Mercurial > emacs
annotate doc/emacs/rmail.texi @ 102376:3c6dd203caec
(Rmail Make Summary): Mention rmail-summary-by-senders on C-M-f.
Use active voice for previous change.
(Rmail Summary Edit): Mention rmail-summary-undelete-many, and C-M-n/p.
Name the commands bound to the various keys. Mention prefix argument
for searching.
author | Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> |
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date | Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:18:53 +0000 |
parents | dec452f84540 |
children | 157bdf35840d |
rev | line source |
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84264 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, | |
100974 | 3 @c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
84264 | 4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @node Rmail, Dired, Sending Mail, Top | |
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 | |
13 Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that | |
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14 you receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files. |
102341 | 15 Reading the messages in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode, |
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16 Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing mail. |
84264 | 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. | |
102341 | 24 * Output: Rmail Output. Copying messages out to files. |
84264 | 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. | |
31 * Coding: Rmail Coding. How Rmail handles decoding character sets. | |
32 * Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail. | |
33 * Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message. | |
34 * Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code. | |
35 * Movemail:: More details of fetching new mail. | |
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36 * Remote Mailboxes:: Retrieving mail from remote mailboxes. |
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37 * Other Mailbox Formats:: Retrieving mail from local mailboxes in |
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38 various formats. |
84264 | 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 | |
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53 Rmail displays only one message in the Rmail file at a time. |
84264 | 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 | |
62 order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them. Messages are | |
63 identified by consecutive integers which are their @dfn{message numbers}. | |
64 The number of the current message is displayed in Rmail's mode line, | |
65 followed by the total number of messages in the file. You can move to | |
66 a message by specifying its message number with the @kbd{j} key | |
67 (@pxref{Rmail Motion}). | |
68 | |
69 @kindex s @r{(Rmail)} | |
70 @findex rmail-expunge-and-save | |
71 Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file | |
72 become permanent only when you save the file. You can save it with | |
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}). | |
77 | |
78 @kindex q @r{(Rmail)} | |
79 @findex rmail-quit | |
80 @kindex b @r{(Rmail)} | |
81 @findex rmail-bury | |
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 | |
84 summary buffer, if present (@pxref{Rmail Summary}). But there is no | |
85 need to ``exit'' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in | |
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 | |
90 Rmail buffer and its summary buffer without expunging and saving the | |
91 Rmail file. | |
92 | |
93 @node Rmail Scrolling | |
94 @section Scrolling Within a Message | |
95 | |
96 When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you | |
97 must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with | |
98 @kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so | |
99 frequent that it deserves to be easier. | |
100 | |
101 @table @kbd | |
102 @item @key{SPC} | |
103 Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up}). | |
104 @item @key{DEL} | |
105 Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down}). | |
106 @item . | |
107 Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). | |
108 @item / | |
109 Scroll to end of message (@code{rmail-end-of-message}). | |
110 @end table | |
111 | |
112 @kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} | |
113 @kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} | |
114 Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to scroll | |
115 through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} synonyms of | |
116 @kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up}) and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down}) | |
117 | |
118 @kindex . @r{(Rmail)} | |
119 @kindex / @r{(Rmail)} | |
120 @findex rmail-beginning-of-message | |
121 @findex rmail-end-of-message | |
122 The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the | |
123 beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: | |
124 for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer | |
125 boundaries to the current message if you have changed them. Similarly, | |
126 the command @kbd{/} (@code{rmail-end-of-message}) scrolls forward to the end | |
127 of the selected message. | |
102341 | 128 @c The comment about buffer boundaries is still true in mbox Rmail, if |
129 @c less likely to be relevant. | |
84264 | 130 |
131 @node Rmail Motion | |
132 @section Moving Among Messages | |
133 | |
134 The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to | |
135 do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is | |
136 to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of | |
137 receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the | |
138 first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one | |
139 that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move | |
140 forward to see the other new messages; move backward to re-examine old | |
141 messages. | |
142 | |
143 @table @kbd | |
144 @item n | |
145 Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted | |
146 messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). | |
147 @item p | |
148 Move to the previous nondeleted message | |
149 (@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). | |
150 @item M-n | |
151 Move to the next message, including deleted messages | |
152 (@code{rmail-next-message}). | |
153 @item M-p | |
154 Move to the previous message, including deleted messages | |
155 (@code{rmail-previous-message}). | |
156 @item j | |
157 Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to | |
158 message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). | |
159 @item > | |
160 Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). | |
161 @item < | |
162 Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). | |
163 | |
164 @item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
165 Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} | |
166 (@code{rmail-search}). | |
167 | |
168 @item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
169 Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
170 @end table | |
171 | |
172 @kindex n @r{(Rmail)} | |
173 @kindex p @r{(Rmail)} | |
174 @kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
175 @kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
176 @findex rmail-next-undeleted-message | |
177 @findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message | |
178 @findex rmail-next-message | |
179 @findex rmail-previous-message | |
180 @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in | |
181 Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over | |
182 deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command | |
183 definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and | |
184 @code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip | |
185 deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to | |
186 undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} | |
187 (@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A | |
188 numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat | |
189 count. | |
190 | |
191 In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the | |
192 digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. | |
193 | |
194 @kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
195 @findex rmail-search | |
196 @cindex searching in Rmail | |
197 The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of | |
198 search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, | |
199 but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of | |
200 @kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular | |
201 expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at | |
202 the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects | |
203 that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp | |
204 used the previous time. | |
205 | |
206 To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a | |
102341 | 207 negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. This |
208 begins searching from the end of the previous message. | |
84264 | 209 |
210 It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. | |
211 @xref{Rmail Labels}. | |
212 | |
213 @kindex j @r{(Rmail)} | |
214 @kindex > @r{(Rmail)} | |
215 @kindex < @r{(Rmail)} | |
216 @findex rmail-show-message | |
217 @findex rmail-last-message | |
218 @findex rmail-first-message | |
219 To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} | |
220 (@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With | |
221 no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} | |
222 (@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} | |
223 (@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. | |
224 | |
225 @node Rmail Deletion | |
226 @section Deleting Messages | |
227 | |
228 @cindex deletion (Rmail) | |
229 When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This | |
230 flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer | |
231 present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its | |
232 message number. | |
233 | |
234 @cindex expunging (Rmail) | |
235 @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. | |
236 The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the only | |
237 action that changes the message number of any message, except for | |
238 undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). | |
239 | |
240 @table @kbd | |
241 @item d | |
242 Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message | |
243 (@code{rmail-delete-forward}). | |
244 @item C-d | |
245 Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted | |
246 message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). | |
247 @item u | |
102341 | 248 Undelete the current message, or move back to the previous deleted |
249 message and undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). | |
84264 | 250 @item x |
251 Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). | |
252 @end table | |
253 | |
254 @kindex d @r{(Rmail)} | |
255 @kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} | |
256 @findex rmail-delete-forward | |
257 @findex rmail-delete-backward | |
258 There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the | |
259 current message and select another message. @kbd{d} | |
260 (@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping | |
261 messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) | |
262 moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted | |
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263 message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just |
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264 deleted remains current. @kbd{d} with a prefix argument is equivalent |
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265 to @kbd{C-d}. Note that the Rmail summary versions of these commands |
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266 behave slightly differently (@pxref{Rmail Summary Edit}). |
84264 | 267 |
102341 | 268 @c mention other hooks, eg show message hook? |
84264 | 269 @vindex rmail-delete-message-hook |
270 Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook | |
271 @code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, | |
272 the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message | |
273 in the Rmail buffer. | |
274 | |
275 @cindex undeletion (Rmail) | |
276 @kindex x @r{(Rmail)} | |
277 @findex rmail-expunge | |
278 @kindex u @r{(Rmail)} | |
279 @findex rmail-undelete-previous-message | |
280 To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, | |
281 type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still | |
282 @dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} | |
283 (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the | |
284 effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current | |
285 message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward | |
286 to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes | |
287 that message. | |
288 | |
289 You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} | |
290 moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But | |
291 this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages | |
292 that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command | |
293 undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean | |
294 way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, | |
295 you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to | |
296 undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with | |
297 the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. | |
298 | |
299 A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result | |
300 @samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is | |
301 deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than | |
302 adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. | |
303 | |
304 @node Rmail Inbox | |
305 @section Rmail Files and Inboxes | |
306 @cindex inbox file | |
307 | |
308 When you receive mail locally, the operating system places incoming | |
309 mail for you in a file that we call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start | |
310 up Rmail, it runs a C program called @code{movemail} to copy the new | |
311 messages from your local inbox into your primary Rmail file, which | |
312 also contains other messages saved from previous Rmail sessions. It | |
313 is in this file that you actually read the mail with Rmail. This | |
314 operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You can get new mail at | |
315 any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. | |
316 | |
317 @vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list | |
318 @cindex @env{MAIL} environment variable | |
319 The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the | |
320 files which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set | |
102341 | 321 this variable explicitly, Rmail uses the @env{MAIL} environment |
322 variable, or, as a last resort, a default inbox based on | |
323 @code{rmail-spool-directory}. The default inbox file depends on your | |
324 operating system; often it is @file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, | |
325 @file{/var/spool/mail/@var{username}}, or | |
326 @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}. | |
84264 | 327 |
102341 | 328 You can specify the inbox file(s) for any Rmail file for the current |
329 session with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see @ref{Rmail | |
330 Files}. | |
84264 | 331 |
332 There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. | |
333 | |
334 @enumerate | |
335 @item | |
336 The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to | |
337 the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know | |
338 about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all | |
339 of them to Rmail's own format. | |
340 | |
341 @item | |
342 It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing | |
343 mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. | |
344 Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking | |
345 techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for | |
346 all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all | |
347 the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. | |
348 @end enumerate | |
349 | |
102341 | 350 Rmail was originally written to use the Babyl format as its internal |
351 format. Since then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format | |
352 (@samp{mbox}) on Unix and GNU systems is adequate for the job, and so | |
353 since Emacs 23 Rmail uses that as its internal format. The Rmail file | |
354 is still separate from the inbox file, even though their format is the | |
355 same. | |
84264 | 356 |
357 @vindex rmail-preserve-inbox | |
358 When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the | |
359 inbox file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it | |
360 clears out the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause | |
361 duplication of mail between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot | |
362 lose mail. If @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then | |
363 Rmail does not clear out the inbox file when it gets new mail. You | |
364 may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you use to | |
365 check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will remain | |
366 on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. | |
367 | |
368 In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file | |
369 indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail | |
370 from the inbox to an intermediate file called | |
102341 | 371 @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}}, in the same directory as the Rmail |
372 file. Then Rmail merges the new mail from that file, saves the Rmail | |
373 file, and only then deletes the intermediate file. If there is a crash | |
374 at the wrong time, this file continues to exist, and Rmail will use it | |
375 again the next time it gets new mail from that inbox. | |
84264 | 376 |
377 If Rmail is unable to convert the data in | |
102341 | 378 @file{.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into mbox format, it renames the file to |
379 @file{RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the name | |
380 unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. You | |
381 should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail (probably | |
382 one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code 037), and | |
383 delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from the | |
384 corrected file. | |
84264 | 385 |
386 @node Rmail Files | |
387 @section Multiple Rmail Files | |
388 | |
389 Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named | |
390 @file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. | |
391 But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These | |
392 files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages | |
393 into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
394 | |
395 @table @kbd | |
396 @item i @var{file} @key{RET} | |
397 Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). | |
398 | |
399 @item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} | |
400 Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. | |
401 | |
402 @item g | |
403 Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes | |
404 (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). | |
405 | |
406 @item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} | |
407 Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. | |
408 @end table | |
409 | |
410 @kindex i @r{(Rmail)} | |
411 @findex rmail-input | |
412 To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you can use | |
413 the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file | |
414 in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in | |
415 Rmail, but it is easier to type @kbd{C-u M-x rmail}, which does the | |
416 same thing. | |
417 | |
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418 The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid mbox file. |
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419 If it is not, Rmail tries to convert its text to mbox format, and |
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420 visits the converted text in the buffer. If you save the buffer, that |
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421 converts the file. |
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422 |
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423 If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} initializes a |
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424 new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. |
84264 | 425 |
426 @vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory | |
427 @vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp | |
428 You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. In the Classify menu, | |
429 choose the Input Rmail File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. | |
430 The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
431 @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the | |
432 menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
102341 | 433 second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match |
434 the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select this menu | |
435 item. These variables also apply to choosing a file for output | |
436 (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
84264 | 437 |
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438 @ignore |
84264 | 439 @findex set-rmail-inbox-list |
440 Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify | |
441 this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} | |
442 @key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated | |
443 by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should | |
444 have no inboxes. Once you specify a list of inboxes in an Rmail file, | |
445 the Rmail file remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. | |
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446 @end ignore |
84264 | 447 |
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448 @vindex rmail-inbox-list |
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449 The inbox files to use are specified by the variable |
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450 @code{rmail-inbox-list}, which is buffer-local in Rmail mode. As a |
102341 | 451 special exception, if you have specified no inbox files for your primary |
452 Rmail file, it uses the @env{MAIL} environment variable, or your | |
453 standard system inbox. | |
84264 | 454 |
455 @kindex g @r{(Rmail)} | |
456 @findex rmail-get-new-mail | |
457 The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the | |
458 current Rmail file from its inboxes. If the Rmail file has no | |
459 inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} also | |
460 merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. | |
461 | |
462 To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the | |
463 @kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file | |
464 name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or | |
465 changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, | |
466 therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. | |
467 | |
468 @node Rmail Output | |
469 @section Copying Messages Out to Files | |
470 | |
471 These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. | |
472 | |
473 @table @kbd | |
474 @item o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
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475 Append a full copy of the current message to the file @var{file} |
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476 (@code{rmail-output}). |
84264 | 477 |
478 @item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} | |
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479 Append a copy of the current message, as displayed, to the file |
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480 @var{file} (@code{rmail-output-as-seen}). |
84264 | 481 |
482 @item w @var{file} @key{RET} | |
483 Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default | |
484 file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. | |
485 @end table | |
486 | |
487 @kindex o @r{(Rmail)} | |
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488 @findex rmail-output-as-seen |
84264 | 489 @kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} |
490 @findex rmail-output | |
491 The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a | |
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492 specified file, adding it at the end. The two commands differ mainly |
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493 in how much to copy: @kbd{o} copies the full message headers, even if |
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494 they are not all visible, while @kbd{C-o} copies exactly the headers |
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495 currently displayed and no more. @xref{Rmail Display}. In addition, |
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496 @kbd{o} converts the message to Babyl format (used by Rmail in Emacs |
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497 version 22 and before) if the file is in Babyl format; @kbd{C-o} |
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498 cannot output to Babyl files at all. |
84264 | 499 |
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500 If the output file is currently visited in an Emacs buffer, the |
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501 output commands append the message to that buffer. It is up to you to |
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502 save the buffer eventually in its file. |
84264 | 503 |
504 @kindex w @r{(Rmail)} | |
505 @findex rmail-output-body-to-file | |
506 Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a | |
507 file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) | |
508 with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often | |
509 these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} | |
510 field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the | |
511 default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using | |
512 the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. | |
513 | |
514 You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. | |
515 In the Classify menu, choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then | |
516 choose the Rmail file you want. This outputs the current message to | |
517 that file, like the @kbd{o} command. The variables | |
518 @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and | |
519 @code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the | |
520 menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the | |
521 second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that | |
102341 | 522 match the regular expression). If no files match, you cannot select |
523 this menu item. | |
84264 | 524 |
525 @vindex rmail-delete-after-output | |
526 Copying a message with @kbd{o} or @kbd{C-o} gives the original copy | |
527 of the message the @samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} | |
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528 appears in the mode line when such a message is current. |
84264 | 529 |
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530 If you like to keep just a single copy of every mail message, set |
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531 the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output} to @code{t}; then the |
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532 @kbd{o}, @kbd{C-o} and @kbd{w} commands delete the original message |
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533 after copying it. (You can undelete it afterward if you wish.) |
84264 | 534 |
535 @vindex rmail-output-file-alist | |
536 The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify | |
537 intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the | |
538 current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this | |
539 form: | |
540 | |
541 @example | |
542 (@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) | |
543 @end example | |
544 | |
545 @noindent | |
546 If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the | |
547 default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements | |
548 match the message, the first matching element decides the default file | |
549 name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving | |
550 the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression | |
551 that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} | |
552 applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. | |
553 | |
554 @node Rmail Labels | |
555 @section Labels | |
556 @cindex label (Rmail) | |
557 @cindex attribute (Rmail) | |
558 | |
559 Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means | |
560 of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different | |
561 labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular | |
562 message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to | |
563 messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels | |
564 are called @dfn{attributes}. | |
565 @ifnottex | |
566 (@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) | |
567 @end ifnottex | |
568 All other labels are assigned only by users. | |
569 | |
570 @table @kbd | |
571 @item a @var{label} @key{RET} | |
572 Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). | |
573 @item k @var{label} @key{RET} | |
574 Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). | |
575 @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
576 Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
577 (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). | |
578 @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
579 Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} | |
580 (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). | |
581 @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
582 @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
583 Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} | |
584 (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
585 @end table | |
586 | |
587 @kindex a @r{(Rmail)} | |
588 @kindex k @r{(Rmail)} | |
589 @findex rmail-add-label | |
590 @findex rmail-kill-label | |
591 The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} | |
592 (@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any | |
593 label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it | |
594 means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or | |
595 removed. | |
596 | |
597 Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there | |
598 are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries. | |
599 | |
600 @kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} | |
601 @kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} | |
602 @findex rmail-next-labeled-message | |
603 @findex rmail-previous-labeled-message | |
604 The command @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
605 (@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has | |
606 one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies one | |
607 or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} | |
608 (@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves backwards | |
609 to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command serves as a | |
610 repeat count. | |
611 | |
612 The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} | |
613 (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the | |
614 messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The | |
615 argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. | |
616 @xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries. | |
617 | |
618 If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or | |
619 @kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified | |
620 for any of these commands. | |
621 | |
622 @node Rmail Attributes | |
623 @section Rmail Attributes | |
624 | |
625 Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in | |
626 meanings, and Rmail assigns them to messages automatically at | |
627 appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is | |
628 a list of Rmail attributes: | |
629 | |
630 @table @samp | |
631 @item unseen | |
632 Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when | |
633 they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made | |
634 current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message | |
635 that has this attribute. | |
636 @item deleted | |
637 Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and | |
638 removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). | |
639 @item filed | |
640 Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the | |
641 @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). | |
642 @item answered | |
643 Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} | |
644 command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
645 @item forwarded | |
646 Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command | |
647 (@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
648 @item edited | |
649 Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. | |
650 @xref{Rmail Editing}. | |
651 @item resent | |
652 Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x | |
653 rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. | |
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654 @item retried |
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655 Means you have retried a failed outgoing message. Assigned by the |
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656 command @kbd{M-x rmail-retry-failure}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. |
84264 | 657 @end table |
658 | |
659 All other labels are assigned or removed only by users, and have no | |
660 standard meaning. | |
661 | |
662 @node Rmail Reply | |
663 @section Sending Replies | |
664 | |
665 Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail. | |
666 @xref{Sending Mail}, for information on using Mail mode, including | |
667 certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents | |
668 are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the | |
669 usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and @kbd{C-x 5 | |
670 m}---also work normally in Rmail mode. | |
671 | |
672 @table @kbd | |
673 @item m | |
674 Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). | |
675 @item c | |
676 Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). | |
677 @item r | |
678 Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). | |
679 @item f | |
680 Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). | |
681 @item C-u f | |
682 Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). | |
683 @item M-m | |
684 Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). | |
685 @end table | |
686 | |
687 @kindex r @r{(Rmail)} | |
688 @findex rmail-reply | |
689 @cindex reply to a message | |
690 The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply | |
691 to the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} | |
692 (@code{rmail-reply}). This displays the @samp{*mail*} buffer in | |
693 another window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the | |
694 @samp{Subject}, @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, @samp{In-reply-to} and | |
695 @samp{References} header fields based on the message you are replying | |
696 to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the address of the person who | |
697 sent the message you received, and the @samp{CC} field starts out with | |
698 all the other recipients of that message. | |
699 | |
700 @vindex rmail-dont-reply-to-names | |
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701 You can exclude certain recipients from being included automatically |
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702 in replies, using the variable @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its |
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703 value should be a regular expression; any recipients that match are |
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704 excluded from the @samp{CC} field. They are also excluded from the |
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705 @samp{To} field, unless this would leave the field empty. If this |
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706 variable is nil, then the first time you compose a reply it is |
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707 initialized to a default value that matches your own address, and any |
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708 name starting with @samp{info-}. (Those names are excluded because |
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709 there is a convention of using them for large mailing lists to broadcast |
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710 announcements.) |
84264 | 711 |
712 To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter | |
713 the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. | |
714 This means to reply only to the sender of the original message. | |
715 | |
716 Once the @samp{*mail*} buffer has been initialized, editing and | |
717 sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit the | |
718 presupplied header fields if they are not what you want. You can also | |
719 use the commands of Mail mode (@pxref{Mail Mode}), including @kbd{C-c | |
720 C-y} which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can | |
721 also switch to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch | |
722 back, and yank the new current message. | |
723 | |
724 @kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} | |
725 @findex rmail-retry-failure | |
726 @cindex retrying a failed message | |
727 @vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers | |
728 Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually | |
729 send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure | |
730 message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) | |
731 prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a | |
732 @samp{*mail*} buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If | |
733 you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly | |
734 the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or | |
735 headers and then send it. The variable | |
736 @code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as | |
737 @code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which | |
738 headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it. | |
739 | |
740 @kindex f @r{(Rmail)} | |
741 @findex rmail-forward | |
742 @cindex forwarding a message | |
743 Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the | |
744 current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes | |
745 this easy by preinitializing the @samp{*mail*} buffer with the current | |
746 message as the text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All | |
747 you have to do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a | |
748 message, recipients get a message which is ``from'' you, and which has | |
749 the original message in its contents. | |
750 | |
751 @findex unforward-rmail-message | |
752 Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It also | |
753 modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} | |
754 at the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it | |
755 contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source | |
756 code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do | |
757 this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x | |
758 unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original forwarded | |
759 message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and inserts it | |
760 into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the | |
761 current one. | |
762 | |
763 @findex rmail-resend | |
764 @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the | |
765 difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the | |
766 original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields | |
767 @samp{Resent-From} and @samp{Resent-To} to indicate that it came via | |
768 you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs | |
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769 @code{rmail-forward}, which invokes @code{rmail-resend} if you provide a |
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770 numeric argument.) |
84264 | 771 |
772 @kindex m @r{(Rmail)} | |
773 @findex rmail-mail | |
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774 Use the @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command to start editing an |
84264 | 775 outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. |
776 Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer | |
777 accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. Thus, @kbd{m} can be | |
778 used to reply to or forward a message; it can do anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} | |
779 can do. | |
780 | |
781 @kindex c @r{(Rmail)} | |
782 @findex rmail-continue | |
783 The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the | |
784 @samp{*mail*} buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were | |
785 already composing, or to alter a message you have sent. | |
786 | |
787 @vindex rmail-mail-new-frame | |
788 If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a | |
789 non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a | |
790 message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when | |
791 you send the message, or when you use the @samp{Cancel} item in the | |
792 @samp{Mail} menu. | |
793 | |
794 All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition | |
795 method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). | |
796 | |
797 @node Rmail Summary | |
798 @section Summaries | |
799 @cindex summary (Rmail) | |
800 | |
801 A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give | |
802 you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the | |
803 message number and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and | |
804 the subject. Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as | |
805 you move to their summary lines. Almost all Rmail commands are valid | |
806 in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message | |
807 described by the current line of the summary. | |
808 | |
809 A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are | |
810 editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. | |
811 The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the | |
812 Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a | |
813 time. | |
814 | |
815 @menu | |
816 * Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. | |
817 * Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. | |
818 @end menu | |
819 | |
820 @node Rmail Make Summary | |
821 @subsection Making Summaries | |
822 | |
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823 Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail |
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824 buffer. Once the Rmail buffer has a summary, changes in the Rmail |
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825 buffer (such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) |
84264 | 826 automatically update the summary. |
827 | |
828 @table @kbd | |
829 @item h | |
830 @itemx C-M-h | |
831 Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). | |
832 @item l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
833 @itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} | |
834 Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels | |
835 (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). | |
836 @item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} | |
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837 Summarize messages that match the specified recipients |
84264 | 838 (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). |
839 @item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} | |
840 Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp | |
841 @var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). | |
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842 @item C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
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843 Summarize messages whose headers match the specified regular expression |
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844 @var{regexp} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}). |
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845 @item C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET} |
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846 Summarize messages that match the specified senders. |
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847 (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}). |
84264 | 848 @end table |
849 | |
850 @kindex h @r{(Rmail)} | |
851 @findex rmail-summary | |
852 The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer | |
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853 for the current Rmail buffer with a summary of all the messages in the buffer. |
84264 | 854 It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. |
855 | |
856 @kindex l @r{(Rmail)} | |
857 @kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} | |
858 @findex rmail-summary-by-labels | |
859 @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes | |
860 a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the | |
861 labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by | |
862 commas. | |
863 | |
864 @kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} | |
865 @findex rmail-summary-by-recipients | |
866 @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) | |
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867 makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or |
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868 more recipients matching the regular expression @var{rcpts}. You can |
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869 use commas to separate multiple regular expressions. These are matched |
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870 against the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, and @samp{CC} headers (with a prefix |
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871 argument, this header is not included). |
84264 | 872 |
873 @kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} | |
874 @findex rmail-summary-by-topic | |
875 @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) | |
876 makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have | |
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877 a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. You can use commas to |
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878 separate multiple regular expressions. With a prefix argument, the |
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879 match is against the whole message, not just the subject. |
84264 | 880 |
881 @kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)} | |
882 @findex rmail-summary-by-regexp | |
883 @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}) | |
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884 makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose headers |
84264 | 885 (including the date and the subject lines) match the regular |
886 expression @var{regexp}. | |
887 | |
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888 @kindex C-M-f @r{(Rmail)} |
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889 @findex rmail-summary-by-senders |
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890 @kbd{C-M-f @var{senders} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-senders}) |
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891 makes a partial summary that mentions only the messages whose @samp{From} |
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892 fields match the regular expression @var{senders}. You can use commas to |
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893 separate multiple regular expressions. |
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894 |
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895 Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail buffer; |
84264 | 896 making any kind of summary discards any previous summary. |
897 | |
898 @vindex rmail-summary-window-size | |
899 @vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag | |
900 The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to | |
901 use for the summary window. The variable | |
902 @code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line | |
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903 for a message should include the line count of the message. Setting |
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904 this option to nil might speed up the generation of summaries. |
84264 | 905 |
906 @node Rmail Summary Edit | |
907 @subsection Editing in Summaries | |
908 | |
909 You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do | |
910 in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, | |
911 there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. | |
912 | |
913 You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from | |
914 the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to | |
915 different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move | |
916 point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that | |
917 message is selected in the Rmail buffer. | |
918 | |
919 Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the | |
920 Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current | |
921 message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. (However, in the | |
922 summary buffer, a numeric argument to @kbd{d}, @kbd{C-d} and @kbd{u} | |
923 serves as a repeat count. A negative argument reverses the meaning of | |
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924 @kbd{d} and @kbd{C-d}. Also, if there are no more undeleted messages in |
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925 the relevant direction, the delete commands go to the first or last |
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926 message, rather than staying on the current message.) @kbd{o} and |
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927 @kbd{C-o} output the current message to a FILE; @kbd{r} starts a reply |
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928 to it; etc. You can scroll the current message while remaining in the |
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929 summary buffer using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. |
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930 @c rmail-summary-scroll-between-messages not mentioned. |
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931 |
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932 @findex rmail-summary-undelete-many |
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933 @kbd{M-u} (@code{rmail-summary-undelete-many}) undeletes all deleted |
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934 messages in the summary. A prefix argument means to undelete that many |
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935 of the previous deleted messages. |
84264 | 936 |
937 The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary | |
938 buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included | |
939 in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen | |
940 (unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail | |
941 buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). | |
942 Here is a list of these commands: | |
943 | |
944 @table @kbd | |
945 @item n | |
946 Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its | |
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947 message (@code{rmail-summary-next-msg}). |
84264 | 948 @item p |
949 Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select | |
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950 its message (@code{rmail-summary-previous-msg}). |
84264 | 951 @item M-n |
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952 Move to next line and select its message (@code{rmail-summary-next-all}). |
84264 | 953 @item M-p |
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954 Move to previous line and select its message |
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955 (@code{rmail-summary-previous-all}). |
84264 | 956 @item > |
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957 Move to the last line, and select its message |
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958 (@code{rmail-summary-last-message}). |
84264 | 959 @item < |
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960 Move to the first line, and select its message |
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961 (@code{rmail-summary-first-message}). |
84264 | 962 @item j |
963 @itemx @key{RET} | |
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964 Select the message on the current line (ensuring that the Rmail buffer |
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965 appears on the screen; @code{rmail-summary-goto-msg}). With argument |
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966 @var{n}, select message number @var{n} and move to its line in the |
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967 summary buffer; this signals an error if the message is not listed in |
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968 the summary buffer. |
84264 | 969 @item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} |
970 Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current | |
971 message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer | |
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972 to that message's line (@code{rmail-summary-search}). A prefix argument |
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973 acts as a repeat count; a negative argument means search backward |
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974 (equivalent to @code{rmail-summary-search-backward}.) |
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975 @item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} |
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976 Move to the next message with at least one of the specified labels |
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977 (@code{rmail-summary-next-labeled-message}). @var{labels} is a |
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978 comma-separated list of labels. A prefix argument acts as a repeat |
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979 count. |
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980 @item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} |
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981 Move to the previous message with at least one of the specified labels |
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982 (@code{rmail-summary-previous-labeled-message}). |
84264 | 983 @end table |
984 | |
985 @vindex rmail-redisplay-summary | |
986 Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a | |
987 different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the | |
988 Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is | |
989 non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto | |
990 the screen. | |
991 | |
992 @kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
993 @findex rmail-summary-wipe | |
994 @kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} | |
995 @findex rmail-summary-quit | |
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996 @kindex b @r{(Rmail summary)} |
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997 @findex rmail-summary-bury |
84264 | 998 When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} |
999 (@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You | |
1000 can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} | |
1001 (@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from | |
1002 Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. | |
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1003 Alternatively, @kbd{b} (@code{rmail-summary-bury}) simply buries the |
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1004 Rmail summary and buffer. |
84264 | 1005 |
1006 @node Rmail Sorting | |
1007 @section Sorting the Rmail File | |
85114 | 1008 @cindex sorting Rmail file |
1009 @cindex Rmail file sorting | |
84264 | 1010 |
1011 @table @kbd | |
85114 | 1012 @findex rmail-sort-by-date |
84264 | 1013 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-date |
1014 Sort messages of current Rmail file by date. | |
1015 | |
85114 | 1016 @findex rmail-sort-by-subject |
84264 | 1017 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-subject |
1018 Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject. | |
1019 | |
85114 | 1020 @findex rmail-sort-by-author |
84264 | 1021 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-author |
1022 Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name. | |
1023 | |
85114 | 1024 @findex rmail-sort-by-recipient |
84264 | 1025 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient |
1026 Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names. | |
1027 | |
85114 | 1028 @findex rmail-sort-by-correspondent |
84264 | 1029 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent |
1030 Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other | |
1031 correspondent. | |
1032 | |
85114 | 1033 @findex rmail-sort-by-lines |
84264 | 1034 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-lines |
1035 Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines). | |
1036 | |
85114 | 1037 @findex rmail-sort-by-keywords |
84264 | 1038 @item M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} |
1039 Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument | |
1040 @var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of | |
1041 these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first | |
1042 label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. | |
1043 Messages which have none of these labels come last. | |
1044 @end table | |
1045 | |
1046 The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no | |
1047 reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains | |
1048 unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For | |
1049 example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then | |
1050 @code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in | |
1051 order by date. | |
1052 | |
1053 With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of | |
1054 comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from | |
1055 biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. | |
1056 | |
1057 @node Rmail Display | |
1058 @section Display of Messages | |
1059 | |
1060 Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for | |
1061 the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to | |
1062 reduce clutter. You can use the @kbd{t} command to show the entire | |
1063 header or to repeat the header reformatting operation. | |
1064 | |
1065 @table @kbd | |
1066 @item t | |
1067 Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). | |
1068 @end table | |
1069 | |
1070 @vindex rmail-ignored-headers | |
1071 @vindex rmail-nonignored-headers | |
1072 Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the | |
1073 grounds that they are not interesting. The variable | |
1074 @code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression that specifies | |
1075 which header fields to hide in this way---if it matches the beginning | |
1076 of a header field, that whole field is hidden. However, the variable | |
1077 @code{rmail-nonignored-headers} provides a further override: a header | |
1078 matching that regular expression is shown even if it matches | |
1079 @code{rmail-ignored-headers} too. | |
1080 | |
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1081 @vindex rmail-displayed-headers |
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1082 As an alternative to the previous two variables, you can set |
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1083 @code{rmail-displayed-headers} instead. If non-@code{nil}, this should |
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1084 be a regular expression specifying which headers to display. |
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1085 |
84264 | 1086 @kindex t @r{(Rmail)} |
1087 @findex rmail-toggle-header | |
1088 Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see | |
1089 it, use the @kbd{t} command (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). This | |
1090 discards the reformatted headers of the current message and displays | |
1091 it with the original header. Repeating @kbd{t} reformats the message | |
1092 again, which shows only the interesting headers according to the | |
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1093 current values of the above variables. Selecting the message again also |
84264 | 1094 reformats it if necessary. |
1095 | |
1096 When the @kbd{t} command has a prefix argument, a positive argument | |
1097 means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument | |
1098 means to show the full header. | |
1099 | |
1100 @vindex rmail-highlighted-headers | |
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1101 Rmail highlights certain header fields that are especially |
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1102 interesting---by default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. |
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1103 The variable @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression |
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1104 that specifies the header fields to highlight; if it matches the |
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1105 beginning of a header field, that whole field is highlighted. To turn |
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1106 off this feature, set @code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}. |
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1107 Customize the face @code{rmail-highlight} to adjust the style of the |
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1108 highlighting. |
84264 | 1109 |
1110 You can highlight and activate URLs in incoming messages by adding | |
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1111 the function @code{goto-address-mode} to the hook |
84264 | 1112 @code{rmail-show-message-hook}. Then you can browse these URLs by |
1113 clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} (or @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly) or by | |
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1114 moving to one and typing @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto Address |
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1115 mode, Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. |
84264 | 1116 |
1117 @node Rmail Coding | |
1118 @section Rmail and Coding Systems | |
1119 | |
1120 @cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail) | |
1121 Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@acronym{ASCII} | |
1122 characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess | |
1123 output. Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in | |
1124 the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the | |
1125 sender. It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding | |
1126 system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode | |
1127 message text. If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset} | |
1128 specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized, | |
1129 Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and | |
1130 defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). | |
1131 | |
1132 @cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages | |
1133 Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs | |
1134 guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset} | |
1135 specification, or because the specification was inaccurate. For | |
1136 example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a | |
1137 @samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded | |
1138 in @code{koi8-r}. When you see the message text garbled, or some of | |
1139 its characters displayed as empty boxes, this may have happened. | |
1140 | |
1141 @findex rmail-redecode-body | |
1142 You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the | |
1143 right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is | |
1144 right. To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command. | |
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1145 It reads the name of a coding system, and then redecodes the message |
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1146 using the coding system you specified. If you specified the right |
84264 | 1147 coding system, the result should be readable. |
1148 | |
1149 @node Rmail Editing | |
1150 @section Editing Within a Message | |
1151 | |
1152 Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though a | |
1153 few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by Rmail for | |
1154 other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and | |
1155 most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to | |
1156 edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command @kbd{e}. | |
1157 | |
1158 @table @kbd | |
1159 @item e | |
1160 Edit the current message as ordinary text. | |
1161 @end table | |
1162 | |
1163 @kindex e @r{(Rmail)} | |
1164 @findex rmail-edit-current-message | |
1165 The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from | |
1166 Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the | |
1167 same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. | |
1168 | |
1169 In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail | |
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1170 commands are not available. You can edit message body and header |
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1171 fields. When you are finished editing the message, type @kbd{C-c C-c} |
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1172 to switch back to Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail |
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1173 mode but cancel all the editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c |
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1174 C-]}. |
84264 | 1175 |
1176 @vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook | |
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1177 Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then |
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1178 it runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). |
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1179 Returning to ordinary Rmail mode adds the attribute @samp{edited} to |
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1180 the message, if you have made any changes in it. |
84264 | 1181 |
1182 @node Rmail Digest | |
1183 @section Digest Messages | |
1184 @cindex digest message | |
1185 @cindex undigestify | |
1186 | |
1187 A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry | |
1188 several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing | |
1189 lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time | |
1190 such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the | |
1191 subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer | |
1192 time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total | |
1193 size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail | |
1194 transmission is considerable. | |
1195 | |
1196 @findex undigestify-rmail-message | |
1197 When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is | |
1198 to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. | |
1199 Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. | |
1200 To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x | |
1201 undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate | |
1202 Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest | |
1203 message itself is flagged as deleted. | |
1204 | |
1205 @node Rmail Rot13 | |
1206 @section Reading Rot13 Messages | |
1207 @cindex rot13 code | |
1208 | |
1209 Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes | |
1210 encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it | |
1211 rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it | |
1212 provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid | |
1213 seeing the real text of the message. | |
1214 | |
1215 @findex rot13-other-window | |
1216 To view a buffer which uses the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x | |
1217 rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window | |
1218 which applies the code when displaying the text. | |
1219 | |
1220 @node Movemail | |
1221 @section @code{movemail} program | |
1222 @cindex @code{movemail} program | |
1223 | |
1224 When invoked for the first time, Rmail attempts to locate the | |
1225 @code{movemail} program and determine its version. There are two | |
1226 versions of @code{movemail} program: the native one, shipped with GNU | |
1227 Emacs (the ``emacs version'') and the one included in GNU mailutils | |
1228 (the ``mailutils version,'' @pxref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU | |
1229 mailutils}). They support the same command line syntax and the same | |
1230 basic subset of options. However, the Mailutils version offers | |
1231 additional features. | |
1232 | |
1233 The Emacs version of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from | |
1234 usual UNIX mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the POP3 | |
1235 protocol. | |
1236 | |
1237 The Mailutils version is able to handle a wide set of mailbox | |
1238 formats, such as plain UNIX mailboxes, @code{maildir} and @code{MH} | |
1239 mailboxes, etc. It is able to retrieve remote mail using POP3 or | |
1240 IMAP4 protocol, and can retrieve mail from them using a TLS encrypted | |
1241 channel. It also accepts mailbox argument in the @acronym{URL} form. | |
1242 The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found in | |
1243 @ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a @acronym{URL} | |
1244 is: | |
1245 | |
1246 @smallexample | |
1247 @var{proto}://[@var{user}[:@var{password}]@@]@var{host-or-file-name} | |
1248 @end smallexample | |
1249 | |
1250 @noindent | |
1251 where square brackets denote optional elements. | |
1252 | |
1253 @table @var | |
1254 @item proto | |
1255 Specifies the @dfn{mailbox protocol}, or @dfn{format} to | |
1256 use. The exact semantics of the rest of @acronym{URL} elements depends | |
1257 on the actual value of @var{proto} (see below). | |
1258 | |
1259 @item user | |
1260 User name to access the remote mailbox. | |
1261 | |
1262 @item password | |
1263 User password to access the remote mailbox. | |
1264 | |
1265 @item host-or-file-name | |
1266 Hostname of the remote server for remote mailboxes or file name of a | |
1267 local mailbox. | |
1268 @end table | |
1269 | |
1270 @noindent | |
1271 @var{Proto} can be one of: | |
1272 | |
1273 @table @code | |
1274 @item mbox | |
1275 Usual UNIX mailbox format. In this case, neither @var{user} nor | |
1276 @var{pass} are used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the file name of | |
1277 the mailbox file, e.g., @code{mbox://var/spool/mail/smith}. | |
1278 | |
1279 @item mh | |
1280 A local mailbox in the @acronym{MH} format. @var{User} and | |
1281 @var{pass} are not used. @var{Host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1282 @acronym{MH} folder, e.g., @code{mh://Mail/inbox}. | |
1283 | |
1284 @item maildir | |
1285 A local mailbox in the @acronym{maildir} format. @var{User} and | |
1286 @var{pass} are not used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the name of | |
1287 @code{maildir} mailbox, e.g., @code{maildir://mail/inbox}. | |
1288 | |
1289 @item file | |
1290 Any local mailbox format. Its actual format is detected automatically | |
1291 by @code{movemail}. | |
1292 | |
1293 @item pop | |
1294 A remote mailbox to be accessed via POP3 protocol. @var{User} | |
1295 specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1296 specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1297 address of the remote mail server to connect to; e.g., | |
1298 @code{pop://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
1299 | |
1300 @item imap | |
1301 A remote mailbox to be accessed via IMAP4 protocol. @var{User} | |
1302 specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to | |
1303 specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP | |
1304 address of the remote mail server to connect to; | |
1305 e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. | |
1306 @end table | |
1307 | |
1308 Alternatively, you can specify the file name of the mailbox to use. | |
1309 This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: | |
1310 | |
1311 @smallexample | |
1312 /var/spool/mail/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user} | |
1313 @end smallexample | |
1314 | |
1315 @vindex rmail-movemail-program | |
1316 @vindex rmail-movemail-search-path | |
1317 The variable @code{rmail-movemail-program} controls which version of | |
1318 @code{movemail} to use. If that is a string, it specifies the | |
1319 absolute file name of the @code{movemail} executable. If it is | |
1320 @code{nil}, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the directories | |
1321 listed in @code{rmail-movemail-search-path} and @code{exec-path}, then | |
1322 in @code{exec-directory}. | |
1323 | |
1324 @node Remote Mailboxes | |
1325 @section Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes | |
1326 @pindex movemail | |
1327 | |
1328 Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data | |
1329 instead of storing the data in inbox files. The @code{Emacs | |
1330 movemail} can work with POP if you compile it with the macro | |
1331 @code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined. (You can achieve that by specifying | |
1332 @samp{--with-pop} when you run @code{configure} during the | |
1333 installation of Emacs.) | |
1334 | |
1335 The Mailutils @code{movemail} by default supports POP, unless it was | |
1336 configured with @samp{--disable-pop} option. | |
1337 | |
1338 Both versions of @code{movemail} only work with POP3, not with older | |
1339 versions of POP. | |
1340 | |
1341 @cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable | |
1342 @cindex POP mailboxes | |
1343 No matter which flavor of @code{movemail} you use, you can specify | |
1344 POP inbox by using POP @dfn{URL} (@pxref{Movemail}). A POP | |
1345 @acronym{URL} is a ``file name'' of the form | |
1346 @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}, where | |
1347 @var{hostname} is the host name or IP address of the remote mail | |
1348 server and @var{username} is the user name on that server. | |
1349 Additionally, you may specify the password in the mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1350 @samp{pop://@var{username}:@var{password}@@@var{hostname}}. In this | |
1351 case, @var{password} takes preference over the one set by | |
1352 @code{rmail-remote-password}. This is especially useful if you have | |
1353 several remote mailboxes with different passwords. | |
1354 | |
1355 For backward compatibility, Rmail also supports two alternative ways | |
1356 of specifying remote POP mailboxes. First, specifying an inbox name | |
1357 in the form @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}} is equivalent to | |
1358 @samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}. Alternatively, you may | |
1359 set a ``file name'' of @samp{po:@var{username}} in the inbox list of | |
1360 an Rmail file. @code{movemail} will handle such a name by opening a | |
1361 connection to the POP server. In this case, the @env{MAILHOST} | |
1362 environment variable specifies the machine on which to look for the | |
1363 POP server. | |
1364 | |
1365 @cindex IMAP mailboxes | |
1366 Another method for accessing remote mailboxes is IMAP. This method is | |
1367 supported only by the Mailutils @code{movemail}. To specify an IMAP | |
1368 mailbox in the inbox list, use the following mailbox @acronym{URL}: | |
1369 @samp{imap://@var{username}[:@var{password}]@@@var{hostname}}. The | |
1370 @var{password} part is optional, as described above. | |
1371 | |
1372 @vindex rmail-remote-password | |
1373 @vindex rmail-remote-password-required | |
1374 @vindex rmail-pop-password | |
1375 @vindex rmail-pop-password-required | |
1376 Accessing a remote mailbox may require a password. Rmail uses the | |
1377 following algorithm to retrieve it: | |
1378 | |
1379 @enumerate | |
1380 @item | |
1381 If the @var{password} is present in mailbox URL (see above), it is | |
1382 used. | |
1383 @item | |
1384 If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password} is non-@code{nil}, its | |
1385 value is used. | |
1386 @item | |
1387 Otherwise, if @code{rmail-remote-password-required} is non-@code{nil}, | |
1388 then Rmail will ask you for the password to use. | |
1389 @item | |
1390 Otherwise, Rmail assumes no password is required. | |
1391 @end enumerate | |
1392 | |
1393 For compatibility with previous versions, the variables | |
1394 @code{rmail-pop-password} and @code{rmail-pop-password-required} may | |
1395 be used instead of @code{rmail-remote-password} and | |
1396 @code{rmail-remote-password-required}. | |
1397 | |
1398 @vindex rmail-movemail-flags | |
1399 If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, | |
1400 set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you | |
1401 wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to | |
1402 preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. | |
1403 | |
1404 @cindex Kerberos POP authentication | |
1405 The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support | |
1406 Kerberos authentication. If it is | |
1407 supported, it is used by default whenever you attempt to retrieve | |
1408 POP mail when @code{rmail-pop-password} and | |
1409 @code{rmail-pop-password-required} are unset. | |
1410 | |
1411 @cindex reverse order in POP inboxes | |
1412 Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does | |
1413 this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was | |
1414 received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of | |
1415 downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to | |
1416 @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
1417 | |
1418 @cindex TLS encryption (Rmail) | |
1419 Mailutils @code{movemail} supports TLS encryption. If you wish to | |
1420 use it, add the @samp{--tls} flag to @code{rmail-movemail-flags}. | |
1421 | |
1422 @node Other Mailbox Formats | |
1423 @section Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in Various Formats | |
1424 | |
1425 If your incoming mail is stored on a local machine in a format other | |
1426 than UNIX mailbox, you will need the Mailutils @code{movemail} to | |
1427 retrieve it. @xref{Movemail}, for the detailed description of | |
1428 @code{movemail} versions. For example, to access mail from a inbox in | |
1429 @code{maildir} format located in @file{/var/spool/mail/in}, you would | |
1430 include the following in the Rmail inbox list: | |
1431 | |
1432 @smallexample | |
1433 maildir://var/spool/mail/in | |
1434 @end smallexample | |
1435 | |
1436 @ignore | |
1437 arch-tag: 034965f6-38df-47a2-a9f1-b8bc8ab37e23 | |
1438 @end ignore |