+.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "Oct 14, 2012" "%nmhversion%"
.\"
.\" %nmhwarning%
.\"
-.TH MH-ALIAS %manext5% "%nmhdate%" MH.6.8 [%nmhversion%]
.SH NAME
mh-alias \- alias file for nmh message system
.SH SYNOPSIS
or
.RS 5
.B ;
+|
+.B :
+|
+.B #
.I comment
.RE
.PP
.RE
.PP
Continuation lines in alias files end with `\\' followed by the newline
-character.
+character. This applies to comment lines. Thus, a line following a
+comment line that ends with a `\\' will be treated as a continuation of
+the comment.
.PP
.RI \*(lq Alias\-file \*(rq
and
.PP
An approximation of the way aliases are resolved at posting time is
(it's not really done this way):
-.PP
-.RS 2
-.IP 1) 3
+.IP 1)
Build a list of all addresses from the message to be delivered,
eliminating duplicate addresses.
-.PP
-.IP 2) 3
+.IP 2)
If this draft originated on the local host, then for those addresses in
the message that have no host specified, perform alias resolution.
-.PP
-.IP 3) 3
+.IP 3)
For each line in the alias file, compare \*(lqalias\*(rq against all of
the existing addresses. If a match, remove the matched \*(lqalias\*(rq
from the address list, and add each new address in the address\-group to
not usually output, rather the address\-group that the alias maps to is
output instead. If \*(lqalias\*(rq is terminated with a `;' instead of
a `:', then both the \*(lqalias\*(rq and the address are output in the
-correct format. (This makes replies possible since
+correct format (with the alias quoted if necessary and the address
+wrapped in <>).
+.PP
+This makes replies possible since
.B nmh
aliases
-and personal aliases are unknown to the mail transport system.)
-.RE
+and personal aliases are unknown to the mail transport system.
.PP
Since the alias file is read line by line, forward references work, but
backward references are not recognized, thus, there is no recursion.
.nf
<%etcdir%/BBoardAliases
sgroup: fred, fear, freida
-b-people: Blind List: bill, betty;
+b-people: Blind List: bill, betty
fred: frated@UCI
UNIX\-committee: <unix.aliases
staff: =staff
\*(rqfear\*(rq, and \*(rqfreida\*(rq.
.PP
The alias \*(lqb-people\*(rq is a blind list which includes the addresses
-\*(lqbill\*(rq and \*(lqbetty\*(rq; the message will be delieved to those
-addresses, but the message header will show only \*(lqBlind List: ;\*(rq
-(not the addresses).
+\*(lqbill\*(rq and \*(lqbetty\*(rq; the message will be delivered to those
+addresses, but the message header will show only \*(lqBlind List: ;\*(rq
+(not the addresses). The alias must not be terminated with, or contain,
+a semicolon; see
+.B Helpful Hints
+below. Note that blind lists are not supported with the
+.B sendmail/pipe
+mail transport method.
.PP
Next, the definition of \*(lqUNIX\-committee\*(rq is given by
reading the file
is given a message to deliver to a list of addresses, for each address
that appears to be local, a system\-wide alias file is consulted. These
aliases are
-.B NOT
+.B not
expanded into the headers of messages delivered.
-
.SH "HELPFUL HINTS"
To use aliasing in
.B nmh
quickly, do the following:
-.PP
-.RS 2
-.IP 1) 3
+.IP 1)
In your
.IR \&.mh\(ruprofile ,
choose a name for your alias file, say
.RI \*(lq aliases \*(rq,
and add the line:
-.PP
-.RS 5
-.nf
+.sp
Aliasfile: aliases
.\" ali: \-alias aliases
.\" send: \-alias aliases
.\" whom: \-alias aliases
-.fi
.RE
-.PP
-.IP 2) 3
+.IP 2)
Create the file
.RI \*(lq aliases \*(rq
in your
.B nmh
directory.
-.PP
-.IP 3) 3
+.IP 3)
Start adding aliases to your
.RI \*(lq aliases \*(rq
file as appropriate.
.RE
-
+.PP
+Earlier versions of this man page showed a semicolon at the end of the
+blind list example. That caused the preceeding alias to not be
+expanded. There must not be a semicolon at the end of, or within, the
+address group of a blind list.
+.B post
+will append the semicolon to the blind list name.
.SH FILES
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta \w'%etcdir%/ExtraBigFileName 'u
-^%etcdir%/MailAliases~^global nmh alias file
-.fi
-
+.TP 20
+%etcdir%/MailAliases
+global nmh alias file
.SH "PROFILE COMPONENTS"
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta 2.4i
-.ta \w'ExtraBigProfileName 'u
-^Aliasfile:~^For a default alias file
-.fi
-
+.TP 20
+Aliasfile:
+Default alias file
.SH "SEE ALSO"
-ali(1), send(1), whom(1), group(5), passwd(5), conflict(8), post(8)
-
+.IR ali (1),
+.IR send (1),
+.IR whom (1),
+.IR group (5),
+.IR passwd (5),
+.IR conflict (8),
+.IR post (8)
.SH CONTEXT
None
-
.SH BUGS
Although the forward-referencing semantics of
.B mh\-alias
Since the number of file descriptors is finite (and very limited), such
infinite recursion will terminate with a meaningless diagnostic when
all the fds are used up.
-.PP
-Forward references do not work correctly inside blind lists.
projects / nmh / blobdiff