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)
156 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
162 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
163 are ``removed'' by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
164 (profile, default: `,')
170 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
171 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
172 (profile, default: `@')
175 .BR Attachment-Header :
178 The (pseudo) header in draft messages, that contains files to be attached
179 to the message on sending.
180 If you like to type a lot, name it `X-MH-Attachment'.
181 (profile, default: `Attach')
187 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
190 for an explanation of the octal number.
191 (profile, default: 0644)
194 .BR Folder\-Protect :
197 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
200 for an explanation of the octal number.
201 (profile, default: 700)
207 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
209 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
210 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
213 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
216 (profile, no defaults)
219 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
222 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
223 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
231 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
232 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
233 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
234 (profile, no default)
240 The contents of the folder-stack for the
243 (context, no default)
252 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
258 (profile, no default)
261 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
262 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
268 which addresses are really yours.
271 knows which addresses should be included in the
274 knows if the message really originated from you.
275 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
276 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
277 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
278 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
279 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
280 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
281 (profile, default: your user-id)
288 Indicates aliases files for
292 This may be used instead of the
295 switch. (profile, no default)
301 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
303 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
306 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
311 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
313 (context, no default)
316 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
321 the last volume sent for the digest
323 (context, no default)
331 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
332 superseded by the environment variable
334 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
338 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
342 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
347 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
348 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
349 Your signature will be added to the address
351 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
352 signature text. (profile, no default)
355 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
356 The following profile elements are used whenever an
358 program invokes some other program such as
360 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
361 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
367 This is the program used by
369 to process MIME composition files, created from drafts which require
376 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
379 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
380 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
387 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
390 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
398 to incorporate new mail when it
399 is invoked with no arguments.
405 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
408 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
409 also used by the draft folder facility in
415 to display the draft message.
421 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
422 and notifications. It is used by
426 option. It is used by
428 to post failure notices.
429 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
430 (such as when storing the body with
437 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
440 to filter and display the message headers
448 is used to filter the
449 message to which you are replying.
455 This is the program used by
459 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
462 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
468 This is the program used by
477 post a message to the mail transport system.
483 This is the program used by
487 to delete a message from a folder.
493 This is the program to use by
495 to actually send the message
501 This is the program used by
503 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
509 This is the program used by
511 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
517 This is the program invoked by
523 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
526 .SS "Environment Variables"
529 and its commands it also controlled by the
530 presence of certain environment variables.
532 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
533 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
534 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
535 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
537 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
545 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
546 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
547 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
548 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
549 not generally be set by the user.
553 option was set during
556 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
561 are not given any `msgs'
562 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
564 This is useful for getting the default behavior
565 supplied by the default
570 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
571 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
573 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
574 This is one of the very few exceptions in
576 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
582 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
584 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
588 that you invoke. If the value of
590 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
595 With this environment variable, you can specify a
596 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
597 the profile). As always, unless the value of
599 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
604 With this environment variable, you can specify
605 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
606 this character set on your terminal.
608 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
621 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
622 a character set that doesn't match
627 for matches against the charset parameter
628 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
629 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
631 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
632 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
634 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
636 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
637 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
638 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
639 the environment variable
648 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
657 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
662 This variable tells all
664 programs your home directory
671 the default shell to run
680 The environment variable
682 is also consulted. In particular,
687 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
690 lines long your terminal screen is.
695 This is the alternate message.
701 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
702 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
703 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
705 in the current directory if your current working directory
706 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
711 This is the path to the working draft.
721 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
744 about an alternate message associated with the
745 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
755 that message re-distribution is occurring.
769 editor (unless overridden by
786 if annotations are to occur.
796 if annotations are to occur.
801 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
807 during edit sessions so you
808 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
809 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
823 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
824 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
825 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
826 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
827 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
828 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
829 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
830 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
834 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
838 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
839 contains only static information, which
843 update. Changes in context are made to the
844 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
846 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
847 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
848 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
849 profile entry (default is
850 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
852 The profile may override the path of the
854 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
855 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
856 private sequences by using different context files.
859 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
860 Each token is separated by whitespace.
862 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
863 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
864 command line semantics of all
866 programs: conflicting switches
871 may occur more than one time on the
872 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
873 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
874 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
875 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
876 arguments) in the profile.
880 program is being invoked again and again
881 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
882 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
888 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
889 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
892 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
895 program of your choice with an alternate set
896 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
897 is preferable to this solution).
901 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
904 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
907 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
910 commands safely. (Recall that some
913 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
914 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob