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 $MMHPAGER environment variable.
163 (profile, default: more)
174 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
180 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
181 are backup'd for some reason.
183 for instance, does this.
184 Note: rmm does NOT anymore use the backup prefix.
185 It should typically be set to `,' or `#'.
186 (profile, default: `,')
192 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
193 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
194 (profile, default: `@')
197 .BR Attachment-Header :
200 The (pseudo) header in draft messages, that contains files to be attached
201 to the message on sending.
202 If you like to type a lot, name it `X-MH-Attachment'.
203 (profile, default: `Attach')
206 .BR Mime-Type-Query :
209 A command that prints the MIME type of a file.
210 The file name gets appended to the command line.
211 Note: Older GNU versions of file(1) won't generate the desired
212 output. GNU file-4.26, for instance, omits a required semicolon.
213 GNU file-5.04 is known to work. Non-GNU version likely need different
214 options or don't provide this function at all. Alternatively, you can use
215 .BR print\-mimetype ,
216 which is part of mmh, but guesses MIME types by file name extensions only.
222 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
225 for an explanation of the octal number.
226 (profile, default: 0600)
229 .BR Folder\-Protect :
232 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
235 for an explanation of the octal number.
236 (profile, default: 0700)
242 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
244 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
245 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
248 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
251 (profile, no defaults)
254 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
257 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
258 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
266 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
267 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
268 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
269 (profile, no default)
275 The contents of the folder-stack for the
278 (context, no default)
287 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
293 (profile, no default)
296 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
297 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
303 which addresses are really yours.
306 knows which addresses should be included in the
309 knows if the message really originated from you.
310 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
311 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
312 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
313 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
314 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
315 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
316 (profile, default: your user-id)
323 Indicates aliases files for
327 This may be used instead of the
330 switch. (profile, no default)
336 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
338 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
344 Changes the default folder for removed messages. Read the
346 man page for details.
347 (profile, default: +trash)
350 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
355 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
357 (context, no default)
360 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
365 the last volume sent for the digest
367 (context, no default)
375 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
376 superseded by the environment variable
378 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
382 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
386 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
391 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
392 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
393 Your signature will be added to the address
395 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
396 signature text. (profile, no default)
399 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
400 The following profile elements are used whenever an
402 program invokes some other program such as
404 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
405 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
411 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
414 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
415 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
422 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
425 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
431 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
436 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
437 The absolute pathname of the message to list will be appended to
438 the command line given.
444 This is the program invoked by
450 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
453 .SS "Environment Variables"
456 and its commands it also controlled by the
457 presence of certain environment variables.
459 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
460 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
461 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
462 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
464 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
472 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
473 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
474 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
475 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
476 not generally be set by the user.
480 option was set during
483 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
488 are not given any `msgs'
489 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
491 This is useful for getting the default behavior
492 supplied by the default
497 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
498 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
500 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
501 This is one of the very few exceptions in
503 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
509 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
511 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
515 that you invoke. If the value of
517 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
522 With this environment variable, you can specify a
523 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
524 the profile). As always, unless the value of
526 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
531 With this environment variable, you can specify
532 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
533 this character set on your terminal.
535 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
548 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
549 a character set that doesn't match
554 for matches against the charset parameter
555 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
556 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
558 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
559 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
561 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
563 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
564 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
565 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
566 the environment variable
575 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
584 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
589 This variable tells all
591 programs your home directory
598 the default shell to run
607 These variables (in descending priority) define the default editor to use.
614 These variables (in descending priority) define the default pager to use.
623 The environment variable
625 is also consulted. In particular,
630 how many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
633 lines long your terminal screen is.
638 This is the alternate message.
644 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
645 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
646 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
648 in the current directory if your current working directory
649 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
654 This is the path to the working draft.
664 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
687 about an alternate message associated with the
688 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
698 that message re-distribution is occurring.
712 editor (unless overridden by
729 if annotations are to occur.
739 if annotations are to occur.
744 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
750 during edit sessions so you
751 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
752 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
766 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
767 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
768 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
769 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
770 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
771 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
772 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
773 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
777 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
781 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
782 contains only static information, which
786 update. Changes in context are made to the
787 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
789 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
790 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
791 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
792 profile entry (default is
793 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
795 The profile may override the path of the
797 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
798 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
799 private sequences by using different context files.
802 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
803 Each token is separated by whitespace.
805 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
806 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
807 command line semantics of all
809 programs: conflicting switches
814 may occur more than one time on the
815 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
816 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
817 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
818 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
819 arguments) in the profile.
823 program is being invoked again and again
824 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
825 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
831 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
832 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
835 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
838 program of your choice with an alternate set
839 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
840 is preferable to this solution).
844 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
847 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
850 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
853 commands safely. (Recall that some
856 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
857 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob