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Q112879: FFAPI: Address List Contains Local Postoffice Addresses

Article: Q112879
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): 3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 12-NOV-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Mail Software Development Kit (FFAPI), version 3.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Mail users may notice addresses from their local
Postoffice Address List have been added to the Microsoft File Format API (FFAPI)
network/postoffice list. These local postoffice addresses may also appear twice
in the Global Address List.

This problem will only appear on postoffices that are downstream of the FFAPI
Gateway postoffice.

CAUSE
=====

This problem is caused by the Administrator of a downstream postoffice exporting
the local postoffice address list to the FFAPI network/postoffice.

When the Administrator of a downstream postoffice performs an External-Admin,
Export, and selects to export the local postoffice address list to ALL
postoffices, ADMIN.EXE will send the addresses as a *SPECIAL system message to
all external postoffices - including any downstream FFAPI network/postoffices
definitions.

The FFAPI-based gateway will attempt to deliver this system message to the
foreign mail system, but may return it as undeliverable because *SPECIAL is not
a valid address.

When External moves the returned message from the gateway postoffice to the
downstream postoffice, it will recognize the message as a valid *SPECIAL system
message and will add the addresses contained within the message to the address
listed as the FROM address, which will be the FFAPI gateway network/postoffice
that rejected the message.

If the Global Address List (GAL) is rebuilt (via DirSync or manually using the
REBUILD.EXE utility), each local postoffice user will appear twice in the GAL.

RESOLUTION
==========

This problem can be avoided by selectively exporting the postoffice address list
rather than exporting to all postoffices. When selecting the postoffices to
export to, do not include the Mail Connection proxy postoffice.

A second option would be to have the FFAPI gateway handle a message addressed to
FFAPINET/FFAPIPO/*SPECIAL in a different manner than normal messages. This
message can be handled one of three ways:

- The gateway simply deletes these messages if they come in.

- The gateway returns the message back to any account other than *SPECIAL
  stating the addressee is invalid.

- The gateway forwards the message to an account stating the *SPECIAL addressee
  is invalid.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in version 3.0 of Microsoft Mail
Software Development Kit (FFAPI). We are researching this problem and will post
new information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION
================

If you have encountered this problem, use the following instructions to repair
the Mail Connection proxy address list and the Global Address List on the
downstream postoffice.

1. Use the IMPORT.EXE utility to extract the FFAPI Gateway address list from the
  Directory Synchronization postoffice:

  IMPORT admin -ppassword -xFFAPIET/FFAPIPO -fFFAPINME.DAT -DM

  admin = Administrator's Mailbox name
  password = Administrator's Mailbox password
  FFAPIET/FFAPIPO = the FFAPI gateway NETWORK/POSTOFFICE
  FFAPINME.DAT = filename to store extracted addresses
  -DM = drive letter mapped to dirsync server postoffice

2. Import the extracted FFAPI gateway network/postoffice addresses into the
  downstream postoffice:

  IMPORT admin -p<password> -fFFAPINME.DAT -DN

  admin = Administrator's Mailbox name
  password = Administrator's Mailbox password
  FFAPINME.DAT = name of input file (extracted in step 1)
  -DN = drive letter mapped to downstream postoffice

3. If the local postoffice users appear twice in the Global Address List, run
  the REBUILD.EXE utility to regenerate the GAL on the downstream postoffice.

  REBUILD -DN

  -DN = Drive letter mapped to downstream postoffice

Additional query words: 3.20 Duplicate GAL POL Export Corrupt

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbMailSearch kbSDKSearch kbSDKMailFFAPI300
Version           : :3.0

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