# cPanel API 2 Functions - Email::setdefaultaddress Warning: The cPanel API 2 system is deprecated. We **strongly** recommend that you use [UAPI](/cpanel/introduction) instead of cPanel API 2. ## Description This function configures the cPanel account's default address's rules for un-routable mail. The cPanel account's default (catchall) address handles un-routable mail that the account's domains receive. Warning: We **strongly** recommend that you use the following [UAPI](/cpanel/introduction/) function instead of this function: - ` Email::set_default_address ` — This function configures a default (catchall) email address. div Important: br When you disable the [*Receive Mail* role](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/general-systems-administration/how-to-use-server-profiles/#roles), the system **disables** this function. br ## Examples WHM API (JSON) ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre https://hostname.example.com:2087/cpsess##########/json-api/cpanel?cpanel_jsonapi_user=user&cpanel_jsonapi_apiversion=2&cpanel_jsonapi_module=Email&cpanel_jsonapi_func=setdefaultaddress&domain="example.com"&fwdopt="fwd"&fwdemail="catchall@example.com" ``` div Note: br For more information, read our [Calls from the WHM API](/whm/use-whm-api-to-call-cpanel-api-and-uapi) documentation. br LiveAPI PHP Class ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre $cpanel = new CPANEL(); // Connect to cPanel - only do this once. // Forward example.com's unroutable mail to catchall@example.com $default_address_rules = $cpanel->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', array( 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'fwd', 'fwdemail' => 'catchall@example.com', ) ); // Bounce example.com's unroutable mail with a failure message. $default_address_rules = $cpanel->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', array( 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'fail', 'failmsgs' => 'Nobody's home.', ) ); // Delete example.com's unroutable mail. $default_address_rules = $cpanel->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', array( 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'blackhole', ) ); // Pipe example.com's unroutable mail to the mailscript.pl script. $default_address_rules = $cpanel->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', array( 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'pipe', 'fwdemail' => 'mailscript.pl', ) ); ``` div Note: br For more information, read our [Guide to the LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/#guide-to-the-liveapi-system). br LiveAPI Perl Module ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre my $cpliveapi = Cpanel::LiveAPI->new(); # Connect to cPanel - only do this once. # Forward example.com's unroutable mail to catchall@example.com my $default_address_rules = $cpliveapi->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', { 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'fwd', 'fwdemail' => 'catchall@example.com', } ); # Bounce example.com's unroutable mail with a failure message. my $default_address_rules = $cpliveapi->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', { 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'fail', 'failmsgs' => 'Nobody's home.', } ); # Delete example.com's unroutable mail. my $default_address_rules = $cpliveapi->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', { 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'blackhole', } ); # Pipe example.com's unroutable mail to the mailscript.pl script. my $default_address_rules = $cpliveapi->api2( 'Email', 'setdefaultaddress', { 'domain' => 'example.com', 'fwdopt' => 'pipe', 'fwdemail' => 'mailscript.pl', } ); ``` div Note: br For more information, read our [Guide to the LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/#guide-to-the-liveapi-system). br cPanel Tag System (deprecated) div Warnings: br - cPanel tags are **deprecated**. We **strongly** recommend that you **only** use the [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system) system to call the cPanel APIs. Examples are **only** present in order to help developers move from the old cPanel tag system to our [LiveAPI](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system). - cPanel API 2 calls that use cPanel tags vary in code syntax and in their output. - For more information, read our [Deprecated cPanel Tag Usage](/cpanel-api-2/cpanel-api-2-deprecate-cpanel-tag-usage/) documentation. br Command Line ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre cpapi2 --user=username Email setdefaultaddress domain=example.com fwdopt=pipe fwdemail=mailscript.pl ``` div Notes: br - You **must** URI-encode values. - `username` represents your account-level username. - You **must** run the `--user=username` command. - For more information and additional output options, read our [Guide to cPanel API 2](/cpanel-api-2/) documentation or run the `cpapi2 --help` command. - If you run CloudLinux™, you **must** use the full path of the `cpapi2` command: ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre /usr/local/cpanel/bin/cpapi2 ``` br Output (JSON) ```undefined syntaxhighlighter-pre { "cpanelresult": { "apiversion": 2, "func": "setdefaultaddress", "data": [ { "domain": "example.com", "dest": "catchall@example.com" } ], "event": { "result": 1 }, "module": "Email" } } ``` div Note: br Use cPanel's *[API Shell](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/advanced/api-shell-for-cpanel)* interface (*cPanel >> Home >> Advanced >> API Shell*) to directly test cPanel API calls. br ## Parameters div Note: br Make certain that you **only** pass necessary parameters to this function. The function adds all parameters to the default address's rules regardless of the `fwdopt` setting. br table thead tr th strong Parameter th strong Type th strong Description th strong Possible values th strong Example tbody tr td code domain td em string td p strong Required p The domain. td p A valid domain on the cPanel account. td code example.com tr td code fwdopt td em string td p strong Required p The method to use to handle unroutable mail. td ul li code fwd — Forward unroutable messages to the code fwdemail parameter's address. li code fail — Bounce unroutable messages back to the sender, and include the code failmsgs parameter's failure message. li code blackhole — Send unroutable messages to the code /dev/null/ directory. This method does strong not generate a failure notice. li code pipe — Pipe unroutable mail to the code pipefwd parameter's application. td code fwd tr td code fwdemail td em string td div p The email address to which the system forwards unroutable email. p div Note: br p Use this parameter if you used the code fwd method for the code fwdopt parameter. br td A valid email address. td code catchall@example.com tr td code failmsgs td em string td div p The failure message to send to the sender of unroutable mail. p This parameter defaults to code No such person at this address. p div Note: br p Use this parameter if you used the code fail method for the code fwdopt parameter. br td p A valid string. td code Nobody's home. tr td code pipefwd td em string td div p The application to which the system pipes unroutable mail. p div Note: br p Use this parameter if you used the code pipe method for the code fwdopt parameter. br td The location of a program or script, relative to the account's home directory. td code mailscript.pl ## Returns table thead tr th strong Return th strong Type th strong Description th strong Possible values th strong Example tbody tr td code domain td em string td p The domain. td p A valid domain on the account. td code example.com tr td code dest td em string td The method that the system will use to handle unroutable mail. td ul li An email address — The system forwards mail to this address. li A failure message (string) — The system bounces mail back to the sender, and sends a failure message. li code blackhole — The system deletes mail without a failure message. li The path to an application — The system pipes mail to this application. td br tr td code reason td em string td div p A reason for failure. p div Note: br p This function only returns a code reason value if it failed. br td p A string that describes the error. td code This is an error message. tr td code result td em Boolean td p Whether the function succeeded. td ul li code 1 — The function succeeded. li code 0 — The function failed. td code 1