4 .TH MH-DRAFT %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 mh-draft \- draft folder facility for nmh message system
12 There are a number of interesting advanced facilities for the composition of
15 .SS "The Draft Folder"
22 commands have two additional switches,
28 which allow you to manipulate the various draft messages you are composing.
33 is used, these commands are
34 directed to construct a draft message in the indicated folder.
36 .RI \*(lq Draft\-Folder \*(rq
37 profile entry may be used to declare a default draft folder for use with
47 is given, the specified draft is used to compose the message. If
51 draft defaults to `new' (create a new draft) unless the user invokes
55 in which case the default is `cur'.
57 Hence, the user may have several message compositions in progress
58 simultaneously. Now, all of the
60 tools are available on each of the user's message drafts (e.g.
64 and so on). If the folder does not exist, the user is asked if it should be
65 created (just like with
67 Also, the last draft message
68 the user was composing is known as `cur' in the draft folder.
72 command has these switches as well. Hence,
73 from the shell, the user can send off whatever drafts desired using the
76 `msgs' convention with
79 If no `msgs' are given, it defaults to `cur'.
81 In addition, all five programs have a
83 switch, which undoes the last occurrence of
86 (useful if the latter occurs in the user's
90 If the user does not give the
93 switch, then all these commands act \*(lqnormally\*(rq. Note that the
99 still refers to the file called `draft' in the user's
101 directory. In the interests of economy of expression, when using
105 the user needn't prefix the draft `msg' or `msgs' with
108 commands accept a `file' or `files' argument, and they will, if given
111 treat these arguments as `msg' or `msgs'. (This may appear to be
112 inconsistent, at first, but it saves a lot of typing) Hence,
116 send -draftfolder +drafts first
124 send -draftfolder +drafts -draftmessage first
128 To make all this a bit more clear, here are some examples. Let's assume
129 that the following entries are in the
135 Draft\-Folder: +drafts
136 sendf: \-draftfolder +drafts
140 Furthermore, let's assume that the program
142 is a (symbolic) link in the user's
146 Then, any of the commands
157 constructs the message draft in the `draft' folder using the `new'
158 message number. Furthermore, they each define `cur' in this folder to
159 be that message draft. If the user were to use the
161 option at `What now?' level, then later on, if no other draft composition
162 was done, the draft could be sent with simply
170 Or, if more editing was required, the draft could be edited with
178 Instead, if other drafts had been composed in the meantime, so that this
179 message draft was no longer known as `cur' in the `draft' folder, then
182 the folder to see which message draft in the
183 folder should be used for editing or sending. Clever users could even
190 comp -use `pick +drafts -to nmh-workers`
198 sendf `pick +drafts -to nmh-workers`
204 example, the output from
206 must resolve to a single message draft (it makes no sense to talk about
207 composing two or more drafts with one invocation of
211 example, as many message drafts as desired can appear, since
213 doesn't mind sending more than one draft at a time.
215 Note that the argument
218 is not included in the profile entry for
224 directly, they supply
226 with the UNIX pathname of the message draft, and
233 is concerned, a draft folder is not being used.
235 It is important to realize that
237 treats the draft folder like a standard
239 folder in nearly all respects. There are two exceptions:
241 First, under no circumstancs will the
244 switch cause the named folder to become the current folder.
246 Obviously, if the folder appeared in the context of a standard
258 it might become the current folder, depending on the context changes of the
262 Second, although conceptually
264 deletes the `msgs' named in the draft folder, it does not call
266 to perform the deletion.
268 .SS "What Happens if the Draft Exists"
276 are invoked and the draft you indicated already exists, these programs
277 will prompt the user for a reponse directing the program's action.
282 Draft ``/home/foobar/nmhbox/draft'' exists (xx bytes).
287 The appropriate responses and their meanings are:
293 .BR ^replace~^ "- deletes the draft and starts afresh"
294 .BR ^list~^ "- lists the draft"
295 .BR ^refile~^ "- files the draft into a folder and starts afresh"
296 .BR ^quit~^ "- leaves the draft intact and exits"
300 In addition, if you specified
303 to the command, then one other response will be accepted:
309 .BR ^new~^ "- finds a new draft"
319 command will accept one more response:
325 .BR ^use~^ "- re-uses the draft"
projects / mmh / blob