Provided by: postfix_3.4.13-0ubuntu1.4_amd64 
NAME
postqueue - Postfix queue control
SYNOPSIS
To flush the mail queue:
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -f
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -i queue_id
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -s site
To list the mail queue:
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -j
postqueue [-v] [-c config_dir] -p
DESCRIPTION
The postqueue(1) command implements the Postfix user interface for queue management. It implements
operations that are traditionally available via the sendmail(1) command. See the postsuper(1) command
for queue operations that require super-user privileges such as deleting a message from the queue or
changing the status of a message.
The following options are recognized:
-c config_dir
The main.cf configuration file is in the named directory instead of the default configuration
directory. See also the MAIL_CONFIG environment setting below.
-f Flush the queue: attempt to deliver all queued mail.
This option implements the traditional "sendmail -q" command, by contacting the Postfix qmgr(8)
daemon.
Warning: flushing undeliverable mail frequently will result in poor delivery performance of all
other mail.
-i queue_id
Schedule immediate delivery of deferred mail with the specified queue ID.
This option implements the traditional sendmail -qI command, by contacting the flush(8) server.
This feature is available with Postfix version 2.4 and later.
-j Produce a queue listing in JSON format, based on output from the showq(8) daemon. The result is a
stream of zero or more JSON objects, one per queue file. Each object is followed by a newline
character to support simple streaming parsers. See "JSON OBJECT FORMAT" below for details.
This feature is available in Postfix 3.1 and later.
-p Produce a traditional sendmail-style queue listing. This option implements the traditional mailq
command, by contacting the Postfix showq(8) daemon.
Each queue entry shows the queue file ID, message size, arrival time, sender, and the recipients
that still need to be delivered. If mail could not be delivered upon the last attempt, the reason
for failure is shown. The queue ID string is followed by an optional status character:
* The message is in the active queue, i.e. the message is selected for delivery.
! The message is in the hold queue, i.e. no further delivery attempt will be made until the
mail is taken off hold.
-s site
Schedule immediate delivery of all mail that is queued for the named site. A numerical site must
be specified as a valid RFC 5321 address literal enclosed in [], just like in email addresses.
The site must be eligible for the "fast flush" service. See flush(8) for more information about
the "fast flush" service.
This option implements the traditional "sendmail -qRsite" command, by contacting the Postfix
flush(8) daemon.
-v Enable verbose logging for debugging purposes. Multiple -v options make the software increasingly
verbose. As of Postfix 2.3, this option is available for the super-user only.
JSON OBJECT FORMAT
Each JSON object represents one queue file; it is emitted as a single text line followed by a newline
character.
Object members have string values unless indicated otherwise. Programs should ignore object members that
are not listed here; the list of members is expected to grow over time.
queue_name
The name of the queue where the message was found. Note that the contents of the mail queue may
change while it is being listed; some messages may appear more than once, and some messages may be
missed.
queue_id
The queue file name. The queue_id may be reused within a Postfix instance unless
"enable_long_queue_ids = true" and time is monotonic. Even then, the queue_id is not expected to
be unique between different Postfix instances. Management tools that require a unique name should
combine the queue_id with the myhostname setting of the Postfix instance.
arrival_time
The number of seconds since the start of the UNIX epoch.
message_size
The number of bytes in the message header and body. This number does not include message envelope
information. It is approximately equal to the number of bytes that would be transmitted via SMTP
including the <CR><LF> line endings.
sender The envelope sender address.
recipients
An array containing zero or more objects with members:
address
One recipient address.
delay_reason
If present, the reason for delayed delivery. Delayed recipients may have no delay reason,
for example, while delivery is in progress, or after the system was stopped before it could
record the reason.
SECURITY
This program is designed to run with set-group ID privileges, so that it can connect to Postfix daemon
processes.
STANDARDS
RFC 7159 (JSON notation)
DIAGNOSTICS
Problems are logged to syslogd(8) or postlogd(8), and to the standard error stream.
ENVIRONMENT
MAIL_CONFIG
Directory with the main.cf file. In order to avoid exploitation of set-group ID privileges, a
non-standard directory is allowed only if:
• The name is listed in the standard main.cf file with the alternate_config_directories
configuration parameter.
• The command is invoked by the super-user.
CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
The following main.cf parameters are especially relevant to this program. The text below provides only a
parameter summary. See postconf(5) for more details including examples.
alternate_config_directories (empty)
A list of non-default Postfix configuration directories that may be specified with "-c
config_directory" on the command line (in the case of sendmail(1), with the "-C" option), or via
the MAIL_CONFIG environment parameter.
config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
The default location of the Postfix main.cf and master.cf configuration files.
command_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
The location of all postfix administrative commands.
fast_flush_domains ($relay_domains)
Optional list of destinations that are eligible for per-destination logfiles with mail that is
queued to those destinations.
import_environment (see 'postconf -d' output)
The list of environment parameters that a privileged Postfix process will import from a
non-Postfix parent process, or name=value environment overrides.
queue_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
The location of the Postfix top-level queue directory.
syslog_facility (mail)
The syslog facility of Postfix logging.
syslog_name (see 'postconf -d' output)
A prefix that is prepended to the process name in syslog records, so that, for example, "smtpd"
becomes "prefix/smtpd".
trigger_timeout (10s)
The time limit for sending a trigger to a Postfix daemon (for example, the pickup(8) or qmgr(8)
daemon).
Available in Postfix version 2.2 and later:
authorized_flush_users (static:anyone)
List of users who are authorized to flush the queue.
authorized_mailq_users (static:anyone)
List of users who are authorized to view the queue.
FILES
/var/spool/postfix, mail queue
SEE ALSO
qmgr(8), queue manager
showq(8), list mail queue
flush(8), fast flush service
sendmail(1), Sendmail-compatible user interface
postsuper(1), privileged queue operations
postlogd(8), Postfix logging
syslogd(8), system logging
README FILES
Use "postconf readme_directory" or "postconf html_directory" to locate this information.
ETRN_README, Postfix ETRN howto
LICENSE
The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.
HISTORY
The postqueue command was introduced with Postfix version 1.1.
AUTHOR(S)
Wietse Venema
IBM T.J. Watson Research
P.O. Box 704
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, USA
Wietse Venema
Google, Inc.
111 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10011, USA
POSTQUEUE(1)