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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
739a80b3 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,2000,2001 |
6ca0edfe | 3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 | @node Sending Mail, Rmail, Picture, Top | |
6 | @chapter Sending Mail | |
7 | @cindex sending mail | |
8 | @cindex mail | |
9 | @cindex message | |
10 | ||
11 | To send a message in Emacs, you start by typing a command (@kbd{C-x m}) | |
12 | to select and initialize the @samp{*mail*} buffer. Then you edit the text | |
13 | and headers of the message in this buffer, and type another command | |
14 | (@kbd{C-c C-s} or @kbd{C-c C-c}) to send the message. | |
15 | ||
16 | @table @kbd | |
17 | @item C-x m | |
18 | Begin composing a message to send (@code{compose-mail}). | |
19 | @item C-x 4 m | |
20 | Likewise, but display the message in another window | |
21 | (@code{compose-mail-other-window}). | |
22 | @item C-x 5 m | |
23 | Likewise, but make a new frame (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}). | |
24 | @item C-c C-s | |
25 | In Mail mode, send the message (@code{mail-send}). | |
26 | @item C-c C-c | |
27 | Send the message and bury the mail buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). | |
28 | @end table | |
29 | ||
30 | @kindex C-x m | |
31 | @findex compose-mail | |
32 | @kindex C-x 4 m | |
33 | @findex compose-mail-other-window | |
34 | @kindex C-x 5 m | |
35 | @findex compose-mail-other-frame | |
36 | The command @kbd{C-x m} (@code{compose-mail}) selects a buffer named | |
37 | @samp{*mail*} and initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing | |
38 | message. @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) selects the | |
39 | @samp{*mail*} buffer in a different window, leaving the previous current | |
40 | buffer visible. @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) creates | |
41 | a new frame to select the @samp{*mail*} buffer. | |
42 | ||
43 | Because the mail-composition buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can | |
44 | switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch | |
45 | back later (or never). If you use the @kbd{C-x m} command again when you | |
46 | have been composing another message but have not sent it, you are asked to | |
47 | confirm before the old message is erased. If you answer @kbd{n}, the | |
48 | @samp{*mail*} buffer is left selected with its old contents, so you can | |
49 | finish the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do | |
50 | this. Sending the message marks the @samp{*mail*} buffer ``unmodified,'' | |
51 | which avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used. | |
52 | ||
53 | If you are composing a message in the @samp{*mail*} buffer and want to | |
54 | send another message before finishing the first, rename the | |
55 | @samp{*mail*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} (@pxref{Misc | |
56 | Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x m} or its variants described above | |
57 | to make a new @samp{*mail*} buffer. Once you've done that, you can work | |
58 | with each mail buffer independently. | |
59 | ||
54a05782 RS |
60 | @vindex mail-default-directory |
61 | The variable @code{mail-default-directory} controls the default | |
62 | directory for mail buffers, and also says where to put their auto-save | |
63 | files. | |
64 | ||
2e2cdb68 RS |
65 | @ignore |
66 | @c Commented out because it is not user-oriented; | |
67 | @c it doesn't say how to do some job. -- rms. | |
c016c701 DL |
68 | @cindex directory servers |
69 | @cindex LDAP | |
70 | @cindex PH/QI | |
71 | @cindex names and addresses | |
72 | There is an interface to directory servers using various protocols such | |
73 | as LDAP or the CCSO white pages directory system (PH/QI), described in a | |
74 | separate manual. It may be useful for looking up names and addresses. | |
75 | @xref{Top,,EUDC, eudc, EUDC Manual}. | |
2e2cdb68 | 76 | @end ignore |
c016c701 | 77 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
78 | @menu |
79 | * Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed. | |
80 | * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of permitted mail header fields. | |
81 | * Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses. | |
82 | * Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed. | |
2e2cdb68 | 83 | * Amuse: Mail Amusements. Distracting the NSA; adding fortune messages. |
2394fd21 | 84 | * Methods: Mail Methods. Using alternative mail-composition methods. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
85 | @end menu |
86 | ||
87 | @node Mail Format | |
88 | @section The Format of the Mail Buffer | |
89 | ||
90 | In addition to the @dfn{text} or @dfn{body}, a message has @dfn{header | |
91 | fields} which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on. Some | |
92 | header fields, such as @samp{Date} and @samp{Sender}, are created | |
93 | automatically when you send the message. Others, such as the recipient | |
94 | names, must be specified by you in order to send the message properly. | |
95 | ||
96 | Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header fields, | |
97 | and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at times. You can | |
98 | insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing commands. | |
99 | ||
100 | The line in the buffer that says | |
101 | ||
102 | @example | |
103 | --text follows this line-- | |
104 | @end example | |
105 | ||
106 | @noindent | |
107 | is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified from | |
108 | the text. Whatever follows this line is the text of the message; the | |
109 | headers precede it. The delimiter line itself does not appear in the | |
110 | message actually sent. The text used for the delimiter line is controlled | |
111 | by the variable @code{mail-header-separator}. | |
112 | ||
113 | Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer | |
114 | might look like. | |
115 | ||
116 | @example | |
117 | To: gnu@@gnu.org | |
118 | CC: lungfish@@spam.org, byob@@spam.org | |
119 | Subject: The Emacs Manual | |
120 | --Text follows this line-- | |
121 | Please ignore this message. | |
122 | @end example | |
123 | ||
124 | @node Mail Headers | |
125 | @section Mail Header Fields | |
126 | @cindex headers (of mail message) | |
127 | ||
128 | A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the | |
129 | beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are | |
130 | equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the | |
131 | colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field. | |
132 | ||
133 | You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people | |
134 | use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is a table | |
135 | of fields commonly used in outgoing messages. | |
136 | ||
137 | @table @samp | |
138 | @item To | |
139 | This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is | |
140 | addressed. If you list more than one address, use commas, not spaces, | |
141 | to separate them. | |
142 | ||
143 | @item Subject | |
144 | The contents of the @samp{Subject} field should be a piece of text | |
145 | that says what the message is about. The reason @samp{Subject} fields | |
146 | are useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of | |
147 | messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text. | |
148 | ||
149 | @item CC | |
150 | This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, | |
151 | like @samp{To} except that these readers should not regard the message | |
152 | as directed at them. | |
153 | ||
154 | @item BCC | |
155 | This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, | |
156 | which should not appear in the header of the message actually sent. | |
157 | Copies sent this way are called @dfn{blind carbon copies}. | |
158 | ||
159 | @vindex mail-self-blind | |
c7fa86d5 | 160 | @cindex copy of every outgoing message |
6bf7aab6 | 161 | To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself, set |
c7fa86d5 EZ |
162 | the variable @code{mail-self-blind} to @code{t}. To send a blind carbon |
163 | copy of every message to some other @var{address}, set the variable | |
2e2cdb68 | 164 | @code{mail-default-headers} to @code{"Bcc: @var{address}\n"}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
165 | |
166 | @item FCC | |
167 | This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to append a | |
168 | copy of the message to that file when you send the message. If the file | |
169 | is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message in Rmail format; otherwise, | |
7fc1fe09 RS |
170 | Emacs writes the message in system mail file format. To specify |
171 | more than one file, use several @samp{FCC} fields, with one file | |
172 | name in each field. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
173 | |
174 | @vindex mail-archive-file-name | |
175 | To put a fixed file name in the @samp{FCC} field each time you start | |
176 | editing an outgoing message, set the variable | |
177 | @code{mail-archive-file-name} to that file name. Unless you remove the | |
178 | @samp{FCC} field before sending, the message will be written into that | |
179 | file when it is sent. | |
180 | ||
181 | @item From | |
182 | Use the @samp{From} field to say who you are, when the account you are | |
183 | using to send the mail is not your own. The contents of the @samp{From} | |
184 | field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will normally go | |
185 | there. If you don't specify the @samp{From} field yourself, Emacs uses | |
186 | the value of @code{user-mail-address} as the default. | |
187 | ||
188 | @item Reply-to | |
189 | Use this field to direct replies to a different address. Most | |
190 | mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies to | |
191 | the @samp{Reply-to} address in preference to the @samp{From} address. | |
192 | By adding a @samp{Reply-to} field to your header, you can work around | |
193 | any problems your @samp{From} address may cause for replies. | |
194 | ||
60a96371 | 195 | @cindex @env{REPLYTO} environment variable |
6bf7aab6 DL |
196 | @vindex mail-default-reply-to |
197 | To put a fixed @samp{Reply-to} address into every outgoing message, set | |
198 | the variable @code{mail-default-reply-to} to that address (as a string). | |
199 | Then @code{mail} initializes the message with a @samp{Reply-to} field as | |
200 | specified. You can delete or alter that header field before you send | |
201 | the message, if you wish. When Emacs starts up, if the environment | |
60a96371 | 202 | variable @env{REPLYTO} is set, @code{mail-default-reply-to} is |
6bf7aab6 DL |
203 | initialized from that environment variable. |
204 | ||
205 | @item In-reply-to | |
58fa012d | 206 | This field contains a piece of text describing the message you are |
6bf7aab6 DL |
207 | replying to. Some mail systems can use this information to correlate |
208 | related pieces of mail. Normally this field is filled in by Rmail | |
209 | when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never need to | |
210 | think about it (@pxref{Rmail}). | |
211 | ||
212 | @item References | |
213 | This field lists the message IDs of related previous messages. Rmail | |
214 | sets up this field automatically when you reply to a message. | |
215 | @end table | |
216 | ||
7fc1fe09 RS |
217 | The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, and @samp{BCC} header fields can appear |
218 | any number of times, and each such header field can contain multiple | |
219 | addresses, separated by commas. This way, you can specify any number | |
220 | of places to send the message. These fields can also have | |
221 | continuation lines: one or more lines starting with whitespace, | |
222 | following the starting line of the field, are considered part of the | |
223 | field. Here's an example of a @samp{To} field with a continuation | |
224 | line:@refill | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
225 | |
226 | @example | |
227 | @group | |
228 | To: foo@@here.net, this@@there.net, | |
229 | me@@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281 | |
230 | @end group | |
231 | @end example | |
232 | ||
233 | @vindex mail-from-style | |
234 | When you send the message, if you didn't write a @samp{From} field | |
235 | yourself, Emacs puts in one for you. The variable | |
236 | @code{mail-from-style} controls the format: | |
237 | ||
238 | @table @code | |
239 | @item nil | |
240 | Use just the email address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}. | |
241 | @item parens | |
242 | Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis | |
243 | Parsley)}. | |
244 | @item angles | |
245 | Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{Elvis Parsley | |
246 | <king@@grassland.com>}. | |
247 | @item system-default | |
248 | Allow the system to insert the @samp{From} field. | |
249 | @end table | |
250 | ||
c7fa86d5 | 251 | @vindex mail-default-headers |
2e2cdb68 RS |
252 | You can direct Emacs to insert certain default headers into the |
253 | outgoing message by setting the variable @code{mail-default-headers} | |
254 | to a string. Then @code{C-x m} inserts this string into the message | |
255 | headers. If the default header fields are not appropriate for a | |
256 | particular message, edit them as appropriate before sending the | |
257 | message. | |
c7fa86d5 | 258 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
259 | @node Mail Aliases |
260 | @section Mail Aliases | |
261 | @cindex mail aliases | |
262 | @cindex @file{.mailrc} file | |
263 | @cindex mailrc file | |
264 | ||
265 | You can define @dfn{mail aliases} in a file named @file{~/.mailrc}. | |
266 | These are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of | |
267 | mail addresses. Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases | |
268 | when they occur in the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and | |
269 | @samp{Reply-to} fields, plus their @samp{Resent-} variants. | |
270 | ||
271 | To define an alias in @file{~/.mailrc}, write a line in the following | |
272 | format: | |
273 | ||
274 | @example | |
275 | alias @var{shortaddress} @var{fulladdresses} | |
276 | @end example | |
277 | ||
278 | @noindent | |
279 | Here @var{fulladdresses} stands for one or more mail addresses for | |
280 | @var{shortaddress} to expand into. Separate multiple addresses with | |
281 | spaces; if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a | |
282 | pair of double-quotes. | |
283 | ||
284 | For instance, to make @code{maingnu} stand for | |
285 | @code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in | |
286 | this line:@refill | |
287 | ||
288 | @example | |
289 | alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu | |
290 | @end example | |
291 | ||
292 | Emacs also recognizes include commands in @samp{.mailrc} files. | |
293 | They look like this: | |
294 | ||
295 | @example | |
296 | source @var{filename} | |
297 | @end example | |
298 | ||
299 | @noindent | |
300 | The file @file{~/.mailrc} is used primarily by other mail-reading | |
301 | programs; it can contain various other commands. Emacs ignores | |
302 | everything in it except for alias definitions and include commands. | |
303 | ||
304 | @findex define-mail-alias | |
305 | Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the | |
306 | @code{define-mail-alias} command. It prompts for the alias and then the | |
307 | full address. You can use it to define aliases in your @file{.emacs} | |
308 | file, like this: | |
309 | ||
310 | @example | |
311 | (define-mail-alias "maingnu" "gnu@@gnu.org") | |
312 | @end example | |
313 | ||
314 | @vindex mail-aliases | |
315 | @code{define-mail-alias} records aliases by adding them to a | |
316 | variable named @code{mail-aliases}. If you are comfortable with | |
317 | manipulating Lisp lists, you can set @code{mail-aliases} directly. The | |
318 | initial value of @code{mail-aliases} is @code{t}, which means that | |
319 | Emacs should read @file{.mailrc} to get the proper value. | |
320 | ||
321 | @vindex mail-personal-alias-file | |
322 | You can specify a different file name to use instead of | |
323 | @file{~/.mailrc} by setting the variable | |
324 | @code{mail-personal-alias-file}. | |
325 | ||
326 | @findex expand-mail-aliases | |
327 | Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message. You do not | |
328 | need to expand mail aliases before sending the message, but you can | |
329 | expand them if you want to see where the mail will actually go. To do | |
330 | this, use the command @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}; it expands all mail | |
331 | aliases currently present in the mail headers that hold addresses. | |
332 | ||
333 | If you like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as | |
334 | you type them in (@pxref{Abbrevs}). To enable this feature, execute the | |
335 | following: | |
336 | ||
337 | @example | |
49172314 | 338 | (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
339 | @end example |
340 | ||
341 | @noindent | |
342 | @findex define-mail-abbrev | |
343 | @vindex mail-abbrevs | |
344 | This can go in your @file{.emacs} file. @xref{Hooks}. If you use this | |
345 | feature, you must use @code{define-mail-abbrev} instead of | |
346 | @code{define-mail-alias}; the latter does not work with this package. | |
347 | Note that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable | |
348 | @code{mail-abbrevs} instead of @code{mail-aliases}, and that all alias | |
349 | names are converted to lower case. | |
350 | ||
351 | @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Mail mode)} | |
352 | @findex mail-interactive-insert-alias | |
353 | The mail abbreviation package also provides the @kbd{C-c C-a} | |
354 | (@code{mail-interactive-insert-alias}) command, which reads an alias | |
355 | name (with completion) and inserts its definition at point. This is | |
356 | useful when editing the message text itself or a header field such as | |
357 | @samp{Subject} in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases. | |
358 | ||
359 | Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator character | |
360 | afterward. However, you can rebind @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{M->} to cause | |
361 | expansion as well. Here's how to do that: | |
362 | ||
363 | @smallexample | |
49172314 | 364 | (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook |
43aef553 SM |
365 | (lambda () |
366 | (substitute-key-definition | |
367 | 'next-line 'mail-abbrev-next-line | |
368 | mail-mode-map global-map) | |
369 | (substitute-key-definition | |
370 | 'end-of-buffer 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer | |
371 | mail-mode-map global-map))) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
372 | @end smallexample |
373 | ||
374 | @node Mail Mode | |
375 | @section Mail Mode | |
376 | @cindex Mail mode | |
377 | @cindex mode, Mail | |
378 | ||
379 | The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much | |
380 | like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the | |
381 | @kbd{C-c} prefix. These commands all have to do specifically with | |
382 | editing or sending the message. In addition, Mail mode defines the | |
383 | character @samp{%} as a word separator; this is helpful for using the | |
384 | word commands to edit mail addresses. | |
385 | ||
386 | Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the | |
387 | @code{mail} command and related commands. However, you can also switch | |
58fa012d EZ |
388 | to Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer. This is a useful thing to do if |
389 | you have saved the text of a draft message in a file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
390 | |
391 | @menu | |
392 | * Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message. | |
393 | * Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them. | |
394 | * Citing Mail:: Copying all or part of a message you are replying to. | |
395 | * Mail Mode Misc:: Spell checking, signatures, etc. | |
396 | @end menu | |
397 | ||
398 | @node Mail Sending | |
399 | @subsection Mail Sending | |
400 | ||
401 | Mail mode has two commands for sending the message you have been | |
402 | editing: | |
403 | ||
404 | @table @kbd | |
405 | @item C-c C-s | |
406 | Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{mail-send}). | |
407 | @item C-c C-c | |
408 | Send the message, and select some other buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). | |
409 | @end table | |
410 | ||
411 | @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Mail mode)} | |
412 | @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Mail mode)} | |
413 | @findex mail-send | |
414 | @findex mail-send-and-exit | |
415 | @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{mail-send}) sends the message and marks the mail | |
416 | buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can | |
417 | modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again. | |
418 | @kbd{C-c C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}) sends and then deletes the | |
419 | window or switches to another buffer. It puts the mail buffer at the | |
420 | lowest priority for reselection by default, since you are finished with | |
421 | using it. This is the usual way to send the message. | |
422 | ||
423 | In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the | |
424 | modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. As a | |
425 | result, you don't get a warning if you try to send the same message | |
426 | twice. | |
427 | ||
4946337d EZ |
428 | @c This is indexed in mule.texi, node "Recognize Coding". |
429 | @c @vindex sendmail-coding-system | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
430 | When you send a message that contains non-ASCII characters, they need |
431 | to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). Usually | |
432 | the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen language | |
433 | environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can explicitly specify | |
434 | the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the variable | |
4946337d | 435 | @code{sendmail-coding-system} (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
436 | |
437 | If the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in | |
438 | a particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use, | |
439 | showing a list of possible coding systems. | |
440 | ||
441 | @node Header Editing | |
442 | @subsection Mail Header Editing | |
443 | ||
444 | Mail mode provides special commands to move to particular header | |
445 | fields and to complete addresses in headers. | |
446 | ||
447 | @table @kbd | |
448 | @item C-c C-f C-t | |
449 | Move to the @samp{To} header field, creating one if there is none | |
450 | (@code{mail-to}). | |
451 | @item C-c C-f C-s | |
452 | Move to the @samp{Subject} header field, creating one if there is | |
453 | none (@code{mail-subject}). | |
454 | @item C-c C-f C-c | |
455 | Move to the @samp{CC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
456 | (@code{mail-cc}). | |
457 | @item C-c C-f C-b | |
458 | Move to the @samp{BCC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
459 | (@code{mail-bcc}). | |
460 | @item C-c C-f C-f | |
461 | Move to the @samp{FCC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
462 | (@code{mail-fcc}). | |
463 | @item M-@key{TAB} | |
464 | Complete a mailing address (@code{mail-complete}). | |
465 | @end table | |
466 | ||
467 | @kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Mail mode)} | |
468 | @findex mail-to | |
469 | @kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Mail mode)} | |
470 | @findex mail-subject | |
471 | @kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Mail mode)} | |
472 | @findex mail-cc | |
473 | @kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Mail mode)} | |
474 | @findex mail-bcc | |
475 | @kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Mail mode)} | |
476 | @findex mail-fcc | |
477 | There are five commands to move point to particular header fields, all | |
478 | based on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). They | |
479 | are listed in the table above. If the field in question does not exist, | |
480 | these commands create one. We provide special motion commands for these | |
481 | particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to | |
482 | edit. | |
483 | ||
484 | @findex mail-complete | |
485 | @kindex M-TAB @r{(Mail mode)} | |
486 | While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such as | |
487 | @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete a mailing | |
488 | address by typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{mail-complete}). It inserts | |
489 | the full name corresponding to the address, if it can determine the full | |
490 | name. The variable @code{mail-complete-style} controls whether to insert | |
491 | the full name, and what style to use, as in @code{mail-from-style} | |
492 | (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
493 | ||
494 | For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be | |
7fc1fe09 | 495 | the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases. You can |
58fa012d | 496 | specify additional sources of valid addresses; look at the customization |
7fc1fe09 RS |
497 | group @samp{mailalias} to see the options for this |
498 | (@pxref{Customization Groups}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 499 | |
7fc1fe09 RS |
500 | If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message, |
501 | @code{mail-complete} invokes @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text | |
502 | mode. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
503 | |
504 | @node Citing Mail | |
505 | @subsection Citing Mail | |
506 | @cindex citing mail | |
507 | ||
508 | Mail mode also has commands for yanking or @dfn{citing} all or part of | |
509 | a message that you are replying to. These commands are active only when | |
510 | you started sending a message using an Rmail command. | |
511 | ||
512 | @table @kbd | |
513 | @item C-c C-y | |
514 | Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{mail-yank-original}). | |
515 | @item C-c C-r | |
516 | Yank the region from the Rmail buffer (@code{mail-yank-region}). | |
517 | @item C-c C-q | |
518 | Fill each paragraph cited from another message | |
519 | (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}). | |
520 | @end table | |
521 | ||
522 | @kindex C-c C-y @r{(Mail mode)} | |
523 | @findex mail-yank-original | |
524 | When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an Rmail | |
525 | command, @kbd{C-c C-y} can be used inside the mail buffer to insert | |
526 | the text of the message you are replying to. Normally it indents each line | |
527 | of that message three spaces and eliminates most header fields. A numeric | |
528 | argument specifies the number of spaces to indent. An argument of just | |
529 | @kbd{C-u} says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything. | |
530 | @kbd{C-c C-y} always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer, | |
531 | so you can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail, | |
532 | switching to @samp{*mail*} and yanking it, then switching back to | |
533 | Rmail to select another. | |
534 | ||
535 | @vindex mail-yank-prefix | |
536 | You can specify the text for @kbd{C-c C-y} to insert at the beginning | |
537 | of each line: set @code{mail-yank-prefix} to the desired string. (A | |
538 | value of @code{nil} means to use indentation; this is the default.) | |
539 | However, @kbd{C-u C-c C-y} never adds anything at the beginning of the | |
540 | inserted lines, regardless of the value of @code{mail-yank-prefix}. | |
541 | ||
542 | @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Mail mode)} | |
543 | @findex mail-yank-region | |
544 | To yank just a part of an incoming message, set the region in Rmail to | |
545 | the part you want; then go to the @samp{*Mail*} message and type | |
546 | @kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{mail-yank-region}). Each line that is copied is | |
547 | indented or prefixed according to @code{mail-yank-prefix}. | |
548 | ||
549 | @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Mail mode)} | |
550 | @findex mail-fill-yanked-message | |
551 | After using @kbd{C-c C-y} or @kbd{C-c C-r}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q} | |
552 | (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the yanked | |
553 | old message or messages. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such | |
554 | paragraphs, each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the | |
555 | quoted message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically | |
556 | handle the type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix | |
557 | explicitly. @xref{Filling}. | |
558 | ||
559 | @node Mail Mode Misc | |
560 | @subsection Mail Mode Miscellany | |
561 | ||
562 | @table @kbd | |
563 | @item C-c C-t | |
564 | Move to the beginning of the message body text (@code{mail-text}). | |
565 | @item C-c C-w | |
566 | Insert the file @file{~/.signature} at the end of the message text | |
567 | (@code{mail-signature}). | |
568 | @item C-c C-i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
569 | Insert the contents of @var{file} at the end of the outgoing message | |
570 | (@code{mail-attach-file}). | |
571 | @item M-x ispell-message | |
58fa012d | 572 | Perform spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations from |
6bf7aab6 DL |
573 | other messages. |
574 | @end table | |
575 | ||
576 | @kindex C-c C-t @r{(Mail mode)} | |
577 | @findex mail-text | |
578 | @kbd{C-c C-t} (@code{mail-text}) moves point to just after the header | |
579 | separator line---that is, to the beginning of the message body text. | |
580 | ||
581 | @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Mail mode)} | |
582 | @findex mail-signature | |
583 | @vindex mail-signature | |
584 | @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{mail-signature}) adds a standard piece of text at | |
585 | the end of the message to say more about who you are. The text comes | |
586 | from the file @file{~/.signature} in your home directory. To insert | |
587 | your signature automatically, set the variable @code{mail-signature} to | |
58fa012d | 588 | @code{t}; after that, starting a mail message automatically inserts the |
6bf7aab6 DL |
589 | contents of your @file{~/.signature} file. If you want to omit your |
590 | signature from a particular message, delete it from the buffer before | |
591 | you send the message. | |
592 | ||
593 | You can also set @code{mail-signature} to a string; then that string | |
594 | is inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a | |
595 | message to send. If you set it to some other Lisp expression, the | |
596 | expression is evaluated each time, and its value (which should be a | |
597 | string) specifies the signature. | |
598 | ||
599 | @findex ispell-message | |
600 | You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written | |
601 | with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked an | |
602 | incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was | |
603 | yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted. (It looks | |
604 | for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the cited | |
605 | lines from your input.) @xref{Spelling}. | |
606 | ||
607 | @kindex C-c C-i @r{(Mail mode)} | |
608 | @findex mail-attach-file | |
609 | To include a file in the outgoing message, you can use @kbd{C-x i}, | |
610 | the usual command to insert a file in the current buffer. But it is | |
611 | often more convenient to use a special command, @kbd{C-c C-i} | |
612 | (@code{mail-attach-file}). This command inserts the file contents at | |
613 | the end of the buffer, after your signature if any, with a delimiter | |
614 | line that includes the file name. | |
615 | ||
616 | @vindex mail-mode-hook | |
617 | @vindex mail-setup-hook | |
618 | Turning on Mail mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs the | |
619 | normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{mail-mode-hook}. | |
620 | Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook | |
621 | @code{mail-setup-hook}; if you want to add special fields to your mail | |
622 | header or make other changes to the appearance of the mail buffer, use | |
623 | that hook. @xref{Hooks}. | |
624 | ||
625 | The main difference between these hooks is just when they are | |
626 | invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{M-x mail}, @code{mail-mode-hook} runs | |
627 | as soon as the @samp{*mail*} buffer is created. Then the | |
58fa012d | 628 | @code{mail-setup} function inserts the default contents of the buffer. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
629 | After these default contents are inserted, @code{mail-setup-hook} runs. |
630 | ||
2e2cdb68 RS |
631 | @node Mail Amusements |
632 | @section Mail Amusements | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
633 | |
634 | @findex spook | |
635 | @cindex NSA | |
636 | @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing | |
637 | mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest | |
638 | you are discussing something subversive. | |
639 | ||
2394fd21 DL |
640 | The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the |
641 | NSA@footnote{The US National Security Agency.} snoops on | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
642 | all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might |
643 | find them interesting. (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they | |
644 | @emph{would} say.) The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious | |
645 | words to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input | |
646 | that they will have to give up reading it all. | |
647 | ||
648 | Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start | |
649 | entering an outgoing message: | |
650 | ||
651 | @example | |
2e2cdb68 | 652 | (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook) |
6bf7aab6 DL |
653 | @end example |
654 | ||
655 | Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people. | |
656 | ||
58eca4a5 | 657 | @findex fortune-to-signature |
58eca4a5 | 658 | @cindex fortune cookies |
2e2cdb68 | 659 | You can use the @code{fortune} program to put a ``fortune cookie'' |
7fc1fe09 | 660 | message into outgoing mail. To do this, add |
2e2cdb68 RS |
661 | @code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook}: |
662 | ||
663 | @example | |
664 | (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature) | |
665 | @end example | |
58eca4a5 | 666 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
667 | @node Mail Methods |
668 | @section Mail-Composition Methods | |
669 | @cindex mail-composition methods | |
670 | ||
26064e9b DL |
671 | @cindex MH mail interface |
672 | @cindex Message mode for sending mail | |
2e2cdb68 RS |
673 | In this chapter we have described the usual Emacs mode for editing |
674 | and sending mail---Mail mode. Emacs has alternative facilities for | |
675 | editing and sending mail, including | |
26064e9b | 676 | MH-E and Message mode, not documented in this manual. |
7fc1fe09 | 677 | @xref{MH-E,,,mh-e, The Emacs Interface to MH}. @xref{Message,,,message, |
26064e9b DL |
678 | Message Manual}. You can choose any of them as your preferred method. |
679 | The commands @code{C-x m}, @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use | |
58fa012d | 680 | whichever agent you have specified, as do various other Emacs commands |
26064e9b | 681 | and facilities that send mail. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
682 | |
683 | @vindex mail-user-agent | |
37ad3ca0 | 684 | To specify your mail-composition method, customize the variable |
6bf7aab6 | 685 | @code{mail-user-agent}. Currently legitimate values include |
2e2cdb68 | 686 | @code{sendmail-user-agent} (Mail mode), @code{mh-e-user-agent}, |
37ad3ca0 | 687 | @code{message-user-agent} and @code{gnus-user-agent}. |
6bf7aab6 | 688 | |
2e2cdb68 RS |
689 | If you select a different mail-composition method, the information |
690 | in this chapter about the @samp{*mail*} buffer and Mail mode does not | |
691 | apply; the other methods use a different format of text in a different | |
692 | buffer, and their commands are different as well. | |
6bf7aab6 | 693 |