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: %default_editor%)
149 The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they
150 are "removed" by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.
151 (profile, default: `,')
156 If defined and set to 1, then the
158 program will automatically
159 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
160 composition draft before it is sent.
161 (profile, no default)
167 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
170 for an explanation of the octal number.
171 (profile, default: 0644)
174 .BR Folder\-Protect :
177 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
180 for an explanation of the octal number.
181 (profile, default: 700)
187 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
189 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
190 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
193 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
196 (profile, no defaults)
199 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
202 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
203 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
211 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
212 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
213 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
214 (profile, no default)
222 which BBoards you are interested in. (profile, default: system)
228 The contents of the folder-stack for the
231 (context, no default)
240 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
246 (profile, no default)
249 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
250 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
256 which addresses are really yours.
259 knows which addresses should be included in the
262 knows if the message really originated from you.
263 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
264 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
265 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
266 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
267 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
268 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
269 (profile, default: your user-id)
276 Indicates aliases files for
281 This may be used instead of the
284 switch. (profile, no default)
290 Indicates a default draft folder for
298 man page for details. (profile, no default)
301 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
306 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
308 (context, no default)
311 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
316 the last volume sent for the digest
318 (context, no default)
326 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
327 superseded by the environment variable
329 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
333 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
337 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
342 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
343 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
345 was configured with the UCI option, the file
347 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
349 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
350 signature text. (profile, no default)
353 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
354 The following profile elements are used whenever an
356 program invokes some other program such as
360 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 drafts which are MIME composition files.
375 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
378 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
379 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
386 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
389 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
397 to incorporate new mail when it
398 is invoked with no arguments.
404 This program is called to initialize the environment for
412 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
415 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
416 also used by the draft folder facility in
422 to display the draft message.
428 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
429 and notifications. It is used by
433 option. It is used by
435 to post failure notices.
436 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
437 (such as when storing the body with
444 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
447 to filter and display the message headers
448 of MIME messages. When the
459 is used to filter the
460 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
471 to filter the copy of the message
472 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
478 This is the program used by
482 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
485 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
503 This is the program used by
512 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
514 (called with the switches
518 to do address verification.
524 This is the program used by
528 to delete a message from a folder.
548 This is the program to use by
550 to actually send the message
556 This is the program used by
558 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
564 This is the program used by
566 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
572 This is the program invoked by
578 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
584 This is the program used by
586 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
589 .SS "Environment Variables"
592 and its commands it also controlled by the
593 presence of certain environment variables.
595 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
596 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
597 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
598 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
600 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
608 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
609 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
610 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
611 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
612 not generally be set by the user.
616 option was set during
619 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
625 are not given any `msgs'
626 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
628 This is useful for getting the default behavior
629 supplied by the default
634 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
640 that you invoke. If the value of
642 is not absolute, (i.e., does
643 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
644 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
646 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
653 With this environment variable, you can specify a
654 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
657 profile). As always, unless the value of
659 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
666 With this environment variable, you can specify
667 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
668 this character set on your terminal.
670 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
683 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
684 a character set that doesn't match
689 for matches against the charset parameter
690 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
691 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
693 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
694 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
696 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
698 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
699 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
700 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
701 the environment variable
710 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
719 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
724 This variable tells all
726 programs your home directory
733 the default shell to run
742 The environment variable
744 is also consulted. In particular,
749 how to clear your terminal, and how
750 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
753 lines long your terminal screen is.
758 This is the alternate message.
764 during edit sessions so you can
765 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
766 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
767 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
768 on the same UNIX filesystem.
773 This is the path to the working draft.
783 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
806 about an alternate message associated with the
807 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
817 that message re-distribution is occurring.
831 editor (unless overridden by
848 if annotations are to occur.
858 if annotations are to occur.
868 if annotations are to occur.
873 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
879 during edit sessions so you
880 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
881 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
895 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
896 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
897 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
898 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
899 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
900 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
904 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
909 contains only static information, which
913 update. Changes in context are made to the
915 file kept in the users
918 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
919 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
920 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
921 profile entry (default is
922 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
926 may override the path of the
928 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
929 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
930 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
932 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
933 private sequences by using different context files.
936 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
937 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
938 Each token is separated by whitespace.
940 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
941 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
942 command line semantics of all
944 programs: conflicting switches
949 may occur more than one time on the
950 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
951 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
952 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
953 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
954 arguments) in the profile.
958 program is being invoked again and again
959 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
960 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
966 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
967 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
970 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
973 program of your choice with an alternate set
974 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
975 is preferable to this solution).
979 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
982 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
985 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
988 commands safely. (Recall that some
991 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
992 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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