Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 Adelie 8/14/85; site adelie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!adelie!barry From: barry@adelie.UUCP (Barry A. Burke) Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: sendmail (& Can't open /dev/console) Message-ID: <529@adelie.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 22:36:05 EST Article-I.D.: adelie.529 Posted: Mon Nov 4 22:36:05 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 04:31:52 EST References: <2743@brl-tgr.ARPA> Organization: Adelie Corporation, Newtonville MA Lines: 31 > The sendmail I have has an annoying habit of give the message > Cannot open /dev/console: Bad file number > every single time it's run. It's not really a big deal, since it > doesn't seem to affect anything, but it is annoying, and it screws > up emacs smail. > > Any explanations??? check your system's /etc/hosts file. If the administrator followed the installation instructions he changed the line: 127.1 localhost to 127.1Sendmail as delivered on most binary-only licenses connects to syslog(8) using the hostname of `localhost' specifically on the connection request[*]. Change it back to `localhost' and everything should work again... [*] this is my personal assumption, since I can't look at the sources. I know in fact that this will cause the problem specified, and the prescribed action will correct it. Apologies to the unix wizards out there if not 100% accurate. -- LIVE: Barry A. Burke, (617) 965-8480 x26 USPS: Adelie Corporation, 288 Walnut St., Newtonville, MA 02160 UUCP: ..!{harvard | decvax!linus!axiom}!adelie!barry ARPA: adelie!barry@harvard.ARPA