
/sbin/nologin
/bin/tcsh
/bin/csh
/bin/ksh
/bin/zsh
/SENDMAIL/ANY/SHELL/
====================


That's it
What i was hanging on since 24 hrs.
I hope u all could have this like me but here u can follow. Thanks linuxquestions.org as well