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