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32 .\" @(#)mail.1 8.8 (Berkeley) 4/28/95
33 .\" $FreeBSD: src/usr.bin/mail/mail.1,v 1.18.2.12 2003/01/06 05:46:03 mikeh Exp $
34 .\" $DragonFly: src/usr.bin/mail/mail.1,v 1.2 2003/06/17 04:29:28 dillon Exp $
43 .Nd send and receive mail
51 .Op Fl Ar sendmail-option ...
62 utility is an intelligent mail processing system, which has
63 a command syntax reminiscent of
65 with lines replaced by messages.
67 The following options are available:
68 .Bl -tag -width indent
72 delivery are displayed on the user's terminal.
74 Do not send messages with an empty body.
75 This is useful for piping errors from
79 Ignore tty interrupt signals.
81 particularly useful when using
87 to run in interactive mode even when
88 input is not a terminal.
92 character when sending mail is only active in interactive mode.
94 Inhibit reading the system-wide
98 Inhibit the initial display of message headers
99 when reading mail or editing a mail folder.
104 (Only the first argument after the
106 flag is used as a subject; be careful to quote subjects
109 Send carbon copies to
114 argument should be a comma-separated list of names.
116 Send blind carbon copies to
121 argument should be a comma-separated list of names.
123 Read in the contents of your
125 (or the specified file)
126 for processing; when you
129 writes undeleted messages back to this file.
133 .Dl "mail -f /var/mail/user"
135 .Ss "Startup Actions"
138 will execute commands in the system command files
139 .Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.rc ,
140 .Pa /usr/local/etc/mail.rc
143 in order, unless explicitly told not to by the use of the
146 Next, the commands in the user's personal command file
151 utility then examines its command line options to determine whether a
152 new message is to be sent, or whether an existing mailbox is to
155 To send a message to one or more people,
157 can be invoked with arguments which are the names of people to
158 whom the mail will be sent.
159 You are then expected to type in
160 your message, followed
163 at the beginning of a line.
165 .Sx "Replying To or Originating Mail" ,
166 describes some features of
168 available to help you compose your letter.
172 is given no arguments and checks your mail out of the
174 prints out a one line header of each message found.
175 The current message is initially the first message (numbered 1)
176 and can be printed using the
178 command (which can be abbreviated
180 You can move among the messages much as you move between lines in
186 moving backwards and forwards, and
188 .Ss "Disposing of Mail"
189 After examining a message you can
198 program to forget about the message.
199 This is not irreversible; the message can be
202 by giving its number, or the
204 session can be aborted by giving the
208 Deleted messages will, however, usually disappear never to be seen again.
209 .Ss "Specifying Messages"
214 can be given a list of message numbers as arguments to apply
215 to a number of messages at once.
218 deletes messages 1 and 2, while
220 deletes messages 1 through 5.
223 addresses all messages, and
226 the last message; thus the command
228 which prints the first few lines of a message could be used in
230 to print the first few lines of all messages.
231 .Ss "Replying To or Originating Mail"
235 set up a response to a message, sending it back to the
236 person who it was from.
237 Text you then type in, up to an end-of-file,
238 defines the contents of the message.
239 While you are composing a message,
241 treats lines beginning with the character
246 (alone on a line) will place a copy
247 of the current message into the response right shifting it by a tabstop
251 Other escapes will set up subject fields, add and delete recipients
252 to the message and allow you to escape to an editor to revise the
253 message or to a shell to run some commands.
255 are given in the summary below.)
256 .Ss "Ending a Mail Processing Session"
263 Messages which have been examined go to your
265 file unless they have been deleted in which case they are discarded.
266 Unexamined messages go back to the post office.
270 .Ss "Personal and System Wide Distribution Lists"
271 It is also possible to create a personal distribution lists so that,
272 for instance, you can send mail to
275 to a group of people.
276 Such lists can be defined by placing a line like
278 .Dl "alias cohorts bill ozalp jkf mark kridle@ucbcory"
282 in your home directory.
283 The current list of such aliases can be displayed with the
287 System wide distribution lists can be created by editing
288 .Pa /etc/mail/aliases ,
293 these are kept in a different syntax.
294 In mail you send, personal aliases will be expanded in mail sent
295 to others so that they will be able to
300 are not expanded when the mail is sent,
301 but any reply returned to the machine will have the system wide
302 alias expanded as all mail goes through
304 .Ss "Network Mail (ARPA, UUCP, Berknet)"
307 for a description of network addresses.
311 utility has a number of options which can be set in the
313 file to alter its behavior; thus
318 (These options are summarized below.)
321 .%T "Mail Reference Manual" . )
323 Each command is typed on a line by itself, and may take arguments
324 following the command word.
325 The command need not be typed in its
326 entirety \(em the first command which matches the typed prefix is used.
327 For commands which take message lists as arguments, if no message
328 list is given, then the next message forward which satisfies the
329 command's requirements is used.
330 If there are no messages forward of
331 the current message, the search proceeds backwards, and if there are no
332 good messages at all,
335 .Dq Li "No applicable messages"
338 .Bl -tag -width indent
340 Print out the preceding message.
346 previous message and prints it.
348 ignore the remainder of the line as a comment.
350 Prints a brief summary of commands.
357 command which follows.
362 but also prints out ignored header fields.
370 Does not reply to other
371 recipients of the original message.
379 With no arguments, prints out all currently-defined aliases.
381 argument, prints out that alias.
382 With more than one argument, creates
383 a new alias or changes an old one.
388 command is useful if you have accounts on several machines.
389 It can be used to inform
391 that the listed addresses are really you.
396 will not send a copy of the message to any of the addresses
402 command is given with no argument, the current set of alternative
406 Changes the user's working directory to that specified, if given.
408 no directory is given, then changes to the user's login directory.
413 command does the same thing that
415 does, except that it does not mark the messages it
416 is used on for deletion when you
420 Takes a list of messages as argument and marks them all as deleted.
421 Deleted messages will not be saved in
423 nor will they be available for most other commands.
427 Deletes the current message and prints the next message.
428 If there is no next message,
434 Takes a list of messages and points the text editor at each one in
436 On return from the editor, the message is read back in.
441 Effects an immediate return to the shell without
442 modifying the user's system mailbox, his
444 file, or his edit file in
451 List the names of the folders in your folder directory.
456 command switches to a new mail file or folder.
458 arguments, it tells you which file you are currently reading.
459 If you give it an argument, it will write out changes (such
460 as deletions) you have made in the current file and read in
462 Some special conventions are recognized for
465 means the previous file,
467 means your system mailbox,
469 means user's system mailbox,
474 .Dq Li + Ns Ar folder
475 means a file in your folder
479 Takes a list of messages and prints their message headers.
482 Lists the current range of headers, which is an 18-message group.
486 argument is given, then the next 18-message group is printed, and if
489 argument is given, the previous 18-message group is printed.
497 Takes a message list and marks each
498 message therein to be saved in the
499 user's system mailbox instead of in
501 Does not override the
505 Add the list of header fields named to the
507 Header fields in the ignore list are not printed
508 on your terminal when you print a message.
510 command is very handy for suppression of certain machine-generated
516 commands can be used to print a message in its entirety, including
520 is executed with no arguments, it lists the current set of
523 Incorporate any new messages that have arrived while mail
525 The new messages are added to the end of the message list,
526 and the current message is reset to be the first new mail message.
527 This does not renumber the existing message list, nor
528 does it cause any changes made so far to be saved.
531 Takes as argument login names and distribution group names and sends
532 mail to those people.
534 Indicate that a list of messages be sent to
536 in your home directory when you quit.
538 action for messages if you do
545 Takes a list of messages and invokes the pager on that list.
552 Goes to the next message in sequence and types it.
553 With an argument list, types the next matching message.
560 Takes a message list and types out each message on the user's terminal.
563 Terminates the session, saving all undeleted, unsaved messages in
566 file in his login directory, preserving all messages marked with
571 in his system mailbox, and removing all other messages from his system
573 If new mail has arrived during the session, the message
574 .Dq Li "You have new mail"
576 If given while editing a
577 mailbox file with the
579 flag, then the edit file is rewritten.
580 A return to the shell is
581 effected, unless the rewrite of edit file fails, in which case the user
587 Takes a message list and sends mail to the sender and all
588 recipients of the specified message.
589 The default message must not be deleted.
594 Add the list of header fields named to the
595 .Em "retained list" .
596 Only the header fields in the retained list
597 are shown on your terminal when you print a message.
598 All other header fields are suppressed.
603 commands can be used to print a message in its entirety.
606 is executed with no arguments, it lists the current set of
610 Takes a message list and a filename and appends each message in
611 turn to the end of the file.
612 The filename in quotes, followed by the line
613 count and character count is echoed on the user's terminal.
616 With no arguments, prints all variable values.
619 Arguments are of the form
620 .Ar option Ns Li = Ns Ar value
621 (no space before or after
625 Quotation marks may be placed around any part of the assignment statement to
626 quote blanks or tabs, i.e.\&
627 .Dq Li "set indentprefix=\*q->\*q"
638 Header fields thus marked are filtered out when
641 or when automatically saving to
653 Header fields thus marked are the only ones saved
654 with a message when saving by
656 or when automatically saving to
663 Invokes an interactive version of the shell.
665 Takes a message list and prints out the size in characters of each
671 commands from a file.
673 Takes a message list and prints the top few lines of each.
675 lines printed is controlled by the variable
683 Takes a list of names defined by
685 commands and discards the remembered groups of users.
687 no longer have any significance.
690 Takes a message list and marks each message as
695 Takes a message list and marks each message as
699 Takes a list of option names and discards their remembered values;
704 Takes a message list and invokes the display editor on each message.
713 the header) is saved.
714 Extremely useful for such tasks as sending and receiving source
715 program text over the message system.
723 utility presents message headers in windowfuls as described under the
728 attention forward to the next window with the
731 Also, you can move to the previous window by using
735 Here is a summary of the tilde escapes,
736 which are used when composing messages to perform
738 Tilde escapes are only recognized at the beginning
742 is somewhat of a misnomer since the actual escape character can be set
745 .Bl -tag -width indent
747 Inserts the autograph string from the sign= option into the message.
749 Inserts the autograph string from the Sign= option into the message.
750 .It Ic ~b Ar name ...
751 Add the given names to the list of carbon copy recipients but do not make
752 the names visible in the Cc: line
755 .It Ic ~c Ar name ...
756 Add the given names to the list of carbon copy recipients.
760 from your home directory into the message.
762 Invoke the text editor on the message collected so far.
764 editing session is finished, you may continue appending text to the
766 .It Ic ~f Ar messages
767 Read the named messages into the message being sent.
768 If no messages are specified, read in the current message.
769 Message headers currently being ignored (by the
773 command) are not included.
774 .It Ic ~F Ar messages
777 except all message headers are included.
779 Edit the message header fields by typing each one in turn and allowing
780 the user to append text to the end or modify the field by using the
781 current terminal erase and kill characters.
783 Inserts the value of the named option into the text of the message.
784 .It Ic ~m Ar messages
785 Read the named messages into the message being sent, indented by a
786 tab or by the value of
788 If no messages are specified,
789 read the current message.
790 Message headers currently being ignored (by the
794 command) are not included.
795 .It Ic ~M Ar messages
798 except all message headers are included.
800 Print out the message collected so far, prefaced by the message header
803 Abort the message being sent, copying the message to
805 in your home directory if
808 .It Ic ~r Ar filename , Ic ~r Li \&! Ns Ar command
809 .It Ic ~< Ar filename , Ic ~< Li \&! Ns Ar command
810 Read the named file into the message.
811 If the argument begins with a
813 the rest of the string is taken as an arbitrary system command and is
814 executed, with the standard output inserted into the message.
818 as the Reply-To field.
820 Cause the named string to become the current subject field.
821 .It Ic ~t Ar name ...
822 Add the given names to the direct recipient list.
824 Invoke an alternative editor (defined by the
826 environment variable) on the
827 message collected so far.
828 Usually, the alternative editor will be a
830 After you quit the editor, you may resume appending
831 text to the end of your message.
832 .It Ic ~w Ar filename
833 Write the message onto the named file.
837 except the message is not saved in
840 Execute the indicated shell command, then return to the message.
841 .It Ic ~| Ar command , Ic ~^ Ar command
842 Pipe the message through the command as a filter.
844 no output or terminates abnormally, retain the original text of the
850 to rejustify the message.
851 .It Ic ~: Ar mail-command , Ic ~_ Ar mail-command
855 Not all commands, however, are allowed.
857 Insert the string of text in the message prefaced by a single
860 you have changed the escape character, then you should double
861 that character in order to send it.
864 Options can be set with the
867 and can be disabled with the
870 .Ic set Cm no Ns Ar name
872 Options may be either binary, in which case it is only
873 significant to see whether they are set or not; or string, in which
874 case the actual value is of interest.
875 If an option is not set,
877 will look for an environment variable of the same name.
878 The binary options include the following:
879 .Bl -tag -width indent
881 Causes messages saved in
883 to be appended to the end rather than prepended.
884 This should always be set (preferably in one of the system-wide
892 to prompt you for the subject of each message you send.
894 you respond with simply a newline, no subject field will be sent.
898 Causes you to be prompted for additional blind carbon copy recipients at the
900 Responding with a newline indicates your
901 satisfaction with the current list.
905 Causes you to be prompted for additional carbon copy recipients at the
907 Responding with a newline indicates your
908 satisfaction with the current list.
912 Causes new mail to be automatically incorporated when it arrives.
913 Setting this is similar to issuing the
915 command at each prompt, except that the current message is not
916 reset when new mail arrives.
922 command to behave like
924 thus, after deleting a message, the next one will be typed
931 is used as a threshold to determine how long a message must
937 is set without a value,
938 then the height of the terminal screen stored in the system
939 is used to compute the threshold (see
944 Setting the binary option
946 is the same as specifying
948 on the command line and causes
950 to output all sorts of information useful for debugging
959 to interpret a period alone on a line as the terminator
960 of a message you are sending.
964 If defined, the first character of this option gives the character to
969 Reverses the sense of
977 The name of the directory to use for storing folders of
979 If this name begins with a
982 considers it to be an absolute pathname; otherwise, the
983 folder directory is found relative to your home directory.
985 If defined, initially display message headers when reading mail or
986 editing a mail folder.
989 This option can be disabled by giving the
991 flag on the command line.
993 This option is used to hold messages in the system mailbox
998 Causes interrupt signals from your terminal to be ignored and echoed as
1003 An option related to
1011 as the end of a message.
1021 tilde escape for indenting messages, in place of
1022 the normal tab character
1024 Be sure to quote the value if it contains
1027 Usually, when a group is expanded that contains the sender, the sender
1028 is removed from the expansion.
1029 Setting this option causes the sender
1030 to be included in the group.
1034 Suppresses the printing of the version when first invoked.
1038 If defined, gives the pathname of the file used to record all outgoing
1040 If not defined, outgoing mail is not saved.
1044 Reverses the sense of
1052 If this option is set, and you abort a message with two
1056 will copy the partial letter to the file
1058 in your home directory.
1061 .It Va searchheaders
1062 If this option is set, then a message-list specifier in the form
1063 .Dq Li / Ns Ar x Ns Li : Ns Ar y
1064 will expand to all messages containing the substring
1068 The string search is case insensitive.
1071 is ommitted, it will default to the
1076 is a special case, and will expand
1077 to all messages containing the substring
1087 is case sensitive, so that
1089 can be used to limit the search for
1095 .Va nosearchheaders .
1097 If defined, gives the number of lines of a message to be printed out
1100 command; normally, the first five lines are printed.
1104 is the same as using the
1106 flag on the command line.
1109 runs in verbose mode,
1110 the actual delivery of messages is displayed on the user's
1116 .Bl -tag -width ".Ev REPLYTO"
1118 Pathname of the file to save partial messages to in case of interrupts
1123 Pathname of the text editor to use in the
1128 If not defined, then a default editor is used.
1130 Pathname of the user's home directory.
1132 Pathname of the directory lister to use in the
1138 Location of the user's mailbox.
1142 Pathname of file containing initial
1148 The name of the mailbox file.
1149 It can be the name of a folder.
1152 in the user's home directory.
1154 Pathname of the program to use in the
1159 The default paginator
1161 is used if this option is not defined.
1163 If set, will be used to initialize the Reply-To field for outgoing
1166 Pathname of the shell to use in the
1171 A default shell is used if this option is
1174 Pathname of the text editor to use in the
1180 Login name of the user executing mail.
1183 .Bl -tag -width ".Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.*help" -compact
1192 This can be overridden by setting the
1194 environment variable.
1197 .It Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.*help
1200 .It Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.rc
1201 .It Pa /usr/local/etc/mail.rc
1203 System-wide initialization files.
1204 Each file will be sourced, in order,
1215 .%T "The Mail Reference Manual"
1223 This man page is derived from
1224 .%T "The Mail Reference Manual"
1225 originally written by
1228 There are some flags that are not documented here.
1230 not useful to the general user.
1238 which can be confusing.
1242 list is incorrect English (it should be
1243 .Dq alternatives ) ,
1244 but is retained for compatibility.
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