4 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 mh-profile \- user profile customization for nmh message handler
8 .I $HOME/.mh\(ruprofile
12 is expected to have a file named
14 in his or her home directory. This file contains
15 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
17 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
20 .IR profile\-component ": " value
23 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
24 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
26 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
27 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
28 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
29 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
30 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
34 context, and indicates what the default value is.
41 transactions in directory \*(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: <nmh\-dir>/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\(rusequences)
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 mh 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)
241 which BBoards you are interested in. (profile, default: system)
247 The contents of the folder-stack for the
250 (context, no default)
259 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
265 (profile, no default)
268 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
269 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
275 which addresses are really yours.
278 knows which addresses should be included in the
281 knows if the message really originated from you.
282 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
283 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
284 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
285 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
286 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
287 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
288 (profile, default: your user-id)
295 Indicates aliases files for
299 This may be used instead of the
302 switch. (profile, no default)
308 Indicates a default draft folder for
316 man page for details. (profile, no default)
319 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
324 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
326 (context, no default)
329 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
334 the last volume sent for the digest
336 (context, no default)
344 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
345 superseded by the environment variable
347 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
351 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
355 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
360 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
361 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
363 was configured with the UCI option, the file
365 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
367 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
368 signature text. (profile, no default)
371 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
372 The following profile elements are used whenever an
374 program invokes some other program such as
378 can be used to select alternate programs if the
379 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
385 This is the program used by
387 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
393 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
396 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
397 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
404 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
407 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
415 to incorporate new mail when it
416 is invoked with no arguments.
422 This program is called to initialize the environment for
430 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
433 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
434 also used by the draft folder facility in
440 to display the draft message.
446 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
447 and notifications. It is used by
451 option. It is used by
453 to post failure notices.
454 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
455 (such as when storing the body with
462 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
465 to filter and display the message headers
466 of MIME messages. When the
477 is used to filter the
478 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
489 to filter the copy of the message
490 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
496 This is the program used by
500 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
503 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
515 This is the program used by
524 post a message to the mail transport system.
530 This is the program used by
534 to delete a message from a folder.
546 This is the program to use by
548 to actually send the message
554 This is the program used by
556 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
562 This is the program used by
564 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
570 This is the program invoked by
576 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
579 .SS "Environment Variables"
582 and its commands it also controlled by the
583 presence of certain environment variables.
585 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
586 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
587 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
588 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
590 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
598 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
599 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
600 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
601 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
602 not generally be set by the user.
606 option was set during
609 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
614 are not given any `msgs'
615 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
617 This is useful for getting the default behavior
618 supplied by the default
623 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
629 that you invoke. If the value of
631 is not absolute, (i.e., does
632 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
633 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
635 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
642 With this environment variable, you can specify a
643 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
646 profile). As always, unless the value of
648 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
655 With this environment variable, you can specify
656 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
657 this character set on your terminal.
659 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
672 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
673 a character set that doesn't match
678 for matches against the charset parameter
679 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
680 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
682 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
683 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
685 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
687 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
688 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
689 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
690 the environment variable
699 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
708 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
713 This variable tells all
715 programs your home directory
722 the default shell to run
731 The environment variable
733 is also consulted. In particular,
738 how to clear your terminal, and how
739 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
742 lines long your terminal screen is.
747 This is the alternate message.
753 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
754 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
755 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
757 in the current directory if your current working directory
758 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
763 This is the path to the working draft.
773 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
796 about an alternate message associated with the
797 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
807 that message re-distribution is occurring.
821 editor (unless overridden by
838 if annotations are to occur.
848 if annotations are to occur.
858 if annotations are to occur.
863 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
869 during edit sessions so you
870 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
871 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
885 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
886 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
887 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
888 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
889 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
890 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
894 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
899 contains only static information, which
903 update. Changes in context are made to the
905 file kept in the users
908 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
909 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
910 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
911 profile entry (default is
912 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
916 may override the path of the
918 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
919 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
920 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
922 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
923 private sequences by using different context files.
926 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
927 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
928 Each token is separated by whitespace.
930 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
931 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
932 command line semantics of all
934 programs: conflicting switches
939 may occur more than one time on the
940 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
941 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
942 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
943 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
944 arguments) in the profile.
948 program is being invoked again and again
949 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
950 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
956 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
957 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
960 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
963 program of your choice with an alternate set
964 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
965 is preferable to this solution).
969 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
972 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
975 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
978 commands safely. (Recall that some
981 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
982 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob