POSTLOCK(1) General Commands Manual POSTLOCK(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

postlock - lock mail folder and execute command

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```

```

**postlock** \[**-c config\_dir**] \[**-l lock\_style**]  
\[**-v**] *file command...*

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

The [**postlock**(1)](/man/os/postfix/postlock.1) command locks *file* for exclusive access, and executes *command*. The locking method is compatible with the Postfix UNIX-style local delivery agent.

Options:

[**-c config\_dir**](#c)

Read the **main.cf** configuration file in the named directory instead of the default configuration directory.

[**-l lock\_style**](#l)

Override the locking method specified via the **mailbox\_delivery\_lock** configuration parameter (see below).

[**-v**](#v)

Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Multiple **-v** options make the software increasingly verbose.

Arguments:

[*file*](#file)

A mailbox file. The user should have read/write permission.

[*command...*](#command...)

The command to execute while *file* is locked for exclusive access. The command is executed directly, i.e. without interpretation by a shell command interpreter.

# [DIAGNOSTICS](#DIAGNOSTICS)

The result status is 75 (EX\_TEMPFAIL) when [**postlock**(1)](/man/os/postfix/postlock.1) could not perform the requested operation. Otherwise, the exit status is the exit status from the command.

# [BUGS](#BUGS)

With remote file systems, the ability to acquire a lock does not necessarily eliminate access conflicts. Avoid file access by processes running on different machines.

# [ENVIRONMENT](#ENVIRONMENT)

```

```

[**MAIL\_CONFIG**](#MAIL_CONFIG)

Directory with Postfix configuration files.

[**MAIL\_VERBOSE**](#MAIL_VERBOSE)

Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes.

# [CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS](#CONFIGURATION_PARAMETERS)

```

```

The following **main.cf** parameters are especially relevant to this program. The text below provides only a parameter summary. See [**postconf**(5)](/man/os/postfix/postconf.5) for more details including examples.

# [LOCKING CONTROLS](#LOCKING_CONTROLS)

```

```

[**deliver\_lock\_attempts (20)**](#deliver_lock_attempts)

The maximal number of attempts to acquire an exclusive lock on a mailbox file or [**bounce**(8)](/man/os/postfix/bounce.8) logfile.

[**deliver\_lock\_delay (1s)**](#deliver_lock_delay)

The time between attempts to acquire an exclusive lock on a mailbox file or [**bounce**(8)](/man/os/postfix/bounce.8) logfile.

[**stale\_lock\_time (500s)**](#stale_lock_time)

The time after which a stale exclusive mailbox lockfile is removed.

[**mailbox\_delivery\_lock (see 'postconf -d' output)**](#mailbox_delivery_lock)

How to lock a UNIX-style [**local**(8)](/man/os/postfix/local.8) mailbox before attempting delivery.

# [RESOURCE AND RATE CONTROLS](#RESOURCE_AND_RATE_CONTROLS)

```

```

[**fork\_attempts (5)**](#fork_attempts)

The maximal number of attempts to fork() a child process.

[**fork\_delay (1s)**](#fork_delay)

The delay between attempts to fork() a child process.

# [MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS](#MISCELLANEOUS_CONTROLS)

```

```

[**config\_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)**](#config_directory)

The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf configuration files.

[**import\_environment (see 'postconf -d' output)**](#import_environment)

The list of environment variables that a privileged Postfix process will import from a non-Postfix parent process, or name=value environment overrides.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

```
postconf(5), configuration parameters
```

# [LICENSE](#LICENSE)

```

```

The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

# [AUTHOR(S)](#AUTHOR%28S%29)

```
Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
Wietse Venema
Google, Inc.
111 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011, USA
```

---

Document: postlock(1) from postfix 3.11.7-r3 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/vdukhovni/postfix