If configured, remote administrators may view or search the subscription log. This is a file that contains all changes in the subscriber database, one per line, in order of occurrence. Each line has the date, the direction (‘+’ for additions, ‘-’ for removals) and the way the change was made (blank for normal subscribe/unsubscribe, ‘manual’ for manual additions from the command line, ‘probe’ for addresses removed via automated bounce handling, or ‘mod’ for requests initiated by a moderator (as of version 5.1.1)), the addresses, and for additions usually the ‘From:’ header contents from the subscription confirmation reply.
Listing this file allows the remote administrator to see recent additions and removals. This is done by sending a message to ‘list-log@host’.
Remote administrators can also search through the log. To retrieve all entries fr_d, where ‘_’ can be any character, mail ‘list-log.fr_d@host’. The search is case insensitive. When you want to search for addresses, just replace the ‘@’ in the address with ‘_’. This feature is useful when a user wants to unsubscribe, but has changed his address and doesn't remember the subscription address. Just search for the host name, part of the user's name, etc. Usually it is obvious which of the few alternatives is the correct one. Construct an unsubscribe request from it, and if you are right, the user will receive a request to confirm the unsubscribe. Replying to it will remove the user from the subscribers.
The command works also for other address databases. Thus, to search through the digest subscriber log for ‘Keith’ mail ‘list-digest-log.keith@host’.