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, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
91 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
93 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
96 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
99 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
100 messages which are unread. The commands
106 will add or remove messages from these
107 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
108 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
109 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
111 man page for the details about this sequence.
112 (profile, no default)
118 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
119 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
120 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh_sequences)
123 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
126 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
127 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
130 man page for details about private sequences.
131 (context, no default)
137 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
143 (profile, default: vi)
154 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
160 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
161 are ``removed'' by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
162 (profile, default: `,')
168 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
169 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
170 (profile, default: `@')
175 If defined and set to 1, then the
177 program will automatically
178 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
179 composition draft before it is sent.
180 (profile, no default)
186 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
189 for an explanation of the octal number.
190 (profile, default: 0644)
193 .BR Folder\-Protect :
196 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
199 for an explanation of the octal number.
200 (profile, default: 700)
206 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
208 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
209 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
212 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
215 (profile, no defaults)
218 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
221 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
222 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
230 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
231 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
232 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
233 (profile, no default)
239 The contents of the folder-stack for the
242 (context, no default)
251 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
257 (profile, no default)
260 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
261 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
267 which addresses are really yours.
270 knows which addresses should be included in the
273 knows if the message really originated from you.
274 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
275 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
276 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
277 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
278 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
279 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
280 (profile, default: your user-id)
287 Indicates aliases files for
291 This may be used instead of the
294 switch. (profile, no default)
300 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
302 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
305 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
310 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
312 (context, no default)
315 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
320 the last volume sent for the digest
322 (context, no default)
330 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
331 superseded by the environment variable
333 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
337 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
341 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
346 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
347 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
349 was configured with the UCI option, the file
351 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
353 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
354 signature text. (profile, no default)
357 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
358 The following profile elements are used whenever an
360 program invokes some other program such as
362 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
363 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
369 This is the program used by
371 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
377 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
380 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
381 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
388 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
391 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
399 to incorporate new mail when it
400 is invoked with no arguments.
406 This program is called to initialize the environment for
414 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
417 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
418 also used by the draft folder facility in
424 to display the draft message.
430 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
431 and notifications. It is used by
435 option. It is used by
437 to post failure notices.
438 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
439 (such as when storing the body with
446 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
449 to filter and display the message headers
450 of MIME messages. When the
461 is used to filter the
462 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
473 to filter the copy of the message
474 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
480 This is the program used by
484 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
487 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
499 This is the program used by
508 post a message to the mail transport system.
514 This is the program used by
518 to delete a message from a folder.
530 This is the program to use by
532 to actually send the message
538 This is the program used by
540 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
546 This is the program used by
548 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
554 This is the program invoked by
560 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
563 .SS "Environment Variables"
566 and its commands it also controlled by the
567 presence of certain environment variables.
569 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
570 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
571 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
572 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
574 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
582 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
583 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
584 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
585 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
586 not generally be set by the user.
590 option was set during
593 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
598 are not given any `msgs'
599 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
601 This is useful for getting the default behavior
602 supplied by the default
607 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
608 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
610 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
611 This is one of the very few exceptions in
613 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
619 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
621 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
625 that you invoke. If the value of
627 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
632 With this environment variable, you can specify a
633 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
634 the profile). As always, unless the value of
636 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
641 With this environment variable, you can specify
642 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
643 this character set on your terminal.
645 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
658 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
659 a character set that doesn't match
664 for matches against the charset parameter
665 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
666 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
668 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
669 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
671 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
673 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
674 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
675 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
676 the environment variable
685 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
694 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
699 This variable tells all
701 programs your home directory
708 the default shell to run
717 The environment variable
719 is also consulted. In particular,
724 how to clear your terminal, and how
725 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
728 lines long your terminal screen is.
733 This is the alternate message.
739 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
740 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
741 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
743 in the current directory if your current working directory
744 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
749 This is the path to the working draft.
759 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
782 about an alternate message associated with the
783 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
793 that message re-distribution is occurring.
807 editor (unless overridden by
824 if annotations are to occur.
834 if annotations are to occur.
844 if annotations are to occur.
849 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
855 during edit sessions so you
856 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
857 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
871 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
872 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
873 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
874 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
875 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
876 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
877 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
878 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
882 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
886 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
887 contains only static information, which
891 update. Changes in context are made to the
892 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
894 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
895 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
896 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
897 profile entry (default is
898 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
900 The profile may override the path of the
902 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
903 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
904 private sequences by using different context files.
907 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
908 Each token is separated by whitespace.
910 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
911 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
912 command line semantics of all
914 programs: conflicting switches
919 may occur more than one time on the
920 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
921 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
922 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
923 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
924 arguments) in the profile.
928 program is being invoked again and again
929 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
930 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
936 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
937 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
940 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
943 program of your choice with an alternate set
944 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
945 is preferable to this solution).
949 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
952 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
955 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
958 commands safely. (Recall that some
961 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
962 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob