---
name: "config_list"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "mailman"
version: "1:2.1.29-1+deb10u5"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/config_list"
---

# config\_list(8)

Configure a Mailman mailing list from a text file description

## NAME

config\_list - Configure a Mailman mailing list from a text file description

## SYNOPSIS

config\_list \[options\] listname

## DESCRIPTION

This is a very powerful script which lets you view and modify a list's configuration variables from the command line.  E.g.  you can dump out all the list options into a plain text file (actually a valid Python file!), complete with comments explaining each variable.  Or you can apply the configuration from such a file to a particular list.

## OPTIONS

- **-i** *filename,* **--inputfile=***filename*

  *Configure the list by assigning each module-global variable in the* *file to an attribute on the list object, then saving the list.  The* *named file is loaded with execfile() and must be legal Python code.* *Any variable that isn't already an attribute of the list object is* *ignored (a warning message is printed).  See also the -c option.*

  *A special variable named \`mlist' is put into the globals during the* *execfile, which is bound to the actual MailList object.  This lets you* *do all manner of bizarre thing to the list object, but BEWARE!  Using* *this can severely (and possibly irreparably) damage your mailing list!*

- **-o** *filename,* **--outputfile=***filename*

  *Instead of configuring the list, print out a list's configuration* *variables in a format suitable for input using this script.  In this* *way, you can easily capture the configuration settings for a* *particular list and imprint those settings on another list.  filename* *is the file to output the settings to.  If filename is \`-', standard* *out is used.*

- **-c, --checkonly**

  **The modified list is not actually changed.  Only useful with -i.**

- **-v, --verbose**

  **Print the name of each attribute as it is being changed.  Only useful** **with -i.**

- **-h, --help**

  **Print a small help text and exit**

## NOTES

**The options -o and -i are mutually exclusive.**

## AUTHOR

**Author of Mailman is the Mailman Cabal, see http://www.list.org/ for** **information. This manpage is written by Tollef Fog Heen** **\<tfheen@debian.org\> for Debian, but may be used by others.**

## SEE ALSO

**Mailman documentation on http://www.list.org/ and in** **/usr/share/doc/mailman.**