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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
b65d8176 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, |
8d99e09d | 3 | @c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 | @node Rmail, Dired, Sending Mail, Top | |
6 | @chapter Reading Mail with Rmail | |
7 | @cindex Rmail | |
8 | @cindex reading mail | |
9 | @findex rmail | |
10 | @findex rmail-mode | |
11 | @vindex rmail-mode-hook | |
12 | ||
9dd617a6 RS |
13 | Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that |
14 | you receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files | |
15 | which use a special format. Reading the message in an Rmail file is | |
16 | done in a special major mode, Rmail mode, which redefines most letters | |
17 | to run commands for managing mail. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
18 | @menu |
19 | * Basic: Rmail Basics. Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use. | |
20 | * Scroll: Rmail Scrolling. Scrolling through a message. | |
21 | * Motion: Rmail Motion. Moving to another message. | |
22 | * Deletion: Rmail Deletion. Deleting and expunging messages. | |
23 | * Inbox: Rmail Inbox. How mail gets into the Rmail file. | |
24 | * Files: Rmail Files. Using multiple Rmail files. | |
25 | * Output: Rmail Output. Copying message out to files. | |
26 | * Labels: Rmail Labels. Classifying messages by labeling them. | |
27 | * Attrs: Rmail Attributes. Certain standard labels, called attributes. | |
28 | * Reply: Rmail Reply. Sending replies to messages you are viewing. | |
29 | * Summary: Rmail Summary. Summaries show brief info on many messages. | |
30 | * Sort: Rmail Sorting. Sorting messages in Rmail. | |
31 | * Display: Rmail Display. How Rmail displays a message; customization. | |
358f71fd | 32 | * Coding: Rmail Coding. How Rmail handles decoding character sets. |
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33 | * Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail. |
34 | * Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message. | |
35 | * Out of Rmail:: Converting an Rmail file to mailbox format. | |
36 | * Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code. | |
ea20444b EZ |
37 | * Movemail:: More details of fetching new mail. |
38 | * Remote Mailboxes:: Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes. | |
39 | * Other Mailbox Formats:: Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in | |
40 | Various Formats | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
41 | @end menu |
42 | ||
43 | @node Rmail Basics | |
44 | @section Basic Concepts of Rmail | |
45 | ||
46 | @cindex primary Rmail file | |
47 | @vindex rmail-file-name | |
48 | Using Rmail in the simplest fashion, you have one Rmail file | |
49 | @file{~/RMAIL} in which all of your mail is saved. It is called your | |
50 | @dfn{primary Rmail file}. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} reads your primary | |
51 | Rmail file, merges new mail in from your inboxes, displays the first | |
52 | message you haven't read yet, and lets you begin reading. The variable | |
53 | @code{rmail-file-name} specifies the name of the primary Rmail file. | |
54 | ||
55 | Rmail uses narrowing to hide all but one message in the Rmail file. | |
56 | The message that is shown is called the @dfn{current message}. Rmail | |
57 | mode's special commands can do such things as delete the current | |
58 | message, copy it into another file, send a reply, or move to another | |
59 | message. You can also create multiple Rmail files and use Rmail to move | |
60 | messages between them. | |
61 | ||
62 | @cindex message number | |
63 | Within the Rmail file, messages are normally arranged sequentially in | |
64 | order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them. Messages are | |
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65 | identified by consecutive integers which are their @dfn{message numbers}. |
66 | The number of the current message is displayed in Rmail's mode line, | |
67 | followed by the total number of messages in the file. You can move to | |
68 | a message by specifying its message number with the @kbd{j} key | |
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69 | (@pxref{Rmail Motion}). |
70 | ||
71 | @kindex s @r{(Rmail)} | |
00aa62e5 | 72 | @findex rmail-expunge-and-save |
6bf7aab6 | 73 | Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file |
9dd617a6 | 74 | become permanent only when you save the file. You can save it with |
00aa62e5 RS |
75 | @kbd{s} (@code{rmail-expunge-and-save}), which also expunges deleted |
76 | messages from the file first (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). To save the | |
77 | file without expunging, use @kbd{C-x C-s}. Rmail also saves the Rmail | |
78 | file after merging new mail from an inbox file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). | |
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79 | |
80 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail)} | |
81 | @findex rmail-quit | |
82 | @kindex b @r{(Rmail)} | |
83 | @findex rmail-bury | |
32823124 LT |
84 | You can exit Rmail with @kbd{q} (@code{rmail-quit}); this expunges |
85 | and saves the Rmail file, then buries the Rmail buffer as well as its | |
d190d8c8 | 86 | summary buffer, if present (@pxref{Rmail Summary}). But there is no |
32823124 | 87 | need to ``exit'' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in |
9dd617a6 RS |
88 | other buffers, and never switch back, you have exited. Just make sure |
89 | to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have | |
90 | changed). @kbd{C-x s} is a suitable way to do this (@pxref{Save | |
91 | Commands}). The Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, buries the | |
92 | Rmail buffer and its summary buffer without expunging and saving the | |
93 | Rmail file. | |
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94 | |
95 | @node Rmail Scrolling | |
96 | @section Scrolling Within a Message | |
97 | ||
98 | When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you | |
177c0ea7 | 99 | must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with |
6bf7aab6 | 100 | @kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so |
9dd617a6 | 101 | frequent that it deserves to be easier. |
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102 | |
103 | @table @kbd | |
104 | @item @key{SPC} | |
105 | Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up}). | |
106 | @item @key{DEL} | |
107 | Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down}). | |
108 | @item . | |
109 | Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). | |
110 | @end table | |
111 | ||
112 | @kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} | |
113 | @kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} | |
114 | Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to scroll | |
115 | through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} synonyms of | |
116 | @kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up}) and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down}) | |
117 | ||
118 | @kindex . @r{(Rmail)} | |
119 | @findex rmail-beginning-of-message | |
120 | The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the | |
121 | beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: | |
122 | for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer | |
123 | boundaries to the current message if you have changed them. | |
124 | ||
125 | @node Rmail Motion | |
126 | @section Moving Among Messages | |
127 | ||
128 | The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to | |
129 | do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is | |
130 | to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of | |
131 | receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the | |
132 | first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one | |
133 | that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move | |
b8f86df3 | 134 | forward to see the other new messages; move backward to re-examine old |
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135 | messages. |
136 | ||
137 | @table @kbd | |
138 | @item n | |
139 | Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted | |
140 | messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). | |
141 | @item p | |
142 | Move to the previous nondeleted message | |
143 | (@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). | |
144 | @item M-n | |
145 | Move to the next message, including deleted messages | |
146 | (@code{rmail-next-message}). | |
147 | @item M-p | |
148 | Move to the previous message, including deleted messages | |
149 | (@code{rmail-previous-message}). | |
150 | @item j | |
151 | Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to | |
152 | message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). | |
153 | @item > | |
154 | Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). | |
155 | @item < | |
156 | Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). | |
157 | ||
158 | @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
159 | Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} | |
160 | (@code{rmail-search}). | |
161 | ||
162 | @item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
163 | Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
164 | @end table | |
165 | ||
166 | @kindex n @r{(Rmail)} | |
167 | @kindex p @r{(Rmail)} | |
168 | @kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
169 | @kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
170 | @findex rmail-next-undeleted-message | |
171 | @findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message | |
172 | @findex rmail-next-message | |
173 | @findex rmail-previous-message | |
174 | @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in | |
175 | Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over | |
176 | deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command | |
177 | definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and | |
178 | @code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip | |
179 | deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to | |
180 | undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} | |
181 | (@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A | |
182 | numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat | |
9dd617a6 | 183 | count. |
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184 | |
185 | In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the | |
186 | digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. | |
187 | ||
188 | @kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
189 | @findex rmail-search | |
190 | @cindex searching in Rmail | |
191 | The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of | |
192 | search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, | |
193 | but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of | |
194 | @kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular | |
195 | expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at | |
196 | the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects | |
197 | that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp | |
198 | used the previous time. | |
199 | ||
200 | To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a | |
201 | negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. | |
202 | ||
203 | It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. | |
204 | @xref{Rmail Labels}. | |
205 | ||
206 | @kindex j @r{(Rmail)} | |
207 | @kindex > @r{(Rmail)} | |
208 | @kindex < @r{(Rmail)} | |
209 | @findex rmail-show-message | |
210 | @findex rmail-last-message | |
211 | @findex rmail-first-message | |
212 | To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} | |
213 | (@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With | |
214 | no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} | |
215 | (@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} | |
216 | (@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. | |
217 | ||
218 | @node Rmail Deletion | |
219 | @section Deleting Messages | |
220 | ||
221 | @cindex deletion (Rmail) | |
222 | When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This | |
223 | flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer | |
224 | present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its | |
225 | message number. | |
226 | ||
227 | @cindex expunging (Rmail) | |
228 | @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. | |
229 | The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the only | |
230 | action that changes the message number of any message, except for | |
231 | undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). | |
232 | ||
233 | @table @kbd | |
234 | @item d | |
235 | Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message | |
236 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}). | |
237 | @item C-d | |
238 | Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted | |
239 | message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). | |
240 | @item u | |
241 | Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and | |
242 | undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). | |
243 | @item x | |
244 | Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). | |
245 | @end table | |
246 | ||
247 | @kindex d @r{(Rmail)} | |
248 | @kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} | |
249 | @findex rmail-delete-forward | |
250 | @findex rmail-delete-backward | |
251 | There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the | |
252 | current message and select another message. @kbd{d} | |
253 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping | |
254 | messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) | |
255 | moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted | |
256 | message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just | |
32823124 LT |
257 | deleted remains current. @kbd{d} with a numeric argument is |
258 | equivalent to @kbd{C-d}. | |
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259 | |
260 | @vindex rmail-delete-message-hook | |
b8f86df3 | 261 | Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook |
6bf7aab6 DL |
262 | @code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, |
263 | the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message | |
264 | in the Rmail buffer. | |
265 | ||
266 | @cindex undeletion (Rmail) | |
267 | @kindex x @r{(Rmail)} | |
268 | @findex rmail-expunge | |
269 | @kindex u @r{(Rmail)} | |
270 | @findex rmail-undelete-previous-message | |
271 | To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, | |
272 | type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still | |
273 | @dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} | |
274 | (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the | |
275 | effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current | |
276 | message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward | |
277 | to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes | |
278 | that message. | |
279 | ||
280 | You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} | |
281 | moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But | |
282 | this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages | |
283 | that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command | |
284 | undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean | |
285 | way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, | |
286 | you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to | |
287 | undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with | |
288 | the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. | |
289 | ||
290 | A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result | |
291 | @samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is | |
292 | deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than | |
293 | adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. | |
294 | ||
295 | @node Rmail Inbox | |
296 | @section Rmail Files and Inboxes | |
297 | @cindex inbox file | |
298 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
299 | When you receive mail locally, the operating system places incoming |
300 | mail for you in a file that we call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start | |
301 | up Rmail, it runs a C program called @code{movemail} to copy the new | |
302 | messages from your local inbox into your primary Rmail file, which | |
303 | also contains other messages saved from previous Rmail sessions. It | |
304 | is in this file that you actually read the mail with Rmail. This | |
305 | operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You can get new mail at | |
306 | any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
307 | |
308 | @vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list | |
60a96371 | 309 | @cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable |
6bf7aab6 DL |
310 | The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the |
311 | files which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set | |
60a96371 | 312 | this variable explicitly, it is initialized from the @env{MAIL} |
6bf7aab6 | 313 | environment variable, or, as a last resort, set to @code{nil}, which |
9dd617a6 RS |
314 | means to use the default inbox. The default inbox file depends on |
315 | your operating system; often it is @file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, | |
316 | @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}, or | |
317 | @file{/usr/mail/@var{username}}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 318 | |
9dd617a6 RS |
319 | You can specify the inbox file(s) for any Rmail file with the |
320 | command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see @ref{Rmail Files}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
321 | |
322 | There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. | |
323 | ||
324 | @enumerate | |
325 | @item | |
326 | The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to | |
327 | the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know | |
328 | about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all | |
329 | of them to Rmail's own format. | |
330 | ||
331 | @item | |
332 | It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing | |
333 | mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. | |
334 | Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking | |
335 | techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for | |
336 | all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all | |
337 | the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. | |
338 | @end enumerate | |
339 | ||
340 | Rmail was written to use Babyl format as its internal format. Since | |
341 | then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format on Unix and GNU | |
342 | systems is adequate for the job, and we plan to change Rmail to use that | |
343 | as its internal format. However, the Rmail file will still be separate | |
9dd617a6 | 344 | from the inbox file, even when their format is the same. |
6bf7aab6 | 345 | |
1be48cfa | 346 | @vindex rmail-preserve-inbox |
9dd617a6 RS |
347 | When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the |
348 | inbox file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it | |
349 | clears out the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause | |
350 | duplication of mail between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot | |
351 | lose mail. If @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
352 | Rmail does not clear out the inbox file when it gets new mail. You | |
353 | may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you use to | |
354 | check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will remain | |
355 | on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. | |
1be48cfa RS |
356 | |
357 | In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file | |
358 | indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail | |
359 | from the inbox to an intermediate file called | |
360 | @file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}}. Then Rmail merges the new mail from | |
361 | that file, saves the Rmail file, and only then deletes the intermediate | |
362 | file. If there is a crash at the wrong time, this file continues to | |
363 | exist, and Rmail will use it again the next time it gets new mail from | |
364 | that inbox. | |
365 | ||
366 | If Rmail is unable to convert the data in | |
367 | @file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into Babyl format, it renames the file | |
368 | to @file{~/RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the | |
369 | name unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. | |
370 | You should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail | |
371 | (probably one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code | |
372 | 037), and delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from | |
373 | the corrected file. | |
374 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
375 | @node Rmail Files |
376 | @section Multiple Rmail Files | |
377 | ||
378 | Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named | |
379 | @file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. | |
380 | But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These | |
381 | files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages | |
382 | into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
383 | ||
384 | @table @kbd | |
385 | @item i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
386 | Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). | |
387 | ||
388 | @item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} | |
389 | Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. | |
390 | ||
391 | @item g | |
392 | Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes | |
393 | (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). | |
394 | ||
395 | @item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} | |
396 | Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. | |
397 | @end table | |
398 | ||
399 | @kindex i @r{(Rmail)} | |
400 | @findex rmail-input | |
9dd617a6 | 401 | To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you can use |
6bf7aab6 DL |
402 | the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file |
403 | in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
404 | Rmail, but it is easier to type @kbd{C-u M-x rmail}, which does the |
405 | same thing. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
406 | |
407 | The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid Rmail file. | |
408 | If it is not, Rmail tries to decompose it into a stream of messages in | |
409 | various known formats. If it succeeds, it converts the whole file to an | |
410 | Rmail file. If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} | |
411 | initializes a new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. | |
412 | ||
413 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory | |
414 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp | |
9dd617a6 RS |
415 | You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. In the Classify menu, |
416 | choose the Input Rmail File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. | |
417 | The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
418 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
419 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9dd617a6 RS |
420 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that |
421 | match the regular expression). These variables also apply to choosing | |
422 | a file for output (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
423 | |
424 | @findex set-rmail-inbox-list | |
425 | Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify | |
426 | this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} | |
427 | @key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated | |
428 | by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should | |
9dd617a6 RS |
429 | have no inboxes. Once you specify a list of inboxes in an Rmail file, |
430 | the Rmail file remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
431 | |
432 | As a special exception, if your primary Rmail file does not specify any | |
433 | inbox files, it uses your standard system inbox. | |
434 | ||
435 | @kindex g @r{(Rmail)} | |
436 | @findex rmail-get-new-mail | |
437 | The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the | |
9dd617a6 RS |
438 | current Rmail file from its inboxes. If the Rmail file has no |
439 | inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} also | |
440 | merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
441 | |
442 | To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the | |
443 | @kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file | |
444 | name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or | |
445 | changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, | |
446 | therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. | |
447 | ||
448 | @node Rmail Output | |
449 | @section Copying Messages Out to Files | |
450 | ||
451 | These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. | |
452 | ||
453 | @table @kbd | |
454 | @item o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
455 | Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using Rmail | |
456 | file format by default (@code{rmail-output-to-rmail-file}). | |
457 | ||
458 | @item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
459 | Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using | |
460 | system inbox file format by default (@code{rmail-output}). | |
461 | ||
462 | @item w @var{file} @key{RET} | |
463 | Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default | |
464 | file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. | |
465 | @end table | |
466 | ||
467 | @kindex o @r{(Rmail)} | |
468 | @findex rmail-output-to-rmail-file | |
469 | @kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} | |
470 | @findex rmail-output | |
471 | The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a | |
472 | specified file. This file may be an Rmail file or it may be in system | |
473 | inbox format; the output commands ascertain the file's format and write | |
474 | the copied message in that format. | |
475 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
476 | The @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands differ in two ways: each has its |
477 | own separate default file name, and each specifies a choice of format to | |
478 | use when the file does not already exist. The @kbd{o} command uses | |
479 | Rmail format when it creates a new file, while @kbd{C-o} uses system | |
480 | inbox format for a new file. The default file name for @kbd{o} is the | |
481 | file name used last with @kbd{o}, and the default file name for | |
482 | @kbd{C-o} is the file name used last with @kbd{C-o}. | |
483 | ||
484 | If the output file is an Rmail file currently visited in an Emacs buffer, | |
485 | the output commands copy the message into that buffer. It is up to you | |
486 | to save the buffer eventually in its file. | |
487 | ||
488 | @kindex w @r{(Rmail)} | |
489 | @findex rmail-output-body-to-file | |
490 | Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a | |
491 | file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) | |
492 | with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often | |
493 | these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} | |
494 | field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the | |
495 | default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using | |
496 | the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. | |
497 | ||
498 | You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. | |
9dd617a6 RS |
499 | In the Classify menu, choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then |
500 | choose the Rmail file you want. This outputs the current message to | |
501 | that file, like the @kbd{o} command. The variables | |
502 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
503 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
504 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9dd617a6 RS |
505 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that |
506 | match the regular expression). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
507 | |
508 | @vindex rmail-delete-after-output | |
32823124 LT |
509 | Copying a message with @kbd{o} or @kbd{C-o} gives the original copy |
510 | of the message the @samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} | |
511 | appears in the mode line when such a message is current. @kbd{w} | |
512 | gives it the @samp{stored} attribute. If you like to keep just a | |
513 | single copy of every mail message, set the variable | |
514 | @code{rmail-delete-after-output} to @code{t}; then the @kbd{o}, | |
515 | @kbd{C-o} and @kbd{w} commands delete the original message after | |
516 | copying it. (You can undelete the original afterward if you wish.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
517 | |
518 | Copying messages into files in system inbox format uses the header | |
519 | fields that are displayed in Rmail at the time. Thus, if you use the | |
520 | @kbd{t} command to view the entire header and then copy the message, the | |
521 | entire header is copied. @xref{Rmail Display}. | |
522 | ||
523 | @vindex rmail-output-file-alist | |
524 | The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify | |
525 | intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the | |
526 | current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this | |
527 | form: | |
528 | ||
529 | @example | |
530 | (@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) | |
531 | @end example | |
532 | ||
533 | @noindent | |
534 | If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the | |
535 | default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements | |
536 | match the message, the first matching element decides the default file | |
537 | name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving | |
538 | the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression | |
539 | that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} | |
540 | applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. | |
541 | ||
542 | @node Rmail Labels | |
543 | @section Labels | |
544 | @cindex label (Rmail) | |
545 | @cindex attribute (Rmail) | |
546 | ||
547 | Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means | |
548 | of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different | |
549 | labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular | |
550 | message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to | |
551 | messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels | |
552 | are called @dfn{attributes}. | |
4714476b | 553 | @ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 | 554 | (@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) |
4714476b | 555 | @end ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 DL |
556 | All other labels are assigned only by users. |
557 | ||
558 | @table @kbd | |
559 | @item a @var{label} @key{RET} | |
560 | Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). | |
561 | @item k @var{label} @key{RET} | |
562 | Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). | |
563 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
564 | Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
565 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). | |
566 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
567 | Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
568 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). | |
32823124 LT |
569 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} |
570 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
571 | Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} |
572 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
573 | @end table | |
574 | ||
575 | @kindex a @r{(Rmail)} | |
576 | @kindex k @r{(Rmail)} | |
577 | @findex rmail-add-label | |
578 | @findex rmail-kill-label | |
579 | The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} | |
580 | (@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any | |
581 | label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it | |
582 | means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or | |
583 | removed. | |
584 | ||
585 | Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there | |
586 | are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries. | |
587 | ||
588 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
589 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
590 | @findex rmail-next-labeled-message | |
591 | @findex rmail-previous-labeled-message | |
592 | The command @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
593 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has | |
594 | one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies one | |
595 | or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} | |
596 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves backwards | |
597 | to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command serves as a | |
598 | repeat count. | |
599 | ||
600 | The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
601 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the | |
602 | messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The | |
603 | argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. | |
9dd617a6 | 604 | @xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
605 | |
606 | If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or | |
607 | @kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified | |
608 | for any of these commands. | |
609 | ||
610 | @node Rmail Attributes | |
611 | @section Rmail Attributes | |
612 | ||
613 | Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
614 | meanings, and Rmail assigns them to messages automatically at |
615 | appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is | |
616 | a list of Rmail attributes: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
617 | |
618 | @table @samp | |
619 | @item unseen | |
620 | Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when | |
621 | they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made | |
622 | current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message | |
623 | that has this attribute. | |
624 | @item deleted | |
625 | Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and | |
626 | removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). | |
627 | @item filed | |
628 | Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the | |
32823124 LT |
629 | @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). |
630 | @item stored | |
631 | Assigned by the @kbd{w} file output command (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
632 | @item answered |
633 | Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} | |
634 | command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
635 | @item forwarded | |
636 | Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command | |
637 | (@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
638 | @item edited | |
639 | Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. | |
640 | @xref{Rmail Editing}. | |
641 | @item resent | |
642 | Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x | |
643 | rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
644 | @end table | |
645 | ||
9dd617a6 | 646 | All other labels are assigned or removed only by users, and have no |
6bf7aab6 DL |
647 | standard meaning. |
648 | ||
649 | @node Rmail Reply | |
650 | @section Sending Replies | |
651 | ||
652 | Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail. | |
653 | @xref{Sending Mail}, for information on using Mail mode, including | |
654 | certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents | |
655 | are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the | |
656 | usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and @kbd{C-x 5 | |
9dd617a6 | 657 | m}---also work normally in Rmail mode. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
658 | |
659 | @table @kbd | |
660 | @item m | |
661 | Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). | |
662 | @item c | |
663 | Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). | |
664 | @item r | |
665 | Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). | |
666 | @item f | |
667 | Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). | |
668 | @item C-u f | |
669 | Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). | |
670 | @item M-m | |
671 | Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). | |
672 | @end table | |
673 | ||
674 | @kindex r @r{(Rmail)} | |
675 | @findex rmail-reply | |
676 | @cindex reply to a message | |
9dd617a6 RS |
677 | The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply |
678 | to the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} | |
679 | (@code{rmail-reply}). This displays the @samp{*mail*} buffer in | |
680 | another window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the | |
681 | @samp{Subject}, @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, @samp{In-reply-to} and | |
682 | @samp{References} header fields based on the message you are replying | |
683 | to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the address of the person who | |
684 | sent the message you received, and the @samp{CC} field starts out with | |
685 | all the other recipients of that message. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
686 | |
687 | @vindex rmail-dont-reply-to-names | |
688 | You can exclude certain recipients from being placed automatically in | |
689 | the @samp{CC}, using the variable @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its | |
690 | value should be a regular expression (as a string); any recipient that | |
691 | the regular expression matches, is excluded from the @samp{CC} field. | |
692 | The default value matches your own name, and any name starting with | |
693 | @samp{info-}. (Those names are excluded because there is a convention | |
694 | of using them for large mailing lists to broadcast announcements.) | |
695 | ||
696 | To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter | |
697 | the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. | |
9dd617a6 | 698 | This means to reply only to the sender of the original message. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
699 | |
700 | Once the @samp{*mail*} buffer has been initialized, editing and | |
701 | sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit the | |
9dd617a6 | 702 | presupplied header fields if they are not what you want. You can also |
6bf7aab6 DL |
703 | use the commands of Mail mode (@pxref{Mail Mode}), including @kbd{C-c |
704 | C-y} which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can | |
9dd617a6 | 705 | also switch to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch |
6bf7aab6 DL |
706 | back, and yank the new current message. |
707 | ||
708 | @kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} | |
709 | @findex rmail-retry-failure | |
710 | @cindex retrying a failed message | |
711 | @vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers | |
712 | Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually | |
713 | send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure | |
714 | message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) | |
715 | prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a | |
716 | @samp{*mail*} buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If | |
717 | you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly | |
718 | the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or | |
719 | headers and then send it. The variable | |
720 | @code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as | |
721 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which | |
00aa62e5 | 722 | headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
723 | |
724 | @kindex f @r{(Rmail)} | |
725 | @findex rmail-forward | |
726 | @cindex forwarding a message | |
727 | Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the | |
728 | current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes | |
729 | this easy by preinitializing the @samp{*mail*} buffer with the current | |
730 | message as the text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All | |
731 | you have to do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a | |
732 | message, recipients get a message which is ``from'' you, and which has | |
733 | the original message in its contents. | |
734 | ||
735 | @findex unforward-rmail-message | |
736 | Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It also | |
737 | modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} | |
738 | at the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it | |
739 | contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source | |
740 | code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do | |
741 | this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x | |
742 | unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original forwarded | |
743 | message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and inserts it | |
744 | into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the | |
745 | current one. | |
746 | ||
747 | @findex rmail-resend | |
748 | @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the | |
749 | difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the | |
750 | original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields | |
00aa62e5 | 751 | @samp{Resent-From} and @samp{Resent-To} to indicate that it came via |
6bf7aab6 DL |
752 | you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs |
753 | @code{rmail-forward}, which is programmed to invoke @code{rmail-resend} | |
754 | if you provide a numeric argument.) | |
755 | ||
756 | @kindex m @r{(Rmail)} | |
757 | @findex rmail-mail | |
758 | The @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command is used to start editing an | |
759 | outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. | |
760 | Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer | |
761 | accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. Thus, @kbd{m} can be | |
762 | used to reply to or forward a message; it can do anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} | |
9dd617a6 | 763 | can do. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
764 | |
765 | @kindex c @r{(Rmail)} | |
766 | @findex rmail-continue | |
767 | The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the | |
768 | @samp{*mail*} buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were | |
9dd617a6 | 769 | already composing, or to alter a message you have sent. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
770 | |
771 | @vindex rmail-mail-new-frame | |
772 | If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a | |
773 | non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a | |
774 | message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when | |
00aa62e5 | 775 | you send the message, or when you use the @samp{Cancel} item in the |
6bf7aab6 DL |
776 | @samp{Mail} menu. |
777 | ||
778 | All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition | |
779 | method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). | |
780 | ||
781 | @node Rmail Summary | |
782 | @section Summaries | |
783 | @cindex summary (Rmail) | |
784 | ||
785 | A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give | |
786 | you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the | |
00aa62e5 RS |
787 | message number and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and |
788 | the subject. Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as | |
789 | you move to their summary lines. Almost all Rmail commands are valid | |
790 | in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message | |
791 | described by the current line of the summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
792 | |
793 | A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are | |
794 | editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. | |
795 | The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the | |
796 | Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a | |
797 | time. | |
798 | ||
799 | @menu | |
800 | * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. | |
801 | * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. | |
802 | @end menu | |
803 | ||
804 | @node Rmail Make Summary | |
805 | @subsection Making Summaries | |
806 | ||
807 | Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file. | |
808 | Once the Rmail file has a summary buffer, changes in the Rmail file | |
809 | (such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) | |
810 | automatically update the summary. | |
811 | ||
812 | @table @kbd | |
813 | @item h | |
814 | @itemx C-M-h | |
815 | Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). | |
816 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
817 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
818 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels | |
819 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
820 | @item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} | |
821 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified recipients | |
822 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). | |
823 | @item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} | |
824 | Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp | |
825 | @var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). | |
a99d2d64 EZ |
826 | @item C-M-s @var{regexp} |
827 | Summarize messages whose headers and the subject line match the | |
828 | specified regular expression @var{regexp} | |
829 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
830 | @end table |
831 | ||
832 | @kindex h @r{(Rmail)} | |
833 | @findex rmail-summary | |
834 | The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer | |
835 | for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the file. | |
836 | It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. | |
837 | ||
838 | @kindex l @r{(Rmail)} | |
839 | @kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} | |
840 | @findex rmail-summary-by-labels | |
841 | @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes | |
842 | a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the | |
843 | labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by | |
9dd617a6 | 844 | commas. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
845 | |
846 | @kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} | |
847 | @findex rmail-summary-by-recipients | |
848 | @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) | |
849 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more | |
850 | of the recipients @var{rcpts}. @var{rcpts} should contain mailing | |
9dd617a6 | 851 | addresses separated by commas. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
852 | |
853 | @kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} | |
854 | @findex rmail-summary-by-topic | |
855 | @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) | |
856 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have | |
857 | a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. | |
858 | ||
a99d2d64 EZ |
859 | @kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)} |
860 | @findex rmail-summary-by-regexp | |
b8f86df3 | 861 | @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}) |
a99d2d64 EZ |
862 | makes a partial summary which mentions only the messages whose headers |
863 | (including the date and the subject lines) match the regular | |
864 | expression @var{regexp}. | |
865 | ||
9dd617a6 RS |
866 | Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file; |
867 | making any kind of summary discards any previous summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
868 | |
869 | @vindex rmail-summary-window-size | |
870 | @vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag | |
871 | The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to | |
872 | use for the summary window. The variable | |
873 | @code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line | |
874 | for a message should include the line count of the message. | |
875 | ||
876 | @node Rmail Summary Edit | |
877 | @subsection Editing in Summaries | |
878 | ||
879 | You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do | |
880 | in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, | |
881 | there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. | |
882 | ||
883 | You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from | |
884 | the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to | |
885 | different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move | |
886 | point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that | |
887 | message is selected in the Rmail buffer. | |
888 | ||
889 | Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the | |
890 | Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current | |
36e2ae50 LT |
891 | message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. (However, in the |
892 | summary buffer, a numeric argument to @kbd{d}, @kbd{C-d} and @kbd{u} | |
893 | serves as a repeat count. A negative argument reverses the meaning of | |
894 | @kbd{d} and @kbd{C-d}.) @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} output the current | |
895 | message to a file; @kbd{r} starts a reply to it. You can scroll the | |
896 | current message while remaining in the summary buffer using @key{SPC} | |
897 | and @key{DEL}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
898 | |
899 | The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary | |
900 | buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included | |
901 | in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen | |
902 | (unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail | |
903 | buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). | |
904 | Here is a list of these commands: | |
905 | ||
906 | @table @kbd | |
907 | @item n | |
908 | Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its | |
909 | message. | |
910 | @item p | |
911 | Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select | |
912 | its message. | |
913 | @item M-n | |
914 | Move to next line and select its message. | |
915 | @item M-p | |
916 | Move to previous line and select its message. | |
917 | @item > | |
918 | Move to the last line, and select its message. | |
919 | @item < | |
920 | Move to the first line, and select its message. | |
32823124 LT |
921 | @item j |
922 | @itemx @key{RET} | |
923 | Select the message on the current line (ensuring that the RMAIL buffer | |
924 | appears on the screen). With argument @var{n}, select message number | |
925 | @var{n} and move to its line in the summary buffer; this signals an | |
926 | error if the message is not listed in the summary buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
927 | @item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} |
928 | Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current | |
929 | message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer | |
930 | to that message's line. | |
931 | @end table | |
932 | ||
933 | @vindex rmail-redisplay-summary | |
934 | Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a | |
935 | different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the | |
936 | Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is | |
937 | non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto | |
938 | the screen. | |
939 | ||
940 | @kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
941 | @findex rmail-summary-wipe | |
942 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
943 | @findex rmail-summary-quit | |
944 | When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} | |
945 | (@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You | |
946 | can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} | |
947 | (@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from | |
948 | Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. | |
949 | ||
950 | @node Rmail Sorting | |
951 | @section Sorting the Rmail File | |
952 | ||
953 | @table @kbd | |
954 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-date | |
955 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by date. | |
956 | ||
957 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-subject | |
958 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject. | |
959 | ||
960 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-author | |
961 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name. | |
962 | ||
963 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient | |
964 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names. | |
965 | ||
966 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent | |
967 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other | |
968 | correspondent. | |
969 | ||
970 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-lines | |
971 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines). | |
972 | ||
973 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
974 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument | |
975 | @var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of | |
976 | these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first | |
977 | label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. | |
978 | Messages which have none of these labels come last. | |
979 | @end table | |
980 | ||
981 | The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no | |
982 | reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains | |
983 | unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For | |
984 | example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then | |
985 | @code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in | |
986 | order by date. | |
987 | ||
988 | With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of | |
989 | comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from | |
990 | biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. | |
991 | ||
992 | @node Rmail Display | |
993 | @section Display of Messages | |
994 | ||
995 | Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for | |
996 | the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to | |
997 | reduce clutter. You can use the @kbd{t} command to show the entire | |
998 | header or to repeat the header reformatting operation. | |
999 | ||
1000 | @table @kbd | |
1001 | @item t | |
1002 | Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). | |
1003 | @end table | |
1004 | ||
1005 | @vindex rmail-ignored-headers | |
9dd617a6 | 1006 | @vindex rmail-nonignored-headers |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1007 | Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the |
1008 | grounds that they are not interesting. The variable | |
1009 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression that specifies | |
9dd617a6 RS |
1010 | which header fields to hide in this way---if it matches the beginning |
1011 | of a header field, that whole field is hidden. However, the variable | |
1012 | @code{rmail-nonignored-headers} provides a further override: a header | |
1013 | matching that regular expression is shown even if it matches | |
1014 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} too. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1015 | |
1016 | @kindex t @r{(Rmail)} | |
1017 | @findex rmail-toggle-header | |
1018 | Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see | |
1019 | it, use the @kbd{t} command (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). This | |
9dd617a6 RS |
1020 | discards the reformatted headers of the current message and displays |
1021 | it with the original header. Repeating @kbd{t} reformats the message | |
1022 | again, which shows only the interesting headers according to the | |
1023 | current values of those variable. Selecting the message again also | |
1024 | reformats it if necessary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1025 | |
1026 | One consequence of this is that if you edit the reformatted header | |
1027 | (using @kbd{e}; @pxref{Rmail Editing}), subsequent use of @kbd{t} will | |
1028 | discard your edits. On the other hand, if you use @kbd{e} after | |
1029 | @kbd{t}, to edit the original (unreformatted) header, those changes are | |
1030 | permanent. | |
1031 | ||
1032 | When the @kbd{t} command has a prefix argument, a positive argument | |
1033 | means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument | |
1034 | means to show the full header. | |
1035 | ||
1036 | @vindex rmail-highlighted-headers | |
358f71fd | 1037 | When the terminal supports multiple fonts or colors, Rmail |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1038 | highlights certain header fields that are especially interesting---by |
1039 | default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. The variable | |
1040 | @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression that | |
358f71fd RS |
1041 | specifies the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning |
1042 | of a header field, that whole field is highlighted. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1043 | |
00aa62e5 RS |
1044 | If you specify unusual colors for your text foreground and |
1045 | background, the colors used for highlighting may not go well with | |
9dd617a6 RS |
1046 | them. If so, specify different colors by setting the variable |
1047 | @code{rmail-highlight-face} to a suitable face. To turn off | |
1048 | highlighting entirely in Rmail, set @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} | |
1049 | to @code{nil}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1050 | |
358f71fd RS |
1051 | You can highlight and activate URLs in incoming messages by adding |
1052 | the function @code{goto-address} to the hook | |
1053 | @code{rmail-show-message-hook}. Then you can browse these URLs by | |
1be48cfa RS |
1054 | clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} (or @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly) or by |
1055 | moving to one and typing @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto-address, | |
1056 | Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. | |
358f71fd RS |
1057 | |
1058 | @node Rmail Coding | |
1059 | @section Rmail and Coding Systems | |
6c21cdc0 | 1060 | |
eed0ee77 | 1061 | @cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail) |
76dd3692 | 1062 | Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@acronym{ASCII} |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1063 | characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess |
1064 | output. Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in | |
1065 | the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the | |
1066 | sender. It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding | |
1067 | system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode | |
95009a13 RS |
1068 | message text. If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset} |
1069 | specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized, | |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1070 | Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and |
1071 | defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). | |
eed0ee77 | 1072 | |
eed0ee77 | 1073 | @cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages |
358f71fd RS |
1074 | Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs |
1075 | guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset} | |
1076 | specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For | |
1077 | example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a | |
1078 | @samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded | |
1079 | in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of | |
1080 | its characters displayed as empty boxes, this may have happened. | |
eed0ee77 | 1081 | |
358f71fd RS |
1082 | @findex rmail-redecode-body |
1083 | You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the | |
1084 | right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is | |
1085 | right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command. | |
1086 | It reads the name of a coding system, encodes the message body using | |
1087 | whichever coding system was used to decode it before, then redecodes | |
1088 | it using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right | |
1089 | coding system, the result should be readable. | |
1090 | ||
1091 | Decoding and encoding using the wrong coding system is lossless for | |
1092 | most encodings, in particular with 8-bit encodings such as iso-8859 or | |
1093 | koi8. So, if the initial attempt to redecode the message didn't | |
1094 | result in a legible text, you can try other coding systems until you | |
1095 | succeed. | |
1096 | ||
1097 | With some coding systems, notably those from the iso-2022 family, | |
1098 | information can be lost in decoding, so that encoding the message | |
1099 | again won't bring back the original incoming text. In such a case, | |
1100 | @code{rmail-redecode-body} cannot work. However, the problems that | |
1101 | call for use of @code{rmail-redecode-body} rarely occur with those | |
1102 | coding systems. So in practice the command works when you need it. | |
eed0ee77 | 1103 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1104 | @node Rmail Editing |
1105 | @section Editing Within a Message | |
1106 | ||
1107 | Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though a | |
1108 | few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by Rmail for | |
1109 | other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and | |
1110 | most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to | |
1111 | edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command @kbd{e}. | |
1112 | ||
1113 | @table @kbd | |
1114 | @item e | |
1115 | Edit the current message as ordinary text. | |
1116 | @end table | |
1117 | ||
1118 | @kindex e @r{(Rmail)} | |
1119 | @findex rmail-edit-current-message | |
1120 | The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from | |
1121 | Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the | |
1122 | same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. | |
1123 | ||
1124 | In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail | |
1125 | commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message and | |
1126 | are ready to go back to Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-c}, which switches back to | |
1127 | Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel all the | |
1128 | editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}. | |
1129 | ||
1130 | @vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook | |
1131 | Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then it | |
1132 | runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). It adds the | |
1133 | attribute @samp{edited} to the message. It also displays the full | |
1134 | headers of the message, so that you can edit the headers as well as the | |
a0e1abe4 | 1135 | body of the message, and your changes in the headers will be |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1136 | permanent. |
1137 | ||
1138 | @node Rmail Digest | |
1139 | @section Digest Messages | |
1140 | @cindex digest message | |
1141 | @cindex undigestify | |
1142 | ||
1143 | A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry | |
1144 | several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing | |
1145 | lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time | |
1146 | such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the | |
1147 | subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer | |
1148 | time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total | |
1149 | size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail | |
1150 | transmission is considerable. | |
1151 | ||
1152 | @findex undigestify-rmail-message | |
1153 | When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is | |
1154 | to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. | |
1155 | Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. | |
eca274b1 | 1156 | To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1157 | undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate |
1158 | Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest | |
1159 | message itself is flagged as deleted. | |
1160 | ||
1161 | @node Out of Rmail | |
1162 | @section Converting an Rmail File to Inbox Format | |
af7459bd EZ |
1163 | @cindex Babyl format to Inbox format |
1164 | @cindex converting Rmail file to mailbox format | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1165 | |
1166 | @findex unrmail | |
1167 | The command @kbd{M-x unrmail} converts a file in Rmail format to inbox | |
af7459bd EZ |
1168 | format (also known as the system mailbox, or mbox, format), so that |
1169 | you can use it with other mail-editing tools. You must specify two | |
1170 | arguments, the name of the Rmail file and the name to use for the | |
1171 | converted file. @kbd{M-x unrmail} does not alter the Rmail file itself. | |
1172 | ||
1173 | @pindex b2m | |
1174 | @kbd{M-x unrmail} is useful if you can run Emacs on the machine | |
1175 | where the Rmail file resides, or can access the Rmail file remotely | |
1176 | (@pxref{Remote Files}) from a machine where Emacs is installed. If | |
1177 | accessing Rmail files from Emacs is impossible, you can use the | |
1178 | @command{b2m} program instead. @command{b2m} is part of the Emacs | |
1179 | distribution, it is installed into the same directory where all the | |
1180 | other auxiliary programs (@command{etags} etc.) are installed, and its | |
1181 | source is available in the Emacs source distribution, so that you | |
1182 | could copy the source to the target machine and compile it there. | |
1183 | ||
1184 | To convert a file @file{@var{babyl-file}} into @file{@var{mbox-file}}, | |
1185 | invoke @command{b2m} like this: | |
1186 | ||
1187 | @example | |
1188 | b2m < @var{babyl-file} > @var{mbox-file} | |
1189 | @end example | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1190 | |
1191 | @node Rmail Rot13 | |
1192 | @section Reading Rot13 Messages | |
1193 | @cindex rot13 code | |
1194 | ||
1195 | Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes | |
1196 | encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it | |
1197 | rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it | |
1198 | provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid | |
1199 | ever seeing the real text of the message. | |
1200 | ||
1201 | @findex rot13-other-window | |
1202 | To view a buffer using the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x | |
1203 | rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window | |
1204 | which applies the code when displaying the text. | |
1205 | ||
1206 | @node Movemail | |
ea20444b | 1207 | @section @code{movemail} program |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1208 | @cindex @code{movemail} program |
1209 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
1210 | When invoked for the first time, Rmail attempts to locate the |
1211 | @code{movemail} program and determine its version. There are two | |
1212 | versions of @code{movemail} program: the native one, shipped with GNU | |
1213 | Emacs (the ``emacs version'') and the one included in GNU mailutils | |
ec9bd344 | 1214 | (the ``mailutils version,'' @pxref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU |
1be48cfa RS |
1215 | mailutils}). They support the same command line syntax and the same |
1216 | basic subset of options. However, the @samp{mailutils} version offers | |
1217 | additional features. | |
ea20444b | 1218 | |
1be48cfa RS |
1219 | The Emacs version of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from |
1220 | usual UNIX mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the POP3 | |
1221 | protocol. | |
1222 | ||
1223 | The Mailutils version is able to handle a wide set of mailbox | |
1224 | formats, such as plain UNIX mailboxes, @code{maildir} and @code{MH} | |
1225 | mailboxes, etc. It is able to retrieve remote mail using POP3 or | |
1226 | IMAP4 protocol, and can retrieve mail from them using a TLS encrypted | |
1227 | channel. It also accepts mailbox argument in the @acronym{URL} form. | |
1228 | The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found in | |
1229 | @ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a @acronym{URL} | |
1230 | is: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1231 | |
1232 | @smallexample | |
1233 | @var{proto}://[@var{user}[:@var{password}]@@]@var{host-or-file-name} | |
1234 | @end smallexample | |
1235 | ||
1236 | @noindent | |
1237 | where square brackets denote optional elements. | |
1238 | ||
1239 | @table @var | |
1240 | @item proto | |
1241 | Specifies the @dfn{mailbox protocol}, or @dfn{format} to | |
1242 | use. The exact semantics of the rest of @acronym{URL} elements depends | |
1243 | on the actual value of @var{proto}. | |
1244 | ||
1245 | @item user | |
1246 | User name to access the remote mailbox. | |
1247 | ||
1248 | @item password | |
1249 | User password to access the remote mailbox. | |
1250 | ||
1251 | @item host-or-file-name | |
1252 | Hostname of the remote server for remote mailboxes or file name of a | |
1253 | local mailbox. | |
1254 | @end table | |
1255 | ||
1256 | @var{Proto} can be one of: | |
1257 | ||
1258 | @table @asis | |
1259 | @item mbox | |
1260 | Usual UNIX mailbox format. In this case, neither @var{user} nor | |
1261 | @var{pass} are used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the file name of | |
1262 | the mailbox file, e.g., @code{mbox://var/spool/mail/smith}. | |
1263 | ||
1264 | @item mh | |
1265 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{MH} format. @var{User} and | |
1266 | @var{pass} are not used. @var{Host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1267 | @acronym{MH} folder, e.g., @code{mh://Mail/inbox}. | |
1268 | ||
1269 | @item maildir | |
1270 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{maildir} format. @var{User} and | |
1271 | @var{pass} are not used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1272 | @code{maildir} mailbox, e.g., @code{maildir://mail/inbox}. | |
1273 | ||
1274 | @item file | |
1275 | Any local mailbox format. Its actual format is detected automatically | |
1276 | by @code{movemail}. | |
1277 | ||
1278 | @item pop | |
1279 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via POP3 protocol. @var{User} | |
1280 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1281 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1282 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; e.g., | |
1283 | @code{pop://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
32823124 | 1284 | |
ea20444b EZ |
1285 | @item imap |
1286 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via IMAP4 protocol. @var{User} | |
1287 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1288 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1289 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; | |
1290 | e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
1291 | @end table | |
1292 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
1293 | Alternatively, you can specify the file name of the mailbox to use. |
1294 | This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1295 | |
1296 | @smallexample | |
1be48cfa | 1297 | /var/spool/mail/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user} |
ea20444b EZ |
1298 | @end smallexample |
1299 | ||
1300 | @vindex rmail-movemail-program | |
1301 | @vindex rmail-movemail-search-path | |
1be48cfa RS |
1302 | The variable @code{rmail-movemail-program} controls which version of |
1303 | @code{movemail} to use. If that is a string, it specifies the | |
1304 | absolute file name of the @code{movemail} executable. If it is | |
1305 | @code{nil}, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the directories | |
1306 | listed in @code{rmail-movemail-search-path} and @code{exec-path}, then | |
1307 | in @code{exec-directory}. | |
32823124 | 1308 | |
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1309 | @node Remote Mailboxes |
1310 | @section Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes | |
1311 | @pindex movemail | |
1312 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 1313 | Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data |
ea20444b EZ |
1314 | instead of storing the data in inbox files. The @code{Emacs |
1315 | movemail} can work with POP if you compile it with the macro | |
1316 | @code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined. (You can achieve that by specifying | |
1317 | @samp{--with-pop} when you run @code{configure} during the | |
1318 | installation of Emacs.) | |
1319 | ||
1320 | The @code{Mailutils movemail} by default supports POP, unless configured | |
1321 | with @samp{--disable-pop} option. | |
1322 | ||
1323 | Both versions of @code{movemail} only work with POP3, not with older | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1324 | versions of POP. |
1325 | ||
60a96371 | 1326 | @cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable |
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1327 | @cindex POP mailboxes |
1328 | No matter which flavor of @code{movemail} you use, you can specify | |
1329 | POP inbox by using POP @dfn{URL} (@pxref{Movemail}). A POP | |
1330 | @acronym{URL} is a ``file name'' of the form | |
1331 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}, where | |
1332 | @var{hostname} is the host name or IP address of the remote mail | |
1333 | server and @var{username} is the user name on that server. | |
1334 | Additionally, you may specify the password in the mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1335 | @samp{pop://@var{username}:@var{password}@@@var{hostname}}. In this | |
1336 | case, @var{password} takes preference over the one set by | |
1337 | @code{rmail-remote-password}. This is especially useful if you have | |
32823124 | 1338 | several remote mailboxes with different passwords. |
ea20444b EZ |
1339 | |
1340 | For backward compatibility Rmail also supports two alternative ways | |
1341 | of specifying remote POP mailboxes. Specifying inbox name in the form | |
32823124 | 1342 | @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}} is equivalent to |
ea20444b EZ |
1343 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}. Alternatively, you may set |
1344 | a ``file name'' of @samp{po:@var{username}} in the inbox list of an | |
1345 | Rmail file. @code{Movemail} will handle such a name by opening a | |
1346 | connection to the POP server. The @env{MAILHOST} environment variable | |
1347 | will in this case specify the machine to look for the server on. | |
1348 | ||
1349 | @cindex IMAP mailboxes | |
1350 | Another method for accessing remote mailboxes is IMAP. This method is | |
1351 | supported only by the @code{mailutils movemail}. To specify an IMAP | |
1352 | mailbox in the inbox list, use the following mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1353 | @samp{imap://@var{username}[:@var{password}]@@@var{hostname}}. The | |
32823124 | 1354 | @var{password} part is optional, as described above. |
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1355 | |
1356 | @vindex rmail-remote-password | |
1357 | @vindex rmail-remote-password-required | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1358 | @vindex rmail-pop-password |
1359 | @vindex rmail-pop-password-required | |
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1360 | Accessing a remote mailbox may require a password. Rmail uses the |
1361 | following algorithm to retrieve it: | |
1362 | ||
1363 | @enumerate | |
32823124 | 1364 | @item |
38be61d5 EZ |
1365 | If the @var{password} is present in mailbox URL (see above), it is |
1366 | used. | |
32823124 | 1367 | @item |
38be61d5 EZ |
1368 | If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password} is non-@code{nil}, its |
1369 | value is used. | |
1370 | @item | |
1371 | Otherwise, if @code{rmail-remote-password-required} is non-@code{nil}, | |
1372 | then Rmail will ask you for the password to use. | |
1373 | @item | |
1374 | Otherwise, Rmail assumes no password is required. | |
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1375 | @end enumerate |
1376 | ||
1377 | For compatibility with previous versions, @code{rmail-pop-password} | |
1378 | and @code{rmail-pop-password-required} may be used instead of | |
1379 | @code{rmail-remote-password} and @code{rmail-remote-password-required}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1380 | |
1381 | @vindex rmail-movemail-flags | |
1382 | If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, | |
1383 | set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you | |
1384 | wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to | |
1385 | preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. | |
1386 | ||
1387 | @cindex Kerberos POP authentication | |
1388 | The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support | |
1389 | Kerberos authentication. If it is | |
1390 | supported, it is used by default whenever you attempt to retrieve | |
1391 | POP mail when @code{rmail-pop-password} and | |
1392 | @code{rmail-pop-password-required} are unset. | |
1393 | ||
4946337d | 1394 | @cindex reverse order in POP inboxes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1395 | Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does |
1396 | this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was | |
1397 | received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of | |
1398 | downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to | |
1399 | @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
ab5796a9 | 1400 | |
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1401 | @cindex TLS encryption (Rmail) |
1402 | @code{Mailutils movemail} supports TLS encryption. If you wish to | |
1403 | use it, add the @samp{--tls} flag to @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
1404 | ||
1405 | @node Other Mailbox Formats | |
1406 | @section Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in Various Formats | |
1407 | ||
1408 | If your incoming mail is stored on a local machine in a format other | |
1409 | than UNIX mailbox, you will need the @code{mailutils movemail} to retrieve | |
1410 | it. @xref{Movemail}, for the detailed description of @code{movemail} | |
1411 | versions. | |
1412 | ||
1413 | For example, to retrieve mail from a @code{maildir} inbox located in | |
1414 | @file{/var/spool/mail/in}, you would set the following in Rmail inbox list: | |
1415 | ||
1416 | @smallexample | |
1417 | maildir://var/spool/mail/in | |
1418 | @end smallexample | |
1419 | ||
ab5796a9 MB |
1420 | @ignore |
1421 | arch-tag: 034965f6-38df-47a2-a9f1-b8bc8ab37e23 | |
1422 | @end ignore |