4 .TH MHL %manext1% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 mhl \- produce formatted listings of nmh messages
26 command for filtering and/or displaying text
27 messages. It is the default method of displaying text messages for
34 is outputting to a terminal, then
36 will cause a pager to be placed between the terminal and
42 switch sets the screen width. This defaults to the value indicated by
44 if appropriate, otherwise it defaults to 80.
46 The default format file used by
49 .RI \*(lq mhl.format \*(rq.
51 will first search for this file in the user's
53 directory, and will then search in the directory
56 can be changed by using the
60 Note: In contrast to any other
64 switch does only take file names, but no format strings with a prepended
73 which is used for the \*(lqmessagename:\*(rq field described below. The
76 is consulted for the default value,
82 initialize appropriately.
85 operates in two phases: 1) read and parse the format file, and
86 2) process each message (file). During phase 1, an internal description
87 of the format is produced as a structured list. In phase 2, this list
88 is walked for each message, outputting message information under the
89 format constraints from the format file.
91 The format file can contain information controlling
92 screen size, wrap\-around control, transparent text, component ordering,
93 and component formatting. Also, a list of components to ignore may be
94 specified, and a couple of \*(lqspecial\*(rq components are defined
95 to provide added functionality. Message output will be in the order
96 specified by the order in the format file.
98 Each line of a format file has one of the following forms:
104 variable[,variable...]
105 component:[variable,...]
110 A line beginning with a `;' is a comment, and is ignored.
112 A line beginning with a `:' is clear text, and is output exactly as is.
114 A line containing only a `:' produces a blank line in the output.
116 A line beginning with \*(lqcomponent:\*(rq defines the format for the specified
119 Remaining lines define the global environment.
121 For example, the line:
124 width=80,overflowtext="***",overflowoffset=5
127 defines the screen size to be 80 columns by 40 rows, specifies that the
129 is 5, and that overflow text should be flagged with \*(lq***\*(rq.
131 Following are all of the current variables and their arguments. If they
132 follow a component, they apply only to that component, otherwise, their
133 affect is global. Since the whole format is parsed before any output
134 processing, the last global switch setting for a variable applies to
135 the whole message if that variable is used in a global context (i.e.,
140 .ta \w'xxxxxxxxxxxxx 'u +\w'integer/G 'u
141 .I variable type semantics
142 width integer screen width or component width
143 length integer component length
144 offset integer positions to indent \*(lqcomponent: \*(rq
145 overflowtext string text to use at the beginning of an
147 overflowoffset integer positions to indent overflow lines
148 compwidth integer positions to indent component text
149 after the first line is output
150 uppercase flag output text of this component in all
152 nouppercase flag don't uppercase
153 component string/L name to use instead of \*(lqcomponent\*(rq for
155 nocomponent flag don't output \*(lqcomponent: \*(rq for this
157 center flag center component on line (works for
158 one\-line components only)
159 nocenter flag don't center
160 leftadjust flag strip off leading whitespace on each
162 noleftadjust flag don't leftadjust
163 compress flag change newlines in text to spaces
164 nocompress flag don't compress
165 split flag don't combine multiple fields into
167 nosplit flag combine multiple fields into
169 newline flag print newline at end of components
170 (this is the default)
171 nonewline flag don't print newline at end of components
172 formatfield string format string for this component
174 decode flag decode text as RFC-2047 encoded
176 addrfield flag field contains addresses
177 datefield flag field contains dates
181 To specify the value of integer\-valued and string\-valued variables,
182 follow their name with an equals\-sign and the value. Integer\-valued
183 variables are given decimal values, while string\-valued variables
184 are given arbitrary text bracketed by double\-quotes. If a value is
185 suffixed by \*(lq/G\*(rq or \*(lq/L\*(rq, then its value is useful in
186 a global\-only or local\-only context (respectively).
191 ignores=component,...
194 specifies a list of components which are never output.
196 The component \*(lqMessageName\*(rq (case\-insensitive) will output the
197 actual message name (file name) preceded by the folder name if one is
198 specified or found in the environment. The format is identical to that
204 The component \*(lqExtras\*(rq will output all of the components of the
205 message which were not matched by explicit components, or included in
206 the ignore list. If this component is not specified, an ignore list is
207 not needed since all non\-specified components will be ignored.
209 If \*(lqnocomponent\*(rq is NOT specified, then the component name will
210 be output as it appears in the format file.
212 The default format file is:
220 The variable \*(lqformatfield\*(rq specifies a format string (see
222 The flag variables \*(lqaddrfield\*(rq and
223 \*(lqdatefield\*(rq (which are mutually exclusive), tell
225 to interpret the escapes in the format string as either addresses or
230 does not apply any formatting string to fields
231 containing address or dates (see
234 fields). Note that this results in faster operation since
236 must parse both addresses and dates in order to apply a format string
239 can be given a default format string for
240 either address or date fields (but not both). To do this, on a global
241 line specify: either the flag addrfield or datefield, along with the
242 appropriate formatfield variable string.
247 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
248 ^%etcdir%/mhl.format~^The message template
249 ^or $HOME/.mmh/mhl.format~^Rather than the standard template
250 ^$HOME/.mh/profile~^The user profile
253 .SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
257 .ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
258 ^Pager:~^Program to use as interactive front\-end
262 show(1), ap(8), dp(8)
273 In contrast to any other
277 switch does only take file names, but no format strings with a prepended
280 The \*(lqnonewline\*(rq option interacts badly with \*(lqcompress\*(rq