1REPL(1) [nmh-1.3] REPL(1)
2
6 repl - reply to a message
7
9 repl [+folder] [msgs] [-annotate | -noannotate] [-group | -nogroup]
10 [-cc all/to/cc/me] [-nocc all/to/cc/me] [-query | -noquery] [-form
11 formfile] [-format | -noformat] [-filter filterfile] [-inplace |
12 -noinplace] [-mime | -nomime] [-fcc +folder] [-width columns]
13 [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-edi‐
14 tor editor] [-noedit] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc]
15 [-build] [-file msgfile] [-version] [-help]
16
18 Repl may be used to produce a reply to an existing message.
19 In its simplest form (with no arguments), repl will set up a mes‐
21 sage-form skeleton in reply to the current message in the current
22 folder, and invoke the whatnow shell.
23 In order to construct the message draft of the reply, repl uses a reply
25 template to guide its actions. A reply template is simply a mhl format
26 file (see mh-format(5) for details).
27 If the switch -nogroup is given (it is on by default), then repl will
29 use the standard forms file “replcomps”. This will construct a draft
30 message that is intended to be sent only to the author of the message
31 to which you are replying. If a file named “replcomps” exists in the
32 user's nmh directory, it will be used instead of this default forms
33 file.
34 The default reply template “replcomps” will direct repl to construct
36 the reply message draft as follows:
37 To: <Mail-Reply-To> or <Reply-To> or <From>
39 cc: <To> and <cc> and <personal address>
40 Fcc: {fcc switch} or +outbox
41 Subject: Re: <Subject>
42 In-Reply-To: <Message-Id>
43 References: <Message-Id>
44 Comments: In-Reply-To <From> or <apparently from> or <Sender>
45 message dated <date>
46 --------
47 where field names enclosed in angle brackets (< >) indicate the con‐
49 tents of the named field from the message to which the reply is being
50 made.
51 By default, the “cc:” field is empty. You may selectively add
53 addresses to this default with the -cc type switch. This switch takes
54 an argument ( all/to/cc/me) which specifies who gets added to the
55 default “cc:” list of the reply. You may give this switch multiple
56 times (with different arguments) if you wish to add multiple types of
57 addresses.
58 If the switch -group is given, then repl will use the the standard
60 forms file “replgroupcomps”. This will construct a draft message that
61 is intended as a group or followup reply. If a file named “replgroup‐
62 comps” exists in the user's nmh directory, it will be used instead of
63 this default forms file.
64 The default group reply template “replgroupcomps” will direct repl to
66 construct the reply message draft as follows:
67 To: <Mail-Followup-To>
69 Subject: Re: <Subject>
70 In-Reply-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
71 <Message-Id>
72 --------
73 or if the field <Mail-Followup-To> is not available:
75 To: <Mail-Reply-To> or <Reply-To> or <From>
77 cc: <To> and <cc> and <personal address>
78 Subject: Re: <Subject>
79 In-Reply-To: Message from <From> of <Date>.
80 <Message-Id>
81 --------
82 By default, the “cc:” contains all the addresses shown. You may selec‐
84 tively remove addresses from this default with the -nocc type switch.
85 This switch takes an argument ( all/to/cc/me) which specifies who gets
86 removed from the default “cc:” list of the reply. You may give this
87 switch multiple times (with different arguments) if you wish to remove
88 multiple types of addresses.
89 In any case, you may specify an alternate forms file with the switch
91 -form formfile.
92 The -query switch modifies the action of -nocc type switch by interac‐
94 tively asking you if each address that normally would be placed in the
95 “To:” and “cc:” list should actually be sent a copy. This is useful
96 for special-purpose replies. Note that the position of the -cc and
97 -nocc switches, like all other switches which take a positive and nega‐
98 tive form, is important.
99 Lines beginning with the fields “To:”, “cc:”, and ”Bcc:” will be stan‐
101 dardized and have duplicate addresses removed. In addition, the -width
102 columns switch will guide repl's formatting of these fields.
103 If the draft already exists, repl will ask you as to the disposition of
105 the draft. A reply of quit will abort repl, leaving the draft intact;
106 replace will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list
107 will display the draft.
108 See comp(1) for a description of the -editor and -noedit switches.
110 Note that while in the editor, the message being replied to is avail‐
111 able through a link named “@” (assuming the default whatnowproc). In
112 addition, the actual pathname of the message is stored in the environ‐
113 ment variable $editalt, and the pathname of the folder containing the
114 message is stored in the environment variable $mhfolder.
115 Although repl uses a forms file to direct it how to construct the
117 beginning of the draft, it uses a message filter file to direct it as
118 to how the message to which you are replying should be filtered
119 (re-formatted) in the body of the draft. The filter file for repl
120 should be a standard form file for mhl, as repl will invoke mhl to for‐
121 mat the message to which you are replying.
122 The switches -noformat, -format, and -filter filterfile specify which
124 message filter file to use.
125 If the switch -noformat is given (it is the default), then the message
127 to which you are replying is not included in the body of the draft.
128 If the switch -format is given, then a default message filter file is
130 used. This default message filter should be adequate for most users.
131 This default filter “mhl.reply” is:
132 ; mhl.reply
134 ;
135 ; default message filter for `repl' (repl -format)
136 ;
137 body:component="> ",overflowtext="> ",overflowoffset=0
138 which outputs each line of the body of the message prefaced with the
140 “>” character and a space.
141 If a file named “mhl.reply” exists in the user's nmh directory, it will
143 be used instead of this form. You may specify an alternate message
144 filter file with the switch -filter filterfile.
145 Other reply filters are commonly used, such as:
147 :
149 body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
150 which says to output a blank line and then the body of the message
152 being replied-to, indented by one tab-stop. Another popular format is:
153 message-id:nocomponent,nonewline,\
155 formatfield=“In message %{text}, ”
156 from:nocomponent,formatfield=“%(friendly{text}) writes:”
157 body:component=“>”,overflowtext=“>”,overflowoffset=0
158 This message filter file cites the Message-ID and author of the message
160 being replied-to, and then outputs each line of the body prefaced with
161 the “>” character.
162 To use the MIME rules for encapsulation, specify the -mime switch.
164 This directs repl to generate an mhbuild composition file. Note that
165 nmh will not invoke mhbuild automatically, unless you add this line to
166 your .mh_profile file:
167 automimeproc: 1
169 Otherwise, you must specifically give the command
171 What now? mime
173 prior to sending the draft.
175 If the -annotate switch is given, the message being replied-to will be
177 annotated with the lines
178 Replied: date Replied: addrs
180 where the address list contains one line for each addressee. The anno‐
182 tation will be done only if the message is sent directly from repl. If
183 the message is not sent immediately from repl, “comp -use” may be used
184 to re-edit and send the constructed message, but the annotations won't
185 take place. Normally annotations are done inplace in order to preserve
186 any links to the message. You may use the -noinplace switch to change
187 this.
188 Although the default template specifies that a copy of the reply will
190 be put in the folder 'outbox', if the -fcc +folder switch is given it
191 will override the default value. More than one folder, each preceded
192 by -fcc can be named.
193 In addition to the standard mh-format(5) escapes, repl also recognizes
195 the following additional component escape:
196 Escape Returns Description
198 fcc string Any folders specified with `-fcc folder'
199 To avoid reiteration, repl strips any leading `Re: ' strings from the
201 subject component.
202 The -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh
204 draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) fea‐
205 ture. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.
206 Upon exiting from the editor, repl will invoke the whatnow program.
208 See whatnow(1) for a discussion of available options. The invocation
209 of this program can be inhibited by using the -nowhatnowproc switch.
210 (In truth of fact, it is the whatnow program which starts the initial
211 edit. Hence, -nowhatnowproc will prevent any edit from occurring.)
212 The -build switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface to
214 nmh, and is only present if nmh was compiled with support for mh-e. It
215 implies -nowhatnowproc. It causes a file <mh-dir>/reply to be created,
216 containing the draft message that would normally be presented to the
217 user for editing. No mail is actually sent. Note that this switch is
218 not guaranteed to be present or to have the same effects in future ver‐
219 sions of nmh: it is documented here only for completeness.
220 The -file msgfile switch specifies the message to be replied to as an
222 exact filename rather than as an nmh folder and message number. It is
223 intended to be used by the msh interface to nmh. The same caveats
224 apply to this option as to the -build switch.
225
228 /etc/nmh/replcomps The standard reply template
229 or <mh-dir>/replcomps Rather than the standard template
230 /etc/nmh/replgroupcomps The standard `reply -group' template
231 or <mh-dir>/replgroupcomps Rather than the standard template
232 /etc/nmh/mhl.reply The standard message filter
233 or <mh-dir>/mhl.reply Rather than the standard filter
234 $HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
235 <mh-dir>/draft The draft file
236
239 Path: To determine the user's nmh directory
240 Alternate-Mailboxes: To determine the user's mailboxes
241 Current-Folder: To find the default current folder
242 Draft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder
243 Editor: To override the default editor
244 Msg-Protect: To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
245 fileproc: Program to refile the message
246 mhlproc: Program to filter message being replied-to
247 whatnowproc: Program to ask the “What now?” questions
248
251 mhbuild(1), comp(1), forw(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh-format(5)
252
255 `+folder' defaults to the current folder
256 `msg' defaults to cur
257 `-nogroup'
258 `-nocc all' with `-nogroup', `-cc all' with `-group'
259 `-noannotate'
260 `-nodraftfolder'
261 `-noformat'
262 `-inplace'
263 `-nomime'
264 `-noquery'
265 `-width 72'
266
269 If a folder is given, it will become the current folder. The message
270 replied-to will become the current message.
271
274 If any addresses occur in the reply template, addresses in the template
275 that do not contain hosts are defaulted incorrectly. Instead of using
276 the localhost for the default, repl uses the sender's host. Moral of
277 the story: if you're going to include addresses in a reply template,
278 include the host portion of the address.
279 The -width columns switch is only used to do address-folding; other
281 headers are not line-wrapped.
282 If whatnowproc is whatnow, then repl uses a built-in whatnow, it does
284 not actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you define your own
285 whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since repl won't run it.
286 If your current working directory is not writable, the link named “@”
288 is not available.
289MH.6.8 1 June 2008 REPL(1)