# pam_mail(8) - man - phpman

[PAM_MAIL(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMMAIL/8/markdown)                               Linux-PAM Manual                               [PAM_MAIL(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMMAIL/8/markdown)



## NAME
       pam_mail - Inform about available mail

## SYNOPSIS
       **pam**___**mail.so** [close] [debug] [dir=_maildir_] [empty] [hash=_count_] [noenv] [nopen] [quiet]
                   [standard]

## DESCRIPTION
       The pam_mail PAM module provides the "you have new mail" service to the user. It can be
       plugged into any application that has credential or session hooks. It gives a single message
       indicating the _newness_ of any mail it finds in the user's mail folder. This module also sets
       the PAM environment variable, **MAIL**, to the user's mail directory.

       If the mail spool file (be it /var/mail/$USER or a pathname given with the **dir=** parameter) is
       a directory then pam_mail assumes it is in the _Maildir_ format.

## OPTIONS
### close
           Indicate if the user has any mail also on logout.

### debug
           Print debug information.

       **dir=**_maildir_
           Look for the user's mail in an alternative location defined by maildir/<login>. The
           default location for mail is /var/mail/<login>. Note, if the supplied maildir is prefixed
           by a '~', the directory is interpreted as indicating a file in the user's home directory.

### empty
           Also print message if user has no mail.

       **hash=**_count_
           Mail directory hash depth. For example, a _hashcount_ of 2 would make the mail file be
           /var/spool/mail/u/s/user.

### noenv
           Do not set the **MAIL** environment variable.

### nopen
           Don't print any mail information on login. This flag is useful to get the **MAIL**
           environment variable set, but to not display any information about it.

### quiet
           Only report when there is new mail.

### standard
           Old style "You have..." format which doesn't show the mail spool being used. This also
           implies "empty".

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       The **session** and **auth** (on establishment and deletion of credentials) module types are
       provided.

## RETURN VALUES
       PAM_BUF_ERR
           Memory buffer error.

       PAM_SERVICE_ERR
           Badly formed arguments.

       PAM_SUCCESS
           Success.

       PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
           User not known.

## EXAMPLES
       Add the following line to /etc/pam.d/login to indicate that the user has new mail when they
       login to the system.

           session  optional  pam_mail.so standard



## SEE ALSO
       [**pam.conf**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.conf/5/markdown), [**pam.d**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.d/5/markdown), [**pam**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam/7/markdown)

## AUTHOR
       pam_mail was written by Andrew G. Morgan <<morgan@kernel.org>>.



Linux-PAM Manual                             06/08/2020                                  [PAM_MAIL(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMMAIL/8/markdown)