Hello !

First, I have to apologize, because it's a very, very long message
Second, I'm a total newbie with rexx, so in your reply, please give me the
exact lines of code, as I won't be able to deal with just advices, I'm too
short in time, as I have to leave home in 15 days.

This is the script I use to run my mail server, the questions are after it :

>==============================================================================
=========
/* REXX script for InetMail - Written by Paul Hethmon, and modify by many
people */
/*
 * This program designed to control Inet.Mail in a dialup situation.
 * 
 * Orignial Script available at:
 *     ftp://ftp.hethmon.com/hethmon/pub/scripts/dialup.zip
 *
 * This script depends on two external programs:
 *
 *   etrn.exe  --  Available from Hethmon Brothers
 *     ftp://ftp.hethmon.com/hethmon/pub/scripts/etrn.zip
 *
 *   go.exe    -- Available from Hethmon Brothers
 *     ftp://ftp.hethmon.com/hethmon/pub/scripts/go.zip
 *
 * When you start Inet.Mail, you must use 3 command line flags:
 *
 *   -ready
 *   -queue
 *   -relay
 *
 * You must also create two files in the Inet.Mail main directory:
 *
 *   noqueue
 *   norelay
 *
 * The file contents do not matter. A simple way of creating them is
 * to redirect the output of the dir command: dir > noqueue
 *
 * These two files are used as flag files to communicate between this
 * script and Inet.Mail.*/

/* ------------------------ Beginning of Variable declarations
-------------------------------- */
/* This section of variables must be set to local values. */

InetMailDir = 'f:\inetmail'               /* Your InetMail directory  */
DialerDir = 'e:\injoy'                    /* Your Dialer directory  */
SemaforeDir = 'c:\fd\sem'                 /* The directory where you want a
semafore file to */
                                          /* be created  */
DialupLogFile = 'f:\inetmail\dialup.log'  /*  The logfile and its path  */

SleepTime = (60 * 225 * 1)                /* Amount of time between
connections in seconds */
                                          /* template : seconds * minutes *
hours */

RemoteServer = 'relay.worldnet.net'       /* Remote server to contact for mail 
download */
                                          /* Must be an ip name. */
MailDomains = 'celtes.com'                /* The mail domain the remote server 
is queueing for. */
                                          /* This is the name of your mail
domain as in  */
                                          /* user@domain.com would be
domain.com. You may enter */
                                          /* multiple ip names here as needed. 
Every domain you */
                                          /* have email queued for must be
listed. */

ImRelayFile = InetMailDir||'\norelay'     /* Inet.Mail relay file. The file is 
always called  */
                                          /* "norelay". Just add the full path 
to it here. */
ImReadyFile = InetMailDir||'\ready'       /* Inet.Mail ready file. The file is 
always called */
                                          /* "ready". Just add the full path
to it here. */
ImQueueFile = InetMailDir||'\noqueue'     /* Inet.Mail queue file. The file is 
always called */
                                          /* "noqueue". Just add the full path 
to it here. */
SpoolDir = InetMailDir||'\spool'          /* Inet.Mail spool Directory. The
file is always */
                                          /* *.spl. Just add the full path to
it here. */

Etrn = InetMailDir||'\etrn.exe'           /* ETRN program */
DialerProg = 'In-joy.exe'                 /* Your Dialer Program */
DialIsp = DialerDir||'\in-joy.exe auto'   /* If your dialer needs any command
line parameters to */
                                          /* automatically dial, then place
them here */
KillDialer = DialerDir||'\killjoy.exe'    /* Kill program to hangup the
dialer. If your dialer */
                                          /* has a command which will cause it 
to hang up. You */
                                          /* may substitute it here*/
CheckIfRunning = 'go.exe -cp'             /* Program to run to check if an
appli is running */
kill = 'go.exe -k'                        /* Kill program to kill The applis
that could run and */
                                          /* need to be killed. */

SemaMailer = SemaforeDir||'\inetmail.sem' /* Name, Drive and Directory of the
semafore file you */
                                          /* want the script to create once it 
has run */

InetMail=inetmail                         /* define apps */
pop3d=pop3d                               /* define apps */
smtpd=smtpd                               /* define apps */

FireUpIM = InetMailDir||'\'||InetMail ' -l -vis -checkpoint -relay -ready
-queue -hops 30'  /* How */
                                          /* you fire up InetMail, and which
parameters do you */
                                          /* need for it */

/* --------------------------- End of Variable declarations
----------------------------------- */


/* For non english speaking user : we change the day given in the log file
from english to french */
DayoftheWeek = date('W')
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Sunday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Dimanche'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Monday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Lundi'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Tuesday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Mardi'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Wednesday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Mercredi'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Thursday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Jeudi'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Friday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Vendredi'
 if DayoftheWeek = 'Saturday' then
    JourdelaSemaine = 'Samedi'
/* End of the french translation */

CurDir = directory()

/* Set to 1 to enable debug output */
Debug = TRUE

/* Set to 1 to enable logging */
Log = TRUE

DialupVersion = 'v.1.6'
DialupRevision = '0.07'
DialupDate = '11 October 1999'
high = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'
low = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
Env = 'OS2ENVIRONMENT'
FALSE = 0
TRUE = 1
CRLF='0d0a'x
Start = 'start'

/* Rexx Socket variables */
domain = 'AF_INET'
server.!family = 'AF_INET'
server.!port = 25
server.!addr = RemoteServer

/* The external functions we need */
call RxFuncAdd 'SysCls', 'RexxUtil', 'SysCls'
call RxFuncAdd 'SysFileDelete', 'RexxUtil', 'SysFileDelete'
call RxFuncAdd 'SysFileTree', 'RexxUtil', 'SysFileTree'
call RxFuncAdd 'SysSleep', 'RexxUtil', 'SysSleep'
call RxFuncAdd 'SockLoadFuncs', 'rxSock', 'SockLoadFuncs'
rc = SockLoadFuncs()
rc = SockInit()

/* start main function, we ignore any arguments */


/* Endless loop */
do while 1

 /*  We start the dial process, so it's time to write the log file */
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, ' '
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, '------/' 'DialUp Script' DialupVersion
'rev.'DialupRevision ':' JourdelaSemaine date() '-' Time() '/------'
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, ' '
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() 'Started dialup up process ...' 

 /* lets attempt to shutdown dialer and mail server; in case it's running
already */
 /* we should really test if it runs 1st... but, we'll just 'dumb kill all'
for now */
 call SysCls
 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
 say '...we will try to shutdown dialer and mail server before we start...'
 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '    dialer, if running, is
killed.' 
 KillDialer
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '    inetmail, if running, is
killed.' 
 kill inetmail
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '    pop3d process, if running, is
killed.' 
 kill pop3d
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '    smtpd process, if running, is
killed.' 
 kill smtpd
 call SysSleep(2)   /* just give it a little time to shut down... */

 /* Check for time of day - if outside business hours don't do anything */
 /* Check for day of week - if Saturday or Sunday don't do anything */
/*  IF (time('H')  '22:00:00') | (date('Base')//7
> 4) then do
    say "Outside working hours. Sleeping..."
    call SysSleep(SleepTime)
    iterate
    end
  else
*/
 /* First we have to change to the Dialer directory */
 newdir = directory(DialerDir)

 /* Start the dialer */
 call SysCls
 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
 say 'Starting dialer ...                                                 '
 say '...starting InJoy dialer in another session...                      '
 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. Starting the Internet Dialer
...' 
 Start '"Internet Dialer" /C' DialIsp

 /* return to script directory */
 newdir = directory(CurDir)

 /* We 're testing the server */

 /* We give dialer some time to negotiate and complete connection, then, start 
testing if TCP/IP is 'UP' */
 say "...let's sit'n'wait till connection is established before we try
anything..."
 say '...testing if a link has been established...'

 DO ii=1 to 24  /* test for connection up to 24*5 = 120 seconds */
  rc = SockGetHostByName(RemoteServer, "host.!")
  if (rc = 1) then do
   say '..we can resolve hostnames, connection is up...'
   call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   We can resolve hostnames,
connection is up...'
   call directory InetMailDir
   call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   InetMail, Pop3d and Smtpd are 
started...'
   '@start ' FireUpIM             /* We have to restart InetMail */
   call SysSleep(1)
   call directory CurDir
   leave
  end
  say '...no connection yet, wait, then test again...'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   warning ! no connection yet,
wait, then test again...' 
  call SysSleep(5)
 end                      /* do */

 /* Check for a live connection */

 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
 say 'Check for a live connection, starting mail processing ...        '
 say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'

 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. Starting of the PingServer
procedure ...' 
 rc = PingServer()

 /* a rc of 0 means we can connect, so start some stuff */
 if (rc == 0) then do

  /* We need to delete the queue file, otherwise smtpd will*/
  /* never wake up and check the queue for mail to be sent */                  
                                  
  say 'Deleting the outgoing mail queue flag file...'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   deleting the outgoing Mail
Queue Flag.' 
  rc = SysFileDelete(ImQueueFile);

  /* Start the etrn program to pick up the new mail waiting */
  say 'Starting etrn program ...'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. sending the ETRN signals ...' 
  do i = 1 to words(MailDomains)
   TmpDomain = word(MailDomains, i)
   etrn RemoteServer TmpDomain
  end
 
  /* We need to wait for at least the time between queue checks */
  /* for the outgoing mail process to start delivering mail and */
  /* delete the ready file before we check for its existence.   */
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   sleeping for 30 seconds ...' 
  Call SysSleep(30)

  /* Now wait for Inet.Mail to tell us it is done sending the */
  /* queued mail by checking for the existence of the ready file*/
  say 'Waiting for queue delivery to complete ...'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   waiting for queue delivery to
complete ...' 
  Waiting = TRUE
  do while (Waiting == TRUE)
   rc = SysFileTree(ImReadyFile, "s.", 'F')
   if (s.0 == 1) then Waiting = FALSE
  end
  say 'Queue delivery complete.'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   queue delivery complete ...' 

  /* Now we check that incoming mail delivery has completed.*/
  /* by checking for the presence of *.spl in the spool directory.*/
  /* Now we check that incoming mail delivery has completed.*/
  /* by checking for the presence of *.spl in the spool directory.*/
  Incoming = TRUE
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   waiting for Incoming mail
delivery to complete ...' 
  do while (Incoming == TRUE)
   rc = SysFileTree(SpoolDir'\*.spl', files., 'FO')
   if (files.0 == 0) then Incoming = FALSE
   call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   now waiting for 30 seconds
...' 
   call SysSleep(30) /* We wait a little bit for the server to send the mail
*/
  end
  say 'Incoming mail delivery complete.'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   incoming mail delivery
complete ...' 

  /* Recreate the queue file to put the queue check process */
  /* back to sleep.                                         */
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   recreating the noqueue flag
file.' 
  rc = stream(ImQueueFile, 'c', 'open')
  rc = lineout(ImQueueFile, 'noqueue')
  rc = stream(ImQueueFile, 'c', 'close')
  end

 else do
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. Warning : Unable to connect to
remote Sever. Skipping connection.' 
 say 'Unable to connect to remote server. Skipping connection.'
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   and we go to sleep for a while
- 10 seconds.' 
 call SysSleep(10)
 end

 /* Now kill the dialer. Crude but necessary. */
 say 'Hanging up the dialer...'
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. Hanging up ...' 
 /* get current directory */
 curdir = directory()

 /* go stop injoy */
 newdir = directory(DialerDir)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   we kill the Dialer, Crude but
necessary ...' 
 KillDialer
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   InetMail is killed.' 
 kill InetMail
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   Pop3d process is killed.' 
 kill pop3d
 call SysSleep(2)
 call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '   Smtpd process is killed.' 
 kill smtpd

  /* return to script directory */
  newdir = directory(CurDir)
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() '. Sleeping for' SleepTime
'seconds...'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile, date() time() 'End of the script'
  call LINEOUT DialupLogFile

  /* And we will take some rest before working again */
  say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
  say 'Sleeping for' SleepTime 'seconds at' time() 'on' date() '...'
  say '--------------------------------------------------------------------'
  call SysSleep(SleepTime)

  /* Now it's time to create the semafore file your mailer is waiting */
  rc = stream(SemaMailer, 'c', 'open')
  rc = lineout(SemaMailer, 'inetmail semafore file')
---