1WHATNOW(1) General Commands Manual WHATNOW(1)
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6 whatnow - prompting front-end for writing nmh messages
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9 whatnow [-help] [-version] [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
10 [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit] [-prompt string]
11 [file]
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14 whatnow is the default program that queries the user about the disposi‐
15 tion of a composed draft. It is normally automatically invoked by one
16 of the nmh commands comp, dist, forw, or repl after the initial edit.
17 When started, the editor is started on the draft (unless -noedit is
19 given, in which case the initial edit is suppressed). Then, whatnow
20 repetitively prompts the user with “What now?” and awaits a response.
21 The valid responses are:
22 edit re-edit using the same editor that was used on
24 the preceding round unless a profile entry
25 “<lasteditor>-next: <editor>” names an alternate
26 editor
27 edit editor invoke editor for further editing
29 refile +folder refile the draft into the given folder
31 mime process the draft as MIME composition file using
33 the buildmimeproc command (mhbuild by default)
34 display list the message being distributed/replied-to on
36 the terminal
37 list list the draft on the terminal
39 send send the message
41 send -watch send the message and monitor the delivery process
43 push send the message in the background
45 whom list the addresses that the message will go to
47 whom -check list the addresses and verify that they are
49 acceptable to the transport service
50 quit preserve the draft and exit
52 quit -delete delete the draft and exit
54 delete delete the draft and exit
56 cd directory use directory when interpreting attachment file
58 names
59 pwd print the working directory for attachment files
61 ls [ls-options] list files in the attachment working directory
63 using the ls command
64 attach [-v] files
66 add the named files to the message as MIME
67 attachments; -v displays the mhbuild directive
68 that send(1) will use
69 alist [-ln] list the MIME attachments, either short, long
71 [-l] or numbered [-n]
72 detach [-n] files-or-numbers
74 remove MIME attachments, either by file name or
75 by number with -n
76 When entering your response, you need only type enough characters to
78 uniquely identify the response.
79 For the edit response, any valid switch to the editor is valid.
81 For the send and push responses, any valid switch to send(1) is valid
83 (as push merely invokes send with the -push option).
84 For the whom response, any valid switch to whom(1) is valid.
86 For the refile response, any valid switch to the fileproc is valid.
88 For the display and list responses, any valid argument to the lproc is
90 valid. If any non-switch arguments are present, then the pathname of
91 the draft will be excluded from the argument list given to the lproc
92 (this is useful for listing another nmh message).
93 See mh-profile(5) for further information about how editors are used by
95 nmh. It also discusses how environment variables can be used to direct
96 whatnow's actions in complex ways.
97 The -prompt string switch sets the prompting string for whatnow.
99 The -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh
101 draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) fea‐
102 ture. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.
103 If your nmh was configured with readline enabled, you'll be able to use
105 filename completion and other readline features at the prompt. These
106 are particularly useful with the cd, ls, attach, and detach commands
107 for managing MIME attachments.
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110 $HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
111 <mh-dir>/draft The draft file
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114 Path: To determine the user's nmh directory
115 Draft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder
116 Editor: To override the default editor
117 <lasteditor>-next: To name an editor to be used after exit
118 from <lasteditor>
119 buildmimeproc: Program to translate MIME composition files
120 fileproc: Program to refile the message
121 lproc: Program to list the contents of a message
122 sendproc: Program to use to send the message
123 whomproc: Program to determine who a message would go to
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126 send(1), whom(1)
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129 `-prompt' defaults to “What Now? ”
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132 If the initial edit fails, whatnow deletes your draft (by renaming it
133 with a site-dependent prefix (usually a comma); failure of a later edit
134 preserves the draft.
135 If the buildmimeproc fails (returns a nonzero status), whatnow simply
137 prints a “What now?” prompt. whatnow depends on the buildmimeproc to
138 tell the user that something went wrong.
139 If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp, dist, forw, and repl use a built-
141 in whatnow, and do not actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you
142 define your own whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since it won't be
143 run.
144 If sendproc is send, then whatnow uses a built-in send, it does not
146 actually run the send program. Hence, if you define your own sendproc,
147 don't call it send since whatnow won't run it.
148nmh-1.7.1 2014-01-23 WHATNOW(1)