Parse E-Mail For Helpdesk

[DaveP]

We have a helpdesk only partly functional because any emails that are sent to the helpdesk do not get parsed. The parsing process works fine if it is done outside the confines of our ISP [The firewall is not allowing POP3 traffic]

An XML configuration file for one of the queues on our helpdesk looks like this:

<configuration>
<debug>
<xml value="0" />
<curl value="0" />
</debug>
<key>
Helpdesk key identifier info removed
</key>

<pop3>
<host value="school website host" />
<user value="username" />
<password value="password" />
<port value="110" />
<delete value="true" />
</pop3>

<global>
<!--
tmp_dir: The location cerberus will store a copy of the emails it is
given. It should include the trailing slash:
*nix: /tmp/
Win: C:\temp\
-->
<tmp_dir value="c:\temp\" />

<!--
max_pop3_messages: Limit the number of emails that the parser pulls from POP3 per run.
-->
<max_pop3_messages value="10" />

<!--
max_pop3_delete (default true): Delete everything we can from the POP3 box after running. The parser will normally try to delete everything, set this to false if you want to leave failed messages in the pop3 box. This means you'll have to log in and clear out bad mail every now and then. It also means that you'll have an easier way to see if any email has failed to enter your helpdesk. Just log in to the POP3 box.
-->
<max_pop3_delete value="true" />

<!--
pop3_timeout: Maximum amount of time (in seconds) to wait for the POP3 server to send data before going on to the next message.
This is good for when the POP3 server doesn't terminate the message properly.
DEFAULT: 30 seconds
-->
<pop3_timeout value="15" />

<!--
libcurl: Set this to the location of your own libcurl compiled library if you want to not use the statically compiled version
This can be useful if you are getting NSLOOKUP problems or similar
-->
<libcurl value="./libcurl.so.2" />
</global>
<!-- If you are going to use https in the url's of the parser lines you'll need to configure
this area after uncommenting the needed sections. -->
<ssl>

<!--
<cainfo value="/path/to/curl-ca-bundle.crt" />
-->

<!-- Verification levels for the SSL certificate from HTTPS
0 = do not verify, just use it.
1 = verify that it has a domain name in it, we do not care which domain
2 = (default) verify that the domain matches where we are connecting to -->
<!--
<verify value="0" />
-->
</ssl>
</configuration>

I have edited the content of the XML file to remove any site specific details [passwords etc]

Our ISP said to make this work we should get an inexpensive connection to the web and run the parser on a station connected to the web through that connection. I don’t think that will fly here. I also don’t like the idea of an unfiltered connection live in the school [I can see lots of requests to use it because ‘…I can’t get to the website I want any other way…’]

Given this set of limitations how would you parse the emails?

[Ric_]

Which helpdesk software? Maybe someone has the same one?

[DaveP]

Which helpdesk software? Maybe someone has the same one?

Cerberus Helpdesk - Version 2.7.0 Release.