4.2 Sendmail query

[Mike Lecuyer [ICR]]

The following code segment in recipient.c within SENDMAIL
changes either SpaceSub or a '_' into a space.

	/*
	**  Make name canonical.
	*/

	for (p = name; *p != '\0'; p++)
	{
		if (*p == (SpaceSub & 0177) || *p == '_')
			*p = ' ';
	}

SpaceSub had been set to a '.'.
This code segment is in finduser() where the userid
is about to be picked up to verify the existence of a
local userid in /etc/passwd.

Now the question boils down to this:
If it does change either character into a space, how can it ever
find the userid in the password file?
I know that '.' is special in our rewriting rules (as a delimiter)
but the '_' has no particular meaning in any network
that I know of.

Another question:
Given that the '.' is special to some mail addressing schemes
shouldn't this conversion appear after the userid is picked up?

			yours for rum crime and riot
			mike lecuyer
			...allegra!watmath!spoon