WinPopup is a remote
messaging system which runs over the
SMB protocol. Designed as a way for
NT servers to send high-priority
alerts to
workstations, it is also popular as a form of
LAN instant messaging. By running the WinPopup
client program, a user can exchange pop-up messages with other
hosts on the same
workgroup.
Samba supports WinPopup messaging via the message command configuration parameter in the smb.conf file. Samba can run any Unix command upon receipt of a message. For instance, if you wanted to have WinPopup messages sent to your workstation delivered as email to you, you could use this configuration line:
message command = /bin/mail -s 'Message from %f' username@host < %s; rm %s
This will deliver the message as mail to
username@host with a
subject line indicating the person who sent the message. The
rm command at the end is necessary because Samba stores the message in a
temporary file whose filename is indicated by
%s. It is important that this command return quickly, because a
Windows WinPopup client sending a message will
hang until receipt is confirmed.
To send WinPopup messages from a Samba system, use the -M option to smbclient, or use a client program such as LinPopup.
The configuration line above is adapted from the appropriate section in the smb.conf manpage. Corrections regarding the original intent of WinPopup courtesy of dmd.