inetd wait mode support with -bw

4 files changed, 26 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
index 2a01a1e5b..2202e6b75 100644
--- a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
+++ b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
@@ -3386,6 +3386,23 @@ This option acts like &%-bv%&, but verifies the address as a sender rather
 than a recipient address. This affects any rewriting and qualification that
 might happen.
 
+.vitem &%-bw%&
+.oindex "&%-bw%&"
+.cindex "daemon"
+.cindex "inetd"
+.cindex "inetd" "wait mode"
+This option runs Exim as a daemon, awaiting incoming SMTP connections,
+similarly to the &%-bd%& option.  All port specifications on the command-line
+and in the configuration file are ignored.  Queue-running may not be specified.
+
+In this mode, Exim expects to be passed a socket as fd 0 (stdin) which is
+listening for connections.  This permits the system to start up and have
+inetd (or equivalent) listen on the SMTP ports, starting an Exim daemon for
+each port only when the first connection is received.
+
+If the option is given as &%-bw%&<&'time'&> then the time is a timeout, after
+which the daemon will exit, which should cause inetd to listen once more.
+
 .vitem &%-C%&&~<&'filelist'&>
 .oindex "&%-C%&"
 .cindex "configuration file" "alternate"
diff --git a/doc/doc-txt/ChangeLog b/doc/doc-txt/ChangeLog
index d202cf16b..de7c17878 100644
--- a/doc/doc-txt/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/doc-txt/ChangeLog
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ PP/20 Revert part of NM/04, it broke log_path containing %D expansions.
 
 PP/21 Defaulting "accept_8bitmime" to true, not false.
 
+PP/22 Added -bw for inetd wait mode support.
+
 
 Exim version 4.77
 -----------------
diff --git a/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff b/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
index 1c8190597..432bbd220 100644
--- a/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
+++ b/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ Version 4.78
     Those who disagree, or know that they are talking to mail servers that,
     even today, are not 8-bit clean, need to turn off this option.
 
+ 9. Exim can now be started with -bw (with an optional timeout, given as
+    -bw<timespec>).  With this, stdin at startup is a socket that is
+    already listening for connections.  This has a more modern name of
+    "socket activation", but forcing the activated socket to fd 0.  We're
+    interested in adding more support for modern variants.
+
 
 Version 4.77
 ------------
diff --git a/doc/doc-txt/OptionLists.txt b/doc/doc-txt/OptionLists.txt
index 20aeff965..c9629688a 100644
--- a/doc/doc-txt/OptionLists.txt
+++ b/doc/doc-txt/OptionLists.txt
@@ -641,6 +641,7 @@ provide compatibility with Sendmail.
 -bV              Verify version number
 -bv              Test recipient address verification
 -bvs             Test sender address verification
+-bw            + Inetd wait mode
 -C             + Use alternate configuration file
 -D             + Define macro for configuration file
 -d             + Turn on debugging output