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: 0644)
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)
214 which BBoards you are interested in. (profile, default: system)
220 The contents of the folder-stack for the
223 (context, no default)
226 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
227 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
233 which addresses are really yours.
236 knows which addresses should be included in the
239 knows if the message really originated from you.
240 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
241 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
242 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
243 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
244 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
245 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
246 (profile, default: your user-id)
253 Indicates aliases files for
258 This may be used instead of the
261 switch. (profile, no default)
267 Indicates a default draft folder for
275 man page for details. (profile, no default)
278 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
283 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
285 (context, no default)
288 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
293 the last volume sent for the digest
295 (context, no default)
303 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
304 superseded by the environment variable
306 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
310 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
314 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
319 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
320 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
322 was configured with the UCI option, the file
324 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
326 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
327 signature text. (profile, no default)
330 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
331 The following profile elements are used whenever an
333 program invokes some other program such as
337 can be used to select alternate programs if the
338 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
344 This is the program used by
346 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
352 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
355 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
356 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
363 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
366 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
374 to incorporate new mail when it
375 is invoked with no arguments.
381 This program is called to initialize the environment for
389 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
392 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
393 also used by the draft folder facility in
399 to display the draft message.
405 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
406 and notifications. It is used by
410 option. It is used by
412 to post failure notices.
413 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
414 (such as when storing the body with
421 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
424 to filter and display the message headers
425 of MIME messages. When the
436 is used to filter the
437 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
448 to filter the copy of the message
449 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
455 This is the program used by
459 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
462 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
480 This is the program used by
489 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
491 (called with the switches
495 to do address verification.
501 This is the program used by
505 to delete a message from a folder.
517 This is the program to use by
519 to actually send the message
525 This is the program used by
527 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
533 This is the program used by
535 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
541 This is the program invoked by
547 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
553 This is the program used by
555 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
558 .SS "Environment Variables"
561 and its commands it also controlled by the
562 presence of certain environment variables.
564 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
565 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
566 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
567 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
569 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
577 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
578 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
579 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
580 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
581 not generally be set by the user.
585 option was set during
588 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
594 are not given any `msgs'
595 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
597 This is useful for getting the default behavior
598 supplied by the default
603 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
609 that you invoke. If the value of
611 is not absolute, (i.e., does
612 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
613 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
615 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
622 With this environment variable, you can specify a
623 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
626 profile). As always, unless the value of
628 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
635 With this environment variable, you can specify
636 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
637 this character set on your terminal.
639 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
652 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
653 a character set that doesn't match
658 for matches against the charset parameter
659 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
660 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
662 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
663 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
665 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
667 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
668 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
669 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
670 the environment variable
679 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
688 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
693 This variable tells all
695 programs your home directory
702 the default shell to run
711 The environment variable
713 is also consulted. In particular,
718 how to clear your terminal, and how
719 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
722 lines long your terminal screen is.
727 This is the alternate message.
733 during edit sessions so you can
734 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
735 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
736 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
737 on the same UNIX filesystem.
742 This is the path to the working draft.
752 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
775 about an alternate message associated with the
776 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
786 that message re-distribution is occurring.
800 editor (unless overridden by
817 if annotations are to occur.
827 if annotations are to occur.
837 if annotations are to occur.
842 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
848 during edit sessions so you
849 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
850 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
864 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
865 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
866 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
867 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
868 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
869 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
873 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
878 contains only static information, which
882 update. Changes in context are made to the
884 file kept in the users
887 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
888 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
889 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
890 profile entry (default is
891 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
895 may override the path of the
897 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
898 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
899 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
901 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
902 private sequences by using different context files.
905 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
906 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
907 Each token is separated by whitespace.
909 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
910 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
911 command line semantics of all
913 programs: conflicting switches
918 may occur more than one time on the
919 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
920 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
921 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
922 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
923 arguments) in the profile.
927 program is being invoked again and again
928 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
929 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
935 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
936 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
939 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
942 program of your choice with an alternate set
943 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
944 is preferable to this solution).
948 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
951 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
954 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
957 commands safely. (Recall that some
960 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
961 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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