4 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 mh-profile \- user profile customization for nmh message handler
8 .I $HOME/.mh\(ruprofile
12 is expected to have a file named
14 in his or her home directory. This file contains
15 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
17 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
20 .IR profile\-component ": " value
23 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
24 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
26 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
27 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
28 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
29 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
30 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
34 context, and indicates what the default value is.
41 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
42 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
48 Declares the location of the
50 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
55 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
61 Keeps track of the current open folder.
62 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
68 Defines the name of your default inbox.
69 (profile, default: inbox)
72 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
75 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
76 `msg' argument given to any
78 command. If not present or empty,
79 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
80 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
83 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
86 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
89 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
90 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
91 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
93 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
96 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
99 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
100 messages which are unread. The commands
106 will add or remove messages from these
107 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
108 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
109 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
111 man page for the details about this sequence.
112 (profile, no default)
118 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
119 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
120 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
123 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
126 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
127 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
130 man page for details about private sequences.
131 (context, no default)
137 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
143 (profile, default: %default_editor%)
148 If defined and set to 1, then the
150 program will automatically
151 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
152 composition draft before it is sent.
153 (profile, no default)
159 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
162 for an explanation of the octal number.
163 (profile, default: 0600)
166 .BR Folder\-Protect :
169 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
172 for an explanation of the octal number.
173 (profile, default: 700)
179 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
181 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
182 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
185 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
188 (profile, no defaults)
191 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
194 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
195 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
203 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
204 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
205 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
206 (profile, no default)
212 The contents of the folder-stack for the
215 (context, no default)
219 Your Username <user@some.host>
221 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
222 by the default component files by tools like
226 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
227 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC-822
228 compliant. If this is set, the
230 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
231 default: userid@local.hostname)
234 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
235 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
241 which addresses are really yours.
244 knows which addresses should be included in the
247 knows if the message really originated from you.
248 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
249 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
250 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
251 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
252 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
253 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
254 (profile, default: your user-id)
261 Indicates aliases files for
266 This may be used instead of the
269 switch. (profile, no default)
275 Indicates a default draft folder for
283 man page for details. (profile, no default)
286 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
291 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
293 (context, no default)
296 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
301 the last volume sent for the digest
303 (context, no default)
311 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
312 superseded by the environment variable
314 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
318 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
322 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
327 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
328 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
329 Your signature will be added to the address
331 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
332 signature text. (profile, no default)
335 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
336 The following profile elements are used whenever an
338 program invokes some other program such as
342 can be used to select alternate programs if the
343 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
349 This is the program used by
351 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
357 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
360 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
361 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
368 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
371 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
378 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
379 in the mhl filter. See
381 for more information.
389 to incorporate new mail when it
390 is invoked with no arguments.
396 This program is called to initialize the environment for
404 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
407 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
408 also used by the draft folder facility in
414 to display the draft message.
420 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
421 and notifications. It is used by
425 option. It is used by
427 to post failure notices.
428 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
429 (such as when storing the body with
436 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
439 to filter and display the message headers
440 of MIME messages. When the
451 is used to filter the
452 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
459 is used to filter the copy of the message
460 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
466 This is the program used by
470 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
473 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
491 This is the program used by
500 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
502 (called with the switches
506 to do address verification.
512 This is the program used by
516 to delete a message from a folder.
528 This is the program to use by
530 to actually send the message
536 This is the program used by
538 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
544 This is the program used by
546 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
552 This is the program invoked by
558 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
564 This is the program used by
566 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
569 .SS "Environment Variables"
572 and its commands it also controlled by the
573 presence of certain environment variables.
575 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
576 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
577 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
578 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
580 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
588 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
589 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
590 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
591 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
592 not generally be set by the user.
596 option was set during
599 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
605 are not given any `msgs'
606 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
608 This is useful for getting the default behavior
609 supplied by the default
614 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
620 that you invoke. If the value of
622 is not absolute, (i.e., does
623 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
624 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
626 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
633 With this environment variable, you can specify a
634 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
637 profile). As always, unless the value of
639 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
646 With this environment variable, you can specify an
647 additional user profile (file) to be read by
649 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
654 With this environment variable, you can specify an
655 additional user profile (file) to be read by
657 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
659 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
660 be removed from a future nmh release.
665 With this environment variable, you can specify an
666 additional user profile (file) to be read by
668 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
673 With this environment variable, you can specify an
674 additional user profile (file) to be read by
676 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
681 With this environment variable, you can specify
682 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
683 this character set on your terminal.
685 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
698 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
699 a character set that doesn't match
704 for matches against the charset parameter
705 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
706 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
708 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
709 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
711 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
713 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
714 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
715 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
716 the environment variable
723 If this variable is set,
725 will next test for MIME messages. This mechanism is obsolete;
737 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
744 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
745 inc(1) man page for more information.
748 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
750 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
751 mh-tailor(5) man page.
760 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
769 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
774 This variable tells all
776 programs your home directory
785 The environment variable
787 is also consulted. In particular,
792 how to clear your terminal, and how
793 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
796 lines long your terminal screen is.
801 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
802 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
805 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
806 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
811 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
812 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
813 default. See mh-tailor(5).
820 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
821 create some temporary files.
826 Setting this variable is set to 1 has the same effect as specifying
836 OBSOLETE: will be removed in a future version of nmh.
841 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
843 will emit debugging information.
848 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
850 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
855 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
859 will display their interaction with the POP server.
860 This mechanism is obsolete; use the
867 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
869 commands that use the
870 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
871 profile entry will display debugging information
872 about the values in that entry.
877 This is the alternate message.
883 during edit sessions so you can
884 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
885 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
886 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
887 on the same UNIX filesystem.
892 This is the path to the working draft.
902 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
915 about an alternate message associated with the
916 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
921 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
927 during edit sessions so you
928 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
929 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
947 that message re-distribution is occurring.
961 editor (unless overridden by
978 if annotations are to occur.
988 if annotations are to occur.
998 if annotations are to occur.
1004 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
1005 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
1006 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
1007 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
1008 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
1009 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
1013 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
1018 contains only static information, which
1022 update. Changes in context are made to the
1024 file kept in the users
1027 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
1028 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
1029 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1030 profile entry (default is
1031 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1035 may override the path of the
1037 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1038 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1039 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1041 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1042 private sequences by using different context files.
1045 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
1046 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
1047 Each token is separated by whitespace.
1049 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1050 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1051 command line semantics of all
1053 programs: conflicting switches
1058 may occur more than one time on the
1059 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1060 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1061 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1062 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1063 arguments) in the profile.
1065 If one finds that an
1067 program is being invoked again and again
1068 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1069 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1075 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1076 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1079 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1082 program of your choice with an alternate set
1083 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1084 is preferable to this solution).
1088 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1091 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1094 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1097 commands safely. (Recall that some
1100 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1101 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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