The mailing list for listmasters using Sympa

[Olivier Salaun - CRU <address@concealed>]

Hi,

Miles Fidelman wrote:

> I'm trying to figure out how to coordinate sympa databases with a larger
> database.  [...]
> So far the choices seem to be:
> - use the sympa database, add fields
> - define lists to include data from an external sql database
> - define lists to include data from an external ldap server
>
> Clearly the first choice will work, though managing access rights to the
> data will get tricky if we allow direct access to the database, going
> around wwsympa access controls (i.e., since all the data is owned by
> sympa.sympa - it gets tricky to provide selective access to subsets).
>
> So... I'd like to keep the data in an external database or ldap server, bu
> that leads me to a few questions about how sympa and wwsympa deal with
> data stored externally? For example:
>
> - does sympa store any info about included users in its own database?
It stores information about the user in the user_table just like any 
users. With the latest 'include2' feature we also keep a cache of 
included users in the subscriber_table and also bounces + reception options.

> - how are passwords dealt with, do they have to be managed completely through 
> the external database or can sympa still assign first-time passwords and 
> allow users to update them?
>  
Default is to leave the authentication job to Sympa (via the 
user_table). But if using LDAP you can authenticate users against your 
LDAP directory, see 
http://www.sympa.org/doc/html/node9.html#SECTION00910000000000000000

> - what about assigning privileges to users?
If you set privilege attributes to users in your LDAP directory, then 
you can use them within Sympa scenarios (authorization rules for 
commands), see 
http://www.sympa.org/doc/html/node9.html#SECTION00920000000000000000

> - what about users setting their profiles for things like text/html, 
> mail/digest, etc.?
>  
As I wrote above, it works with 'include2' lists.
For more information on 'include2' (not documented yet), see
http://listes.cru.fr/wws/arc/sympa-dev/2002-08/msg00006.html

> Are there any documents I can read to get more details of sympa's interaction 
> with external sources?
Apart from the reference manual, you should have look at the tutorial :
http://www.sympa.org/doc.html

--
Olivier Salaun
Comite Reseau des Universites