+.TH NMH %manext7% "September 26, 2016" "%nmhversion%"
.\"
.\" %nmhwarning%
.\"
-.TH NMH %manext7% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
+.\" Register 'tt' contains the indent for .TP in the COMMANDS section:
+.nr tt \w'\fImh-sequence\fR(5)\0\0'u
+.\"
.SH NAME
nmh \- new MH message system
-.SH SYNOPSIS
-any
-.B nmh
-command
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B nmh
is the name of a powerful message handling system. Rather than
To get started using
.BR nmh ,
put the directory
-.I %bindir%
-on your
+\*(lq%bindir%\*(rq
+in your
.BR $PATH .
-This is best done in one of the files:
-.IR \&.profile ,
-.IR \&.login ,
-.IR \&.bashrc ,
-or
-.I \&.cshrc
-in your home directory. (Check the
-manual entry for the shell you use, in case you don't know how to
-do this.) Run the
+Run the
.B install-mh
command. If you've never used
.B nmh
.B inc
moves mail from your system maildrop into your
.B nmh
-`+inbox' folder, breaking it up into separate files and converting it
+\*(lq+inbox\*(rq
+folder, breaking it up into separate files and converting it
to
.B nmh
format as it goes. It prints one line for each message it
file.
.PP
.B scan
-.B prints a list of the messages in your current folder.
+prints a list of the messages in your current folder.
.PP
-The commands:
+The commands
.BR show ,
.BR next ,
and
It places you in the editor with a prototype response form. While you're
in the editor, you may peruse the item you're responding to by reading
the file
-.IR @ .
+.BR @ .
After completing your response, type
-.B l
+\*(lql\*(rq
to
.B list
(review) it, or
-.B s
+\*(lqs\*(rq
to
.B send
it.
.PP
.B comp
allows you to compose a message by putting you in the editor
-on a prototype message form, and then lets you send it.
+on a prototype message form, and then lets you send it via the
+.B whatnow
+command.
+.B whatnow
+also supports easy\-to\-use management of MIME attachments via
+its
+.B attach
+and related responses, as described in its man page.
.PP
-All the
.B nmh
-commands may be run with the single argument:
+command arguments are usually called
+.IR switches .
+Some switches have a corresponding \*(lq\-no\*(rq switch, which
+negates all previous occurrences of that switch on the command line.
+This allows a user to conveniently override, on the command line, a
+switch in their profile. Switches may be abbreviated as long as there
+is no ambiguity with another switch of the same command. To avoid
+ambiguity with any switches that may be added in the future, it is
+recommended that full switch names be used in durable code such as
+shell scripts, functions, and aliases.
+.PP
+Each
+.B nmh
+command may be run with the single switch
.BR \-help ,
-which causes them to print a list of the arguments they may be invoked
-with and then exit.
+which causes it to print its available switches, along with any
+profile components that apply, and then exit.
.PP
All the
.B nmh
-commands may be run with the single argument:
+commands may be run with the single switch
.BR \-version ,
-which cause them to print the version number of the
+which causes them to print the version number of the
.B nmh
distribution, and then exit.
.PP
-Commands which take a message number as an argument (
-.BR scan ,
+Commands which take a message number as an argument
+.RB ( scan ,
.BR show ,
.BR repl ,
-\&...) also take one of the words: \*(lqfirst\*(rq,
+\&...) also take one of the words \*(lqfirst\*(rq,
\*(lqprev\*(rq, \*(lqcur\*(rq, \*(lqnext\*(rq, or \*(lqlast\*(rq to indicate
(respectively) the first, previous, current, next, or last message in
the current folder (assuming they are defined).
-
-Commands which take a range of message numbers (
-.BR rmm ,
+As a shorthand, \*(lq\&.\*(rq is equivalent to \*(lqcur\*(rq.
+.PP
+Commands which take a range of message numbers
+.RB ( rmm ,
.BR scan ,
.BR show ,
\&...) also take any of the abbreviations:
-.PP
-.RS 5
-.IP \fI<num1>\fR\-\fI<num2>\fR 15
-Indicates all messages in the range <num1> to <num2>, inclusive. The range must be nonempty.
-.IP \fI<num>\fR:+\fIN\fR 15
-.IP \fI<num>\fR:\-\fIN\fR 15
+.TP \n(ttu
+.IR <num1> - <num2>
+Indicates all messages in the range <num1> to <num2>, inclusive.
+The range must be nonempty.
+.TP
+.RI all
+Indicates all messages, i.e.,
+.IR first - last .
+.TP
+.IR <num> :+ N
+.PD 0
+.TP
+.IR <num> :\-N
Up to
.I N
messages beginning with (or ending with) message
.IR num .
.I Num
-may be any of the pre-defined symbols:
-.IR first ,
-.IR prev ,
-.IR cur ,
-.I next
+may be any of the pre-defined symbols
+.BR first ,
+.BR prev ,
+.BR cur ,
+.B next
or
-.IR last .
-.IP first:\fIN\fR 15
-.IP prev:\fIN\fR 15
-.IP next:\fIN\fR 15
-.IP last:\fIN\fR 15
+.BR last .
+.PD
+.TP
+.RI first: N
+.PD 0
+.TP
+.RI prev: N
+.TP
+.RI next: N
+.TP
+.RI last: N
The first, previous, next or last
messages, if they exist.
-.RE
+.PD
+.PP
+Commands that take a folder name
+.RB ( inc ,
+.BR refile ,
+.BR scan,
+\&...) accept the folder name in two formats: \*(lq+folder\*(rq or
+\*(lq@folder\*(rq. In both cases, \*(lqfolder\*(rq can be a
+\*(lq/\*(rq-separated path, e.g.\& \*(lqfoo/bar\*(rq. \*(lq+folder\*(rq
+specifies a directory path to a folder. If \*(lqfolder\*(rq starts
+with \*(lq/\*(rq then it's an absolute path from the root directory.
+If it is \*(lq.\*(rq or \*(lq..\*(rq, or starts with \*(lq./\*(rq or
+\*(lq../\*(rq, then it's relative to the current working directory.
+Otherwise it's relative to mh-profile(5)'s
+.RI \*(lq Path \*(rq,
+i.e.\& as given by
+.RB ` "mhpath +" `.
+\*(lq@folder\*(rq is a shorthand for \*(lq+curfolder/folder\*(rq; it's
+a relative path from the current folder. \*(lqcurfolder\*(rq is given
+by
+.RB ` mhpath `.
+For example, assuming a
+.B Path
+profile component of Mail,
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.BI "scan " +inbox
+scans $HOME/Mail/inbox
+.TP
+.BI "scan " +work/todo
+scans $HOME/Mail/work/todo
+.TP
+.BI "scan " @todo
+scans $HOME/Mail/work/todo, if current folder is +work
+.TP
+.BI "refile " @../done
+refiles to $HOME/Mail/work/done, if the current folder is +work/todo
+.TP
+.BI "scan " +/tmp
+scans /tmp
+.TP
+.BI "scan " +.
+scans the current directory
+.TP
+.BI "refile " @.
+refiles current message to end of current folder.
+.PD
.PP
There are many other possibilities such as creating multiple folders
for different topics, and automatically refiling messages according to
subject, source, destination, or content. These are beyond the scope
of this manual entry.
+.ne 4
+.SH COMMANDS
.PP
Following is a list of all the
.B nmh
-commands:
+commands, grouped loosely according to their role.
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Sending
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR comp (1)
+compose a message
+.TP
+.IR forw (1)
+forward messages
+.TP
+.IR repl (1)
+reply to a message
+.TP
+.IR whatnow (1)
+prompting front-end for send
+.PD
+.PP
+Note that although
+.B whatnow
+provides much of the primary
+.B nmh
+user interface for sending mail, it is almost never invoked manually,
+but rather is invoked indirectly by one of the above commands, after
+you've composed a message in your editor, and before you've decided to
+send it. Here you can add attachments, check the recipient
+list, decide to quit and send it later, etc.
+.PP
+Related utilities:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR ali (1)
+list mail aliases
+.TP
+.IR anno (1)
+annotate messages
+.TP
+.IR whom (1)
+report to whom a message would go
+.TP
+.IR dist (1)
+redistribute a message to additional addresses
+.PD
+.PP
+Advanced commands, only sometimes invoked directly:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mhbuild (1)
+translate MIME composition draft
+.TP
+.IR send (1)
+send a message
+.TP
+.IR sendfiles (1)
+send multiple files in a MIME message
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Incorporating
+.TP \n(ttu
+.IR inc (1)
+incorporate new mail
.PP
-.RS 5
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta 1.5i
-^ali(1)~^\- list mail aliases
-^anno(1)~^\- annotate messages
-^burst(1)~^\- explode digests into messages
-^comp(1)~^\- compose a message
-^dist(1)~^\- redistribute a message to additional addresses
-^flist(1)~^\- list folders with messages in given sequence(s)
-^flists(1)~^\- list all folders with messages in given sequence(s)
-^folder(1)~^\- set/list current folder/message
-^folders(1)~^\- list all folders
-^forw(1)~^\- forward messages
-^inc(1)~^\- incorporate new mail
-^mark(1)~^\- mark messages
-^mhbuild(1)~^\- translate MIME composition draft
-^mhl(1)~^\- produce formatted listings of nmh messages
-^mhlist(1)~^\- list information about content of MIME messages
-^mhmail(1)~^\- send or read mail
-^mhn(1)~^\- display/list/store/cache MIME messages
-^mhparam(1)~^\- print nmh profile components
-^mhpath(1)~^\- print full pathnames of nmh messages and folders
-^mhshow(1)~^\- display MIME messages
-^mhstore(1)~^\- store contents of MIME messages into files
-^msgchk(1)~^\- check for messages
-^msh(1)~^\- nmh shell(and BBoard reader)
-^next(1)~^\- show the next message
-^packf(1)~^\- compress a folder into a single file
-^pick(1)~^\- select messages by content
-^prev(1)~^\- show the previous message
-^prompter(1)~^\- prompting editor front end
-^rcvdist(1)~^\- asynchronously redistribute new mail
-^rcvpack(1)~^\- append message to file
-^rcvstore(1)~^\- asynchronously incorporate new mail
-^rcvtty(1)~^\- report new mail
-^refile(1)~^\- file messages in other folders
-^repl(1)~^\- reply to a message
-^rmf(1)~^\- remove folder
-^rmm(1)~^\- remove messages
-^scan(1)~^\- produce a one line per message scan listing
-^send(1)~^\- send a message
-^sendfiles(1)~^\- send multiple files and directories in MIME message
-^show(1)~^\- show(display) messages
-^slocal(1)~^\- asynchronously filter and deliver new mail
-^sortm(1)~^\- sort messages
-^whatnow(1)~^\- prompting front\-end for send
-^whom(1)~^\- report to whom a message would go
-.sp
-^mh\-alias(5)~^\- alias file for nmh message system
-^mh\-draft(5)~^\- draft folder facility
-^mh\-format(5)~^\- format file for nmh message system
-^mh\-mail(5)~^\- message format for nmh message system
-^mh\-profile(5)~^\- user customization for nmh message system
-^mh\-sequence(5)~^\- sequence specification for nmh message system
-^mh\-tailor(5)~^\- mail transport configuration for nmh message system
-.sp
-^ap(8)~^\- parse addresses 822\-style
-^conflict(8)~^\- search for alias/password conflicts
-^dp(8)~^\- parse dates 822\-style
-^fmtdump(8)~^\- decode \fInmh\fP format files
-^install\-mh(8)~^\- initialize the nmh environment
-^post(8)~^\- deliver a message
-.fi
-.RE
-
+Related utilities:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR burst (1)
+explode digests into messages
+.TP
+.IR msgchk (1)
+check for messages
+.TP
+.IR rcvdist (1)
+asynchronously redistribute new mail
+.TP
+.IR rcvpack (1)
+append message to file
+.TP
+.IR rcvstore (1)
+asynchronously incorporate new mail
+.TP
+.IR slocal (1)
+asynchronously filter and deliver new mail
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Viewing
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR next (1)
+show the next message
+.TP
+.IR prev (1)
+show the previous message
+.TP
+.IR show (1)
+show(display) messages
+.TP
+.IR scan (1)
+produce a one line per message scan listing
+.TP
+.IR fnext (1)
+select the next folder with new messages
+.TP
+.IR fprev (1)
+select the previous folder with new messages
+.PD
+.PP
+Related utilities, only sometimes invoked directly:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mhl (1)
+produce formatted listings of nmh messages
+.TP
+.IR mhlist (1)
+list information about content of MIME messages
+.TP
+.IR mhn (1)
+display/list/store/cache MIME messages
+.TP
+.IR mhshow (1)
+display MIME messages
+.TP
+.IR mhstore (1)
+store contents of MIME messages into files
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Searching
+.PP
+Within a folder:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.IR pick (1)
+select messages by content
+.PP
+Across folders:
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR new (1)
+list folders with new messages
+.TP
+.IR unseen (1)
+list new messages in a give set of folders
+.TP
+.IR flist (1)
+list folders with messages in given sequence(s)
+.TP
+.IR flists (1)
+list all folders with messages in given sequence(s)
+.TP
+.IR folder (1)
+set/list current folder/message
+.TP
+.IR folders (1)
+list all folders
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Organizing
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mark (1)
+mark messages
+.TP
+.IR refile (1)
+file messages in other folders
+.TP
+.IR rmf (1)
+remove folder
+.TP
+.IR rmm (1)
+remove messages
+.TP
+.IR sortm (1)
+sort messages
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Convenience Wrappers
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mhmail (1)
+send or read mail
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Utilities
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mhfixmsg (1)
+rewrite MIME messages with various transformations
+.TP
+.IR mhparam (1)
+print nmh profile components
+.TP
+.IR mhpath (1)
+print full pathnames of nmh messages and folders
+.TP
+.IR packf (1)
+compress a folder into a single file
+.TP
+.IR prompter (1)
+prompting editor front end
+.TP
+.IR rcvtty (1)
+report new mail
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Indirectly Invoked Commands
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR ap (8)
+parse addresses RFC 822\-style
+.TP
+.IR dp (8)
+parse dates RFC 822\-style
+.TP
+.IR fmtdump (8)
+decode
+.IR mh-format (5)
+files
+.TP
+.IR install\-mh (8)
+initialize the nmh environment
+.TP
+.IR post (8)
+deliver a message
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Files Used by nmh Commands
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mh\-alias (5)
+alias file for nmh message system
+.TP
+.IR mh\-format (5)
+format file for nmh message system
+.TP
+.IR mh\-profile (5)
+user customization for nmh message system
+.TP
+.IR mh\-tailor (5)
+mail transport customization for nmh message system
+.PD
+.ne 4
+.SS
+Formats
+.TP \n(ttu
+.PD 0
+.IR mh\-draft (5)
+draft folder facility
+.TP
+.IR mh\-folders (5)
+nmh message storage format specification
+.TP
+.IR mh\-mail (5)
+message format for nmh message system
+.TP
+.IR mh\-sequence (5)
+sequence specification for nmh message system
+.PD
+.ne 4
.SH FILES
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
-^%bindir%~^contains \fInmh\fR commands
-^%etcdir%~^contains \fInmh\fR format files
-^%libdir%~^contains \fInmh\fR library commands
-^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
-.fi
-
-.SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta 2.4i
-.ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
-^Path:~^To determine the user's nmh directory
-.fi
-
+.TP
+%bindir%
+contains
+.B nmh
+commands
+.TP
+%nmhetcdir%
+contains
+.B nmh
+format files
+.TP
+%nmhlibexecdir%
+contains
+.B nmh
+library commands
+.TP
+$HOME/\&.mh\-profile
+The user's nmh profile
+.ne 4
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+.IR install-mh (1),
+.IR mh-profile (5),
+.IR mh-chart (7),
+.IR mh-mime (7)
+.ne 4
.SH BUGS
+\" The contents of this section also appear in sbr/print_help.c .
+Send bug reports, questions, suggestions, and patches to
+.IR nmh-workers@nongnu.org .
+That mailing list is relatively quiet, so user questions are encouraged.
+Users are also encouraged to subscribe, and view the archives, at
+https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/nmh-workers .
+.PP
If problems are encountered with an
.B nmh
-program, the problems should
+program, they should
be reported to the local maintainers of
-.BR nmh .
-When doing this, the
-name of the program should be reported, along with the version information
-for the program.
-.br
+.BR nmh ,
+if any, or to the mailing list noted above.
+When doing this, the name of the program should be reported, along
+with the version information for the program.
+.PP
To find out what version of an
.B nmh
program is being run, invoke
the program with the
.B \-version
-switch. This information includes
+switch. This prints
the version of
.BR nmh ,
-the host it was generated on, and the date the
-program was loaded.
+the host it was compiled on, and the date the
+program was linked.
.PP
-Send bug reports and suggestions to
-.IR nmh-workers@nongnu.org .
-.SH "SEE ALSO"
-mh-chart(7)
+New releases and other information of potential interest are announced at http://www.nongnu.org/nmh/ .
projects / nmh / blobdiff