X400: Incoming X.400 Receipt Notifications

 Last reviewed: October 20, 1997
Article ID: Q129706
2.10 3.00 3.20 WINDOWS kb3rdparty

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Mail Gateway to X.400, versions 2.1, 3.0, and 3.2

SYMPTOMS

When a Microsoft Mail user requests a return receipt for a message sent to a foreign X.400 user, the receipt is not a standard postcard. Some systems (DEC Mail Works, Memo, Retix Open Mail) return a native X.400 receipt notification. The Microsoft Mail for Windows user will receive a message with the following text: 

   From: POSTMASTER
   To: Admin
   Subject:
   Date: Friday February 24,1995 14:26

   ** Receipt Notification **
   Receipt: Feb 24 14:26:53 1995 -08:00 relative to GMT
A Microsoft Mail MS-DOS user will receive a message with the following text: 

   DATE: Feb 24 14:26:54 1995 -08:00 relative to GMT
   FROM: POSTMASTER

   Reported: 00000261.MAI
   Actual Recipient: root [C=us; A=mci; P=msft; O=x400hub

   ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????
   ** Receipt Notification **
   Receipt: Feb 24 14:26:53 1995 -08:00 relative to GMT
Because the message lacks a subject, it is impossible to know which message was answered.

CAUSE

This is the content of the X.400 receipt notification generated by the user agent (UA) of the foreign mail system. The service element called Receipt Notification is a nonessential option of the X.420 CCITT recommendations.

The Receipt Notification element is composed of three parts: 

   Receipt Time
   TypeOfReceipt
   Supplementary Info
Most foreign mail systems only include the first field (the Receipt Time). The user agent must make the correspondence between the original message and the return receipt by using the IPMessageID. Microsoft Mail uses the O/R address of the originator and an identifier. This identifier is the name of the file containing the message (00000261.MAI). Because Microsoft Mail does not keep this pointer in memory, there is no way to associate the two messages.

The Microsoft Mail Gateway to X.400 changes the FROM file to POSTMASTER so that the recipient will not receive a nondelivery report if the return receipt does not get delivered.

WORKAROUND

To eliminate incoming receipt notifications, do not use return receipts on mail sent to X.400 users. This solution will not work, however, if the mail is addressed to both Microsoft Mail users and X.400 users. In this case, a third-party product such as WinRules can be used to filter the receipt notification messages.

WinRules is manufactured by Beyond Incorporated, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

Additional reference words: 2.10 3.00 3.20
KBCategory: kb3rdparty
KBSubcategory: MailGWX400

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Last reviewed: October 20, 1997
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