Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!spoon
From: spoon@watmath.UUCP (Mike Lecuyer [ICR])
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: 4.2 Sendmail query
Message-ID: <6829@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Feb-84 13:34:08 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.6829
Posted: Thu Feb  9 13:34:08 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 04:20:20 EST
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 32

The following code segment in recipient.c within SENDMAIL
changes either SpaceSub or a '_' into a space.

	/*
	**  Make name canonical.
	*/

	for (p = name; *p != '\0'; p++)
	{
		if (*p == (SpaceSub & 0177) || *p == '_')
			*p = ' ';
	}

SpaceSub had been set to a '.'.
This code segment is in finduser() where the userid
is about to be picked up to verify the existence of a
local userid in /etc/passwd.

Now the question boils down to this:
If it does change either character into a space, how can it ever
find the userid in the password file?
I know that '.' is special in our rewriting rules (as a delimiter)
but the '_' has no particular meaning in any network
that I know of.

Another question:
Given that the '.' is special to some mail addressing schemes
shouldn't this conversion appear after the userid is picked up?

			yours for rum crime and riot
			mike lecuyer
			...allegra!watmath!spoon