.\"
.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
.SH NAME
mh-alias \- alias file for nmh message system
.SH SYNOPSIS
.\"
.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
.SH NAME
mh-alias \- alias file for nmh message system
.SH SYNOPSIS
-This describes both \fInmh\fR personal alias files and
-the global alias file for nmh mail delivery, the file
-
- %etcdir%/MailAliases
-
-It does \fBnot\fR describe aliases files used by the message transport system.
+This describes both
+.B nmh
+personal alias files and
+the global alias file for
+.B nmh
+mail delivery, the file
+.PP
+.RS 5
+%etcdir%/MailAliases
+.RE
+.PP
+It does
+.B not
+describe aliases files used by the message transport system.
- address\-group := address\-list
-.br
- | \*(lq<\*(rq file
-.br
- | \*(lq=\*(rq UNIX\-group
-.br
- | \*(lq+\*(rq UNIX\-group
-.br
- | \*(lq*\*(rq
-
-.br
- address\-list := address
-.br
- | address\-list, address
-.br
-
+.IR address\-list " := " address
+.RI " | " address\-list ", " address
+.fi
+.RE
+.PP
-character.
-
-Alias\-file and file are UNIX file names. UNIX\-group is a group name
-(or number) from \fI/etc/group\fR. An address is a \*(lqsimple\*(rq
+character. This applies to comment lines. Thus, a line following a
+comment line that ends with a `\\' will be treated as a continuation of
+the comment.
+.PP
+.RI \*(lq Alias\-file \*(rq
+and
+.RI \*(lq file \*(rq
+are UNIX file names.
+.I UNIX\-group
+is a group name (or number) from
+.IR /etc/group .
+An address is a \*(lqsimple\*(rq
If the line starts with a `<', then the file named after the `<' is
read for more alias definitions. The reading is done recursively, so a
`<' may occur in the beginning of an alias file with the expected results.
If the line starts with a `<', then the file named after the `<' is
read for more alias definitions. The reading is done recursively, so a
`<' may occur in the beginning of an alias file with the expected results.
-
-If the address\-group starts with a `<', then the file named after the
-`<' is read and its contents are added to the address\-list for the alias.
-
-If the address\-group starts with an `=', then the file \fI/etc/group\fR
+.PP
+If the
+.I address\-group
+starts with a `<', then the file named after the
+`<' is read and its contents are added to the
+.I address\-list
+for the alias.
+.PP
+If the
+.I address\-group
+starts with an `=', then the file
+.I /etc/group
-occurring as a member of the group is added to the address\-list for
-the alias.
-
-In contrast, if the address\-group starts with a `+', then the file
-\fI/etc/group\fR is consulted to determine the group\-id of the
+occurring as a member of the group is added to the
+.I address\-list
+for the alias.
+.PP
+In contrast, if the
+.I address\-group
+starts with a `+', then the file
+.I /etc/group
+is consulted to determine the group\-id of the
-\fI/etc/passwd\fR file whose group\-id is indicated by this group is
-added to the address\-list for the alias.
-
-If the address\-group is simply `*', then the file \fI/etc/passwd\fR is
-consulted and all login names with a userid greater than some magic number
-(usually 200) are added to the address\-list for the alias.
-
-In match, a trailing * on an alias will match just about anything
+.I /etc/passwd
+file whose group\-id is indicated by this group is
+added to the
+.I address\-list
+for the alias.
+.PP
+If the
+.I address\-group
+is simply `*', then the file
+.I /etc/passwd
+is consulted and all login names with a userid
+greater than some magic number (usually 200) are added to the
+.I address\-list
+for the alias.
+.PP
+In match, a trailing \*(lq*\*(rq on an alias will match just about anything
the existing addresses. If a match, remove the matched \*(lqalias\*(rq
from the address list, and add each new address in the address\-group to
the address list if it is not already on the list. The alias itself is
not usually output, rather the address\-group that the alias maps to is
output instead. If \*(lqalias\*(rq is terminated with a `;' instead of
a `:', then both the \*(lqalias\*(rq and the address are output in the
the existing addresses. If a match, remove the matched \*(lqalias\*(rq
from the address list, and add each new address in the address\-group to
the address list if it is not already on the list. The alias itself is
not usually output, rather the address\-group that the alias maps to is
output instead. If \*(lqalias\*(rq is terminated with a `;' instead of
a `:', then both the \*(lqalias\*(rq and the address are output in the
Since the alias file is read line by line, forward references work, but
backward references are not recognized, thus, there is no recursion.
Since the alias file is read line by line, forward references work, but
backward references are not recognized, thus, there is no recursion.
<%etcdir%/BBoardAliases
sgroup: fred, fear, freida
b-people: Blind List: bill, betty;
<%etcdir%/BBoardAliases
sgroup: fred, fear, freida
b-people: Blind List: bill, betty;
is defined as an alias for \*(lqfrated@UCI\*(rq, and \*(lqsgroup\*(rq
is defined as an alias for the three names \*(lqfrated@UCI\*(rq,
\*(rqfear\*(rq, and \*(rqfreida\*(rq.
is defined as an alias for \*(lqfrated@UCI\*(rq, and \*(lqsgroup\*(rq
is defined as an alias for the three names \*(lqfrated@UCI\*(rq,
\*(rqfear\*(rq, and \*(rqfreida\*(rq.
The alias \*(lqb-people\*(rq is a blind list which includes the addresses
\*(lqbill\*(rq and \*(lqbetty\*(rq; the message will be delieved to those
addresses, but the message header will show only \*(lqBlind List: ;\*(rq
(not the addresses).
The alias \*(lqb-people\*(rq is a blind list which includes the addresses
\*(lqbill\*(rq and \*(lqbetty\*(rq; the message will be delieved to those
addresses, but the message header will show only \*(lqBlind List: ;\*(rq
(not the addresses).
-group \*(lqstaff\*(rq in the \fI/etc/group\fR file, and \*(lqwheels\*(rq
-is defined as all users whose group\-id in \fI/etc/passwd\fR is equivalent
-to the \*(lqwheel\*(rq group.
-.sp
+group \*(lqstaff\*(rq in the
+.I /etc/group
+file, and \*(lqwheels\*(rq
+is defined as all users whose group\-id in
+.I /etc/passwd
+is equivalent to the \*(lqwheel\*(rq group.
+.PP
-
-The key thing to understand about aliasing in \fInmh\fR is that aliases
-in \fInmh\fR alias files are expanded into the headers of messages posted.
+.PP
+The key thing to understand about aliasing in
+.B nmh
+is that aliases in
+.B nmh
+alias files are expanded into the headers of messages posted.
This aliasing occurs first, at posting time, without the knowledge of the
message transport system. In contrast, once the message transport system
is given a message to deliver to a list of addresses, for each address
that appears to be local, a system\-wide alias file is consulted. These
This aliasing occurs first, at posting time, without the knowledge of the
message transport system. In contrast, once the message transport system
is given a message to deliver to a list of addresses, for each address
that appears to be local, a system\-wide alias file is consulted. These
-aliases are \fBNOT\fR expanded into the headers of messages delivered.
-.Hh
-To use aliasing in \fInmh\fR quickly, do the following:
-
-.in +.5i
-First, in your \fI\&.mh\(ruprofile\fR, choose a name for your alias
-file, say \*(lqaliases\*(rq, and add the line:
+aliases are
+.B NOT
+expanded into the headers of messages delivered.
ali(1), send(1), whom(1), group(5), passwd(5), conflict(8), post(8)
ali(1), send(1), whom(1), group(5), passwd(5), conflict(8), post(8)
-.Bu
-Although the forward-referencing semantics of \fImh\-alias\fR files
-prevent recursion, the \*(lq<\ alias\-file\*(rq command may defeat this.
+
+.SH BUGS
+Although the forward-referencing semantics of
+.B mh\-alias
+files prevent recursion, the
+.RI \*(lq< " alias\-file" \*(rq
+command may defeat this.
Since the number of file descriptors is finite (and very limited), such
infinite recursion will terminate with a meaningless diagnostic when
all the fds are used up.
Since the number of file descriptors is finite (and very limited), such
infinite recursion will terminate with a meaningless diagnostic when
all the fds are used up.