.\"
.\" %nmhwarning%
.\"
.TH DIST %manext1% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
.SH NAME
dist \- redistribute a message to additional addresses
.SH SYNOPSIS
.HP 5
.na
.B dist
.RI [ +folder ]
.RI [ msgs ]
.RB [ \-form
.IR formfile ]
.RB [ \-annotate " | " \-noannotate ]
.RB [ \-editor
.IR editor ]
.RB [ \-whatnowproc
.IR program ]
.RB [ \-Version ]
.RB [ \-help ]
.ad
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B Dist
is similar to
.BR forw .
It prepares the specified message
for redistribution to addresses that (presumably) are not on the original
address list.
.PP
The default message form contains the following elements:
.PP
.RS 5
.nf
%distcomps%
.fi
.RE
.PP
If a file named
.RI ` distcomps '
exists in the user's mmh directory, it
will be used instead of this default form.  You may specify an alternate
forms file with the switch
.B \-form
.IR formfile .
The form used will be prepended to the message being resent.
.PP
Only those addresses in
.RI ` Resent\-To: ',
.RI ` Resent\-Cc: ',
and
.RI ` Resent\-Bcc: '
will be sent.  Also, a
.RI ` "Resent\-Fcc: folder" '
will be honored (see
.BR send (1)).
Note that with
.BR dist ,
the draft should contain only
.RI ` Resent\-xxx: '
fields and no body.  The headers and the body of
the original message are copied to the draft when the message is sent.
Use care in constructing the headers for the redistribution.
.PP
If the
.B \-annotate
switch is given, the  message being distributed will
be annotated with the line:

     Resent:\ date

This annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from
.BR dist .
If the message is not sent immediately from
.BR dist ,
.RB ` comp
.BR \-use '
may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed
message, but the annotations won't take place.  Annotations are always
done inplace in order to preserve any links to the message.
.PP
See
.BR comp (1)
for a description of the
.B \-editor
switch.  Note that while in the editor, the actual pathname of the
message being resent is stored in the environment variable
.BR $mhaltmsg ,
and the pathname of
the folder containing the message is stored in the environment variable
.BR $mhfolder .
.PP
Consult the
.BR mh-draft (7)
man page for more information.
.PP
Upon exiting from the editor,
.B dist
will invoke the
.B whatnow
program.  See
.BR whatnow (1)
for a discussion of available options.

.SH FILES
.fc ^ ~
.nf
.ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName  'u
^%etcdir%/distcomps~^The standard message skeleton
^or $HOME/.mmh/distcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton
^$HOME/.mmh/profile~^The user profile
^+drafts~^The draft folder
.fi

.SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
.fc ^ ~
.nf
.ta 2.4i
.ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName  'u
^Path:~^To determine the user's mail storage
^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
^Draft\-Folder:~^To set the default draft\-folder
^Editor:~^To override the default editor
^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the `What now?' questions
.fi

.SH "SEE ALSO"
comp(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)

.SH DEFAULTS
.nf
.RB ` +folder "' defaults to the current folder"
.RB ` msg "' defaults to the current message"
.RB ` \-noannotate '
.fi

.SH CONTEXT
If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.  The message
distributed will become the current message.

.SH HISTORY
.B Dist
originally used headers of the form
.RI ` Distribute\-xxx: '
instead of
.RI ` Resent\-xxx: '.
In order to conform with the ARPA Internet standard, RFC\-822, the
.RI ` Resent\-xxx: '
form is now used.
Since
.B mmh
.B dist
will no longer recognize and convert
.RI ` Distribute\-xxx: '
type headers.

.SH BUGS
.B Dist
does not rigorously check the message being distributed
for adherence to the transport standard, but
.B post
called by
.B send
does.  The
.B post
program will balk (and rightly so) at poorly formatted messages, and
.B dist
won't correct things for you.