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')
187 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
190 for an explanation of the octal number.
191 (profile, default: 0644)
194 .BR Folder\-Protect :
197 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
200 for an explanation of the octal number.
201 (profile, default: 700)
207 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mmh program
209 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
210 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
213 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
216 (profile, no defaults)
219 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
222 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
223 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
231 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
232 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
233 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
234 (profile, no default)
240 The contents of the folder-stack for the
243 (context, no default)
252 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
258 (profile, no default)
261 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
262 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
268 which addresses are really yours.
271 knows which addresses should be included in the
274 knows if the message really originated from you.
275 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
276 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
277 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
278 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
279 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
280 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
281 (profile, default: your user-id)
288 Indicates aliases files for
292 This may be used instead of the
295 switch. (profile, no default)
301 Changes the default draft folder. Read the
303 man page for details. (profile, default: +drafts)
306 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
311 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
313 (context, no default)
316 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
321 the last volume sent for the digest
323 (context, no default)
331 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
332 superseded by the environment variable
334 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
338 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
342 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
347 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
348 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
349 Your signature will be added to the address
351 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
352 signature text. (profile, no default)
355 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
356 The following profile elements are used whenever an
358 program invokes some other program such as
360 The profile can be used to select alternate programs if the
361 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
367 This is the program used by
369 to process MIME composition files, created from drafts which require
376 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
379 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
380 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
387 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
390 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
398 to incorporate new mail when it
399 is invoked with no arguments.
405 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
408 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
409 also used by the draft folder facility in
415 to display the draft message.
421 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
422 and notifications. It is used by
426 option. It is used by
428 to post failure notices.
429 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
430 (such as when storing the body with
437 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
440 to filter and display the message headers
441 of MIME messages. When the
452 is used to filter the
453 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
464 to filter the copy of the message
465 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
471 This is the program used by
475 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
478 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
484 This is the program used by
493 post a message to the mail transport system.
499 This is the program used by
503 to delete a message from a folder.
509 This is the program to use by
511 to actually send the message
517 This is the program used by
519 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
525 This is the program used by
527 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
533 This is the program invoked by
539 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
542 .SS "Environment Variables"
545 and its commands it also controlled by the
546 presence of certain environment variables.
548 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
549 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
550 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
551 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
553 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
561 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
562 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
563 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
564 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by mmh and should
565 not generally be set by the user.
569 option was set during
572 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
577 are not given any `msgs'
578 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
580 This is useful for getting the default behavior
581 supplied by the default
586 With this environment variable, you can specify an alternative
587 mmh directory. Personal mmh configuration files are located relative to
589 Non-absolute values are relative to the home directory.
590 This is one of the very few exceptions in
592 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
598 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
600 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
604 that you invoke. If the value of
606 is not absolute, it will be presumed to start from the mmh directory.
611 With this environment variable, you can specify a
612 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
613 the profile). As always, unless the value of
615 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your mmh directory.
620 With this environment variable, you can specify
621 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
622 this character set on your terminal.
624 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
637 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
638 a character set that doesn't match
643 for matches against the charset parameter
644 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
645 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
647 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
648 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
650 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
652 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
653 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
654 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
655 the environment variable
664 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
673 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
678 This variable tells all
680 programs your home directory
687 the default shell to run
696 The environment variable
698 is also consulted. In particular,
703 how to clear your terminal, and how
704 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
707 lines long your terminal screen is.
712 This is the alternate message.
718 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
719 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
720 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
722 in the current directory if your current working directory
723 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
728 This is the path to the working draft.
738 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
761 about an alternate message associated with the
762 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
772 that message re-distribution is occurring.
786 editor (unless overridden by
803 if annotations are to occur.
813 if annotations are to occur.
818 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
824 during edit sessions so you
825 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
826 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
840 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
841 ^$HOME/.mmh~^The user's mmh directory
842 ^or $MMH~^Rather than the standard mmh directory
843 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user's profile
844 ^or $MMHP~^Rather than the standard profile
845 ^$HOME/.mmh/context~^The user's context
846 ^or $MMHC~^Rather than the standard context
847 ^<folder>/.mh_sequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
851 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(7)
855 .I $HOME/.mmh/profile
856 contains only static information, which
860 update. Changes in context are made to the
861 .I $HOME/.mmh/context
863 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
864 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
865 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq
866 profile entry (default is
867 .IR \&.mh_sequences ).
869 The profile may override the path of the
871 file, by specifying a \*(lqContext\*(rq entry.
872 As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
873 private sequences by using different context files.
876 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the profile.
877 Each token is separated by whitespace.
879 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
880 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
881 command line semantics of all
883 programs: conflicting switches
888 may occur more than one time on the
889 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
890 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
891 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
892 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
893 arguments) in the profile.
897 program is being invoked again and again
898 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
899 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
905 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
906 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
909 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
912 program of your choice with an alternate set
913 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
914 is preferable to this solution).
918 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
921 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
924 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
927 commands safely. (Recall that some
930 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
931 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob