1 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "November 6, 2012" "%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
34 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
35 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile ;
36 each token is separated by whitespace.
37 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
38 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
39 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
40 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
41 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
45 context, and indicates what the default value is. Note that a profile
46 component can only appear once. Multiple appearances with trigger a
47 warning that all appearances after the first are ignored.
54 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
55 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
61 Declares the location of the
63 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
68 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
74 Keeps track of the current open folder.
75 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
81 Defines the name of your default inbox.
82 (profile, default: inbox)
85 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
88 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
89 `msg' argument given to any
91 command. If not present or empty,
92 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
93 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
96 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
99 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
102 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
103 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
104 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
106 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
109 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
112 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
113 messages which are unread. The commands
119 will add or remove messages from these
120 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
121 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
122 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
124 man page for the details about this sequence.
125 (profile, no default)
131 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
132 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
133 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
136 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
139 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
140 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
143 man page for details about private sequences.
144 (context, no default)
150 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
156 (profile, default: %default_editor%)
161 If defined and set to 1, then the
163 program will automatically
164 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
165 composition draft before it is sent.
166 (profile, no default)
172 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
175 for an explanation of the octal number. Note that some filesystems,
176 such as FAT32, do not support removal of read file permissions.
177 (profile, default: 0600)
180 .BR Folder\-Protect :
183 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
186 for an explanation of the octal number.
187 (profile, default: 700)
193 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
195 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
196 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
199 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
202 (profile, no defaults)
205 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
208 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
209 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
217 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
218 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
219 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
220 (profile, no default)
226 The contents of the folder-stack for the
229 (context, no default)
233 Your Username <user@some.host>
235 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
236 by the default component files by tools like
240 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
241 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC-822
242 compliant. If this is set, the
244 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
245 default: userid@local.hostname)
248 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
249 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
255 which addresses are really yours.
258 knows which addresses should be included in the
261 knows if the message really originated from you.
262 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
263 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
264 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
265 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
266 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
267 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
268 (profile, default: your user-id)
275 Indicates aliases files for
280 This may be used instead of the
283 switch. (profile, no default)
289 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)
335 Tells front-end programs such as
340 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
345 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
346 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
347 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. The \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component
351 supersedes all of this. (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.
396 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
397 in the mhl filter. See
399 for more information.
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.
435 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
441 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
442 and notifications. It is used by
446 option. It is used by
448 to post failure notices.
449 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
450 (such as when storing the body with
457 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
460 to filter and display the message headers
461 of MIME messages. When the
472 is used to filter the
473 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
480 is used to filter the copy of the message
481 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
487 This is the program used by
491 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
494 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
497 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
515 This is the program used by
524 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
526 (called with the switches
530 to do address verification.
536 This is the program used by
540 to delete a message from a folder.
546 This is the program to use by
548 to actually send the message
554 This is the program used by
556 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
562 This is the program used by
564 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
570 This is the program invoked by
576 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
582 This is the program used by
584 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
586 .SS "Environment Variables"
589 and its commands it also controlled by the
590 presence of certain environment variables.
592 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
593 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
594 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
595 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
597 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
605 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
606 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
607 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
608 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
609 not generally be set by the user.
613 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
619 that you invoke. If the value of
621 is not absolute, (i.e., does
622 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
623 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
625 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
632 With this environment variable, you can specify a
633 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
636 profile). As always, unless the value of
638 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
645 With this environment variable, you can specify an
646 additional user profile (file) to be read by
648 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
653 With this environment variable, you can specify an
654 additional user profile (file) to be read by
656 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
658 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
659 be removed from a future nmh release.
664 With this environment variable, you can specify an
665 additional user profile (file) to be read by
667 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
672 With this environment variable, you can specify an
673 additional user profile (file) to be read by
675 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
680 With this environment variable, you can specify
681 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
682 this character set on your terminal.
684 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
697 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
698 a character set that doesn't match
703 for matches against the charset parameter
704 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
705 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
707 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
708 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
710 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
712 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
713 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
714 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
715 the environment variable
724 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
731 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
732 inc(1) man page for more information.
735 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
737 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
738 mh-tailor(5) man page.
747 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry,
748 and is not used when the \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component is set.
757 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
762 This variable tells all
764 programs your home directory
773 The environment variable
775 is also consulted. In particular,
780 how to clear your terminal, and how
781 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
784 lines long your terminal screen is.
789 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
790 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
793 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
794 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
799 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
800 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
801 default. See mh-tailor(5).
808 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
809 create some temporary files.
814 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
816 will emit debugging information.
821 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
823 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
828 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
830 commands that use the
831 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
832 profile entry will display debugging information
833 about the values in that entry.
838 If set to a non-null value, this supersedes the value of
839 the default built-in pager command.
844 This is the alternate message.
850 during edit sessions so you can
851 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
855 through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
856 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
857 on the same UNIX filesystem, and if your current working directory is
863 This is the path to the working draft.
873 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
886 about an alternate message associated with the
887 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
892 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
898 during edit sessions so you
899 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
900 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
918 that message re-distribution is occurring.
932 editor (unless overridden by
949 if annotations are to occur.
959 if annotations are to occur.
969 if annotations are to occur.
974 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
975 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
976 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
977 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
978 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
979 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
988 contains only static information, which
992 update. Changes in context are made to the
994 file kept in the users
997 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
998 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
999 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1000 profile entry (default is
1001 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1005 may override the path of the
1007 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1008 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1009 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1011 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1012 private sequences by using different context files.
1014 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1015 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1016 command line semantics of all
1018 programs: conflicting switches
1023 may occur more than one time on the
1024 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1025 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1026 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1027 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1028 arguments) in the profile.
1030 If one finds that an
1032 program is being invoked again and again
1033 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1034 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1040 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1041 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1044 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1047 program of your choice with an alternate set
1048 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1049 is preferable to this solution).
1053 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1056 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1059 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1062 commands safely. (Recall that some
1065 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1066 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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