Activated default sequence negation (exclamation mark).

diff --git a/man/mh-profile.man5 b/man/mh-profile.man5
index ae8e7e9..053213a 100644 (file)
--- a/man/mh-profile.man5
+++ b/man/mh-profile.man5
@@ -84,13 +84,15 @@ man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
 .RE
 .PP
 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
-not
+\&!
 .RS 5
 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
-that sequence.  Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
-are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq.  Read the
+that sequence.  Hence, \*(lq!foo\*(rq means all those messages that
+are not a member of the sequence \*(lqfoo\*(rq.
+To deactivate this mechanism, define Sequence\-Negation to an empty value.
+Read the
 .BR mh\-sequence (7)
-man page for the details.  (profile, no default)
+man page for the details.  (profile, default: !)
 .RE
 .PP
 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :

diff --git a/man/mh-sequence.man7 b/man/mh-sequence.man7
index b96230e..98564e0 100644 (file)
--- a/man/mh-sequence.man7
+++ b/man/mh-sequence.man7
@@ -150,15 +150,18 @@ the \*(lqMh\-Sequences\*(rq profile entry is defined but empty, then
 
 .SS "Sequence Negation"
 .B Nmh
-provides the ability to select all messages not elements of a
-user-defined sequence.  To do this, the user should define the entry
+provides the ability to select all messages
+.B not
+elements of a user-defined sequence.
+A special string is used to preface an existing user-defined
+sequence name.  This specification then refers to those
+messages not elements of the specified sequence name.
+The default negation prefix is the exlamation mark `!',
+but it may be change to any string, by defining the entry
 \*(lqSequence\-Negation\*(rq in the
 .B nmh
-profile file; its value
-may be any string.  This string is then used to preface an existing
-user-defined sequence name.  This specification then refers to those
-messages not elements of the specified sequence name.  For example, if
-the profile entry is:
+profile file.
+For example, if the profile entry is:
 .PP
 .RS 5
 Sequence\-Negation: not
@@ -172,6 +175,13 @@ of the sequence \*(lqfoo\*(rq.
 .PP
 Obviously, the user should beware of defining sequences with names that
 begin with the value of the \*(lqSequence\-Negation\*(rq profile entry.
+The default value `!' was chosen due to its similar meaning in the C
+programming language, and because it cannot be part of a user-defined
+sequence. But if your shell provides history expansion,
+you might need to quote the exlamation mark (prefix it with a backslash).
+.PP
+To deactivate the negation mechanism, define Sequence\-Negation in your
+profile to an empty value.
 
 .SS "The Previous Sequence"
 .B Nmh

diff --git a/sbr/m_convert.c b/sbr/m_convert.c
index 05533f6..3065941 100644 (file)
--- a/sbr/m_convert.c
+++ b/sbr/m_convert.c
@@ -335,8 +335,10 @@ attr(struct msgs *mp, char *cp)
                return 0;
 
        /* Check for sequence negation */
-       if ((dp = context_find(nsequence)) && *dp != '\0' &&
-                       isprefix(dp, cp)) {
+       if (!(dp = context_find(nsequence))) {
+               dp = seq_neg;  /* use default */
+       }
+       if (dp && *dp && isprefix(dp, cp)) {
                inverted = 1;
                cp += strlen(dp);
        }