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.
25 Comments may be introduced by a line starting with `#:':
32 Blank lines are not permitted in
35 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
36 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
37 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
38 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
39 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
43 context, and indicates what the default value is. Note that a profile
44 component can only appear once. Multiple appearances with trigger a
45 warning that all appearances after the first are ignored.
52 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
53 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
59 Declares the location of the
61 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
66 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
72 Keeps track of the current open folder.
73 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
79 Defines the name of your default inbox.
80 (profile, default: inbox)
83 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
86 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
87 `msg' argument given to any
89 command. If not present or empty,
90 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
91 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
94 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
97 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
100 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
101 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
102 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
104 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
107 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
110 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
111 messages which are unread. The commands
117 will add or remove messages from these
118 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
119 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
120 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
122 man page for the details about this sequence.
123 (profile, no default)
129 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
130 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
131 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
134 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
137 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
138 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
141 man page for details about private sequences.
142 (context, no default)
148 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
154 (profile, default: %default_editor%)
159 If defined and set to 1, then the
161 program will automatically
162 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
163 composition draft before it is sent.
164 (profile, no default)
170 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
173 for an explanation of the octal number. Note that some filesystems,
174 such as FAT32, do not support removal of read file permissions.
175 (profile, default: 0600)
178 .BR Folder\-Protect :
181 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
184 for an explanation of the octal number.
185 (profile, default: 700)
191 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
193 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
194 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
197 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
200 (profile, no defaults)
203 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
206 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
207 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
215 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
216 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
217 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
218 (profile, no default)
224 The contents of the folder-stack for the
227 (context, no default)
231 Your Username <user@some.host>
233 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
234 by the default component files by tools like
238 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
239 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC-822
240 compliant. If this is set, the
242 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
243 default: userid@local.hostname)
246 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
247 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
253 which addresses are really yours.
256 knows which addresses should be included in the
259 knows if the message really originated from you.
260 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
261 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
262 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
263 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
264 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
265 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
266 (profile, default: your user-id)
273 Indicates aliases files for
278 This may be used instead of the
281 switch. (profile, no default)
287 Indicates a default draft folder for
296 man page for details. (profile, no default)
299 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
304 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
306 (context, no default)
309 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
314 the last volume sent for the digest
316 (context, no default)
324 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
325 superseded by the environment variable
327 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
331 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
333 Tells front-end programs such as
338 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
343 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
344 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
345 Your signature will be added to the address
347 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
348 signature text. The \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component
349 supersedes all of this. (profile, no default)
352 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
353 The following profile elements are used whenever an
355 program invokes some other program such as
359 can be used to select alternate programs if the
360 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
366 This is the program used by
368 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
374 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
377 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
378 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
385 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
388 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
395 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
396 in the mhl filter. See
398 for more information.
406 to incorporate new mail when it
407 is invoked with no arguments.
413 This program is called to initialize the environment for
421 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
424 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
425 also used by the draft folder facility in
431 to display the draft message.
437 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
438 and notifications. It is used by
442 option. It is used by
444 to post failure notices.
445 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
446 (such as when storing the body with
453 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
456 to filter and display the message headers
457 of MIME messages. When the
468 is used to filter the
469 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
476 is used 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.
508 This is the program used by
517 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
519 (called with the switches
523 to do address verification.
529 This is the program used by
533 to delete a message from a folder.
539 This is the program to use by
541 to actually send the message
547 This is the program used by
549 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
555 This is the program used by
557 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
563 This is the program invoked by
569 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
575 This is the program used by
577 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
580 .SS "Environment Variables"
583 and its commands it also controlled by the
584 presence of certain environment variables.
586 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
587 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
588 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
589 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
591 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
599 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
600 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
601 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
602 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
603 not generally be set by the user.
607 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
613 that you invoke. If the value of
615 is not absolute, (i.e., does
616 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
617 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
619 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
626 With this environment variable, you can specify a
627 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
630 profile). As always, unless the value of
632 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
639 With this environment variable, you can specify an
640 additional user profile (file) to be read by
642 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
647 With this environment variable, you can specify an
648 additional user profile (file) to be read by
650 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
652 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
653 be removed from a future nmh release.
658 With this environment variable, you can specify an
659 additional user profile (file) to be read by
661 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
666 With this environment variable, you can specify an
667 additional user profile (file) to be read by
669 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
674 With this environment variable, you can specify
675 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
676 this character set on your terminal.
678 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
691 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
692 a character set that doesn't match
697 for matches against the charset parameter
698 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
699 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
701 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
702 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
704 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
706 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
707 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
708 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
709 the environment variable
718 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
725 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
726 inc(1) man page for more information.
729 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
731 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
732 mh-tailor(5) man page.
741 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry,
742 and is not used when the \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component is set.
751 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
756 This variable tells all
758 programs your home directory
767 The environment variable
769 is also consulted. In particular,
774 how to clear your terminal, and how
775 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
778 lines long your terminal screen is.
783 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
784 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
787 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
788 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
793 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
794 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
795 default. See mh-tailor(5).
802 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
803 create some temporary files.
808 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
810 will emit debugging information.
815 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
817 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
822 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
824 commands that use the
825 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
826 profile entry will display debugging information
827 about the values in that entry.
832 This is the alternate message.
838 during edit sessions so you can
839 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
840 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
841 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
842 on the same UNIX filesystem.
847 This is the path to the working draft.
857 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
870 about an alternate message associated with the
871 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
876 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
882 during edit sessions so you
883 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
884 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
902 that message re-distribution is occurring.
916 editor (unless overridden by
933 if annotations are to occur.
943 if annotations are to occur.
953 if annotations are to occur.
959 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
960 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
961 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
962 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
963 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
964 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
968 nmh(7), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
973 contains only static information, which
977 update. Changes in context are made to the
979 file kept in the users
982 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
983 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
984 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
985 profile entry (default is
986 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
990 may override the path of the
992 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
993 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
994 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
996 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
997 private sequences by using different context files.
1000 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
1001 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
1002 Each token is separated by whitespace.
1004 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1005 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1006 command line semantics of all
1008 programs: conflicting switches
1013 may occur more than one time on the
1014 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1015 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1016 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1017 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1018 arguments) in the profile.
1020 If one finds that an
1022 program is being invoked again and again
1023 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1024 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1030 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1031 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1034 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1037 program of your choice with an alternate set
1038 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1039 is preferable to this solution).
1043 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1046 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1049 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1052 commands safely. (Recall that some
1055 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1056 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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