sendmail, 4th Edition

A=

The argv for this delivery agent All versions

The program that is to be run (specified by the P= delivery agent equate) is given its C-language char **argv array (list of command-line arguments) by this A= delivery agent equate. This delivery agent equate is traditionally the last one specified because prior to V8.7, the argv arguments were all those from the = to the end of the line:

Mlocal, P=/bin/mail, F=rlsDFMmnP, S=10, R=20, A=mail -d $u
                                                ↑
                                                prior to V8.7, argv to end of line
...

Beginning with V8.7, the A= is treated like any other delivery agent equate, in that it ends at the end of the line or at the first comma. The backslash character can be used as a prefix to embed commas in the A= delivery agent equate.

Macros are expanded and can be used in this argv array. For example:

A=mail -d $u

The A= begins the declaration of the argument array. The program that is specified by the P= delivery agent equate (/bin/mail) will be executed with an argv of:

argv[0] = "mail"
argv[1] = "-d"              ← switch means perform final delivery
argv[2] = "fred"            ← where sendmail macro $u contains fred

The macro value of $u contains the current recipient name or names ($u on page 848). Another sendmail macro that commonly appears in A= fields is $h, the recipient host ($h on page 825). You are, of course, free to use any sendmail macro you find necessary as a part of this argv array. Note that $u is special, in that if it is missing, sendmail will speak SMTP to the delivery agent (The special case of $u in A= ...