1 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "April 18, 2014" "%nmhversion%"
6 mh-profile \- user profile customization for nmh message handler
10 is expected to have a file named
12 in his or her home directory. This file contains
13 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
15 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
18 .IR profile\-component ": " value
21 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
22 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
23 Comments may be introduced by a line starting with `#:':
30 Blank lines are not permitted in
32 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
33 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile ;
34 each token is separated by whitespace.
35 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
36 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
37 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
38 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
39 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
43 context, and indicates what the default value is. Note that a profile
44 component can only appear once. Multiple appearances with trigger a
45 warning that all appearances after the first are ignored.
52 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
53 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
59 Declares the location of the
61 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
66 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
72 Keeps track of the current open folder.
73 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
79 Defines the name of your default inbox.
80 (profile, default: inbox)
83 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
86 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
87 `msg' argument given to any
89 command. If not present or empty,
90 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
91 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
94 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
97 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
100 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
101 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
102 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
104 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
107 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
110 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
111 messages which are unread. The commands
117 will add or remove messages from these
118 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
119 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
120 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
122 man page for the details about this sequence.
123 (profile, no default)
129 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
130 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
131 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
134 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
137 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
138 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
141 man page for details about private sequences.
142 (context, no default)
148 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
154 If not set in profile the value will be taken from the VISUAL and
155 EDITOR environment variables.
156 (profile, default: vi)
162 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
165 for an explanation of the octal number. Note that some filesystems,
166 such as FAT32, do not support removal of read file permissions.
167 (profile, default: 0600)
170 .BR Folder\-Protect :
173 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
176 for an explanation of the octal number.
177 (profile, default: 700)
183 The locking algorithm used to lock changes to any
185 data files, such as sequences or the context. The locking algorithm is
186 any one of the following entries:
194 Available locking algorithms can vary depending on what is supported by
195 the operating system. Note: currently transactional locking is only
196 supported on public sequences; see
198 for more information.
199 (profile, default: fcntl)
205 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
207 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
208 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
211 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
214 (profile, no defaults)
217 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
220 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
221 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
229 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
230 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
231 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
232 (profile, no default)
238 The contents of the folder-stack for the
241 (context, no default)
245 Your Username <user@some.host>
247 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
248 by the default component files by tools like
252 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
253 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC 822
254 compliant. If this is set, the
256 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
257 default: userid@local.hostname)
260 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
261 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
267 which addresses are really yours.
270 knows which addresses should be included in the
273 knows if the message really originated from you.
274 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
275 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
276 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
277 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
278 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
279 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
280 (profile, default: your user-id)
287 Indicates aliases files for
292 This may be used instead of the
295 switch. (profile, no default)
301 Indicates a default draft folder for
310 man page for details. (profile, no default)
313 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
318 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
320 (context, no default)
323 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
328 the last volume sent for the digest
330 (context, no default)
338 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
339 superseded by the environment variable
341 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
345 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
347 Tells front-end programs such as
352 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
357 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
358 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
359 Your signature will be added to the address
361 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
362 signature text. The \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component
363 supersedes all of this. (profile, no default)
369 Indicates how the username and password credentials will be retrieved
370 for access to external servers, such as those that provide SMTP or POP
371 service. The supported entry values are \*(lqlegacy\*(rq and
372 .RI \*(lqfile: netrc \*(rq.
373 With \*(lqlegacy\*(rq, or if there is no credentials entry, the
374 username is the first of:
388 2) the login name on the local machine
391 The password for SMTP services is the first of:
394 1) password value from matching entry in file named \*(lq.netrc\*(rq
395 in the user's home directory
397 2) password obtained by interactively prompting the user
400 The password for POP service when the
402 switch is used with one of these programs is the login name on the
406 .RI \*(lqfile: netrc \*(rq
408 entry, the username is the first of:
415 2) login name from matching entry in
419 3) value provided by user in response to interactive query
422 Similarly, the password is provided either in the
424 file or interactively.
426 can be any valid filename, either absolute or relative to Path or
429 file contains authentication information, for each server,
430 using a line of the following form. Replace the words
435 with your own account information:
448 file must be owned and readable only by you.
449 (profile, default: legacy)
451 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
452 The following profile elements are used whenever an
454 program invokes some other program such as
458 can be used to select alternate programs if the
459 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
461 If the profile element contains spaces, the element is split at spaces
462 into tokens and each token is given as a separate argument to the
464 system call. If the element contains shell metacharacters then the entire
465 element is executed using
472 This is the program used by
474 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
480 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
483 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
484 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
491 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
494 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
501 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
502 in the mhl filter. See
504 for more information.
512 to incorporate new mail when it
513 is invoked with no arguments.
519 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
522 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
523 also used by the draft folder facility in
529 to display the draft message.
532 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
538 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
539 and notifications. It is used by
541 to post failure notices.
542 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
543 (such as when storing the body with
550 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
553 to filter and display the message headers
554 of MIME messages. When the
565 is used to filter the
566 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
573 is used to filter the copy of the message
574 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
580 This is the program used by
584 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
587 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
590 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
602 This is the program used by
611 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
613 (called with the switches
617 to do address verification.
623 This is the program used by
628 to delete a message from a folder.
634 This is the program to use by
636 to actually send the message
642 This is the program used by
644 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
650 This is the program used by
652 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
658 This is the program invoked by
664 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
670 This is the program used by
672 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
675 After consulting .mh_profile,
676 some programs read an optional profile specified by a
677 program-specific environment variable,
678 and then the system-wide profile %nmhetcdir%/mhn.defaults.
679 These programs are mhbuild, mhshow, mhstore, and mhn.
680 mhfixmsg is similar, but has no optional profile.
682 The first occurrence of a component is used,
683 e.g.\& .mh_profile's trumps $MHSHOW's.
684 A component with no value still stops further occurrences being used,
685 but is considered absent.
686 .SS "Environment Variables"
689 and its commands it also controlled by the
690 presence of certain environment variables.
692 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
693 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
694 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
695 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
697 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
705 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
706 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
707 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
708 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
709 not generally be set by the user.
713 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
719 that you invoke. If the value of
721 is not absolute, (i.e., does
722 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
723 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
725 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
732 With this environment variable, you can specify a
733 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
736 profile). As always, unless the value of
738 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
745 With this environment variable, you can specify an
746 additional user profile (file) to be read by
748 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
753 With this environment variable, you can specify an
754 additional user profile (file) to be read by
756 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
758 is deprecated, so support for this variable will
759 be removed from a future nmh release.
764 With this environment variable, you can specify an
765 additional user profile (file) to be read by
767 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
772 With this environment variable, you can specify an
773 additional user profile (file) to be read by
775 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
782 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
789 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
790 inc(1) man page for more information.
793 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
795 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
796 mh-tailor(5) man page.
805 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry,
806 and is not used when the \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component is set.
815 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
820 This variable tells all
822 programs your home directory
831 The environment variable
833 is also consulted. In particular,
838 how to clear your terminal, and how
839 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
842 lines long your terminal screen is.
847 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
848 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
851 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
852 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
857 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
858 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
859 default. See mh-tailor(5).
865 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
866 create some temporary files.
871 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
873 will emit debugging information.
878 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
880 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
882 is deprecated, so support for this variable will
883 be removed from a future nmh release. Instead,
892 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
894 commands that use the
895 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
896 profile entry will display debugging information
897 about the values in that entry.
902 If set to a non-null value, this supersedes the value of
903 the default built-in pager command.
908 This is the alternate message.
914 during edit sessions so you can
915 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
919 through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
920 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
921 on the same UNIX filesystem, and if your current working directory is
927 This is the path to the working draft.
937 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
950 about an alternate message associated with the
951 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
956 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
962 during edit sessions so you
963 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
964 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
982 that message re-distribution is occurring.
996 editor (unless overridden by
1013 if annotations are to occur.
1023 if annotations are to occur.
1033 if annotations are to occur.
1038 .ta \w'%nmhetcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
1039 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
1040 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
1041 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
1042 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
1043 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
1047 .IR mh-sequence (5),
1052 contains only static information, which
1056 update. Changes in context are made to the
1058 file kept in the users
1061 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
1062 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
1063 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1064 profile entry (default is
1065 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1069 may override the path of the
1071 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1072 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1073 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1075 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1076 private sequences by using different context files.
1078 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1079 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1080 command line semantics of all
1082 programs: conflicting switches
1087 may occur more than one time on the
1088 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1089 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1090 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1091 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1092 arguments) in the profile.
1094 If one finds that an
1096 program is being invoked again and again
1097 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1098 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1104 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1105 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1108 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1111 program of your choice with an alternate set
1112 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1113 is preferable to this solution).
1117 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1120 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1123 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1126 commands safely. (Recall that some
1129 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1130 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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