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6bf7aab6 | 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
ba318903 | 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985-1987, 1993-1995, 1997, 2001-2014 Free Software |
ab422c4d | 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. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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 | |
04242bdc GM |
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}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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 |
00aa62e5 RS |
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}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
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. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
99 | |
100 | @table @kbd | |
101 | @item @key{SPC} | |
550f41cd | 102 | Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up-command}). |
6bf7aab6 | 103 | @item @key{DEL} |
d7e9a7f8 | 104 | @itemx S-@key{SPC} |
550f41cd | 105 | Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down-command}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
106 | @item . |
107 | Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). | |
a941a443 CY |
108 | @item / |
109 | Scroll to end of message (@code{rmail-end-of-message}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
110 | @end table |
111 | ||
112 | @kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} | |
113 | @kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} | |
eea2cba4 | 114 | @kindex S-SPC @r{(Rmail)} |
550f41cd CY |
115 | Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to |
116 | scroll through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} | |
52e9721b | 117 | (or @kbd{S-@key{SPC}}) do the same as @kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up-command}) |
eea2cba4 | 118 | and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down-command}) respectively. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
119 | |
120 | @kindex . @r{(Rmail)} | |
a941a443 | 121 | @kindex / @r{(Rmail)} |
6bf7aab6 | 122 | @findex rmail-beginning-of-message |
a941a443 | 123 | @findex rmail-end-of-message |
6bf7aab6 DL |
124 | The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the |
125 | beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: | |
126 | for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer | |
04242bdc | 127 | boundaries of the current message if you have changed them. Similarly, |
a941a443 CY |
128 | the command @kbd{/} (@code{rmail-end-of-message}) scrolls forward to the end |
129 | of the selected message. | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
130 | @c The comment about buffer boundaries is still true in mbox Rmail, if |
131 | @c less likely to be relevant. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
132 | |
133 | @node Rmail Motion | |
134 | @section Moving Among Messages | |
135 | ||
136 | The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to | |
137 | do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is | |
138 | to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of | |
139 | receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the | |
140 | first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one | |
141 | that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move | |
b8f86df3 | 142 | forward to see the other new messages; move backward to re-examine old |
6bf7aab6 DL |
143 | messages. |
144 | ||
145 | @table @kbd | |
146 | @item n | |
147 | Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted | |
148 | messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). | |
149 | @item p | |
150 | Move to the previous nondeleted message | |
151 | (@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). | |
152 | @item M-n | |
153 | Move to the next message, including deleted messages | |
154 | (@code{rmail-next-message}). | |
155 | @item M-p | |
156 | Move to the previous message, including deleted messages | |
157 | (@code{rmail-previous-message}). | |
505e70c3 GM |
158 | @item C-c C-n |
159 | Move to the next message with the same subject as the current one | |
160 | (@code{rmail-next-same-subject}). | |
161 | @item C-c C-p | |
162 | Move to the previous message with the same subject as the current one | |
163 | (@code{rmail-previous-same-subject}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
164 | @item j |
165 | Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to | |
166 | message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). | |
167 | @item > | |
168 | Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). | |
169 | @item < | |
170 | Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). | |
171 | ||
172 | @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
173 | Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} | |
174 | (@code{rmail-search}). | |
175 | ||
176 | @item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
177 | Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
178 | @end table | |
179 | ||
180 | @kindex n @r{(Rmail)} | |
181 | @kindex p @r{(Rmail)} | |
182 | @kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
183 | @kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
184 | @findex rmail-next-undeleted-message | |
185 | @findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message | |
186 | @findex rmail-next-message | |
187 | @findex rmail-previous-message | |
188 | @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in | |
189 | Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over | |
190 | deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command | |
191 | definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and | |
192 | @code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip | |
193 | deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to | |
194 | undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} | |
195 | (@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A | |
196 | numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat | |
9dd617a6 | 197 | count. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
198 | |
199 | In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the | |
200 | digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. | |
201 | ||
202 | @kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
203 | @findex rmail-search | |
204 | @cindex searching in Rmail | |
205 | The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of | |
206 | search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, | |
207 | but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of | |
208 | @kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular | |
209 | expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at | |
210 | the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects | |
211 | that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp | |
212 | used the previous time. | |
213 | ||
214 | To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
215 | negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. This |
216 | begins searching from the end of the previous message. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
217 | |
218 | It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. | |
219 | @xref{Rmail Labels}. | |
220 | ||
505e70c3 GM |
221 | @kindex C-c C-n @r{(Rmail)} |
222 | @kindex C-c C-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
223 | @findex rmail-next-same-subject | |
224 | @findex rmail-previous-same-subject | |
225 | The @kbd{C-c C-n} (@code{rmail-next-same-subject}) command moves to | |
226 | the next message with the same subject as the current one. A prefix | |
227 | argument serves as a repeat count. With a negative argument, this | |
228 | command moves backward, acting like @kbd{C-c C-p} | |
749c6447 | 229 | (@code{rmail-previous-same-subject}). When comparing subjects, these |
04242bdc | 230 | commands ignore the prefixes typically added to the subjects of replies. |
505e70c3 | 231 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
232 | @kindex j @r{(Rmail)} |
233 | @kindex > @r{(Rmail)} | |
234 | @kindex < @r{(Rmail)} | |
235 | @findex rmail-show-message | |
236 | @findex rmail-last-message | |
237 | @findex rmail-first-message | |
238 | To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} | |
239 | (@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With | |
240 | no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} | |
241 | (@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} | |
242 | (@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. | |
243 | ||
244 | @node Rmail Deletion | |
245 | @section Deleting Messages | |
246 | ||
247 | @cindex deletion (Rmail) | |
248 | When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This | |
249 | flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer | |
250 | present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its | |
251 | message number. | |
252 | ||
253 | @cindex expunging (Rmail) | |
254 | @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. | |
04242bdc GM |
255 | The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. |
256 | @c The following is neither true (there is also unforward, sorting, | |
257 | @c etc), nor especially interesting. | |
258 | @c Expunging is the only action that changes the message number of any | |
259 | @c message, except for undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
260 | |
261 | @table @kbd | |
262 | @item d | |
263 | Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message | |
264 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}). | |
265 | @item C-d | |
266 | Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted | |
267 | message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). | |
268 | @item u | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
269 | Undelete the current message, or move back to the previous deleted |
270 | message and undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
271 | @item x |
272 | Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). | |
273 | @end table | |
274 | ||
275 | @kindex d @r{(Rmail)} | |
276 | @kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} | |
277 | @findex rmail-delete-forward | |
278 | @findex rmail-delete-backward | |
279 | There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the | |
b474519e | 280 | current message and select another. @kbd{d} |
6bf7aab6 DL |
281 | (@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping |
282 | messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) | |
283 | moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted | |
3d963b67 GM |
284 | message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just |
285 | deleted remains current. @kbd{d} with a prefix argument is equivalent | |
286 | to @kbd{C-d}. Note that the Rmail summary versions of these commands | |
287 | behave slightly differently (@pxref{Rmail Summary Edit}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 288 | |
1df7defd | 289 | @c mention other hooks, e.g., show message hook? |
6bf7aab6 | 290 | @vindex rmail-delete-message-hook |
b8f86df3 | 291 | Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook |
6bf7aab6 DL |
292 | @code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, |
293 | the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message | |
294 | in the Rmail buffer. | |
295 | ||
296 | @cindex undeletion (Rmail) | |
297 | @kindex x @r{(Rmail)} | |
298 | @findex rmail-expunge | |
299 | @kindex u @r{(Rmail)} | |
300 | @findex rmail-undelete-previous-message | |
301 | To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, | |
302 | type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still | |
303 | @dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} | |
304 | (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the | |
305 | effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current | |
306 | message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward | |
307 | to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes | |
308 | that message. | |
309 | ||
310 | You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} | |
311 | moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But | |
312 | this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages | |
313 | that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command | |
314 | undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean | |
315 | way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, | |
316 | you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to | |
317 | undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with | |
318 | the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. | |
319 | ||
320 | A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result | |
321 | @samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is | |
322 | deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than | |
323 | adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. | |
324 | ||
325 | @node Rmail Inbox | |
326 | @section Rmail Files and Inboxes | |
327 | @cindex inbox file | |
328 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
329 | When you receive mail locally, the operating system places incoming |
330 | mail for you in a file that we call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start | |
331 | up Rmail, it runs a C program called @code{movemail} to copy the new | |
332 | messages from your local inbox into your primary Rmail file, which | |
333 | also contains other messages saved from previous Rmail sessions. It | |
334 | is in this file that you actually read the mail with Rmail. This | |
335 | operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You can get new mail at | |
336 | any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
337 | |
338 | @vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list | |
60a96371 | 339 | @cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable |
6bf7aab6 | 340 | The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the |
b474519e | 341 | files that are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set |
9d5de6f8 GM |
342 | this variable explicitly, Rmail uses the @env{MAIL} environment |
343 | variable, or, as a last resort, a default inbox based on | |
344 | @code{rmail-spool-directory}. The default inbox file depends on your | |
345 | operating system; often it is @file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, | |
346 | @file{/var/spool/mail/@var{username}}, or | |
347 | @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}. | |
6bf7aab6 | 348 | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
349 | You can specify the inbox file(s) for any Rmail file for the current |
350 | session with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see @ref{Rmail | |
351 | Files}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
352 | |
353 | There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. | |
354 | ||
355 | @enumerate | |
356 | @item | |
357 | The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to | |
358 | the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know | |
974a1061 | 359 | about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all |
6bf7aab6 DL |
360 | of them to Rmail's own format. |
361 | ||
362 | @item | |
363 | It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing | |
364 | mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. | |
365 | Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking | |
366 | techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for | |
367 | all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all | |
368 | the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. | |
369 | @end enumerate | |
370 | ||
b474519e | 371 | @c FIXME remove this in Emacs 25; won't be relevant any more. |
c1228e5c GM |
372 | @cindex Babyl files |
373 | @cindex mbox files | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
374 | Rmail was originally written to use the Babyl format as its internal |
375 | format. Since then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format | |
376 | (@samp{mbox}) on Unix and GNU systems is adequate for the job, and so | |
377 | since Emacs 23 Rmail uses that as its internal format. The Rmail file | |
378 | is still separate from the inbox file, even though their format is the | |
379 | same. | |
c1228e5c GM |
380 | @c But this bit should stay in some form. |
381 | @vindex rmail-mbox-format | |
382 | (In fact, there are a few slightly different mbox formats. | |
383 | The differences are not very important, but you can set the variable | |
384 | @code{rmail-mbox-format} to tell Rmail which form your system uses. | |
385 | See that variable's documentation for more details.) | |
6bf7aab6 | 386 | |
1be48cfa | 387 | @vindex rmail-preserve-inbox |
9dd617a6 RS |
388 | When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the |
389 | inbox file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it | |
390 | clears out the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause | |
391 | duplication of mail between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot | |
392 | lose mail. If @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
393 | Rmail does not clear out the inbox file when it gets new mail. You | |
394 | may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you use to | |
395 | check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will remain | |
396 | on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. | |
1be48cfa RS |
397 | |
398 | In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file | |
399 | indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail | |
400 | from the inbox to an intermediate file called | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
401 | @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}}, in the same directory as the Rmail |
402 | file. Then Rmail merges the new mail from that file, saves the Rmail | |
403 | file, and only then deletes the intermediate file. If there is a crash | |
404 | at the wrong time, this file continues to exist, and Rmail will use it | |
405 | again the next time it gets new mail from that inbox. | |
1be48cfa RS |
406 | |
407 | If Rmail is unable to convert the data in | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
408 | @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into mbox format, it renames the file to |
409 | @file{RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the name | |
410 | unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. You | |
411 | should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail (probably | |
412 | one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code 037), and | |
413 | delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from the | |
414 | corrected file. | |
1be48cfa | 415 | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
416 | @node Rmail Files |
417 | @section Multiple Rmail Files | |
418 | ||
419 | Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named | |
420 | @file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. | |
421 | But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These | |
422 | files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages | |
423 | into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
424 | ||
425 | @table @kbd | |
426 | @item i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
427 | Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). | |
428 | ||
429 | @item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} | |
430 | Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. | |
431 | ||
432 | @item g | |
433 | Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes | |
434 | (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). | |
435 | ||
436 | @item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} | |
437 | Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. | |
438 | @end table | |
439 | ||
440 | @kindex i @r{(Rmail)} | |
441 | @findex rmail-input | |
9dd617a6 | 442 | To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you can use |
6bf7aab6 DL |
443 | the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file |
444 | in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
445 | Rmail, but it is easier to type @kbd{C-u M-x rmail}, which does the |
446 | same thing. | |
6bf7aab6 | 447 | |
5f50b807 RS |
448 | The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid mbox file. |
449 | If it is not, Rmail tries to convert its text to mbox format, and | |
450 | visits the converted text in the buffer. If you save the buffer, that | |
451 | converts the file. | |
452 | ||
453 | If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} initializes a | |
454 | new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
455 | |
456 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory | |
457 | @vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp | |
9dd617a6 RS |
458 | You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. In the Classify menu, |
459 | choose the Input Rmail File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. | |
460 | The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
461 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
462 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
463 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match |
464 | the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select this menu | |
465 | item. These variables also apply to choosing a file for output | |
466 | (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
b474519e | 467 | @c FIXME matches only checked when Rmail file first visited? |
6bf7aab6 | 468 | |
5f50b807 | 469 | @ignore |
6bf7aab6 DL |
470 | @findex set-rmail-inbox-list |
471 | Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify | |
472 | this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} | |
473 | @key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated | |
474 | by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should | |
9dd617a6 RS |
475 | have no inboxes. Once you specify a list of inboxes in an Rmail file, |
476 | the Rmail file remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. | |
5f50b807 | 477 | @end ignore |
6bf7aab6 | 478 | |
5f50b807 RS |
479 | @vindex rmail-inbox-list |
480 | The inbox files to use are specified by the variable | |
481 | @code{rmail-inbox-list}, which is buffer-local in Rmail mode. As a | |
9d5de6f8 GM |
482 | special exception, if you have specified no inbox files for your primary |
483 | Rmail file, it uses the @env{MAIL} environment variable, or your | |
484 | standard system inbox. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
485 | |
486 | @kindex g @r{(Rmail)} | |
487 | @findex rmail-get-new-mail | |
488 | The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the | |
9dd617a6 RS |
489 | current Rmail file from its inboxes. If the Rmail file has no |
490 | inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} also | |
491 | merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
492 | |
493 | To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the | |
494 | @kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file | |
495 | name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or | |
496 | changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, | |
497 | therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. | |
498 | ||
499 | @node Rmail Output | |
500 | @section Copying Messages Out to Files | |
501 | ||
502 | These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. | |
503 | ||
504 | @table @kbd | |
505 | @item o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
5f50b807 RS |
506 | Append a full copy of the current message to the file @var{file} |
507 | (@code{rmail-output}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
508 | |
509 | @item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
5f50b807 RS |
510 | Append a copy of the current message, as displayed, to the file |
511 | @var{file} (@code{rmail-output-as-seen}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
512 | |
513 | @item w @var{file} @key{RET} | |
514 | Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default | |
515 | file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. | |
516 | @end table | |
517 | ||
518 | @kindex o @r{(Rmail)} | |
5f50b807 | 519 | @findex rmail-output-as-seen |
6bf7aab6 DL |
520 | @kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} |
521 | @findex rmail-output | |
522 | The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a | |
5f50b807 RS |
523 | specified file, adding it at the end. The two commands differ mainly |
524 | in how much to copy: @kbd{o} copies the full message headers, even if | |
525 | they are not all visible, while @kbd{C-o} copies exactly the headers | |
526 | currently displayed and no more. @xref{Rmail Display}. In addition, | |
527 | @kbd{o} converts the message to Babyl format (used by Rmail in Emacs | |
528 | version 22 and before) if the file is in Babyl format; @kbd{C-o} | |
529 | cannot output to Babyl files at all. | |
b474519e | 530 | @c FIXME remove BABYL mention in Emacs 25? |
5f50b807 RS |
531 | |
532 | If the output file is currently visited in an Emacs buffer, the | |
533 | output commands append the message to that buffer. It is up to you to | |
534 | save the buffer eventually in its file. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
535 | |
536 | @kindex w @r{(Rmail)} | |
537 | @findex rmail-output-body-to-file | |
538 | Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a | |
539 | file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) | |
540 | with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often | |
541 | these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} | |
542 | field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the | |
543 | default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using | |
544 | the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. | |
545 | ||
546 | You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. | |
9dd617a6 RS |
547 | In the Classify menu, choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then |
548 | choose the Rmail file you want. This outputs the current message to | |
549 | that file, like the @kbd{o} command. The variables | |
550 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
551 | @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the |
552 | menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
9dd617a6 | 553 | second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that |
9d5de6f8 GM |
554 | match the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select |
555 | this menu item. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
556 | |
557 | @vindex rmail-delete-after-output | |
32823124 LT |
558 | Copying a message with @kbd{o} or @kbd{C-o} gives the original copy |
559 | of the message the @samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} | |
5f50b807 RS |
560 | appears in the mode line when such a message is current. |
561 | ||
562 | If you like to keep just a single copy of every mail message, set | |
563 | the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output} to @code{t}; then the | |
564 | @kbd{o}, @kbd{C-o} and @kbd{w} commands delete the original message | |
565 | after copying it. (You can undelete it afterward if you wish.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
566 | |
567 | @vindex rmail-output-file-alist | |
568 | The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify | |
569 | intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the | |
570 | current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this | |
571 | form: | |
572 | ||
573 | @example | |
574 | (@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) | |
575 | @end example | |
576 | ||
577 | @noindent | |
578 | If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the | |
579 | default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements | |
580 | match the message, the first matching element decides the default file | |
581 | name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving | |
582 | the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression | |
583 | that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} | |
584 | applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. | |
585 | ||
01d06b1f GM |
586 | @vindex rmail-automatic-folder-directives |
587 | Rmail can automatically save messages from your primary Rmail file | |
588 | (the one that @code{rmail-file-name} specifies) to other files, based | |
589 | on the value of the variable @code{rmail-automatic-folder-directives}. | |
590 | This variable is a list of elements (@samp{directives}) that say which | |
591 | messages to save where. Each directive is a list consisting of an | |
592 | output file, followed by one or more pairs of a header name and a regular | |
593 | expression. If a message has a header matching the specified regular | |
594 | expression, that message is saved to the given file. If the directive | |
595 | has more than one header entry, all must match. Rmail checks directives | |
596 | when it shows a message from the file @code{rmail-file-name}, and | |
597 | applies the first that matches (if any). If the output file is | |
598 | @code{nil}, the message is deleted, not saved. For example, you can use | |
599 | this feature to save messages from a particular address, or with a | |
600 | particular subject, to a dedicated file. | |
601 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
602 | @node Rmail Labels |
603 | @section Labels | |
604 | @cindex label (Rmail) | |
605 | @cindex attribute (Rmail) | |
606 | ||
607 | Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means | |
608 | of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different | |
609 | labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular | |
610 | message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to | |
611 | messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels | |
612 | are called @dfn{attributes}. | |
4714476b | 613 | @ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 | 614 | (@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) |
4714476b | 615 | @end ifnottex |
6bf7aab6 DL |
616 | All other labels are assigned only by users. |
617 | ||
618 | @table @kbd | |
619 | @item a @var{label} @key{RET} | |
620 | Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). | |
621 | @item k @var{label} @key{RET} | |
622 | Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). | |
623 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
624 | Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
625 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). | |
626 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
627 | Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
628 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). | |
32823124 LT |
629 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} |
630 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
631 | Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} |
632 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
633 | @end table | |
634 | ||
635 | @kindex a @r{(Rmail)} | |
636 | @kindex k @r{(Rmail)} | |
637 | @findex rmail-add-label | |
638 | @findex rmail-kill-label | |
639 | The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} | |
640 | (@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any | |
641 | label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it | |
642 | means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or | |
643 | removed. | |
644 | ||
645 | Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there | |
04242bdc | 646 | are three ways to use the labels: in moving, in summaries, and in sorting. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
647 | |
648 | @kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
649 | @kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
650 | @findex rmail-next-labeled-message | |
651 | @findex rmail-previous-labeled-message | |
ae742cb5 | 652 | @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} |
6bf7aab6 | 653 | (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has |
ae742cb5 CY |
654 | one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies |
655 | one or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} | |
656 | (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves | |
657 | backwards to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command | |
658 | serves as a repeat count. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
659 | |
660 | The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
661 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the | |
662 | messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The | |
663 | argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. | |
9dd617a6 | 664 | @xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
665 | |
666 | If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or | |
667 | @kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified | |
668 | for any of these commands. | |
669 | ||
04242bdc GM |
670 | @xref{Rmail Sorting}, for information on sorting messages with labels. |
671 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
672 | @node Rmail Attributes |
673 | @section Rmail Attributes | |
674 | ||
675 | Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in | |
9dd617a6 RS |
676 | meanings, and Rmail assigns them to messages automatically at |
677 | appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is | |
678 | a list of Rmail attributes: | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
679 | |
680 | @table @samp | |
681 | @item unseen | |
682 | Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when | |
683 | they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made | |
684 | current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message | |
685 | that has this attribute. | |
686 | @item deleted | |
687 | Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and | |
688 | removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). | |
689 | @item filed | |
690 | Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the | |
32823124 | 691 | @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
692 | @item answered |
693 | Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} | |
694 | command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
695 | @item forwarded | |
696 | Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command | |
697 | (@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
698 | @item edited | |
699 | Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. | |
700 | @xref{Rmail Editing}. | |
701 | @item resent | |
702 | Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x | |
703 | rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
5f50b807 RS |
704 | @item retried |
705 | Means you have retried a failed outgoing message. Assigned by the | |
706 | command @kbd{M-x rmail-retry-failure}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
707 | @end table |
708 | ||
9dd617a6 | 709 | All other labels are assigned or removed only by users, and have no |
6bf7aab6 DL |
710 | standard meaning. |
711 | ||
712 | @node Rmail Reply | |
713 | @section Sending Replies | |
714 | ||
e73c2434 CY |
715 | Rmail has several commands to send outgoing mail. @xref{Sending |
716 | Mail}, for information on using Message mode, including certain | |
717 | features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents are | |
718 | the special commands of Rmail for entering the mail buffer. Note that | |
719 | the usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and | |
720 | @kbd{C-x 5 m}---also work normally in Rmail mode. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
721 | |
722 | @table @kbd | |
723 | @item m | |
724 | Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). | |
725 | @item c | |
726 | Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). | |
727 | @item r | |
728 | Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). | |
729 | @item f | |
730 | Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). | |
731 | @item C-u f | |
732 | Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). | |
733 | @item M-m | |
734 | Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). | |
735 | @end table | |
736 | ||
737 | @kindex r @r{(Rmail)} | |
738 | @findex rmail-reply | |
739 | @cindex reply to a message | |
9dd617a6 RS |
740 | The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply |
741 | to the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} | |
b474519e | 742 | (@code{rmail-reply}). This displays a mail composition buffer in |
9dd617a6 RS |
743 | another window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the |
744 | @samp{Subject}, @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, @samp{In-reply-to} and | |
745 | @samp{References} header fields based on the message you are replying | |
746 | to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the address of the person who | |
747 | sent the message you received, and the @samp{CC} field starts out with | |
748 | all the other recipients of that message. | |
6bf7aab6 | 749 | |
b474519e | 750 | @vindex mail-dont-reply-to-names |
3d963b67 | 751 | You can exclude certain recipients from being included automatically |
b474519e | 752 | in replies, using the variable @code{mail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its |
21b6bf3b GM |
753 | value should be a regular expression; any recipients that match are |
754 | excluded from the @samp{CC} field. They are also excluded from the | |
755 | @samp{To} field, unless this would leave the field empty. If this | |
4181427f | 756 | variable is @code{nil}, then the first time you compose a reply it is |
b474519e | 757 | initialized to a default value that matches your own address. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
758 | |
759 | To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter | |
760 | the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. | |
9dd617a6 | 761 | This means to reply only to the sender of the original message. |
6bf7aab6 | 762 | |
b474519e | 763 | Once the mail composition buffer has been initialized, editing and |
e73c2434 CY |
764 | sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit |
765 | the presupplied header fields if they are not what you want. You can | |
766 | also use commands such as @kbd{C-c C-y}, which yanks in the message | |
767 | that you are replying to (@pxref{Mail Commands}). You can also switch | |
768 | to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch back, | |
769 | and yank the new current message. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
770 | |
771 | @kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} | |
772 | @findex rmail-retry-failure | |
773 | @cindex retrying a failed message | |
774 | @vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers | |
775 | Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually | |
776 | send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure | |
777 | message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) | |
778 | prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a | |
b474519e | 779 | mail composition buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If |
6bf7aab6 DL |
780 | you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly |
781 | the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or | |
782 | headers and then send it. The variable | |
783 | @code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as | |
784 | @code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which | |
00aa62e5 | 785 | headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
786 | |
787 | @kindex f @r{(Rmail)} | |
788 | @findex rmail-forward | |
789 | @cindex forwarding a message | |
790 | Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the | |
791 | current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes | |
b474519e GM |
792 | this easy by preinitializing the mail composition buffer with the current |
793 | message as the text, and a subject of the form @code{[@var{from}: | |
794 | @var{subject}]}, where @var{from} and @var{subject} are the sender and | |
795 | subject of the original message. All you have to do is fill in the | |
796 | recipients and send. When you forward a message, recipients get a | |
797 | message which is ``from'' you, and which has the original message in | |
798 | its contents. | |
799 | ||
800 | @vindex rmail-enable-mime-composing | |
6bf7aab6 | 801 | @findex unforward-rmail-message |
b474519e GM |
802 | Rmail offers two formats for forwarded messages. The default is to |
803 | use MIME (@pxref{Rmail Display}) format. This includes the original | |
804 | message as a separate part. You can use a simpler format if you | |
805 | prefer, by setting the variable @code{rmail-enable-mime-composing} to | |
806 | @code{nil}. In this case, Rmail just includes the original message | |
807 | enclosed between two delimiter lines. It also modifies every line | |
808 | that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} at the start of | |
809 | the line. When you receive a forwarded message in this format, if it | |
6bf7aab6 | 810 | contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source |
b474519e GM |
811 | code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can |
812 | do this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x | |
813 | unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original | |
814 | forwarded message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and | |
815 | inserts it into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately | |
816 | following the current one. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
817 | |
818 | @findex rmail-resend | |
819 | @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the | |
820 | difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the | |
821 | original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields | |
04242bdc | 822 | (@samp{Resent-From} and @samp{Resent-To}) to indicate that it came via |
6bf7aab6 | 823 | you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs |
3d963b67 GM |
824 | @code{rmail-forward}, which invokes @code{rmail-resend} if you provide a |
825 | numeric argument.) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
826 | |
827 | @kindex m @r{(Rmail)} | |
828 | @findex rmail-mail | |
5f50b807 | 829 | Use the @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command to start editing an |
6bf7aab6 DL |
830 | outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. |
831 | Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer | |
b474519e GM |
832 | accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. |
833 | @ignore | |
834 | @c Not a good idea, because it does not include Reply-To etc. | |
835 | Thus, @kbd{m} can be used to reply to or forward a message; it can do | |
836 | anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} can do. | |
837 | @end ignore | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
838 | |
839 | @kindex c @r{(Rmail)} | |
840 | @findex rmail-continue | |
841 | The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the | |
b474519e | 842 | mail composition buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were |
9dd617a6 | 843 | already composing, or to alter a message you have sent. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
844 | |
845 | @vindex rmail-mail-new-frame | |
846 | If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a | |
847 | non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a | |
848 | message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when | |
b474519e GM |
849 | you send the message. |
850 | @ignore | |
851 | @c FIXME does not work with Message -> Kill Message | |
852 | , or when you use the @samp{Cancel} item in the @samp{Mail} menu. | |
853 | @end ignore | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
854 | |
855 | All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition | |
856 | method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). | |
857 | ||
858 | @node Rmail Summary | |
859 | @section Summaries | |
860 | @cindex summary (Rmail) | |
861 | ||
862 | A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give | |
863 | you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the | |
00aa62e5 RS |
864 | message number and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and |
865 | the subject. Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as | |
866 | you move to their summary lines. Almost all Rmail commands are valid | |
867 | in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message | |
868 | described by the current line of the summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
869 | |
870 | A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are | |
871 | editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. | |
872 | The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the | |
873 | Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a | |
874 | time. | |
875 | ||
876 | @menu | |
8838673e GM |
877 | * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. |
878 | * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
879 | @end menu |
880 | ||
881 | @node Rmail Make Summary | |
882 | @subsection Making Summaries | |
883 | ||
3d963b67 GM |
884 | Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail |
885 | buffer. Once the Rmail buffer has a summary, changes in the Rmail | |
886 | buffer (such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
887 | automatically update the summary. |
888 | ||
889 | @table @kbd | |
890 | @item h | |
891 | @itemx C-M-h | |
892 | Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). | |
893 | @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
894 | @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
895 | Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels | |
896 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
897 | @item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} | |
2340abde | 898 | Summarize messages that match the specified recipients |
6bf7aab6 DL |
899 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). |
900 | @item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} | |
901 | Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp | |
902 | @var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). | |
2340abde | 903 | @item C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
3d963b67 GM |
904 | Summarize messages whose headers match the specified regular expression |
905 | @var{regexp} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}). | |
2340abde GM |
906 | @item C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET} |
907 | Summarize messages that match the specified senders. | |
908 | (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
909 | @end table |
910 | ||
911 | @kindex h @r{(Rmail)} | |
912 | @findex rmail-summary | |
913 | The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer | |
3d963b67 | 914 | for the current Rmail buffer with a summary of all the messages in the buffer. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
915 | It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. |
916 | ||
917 | @kindex l @r{(Rmail)} | |
918 | @kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} | |
919 | @findex rmail-summary-by-labels | |
920 | @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes | |
921 | a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the | |
922 | labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by | |
9dd617a6 | 923 | commas. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
924 | |
925 | @kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} | |
926 | @findex rmail-summary-by-recipients | |
927 | @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) | |
3d963b67 | 928 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or |
2340abde GM |
929 | more recipients matching the regular expression @var{rcpts}. You can |
930 | use commas to separate multiple regular expressions. These are matched | |
b474519e GM |
931 | against the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, and @samp{CC} headers (supply a prefix |
932 | argument to exclude this header). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
933 | |
934 | @kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} | |
935 | @findex rmail-summary-by-topic | |
936 | @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) | |
937 | makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have | |
2340abde | 938 | a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. You can use commas to |
3d963b67 GM |
939 | separate multiple regular expressions. With a prefix argument, the |
940 | match is against the whole message, not just the subject. | |
6bf7aab6 | 941 | |
a99d2d64 EZ |
942 | @kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)} |
943 | @findex rmail-summary-by-regexp | |
b8f86df3 | 944 | @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}) |
3d963b67 | 945 | makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose headers |
a99d2d64 EZ |
946 | (including the date and the subject lines) match the regular |
947 | expression @var{regexp}. | |
948 | ||
2340abde GM |
949 | @kindex C-M-f @r{(Rmail)} |
950 | @findex rmail-summary-by-senders | |
951 | @kbd{C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}) | |
952 | makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose @samp{From} | |
953 | fields match the regular expression @var{senders}. You can use commas to | |
954 | separate multiple regular expressions. | |
955 | ||
3d963b67 | 956 | Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail buffer; |
9dd617a6 | 957 | making any kind of summary discards any previous summary. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
958 | |
959 | @vindex rmail-summary-window-size | |
960 | @vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag | |
961 | The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to | |
962 | use for the summary window. The variable | |
963 | @code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line | |
3d963b67 | 964 | for a message should include the line count of the message. Setting |
4181427f | 965 | this option to @code{nil} might speed up the generation of summaries. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
966 | |
967 | @node Rmail Summary Edit | |
968 | @subsection Editing in Summaries | |
969 | ||
970 | You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do | |
971 | in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, | |
972 | there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. | |
973 | ||
974 | You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from | |
975 | the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to | |
976 | different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move | |
977 | point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that | |
978 | message is selected in the Rmail buffer. | |
979 | ||
980 | Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the | |
981 | Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current | |
36e2ae50 LT |
982 | message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. (However, in the |
983 | summary buffer, a numeric argument to @kbd{d}, @kbd{C-d} and @kbd{u} | |
984 | serves as a repeat count. A negative argument reverses the meaning of | |
3d963b67 GM |
985 | @kbd{d} and @kbd{C-d}. Also, if there are no more undeleted messages in |
986 | the relevant direction, the delete commands go to the first or last | |
987 | message, rather than staying on the current message.) @kbd{o} and | |
988 | @kbd{C-o} output the current message to a FILE; @kbd{r} starts a reply | |
2340abde | 989 | to it; etc. You can scroll the current message while remaining in the |
3d963b67 | 990 | summary buffer using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. |
2340abde GM |
991 | @c rmail-summary-scroll-between-messages not mentioned. |
992 | ||
993 | @findex rmail-summary-undelete-many | |
994 | @kbd{M-u} (@code{rmail-summary-undelete-many}) undeletes all deleted | |
995 | messages in the summary. A prefix argument means to undelete that many | |
996 | of the previous deleted messages. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
997 | |
998 | The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary | |
999 | buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included | |
1000 | in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen | |
1001 | (unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail | |
1002 | buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). | |
1003 | Here is a list of these commands: | |
1004 | ||
1005 | @table @kbd | |
1006 | @item n | |
1007 | Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its | |
2340abde | 1008 | message (@code{rmail-summary-next-msg}). |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1009 | @item p |
1010 | Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select | |
2340abde | 1011 | its message (@code{rmail-summary-previous-msg}). |
6bf7aab6 | 1012 | @item M-n |
2340abde | 1013 | Move to next line and select its message (@code{rmail-summary-next-all}). |
6bf7aab6 | 1014 | @item M-p |
2340abde GM |
1015 | Move to previous line and select its message |
1016 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-all}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1017 | @item > |
2340abde GM |
1018 | Move to the last line, and select its message |
1019 | (@code{rmail-summary-last-message}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1020 | @item < |
2340abde GM |
1021 | Move to the first line, and select its message |
1022 | (@code{rmail-summary-first-message}). | |
32823124 LT |
1023 | @item j |
1024 | @itemx @key{RET} | |
2340abde GM |
1025 | Select the message on the current line (ensuring that the Rmail buffer |
1026 | appears on the screen; @code{rmail-summary-goto-msg}). With argument | |
1027 | @var{n}, select message number @var{n} and move to its line in the | |
1028 | summary buffer; this signals an error if the message is not listed in | |
1029 | the summary buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1030 | @item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} |
1031 | Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current | |
1032 | message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer | |
2340abde GM |
1033 | to that message's line (@code{rmail-summary-search}). A prefix argument |
1034 | acts as a repeat count; a negative argument means search backward | |
1035 | (equivalent to @code{rmail-summary-search-backward}.) | |
1036 | @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1037 | Move to the next message with at least one of the specified labels | |
1038 | (@code{rmail-summary-next-labeled-message}). @var{labels} is a | |
1039 | comma-separated list of labels. A prefix argument acts as a repeat | |
1040 | count. | |
1041 | @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1042 | Move to the previous message with at least one of the specified labels | |
1043 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-labeled-message}). | |
04242bdc GM |
1044 | @item C-c C-n @key{RET} |
1045 | Move to the next message with the same subject as the current message | |
1046 | (@code{rmail-summary-next-same-subject}). A prefix argument acts as a | |
1047 | repeat count. | |
1048 | @item C-c C-p @key{RET} | |
1049 | Move to the previous message with the same subject as the current message | |
1050 | (@code{rmail-summary-previous-same-subject}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1051 | @end table |
1052 | ||
1053 | @vindex rmail-redisplay-summary | |
1054 | Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a | |
1055 | different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the | |
1056 | Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is | |
1057 | non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto | |
1058 | the screen. | |
1059 | ||
1060 | @kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
1061 | @findex rmail-summary-wipe | |
1062 | @kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
1063 | @findex rmail-summary-quit | |
3d963b67 GM |
1064 | @kindex b @r{(Rmail summary)} |
1065 | @findex rmail-summary-bury | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1066 | When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} |
1067 | (@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You | |
1068 | can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} | |
1069 | (@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from | |
1070 | Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. | |
3d963b67 GM |
1071 | Alternatively, @kbd{b} (@code{rmail-summary-bury}) simply buries the |
1072 | Rmail summary and buffer. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1073 | |
1074 | @node Rmail Sorting | |
1075 | @section Sorting the Rmail File | |
c1209b97 EZ |
1076 | @cindex sorting Rmail file |
1077 | @cindex Rmail file sorting | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1078 | |
1079 | @table @kbd | |
c1209b97 | 1080 | @findex rmail-sort-by-date |
00cfe22c GM |
1081 | @item C-c C-s C-d |
1082 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-date | |
1083 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by date. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1084 | |
c1209b97 | 1085 | @findex rmail-sort-by-subject |
00cfe22c GM |
1086 | @item C-c C-s C-s |
1087 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-subject | |
1088 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by subject. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1089 | |
c1209b97 | 1090 | @findex rmail-sort-by-author |
00cfe22c GM |
1091 | @item C-c C-s C-a |
1092 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-author | |
1093 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by author's name. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1094 | |
c1209b97 | 1095 | @findex rmail-sort-by-recipient |
00cfe22c GM |
1096 | @item C-c C-s C-r |
1097 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient | |
1098 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by recipient's names. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1099 | |
c1209b97 | 1100 | @findex rmail-sort-by-correspondent |
00cfe22c GM |
1101 | @item C-c C-s C-c |
1102 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent | |
1103 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by the name of the other | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1104 | correspondent. |
1105 | ||
c1209b97 | 1106 | @findex rmail-sort-by-lines |
00cfe22c GM |
1107 | @item C-c C-s C-l |
1108 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-lines | |
1109 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by number of lines. | |
1110 | ||
1111 | @findex rmail-sort-by-labels | |
1112 | @item C-c C-s C-k @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1113 | @itemx M-x rmail-sort-by-labels @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
1114 | Sort messages of current Rmail buffer by labels. The argument | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1115 | @var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of |
1116 | these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first | |
1117 | label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. | |
00cfe22c | 1118 | Messages that have none of these labels come last. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1119 | @end table |
1120 | ||
1121 | The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no | |
1122 | reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains | |
1123 | unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For | |
1124 | example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then | |
1125 | @code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in | |
1126 | order by date. | |
1127 | ||
00cfe22c | 1128 | With a prefix argument, all these commands reverse the order of |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1129 | comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from |
1130 | biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. | |
1131 | ||
00cfe22c GM |
1132 | The same keys in the summary buffer run similar functions; for |
1133 | example, @kbd{C-c C-s C-l} runs @code{rmail-summary-sort-by-lines}. | |
1134 | Note that these commands always sort the whole Rmail buffer, even if the | |
1135 | summary is only showing a subset of messages. | |
1136 | ||
1137 | Note that you cannot undo a sort, so you may wish to save the Rmail | |
1138 | buffer before sorting it. | |
1139 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1140 | @node Rmail Display |
1141 | @section Display of Messages | |
1142 | ||
89dc29d9 | 1143 | This section describes how Rmail displays mail headers, |
a7686350 | 1144 | @acronym{MIME} sections and attachments, URLs, and encrypted messages. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1145 | |
1146 | @table @kbd | |
1147 | @item t | |
1148 | Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). | |
1149 | @end table | |
1150 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1151 | @kindex t @r{(Rmail)} |
1152 | @findex rmail-toggle-header | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1153 | Before displaying each message for the first time, Rmail reformats |
1154 | its header, hiding uninteresting header fields to reduce clutter. The | |
1155 | @kbd{t} (@code{rmail-toggle-header}) command toggles this, switching | |
1156 | between showing the reformatted header fields and showing the | |
1157 | complete, original header. With a positive prefix argument, the | |
1158 | command shows the reformatted header; with a zero or negative prefix | |
1159 | argument, it shows the full header. Selecting the message again also | |
1160 | reformats it if necessary. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1161 | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1162 | @vindex rmail-ignored-headers |
1163 | @vindex rmail-displayed-headers | |
1164 | @vindex rmail-nonignored-headers | |
1165 | The variable @code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression | |
1166 | specifying the header fields to hide; any matching header line will be | |
1167 | hidden. The variable @code{rmail-nonignored-headers} overrides this: | |
1168 | any header field matching that regular expression is shown even if it | |
1169 | matches @code{rmail-ignored-headers} too. The variable | |
1170 | @code{rmail-displayed-headers} is an alternative to these two | |
1171 | variables; if non-@code{nil}, this should be a regular expression | |
1172 | specifying which headers to display (the default is @code{nil}). | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1173 | |
1174 | @vindex rmail-highlighted-headers | |
3d963b67 GM |
1175 | Rmail highlights certain header fields that are especially |
1176 | interesting---by default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1177 | This highlighting uses the @code{rmail-highlight} face. The variable |
1178 | @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression specifying | |
1179 | the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning of a | |
1180 | header field, that whole field is highlighted. To disable this | |
1181 | feature, set @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}. | |
358f71fd | 1182 | |
505e70c3 | 1183 | @cindex MIME messages (Rmail) |
7f42ff40 | 1184 | @vindex rmail-enable-mime |
a41c8660 CY |
1185 | If a message is in @acronym{MIME} (Multipurpose Internet Mail |
1186 | Extensions) format and contains multiple parts (@acronym{MIME} | |
1187 | entities), Rmail displays each part with a @dfn{tagline}. The tagline | |
1188 | summarizes the part's index, size, and content type. Depending on the | |
1189 | content type, it may also contain one or more buttons; these perform | |
1190 | actions such as saving the part into a file. | |
7f42ff40 KH |
1191 | |
1192 | @table @kbd | |
1193 | @findex rmail-mime-toggle-hidden | |
1194 | @item @key{RET} | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1195 | Hide or show the @acronym{MIME} part at point |
1196 | (@code{rmail-mime-toggle-hidden}). | |
6bf7aab6 | 1197 | |
7f42ff40 KH |
1198 | @findex rmail-mime-next-item |
1199 | @item @key{TAB} | |
a41c8660 | 1200 | Move point to the next @acronym{MIME} tagline button. |
89dc29d9 | 1201 | (@code{rmail-mime-next-item}). |
7f42ff40 KH |
1202 | |
1203 | @findex rmail-mime-previous-item | |
b474519e | 1204 | @item S-@key{TAB} |
89dc29d9 CY |
1205 | Move point to the previous @acronym{MIME} part |
1206 | (@code{rmail-mime-previous-item}). | |
7f42ff40 | 1207 | |
505e70c3 | 1208 | @findex rmail-mime |
7f42ff40 | 1209 | @item v |
505e70c3 | 1210 | @kindex v @r{(Rmail)} |
89dc29d9 CY |
1211 | Toggle between @acronym{MIME} display and raw message |
1212 | (@code{rmail-mime}). | |
7f42ff40 | 1213 | @end table |
505e70c3 | 1214 | |
a41c8660 CY |
1215 | Each plain-text @acronym{MIME} part is initially displayed |
1216 | immediately after its tagline, as part of the Rmail buffer, while | |
1217 | @acronym{MIME} parts of other types are represented only by their | |
1218 | taglines, with their actual contents hidden. In either case, you can | |
1219 | toggle a @acronym{MIME} part between its ``displayed'' and ``hidden'' | |
1220 | states by typing @key{RET} anywhere in the part---or anywhere in its | |
b474519e | 1221 | tagline (except for buttons for other actions, if there are any). Type |
a41c8660 CY |
1222 | @key{RET} (or click with the mouse) to activate a tagline button, and |
1223 | @key{TAB} to cycle point between tagline buttons. | |
1224 | ||
89dc29d9 CY |
1225 | The @kbd{v} (@code{rmail-mime}) command toggles between the default |
1226 | @acronym{MIME} display described above, and a ``raw'' display showing | |
1227 | the undecoded @acronym{MIME} data. With a prefix argument, this | |
1228 | command toggles the display of only an entity at point. | |
1229 | ||
1230 | To prevent Rmail from handling MIME decoded messages, change the | |
1231 | variable @code{rmail-enable-mime} to @code{nil}. When this is the | |
1232 | case, the @kbd{v} (@code{rmail-mime}) command instead creates a | |
1233 | temporary buffer to display the current @acronym{MIME} message. | |
1234 | ||
a7686350 GM |
1235 | @findex rmail-epa-decrypt |
1236 | @cindex encrypted mails (reading in Rmail) | |
1237 | If the current message is an encrypted one, use the command @kbd{M-x | |
1238 | rmail-epa-decrypt} to decrypt it, using the EasyPG library | |
b474519e | 1239 | (@pxref{Top,, EasyPG, epa, EasyPG Assistant User's Manual}). |
a7686350 | 1240 | |
89dc29d9 CY |
1241 | You can highlight and activate URLs in the Rmail buffer using Goto |
1242 | Address mode: | |
00cfe22c GM |
1243 | |
1244 | @c FIXME goto-addr.el commentary says to use goto-address instead. | |
eceeb5fc | 1245 | @example |
6e317956 | 1246 | (add-hook 'rmail-show-message-hook 'goto-address-mode) |
eceeb5fc | 1247 | @end example |
00cfe22c GM |
1248 | |
1249 | @noindent | |
1250 | Then you can browse these URLs by clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} | |
1251 | (or @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly) or by moving to one and typing @kbd{C-c | |
1252 | @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto Address mode, Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. | |
358f71fd RS |
1253 | |
1254 | @node Rmail Coding | |
1255 | @section Rmail and Coding Systems | |
6c21cdc0 | 1256 | |
eed0ee77 | 1257 | @cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail) |
76dd3692 | 1258 | Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@acronym{ASCII} |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1259 | characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess |
1260 | output. Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in | |
1261 | the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the | |
1262 | sender. It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding | |
1263 | system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode | |
95009a13 RS |
1264 | message text. If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset} |
1265 | specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized, | |
b8f86df3 EZ |
1266 | Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and |
1267 | defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). | |
eed0ee77 | 1268 | |
eed0ee77 | 1269 | @cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages |
358f71fd RS |
1270 | Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs |
1271 | guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset} | |
1272 | specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For | |
1273 | example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a | |
1274 | @samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded | |
1275 | in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of | |
0eb025fb EZ |
1276 | its characters displayed as hex codes or empty boxes, this may have |
1277 | happened. | |
eed0ee77 | 1278 | |
358f71fd RS |
1279 | @findex rmail-redecode-body |
1280 | You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the | |
1281 | right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is | |
1282 | right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command. | |
763e01c4 EZ |
1283 | It reads the name of a coding system, and then redecodes the message |
1284 | using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right | |
358f71fd RS |
1285 | coding system, the result should be readable. |
1286 | ||
de9b01c4 XF |
1287 | @vindex rmail-file-coding-system |
1288 | When you get new mail in Rmail, each message is translated | |
1289 | automatically from the coding system it is written in, as if it were a | |
1290 | separate file. This uses the priority list of coding systems that you | |
1291 | have specified. If a MIME message specifies a character set, Rmail | |
1292 | obeys that specification. For reading and saving Rmail files | |
1293 | themselves, Emacs uses the coding system specified by the variable | |
1294 | @code{rmail-file-coding-system}. The default value is @code{nil}, | |
1295 | which means that Rmail files are not translated (they are read and | |
1296 | written in the Emacs internal character code). | |
1297 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1298 | @node Rmail Editing |
1299 | @section Editing Within a Message | |
1300 | ||
e7a3ff06 CY |
1301 | Most of the usual Emacs key bindings are available in Rmail mode, |
1302 | though a few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by | |
1303 | Rmail for other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read | |
1304 | only, and most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you | |
1305 | want to edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command | |
1306 | @kbd{e}. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1307 | |
1308 | @table @kbd | |
1309 | @item e | |
1310 | Edit the current message as ordinary text. | |
1311 | @end table | |
1312 | ||
1313 | @kindex e @r{(Rmail)} | |
1314 | @findex rmail-edit-current-message | |
1315 | The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from | |
1316 | Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the | |
1317 | same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. | |
1318 | ||
1319 | In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail | |
00cfe22c | 1320 | commands are not available. You can edit the message body and header |
5f50b807 RS |
1321 | fields. When you are finished editing the message, type @kbd{C-c C-c} |
1322 | to switch back to Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail | |
00cfe22c | 1323 | mode but cancel any editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}. |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1324 | |
1325 | @vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook | |
5f50b807 RS |
1326 | Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then |
1327 | it runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). | |
1328 | Returning to ordinary Rmail mode adds the attribute @samp{edited} to | |
1329 | the message, if you have made any changes in it. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1330 | |
1331 | @node Rmail Digest | |
1332 | @section Digest Messages | |
1333 | @cindex digest message | |
1334 | @cindex undigestify | |
1335 | ||
1336 | A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry | |
b474519e | 1337 | several other messages. Digests are used on some mailing |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1338 | lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time |
1339 | such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the | |
b474519e | 1340 | subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses less computer |
6bf7aab6 | 1341 | time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total |
b474519e GM |
1342 | size is the same, because of the per-message overhead in network mail |
1343 | transmission. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1344 | |
1345 | @findex undigestify-rmail-message | |
1346 | When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is | |
1347 | to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. | |
1348 | Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. | |
eca274b1 | 1349 | To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1350 | undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate |
1351 | Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest | |
1352 | message itself is flagged as deleted. | |
1353 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1354 | @node Rmail Rot13 |
1355 | @section Reading Rot13 Messages | |
1356 | @cindex rot13 code | |
1357 | ||
b474519e | 1358 | Mailing list messages that might offend or annoy some readers are sometimes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1359 | encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it |
1360 | rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it | |
b474519e GM |
1361 | provides none; rather, it enables those who wish to to avoid |
1362 | seeing the real text of the message. For example, a review of a film | |
1363 | might use rot13 to hide important plot points. | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1364 | |
1365 | @findex rot13-other-window | |
b474519e | 1366 | To view a buffer that uses the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1367 | rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window |
1368 | which applies the code when displaying the text. | |
1369 | ||
1370 | @node Movemail | |
ea20444b | 1371 | @section @code{movemail} program |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1372 | @cindex @code{movemail} program |
1373 | ||
00cfe22c GM |
1374 | Rmail uses the @code{movemail} program to move mail from your inbox to |
1375 | your Rmail file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). When loaded for the first time, | |
1376 | Rmail attempts to locate the @code{movemail} program and determine its | |
1377 | version. There are two versions of the @code{movemail} program: the | |
1378 | native one, shipped with GNU Emacs (the ``emacs version'') and the one | |
16152b76 | 1379 | included in GNU mailutils (the ``mailutils version'', |
00cfe22c GM |
1380 | @pxref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU mailutils}). They support the same |
1381 | command line syntax and the same basic subset of options. However, the | |
1382 | Mailutils version offers additional features. | |
1383 | ||
ec7ae032 CY |
1384 | The Emacs version of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from |
1385 | the usual Unix mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the | |
1386 | POP3 protocol. | |
1be48cfa RS |
1387 | |
1388 | The Mailutils version is able to handle a wide set of mailbox | |
ec7ae032 CY |
1389 | formats, such as plain Unix mailboxes, @code{maildir} and @code{MH} |
1390 | mailboxes, etc. It is able to access remote mailboxes using the POP3 | |
1391 | or IMAP4 protocol, and can retrieve mail from them using a TLS | |
1392 | encrypted channel. It also accepts mailbox arguments in @acronym{URL} | |
1393 | form. The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found | |
9dc3215f | 1394 | @c Note this node seems to be missing in some versions of mailutils.info? |
ec7ae032 CY |
1395 | in @ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a |
1396 | @acronym{URL} is: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1397 | |
1398 | @smallexample | |
1399 | @var{proto}://[@var{user}[:@var{password}]@@]@var{host-or-file-name} | |
1400 | @end smallexample | |
1401 | ||
1402 | @noindent | |
1403 | where square brackets denote optional elements. | |
1404 | ||
1405 | @table @var | |
1406 | @item proto | |
1407 | Specifies the @dfn{mailbox protocol}, or @dfn{format} to | |
1408 | use. The exact semantics of the rest of @acronym{URL} elements depends | |
d1019816 | 1409 | on the actual value of @var{proto} (see below). |
ea20444b EZ |
1410 | |
1411 | @item user | |
1412 | User name to access the remote mailbox. | |
1413 | ||
1414 | @item password | |
1415 | User password to access the remote mailbox. | |
1416 | ||
1417 | @item host-or-file-name | |
1418 | Hostname of the remote server for remote mailboxes or file name of a | |
1419 | local mailbox. | |
1420 | @end table | |
1421 | ||
d1019816 | 1422 | @noindent |
ea20444b EZ |
1423 | @var{Proto} can be one of: |
1424 | ||
d1019816 | 1425 | @table @code |
ea20444b | 1426 | @item mbox |
ec7ae032 CY |
1427 | Usual Unix mailbox format. In this case, neither @var{user} nor |
1428 | @var{pass} are used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the file name | |
1429 | of the mailbox file, e.g., @code{mbox://var/spool/mail/smith}. | |
ea20444b EZ |
1430 | |
1431 | @item mh | |
1432 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{MH} format. @var{User} and | |
1433 | @var{pass} are not used. @var{Host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1434 | @acronym{MH} folder, e.g., @code{mh://Mail/inbox}. | |
1435 | ||
1436 | @item maildir | |
1437 | A local mailbox in the @acronym{maildir} format. @var{User} and | |
1438 | @var{pass} are not used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1439 | @code{maildir} mailbox, e.g., @code{maildir://mail/inbox}. | |
1440 | ||
1441 | @item file | |
1442 | Any local mailbox format. Its actual format is detected automatically | |
1443 | by @code{movemail}. | |
1444 | ||
1445 | @item pop | |
1446 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via POP3 protocol. @var{User} | |
1447 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1448 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1449 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; e.g., | |
1450 | @code{pop://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
32823124 | 1451 | |
ea20444b EZ |
1452 | @item imap |
1453 | A remote mailbox to be accessed via IMAP4 protocol. @var{User} | |
1454 | specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1455 | specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1456 | address of the remote mail server to connect to; | |
1457 | e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
1458 | @end table | |
1459 | ||
1be48cfa RS |
1460 | Alternatively, you can specify the file name of the mailbox to use. |
1461 | This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1462 | |
1463 | @smallexample | |
1be48cfa | 1464 | /var/spool/mail/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user} |
ea20444b EZ |
1465 | @end smallexample |
1466 | ||
1467 | @vindex rmail-movemail-program | |
1468 | @vindex rmail-movemail-search-path | |
1be48cfa RS |
1469 | The variable @code{rmail-movemail-program} controls which version of |
1470 | @code{movemail} to use. If that is a string, it specifies the | |
1471 | absolute file name of the @code{movemail} executable. If it is | |
1472 | @code{nil}, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the directories | |
a73a3461 CY |
1473 | listed in @code{rmail-movemail-search-path}, then in @code{exec-path} |
1474 | (@pxref{Shell}), then in @code{exec-directory}. | |
32823124 | 1475 | |
ea20444b EZ |
1476 | @node Remote Mailboxes |
1477 | @section Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes | |
1478 | @pindex movemail | |
1479 | ||
6bf7aab6 | 1480 | Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data |
00cfe22c GM |
1481 | instead of storing the data in inbox files. By default, the @code{Emacs |
1482 | movemail} can work with POP (unless the Emacs @code{configure} script | |
1483 | was run with the option @samp{--without-pop}). | |
ea20444b | 1484 | |
00cfe22c GM |
1485 | Similarly, the Mailutils @code{movemail} by default supports POP, unless |
1486 | it was configured with the @samp{--disable-pop} option. | |
ea20444b EZ |
1487 | |
1488 | Both versions of @code{movemail} only work with POP3, not with older | |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1489 | versions of POP. |
1490 | ||
60a96371 | 1491 | @cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable |
ea20444b EZ |
1492 | @cindex POP mailboxes |
1493 | No matter which flavor of @code{movemail} you use, you can specify | |
00cfe22c | 1494 | a POP inbox by using a POP @dfn{URL} (@pxref{Movemail}). A POP |
ea20444b EZ |
1495 | @acronym{URL} is a ``file name'' of the form |
1496 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}, where | |
1497 | @var{hostname} is the host name or IP address of the remote mail | |
1498 | server and @var{username} is the user name on that server. | |
1499 | Additionally, you may specify the password in the mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1500 | @samp{pop://@var{username}:@var{password}@@@var{hostname}}. In this | |
1501 | case, @var{password} takes preference over the one set by | |
00cfe22c GM |
1502 | @code{rmail-remote-password} (see below). This is especially useful |
1503 | if you have several remote mailboxes with different passwords. | |
1504 | ||
1505 | For backward compatibility, Rmail also supports an alternative way of | |
1506 | specifying remote POP mailboxes. Specifying an inbox name in the form | |
1507 | @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}} is equivalent to | |
1508 | @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}. If you omit the | |
1509 | @var{:hostname} part, the @env{MAILHOST} environment variable specifies | |
1510 | the machine on which to look for the POP server. | |
1511 | ||
1512 | @c FIXME mention --with-hesiod "support Hesiod to get the POP server host"? | |
ea20444b EZ |
1513 | |
1514 | @cindex IMAP mailboxes | |
1df7defd | 1515 | Another method for accessing remote mailboxes is IMAP@. This method is |
b2c09a2e | 1516 | supported only by the Mailutils @code{movemail}. To specify an IMAP |
ea20444b EZ |
1517 | mailbox in the inbox list, use the following mailbox @acronym{URL}: |
1518 | @samp{imap://@var{username}[:@var{password}]@@@var{hostname}}. The | |
32823124 | 1519 | @var{password} part is optional, as described above. |
ea20444b EZ |
1520 | |
1521 | @vindex rmail-remote-password | |
1522 | @vindex rmail-remote-password-required | |
ea20444b EZ |
1523 | Accessing a remote mailbox may require a password. Rmail uses the |
1524 | following algorithm to retrieve it: | |
1525 | ||
1526 | @enumerate | |
32823124 | 1527 | @item |
00cfe22c | 1528 | If a @var{password} is present in the mailbox URL (see above), it is |
38be61d5 | 1529 | used. |
32823124 | 1530 | @item |
00cfe22c GM |
1531 | If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password-required} is @code{nil}, |
1532 | Rmail assumes no password is required. | |
1533 | @item | |
38be61d5 EZ |
1534 | If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password} is non-@code{nil}, its |
1535 | value is used. | |
1536 | @item | |
00cfe22c | 1537 | Otherwise, Rmail will ask you for the password to use. |
ea20444b EZ |
1538 | @end enumerate |
1539 | ||
6bf7aab6 DL |
1540 | @vindex rmail-movemail-flags |
1541 | If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, | |
1542 | set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you | |
1543 | wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to | |
1544 | preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. | |
1545 | ||
1546 | @cindex Kerberos POP authentication | |
1547 | The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support | |
00cfe22c GM |
1548 | Kerberos authentication (the Emacs @code{movemail} does so if Emacs was |
1549 | configured with the option @code{--with-kerberos} or | |
1550 | @code{--with-kerberos5}). If it is supported, it is used by default | |
1551 | whenever you attempt to retrieve POP mail when | |
1552 | @code{rmail-remote-password} and @code{rmail-remote-password-required} | |
1553 | are unset. | |
6bf7aab6 | 1554 | |
4946337d | 1555 | @cindex reverse order in POP inboxes |
6bf7aab6 DL |
1556 | Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does |
1557 | this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was | |
1558 | received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of | |
1559 | downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to | |
1560 | @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
ab5796a9 | 1561 | |
ea20444b | 1562 | @cindex TLS encryption (Rmail) |
b2c09a2e | 1563 | Mailutils @code{movemail} supports TLS encryption. If you wish to |
ea20444b EZ |
1564 | use it, add the @samp{--tls} flag to @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. |
1565 | ||
1566 | @node Other Mailbox Formats | |
1567 | @section Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in Various Formats | |
1568 | ||
1569 | If your incoming mail is stored on a local machine in a format other | |
ec7ae032 | 1570 | than Unix mailbox, you will need the Mailutils @code{movemail} to |
444246ca KB |
1571 | retrieve it. @xref{Movemail}, for the detailed description of |
1572 | @code{movemail} versions. For example, to access mail from a inbox in | |
1573 | @code{maildir} format located in @file{/var/spool/mail/in}, you would | |
1574 | include the following in the Rmail inbox list: | |
ea20444b EZ |
1575 | |
1576 | @smallexample | |
1577 | maildir://var/spool/mail/in | |
1578 | @end smallexample |