How to setup a vacation email?

Browser way:
     Go to My Stuff -> Email Forward/Vacation Message

Notes:

  • If you are from outside of UBC you will need to use UBC VPN.
  • You must Login first AND supply passwd one more time at the bottom "Do It" button
  • If you see a button to enable "TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 ..." please click to proceed.


There are 3 category
1) Remove any previously set Email vacation/forwarding
        When you come back from vacation, you need to do this

2) Set up your auto-reply message
        Before you go on vacation, you need to do this

3) Forward your Email to another address
If you don't want to use our email, (external mail providers: gmail, yahoo...)
You need to do this.  Do not "Keep a Copy" since you need to
clean up sometime to avoid email rejection due to "Over quota"

Manual way:

If you are using Bogofilter for spam filtering, read the bogofilter FAQ.

The unix command

  vacation

is used to setup automatic response to e-mail sent to you.

The "vacation" command will generate two files in your home directory:

  .vacation.msg

and

  .forward

The file ".vacation.msg" contains the message which will be automatically sent out. The file ".forward" activates the vacation program.

 

If you already have the ".forward" file, then you need to rename it since the "vacation" command will overwrite the current " .forward" file.

 

The followings describe the procedure:

  1. Enter the unix command

      vacation

  2. The unix will give the following information:

      This program can be used to answer your mail automatically
  when you go away on vacation.
  You have a message file in /home/yourusername/.vacation.msg.
  Would you like to see it?
  3. Type the character "y" and the "Enter" key.

  4. The unix will give the following information:

      Subject: away from my mail

  I will not be reading my mail for a while.
  Your mail regarding "$SUBJECT" will be read when I return.
  Would you like to edit it?

  5. Type the character "y" if you want to change the default automatic response message. Type the character "n" if you want to use the default message.

     

    • It is customary to tell people either how long you will be gone or when you plan to return.
    • Do not edit the lines beginning with the text "From:" or "Subject:".
    • Leave at least one blank line between the "Subject:" line and the body of your message.
    • Do not remove "$SUBJECT" text from the message.

  6. If you type "y", then the Unix will give the following information:

      You have a message file in /home/yourusername/.vacation.msg.
  Would you like to see it?

  7. If you type "y" to the above question, then the Unix will give the automatic response message again:

      Subject: away from my mail

  I will not be reading my mail for a while.
  Your mail regarding "$SUBJECT" will be read when I return.
  Would you like to edit it?

  8. Type "n" and the Unix will give the following information:

      To enable the vacation feature a ".forward" file is created.
  Would you like to enable the vacation feature?

  9. Type "y" to enable the vacation feature. And the Unix will give the following information:

      Vacation feature ENABLED. Please remember to turn it off when
  you get back from vacation. Bon voyage.

Now everyone who sends you an e-mail will receive the automatic response.

 

If you use "dtmail", then you can setup vacation feature easily.

 

  • At unix prompt "$" type:

      /usr/dt/bin/dtmail&
  • From the Option menu, select the Vacation Message... submenu.
  • A dialog window will pop up. Turn on the Vacation option and other features you like.
  • Click the Ok button.
FAQ Category
Email