ARCHIVED: What information is stored in a LISTSERV list header file?

This content has been archived, and is no longer maintained by Indiana University. Information here may no longer be accurate, and links may no longer be available or reliable.

Note: IU retired its LISTSERV system in spring 2012, replacing it with IU List, a new mailing list service. See About IU List

For a complete list of the keywords and their possible settings for a LISTSERV list header file, refer to the LISTSERV List Owner's Manual.

At Indiana University, you can request that this information be emailed to you via the LISTSERV web interface:

Visit the LISTSERV list management web interface for your campus; see ARCHIVED: At IU, how do I access the web interface for LISTSERV list management?
From the List Management menu, choose LISTSERV Command.
Under "Send over Email:", select one of the following options:
- User Commands
- Owner Commands
- Keyword Reference

The list header keywords fit into seven different categories:

Access control
Distribution
Error handling
List maintenance and moderation
Security
Subscription
Other

Here is a sample list header file for a LISTSERV list named NT-Demo-L:

  *
  *  Listserv 1.8C, Windows NT4.0, Demonstration List
  *  on piano.ucs.indiana.edu
  *  Indiana University, Bloomington
  *
  *  Ack= No
  *  Confidential= No
  *  Default-options= Repro,Shortbsmtp,SubjectHdr
  *  Digest= Yes,Same,Daily
  *  Errors-To= username@indiana.edu
  *  Mail-Via= Dist2
  *  Notebook=Yes,d:\listserv\notebooks\nt-demo-l,Monthly,Public
  *  Notify= Yes
  *  Renewal= Yearly, Delay(28)
  *  Reply-to= nt-demo-l@indiana.edu
  *  Review= Owner
  *  Send= Private
  *  Stats= Normal
  *  Subject-Tag= Demo
  *  Subscription= By owner
  *  Topics= One, Two, Three
  *  Validate= Yes
  *  Owner= username@indiana.edu