-.TH MH-MAIL %manext5% "January 8, 2014" "%nmhversion%"
-.\"
+.TH MH-MAIL %manext5% 2014-01-08 "%nmhversion%"
+.
.\" %nmhwarning%
-.\"
+.
.SH NAME
mh-mail \- message format for nmh message system
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B nmh
prefers,
.B nmh
-can read message files in that antiquated format.
+can read message files in that format.
.PP
-Each user possesses a mail drop box which initially receives all messages
+Each user possesses a mail drop which initially receives all messages
processed by
.BR post .
-.B Inc
-will read from that drop
-box and incorporate the new messages found there into the user's own
-mail folders (typically
+.B inc
+will read from that mail drop and incorporate new messages found there
+into the user's own mail folders (typically
.RI \*(lq +inbox \*(rq).
-The mail drop box consists of one or more messages.
+The mail drop consists of one or more messages.
.PP
Messages are expected to consist of lines of text. Graphics and binary
data are not handled. No data compression is accepted. All text is
.PP
Each header item is called a component and is composed of a keyword or
name, along with associated text. The keyword begins at the left margin,
-may NOT contain spaces or tabs, may not exceed 63 characters (as specified
+may
+.I not
+contain spaces or tabs, may not exceed 63 characters (as specified
by RFC 822), and is terminated by a colon (`:'). Certain components
(as identified by their keywords) must follow rigidly defined formats
in their text portions.
.RS 5
Added by
.BR post ,
-contains date and time of the message's entry
-into the mail transport system.
+contains date and time of the message's entry into the mail transport system.
.RE
.PP
.BR From :
This header is filled in by default with the system's idea of the user's local
mailbox. This can be changed with the
.B Local\-Mailbox
-profile entry. It
-contains the address of the author or authors
-(may be more than one if a \*(lqSender:\*(rq field is present). For a
-standard reply (using
+profile entry.
+It contains the address of the author or authors (may be more than one if a
+\*(lqSender:\*(rq field is present). For a standard reply (using
.BR repl ),
-the reply address is constructed by
-checking the following headers (in this order): \*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq,
-\*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq, \*(lqSender:\*(rq.
-A \*(lqFrom:\*(rq
-header MUST exist when the message is sent to
-.BR post,
+the reply address is constructed by checking the following headers (in this
+order): \*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq,
+\*(lqSender:\*(rq. A \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header MUST exist when the message is
+sent to
+.BR post ,
otherwise the message will be rejected.
.RE
.PP
Used by
.B post
to specify a value for the sender's envelope address to the mail transport
-system. If omitted,
+system. If omitted,
.B post
will use the value of the \*(lqSender:\*(rq or the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header.
See
.RS 5
For a standard reply (using
.BR repl ),
-the reply address is
-constructed by checking the following headers (in this order):
-\*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqFrom:\*(rq,
-\*(lqSender:\*(rq.
+the reply address is constructed by checking the following headers
+(in this order): \*(lqMail-Reply\-To:\*(rq, \*(lqReply\-To:\*(rq,
+\*(lqFrom:\*(rq, \*(lqSender:\*(rq.
.RE
.PP
.BR Mail\-Followup\-To :
.B post
in the event that the message has multiple addresses on the
\*(lqFrom:\*(rq line. It is otherwise optional. This line should
-contain the address of the actual
-sender.
+contain the address of the actual sender.
.RE
.PP
.BR To :
.BR Resent\-From :
.RS 5
Used instead of the \*(lqFrom:\*(rq header when
-.B post
-redistributes a message. See \*(lqFrom:\*(rq for more information about
-this header is used.
+.B post
+redistributes a message. See \*(lqFrom:\*(rq.
.RE
.PP
-.BR Resent\-To:
+.BR Resent\-To :
.RS 5
New recipients for a message resent by
.BR dist .