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
284 man page for details. (profile, no default)
287 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
292 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
294 (context, no default)
297 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
302 the last volume sent for the digest
304 (context, no default)
312 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
313 superseded by the environment variable
315 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
319 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
323 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
328 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
329 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
330 Your signature will be added to the address
332 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
333 signature text. (profile, no default)
336 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
337 The following profile elements are used whenever an
339 program invokes some other program such as
343 can be used to select alternate programs if the
344 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
350 This is the program used by
352 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
358 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
361 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
362 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
369 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
372 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
379 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
380 in the mhl filter. See
382 for more information.
390 to incorporate new mail when it
391 is invoked with no arguments.
397 This program is called to initialize the environment for
405 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
408 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
409 also used by the draft folder facility in
415 to display the draft message.
421 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
422 and notifications. It is used by
426 option. It is used by
428 to post failure notices.
429 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
430 (such as when storing the body with
437 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
440 to filter and display the message headers
441 of MIME messages. When the
452 is used to filter the
453 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
460 is used to filter the copy of the message
461 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
467 This is the program used by
471 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
474 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
492 This is the program used by
501 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
503 (called with the switches
507 to do address verification.
513 This is the program used by
517 to delete a message from a folder.
523 This is the program to use by
525 to actually send the message
531 This is the program used by
533 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
539 This is the program used by
541 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
547 This is the program invoked by
553 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
559 This is the program used by
561 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
564 .SS "Environment Variables"
567 and its commands it also controlled by the
568 presence of certain environment variables.
570 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
571 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
572 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
573 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
575 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
583 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
584 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
585 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
586 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
587 not generally be set by the user.
591 option was set during
594 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
600 are not given any `msgs'
601 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
603 This is useful for getting the default behavior
604 supplied by the default
609 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
615 that you invoke. If the value of
617 is not absolute, (i.e., does
618 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
619 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
621 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
628 With this environment variable, you can specify a
629 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
632 profile). As always, unless the value of
634 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
641 With this environment variable, you can specify an
642 additional user profile (file) to be read by
644 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
649 With this environment variable, you can specify an
650 additional user profile (file) to be read by
652 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
654 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
655 be removed from a future nmh release.
660 With this environment variable, you can specify an
661 additional user profile (file) to be read by
663 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
668 With this environment variable, you can specify an
669 additional user profile (file) to be read by
671 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
676 With this environment variable, you can specify
677 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
678 this character set on your terminal.
680 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
693 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
694 a character set that doesn't match
699 for matches against the charset parameter
700 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
701 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
703 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
704 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
706 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
708 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
709 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
710 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
711 the environment variable
718 If this variable is set,
720 will next test for MIME messages. This mechanism is obsolete;
732 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
739 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
740 inc(1) man page for more information.
743 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
745 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
746 mh-tailor(5) man page.
755 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
764 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
769 This variable tells all
771 programs your home directory
780 The environment variable
782 is also consulted. In particular,
787 how to clear your terminal, and how
788 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
791 lines long your terminal screen is.
796 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
797 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
800 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
801 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
806 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
807 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
808 default. See mh-tailor(5).
815 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
816 create some temporary files.
821 Setting this variable is set to 1 has the same effect as specifying
831 OBSOLETE: will be removed in a future version of nmh.
836 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
838 will emit debugging information.
843 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
845 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
850 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
854 will display their interaction with the POP server.
855 This mechanism is obsolete; use the
862 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
864 commands that use the
865 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
866 profile entry will display debugging information
867 about the values in that entry.
872 This is the alternate message.
878 during edit sessions so you can
879 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
880 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
881 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
882 on the same UNIX filesystem.
887 This is the path to the working draft.
897 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
910 about an alternate message associated with the
911 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
916 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
922 during edit sessions so you
923 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
924 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
942 that message re-distribution is occurring.
956 editor (unless overridden by
973 if annotations are to occur.
983 if annotations are to occur.
993 if annotations are to occur.
999 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
1000 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
1001 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
1002 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
1003 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
1004 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
1008 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
1013 contains only static information, which
1017 update. Changes in context are made to the
1019 file kept in the users
1022 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
1023 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
1024 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1025 profile entry (default is
1026 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1030 may override the path of the
1032 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1033 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1034 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1036 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1037 private sequences by using different context files.
1040 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
1041 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
1042 Each token is separated by whitespace.
1044 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1045 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1046 command line semantics of all
1048 programs: conflicting switches
1053 may occur more than one time on the
1054 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1055 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1056 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1057 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1058 arguments) in the profile.
1060 If one finds that an
1062 program is being invoked again and again
1063 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1064 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1070 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1071 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1074 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1077 program of your choice with an alternate set
1078 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1079 is preferable to this solution).
1083 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1086 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1089 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1092 commands safely. (Recall that some
1095 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1096 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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