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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
73b0cd50 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2000-2011 |
8838673e | 3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6bf7aab6 | 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
65609f22 | 5 | @node Sending Mail |
6bf7aab6 DL |
6 | @chapter Sending Mail |
7 | @cindex sending mail | |
8 | @cindex mail | |
e73c2434 | 9 | @cindex email |
6bf7aab6 DL |
10 | @cindex message |
11 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
12 | @kindex C-x m |
13 | @findex compose-mail | |
14 | To send an @dfn{e-mail} message in Emacs, type @kbd{C-x m}. This | |
15 | selects and initializes a buffer named @samp{*mail*}, where you can | |
16 | edit the text and headers of the message. Finally, type @kbd{C-c C-s} | |
17 | or @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the message. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
18 | |
19 | @table @kbd | |
20 | @item C-x m | |
e73c2434 | 21 | Begin composing mail (@code{compose-mail}). |
6bf7aab6 | 22 | @item C-x 4 m |
e73c2434 | 23 | Likewise, in another window (@code{compose-mail-other-window}). |
6bf7aab6 | 24 | @item C-x 5 m |
e73c2434 | 25 | Likewise, but in a new frame (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}). |
6bf7aab6 | 26 | @item C-c C-s |
e73c2434 | 27 | In the mail buffer, send the message (@code{message-send}). |
6bf7aab6 | 28 | @item C-c C-c |
e73c2434 CY |
29 | In the mail buffer, send the message and bury the buffer |
30 | (@code{message-send-and-exit}). | |
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31 | @end table |
32 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
33 | @kindex C-x 4 m |
34 | @findex compose-mail-other-window | |
35 | @kindex C-x 5 m | |
36 | @findex compose-mail-other-frame | |
e73c2434 CY |
37 | @noindent |
38 | The command @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) does the | |
39 | same as @kbd{C-x m}, except it displays the mail buffer in a different | |
40 | window. The command @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) | |
41 | creates a new frame for the mail buffer. | |
42 | ||
43 | Because the mail buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can switch | |
44 | to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch | |
45 | back later (or never). If you type @kbd{C-x m} again when you have | |
46 | been composing another message but have not sent it, Emacs asks for | |
47 | confirmation before erasing the old message. If you answer @kbd{n}, | |
48 | Emacs selects the mail buffer with its old contents, so you can finish | |
49 | the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do | |
50 | this. Sending the message marks the mail buffer ``unmodified,'' which | |
51 | avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used. | |
52 | ||
53 | If you want to send another message before finishing the current | |
54 | message, use the command @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} to rename the | |
55 | current mail buffer (@pxref{Misc Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x | |
56 | m} to make a new mail buffer, and work with each mail buffer | |
57 | independently. | |
c016c701 | 58 | |
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59 | Before using Emacs to send mail, you may need to customize the |
60 | variable @code{send-mail-function} if your system is not set up to | |
61 | deliver mail directly via SMTP (@pxref{Mail Sending}). In addition, | |
62 | you may need to customize @code{user-mail-address} if the system | |
63 | cannot receive mail via SMTP (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
64 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 65 | @menu |
8838673e | 66 | * Format: Mail Format. Format of a mail message. |
e73c2434 CY |
67 | * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of some standard mail header fields. |
68 | * Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses. | |
69 | * Commands: Mail Commands. Special commands for editing mail being composed. | |
70 | * Signature: Mail Signature. Adding a signature to every message. | |
71 | * Amuse: Mail Amusements. Distracting the NSA; adding fortune messages. | |
72 | * Methods: Mail Methods. Using alternative mail-composition methods. | |
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73 | @end menu |
74 | ||
75 | @node Mail Format | |
76 | @section The Format of the Mail Buffer | |
77 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
78 | An email message must contain certain pieces of information, called |
79 | @dfn{headers}, which specify the message's sender, recipient(s), and | |
80 | so on. | |
6bf7aab6 | 81 | |
e73c2434 CY |
82 | At the top of the mail buffer is a set of @dfn{header fields}, where |
83 | you can enter this information. You can insert and edit header fields | |
84 | using ordinary editing commands. @xref{Header Editing}, for commands | |
85 | specific to editing header fields. | |
86 | ||
87 | Some header fields are automatically pre-initialized in the buffer, | |
88 | when appropriate; other headers, such as @samp{Date} and | |
89 | @samp{Message-Id}, are normally omitted from the mail buffer and | |
90 | created automatically when the message is sent. | |
6bf7aab6 | 91 | |
df1a3e06 | 92 | @vindex mail-header-separator |
6bf7aab6 DL |
93 | The line in the buffer that says |
94 | ||
e73c2434 | 95 | @smallexample |
6bf7aab6 | 96 | --text follows this line-- |
e73c2434 | 97 | @end smallexample |
6bf7aab6 DL |
98 | |
99 | @noindent | |
e73c2434 CY |
100 | separates the header fields from the @dfn{body} (or @dfn{text}) of the |
101 | message. Everything above this line is treated as part of the | |
102 | headers; everything below it is treated as the body. The delimiter | |
103 | line itself does not appear in the message actually sent. The text | |
104 | used for the delimiter line is controlled by the variable | |
105 | @code{mail-header-separator}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 106 | |
2b02353b | 107 | Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer |
6bf7aab6 DL |
108 | might look like. |
109 | ||
110 | @example | |
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111 | To: gnu@@example.org |
112 | CC: lungfish@@example.com, byob@@example.net | |
6bf7aab6 | 113 | Subject: The Emacs Manual |
df1a3e06 | 114 | --text follows this line-- |
6bf7aab6 DL |
115 | Please ignore this message. |
116 | @end example | |
117 | ||
118 | @node Mail Headers | |
119 | @section Mail Header Fields | |
120 | @cindex headers (of mail message) | |
121 | ||
122 | A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the | |
123 | beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are | |
124 | equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the | |
125 | colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field. | |
126 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
127 | You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally |
128 | people use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is | |
129 | a table of commonly-used fields. Emacs pre-initializes some of these, | |
130 | depending on various options you can set. You can delete or alter any | |
131 | header field before you send the message, if you wish. | |
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132 | |
133 | @table @samp | |
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134 | @item From |
135 | @vindex user-mail-address | |
136 | The address of the sender (you). This should be a valid mailing | |
137 | address, as replies will normally go there. Emacs initializes this | |
138 | field using the variables @code{user-full-name} and | |
139 | @code{user-mail-address}; see below. | |
140 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 141 | @item To |
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142 | The mailing address(es) to which the message is addressed. To list |
143 | more than one address, use commas (not spaces) to separate them. | |
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144 | |
145 | @item Subject | |
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146 | A piece of text saying what the message is about. Most mail-reading |
147 | programs can display a summary of messages, listing the subject of | |
148 | each message but not its text. | |
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149 | |
150 | @item CC | |
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151 | Additional mailing address(es) to send the message to. This is like |
152 | @samp{To}, except that these readers should not regard the message as | |
153 | directed at them. | |
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154 | |
155 | @item BCC | |
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156 | Additional mailing address(es) to send the message to, which should |
157 | not appear in the header of the message actually sent. ``BCC'' stands | |
158 | for @dfn{blind carbon copies}. | |
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159 | |
160 | @item FCC | |
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161 | The name of one file, to which a copy of the sent message should be |
162 | appended. Emacs writes the message in mbox format, unless the file is | |
163 | in Babyl format (used by Rmail before Emacs 23), in which case Emacs | |
164 | writes Babyl. If an Rmail buffer is visiting the file, Emacs updates | |
165 | it accordingly. To specify more than one file, use several @samp{FCC} | |
166 | fields, with one file name in each field. | |
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167 | |
168 | @item Reply-to | |
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169 | An address to which replies should be sent, instead of @samp{From}. |
170 | You can use this header if, for some reason, your @samp{From} address | |
171 | is unable to receive replies. | |
df1a3e06 | 172 | |
2186d13f GM |
173 | @item Mail-reply-to |
174 | This field takes precedence over @samp{Reply-to}. It is used because | |
175 | some mailing lists set the @samp{Reply-to} field for their own purposes | |
176 | (a somewhat controversial practice). | |
177 | ||
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178 | @item Mail-followup-to |
179 | This field contains one or more addresses. It is typically used when | |
180 | you reply to a message from a mailing list that you are subscribed to. | |
181 | It usually indicates that you want replies to go to the list, and that | |
182 | you do not need an extra copy sent directly to you. | |
183 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
184 | @c Message mode handles this differently... |
185 | @c @vindex mail-mailing-lists | |
186 | @c The variable @code{mail-mailing-lists} holds a list of mailing list | |
187 | @c addresses that you are subscribed to. If it is non-@code{nil}, Emacs | |
188 | @c inserts an appropriate @samp{Mail-followup-to} header when sending mail | |
189 | @c to a mailing list. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
190 | |
191 | @item In-reply-to | |
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192 | A piece of text describing the message you are replying to. Some mail |
193 | systems can use this information to correlate related pieces of mail. | |
194 | Normally, you never need to think about this, because it is filled in | |
195 | automatically when you reply to a message in Rmail (or any other mail | |
196 | program built into Emacs). | |
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197 | |
198 | @item References | |
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199 | The Message-Ids of previous related messages (a Message-Id is a unique |
200 | identifier generated when a message is sent). Like | |
201 | @samp{In-reply-to}, this is normally set up automatically for you. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
202 | @end table |
203 | ||
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204 | @noindent |
205 | The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, and @samp{BCC} fields can appear any number | |
206 | of times, and each such header field can contain multiple addresses, | |
207 | separated by commas. This way, you can specify any number of places | |
208 | to send the message. These fields can also have continuation lines: | |
209 | one or more lines starting with whitespace, following the starting | |
210 | line of the field, are considered part of the field. Here's an | |
211 | example of a @samp{To} field with a continuation line: | |
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212 | |
213 | @example | |
214 | @group | |
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215 | To: foo@@example.net, this@@example.net, |
216 | bob@@example.com | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
217 | @end group |
218 | @end example | |
219 | ||
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220 | @vindex user-full-name |
221 | @vindex user-mail-address | |
222 | The default contents of the @samp{From} header field are computed | |
223 | from the variables @code{user-full-name} and @code{user-mail-address}. | |
224 | On some operating systems, Emacs initializes these two variables using | |
225 | environment variables (@pxref{General Variables}). If this | |
226 | information is unavailable or wrong, you can customize the variables | |
227 | yourself (@pxref{Easy Customization}). | |
228 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 229 | @vindex mail-from-style |
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230 | The value of the variable @code{mail-from-style} specifies how to |
231 | format the address in the @samp{From} field: | |
232 | ||
233 | @table @asis | |
234 | @item @code{nil} | |
235 | Use just the address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}. | |
236 | @item @code{parens} | |
237 | Use both address and full name, as in:@* | |
df7593dd | 238 | @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}. |
e73c2434 CY |
239 | @item @code{angles} |
240 | Use both address and full name, as in:@* | |
df7593dd | 241 | @samp{Elvis Parsley <king@@grassland.com>}. |
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242 | @item any other value |
243 | Use @code{angles} for most addresses. However, if the address must be | |
244 | ``quoted'' to remain syntactically-valid under the @code{angles} | |
245 | format but not under the @code{parens} format, use @code{parens} | |
246 | instead. This is the default. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
247 | @end table |
248 | ||
df1a3e06 GM |
249 | @c There is also mail-specify-envelope-from and mail-envelope-from, but |
250 | @c these are probably not topics for the Emacs manual. | |
251 | ||
c7fa86d5 | 252 | @vindex mail-default-headers |
e73c2434 CY |
253 | You can direct Emacs to insert certain default headers into the mail |
254 | buffer by setting the variable @code{mail-default-headers} to a | |
255 | string. Then @kbd{C-x m} inserts this string into the message | |
256 | headers. For example, here is how to add a @samp{Reply-to} and | |
257 | @samp{FCC} header to each message: | |
258 | ||
259 | @smallexample | |
260 | (setq mail-default-headers | |
261 | "Reply-to: foo@@example.com\nFCC: ~/Mail/sent") | |
262 | @end smallexample | |
263 | ||
264 | @noindent | |
265 | If the default header fields are not appropriate for a | |
2186d13f | 266 | particular message, edit them as necessary before sending the message. |
c7fa86d5 | 267 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
268 | @node Mail Aliases |
269 | @section Mail Aliases | |
270 | @cindex mail aliases | |
271 | @cindex @file{.mailrc} file | |
272 | @cindex mailrc file | |
e73c2434 | 273 | @vindex mail-personal-alias-file |
6bf7aab6 | 274 | |
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275 | You can define @dfn{mail aliases}, which are short mnemonic names |
276 | that stand for mail addresses or groups of mail addresses. By | |
277 | default, mail aliases are defined in the file @file{~/.mailrc}. You | |
278 | can specify a different file name to use, by setting the variable | |
279 | @code{mail-personal-alias-file}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 280 | |
e73c2434 | 281 | To define an alias in @file{.mailrc}, write a line in the following |
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282 | format: |
283 | ||
284 | @example | |
e73c2434 | 285 | alias @var{nick} @var{fulladdresses} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
286 | @end example |
287 | ||
288 | @noindent | |
e73c2434 CY |
289 | This means that @var{nick} should expand into @var{fulladdresses}, |
290 | where @var{fulladdresses} can be either a single address, or multiple | |
291 | addresses separated with spaces. For instance, to make @code{maingnu} | |
292 | stand for @code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in | |
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293 | this line:@refill |
294 | ||
295 | @example | |
296 | alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu | |
297 | @end example | |
298 | ||
f5f79394 | 299 | @noindent |
e73c2434 CY |
300 | If an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a pair of |
301 | double quotes, like this: | |
f5f79394 RS |
302 | |
303 | @example | |
2186d13f | 304 | alias jsmith "John Q. Smith <none@@example.com>" |
f5f79394 RS |
305 | @end example |
306 | ||
307 | @noindent | |
e73c2434 CY |
308 | Note that you need not include double quotes around individual parts |
309 | of the address, such as the person's full name. Emacs puts them in if | |
310 | they are needed. For instance, it inserts the above address as | |
2186d13f | 311 | @samp{"John Q. Smith" <none@@example.com>}. |
f5f79394 | 312 | |
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313 | Emacs also recognizes ``include'' commands in @file{.mailrc}. They |
314 | look like this: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
315 | |
316 | @example | |
317 | source @var{filename} | |
318 | @end example | |
319 | ||
320 | @noindent | |
e73c2434 CY |
321 | The @file{.mailrc} file is not unique to Emacs; many other |
322 | mail-reading programs use it for mail aliases, and it can contain | |
323 | various other commands. However, Emacs ignores everything except | |
324 | alias definitions and include commands. | |
df1a3e06 | 325 | |
df1a3e06 | 326 | @findex mail-abbrev-insert-alias |
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327 | Mail aliases expand as abbrevs---that is to say, as soon as you type |
328 | a word-separator character after an alias (@pxref{Abbrevs}). This | |
329 | expansion takes place only within the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, | |
330 | @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and @samp{Reply-to} header fields (plus their | |
331 | @samp{Resent-} variants); it does not take place in other header | |
332 | fields, such as @samp{Subject}. | |
333 | ||
334 | You can also insert an aliased address directly, using the command | |
335 | @kbd{M-x mail-abbrev-insert-alias}. This reads an alias name, with | |
336 | completion, and inserts its definition at point. | |
337 | ||
338 | @node Mail Commands | |
339 | @section Mail Commands | |
340 | @cindex Message mode | |
341 | @cindex mode, Message | |
342 | ||
343 | The default major mode for the @samp{*mail*} buffer is called | |
344 | Message mode. It behaves like Text mode in many ways, but provides | |
345 | several additional commands on the @kbd{C-c} prefix, which make | |
346 | editing a message more convenient. | |
347 | ||
348 | In this section, we will describe some of the most commonly-used | |
349 | commands available in Message mode. | |
350 | @ifnottex | |
351 | Message mode also has its own manual, where its features are described | |
352 | in greater detail. @xref{Top,,Message, message, Message}. | |
353 | @end ifnottex | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
354 | |
355 | @menu | |
356 | * Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message. | |
357 | * Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them. | |
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358 | * Citing Mail:: Quoting a message you are replying to. |
359 | * Mail Misc:: Attachments, spell checking, etc. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
360 | @end menu |
361 | ||
362 | @node Mail Sending | |
363 | @subsection Mail Sending | |
364 | ||
e73c2434 | 365 | There are two commands to send a message you have been editing: |
6bf7aab6 DL |
366 | |
367 | @table @kbd | |
6bf7aab6 | 368 | @item C-c C-c |
e73c2434 CY |
369 | Send the message, and deselect the mail buffer (@code{message-send-and-exit}). |
370 | @item C-c C-s | |
371 | Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{message-send}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
372 | @end table |
373 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
374 | @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Message mode)} |
375 | @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Message mode)} | |
376 | @findex message-send | |
377 | If you want to send a message and be done with it, type @kbd{C-c | |
378 | C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). This sends the message and then | |
379 | either deletes the window or switches to another buffer. It also | |
380 | ``buries'' the mail buffer, putting it at the lowest priority for | |
381 | reselection. This is the usual command for sending a message. | |
382 | ||
383 | @findex message-send-and-exit | |
384 | The command @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{message-send}) sends the message | |
385 | and marks the mail buffer unmodified, but leaves the buffer selected. | |
386 | Use this command if you want to modify the message (perhaps with new | |
387 | recipients) and send it again. | |
388 | ||
389 | @vindex message-send-hook | |
390 | Sending a message runs the hook @code{message-send-hook}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
391 | |
392 | In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the | |
2b02353b RS |
393 | modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. Also, you |
394 | don't get a warning if you try to send the same message twice. | |
6bf7aab6 | 395 | |
e73c2434 CY |
396 | @vindex sendmail-coding-system |
397 | When you send a message containing non-@acronym{ASCII} characters, | |
398 | they need to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). | |
399 | Usually the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen | |
400 | language environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can | |
401 | explicitly specify the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the | |
402 | variable @code{sendmail-coding-system} (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). If | |
403 | the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in a | |
404 | particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use, | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
405 | showing a list of possible coding systems. |
406 | ||
b1d28079 SJ |
407 | @cindex SMTP |
408 | @cindex Feedmail | |
409 | @cindex Sendmail | |
df1a3e06 | 410 | @cindex Mailclient |
b1d28079 SJ |
411 | @vindex send-mail-function |
412 | The variable @code{send-mail-function} controls how the default mail | |
8233e79a CY |
413 | user agent sends mail. Its value should be a function, which can be |
414 | one of the following: | |
415 | ||
416 | @table @code | |
417 | @item sendmail-send-it | |
418 | Send mail using the system's default @command{sendmail} (or | |
419 | @command{sendmail}-compatible) program. This is the default on Unix | |
420 | and GNU, and works provided the system is a valid @dfn{mail host} | |
421 | (that is, provided it can deliver mail via SMTP). | |
422 | ||
423 | @item mailclient-send-it | |
424 | Pass the mail buffer on to the system's designated mail client (see | |
425 | @file{mailclient.el}). This is the default on Mac OS X and | |
426 | MS-Windows. | |
427 | ||
428 | @item smtpmail-send-it | |
429 | Send mail through an external mail host (e.g., your Internet service | |
430 | provider's SMTP server). You will need to tell Emacs how to contact | |
431 | the SMTP server, by customizing the variables | |
432 | @code{smtpmail-smtp-server} and @code{smtpmail-auth-credentials}. | |
433 | @xref{Top,,Emacs SMTP Library, smtpmail, Sending mail via SMTP}. | |
434 | ||
435 | @item feedmail-send-it | |
436 | This is similar to @code{sendmail-send-it}, but allows you to queue | |
437 | messages for later sending. See the commentary section in the file | |
438 | @file{feedmail.el} for more information. | |
439 | @end table | |
b1d28079 | 440 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
441 | @node Header Editing |
442 | @subsection Mail Header Editing | |
443 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
444 | Message mode provides the following special commands to move to |
445 | particular header fields and to complete addresses in headers. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
446 | |
447 | @table @kbd | |
448 | @item C-c C-f C-t | |
e73c2434 | 449 | Move to the @samp{To} header (@code{message-goto-to}). |
6bf7aab6 | 450 | @item C-c C-f C-s |
e73c2434 | 451 | Move to the @samp{Subject} header (@code{message-goto-subject}). |
6bf7aab6 | 452 | @item C-c C-f C-c |
e73c2434 | 453 | Move to the @samp{CC} header (@code{message-goto-cc}). |
6bf7aab6 | 454 | @item C-c C-f C-b |
e73c2434 | 455 | Move to the @samp{BCC} header (@code{message-goto-bcc}). |
df1a3e06 | 456 | @item C-c C-f C-r |
e73c2434 | 457 | Move to the @samp{Reply-To} header (@code{message-goto-reply-to}). |
6bf7aab6 | 458 | @item C-c C-f C-f |
e73c2434 CY |
459 | Move to the @samp{Mail-Followup-To} header field |
460 | (@code{message-goto-followup-to}). | |
461 | @item C-c C-f C-w | |
df1a3e06 | 462 | Add a new @samp{FCC} header field, with file-name completion |
e73c2434 CY |
463 | (@code{message-goto-fcc}). |
464 | @item C-c C-b | |
465 | Move to the start of the message body (@code{message-goto-body}). | |
466 | @item @key{TAB} | |
467 | Complete a mailing address (@code{message-tab}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
468 | @end table |
469 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
470 | @kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Message mode)} |
471 | @findex message-goto-to | |
472 | @kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Message mode)} | |
473 | @findex message-goto-subject | |
474 | @kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Message mode)} | |
475 | @findex message-goto-cc | |
476 | @kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Message mode)} | |
477 | @findex message-goto-bcc | |
478 | @kindex C-c C-f C-r @r{(Message mode)} | |
479 | @findex goto-reply-to | |
480 | @kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Message mode)} | |
481 | @findex goto-followup-to | |
482 | @kindex C-c C-f C-w @r{(Message mode)} | |
483 | @findex message-goto-fcc | |
484 | The commands to move point to particular header fields are all based | |
485 | on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). If the | |
486 | field in question does not exist, the command creates one (the | |
487 | exception is @code{mail-fcc}, which creates a new field each time). | |
488 | ||
489 | @kindex C-c C-b @r{(Message mode)} | |
490 | @findex mail-text | |
491 | The command @kbd{C-c C-b} (@code{message-goto-body}) moves point to | |
492 | just after the header separator line---that is, to the beginning of | |
493 | the body. | |
494 | ||
495 | @findex message-tab | |
496 | @kindex TAB @r{(Message mode)} | |
497 | While editing a header field that contains addresses, such as | |
498 | @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete an address by | |
499 | typing @key{TAB} (@code{message-tab}). This attempts to insert the | |
500 | full name corresponding to the address based on a couple of methods, | |
501 | including EUDC, a library that recognizes a number of directory server | |
502 | protocols (@pxref{Top,,EUDC,eudc, The Emacs Unified Directory | |
503 | Client}). Failing that, it attempts to expand the address as a mail | |
504 | alias (@pxref{Mail Aliases}). If point is on a header field that does | |
505 | not take addresses, or if it is in the message body, then @key{TAB} | |
506 | just inserts a tab character. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
507 | |
508 | @node Citing Mail | |
509 | @subsection Citing Mail | |
510 | @cindex citing mail | |
511 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
512 | @table @kbd |
513 | @item C-c C-y | |
e73c2434 | 514 | Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{message-yank-original}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
515 | @item C-c C-q |
516 | Fill each paragraph cited from another message | |
e73c2434 | 517 | (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
518 | @end table |
519 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
520 | @kindex C-c C-y @r{(Message mode)} |
521 | @findex message-yank-original | |
522 | @findex message-yank-prefix | |
523 | You can use the command @kbd{C-c C-y} (@code{message-yank-original}) | |
524 | to @dfn{cite} a message that you are replying to. This inserts the | |
525 | text of that message into the mail buffer. This command is active | |
526 | only when the mail buffer is invoked from a mail program running in | |
527 | Emacs, such as Rmail. | |
528 | ||
529 | By default, Emacs inserts the string @samp{>} in front of each line | |
530 | of the cited text; this prefix string is specified by the variable | |
531 | @code{message-yank-prefix}. If you call @code{message-yank-original} | |
532 | with a prefix argument, the citation prefix is not inserted. | |
533 | ||
534 | @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Message mode)} | |
6bf7aab6 | 535 | @findex mail-fill-yanked-message |
e73c2434 CY |
536 | After using @kbd{C-c C-y}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q} |
537 | (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the | |
538 | cited message. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such paragraphs, | |
539 | each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the quoted | |
540 | message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically handle the | |
541 | type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
542 | explicitly. @xref{Filling}. |
543 | ||
df1a3e06 GM |
544 | @vindex mail-citation-hook |
545 | You can customize mail citation through the hook | |
546 | @code{mail-citation-hook}. For example, you can use the Supercite | |
547 | package, which provides more flexible citation | |
548 | (@pxref{Introduction,,,sc, Supercite}). | |
549 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
550 | @node Mail Misc |
551 | @subsection Mail Miscellany | |
df1a3e06 | 552 | |
e73c2434 CY |
553 | @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Message mode)} |
554 | @findex mail-attach-file | |
555 | @cindex MIME | |
556 | @cindex Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions | |
557 | You can @dfn{attach} a file to an outgoing message by typing | |
558 | @kbd{C-c C-a} (@code{mml-attach-file}) in the mail buffer. Attaching | |
c3760c17 EZ |
559 | is done using the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions |
560 | (@acronym{MIME}) standard. | |
e73c2434 CY |
561 | |
562 | The @code{mml-attach-file} command prompts for the name of the file, | |
563 | and for the attachment's @dfn{content type}, @dfn{description}, and | |
564 | @dfn{disposition}. The content type is normally detected | |
565 | automatically; just type @key{RET} to accept the default. The | |
566 | description is a single line of text that the recipient will see next | |
567 | to the attachment; you may also choose to leave this empty. The | |
568 | disposition is either @samp{inline} (the default), which means the | |
569 | recipient will see a link to the attachment within the message body, | |
570 | or @samp{attachment}, which means the link will be separate from the | |
571 | body. | |
572 | ||
c3760c17 EZ |
573 | @findex mail-add-attachment |
574 | The @code{mml-attach-file} command is specific to Message mode; in | |
575 | Mail mode use @kbd{mail-add-attachment} instead. It will prompt only | |
576 | for the name of the file, and will determine the content type and the | |
577 | disposition automatically. If you want to include some description of | |
578 | the attached file, type that in the message body. | |
579 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
580 | The actual contents of the attached file are not inserted into the |
581 | mail buffer. Instead, some placeholder text is inserted into the mail | |
582 | buffer, like this: | |
6bf7aab6 | 583 | |
e73c2434 CY |
584 | @smallexample |
585 | <#part type="text/plain" filename="~/foo.txt" disposition=inline> | |
586 | <#/part> | |
587 | @end smallexample | |
6bf7aab6 | 588 | |
e73c2434 CY |
589 | @noindent |
590 | When you type @kbd{C-c C-c} or @kbd{C-c C-s} to send the message, the | |
591 | attached file will be delivered with it. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
592 | |
593 | @findex ispell-message | |
e73c2434 CY |
594 | While composing a message, you can do spelling correction on the |
595 | message text by typing @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked | |
596 | an incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what | |
597 | was yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted (it | |
598 | looks for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the | |
599 | cited lines from your input). @xref{Spelling}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
600 | |
601 | @vindex mail-mode-hook | |
602 | @vindex mail-setup-hook | |
e73c2434 CY |
603 | Turning on Message mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs |
604 | the normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{message-mode-hook}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 605 | Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook |
e73c2434 CY |
606 | @code{message-setup-hook}; you can use this hook if you want to make |
607 | changes to the appearance of the mail buffer. @xref{Hooks}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
608 | |
609 | The main difference between these hooks is just when they are | |
e73c2434 CY |
610 | invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{C-x m}, @code{message-mode-hook} runs |
611 | as soon as the mail buffer is created. Then the @code{message-setup} | |
612 | function inserts the default contents of the buffer. After these | |
613 | default contents are inserted, @code{message-setup-hook} runs. | |
614 | ||
615 | If you use @kbd{C-x m} to continue an existing composition, | |
616 | @code{message-mode-hook} runs immediately after switching to the mail | |
617 | buffer. If the buffer is unmodified, or if you decide to erase it and | |
618 | start again, @code{message-setup-hook} runs after the default contents | |
619 | are inserted. | |
620 | ||
621 | @node Mail Signature | |
622 | @section Mail Signature | |
623 | ||
624 | @cindex mail signature | |
625 | @vindex mail-signature-file | |
626 | @vindex mail-signature | |
627 | You can add a standard piece of text---your @dfn{mail | |
628 | signature}---to the end of every message. This signature may contain | |
629 | information such as your telephone number or your physical location. | |
630 | The variable @code{mail-signature} determines how Emacs handles the | |
631 | mail signature. | |
632 | ||
633 | The default value of @code{mail-signature} is @code{t}; this means | |
634 | to look for your mail signature in the file @file{~/.signature}. If | |
635 | this file exists, its contents are automatically inserted into the end | |
636 | of the mail buffer. You can change the signature file via the | |
637 | variable @code{mail-signature-file}. | |
638 | ||
639 | If you change @code{mail-signature} to a string, that specifies the | |
640 | text of the signature directly. | |
641 | ||
642 | @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Message mode)} | |
643 | @findex message-insert-signature | |
644 | If you change @code{mail-signature} to @code{nil}, Emacs will not | |
645 | insert your mail signature automatically. You can insert your mail | |
646 | signature by typing @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{message-insert-signature}) in | |
647 | the mail buffer. Emacs will look for your signature in the signature | |
648 | file. | |
649 | ||
650 | By convention, a mail signature should be marked by a line whose | |
651 | contents are @samp{-- }. If your signature lacks this prefix, it is | |
652 | added for you. The remainder of your signature should be no more than | |
653 | four lines. | |
df1a3e06 | 654 | |
2e2cdb68 RS |
655 | @node Mail Amusements |
656 | @section Mail Amusements | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
657 | |
658 | @findex spook | |
659 | @cindex NSA | |
660 | @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing | |
661 | mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest | |
662 | you are discussing something subversive. | |
663 | ||
2394fd21 | 664 | The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the |
df1a3e06 GM |
665 | NSA@footnote{The US National Security Agency.} and other intelligence |
666 | agencies snoop on all electronic mail messages that contain keywords | |
667 | suggesting they might find them interesting. (The agencies say that | |
668 | they don't, but that's what they @emph{would} say.) The idea is that if | |
669 | lots of people add suspicious words to their messages, the agencies will | |
670 | get so busy with spurious input that they will have to give up reading | |
671 | it all. Whether or not this is true, it at least amuses some people. | |
6bf7aab6 | 672 | |
58eca4a5 | 673 | @findex fortune-to-signature |
58eca4a5 | 674 | @cindex fortune cookies |
2e2cdb68 | 675 | You can use the @code{fortune} program to put a ``fortune cookie'' |
7fc1fe09 | 676 | message into outgoing mail. To do this, add |
2e2cdb68 RS |
677 | @code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook}: |
678 | ||
679 | @example | |
680 | (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature) | |
681 | @end example | |
58eca4a5 | 682 | |
df1a3e06 GM |
683 | @noindent |
684 | You will probably need to set the variable @code{fortune-file} before | |
685 | using this. | |
686 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
687 | @node Mail Methods |
688 | @section Mail-Composition Methods | |
689 | @cindex mail-composition methods | |
e73c2434 CY |
690 | @cindex Mail mode |
691 | @cindex mode, Mail | |
6bf7aab6 | 692 | |
26064e9b DL |
693 | @cindex MH mail interface |
694 | @cindex Message mode for sending mail | |
2e2cdb68 | 695 | In this chapter we have described the usual Emacs mode for editing |
e73c2434 CY |
696 | and sending mail---Message mode. This is only one of several |
697 | available modes. Prior to Emacs 23.2, the default mode was Mail mode, | |
698 | which is similar to Message mode in many respects but lacks features | |
699 | such as MIME support. Another available mode is MH-E | |
700 | (@pxref{Top,,MH-E,mh-e, The Emacs Interface to MH}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
701 | |
702 | @vindex mail-user-agent | |
e73c2434 CY |
703 | You can choose any of these @dfn{mail user agents} as your preferred |
704 | method for editing and sending mail. The commands @code{C-x m}, | |
705 | @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use whichever agent you have | |
706 | specified; so do various other parts of Emacs that send mail, such as | |
707 | the bug reporter (@pxref{Bugs}). To specify a mail user agent, | |
708 | customize the variable @code{mail-user-agent}. Currently, legitimate | |
709 | values include @code{message-user-agent} (Message mode) | |
710 | @code{sendmail-user-agent} (Mail mode), @code{gnus-user-agent}, and | |
711 | @code{mh-e-user-agent}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 712 | |
2e2cdb68 | 713 | If you select a different mail-composition method, the information |
e73c2434 CY |
714 | in this chapter about the mail buffer and Message mode does not apply; |
715 | the other methods use a different format of text in a different | |
2e2cdb68 | 716 | buffer, and their commands are different as well. |
ab5796a9 | 717 | |
df1a3e06 GM |
718 | @vindex read-mail-command |
719 | Similarly, to specify your preferred method for reading mail, | |
720 | customize the variable @code{read-mail-command}. The default is | |
721 | @code{rmail} (@pxref{Rmail}). |