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 (profile, default: vi)
156 (profile, default: %sendmailpath%)
162 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
163 are ``removed'' by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
164 (profile, default: `,')
170 Name of the link to the file to which you are replying or which you are
171 redistributing. See `$mhaltmsg' below.
172 (profile, default: `@')
175 .BR Attachment-Header :
178 The (pseudo) header in draft messages, that contains files to be attached
179 to the message on sending.
180 If you like to type a lot, name it `X-MH-Attachment'.
181 (profile, default: `Attach')
186 If defined and set to 1, then the
188 program will automatically
189 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
190 composition draft before it is sent.
191 (profile, no default)
197 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
200 for an explanation of the octal number.
201 (profile, default: 0644)
204 .BR Folder\-Protect :
207 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
210 for an explanation of the octal number.
211 (profile, default: 700)
217 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
219 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
220 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
223 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
226 (profile, no defaults)
229 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
232 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
233 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
241 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
242 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
243 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
244 (profile, no default)
250 The contents of the folder-stack for the
253 (context, no default)
262 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
268 (profile, no default)
271 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
272 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
278 which addresses are really yours.
281 knows which addresses should be included in the
284 knows if the message really originated from you.
285 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
286 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
287 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
288 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
289 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
290 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
291 (profile, default: your user-id)
298 Indicates aliases files for
302 This may be used instead of the
305 switch. (profile, no default)
311 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
313 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
316 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
321 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
323 (context, no default)
326 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
331 the last volume sent for the digest
333 (context, no default)
341 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
342 superseded by the environment variable
344 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
348 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
352 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
357 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
358 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
360 was configured with the UCI option, the file
362 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
364 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
365 signature text. (profile, no default)
368 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
369 The following profile elements are used whenever an
371 program invokes some other program such as
373 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
374 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
380 This is the program used by
382 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
388 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
391 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
392 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
399 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
402 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
410 to incorporate new mail when it
411 is invoked with no arguments.
417 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
420 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
421 also used by the draft folder facility in
427 to display the draft message.
433 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
434 and notifications. It is used by
438 option. It is used by
440 to post failure notices.
441 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
442 (such as when storing the body with
449 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
452 to filter and display the message headers
453 of MIME messages. When the
464 is used to filter the
465 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
476 to filter the copy of the message
477 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
483 This is the program used by
487 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
490 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
496 This is the program used by
505 post a message to the mail transport system.
511 This is the program used by
515 to delete a message from a folder.
521 This is the program to use by
523 to actually send the message
529 This is the program used by
531 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
537 This is the program used by
539 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
545 This is the program invoked by
551 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
554 .SS "Environment Variables"
557 and its commands it also controlled by the
558 presence of certain environment variables.
560 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
561 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
562 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
563 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
565 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
573 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
574 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
575 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
576 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
577 not generally be set by the user.
581 option was set during
584 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
589 are not given any `msgs'
590 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
592 This is useful for getting the default behavior
593 supplied by the default
598 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
599 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
601 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
602 This is one of the very few exceptions in
604 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
610 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
612 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
616 that you invoke. If the value of
618 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
623 With this environment variable, you can specify a
624 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
625 the profile). As always, unless the value of
627 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
632 With this environment variable, you can specify
633 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
634 this character set on your terminal.
636 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
649 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
650 a character set that doesn't match
655 for matches against the charset parameter
656 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
657 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
659 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
660 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
662 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
664 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
665 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
666 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
667 the environment variable
676 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
685 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
690 This variable tells all
692 programs your home directory
699 the default shell to run
708 The environment variable
710 is also consulted. In particular,
715 how to clear your terminal, and how
716 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
719 lines long your terminal screen is.
724 This is the alternate message.
730 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
731 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
732 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
734 in the current directory if your current working directory
735 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
740 This is the path to the working draft.
750 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
773 about an alternate message associated with the
774 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
784 that message re-distribution is occurring.
798 editor (unless overridden by
815 if annotations are to occur.
825 if annotations are to occur.
835 if annotations are to occur.
840 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
846 during edit sessions so you
847 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
848 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
862 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
863 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
864 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
865 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
866 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
867 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
868 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
869 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
873 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
877 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
878 contains only static information, which
882 update. Changes in context are made to the
883 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
885 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
886 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
887 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
888 profile entry (default is
889 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
891 The profile may override the path of the
893 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
894 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
895 private sequences by using different context files.
898 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
899 Each token is separated by whitespace.
901 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
902 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
903 command line semantics of all
905 programs: conflicting switches
910 may occur more than one time on the
911 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
912 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
913 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
914 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
915 arguments) in the profile.
919 program is being invoked again and again
920 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
921 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
927 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
928 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
931 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
934 program of your choice with an alternate set
935 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
936 is preferable to this solution).
940 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
943 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
946 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
949 commands safely. (Recall that some
952 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
953 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob