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annotate man/sending.texi @ 44994:27ae12d5d8e5
Regenerated.
author | Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 29 Apr 2002 23:03:27 +0000 |
parents | 3b40423b9355 |
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rev | line source |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
39287 | 2 @c Copyright (C) 1985,86,87,93,94,95,97,2000,2001 |
28126 | 3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 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 | |
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60 @ignore |
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61 @c Commented out because it is not user-oriented; |
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62 @c it doesn't say how to do some job. -- rms. |
30986 | 63 @cindex directory servers |
64 @cindex LDAP | |
65 @cindex PH/QI | |
66 @cindex names and addresses | |
67 There is an interface to directory servers using various protocols such | |
68 as LDAP or the CCSO white pages directory system (PH/QI), described in a | |
69 separate manual. It may be useful for looking up names and addresses. | |
70 @xref{Top,,EUDC, eudc, EUDC Manual}. | |
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71 @end ignore |
30986 | 72 |
25829 | 73 @menu |
74 * Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed. | |
75 * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of permitted mail header fields. | |
76 * Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses. | |
77 * Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed. | |
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78 * Amuse: Mail Amusements. Distracting the NSA; adding fortune messages. |
30806 | 79 * Methods: Mail Methods. Using alternative mail-composition methods. |
25829 | 80 @end menu |
81 | |
82 @node Mail Format | |
83 @section The Format of the Mail Buffer | |
84 | |
85 In addition to the @dfn{text} or @dfn{body}, a message has @dfn{header | |
86 fields} which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on. Some | |
87 header fields, such as @samp{Date} and @samp{Sender}, are created | |
88 automatically when you send the message. Others, such as the recipient | |
89 names, must be specified by you in order to send the message properly. | |
90 | |
91 Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header fields, | |
92 and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at times. You can | |
93 insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing commands. | |
94 | |
95 The line in the buffer that says | |
96 | |
97 @example | |
98 --text follows this line-- | |
99 @end example | |
100 | |
101 @noindent | |
102 is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified from | |
103 the text. Whatever follows this line is the text of the message; the | |
104 headers precede it. The delimiter line itself does not appear in the | |
105 message actually sent. The text used for the delimiter line is controlled | |
106 by the variable @code{mail-header-separator}. | |
107 | |
108 Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer | |
109 might look like. | |
110 | |
111 @example | |
112 To: gnu@@gnu.org | |
113 CC: lungfish@@spam.org, byob@@spam.org | |
114 Subject: The Emacs Manual | |
115 --Text follows this line-- | |
116 Please ignore this message. | |
117 @end example | |
118 | |
119 @node Mail Headers | |
120 @section Mail Header Fields | |
121 @cindex headers (of mail message) | |
122 | |
123 A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the | |
124 beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are | |
125 equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the | |
126 colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field. | |
127 | |
128 You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people | |
129 use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is a table | |
130 of fields commonly used in outgoing messages. | |
131 | |
132 @table @samp | |
133 @item To | |
134 This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is | |
135 addressed. If you list more than one address, use commas, not spaces, | |
136 to separate them. | |
137 | |
138 @item Subject | |
139 The contents of the @samp{Subject} field should be a piece of text | |
140 that says what the message is about. The reason @samp{Subject} fields | |
141 are useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of | |
142 messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text. | |
143 | |
144 @item CC | |
145 This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, | |
146 like @samp{To} except that these readers should not regard the message | |
147 as directed at them. | |
148 | |
149 @item BCC | |
150 This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, | |
151 which should not appear in the header of the message actually sent. | |
152 Copies sent this way are called @dfn{blind carbon copies}. | |
153 | |
154 @vindex mail-self-blind | |
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155 @cindex copy of every outgoing message |
25829 | 156 To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself, set |
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157 the variable @code{mail-self-blind} to @code{t}. To send a blind carbon |
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158 copy of every message to some other @var{address}, set the variable |
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159 @code{mail-default-headers} to @code{"Bcc: @var{address}\n"}. |
25829 | 160 |
161 @item FCC | |
162 This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to append a | |
163 copy of the message to that file when you send the message. If the file | |
164 is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message in Rmail format; otherwise, | |
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165 Emacs writes the message in system mail file format. To specify |
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166 more than one file, use several @samp{FCC} fields, with one file |
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167 name in each field. |
25829 | 168 |
169 @vindex mail-archive-file-name | |
170 To put a fixed file name in the @samp{FCC} field each time you start | |
171 editing an outgoing message, set the variable | |
172 @code{mail-archive-file-name} to that file name. Unless you remove the | |
173 @samp{FCC} field before sending, the message will be written into that | |
174 file when it is sent. | |
175 | |
176 @item From | |
177 Use the @samp{From} field to say who you are, when the account you are | |
178 using to send the mail is not your own. The contents of the @samp{From} | |
179 field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will normally go | |
180 there. If you don't specify the @samp{From} field yourself, Emacs uses | |
181 the value of @code{user-mail-address} as the default. | |
182 | |
183 @item Reply-to | |
184 Use this field to direct replies to a different address. Most | |
185 mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies to | |
186 the @samp{Reply-to} address in preference to the @samp{From} address. | |
187 By adding a @samp{Reply-to} field to your header, you can work around | |
188 any problems your @samp{From} address may cause for replies. | |
189 | |
29107 | 190 @cindex @env{REPLYTO} environment variable |
25829 | 191 @vindex mail-default-reply-to |
192 To put a fixed @samp{Reply-to} address into every outgoing message, set | |
193 the variable @code{mail-default-reply-to} to that address (as a string). | |
194 Then @code{mail} initializes the message with a @samp{Reply-to} field as | |
195 specified. You can delete or alter that header field before you send | |
196 the message, if you wish. When Emacs starts up, if the environment | |
29107 | 197 variable @env{REPLYTO} is set, @code{mail-default-reply-to} is |
25829 | 198 initialized from that environment variable. |
199 | |
200 @item In-reply-to | |
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201 This field contains a piece of text describing the message you are |
25829 | 202 replying to. Some mail systems can use this information to correlate |
203 related pieces of mail. Normally this field is filled in by Rmail | |
204 when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never need to | |
205 think about it (@pxref{Rmail}). | |
206 | |
207 @item References | |
208 This field lists the message IDs of related previous messages. Rmail | |
209 sets up this field automatically when you reply to a message. | |
210 @end table | |
211 | |
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212 The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, and @samp{BCC} header fields can appear |
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213 any number of times, and each such header field can contain multiple |
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214 addresses, separated by commas. This way, you can specify any number |
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215 of places to send the message. These fields can also have |
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216 continuation lines: one or more lines starting with whitespace, |
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217 following the starting line of the field, are considered part of the |
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218 field. Here's an example of a @samp{To} field with a continuation |
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219 line:@refill |
25829 | 220 |
221 @example | |
222 @group | |
223 To: foo@@here.net, this@@there.net, | |
224 me@@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281 | |
225 @end group | |
226 @end example | |
227 | |
228 @vindex mail-from-style | |
229 When you send the message, if you didn't write a @samp{From} field | |
230 yourself, Emacs puts in one for you. The variable | |
231 @code{mail-from-style} controls the format: | |
232 | |
233 @table @code | |
234 @item nil | |
235 Use just the email address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}. | |
236 @item parens | |
237 Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis | |
238 Parsley)}. | |
239 @item angles | |
240 Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{Elvis Parsley | |
241 <king@@grassland.com>}. | |
242 @item system-default | |
243 Allow the system to insert the @samp{From} field. | |
244 @end table | |
245 | |
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246 @vindex mail-default-headers |
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247 You can direct Emacs to insert certain default headers into the |
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248 outgoing message by setting the variable @code{mail-default-headers} |
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249 to a string. Then @code{C-x m} inserts this string into the message |
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250 headers. If the default header fields are not appropriate for a |
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251 particular message, edit them as appropriate before sending the |
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252 message. |
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253 |
25829 | 254 @node Mail Aliases |
255 @section Mail Aliases | |
256 @cindex mail aliases | |
257 @cindex @file{.mailrc} file | |
258 @cindex mailrc file | |
259 | |
260 You can define @dfn{mail aliases} in a file named @file{~/.mailrc}. | |
261 These are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of | |
262 mail addresses. Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases | |
263 when they occur in the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and | |
264 @samp{Reply-to} fields, plus their @samp{Resent-} variants. | |
265 | |
266 To define an alias in @file{~/.mailrc}, write a line in the following | |
267 format: | |
268 | |
269 @example | |
270 alias @var{shortaddress} @var{fulladdresses} | |
271 @end example | |
272 | |
273 @noindent | |
274 Here @var{fulladdresses} stands for one or more mail addresses for | |
275 @var{shortaddress} to expand into. Separate multiple addresses with | |
276 spaces; if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a | |
277 pair of double-quotes. | |
278 | |
279 For instance, to make @code{maingnu} stand for | |
280 @code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in | |
281 this line:@refill | |
282 | |
283 @example | |
284 alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu | |
285 @end example | |
286 | |
287 Emacs also recognizes include commands in @samp{.mailrc} files. | |
288 They look like this: | |
289 | |
290 @example | |
291 source @var{filename} | |
292 @end example | |
293 | |
294 @noindent | |
295 The file @file{~/.mailrc} is used primarily by other mail-reading | |
296 programs; it can contain various other commands. Emacs ignores | |
297 everything in it except for alias definitions and include commands. | |
298 | |
299 @findex define-mail-alias | |
300 Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the | |
301 @code{define-mail-alias} command. It prompts for the alias and then the | |
302 full address. You can use it to define aliases in your @file{.emacs} | |
303 file, like this: | |
304 | |
305 @example | |
306 (define-mail-alias "maingnu" "gnu@@gnu.org") | |
307 @end example | |
308 | |
309 @vindex mail-aliases | |
310 @code{define-mail-alias} records aliases by adding them to a | |
311 variable named @code{mail-aliases}. If you are comfortable with | |
312 manipulating Lisp lists, you can set @code{mail-aliases} directly. The | |
313 initial value of @code{mail-aliases} is @code{t}, which means that | |
314 Emacs should read @file{.mailrc} to get the proper value. | |
315 | |
316 @vindex mail-personal-alias-file | |
317 You can specify a different file name to use instead of | |
318 @file{~/.mailrc} by setting the variable | |
319 @code{mail-personal-alias-file}. | |
320 | |
321 @findex expand-mail-aliases | |
322 Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message. You do not | |
323 need to expand mail aliases before sending the message, but you can | |
324 expand them if you want to see where the mail will actually go. To do | |
325 this, use the command @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}; it expands all mail | |
326 aliases currently present in the mail headers that hold addresses. | |
327 | |
328 If you like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as | |
329 you type them in (@pxref{Abbrevs}). To enable this feature, execute the | |
330 following: | |
331 | |
332 @example | |
34922 | 333 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup) |
25829 | 334 @end example |
335 | |
336 @noindent | |
337 @findex define-mail-abbrev | |
338 @vindex mail-abbrevs | |
339 This can go in your @file{.emacs} file. @xref{Hooks}. If you use this | |
340 feature, you must use @code{define-mail-abbrev} instead of | |
341 @code{define-mail-alias}; the latter does not work with this package. | |
342 Note that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable | |
343 @code{mail-abbrevs} instead of @code{mail-aliases}, and that all alias | |
344 names are converted to lower case. | |
345 | |
346 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Mail mode)} | |
347 @findex mail-interactive-insert-alias | |
348 The mail abbreviation package also provides the @kbd{C-c C-a} | |
349 (@code{mail-interactive-insert-alias}) command, which reads an alias | |
350 name (with completion) and inserts its definition at point. This is | |
351 useful when editing the message text itself or a header field such as | |
352 @samp{Subject} in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases. | |
353 | |
354 Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator character | |
355 afterward. However, you can rebind @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{M->} to cause | |
356 expansion as well. Here's how to do that: | |
357 | |
358 @smallexample | |
34922 | 359 (add-hook 'mail-mode-hook |
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360 (lambda () |
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361 (substitute-key-definition |
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362 'next-line 'mail-abbrev-next-line |
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363 mail-mode-map global-map) |
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364 (substitute-key-definition |
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365 'end-of-buffer 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer |
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366 mail-mode-map global-map))) |
25829 | 367 @end smallexample |
368 | |
369 @node Mail Mode | |
370 @section Mail Mode | |
371 @cindex Mail mode | |
372 @cindex mode, Mail | |
373 | |
374 The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much | |
375 like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the | |
376 @kbd{C-c} prefix. These commands all have to do specifically with | |
377 editing or sending the message. In addition, Mail mode defines the | |
378 character @samp{%} as a word separator; this is helpful for using the | |
379 word commands to edit mail addresses. | |
380 | |
381 Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the | |
382 @code{mail} command and related commands. However, you can also switch | |
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383 to Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer. This is a useful thing to do if |
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384 you have saved the text of a draft message in a file. |
25829 | 385 |
386 @menu | |
387 * Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message. | |
388 * Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them. | |
389 * Citing Mail:: Copying all or part of a message you are replying to. | |
390 * Mail Mode Misc:: Spell checking, signatures, etc. | |
391 @end menu | |
392 | |
393 @node Mail Sending | |
394 @subsection Mail Sending | |
395 | |
396 Mail mode has two commands for sending the message you have been | |
397 editing: | |
398 | |
399 @table @kbd | |
400 @item C-c C-s | |
401 Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{mail-send}). | |
402 @item C-c C-c | |
403 Send the message, and select some other buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). | |
404 @end table | |
405 | |
406 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Mail mode)} | |
407 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Mail mode)} | |
408 @findex mail-send | |
409 @findex mail-send-and-exit | |
410 @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{mail-send}) sends the message and marks the mail | |
411 buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can | |
412 modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again. | |
413 @kbd{C-c C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}) sends and then deletes the | |
414 window or switches to another buffer. It puts the mail buffer at the | |
415 lowest priority for reselection by default, since you are finished with | |
416 using it. This is the usual way to send the message. | |
417 | |
418 In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the | |
419 modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. As a | |
420 result, you don't get a warning if you try to send the same message | |
421 twice. | |
422 | |
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423 @c This is indexed in mule.texi, node "Recognize Coding". |
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424 @c @vindex sendmail-coding-system |
25829 | 425 When you send a message that contains non-ASCII characters, they need |
426 to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). Usually | |
427 the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen language | |
428 environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can explicitly specify | |
429 the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the variable | |
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430 @code{sendmail-coding-system} (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). |
25829 | 431 |
432 If the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in | |
433 a particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use, | |
434 showing a list of possible coding systems. | |
435 | |
436 @node Header Editing | |
437 @subsection Mail Header Editing | |
438 | |
439 Mail mode provides special commands to move to particular header | |
440 fields and to complete addresses in headers. | |
441 | |
442 @table @kbd | |
443 @item C-c C-f C-t | |
444 Move to the @samp{To} header field, creating one if there is none | |
445 (@code{mail-to}). | |
446 @item C-c C-f C-s | |
447 Move to the @samp{Subject} header field, creating one if there is | |
448 none (@code{mail-subject}). | |
449 @item C-c C-f C-c | |
450 Move to the @samp{CC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
451 (@code{mail-cc}). | |
452 @item C-c C-f C-b | |
453 Move to the @samp{BCC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
454 (@code{mail-bcc}). | |
455 @item C-c C-f C-f | |
456 Move to the @samp{FCC} header field, creating one if there is none | |
457 (@code{mail-fcc}). | |
458 @item M-@key{TAB} | |
459 Complete a mailing address (@code{mail-complete}). | |
460 @end table | |
461 | |
462 @kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Mail mode)} | |
463 @findex mail-to | |
464 @kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Mail mode)} | |
465 @findex mail-subject | |
466 @kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Mail mode)} | |
467 @findex mail-cc | |
468 @kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Mail mode)} | |
469 @findex mail-bcc | |
470 @kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Mail mode)} | |
471 @findex mail-fcc | |
472 There are five commands to move point to particular header fields, all | |
473 based on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). They | |
474 are listed in the table above. If the field in question does not exist, | |
475 these commands create one. We provide special motion commands for these | |
476 particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to | |
477 edit. | |
478 | |
479 @findex mail-complete | |
480 @kindex M-TAB @r{(Mail mode)} | |
481 While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such as | |
482 @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete a mailing | |
483 address by typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{mail-complete}). It inserts | |
484 the full name corresponding to the address, if it can determine the full | |
485 name. The variable @code{mail-complete-style} controls whether to insert | |
486 the full name, and what style to use, as in @code{mail-from-style} | |
487 (@pxref{Mail Headers}). | |
488 | |
489 For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be | |
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490 the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases. You can |
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491 specify additional sources of valid addresses; look at the customization |
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492 group @samp{mailalias} to see the options for this |
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493 (@pxref{Customization Groups}). |
25829 | 494 |
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495 If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message, |
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496 @code{mail-complete} invokes @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text |
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497 mode. |
25829 | 498 |
499 @node Citing Mail | |
500 @subsection Citing Mail | |
501 @cindex citing mail | |
502 | |
503 Mail mode also has commands for yanking or @dfn{citing} all or part of | |
504 a message that you are replying to. These commands are active only when | |
505 you started sending a message using an Rmail command. | |
506 | |
507 @table @kbd | |
508 @item C-c C-y | |
509 Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{mail-yank-original}). | |
510 @item C-c C-r | |
511 Yank the region from the Rmail buffer (@code{mail-yank-region}). | |
512 @item C-c C-q | |
513 Fill each paragraph cited from another message | |
514 (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}). | |
515 @end table | |
516 | |
517 @kindex C-c C-y @r{(Mail mode)} | |
518 @findex mail-yank-original | |
519 When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an Rmail | |
520 command, @kbd{C-c C-y} can be used inside the mail buffer to insert | |
521 the text of the message you are replying to. Normally it indents each line | |
522 of that message three spaces and eliminates most header fields. A numeric | |
523 argument specifies the number of spaces to indent. An argument of just | |
524 @kbd{C-u} says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything. | |
525 @kbd{C-c C-y} always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer, | |
526 so you can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail, | |
527 switching to @samp{*mail*} and yanking it, then switching back to | |
528 Rmail to select another. | |
529 | |
530 @vindex mail-yank-prefix | |
531 You can specify the text for @kbd{C-c C-y} to insert at the beginning | |
532 of each line: set @code{mail-yank-prefix} to the desired string. (A | |
533 value of @code{nil} means to use indentation; this is the default.) | |
534 However, @kbd{C-u C-c C-y} never adds anything at the beginning of the | |
535 inserted lines, regardless of the value of @code{mail-yank-prefix}. | |
536 | |
537 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Mail mode)} | |
538 @findex mail-yank-region | |
539 To yank just a part of an incoming message, set the region in Rmail to | |
540 the part you want; then go to the @samp{*Mail*} message and type | |
541 @kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{mail-yank-region}). Each line that is copied is | |
542 indented or prefixed according to @code{mail-yank-prefix}. | |
543 | |
544 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Mail mode)} | |
545 @findex mail-fill-yanked-message | |
546 After using @kbd{C-c C-y} or @kbd{C-c C-r}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q} | |
547 (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the yanked | |
548 old message or messages. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such | |
549 paragraphs, each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the | |
550 quoted message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically | |
551 handle the type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix | |
552 explicitly. @xref{Filling}. | |
553 | |
554 @node Mail Mode Misc | |
555 @subsection Mail Mode Miscellany | |
556 | |
557 @table @kbd | |
558 @item C-c C-t | |
559 Move to the beginning of the message body text (@code{mail-text}). | |
560 @item C-c C-w | |
561 Insert the file @file{~/.signature} at the end of the message text | |
562 (@code{mail-signature}). | |
563 @item C-c C-i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
564 Insert the contents of @var{file} at the end of the outgoing message | |
565 (@code{mail-attach-file}). | |
566 @item M-x ispell-message | |
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567 Perform spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations from |
25829 | 568 other messages. |
569 @end table | |
570 | |
571 @kindex C-c C-t @r{(Mail mode)} | |
572 @findex mail-text | |
573 @kbd{C-c C-t} (@code{mail-text}) moves point to just after the header | |
574 separator line---that is, to the beginning of the message body text. | |
575 | |
576 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Mail mode)} | |
577 @findex mail-signature | |
578 @vindex mail-signature | |
579 @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{mail-signature}) adds a standard piece of text at | |
580 the end of the message to say more about who you are. The text comes | |
581 from the file @file{~/.signature} in your home directory. To insert | |
582 your signature automatically, set the variable @code{mail-signature} to | |
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583 @code{t}; after that, starting a mail message automatically inserts the |
25829 | 584 contents of your @file{~/.signature} file. If you want to omit your |
585 signature from a particular message, delete it from the buffer before | |
586 you send the message. | |
587 | |
588 You can also set @code{mail-signature} to a string; then that string | |
589 is inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a | |
590 message to send. If you set it to some other Lisp expression, the | |
591 expression is evaluated each time, and its value (which should be a | |
592 string) specifies the signature. | |
593 | |
594 @findex ispell-message | |
595 You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written | |
596 with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked an | |
597 incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was | |
598 yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted. (It looks | |
599 for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the cited | |
600 lines from your input.) @xref{Spelling}. | |
601 | |
602 @kindex C-c C-i @r{(Mail mode)} | |
603 @findex mail-attach-file | |
604 To include a file in the outgoing message, you can use @kbd{C-x i}, | |
605 the usual command to insert a file in the current buffer. But it is | |
606 often more convenient to use a special command, @kbd{C-c C-i} | |
607 (@code{mail-attach-file}). This command inserts the file contents at | |
608 the end of the buffer, after your signature if any, with a delimiter | |
609 line that includes the file name. | |
610 | |
611 @vindex mail-mode-hook | |
612 @vindex mail-setup-hook | |
613 Turning on Mail mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs the | |
614 normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{mail-mode-hook}. | |
615 Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook | |
616 @code{mail-setup-hook}; if you want to add special fields to your mail | |
617 header or make other changes to the appearance of the mail buffer, use | |
618 that hook. @xref{Hooks}. | |
619 | |
620 The main difference between these hooks is just when they are | |
621 invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{M-x mail}, @code{mail-mode-hook} runs | |
622 as soon as the @samp{*mail*} buffer is created. Then the | |
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623 @code{mail-setup} function inserts the default contents of the buffer. |
25829 | 624 After these default contents are inserted, @code{mail-setup-hook} runs. |
625 | |
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626 @node Mail Amusements |
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627 @section Mail Amusements |
25829 | 628 |
629 @findex spook | |
630 @cindex NSA | |
631 @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing | |
632 mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest | |
633 you are discussing something subversive. | |
634 | |
30806 | 635 The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the |
636 NSA@footnote{The US National Security Agency.} snoops on | |
25829 | 637 all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might |
638 find them interesting. (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they | |
639 @emph{would} say.) The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious | |
640 words to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input | |
641 that they will have to give up reading it all. | |
642 | |
643 Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start | |
644 entering an outgoing message: | |
645 | |
646 @example | |
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647 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook) |
25829 | 648 @end example |
649 | |
650 Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people. | |
651 | |
27209 | 652 @findex fortune-to-signature |
653 @cindex fortune cookies | |
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654 You can use the @code{fortune} program to put a ``fortune cookie'' |
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655 message into outgoing mail. To do this, add |
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656 @code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook}: |
27209 | 657 |
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658 @example |
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659 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature) |
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660 @end example |
27209 | 661 |
25829 | 662 @node Mail Methods |
663 @section Mail-Composition Methods | |
664 @cindex mail-composition methods | |
665 | |
30992 | 666 @cindex MH mail interface |
667 @cindex Message mode for sending mail | |
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668 In this chapter we have described the usual Emacs mode for editing |
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669 and sending mail---Mail mode. Emacs has alternative facilities for |
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670 editing and sending mail, including |
30992 | 671 MH-E and Message mode, not documented in this manual. |
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672 @xref{MH-E,,,mh-e, The Emacs Interface to MH}. @xref{Message,,,message, |
30992 | 673 Message Manual}. You can choose any of them as your preferred method. |
674 The commands @code{C-x m}, @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use | |
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675 whichever agent you have specified, as do various other Emacs commands |
30992 | 676 and facilities that send mail. |
25829 | 677 |
678 @vindex mail-user-agent | |
32313 | 679 To specify your mail-composition method, customize the variable |
25829 | 680 @code{mail-user-agent}. Currently legitimate values include |
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681 @code{sendmail-user-agent} (Mail mode), @code{mh-e-user-agent}, |
32313 | 682 @code{message-user-agent} and @code{gnus-user-agent}. |
25829 | 683 |
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684 If you select a different mail-composition method, the information |
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685 in this chapter about the @samp{*mail*} buffer and Mail mode does not |
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686 apply; the other methods use a different format of text in a different |
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687 buffer, and their commands are different as well. |
25829 | 688 |