Distribution lists

Wed Sep 22 09:46:30 CEST 2004

Hi Bo,

> What do we do about distribution lists in the format? 
> Currently, KAddressBook saves the lists in this format:
> 
> listname=<comma separated list of uids>
> 
> But it does this locally, which doesn't make sense IMHO. Can 
> we make some format that can go into the Contacts folder?

Yes. Something like this:

The mime type for distribution lists is
"application/x-vnd.kolab.distribution-list". This is the specification of
the body contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<distribution-list version="1.0">
<!-- Base class attributes -->
<uid>(string, no default)</uid>
<body>(string, default empty)</body>
<categories>(string, default empty)</categories>
<creation-date>(datetime, no default)</creation-date>
<last-modification-date>(datetime, no default)</last-modification-date>
<sensitivity>(string, default public)</sensitivity>
{<attachment>(string, no default)</attachment>}
<!-- Distribution List specific attributes -->
<display-name>(string)</display-name>
{
  <member>
    <display-name>(string)</member-display-name>
    <smtp-email-address>(string)</smtp-email-address>
  </member>
}
</distribution-list>

This must be placed in contact folders only.

> Joon, Stephan/Stuart: Can you tell what Outlook/Horde does with this?

Outlook also keeps a list of uids.

> (I'm not sure what the term is for other clients - 
> distribution lists in kab are shortcuts to address many 
> people in one go.)

It is "Distribution List" in Outlook also. 

Best regards

Joon Radley
Radley Network Technologies CC
Cell: +27 (0)83 368 8557
Fax: +27 (0)12 998 4346
E-mail: joon at radleys.co.za