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)
239 The contents of the folder-stack for the
242 (context, no default)
251 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
257 (profile, no default)
260 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
261 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
267 which addresses are really yours.
270 knows which addresses should be included in the
273 knows if the message really originated from you.
274 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
275 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
276 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
277 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
278 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
279 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
280 (profile, default: your user-id)
287 Indicates aliases files for
291 This may be used instead of the
294 switch. (profile, no default)
300 Indicates a default draft folder for
308 man page for details. (profile, no default)
311 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
316 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
318 (context, no default)
321 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
326 the last volume sent for the digest
328 (context, no default)
336 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
337 superseded by the environment variable
339 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
343 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
347 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
352 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
353 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
355 was configured with the UCI option, the file
357 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
359 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
360 signature text. (profile, no default)
363 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
364 The following profile elements are used whenever an
366 program invokes some other program such as
370 can be used to select alternate programs if the
371 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
377 This is the program used by
379 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
385 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
388 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
389 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
396 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
399 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
407 to incorporate new mail when it
408 is invoked with no arguments.
414 This program is called to initialize the environment for
422 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
425 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
426 also used by the draft folder facility in
432 to display the draft message.
438 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
439 and notifications. It is used by
443 option. It is used by
445 to post failure notices.
446 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
447 (such as when storing the body with
454 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
457 to filter and display the message headers
458 of MIME messages. When the
469 is used to filter the
470 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
481 to filter the copy of the message
482 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
488 This is the program used by
492 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
495 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
507 This is the program used by
516 post a message to the mail transport system.
522 This is the program used by
526 to delete a message from a folder.
538 This is the program to use by
540 to actually send the message
546 This is the program used by
548 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
554 This is the program used by
556 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
562 This is the program invoked by
568 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
571 .SS "Environment Variables"
574 and its commands it also controlled by the
575 presence of certain environment variables.
577 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
578 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
579 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
580 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
582 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
590 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
591 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
592 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
593 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
594 not generally be set by the user.
598 option was set during
601 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
606 are not given any `msgs'
607 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
609 This is useful for getting the default behavior
610 supplied by the default
615 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
621 that you invoke. If the value of
623 is not absolute, (i.e., does
624 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
625 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
627 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
634 With this environment variable, you can specify a
635 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
638 profile). As always, unless the value of
640 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
647 With this environment variable, you can specify
648 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
649 this character set on your terminal.
651 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
664 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
665 a character set that doesn't match
670 for matches against the charset parameter
671 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
672 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
674 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
675 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
677 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
679 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
680 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
681 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
682 the environment variable
691 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
700 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
705 This variable tells all
707 programs your home directory
714 the default shell to run
723 The environment variable
725 is also consulted. In particular,
730 how to clear your terminal, and how
731 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
734 lines long your terminal screen is.
739 This is the alternate message.
745 during edit sessions so you can peruse the message being distributed or
746 replied to. The message is also available through a link called
747 \*(lq@\*(rq (if not changed by
749 in the current directory if your current working directory
750 and the message's folder are on the same UNIX filesystem.
755 This is the path to the working draft.
765 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
788 about an alternate message associated with the
789 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
799 that message re-distribution is occurring.
813 editor (unless overridden by
830 if annotations are to occur.
840 if annotations are to occur.
850 if annotations are to occur.
855 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
861 during edit sessions so you
862 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
863 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
877 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
878 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
879 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
880 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
881 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
882 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
886 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
891 contains only static information, which
895 update. Changes in context are made to the
897 file kept in the users
900 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
901 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
902 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
903 profile entry (default is
904 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
908 may override the path of the
910 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
911 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
912 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
914 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
915 private sequences by using different context files.
918 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
919 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
920 Each token is separated by whitespace.
922 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
923 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
924 command line semantics of all
926 programs: conflicting switches
931 may occur more than one time on the
932 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
933 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
934 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
935 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
936 arguments) in the profile.
940 program is being invoked again and again
941 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
942 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
948 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
949 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
952 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
955 program of your choice with an alternate set
956 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
957 is preferable to this solution).
961 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
964 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
967 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
970 commands safely. (Recall that some
973 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
974 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob