5 .\" include the -mh macro file
8 .TH FORW %manext1% MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
10 forw \- forward messages
17 \%[\-annotate] \%[\-noannotate]
20 \%[\-format] \%[\-noformat]
21 \%[\-filter\ filterfile]
23 \%[\-inplace] \%[\-noinplace]
24 \%[\-mime] \%[\-nomime]
26 \%[\-draftfolder\ +folder] \%[\-draftmessage\ msg]
29 \%[\-editor\ editor] \%[\-noedit]
31 \%[\-whatnowproc\ program] \%[\-nowhatnowproc]
33 \%[\-dashstuffing] \%[\-nodashstuffing]
44 \%[\-digest\ list] \%[\-issue\ number]
47 \%[other\ switches\ for\ \fIforw\fR]
51 \fIForw\fR may be used to prepare a message containing other messages.
53 It constructs the new message from a forms (components) file, with a
54 body composed of the message(s) to be forwarded. An editor is invoked
55 as in \fIcomp\fR, and after editing is complete, the user is prompted
56 before the message is sent.
58 The default message form contains the following elements:
64 .so %etcdir%/forwcomps
69 If a file named \*(lqforwcomps\*(rq exists in the user's nmh directory,
70 it will be used instead of this default form. You may also specify an
71 alternate forms file with the switch `\-form\ formfile'.
73 When If the draft already exists, \fIforw\fR will ask you as to the disposition
74 of the draft. A reply of \fBquit\fR will abort \fIforw\fR, leaving the
75 draft intact; \fBreplace\fR will replace the existing draft with a blank
76 skeleton; and \fBlist\fR will display the draft.
78 If the `\-annotate' switch is given, each message being forwarded will
79 be annotated with the lines
84 where each address list contains as many lines as required. This
85 annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from
86 \fIforw\fR. If the message is not sent immediately from \fIforw\fR,
87 \*(lqcomp\ \-use\*(rq may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed
88 message, but the annotations won't take place. Normally annotations
89 are done inplace in order to preserve any links to the message. You may
90 change this by using the '\-noinplace' switch.
92 See \fIcomp\fR\0(1) for a description of the `\-editor' and `\-noedit'
95 Although \fIforw\fR uses a forms (components) file to direct it how to
96 construct the beginning of the draft, it uses a message filter file to
97 direct it as to how each forwarded message should be formatted in the
98 body of the draft. The filter file for \fIforw\fR should be a standard
99 form file for \fImhl\fR, as \fIforw\fR will invoke \fImhl\fR to filter
100 (re\-format) the forwarded messages prior to being output to the body
103 The switches `\-noformat', `\-format', and `\-filter\ filterfile' specify
104 which message filter file to use.
106 If `\-noformat' is specified (this is the default), then each forwarded
107 message is output into the draft exactly as it appears with no \fImhl\fR
110 If `\-format' is specified, then a default message filter file is used.
111 This default message filter should be adequate for most users.
112 This default filter \*(lqmhl.forward\*(rq is:
118 .so %etcdir%/mhl.forward
123 If a file named \*(lqmhl.forward\*(rq exists in the user's nmh
124 directory, it will be used instead of this form. You may specify an
125 alternate message filter file with the switch `\-filter\ filterfile'.
127 Each forwarded message is separated with an encapsulation delimiter.
128 By default, any dashes in the first column of the forwarded messages
129 will be prepended with `\-\ ' so that when received, the message is
130 suitable for bursting by \fIburst\fR\0(1). This follows the Internet
131 RFC\-934 guidelines. You may use the flag `\-nodashstuffing' in order
132 to suppress this form of quoting to the forwarded messages.
134 For users of \fIprompter\fR\0(1), by specifying prompter's `-prepend'
135 switch in the \&.mh\(ruprofile file, any commentary text is entered
136 before the forwarded messages. (A major win!)
138 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation, specify the `\-mime' switch.
139 This directs \fIforw\fR to generate an \fImhbuild\fR composition file.
140 Note that nmh will not invoke \fImhbuild\fR automatically, unless you
141 add this line to your \&.mh\(ruprofile file:
148 you must specifically give the command
154 prior to sending the draft.
156 The `\-draftfolder\ +folder' and `\-draftmessage\ msg' switches invoke
157 the \fInmh\fR draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly
158 useful) feature. Consult the \fImh-draft\fR(5) man page for more
161 Upon exiting from the editor, \fIforw\fR will invoke the \fIwhatnow\fR
162 program. See \fIwhatnow\fR\0(1) for a discussion of available
163 options. The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the
164 `\-nowhatnowproc' switch. (In truth of fact, it is the \fIwhatnow\fR
165 program which starts the initial edit. Hence, `\-nowhatnowproc' will
166 prevent any edit from occurring.)
168 The `\-build' switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface
169 to \fInmh\fR, and is only present if \fInmh\fR was compiled with support
170 for mh-e. It implies `\-nowhatnowproc'. It causes a file <mh\-dir>/draft
171 to be created, containing the draft message that would normally be presented
172 to the user for editing.
173 No mail is actually sent. Note that this switch is not guaranteed to
174 be present or to have the same effects in future versions of \fInmh\fR:
175 it is documented here only for completeness.
177 The `\-file\ msgfile' switch specifies the message to be forwarded as an
178 exact filename rather than as an \fInmh\fR folder and message number. It is
179 intended to be used by the \fImsh\fR\0(1) interface to \fInmh\fR.
180 This switch implies `-noannotate'. The forwarded message is simply
181 copied verbatim into the draft; the processing implied by
182 the `-filter', `-mime' and `-digest' switches is bypassed, and the
183 usual leading and trailing 'Forwarded Message' delimiters are not
185 The same caveats apply to this option as to the `\-build' switch.
187 The `\-digest\ list', `\-issue\ number', and `\-volume\ number' switches
188 implement a digest facility for \fInmh\fR. Specifying these switches
189 enables and/or overloads the following escapes:
193 .ta \w'Component 'u +\w'Escape 'u +\w'Returns 'u
194 \fIType\fR \fIEscape\fR \fIReturns\fR \fIDescription\fR
195 \fIcomponent\fR \fIdigest\fR string Argument to `\-digest'
196 \fIfunction\fR \fIcur\fR integer Argument to `\-volume'
197 \fIfunction\fR \fImsg\fR integer Argument to `\-issue'
201 Consult the \fBAdvanced Features\fR section of
202 the \fInmh\fR User's Manual for more information on making digests.
204 ^%etcdir%/forwcomps~^The standard message skeleton
205 ^or <mh\-dir>/forwcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton
206 ^%etcdir%/digestcomps~^The message skeleton if `\-digest' is given
207 ^or <mh\-dir>/digestcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton
208 ^%etcdir%/mhl.forward~^The standard message filter
209 ^or <mh\-dir>/mhl.forward~^Rather than the standard filter
210 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
211 ^<mh\-dir>/draft~^The draft file
213 ^Path:~^To determine the user's nmh directory
215 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
217 ^Draft\-Folder:~^To find the default draft\-folder
219 ^Editor:~^To override the default editor
221 ^Msg\-Protect:~^To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
223 ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message
225 ^mhlproc:~^Program to filter messages being forwarded
227 ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq questions
229 \fIProposed Standard for Message Encapsulation\fR (RFC\-934),
231 mhbuild(1), comp(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh\-format(5)
233 `+folder' defaults to the current folder
234 `msgs' defaults to cur
248 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
249 The first message forwarded will become the current message.
252 If \fIwhatnowproc\fR is \fIwhatnow\fR, then \fIforw\fR uses a built\-in
253 \fIwhatnow\fR, it does not actually run the \fIwhatnow\fR program.
254 Hence, if you define your own \fIwhatnowproc\fR, don't call it
255 \fIwhatnow\fR since \fIforw\fR won't run it.
257 When \fIforw\fR is told to annotate the messages it forwards, it
258 doesn't actually annotate them until the draft is successfully sent.
259 If from the \fIwhatnowproc\fR, you \fIpush\fR instead of \fIsend\fR,
260 it's possible to confuse \fIforw\fR by re\-ordering the file (e.g.,
261 by using `folder\0\-pack') before the message is successfully sent.
262 \fIDist\fR and \fIrepl\fR don't have this problem.
projects / mmh / blob