--- /dev/null
+.\"
+.\" %nmhwarning%
+.\"
+.TH MH-MAIL %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
+.SH NAME
+mh-mail \- message format for nmh message system
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+any
+.B nmh
+command
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+.B nmh
+processes messages in a particular format. It should be noted
+that although neither Bell nor Berkeley mailers produce message files
+in the format that
+.B nmh
+prefers,
+.B nmh
+can read message files in that antiquated format.
+.PP
+Each user possesses a mail drop box which initially receives all messages
+processed by
+.BR post .
+.B Inc
+will read from that drop
+box and incorporate the new messages found there into the user's own
+mail folders (typically
+.RI \*(lq +inbox \*(rq).
+The mail drop box consists of one or more messages.
+.PP
+Messages are expected to consist of lines of text. Graphics and binary
+data are not handled. No data compression is accepted. All text is
+clear ASCII 7-bit data.
+.PP
+The general \*(lqmemo\*(rq framework of RFC\-822 is used. A message
+consists of a block of information in a rigid format, followed by
+general text with no specified format. The rigidly formatted first
+part of a message is called the header, and the free-format portion is
+called the body. The header must always exist, but the body is optional.
+These parts are separated by an empty line, i.e., two consecutive newline
+characters. Within
+.B nmh ,
+the header and body may be separated by a line consisting of dashes:
+.PP
+.RS 5
+.nf
+%components%
+.fi
+.RE
+.PP
+The header is composed of one or more header items. Each header item can
+be viewed as a single logical line of ASCII characters. If the text of
+a header item extends across several real lines, the continuation lines
+are indicated by leading spaces or tabs.
+.PP
+Each header item is called a component and is composed of a keyword or
+name, along with associated text. The keyword begins at the left margin,
+may NOT contain spaces or tabs, may not exceed 63 characters (as specified
+by RFC\-822), and is terminated by a colon (`:'). Certain components
+(as identified by their keywords) must follow rigidly defined formats
+in their text portions.
+.PP
+The text for most formatted components (e.g., \*(lqDate:\*(rq and
+\*(lqMessage\-Id:\*(rq) is produced automatically. The only ones entered
+by the user are address fields such as \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqcc:\*(rq,
+etc. Internet addresses are assigned mailbox names and host computer
+specifications. The rough format is \*(lqlocal@domain\*(rq, such as
+\*(lqMH@UCI\*(rq, or \*(lqMH@UCI\-ICSA.ARPA\*(rq. Multiple addresses
+are separated by commas. A missing host/domain is assumed to be the
+local host/domain.
+.PP
+As mentioned above, a blank line (or a line of dashes) signals that all
+following text up to the end of the file is the body. No formatting is
+expected or enforced within the body.
+.PP
+Following is a list of header components that are considered
+meaningful to various
+.B nmh
+programs.
+.PP
+.BR Date :
+.RS 5
+Added by
+.BR post ,
+contains date and time of the message's entry
+into the mail transport system.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR From :
+.RS 5
+Added by
+.BR post ,
+contains the address of the author or authors
+(may be more than one if a \*(lqSender:\*(rq field is present). For a
+standard reply (using
+.BR repl ,
+the reply address is constructed by
+checking the following headers (in this order): \*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq,
+\*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq, \*(lqSender:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Mail\-Reply\-To :
+.RS 5
+For a standard reply (using
+.BR repl ),
+the reply address is
+constructed by checking the following headers (in this order):
+\*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq,
+\*(lqSender:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Mail\-Followup\-To :
+.RS 5
+When making a \*(lqgroup\*(rq reply (using
+.B repl
+.BR \-group ),
+any addresses in this field will take precedence, and no other reply address
+will be added to the draft. If this header is not available, then the
+return addresses will be constructed from the \*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq,
+or \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, or \*(lqFrom:\*(rq, along with adding the
+addresses from the headers \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqcc:\*(rq, as well as
+adding your personal address.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Reply\-To :
+.RS 5
+For a standard reply (using
+.BR repl ),
+the reply address is
+constructed by checking the following headers (in this order):
+\*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq,
+\*(lqSender:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Sender :
+.RS 5
+Added by
+.B post
+in the event that the message already has a
+\*(lqFrom:\*(rq line. This line contains the address of the actual
+sender.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR To :
+.RS 5
+Contains addresses of primary recipients.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR cc :
+.RS 5
+Contains addresses of secondary recipients.
+.RE
+.PP
+Bcc:
+.RS 5
+Still more recipients. However, the \*(lqBcc:\*(rq line is not
+copied onto the message as delivered, so these recipients are not
+listed.
+.B nmh
+uses an encapsulation method for blind copies, see
+.BR send .
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Fcc :
+.RS 5
+Causes
+.B post
+to copy the message into the specified folder for the sender,
+if the message was successfully given to the transport system.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Message\-ID :
+.RS 5
+A unique message identifier added by
+.B post
+if the
+.B \-msgid
+flag is set.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Subject :
+.RS 5
+Sender's commentary. It is displayed by
+.BR scan .
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR In\-Reply\-To :
+.RS 5
+A commentary line added by
+.B repl
+when replying to a message.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-Date :
+.RS 5
+Added when redistributing a message by
+.BR post .
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-From :
+.RS 5
+Added when redistributing a message by
+.BR post .
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-To:
+.RS 5
+New recipients for a message resent by
+.BR dist .
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-cc :
+.RS 5
+Still more recipients. See \*(lqcc:\*(rq and \*(lqResent\-To:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-Bcc :
+.RS 5
+Even more recipients. See \*(lqBcc:\*(rq and \*(lqResent\-To:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-Fcc :
+.RS 5
+Copy resent message into a folder.
+See \*(lqFcc:\*(rq and \*(lqResent\-To:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent\-Message\-Id :
+.RS 5
+A unique identifier glued on by
+.B post
+if the
+.B \-msgid
+flag is set.
+See \*(lqMessage\-Id:\*(rq and \*(lqResent\-To:\*(rq.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Resent :
+.RS 5
+Annotation for
+.B dist
+under the
+.B \-annotate
+option.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Forwarded :
+.RS 5
+Annotation for
+.B forw
+under the
+.B \-annotate
+option.
+.RE
+.PP
+.BR Replied :
+.RS 5
+Annotation for
+.B repl
+under the
+.B \-annotate
+option.
+.RE
+
+.SH FILES
+.fc ^ ~
+.nf
+.ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
+^%mailspool%/$USER~^Location of mail drop
+.fi
+
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+.I "Standard for the Format of ARPA Internet Text Messages
+(RFC\-822)
+
+.SH CONTEXT
+None
projects / mmh / blobdiff