Mailman - Custom Welcome Email

[davidcullinan]

I have setup and configured a mailing list using Mailman that is read-only. It all works great, except that the 'Welcome' email sent out to new subscribers includes information on how to post to the list. Since this is an announce-only type list, posting to the list is restricted to a just a few people, and general subscribers cannot post.

 

I did find this documentation at http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/faqw-mm.py?req=home

 

"In Mailman 2.1.x you can customize the welcome message. Create a directory lists/<yourlist>/en (assuming English and copy templates/subscribeack.txt to this directory. Then edit this file for your specific wording. Mailman will use this specialized template for the English welcome messages. If you don't have access to the command-line tools, then you won't be able to create a customized welcome message for your list."

 

Can I actually do this at TCH, by creating that directory structure at the root of my domain? Is there another way to get a custom 'Welcome' email for Mailman at TCH?

 

Thanks!

[TweezerMan]

I don't believe you would create the directory structure at the root of your domain unless you installed mailman at the root of your domain.

 

I believe you could accomplish what you want by doing the following:

 

1) Download <mailman base dir>/templates/subscribeack.txt to your PC with your FTP program (using ASCII mode).

 

2) Edit the subscribeack.txt as necessary.

 

3) In your FTP program, create the directory <mailman base dir>/lists/<yourlist>/en on the server.

 

4) Upload the edited subscribeack.txt file to the directory you created in step 3 with your FTP program (using ASCII mode).

 

This isn't the only way to do this, but it generally covers the steps you'd need to perform.

[davidcullinan]

Thanks for your reply David.

 

I was not clear on whether your solution would require me to install my own instance of Mailman. I would probably not install my own instance, as I can imagine more headaches than the customization is worth.

 

If I do not need my own instance, I would need a better understanding of where the <mailman base dir> is.

 

Thanks.

[TweezerMan]

Yeah, I was assuming you had your own installation of Mailman. I'm not sure if you can customize the 'Welcome' e-mail for a mailing list set up in CPanel's mailman, but I suspect not.

[MikeJ]

To modify your welcome message in Mailman, simply login to your administrative interface for Mailman, select Edit the Public HTML pages and text files, and select Welcome email text file. Modify and save.

 

It's as simple as that.

[davidcullinan]

Thanks for your response Mike.

 

Unfortunately, the only option available to me in the admin interface for Mailman is "Edit the public HTML pages", which I had already done to remove references to list members being able to post.

 

There is no "...and text files", at least not for me. It certainly seems like an obvious and good idea, but I guess I am out of luck.

 

Thanks again.

[MikeJ]

Is the mailman version listed on your server 2.1.6?

 

Found the problem. Most of the servers are still running 2.1.5. Once 2.1.6 Mailman is rolled out across all of the servers you'll have the option to modify your Welcome email.