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)
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.
321 Your signature will be added to the address
323 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
324 signature text. (profile, no default)
327 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
328 The following profile elements are used whenever an
330 program invokes some other program such as
334 can be used to select alternate programs if the
335 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
341 This is the program used by
343 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
349 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
352 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
353 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
360 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
363 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
371 to incorporate new mail when it
372 is invoked with no arguments.
378 This program is called to initialize the environment for
386 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
389 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
390 also used by the draft folder facility in
396 to display the draft message.
402 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
403 and notifications. It is used by
407 option. It is used by
409 to post failure notices.
410 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
411 (such as when storing the body with
418 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
421 to filter and display the message headers
422 of MIME messages. When the
433 is used to filter the
434 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
445 to filter the copy of the message
446 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
452 This is the program used by
456 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
459 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
477 This is the program used by
486 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
488 (called with the switches
492 to do address verification.
498 This is the program used by
502 to delete a message from a folder.
514 This is the program to use by
516 to actually send the message
522 This is the program used by
524 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
530 This is the program used by
532 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
538 This is the program invoked by
544 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
550 This is the program used by
552 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
555 .SS "Environment Variables"
558 and its commands it also controlled by the
559 presence of certain environment variables.
561 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
562 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
563 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
564 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
566 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
574 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
575 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
576 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
577 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
578 not generally be set by the user.
582 option was set during
585 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
591 are not given any `msgs'
592 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
594 This is useful for getting the default behavior
595 supplied by the default
600 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
606 that you invoke. If the value of
608 is not absolute, (i.e., does
609 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
610 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
612 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
619 With this environment variable, you can specify a
620 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
623 profile). As always, unless the value of
625 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
632 With this environment variable, you can specify
633 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
634 this character set on your terminal.
636 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
649 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
650 a character set that doesn't match
655 for matches against the charset parameter
656 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
657 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
659 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
660 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
662 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
664 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
665 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
666 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
667 the environment variable
676 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
685 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
690 This variable tells all
692 programs your home directory
699 the default shell to run
708 The environment variable
710 is also consulted. In particular,
715 how to clear your terminal, and how
716 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
719 lines long your terminal screen is.
724 This is the alternate message.
730 during edit sessions so you can
731 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
732 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
733 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
734 on the same UNIX filesystem.
739 This is the path to the working draft.
749 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
772 about an alternate message associated with the
773 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
783 that message re-distribution is occurring.
797 editor (unless overridden by
814 if annotations are to occur.
824 if annotations are to occur.
834 if annotations are to occur.
839 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
845 during edit sessions so you
846 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
847 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
861 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
862 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
863 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
864 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
865 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
866 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
870 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
875 contains only static information, which
879 update. Changes in context are made to the
881 file kept in the users
884 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
885 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
886 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
887 profile entry (default is
888 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
892 may override the path of the
894 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
895 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
896 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
898 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
899 private sequences by using different context files.
902 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
903 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
904 Each token is separated by whitespace.
906 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
907 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
908 command line semantics of all
910 programs: conflicting switches
915 may occur more than one time on the
916 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
917 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
918 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
919 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
920 arguments) in the profile.
924 program is being invoked again and again
925 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
926 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
932 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
933 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
936 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
939 program of your choice with an alternate set
940 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
941 is preferable to this solution).
945 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
948 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
951 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
954 commands safely. (Recall that some
957 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
958 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob