1 .TH MH-PROFILE %manext5% "November 6, 2012" "%nmhversion%"
6 mh-profile \- user profile customization for nmh message handler
8 .I $HOME/.mh\(ruprofile
12 is expected to have a file named
14 in his or her home directory. This file contains
15 a set of user parameters used by some or all of the
17 family of programs. Each entry in the file is of the format
20 .IR profile\-component ": " value
23 If the text of profile entry is long, you may extend it across several
24 real lines by indenting the continuation lines with leading spaces or tabs.
25 Comments may be introduced by a line starting with `#:':
32 Blank lines are not permitted in
34 The shell quoting conventions are not available in the
35 .IR \&.mh\(ruprofile ;
36 each token is separated by whitespace.
37 .SS "Standard Profile Entries"
38 The possible profile components are exemplified below. The only mandatory
39 entry is `Path:'. The others are optional; some have default values if
40 they are not present. In the notation used below, (profile, default)
41 indicates whether the information is kept in the user's
45 context, and indicates what the default value is. Note that a profile
46 component can only appear once. Multiple appearances with trigger a
47 warning that all appearances after the first are ignored.
54 transactions in directory \*(lqMail\*(rq. This is the
55 only mandatory profile entry. (profile, no default)
61 Declares the location of the
63 context file. This is overridden by the environment variable
68 (profile, default: <nmh\-dir>/context)
74 Keeps track of the current open folder.
75 (context, default: folder specified by \*(lqInbox\*(rq)
81 Defines the name of your default inbox.
82 (profile, default: inbox)
85 .BR Previous\-Sequence :
88 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as the `msgs' or
89 `msg' argument given to any
91 command. If not present or empty,
92 no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, for each name given, the
93 sequence is first zero'd and then each message is added to the sequence.
96 man page for the details about this sequence. (profile, no default)
99 .BR Sequence\-Negation :
102 Defines the string which, when prefixed to a sequence name, negates
103 that sequence. Hence, \*(lqnotseen\*(rq means all those messages that
104 are not a member of the sequence \*(lqseen\*(rq. Read the
106 man page for the details. (profile, no default)
109 .BR Unseen\-Sequence :
112 Names the sequence or sequences which should be defined as those
113 messages which are unread. The commands
119 will add or remove messages from these
120 sequences when they are incorporated or read. If not present or
121 empty, no such sequences are defined. Otherwise, each message is
122 added to, or removed from, each sequence name given. Read the
124 man page for the details about this sequence.
125 (profile, no default)
131 The name of the file in each folder which defines public sequences.
132 To disable the use of public sequences, leave the value portion of this
133 entry blank. (profile, default: \&.mh\(rusequences)
136 .BI atr\- seq \- folder :
139 Keeps track of the private sequence called \*(lqseq\*(rq in the specified
140 folder. Private sequences are generally used for read\-only folders.
143 man page for details about private sequences.
144 (context, no default)
150 Defines the editor to be used by the commands
156 If not set in profile the value will be taken from the VISUAL and
157 EDITOR environment variables.
158 (profile, default: vi)
163 If defined and set to 1, then the
165 program will automatically
166 invoke the buildmimeproc (discussed below) to process each message as a MIME
167 composition draft before it is sent.
168 (profile, no default)
174 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new message files.
177 for an explanation of the octal number. Note that some filesystems,
178 such as FAT32, do not support removal of read file permissions.
179 (profile, default: 0600)
182 .BR Folder\-Protect :
185 An octal number which defines the permission bits for new folder
188 for an explanation of the octal number.
189 (profile, default: 700)
195 Sets default switches to be used whenever the mh program
197 is invoked. For example, one could override the \*(lqEditor:\*(rq profile
198 component when replying to messages by adding a component such as:
201 repl: \-editor /bin/ed
204 (profile, no defaults)
207 .IB lasteditor "-next:"
210 Names \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq to be the default editor after using
211 \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq. This takes effect at \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt
219 the draft with \*(lqlasteditor\*(rq, the default editor is set to be
220 \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq. If the user types \*(lqedit\*(rq without any
221 arguments to \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq, then \*(lqnexteditor\*(rq is used.
222 (profile, no default)
228 The contents of the folder-stack for the
231 (context, no default)
235 Your Username <user@some.host>
237 Tells the various MH tools what your local mailbox is. If set, will be used
238 by the default component files by tools like
242 to construct your default \*(lqFrom\*(rq header. The text used here will
243 be copied exactly to your From: header, so it should already be RFC-822
244 compliant. If this is set, the
246 profile entry is NOT used, so it should include a signature as well. (profile,
247 default: userid@local.hostname)
250 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes :
251 mh@uci\-750a, bug-mh*
257 which addresses are really yours.
260 knows which addresses should be included in the
263 knows if the message really originated from you.
264 Addresses must be separated by a comma, and the hostnames listed should
265 be the \*(lqofficial\*(rq hostnames for the mailboxes you indicate, as
266 local nicknames for hosts are not replaced with their official site names.
267 For each address, if a host is not given, then that address on any host is
268 considered to be you. In addition, an asterisk (`*') may appear at either
269 or both ends of the mailbox and host to indicate wild-card matching.
270 (profile, default: your user-id)
277 Indicates aliases files for
282 This may be used instead of the
285 switch. (profile, no default)
291 Indicates a default draft folder for
300 man page for details. (profile, no default)
303 .BI digest\-issue\- list :
308 the last issue of the last volume sent for the digest
310 (context, no default)
313 .BI digest\-volume\- list :
318 the last volume sent for the digest
320 (context, no default)
328 your maildrop, if different from the default. This is
329 superseded by the environment variable
331 (profile, default: %mailspool%/$USER)
335 RAND MH System (agent: Marshall Rose)
337 Tells front-end programs such as
342 your mail signature. This is superseded by the
347 is not set and this profile entry is not present, the \*(lqgcos\*(rq field of
348 the \fI/etc/passwd\fP file will be used.
349 Your signature will be added to the address
351 puts in the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header; do not include an address in the
352 signature text. The \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component
353 supersedes all of this. (profile, no default)
355 .SS "Process Profile Entries"
356 The following profile elements are used whenever an
358 program invokes some other program such as
362 can be used to select alternate programs if the
363 user wishes. The default values are given in the examples.
369 This is the program used by
371 to process drafts which are MIME composition files.
377 This program is used to refile or link a message to another folder.
380 to file a copy of a message into a folder given
381 by a \*(lqFcc:\*(rq field. It is used by the draft folder facility in
388 message into another folder. It is used to refile a draft message in
391 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt.
398 to filter a component when it is tagged with the \*(lqformat\*(rq variable
399 in the mhl filter. See
401 for more information.
409 to incorporate new mail when it
410 is invoked with no arguments.
416 This program is called to initialize the environment for
424 This program is used to list the contents of a message in response
427 directive at the \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq prompt. It is
428 also used by the draft folder facility in
434 to display the draft message.
437 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
443 This is the program used to automatically mail various messages
444 and notifications. It is used by
448 option. It is used by
450 to post failure notices.
451 It is used to retrieve an external-body with access-type `mail-server'
452 (such as when storing the body with
459 This is the program used to filter messages in various ways. It
462 to filter and display the message headers
463 of MIME messages. When the
474 is used to filter the
475 message that you are forwarding, or to which you are replying.
482 is used to filter the copy of the message
483 that is sent to \*(lqBcc:\*(rq recipients.
489 This is the program used by
493 formatted message when displaying to a terminal. It is also the default
496 to display message bodies (or message parts) of type text/plain.
499 supersedes the default built-in pager command.)
517 This is the program used by
526 post a message to the mail transport system. It is also called by
528 (called with the switches
532 to do address verification.
538 This is the program used by
542 to delete a message from a folder.
548 This is the program to use by
550 to actually send the message
556 This is the program used by
558 to process and display non-text (MIME) messages.
564 This is the program used by
566 to filter and display text (non-MIME) messages.
572 This is the program invoked by
578 to query about the disposition of a composed draft message.
584 This is the program used by
586 to determine to whom a message would be sent.
588 .SS "Environment Variables"
591 and its commands it also controlled by the
592 presence of certain environment variables.
594 Many of these environment variables are used internally by the
595 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface. It's amazing all the information
596 that has to get passed via environment variables to make the
597 \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq interface look squeaky clean to the
599 user, isn't it? The reason for all this is that the
607 one of the standard shells. As a result, it's not possible to pass
608 information via an argument list. The convention is that environment
609 variables whose names are all upper-case are user-settable; those
610 whose names are lower-case only are used internally by nmh and should
611 not generally be set by the user.
615 With this environment variable, you can specify a profile
621 that you invoke. If the value of
623 is not absolute, (i.e., does
624 not begin with a \*(lq/\*(rq), it will be presumed to start from the current
625 working directory. This is one of the very few exceptions in
627 where non-absolute pathnames are not considered relative to the user's
634 With this environment variable, you can specify a
635 context other than the normal context file (as specified in
638 profile). As always, unless the value of
640 is absolute, it will be presumed to start from your
647 With this environment variable, you can specify an
648 additional user profile (file) to be read by
650 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
655 With this environment variable, you can specify an
656 additional user profile (file) to be read by
658 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
660 is deprecated, so this support for this variable will
661 be removed from a future nmh release.
666 With this environment variable, you can specify an
667 additional user profile (file) to be read by
669 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
674 With this environment variable, you can specify an
675 additional user profile (file) to be read by
677 in addition to the mhn.defaults profile.
682 With this environment variable, you can specify
683 the native character set you are using. You must be able to display
684 this character set on your terminal.
686 This variable is checked to see if a RFC-2047 header field should be
699 be called, since showmimeproc will be called if a text message uses
700 a character set that doesn't match
705 for matches against the charset parameter
706 of text contents to decide it the text content can be displayed
707 without modifications to your terminal. This variable is checked by
709 to decide what character set to specify in the charset
710 parameter of text contents containing 8\-bit characters.
712 When decoding text in such an alternate character set,
714 must be able to determine which characters are alphabetic, which
715 are control characters, etc. For many operating systems, this
716 will require enabling the support for locales (such as setting
717 the environment variable
726 the default maildrop. This supersedes the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
733 the POP host to query for mail to incorporate. See the
734 inc(1) man page for more information.
737 .B $USERNAME_EXTENSION
739 This variable is for use with username_extension masquerading. See the
740 mh-tailor(5) man page.
749 your mail signature. This supersedes the \*(lqSignature\*(rq profile entry,
750 and is not used when the \*(lqLocal\-Mailbox\*(rq profile component is set.
759 your default maildrop: see the \*(lqMailDrop\*(rq profile entry.
764 This variable tells all
766 programs your home directory
775 The environment variable
777 is also consulted. In particular,
782 how to clear your terminal, and how
783 many columns wide your terminal is. They also tell
786 lines long your terminal screen is.
791 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the
792 name of the mail transport configuration file to use by
795 and other programs that interact with the mail transport system,
796 instead of the default. See mh-tailor(5).
801 If this variable is set to a non-null value, it specifies the name of
802 a mail transport configuration file to be read in addition to the
803 default. See mh-tailor(5).
810 These variables are searched, in order, for the directory in which to
811 create some temporary files.
816 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
818 will emit debugging information.
823 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
825 will emit a representation of the search pattern.
830 If this variable is set to a non-null value,
832 commands that use the
833 .BR Alternate\-Mailboxes
834 profile entry will display debugging information
835 about the values in that entry.
840 If set to a non-null value, this supersedes the value of
841 the default built-in pager command.
846 This is the alternate message.
852 during edit sessions so you can
853 peruse the message being distributed or replied to. The message is also
857 through a link called \*(lq@\*(rq in the current directory if
858 your current working directory and the folder the message lives in are
859 on the same UNIX filesystem, and if your current working directory is
865 This is the path to the working draft.
875 which file to ask \*(lqWhat now?\*(rq
888 about an alternate message associated with the
889 draft (the message being distributed or replied to).
894 This is the folder containing the alternate message.
900 during edit sessions so you
901 can peruse other messages in the current folder besides the one being
902 distributed or replied to. The environment variable
920 that message re-distribution is occurring.
934 editor (unless overridden by
951 if annotations are to occur.
961 if annotations are to occur.
971 if annotations are to occur.
976 .ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
977 ^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
978 ^or $MH~^Rather than the standard profile
979 ^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
980 ^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
981 ^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
990 contains only static information, which
994 update. Changes in context are made to the
996 file kept in the users
999 This includes, but is not limited to: the \*(lqCurrent\-Folder\*(rq entry
1000 and all private sequence information. Public sequence information is
1001 kept in each folder in the file determined by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq
1002 profile entry (default is
1003 .IR \&.mh\(rusequences ).
1007 may override the path of the
1009 file, by specifying a \*(lqcontext\*(rq entry (this must be in
1010 lower-case). If the entry is not absolute (does not start with a
1011 \*(lq/\*(rq), then it is interpreted relative to the user's
1013 directory. As a result, you can actually have more than one set of
1014 private sequences by using different context files.
1016 There is some question as to what kind of arguments should be placed
1017 in the profile as options. In order to provide a clear answer, recall
1018 command line semantics of all
1020 programs: conflicting switches
1025 may occur more than one time on the
1026 command line, with the last switch taking effect. Other arguments, such
1027 as message sequences, filenames and folders, are always remembered on
1028 the invocation line and are not superseded by following arguments of
1029 the same type. Hence, it is safe to place only switches (and their
1030 arguments) in the profile.
1032 If one finds that an
1034 program is being invoked again and again
1035 with the same arguments, and those arguments aren't switches, then there
1036 are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to create a
1042 of your choice. By giving this link a different name, you can create
1043 a new entry in your profile and use an alternate set of defaults for
1046 command. Similarly, you could create a small shell script
1049 program of your choice with an alternate set
1050 of invocation line switches (using links and an alternate profile entry
1051 is preferable to this solution).
1055 user could create an alias for the command of the form:
1058 alias cmd 'cmd arg1 arg2 ...'
1061 In this way, the user can avoid lengthy type-in to the shell, and still
1064 commands safely. (Recall that some
1067 invoke others, and that in all cases, the profile is read, meaning that
1068 aliases are disregarded beyond an initial command invocation)
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