The $# RHS operator serves two functions. The first is to select a delivery agent, the second is to return the status of a policy-checking rule set. We cover the first in this section and the second in the next.

When used as a prefix to the RHS or a rule set (except when used in a policy-checking rule set), the $# operator is used to select a delivery agent. Consider, for example, the following rule:

R$+         $#local $: $1

Here, the LHS looks for a workspace that contains a username (without a host part). If such a workspace is found, the RHS is then used to select a delivery agent for that user. The selection of a delivery agent is signaled by the $# prefix to the RHS. The symbolic name of the delivery agent is set to local. The $: operator in the RHS is described in $:.

The $# in the RHS must be used as a prefix or it loses its special meaning. See Section 18.7.5 for a full description of this operator.