1 .\" This file is automatically generated. Do not edit!
2 .\" @(#)$Id: sortm.rf,v 1.9 1993/08/27 20:21:19 jromine Exp $
10 \%[\-textfield\ field] \%[\-notextfield]
11 \%[\-limit days] \%[\-nolimit]
12 \%[\-verbose] \%[\-noverbose]
15 \fISortm\fR sorts the specified messages in the named folder according
16 to the chronological order of the \*(lqDate:\*(rq field of each message.
18 The `\-verbose' switch directs \fIsortm\fR to tell the user the general
19 actions that it is taking to place the folder in sorted order.
21 The `\-datefield\ field' switch tells \fIsortm\fR the name of the field
22 to use when making the date comparison.
23 If the user has a special field in each message,
24 such as \*(lqBB\-Posted:\*(rq or \*(lqDelivery\-Date:\*(rq,
25 then the `\-datefield' switch can be used to direct \fIsortm\fR which
28 The `\-textfield\ field' switch causes \fIsortm\fR to sort messages by
29 the specified text field.
30 If this field is \*(lqsubject\*(rq,
31 any leading "re:" is stripped off.
32 In any case, all characters except letters and numbers are stripped
33 and the resulting strings are sorted
34 datefield\-major, textfield\-minor,
35 using a case insensitive comparison.
37 With `\-textfield\ field',
38 if `\-limit\ days' is specified, messages with similar textfields
39 that are dated within `days' of each other appear together.
40 Specifying `\-nolimit' makes the limit infinity.
41 With `\-limit 0', the sort is instead made textfield\-major, date\-minor.
44 For example, to order a folder by date-major, subject-minor, use:
47 sortm -textfield subject +folder
50 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
52 ^Path:~^To determine the user's MH directory
54 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
58 `+folder' defaults to the current folder
60 `msgs' defaults to all
70 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
71 If the current message is moved, \fIsortm\fR will preserve its status
74 Timezones used to be ignored when comparing dates:
77 Messages which were in the folder, but not specified by `msgs',
78 used to be moved to the end of the folder;
79 now such messages are left untouched.
81 \fISortm\fP sometimes did not preserve the message
82 numbering in a folder (e.g., messages
83 1, 3, and 5, might have been renumbered
84 to 1, 2, 3 after sorting).
85 This was a bug, and has been fixed.
86 To compress the message numbering in a folder, use
87 \*(lq\fIfolder\ \-pack\fR\|\*(rq as always.
89 If \fIsortm\fR encounters a message without a date\-field,
90 or if the message has a date\-field that \fIsortm\fR cannot parse,
91 then \fIsortm\fR attempts to keep the message in the same relative
93 This does not always work.
94 For instance, if the first message encountered lacks a date which can be
96 then it will usually be placed at the end of the messages being sorted.
98 When \fIsortm\fR complains about a message which it can't temporally order,
99 it complains about the message number \fIprior\fR to sorting.
100 It should indicate what the message number will be \fIafter\fR sorting.