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.
522 This is the program to use by
524 to actually send the message
530 This is the program used by
532 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
538 This is the program used by
540 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
546 This is the program invoked by
552 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
558 This is the program used by
560 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
563 .SS "Environment Variables"
566 and its commands it also controlled by the
567 presence of certain environment variables.
569 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
570 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
571 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
572 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
574 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
582 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
583 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
584 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
585 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
586 not generally be set by the user.
590 option was set during
593 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
599 are not given any `msgs'
600 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
602 This is useful for getting the default behavior
603 supplied by the default
608 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
614 that you invoke. If the value of
616 is not absolute, (i.e., does
617 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
618 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
620 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
627 With this environment variable, you can specify a
628 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
631 profile). As always, unless the value of
633 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
640 With this environment variable, you can specify an
641 additional user profile (file) to be read by
643 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
648 With this environment variable, you can specify an
649 additional user profile (file) to be read by
651 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
653 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
654 be removed from a future nmh release.
659 With this environment variable, you can specify an
660 additional user profile (file) to be read by
662 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
667 With this environment variable, you can specify an
668 additional user profile (file) to be read by
670 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
675 With this environment variable, you can specify
676 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
677 this character set on your terminal.
679 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
692 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
693 a character set that doesn't match
698 for matches against the charset parameter
699 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
700 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
702 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
703 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
705 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
707 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
708 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
709 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
710 the environment variable
717 If this variable is set,
719 will next test for MIME messages. This mechanism is obsolete;
731 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
738 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
739 inc(1) man page for more information.
742 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
744 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
745 mh-tailor(5) man page.
754 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
763 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
768 This variable tells all
770 programs your home directory
779 The environment variable
781 is also consulted. In particular,
786 how to clear your terminal, and how
787 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
790 lines long your terminal screen is.
795 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
796 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
799 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
800 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
805 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
806 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
807 default. See mh-tailor(5).
814 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
815 create some temporary files.
820 Setting this variable is set to 1 has the same effect as specifying
830 OBSOLETE: will be removed in a future version of nmh.
835 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
837 will emit debugging information.
842 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
844 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
849 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
853 will display their interaction with the POP server.
854 This mechanism is obsolete; use the
861 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
863 commands that use the
864 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
865 profile entry will display debugging information
866 about the values in that entry.
871 This is the alternate message.
877 during edit sessions so you can
878 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
879 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
880 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
881 on the same UNIX filesystem.
886 This is the path to the working draft.
896 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
909 about an alternate message associated with the
910 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
915 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
921 during edit sessions so you
922 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
923 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
941 that message re-distribution is occurring.
955 editor (unless overridden by
972 if annotations are to occur.
982 if annotations are to occur.
992 if annotations are to occur.
998 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
999 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
1000 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
1001 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
1002 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
1003 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
1007 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
1012 contains only static information, which
1016 update. Changes in context are made to the
1018 file kept in the users
1021 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
1022 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
1023 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1024 profile entry (default is
1025 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1029 may override the path of the
1031 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1032 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1033 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1035 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1036 private sequences by using different context files.
1039 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
1040 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
1041 Each token is separated by whitespace.
1043 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1044 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1045 command line semantics of all
1047 programs: conflicting switches
1052 may occur more than one time on the
1053 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1054 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1055 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1056 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1057 arguments) in the profile.
1059 If one finds that an
1061 program is being invoked again and again
1062 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1063 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1069 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1070 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1073 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1076 program of your choice with an alternate set
1077 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1078 is preferable to this solution).
1082 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1085 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1088 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1091 commands safely. (Recall that some
1094 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1095 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob