Replace @sc{foo} with @acronym{FOO}.
[bpt/emacs.git] / man / rmail.texi
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6bf7aab6 1@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
739a80b3 2@c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,1997,2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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3@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
4@node Rmail, Dired, Sending Mail, Top
5@chapter Reading Mail with Rmail
6@cindex Rmail
7@cindex reading mail
8@findex rmail
9@findex rmail-mode
10@vindex rmail-mode-hook
11
12 Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that you
13receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files.
14Reading the message in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode,
15Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing
16mail. The command @code{rmail-mode} is used to switch into Rmail mode,
17and it runs the hook @code{rmail-mode-hook} as usual, but don't run this
18command by hand; it can't do a reasonable job unless the buffer is
19visiting a proper Rmail file.
20
21@menu
22* Basic: Rmail Basics. Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use.
23* Scroll: Rmail Scrolling. Scrolling through a message.
24* Motion: Rmail Motion. Moving to another message.
25* Deletion: Rmail Deletion. Deleting and expunging messages.
26* Inbox: Rmail Inbox. How mail gets into the Rmail file.
27* Files: Rmail Files. Using multiple Rmail files.
28* Output: Rmail Output. Copying message out to files.
29* Labels: Rmail Labels. Classifying messages by labeling them.
30* Attrs: Rmail Attributes. Certain standard labels, called attributes.
31* Reply: Rmail Reply. Sending replies to messages you are viewing.
32* Summary: Rmail Summary. Summaries show brief info on many messages.
33* Sort: Rmail Sorting. Sorting messages in Rmail.
34* Display: Rmail Display. How Rmail displays a message; customization.
358f71fd 35* Coding: Rmail Coding. How Rmail handles decoding character sets.
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36* Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail.
37* Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message.
38* Out of Rmail:: Converting an Rmail file to mailbox format.
39* Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code.
40* Movemail: Movemail. More details of fetching new mail.
41@end menu
42
43@node Rmail Basics
44@section Basic Concepts of Rmail
45
46@cindex primary Rmail file
47@vindex rmail-file-name
48 Using Rmail in the simplest fashion, you have one Rmail file
49@file{~/RMAIL} in which all of your mail is saved. It is called your
50@dfn{primary Rmail file}. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} reads your primary
51Rmail file, merges new mail in from your inboxes, displays the first
52message you haven't read yet, and lets you begin reading. The variable
53@code{rmail-file-name} specifies the name of the primary Rmail file.
54
55 Rmail uses narrowing to hide all but one message in the Rmail file.
56The message that is shown is called the @dfn{current message}. Rmail
57mode's special commands can do such things as delete the current
58message, copy it into another file, send a reply, or move to another
59message. You can also create multiple Rmail files and use Rmail to move
60messages between them.
61
62@cindex message number
63 Within the Rmail file, messages are normally arranged sequentially in
64order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them. Messages are
65assigned consecutive integers as their @dfn{message numbers}. The
66number of the current message is displayed in Rmail's mode line,
67followed by the total number of messages in the file. You can move to a
68message by specifying its message number with the @kbd{j} key
69(@pxref{Rmail Motion}).
70
71@kindex s @r{(Rmail)}
00aa62e5 72@findex rmail-expunge-and-save
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73 Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file
74become permanent only when the file is saved. You can save it with
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75@kbd{s} (@code{rmail-expunge-and-save}), which also expunges deleted
76messages from the file first (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). To save the
77file without expunging, use @kbd{C-x C-s}. Rmail also saves the Rmail
78file after merging new mail from an inbox file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}).
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79
80@kindex q @r{(Rmail)}
81@findex rmail-quit
82@kindex b @r{(Rmail)}
83@findex rmail-bury
84 You can exit Rmail with @kbd{q} (@code{rmail-quit}); this expunges and
85saves the Rmail file and then switches to another buffer. But there is
2684ed46 86no need to ``exit'' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in
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87other buffers, and never happen to switch back, you have exited. (The
88Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, does this for you.) Just make
89sure to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have
90changed). @kbd{C-x s} is a good enough way to do this
91(@pxref{Saving}).
92
93@node Rmail Scrolling
94@section Scrolling Within a Message
95
96 When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you
177c0ea7 97must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with
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98@kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so
99frequent that it deserves to be easier to type.
100
101@table @kbd
102@item @key{SPC}
103Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up}).
104@item @key{DEL}
105Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down}).
106@item .
107Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}).
108@end table
109
110@kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)}
111@kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)}
112 Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to scroll
113through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} synonyms of
114@kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up}) and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down})
115
116@kindex . @r{(Rmail)}
117@findex rmail-beginning-of-message
118 The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the
119beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}:
120for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer
121boundaries to the current message if you have changed them.
122
123@node Rmail Motion
124@section Moving Among Messages
125
126 The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to
127do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is
128to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of
129receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the
130first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one
131that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move
b8f86df3 132forward to see the other new messages; move backward to re-examine old
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133messages.
134
135@table @kbd
136@item n
137Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted
138messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}).
139@item p
140Move to the previous nondeleted message
141(@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}).
142@item M-n
143Move to the next message, including deleted messages
144(@code{rmail-next-message}).
145@item M-p
146Move to the previous message, including deleted messages
147(@code{rmail-previous-message}).
148@item j
149Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to
150message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}).
151@item >
152Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}).
153@item <
154Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}).
155
156@item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
157Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp}
158(@code{rmail-search}).
159
160@item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}
161Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}.
162@end table
163
164@kindex n @r{(Rmail)}
165@kindex p @r{(Rmail)}
166@kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)}
167@kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)}
168@findex rmail-next-undeleted-message
169@findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message
170@findex rmail-next-message
171@findex rmail-previous-message
172 @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in
173Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over
174deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command
175definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and
176@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip
177deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to
178undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p}
179(@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A
180numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat
181count.@refill
182
183 In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the
184digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first.
185
186@kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)}
187@findex rmail-search
188@cindex searching in Rmail
189 The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of
190search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail,
191but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of
192@kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular
193expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at
194the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects
195that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp
196used the previous time.
197
198 To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a
199negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}.
200
201 It is also possible to search for a message based on labels.
202@xref{Rmail Labels}.
203
204@kindex j @r{(Rmail)}
205@kindex > @r{(Rmail)}
206@kindex < @r{(Rmail)}
207@findex rmail-show-message
208@findex rmail-last-message
209@findex rmail-first-message
210 To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j}
211(@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With
212no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<}
213(@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>}
214(@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message.
215
216@node Rmail Deletion
217@section Deleting Messages
218
219@cindex deletion (Rmail)
220 When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This
221flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer
222present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its
223message number.
224
225@cindex expunging (Rmail)
226 @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages.
227The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the only
228action that changes the message number of any message, except for
229undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}).
230
231@table @kbd
232@item d
233Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message
234(@code{rmail-delete-forward}).
235@item C-d
236Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted
237message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}).
238@item u
239Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and
240undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}).
241@item x
242Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}).
243@end table
244
245@kindex d @r{(Rmail)}
246@kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)}
247@findex rmail-delete-forward
248@findex rmail-delete-backward
249 There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the
250current message and select another message. @kbd{d}
251(@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping
252messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward})
253moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted
254message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just
255deleted remains current. A numeric argument to either command reverses
256the direction of motion after deletion.
257
258@vindex rmail-delete-message-hook
b8f86df3 259 Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook
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260@code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked,
261the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message
262in the Rmail buffer.
263
264@cindex undeletion (Rmail)
265@kindex x @r{(Rmail)}
266@findex rmail-expunge
267@kindex u @r{(Rmail)}
268@findex rmail-undelete-previous-message
269 To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file,
270type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still
271@dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u}
272(@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the
273effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current
274message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward
275to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes
276that message.
277
278 You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u}
279moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But
280this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages
281that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command
282undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean
283way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command,
284you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to
285undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with
286the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it.
287
288 A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result
289@samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is
290deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than
291adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}.
292
293@node Rmail Inbox
294@section Rmail Files and Inboxes
295@cindex inbox file
296
297 The operating system places incoming mail for you in a file that we
298call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start up Rmail, it runs a C program
299called @code{movemail} to copy the new messages from your inbox into
300your primary Rmail file, which also contains other messages saved from
301previous Rmail sessions. It is in this file that you actually read the
302mail with Rmail. This operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You
303can get new mail at any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}.
304
305@vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list
60a96371 306@cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable
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307 The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the
308files which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set
60a96371 309this variable explicitly, it is initialized from the @env{MAIL}
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310environment variable, or, as a last resort, set to @code{nil}, which
311means to use the default inbox. The default inbox is
312@file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}},
313or @file{/usr/mail/@var{username}}, depending on your operating system.
314
315 To see what the default is on your system, use @kbd{C-h v
316rmail-primary-inbox @key{RET}}. You can specify the inbox file(s) for
317any Rmail file with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see
318@ref{Rmail Files}.
319
320 There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes.
321
322@enumerate
323@item
324The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to
325the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know
326about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all
327of them to Rmail's own format.
328
329@item
330It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing
331mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery.
332Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking
333techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for
334all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all
335the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file.
336@end enumerate
337
338 Rmail was written to use Babyl format as its internal format. Since
339then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format on Unix and GNU
340systems is adequate for the job, and we plan to change Rmail to use that
341as its internal format. However, the Rmail file will still be separate
342from the inbox file, even on systems where their format is the same.
343
344@node Rmail Files
345@section Multiple Rmail Files
346
347 Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named
348@file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file.
349But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These
350files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages
351into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}).
352
353@table @kbd
354@item i @var{file} @key{RET}
355Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}).
356
357@item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET}
358Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from.
359
360@item g
361Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes
362(@code{rmail-get-new-mail}).
363
364@item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET}
365Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}.
366@end table
367
368@kindex i @r{(Rmail)}
369@findex rmail-input
370 To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you may use
371the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file
372in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in
373Rmail.
374
375 The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid Rmail file.
376If it is not, Rmail tries to decompose it into a stream of messages in
377various known formats. If it succeeds, it converts the whole file to an
378Rmail file. If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i}
379initializes a new buffer for creating a new Rmail file.
380
381@vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory
382@vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp
383 You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. Choose first the menu
384bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu choose the Input Rmail
385File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. The variables
386@code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and
387@code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the
388menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the
389second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match
390the regular expression). These variables also apply to choosing a file
391for output (@pxref{Rmail Output}).
392
393@findex set-rmail-inbox-list
394 Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify
395this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files}
396@key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated
397by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should
398have no inboxes. Once a list of inboxes is specified, the Rmail file
399remembers it permanently until you specify a different list.
400
401 As a special exception, if your primary Rmail file does not specify any
402inbox files, it uses your standard system inbox.
403
404@kindex g @r{(Rmail)}
405@findex rmail-get-new-mail
406 The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the
407current Rmail file from its specified inboxes. If the Rmail file
408has no inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail}
409also merges new mail into your primary Rmail file.
410
411 To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the
412@kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file
413name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or
414changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is,
415therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another.
416
417@node Rmail Output
418@section Copying Messages Out to Files
419
420 These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file.
421
422@table @kbd
423@item o @var{file} @key{RET}
424Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using Rmail
425file format by default (@code{rmail-output-to-rmail-file}).
426
427@item C-o @var{file} @key{RET}
428Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using
429system inbox file format by default (@code{rmail-output}).
430
431@item w @var{file} @key{RET}
432Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default
433file name from the message @samp{Subject} header.
434@end table
435
436@kindex o @r{(Rmail)}
437@findex rmail-output-to-rmail-file
438@kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)}
439@findex rmail-output
440 The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a
441specified file. This file may be an Rmail file or it may be in system
442inbox format; the output commands ascertain the file's format and write
443the copied message in that format.
444
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445 The @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands differ in two ways: each has its
446own separate default file name, and each specifies a choice of format to
447use when the file does not already exist. The @kbd{o} command uses
448Rmail format when it creates a new file, while @kbd{C-o} uses system
449inbox format for a new file. The default file name for @kbd{o} is the
450file name used last with @kbd{o}, and the default file name for
451@kbd{C-o} is the file name used last with @kbd{C-o}.
452
453 If the output file is an Rmail file currently visited in an Emacs buffer,
454the output commands copy the message into that buffer. It is up to you
455to save the buffer eventually in its file.
456
457@kindex w @r{(Rmail)}
458@findex rmail-output-body-to-file
459 Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a
460file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header)
461with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often
462these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject}
463field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the
464default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using
465the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish.
466
467 You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu.
468Choose first the menu bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu
469choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then choose the Rmail file you want.
470This outputs the current message to that file, like the @kbd{o} command.
471The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and
472@code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the
473menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the
474second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match
475the regular expression).
476
477@vindex rmail-delete-after-output
478 Copying a message gives the original copy of the message the
479@samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} appears in the mode line
480when such a message is current. If you like to keep just a single copy
481of every mail message, set the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output}
482to @code{t}; then the @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands delete the original
483message after copying it. (You can undelete the original afterward if
484you wish.)
485
486 Copying messages into files in system inbox format uses the header
487fields that are displayed in Rmail at the time. Thus, if you use the
488@kbd{t} command to view the entire header and then copy the message, the
489entire header is copied. @xref{Rmail Display}.
490
491@vindex rmail-output-file-alist
492 The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify
493intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the
494current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this
495form:
496
497@example
498(@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp})
499@end example
500
501@noindent
502If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the
503default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements
504match the message, the first matching element decides the default file
505name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving
506the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression
507that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist}
508applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}.
509
510@node Rmail Labels
511@section Labels
512@cindex label (Rmail)
513@cindex attribute (Rmail)
514
515 Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means
516of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different
517labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular
518message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to
519messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels
520are called @dfn{attributes}.
521@ifinfo
522(@xref{Rmail Attributes}.)
523@end ifinfo
524All other labels are assigned only by users.
525
526@table @kbd
527@item a @var{label} @key{RET}
528Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}).
529@item k @var{label} @key{RET}
530Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}).
531@item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}
532Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels}
533(@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}).
534@item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET}
535Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels}
536(@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}).
537@item C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}
538Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels}
539(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}).
540@end table
541
542@kindex a @r{(Rmail)}
543@kindex k @r{(Rmail)}
544@findex rmail-add-label
545@findex rmail-kill-label
546 The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k}
547(@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any
548label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it
549means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or
550removed.
551
552 Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there
553are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries.
554
555@kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)}
556@kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)}
557@findex rmail-next-labeled-message
558@findex rmail-previous-labeled-message
559 The command @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}}
560(@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has
561one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies one
562or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p}
563(@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves backwards
564to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command serves as a
565repeat count.
566
567 The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}}
568(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the
569messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The
570argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas.
571@xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries.@refill
572
573 If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or
574@kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified
575for any of these commands.
576
577@node Rmail Attributes
578@section Rmail Attributes
579
580 Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in
581meanings and are assigned to or removed from messages automatically at
582appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is a
583list of Rmail attributes:
584
585@table @samp
586@item unseen
587Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when
588they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made
589current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message
590that has this attribute.
591@item deleted
592Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and
593removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}).
594@item filed
595Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the
596file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Files}).
597@item answered
598Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r}
599command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}.
600@item forwarded
601Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command
602(@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}.
603@item edited
604Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail.
605@xref{Rmail Editing}.
606@item resent
607Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x
608rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}.
609@end table
610
611 All other labels are assigned or removed only by the user, and have no
612standard meaning.
613
614@node Rmail Reply
615@section Sending Replies
616
617 Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail.
618@xref{Sending Mail}, for information on using Mail mode, including
619certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents
620are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the
621usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and @kbd{C-x 5
622m}---are available in Rmail mode and work just as they usually do.
623
624@table @kbd
625@item m
626Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}).
627@item c
628Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}).
629@item r
630Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}).
631@item f
632Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}).
633@item C-u f
634Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}).
635@item M-m
636Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}).
637@end table
638
639@kindex r @r{(Rmail)}
640@findex rmail-reply
641@cindex reply to a message
642 The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply to
643the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r}
644(@code{rmail-reply}). This displays the @samp{*mail*} buffer in another
645window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the @samp{Subject},
646@samp{To}, @samp{CC} and @samp{In-reply-to} header fields based on the
647message you are replying to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the
648address of the person who sent the message you received, and the
649@samp{CC} field starts out with all the other recipients of that
650message.
651
652@vindex rmail-dont-reply-to-names
653 You can exclude certain recipients from being placed automatically in
654the @samp{CC}, using the variable @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its
655value should be a regular expression (as a string); any recipient that
656the regular expression matches, is excluded from the @samp{CC} field.
657The default value matches your own name, and any name starting with
658@samp{info-}. (Those names are excluded because there is a convention
659of using them for large mailing lists to broadcast announcements.)
660
661 To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter
662the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}.
663
664 Once the @samp{*mail*} buffer has been initialized, editing and
665sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit the
666presupplied header fields if they are not right for you. You can also
667use the commands of Mail mode (@pxref{Mail Mode}), including @kbd{C-c
668C-y} which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can
669switch to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch
670back, and yank the new current message.
671
672@kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)}
673@findex rmail-retry-failure
674@cindex retrying a failed message
675@vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers
676 Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually
677send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure
678message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure})
679prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a
680@samp{*mail*} buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If
681you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly
682the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or
683headers and then send it. The variable
684@code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as
685@code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which
00aa62e5 686headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it.
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687
688@kindex f @r{(Rmail)}
689@findex rmail-forward
690@cindex forwarding a message
691 Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the
692current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes
693this easy by preinitializing the @samp{*mail*} buffer with the current
694message as the text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All
695you have to do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a
696message, recipients get a message which is ``from'' you, and which has
697the original message in its contents.
698
699@findex unforward-rmail-message
700 Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It also
701modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }}
702at the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it
703contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source
704code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do
705this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x
706unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original forwarded
707message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and inserts it
708into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the
709current one.
710
711@findex rmail-resend
712 @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the
713difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the
714original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields
00aa62e5 715@samp{Resent-From} and @samp{Resent-To} to indicate that it came via
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716you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs
717@code{rmail-forward}, which is programmed to invoke @code{rmail-resend}
718if you provide a numeric argument.)
719
720@kindex m @r{(Rmail)}
721@findex rmail-mail
722 The @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command is used to start editing an
723outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty.
724Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer
725accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. Thus, @kbd{m} can be
726used to reply to or forward a message; it can do anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f}
727can do.@refill
728
729@kindex c @r{(Rmail)}
730@findex rmail-continue
731 The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the
732@samp{*mail*} buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were
733already composing, or to alter a message you have sent.@refill
734
735@vindex rmail-mail-new-frame
736 If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a
737non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a
738message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when
00aa62e5 739you send the message, or when you use the @samp{Cancel} item in the
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740@samp{Mail} menu.
741
742 All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition
743method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}).
744
745@node Rmail Summary
746@section Summaries
747@cindex summary (Rmail)
748
749 A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give
750you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the
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751message number and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and
752the subject. Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as
753you move to their summary lines. Almost all Rmail commands are valid
754in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message
755described by the current line of the summary.
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756
757 A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are
758editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer.
759The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the
760Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a
761time.
762
763@menu
764* Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries.
765* Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary.
766@end menu
767
768@node Rmail Make Summary
769@subsection Making Summaries
770
771 Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file.
772Once the Rmail file has a summary buffer, changes in the Rmail file
773(such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail)
774automatically update the summary.
775
776@table @kbd
777@item h
778@itemx C-M-h
779Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}).
780@item l @var{labels} @key{RET}
781@itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}
782Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels
783(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}).
784@item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}
785Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified recipients
786(@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}).
787@item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}
788Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp
789@var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}).
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790@item C-M-s @var{regexp}
791Summarize messages whose headers and the subject line match the
792specified regular expression @var{regexp}
793(@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}).
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794@end table
795
796@kindex h @r{(Rmail)}
797@findex rmail-summary
798 The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer
799for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the file.
800It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window.
801
802@kindex l @r{(Rmail)}
803@kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)}
804@findex rmail-summary-by-labels
805 @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes
806a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the
807labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by
808commas.@refill
809
810@kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)}
811@findex rmail-summary-by-recipients
812 @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients})
813makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more
814of the recipients @var{rcpts}. @var{rcpts} should contain mailing
815addresses separated by commas.@refill
816
817@kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)}
818@findex rmail-summary-by-topic
819 @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic})
820makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have
821a match for the regular expression @var{topic}.
822
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823@kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)}
824@findex rmail-summary-by-regexp
b8f86df3 825 @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp})
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826makes a partial summary which mentions only the messages whose headers
827(including the date and the subject lines) match the regular
828expression @var{regexp}.
829
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830 Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file; making one
831kind of summary discards any previously made summary.
832
833@vindex rmail-summary-window-size
834@vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag
835 The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to
836use for the summary window. The variable
837@code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line
838for a message should include the line count of the message.
839
840@node Rmail Summary Edit
841@subsection Editing in Summaries
842
843 You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do
844in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer,
845there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer.
846
847 You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from
848the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to
849different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move
850point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that
851message is selected in the Rmail buffer.
852
853 Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the
854Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current
855message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}
856output the current message to a file; @kbd{r} starts a reply to it. You
857can scroll the current message while remaining in the summary buffer
858using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}.
859
860 The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary
861buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included
862in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen
863(unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail
864buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears).
865Here is a list of these commands:
866
867@table @kbd
868@item n
869Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its
870message.
871@item p
872Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select
873its message.
874@item M-n
875Move to next line and select its message.
876@item M-p
877Move to previous line and select its message.
878@item >
879Move to the last line, and select its message.
880@item <
881Move to the first line, and select its message.
882@item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET}
883Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current
884message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer
885to that message's line.
886@end table
887
888@vindex rmail-redisplay-summary
889 Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a
890different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the
891Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is
892non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto
893the screen.
894
895@kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)}
896@findex rmail-summary-wipe
897@kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)}
898@findex rmail-summary-quit
899 When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q}
900(@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You
901can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q}
902(@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from
903Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer.
904
905@node Rmail Sorting
906@section Sorting the Rmail File
907
908@table @kbd
909@item M-x rmail-sort-by-date
910Sort messages of current Rmail file by date.
911
912@item M-x rmail-sort-by-subject
913Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject.
914
915@item M-x rmail-sort-by-author
916Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name.
917
918@item M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient
919Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names.
920
921@item M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent
922Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other
923correspondent.
924
925@item M-x rmail-sort-by-lines
926Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines).
927
928@item M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET}
929Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument
930@var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of
931these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first
932label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on.
933Messages which have none of these labels come last.
934@end table
935
936 The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no
937reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains
938unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For
939example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then
940@code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in
941order by date.
942
943 With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of
944comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from
945biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order.
946
947@node Rmail Display
948@section Display of Messages
949
950 Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for
951the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to
952reduce clutter. You can use the @kbd{t} command to show the entire
953header or to repeat the header reformatting operation.
954
955@table @kbd
956@item t
957Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}).
958@end table
959
960@vindex rmail-ignored-headers
961 Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the
962grounds that they are not interesting. The variable
963@code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression that specifies
964which header fields to hide in this way---if it matches the beginning of
965a header field, that whole field is hidden.
966
967@kindex t @r{(Rmail)}
968@findex rmail-toggle-header
969 Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see
970it, use the @kbd{t} command (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). This
971discards the reformatted headers of the current message and displays it
972with the original header. Repeating @kbd{t} reformats the message
973again. Selecting the message again also reformats.
974
975 One consequence of this is that if you edit the reformatted header
976(using @kbd{e}; @pxref{Rmail Editing}), subsequent use of @kbd{t} will
977discard your edits. On the other hand, if you use @kbd{e} after
978@kbd{t}, to edit the original (unreformatted) header, those changes are
979permanent.
980
981 When the @kbd{t} command has a prefix argument, a positive argument
982means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument
983means to show the full header.
984
985@vindex rmail-highlighted-headers
358f71fd 986 When the terminal supports multiple fonts or colors, Rmail
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987highlights certain header fields that are especially interesting---by
988default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. The variable
989@code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression that
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990specifies the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning
991of a header field, that whole field is highlighted.
6bf7aab6 992
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993 If you specify unusual colors for your text foreground and
994background, the colors used for highlighting may not go well with
995them. If so, specify different colors for the face
996@code{rmail-highlight-face}. @xref{Faces}, for how to do this. To
997turn off highlighting entirely in Rmail, set
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998@code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}.
999
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1000 You can highlight and activate URLs in incoming messages by adding
1001the function @code{goto-address} to the hook
1002@code{rmail-show-message-hook}. Then you can browse these URLs by
1003clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} or by moving to one and typing
00aa62e5 1004@kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto-address, Activating URLs, Activating URLs}.
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1005
1006@node Rmail Coding
1007@section Rmail and Coding Systems
6c21cdc0 1008
eed0ee77 1009@cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail)
95009a13 1010 Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-ASCII
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1011characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess
1012output. Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in
1013the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the
1014sender. It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding
1015system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode
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1016message text. If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset}
1017specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized,
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1018Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and
1019defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}).
eed0ee77 1020
eed0ee77 1021@cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages
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1022 Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs
1023guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset}
1024specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For
1025example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a
1026@samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded
1027in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of
1028its characters displayed as empty boxes, this may have happened.
eed0ee77 1029
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1030@findex rmail-redecode-body
1031 You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the
1032right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is
1033right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command.
1034It reads the name of a coding system, encodes the message body using
1035whichever coding system was used to decode it before, then redecodes
1036it using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right
1037coding system, the result should be readable.
1038
1039 Decoding and encoding using the wrong coding system is lossless for
1040most encodings, in particular with 8-bit encodings such as iso-8859 or
1041koi8. So, if the initial attempt to redecode the message didn't
1042result in a legible text, you can try other coding systems until you
1043succeed.
1044
1045 With some coding systems, notably those from the iso-2022 family,
1046information can be lost in decoding, so that encoding the message
1047again won't bring back the original incoming text. In such a case,
1048@code{rmail-redecode-body} cannot work. However, the problems that
1049call for use of @code{rmail-redecode-body} rarely occur with those
1050coding systems. So in practice the command works when you need it.
eed0ee77 1051
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1052@node Rmail Editing
1053@section Editing Within a Message
1054
1055 Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though a
1056few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by Rmail for
1057other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and
1058most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to
1059edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command @kbd{e}.
1060
1061@table @kbd
1062@item e
1063Edit the current message as ordinary text.
1064@end table
1065
1066@kindex e @r{(Rmail)}
1067@findex rmail-edit-current-message
1068 The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from
1069Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the
1070same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change.
1071
1072 In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail
1073commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message and
1074are ready to go back to Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-c}, which switches back to
1075Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel all the
1076editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}.
1077
1078@vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook
1079 Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then it
1080runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). It adds the
1081attribute @samp{edited} to the message. It also displays the full
1082headers of the message, so that you can edit the headers as well as the
a0e1abe4 1083body of the message, and your changes in the headers will be
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1084permanent.
1085
1086@node Rmail Digest
1087@section Digest Messages
1088@cindex digest message
1089@cindex undigestify
1090
1091 A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry
1092several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing
1093lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time
1094such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the
1095subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer
1096time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total
1097size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail
1098transmission is considerable.
1099
1100@findex undigestify-rmail-message
1101 When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is
1102to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages.
1103Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you.
eca274b1 1104To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x
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1105undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate
1106Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest
1107message itself is flagged as deleted.
1108
1109@node Out of Rmail
1110@section Converting an Rmail File to Inbox Format
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1111@cindex Babyl format to Inbox format
1112@cindex converting Rmail file to mailbox format
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1113
1114@findex unrmail
1115 The command @kbd{M-x unrmail} converts a file in Rmail format to inbox
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1116format (also known as the system mailbox, or mbox, format), so that
1117you can use it with other mail-editing tools. You must specify two
1118arguments, the name of the Rmail file and the name to use for the
1119converted file. @kbd{M-x unrmail} does not alter the Rmail file itself.
1120
1121@pindex b2m
1122 @kbd{M-x unrmail} is useful if you can run Emacs on the machine
1123where the Rmail file resides, or can access the Rmail file remotely
1124(@pxref{Remote Files}) from a machine where Emacs is installed. If
1125accessing Rmail files from Emacs is impossible, you can use the
1126@command{b2m} program instead. @command{b2m} is part of the Emacs
1127distribution, it is installed into the same directory where all the
1128other auxiliary programs (@command{etags} etc.) are installed, and its
1129source is available in the Emacs source distribution, so that you
1130could copy the source to the target machine and compile it there.
1131
1132 To convert a file @file{@var{babyl-file}} into @file{@var{mbox-file}},
1133invoke @command{b2m} like this:
1134
1135@example
1136 b2m < @var{babyl-file} > @var{mbox-file}
1137@end example
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1138
1139@node Rmail Rot13
1140@section Reading Rot13 Messages
1141@cindex rot13 code
1142
1143 Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes
1144encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it
1145rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it
1146provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid
1147ever seeing the real text of the message.
1148
1149@findex rot13-other-window
1150 To view a buffer using the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x
1151rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window
1152which applies the code when displaying the text.
1153
1154@node Movemail
1155@section @code{movemail} and POP
1156@cindex @code{movemail} program
1157
1158@vindex rmail-preserve-inbox
1159 When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox
1160file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it truncates
1161the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail
1162between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail. If
1163@code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then Rmail will copy new
1164mail from the inbox file to the Rmail file without truncating the inbox
1165file. You may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you
1166use to check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will
1167remain on the server and you can save it later on your workstation.
1168
1169 In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file
1170indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail
1171from the inbox to an intermediate file called
1172@file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}}. Then Rmail merges the new mail from
1173that file, saves the Rmail file, and only then deletes the intermediate
1174file. If there is a crash at the wrong time, this file continues to
1175exist, and Rmail will use it again the next time it gets new mail from
1176that inbox.
1177
1178@pindex movemail
1179 If Rmail is unable to convert the data in
1180@file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into Babyl format, it renames the file
1181to @file{~/RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the
1182name unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again.
1183You should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail
1184(probably one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code
1185037), and delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from
1186the corrected file.
1187
1188 Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data
1189instead of storing the data in inbox files. @code{movemail} can work
1190with POP if you compile it with the macro @code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined.
1191(You can achieve that by specifying @samp{--with-pop} when you run
1192@code{configure} during the installation of Emacs.)
1193@code{movemail} only works with POP3, not with older
1194versions of POP.
1195
60a96371 1196@cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable
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1197@cindex POP inboxes
1198 Assuming you have compiled and installed @code{movemail}
1199appropriately, you can specify a POP inbox by using a ``file name'' of
1200the form @samp{po:@var{username}}, in the inbox list of an Rmail file.
1201@code{movemail} handles such a name by opening a connection to the POP
60a96371 1202server. The @env{MAILHOST} environment variable specifies the machine
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1203to look for the server on; alternatively, you can specify the POP server
1204host name as part of the mailbox name using the syntax
1205@samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}}.
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1206
1207@vindex rmail-pop-password
1208@vindex rmail-pop-password-required
1209 Accessing mail via POP may require a password. If the variable
1210@code{rmail-pop-password} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies the password
1211to use for POP. Alternatively, if @code{rmail-pop-password-required} is
1212non-@code{nil}, then Rmail asks you for the password to use.
1213
1214@vindex rmail-movemail-flags
1215 If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail},
1216set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you
1217wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to
1218preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead.
1219
1220@cindex Kerberos POP authentication
1221 The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support
1222Kerberos authentication. If it is
1223supported, it is used by default whenever you attempt to retrieve
1224POP mail when @code{rmail-pop-password} and
1225@code{rmail-pop-password-required} are unset.
1226
4946337d 1227@cindex reverse order in POP inboxes
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1228 Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does
1229this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was
1230received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of
1231downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to
1232@code{rmail-movemail-flags}.
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1233
1234@ignore
1235 arch-tag: 034965f6-38df-47a2-a9f1-b8bc8ab37e23
1236@end ignore