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: `,')
167 If defined and set to 1, then the
169 program will automatically
170 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
171 composition draft before it is sent.
172 (profile, no default)
178 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
181 for an explanation of the octal number.
182 (profile, default: 0644)
185 .BR Folder\-Protect :
188 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
191 for an explanation of the octal number.
192 (profile, default: 700)
198 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
200 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
201 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
204 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
207 (profile, no defaults)
210 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
213 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
214 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
222 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
223 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
224 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
225 (profile, no default)
233 which BBoards you are interested in. (profile, default: system)
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
292 This may be used instead of the
295 switch. (profile, no default)
301 Indicates a default draft folder for
309 man page for details. (profile, no default)
312 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
317 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
319 (context, no default)
322 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
327 the last volume sent for the digest
329 (context, no default)
337 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
338 superseded by the environment variable
340 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
344 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
348 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
353 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
354 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used; otherwise, on hosts where
356 was configured with the UCI option, the file
358 is consulted. Your signature will be added to the address
360 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
361 signature text. (profile, no default)
364 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
365 The following profile elements are used whenever an
367 program invokes some other program such as
371 can be used to select alternate programs if the
372 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
378 This is the program used by
380 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
386 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
389 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
390 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
397 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
400 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
408 to incorporate new mail when it
409 is invoked with no arguments.
415 This program is called to initialize the environment for
423 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
426 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
427 also used by the draft folder facility in
433 to display the draft message.
439 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
440 and notifications. It is used by
444 option. It is used by
446 to post failure notices.
447 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
448 (such as when storing the body with
455 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
458 to filter and display the message headers
459 of MIME messages. When the
470 is used to filter the
471 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
482 to filter the copy of the message
483 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
489 This is the program used by
493 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
496 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
514 This is the program used by
523 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
525 (called with the switches
529 to do address verification.
535 This is the program used by
539 to delete a message from a folder.
551 This is the program to use by
553 to actually send the message
559 This is the program used by
561 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
567 This is the program used by
569 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
575 This is the program invoked by
581 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
587 This is the program used by
589 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
592 .SS "Environment Variables"
595 and its commands it also controlled by the
596 presence of certain environment variables.
598 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
599 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
600 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
601 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
603 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
611 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
612 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
613 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
614 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
615 not generally be set by the user.
619 option was set during
622 if this environment variable is set, then if the commands
628 are not given any `msgs'
629 arguments, then they will default to using the file indicated by
631 This is useful for getting the default behavior
632 supplied by the default
637 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
643 that you invoke. If the value of
645 is not absolute, (i.e., does
646 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
647 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
649 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
656 With this environment variable, you can specify a
657 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
660 profile). As always, unless the value of
662 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
669 With this environment variable, you can specify
670 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
671 this character set on your terminal.
673 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
686 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
687 a character set that doesn't match
692 for matches against the charset parameter
693 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
694 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
696 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
697 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
699 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
701 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
702 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
703 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
704 the environment variable
713 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
722 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry.
727 This variable tells all
729 programs your home directory
736 the default shell to run
745 The environment variable
747 is also consulted. In particular,
752 how to clear your terminal, and how
753 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
756 lines long your terminal screen is.
761 This is the alternate message.
767 during edit sessions so you can
768 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
769 available through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
770 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
771 on the same UNIX filesystem.
776 This is the path to the working draft.
786 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
809 about an alternate message associated with the
810 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
820 that message re-distribution is occurring.
834 editor (unless overridden by
851 if annotations are to occur.
861 if annotations are to occur.
871 if annotations are to occur.
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
898 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
899 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
900 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
901 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
902 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
903 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
907 nmh(1), environ(5), mh-sequence(5)
912 contains only static information, which
916 update. Changes in context are made to the
918 file kept in the users
921 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
922 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
923 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
924 profile entry (default is
925 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
929 may override the path of the
931 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
932 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
933 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
935 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
936 private sequences by using different context files.
939 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
940 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile .
941 Each token is separated by whitespace.
943 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
944 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
945 command line semantics of all
947 programs: conflicting switches
952 may occur more than one time on the
953 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
954 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
955 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
956 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
957 arguments) in the profile.
961 program is being invoked again and again
962 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
963 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
969 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
970 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
973 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
976 program of your choice with an alternate set
977 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
978 is preferable to this solution).
982 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
985 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
988 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
991 commands safely. (Recall that some
994 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
995 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
projects / mmh / blob