How to enable group email accounts

Question

Hi all,
I have spent a while fiddling with (and breaking) my OSX Lion 10.7.4 Server install trying to get group emails working. I would just like to share how I did it.
Follow the below how to.
#!/bin/bash
# Group EMail Enabler v0.2
# Jeff Johnson <[email protected]>
# Tested with OS X Server 10.6 and 10.7
# Should also work with 10.5
# This script allows you to manage email groups using Work Group Manager.
# If you create an executive group in WGM, you then have a executive@ email address
# This is automatically maintained as you adjust the members
# The script searches your LDAP groups for the word 'mail' in the comment field
# You must add mail to the comment field for any group which should have an email address.
# The email address for that group will be the shortname of that group.
# If you miss this step (add 'mail' to the comment field), this script does nothing.
# Known issues
# 1. Only supports groups in LDAP, users can be in LDAP or Local
# 2. Does not support other groups within your email group (no nested groups)
# 3. Almost no error checking, so best to run it manually a few times to check results.
# Installation Instructions
# 1. Save this file as
#       /usr/sbin/group_email.sh
# 2. Then adjust permissions
#       sudo chmod +x /usr/sbin/group_email.sh
# 3. Modifiy alias_maps in /etc/postfix/main.cf
#    You need to add this line to what you already have
#        hash:/etc/postfix/group_aliases
#     Example, you have:
#        alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
#     Change to:
#        alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases, hash:/etc/postfix/group_aliases
# 4. To run automatically every 5 minutes, I prefer a simple addition to /etc/crontab
#      you may need to create /etc/crontab if it doesn't exist
#      Add the following to /etc/crontab
#            */5 * * * * root /usr/sbin/group_email.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1
# If you followed these instructions, within 5 minutes you will see an alias file at
#  /etc/postfix/groupaliases
# you can inspect the file to confirm the results.
cd /etc/postfix
# clear current aliases
echo "" > group_aliases.tmp
# Get list of groups with 'mail' in the comment field
gr=`dscl /LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 -list /Groups Comment | grep mail | awk '{print $1}'`
for group in $gr
   do
      echo $group: `dscl /LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 -read /Groups/$group dsAttrTypeNative:memberUid | cut -d : -f 3 | grep -v "No such key"` >> group_aliases.tmp
   done
cmp -s group_aliases.tmp group_aliases > /dev/null
   if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
      echo different
      cp group_aliases.tmp group_aliases
      /usr/sbin/postalias /etc/postfix/group_aliases
      /usr/bin/newaliases
   else
      echo same
   fi
exit
The only additional thing I had to do with Lion Server 10.7.4 was add hash:/etc/postfix/group_aliases to the alias_maps AND alias_database in /etc/postfix/main.cf then run "newaliases" and "postfix reload"
Hopefully this helps the next person to get it all running quicker than I did
Cheers
Ryan

Answer 1

Hi Ryan, yeah 10.7.4 Lion Server - mail is swtiched on although we haven'y migrated to it yet (i do have the accounts setup though)
Script:
#!/bin/bash
# Group EMail Enabler v0.2
# Jeff Johnson <[email protected]>
# Tested with OS X Server 10.6 and 10.7
# Should also work with 10.5
# This script allows you to manage email groups using Work Group Manager.
# If you create an executive group in WGM, you then have a executive@ email address
# This is automatically maintained as you adjust the members
# The script searches your LDAP groups for the word 'mail' in the comment field
# You must add mail to the comment field for any group which should have an email address.
# The email address for that group will be the shortname of that group.
# If you miss this step (add 'mail' to the comment field), this script does nothing.
# Known issues
# 1. Only supports groups in LDAP, users can be in LDAP or Local
# 2. Does not support other groups within your email group (no nested groups)
# 3. Almost no error checking, so best to run it manually a few times to check results.
# Installation Instructions
# 1. Save this file as
#       /usr/sbin/group_email.sh
# 2. Then adjust permissions
#       sudo chmod +x /usr/sbin/group_email.sh
# 3. Modifiy alias_maps in /etc/postfix/main.cf
#    You need to add this line to what you already have
#        hash:/etc/postfix/group_aliases
#     Example, you have:
#        alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
#     Change to:
#        alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases, hash:/etc/postfix/group_aliases
# 4. To run automatically every 5 minutes, I prefer a simple addition to /etc/crontab
#      you may need to create /etc/crontab if it doesn't exist
#      Add the following to /etc/crontab
#                 */5 * * * * root /usr/sbin/group_email.sh >> /dev/null 2>&1
# If you followed these instructions, within 5 minutes you will see an alias file at
#  /etc/postfix/groupaliases
# you can inspect the file to confirm the results.
cd /etc/postfix
# clear current aliases
echo "" > group_aliases.tmp
# Get list of groups with 'mail' in the comment field
gr=`dscl /LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 -list /Groups Comment | grep mail | awk '{print $1}'`
for group in $gr
   do
      echo $group: `dscl /LDAPv3/127.0.0.1 -read /Groups/$group dsAttrTypeNative:memberUid | cut -d : -f 3 | grep -v "No such key"` >> group_aliases.tmp
   done
cmp -s group_aliases.tmp group_aliases > /dev/null
   if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
      echo different
      cp group_aliases.tmp group_aliases
      /usr/sbin/postalias /etc/postfix/group_aliases
      /usr/bin/newaliases
   else
      echo same
   fi
exit
I've gone through it a few times and can't see any differences to the one you posted so am at a loss as to why its not working..
Thanks
Phil