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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
ab422c4d PE |
2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2001-2013 Free Software |
3 | @c Foundation, Inc. | |
6bf7aab6 | 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
856ce114 | 5 | @node Rmail |
6bf7aab6 DL |
6 | @chapter Reading Mail with Rmail |
7 | @cindex Rmail | |
8 | @cindex reading mail | |
9 | @findex rmail | |
10 | @findex rmail-mode | |
11 | @vindex rmail-mode-hook | |
12 | ||
9dd617a6 | 13 | Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that |
49b5c0e8 | 14 | you receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files. |
9d5de6f8 | 15 | Reading the messages in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode, |
49b5c0e8 | 16 | Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing mail. |
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17 | @menu |
18 | * Basic: Rmail Basics. Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use. | |
19 | * Scroll: Rmail Scrolling. Scrolling through a message. | |
20 | * Motion: Rmail Motion. Moving to another message. | |
21 | * Deletion: Rmail Deletion. Deleting and expunging messages. | |
22 | * Inbox: Rmail Inbox. How mail gets into the Rmail file. | |
23 | * Files: Rmail Files. Using multiple Rmail files. | |
8838673e | 24 | * Output: Rmail Output. Copying messages out to files. |
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25 | * Labels: Rmail Labels. Classifying messages by labeling them. |
26 | * Attrs: Rmail Attributes. Certain standard labels, called attributes. | |
27 | * Reply: Rmail Reply. Sending replies to messages you are viewing. | |
28 | * Summary: Rmail Summary. Summaries show brief info on many messages. | |
29 | * Sort: Rmail Sorting. Sorting messages in Rmail. | |
30 | * Display: Rmail Display. How Rmail displays a message; customization. | |
358f71fd | 31 | * Coding: Rmail Coding. How Rmail handles decoding character sets. |
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32 | * Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail. |
33 | * Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message. | |
8838673e | 34 | * Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code. |
ea20444b | 35 | * Movemail:: More details of fetching new mail. |
79fc530e GM |
36 | * Remote Mailboxes:: Retrieving mail from remote mailboxes. |
37 | * Other Mailbox Formats:: Retrieving mail from local mailboxes in | |
38 | various formats. | |
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39 | @end menu |
40 | ||
41 | @node Rmail Basics | |
42 | @section Basic Concepts of Rmail | |
43 | ||
44 | @cindex primary Rmail file | |
45 | @vindex rmail-file-name | |
46 | Using Rmail in the simplest fashion, you have one Rmail file | |
47 | @file{~/RMAIL} in which all of your mail is saved. It is called your | |
48 | @dfn{primary Rmail file}. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} reads your primary | |
49 | Rmail file, merges new mail in from your inboxes, displays the first | |
50 | message you haven't read yet, and lets you begin reading. The variable | |
51 | @code{rmail-file-name} specifies the name of the primary Rmail file. | |
52 | ||
5f50b807 | 53 | Rmail displays only one message in the Rmail file at a time. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
54 | The message that is shown is called the @dfn{current message}. Rmail |
55 | mode's special commands can do such things as delete the current | |
56 | message, copy it into another file, send a reply, or move to another | |
57 | message. You can also create multiple Rmail files and use Rmail to move | |
58 | messages between them. | |
59 | ||
60 | @cindex message number | |
61 | Within the Rmail file, messages are normally arranged sequentially in | |
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62 | order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them (@pxref{Rmail |
63 | Sorting}). Messages are identified by consecutive integers which are | |
64 | their @dfn{message numbers}. The number of the current message is | |
65 | displayed in Rmail's mode line, followed by the total number of messages | |
66 | in the file. You can move to a message by specifying its message number | |
67 | with the @kbd{j} key (@pxref{Rmail Motion}). | |
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68 | |
69 | @kindex s @r{(Rmail)} | |
00aa62e5 | 70 | @findex rmail-expunge-and-save |
6bf7aab6 | 71 | Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file |
9dd617a6 | 72 | become permanent only when you save the file. You can save it with |
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73 | @kbd{s} (@code{rmail-expunge-and-save}), which also expunges deleted |
74 | messages from the file first (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). To save the | |
75 | file without expunging, use @kbd{C-x C-s}. Rmail also saves the Rmail | |
76 | file after merging new mail from an inbox file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). | |
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77 | |
78 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail)} | |
79 | @findex rmail-quit | |
80 | @kindex b @r{(Rmail)} | |
81 | @findex rmail-bury | |
32823124 LT |
82 | You can exit Rmail with @kbd{q} (@code{rmail-quit}); this expunges |
83 | and saves the Rmail file, then buries the Rmail buffer as well as its | |
d190d8c8 | 84 | summary buffer, if present (@pxref{Rmail Summary}). But there is no |
32823124 | 85 | need to ``exit'' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in |
9dd617a6 RS |
86 | other buffers, and never switch back, you have exited. Just make sure |
87 | to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have | |
88 | changed). @kbd{C-x s} is a suitable way to do this (@pxref{Save | |
89 | Commands}). The Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, buries the | |
b474519e | 90 | Rmail buffer and its summary without expunging and saving the Rmail file. |
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91 | |
92 | @node Rmail Scrolling | |
93 | @section Scrolling Within a Message | |
94 | ||
95 | When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you | |
177c0ea7 | 96 | must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with |
6bf7aab6 | 97 | @kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so |
9dd617a6 | 98 | frequent that it deserves to be easier. |
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99 | |
100 | @table @kbd | |
101 | @item @key{SPC} | |
550f41cd | 102 | Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up-command}). |
6bf7aab6 | 103 | @item @key{DEL} |
550f41cd | 104 | Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down-command}). |
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105 | @item . |
106 | Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). | |
a941a443 CY |
107 | @item / |
108 | Scroll to end of message (@code{rmail-end-of-message}). | |
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109 | @end table |
110 | ||
111 | @kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} | |
112 | @kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} | |
550f41cd CY |
113 | Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to |
114 | scroll through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} | |
115 | do the same as @kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up-command}) and @kbd{M-v} | |
116 | (@code{scroll-down-command}) respectively. | |
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117 | |
118 | @kindex . @r{(Rmail)} | |
a941a443 | 119 | @kindex / @r{(Rmail)} |
6bf7aab6 | 120 | @findex rmail-beginning-of-message |
a941a443 | 121 | @findex rmail-end-of-message |
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122 | The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the |
123 | beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: | |
124 | for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer | |
04242bdc | 125 | boundaries of the current message if you have changed them. Similarly, |
a941a443 CY |
126 | the command @kbd{/} (@code{rmail-end-of-message}) scrolls forward to the end |
127 | of the selected message. | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
128 | @c The comment about buffer boundaries is still true in mbox Rmail, if |
129 | @c less likely to be relevant. | |
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130 | |
131 | @node Rmail Motion | |
132 | @section Moving Among Messages | |
133 | ||
134 | The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to | |
135 | do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is | |
136 | to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of | |
137 | receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the | |
138 | first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one | |
139 | that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move | |
b8f86df3 | 140 | forward to see the other new messages; move backward to re-examine old |
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141 | messages. |
142 | ||
143 | @table @kbd | |
144 | @item n | |
145 | Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted | |
146 | messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). | |
147 | @item p | |
148 | Move to the previous nondeleted message | |
149 | (@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). | |
150 | @item M-n | |
151 | Move to the next message, including deleted messages | |
152 | (@code{rmail-next-message}). | |
153 | @item M-p | |
154 | Move to the previous message, including deleted messages | |
155 | (@code{rmail-previous-message}). | |
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156 | @item C-c C-n |
157 | Move to the next message with the same subject as the current one | |
158 | (@code{rmail-next-same-subject}). | |
159 | @item C-c C-p | |
160 | Move to the previous message with the same subject as the current one | |
161 | (@code{rmail-previous-same-subject}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
162 | @item j |
163 | Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to | |
164 | message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). | |
165 | @item > | |
166 | Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). | |
167 | @item < | |
168 | Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). | |
169 | ||
170 | @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
171 | Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} | |
172 | (@code{rmail-search}). | |
173 | ||
174 | @item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
175 | Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
176 | @end table | |
177 | ||
178 | @kindex n @r{(Rmail)} | |
179 | @kindex p @r{(Rmail)} | |
180 | @kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
181 | @kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
182 | @findex rmail-next-undeleted-message | |
183 | @findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message | |
184 | @findex rmail-next-message | |
185 | @findex rmail-previous-message | |
186 | @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in | |
187 | Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over | |
188 | deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command | |
189 | definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and | |
190 | @code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip | |
191 | deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to | |
192 | undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} | |
193 | (@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A | |
194 | numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat | |
9dd617a6 | 195 | count. |
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196 | |
197 | In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the | |
198 | digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. | |
199 | ||
200 | @kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
201 | @findex rmail-search | |
202 | @cindex searching in Rmail | |
203 | The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of | |
204 | search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, | |
205 | but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of | |
206 | @kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular | |
207 | expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at | |
208 | the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects | |
209 | that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp | |
210 | used the previous time. | |
211 | ||
212 | To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a | |
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213 | negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. This |
214 | begins searching from the end of the previous message. | |
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215 | |
216 | It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. | |
217 | @xref{Rmail Labels}. | |
218 | ||
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219 | @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Rmail)} |
220 | @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
221 | @findex rmail-next-same-subject | |
222 | @findex rmail-previous-same-subject | |
223 | The @kbd{C-c C-n} (@code{rmail-next-same-subject}) command moves to | |
224 | the next message with the same subject as the current one. A prefix | |
225 | argument serves as a repeat count. With a negative argument, this | |
226 | command moves backward, acting like @kbd{C-c C-p} | |
749c6447 | 227 | (@code{rmail-previous-same-subject}). When comparing subjects, these |
04242bdc | 228 | commands ignore the prefixes typically added to the subjects of replies. |
505e70c3 | 229 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
230 | @kindex j @r{(Rmail)} |
231 | @kindex > @r{(Rmail)} | |
232 | @kindex < @r{(Rmail)} | |
233 | @findex rmail-show-message | |
234 | @findex rmail-last-message | |
235 | @findex rmail-first-message | |
236 | To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} | |
237 | (@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With | |
238 | no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} | |
239 | (@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} | |
240 | (@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. | |
241 | ||
242 | @node Rmail Deletion | |
243 | @section Deleting Messages | |
244 | ||
245 | @cindex deletion (Rmail) | |
246 | When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This | |
247 | flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer | |
248 | present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its | |
249 | message number. | |
250 | ||
251 | @cindex expunging (Rmail) | |
252 | @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. | |
04242bdc GM |
253 | The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. |
254 | @c The following is neither true (there is also unforward, sorting, | |
255 | @c etc), nor especially interesting. | |
256 | @c Expunging is the only action that changes the message number of any | |
257 | @c message, except for undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). | |
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258 | |
259 | @table @kbd | |
260 | @item d | |
261 | Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message | |
262 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}). | |
263 | @item C-d | |
264 | Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted | |
265 | message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). | |
266 | @item u | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
267 | Undelete the current message, or move back to the previous deleted |
268 | message and undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
269 | @item x |
270 | Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). | |
271 | @end table | |
272 | ||
273 | @kindex d @r{(Rmail)} | |
274 | @kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} | |
275 | @findex rmail-delete-forward | |
276 | @findex rmail-delete-backward | |
277 | There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the | |
b474519e | 278 | current message and select another. @kbd{d} |
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279 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping |
280 | messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) | |
281 | moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted | |
3d963b67 GM |
282 | message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just |
283 | deleted remains current. @kbd{d} with a prefix argument is equivalent | |
284 | to @kbd{C-d}. Note that the Rmail summary versions of these commands | |
285 | behave slightly differently (@pxref{Rmail Summary Edit}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 286 | |
1df7defd | 287 | @c mention other hooks, e.g., show message hook? |
6bf7aab6 | 288 | @vindex rmail-delete-message-hook |
b8f86df3 | 289 | Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook |
6bf7aab6 DL |
290 | @code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, |
291 | the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message | |
292 | in the Rmail buffer. | |
293 | ||
294 | @cindex undeletion (Rmail) | |
295 | @kindex x @r{(Rmail)} | |
296 | @findex rmail-expunge | |
297 | @kindex u @r{(Rmail)} | |
298 | @findex rmail-undelete-previous-message | |
299 | To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, | |
300 | type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still | |
301 | @dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} | |
302 | (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the | |
303 | effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current | |
304 | message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward | |
305 | to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes | |
306 | that message. | |
307 | ||
308 | You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} | |
309 | moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But | |
310 | this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages | |
311 | that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command | |
312 | undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean | |
313 | way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, | |
314 | you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to | |
315 | undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with | |
316 | the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. | |
317 | ||
318 | A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result | |
319 | @samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is | |
320 | deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than | |
321 | adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. | |
322 | ||
323 | @node Rmail Inbox | |
324 | @section Rmail Files and Inboxes | |
325 | @cindex inbox file | |
326 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
327 | When you receive mail locally, the operating system places incoming |
328 | mail for you in a file that we call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start | |
329 | up Rmail, it runs a C program called @code{movemail} to copy the new | |
330 | messages from your local inbox into your primary Rmail file, which | |
331 | also contains other messages saved from previous Rmail sessions. It | |
332 | is in this file that you actually read the mail with Rmail. This | |
333 | operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You can get new mail at | |
334 | any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. | |
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335 | |
336 | @vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list | |
60a96371 | 337 | @cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable |
6bf7aab6 | 338 | The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the |
b474519e | 339 | files that are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set |
9d5de6f8 GM |
340 | this variable explicitly, Rmail uses the @env{MAIL} environment |
341 | variable, or, as a last resort, a default inbox based on | |
342 | @code{rmail-spool-directory}. The default inbox file depends on your | |
343 | operating system; often it is @file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, | |
344 | @file{/var/spool/mail/@var{username}}, or | |
345 | @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 346 | |
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347 | You can specify the inbox file(s) for any Rmail file for the current |
348 | session with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see @ref{Rmail | |
349 | Files}. | |
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350 | |
351 | There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. | |
352 | ||
353 | @enumerate | |
354 | @item | |
355 | The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to | |
356 | the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know | |
357 | about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all | |
358 | of them to Rmail's own format. | |
359 | ||
360 | @item | |
361 | It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing | |
362 | mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. | |
363 | Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking | |
364 | techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for | |
365 | all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all | |
366 | the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. | |
367 | @end enumerate | |
368 | ||
b474519e | 369 | @c FIXME remove this in Emacs 25; won't be relevant any more. |
9d5de6f8 GM |
370 | Rmail was originally written to use the Babyl format as its internal |
371 | format. Since then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format | |
372 | (@samp{mbox}) on Unix and GNU systems is adequate for the job, and so | |
373 | since Emacs 23 Rmail uses that as its internal format. The Rmail file | |
374 | is still separate from the inbox file, even though their format is the | |
375 | same. | |
6bf7aab6 | 376 | |
1be48cfa | 377 | @vindex rmail-preserve-inbox |
9dd617a6 RS |
378 | When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the |
379 | inbox file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it | |
380 | clears out the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause | |
381 | duplication of mail between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot | |
382 | lose mail. If @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
383 | Rmail does not clear out the inbox file when it gets new mail. You | |
384 | may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you use to | |
385 | check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will remain | |
386 | on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. | |
1be48cfa RS |
387 | |
388 | In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file | |
389 | indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail | |
390 | from the inbox to an intermediate file called | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
391 | @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}}, in the same directory as the Rmail |
392 | file. Then Rmail merges the new mail from that file, saves the Rmail | |
393 | file, and only then deletes the intermediate file. If there is a crash | |
394 | at the wrong time, this file continues to exist, and Rmail will use it | |
395 | again the next time it gets new mail from that inbox. | |
1be48cfa RS |
396 | |
397 | If Rmail is unable to convert the data in | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
398 | @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into mbox format, it renames the file to |
399 | @file{RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the name | |
400 | unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. You | |
401 | should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail (probably | |
402 | one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code 037), and | |
403 | delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from the | |
404 | corrected file. | |
1be48cfa | 405 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
406 | @node Rmail Files |
407 | @section Multiple Rmail Files | |
408 | ||
409 | Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named | |
410 | @file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. | |
411 | But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These | |
412 | files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages | |
413 | into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
414 | ||
415 | @table @kbd | |
416 | @item i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
417 | Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). | |
418 | ||
419 | @item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} | |
420 | Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. | |
421 | ||
422 | @item g | |
423 | Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes | |
424 | (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). | |
425 | ||
426 | @item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} | |
427 | Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. | |
428 | @end table | |
429 | ||
430 | @kindex i @r{(Rmail)} | |
431 | @findex rmail-input | |
9dd617a6 | 432 | To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you can use |
6bf7aab6 DL |
433 | the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file |
434 | in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
435 | Rmail, but it is easier to type @kbd{C-u M-x rmail}, which does the |
436 | same thing. | |
6bf7aab6 | 437 | |
5f50b807 RS |
438 | The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid mbox file. |
439 | If it is not, Rmail tries to convert its text to mbox format, and | |
440 | visits the converted text in the buffer. If you save the buffer, that | |
441 | converts the file. | |
442 | ||
443 | If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} initializes a | |
444 | new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
445 | |
446 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory | |
447 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp | |
9dd617a6 RS |
448 | You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. In the Classify menu, |
449 | choose the Input Rmail File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. | |
450 | The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
451 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
452 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
453 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match |
454 | the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select this menu | |
455 | item. These variables also apply to choosing a file for output | |
456 | (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
b474519e | 457 | @c FIXME matches only checked when Rmail file first visited? |
6bf7aab6 | 458 | |
5f50b807 | 459 | @ignore |
6bf7aab6 DL |
460 | @findex set-rmail-inbox-list |
461 | Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify | |
462 | this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} | |
463 | @key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated | |
464 | by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should | |
9dd617a6 RS |
465 | have no inboxes. Once you specify a list of inboxes in an Rmail file, |
466 | the Rmail file remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. | |
5f50b807 | 467 | @end ignore |
6bf7aab6 | 468 | |
5f50b807 RS |
469 | @vindex rmail-inbox-list |
470 | The inbox files to use are specified by the variable | |
471 | @code{rmail-inbox-list}, which is buffer-local in Rmail mode. As a | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
472 | special exception, if you have specified no inbox files for your primary |
473 | Rmail file, it uses the @env{MAIL} environment variable, or your | |
474 | standard system inbox. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
475 | |
476 | @kindex g @r{(Rmail)} | |
477 | @findex rmail-get-new-mail | |
478 | The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the | |
9dd617a6 RS |
479 | current Rmail file from its inboxes. If the Rmail file has no |
480 | inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} also | |
481 | merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
482 | |
483 | To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the | |
484 | @kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file | |
485 | name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or | |
486 | changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, | |
487 | therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. | |
488 | ||
489 | @node Rmail Output | |
490 | @section Copying Messages Out to Files | |
491 | ||
492 | These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. | |
493 | ||
494 | @table @kbd | |
495 | @item o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
5f50b807 RS |
496 | Append a full copy of the current message to the file @var{file} |
497 | (@code{rmail-output}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
498 | |
499 | @item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
5f50b807 RS |
500 | Append a copy of the current message, as displayed, to the file |
501 | @var{file} (@code{rmail-output-as-seen}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
502 | |
503 | @item w @var{file} @key{RET} | |
504 | Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default | |
505 | file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. | |
506 | @end table | |
507 | ||
508 | @kindex o @r{(Rmail)} | |
5f50b807 | 509 | @findex rmail-output-as-seen |
6bf7aab6 DL |
510 | @kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} |
511 | @findex rmail-output | |
512 | The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a | |
5f50b807 RS |
513 | specified file, adding it at the end. The two commands differ mainly |
514 | in how much to copy: @kbd{o} copies the full message headers, even if | |
515 | they are not all visible, while @kbd{C-o} copies exactly the headers | |
516 | currently displayed and no more. @xref{Rmail Display}. In addition, | |
517 | @kbd{o} converts the message to Babyl format (used by Rmail in Emacs | |
518 | version 22 and before) if the file is in Babyl format; @kbd{C-o} | |
519 | cannot output to Babyl files at all. | |
b474519e | 520 | @c FIXME remove BABYL mention in Emacs 25? |
5f50b807 RS |
521 | |
522 | If the output file is currently visited in an Emacs buffer, the | |
523 | output commands append the message to that buffer. It is up to you to | |
524 | save the buffer eventually in its file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
525 | |
526 | @kindex w @r{(Rmail)} | |
527 | @findex rmail-output-body-to-file | |
528 | Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a | |
529 | file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) | |
530 | with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often | |
531 | these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} | |
532 | field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the | |
533 | default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using | |
534 | the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. | |
535 | ||
536 | You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. | |
9dd617a6 RS |
537 | In the Classify menu, choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then |
538 | choose the Rmail file you want. This outputs the current message to | |
539 | that file, like the @kbd{o} command. The variables | |
540 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
541 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
542 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9dd617a6 | 543 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that |
9d5de6f8 GM |
544 | match the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select |
545 | this menu item. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
546 | |
547 | @vindex rmail-delete-after-output | |
32823124 LT |
548 | Copying a message with @kbd{o} or @kbd{C-o} gives the original copy |
549 | of the message the @samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} | |
5f50b807 RS |
550 | appears in the mode line when such a message is current. |
551 | ||
552 | If you like to keep just a single copy of every mail message, set | |
553 | the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output} to @code{t}; then the | |
554 | @kbd{o}, @kbd{C-o} and @kbd{w} commands delete the original message | |
555 | after copying it. (You can undelete it afterward if you wish.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
556 | |
557 | @vindex rmail-output-file-alist | |
558 | The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify | |
559 | intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the | |
560 | current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this | |
561 | form: | |
562 | ||
563 | @example | |
564 | (@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) | |
565 | @end example | |
566 | ||
567 | @noindent | |
568 | If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the | |
569 | default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements | |
570 | match the message, the first matching element decides the default file | |
571 | name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving | |
572 | the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression | |
573 | that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} | |
574 | applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. | |
575 | ||
01d06b1f GM |
576 | @vindex rmail-automatic-folder-directives |
577 | Rmail can automatically save messages from your primary Rmail file | |
578 | (the one that @code{rmail-file-name} specifies) to other files, based | |
579 | on the value of the variable @code{rmail-automatic-folder-directives}. | |
580 | This variable is a list of elements (@samp{directives}) that say which | |
581 | messages to save where. Each directive is a list consisting of an | |
582 | output file, followed by one or more pairs of a header name and a regular | |
583 | expression. If a message has a header matching the specified regular | |
584 | expression, that message is saved to the given file. If the directive | |
585 | has more than one header entry, all must match. Rmail checks directives | |
586 | when it shows a message from the file @code{rmail-file-name}, and | |
587 | applies the first that matches (if any). If the output file is | |
588 | @code{nil}, the message is deleted, not saved. For example, you can use | |
589 | this feature to save messages from a particular address, or with a | |
590 | particular subject, to a dedicated file. | |
591 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
592 | @node Rmail Labels |
593 | @section Labels | |
594 | @cindex label (Rmail) | |
595 | @cindex attribute (Rmail) | |
596 | ||
597 | Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means | |
598 | of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different | |
599 | labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular | |
600 | message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to | |
601 | messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels | |
602 | are called @dfn{attributes}. | |
4714476b | 603 | @ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 | 604 | (@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) |
4714476b | 605 | @end ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 DL |
606 | All other labels are assigned only by users. |
607 | ||
608 | @table @kbd | |
609 | @item a @var{label} @key{RET} | |
610 | Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). | |
611 | @item k @var{label} @key{RET} | |
612 | Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). | |
613 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
614 | Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
615 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). | |
616 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
617 | Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
618 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). | |
32823124 LT |
619 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} |
620 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
621 | Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} |
622 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
623 | @end table | |
624 | ||
625 | @kindex a @r{(Rmail)} | |
626 | @kindex k @r{(Rmail)} | |
627 | @findex rmail-add-label | |
628 | @findex rmail-kill-label | |
629 | The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} | |
630 | (@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any | |
631 | label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it | |
632 | means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or | |
633 | removed. | |
634 | ||
635 | Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there | |
04242bdc | 636 | are three ways to use the labels: in moving, in summaries, and in sorting. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
637 | |
638 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
639 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
640 | @findex rmail-next-labeled-message | |
641 | @findex rmail-previous-labeled-message | |
ae742cb5 | 642 | @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} |
6bf7aab6 | 643 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has |
ae742cb5 CY |
644 | one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies |
645 | one or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} | |
646 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves | |
647 | backwards to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command | |
648 | serves as a repeat count. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
649 | |
650 | The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
651 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the | |
652 | messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The | |
653 | argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. | |
9dd617a6 | 654 | @xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
655 | |
656 | If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or | |
657 | @kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified | |
658 | for any of these commands. | |
659 | ||
04242bdc GM |
660 | @xref{Rmail Sorting}, for information on sorting messages with labels. |
661 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
662 | @node Rmail Attributes |
663 | @section Rmail Attributes | |
664 | ||
665 | Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
666 | meanings, and Rmail assigns them to messages automatically at |
667 | appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is | |
668 | a list of Rmail attributes: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
669 | |
670 | @table @samp | |
671 | @item unseen | |
672 | Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when | |
673 | they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made | |
674 | current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message | |
675 | that has this attribute. | |
676 | @item deleted | |
677 | Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and | |
678 | removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). | |
679 | @item filed | |
680 | Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the | |
32823124 | 681 | @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
682 | @item answered |
683 | Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} | |
684 | command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
685 | @item forwarded | |
686 | Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command | |
687 | (@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
688 | @item edited | |
689 | Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. | |
690 | @xref{Rmail Editing}. | |
691 | @item resent | |
692 | Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x | |
693 | rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
5f50b807 RS |
694 | @item retried |
695 | Means you have retried a failed outgoing message. Assigned by the | |
696 | command @kbd{M-x rmail-retry-failure}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
697 | @end table |
698 | ||
9dd617a6 | 699 | All other labels are assigned or removed only by users, and have no |
6bf7aab6 DL |
700 | standard meaning. |
701 | ||
702 | @node Rmail Reply | |
703 | @section Sending Replies | |
704 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
705 | Rmail has several commands to send outgoing mail. @xref{Sending |
706 | Mail}, for information on using Message mode, including certain | |
707 | features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents are | |
708 | the special commands of Rmail for entering the mail buffer. Note that | |
709 | the usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and | |
710 | @kbd{C-x 5 m}---also work normally in Rmail mode. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
711 | |
712 | @table @kbd | |
713 | @item m | |
714 | Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). | |
715 | @item c | |
716 | Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). | |
717 | @item r | |
718 | Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). | |
719 | @item f | |
720 | Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). | |
721 | @item C-u f | |
722 | Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). | |
723 | @item M-m | |
724 | Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). | |
725 | @end table | |
726 | ||
727 | @kindex r @r{(Rmail)} | |
728 | @findex rmail-reply | |
729 | @cindex reply to a message | |
9dd617a6 RS |
730 | The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply |
731 | to the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} | |
b474519e | 732 | (@code{rmail-reply}). This displays a mail composition buffer in |
9dd617a6 RS |
733 | another window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the |
734 | @samp{Subject}, @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, @samp{In-reply-to} and | |
735 | @samp{References} header fields based on the message you are replying | |
736 | to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the address of the person who | |
737 | sent the message you received, and the @samp{CC} field starts out with | |
738 | all the other recipients of that message. | |
6bf7aab6 | 739 | |
b474519e | 740 | @vindex mail-dont-reply-to-names |
3d963b67 | 741 | You can exclude certain recipients from being included automatically |
b474519e | 742 | in replies, using the variable @code{mail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its |
21b6bf3b GM |
743 | value should be a regular expression; any recipients that match are |
744 | excluded from the @samp{CC} field. They are also excluded from the | |
745 | @samp{To} field, unless this would leave the field empty. If this | |
746 | variable is nil, then the first time you compose a reply it is | |
b474519e | 747 | initialized to a default value that matches your own address. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
748 | |
749 | To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter | |
750 | the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. | |
9dd617a6 | 751 | This means to reply only to the sender of the original message. |
6bf7aab6 | 752 | |
b474519e | 753 | Once the mail composition buffer has been initialized, editing and |
e73c2434 CY |
754 | sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit |
755 | the presupplied header fields if they are not what you want. You can | |
756 | also use commands such as @kbd{C-c C-y}, which yanks in the message | |
757 | that you are replying to (@pxref{Mail Commands}). You can also switch | |
758 | to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch back, | |
759 | and yank the new current message. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
760 | |
761 | @kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} | |
762 | @findex rmail-retry-failure | |
763 | @cindex retrying a failed message | |
764 | @vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers | |
765 | Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually | |
766 | send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure | |
767 | message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) | |
768 | prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a | |
b474519e | 769 | mail composition buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If |
6bf7aab6 DL |
770 | you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly |
771 | the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or | |
772 | headers and then send it. The variable | |
773 | @code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as | |
774 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which | |
00aa62e5 | 775 | headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
776 | |
777 | @kindex f @r{(Rmail)} | |
778 | @findex rmail-forward | |
779 | @cindex forwarding a message | |
780 | Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the | |
781 | current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes | |
b474519e GM |
782 | this easy by preinitializing the mail composition buffer with the current |
783 | message as the text, and a subject of the form @code{[@var{from}: | |
784 | @var{subject}]}, where @var{from} and @var{subject} are the sender and | |
785 | subject of the original message. All you have to do is fill in the | |
786 | recipients and send. When you forward a message, recipients get a | |
787 | message which is ``from'' you, and which has the original message in | |
788 | its contents. | |
789 | ||
790 | @vindex rmail-enable-mime-composing | |
6bf7aab6 | 791 | @findex unforward-rmail-message |
b474519e GM |
792 | Rmail offers two formats for forwarded messages. The default is to |
793 | use MIME (@pxref{Rmail Display}) format. This includes the original | |
794 | message as a separate part. You can use a simpler format if you | |
795 | prefer, by setting the variable @code{rmail-enable-mime-composing} to | |
796 | @code{nil}. In this case, Rmail just includes the original message | |
797 | enclosed between two delimiter lines. It also modifies every line | |
798 | that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} at the start of | |
799 | the line. When you receive a forwarded message in this format, if it | |
6bf7aab6 | 800 | contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source |
b474519e GM |
801 | code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can |
802 | do this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x | |
803 | unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original | |
804 | forwarded message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and | |
805 | inserts it into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately | |
806 | following the current one. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
807 | |
808 | @findex rmail-resend | |
809 | @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the | |
810 | difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the | |
811 | original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields | |
04242bdc | 812 | (@samp{Resent-From} and @samp{Resent-To}) to indicate that it came via |
6bf7aab6 | 813 | you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs |
3d963b67 GM |
814 | @code{rmail-forward}, which invokes @code{rmail-resend} if you provide a |
815 | numeric argument.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
816 | |
817 | @kindex m @r{(Rmail)} | |
818 | @findex rmail-mail | |
5f50b807 | 819 | Use the @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command to start editing an |
6bf7aab6 DL |
820 | outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. |
821 | Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer | |
b474519e GM |
822 | accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. |
823 | @ignore | |
824 | @c Not a good idea, because it does not include Reply-To etc. | |
825 | Thus, @kbd{m} can be used to reply to or forward a message; it can do | |
826 | anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} can do. | |
827 | @end ignore | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
828 | |
829 | @kindex c @r{(Rmail)} | |
830 | @findex rmail-continue | |
831 | The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the | |
b474519e | 832 | mail composition buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were |
9dd617a6 | 833 | already composing, or to alter a message you have sent. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
834 | |
835 | @vindex rmail-mail-new-frame | |
836 | If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a | |
837 | non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a | |
838 | message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when | |
b474519e GM |
839 | you send the message. |
840 | @ignore | |
841 | @c FIXME does not work with Message -> Kill Message | |
842 | , or when you use the @samp{Cancel} item in the @samp{Mail} menu. | |
843 | @end ignore | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
844 | |
845 | All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition | |
846 | method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). | |
847 | ||
848 | @node Rmail Summary | |
849 | @section Summaries | |
850 | @cindex summary (Rmail) | |
851 | ||
852 | A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give | |
853 | you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the | |
00aa62e5 RS |
854 | message number and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and |
855 | the subject. Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as | |
856 | you move to their summary lines. Almost all Rmail commands are valid | |
857 | in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message | |
858 | described by the current line of the summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
859 | |
860 | A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are | |
861 | editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. | |
862 | The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the | |
863 | Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a | |
864 | time. | |
865 | ||
866 | @menu | |
8838673e GM |
867 | * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. |
868 | * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
869 | @end menu |
870 | ||
871 | @node Rmail Make Summary | |
872 | @subsection Making Summaries | |
873 | ||
3d963b67 GM |
874 | Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail |
875 | buffer. Once the Rmail buffer has a summary, changes in the Rmail | |
876 | buffer (such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
877 | automatically update the summary. |
878 | ||
879 | @table @kbd | |
880 | @item h | |
881 | @itemx C-M-h | |
882 | Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). | |
883 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
884 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
885 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels | |
886 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
887 | @item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} | |
2340abde | 888 | Summarize messages that match the specified recipients |
6bf7aab6 DL |
889 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). |
890 | @item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} | |
891 | Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp | |
892 | @var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). | |
2340abde | 893 | @item C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
3d963b67 GM |
894 | Summarize messages whose headers match the specified regular expression |
895 | @var{regexp} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}). | |
2340abde GM |
896 | @item C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET} |
897 | Summarize messages that match the specified senders. | |
898 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
899 | @end table |
900 | ||
901 | @kindex h @r{(Rmail)} | |
902 | @findex rmail-summary | |
903 | The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer | |
3d963b67 | 904 | for the current Rmail buffer with a summary of all the messages in the buffer. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
905 | It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. |
906 | ||
907 | @kindex l @r{(Rmail)} | |
908 | @kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} | |
909 | @findex rmail-summary-by-labels | |
910 | @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes | |
911 | a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the | |
912 | labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by | |
9dd617a6 | 913 | commas. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
914 | |
915 | @kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} | |
916 | @findex rmail-summary-by-recipients | |
917 | @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) | |
3d963b67 | 918 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or |
2340abde GM |
919 | more recipients matching the regular expression @var{rcpts}. You can |
920 | use commas to separate multiple regular expressions. These are matched | |
b474519e GM |
921 | against the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, and @samp{CC} headers (supply a prefix |
922 | argument to exclude this header). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
923 | |
924 | @kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} | |
925 | @findex rmail-summary-by-topic | |
926 | @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) | |
927 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have | |
2340abde | 928 | a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. You can use commas to |
3d963b67 GM |
929 | separate multiple regular expressions. With a prefix argument, the |
930 | match is against the whole message, not just the subject. | |
6bf7aab6 | 931 | |
a99d2d64 EZ |
932 | @kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)} |
933 | @findex rmail-summary-by-regexp | |
b8f86df3 | 934 | @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}) |
3d963b67 | 935 | makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose headers |
a99d2d64 EZ |
936 | (including the date and the subject lines) match the regular |
937 | expression @var{regexp}. | |
938 | ||
2340abde GM |
939 | @kindex C-M-f @r{(Rmail)} |
940 | @findex rmail-summary-by-senders | |
941 | @kbd{C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}) | |
942 | makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose @samp{From} | |
943 | fields match the regular expression @var{senders}. You can use commas to | |
944 | separate multiple regular expressions. | |
945 | ||
3d963b67 | 946 | Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail buffer; |
9dd617a6 | 947 | making any kind of summary discards any previous summary. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
948 | |
949 | @vindex rmail-summary-window-size | |
950 | @vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag | |
951 | The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to | |
952 | use for the summary window. The variable | |
953 | @code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line | |
3d963b67 GM |
954 | for a message should include the line count of the message. Setting |
955 | this option to nil might speed up the generation of summaries. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
956 | |
957 | @node Rmail Summary Edit | |
958 | @subsection Editing in Summaries | |
959 | ||
960 | You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do | |
961 | in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, | |
962 | there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. | |
963 | ||
964 | You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from | |
965 | the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to | |
966 | different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move | |
967 | point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that | |
968 | message is selected in the Rmail buffer. | |
969 | ||
970 | Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the | |
971 | Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current | |
36e2ae50 LT |
972 | message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. (However, in the |
973 | summary buffer, a numeric argument to @kbd{d}, @kbd{C-d} and @kbd{u} | |
974 | serves as a repeat count. A negative argument reverses the meaning of | |
3d963b67 GM |
975 | @kbd{d} and @kbd{C-d}. Also, if there are no more undeleted messages in |
976 | the relevant direction, the delete commands go to the first or last | |
977 | message, rather than staying on the current message.) @kbd{o} and | |
978 | @kbd{C-o} output the current message to a FILE; @kbd{r} starts a reply | |
2340abde | 979 | to it; etc. You can scroll the current message while remaining in the |
3d963b67 | 980 | summary buffer using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. |
2340abde GM |
981 | @c rmail-summary-scroll-between-messages not mentioned. |
982 | ||
983 | @findex rmail-summary-undelete-many | |
984 | @kbd{M-u} (@code{rmail-summary-undelete-many}) undeletes all deleted | |
985 | messages in the summary. A prefix argument means to undelete that many | |
986 | of the previous deleted messages. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
987 | |
988 | The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary | |
989 | buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included | |
990 | in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen | |
991 | (unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail | |
992 | buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). | |
993 | Here is a list of these commands: | |
994 | ||
995 | @table @kbd | |
996 | @item n | |
997 | Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its | |
2340abde | 998 | message (@code{rmail-summary-next-msg}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
999 | @item p |
1000 | Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select | |
2340abde | 1001 | its message (@code{rmail-summary-previous-msg}). |
6bf7aab6 | 1002 | @item M-n |
2340abde | 1003 | Move to next line and select its message (@code{rmail-summary-next-all}). |
6bf7aab6 | 1004 | @item M-p |
2340abde GM |
1005 | Move to previous line and select its message |
1006 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-all}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1007 | @item > |
2340abde GM |
1008 | Move to the last line, and select its message |
1009 | (@code{rmail-summary-last-message}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1010 | @item < |
2340abde GM |
1011 | Move to the first line, and select its message |
1012 | (@code{rmail-summary-first-message}). | |
32823124 LT |
1013 | @item j |
1014 | @itemx @key{RET} | |
2340abde GM |
1015 | Select the message on the current line (ensuring that the Rmail buffer |
1016 | appears on the screen; @code{rmail-summary-goto-msg}). With argument | |
1017 | @var{n}, select message number @var{n} and move to its line in the | |
1018 | summary buffer; this signals an error if the message is not listed in | |
1019 | the summary buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1020 | @item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} |
1021 | Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current | |
1022 | message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer | |
2340abde GM |
1023 | to that message's line (@code{rmail-summary-search}). A prefix argument |
1024 | acts as a repeat count; a negative argument means search backward | |
1025 | (equivalent to @code{rmail-summary-search-backward}.) | |
1026 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1027 | Move to the next message with at least one of the specified labels | |
1028 | (@code{rmail-summary-next-labeled-message}). @var{labels} is a | |
1029 | comma-separated list of labels. A prefix argument acts as a repeat | |
1030 | count. | |
1031 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1032 | Move to the previous message with at least one of the specified labels | |
1033 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-labeled-message}). | |
04242bdc GM |
1034 | @item C-c C-n @key{RET} |
1035 | Move to the next message with the same subject as the current message | |
1036 | (@code{rmail-summary-next-same-subject}). A prefix argument acts as a | |
1037 | repeat count. | |
1038 | @item C-c C-p @key{RET} | |
1039 | Move to the previous message with the same subject as the current message | |
1040 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-same-subject}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1041 | @end table |
1042 | ||
1043 | @vindex rmail-redisplay-summary | |
1044 | Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a | |
1045 | different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the | |
1046 | Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is | |
1047 | non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto | |
1048 | the screen. | |
1049 | ||
1050 | @kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
1051 | @findex rmail-summary-wipe | |
1052 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
1053 | @findex rmail-summary-quit | |
3d963b67 GM |
1054 | @kindex b @r{(Rmail summary)} |
1055 | @findex rmail-summary-bury | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1056 | When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} |
1057 | (@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You | |
1058 | can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} | |
1059 | (@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from | |
1060 | Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. | |
3d963b67 GM |
1061 | Alternatively, @kbd{b} (@code{rmail-summary-bury}) simply buries the |
1062 | Rmail summary and buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1063 | |
1064 | @node Rmail Sorting | |
1065 | @section Sorting the Rmail File | |
c1209b97 EZ |
1066 | @cindex sorting Rmail file |
1067 | @cindex Rmail file sorting | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1068 | |
1069 | @table @kbd | |
c1209b97 | 1070 | @findex rmail-sort-by-date |
00cfe22c GM |
1071 | @item C-c C-s C-d |
1072 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-date | |
1073 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by date. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1074 | |
c1209b97 | 1075 | @findex rmail-sort-by-subject |
00cfe22c GM |
1076 | @item C-c C-s C-s |
1077 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-subject | |
1078 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by subject. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1079 | |
c1209b97 | 1080 | @findex rmail-sort-by-author |
00cfe22c GM |
1081 | @item C-c C-s C-a |
1082 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-author | |
1083 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by author's name. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1084 | |
c1209b97 | 1085 | @findex rmail-sort-by-recipient |
00cfe22c GM |
1086 | @item C-c C-s C-r |
1087 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient | |
1088 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by recipient's names. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1089 | |
c1209b97 | 1090 | @findex rmail-sort-by-correspondent |
00cfe22c GM |
1091 | @item C-c C-s C-c |
1092 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent | |
1093 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by the name of the other | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1094 | correspondent. |
1095 | ||
c1209b97 | 1096 | @findex rmail-sort-by-lines |
00cfe22c GM |
1097 | @item C-c C-s C-l |
1098 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-lines | |
1099 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by number of lines. | |
1100 | ||
1101 | @findex rmail-sort-by-labels | |
1102 | @item C-c C-s C-k @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1103 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-labels @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1104 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by labels. The argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1105 | @var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of |
1106 | these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first | |
1107 | label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. | |
00cfe22c | 1108 | Messages that have none of these labels come last. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1109 | @end table |
1110 | ||
1111 | The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no | |
1112 | reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains | |
1113 | unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For | |
1114 | example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then | |
1115 | @code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in | |
1116 | order by date. | |
1117 | ||
00cfe22c | 1118 | With a prefix argument, all these commands reverse the order of |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1119 | comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from |
1120 | biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. | |
1121 | ||
00cfe22c GM |
1122 | The same keys in the summary buffer run similar functions; for |
1123 | example, @kbd{C-c C-s C-l} runs @code{rmail-summary-sort-by-lines}. | |
1124 | Note that these commands always sort the whole Rmail buffer, even if the | |
1125 | summary is only showing a subset of messages. | |
1126 | ||
1127 | Note that you cannot undo a sort, so you may wish to save the Rmail | |
1128 | buffer before sorting it. | |
1129 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1130 | @node Rmail Display |
1131 | @section Display of Messages | |
1132 | ||
89dc29d9 | 1133 | This section describes how Rmail displays mail headers, |
a7686350 | 1134 | @acronym{MIME} sections and attachments, URLs, and encrypted messages. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1135 | |
1136 | @table @kbd | |
1137 | @item t | |
1138 | Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). | |
1139 | @end table | |
1140 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1141 | @kindex t @r{(Rmail)} |
1142 | @findex rmail-toggle-header | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1143 | Before displaying each message for the first time, Rmail reformats |
1144 | its header, hiding uninteresting header fields to reduce clutter. The | |
1145 | @kbd{t} (@code{rmail-toggle-header}) command toggles this, switching | |
1146 | between showing the reformatted header fields and showing the | |
1147 | complete, original header. With a positive prefix argument, the | |
1148 | command shows the reformatted header; with a zero or negative prefix | |
1149 | argument, it shows the full header. Selecting the message again also | |
1150 | reformats it if necessary. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1151 | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1152 | @vindex rmail-ignored-headers |
1153 | @vindex rmail-displayed-headers | |
1154 | @vindex rmail-nonignored-headers | |
1155 | The variable @code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression | |
1156 | specifying the header fields to hide; any matching header line will be | |
1157 | hidden. The variable @code{rmail-nonignored-headers} overrides this: | |
1158 | any header field matching that regular expression is shown even if it | |
1159 | matches @code{rmail-ignored-headers} too. The variable | |
1160 | @code{rmail-displayed-headers} is an alternative to these two | |
1161 | variables; if non-@code{nil}, this should be a regular expression | |
1162 | specifying which headers to display (the default is @code{nil}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1163 | |
1164 | @vindex rmail-highlighted-headers | |
3d963b67 GM |
1165 | Rmail highlights certain header fields that are especially |
1166 | interesting---by default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1167 | This highlighting uses the @code{rmail-highlight} face. The variable |
1168 | @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression specifying | |
1169 | the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning of a | |
1170 | header field, that whole field is highlighted. To disable this | |
1171 | feature, set @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}. | |
358f71fd | 1172 | |
505e70c3 | 1173 | @cindex MIME messages (Rmail) |
7f42ff40 | 1174 | @vindex rmail-enable-mime |
a41c8660 CY |
1175 | If a message is in @acronym{MIME} (Multipurpose Internet Mail |
1176 | Extensions) format and contains multiple parts (@acronym{MIME} | |
1177 | entities), Rmail displays each part with a @dfn{tagline}. The tagline | |
1178 | summarizes the part's index, size, and content type. Depending on the | |
1179 | content type, it may also contain one or more buttons; these perform | |
1180 | actions such as saving the part into a file. | |
7f42ff40 KH |
1181 | |
1182 | @table @kbd | |
1183 | @findex rmail-mime-toggle-hidden | |
1184 | @item @key{RET} | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1185 | Hide or show the @acronym{MIME} part at point |
1186 | (@code{rmail-mime-toggle-hidden}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1187 | |
7f42ff40 KH |
1188 | @findex rmail-mime-next-item |
1189 | @item @key{TAB} | |
a41c8660 | 1190 | Move point to the next @acronym{MIME} tagline button. |
89dc29d9 | 1191 | (@code{rmail-mime-next-item}). |
7f42ff40 KH |
1192 | |
1193 | @findex rmail-mime-previous-item | |
b474519e | 1194 | @item S-@key{TAB} |
89dc29d9 CY |
1195 | Move point to the previous @acronym{MIME} part |
1196 | (@code{rmail-mime-previous-item}). | |
7f42ff40 | 1197 | |
505e70c3 | 1198 | @findex rmail-mime |
7f42ff40 | 1199 | @item v |
505e70c3 | 1200 | @kindex v @r{(Rmail)} |
89dc29d9 CY |
1201 | Toggle between @acronym{MIME} display and raw message |
1202 | (@code{rmail-mime}). | |
7f42ff40 | 1203 | @end table |
505e70c3 | 1204 | |
a41c8660 CY |
1205 | Each plain-text @acronym{MIME} part is initially displayed |
1206 | immediately after its tagline, as part of the Rmail buffer, while | |
1207 | @acronym{MIME} parts of other types are represented only by their | |
1208 | taglines, with their actual contents hidden. In either case, you can | |
1209 | toggle a @acronym{MIME} part between its ``displayed'' and ``hidden'' | |
1210 | states by typing @key{RET} anywhere in the part---or anywhere in its | |
b474519e | 1211 | tagline (except for buttons for other actions, if there are any). Type |
a41c8660 CY |
1212 | @key{RET} (or click with the mouse) to activate a tagline button, and |
1213 | @key{TAB} to cycle point between tagline buttons. | |
1214 | ||
89dc29d9 CY |
1215 | The @kbd{v} (@code{rmail-mime}) command toggles between the default |
1216 | @acronym{MIME} display described above, and a ``raw'' display showing | |
1217 | the undecoded @acronym{MIME} data. With a prefix argument, this | |
1218 | command toggles the display of only an entity at point. | |
1219 | ||
1220 | To prevent Rmail from handling MIME decoded messages, change the | |
1221 | variable @code{rmail-enable-mime} to @code{nil}. When this is the | |
1222 | case, the @kbd{v} (@code{rmail-mime}) command instead creates a | |
1223 | temporary buffer to display the current @acronym{MIME} message. | |
1224 | ||
a7686350 GM |
1225 | @findex rmail-epa-decrypt |
1226 | @cindex encrypted mails (reading in Rmail) | |
1227 | If the current message is an encrypted one, use the command @kbd{M-x | |
1228 | rmail-epa-decrypt} to decrypt it, using the EasyPG library | |
b474519e | 1229 | (@pxref{Top,, EasyPG, epa, EasyPG Assistant User's Manual}). |
a7686350 | 1230 | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1231 | You can highlight and activate URLs in the Rmail buffer using Goto |
1232 | Address mode: | |
00cfe22c GM |
1233 | |
1234 | @c FIXME goto-addr.el commentary says to use goto-address instead. | |
eceeb5fc | 1235 | @example |
6e317956 | 1236 | (add-hook 'rmail-show-message-hook 'goto-address-mode) |
eceeb5fc | 1237 | @end example |
00cfe22c GM |
1238 | |
1239 | @noindent | |
1240 | Then you can browse these URLs by clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} | |
1241 | (or @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly) or by moving to one and typing @kbd{C-c | |
1242 | @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto Address mode, Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. | |
358f71fd RS |
1243 | |
1244 | @node Rmail Coding | |
1245 | @section Rmail and Coding Systems | |
6c21cdc0 | 1246 | |
eed0ee77 | 1247 | @cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail) |
76dd3692 | 1248 | Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@acronym{ASCII} |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1249 | characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess |
1250 | output. Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in | |
1251 | the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the | |
1252 | sender. It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding | |
1253 | system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode | |
95009a13 RS |
1254 | message text. If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset} |
1255 | specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized, | |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1256 | Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and |
1257 | defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). | |
eed0ee77 | 1258 | |
eed0ee77 | 1259 | @cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages |
358f71fd RS |
1260 | Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs |
1261 | guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset} | |
1262 | specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For | |
1263 | example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a | |
1264 | @samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded | |
1265 | in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of | |
0eb025fb EZ |
1266 | its characters displayed as hex codes or empty boxes, this may have |
1267 | happened. | |
eed0ee77 | 1268 | |
358f71fd RS |
1269 | @findex rmail-redecode-body |
1270 | You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the | |
1271 | right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is | |
1272 | right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command. | |
763e01c4 EZ |
1273 | It reads the name of a coding system, and then redecodes the message |
1274 | using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right | |
358f71fd RS |
1275 | coding system, the result should be readable. |
1276 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1277 | @node Rmail Editing |
1278 | @section Editing Within a Message | |
1279 | ||
e7a3ff06 CY |
1280 | Most of the usual Emacs key bindings are available in Rmail mode, |
1281 | though a few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by | |
1282 | Rmail for other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read | |
1283 | only, and most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you | |
1284 | want to edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command | |
1285 | @kbd{e}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1286 | |
1287 | @table @kbd | |
1288 | @item e | |
1289 | Edit the current message as ordinary text. | |
1290 | @end table | |
1291 | ||
1292 | @kindex e @r{(Rmail)} | |
1293 | @findex rmail-edit-current-message | |
1294 | The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from | |
1295 | Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the | |
1296 | same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. | |
1297 | ||
1298 | In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail | |
00cfe22c | 1299 | commands are not available. You can edit the message body and header |
5f50b807 RS |
1300 | fields. When you are finished editing the message, type @kbd{C-c C-c} |
1301 | to switch back to Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail | |
00cfe22c | 1302 | mode but cancel any editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1303 | |
1304 | @vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook | |
5f50b807 RS |
1305 | Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then |
1306 | it runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). | |
1307 | Returning to ordinary Rmail mode adds the attribute @samp{edited} to | |
1308 | the message, if you have made any changes in it. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1309 | |
1310 | @node Rmail Digest | |
1311 | @section Digest Messages | |
1312 | @cindex digest message | |
1313 | @cindex undigestify | |
1314 | ||
1315 | A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry | |
b474519e | 1316 | several other messages. Digests are used on some mailing |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1317 | lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time |
1318 | such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the | |
b474519e | 1319 | subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses less computer |
6bf7aab6 | 1320 | time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total |
b474519e GM |
1321 | size is the same, because of the per-message overhead in network mail |
1322 | transmission. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1323 | |
1324 | @findex undigestify-rmail-message | |
1325 | When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is | |
1326 | to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. | |
1327 | Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. | |
eca274b1 | 1328 | To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1329 | undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate |
1330 | Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest | |
1331 | message itself is flagged as deleted. | |
1332 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1333 | @node Rmail Rot13 |
1334 | @section Reading Rot13 Messages | |
1335 | @cindex rot13 code | |
1336 | ||
b474519e | 1337 | Mailing list messages that might offend or annoy some readers are sometimes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1338 | encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it |
1339 | rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it | |
b474519e GM |
1340 | provides none; rather, it enables those who wish to to avoid |
1341 | seeing the real text of the message. For example, a review of a film | |
1342 | might use rot13 to hide important plot points. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1343 | |
1344 | @findex rot13-other-window | |
b474519e | 1345 | To view a buffer that uses the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1346 | rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window |
1347 | which applies the code when displaying the text. | |
1348 | ||
1349 | @node Movemail | |
ea20444b | 1350 | @section @code{movemail} program |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1351 | @cindex @code{movemail} program |
1352 | ||
00cfe22c GM |
1353 | Rmail uses the @code{movemail} program to move mail from your inbox to |
1354 | your Rmail file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). When loaded for the first time, | |
1355 | Rmail attempts to locate the @code{movemail} program and determine its | |
1356 | version. There are two versions of the @code{movemail} program: the | |
1357 | native one, shipped with GNU Emacs (the ``emacs version'') and the one | |
16152b76 | 1358 | included in GNU mailutils (the ``mailutils version'', |
00cfe22c GM |
1359 | @pxref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU mailutils}). They support the same |
1360 | command line syntax and the same basic subset of options. However, the | |
1361 | Mailutils version offers additional features. | |
1362 | ||
ec7ae032 CY |
1363 | The Emacs version of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from |
1364 | the usual Unix mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the | |
1365 | POP3 protocol. | |
1be48cfa RS |
1366 | |
1367 | The Mailutils version is able to handle a wide set of mailbox | |
ec7ae032 CY |
1368 | formats, such as plain Unix mailboxes, @code{maildir} and @code{MH} |
1369 | mailboxes, etc. It is able to access remote mailboxes using the POP3 | |
1370 | or IMAP4 protocol, and can retrieve mail from them using a TLS | |
1371 | encrypted channel. It also accepts mailbox arguments in @acronym{URL} | |
1372 | form. The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found | |
1373 | in @ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a | |
1374 | @acronym{URL} is: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1375 | |
1376 | @smallexample | |
1377 | @var{proto}://[@var{user}[:@var{password}]@@]@var{host-or-file-name} | |
1378 | @end smallexample | |
1379 | ||
1380 | @noindent | |
1381 | where square brackets denote optional elements. | |
1382 | ||
1383 | @table @var | |
1384 | @item proto | |
1385 | Specifies the @dfn{mailbox protocol}, or @dfn{format} to | |
1386 | use. The exact semantics of the rest of @acronym{URL} elements depends | |
d1019816 | 1387 | on the actual value of @var{proto} (see below). |
ea20444b EZ |
1388 | |
1389 | @item user | |
1390 | User name to access the remote mailbox. | |
1391 | ||
1392 | @item password | |
1393 | User password to access the remote mailbox. | |
1394 | ||
1395 | @item host-or-file-name | |
1396 | Hostname of the remote server for remote mailboxes or file name of a | |
1397 | local mailbox. | |
1398 | @end table | |
1399 | ||
d1019816 | 1400 | @noindent |
ea20444b EZ |
1401 | @var{Proto} can be one of: |
1402 | ||
d1019816 | 1403 | @table @code |
ea20444b | 1404 | @item mbox |
ec7ae032 CY |
1405 | Usual Unix mailbox format. In this case, neither @var{user} nor |
1406 | @var{pass} are used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the file name | |
1407 | of the mailbox file, e.g., @code{mbox://var/spool/mail/smith}. | |
ea20444b EZ |
1408 | |
1409 | @item mh | |
1410 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{MH} format. @var{User} and | |
1411 | @var{pass} are not used. @var{Host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1412 | @acronym{MH} folder, e.g., @code{mh://Mail/inbox}. | |
1413 | ||
1414 | @item maildir | |
1415 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{maildir} format. @var{User} and | |
1416 | @var{pass} are not used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1417 | @code{maildir} mailbox, e.g., @code{maildir://mail/inbox}. | |
1418 | ||
1419 | @item file | |
1420 | Any local mailbox format. Its actual format is detected automatically | |
1421 | by @code{movemail}. | |
1422 | ||
1423 | @item pop | |
1424 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via POP3 protocol. @var{User} | |
1425 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1426 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1427 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; e.g., | |
1428 | @code{pop://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
32823124 | 1429 | |
ea20444b EZ |
1430 | @item imap |
1431 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via IMAP4 protocol. @var{User} | |
1432 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1433 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1434 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; | |
1435 | e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
1436 | @end table | |
1437 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
1438 | Alternatively, you can specify the file name of the mailbox to use. |
1439 | This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1440 | |
1441 | @smallexample | |
1be48cfa | 1442 | /var/spool/mail/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user} |
ea20444b EZ |
1443 | @end smallexample |
1444 | ||
1445 | @vindex rmail-movemail-program | |
1446 | @vindex rmail-movemail-search-path | |
1be48cfa RS |
1447 | The variable @code{rmail-movemail-program} controls which version of |
1448 | @code{movemail} to use. If that is a string, it specifies the | |
1449 | absolute file name of the @code{movemail} executable. If it is | |
1450 | @code{nil}, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the directories | |
a73a3461 CY |
1451 | listed in @code{rmail-movemail-search-path}, then in @code{exec-path} |
1452 | (@pxref{Shell}), then in @code{exec-directory}. | |
32823124 | 1453 | |
ea20444b EZ |
1454 | @node Remote Mailboxes |
1455 | @section Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes | |
1456 | @pindex movemail | |
1457 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 1458 | Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data |
00cfe22c GM |
1459 | instead of storing the data in inbox files. By default, the @code{Emacs |
1460 | movemail} can work with POP (unless the Emacs @code{configure} script | |
1461 | was run with the option @samp{--without-pop}). | |
ea20444b | 1462 | |
00cfe22c GM |
1463 | Similarly, the Mailutils @code{movemail} by default supports POP, unless |
1464 | it was configured with the @samp{--disable-pop} option. | |
ea20444b EZ |
1465 | |
1466 | Both versions of @code{movemail} only work with POP3, not with older | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1467 | versions of POP. |
1468 | ||
60a96371 | 1469 | @cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable |
ea20444b EZ |
1470 | @cindex POP mailboxes |
1471 | No matter which flavor of @code{movemail} you use, you can specify | |
00cfe22c | 1472 | a POP inbox by using a POP @dfn{URL} (@pxref{Movemail}). A POP |
ea20444b EZ |
1473 | @acronym{URL} is a ``file name'' of the form |
1474 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}, where | |
1475 | @var{hostname} is the host name or IP address of the remote mail | |
1476 | server and @var{username} is the user name on that server. | |
1477 | Additionally, you may specify the password in the mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1478 | @samp{pop://@var{username}:@var{password}@@@var{hostname}}. In this | |
1479 | case, @var{password} takes preference over the one set by | |
00cfe22c GM |
1480 | @code{rmail-remote-password} (see below). This is especially useful |
1481 | if you have several remote mailboxes with different passwords. | |
1482 | ||
1483 | For backward compatibility, Rmail also supports an alternative way of | |
1484 | specifying remote POP mailboxes. Specifying an inbox name in the form | |
1485 | @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}} is equivalent to | |
1486 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}. If you omit the | |
1487 | @var{:hostname} part, the @env{MAILHOST} environment variable specifies | |
1488 | the machine on which to look for the POP server. | |
1489 | ||
1490 | @c FIXME mention --with-hesiod "support Hesiod to get the POP server host"? | |
ea20444b EZ |
1491 | |
1492 | @cindex IMAP mailboxes | |
1df7defd | 1493 | Another method for accessing remote mailboxes is IMAP@. This method is |
b2c09a2e | 1494 | supported only by the Mailutils @code{movemail}. To specify an IMAP |
ea20444b EZ |
1495 | mailbox in the inbox list, use the following mailbox @acronym{URL}: |
1496 | @samp{imap://@var{username}[:@var{password}]@@@var{hostname}}. The | |
32823124 | 1497 | @var{password} part is optional, as described above. |
ea20444b EZ |
1498 | |
1499 | @vindex rmail-remote-password | |
1500 | @vindex rmail-remote-password-required | |
ea20444b EZ |
1501 | Accessing a remote mailbox may require a password. Rmail uses the |
1502 | following algorithm to retrieve it: | |
1503 | ||
1504 | @enumerate | |
32823124 | 1505 | @item |
00cfe22c | 1506 | If a @var{password} is present in the mailbox URL (see above), it is |
38be61d5 | 1507 | used. |
32823124 | 1508 | @item |
00cfe22c GM |
1509 | If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password-required} is @code{nil}, |
1510 | Rmail assumes no password is required. | |
1511 | @item | |
38be61d5 EZ |
1512 | If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password} is non-@code{nil}, its |
1513 | value is used. | |
1514 | @item | |
00cfe22c | 1515 | Otherwise, Rmail will ask you for the password to use. |
ea20444b EZ |
1516 | @end enumerate |
1517 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1518 | @vindex rmail-movemail-flags |
1519 | If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, | |
1520 | set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you | |
1521 | wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to | |
1522 | preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. | |
1523 | ||
1524 | @cindex Kerberos POP authentication | |
1525 | The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support | |
00cfe22c GM |
1526 | Kerberos authentication (the Emacs @code{movemail} does so if Emacs was |
1527 | configured with the option @code{--with-kerberos} or | |
1528 | @code{--with-kerberos5}). If it is supported, it is used by default | |
1529 | whenever you attempt to retrieve POP mail when | |
1530 | @code{rmail-remote-password} and @code{rmail-remote-password-required} | |
1531 | are unset. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1532 | |
4946337d | 1533 | @cindex reverse order in POP inboxes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1534 | Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does |
1535 | this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was | |
1536 | received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of | |
1537 | downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to | |
1538 | @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
ab5796a9 | 1539 | |
ea20444b | 1540 | @cindex TLS encryption (Rmail) |
b2c09a2e | 1541 | Mailutils @code{movemail} supports TLS encryption. If you wish to |
ea20444b EZ |
1542 | use it, add the @samp{--tls} flag to @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. |
1543 | ||
1544 | @node Other Mailbox Formats | |
1545 | @section Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in Various Formats | |
1546 | ||
1547 | If your incoming mail is stored on a local machine in a format other | |
ec7ae032 | 1548 | than Unix mailbox, you will need the Mailutils @code{movemail} to |
444246ca KB |
1549 | retrieve it. @xref{Movemail}, for the detailed description of |
1550 | @code{movemail} versions. For example, to access mail from a inbox in | |
1551 | @code{maildir} format located in @file{/var/spool/mail/in}, you would | |
1552 | include the following in the Rmail inbox list: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1553 | |
1554 | @smallexample | |
1555 | maildir://var/spool/mail/in | |
1556 | @end smallexample |