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   1 .TH REPL %manext1% "December 13, 2014" "%nmhversion%"
   2 .\"
   3 .\" %nmhwarning%
   4 .\"
   5 .SH NAME
   6 repl \- reply to a message
   7 .SH SYNOPSIS
   8 .HP 5
   9 .na
  10 .B repl
  11 .RI [ +folder ]
  12 .RI [ msg ]
  13 .RB [ \-annotate " | " \-noannotate ]
  14 .RB [ \-group " | " \-nogroup ]
  15 .RB [ \-cc
  16 all/to/cc/me]
  17 .RB [ \-nocc
  18 all/to/cc/me]
  19 .RB [ \-query " | " \-noquery ]
  20 .RB [ \-form
  21 .IR formfile ]
  22 .RB [ \-format " | " \-noformat ]
  23 .RB [ \-filter
  24 .IR filterfile ]
  25 .RB [ \-inplace " | " \-noinplace ]
  26 .RB [ \-mime " | " \-nomime ]
  27 .RB [ \-fcc
  28 .IR +folder ]
  29 .RB [ \-width
  30 .IR columns ]
  31 .RB [ \-draftfolder
  32 .IR +folder ]
  33 .RB [ \-draftmessage
  34 .IR msg ]
  35 .RB [ \-nodraftfolder ]
  36 .RB [ \-editor
  37 .IR editor ]
  38 .RB [ \-noedit ]
  39 .RB [ \-whatnowproc
  40 .IR program ]
  41 .RB [ \-nowhatnowproc ]
  42 .RB [ \-atfile ]
  43 .RB [ \-noatfile ]
  44 .RB [ \-fmtproc
  45 .IR program ]
  46 .RB [ \-nofmtproc ]
  47 .RB [ \-build ]
  48 .RB [ \-file
  49 .IR msgfile ]
  50 .RB [ \-version ]
  51 .RB [ \-help ]
  52 .ad
  53 .SH DESCRIPTION
  54 .B Repl
  55 may be used to produce a reply to an existing message.
  56 .PP
  57 In its simplest form (with no arguments),
  58 .B repl
  59 will set up a
  60 message\-form skeleton in reply to the current message in the current
  61 folder, and invoke the whatnow shell.
  62 .PP
  63 In order to construct the message draft of the reply,
  64 .B repl
  65 uses
  66 a reply template to guide its actions.  A reply template is simply a
  67 .B mhl
  68 format file (see
  69 .IR mh\-format (5)
  70 for details).
  71 .PP
  72 If the switch
  73 .B \-nogroup
  74 is given (it is on by default), then
  75 .B repl
  76 will use the standard forms file \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq.  This will construct
  77 a draft message that is intended to be sent only to the author of the
  78 message to which you are replying.  If a file named \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq
  79 exists in the user's
  80 .B nmh
  81 directory, it will be used instead of this
  82 default forms file.
  83 .PP
  84 The default reply template \*(lqreplcomps\*(rq will direct
  85 .B repl
  86 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
  87 .PP
  88 .RS 5
  89 .nf
  90 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
  91 cc: <To> and <cc> and <personal address>
  92 Fcc: {fcc switch} or +outbox
  93 Subject: Re: <Subject>
  94 In\-Reply\-To: <Message\-Id>
  95 References: <Message\-Id>
  96 Comments: In\-Reply\-To <From> or <apparently from> or <Sender>
  97 .ti +3
  98 message dated <date>
  99 --------
 100 .fi
 101 .RE
 102 .PP
 103 where field names enclosed in angle brackets (<\ >) indicate the
 104 contents of the named field from the message to which the reply is
 105 being made.
 106 .PP
 107 By default, the \*(lqcc:\*(rq field is empty.  You may selectively add
 108 addresses to this default with the
 109 .B \-cc
 110 .I type
 111 switch.  This switch takes an
 112 argument
 113 .RI ( all / to / cc / me )
 114 which specifies who gets added to the default
 115 \*(lqcc:\*(rq list of the reply.  You may give this switch multiple times (with
 116 different arguments) if you wish to add multiple types of addresses.
 117 .PP
 118 If the switch
 119 .B \-group
 120 is given, then
 121 .B repl
 122 will use the
 123 standard forms file \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq.  This will construct a
 124 draft message that is intended as a group or followup reply.  If a file
 125 named \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq exists in the user's nmh directory, it
 126 will be used instead of this default forms file, unless you specify
 127 another forms file on the command line or in your profile.
 128 .PP
 129 The default group reply template \*(lqreplgroupcomps\*(rq will direct
 130 .B repl
 131 to construct the reply message draft as follows:
 132 .PP
 133 .RS 5
 134 .nf
 135 To: <Mail\-Followup\-To>
 136 Subject: Re: <Subject>
 137 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
 138 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
 139 <Message\-Id>
 140 --------
 141 .fi
 142 .RE
 143 .PP
 144 or if the field <Mail\-Followup\-To> is not available:
 145 .PP
 146 .RS 5
 147 .nf
 148 To: <Mail\-Reply\-To> or <Reply\-To> or <From>
 149 cc: <To> and <cc> and <personal address>
 150 Subject: Re: <Subject>
 151 In\-Reply\-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
 152 .ti +\w'In\-Reply\-To: 'u
 153 <Message\-Id>
 154 --------
 155 .fi
 156 .RE
 157 .PP
 158 By default, the \*(lqcc:\*(rq contains all the addresses shown.  You may
 159 selectively remove addresses from this default with the
 160 .B \-nocc
 161 .I type
 162 switch.
 163 This switch takes an argument (
 164 .IR all / to / cc / me )
 165 which specifies who gets removed
 166 from the default \*(lqcc:\*(rq list of the reply.  You may give this switch
 167 multiple times (with different arguments) if you wish to remove multiple types
 168 of addresses.
 169 .PP
 170 In any case, you may specify an alternate forms file with the switch
 171 .B \-form
 172 .IR formfile .
 173 .PP
 174 The
 175 .B \-query
 176 switch modifies the action of
 177 .B \-nocc
 178 .I type
 179 switch by
 180 interactively asking you if each address that normally would be placed in
 181 the \*(lqTo:\*(rq and \*(lqcc:\*(rq list should actually be sent a copy.
 182 This is useful for special\-purpose replies.  Note that the position of
 183 the
 184 .B \-cc
 185 and
 186 .B \-nocc
 187 switches, like all other switches which take a
 188 positive and negative form, is important.
 189 .PP
 190 Lines beginning with the fields \*(lqTo:\*(rq, \*(lqcc:\*(rq, and
 191 \*(rqBcc:\*(rq will be standardized and have duplicate addresses removed.
 192 In addition, the
 193 .B \-width
 194 .I columns
 195 switch will guide
 196 .BR repl 's
 197 formatting of these fields.
 198 .PP
 199 If the draft already exists,
 200 .B repl
 201 will ask you as to the disposition
 202 of the draft.  A reply of
 203 .B quit
 204 will abort
 205 .BR repl ,
 206 leaving the
 207 draft intact;
 208 .B replace
 209 will replace the existing draft with a blank
 210 skeleton; and
 211 .B list
 212 will display the draft.
 213 .PP
 214 See
 215 .IR comp (1)
 216 for a description of the
 217 .B \-editor
 218 and
 219 .B \-noedit
 220 switches.  Note that while in the editor, with
 221 .B \-atfile
 222 and if the current directory is writable, the message being replied
 223 to is available through a link named \*(lq@\*(rq (assuming the default
 224 .IR whatnowproc ).
 225 In addition, the actual pathname of the message is
 226 stored in the environment variable
 227 .BR $editalt ,
 228 and the pathname of
 229 the folder containing the message is stored in the environment variable
 230 .BR $mhfolder .
 231 The creation of the \*(lq@\*(rq file is controlled via the
 232 .B \-atfile
 233 and
 234 .B \-noatfile
 235 options.
 236 .PP
 237 Although
 238 .B repl
 239 uses a forms file to direct it how to construct
 240 the beginning of the draft, it uses a message filter file to direct
 241 it as to how the message to which you are replying should be filtered
 242 (re\-formatted) in the body of the draft.  The filter file for
 243 .B repl
 244 should be a standard form file for
 245 .BR mhl ,
 246 as
 247 .B repl
 248 will invoke
 249 .B mhl
 250 to format the message to which you are replying.
 251 .PP
 252 The switches
 253 .BR \-noformat ,
 254 .BR \-format ,
 255 and
 256 .B \-filter
 257 .I filterfile
 258 specify
 259 which message filter file to use.
 260 .PP
 261 If the switch
 262 .B \-noformat
 263 is given (it is the default) and the
 264 .B \-filter
 265 switch is not used, then the message
 266 to which you are replying is not included in the body of the draft.
 267 .PP
 268 If the switch
 269 .B \-format
 270 is given, then a default message filter file
 271 is used.  This default message filter should be adequate for most users.
 272 This default filter
 273 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
 274 is:
 275 .PP
 276 .RS 5
 277 .nf
 278 %mhl_reply%
 279 .fi
 280 .RE
 281 .PP
 282 which outputs each line of the body of the message prefaced with the
 283 \*(lq>\*(rq character and a space.
 284 .PP
 285 If a file named
 286 .RI \*(lq mhl.reply \*(rq
 287 exists in the user's
 288 .B nmh
 289 directory,
 290 it will be used instead of this form.  You may specify an alternate
 291 message filter file with the switch
 292 .B \-filter
 293 .IR filterfile .
 294 .PP
 295 Other reply filters are commonly used, such as:
 296 .PP
 297 .RS 5
 298 .nf
 299 :
 300 body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
 301 .fi
 302 .RE
 303 .PP
 304 which says to output a blank line and then the body of the message
 305 being replied\-to, indented by one tab\-stop.  Another popular format
 306 is:
 307 .PP
 308 .RS 5
 309 .nf
 310 message-id:nocomponent,\|nonewline,\\
 311 formatfield=\*(lqIn message %{text},\ \*(rq
 312 from:nocomponent,\|formatfield=\*(lq%(decode(friendly{text})) writes:\*(rq
 313 body:component=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowtext=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|overflowoffset=0
 314 .fi
 315 .RE
 316 .PP
 317 This message filter file cites the Message-ID and author of the message
 318 being replied\-to, and then outputs each line of the body prefaced with
 319 the \*(lq>\*(rq character.
 320 .PP
 321 You can also use an external format program to format the message body.
 322 The format program is specified by the
 323 .IR formatproc
 324 profile entry, and is enabled by the \*(lqformat\*(rq flag.  A message
 325 filter using an external format program would look like this:
 326 .PP
 327 .RS 5
 328 .nf
 329 body:component=\*(lq>\*(rq,\|nowrap,\|format
 330 .fi
 331 .RE
 332 .PP
 333 See the
 334 .IR mhl(1)
 335 documentation for more information.  The format program can be changed by
 336 the
 337 .B \-fmtproc
 338 .I program
 339 and
 340 .B \-nofmtproc
 341 switches.
 342 .PP
 343 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation, specify the
 344 .B \-mime
 345 switch.
 346 This directs
 347 .B repl
 348 to generate an
 349 .B mhbuild
 350 composition file.
 351 Note that
 352 .B nmh
 353 will not invoke
 354 .B mhbuild
 355 automatically; you must specifically give the command
 356 .PP
 357 .RS 5
 358 What now? mime
 359 .RE
 360 .PP
 361 prior to sending the draft.
 362 .PP
 363 If the
 364 .B \-annotate
 365 switch is given, the message being replied\-to will
 366 be annotated with the lines
 367 .PP
 368 .RS 5
 369 Replied:\ date
 370 Replied:\ addrs
 371 .RE
 372 .PP
 373 where the address list contains one line for each addressee.
 374 The annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from
 375 .BR repl .
 376 If the message is not sent immediately from
 377 .BR repl ,
 378 .RB \*(lq "comp\ \-use" \*(rq
 379 may be used to re\-edit and send the constructed
 380 message, but the annotations won't take place.  Normally annotations are
 381 done inplace in order to preserve any links to the message.  You may use
 382 the
 383 .B \-noinplace
 384 switch to change this.
 385 .PP
 386 Although the default template specifies that a copy of the reply will be
 387 put in
 388 the folder 'outbox',
 389 if the
 390 .B \-fcc
 391 .I +folder
 392 switch is given it will override the default value.
 393 More than one folder, each preceded by
 394 .B \-fcc
 395 can
 396 be named.
 397 .PP
 398 In addition to the standard
 399 .IR mh\-format (5)
 400 escapes,
 401 .B repl
 402 also recognizes the following additional
 403 .I component
 404 escape:
 405 .PP
 406 .RS 5
 407 .nf
 408 .ta \w'Escape  'u +\w'Returns  'u
 409 .I "Escape      Returns Description"
 410 fcc     string  Any folders specified with `\-fcc\ folder'
 411 .fi
 412 .RE
 413 .PP
 414 To avoid reiteration,
 415 .B repl
 416 strips any leading `Re: ' strings from
 417 the
 418 .I subject
 419 component.
 420 .PP
 421 The
 422 .B \-draftfolder
 423 .I +folder
 424 and
 425 .B \-draftmessage
 426 .I msg
 427 switches invoke
 428 the
 429 .B nmh
 430 draft folder facility.  This is an advanced (and highly
 431 useful) feature.  Consult the
 432 .IR mh-draft (5)
 433 man page for more
 434 information.
 435 .PP
 436 Upon exiting from the editor,
 437 .B repl
 438 will invoke the
 439 .B whatnow
 440 program.  See
 441 .IR whatnow (1)
 442 for a discussion of available
 443 options.  The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the
 444 .B \-nowhatnowproc
 445 switch.  (In truth of fact, it is the
 446 .B whatnow
 447 program which starts the initial edit.  Hence,
 448 .B \-nowhatnowproc
 449 will
 450 prevent any edit from occurring.)
 451 .PP
 452 The
 453 .B \-build
 454 switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface
 455 to
 456 .BR nmh .
 457 It implies
 458 .BR \-nowhatnowproc .
 459 It causes a file
 460 .I <mh\-dir>/reply
 461 to be created, containing the draft message that would normally be presented
 462 to the user for editing.
 463 No mail is actually sent.
 464 .PP
 465 The
 466 .B \-file
 467 .I msgfile
 468 switch specifies the message to be replied to as an
 469 exact filename rather than as an
 470 .B nmh
 471 folder and message number.
 472 The same caveats apply to this option as to the
 473 .B \-build
 474 switch.
 475 .SH FILES
 476 .B repl
 477 looks for all format, filter and template files in multiple locations:
 478 absolute pathnames are accessed directly, tilde expansion is done on
 479 usernames, and files are searched for in the user's
 480 .I Mail
 481 directory as specified in their profile.  If not found there, the directory
 482 .RI \*(lq %nmhetcdir% \*(rq
 483 is checked.
 484 .PP
 485 .fc ^ ~
 486 .nf
 487 .ta \w'%nmhetcdir%/ExtraBigFileName  'u
 488 ^%nmhetcdir%/replcomps~^The standard reply template
 489 ^or <mh\-dir>/replcomps~^Rather than the standard template
 490 ^%nmhetcdir%/replgroupcomps~^The standard `reply -group' template
 491 ^or <mh\-dir>/replgroupcomps~^Rather than the standard template
 492 ^%nmhetcdir%/mhl.reply~^The standard message filter
 493 ^or <mh\-dir>/mhl.reply~^Rather than the standard filter
 494 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
 495 ^<mh\-dir>/draft~^The draft file
 496 .fi
 497 .SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
 498 .fc ^ ~
 499 .nf
 500 .ta 2.4i
 501 .ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName  'u
 502 ^Path:~^To determine the user's nmh directory
 503 ^Alternate\-Mailboxes:~^To determine the user's mailboxes
 504 ^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
 505 ^Draft\-Folder:~^To find the default draft\-folder
 506 ^Editor:~^To override the default editor
 507 ^Msg\-Protect:~^To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
 508 ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message
 509 ^mhlproc:~^Program to filter message being replied\-to
 510 ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq questions
 511 .fi
 512 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 513 .IR comp (1),
 514 .IR forw (1),
 515 .IR mhbuild (1),
 516 .IR send (1),
 517 .IR whatnow (1),
 518 .IR mh\-format (5)
 519 .SH DEFAULTS
 520 .nf
 521 .RB ` +folder "' defaults to the current folder"
 522 .RB ` msg "' defaults to cur"
 523 .RB ` \-nogroup '
 524 .RB ` "\-nocc\ all" "' with `\-nogroup', `\-cc\ all' with `\-group'"
 525 .RB ` \-noannotate '
 526 .RB ` \-nodraftfolder '
 527 .RB ` \-noformat '
 528 .RB ` \-inplace '
 529 .RB ` \-nomime '
 530 .RB ` \-noquery '
 531 .RB ` \-noatfile '
 532 .RB ` "\-width\ 72" '
 533 .fi
 534 .SH CONTEXT
 535 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.  The message
 536 replied\-to will become the current message.
 537 .SH BUGS
 538 If any addresses occur in the reply template, addresses in the template
 539 that do not contain hosts are defaulted incorrectly.  Instead of using
 540 the localhost for the default,
 541 .B repl
 542 uses the sender's host.
 543 Moral of the story: if you're going to include addresses in a reply
 544 template, include the host portion of the address.
 545 .PP
 546 The
 547 .B \-width
 548 .I columns
 549 switch is only used to do address-folding; other
 550 headers are not line\-wrapped.
 551 .PP
 552 If
 553 .I whatnowproc
 554 is
 555 .BR whatnow ,
 556 then
 557 .B repl
 558 uses a built\-in
 559 .BR whatnow ,
 560 it does not actually run the
 561 .B whatnow
 562 program.
 563 Hence, if you define your own
 564 .IR whatnowproc ,
 565 don't call it
 566 .B whatnow
 567 since
 568 .B repl
 569 won't run it.