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
410 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
411 The absolute pathname of the message to list will be appended to
412 the command line given.
418 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
419 and notifications. It is used by
423 option. It is used by
425 to post failure notices.
426 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
427 (such as when storing the body with
434 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
437 to filter and display the message headers
445 is used to filter the
446 message to which you are replying.
452 This is the program used by
456 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
459 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
465 This is the program used by
474 post a message to the mail transport system.
480 This is the program used by
484 to delete a message from a folder.
490 This is the program to use by
492 to actually send the message
498 This is the program used by
500 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
506 This is the program used by
508 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
514 This is the program invoked by
520 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
523 .SS "Environment Variables"
526 and its commands it also controlled by the
527 presence of certain environment variables.
529 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
530 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
531 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
532 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
534 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
542 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
543 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
544 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
545 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
546 not generally be set by the user.
550 option was set during
553 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
558 are not given any `msgs'
559 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
561 This is useful for getting the default behavior
562 supplied by the default
567 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
568 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
570 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
571 This is one of the very few exceptions in
573 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
579 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
581 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
585 that you invoke. If the value of
587 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
592 With this environment variable, you can specify a
593 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
594 the profile). As always, unless the value of
596 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
601 With this environment variable, you can specify
602 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
603 this character set on your terminal.
605 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
618 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
619 a character set that doesn't match
624 for matches against the charset parameter
625 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
626 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
628 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
629 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
631 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
633 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
634 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
635 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
636 the environment variable
645 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
654 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
659 This variable tells all
661 programs your home directory
668 the default shell to run
677 The environment variable
679 is also consulted. In particular,
684 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
687 lines long your terminal screen is.
692 This is the alternate message.
698 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
699 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
700 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
702 in the current directory if your current working directory
703 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
708 This is the path to the working draft.
718 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
741 about an alternate message associated with the
742 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
752 that message re-distribution is occurring.
766 editor (unless overridden by
783 if annotations are to occur.
793 if annotations are to occur.
798 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
804 during edit sessions so you
805 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
806 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
820 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
821 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
822 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
823 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
824 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
825 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
826 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
827 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
831 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
835 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
836 contains only static information, which
840 update. Changes in context are made to the
841 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
843 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
844 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
845 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
846 profile entry (default is
847 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
849 The profile may override the path of the
851 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
852 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
853 private sequences by using different context files.
856 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
857 Each token is separated by whitespace.
859 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
860 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
861 command line semantics of all
863 programs: conflicting switches
868 may occur more than one time on the
869 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
870 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
871 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
872 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
873 arguments) in the profile.
877 program is being invoked again and again
878 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
879 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
885 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
886 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
889 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
892 program of your choice with an alternate set
893 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
894 is preferable to this solution).
898 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
901 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
904 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
907 commands safely. (Recall that some
910 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
911 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob