+.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "Oct 14, 2012" "%nmhversion%"
.\"
.\" %nmhwarning%
-.\" $Id$
.\"
-.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
.SH NAME
mh-alias \- alias file for nmh message system
.SH SYNOPSIS
or
.RS 5
.B ;
+|
+.B :
+|
+.B #
.I comment
.RE
.PP
.RE
.PP
Continuation lines in alias files end with `\\' followed by the newline
-character.
+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
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
-correct format. (This makes replies possible since
+correct format (with the alias quoted if necessary and the address
+wrapped in <>).
+.PP
+This makes replies possible since
.B nmh
aliases
-and personal aliases are unknown to the mail transport system.)
+and personal aliases are unknown to the mail transport system.
.RE
.PP
Since the alias file is read line by line, forward references work, but
.nf
<%etcdir%/BBoardAliases
sgroup: fred, fear, freida
-b-people: Blind List: bill, betty;
+b-people: Blind List: bill, betty
fred: frated@UCI
UNIX\-committee: <unix.aliases
staff: =staff
\*(rqfear\*(rq, and \*(rqfreida\*(rq.
.PP
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).
+\*(lqbill\*(rq and \*(lqbetty\*(rq; the message will be delivered to those
+addresses, but the message header will show only \*(lqBlind List: ;\*(rq
+(not the addresses). The alias must not be terminated with, or contain,
+a semicolon; see
+.B Helpful Hints
+below. Note that blind lists are not supported with the
+.B sendmail/pipe
+mail transport method.
.PP
Next, the definition of \*(lqUNIX\-committee\*(rq is given by
reading the file
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
-.B NOT
+.B not
expanded into the headers of messages delivered.
-
.SH "HELPFUL HINTS"
To use aliasing in
.B nmh
.RI \*(lq aliases \*(rq
file as appropriate.
.RE
-
+.PP
+Earlier versions of this man page showed a semicolon at the end of the
+blind list example. That caused the preceeding alias to not be
+expanded. There must not be a semicolon at the end of, or within, the
+address group of a blind list.
+.B post
+will append the semicolon to the blind list name.
.SH FILES
.fc ^ ~
.nf
.ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
^%etcdir%/MailAliases~^global nmh alias file
.fi
-
.SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
.fc ^ ~
.nf
.ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
^Aliasfile:~^For a default alias file
.fi
-
.SH "SEE ALSO"
-ali(1), send(1), whom(1), group(5), passwd(5), conflict(8), post(8)
-
+.IR ali (1),
+.IR send (1),
+.IR whom (1),
+.IR group (5),
+.IR passwd (5),
+.IR conflict (8),
+.IR post (8)
.SH CONTEXT
None
-
.SH BUGS
Although the forward-referencing semantics of
.B mh\-alias
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.
-.PP
-Forward references do not work correctly inside blind lists.