Fish 'n' More 2/fishmore-publicdomainlibraryvol.ii1991xetec.iso/fish/telecom/uucp_442/src/dmail/dmail.help

Text File | 1990-02-02 | 24KB | 708 lines

$Header: Beta:src/uucp/src/dmail/RCS/dmail.help,v 1.1 90/02/02 12:03:57 dillon Exp Locker: dillon $

'help TOPIC' for more information on a command.  Many commands take
message numbers or message lists:
    [msg]    is an optionaly specified message number (usually the
        operation is on the current message if no number is
        specified)
    <list>    is an optionaly specified message list.  Message lists
        consists of number ranges of the form N -N N- or N-N, and
        keywords (help keywords)


OTHER HELP AVAILABLE (in addition to the commands):
    pager sendmail tilde header newmail keywords enviroment

DMAIL written by Matthew Dillon, U.C. Berkeley -UCF

(C)Copyright 1985-1989 by Matthew Dillon

.pager
set page [rows/command]

    'page' is a SET variable which determines the type of paging list and
display commands will use.  If not defined, no filter is used.    If a numerical
value (i.e. 24) is specified, the page length will be set to that value and
a rather stupid, simple internal paging routine will be used.  If the
variable is set to an alpha-numeric string, output will be piped through
that filter.  For instance:

    unset page        -no paging
    set page more        -use more filter
    set page page        -use 'page' filter
    set page > x        -redirect to a file (be careful)
    set page 24        -use internal paging, page length 24 rows.

    For internal paging, use <return> to continue, or your INTR
character to break out.  Note that if you have paging set to a program,
response time may be slower because dmail must execute that program.

.sendmail
set sendmail sendmail-path

    Inform DMAIL as to where the sendmail program is.  The default
(variable unset) is /usr/lib/sendmail.  This variable is useful only for
those of us who like to hack-up our own sendmail.

.tilde
~ ~user directory expansion

    In all expressions except those within double quotes, the tilde
`~` will be expanded to either your home directory, or the directory of
a specified user, depending.  Note that '*' and '?' are not expanded by
DMAIL, though they will be by any shell commands you execute.

    It is probably a good idea to use ~ in any aliases, etc... in case
you change directories using the 'cd' command.

    alias resource source ~/.dmailrc        -example using ~

.header
set header filepath

    Set the location of your header file, which will appended to the
scratch mail file before you are placed in the editor (usually vi).

    set header ~/.header            -set header file to ~/.header
    unset header                -no header file

.newmail
When new mail comes in:

    Whenever newmail arrives, it will be automatically incorporated into
a running DMAIL.  However, to see it, you must 'select all' (or select on
anything that would include it).

.keywords
.range
.message
KEYWORDS, MESSAGE LISTS

    Many commands in DMAIL require a range of messages be given.  A Range
consists of message numbers (3 4 5), message ranges (1-45 -9 9-), and
keywords.  Keywords select certain messages from the entire SELECTED list:

    all        -All messages
    tag        -All TAGGED messages
    mark        -All MARKED (read) messages
    deleted     -All DELETED messages
    written     -All WRITTEN messages
    untag        -All messages NOT TAGGED
    unmark        -All messages NOT MARKED (i.e. read)
    undeleted    -All messages NOT DELETED
    unwritten    -All messages NOT WRITTEN

    Only the first three letters need be specified.  For instance, the
'all' keyword selects all the messages currently selected.  You could select
on some subject, say, and then 'delete all'.

    The message number 0 refers to the last message. the 'undeleted'
keyword exists only for completeness; you will probably never use it.

.ver
.version
VER

    returns the version number.

.if
.else
.endif
IF [!]variable
ELSE
ENDIF

    Conditionals.  Example:

    if verbose
        .... do stuff if the variable exists
    else
        ... do stuff if the variable does not exist
    endif
    if !page; echo no page variable; endif

.nobreak
.breakok
NOBREAK
BREAKOK

    Disable or Enable your INTR key.  This command is stackable, thus
there is no problem with recursive aliases which use it.  Be careful that
you match any NOBREAK to a BREAKOK, or you may accidently put yourself into
NOBREAK mode (and a single BREAKOK may not fix it because it's stackable).

    A good example would be a command which needs the page variable set
for the duration... say an alias to TYPE to a file:

alias file "%_a nobreak; set _b $page; set page cat > $_a; type; set page $_b; unset _b; breakok"

    You can see that if the user were to hit his INTR character at the
wrong time, the page variable would be incorrectly set.  The nobreak/breakok
commands fix this problem.  For simplicity, most people don't bother with
break/nobreak, as it clutter's aliases up.

.delete
DELETE <message list>

    Mark the specified messages for deletion.  They will no longer show up
on LISTings, (gaps will appear in message numbering).  However, you can
still TYPE them, if you remember the message number, and you can always
UNDELETE them.    Remember that the particular message # you've deleted
may be different if you change the SELECT parameters.  For example,
message #3 selecting 'To' & 'foo' may actually be message #45 when you
are selecting ALL (see SELECT).  Upon a QUIT, messages marked for
deletion are actually deleted from the mail file.

.undelete
UNDELETE   <message list>

    UNDELETES messages.  Without arguments, UNDELETE will
restore the last message you deleted.  Specifying 'all' (undelete all), will
undelete any deleted messages in the currently selected message list.

.header
HEADER [message]

    Display the entire header of a message.  This does not cause the
message to be marked 'read'.  TYPE, on the other hand, only displays
header information specified by SETLIST.

.type
TYPE [message]

    Type the text of a message.  Only header fields defined by SETLIST
are displayed.    Otherwise, only the text is displayed.    This marks
the particular message as 'read', and also makes that message the
current message.

.echo
ECHO [string]

    Echo the given string onto the screen.

.go
GO #
    go to a message, don't type it out or anything.  Remember that you
can go to the last message by using the message # 0.  By placing a keyword
(help range), you can go to the first TAGGED message, etc...

.reply
.Reply
REPLY

    Reply to the current letter.  There are two forms of 'reply'.  The
first does not include the senders original letter, the second does.
In both cases, Dmail will place you in VI, with the To:, Cc:, and
subject lines filled out.  The second form is 'Reply', with an
upper case 'R'.  This form includes the sender's message shifted to
the right with '>'s on the left hand side.  See FORWARD for another
method of replying to mail.

    In any case, you may get the sender's letter by reading the file '#'
from VI.  That sequence would be ':r\\#'

    See MAIL for more information on VI

.forward
FORWARD [user user user....]

    Forward the current message to a list of users.  The sender's
entire message is placed in the text portion.  The To: field will
contain the user's named above, and the Subject: field will contain
a 'Fo:' (you append your own subject)

    See MAIL for more information on VI

.mail
MAIL [user user user user...]

    Mail to [users].  You are given a VI to work from, and may modify
any of the header fields.  the From: field is inserted automatically
by SENDMAIL, but you can overide it if you wish.

    Quitting out of VI without writing the output file will cause an
abort, and no mail will be sent.   Additionaly, you may use the 'vibreak'
variable to enable your INTR character (usually CTL-C) to break you out of
VI.

    When modifying the users list in To and Cc fields, remember that
they should be all comma delimited, or none comma delimited.

.select
SELECT ALL
SELECT Field  match match match match...
SELECT Field  !match
SELECT Field  match match match , Field match , .....

    Select what you want to look at.  Select will take the field header
you supply and attempt to match arguments with that field in the mail
file.  You can then work on the selected material as if the rest of
your mail didn't exist.  For instance, 'select To dillon', will select
all messages addressed to you.    Note that case is checked for the
FIELD-HEADER, but not for arguments, so the latter will also find
anything addressed to Dillon or DILLON.  You only have to give a
partial match, so 'select To di' would work just as well.

    Select then, allows you to quickly find what you want even though
you may have 12000 messages (though it may take a while with that many)
You may also specify what you DON'T want to select on:

 select To !foo

will select all letters not addressed to 'foo'.  You may select on any
field you wish.  At any time, you may say 'select ALL' to select the
entire message list.  Use RESELECT to select on the current message
list.  SELECT always selects from the entire message-list

 select Cc hack , To hack

will select any mail with Cc or To fields containing hack.  You may
have as many comma operators as you wish.  The comma must be a field
of its own (spaces on either side... will be fixed in a later version)

.reselect
RESELECT ALL
RESELECT Field    match match match match...
RESELECT Field    !match

    SEE SELECT.  Reselect allows you to CONTINUE to narrow down a topic
or whatever.  It will select on the current message list (which you have
already narrowed down with SELECT or RESELECT).

.defer
DEFER

    Deselects any marked messages .. messages marked as 'read'.  This is
as if you did a RESELECT on all unread messages in the current select field.
Thus, the messages will be renumbered.    To see these messages again, you must
use SELECT.

.rlist <num>
RLIST <num>        -<num> > 0 (next N), < 0 (prev N).
RLIST            -Lists next 20 (or previous 20 if near the end)

    Relative list.    See LIST for details of the list command.  This
command will display the next <num> messages beginning at the current
message.  If <num> is negative, it displays the previous 20 ending at
the current message.  If there are not enough messages remaining in the
forward or reverse direction, it lists in the opposite direction to try
to bring the total messages listed to <num>

.list
LIST <message list>
LIST            -Lists all selected messages

    Display header information on a message as specified by SETLIST,
in a one line per message format.  The default lists ALL messages.

Leftword flags:    r    -indicates message has been read.  Message will be
             moved to the destination file on QUIT
           >    -indicates message is the current message
           w    -indicates message has been written to a file.
             Message will be deleted from source file on QUIT
           T    -indicates message has been taged by the user

.next
NEXT

    Execute TYPE or HEADER for the next message, depending on which of
TYPE or HEADER was last executed by you

._next
_NEXT

    Go to next message, do not print it out.

.back
BACK

    Execute TYPE or HEADER for the previous message, depending on which
of TYPE or HEADER was last executed by you

._back
_BACK

    Go to previous message, do not print it out.

.db
DB
    Delete the current message, type (or header) the previous message.
This command could not be implemented with "del;prev" due to a special case
when one is on the last message.

.dt
DT
    Delete current message, type (or header) next message.  This command
will warn you when you reach the end of the message list.

    References: DELETE and NEXT

.enviroment
ENVIROMENT VARIABLE ACCESS

    Access may be gained to enviroment variables by using $$ instead of
    a single $.  For example:  echo $$USER

    'help dmail' for command line options,
    'help set'   for description of special variables

.set
SET [variable [string]]

    see 'enviroment' for enviroment variables

    With no arguments, SET prints out all currently active variables.
Note that this variable list is a different list than the ALIAS list.  With
one argument, the specified variable is displayed if it exists, or created
if it doesn't.  With more than one argument, the specified variable is set
to the specified string.  Variables may be references on the command line by
$variable .  The variable's contents will replace the reference.  Unlike
aliases, however, variable substitutions may take place anywhere on the
command line rather than substitute just the command name.  Note also that
if you use a $ substitution for an argument of a command, the entire
variable's contents is ONE argument (i.e. if a = "b c d", and you say
something like: 'unset $a', it would attempt to unset a single variable
whos name is "b c d".

    There are several reserved SET variables, which define options in
DMAIL.    Changing these will modify the option:

    page        set paging on or to a specific command (i.e. more)
    sendmail    set the path to the sendmail program
    vibreak     enable your INTR character even when in VI.
    verbose     reflects verbose option to sendmail
    comlinemail    set when dmail executed w/ command line mailing list
    header        header file to append to any messages you send.
    ask        ask what to do after vi'ing mail
    archive     file to archive any mail you send out in.
    _headchar    string used to precede included text, default ">"
    replyfields    fields to search to find the reply path

    page

     This variable determines what kind of paging is used for LIST,
     TYPE, and HEADER commands.  If the variable does not exist, paging
     is turned off.  If set to null (no string), an internal paging
     routine is used.  If set to a value, an internal paging routine is
     used using the value as the page length.  the 'page' variable can
     also be set to a command, such as 'more' or 'page', in which case,
     the output is piped through those commands:

     set page        Turn paging on (internal page routine)
     set page 25        Internal page routine... 25 rows/screen
     set page more        Use 'more' command to pipe output through
     set page page        Use 'page' command to pipe output through

     you could also conceviably say:  'set page cat > x', or
     'set page cat | lpr', but be very careful.

    sendmail

     This variable will redirect DMAIL as to where the mailer program
     is.  The mailer program must be compatible with /usr/lib/sendmail
     which is the default used if the 'sendmail' variable isn't set
     to anything:

     set sendmail bin/mysendmail

    vibreak

     This variable, when set, allows the INTR character to abort a
     reply, mail, or forward command.  Otherwise, if this variable is
     not present, INTR will not abort the above commands.

    verbose

     This variable, when set, causes the -v flag to be sent to
     sendmail.  In addition, DMAIL will wait for sendmail to complete
     before returning your prompt.

    comlinemail

     This variable is set when dmail is invoked with a command line
     user list (e.g.  dmail charlie mary mark). Usually, one uses
     this variable in an IF construct.  A good example would be that
     you may usually CD to a mail directory, but you don't want to
     CD when dmail is run with a command line user-list:

        if !comlinemail
            cd  ...

     alternate definition: The comlinemail variable will NOT be set
     if dmail is in interactive mode.

    header

     The file specified by this variable will be appended onto the temp
     vi files in reply and mail.  The file is appended before you go into
     vi, so when you do, what you see is still what you get.

    ask

     If set, dmail will ask you what to to (quit, send, re-edit) after you
     leave the editor when sending mail.  If not set, the mail is sent as
     soon as you leave the editor (unless you didn't write anything).

    archive

     If set (to a file name), any mail you send out (mail/reply/etc...)
     will be archived to this file.  Usually, you provide a fully
     specified path so cd's won't effect the file location.

    _headchar

     This string is prepend to any included text when you do an upper-case
     reply (R) command.

    replyfields

     This string holds a list of fields which are searched for to
     determine which one to use in the To: field of your reply.  If
     this variable does not exist or none of the specified fields could
     be found, the 'From ' (not From:) mail header will be used.  The
     search ends at the first field found.    Example:

     set replyfields "Reply-To: From:"

.replyfields
SET replyfields "field1 field2 ..."

     This string holds a list of fields which are searched for to
     determine which one to use in the To: field of your reply.  If
     this variable does not exist or none of the specified fields could
     be found, the 'From ' (not From:) mail header will be used.  The
     search ends at the first field found.    Example:

     set replyfields "Reply-To: From:"

.>
SET _HEADCHAR "string"

    see SET.  The _headchar variable determines the string prepending all
    included text when you do an upper-case reply (R) command.

.archive
SET ARCHIVE file

    if the archive variable is set to a file path, any mail you send out
    will automatically be appended to that file.  Dmail pre-pends a
    "From ", so it is compatible with /bin/mail and so that you can
    dmail -f your archive file.  Additionaly, a "Date: " field is
    pre-pended so you know when you sent the message.  example:

    set archive ~/Dmail/arch

    since your .dmailrc is sourced even when you "dmail user .." from
    your csh, putting the above line in your .dmailrc will turn on
    archiving whenever you use dmail to send mail, command line or
    dmail prompt.

    if unset or set to nothing, no archive is made.

.ask
SET ASK

    if the 'ask' variable is set (set ask), dmail will ask you what to do
    when you are finished editing mail rather than send it immediately.
    (see 'help set')

.alias
ALIAS [variable [string]]

    Create an alias for a command.    With no arguments, ALIAS will display
all active aliases.  With one argument, a particular alias is displayed (if
it exists), or defined (if it did not previously exist).  With more than one
argument, the particular alias is set to the string list specified.

alias
alias hack "select From hacker , To hacker , Cc hacker"
alias bye quit
alias stuff "setlist 60 To ; list"

    Usually, any arguments following the alias are appended to the
expansion.  However, you can place such arguments inside the alias somewhere
by using the following construction:

alias myecho "%var echo $var ; list"

myecho hello there  ---> echo hello there ; list

    to unalias an alias, use the UNALIAS command.

.unset
.unalias
UNSET var var var...
UNALIAS var var var...

    Eradicate variables or aliases from memory.

.setlist
SETLIST [-s] [columns] Field [columns] Field ...

    -s prevents display of the list.
Set the list format used for LIST and TYPE.  The optional [columns]
indicates how many columns to allocate for the Field specified.  The
Field can be a partial match. However, case is observed:

setlist 18 Fro    38 Sub    10 To  0 Dat

18 columns for the From: field, etc... when TYPEing messages, the
[columns] is ignored, and each field is printed in its entirety.
Note that 0 columns have been allocated for the Date: field.
Therefore, the Date: field will not show up on the LIST command,
but will show up in the TYPE command.

.cd
CD PATH

    cd, as in csh.    Changes your base directory.  You can use
 the shell escape '! pwd' to get your current working directory.

.source
SOURCE file

    Source a file.    The file is read in an executed in sequence.

.preserve
PRE    <message list>

    PRESERVE messages.  A message is MARKED if it has been read (has an 'r'
flag from the LIST command).  Marked messages are moved from your readfile
into your outfile upon a QUIT.    If you are reading and writing to the same
file (i.e. from your mbox to your mbox), the 'r' flag has no effect.

    However, if you are reading from your spool file, and want to keep
read messages in your spool (that is, not move them to your mbox), you want
to PRESERVE them.  This command simply unmarks them, so they appear not to
have been read.

.mark
MARK <message list>

    Mark messages specified as being already 'read'.  Remember that if
you executed DMAIL without a -f option, any message 'read' at the time
you quit will be moved to MBOX (or file specified by -o)

.tag
.untag
TAG <list>
UNTAG <list>

    The TAG command allow you to flag any message.    You can tag a set of
messages, then reference them all at once.  For instance, if you tag
interesting messages as you glance at them, you may then write them all
to a file by 'write filename tag',  or list them with 'list tag'.
Alternately, you could delete all your taged messages with a single delete
command 'delete tag'.  The 'tag' operand works in the same way as the 'all'
operand, except it works only on taged messages.

    UNTAG will untag a particular message in your message list.  For
instance, to untag any taged messages in the entire message list, you would:

 select all
 untag all    OR     untag tag

    Note that 'untag all' and 'untag tag' have the same effect.

.write
WRITE file <message list>

    Write the given messages or the current message to a file.  The file
file is appended to.  Remember that you may specify 'all' to write
all messages in the current select field to the file.  Messages will be
marked as having been writen, and will be deleted from the mail file
when you 'quit'.  However, you may cause them to be kept in the mail
file by UNdeleting the messages (i.e.  undelete all)

    You can also TAG the messages you want to write, and say
'write file tag' to write to the file all taged messages.

.!
! [shell command]

    Give yourself a shell or execute a shell command.  The shell forked
is that specified by your SHELL enviroment variable, or /bin/sh if there is
no SHELL enviroment variable.

.x
.exit
X (EXIT)

    EXIT out of DMAIL without changing any files.  Usually, one exits
with QUIT, which would cause deleted messages to disappear, and TYPEd
messages to go to MBOX (if you did not use the -f option with DMAIL).

    If your outfile is the same as your infile, reading a message does
not effect anything.

.quit
QUIT

    Quit out of DMAIL. Delete any messages that were marked for deletion
and if you executed DMAIL on /usr/spool/mail/ (default), any mail
marked 'read' will be placed in MBOX in your home directory

.xswitch
.qswitch
XSWITCH fromfile [tofile]
QSWITCH fromfile [tofile]

    Switch to a different set of files.  XSWITCH doesn't modify your
old from and to files before switching, QSWITCH works as if you had QUIT
stuff before switching to another set of files.

    If no [tofile] is specified, the new tofile will be the same as the
fromfile you specify.

.help
.?
HELP [topic]

    Give me help on a topic

.dmail
COMMAND LINE OPTIONS FOR DMAIL

    dmail -O [-l rcfile] -f [file] -o [file] -F field -F field -F field ...

    Default conditions:
        Home directory gotten from password entry
        User gotten from password entry
        Visual editor set to /usr/ucb/vi

        VI BREAKOUT enabled
        READ file is /usr/spool/mail/$USER
        WRITE file is $HOME/mbox
        From:,    To:, and Subject: fields will be loaded into memory.

    HOME    enviroment variable becomes home directory
    USER    enviroment variable becomes user name
    VISUAL    enviroment variable becomes editor used

    -O            Go into interactive mode, even if there is no
                mail to read.

    -f [from file]        Specify spool file to get mail from. If no file
                Argument is given, $HOME/MBOX is used.

    -o [to file]        Specify file to write to, If no Argument
                is given, $HOME/.MBOX is used.    Note that
                the default without -o is $HOME/MBOX

    -f -o            With no file arguments causes both READ and
                WRITE files to be $HOME/.MBOX

    -F field        Append this field to those which will be
                used on initial load.  If, During usage of the
                program you specify a field which is not in
                memory, DMAIL will be forced to re-load the
                entire spool file, which can take a long time
                if you have more than 64K in the file

    -l rcfile        Use this as the rc file rather than .dmailrc

    -L            Do not source the rc file on boot