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PAM_MAIL(8)                    Linux-PAM Manual                    PAM_MAIL(8)

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 users' 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), pam.d(5), pam(8)
AUTHOR
       pam_mail was written by Andrew G. Morgan <morgan AT kernel.org>.

Linux-PAM Manual                  09/19/2013                       PAM_MAIL(8)