Ease 3.0 - A High Level Language for sendmail.cf files

[Bruce Barnett]

This is the first official release of Ease 3.0, the high level language for
sendmail. 

This version is radically different from the earlier version. 
You can convert a SunOS, Ultrix, HP/UX, or IDA sendmail.cf file 
into the Ease language, *without* editing the file. The Ease language
can be converted back into the *identical* sendmail file. I make this
claim because I compared the input and the output, and except for some
cosmetic differences, the translation is perfect. I also include the
script I used so you can perform the same test.

In the (I hope) rare case that the conversion isn't perfect, I have included 
an escape hatch - the asm(".......") function, which can be used to
insert a raw sendmail.cf line into the output file.
 
Why use ease? - Well, instead of

	R$*<@$%y.LOCAL>$*	$#ether$@$2$:$1<@$2>$3

you get:

 	if ( zero_or_more <@ any_in_etc_hosts."LOCAL"> zero_or_more )
		resolve (mailer (ether),
				host ($2 ),
				user ($1<@$2>$3));

If that's not enough, I have included a package I use to perform
exhaustive testing of sendmail rules before I install a new version.
I also included some tips on debugging sendmail files.

So you see, there is no longer a reason to complain about the awful
syntax of sendmail anymore.... :-)

Some History:

	I did not write the original version of Ease or Cfc. However I
made extensive modifications a year ago, and sent the changes to the
authors. My changes were never posted, but I did distribute my patches
to a dozen people. I now have permission from the authors to
distribute this new version to the network.  So I fixed some more
bugs, added support for HP/UX, and improved the support for the IDA
sendmail rules. I must have fixed 150 bugs, and it wasn't even my
code.

I hope you forgive me if you find an ugly bug with the code.
Or if the Makefile gives you fits. Nevertheless, I feel my
effort will be of use.

--
Bruce G. Barnett	barnett at crd.ge.com	uunet!crdgw1!barnett