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 used to list the contents of a message in response
409 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
410 also used by the draft folder facility in
416 to display the draft message.
422 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
423 and notifications. It is used by
427 option. It is used by
429 to post failure notices.
430 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
431 (such as when storing the body with
438 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
441 to filter and display the message headers
442 of MIME messages. When the
453 is used to filter the
454 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
465 to filter the copy of the message
466 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
472 This is the program used by
476 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
479 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
485 This is the program used by
494 post a message to the mail transport system.
500 This is the program used by
504 to delete a message from a folder.
510 This is the program to use by
512 to actually send the message
518 This is the program used by
520 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
526 This is the program used by
528 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
534 This is the program invoked by
540 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
543 .SS "Environment Variables"
546 and its commands it also controlled by the
547 presence of certain environment variables.
549 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
550 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
551 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
552 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
554 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
562 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
563 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
564 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
565 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
566 not generally be set by the user.
570 option was set during
573 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
578 are not given any `msgs'
579 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
581 This is useful for getting the default behavior
582 supplied by the default
587 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
588 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
590 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
591 This is one of the very few exceptions in
593 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
599 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
601 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
605 that you invoke. If the value of
607 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
612 With this environment variable, you can specify a
613 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
614 the profile). As always, unless the value of
616 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
621 With this environment variable, you can specify
622 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
623 this character set on your terminal.
625 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
638 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
639 a character set that doesn't match
644 for matches against the charset parameter
645 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
646 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
648 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
649 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
651 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
653 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
654 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
655 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
656 the environment variable
665 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
674 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
679 This variable tells all
681 programs your home directory
688 the default shell to run
697 The environment variable
699 is also consulted. In particular,
704 how to clear your terminal, and how
705 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
708 lines long your terminal screen is.
713 This is the alternate message.
719 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
720 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
721 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
723 in the current directory if your current working directory
724 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
729 This is the path to the working draft.
739 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
762 about an alternate message associated with the
763 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
773 that message re-distribution is occurring.
787 editor (unless overridden by
804 if annotations are to occur.
814 if annotations are to occur.
824 if annotations are to occur.
829 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
835 during edit sessions so you
836 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
837 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
851 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
852 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
853 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
854 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
855 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
856 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
857 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
858 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
862 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
866 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
867 contains only static information, which
871 update. Changes in context are made to the
872 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
874 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
875 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
876 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
877 profile entry (default is
878 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
880 The profile may override the path of the
882 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
883 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
884 private sequences by using different context files.
887 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
888 Each token is separated by whitespace.
890 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
891 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
892 command line semantics of all
894 programs: conflicting switches
899 may occur more than one time on the
900 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
901 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
902 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
903 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
904 arguments) in the profile.
908 program is being invoked again and again
909 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
910 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
916 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
917 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
920 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
923 program of your choice with an alternate set
924 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
925 is preferable to this solution).
929 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
932 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
935 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
938 commands safely. (Recall that some
941 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
942 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob