9 date 92.02.13.18.34.49; author jromine; state Exp;
14 date 92.02.13.18.30.38; author jromine; state Exp;
25 @note that this is specific to UCI-ICS
28 @\documentstyle [12pt]{article}
34 \def\oneline#1{\par\bigskip\leftline{\tt\hskip.75in#1}}
35 \def\command#1{\par\bigskip\leftline{\tt\hskip.75in\% #1}}
36 \def\comarg#1#2{\par\bigskip\leftline{\tt\hskip.75in\% #1 {\it#2}}}
39 \def\unix/{{\sc Unix}}
40 \newfont{\itt}{cmti10}
43 \title{MH for Beginners}
44 \author{Mary Hegardt \and Tim Morgan}
47 This document is intended to be an introduction for new users to the
48 \MH/ mail system. For more detailed information, users will want to
49 read the document called {\sl The Rand MH Message Handling System:
50 User's Manual\/} by Marshall~T. Rose and John~L. Romine. It is available
51 for Xeroxing in suite CS408.
52 \footnote{This document is specific to the environment
53 at the ICS department of U.~C.~Irvine. For a more general document,
54 see {\sl The Rand MH Message Handling System: Tutorial\/}.}
56 \section{Using Electronic Mail}
58 Electronic mail (e-mail) is a quick, convenient way to send a message
59 to another person (or persons). The message recipient can read and
60 reply to the message at his convenience. E-mail is much faster than
61 a paper memo and avoids inconveniences associated with the telephone
62 such as unwanted interruptions and ``phone tag.''
64 At UCI, one can send e-mail to people within the ICS department, people
65 in other units on campus, and to people at some other institutions
66 off campus (usually other universities).
68 An electronic mail message consists of two parts: the headers and the
69 body. The body comes after the headers and consists of the ``message'':
70 whatever the sender types in. The headers are the lines at the top
71 of the message including the subject and addresses of the people
72 to whom the message is addressed. It is similar to the top lines
73 of a memo: {\tt To:}, {\tt From:}, {\tt Subject:}, and so on. The headers
74 are separated from the body by a blank line. As in memos, the people
75 listed in the {\tt Cc:}\ field are not intended to be the primary recipients
76 of the message. The message is for their information only, and they
77 are not expected to reply.
80 E-mail is also useful for discussions among groups of people. This
81 ``bboards'' (electronic bulletin boards) facility will be discussed later.
83 An electronic mail address looks like ``{\it name\/}{\tt@@}{\it site\/}''.
85 a person's ``mail handle'' --- usually his first initial followed by his
86 last name. For example, Mary Hegardt's mail handle is ``mhegardt''.
87 The {\it site\/} is the system where the addressee receives mail. Within
88 the ICS Department, you need only know the person's mail handle;
89 the mail system will automatically fill in the ``{\tt @@}{\it site\/}'' part.
93 The \MH/ system is very different from most mail user agents. Instead of
94 running one large program which handles all mail functions and keeps
95 messages in one large file, \MH/ is a collection of smaller
96 single-purpose programs used to manipulate mail messages
97 which are kept in individual files. \MH/ may seem to be more complicated
98 or harder to use than other mail systems (MM, for example), but
99 \MH/ has been designed to allow
100 you to take full advantage of existing {\sc Unix}\footnote{{\sc Unix} is
101 a trademark of AT\&T Bell Laboratories} commands and programs
102 in connection with mail messages.
103 For example, you can use your usual text editor, spelling program, and
104 printer commands on individual messages.
109 The first time you use an \MH/ command (probably {\it inc\/}),
110 \MH/ will create a directory called ``Mail'' in your home (login) directory. All
111 your mail will be stored in directories beneath this one. It will also
112 create a file in your home directory called \verb|.mh_profile|. It is
113 a file that allows you to tailor your \MH/ environment. We'll discuss
117 \subsection{Reading Mail}
119 When someone sends a mail message to you, it is delivered to a file
120 called your ``mail drop'' file. When you are ready to read your mail,
121 you have to incorporate (or ``inc'') your mail messages from the mail
122 drop area into your account.
124 Everytime you log in to your {\sc Unix} account, you will be told if you
125 have new mail messages. When you are ready to read them, type \verb|inc|.
126 The {\it inc\/} program will copy your mail into your ``inbox'' and generate
127 a ``scan'' listing of the new messages. For example,
131 4.2 BSD UNIX #116: Mon Jul 15 14:03:21 PDT 1985
132 You have new ZOTnet mail, type "inc" (or mail)
138 Incorporating new mail into inbox ...
140 1+ 10/29 1732-PST Tim Morgan new bboard! <<Please add us to the uni
141 2 11/12 0016-PST ROODE@@uci-20b CP6 from the 20s <<What is (will be) t
142 4 11/15 1909-EDT tts@@tts Hello, got a few questions
143 5 11/15 2134-PST Marshall Rose MH.6 on 750a <<Mary, I've left the dis
144 6 11/16 0808-PST Mail Delivery Su Returned mail: Host unknown
145 7 11/16 1021-PST Tim Morgan Unix-wizards/info-unix move
146 8 11/18 0952-PST freeman@@icsd.UCI Re:New system wide aliases for ICS facu
147 9 11/18 1346-EDT tts@@tts Have we got a problem?
151 This is what a typical ``inc'' session for the Postmaster looks like.
152 {\it Inc\/} copies my mail into my ``inbox'' folder, assigns a unique number to
153 each message, and scans them for me. The numbers allow you to refer
154 to each message individually. After the message number, you see the
155 date and time the message was sent, the name of the sender, and the
156 subject of the message. The ``current'' message is indicated by a
157 ``{\tt +}'' sign. To read it, type ``{\tt show}'':
164 Received: from localhost by UCI.EDU id a005369; 29 Oct 85 17:32 PST
165 To: postmaster@@UCI.EDU
167 Date: 29 Oct 85 17:32:24 PST (Tue)
168 From: Tim Morgan <morgan@@UCI.EDU>
170 Please add us to the unix-sw list. Also, if RAJ hasn't mentioned it,
171 and if it still exists, we should get on the Astronomy bboard.
178 longer than one screenful, you will see the word ``more'' at the bottom
179 of the screen. When you are ready to see ``more'' of the message,
180 press the \fbox{space bar} to see another screenful, or press the
181 \fbox{return} key to see just one more line.
183 To see the next message, you could type a couple of different commands:
188 \oneline{\% show next}
192 All of these commands would have the same effect: to type out the next message
193 in the list. The most efficient thing to do is to type ``{\tt next}''. When
194 You do that, message number 2 will be shown and become the ``current message''.
201 Received: from UCI-20B by UCI-ICSA id aa01222; 12 Nov 85 0:23 PST
202 Date: 12 Nov 1985 0016-PST
204 Subject: CP6 from the 20s
206 cc: dana_roode%ucicp6@@UCI.EDU
208 What is (will be) the prescribed method of addressing for sending
209 CP6 mail from the 20s? They dont seem to know about @@CF, @@UCICP6,
210 but "Name_Name%UCICP6"@@ICSA seems to fly.
216 \subsection{Selecting Messages}
218 As you have seen, messages can be referred to by their message numbers.
219 Some \MH/ commands, such as {\it show,} can act upon more than one
220 message at a time. A range of messages can be specified using the
221 form ``{\it name1-name2\/}'' where {\it name\/} is a message number or
222 one of the reserved message names described below:
226 \def\titem[#1]{\par\noindent\hbox to .5in{\hfil\it #1\/}\qquad}
228 \titem[cur] The current message (the last one that was handled)
229 \titem[next] The next message (same as ${\it cur\/} + 1$)
230 \titem[prev] The previous message (${\it cur\/} - 1$)
231 \titem[first] The first message in the current folder
232 \titem[last] The last message in the folder
233 \titem[all] All messages ($\it first-last$)
237 If you do not name a specific message, the command will act upon
238 the ``current message''.
240 \subsection{Sending Messages}
242 A mail message consists of two parts: the headers and the body. The
243 headers are the lines at the top of the message that say ``{\tt To:}''
244 and so on. The body is the actual text of the message (what you
245 want to say). To send someone a message, you start with the
246 {\it comp\/} command. This will start up an editor called {\it prompter\/}
247 that will prompt you to fill in the headers. You should type the
248 requested information for that header or a \fbox{return} to omit it.
249 You should end the message by typing control-D (press down the key
250 marked \fbox{ctrl} and strike the D key) at the beginning of a new
251 line. Here's an example:
259 Where are we going for lunch today ?
267 At the ``\verb|What now ?|'' prompt you can type a {\tt?} to see
268 what commands you can type next.
269 One of the most useful options at this point is to edit the draft
270 of the message to correct any mistakes. To do this you type:
272 \oneline{What now ? edit vi}
274 This will put you in the {\it vi\/} editor to edit the message. If you use
275 {\it emacs\/} or any other editor, just type ``edit emacs'' or whatever.
276 When you have finished editing, just exit the editor as you would
277 normally. You will then get another ``\verb|What now ?|'' prompt. Here are some
278 of the ``What now'' options:
283 \def\titem[#1]{\par\hangafter=1\hangindent=1.4in\noindent
284 \hbox to\hangindent{\hfil#1\qquad}\ignorespaces}
286 \titem[\tt edit \it editor\/] Edit the message using the specified
287 editor. When you exit, you will be
288 back at \verb|What now|.
290 \titem[\tt list] Shows the message you just typed
292 \titem[\tt whom -check] Verifies that the addresses you have
293 used are valid as far as our system
296 \titem[\tt send] Sends the message to the recipients
298 \titem[\tt push] Sends the message in the background
300 \titem[\tt quit] Quits without sending the message.
301 Saves the text of the message as
302 a ``draft''. Type \verb|comp -use| to
303 get back to that draft later.
305 \titem[\tt quit -delete] Quit, throwing away the draft
310 Make sure you are happy with your message before typing \verb|send|. There
311 is no way to recall a message once it has been sent.
313 \subsection{Replying to Messages}
315 To reply to the current message type {\it repl.} When you do this,
316 the reply headers will be printed out and you will be put in the prompter
317 editor to type in your reply text. When you are replying to a message,
318 the name of the sender of the original message will appear in the
319 ``To:'' field. Any people on the ``To:'' or ``Cc:'' lists will also
320 be copied on your reply message. As with {\it comp,} when you have
321 finished, type control-D and \verb|send| (or whatever) at \verb|What now ?|.
323 \subsection{Forwarding Messages}
325 If you receive a particularly interesting message and can't resist
326 sharing it with others, you can forward it using the {\it forw\/}
327 command. You will be prompted to fill in the headers (the address
328 to which the message is to be forwarded, etc.). When you have done this,
329 you will see the text of the message which you are forwarding and will be
330 given the opportunity to add some enlightening text to the message.
331 Exit with control-D and do whatever feels good at the \verb|What now ?|
334 \subsection{The Advanced Features}
336 You will probably want to master the beginning \MH/ concepts before you
337 tackle the following\dots
341 Folders are really just directories for storing mail messages in an
342 organized way. To store a message in a folder named
345 \oneline{\% refile 5 +inventory}
347 If the folder doesn't exist yet, you will be asked if it should be created.
348 To access messages in another folder, you can change your current
349 folder from ``inbox'' to something else. If you want to look at all
350 the messages pertaining to the inventory, you type:
352 \oneline{\% folder +inventory}
354 and now you use {\it scan,} {\it show,} etc., to manipulate the messages
356 To change back to inbox, type:
358 \oneline{\% folder +inbox}
360 Using the {\it inc\/} command will change your current folder to be the
361 ``inbox'' automatically.
363 \section{Mailing files}
365 Mailing files is usually not a good idea, especially for large files.
366 The mail system was never designed for moving big files. You
367 can use the {\it cp\/} file to move the file to another account much more
370 \oneline{\% cp \char`\~frated/desired-file \char`\~./newfile}
372 This will copy the file from frated's account to the current directory and
375 You can also copy files across the network using {\it rcp\/}:
377 \oneline{\% rcp icsd:frated/desired-file ./newfile}
379 This copies frated's file on the system icsd to the current directory.
381 If you {\it really\/} have to mail a file, you use the {\it mhmail\/} program.
382 To mail a file ``myfile'' to another user ``frated'', with ``MyFile'' as
385 \oneline{\% mhmail frated -subject MyFile < myfile}
388 \section{Searching for messages}
390 The {\it pick\/} program allows you to search your inbox (or any other)
391 folder to find messages which contain a certain word. If you want to
392 list all messages from Smith you can type:
394 \oneline{\% pick -from smith -list}
396 and it will list the numbers of all messages from Smith that are in the
397 current folder. You can {\it pick\/} messages according to any of the
398 headers ({\tt -to -from -subj -cc {\rm or} -date}) or just search all the
399 messages for a given word ({\tt -search}).
401 \section{The MH Profile}
403 Each \MH/ user has a file in his directory called \verb|.mh_profile|. This
404 file contains a list of user-specified default options for \MH/ programs.
406 entry is the name of your \MH/
411 \oneline{Path: mhbox}
413 To make a change to your \verb|.mh_profile|, you edit the file and add a
414 line for the applicable program. For example, if you would like to use {\it
415 vi\/} instead of {\it prompter\/} as your initial editor when composing
416 messages, you would add this line to your \verb|.mh_profile|:
418 \oneline{comp: -editor vi}
420 or, if you want to have a format file for {\it scan\/} to use, you should
423 \oneline{scan: -form {\it formatfile}}
425 Almost all of the \MH/ programs have options that can be set using the
426 \verb|.mh_profile|. You should consult the {\sl MH User's Manual\/}
427 for more information about this.
429 Many people will want to add a signature line to their \verb|.mh_profile|.
430 This line will appear as your signature on the From: line in messages
431 you send. It looks like this:
433 \oneline{Signature: John Q. Public}
436 Occasionally people express an interest in getting rid of some of the
437 header lines in their mail messages. They don't want to see the
438 ``Received from'', ``Via'' information, or some other header. It
439 is possible to prevent these and other annoying headers from being
440 displayed by changing your {\it show\/} processor to be {\it mhless.}
441 To do this you must add this line
443 \oneline{showproc: mhless}
445 to your \verb|.mh_profile|. You also must create a file
446 called ``.mhlessrc'' containing the words which
447 appear at the beginning of the lines you don't want to see.
449 The typical ``.mhlessrc'' file will look like this:
457 The ``.mhlessrc'' file must be in your home directory.
462 Electronic bulletin boards (BBoards) are a convenient way for a group
463 of people to discuss a particular topic. Messages are sent to
464 an address where they can be read and replied to by all interested
465 parties. In the ICS department we have some ``local'' BBoards which
466 involve only people in the department. We also subscribe to many
467 nationally distributed BBoards. BBoards are read using the {\it bbc\/}
468 program which will allow you to read the messages with
469 an \MH/-like interface.
471 One very important BBoard is ``system''.
472 It contains vital news about changes in software, system
473 downtime, new programs, and other information useful to all users.
475 To read a BBoard, you type ``\verb|bbc| {\it BBoard\_name\/}''. The {\it
476 bbc\/} program will check to see if there are new messages in the named
477 BBoard and if there are, it will start up {\it msh\/} so you can read them.
478 The {\it msh\/} program allows you to use regular \MH/ commands when reading
479 BBoards. Type ``{\tt show}'' to see the current message, ``{\tt next}'' to
480 see the next message, and so on. Type ``{\tt quit}'' to quit reading the
481 current BBoard. If you have named more than one BBoard on the command line
482 or in your \verb|.mh_profile|, {\it bbc\/} will continue processing the next
485 Here is an example of using {\it bbc\/} to read the system BBoard:
489 \baselineskip=12pt\parskip=0pt
490 \leftline{\tt\% bbc \itt system}
491 \leftline{\tt Reading system, currently at message 1 of 22}
492 \leftline{\tt(msh) \itt show}
494 (Message 1, BBoard-ID: 1360)
496 BB-Posted: Wed, 29 Jan 86 15:36:39 PST
497 Received: from localhost by UCI.EDU id a006693; 29 Jan 86 15:20 PST
499 Subject: Imagen 24300
500 Date: Wed, 29 Jan 86 15:19:43 -0800
501 From: Tinh Tang <ttang@@UCI.EDU>
503 The Imagen 24300 is now operating normally. It was broken down
504 due to the paper jammed in the drum. Luckily, it didn't cause
508 \end{verbatim}\leftline{\tt(msh) \itt next}\begin{verbatim}
509 (Message 4, BBoard-ID: 1363)
511 BB-Posted: Fri, 31 Jan 86 13:33:37 PST
512 Received: from localhost by UCI.EDU id a001631; 31 Jan 86 13:30 PST
514 Subject: uci.edu down 2/7/86 17:10 - 2/7/86 20:30
515 Date: Fri, 31 Jan 86 13:30:27 -0800
518 The uci.edu will be down from
519 February 7,1986 17:10 till February 7,1986 20:30.
520 The reason for the downtime is:
521 Both, the Computing Facility and the Physical Sciences Dataswitches
522 will be unavailable from 5:10pm until 8:30pm on Friday, February 7th.
523 Therefore all the Computers attached to those switches and the
524 corresponding tandem link will be unavailable to users on
525 the specified time. (RJ).
528 \end{verbatim}\leftline{\tt(msh) \itt quit}
533 You can see a list of all the available BBoards by typing:
535 \command{bbc -topics}
537 You can also put a line in your ``\verb|.mh_profile|'' listing all
538 the BBoards you want to read on a regular basis:
540 \oneline{bboards: system movies mh-users events}
542 Then you only need to type ``\verb|bbc|'' to read all your BBoards.
545 \section{Checking for Mail}
547 Under \unix/, there are many different ways to check for new mail. The
548 easiest way to do it is to set the {\it csh\/} variable named ``mail''
549 to tell {\it csh\/} to check for new mail for you periodically. To
550 do this, add the line
552 \oneline{set mail=(60 /usr/spool/mail/\$USER)}
554 to the {\tt .login} file in your home directory. This command says
555 to check for mail if {\it csh\/} is about to prompt you with a
556 {\tt \%} sign, and if it has been at least 60 seconds since it last
557 checked for mail. The advantage of this method of mail notification,
558 besides simplicity, is that you will never be interrupted by a mail
559 notification. You will only be notified about new mail when you
560 are between commands.
562 If you want asynchronous mail notification, which will print to your
563 terminal regardless of what you are currently doing, you may make
564 use of a ``receive mail hook'' called ``rcvtty''. To do this,
565 create a file in your home directory called ``{\tt .maildelivery}''.
566 In this file, put the line
568 \oneline{* - pipe R /usr/uci/lib/mh/rcvtty}
570 Then, each time mail arrives, you will receive a one--line ``scan''
571 listing of the mail if your terminal is world-writable. For more
572 information on mail delivery files, type:
574 \command{man 5 maildelivery}
576 This will tell you about all the options available to you if you
577 use maildelivery files.
582 Using \MH/, you may specify your own private mail aliases. This feature
583 allows you to store lists of addresses or long internet addresses of people
584 with whom you frequently correspond in one file, and then to address them
585 using short mnemonic names. Typically, you will call your alias file ``{\tt
586 aliases}''; it must be stored in your \MH/ directory. The format of this
587 file is simple. The alias is given, followed by a colon, followed by one or
588 more legal mail addresses separated by commas. For example, you might for
589 some reason have an alias for all the users named ``Rose'' in the ICS
592 \oneline{roses: prose, srose, mrose, drose}
594 In addition to your ``{\tt aliases}'' file, you will need to modify your\break
595 \verb|.mh_profile| in order to use aliases. You should add the flag
596 ``{\tt -alias aliases}'' to the entries for the commands {\it ali, whom,
597 send,} and {\it push,} creating entries for these programs if they aren't
598 already in your \verb|.mh_profile|.
599 Now, messages addressed to ``{\tt roses}'' will be distributed to all
600 the people listed in the alias.
602 The {\it ali\/} command is used to show you what an alias expands to.
607 and {\it ali\/} will respond with the expansion of the {\it alias.} {\it
608 Ali\/} searches the system aliases file in addition to your private ones.
610 \section{Blind Lists}
612 There are two different types of so-called ``blind addressing'' of messages.
613 The {\tt BCC:} field allows you to add recipients to your message just
614 like those who are CC'd, but the normal recipients will not see that the
615 BCC recipients were copied on the message, their replies will not go to the
616 blind recipients, and the blind recipients cannot (easily) reply to the
619 The second type of blind mailing is actually called a ``group address list'',
620 although it is commonly referred to as a ``blind list''.
621 The format of this type of address is
623 \oneline{{\it phrase\/}: {\it address\_list\/};}
625 where the ``{\it phrase\/}'' is any English phrase of one or more words,
626 and the {\it address\_list\/} consists of one or more addresses separated by
627 commas. The recipients of a message addressed in this fashion will
630 \oneline{{\it phrase\/}: ;}
632 so when they reply to the message, their reply will come only to the sender
633 (or the {\tt Reply-To:} field, if one was specified), rather than going to
634 all the recipients of the original list. For example, to use a group
635 address list for the ``{\tt roses}'' alias you would type:
637 \oneline{To: People Named Rose: roses;}
639 This type of group address is very
640 useful for making up lists of related people, such as all the people working
641 on a particular research project.