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1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
3 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. | |
4 | @node Rmail, Dired, Sending Mail, Top | |
5 | @chapter Reading Mail with Rmail | |
6 | @cindex Rmail | |
7 | @cindex reading mail | |
8 | @findex rmail | |
9 | @findex rmail-mode | |
10 | @vindex rmail-mode-hook | |
11 | ||
12 | Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that you | |
13 | receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files. | |
14 | Reading the message in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode, | |
15 | Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing | |
16 | mail. The command @code{rmail-mode} is used to switch into Rmail mode, | |
17 | and it runs the hook @code{rmail-mode-hook} as usual, but don't run this | |
18 | command by hand; it can't do a reasonable job unless the buffer is | |
19 | visiting a proper Rmail file. | |
20 | ||
21 | @menu | |
22 | * Basic: Rmail Basics. Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use. | |
23 | * Scroll: Rmail Scrolling. Scrolling through a message. | |
24 | * Motion: Rmail Motion. Moving to another message. | |
25 | * Deletion: Rmail Deletion. Deleting and expunging messages. | |
26 | * Inbox: Rmail Inbox. How mail gets into the Rmail file. | |
27 | * Files: Rmail Files. Using multiple Rmail files. | |
28 | * Output: Rmail Output. Copying message out to files. | |
29 | * Labels: Rmail Labels. Classifying messages by labeling them. | |
30 | * Attrs: Rmail Attributes. Certain standard labels, called attributes. | |
31 | * Reply: Rmail Reply. Sending replies to messages you are viewing. | |
32 | * Summary: Rmail Summary. Summaries show brief info on many messages. | |
33 | * Sort: Rmail Sorting. Sorting messages in Rmail. | |
34 | * Display: Rmail Display. How Rmail displays a message; customization. | |
358f71fd | 35 | * Coding: Rmail Coding. How Rmail handles decoding character sets. |
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36 | * Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail. |
37 | * Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message. | |
38 | * Out of Rmail:: Converting an Rmail file to mailbox format. | |
39 | * Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code. | |
40 | * Movemail: Movemail. More details of fetching new mail. | |
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 | |
65 | assigned consecutive integers as their @dfn{message numbers}. The | |
66 | 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 a | |
68 | message by specifying its message number with the @kbd{j} key | |
69 | (@pxref{Rmail Motion}). | |
70 | ||
71 | @kindex s @r{(Rmail)} | |
72 | @findex rmail-save | |
73 | Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file | |
74 | become permanent only when the file is saved. You can save it with | |
75 | @kbd{s} (@code{rmail-save}), which also expunges deleted messages from | |
76 | the file first (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). To save the file without | |
77 | expunging, use @kbd{C-x C-s}. Rmail also saves the Rmail file after | |
78 | merging new mail from an inbox file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). | |
79 | ||
80 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail)} | |
81 | @findex rmail-quit | |
82 | @kindex b @r{(Rmail)} | |
83 | @findex rmail-bury | |
84 | You can exit Rmail with @kbd{q} (@code{rmail-quit}); this expunges and | |
85 | saves the Rmail file and then switches to another buffer. But there is | |
2684ed46 | 86 | no need to ``exit'' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in |
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87 | other buffers, and never happen to switch back, you have exited. (The |
88 | Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, does this for you.) Just make | |
89 | sure to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have | |
90 | changed). @kbd{C-x s} is a good enough way to do this | |
91 | (@pxref{Saving}). | |
92 | ||
93 | @node Rmail Scrolling | |
94 | @section Scrolling Within a Message | |
95 | ||
96 | When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you | |
97 | must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with | |
98 | @kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so | |
99 | frequent that it deserves to be easier to type. | |
100 | ||
101 | @table @kbd | |
102 | @item @key{SPC} | |
103 | Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up}). | |
104 | @item @key{DEL} | |
105 | Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down}). | |
106 | @item . | |
107 | Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). | |
108 | @end table | |
109 | ||
110 | @kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} | |
111 | @kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} | |
112 | Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to scroll | |
113 | through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} synonyms of | |
114 | @kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up}) and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down}) | |
115 | ||
116 | @kindex . @r{(Rmail)} | |
117 | @findex rmail-beginning-of-message | |
118 | The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the | |
119 | beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: | |
120 | for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer | |
121 | boundaries to the current message if you have changed them. | |
122 | ||
123 | @node Rmail Motion | |
124 | @section Moving Among Messages | |
125 | ||
126 | The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to | |
127 | do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is | |
128 | to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of | |
129 | receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the | |
130 | first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one | |
131 | that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move | |
132 | forward to see the other new messages; move backward to reexamine old | |
133 | messages. | |
134 | ||
135 | @table @kbd | |
136 | @item n | |
137 | Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted | |
138 | messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). | |
139 | @item p | |
140 | Move to the previous nondeleted message | |
141 | (@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). | |
142 | @item M-n | |
143 | Move to the next message, including deleted messages | |
144 | (@code{rmail-next-message}). | |
145 | @item M-p | |
146 | Move to the previous message, including deleted messages | |
147 | (@code{rmail-previous-message}). | |
148 | @item j | |
149 | Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to | |
150 | message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). | |
151 | @item > | |
152 | Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). | |
153 | @item < | |
154 | Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). | |
155 | ||
156 | @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
157 | Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} | |
158 | (@code{rmail-search}). | |
159 | ||
160 | @item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
161 | Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
162 | @end table | |
163 | ||
164 | @kindex n @r{(Rmail)} | |
165 | @kindex p @r{(Rmail)} | |
166 | @kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
167 | @kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
168 | @findex rmail-next-undeleted-message | |
169 | @findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message | |
170 | @findex rmail-next-message | |
171 | @findex rmail-previous-message | |
172 | @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in | |
173 | Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over | |
174 | deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command | |
175 | definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and | |
176 | @code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip | |
177 | deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to | |
178 | undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} | |
179 | (@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A | |
180 | numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat | |
181 | count.@refill | |
182 | ||
183 | In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the | |
184 | digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. | |
185 | ||
186 | @kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
187 | @findex rmail-search | |
188 | @cindex searching in Rmail | |
189 | The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of | |
190 | search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, | |
191 | but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of | |
192 | @kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular | |
193 | expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at | |
194 | the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects | |
195 | that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp | |
196 | used the previous time. | |
197 | ||
198 | To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a | |
199 | negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. | |
200 | ||
201 | It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. | |
202 | @xref{Rmail Labels}. | |
203 | ||
204 | @kindex j @r{(Rmail)} | |
205 | @kindex > @r{(Rmail)} | |
206 | @kindex < @r{(Rmail)} | |
207 | @findex rmail-show-message | |
208 | @findex rmail-last-message | |
209 | @findex rmail-first-message | |
210 | To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} | |
211 | (@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With | |
212 | no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} | |
213 | (@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} | |
214 | (@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. | |
215 | ||
216 | @node Rmail Deletion | |
217 | @section Deleting Messages | |
218 | ||
219 | @cindex deletion (Rmail) | |
220 | When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This | |
221 | flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer | |
222 | present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its | |
223 | message number. | |
224 | ||
225 | @cindex expunging (Rmail) | |
226 | @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. | |
227 | The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the only | |
228 | action that changes the message number of any message, except for | |
229 | undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). | |
230 | ||
231 | @table @kbd | |
232 | @item d | |
233 | Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message | |
234 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}). | |
235 | @item C-d | |
236 | Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted | |
237 | message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). | |
238 | @item u | |
239 | Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and | |
240 | undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). | |
241 | @item x | |
242 | Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). | |
243 | @end table | |
244 | ||
245 | @kindex d @r{(Rmail)} | |
246 | @kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} | |
247 | @findex rmail-delete-forward | |
248 | @findex rmail-delete-backward | |
249 | There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the | |
250 | current message and select another message. @kbd{d} | |
251 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping | |
252 | messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) | |
253 | moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted | |
254 | message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just | |
255 | deleted remains current. A numeric argument to either command reverses | |
256 | the direction of motion after deletion. | |
257 | ||
258 | @vindex rmail-delete-message-hook | |
259 | Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it invokes the function(s) listed in | |
260 | @code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, | |
261 | the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message | |
262 | in the Rmail buffer. | |
263 | ||
264 | @cindex undeletion (Rmail) | |
265 | @kindex x @r{(Rmail)} | |
266 | @findex rmail-expunge | |
267 | @kindex u @r{(Rmail)} | |
268 | @findex rmail-undelete-previous-message | |
269 | To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, | |
270 | type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still | |
271 | @dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} | |
272 | (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the | |
273 | effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current | |
274 | message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward | |
275 | to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes | |
276 | that message. | |
277 | ||
278 | You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} | |
279 | moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But | |
280 | this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages | |
281 | that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command | |
282 | undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean | |
283 | way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, | |
284 | you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to | |
285 | undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with | |
286 | the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. | |
287 | ||
288 | A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result | |
289 | @samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is | |
290 | deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than | |
291 | adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. | |
292 | ||
293 | @node Rmail Inbox | |
294 | @section Rmail Files and Inboxes | |
295 | @cindex inbox file | |
296 | ||
297 | The operating system places incoming mail for you in a file that we | |
298 | call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start up Rmail, it runs a C program | |
299 | called @code{movemail} to copy the new messages from your inbox into | |
300 | your primary Rmail file, which also contains other messages saved from | |
301 | previous Rmail sessions. It is in this file that you actually read the | |
302 | mail with Rmail. This operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You | |
303 | can get new mail at any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. | |
304 | ||
305 | @vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list | |
60a96371 | 306 | @cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable |
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307 | The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the |
308 | files which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set | |
60a96371 | 309 | this variable explicitly, it is initialized from the @env{MAIL} |
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310 | environment variable, or, as a last resort, set to @code{nil}, which |
311 | means to use the default inbox. The default inbox is | |
312 | @file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}, | |
313 | or @file{/usr/mail/@var{username}}, depending on your operating system. | |
314 | ||
315 | To see what the default is on your system, use @kbd{C-h v | |
316 | rmail-primary-inbox @key{RET}}. You can specify the inbox file(s) for | |
317 | any Rmail file with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see | |
318 | @ref{Rmail Files}. | |
319 | ||
320 | There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. | |
321 | ||
322 | @enumerate | |
323 | @item | |
324 | The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to | |
325 | the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know | |
326 | about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all | |
327 | of them to Rmail's own format. | |
328 | ||
329 | @item | |
330 | It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing | |
331 | mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. | |
332 | Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking | |
333 | techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for | |
334 | all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all | |
335 | the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. | |
336 | @end enumerate | |
337 | ||
338 | Rmail was written to use Babyl format as its internal format. Since | |
339 | then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format on Unix and GNU | |
340 | systems is adequate for the job, and we plan to change Rmail to use that | |
341 | as its internal format. However, the Rmail file will still be separate | |
342 | from the inbox file, even on systems where their format is the same. | |
343 | ||
344 | @node Rmail Files | |
345 | @section Multiple Rmail Files | |
346 | ||
347 | Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named | |
348 | @file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. | |
349 | But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These | |
350 | files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages | |
351 | into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
352 | ||
353 | @table @kbd | |
354 | @item i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
355 | Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). | |
356 | ||
357 | @item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} | |
358 | Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. | |
359 | ||
360 | @item g | |
361 | Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes | |
362 | (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). | |
363 | ||
364 | @item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} | |
365 | Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. | |
366 | @end table | |
367 | ||
368 | @kindex i @r{(Rmail)} | |
369 | @findex rmail-input | |
370 | To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you may use | |
371 | the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file | |
372 | in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in | |
373 | Rmail. | |
374 | ||
375 | The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid Rmail file. | |
376 | If it is not, Rmail tries to decompose it into a stream of messages in | |
377 | various known formats. If it succeeds, it converts the whole file to an | |
378 | Rmail file. If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} | |
379 | initializes a new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. | |
380 | ||
381 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory | |
382 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp | |
383 | You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. Choose first the menu | |
384 | bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu choose the Input Rmail | |
385 | File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. The variables | |
386 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
387 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the | |
388 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
389 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match | |
390 | the regular expression). These variables also apply to choosing a file | |
391 | for output (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
392 | ||
393 | @findex set-rmail-inbox-list | |
394 | Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify | |
395 | this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} | |
396 | @key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated | |
397 | by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should | |
398 | have no inboxes. Once a list of inboxes is specified, the Rmail file | |
399 | remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. | |
400 | ||
401 | As a special exception, if your primary Rmail file does not specify any | |
402 | inbox files, it uses your standard system inbox. | |
403 | ||
404 | @kindex g @r{(Rmail)} | |
405 | @findex rmail-get-new-mail | |
406 | The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the | |
407 | current Rmail file from its specified inboxes. If the Rmail file | |
408 | has no inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} | |
409 | also merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. | |
410 | ||
411 | To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the | |
412 | @kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file | |
413 | name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or | |
414 | changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, | |
415 | therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. | |
416 | ||
417 | @node Rmail Output | |
418 | @section Copying Messages Out to Files | |
419 | ||
420 | These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. | |
421 | ||
422 | @table @kbd | |
423 | @item o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
424 | Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using Rmail | |
425 | file format by default (@code{rmail-output-to-rmail-file}). | |
426 | ||
427 | @item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
428 | Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using | |
429 | system inbox file format by default (@code{rmail-output}). | |
430 | ||
431 | @item w @var{file} @key{RET} | |
432 | Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default | |
433 | file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. | |
434 | @end table | |
435 | ||
436 | @kindex o @r{(Rmail)} | |
437 | @findex rmail-output-to-rmail-file | |
438 | @kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} | |
439 | @findex rmail-output | |
440 | The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a | |
441 | specified file. This file may be an Rmail file or it may be in system | |
442 | inbox format; the output commands ascertain the file's format and write | |
443 | the copied message in that format. | |
444 | ||
445 | When copying a message to a file in Unix mail file format, these | |
446 | commands include whichever header fields are currently visible. Use the | |
447 | @kbd{t} command first, if you wish, to specify which headers to show | |
448 | (and copy). | |
449 | ||
450 | The @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands differ in two ways: each has its | |
451 | own separate default file name, and each specifies a choice of format to | |
452 | use when the file does not already exist. The @kbd{o} command uses | |
453 | Rmail format when it creates a new file, while @kbd{C-o} uses system | |
454 | inbox format for a new file. The default file name for @kbd{o} is the | |
455 | file name used last with @kbd{o}, and the default file name for | |
456 | @kbd{C-o} is the file name used last with @kbd{C-o}. | |
457 | ||
458 | If the output file is an Rmail file currently visited in an Emacs buffer, | |
459 | the output commands copy the message into that buffer. It is up to you | |
460 | to save the buffer eventually in its file. | |
461 | ||
462 | @kindex w @r{(Rmail)} | |
463 | @findex rmail-output-body-to-file | |
464 | Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a | |
465 | file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) | |
466 | with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often | |
467 | these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} | |
468 | field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the | |
469 | default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using | |
470 | the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. | |
471 | ||
472 | You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. | |
473 | Choose first the menu bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu | |
474 | choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then choose the Rmail file you want. | |
475 | This outputs the current message to that file, like the @kbd{o} command. | |
476 | The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
477 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the | |
478 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
479 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match | |
480 | the regular expression). | |
481 | ||
482 | @vindex rmail-delete-after-output | |
483 | Copying a message gives the original copy of the message the | |
484 | @samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} appears in the mode line | |
485 | when such a message is current. If you like to keep just a single copy | |
486 | of every mail message, set the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output} | |
487 | to @code{t}; then the @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands delete the original | |
488 | message after copying it. (You can undelete the original afterward if | |
489 | you wish.) | |
490 | ||
491 | Copying messages into files in system inbox format uses the header | |
492 | fields that are displayed in Rmail at the time. Thus, if you use the | |
493 | @kbd{t} command to view the entire header and then copy the message, the | |
494 | entire header is copied. @xref{Rmail Display}. | |
495 | ||
496 | @vindex rmail-output-file-alist | |
497 | The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify | |
498 | intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the | |
499 | current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this | |
500 | form: | |
501 | ||
502 | @example | |
503 | (@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) | |
504 | @end example | |
505 | ||
506 | @noindent | |
507 | If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the | |
508 | default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements | |
509 | match the message, the first matching element decides the default file | |
510 | name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving | |
511 | the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression | |
512 | that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} | |
513 | applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. | |
514 | ||
515 | @node Rmail Labels | |
516 | @section Labels | |
517 | @cindex label (Rmail) | |
518 | @cindex attribute (Rmail) | |
519 | ||
520 | Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means | |
521 | of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different | |
522 | labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular | |
523 | message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to | |
524 | messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels | |
525 | are called @dfn{attributes}. | |
526 | @ifinfo | |
527 | (@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) | |
528 | @end ifinfo | |
529 | All other labels are assigned only by users. | |
530 | ||
531 | @table @kbd | |
532 | @item a @var{label} @key{RET} | |
533 | Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). | |
534 | @item k @var{label} @key{RET} | |
535 | Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). | |
536 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
537 | Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
538 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). | |
539 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
540 | Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
541 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). | |
542 | @item C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
543 | Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} | |
544 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
545 | @end table | |
546 | ||
547 | @kindex a @r{(Rmail)} | |
548 | @kindex k @r{(Rmail)} | |
549 | @findex rmail-add-label | |
550 | @findex rmail-kill-label | |
551 | The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} | |
552 | (@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any | |
553 | label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it | |
554 | means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or | |
555 | removed. | |
556 | ||
557 | Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there | |
558 | are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries. | |
559 | ||
560 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
561 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
562 | @findex rmail-next-labeled-message | |
563 | @findex rmail-previous-labeled-message | |
564 | The command @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
565 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has | |
566 | one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies one | |
567 | or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} | |
568 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves backwards | |
569 | to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command serves as a | |
570 | repeat count. | |
571 | ||
572 | The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
573 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the | |
574 | messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The | |
575 | argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. | |
576 | @xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries.@refill | |
577 | ||
578 | If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or | |
579 | @kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified | |
580 | for any of these commands. | |
581 | ||
582 | @node Rmail Attributes | |
583 | @section Rmail Attributes | |
584 | ||
585 | Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in | |
586 | meanings and are assigned to or removed from messages automatically at | |
587 | appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is a | |
588 | list of Rmail attributes: | |
589 | ||
590 | @table @samp | |
591 | @item unseen | |
592 | Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when | |
593 | they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made | |
594 | current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message | |
595 | that has this attribute. | |
596 | @item deleted | |
597 | Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and | |
598 | removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). | |
599 | @item filed | |
600 | Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the | |
601 | file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Files}). | |
602 | @item answered | |
603 | Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} | |
604 | command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
605 | @item forwarded | |
606 | Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command | |
607 | (@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
608 | @item edited | |
609 | Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. | |
610 | @xref{Rmail Editing}. | |
611 | @item resent | |
612 | Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x | |
613 | rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
614 | @end table | |
615 | ||
616 | All other labels are assigned or removed only by the user, and have no | |
617 | standard meaning. | |
618 | ||
619 | @node Rmail Reply | |
620 | @section Sending Replies | |
621 | ||
622 | Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail. | |
623 | @xref{Sending Mail}, for information on using Mail mode, including | |
624 | certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents | |
625 | are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the | |
626 | usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and @kbd{C-x 5 | |
627 | m}---are available in Rmail mode and work just as they usually do. | |
628 | ||
629 | @table @kbd | |
630 | @item m | |
631 | Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). | |
632 | @item c | |
633 | Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). | |
634 | @item r | |
635 | Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). | |
636 | @item f | |
637 | Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). | |
638 | @item C-u f | |
639 | Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). | |
640 | @item M-m | |
641 | Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). | |
642 | @end table | |
643 | ||
644 | @kindex r @r{(Rmail)} | |
645 | @findex rmail-reply | |
646 | @cindex reply to a message | |
647 | The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply to | |
648 | the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} | |
649 | (@code{rmail-reply}). This displays the @samp{*mail*} buffer in another | |
650 | window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the @samp{Subject}, | |
651 | @samp{To}, @samp{CC} and @samp{In-reply-to} header fields based on the | |
652 | message you are replying to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the | |
653 | address of the person who sent the message you received, and the | |
654 | @samp{CC} field starts out with all the other recipients of that | |
655 | message. | |
656 | ||
657 | @vindex rmail-dont-reply-to-names | |
658 | You can exclude certain recipients from being placed automatically in | |
659 | the @samp{CC}, using the variable @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its | |
660 | value should be a regular expression (as a string); any recipient that | |
661 | the regular expression matches, is excluded from the @samp{CC} field. | |
662 | The default value matches your own name, and any name starting with | |
663 | @samp{info-}. (Those names are excluded because there is a convention | |
664 | of using them for large mailing lists to broadcast announcements.) | |
665 | ||
666 | To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter | |
667 | the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. | |
668 | ||
669 | Once the @samp{*mail*} buffer has been initialized, editing and | |
670 | sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit the | |
671 | presupplied header fields if they are not right for you. You can also | |
672 | use the commands of Mail mode (@pxref{Mail Mode}), including @kbd{C-c | |
673 | C-y} which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can | |
674 | switch to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch | |
675 | back, and yank the new current message. | |
676 | ||
677 | @kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} | |
678 | @findex rmail-retry-failure | |
679 | @cindex retrying a failed message | |
680 | @vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers | |
681 | Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually | |
682 | send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure | |
683 | message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) | |
684 | prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a | |
685 | @samp{*mail*} buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If | |
686 | you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly | |
687 | the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or | |
688 | headers and then send it. The variable | |
689 | @code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as | |
690 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which | |
691 | headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it; it | |
692 | defaults to @code{nil}. | |
693 | ||
694 | @kindex f @r{(Rmail)} | |
695 | @findex rmail-forward | |
696 | @cindex forwarding a message | |
697 | Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the | |
698 | current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes | |
699 | this easy by preinitializing the @samp{*mail*} buffer with the current | |
700 | message as the text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All | |
701 | you have to do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a | |
702 | message, recipients get a message which is ``from'' you, and which has | |
703 | the original message in its contents. | |
704 | ||
705 | @findex unforward-rmail-message | |
706 | Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It also | |
707 | modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} | |
708 | at the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it | |
709 | contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source | |
710 | code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do | |
711 | this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x | |
712 | unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original forwarded | |
713 | message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and inserts it | |
714 | into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the | |
715 | current one. | |
716 | ||
717 | @findex rmail-resend | |
718 | @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the | |
719 | difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the | |
720 | original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields | |
721 | @samp{Resent-from} and @samp{Resent-to} to indicate that it came via | |
722 | you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs | |
723 | @code{rmail-forward}, which is programmed to invoke @code{rmail-resend} | |
724 | if you provide a numeric argument.) | |
725 | ||
726 | @kindex m @r{(Rmail)} | |
727 | @findex rmail-mail | |
728 | The @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command is used to start editing an | |
729 | outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. | |
730 | Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer | |
731 | accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. Thus, @kbd{m} can be | |
732 | used to reply to or forward a message; it can do anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} | |
733 | can do.@refill | |
734 | ||
735 | @kindex c @r{(Rmail)} | |
736 | @findex rmail-continue | |
737 | The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the | |
738 | @samp{*mail*} buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were | |
739 | already composing, or to alter a message you have sent.@refill | |
740 | ||
741 | @vindex rmail-mail-new-frame | |
742 | If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a | |
743 | non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a | |
744 | message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when | |
745 | you send the message, or when you use the @samp{Don't Send} item in the | |
746 | @samp{Mail} menu. | |
747 | ||
748 | All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition | |
749 | method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). | |
750 | ||
751 | @node Rmail Summary | |
752 | @section Summaries | |
753 | @cindex summary (Rmail) | |
754 | ||
755 | A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give | |
756 | you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the | |
757 | message number, the sender, the labels, and the subject. Almost all | |
758 | Rmail commands are valid in the summary buffer also; these apply to the | |
759 | message described by the current line of the summary. Moving point in | |
760 | the summary buffer selects messages as you move to their summary lines. | |
761 | ||
762 | A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are | |
763 | editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. | |
764 | The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the | |
765 | Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a | |
766 | time. | |
767 | ||
768 | @menu | |
769 | * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. | |
770 | * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. | |
771 | @end menu | |
772 | ||
773 | @node Rmail Make Summary | |
774 | @subsection Making Summaries | |
775 | ||
776 | Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file. | |
777 | Once the Rmail file has a summary buffer, changes in the Rmail file | |
778 | (such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) | |
779 | automatically update the summary. | |
780 | ||
781 | @table @kbd | |
782 | @item h | |
783 | @itemx C-M-h | |
784 | Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). | |
785 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
786 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
787 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels | |
788 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
789 | @item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} | |
790 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified recipients | |
791 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). | |
792 | @item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} | |
793 | Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp | |
794 | @var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). | |
a99d2d64 EZ |
795 | @item C-M-s @var{regexp} |
796 | Summarize messages whose headers and the subject line match the | |
797 | specified regular expression @var{regexp} | |
798 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
799 | @end table |
800 | ||
801 | @kindex h @r{(Rmail)} | |
802 | @findex rmail-summary | |
803 | The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer | |
804 | for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the file. | |
805 | It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. | |
806 | ||
807 | @kindex l @r{(Rmail)} | |
808 | @kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} | |
809 | @findex rmail-summary-by-labels | |
810 | @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes | |
811 | a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the | |
812 | labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by | |
813 | commas.@refill | |
814 | ||
815 | @kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} | |
816 | @findex rmail-summary-by-recipients | |
817 | @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) | |
818 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more | |
819 | of the recipients @var{rcpts}. @var{rcpts} should contain mailing | |
820 | addresses separated by commas.@refill | |
821 | ||
822 | @kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} | |
823 | @findex rmail-summary-by-topic | |
824 | @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) | |
825 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have | |
826 | a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. | |
827 | ||
a99d2d64 EZ |
828 | @kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)} |
829 | @findex rmail-summary-by-regexp | |
830 | @kbd{C-M-s @var{rgexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}) | |
831 | makes a partial summary which mentions only the messages whose headers | |
832 | (including the date and the subject lines) match the regular | |
833 | expression @var{regexp}. | |
834 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
835 | Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file; making one |
836 | kind of summary discards any previously made summary. | |
837 | ||
838 | @vindex rmail-summary-window-size | |
839 | @vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag | |
840 | The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to | |
841 | use for the summary window. The variable | |
842 | @code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line | |
843 | for a message should include the line count of the message. | |
844 | ||
845 | @node Rmail Summary Edit | |
846 | @subsection Editing in Summaries | |
847 | ||
848 | You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do | |
849 | in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, | |
850 | there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. | |
851 | ||
852 | You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from | |
853 | the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to | |
854 | different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move | |
855 | point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that | |
856 | message is selected in the Rmail buffer. | |
857 | ||
858 | Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the | |
859 | Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current | |
860 | message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} | |
861 | output the current message to a file; @kbd{r} starts a reply to it. You | |
862 | can scroll the current message while remaining in the summary buffer | |
863 | using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. | |
864 | ||
865 | The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary | |
866 | buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included | |
867 | in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen | |
868 | (unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail | |
869 | buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). | |
870 | Here is a list of these commands: | |
871 | ||
872 | @table @kbd | |
873 | @item n | |
874 | Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its | |
875 | message. | |
876 | @item p | |
877 | Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select | |
878 | its message. | |
879 | @item M-n | |
880 | Move to next line and select its message. | |
881 | @item M-p | |
882 | Move to previous line and select its message. | |
883 | @item > | |
884 | Move to the last line, and select its message. | |
885 | @item < | |
886 | Move to the first line, and select its message. | |
887 | @item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} | |
888 | Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current | |
889 | message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer | |
890 | to that message's line. | |
891 | @end table | |
892 | ||
893 | @vindex rmail-redisplay-summary | |
894 | Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a | |
895 | different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the | |
896 | Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is | |
897 | non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto | |
898 | the screen. | |
899 | ||
900 | @kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
901 | @findex rmail-summary-wipe | |
902 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
903 | @findex rmail-summary-quit | |
904 | When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} | |
905 | (@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You | |
906 | can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} | |
907 | (@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from | |
908 | Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. | |
909 | ||
910 | @node Rmail Sorting | |
911 | @section Sorting the Rmail File | |
912 | ||
913 | @table @kbd | |
914 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-date | |
915 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by date. | |
916 | ||
917 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-subject | |
918 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject. | |
919 | ||
920 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-author | |
921 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name. | |
922 | ||
923 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient | |
924 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names. | |
925 | ||
926 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent | |
927 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other | |
928 | correspondent. | |
929 | ||
930 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-lines | |
931 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines). | |
932 | ||
933 | @item M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
934 | Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument | |
935 | @var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of | |
936 | these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first | |
937 | label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. | |
938 | Messages which have none of these labels come last. | |
939 | @end table | |
940 | ||
941 | The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no | |
942 | reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains | |
943 | unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For | |
944 | example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then | |
945 | @code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in | |
946 | order by date. | |
947 | ||
948 | With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of | |
949 | comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from | |
950 | biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. | |
951 | ||
952 | @node Rmail Display | |
953 | @section Display of Messages | |
954 | ||
955 | Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for | |
956 | the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to | |
957 | reduce clutter. You can use the @kbd{t} command to show the entire | |
958 | header or to repeat the header reformatting operation. | |
959 | ||
960 | @table @kbd | |
961 | @item t | |
962 | Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). | |
963 | @end table | |
964 | ||
965 | @vindex rmail-ignored-headers | |
966 | Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the | |
967 | grounds that they are not interesting. The variable | |
968 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression that specifies | |
969 | which header fields to hide in this way---if it matches the beginning of | |
970 | a header field, that whole field is hidden. | |
971 | ||
972 | @kindex t @r{(Rmail)} | |
973 | @findex rmail-toggle-header | |
974 | Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see | |
975 | it, use the @kbd{t} command (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). This | |
976 | discards the reformatted headers of the current message and displays it | |
977 | with the original header. Repeating @kbd{t} reformats the message | |
978 | again. Selecting the message again also reformats. | |
979 | ||
980 | One consequence of this is that if you edit the reformatted header | |
981 | (using @kbd{e}; @pxref{Rmail Editing}), subsequent use of @kbd{t} will | |
982 | discard your edits. On the other hand, if you use @kbd{e} after | |
983 | @kbd{t}, to edit the original (unreformatted) header, those changes are | |
984 | permanent. | |
985 | ||
986 | When the @kbd{t} command has a prefix argument, a positive argument | |
987 | means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument | |
988 | means to show the full header. | |
989 | ||
990 | @vindex rmail-highlighted-headers | |
358f71fd | 991 | When the terminal supports multiple fonts or colors, Rmail |
6bf7aab6 DL |
992 | highlights certain header fields that are especially interesting---by |
993 | default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. The variable | |
994 | @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression that | |
358f71fd RS |
995 | specifies the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning |
996 | of a header field, that whole field is highlighted. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
997 | |
998 | If you specify unusual colors for your text foreground and background, | |
999 | the colors used for highlighting may not go well with them. If so, | |
1000 | specify different colors for the @code{highlight} face. That is worth | |
1001 | doing because the @code{highlight} face is used for other kinds of | |
1002 | highlighting as well. @xref{Faces}, for how to do this. | |
1003 | ||
1004 | To turn off highlighting entirely in Rmail, set | |
1005 | @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}. | |
1006 | ||
358f71fd RS |
1007 | You can highlight and activate URLs in incoming messages by adding |
1008 | the function @code{goto-address} to the hook | |
1009 | @code{rmail-show-message-hook}. Then you can browse these URLs by | |
1010 | clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} or by moving to one and typing | |
1011 | @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto-address}. | |
1012 | ||
1013 | @node Rmail Coding | |
1014 | @section Rmail and Coding Systems | |
6c21cdc0 | 1015 | |
eed0ee77 EZ |
1016 | @cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail) |
1017 | Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@sc{ascii} | |
358f71fd RS |
1018 | characters, just as it does with files you visit and with and |
1019 | subprocess output. Rmail uses the standard | |
1020 | @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in the message to determine how | |
1021 | the was message encoded by the sender. It maps @var{charset} into the | |
1022 | corresponding Emacs coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses | |
1023 | that coding system to decode message text. If the message header | |
1024 | doesn't have the charset specification, or if the @var{charset} it | |
1025 | specifies is not recognized, Rmail chooses the coding system with the | |
1026 | usual Emacs heuristics and defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). | |
eed0ee77 | 1027 | |
eed0ee77 | 1028 | @cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages |
358f71fd RS |
1029 | Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs |
1030 | guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset} | |
1031 | specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For | |
1032 | example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a | |
1033 | @samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded | |
1034 | in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of | |
1035 | its characters displayed as empty boxes, this may have happened. | |
eed0ee77 | 1036 | |
358f71fd RS |
1037 | @findex rmail-redecode-body |
1038 | You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the | |
1039 | right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is | |
1040 | right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command. | |
1041 | It reads the name of a coding system, encodes the message body using | |
1042 | whichever coding system was used to decode it before, then redecodes | |
1043 | it using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right | |
1044 | coding system, the result should be readable. | |
1045 | ||
1046 | Decoding and encoding using the wrong coding system is lossless for | |
1047 | most encodings, in particular with 8-bit encodings such as iso-8859 or | |
1048 | koi8. So, if the initial attempt to redecode the message didn't | |
1049 | result in a legible text, you can try other coding systems until you | |
1050 | succeed. | |
1051 | ||
1052 | With some coding systems, notably those from the iso-2022 family, | |
1053 | information can be lost in decoding, so that encoding the message | |
1054 | again won't bring back the original incoming text. In such a case, | |
1055 | @code{rmail-redecode-body} cannot work. However, the problems that | |
1056 | call for use of @code{rmail-redecode-body} rarely occur with those | |
1057 | coding systems. So in practice the command works when you need it. | |
eed0ee77 | 1058 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1059 | @node Rmail Editing |
1060 | @section Editing Within a Message | |
1061 | ||
1062 | Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though a | |
1063 | few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by Rmail for | |
1064 | other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and | |
1065 | most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to | |
1066 | edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command @kbd{e}. | |
1067 | ||
1068 | @table @kbd | |
1069 | @item e | |
1070 | Edit the current message as ordinary text. | |
1071 | @end table | |
1072 | ||
1073 | @kindex e @r{(Rmail)} | |
1074 | @findex rmail-edit-current-message | |
1075 | The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from | |
1076 | Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the | |
1077 | same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. | |
1078 | ||
1079 | In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail | |
1080 | commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message and | |
1081 | are ready to go back to Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-c}, which switches back to | |
1082 | Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel all the | |
1083 | editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}. | |
1084 | ||
1085 | @vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook | |
1086 | Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then it | |
1087 | runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). It adds the | |
1088 | attribute @samp{edited} to the message. It also displays the full | |
1089 | headers of the message, so that you can edit the headers as well as the | |
a0e1abe4 | 1090 | body of the message, and your changes in the headers will be |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1091 | permanent. |
1092 | ||
1093 | @node Rmail Digest | |
1094 | @section Digest Messages | |
1095 | @cindex digest message | |
1096 | @cindex undigestify | |
1097 | ||
1098 | A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry | |
1099 | several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing | |
1100 | lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time | |
1101 | such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the | |
1102 | subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer | |
1103 | time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total | |
1104 | size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail | |
1105 | transmission is considerable. | |
1106 | ||
1107 | @findex undigestify-rmail-message | |
1108 | When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is | |
1109 | to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. | |
1110 | Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. | |
1111 | ||
1112 | To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x | |
1113 | undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate | |
1114 | Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest | |
1115 | message itself is flagged as deleted. | |
1116 | ||
1117 | @node Out of Rmail | |
1118 | @section Converting an Rmail File to Inbox Format | |
1119 | ||
1120 | @findex unrmail | |
1121 | The command @kbd{M-x unrmail} converts a file in Rmail format to inbox | |
1122 | format (also known as the system mailbox format), so that you can use it | |
1123 | with other mail-editing tools. You must specify two arguments, the name | |
1124 | of the Rmail file and the name to use for the converted file. @kbd{M-x | |
1125 | unrmail} does not alter the Rmail file itself. | |
1126 | ||
1127 | @node Rmail Rot13 | |
1128 | @section Reading Rot13 Messages | |
1129 | @cindex rot13 code | |
1130 | ||
1131 | Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes | |
1132 | encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it | |
1133 | rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it | |
1134 | provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid | |
1135 | ever seeing the real text of the message. | |
1136 | ||
1137 | @findex rot13-other-window | |
1138 | To view a buffer using the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x | |
1139 | rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window | |
1140 | which applies the code when displaying the text. | |
1141 | ||
1142 | @node Movemail | |
1143 | @section @code{movemail} and POP | |
1144 | @cindex @code{movemail} program | |
1145 | ||
1146 | @vindex rmail-preserve-inbox | |
1147 | When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox | |
1148 | file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it truncates | |
1149 | the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail | |
1150 | between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail. If | |
1151 | @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then Rmail will copy new | |
1152 | mail from the inbox file to the Rmail file without truncating the inbox | |
1153 | file. You may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you | |
1154 | use to check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will | |
1155 | remain on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. | |
1156 | ||
1157 | In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file | |
1158 | indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail | |
1159 | from the inbox to an intermediate file called | |
1160 | @file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}}. Then Rmail merges the new mail from | |
1161 | that file, saves the Rmail file, and only then deletes the intermediate | |
1162 | file. If there is a crash at the wrong time, this file continues to | |
1163 | exist, and Rmail will use it again the next time it gets new mail from | |
1164 | that inbox. | |
1165 | ||
1166 | @pindex movemail | |
1167 | If Rmail is unable to convert the data in | |
1168 | @file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into Babyl format, it renames the file | |
1169 | to @file{~/RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the | |
1170 | name unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. | |
1171 | You should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail | |
1172 | (probably one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code | |
1173 | 037), and delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from | |
1174 | the corrected file. | |
1175 | ||
1176 | Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data | |
1177 | instead of storing the data in inbox files. @code{movemail} can work | |
1178 | with POP if you compile it with the macro @code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined. | |
1179 | (You can achieve that by specifying @samp{--with-pop} when you run | |
1180 | @code{configure} during the installation of Emacs.) | |
1181 | @code{movemail} only works with POP3, not with older | |
1182 | versions of POP. | |
1183 | ||
60a96371 | 1184 | @cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1185 | @cindex POP inboxes |
1186 | Assuming you have compiled and installed @code{movemail} | |
1187 | appropriately, you can specify a POP inbox by using a ``file name'' of | |
1188 | the form @samp{po:@var{username}}, in the inbox list of an Rmail file. | |
1189 | @code{movemail} handles such a name by opening a connection to the POP | |
60a96371 | 1190 | server. The @env{MAILHOST} environment variable specifies the machine |
9862fbec GM |
1191 | to look for the server on; alternatively, you can specify the POP server |
1192 | host name as part of the mailbox name using the syntax | |
1193 | @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1194 | |
1195 | @vindex rmail-pop-password | |
1196 | @vindex rmail-pop-password-required | |
1197 | Accessing mail via POP may require a password. If the variable | |
1198 | @code{rmail-pop-password} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies the password | |
1199 | to use for POP. Alternatively, if @code{rmail-pop-password-required} is | |
1200 | non-@code{nil}, then Rmail asks you for the password to use. | |
1201 | ||
1202 | @vindex rmail-movemail-flags | |
1203 | If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, | |
1204 | set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you | |
1205 | wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to | |
1206 | preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. | |
1207 | ||
1208 | @cindex Kerberos POP authentication | |
1209 | The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support | |
1210 | Kerberos authentication. If it is | |
1211 | supported, it is used by default whenever you attempt to retrieve | |
1212 | POP mail when @code{rmail-pop-password} and | |
1213 | @code{rmail-pop-password-required} are unset. | |
1214 | ||
4946337d | 1215 | @cindex reverse order in POP inboxes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1216 | Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does |
1217 | this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was | |
1218 | received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of | |
1219 | downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to | |
1220 | @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. |