4 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 mh-profile \- user profile customization for mmh message handler
14 is expected to have a file named
16 in his or her home directory. This file contains
17 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
19 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
22 .IR Profile\-Component ": " value
25 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
26 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
28 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
29 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
30 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
31 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
32 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
36 context, and indicates what the default value is.
41 Sets the user's mail storage to \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
42 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
48 Declares the location of the
50 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
55 (profile, default: $HOME/.mmh/context)
61 Keeps track of the current open folder.
62 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
68 Defines the name of your default inbox.
69 (profile, default: inbox)
72 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
75 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
76 `msg' argument given to any
78 command. If not present or empty,
79 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
80 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
83 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
86 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
89 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
90 that sequence. Hence, \*(lq!foo\*(rq means all those messages that
91 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqfoo\*(rq.
92 To deactivate this mechanism, define Sequence\-Negation to an empty value.
95 man page for the details. (profile, default: !)
98 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
101 Names the sequence or sequences which shall contain any unread messages.
108 will add or remove messages from these
109 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If defined with an empty
110 value, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
111 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
113 man page for the details about this sequence.
114 (profile, default: u)
120 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
121 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
122 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh_sequences)
125 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
128 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
129 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
132 man page for details about private sequences.
133 (context, no default)
139 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
145 (profile, default: vi)
151 This is the program used by
155 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
158 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
159 This profile entry overrides the $PAGER environment variable, but gets
160 overridden by the $MMHPAGER environment variable.
171 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
177 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
178 are ``removed'' by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
179 (profile, default: `,')
185 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
186 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
187 (profile, default: `@')
190 .BR Attachment-Header :
193 The (pseudo) header in draft messages, that contains files to be attached
194 to the message on sending.
195 If you like to type a lot, name it `X-MH-Attachment'.
196 (profile, default: `Attach')
199 .BR Mime-Type-Query :
202 A command that prints the MIME type of a file.
203 The file name gets appended to the command line.
204 Note: Older GNU versions of file(1) won't generate the desired
205 output. GNU file-4.26, for instance, omits a required semicolon.
206 GNU file-5.04 is known to work. Non-GNU version likely need different
207 options or don't provide this function at all. Alternatively, you can use
208 .BR print\-mimetype ,
209 which is part of mmh, but guesses MIME types by file name extensions only.
215 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
218 for an explanation of the octal number.
219 (profile, default: 0644)
222 .BR Folder\-Protect :
225 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
228 for an explanation of the octal number.
229 (profile, default: 700)
235 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
237 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
238 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
241 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
244 (profile, no defaults)
247 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
250 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
251 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
259 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
260 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
261 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
262 (profile, no default)
268 The contents of the folder-stack for the
271 (context, no default)
280 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
286 (profile, no default)
289 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
290 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
296 which addresses are really yours.
299 knows which addresses should be included in the
302 knows if the message really originated from you.
303 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
304 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
305 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
306 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
307 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
308 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
309 (profile, default: your user-id)
316 Indicates aliases files for
320 This may be used instead of the
323 switch. (profile, no default)
329 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
331 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
334 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
339 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
341 (context, no default)
344 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
349 the last volume sent for the digest
351 (context, no default)
359 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
360 superseded by the environment variable
362 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
366 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
370 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
375 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
376 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
377 Your signature will be added to the address
379 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
380 signature text. (profile, no default)
383 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
384 The following profile elements are used whenever an
386 program invokes some other program such as
388 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
389 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
395 This is the program used by
397 to process MIME composition files, created from drafts which require
404 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
407 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
408 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
415 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
418 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
426 to incorporate new mail when it
427 is invoked with no arguments.
433 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
438 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
439 The absolute pathname of the message to list will be appended to
440 the command line given.
446 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
447 and notifications. It is used by
451 option. It is used by
453 to post failure notices.
454 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
455 (such as when storing the body with
462 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
465 to filter and display the message headers
473 is used to filter the
474 message to which you are replying.
480 This is the program used by
489 post a message to the mail transport system.
495 This is the program used by
499 to delete a message from a folder.
505 This is the program to use by
507 to actually send the message
513 This is the program used by
515 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
521 This is the program used by
523 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
529 This is the program invoked by
535 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
538 .SS "Environment Variables"
541 and its commands it also controlled by the
542 presence of certain environment variables.
544 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
545 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
546 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
547 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
549 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
557 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
558 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
559 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
560 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
561 not generally be set by the user.
565 option was set during
568 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
573 are not given any `msgs'
574 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
576 This is useful for getting the default behavior
577 supplied by the default
582 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
583 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
585 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
586 This is one of the very few exceptions in
588 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
594 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
596 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
600 that you invoke. If the value of
602 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
607 With this environment variable, you can specify a
608 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
609 the profile). As always, unless the value of
611 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
616 With this environment variable, you can specify
617 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
618 this character set on your terminal.
620 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
633 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
634 a character set that doesn't match
639 for matches against the charset parameter
640 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
641 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
643 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
644 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
646 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
648 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
649 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
650 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
651 the environment variable
660 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
669 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
674 This variable tells all
676 programs your home directory
683 the default shell to run
690 These variables (in descending priority) define the default pager to use.
699 The environment variable
701 is also consulted. In particular,
706 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
709 lines long your terminal screen is.
714 This is the alternate message.
720 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
721 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
722 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
724 in the current directory if your current working directory
725 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
730 This is the path to the working draft.
740 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
763 about an alternate message associated with the
764 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
774 that message re-distribution is occurring.
788 editor (unless overridden by
805 if annotations are to occur.
815 if annotations are to occur.
820 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
826 during edit sessions so you
827 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
828 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
842 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
843 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
844 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
845 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
846 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
847 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
848 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
849 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
853 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
857 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
858 contains only static information, which
862 update. Changes in context are made to the
863 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
865 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
866 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
867 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
868 profile entry (default is
869 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
871 The profile may override the path of the
873 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
874 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
875 private sequences by using different context files.
878 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
879 Each token is separated by whitespace.
881 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
882 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
883 command line semantics of all
885 programs: conflicting switches
890 may occur more than one time on the
891 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
892 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
893 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
894 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
895 arguments) in the profile.
899 program is being invoked again and again
900 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
901 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
907 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
908 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
911 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
914 program of your choice with an alternate set
915 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
916 is preferable to this solution).
920 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
923 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
926 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
929 commands safely. (Recall that some
932 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
933 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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