| 1 | @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
| 2 | @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,2000,2001 |
| 3 | @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
| 4 | @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
| 5 | @node Sending Mail, Rmail, Picture, Top |
| 6 | @chapter Sending Mail |
| 7 | @cindex sending mail |
| 8 | @cindex mail |
| 9 | @cindex message |
| 10 | |
| 11 | To send a message in Emacs, you start by typing a command (@kbd{C-x m}) |
| 12 | to select and initialize the @samp{*mail*} buffer. Then you edit the text |
| 13 | and headers of the message in this buffer, and type another command |
| 14 | (@kbd{C-c C-s} or @kbd{C-c C-c}) to send the message. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | @table @kbd |
| 17 | @item C-x m |
| 18 | Begin composing a message to send (@code{compose-mail}). |
| 19 | @item C-x 4 m |
| 20 | Likewise, but display the message in another window |
| 21 | (@code{compose-mail-other-window}). |
| 22 | @item C-x 5 m |
| 23 | Likewise, but make a new frame (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}). |
| 24 | @item C-c C-s |
| 25 | In Mail mode, send the message (@code{mail-send}). |
| 26 | @item C-c C-c |
| 27 | Send the message and bury the mail buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). |
| 28 | @end table |
| 29 | |
| 30 | @kindex C-x m |
| 31 | @findex compose-mail |
| 32 | @kindex C-x 4 m |
| 33 | @findex compose-mail-other-window |
| 34 | @kindex C-x 5 m |
| 35 | @findex compose-mail-other-frame |
| 36 | The command @kbd{C-x m} (@code{compose-mail}) selects a buffer named |
| 37 | @samp{*mail*} and initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing |
| 38 | message. @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) selects the |
| 39 | @samp{*mail*} buffer in a different window, leaving the previous current |
| 40 | buffer visible. @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) creates |
| 41 | a new frame to select the @samp{*mail*} buffer. |
| 42 | |
| 43 | Because the mail-composition buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can |
| 44 | switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch |
| 45 | back later (or never). If you use the @kbd{C-x m} command again when you |
| 46 | have been composing another message but have not sent it, you are asked to |
| 47 | confirm before the old message is erased. If you answer @kbd{n}, the |
| 48 | @samp{*mail*} buffer is left selected with its old contents, so you can |
| 49 | finish the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do |
| 50 | this. Sending the message marks the @samp{*mail*} buffer ``unmodified,'' |
| 51 | which avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used. |
| 52 | |
| 53 | If you are composing a message in the @samp{*mail*} buffer and want to |
| 54 | send another message before finishing the first, rename the |
| 55 | @samp{*mail*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} (@pxref{Misc |
| 56 | Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x m} or its variants described above |
| 57 | to make a new @samp{*mail*} buffer. Once you've done that, you can work |
| 58 | with each mail buffer independently. |
| 59 | |
| 60 | @vindex mail-default-directory |
| 61 | The variable @code{mail-default-directory} controls the default |
| 62 | directory for mail buffers, and also says where to put their auto-save |
| 63 | files. |
| 64 | |
| 65 | @ignore |
| 66 | @c Commented out because it is not user-oriented; |
| 67 | @c it doesn't say how to do some job. -- rms. |
| 68 | @cindex directory servers |
| 69 | @cindex LDAP |
| 70 | @cindex PH/QI |
| 71 | @cindex names and addresses |
| 72 | There is an interface to directory servers using various protocols such |
| 73 | as LDAP or the CCSO white pages directory system (PH/QI), described in a |
| 74 | separate manual. It may be useful for looking up names and addresses. |
| 75 | @xref{Top,,EUDC, eudc, EUDC Manual}. |
| 76 | @end ignore |
| 77 | |
| 78 | @menu |
| 79 | * Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed. |
| 80 | * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of permitted mail header fields. |
| 81 | * Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses. |
| 82 | * Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed. |
| 83 | * Amuse: Mail Amusements. Distracting the NSA; adding fortune messages. |
| 84 | * Methods: Mail Methods. Using alternative mail-composition methods. |
| 85 | @end menu |
| 86 | |
| 87 | @node Mail Format |
| 88 | @section The Format of the Mail Buffer |
| 89 | |
| 90 | In addition to the @dfn{text} or @dfn{body}, a message has @dfn{header |
| 91 | fields} which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on. Some |
| 92 | header fields, such as @samp{Date} and @samp{Sender}, are created |
| 93 | automatically when you send the message. Others, such as the recipient |
| 94 | names, must be specified by you in order to send the message properly. |
| 95 | |
| 96 | Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header fields, |
| 97 | and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at times. You can |
| 98 | insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing commands. |
| 99 | |
| 100 | The line in the buffer that says |
| 101 | |
| 102 | @example |
| 103 | --text follows this line-- |
| 104 | @end example |
| 105 | |
| 106 | @noindent |
| 107 | is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified from |
| 108 | the text. Whatever follows this line is the text of the message; the |
| 109 | headers precede it. The delimiter line itself does not appear in the |
| 110 | message actually sent. The text used for the delimiter line is controlled |
| 111 | by the variable @code{mail-header-separator}. |
| 112 | |
| 113 | Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer |
| 114 | might look like. |
| 115 | |
| 116 | @example |
| 117 | To: gnu@@gnu.org |
| 118 | CC: lungfish@@spam.org, byob@@spam.org |
| 119 | Subject: The Emacs Manual |
| 120 | --Text follows this line-- |
| 121 | Please ignore this message. |
| 122 | @end example |
| 123 | |
| 124 | @node Mail Headers |
| 125 | @section Mail Header Fields |
| 126 | @cindex headers (of mail message) |
| 127 | |
| 128 | A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the |
| 129 | beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are |
| 130 | equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the |
| 131 | colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field. |
| 132 | |
| 133 | You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people |
| 134 | use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is a table |
| 135 | of fields commonly used in outgoing messages. |
| 136 | |
| 137 | @table @samp |
| 138 | @item To |
| 139 | This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is |
| 140 | addressed. If you list more than one address, use commas, not spaces, |
| 141 | to separate them. |
| 142 | |
| 143 | @item Subject |
| 144 | The contents of the @samp{Subject} field should be a piece of text |
| 145 | that says what the message is about. The reason @samp{Subject} fields |
| 146 | are useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of |
| 147 | messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text. |
| 148 | |
| 149 | @item CC |
| 150 | This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, |
| 151 | like @samp{To} except that these readers should not regard the message |
| 152 | as directed at them. |
| 153 | |
| 154 | @item BCC |
| 155 | This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, |
| 156 | which should not appear in the header of the message actually sent. |
| 157 | Copies sent this way are called @dfn{blind carbon copies}. |
| 158 | |
| 159 | @vindex mail-self-blind |
| 160 | @cindex copy of every outgoing message |
| 161 | To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself, set |
| 162 | the variable @code{mail-self-blind} to @code{t}. To send a blind carbon |
| 163 | copy of every message to some other @var{address}, set the variable |
| 164 | @code{mail-default-headers} to @code{"Bcc: @var{address}\n"}. |
| 165 | |
| 166 | @item FCC |
| 167 | This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to append a |
| 168 | copy of the message to that file when you send the message. If the file |
| 169 | is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message in Rmail format; otherwise, |
| 170 | Emacs writes the message in system mail file format. To specify |
| 171 | more than one file, use several @samp{FCC} fields, with one file |
| 172 | name in each field. |
| 173 | |
| 174 | @vindex mail-archive-file-name |
| 175 | To put a fixed file name in the @samp{FCC} field each time you start |
| 176 | editing an outgoing message, set the variable |
| 177 | @code{mail-archive-file-name} to that file name. Unless you remove the |
| 178 | @samp{FCC} field before sending, the message will be written into that |
| 179 | file when it is sent. |
| 180 | |
| 181 | @item From |
| 182 | Use the @samp{From} field to say who you are, when the account you are |
| 183 | using to send the mail is not your own. The contents of the @samp{From} |
| 184 | field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will normally go |
| 185 | there. If you don't specify the @samp{From} field yourself, Emacs uses |
| 186 | the value of @code{user-mail-address} as the default. |
| 187 | |
| 188 | @item Reply-to |
| 189 | Use this field to direct replies to a different address. Most |
| 190 | mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies to |
| 191 | the @samp{Reply-to} address in preference to the @samp{From} address. |
| 192 | By adding a @samp{Reply-to} field to your header, you can work around |
| 193 | any problems your @samp{From} address may cause for replies. |
| 194 | |
| 195 | @cindex @env{REPLYTO} environment variable |
| 196 | @vindex mail-default-reply-to |
| 197 | To put a fixed @samp{Reply-to} address into every outgoing message, set |
| 198 | the variable @code{mail-default-reply-to} to that address (as a string). |
| 199 | Then @code{mail} initializes the message with a @samp{Reply-to} field as |
| 200 | specified. You can delete or alter that header field before you send |
| 201 | the message, if you wish. When Emacs starts up, if the environment |
| 202 | variable @env{REPLYTO} is set, @code{mail-default-reply-to} is |
| 203 | initialized from that environment variable. |
| 204 | |
| 205 | @item In-reply-to |
| 206 | This field contains a piece of text describing the message you are |
| 207 | replying to. Some mail systems can use this information to correlate |
| 208 | related pieces of mail. Normally this field is filled in by Rmail |
| 209 | when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never need to |
| 210 | think about it (@pxref{Rmail}). |
| 211 | |
| 212 | @item References |
| 213 | This field lists the message IDs of related previous messages. Rmail |
| 214 | sets up this field automatically when you reply to a message. |
| 215 | @end table |
| 216 | |
| 217 | The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, and @samp{BCC} header fields can appear |
| 218 | any number of times, and each such header field can contain multiple |
| 219 | addresses, separated by commas. This way, you can specify any number |
| 220 | of places to send the message. These fields can also have |
| 221 | continuation lines: one or more lines starting with whitespace, |
| 222 | following the starting line of the field, are considered part of the |
| 223 | field. Here's an example of a @samp{To} field with a continuation |
| 224 | line:@refill |
| 225 | |
| 226 | @example |
| 227 | @group |
| 228 | To: foo@@here.net, this@@there.net, |
| 229 | me@@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281 |
| 230 | @end group |
| 231 | @end example |
| 232 | |
| 233 | @vindex mail-from-style |
| 234 | When you send the message, if you didn't write a @samp{From} field |
| 235 | yourself, Emacs puts in one for you. The variable |
| 236 | @code{mail-from-style} controls the format: |
| 237 | |
| 238 | @table @code |
| 239 | @item nil |
| 240 | Use just the email address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}. |
| 241 | @item parens |
| 242 | Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis |
| 243 | Parsley)}. |
| 244 | @item angles |
| 245 | Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{Elvis Parsley |
| 246 | <king@@grassland.com>}. |
| 247 | @item system-default |
| 248 | Allow the system to insert the @samp{From} field. |
| 249 | @end table |
| 250 | |
| 251 | @vindex mail-default-headers |
| 252 | You can direct Emacs to insert certain default headers into the |
| 253 | outgoing message by setting the variable @code{mail-default-headers} |
| 254 | to a string. Then @code{C-x m} inserts this string into the message |
| 255 | headers. If the default header fields are not appropriate for a |
| 256 | particular message, edit them as appropriate before sending the |
| 257 | message. |
| 258 | |
| 259 | @node Mail Aliases |
| 260 | @section Mail Aliases |
| 261 | @cindex mail aliases |
| 262 | @cindex @file{.mailrc} file |
| 263 | @cindex mailrc file |
| 264 | |
| 265 | You can define @dfn{mail aliases} in a file named @file{~/.mailrc}. |
| 266 | These are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of |
| 267 | mail addresses. Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases |
| 268 | when they occur in the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and |
| 269 | @samp{Reply-to} fields, plus their @samp{Resent-} variants. |
| 270 | |
| 271 | To define an alias in @file{~/.mailrc}, write a line in the following |
| 272 | format: |
| 273 | |
| 274 | @example |
| 275 | alias @var{shortaddress} @var{fulladdresses} |
| 276 | @end example |
| 277 | |
| 278 | @noindent |
| 279 | Here @var{fulladdresses} stands for one or more mail addresses for |
| 280 | @var{shortaddress} to expand into. Separate multiple addresses with |
| 281 | spaces; if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a |
| 282 | pair of double-quotes. |
| 283 | |
| 284 | For instance, to make @code{maingnu} stand for |
| 285 | @code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in |
| 286 | this line:@refill |
| 287 | |
| 288 | @example |
| 289 | alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu |
| 290 | @end example |
| 291 | |
| 292 | Emacs also recognizes include commands in @samp{.mailrc} files. |
| 293 | They look like this: |
| 294 | |
| 295 | @example |
| 296 | source @var{filename} |
| 297 | @end example |
| 298 | |
| 299 | @noindent |
| 300 | The file @file{~/.mailrc} is used primarily by other mail-reading |
| 301 | programs; it can contain various other commands. Emacs ignores |
| 302 | everything in it except for alias definitions and include commands. |
| 303 | |
| 304 | @findex define-mail-alias |
| 305 | Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the |
| 306 | @code{define-mail-alias} command. It prompts for the alias and then the |
| 307 | full address. You can use it to define aliases in your @file{.emacs} |
| 308 | file, like this: |
| 309 | |
| 310 | @example |
| 311 | (define-mail-alias "maingnu" "gnu@@gnu.org") |
| 312 | @end example |
| 313 | |
| 314 | @vindex mail-aliases |
| 315 | @code{define-mail-alias} records aliases by adding them to a |
| 316 | variable named @code{mail-aliases}. If you are comfortable with |
| 317 | manipulating Lisp lists, you can set @code{mail-aliases} directly. The |
| 318 | initial value of @code{mail-aliases} is @code{t}, which means that |
| 319 | Emacs should read @file{.mailrc} to get the proper value. |
| 320 | |
| 321 | @vindex mail-personal-alias-file |
| 322 | You can specify a different file name to use instead of |
| 323 | @file{~/.mailrc} by setting the variable |
| 324 | @code{mail-personal-alias-file}. |
| 325 | |
| 326 | @findex expand-mail-aliases |
| 327 | Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message. You do not |
| 328 | need to expand mail aliases before sending the message, but you can |
| 329 | expand them if you want to see where the mail will actually go. To do |
| 330 | this, use the command @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}; it expands all mail |
| 331 | aliases currently present in the mail headers that hold addresses. |
| 332 | |
| 333 | If you like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as |
| 334 | you type them in (@pxref{Abbrevs}). To enable this feature, execute the |
| 335 | following: |
| 336 | |
| 337 | @example |
| 338 | (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup) |
| 339 | @end example |
| 340 | |
| 341 | @noindent |
| 342 | @findex define-mail-abbrev |
| 343 | @vindex mail-abbrevs |
| 344 | This can go in your @file{.emacs} file. @xref{Hooks}. If you use this |
| 345 | feature, you must use @code{define-mail-abbrev} instead of |
| 346 | @code{define-mail-alias}; the latter does not work with this package. |
| 347 | Note that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable |
| 348 | @code{mail-abbrevs} instead of @code{mail-aliases}, and that all alias |
| 349 | names are converted to lower case. |
| 350 | |
| 351 | @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 352 | @findex mail-interactive-insert-alias |
| 353 | The mail abbreviation package also provides the @kbd{C-c C-a} |
| 354 | (@code{mail-interactive-insert-alias}) command, which reads an alias |
| 355 | name (with completion) and inserts its definition at point. This is |
| 356 | useful when editing the message text itself or a header field such as |
| 357 | @samp{Subject} in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases. |
| 358 | |
| 359 | Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator character |
| 360 | afterward. However, you can rebind @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{M->} to cause |
| 361 | expansion as well. Here's how to do that: |
| 362 | |
| 363 | @smallexample |
| 364 | (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook |
| 365 | (lambda () |
| 366 | (substitute-key-definition |
| 367 | 'next-line 'mail-abbrev-next-line |
| 368 | mail-mode-map global-map) |
| 369 | (substitute-key-definition |
| 370 | 'end-of-buffer 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer |
| 371 | mail-mode-map global-map))) |
| 372 | @end smallexample |
| 373 | |
| 374 | @node Mail Mode |
| 375 | @section Mail Mode |
| 376 | @cindex Mail mode |
| 377 | @cindex mode, Mail |
| 378 | |
| 379 | The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much |
| 380 | like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the |
| 381 | @kbd{C-c} prefix. These commands all have to do specifically with |
| 382 | editing or sending the message. In addition, Mail mode defines the |
| 383 | character @samp{%} as a word separator; this is helpful for using the |
| 384 | word commands to edit mail addresses. |
| 385 | |
| 386 | Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the |
| 387 | @code{mail} command and related commands. However, you can also switch |
| 388 | to Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer. This is a useful thing to do if |
| 389 | you have saved the text of a draft message in a file. |
| 390 | |
| 391 | @menu |
| 392 | * Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message. |
| 393 | * Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them. |
| 394 | * Citing Mail:: Copying all or part of a message you are replying to. |
| 395 | * Mail Mode Misc:: Spell checking, signatures, etc. |
| 396 | @end menu |
| 397 | |
| 398 | @node Mail Sending |
| 399 | @subsection Mail Sending |
| 400 | |
| 401 | Mail mode has two commands for sending the message you have been |
| 402 | editing: |
| 403 | |
| 404 | @table @kbd |
| 405 | @item C-c C-s |
| 406 | Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{mail-send}). |
| 407 | @item C-c C-c |
| 408 | Send the message, and select some other buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). |
| 409 | @end table |
| 410 | |
| 411 | @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 412 | @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 413 | @findex mail-send |
| 414 | @findex mail-send-and-exit |
| 415 | @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{mail-send}) sends the message and marks the mail |
| 416 | buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can |
| 417 | modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again. |
| 418 | @kbd{C-c C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}) sends and then deletes the |
| 419 | window or switches to another buffer. It puts the mail buffer at the |
| 420 | lowest priority for reselection by default, since you are finished with |
| 421 | using it. This is the usual way to send the message. |
| 422 | |
| 423 | In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the |
| 424 | modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. As a |
| 425 | result, you don't get a warning if you try to send the same message |
| 426 | twice. |
| 427 | |
| 428 | @c This is indexed in mule.texi, node "Recognize Coding". |
| 429 | @c @vindex sendmail-coding-system |
| 430 | When you send a message that contains non-ASCII characters, they need |
| 431 | to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). Usually |
| 432 | the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen language |
| 433 | environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can explicitly specify |
| 434 | the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the variable |
| 435 | @code{sendmail-coding-system} (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). |
| 436 | |
| 437 | If the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in |
| 438 | a particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use, |
| 439 | showing a list of possible coding systems. |
| 440 | |
| 441 | @node Header Editing |
| 442 | @subsection Mail Header Editing |
| 443 | |
| 444 | Mail mode provides special commands to move to particular header |
| 445 | fields and to complete addresses in headers. |
| 446 | |
| 447 | @table @kbd |
| 448 | @item C-c C-f C-t |
| 449 | Move to the @samp{To} header field, creating one if there is none |
| 450 | (@code{mail-to}). |
| 451 | @item C-c C-f C-s |
| 452 | Move to the @samp{Subject} header field, creating one if there is |
| 453 | none (@code{mail-subject}). |
| 454 | @item C-c C-f C-c |
| 455 | Move to the @samp{CC} header field, creating one if there is none |
| 456 | (@code{mail-cc}). |
| 457 | @item C-c C-f C-b |
| 458 | Move to the @samp{BCC} header field, creating one if there is none |
| 459 | (@code{mail-bcc}). |
| 460 | @item C-c C-f C-f |
| 461 | Move to the @samp{FCC} header field, creating one if there is none |
| 462 | (@code{mail-fcc}). |
| 463 | @item M-@key{TAB} |
| 464 | Complete a mailing address (@code{mail-complete}). |
| 465 | @end table |
| 466 | |
| 467 | @kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 468 | @findex mail-to |
| 469 | @kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 470 | @findex mail-subject |
| 471 | @kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 472 | @findex mail-cc |
| 473 | @kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 474 | @findex mail-bcc |
| 475 | @kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 476 | @findex mail-fcc |
| 477 | There are five commands to move point to particular header fields, all |
| 478 | based on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). They |
| 479 | are listed in the table above. If the field in question does not exist, |
| 480 | these commands create one. We provide special motion commands for these |
| 481 | particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to |
| 482 | edit. |
| 483 | |
| 484 | @findex mail-complete |
| 485 | @kindex M-TAB @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 486 | While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such as |
| 487 | @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete a mailing |
| 488 | address by typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{mail-complete}). It inserts |
| 489 | the full name corresponding to the address, if it can determine the full |
| 490 | name. The variable @code{mail-complete-style} controls whether to insert |
| 491 | the full name, and what style to use, as in @code{mail-from-style} |
| 492 | (@pxref{Mail Headers}). |
| 493 | |
| 494 | For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be |
| 495 | the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases. You can |
| 496 | specify additional sources of valid addresses; look at the customization |
| 497 | group @samp{mailalias} to see the options for this |
| 498 | (@pxref{Customization Groups}). |
| 499 | |
| 500 | If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message, |
| 501 | @code{mail-complete} invokes @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text |
| 502 | mode. |
| 503 | |
| 504 | @node Citing Mail |
| 505 | @subsection Citing Mail |
| 506 | @cindex citing mail |
| 507 | |
| 508 | Mail mode also has commands for yanking or @dfn{citing} all or part of |
| 509 | a message that you are replying to. These commands are active only when |
| 510 | you started sending a message using an Rmail command. |
| 511 | |
| 512 | @table @kbd |
| 513 | @item C-c C-y |
| 514 | Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{mail-yank-original}). |
| 515 | @item C-c C-r |
| 516 | Yank the region from the Rmail buffer (@code{mail-yank-region}). |
| 517 | @item C-c C-q |
| 518 | Fill each paragraph cited from another message |
| 519 | (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}). |
| 520 | @end table |
| 521 | |
| 522 | @kindex C-c C-y @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 523 | @findex mail-yank-original |
| 524 | When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an Rmail |
| 525 | command, @kbd{C-c C-y} can be used inside the mail buffer to insert |
| 526 | the text of the message you are replying to. Normally it indents each line |
| 527 | of that message three spaces and eliminates most header fields. A numeric |
| 528 | argument specifies the number of spaces to indent. An argument of just |
| 529 | @kbd{C-u} says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything. |
| 530 | @kbd{C-c C-y} always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer, |
| 531 | so you can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail, |
| 532 | switching to @samp{*mail*} and yanking it, then switching back to |
| 533 | Rmail to select another. |
| 534 | |
| 535 | @vindex mail-yank-prefix |
| 536 | You can specify the text for @kbd{C-c C-y} to insert at the beginning |
| 537 | of each line: set @code{mail-yank-prefix} to the desired string. (A |
| 538 | value of @code{nil} means to use indentation; this is the default.) |
| 539 | However, @kbd{C-u C-c C-y} never adds anything at the beginning of the |
| 540 | inserted lines, regardless of the value of @code{mail-yank-prefix}. |
| 541 | |
| 542 | @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 543 | @findex mail-yank-region |
| 544 | To yank just a part of an incoming message, set the region in Rmail to |
| 545 | the part you want; then go to the @samp{*Mail*} message and type |
| 546 | @kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{mail-yank-region}). Each line that is copied is |
| 547 | indented or prefixed according to @code{mail-yank-prefix}. |
| 548 | |
| 549 | @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 550 | @findex mail-fill-yanked-message |
| 551 | After using @kbd{C-c C-y} or @kbd{C-c C-r}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q} |
| 552 | (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the yanked |
| 553 | old message or messages. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such |
| 554 | paragraphs, each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the |
| 555 | quoted message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically |
| 556 | handle the type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix |
| 557 | explicitly. @xref{Filling}. |
| 558 | |
| 559 | @node Mail Mode Misc |
| 560 | @subsection Mail Mode Miscellany |
| 561 | |
| 562 | @table @kbd |
| 563 | @item C-c C-t |
| 564 | Move to the beginning of the message body text (@code{mail-text}). |
| 565 | @item C-c C-w |
| 566 | Insert the file @file{~/.signature} at the end of the message text |
| 567 | (@code{mail-signature}). |
| 568 | @item C-c C-i @var{file} @key{RET} |
| 569 | Insert the contents of @var{file} at the end of the outgoing message |
| 570 | (@code{mail-attach-file}). |
| 571 | @item M-x ispell-message |
| 572 | Perform spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations from |
| 573 | other messages. |
| 574 | @end table |
| 575 | |
| 576 | @kindex C-c C-t @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 577 | @findex mail-text |
| 578 | @kbd{C-c C-t} (@code{mail-text}) moves point to just after the header |
| 579 | separator line---that is, to the beginning of the message body text. |
| 580 | |
| 581 | @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 582 | @findex mail-signature |
| 583 | @vindex mail-signature |
| 584 | @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{mail-signature}) adds a standard piece of text at |
| 585 | the end of the message to say more about who you are. The text comes |
| 586 | from the file @file{~/.signature} in your home directory. To insert |
| 587 | your signature automatically, set the variable @code{mail-signature} to |
| 588 | @code{t}; after that, starting a mail message automatically inserts the |
| 589 | contents of your @file{~/.signature} file. If you want to omit your |
| 590 | signature from a particular message, delete it from the buffer before |
| 591 | you send the message. |
| 592 | |
| 593 | You can also set @code{mail-signature} to a string; then that string |
| 594 | is inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a |
| 595 | message to send. If you set it to some other Lisp expression, the |
| 596 | expression is evaluated each time, and its value (which should be a |
| 597 | string) specifies the signature. |
| 598 | |
| 599 | @findex ispell-message |
| 600 | You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written |
| 601 | with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked an |
| 602 | incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was |
| 603 | yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted. (It looks |
| 604 | for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the cited |
| 605 | lines from your input.) @xref{Spelling}. |
| 606 | |
| 607 | @kindex C-c C-i @r{(Mail mode)} |
| 608 | @findex mail-attach-file |
| 609 | To include a file in the outgoing message, you can use @kbd{C-x i}, |
| 610 | the usual command to insert a file in the current buffer. But it is |
| 611 | often more convenient to use a special command, @kbd{C-c C-i} |
| 612 | (@code{mail-attach-file}). This command inserts the file contents at |
| 613 | the end of the buffer, after your signature if any, with a delimiter |
| 614 | line that includes the file name. |
| 615 | |
| 616 | @vindex mail-mode-hook |
| 617 | @vindex mail-setup-hook |
| 618 | Turning on Mail mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs the |
| 619 | normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{mail-mode-hook}. |
| 620 | Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook |
| 621 | @code{mail-setup-hook}; if you want to add special fields to your mail |
| 622 | header or make other changes to the appearance of the mail buffer, use |
| 623 | that hook. @xref{Hooks}. |
| 624 | |
| 625 | The main difference between these hooks is just when they are |
| 626 | invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{M-x mail}, @code{mail-mode-hook} runs |
| 627 | as soon as the @samp{*mail*} buffer is created. Then the |
| 628 | @code{mail-setup} function inserts the default contents of the buffer. |
| 629 | After these default contents are inserted, @code{mail-setup-hook} runs. |
| 630 | |
| 631 | @node Mail Amusements |
| 632 | @section Mail Amusements |
| 633 | |
| 634 | @findex spook |
| 635 | @cindex NSA |
| 636 | @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing |
| 637 | mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest |
| 638 | you are discussing something subversive. |
| 639 | |
| 640 | The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the |
| 641 | NSA@footnote{The US National Security Agency.} snoops on |
| 642 | all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might |
| 643 | find them interesting. (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they |
| 644 | @emph{would} say.) The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious |
| 645 | words to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input |
| 646 | that they will have to give up reading it all. |
| 647 | |
| 648 | Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start |
| 649 | entering an outgoing message: |
| 650 | |
| 651 | @example |
| 652 | (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook) |
| 653 | @end example |
| 654 | |
| 655 | Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people. |
| 656 | |
| 657 | @findex fortune-to-signature |
| 658 | @cindex fortune cookies |
| 659 | You can use the @code{fortune} program to put a ``fortune cookie'' |
| 660 | message into outgoing mail. To do this, add |
| 661 | @code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook}: |
| 662 | |
| 663 | @example |
| 664 | (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature) |
| 665 | @end example |
| 666 | |
| 667 | @node Mail Methods |
| 668 | @section Mail-Composition Methods |
| 669 | @cindex mail-composition methods |
| 670 | |
| 671 | @cindex MH mail interface |
| 672 | @cindex Message mode for sending mail |
| 673 | In this chapter we have described the usual Emacs mode for editing |
| 674 | and sending mail---Mail mode. Emacs has alternative facilities for |
| 675 | editing and sending mail, including |
| 676 | MH-E and Message mode, not documented in this manual. |
| 677 | @xref{MH-E,,,mh-e, The Emacs Interface to MH}. @xref{Message,,,message, |
| 678 | Message Manual}. You can choose any of them as your preferred method. |
| 679 | The commands @code{C-x m}, @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use |
| 680 | whichever agent you have specified, as do various other Emacs commands |
| 681 | and facilities that send mail. |
| 682 | |
| 683 | @vindex mail-user-agent |
| 684 | To specify your mail-composition method, customize the variable |
| 685 | @code{mail-user-agent}. Currently legitimate values include |
| 686 | @code{sendmail-user-agent} (Mail mode), @code{mh-e-user-agent}, |
| 687 | @code{message-user-agent} and @code{gnus-user-agent}. |
| 688 | |
| 689 | If you select a different mail-composition method, the information |
| 690 | in this chapter about the @samp{*mail*} buffer and Mail mode does not |
| 691 | apply; the other methods use a different format of text in a different |
| 692 | buffer, and their commands are different as well. |
| 693 | |