-.TH MH-FOLDERS %manext5% "February 25, 2016" "%nmhversion%"
-.\"
+.TH MH-FOLDERS %manext5% 2016-02-25 "%nmhversion%"
+.
.\" %nmhwarning%
-.\"
+.
.SH NAME
mh-folders \- specification of storage format used by nmh message system
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
.B one folder per directory
.RS 5
-A
+An
.B nmh
-folder corresponds to directory. There are no limits on folder
+folder corresponds to a directory. There are no limits on folder
names beyond those of the host filesystem.
.RE
.PP
.B one message per file
.RS 5
The file name is a positive integer. Other files containing metadata or
-arbitrary names can exist in a folder; while the preference is that non\-message
+arbitrary names can exist in a folder; while the preference is that non-message
files begin with \*(lq.\*(rq, all files that are not positive integers
-.B must
-be ignored by a
+.I must
+be ignored by an
.BR MH \-compatible
implementation. However, implementations are free to indicate to the user
-the existence of non\-message files that are not prefixed with a \*(lq.\*(rq.
+the existence of non-message files that are not prefixed with a \*(lq.\*(rq.
.PP
-The filename for a new
-message is one greater than the highest numbered message in
-the folder; its full path can be accessed by the pseudo\-sequence
+The filename for a new message is one greater than the highest numbered
+message in the folder; its full path can be accessed by the pseudo-sequence
.I new
(e.g.,
.B mhpath
.IR new ).
New messages are
-.B only
+.I only
permitted to be added to a folder at the end of the message number range.
.PP
To add a new message to a folder, the recommended sequence is:
-.PP
.IP \(bu 4
Create a temporary file in the desired folder.
.IP \(bu 4
.IP \(bu 4
If successful, remove the temporary file. If the link fails, increment the
message number and try again.
-.PP
.RE
.B context
.RS 5
There is one context file. Its default location is in the
-user's Path and default name is
+user's Path and its default name is
.IR context ,
-but those can be overridden with the $MHCONTEXT environment
-variable.
+but these can be overridden by the $MHCONTEXT environment variable.
.B context
has the following format:
.PP
There is one sequences file in each
.B nmh
folder. Its default name is
-.IR \&.mh\(rusequences ,
-but that can be overridden with the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq profile entry.
+.IR \&.mh_sequences ,
+but this can be overridden by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq profile entry.
.B sequences
has the following format:
.PP
from the sequence. If a sequence contains no messages, it should be
removed from the sequence file. The exception to this is the
.B cur
-sequence, which can refer to a nonexistant message.
+sequence, which can refer to a nonexistent message.
.RE
-.PP
.SS Locking
.B nmh
programs read and write the context and sequences files, and lock
.B nmh
is configured and can be accessed as a string using
.BR "mhparam datalocking" .
-By default, fcntl locking is used, but this may be overridden with
+By default, fcntl locking is used, but this may be overridden by
the
.B datalocking
profile entry.
be the same as used by the
.B mail
program, if provided on the platform.
-.PP
.SS Naming
.B nmh
folders can be given arbitrary names, with one exception:
.SH FILES
.PD 0
.TP 20
-<mh\-dir>/context
+<mh-dir>/context
The user's context.
.TP 20
$MHCONTEXT
Overrides the above context.
.TP 20
-<folder>/\&.mh\-sequences
+<folder>/.mh\-sequences
Public sequences for <folder>.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
-.I
.IR flist (1),
.IR folder (1),
.IR mail (1),