5 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
7 mh-profile \- user profile customization for nmh message handler
9 .I $HOME/.mh\(ruprofile
13 is expected to have a file named
15 in his or her home directory. This file contains
16 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
18 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
21 .IR profile\-component ": " value
24 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
25 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
27 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
28 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
29 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
30 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
31 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
35 context, and indicates what the default value is.
42 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
43 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
49 Declares the location of the
51 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
56 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
62 Keeps track of the current open folder.
63 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
69 Defines the name of your default inbox.
70 (profile, default: inbox)
73 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
76 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
77 `msg' argument given to any
79 command. If not present or empty,
80 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
81 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
84 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
87 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
90 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
91 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
92 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
94 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
97 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
100 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
101 messages which are unread. The commands
107 will add or remove messages from these
108 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
109 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
110 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
112 man page for the details about this sequence.
113 (profile, no default)
119 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
120 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
121 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
124 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
127 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
128 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
131 man page for details about private sequences.
132 (context, no default)
138 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
144 (profile, default: %default_editor%)
149 If defined and set to 1, then the
151 program will automatically
152 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
153 composition draft before it is sent.
154 (profile, no default)
160 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
163 for an explanation of the octal number.
164 (profile, default: 0644)
167 .BR Folder\-Protect :
170 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
173 for an explanation of the octal number.
174 (profile, default: 700)
180 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
182 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
183 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
186 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
189 (profile, no defaults)
192 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
195 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
196 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
204 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
205 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
206 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
207 (profile, no default)
215 which BBoards you are interested in. (profile, default: system)
221 The contents of the folder-stack for the
224 (context, no default)
233 auditfile in addition to its other tasks.
239 (profile, no default)
242 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
243 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
249 which addresses are really yours.
252 knows which addresses should be included in the
255 knows if the message really originated from you.
256 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
257 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
258 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
259 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
260 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
261 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
262 (profile, default: your user-id)
269 Indicates aliases files for
274 This may be used instead of the
277 switch. (profile, no default)
283 Indicates a default draft folder for
291 man page for details. (profile, no default)
294 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
299 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
301 (context, no default)
304 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
309 the last volume sent for the digest
311 (context, no default)
319 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
320 superseded by the environment variable
322 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
326 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
330 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
335 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
336 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
338 was configured with the UCI option, the file
340 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
342 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
343 signature text. (profile, no default)
346 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
347 The following profile elements are used whenever an
349 program invokes some other program such as
353 can be used to select alternate programs if the
354 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
360 This is the program used by
362 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
368 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
371 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
372 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
379 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
382 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
390 to incorporate new mail when it
391 is invoked with no arguments.
397 This program is called to initialize the environment for
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.
496 This is the program used by
505 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
507 (called with the switches
511 to do address verification.
517 This is the program used by
521 to delete a message from a folder.
533 This is the program to use by
535 to actually send the message
541 This is the program used by
543 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
549 This is the program used by
551 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
557 This is the program invoked by
563 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
569 This is the program used by
571 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
574 .SS "Environment Variables"
577 and its commands it also controlled by the
578 presence of certain environment variables.
580 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
581 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
582 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
583 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
585 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
593 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
594 information via an argument list.
598 option was set during
601 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
607 are not given any `msgs'
608 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
610 This is useful for getting the default behavior
611 supplied by the default
616 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
622 that you invoke. If the value of
624 is not absolute, (i.e., does
625 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
626 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
628 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
635 With this environment variable, you can specify a
636 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
639 profile). As always, unless the value of
641 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
648 With this environment variable, you can specify
649 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
650 this character set on your terminal.
652 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
665 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
666 a character set that doesn't match
671 for matches against the charset parameter
672 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
673 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
675 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
676 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
678 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
680 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
681 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
682 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
683 the environment variable
692 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
701 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
706 This variable tells all
708 programs your home directory
715 the default shell to run
724 The environment variable
726 is also consulted. In particular,
731 how to clear your terminal, and how
732 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
735 lines long your terminal screen is.
740 This is the alternate message.
746 during edit sessions so you can
747 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
748 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
749 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
750 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.
804 This is set to tell the
807 editor (unless overridden by
824 if annotations are to occur.
834 if annotations are to occur.
844 if annotations are to occur.
849 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
855 during edit sessions so you
856 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
857 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
871 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
872 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
873 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
874 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
875 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
876 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
880 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
885 contains only static information, which
889 update. Changes in context are made to the
891 file kept in the users
894 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
895 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
896 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
897 profile entry (default is
898 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
902 may override the path of the
904 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
905 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
906 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
908 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
909 private sequences by using different context files.
912 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
913 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
914 Each token is separated by whitespace.
916 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
917 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
918 command line semantics of all
920 programs: conflicting switches
925 may occur more than one time on the
926 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
927 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
928 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
929 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
930 arguments) in the profile.
934 program is being invoked again and again
935 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
936 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
942 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
943 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
946 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
949 program of your choice with an alternate set
950 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
951 is preferable to this solution).
955 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
958 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
961 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
964 commands safely. (Recall that some
967 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
968 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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