2 .\" @(#)$Id: forw.rf,v 1.11 1992/10/16 21:36:02 jromine Exp $
5 forw \- forward messages
9 \%[\-annotate] \%[\-noannotate]
10 \%[\-draftfolder\ +folder] \%[\-draftmessage\ msg] \%[\-nodraftfolder]
11 \%[\-editor\ editor] \%[\-noedit]
12 \%[\-filter\ filterfile]
14 \%[\-format] \%[\-noformat]
15 \%[\-inplace] \%[\-noinplace]
17 \%[\-mime] \%[\-nomime]
19 \%[\-whatnowproc\ program] \%[\-nowhatnowproc]
25 \%[\-digest\ list] \%[\-issue\ number] \%[\-volume\ number]
26 \%[other\ switches\ for\ \fIforw\fR]
29 \fIForw\fR may be used to prepare a message containing other
31 It constructs the new message from the components file
32 or `\-form\ formfile' (see \fIcomp\fR\0), with a body composed of the
33 message(s) to be forwarded.
34 An editor is invoked as in \fIcomp\fR,
35 and after editing is complete, the user is prompted before the message
38 The default message form contains the following elements:
44 .so @(MHETCPATH)/forwcomps
49 If the file named \*(lqforwcomps\*(rq exists in the user's MH directory,
50 it will be used instead of this form.
51 In either case, the file specified by `\-form\ formfile' will be
54 If the draft already exists,
55 \fIforw\fR will ask you as to the disposition of the draft.
56 A reply of \fBquit\fR will abort \fIforw\fR, leaving the draft intact;
57 \fBreplace\fR will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton;
58 and \fBlist\fR will display the draft.
60 If the `\-annotate' switch is given, each message being
61 forwarded will be annotated with the lines
66 where each address list contains as many lines as required.
68 will be done only if the message is sent directly from \fIforw\fR.
69 If the message is not sent immediately from \fIforw\fR,
70 \*(lqcomp\ \-use\*(rq may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed message,
72 the annotations won't take place.
73 The '\-inplace' switch causes annotation to
74 be done in place in order to preserve links to the annotated message.
76 See \fIcomp\fR\0(1) for a description of the `\-editor' and `\-noedit'
79 Although \fIforw\fR uses the `\-form\ formfile' switch to direct it how to
80 construct the beginning of the draft, the `\-filter\ filterfile',
81 `\-format', and `\-noformat'
82 switches direct \fIforw\fR as to how each forwarded message should be
83 formatted in the body of the draft.
84 If `\-noformat' is specified,
85 then each forwarded message is output exactly as it appears.
86 If `\-format' or `\-filter\ filterfile' is specified,
87 then each forwarded message is filtered (re\-formatted) prior to being
88 output to the body of the draft.
89 The filter file for \fIforw\fR should be a standard form file for
91 as \fIforw\fR will invoke \fImhl\fR to format the forwarded messages.
92 The default message filter (what you get with `\-format') is:
98 .so @(MHETCPATH)/mhl.forward
103 If the file named \*(lqmhl.forward\*(rq exists in the user's MH directory,
104 it will be used instead of this form.
105 In either case, the file specified by `\-filter\ filterfile' will be
108 `\-noformat' will reproduce each forwarded message exactly,
109 `\-format' will use \fImhl\fR and a default filterfile, \*(lqmhl.forward\*(rq,
110 to format each forwarded message, and
111 `\-filter\ filterfile' will use the named filterfile to format each
112 forwarded message with \fImhl\fR.
114 Each forwarded message is separated with an encapsulation delimiter
116 dashes in the first column of the forwarded messages will be prepended
118 when received, the message is suitable for bursting by \fIburst\fR\0(1).
119 This follows the Internet RFC\-934 guidelines.
121 For users of \fIprompter\fR\0(1), by specifying prompter's `-prepend'
122 switch in the \&.mh\(ruprofile file, any commentary text is entered before
123 the forwarded messages. (A major win!)
126 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation,
127 specify the `\-mime' switch.
128 This directs \fIforw\fR to generate an \fImhn\fR composition file.
129 Note that MH will not invoke \fImhn\fR automatically,
130 unless you add this line to your \&.mh\(ruprofile file:
137 you must specifically give the command
143 prior to sending the draft.
145 To automate this somewhat,
146 create a link to \fIprompter\fR called \fIrapid\fR
147 and put these lines in your \&.mh\(ruprofile file:
151 forw: -editor rapid -mime
165 Subject: \fIwhatever\fR
167 --------Enter initial text
169 \fIblah, blah, blah.\fR
179 The \fIedit\fR command invokes \fImhn\fR automatically.
182 The `\-draftfolder\ +folder' and `\-draftmessage\ msg' switches invoke the
183 \fIMH\fR draft folder facility.
184 This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature.
185 Consult the \fBAdvanced Features\fR section of the \fIMH\fR manual for more
188 Upon exiting from the editor,
189 \fIforw\fR will invoke the \fIwhatnow\fR program.
190 See \fIwhatnow\fR\0(1) for a discussion of available options.
191 The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the `\-nowhatnowproc'
194 it is the \fIwhatnow\fR program which starts the initial edit.
195 Hence, `\-nowhatnowproc' will prevent any edit from occurring.)
197 The `\-digest\ list', `\-issue\ number', and `\-volume\ number' switches
198 implement a digest facility for \fIMH\fR. Specifying these switches
199 enables and/or overloads the following escapes:
202 .ta \w'Component 'u +\w'Escape 'u +\w'Returns 'u
203 \fIType\fR \fIEscape\fR \fIReturns\fR \fIDescription\fR
204 \fIcomponent\fR \fIdigest\fR string Argument to `\-digest'
205 \fIfunction\fR \fIcur\fR integer Argument to `\-volume'
206 \fIfunction\fR \fImsg\fR integer Argument to `\-issue'
210 Consult the \fBAdvanced Features\fR section of
211 the \fIMH\fR User's Manual for more information on making digests.
213 ^@(MHETCPATH)/forwcomps~^The message skeleton
214 ^or <mh\-dir>/forwcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton
215 ^@(MHETCPATH)/digestcomps~^The message skeleton if `\-digest' is given
216 ^or <mh\-dir>/digestcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton
217 ^@(MHETCPATH)/mhl.forward~^The message filter
218 ^or <mh\-dir>/mhl.forward~^Rather than the standard filter
219 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
220 ^<mh\-dir>/draft~^The draft file
222 ^Path:~^To determine the user's MH directory
224 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
226 ^Draft\-Folder:~^To find the default draft\-folder
228 ^Editor:~^To override the default editor
230 ^Msg\-Protect:~^To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
232 ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message
234 ^mhlproc:~^Program to filter messages being forwarded
236 ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq questions
238 \fIProposed Standard for Message Encapsulation\fR (aka RFC\-934),
240 comp(1), dist(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh\-format(5)
242 `+folder' defaults to the current folder
243 `msgs' defaults to cur
257 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
258 The first message forwarded will become the current message.
260 If \fIwhatnowproc\fR is \fIwhatnow\fR,
261 then \fIforw\fR uses a built\-in \fIwhatnow\fR,
262 it does not actually run the \fIwhatnow\fR program.
263 Hence, if you define your own \fIwhatnowproc\fR,
264 don't call it \fIwhatnow\fR since \fIforw\fR won't run it.
266 When \fIforw\fR is told to annotate the messages it forwards,
267 it doesn't actually annotate them until the draft is successfully sent.
268 If from the \fIwhatnowproc\fR,
269 you \fIpush\fR instead of \fIsend\fR,
270 it's possible to confuse \fIforw\fR by re\-ordering the file
271 (e.g., by using `folder\0\-pack') before the message is successfully sent.
272 \fIDist\fR and \fIrepl\fR don't have this problem.
274 To avoid prepending the leading dash characters in forwarded messages,
275 there is a `\-nodashmunging' option. See the \*(lqHidden Features\*(rq
276 section of the \fIMH Administrator's Guide\fR for more details.