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 by
440 post a message to the mail transport system.
446 This is the program used by
450 to delete a message from a folder.
456 This is the program to use by
458 to actually send the message
464 This is the program invoked by
470 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
473 .SS "Environment Variables"
476 and its commands it also controlled by the
477 presence of certain environment variables.
479 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
480 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
481 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
482 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
484 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
492 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
493 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
494 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
495 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
496 not generally be set by the user.
500 option was set during
503 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
508 are not given any `msgs'
509 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
511 This is useful for getting the default behavior
512 supplied by the default
517 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
518 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
520 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
521 This is one of the very few exceptions in
523 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
529 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
531 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
535 that you invoke. If the value of
537 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
542 With this environment variable, you can specify a
543 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
544 the profile). As always, unless the value of
546 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
551 With this environment variable, you can specify
552 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
553 this character set on your terminal.
555 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
568 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
569 a character set that doesn't match
574 for matches against the charset parameter
575 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
576 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
578 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
579 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
581 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
583 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
584 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
585 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
586 the environment variable
595 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
604 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
609 This variable tells all
611 programs your home directory
618 the default shell to run
627 These variables (in descending priority) define the default editor to use.
634 These variables (in descending priority) define the default pager to use.
643 The environment variable
645 is also consulted. In particular,
650 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
653 lines long your terminal screen is.
658 This is the alternate message.
664 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
665 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
666 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
668 in the current directory if your current working directory
669 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
674 This is the path to the working draft.
684 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
707 about an alternate message associated with the
708 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
718 that message re-distribution is occurring.
732 editor (unless overridden by
749 if annotations are to occur.
759 if annotations are to occur.
764 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
770 during edit sessions so you
771 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
772 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
786 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
787 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
788 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
789 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
790 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
791 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
792 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
793 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
797 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
801 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
802 contains only static information, which
806 update. Changes in context are made to the
807 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
809 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
810 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
811 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
812 profile entry (default is
813 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
815 The profile may override the path of the
817 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
818 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
819 private sequences by using different context files.
822 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
823 Each token is separated by whitespace.
825 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
826 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
827 command line semantics of all
829 programs: conflicting switches
834 may occur more than one time on the
835 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
836 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
837 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
838 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
839 arguments) in the profile.
843 program is being invoked again and again
844 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
845 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
851 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
852 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
855 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
858 program of your choice with an alternate set
859 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
860 is preferable to this solution).
864 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
867 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
870 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
873 commands safely. (Recall that some
876 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
877 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob