How to enable auto-replies (vacation responses)

When auto-replies are enabled, incoming messages continue to go into your INBOX as usual (or are forwarded, if you've enabled e-mail forwarding), but in addition, our system sends an immediate reply on your behalf. The contents of the auto-reply message are up to you.

A typical use of auto-replies is to inform senders that you are on vacation and they should expect a delay before hearing back from you. Another typical use is to direct senders to contact someone else. In these types of cases, you might choose your auto-reply message to be similar to one of the following:

Between 5 May 2007 and 20 May 2007 I will have only occasional access
to my e-mail. Your message sits safely in my INBOX and I will see it soon.

I am on vacation until 12 May 2007 and will not see your message
until then. Your message sits safely in my INBOX awaiting my return.
If you need immediate assistance, please contact xxxxxxxxx.

I am on leave for the Fall 2007 semester. Your message sits safely
in my INBOX and I will check my messages about once a week. For
matters related to academic advising, you will receive faster assistance
by writing directly to xxxxxxxxxxxx, who is handling these types of
matters during my absence.

Summary of how it works

Warning: Do not follow instructions elsewhere on the internet to invoke the "vacation" program by changing your .forward file. Those legacy instructions no longer apply to our system.

• Put your desired auto-reply message into a file called .autoreply (the name starts with a period) inside your network account home directory.
• It is the existence of the .autoreply file that enables auto-replies.
• Thus, to disable auto-replies, simply remove (or rename) the .autoreply file.
• A given sender will receive at most one auto-reply every 7 days. That is, if someone sends you multiple messages within a one-week period, only their first message will receive an auto-reply. (But the 7-day timer is reset anytime you change your .autoreply file.)
• At this time, it might take up to 10 minutes after you change your .autoreply file for the mail system to adjust its behavior accordingly. After making changes, please wait 10 minutes, then send yourself a message to test the system's behavior. (We intend to eventually use a more efficient replication method to avoid the 10-minute delay.)

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Step-by-step instructions

How to enable auto-replies:

• Open a terminal window. (If you are doing this remotely, then connect to your network account using SSH.)
• Use your favorite text editor (e.g., emacs or vi or nano) to edit/create the file .autoreply:

  myaccountname@puma:~$ nano .autoreply

• Put your desired auto-reply message into that file and save the changes.
• Auto-replies are now enabled. You can send yourself a test message to see what will happen.
• At this time, it might take up to 10 minutes after you change your .autoreply file for the mail system to adjust its behavior accordingly. After making changes, please wait 10 minutes, then send yourself a message to test the system's behavior. (We intend to eventually use a more efficient replication method to avoid the 10-minute delay.)

How to disable auto-replies:

• It is the presence of the .autoreply file that enables auto-replies.
• Thus, to disable auto-replies, simply remove or rename that file. For example:

  myaccountname@puma:~$ mv .autoreply .autoreply.old

• At this time, it might take up to 10 minutes after you change your .autoreply file for the mail system to adjust its behavior accordingly. After making changes, please wait 10 minutes, then send yourself a message to test the system's behavior. (We intend to eventually use a more efficient replication method to avoid the 10-minute delay.)

How to re-enable auto-replies:

• If you disabled auto-replies by renaming the file, as in the example above, then you can re-enable auto-replies by renaming the file back to its original name:

  myaccountname@puma:~$ mv .autoreply.old .autoreply

• To change the auto-reply message, use your favorite text editor to edit the .autoreply file.
• To change the auto-reply message, use your favorite text editor (e.g., emacs or vi or nano) to edit the .autoreply file:

  myaccountname@puma:~$ nano .autoreply

• Auto-replies are again enabled. You can send yourself a test message to see what will happen.
• At this time, it might take up to 10 minutes after you change your .autoreply file for the mail system to adjust its behavior accordingly. After making changes, please wait 10 minutes, then send yourself a message to test the system's behavior. (We intend to eventually use a more efficient replication method to avoid the 10-minute delay.)