Instructions on how to set up and customize Archiving for a LISTSERV list after the list has already been created:
Understanding LISTSERV Archives
LISTSERV archives, when activated for a given list, keep a browse-able copy of each message sent to that list on BYU's LISTSERV site, sometimes referred to as a list Notebook.
Archives are desirable for academic or technical discussions that list members or external users may wish to reference in the future. They are less useful for announcement lists distributing information about current activities or private lists with sensitive discussions. Archives can be configured to appear publicly, or only be visible to logged in list members.
Clarifying Known Errors
- Clicking on certain fields, especially the List Name, may bring up a page saying "Archive Error". This is not actually an error, it just means the LISTSERV list does not keep a browse-able copy of every email sent on the list.
- "Archived messages are currently not available. Either the archives do not exist or you are not authorized to browse them with the email address you used to log in."
- There is nothing wrong with such a list; it just doesn't keep a copy of messages sent to it. See Overview section for why a list owner might want an archive or not.
Contact Technology Support Center (801-422-4000 or it@byu.edu) if you need help activating Archiving for a LISTSERV list that you own.
Configuring List Archives
Archiving on BYU's LISTSERV system is known as the "Notebook". There are a few options associated with setting this up, and they will be explained below:
In order to enable archiving on a LISTSERV list, the Notebook Keyword option needs to be accessed via the list's wizard. The steps below show how to add four lines into the configuration (List Header) of the list.
- Click List Management.
- Select List Configuration.
- Click List Configuration Wizard.
- Select the range that contains the list.
- Select the list from the Select List drop down bar. The box on the right that appears is the Complete List Header.
- Click Edit Manually.
- Type the following four lines into the List Header:
Notebook= Yes
Notebook= /var/www/html/archives/LISTNAMEHERE
Notebook= Monthly
Notebook= Public
- Click Save.
- Verify the notebook has been setup correctly by going to List Management > LISTSERV Command.
- In the box labeled command, enter index [YOURLISTNAME] (i.e index asr).
- This will then email you a list of all of the log files that have been successfully created. Also check the list dashboard to make sure the logs are displaying properly there as well.
Customizing List Archives
These options can be customized, but the above are the most common. The available customizations are the following:
- Notebook= Yes/No
- Notebook= /var/www/html/archives/LISTNAMEHERE
- Location of the stored archive; this will always be the list name
- Notebook= Yearly/Monthly/Weekly
- Interval in which the LISTSERV message files are broken up
- Yearly: One file per year (not recommended)
- Monthly: One file per month with all messages that month
- Weekly: One file per week with all messages that week
- There are other options listed as available, but the interval must be one of these three in order for the archives to appear in the web interface.
- Notebook= Public/Private
- Access level for who can access the archives
- Additional access levels are available, but these will need to be tested out by the individual list-owners. We recommend Public or Private.