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28 .\" @(#)mail.1 8.8 (Berkeley) 4/28/95
38 .Nd send and receive mail
47 .Op Fl Ar sendmail-option ...
64 utility is an intelligent mail processing system, which has
65 a command syntax reminiscent of
67 with lines replaced by messages.
69 The following options are available:
70 .Bl -tag -width indent
74 delivery are displayed on the user's terminal.
79 mail option for details.
81 Test for the presence of mail in the (by default, system)
83 An exit status of 0 is returned if
84 it has mail; otherwise, an exit status
87 Write a header summary only, then exit.
89 Do not send messages with an empty body.
90 This is useful for piping errors from
94 Ignore tty interrupt signals.
96 particularly useful when using
102 to run in interactive mode even when
103 input is not a terminal.
107 character when sending mail is only active in interactive mode.
109 Inhibit reading the system-wide
113 Inhibit the initial display of message headers
114 when reading mail or editing a mail folder.
119 (Only the first argument after the
121 flag is used as a subject; be careful to quote subjects
124 Send carbon copies to
129 argument should be a comma-separated list of names.
131 Send blind carbon copies to
136 argument should be a comma-separated list of names.
138 Read in the contents of your
140 (or the specified file)
141 for processing; when you
144 writes undeleted messages back to this file.
146 Record the message in a file named after the first
148 The name is the login-name portion of the
149 address found first on the
151 line in the mail header.
158 .Dl "mail -f /var/mail/user"
160 .Ss "Startup Actions"
163 will execute commands in the system command files
164 .Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.rc ,
165 .Pa /usr/local/etc/mail.rc
168 in order, unless explicitly told not to by the use of the
171 Next, the commands in the user's personal command file
176 utility then examines its command line options to determine whether a
177 new message is to be sent, or whether an existing mailbox is to
180 To send a message to one or more people,
182 can be invoked with arguments which are the names of people to
183 whom the mail will be sent.
184 You are then expected to type in
185 your message, followed
188 at the beginning of a line.
190 .Sx "Replying To or Originating Mail" ,
191 describes some features of
193 available to help you compose your letter.
197 is given no arguments and checks your mail out of the
199 prints out a one line header of each message found.
200 The current message is initially the first message (numbered 1)
201 and can be printed using the
203 command (which can be abbreviated
205 You can move among the messages much as you move between lines in
211 moving backwards and forwards, and
213 .Ss "Disposing of Mail"
214 After examining a message you can
223 program to forget about the message.
224 This is not irreversible; the message can be
227 by giving its number, or the
229 session can be aborted by giving the
233 Deleted messages will, however, usually disappear never to be seen again.
234 .Ss "Specifying Messages"
239 can be given a list of message numbers as arguments to apply
240 to a number of messages at once.
243 deletes messages 1 and 2, while
245 deletes messages 1 through 5.
248 addresses all messages, and
251 the last message; thus the command
253 which prints the first few lines of a message could be used in
255 to print the first few lines of all messages.
256 .Ss "Replying To or Originating Mail"
260 set up a response to a message, sending it back to the
261 person who it was from.
262 Text you then type in, up to an end-of-file,
263 defines the contents of the message.
264 While you are composing a message,
266 treats lines beginning with the character
271 (alone on a line) will place a copy
272 of the current message into the response right shifting it by a tabstop
276 Other escapes will set up subject fields, add and delete recipients
277 to the message and allow you to escape to an editor to revise the
278 message or to a shell to run some commands.
280 are given in the summary below.)
281 .Ss "Ending a Mail Processing Session"
288 Messages which have been examined go to your
290 file unless they have been deleted in which case they are discarded.
291 Unexamined messages go back to the post office.
295 .Ss "Personal and System Wide Distribution Lists"
296 It is also possible to create a personal distribution lists so that,
297 for instance, you can send mail to
300 to a group of people.
301 Such lists can be defined by placing a line like
303 .Dl "alias cohorts bill ozalp jkf mark kridle@ucbcory"
307 in your home directory.
308 The current list of such aliases can be displayed with the
312 System wide distribution lists can be created by editing
313 .Pa /etc/mail/aliases ,
318 these are kept in a different syntax.
319 In mail you send, personal aliases will be expanded in mail sent
320 to others so that they will be able to
325 are not expanded when the mail is sent,
326 but any reply returned to the machine will have the system wide
327 alias expanded as all mail goes through
329 .Ss "Network Mail (ARPA, UUCP, Berknet)"
333 utility has a number of options which can be set in the
335 file to alter its behavior; thus
340 (These options are summarized below.)
343 .%T "Mail Reference Manual" . )
345 Each command is typed on a line by itself, and may take arguments
346 following the command word.
347 The command need not be typed in its
348 entirety \(em the first command which matches the typed prefix is used.
349 For commands which take message lists as arguments, if no message
350 list is given, then the next message forward which satisfies the
351 command's requirements is used.
352 If there are no messages forward of
353 the current message, the search proceeds backwards, and if there are no
354 good messages at all,
357 .Dq Li "No applicable messages"
360 .Bl -tag -width indent
362 Print out the preceding message.
368 previous message and prints it.
370 ignore the remainder of the line as a comment.
372 Prints a brief summary of commands.
379 command which follows.
384 but also prints out ignored header fields.
392 Does not reply to other
393 recipients of the original message.
401 With no arguments, prints out all currently-defined aliases.
403 argument, prints out that alias.
404 With more than one argument, creates
405 a new alias or changes an old one.
410 command is useful if you have accounts on several machines.
411 It can be used to inform
413 that the listed addresses are really you.
418 will not send a copy of the message to any of the addresses
424 command is given with no argument, the current set of alternative
428 Changes the user's working directory to that specified, if given.
430 no directory is given, then changes to the user's login directory.
435 command does the same thing that
437 does, except that it does not mark the messages it
438 is used on for deletion when you
442 Takes a list of messages as argument and marks them all as deleted.
443 Deleted messages will not be saved in
445 nor will they be available for most other commands.
449 Deletes the current message and prints the next message.
450 If there is no next message,
456 Takes a list of messages and points the text editor at each one in
458 On return from the editor, the message is read back in.
463 Effects an immediate return to the shell without
464 modifying the user's system mailbox, his
466 file, or his edit file in
473 List the names of the folders in your folder directory.
478 command switches to a new mail file or folder.
480 arguments, it tells you which file you are currently reading.
481 If you give it an argument, it will write out changes (such
482 as deletions) you have made in the current file and read in
484 Some special conventions are recognized for
487 means the previous file,
489 means your system mailbox,
491 means user's system mailbox,
496 .Dq Li + Ns Ar folder
497 means a file in your folder
501 Takes a list of messages and prints their message headers.
504 Lists the current range of headers, which is an 18-message group.
508 argument is given, then the next 18-message group is printed, and if
511 argument is given, the previous 18-message group is printed.
519 Takes a message list and marks each
520 message therein to be saved in the
521 user's system mailbox instead of in
523 Does not override the
527 Add the list of header fields named to the
529 Header fields in the ignore list are not printed
530 on your terminal when you print a message.
532 command is very handy for suppression of certain machine-generated
538 commands can be used to print a message in its entirety, including
542 is executed with no arguments, it lists the current set of
545 Incorporate any new messages that have arrived while mail
547 The new messages are added to the end of the message list,
548 and the current message is reset to be the first new mail message.
549 This does not renumber the existing message list, nor
550 does it cause any changes made so far to be saved.
553 Takes as argument login names and distribution group names and sends
554 mail to those people.
556 Indicate that a list of messages be sent to
558 in your home directory when you quit.
560 action for messages if you do
567 Takes a list of messages and invokes the pager on that list.
574 Goes to the next message in sequence and types it.
575 With an argument list, types the next matching message.
582 Takes a message list and types out each message on the user's terminal.
585 Terminates the session, saving all undeleted, unsaved messages in
588 file in his login directory, preserving all messages marked with
593 in his system mailbox, and removing all other messages from his system
595 If new mail has arrived during the session, the message
596 .Dq Li "You have new mail"
598 If given while editing a
599 mailbox file with the
601 flag, then the edit file is rewritten.
602 A return to the shell is
603 effected, unless the rewrite of edit file fails, in which case the user
609 Takes a message list and sends mail to the sender and all
610 recipients of the specified message.
611 The default message must not be deleted.
616 Add the list of header fields named to the
617 .Em "retained list" .
618 Only the header fields in the retained list
619 are shown on your terminal when you print a message.
620 All other header fields are suppressed.
625 commands can be used to print a message in its entirety.
628 is executed with no arguments, it lists the current set of
632 Takes a message list and a filename and appends each message in
633 turn to the end of the file.
634 The filename in quotes, followed by the line
635 count and character count is echoed on the user's terminal.
638 With no arguments, prints all variable values.
641 Arguments are of the form
642 .Ar option Ns Li = Ns Ar value
643 (no space before or after
647 Quotation marks may be placed around any part of the assignment statement to
648 quote blanks or tabs, i.e.\&
649 .Dq Li "set indentprefix=\*q->\*q"
660 Header fields thus marked are filtered out when
663 or when automatically saving to
675 Header fields thus marked are the only ones saved
676 with a message when saving by
678 or when automatically saving to
685 Invokes an interactive version of the shell.
687 Takes a message list and prints out the size in characters of each
693 commands from a file.
695 Takes a message list and prints the top few lines of each.
697 lines printed is controlled by the variable
705 Takes a list of names defined by
707 commands and discards the remembered groups of users.
709 no longer have any significance.
712 Takes a message list and marks each message as
717 Takes a message list and marks each message as
721 Takes a list of option names and discards their remembered values;
726 Takes a message list and invokes the display editor on each message.
735 the header) is saved.
736 Extremely useful for such tasks as sending and receiving source
737 program text over the message system.
745 utility presents message headers in windowfuls as described under the
750 attention forward to the next window with the
753 Also, you can move to the previous window by using
757 Here is a summary of the tilde escapes,
758 which are used when composing messages to perform
760 Tilde escapes are only recognized at the beginning
764 is somewhat of a misnomer since the actual escape character can be set
767 .Bl -tag -width indent
769 Inserts the autograph string from the sign= option into the message.
771 Inserts the autograph string from the Sign= option into the message.
772 .It Ic ~b Ar name ...
773 Add the given names to the list of carbon copy recipients but do not make
774 the names visible in the Cc: line
777 .It Ic ~c Ar name ...
778 Add the given names to the list of carbon copy recipients.
782 from your home directory into the message.
784 Invoke the text editor on the message collected so far.
786 editing session is finished, you may continue appending text to the
788 .It Ic ~f Ar messages
789 Read the named messages into the message being sent.
790 If no messages are specified, read in the current message.
791 Message headers currently being ignored (by the
795 command) are not included.
796 .It Ic ~F Ar messages
799 except all message headers are included.
801 Edit the message header fields by typing each one in turn and allowing
802 the user to append text to the end or modify the field by using the
803 current terminal erase and kill characters.
805 Inserts the value of the named option into the text of the message.
806 .It Ic ~m Ar messages
807 Read the named messages into the message being sent, indented by a
808 tab or by the value of
810 If no messages are specified,
811 read the current message.
812 Message headers currently being ignored (by the
816 command) are not included.
817 .It Ic ~M Ar messages
820 except all message headers are included.
822 Print out the message collected so far, prefaced by the message header
825 Abort the message being sent, copying the message to
827 in your home directory if
830 .It Ic ~r Ar filename , Ic ~r Li \&! Ns Ar command
831 .It Ic ~< Ar filename , Ic ~< Li \&! Ns Ar command
832 Read the named file into the message.
833 If the argument begins with a
835 the rest of the string is taken as an arbitrary system command and is
836 executed, with the standard output inserted into the message.
840 as the Reply-To field.
842 Cause the named string to become the current subject field.
843 .It Ic ~t Ar name ...
844 Add the given names to the direct recipient list.
846 Invoke an alternative editor (defined by the
848 environment variable) on the
849 message collected so far.
850 Usually, the alternative editor will be a
852 After you quit the editor, you may resume appending
853 text to the end of your message.
854 .It Ic ~w Ar filename
855 Write the message onto the named file.
859 except the message is not saved in
862 Execute the indicated shell command, then return to the message.
863 .It Ic ~| Ar command , Ic ~^ Ar command
864 Pipe the message through the command as a filter.
866 no output or terminates abnormally, retain the original text of the
872 to rejustify the message.
873 .It Ic ~: Ar mail-command , Ic ~_ Ar mail-command
877 Not all commands, however, are allowed.
879 Simulate end-of-file on input.
881 Print a summary of the available command escapes.
883 Insert the string of text in the message prefaced by a single
886 you have changed the escape character, then you should double
887 that character in order to send it.
890 Options can be set with the
893 and can be disabled with the
896 .Ic set Cm no Ns Ar name
898 Options may be either binary, in which case it is only
899 significant to see whether they are set or not; or string, in which
900 case the actual value is of interest.
901 If an option is not set,
903 will look for an environment variable of the same name.
904 The available options include the following:
905 .Bl -tag -width indent
907 Causes messages saved in
909 to be appended to the end rather than prepended.
910 This should always be set (preferably in one of the system-wide
918 to prompt you for the subject of each message you send.
920 you respond with simply a newline, no subject field will be sent.
924 Causes you to be prompted for additional blind carbon copy recipients at the
926 Responding with a newline indicates your
927 satisfaction with the current list.
931 Causes you to be prompted for additional carbon copy recipients at the
933 Responding with a newline indicates your
934 satisfaction with the current list.
938 Causes new mail to be automatically incorporated when it arrives.
939 Setting this is similar to issuing the
941 command at each prompt, except that the current message is not
942 reset when new mail arrives.
948 command to behave like
950 thus, after deleting a message, the next one will be typed
957 is used as a threshold to determine how long a message must
963 is set without a value,
964 then the height of the terminal screen stored in the system
965 is used to compute the threshold (see
970 Setting the binary option
972 is the same as specifying
974 on the command line and causes
976 to output all sorts of information useful for debugging
980 is invoked in this mode to send mail, all preparations
981 will be performed and reported about, but the mail will
982 not be actually sent.
990 to interpret a period alone on a line as the terminator
991 of a message you are sending.
995 If defined, the first character of this option gives the character to
1000 Reverses the sense of
1008 The name of the directory to use for storing folders of
1010 If this name begins with a
1013 considers it to be an absolute pathname; otherwise, the
1014 folder directory is found relative to your home directory.
1016 If defined, initially display message headers when reading mail or
1017 editing a mail folder.
1020 This option can be disabled by giving the
1022 flag on the command line.
1024 This option is used to hold messages in the system mailbox
1029 Causes interrupt signals from your terminal to be ignored and echoed as
1034 An option related to
1042 as the end of a message.
1052 tilde escape for indenting messages, in place of
1053 the normal tab character
1055 Be sure to quote the value if it contains
1058 Usually, when a group is expanded that contains the sender, the sender
1059 is removed from the expansion.
1060 Setting this option causes the sender
1061 to be included in the group.
1065 Suppresses the printing of the version when first invoked.
1069 If defined, gives the pathname of the file used to record all outgoing
1071 If not defined, outgoing mail is not saved.
1075 Reverses the sense of
1083 If this option is set, and you abort a message with two
1087 will copy the partial letter to the file
1089 in your home directory.
1092 .It Va searchheaders
1093 If this option is set, then a message-list specifier in the form
1094 .Dq Li / Ns Ar x Ns : Ns Ar y
1095 will expand to all messages containing the substring
1099 The string search is case insensitive.
1102 is omitted, it will default to the
1107 is a special case, and will expand
1108 to all messages containing the substring
1118 is case sensitive, so that
1120 can be used to limit the search for
1126 .Va nosearchheaders .
1128 If defined, gives the number of lines of a message to be printed out
1131 command; normally, the first five lines are printed.
1135 is the same as using the
1137 flag on the command line.
1140 runs in verbose mode,
1141 the actual delivery of messages is displayed on the user's
1147 .Bl -tag -width ".Ev REPLYTO"
1149 Pathname of the file to save partial messages to in case of interrupts
1154 Pathname of the text editor to use in the
1159 If not defined, then a default editor is used.
1161 Pathname of the user's home directory.
1163 Pathname of the directory lister to use in the
1169 Location of the user's mailbox.
1173 Pathname of file containing initial
1179 The name of the mailbox file.
1180 It can be the name of a folder.
1183 in the user's home directory.
1185 Pathname of the program to use in the
1190 The default paginator
1192 is used if this option is not defined.
1194 If set, will be used to initialize the Reply-To field for outgoing
1197 Pathname of the shell to use in the
1202 A default shell is used if this option is
1205 Pathname of the directory used for creating temporary files.
1207 Pathname of the text editor to use in the
1213 Login name of the user executing mail.
1216 .Bl -tag -width ".Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.*help" -compact
1225 This can be overridden by setting the
1227 environment variable.
1230 .It Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.*help
1233 .It Pa /usr/share/misc/mail.rc
1234 .It Pa /usr/local/etc/mail.rc
1236 System-wide initialization files.
1237 Each file will be sourced, in order,
1252 This man page is derived from
1253 .%T "The Mail Reference Manual"
1254 originally written by
1257 There are some flags that are not documented here.
1259 not useful to the general user.
1267 which can be confusing.
1271 list is incorrect English (it should be
1272 .Dq alternatives ) ,
1273 but is retained for compatibility.