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.
25 Comments may be introduced by a line starting with `#:':
32 Blank lines are not permitted in
35 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
36 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
37 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
38 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
39 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
43 context, and indicates what the default value is. Note that a profile
44 component can only appear once. Multiple appearances with trigger a
45 warning that all appearances after the first are ignored.
52 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
53 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
59 Declares the location of the
61 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
66 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
72 Keeps track of the current open folder.
73 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
79 Defines the name of your default inbox.
80 (profile, default: inbox)
83 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
86 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
87 `msg' argument given to any
89 command. If not present or empty,
90 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
91 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
94 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
97 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
100 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
101 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
102 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
104 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
107 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
110 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
111 messages which are unread. The commands
117 will add or remove messages from these
118 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
119 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
120 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
122 man page for the details about this sequence.
123 (profile, no default)
129 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
130 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
131 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
134 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
137 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
138 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
141 man page for details about private sequences.
142 (context, no default)
148 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
154 (profile, default: %default_editor%)
159 If defined and set to 1, then the
161 program will automatically
162 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
163 composition draft before it is sent.
164 (profile, no default)
170 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
173 for an explanation of the octal number.
174 (profile, default: 0600)
177 .BR Folder\-Protect :
180 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
183 for an explanation of the octal number.
184 (profile, default: 700)
190 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
192 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
193 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
196 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
199 (profile, no defaults)
202 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
205 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
206 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
214 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
215 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
216 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
217 (profile, no default)
223 The contents of the folder-stack for the
226 (context, no default)
230 Your Username <user@some.host>
232 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
233 by the default component files by tools like
237 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
238 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC-822
239 compliant. If this is set, the
241 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
242 default: userid@local.hostname)
245 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
246 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
252 which addresses are really yours.
255 knows which addresses should be included in the
258 knows if the message really originated from you.
259 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
260 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
261 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
262 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
263 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
264 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
265 (profile, default: your user-id)
272 Indicates aliases files for
277 This may be used instead of the
280 switch. (profile, no default)
286 Indicates a default draft folder for
295 man page for details. (profile, no default)
298 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
303 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
305 (context, no default)
308 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
313 the last volume sent for the digest
315 (context, no default)
323 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
324 superseded by the environment variable
326 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
330 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
332 Tells front-end programs such as
337 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
342 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
343 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
344 Your signature will be added to the address
346 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
347 signature text. The \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component
348 supersedes all of this. (profile, no default)
351 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
352 The following profile elements are used whenever an
354 program invokes some other program such as
358 can be used to select alternate programs if the
359 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
365 This is the program used by
367 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
373 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
376 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
377 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
384 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
387 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
394 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
395 in the mhl filter. See
397 for more information.
405 to incorporate new mail when it
406 is invoked with no arguments.
412 This program is called to initialize the environment for
420 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
423 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
424 also used by the draft folder facility in
430 to display the draft message.
436 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
437 and notifications. It is used by
441 option. It is used by
443 to post failure notices.
444 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
445 (such as when storing the body with
452 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
455 to filter and display the message headers
456 of MIME messages. When the
467 is used to filter the
468 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
475 is used to filter the copy of the message
476 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
482 This is the program used by
486 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
489 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
507 This is the program used by
516 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
518 (called with the switches
522 to do address verification.
528 This is the program used by
532 to delete a message from a folder.
538 This is the program to use by
540 to actually send the message
546 This is the program used by
548 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
554 This is the program used by
556 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
562 This is the program invoked by
568 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
574 This is the program used by
576 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
579 .SS "Environment Variables"
582 and its commands it also controlled by the
583 presence of certain environment variables.
585 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
586 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
587 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
588 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
590 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
598 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
599 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
600 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
601 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
602 not generally be set by the user.
606 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
612 that you invoke. If the value of
614 is not absolute, (i.e., does
615 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
616 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
618 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
625 With this environment variable, you can specify a
626 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
629 profile). As always, unless the value of
631 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
638 With this environment variable, you can specify an
639 additional user profile (file) to be read by
641 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
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.
651 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
652 be removed from a future nmh release.
657 With this environment variable, you can specify an
658 additional user profile (file) to be read by
660 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
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
674 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
675 this character set on your terminal.
677 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
690 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
691 a character set that doesn't match
696 for matches against the charset parameter
697 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
698 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
700 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
701 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
703 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
705 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
706 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
707 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
708 the environment variable
717 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
724 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
725 inc(1) man page for more information.
728 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
730 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
731 mh-tailor(5) man page.
740 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry,
741 and is not used when the \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component is set.
750 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
755 This variable tells all
757 programs your home directory
766 The environment variable
768 is also consulted. In particular,
773 how to clear your terminal, and how
774 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
777 lines long your terminal screen is.
782 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
783 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
786 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
787 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
792 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
793 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
794 default. See mh-tailor(5).
801 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
802 create some temporary files.
807 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
809 will emit debugging information.
814 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
816 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
821 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
823 commands that use the
824 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
825 profile entry will display debugging information
826 about the values in that entry.
831 This is the alternate message.
837 during edit sessions so you can
838 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
839 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
840 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
841 on the same UNIX filesystem.
846 This is the path to the working draft.
856 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
869 about an alternate message associated with the
870 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
875 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
881 during edit sessions so you
882 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
883 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
901 that message re-distribution is occurring.
915 editor (unless overridden by
932 if annotations are to occur.
942 if annotations are to occur.
952 if annotations are to occur.
958 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
959 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
960 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
961 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
962 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
963 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
967 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
972 contains only static information, which
976 update. Changes in context are made to the
978 file kept in the users
981 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
982 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
983 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
984 profile entry (default is
985 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
989 may override the path of the
991 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
992 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
993 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
995 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
996 private sequences by using different context files.
999 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
1000 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
1001 Each token is separated by whitespace.
1003 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1004 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1005 command line semantics of all
1007 programs: conflicting switches
1012 may occur more than one time on the
1013 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1014 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1015 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1016 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1017 arguments) in the profile.
1019 If one finds that an
1021 program is being invoked again and again
1022 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1023 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1029 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1030 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1033 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1036 program of your choice with an alternate set
1037 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1038 is preferable to this solution).
1042 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1045 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1048 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1051 commands safely. (Recall that some
1054 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1055 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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