On Fri, 22 Jan 1999 10:26:44 +0000, Deborah Cresswell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I am about to import 60,000 email addresses into one of our lists.  This
>is the first time that I have had to import so many email addresses.
>I will be doing them 10k at a time.

That's a good number.  I would start with 10 addresses the very first time if
you aren't sure of the procedure.

BTW, this question, asked here, might outrage some people on this list who don't
know the nature of your site.  They will assume you are being irresponsible and
a spammer, not realizing this is a business situation and that your audience are
paying customers who have asked to be on your list(s) and that you have a
perfect right and need to do what you are proposing.  I mention this to allay
any umbrage that might otherwise result.  Your procedural question is completely
appropriate here.

>My concerns are that, because I am going to be importing via email that
>it may crash my system!  Has anybody had any experience of importing
>this many via email?  (I will be doing it by Netscape Mail)

I don't know about your personal system but that shouldn't be a concern.  I
regularly send single bulk jobs of that size.  Netscape mail (and most windows
mailers) have an internal buffer that limits the total size of the mail to about
30k bytes.  Pegasus (3.x) and Agent are 2 mailers I know of that do not have
such an internal message size limit.

>Am I correct in thinking that to successfully import bulk emails without
>me getting the OK command for every email address, I will have to send
>the following command to listserv...
>
QUIET ADD listname DD=X IMPORT  PW=???????
//X DD *
internet-address1 Fname Lname
internet-address2 Fname Lname
etc...
/*

Actually the Fname/Lname are not required, although they can be helpful.  On
similar membership lists I run at L-Soft (300,000k+) we actually put
user@address Fname Lname Member# zipcode
so there is extra information to find people when necessary.

>Is this correct?  Being a bit dense, what does DD=X mean?

It is old IBM Job Control Language for a named 'data set'.  This was discussed
either on LSTOWN-L or LSTSRV-L about a year ago.  A search of the archives will
quickly find the discussion of ancient history engraved on stone tablets (Yes,
some LISTSERV archives do go back that far...)

>Would it also be best to put my personal pasword when sending this command,

Your Personal LISTSERV Password should be required.  If your list is not coded
as Validate= Yes or Validate= Yes,Confirm  (or greater) your list is not secure,
which is unacceptable from a business standpoint.  See above for where.