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 This profile entry overrides the $VISUAL and $EDITOR environment variables,
146 but gets overridden by the $MMHEDITOR environment variabel.
147 (profile, default: vi)
153 This is the program used by
157 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
160 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
161 This profile entry overrides the $PAGER environment variable, but gets
162 overridden by the $MMHPAGER environment variable.
163 (profile, default: more)
174 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
180 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
181 are ``removed'' by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
182 (profile, default: `,')
188 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
189 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
190 (profile, default: `@')
193 .BR Attachment-Header :
196 The (pseudo) header in draft messages, that contains files to be attached
197 to the message on sending.
198 If you like to type a lot, name it `X-MH-Attachment'.
199 (profile, default: `Attach')
202 .BR Mime-Type-Query :
205 A command that prints the MIME type of a file.
206 The file name gets appended to the command line.
207 Note: Older GNU versions of file(1) won't generate the desired
208 output. GNU file-4.26, for instance, omits a required semicolon.
209 GNU file-5.04 is known to work. Non-GNU version likely need different
210 options or don't provide this function at all. Alternatively, you can use
211 .BR print\-mimetype ,
212 which is part of mmh, but guesses MIME types by file name extensions only.
218 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
221 for an explanation of the octal number.
222 (profile, default: 0644)
225 .BR Folder\-Protect :
228 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
231 for an explanation of the octal number.
232 (profile, default: 700)
238 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
240 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
241 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
244 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
247 (profile, no defaults)
250 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
253 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
254 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
262 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
263 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
264 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
265 (profile, no default)
271 The contents of the folder-stack for the
274 (context, no default)
283 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
289 (profile, no default)
292 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
293 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
299 which addresses are really yours.
302 knows which addresses should be included in the
305 knows if the message really originated from you.
306 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
307 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
308 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
309 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
310 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
311 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
312 (profile, default: your user-id)
319 Indicates aliases files for
323 This may be used instead of the
326 switch. (profile, no default)
332 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
334 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
337 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
342 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
344 (context, no default)
347 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
352 the last volume sent for the digest
354 (context, no default)
362 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
363 superseded by the environment variable
365 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
369 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
373 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
378 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
379 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
380 Your signature will be added to the address
382 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
383 signature text. (profile, no default)
386 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
387 The following profile elements are used whenever an
389 program invokes some other program such as
391 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
392 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
398 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
401 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
402 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
409 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
412 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
418 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
423 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
424 The absolute pathname of the message to list will be appended to
425 the command line given.
431 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
432 and notifications. It is used by
436 option. It is used by
438 to post failure notices.
439 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
440 (such as when storing the body with
447 This is the program used by
456 post a message to the mail transport system.
462 This is the program used by
466 to delete a message from a folder.
472 This is the program to use by
474 to actually send the message
480 This is the program invoked by
486 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
489 .SS "Environment Variables"
492 and its commands it also controlled by the
493 presence of certain environment variables.
495 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
496 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
497 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
498 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
500 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
508 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
509 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
510 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
511 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
512 not generally be set by the user.
516 option was set during
519 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
524 are not given any `msgs'
525 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
527 This is useful for getting the default behavior
528 supplied by the default
533 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
534 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
536 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
537 This is one of the very few exceptions in
539 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
545 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
547 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
551 that you invoke. If the value of
553 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
558 With this environment variable, you can specify a
559 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
560 the profile). As always, unless the value of
562 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
567 With this environment variable, you can specify
568 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
569 this character set on your terminal.
571 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
584 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
585 a character set that doesn't match
590 for matches against the charset parameter
591 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
592 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
594 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
595 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
597 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
599 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
600 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
601 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
602 the environment variable
611 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
620 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
625 This variable tells all
627 programs your home directory
634 the default shell to run
643 These variables (in descending priority) define the default editor to use.
650 These variables (in descending priority) define the default pager to use.
659 The environment variable
661 is also consulted. In particular,
666 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
669 lines long your terminal screen is.
674 This is the alternate message.
680 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
681 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
682 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
684 in the current directory if your current working directory
685 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
690 This is the path to the working draft.
700 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
723 about an alternate message associated with the
724 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
734 that message re-distribution is occurring.
748 editor (unless overridden by
765 if annotations are to occur.
775 if annotations are to occur.
780 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
786 during edit sessions so you
787 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
788 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
802 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
803 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
804 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
805 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
806 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
807 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
808 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
809 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
813 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
817 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
818 contains only static information, which
822 update. Changes in context are made to the
823 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
825 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
826 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
827 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
828 profile entry (default is
829 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
831 The profile may override the path of the
833 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
834 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
835 private sequences by using different context files.
838 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
839 Each token is separated by whitespace.
841 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
842 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
843 command line semantics of all
845 programs: conflicting switches
850 may occur more than one time on the
851 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
852 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
853 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
854 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
855 arguments) in the profile.
859 program is being invoked again and again
860 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
861 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
867 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
868 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
871 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
874 program of your choice with an alternate set
875 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
876 is preferable to this solution).
880 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
883 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
886 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
889 commands safely. (Recall that some
892 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
893 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob