4 .TH REPL %manext1% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
6 repl \- reply to a message
13 .RB [ \-annotate " | " \-noannotate ]
14 .RB [ \-group " | " \-nogroup ]
19 .RB [ \-query " | " \-noquery ]
22 .RB [ \-format " | " \-noformat ]
25 .RB [ \-mime " | " \-nomime ]
31 .RB [ \-nowhatnowproc ]
40 may be used to produce a reply to an existing message.
42 In its simplest form (with no arguments),
45 message\-form skeleton in reply to the current message in the current
46 folder, and invoke the whatnow shell.
48 In order to construct the message draft of the reply,
51 a reply template to guide its actions. A reply template is simply a
59 is given (it is on by default), then
61 will use the standard forms file \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq. This will construct
62 a draft message that is intended to be sent only to the author of the
63 message to which you are replying. If a file named \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq
66 directory, it will be used instead of this
69 The default reply template \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq will direct
71 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
75 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
76 Cc: <To> and <Cc> and <personal address>
78 Subject: Re: <Subject>
79 In\-Reply\-To: <Message\-Id>
80 References: <Message\-Id>
81 Comments: In\-Reply\-To <From> or <apparently from> or <Sender>
88 where field names enclosed in angle brackets (<\ >) indicate the
89 contents of the named field from the message to which the reply is
92 By default, the \*(lqCc:\*(rq field is empty. You may selectively add
93 addresses to this default with the
96 switch. This switch takes an
98 .IR all / to / cc / me )
99 which specifies who gets added to the default
100 \*(lqCc:\*(rq list of the reply. You may give this switch multiple times (with
101 different arguments) if you wish to add multiple types of addresses.
108 standard forms file \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq. This will construct a
109 draft message that is intended as a group or followup reply. If a file
110 named \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq exists in the user's mmh directory, it
111 will be used instead of this default forms file.
113 The default group reply template \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq will direct
115 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
119 To: <Mail\-Followup\-To>
120 Subject: Re: <Subject>
121 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
122 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
128 or if the field <Mail\-Followup\-To> is not available:
132 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
133 Cc: <To> and <Cc> and <personal address>
134 Subject: Re: <Subject>
135 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
136 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
142 By default, the \*(lqCc:\*(rq contains all the addresses shown. You may
143 selectively remove addresses from this default with the
147 This switch takes an argument (
148 .IR all / to / cc / me )
149 which specifies who gets removed
150 from the default \*(lqCc:\*(rq list of the reply. You may give this switch
151 multiple times (with different arguments) if you wish to remove multiple types
154 In any case, you may specify an alternate forms file with the switch
160 switch modifies the action of
164 interactively asking you if each address that normally would be placed in
165 the \*(lqTo:\*(rq and \*(lqCc:\*(rq list should actually be sent a copy.
166 This is useful for special\-purpose replies. Note that the position of
171 switches, like all other switches which take a
172 positive and negative form, is important.
174 Lines beginning with the fields \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqCc:\*(rq, and
175 \*(rqBcc:\*(rq will be standardized and have duplicate addresses removed.
176 In addition, these fields will be wrapped at a reasonable length.
180 for a description of the
184 switches. Note that while in the editor, the message being replied
185 to is available through a link named \*(lq@\*(rq (assuming the default
187 In addition, the actual pathname of the message is
188 stored in the environment variable
191 the folder containing the message is stored in the environment variable
196 uses a forms file to direct it how to construct
197 the beginning of the draft, it uses a message filter file to direct
198 it as to how the message to which you are replying should be filtered
199 (re\-formatted) in the body of the draft. The filter file for
201 should be a standard form file for
207 to format the message to which you are replying.
216 which message filter file to use.
220 is given (it is the default), then the message
221 to which you are replying is not included in the body of the draft.
225 is given, then a default message filter file
226 is used. This default message filter should be adequate for most users.
228 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
237 which outputs each line of the body of the message prefaced with the
238 \*(lq>\*(rq character and a space.
241 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
245 it will be used instead of this form. You may specify an alternate
246 message filter file with the switch
250 Other reply filters are commonly used, such as:
255 body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
259 which says to output a blank line and then the body of the message
260 being replied\-to, indented by one tab\-stop. Another popular format
265 message-id:nocomponent,\|nonewline,\\
266 formatfield=\*(lqIn message %{text},\ \*(rq
267 from:nocomponent,\|formatfield=\*(lq%(decode(friendly{text})) writes:\*(rq
268 body:component=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowtext=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowoffset=0
272 This message filter file cites the Message-ID and author of the message
273 being replied\-to, and then outputs each line of the body prefaced with
274 the \*(lq>\*(rq character.
276 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation, specify the
281 to add an attachment header field, for which
287 switch is given, the message being replied\-to will
288 be annotated with the line:
296 The annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from
298 If the message is not sent immediately from
300 .RB \*(lq "comp\ \-use" \*(rq
301 may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed
302 message, but the annotations won't take place. Annotations are always
303 done inplace in order to preserve any links to the message.
305 The default template specifies that a copy of the reply will be
309 To avoid reiteration,
311 strips any leading `Re: ' strings from
321 Upon exiting from the editor,
327 for a discussion of available
328 options. The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the
330 switch. (In truth of fact, it is the
332 program which starts the initial edit. Hence,
335 prevent any edit from occurring.)
339 switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface
342 and is only present if
344 was compiled with support
346 .BR \-nowhatnowproc .
348 .I reply (in the mail storage root)
349 to be created, containing the draft message that would normally be presented
350 to the user for editing.
351 No mail is actually sent. Note that this switch is not guaranteed to
352 be present or to have the same effects in future versions of
354 it is documented here only for completeness.
359 switch specifies the message to be replied to as an
360 exact filename rather than as an
362 folder and message number. It is
363 intended to be used by the
367 The same caveats apply to this option as to the
374 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
375 ^%etcdir%/replcomps~^The standard reply template
376 ^or $HOME/.mmh/replcomps~^Rather than the standard template
377 ^%etcdir%/replgroupcomps~^The standard `reply -group' template
378 ^or $HOME/.mmh/replgroupcomps~^Rather than the standard template
379 ^%etcdir%/mhl.reply~^The standard message filter
380 ^or $HOME/.mmh/mhl.reply~^Rather than the standard filter
381 ^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user profile
382 ^+drafts~^The draft folder
385 .SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
389 .ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
390 ^Path:~^To determine the user's mail storage
391 ^Alternate\-Mailboxes:~^To determine the user's mailboxes
392 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
393 ^Draft\-Folder:~^To set the default draft\-folder
394 ^Editor:~^To override the default editor
395 ^Msg\-Protect:~^To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
396 ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message
397 ^mhlproc:~^Program to filter message being replied\-to
398 ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq questions
402 mhbuild(1), comp(1), forw(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh\-format(5)
406 .RB ` +folder "' defaults to the current folder"
407 .RB ` msg "' defaults to cur"
409 .RB ` "\-nocc\ all" "' with `\-nogroup', `\-cc\ all' with `\-group'"
417 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder. The message
418 replied\-to will become the current message.
421 If any addresses occur in the reply template, addresses in the template
422 that do not contain hosts are defaulted incorrectly. Instead of using
423 the localhost for the default,
425 uses the sender's host.
426 Moral of the story: if you're going to include addresses in a reply
427 template, include the host portion of the address.
429 If your current working directory is not writable, the link named
430 \*(lq@\*(rq is not available.