1 .TH MH-DRAFT %manext5% "January 2, 2001" "%nmhversion%"
6 mh-draft \- draft folder facility for nmh message system
12 There are a number of interesting advanced facilities for the composition of
15 .SS "The Draft Folder"
23 commands have two additional switches,
29 which allow you to manipulate the various draft messages you are composing.
34 is used, these commands are
35 directed to construct a draft message in the indicated folder.
37 .RI \*(lq Draft\-Folder \*(rq
38 profile entry may be used to declare a default draft folder for use with
49 is given, the specified draft is used to compose the message. If
53 draft defaults to `new' (create a new draft) unless the user invokes
57 in which case the default is `cur'.
59 Hence, the user may have several message compositions in progress
60 simultaneously. Now, all of the
62 tools are available on each of the user's message drafts (e.g.
66 and so on). If the folder does not exist, the user is asked if it should be
67 created (just like with
69 Also, the last draft message
70 the user was composing is known as `cur' in the draft folder.
74 command has these switches as well. Hence,
75 from the shell, the user can send off whatever drafts desired using the
78 `msgs' convention with
81 If no `msgs' are given, it defaults to `cur'.
83 In addition, all five programs have a
85 switch, which undoes the last occurrence of
88 (useful if the latter occurs in the user's
92 If the user does not give the
95 switch, then all these commands act \*(lqnormally\*(rq. Note that the
101 still refers to the file called `draft' in the user's
103 directory. In the interests of economy of expression, when using
107 the user needn't prefix the draft `msg' or `msgs' with
110 commands accept a `file' or `files' argument, and they will, if given
113 treat these arguments as `msg' or `msgs'. (This may appear to be
114 inconsistent, at first, but it saves a lot of typing) Hence,
118 send -draftfolder +drafts first
126 send -draftfolder +drafts -draftmessage first
130 To make all this a bit more clear, here are some examples. Let's assume
131 that the following entries are in the
137 Draft\-Folder: +drafts
138 sendf: \-draftfolder +drafts
142 Furthermore, let's assume that the program
144 is a (symbolic) link in the user's
148 Then, any of the commands
159 constructs the message draft in the `draft' folder using the `new'
160 message number. Furthermore, they each define `cur' in this folder to
161 be that message draft. If the user were to use the
163 option at `What now?' level, then later on, if no other draft composition
164 was done, the draft could be sent with simply
172 Or, if more editing was required, the draft could be edited with
180 Instead, if other drafts had been composed in the meantime, so that this
181 message draft was no longer known as `cur' in the `draft' folder, then
184 the folder to see which message draft in the
185 folder should be used for editing or sending. Clever users could even
192 comp -use `pick +drafts -to nmh-workers`
200 sendf `pick +drafts -to nmh-workers`
206 example, the output from
208 must resolve to a single message draft (it makes no sense to talk about
209 composing two or more drafts with one invocation of
213 example, as many message drafts as desired can appear, since
215 doesn't mind sending more than one draft at a time.
217 Note that the argument
220 is not included in the profile entry for
226 directly, they supply
228 with the UNIX pathname of the message draft, and
235 is concerned, a draft folder is not being used.
237 It is important to realize that
239 treats the draft folder like a standard
241 folder in nearly all respects. There are two exceptions:
243 First, under no circumstancs will the
246 switch cause the named folder to become the current folder.
248 Obviously, if the folder appeared in the context of a standard
260 it might become the current folder, depending on the context changes of the
264 Second, although conceptually
266 deletes the `msgs' named in the draft folder, it does not call
268 to perform the deletion.
269 .SS "What Happens if the Draft Exists"
277 are invoked and the draft you indicated already exists, these programs
278 will prompt the user for a reponse directing the program's action.
283 Draft ``/home/foobar/nmhbox/draft'' exists (xx bytes).
288 The appropriate responses and their meanings are:
294 .BR ^replace~^ "- deletes the draft and starts afresh"
295 .BR ^list~^ "- lists the draft"
296 .BR ^refile~^ "- files the draft into a folder and starts afresh"
297 .BR ^quit~^ "- leaves the draft intact and exits"
301 In addition, if you specified
304 to the command, then one other response will be accepted:
310 .BR ^new~^ "- finds a new draft"
320 command will accept one more response:
326 .BR ^use~^ "- re-uses the draft"