sivtest Command in Linux

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The sivtest is a command-line utility that is part of the Cyrus IMAP server suite. It is used for testing the script handling capabilities of the Cyrus IMAP server. is a scripting language for email filtering, and sivtest allows users to test scripts and their interaction with the IMAP server.

Here's a detailed explanation of the sivtest command along with various examples to help you understand how to use it effectively.

Table of Contents

Here is a comprehensive guide to the options available with the sivtest command −

Understanding the sivtest Command

The sivtest command is a powerful tool for managing and testing scripts on a Cyrus IMAP server. By using the examples and explanations provided, you should be able to effectively create, upload, activate, edit, and delete scripts on the server.

Installing of sivtest Command

Before you can use sivtest, you need to install the Cyrus IMAP server and its utilities. On most Linux distributions, you can install it using your package manager. For example −

Ubuntu/Debian −

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cyrus-imapd cyrus-admin cyrus-

On CentOS/RHEL −

sudo yum install cyrus-imapd cyrus-admin cyrus-

Syntax of sivtest Command

The basic syntax for using sivtest is −

sivtest [options] server

Examples of sivtest Command in Linux

Connecting to a Server

To connect to a Cyrus IMAP server called myserver, you can use the following command −

sivtest myserver

You will be prompted to enter your username and password.

Specifying Username

If you need to connect using a specific username, you can use the -u option −

sivtest -u username myserver

You will be prompted to enter the password for the specified username.

Listing Scripts

Once you are connected to the server, you can list the available scripts using the LISTSCRIPTS command −

sivtest> LISTSCRIPTS

Listing Scripts on a Specific Server

You can also list the scripts on a specific server directly from the command line −

sivtest -u username -a LISTSCRIPTS myserver

Uploading a Script

To upload a script from your local machine to the server, you can use the PUTSCRIPT command −

sivtest> PUTSCRIPT scriptname

Uploading a Script from a Specific Directory

If you want to upload a script from a specific directory on your local machine, you can specify the local path −

sivtest> PUTSCRIPT /path/to/local/script

Activating Script

To activate a script on the server, you can use the SETACTIVE command −

sivtest> SETACTIVE scriptname

Activating a Script on a Specific Server

You can also activate a script on a specific server directly from the command line −

sivtest -u username -a SETACTIVE scriptname myserver

Deleting Script

To delete a script from the server, you can use the DELETESCRIPT command −

sivtest> DELETESCRIPT scriptname

Deleting a Script on a Specific Server

You can also delete a script on a specific server directly from the command line −

sivtest -u username -a DELETESCRIPT scriptname myserver

Editing Script

To edit a script on the server, you can download it to your local machine, make the necessary changes, and then upload it back to the server. You can download a script using the GETSCRIPT command −

sivtest> GETSCRIPT scriptname

Editing a Script on a Specific Server

You can also download a script from a specific server directly from the command line −

sivtest -u username -a GETSCRIPT scriptname myserver

After editing the script locally, you can upload it back to the server using the PUTSCRIPT command as shown in Example 4.

Renaming Script

To rename a script on the server, you can use the RENAMESCRIPT command −

sivtest> RENAMESCRIPT oldname newname

Renaming a Script on a Specific Server

You can also rename a script on a specific server directly from the command line −

sivtest -u username -a RENAMESCRIPT oldname newname myserver

Debugging

If you encounter issues with sivtest, you can enable debugging to get more detailed output. Use the -d option followed by a debug level (0-4) −

sivtest -d level myserver

Enabling Debugging at Level 3

To enable debugging at level 3, you can use −

sivtest -d 3 myserver

Using sivtest in Scripts

You can use sivtest in scripts to automate script management tasks. For example, you can create a script to upload and activate a script −

Script to Upload and Activate a Script

#!/bin/

sivtest -u username -p password myserver << EOF
PUTSCRIPT /path/to/local/script
SETACTIVE scriptname
quit
EOF

Save the script as _upload.sh, make it executable, and run it −

chmod +x _upload.sh
./_upload.sh

Advanced Options of sivtest Command

sivtest also supports a variety of advanced options for specific use cases. Here are a few examples −

Specifying Auth Type

If you need to specify an authentication type, you can use the -a option −

sivtest -u username -a auth_type myserver

Using Different Port

If the server is running on a non-standard port, you can specify the port using the -p option −

sivtest -u username -p port_number myserver

Security Considerations

When using sivtest, it's important to consider security best practices. Avoid hardcoding passwords in scripts and use secure methods for storing and retrieving credentials.

Using Environment Variables for Credentials

You can use environment variables to store credentials securely −

export _USER="username"
export _PASS="password"

sivtest -u $_USER -p $_PASS myserver

Troubleshooting of sivtest Command in Linux

If you encounter issues with sivtest, here are a few tips for troubleshooting −

Check Server Compatibility

Ensure that the server supports the protocol and that the necessary services are running.

Verify Network Connectivity

Check network connectivity between your local machine and the server −

ping myserver

Filtering Spam

Create a script to filter spam messages based on specific criteria −

require ["fileinto", "reject", "vacation"];
if header :contains "subject" "spam" {
	fileinto "INBOX.Spam";
}

Upload and activate the script using sivtest.

Setting Up Vacation Auto-Reply

Create a script to set up a vacation auto-reply −

require "vacation";
vacation :days 7 :addresses ["user@example.com"] "I'm currently on vacation and will not be able to respond to your email.";

Upload and activate the script using sivtest.

Conclusion

Whether you're filtering spam, setting up auto-replies, or automating script management tasks, sivtest offers a wide range of functionalities to meet your needs.

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