F=p

Process return path per RFC821 Deprecated

The SMTP MAIL From: command normally uses the envelope address for the sender:

MAIL From:<jqp@wash.dc.gov>

If the F=p delivery agent flag is specified, sendmail instead sends a transformed version of that address. The transformation can take one of two forms, depending on the first character of the envelope address. If that address begins with an @ character, an @, the local host name, and a comma are prefixed to that address to create a legal return path:

<@hub:jqp@wash.dc.gov>
  ↓
becomes
  ↓
<@ourhost,@hub:jqp@wash.dc.gov>

If the envelope address for the sender does not start with an @ character, an @, the local host name, and a colon are prefixed to that address:

<jqp@wash.dc.gov> becomes <@ourhost:jqp@wash.dc.gov

See also the DontPruneRoutes option (DontPruneRoutes on page 1024).

Note that these forms of address transformations are discouraged by RFC1123. For this reason, the F=p delivery agent flag is deprecated and might be removed from future versions of sendmail.

Get sendmail, 4th Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.