4 .TH REPL %manext1% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 repl \- reply to a message
13 .RB [ \-annotate " | " \-noannotate ]
14 .RB [ \-group " | " \-nogroup ]
19 .RB [ \-query " | " \-noquery ]
22 .RB [ \-format " | " \-noformat ]
25 .RB [ \-inplace " | " \-noinplace ]
26 .RB [ \-mime " | " \-nomime ]
34 .RB [ \-nowhatnowproc ]
43 may be used to produce a reply to an existing message.
45 In its simplest form (with no arguments),
48 message\-form skeleton in reply to the current message in the current
49 folder, and invoke the whatnow shell.
51 In order to construct the message draft of the reply,
54 a reply template to guide its actions. A reply template is simply a
62 is given (it is on by default), then
64 will use the standard forms file \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq. This will construct
65 a draft message that is intended to be sent only to the author of the
66 message to which you are replying. If a file named \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq
69 directory, it will be used instead of this
72 The default reply template \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq will direct
74 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
78 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
79 Cc: <To> and <Cc> and <personal address>
80 Fcc: {fcc switch} or +sent
81 Subject: Re: <Subject>
82 In\-Reply\-To: <Message\-Id>
83 References: <Message\-Id>
84 Comments: In\-Reply\-To <From> or <apparently from> or <Sender>
91 where field names enclosed in angle brackets (<\ >) indicate the
92 contents of the named field from the message to which the reply is
95 By default, the \*(lqCc:\*(rq field is empty. You may selectively add
96 addresses to this default with the
99 switch. This switch takes an
101 .IR all / to / cc / me )
102 which specifies who gets added to the default
103 \*(lqCc:\*(rq list of the reply. You may give this switch multiple times (with
104 different arguments) if you wish to add multiple types of addresses.
111 standard forms file \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq. This will construct a
112 draft message that is intended as a group or followup reply. If a file
113 named \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq exists in the user's mmh directory, it
114 will be used instead of this default forms file.
116 The default group reply template \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq will direct
118 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
122 To: <Mail\-Followup\-To>
123 Subject: Re: <Subject>
124 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
125 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
131 or if the field <Mail\-Followup\-To> is not available:
135 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
136 Cc: <To> and <Cc> and <personal address>
137 Subject: Re: <Subject>
138 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
139 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
145 By default, the \*(lqCc:\*(rq contains all the addresses shown. You may
146 selectively remove addresses from this default with the
150 This switch takes an argument (
151 .IR all / to / cc / me )
152 which specifies who gets removed
153 from the default \*(lqCc:\*(rq list of the reply. You may give this switch
154 multiple times (with different arguments) if you wish to remove multiple types
157 In any case, you may specify an alternate forms file with the switch
163 switch modifies the action of
167 interactively asking you if each address that normally would be placed in
168 the \*(lqTo:\*(rq and \*(lqCc:\*(rq list should actually be sent a copy.
169 This is useful for special\-purpose replies. Note that the position of
174 switches, like all other switches which take a
175 positive and negative form, is important.
177 Lines beginning with the fields \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqCc:\*(rq, and
178 \*(rqBcc:\*(rq will be standardized and have duplicate addresses removed.
179 In addition, these fields will be wrapped at a reasonable length.
183 for a description of the
187 switches. Note that while in the editor, the message being replied
188 to is available through a link named \*(lq@\*(rq (assuming the default
190 In addition, the actual pathname of the message is
191 stored in the environment variable
194 the folder containing the message is stored in the environment variable
199 uses a forms file to direct it how to construct
200 the beginning of the draft, it uses a message filter file to direct
201 it as to how the message to which you are replying should be filtered
202 (re\-formatted) in the body of the draft. The filter file for
204 should be a standard form file for
210 to format the message to which you are replying.
219 which message filter file to use.
223 is given (it is the default), then the message
224 to which you are replying is not included in the body of the draft.
228 is given, then a default message filter file
229 is used. This default message filter should be adequate for most users.
231 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
240 which outputs each line of the body of the message prefaced with the
241 \*(lq>\*(rq character and a space.
244 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
248 it will be used instead of this form. You may specify an alternate
249 message filter file with the switch
253 Other reply filters are commonly used, such as:
258 body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
262 which says to output a blank line and then the body of the message
263 being replied\-to, indented by one tab\-stop. Another popular format
268 message-id:nocomponent,\|nonewline,\\
269 formatfield=\*(lqIn message %{text},\ \*(rq
270 from:nocomponent,\|formatfield=\*(lq%(decode(friendly{text})) writes:\*(rq
271 body:component=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowtext=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowoffset=0
275 This message filter file cites the Message-ID and author of the message
276 being replied\-to, and then outputs each line of the body prefaced with
277 the \*(lq>\*(rq character.
279 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation, specify the
284 to add an attachment header field, for which
290 switch is given, the message being replied\-to will
291 be annotated with the line:
299 The annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from
301 If the message is not sent immediately from
303 .RB \*(lq "comp\ \-use" \*(rq
304 may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed
305 message, but the annotations won't take place. Normally annotations are
306 done inplace in order to preserve any links to the message. You may use
309 switch to change this.
311 Although the default template specifies that a copy of the reply will be
317 switch is given it will override the default value.
318 More than one folder, each preceded by
323 In addition to the standard
327 also recognizes the following additional
333 .ta \w'Escape 'u +\w'Returns 'u
334 .I Escape Returns Description
335 fcc string Any folders specified with `\-fcc\ folder'
339 To avoid reiteration,
341 strips any leading `Re: ' strings from
351 Upon exiting from the editor,
357 for a discussion of available
358 options. The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the
360 switch. (In truth of fact, it is the
362 program which starts the initial edit. Hence,
365 prevent any edit from occurring.)
369 switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface
372 and is only present if
374 was compiled with support
376 .BR \-nowhatnowproc .
378 .I reply (in the mail storage root)
379 to be created, containing the draft message that would normally be presented
380 to the user for editing.
381 No mail is actually sent. Note that this switch is not guaranteed to
382 be present or to have the same effects in future versions of
384 it is documented here only for completeness.
389 switch specifies the message to be replied to as an
390 exact filename rather than as an
392 folder and message number. It is
393 intended to be used by the
397 The same caveats apply to this option as to the
404 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
405 ^%etcdir%/replcomps~^The standard reply template
406 ^or $HOME/.mmh/replcomps~^Rather than the standard template
407 ^%etcdir%/replgroupcomps~^The standard `reply -group' template
408 ^or $HOME/.mmh/replgroupcomps~^Rather than the standard template
409 ^%etcdir%/mhl.reply~^The standard message filter
410 ^or $HOME/.mmh/mhl.reply~^Rather than the standard filter
411 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user profile
412 ^+drafts~^The draft folder
415 .SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
419 .ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
420 ^Path:~^To determine the user's mail storage
421 ^Alternate\-Mailboxes:~^To determine the user's mailboxes
422 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
423 ^Draft\-Folder:~^To set the default draft\-folder
424 ^Editor:~^To override the default editor
425 ^Msg\-Protect:~^To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
426 ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message
427 ^mhlproc:~^Program to filter message being replied\-to
428 ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq questions
432 mhbuild(1), comp(1), forw(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh\-format(5)
436 .RB ` +folder "' defaults to the current folder"
437 .RB ` msg "' defaults to cur"
439 .RB ` "\-nocc\ all" "' with `\-nogroup', `\-cc\ all' with `\-group'"
448 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder. The message
449 replied\-to will become the current message.
452 If any addresses occur in the reply template, addresses in the template
453 that do not contain hosts are defaulted incorrectly. Instead of using
454 the localhost for the default,
456 uses the sender's host.
457 Moral of the story: if you're going to include addresses in a reply
458 template, include the host portion of the address.
468 it does not actually run the
471 Hence, if you define your own
479 If your current working directory is not writable, the link named
480 \*(lq@\*(rq is not available.