comparison man/message.texi @ 31852:7de3cd8ff1ae

New version for Gnus 5.9.

31851:54e9d59f4f45

\input texinfo                  @c -*-texinfo-*-

@setfilename ../info/message
@settitle Message 5.7 Manual
@synindex fn cp
@synindex vr cp
@synindex pg cp
@direntry
* Message: (message).   Mail and news composition mode that goes with Gnus.
@end direntry
@iftex
@finalout
@end iftex
@setchapternewpage odd

@ifinfo

This file documents Message, the Emacs message composition mode.

Copyright (C) 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

@ignore
Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).

@end ignore
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
@end ifinfo

@tex

@titlepage
@title Message 5.7 Manual

@author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@page

@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.

@end titlepage
@page

@end tex

* Appendices::        More technical things.
* Index::             Variable, function and concept index.
* Key Index::         List of Message mode keys.
@end menu

This manual corresponds to Message 5.7.  Message is distributed with
the Gnus distribution bearing the same version number as this manual
has. 


@node Interface
@chapter Interface

@node New Mail Message
@section New Mail Message

@findex message-mail
The @code{message-mail} command pops up a new message buffer.  

Two optional parameters are accepted: The first will be used as the
@code{To} header and the second as the @code{Subject} header.  If these
are @code{nil}, those two headers will be empty.


@node New News Message
@section New News Message

@findex message-news
The @code{message-news} command pops up a new message buffer.  

This function accepts two optional parameters.  The first will be used
as the @code{Newsgroups} header and the second as the @code{Subject}
header.  If these are @code{nil}, those two headers will be empty.

@lisp
(setq message-reply-to-function
      (lambda ()
       (cond ((equal (mail-fetch-field "from") "somebody")
               (mail-fetch-field "sender"))     
             (t 
              nil))))
@end lisp

This function will be called narrowed to the head of the article that is
being replied to.

This function can also return a list.  In that case, each list element
should be a cons, where the car should be the name of an header
(eg. @code{Cc}) and the cdr should be the header value
(eg. @samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no}).  All these headers will be inserted into
the head of the outgoing mail. 


@node Wide Reply
@section Wide Reply

@vindex message-wide-reply-to-function
Message uses the normal methods to determine where wide replies are to go,
but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
@code{message-wide-reply-to-function}.  It is used in the same way as
@code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}). 

@findex rmail-dont-reply-to-names
Addresses that match the @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names} regular
expression will be removed from the @code{Cc} header.


@node Followup
@section Followup

The @code{message-forward} command pops up a message buffer to forward
the message in the current buffer.  If given a prefix, forward using
news.

@table @code
@item message-forward-start-separator
@vindex message-forward-start-separator
Delimiter inserted before forwarded messages.  The default is@*
@samp{------- Start of forwarded message -------\n}. 

@vindex message-forward-end-separator
@item message-forward-end-separator
@vindex message-forward-end-separator
Delimiter inserted after forwarded messages.  The default is@*
@samp{------- End of forwarded message -------\n}. 

@item message-signature-before-forwarded-message
@vindex message-signature-before-forwarded-message
If this variable is @code{t}, which it is by default, your personal
signature will be inserted before the forwarded message.  If not, the
forwarded message will be inserted first in the new mail.

@item message-included-forward-headers
@vindex message-included-forward-headers
Regexp matching header lines to be included in forwarded messages.  

@item message-make-forward-subject-function
@vindex message-make-forward-subject-function
A list of functions that are called to generate a subject header for
forwarded messages.  The subject generated by the previous function is

@end table

@item message-wash-forwarded-subjects
@vindex message-wash-forwarded-subjects
If this variable is @code{t}, the subjects of forwarded messages have
the evidence of previous forwards (such as @samp{Fwd:}, @samp{Re:}, 
@samp{(fwd)}) removed before the new subject is
constructed.  The default value is @code{nil}.

@end table


@node Resending
@section Resending

and resend the message in the current buffer to that address.

@vindex message-ignored-resent-headers
Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-resent-headers} regexp will
be removed before sending the message.  The default is
@samp{^Return-receipt}. 


@node Bouncing
@section Bouncing

@findex message-bounce
The @code{message-bounce} command will, if the current buffer contains a
bounced mail message, pop up a message buffer stripped of the bounce
information.  A @dfn{bounced message} is typically a mail you've sent
out that has been returned by some @code{mailer-daemon} as
undeliverable. 

@vindex message-ignored-bounced-headers
Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-bounced-headers} regexp
will be removed before popping up the buffer.  The default is
@samp{^\\(Received\\|Return-Path\\):}.

@menu
* Header Commands::     Commands for moving to headers.
* Movement::            Moving around in message buffers.
* Insertion::           Inserting things into message buffers.
* Various Commands::    Various things.
* Sending::             Actually sending the message.
* Mail Aliases::        How to use mail aliases.
@end menu

@kindex C-c ?
@findex message-goto-to
Describe the message mode.

@item C-c C-f C-t
@kindex C-c C-f C-t 
@findex message-goto-to
Go to the @code{To} header (@code{message-goto-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-b
@kindex C-c C-f C-b 
@findex message-goto-bcc
Go to the @code{Bcc} header (@code{message-goto-bcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-f
@kindex C-c C-f C-f 
@findex message-goto-fcc
Go to the @code{Fcc} header (@code{message-goto-fcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-c
@kindex C-c C-f C-c 
@findex message-goto-cc
Go to the @code{Cc} header (@code{message-goto-cc}).

@item C-c C-f C-s
@kindex C-c C-f C-s 
@findex message-goto-subject
Go to the @code{Subject} header (@code{message-goto-subject}).

@item C-c C-f C-r
@kindex C-c C-f C-r 
@findex message-goto-reply-to
Go to the @code{Reply-To} header (@code{message-goto-reply-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-n
@kindex C-c C-f C-n 
@findex message-goto-newsgroups
Go to the @code{Newsgroups} header (@code{message-goto-newsgroups}).

@item C-c C-f C-d
@kindex C-c C-f C-d 
@findex message-goto-distribution
Go to the @code{Distribution} header (@code{message-goto-distribution}).

@item C-c C-f C-o
@kindex C-c C-f C-o 
@findex message-goto-followup-to
Go to the @code{Followup-To} header (@code{message-goto-followup-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-k
@kindex C-c C-f C-k 
@findex message-goto-keywords
Go to the @code{Keywords} header (@code{message-goto-keywords}).

@item C-c C-f C-u
@kindex C-c C-f C-u 
@findex message-goto-summary
Go to the @code{Summary} header (@code{message-goto-summary}).

@end table

@node Movement
@section Movement

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-b
@kindex C-c C-b 
@findex message-goto-body
Move to the beginning of the body of the message
(@code{message-goto-body}). 

@item C-c C-i
@kindex C-c C-i 
@findex message-goto-signature
Move to the signature of the message (@code{message-goto-signature}).

@end table

@section Insertion

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-y
@kindex C-c C-y 
@findex message-yank-original
Yank the message that's being replied to into the message buffer
(@code{message-yank-original}). 

@item C-c C-q
@kindex C-c C-q 
@findex message-fill-yanked-message
Fill the yanked message (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}).  Warning:
Can severely mess up the yanked text if its quoting conventions are
strange.  You'll quickly get a feel for when it's safe, though.  Anyway,
just remember that @kbd{C-x u} (@code{undo}) is available and you'll be
all right.


@item C-c C-w
@kindex C-c C-w 
@findex message-insert-signature
Insert a signature at the end of the buffer
(@code{message-insert-signature}).  

@end table

@table @code
@item message-ignored-cited-headers

@cindex quoting
When you are replying to or following up an article, you normally want
to quote the person you are answering.  Inserting quoted text is done by
@dfn{yanking}, and each quoted line you yank will have
@code{message-yank-prefix} prepended to it.  The default is @samp{> }.
If it is @code{nil}, just indent the message.

@item message-indentation-spaces
@vindex message-indentation-spaces
Number of spaces to indent yanked messages.

Also note that no signature should be more than four lines long.
Including ASCII graphics is an efficient way to get everybody to believe
that you are silly and have nothing important to say.



@node Various Commands
@section Various Commands

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-r
@kindex C-c C-r 
@findex message-caesar-buffer-body
Caesar rotate (aka. rot13) the current message
(@code{message-caesar-buffer-body}).  If narrowing is in effect, just
rotate the visible portion of the buffer.  A numerical prefix says how
many places to rotate the text.  The default is 13.

@item C-c C-e
@kindex C-c C-e
@findex message-elide-region
Elide the text between point and mark (@code{message-elide-region}).
The text is killed and an ellipsis (@samp{[...]}) will be inserted in
its place.

@item C-c C-z
@kindex C-c C-x
@findex message-kill-to-signature
Kill all the text up to the signature, or if that's missing, up to the

*

> And here's more quoted text.
@end example

@samp{*} says where point will be placed.  

@item C-c C-t
@kindex C-c C-t 
@findex message-insert-to
Insert a @code{To} header that contains the @code{Reply-To} or
@code{From} header of the message you're following up
(@code{message-insert-to}). 

@item C-c C-n
@kindex C-c C-n 
@findex message-insert-newsgroups
Insert a @code{Newsgroups} header that reflects the @code{Followup-To}
or @code{Newsgroups} header of the article you're replying to
(@code{message-insert-newsgroups}).

@node Sending
@section Sending

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-c
@kindex C-c C-c 
@findex message-send-and-exit
Send the message and bury the current buffer
(@code{message-send-and-exit}). 

@item C-c C-s
@kindex C-c C-s 
@findex message-send
Send the message (@code{message-send}). 

@item C-c C-d
@kindex C-c C-d
@findex message-dont-send
Bury the message buffer and exit (@code{message-dont-send}).

@table @code

@item message-generate-headers-first
@vindex message-generate-headers-first
If non-@code{nil}, generate all headers before starting to compose the
message.  

@item message-from-style
@vindex message-from-style
Specifies how @code{From} headers should look.  There are four valid
values:

to the @code{*post-buf*} buffer, edit the @code{Newsgroups} line, and
ship it off again.  By default, this variable makes sure that the old
generated @code{Message-ID} is deleted, and a new one generated.  If
this isn't done, the entire empire would probably crumble, anarchy would
prevail, and cats would start walking on two legs and rule the world.
Allegedly.  

@item message-default-headers
@vindex message-default-headers
This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
buffers.

@end table


@node Mail Variables
@section Mail Variables 

@table @code
@item message-send-mail-function
@vindex message-send-mail-function
Function used to send the current buffer as mail.  The default is

@code{message-from-style}, @code{user-full-name},
@code{user-mail-address} variables.

@item Subject
@cindex Subject
This required header will be prompted for if not present already. 

@item Newsgroups
@cindex Newsgroups
This required header says which newsgroups the article is to be posted
to.  If it isn't present already, it will be prompted for.

@cindex Message-ID
@vindex mail-host-address
@findex system-name
@cindex Sun
This required header will be generated by Message.  A unique ID will be
created based on the date, time, user name and system name.  Message will
use @code{mail-host-address} as the fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
of the machine if that variable is defined.  If not, it will use
@code{system-name}, which doesn't report a FQDN on some machines --
notably Suns.

@item X-Newsreader
@cindex X-Newsreader
This optional header will be filled out according to the
@code{message-newsreader} local variable.

to this list.

Valid checks are:

@table @code
@item subject-cmsg 
Check the subject for commands.
@item sender
@cindex Sender
Insert a new @code{Sender} header if the @code{From} header looks odd. 
@item multiple-headers 
Check for the existence of multiple equal headers.
@item sendsys 
@cindex sendsys
Check for the existence of version and sendsys commands.
@item message-id
Check whether the @code{Message-ID} looks ok.
@item from
Check whether the @code{From} header seems nice.
@item long-lines 
@cindex long lines
Check for too long lines.
@item control-chars
Check for invalid characters.
@item size

@cindex approved
Check whether the article has an @code{Approved} header, which is
something only moderators should include.
@item empty
Check whether the article is empty.
@item empty-headers
Check whether any of the headers are empty.
@item existing-newsgroups
Check whether the newsgroups mentioned in the @code{Newsgroups} and 
@code{Followup-To} headers exist.
@item valid-newsgroups
Check whether the @code{Newsgroups} and @code{Followup-to} headers
are valid syntactically.
@item repeated-newsgroups

@table @code
@item message-send-news-function
@vindex message-send-news-function
Function used to send the current buffer as news.  The default is
@code{message-send-news}. 

@item message-post-method
@vindex message-post-method
Gnusish @dfn{select method} (see the Gnus manual for details) used for
posting a prepared news message.

@node Various Message Variables
@section Various Message Variables

@table @code
@item message-signature-separator
@vindex message-signature-separator
Regexp matching the signature separator.  It is @samp{^-- *$} by
default. 

@item mail-header-separator
@vindex mail-header-separator
String used to separate the headers from the body.  It is @samp{--text
follows this line--} by default.

@item message-directory
@vindex message-directory
Directory used by many mailey things.  The default is @file{~/Mail/}. 

@item message-signature-setup-hook
@vindex message-signature-setup-hook
Hook run when initializing the message buffer.  It is run after the
headers have been inserted but before the signature has been inserted. 

@item message-setup-hook
@vindex message-setup-hook
Hook run as the last thing when the message buffer has been initialized,
but before yanked text is inserted.

@item message-header-setup-hook
@vindex message-header-setup-hook
Hook called narrowed to the headers after initializing the headers. 

For instance, if you're running Gnus and wish to insert a
@samp{Mail-Copies-To} header in all your news articles and all messages
you send to mailing lists, you could do something like the following:

@lisp
(add-hook 'message-send-hook 'my-message-add-content)
(defun my-message-add-content ()
  (message-add-header
   "Mime-Version: 1.0"
   "Content-Type: text/plain"
   "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit"))
@end lisp

This function won't add the header if the header is already present.

@item message-send-mail-hook

@node Sending Variables
@section Sending Variables

@table @code

@item message-fcc-handler-function 
@vindex message-fcc-handler-function 
A function called to save outgoing articles.  This function will be
called with the name of the file to store the article in. The default
function is @code{message-output} which saves in Unix mailbox format.

@item message-courtesy-message
@vindex message-courtesy-message
When sending combined messages, this string is inserted at the start of
the mailed copy.  If the string contains the format spec @samp{%s}, the
newsgroups the article has been posted to will be inserted there.  If
this variable is @code{nil}, no such courtesy message will be added.
The default value is @samp{"The following message is a courtesy copy of
an article\nthat has been posted to %s as well.\n\n"}. 

@end table


@node Message Buffers

@section Message Actions

When Message is being used from a news/mail reader, the reader is likely
to want to perform some task after the message has been sent.  Perhaps
return to the previous window configuration or mark an article as
replied.  

@vindex message-kill-actions
@vindex message-postpone-actions
@vindex message-exit-actions
@vindex message-send-actions

possibilities are @kbd{C-c C-s} which just sends the message, @kbd{C-c
C-d} which postpones the message editing and buries the message buffer,
and @kbd{C-c C-k} which kills the message buffer.  Each of these actions
have lists associated with them that contains actions to be executed:
@code{message-send-actions}, @code{message-exit-actions},
@code{message-postpone-actions}, and @code{message-kill-actions}.  

Message provides a function to interface with these lists:
@code{message-add-action}.  The first parameter is the action to be
added, and the rest of the arguments are which lists to add this action
to.  Here's an example from Gnus:

31852:7de3cd8ff1ae

\input texinfo                  @c -*-texinfo-*-

@setfilename message
@settitle Message 5.9.0 Manual
@synindex fn cp
@synindex vr cp
@synindex pg cp
@dircategory Editors
@direntry
* Message: (message).   Mail and news composition mode that goes with Gnus.
@end direntry
@iftex
@finalout
@end iftex
@setchapternewpage odd

@ifnottex

This file documents Message, the Emacs message composition mode.

Copyright (C) 1996,97,98,99,2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.  A copy of the
license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
License''.

(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
this GNU Manual, like GNU software.  Copies published by the Free
Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
@end ifnottex

@tex

@titlepage
@title Message 5.9.0 Manual

@author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@page

@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
Copyright @copyright{} 1996,97,98,99,2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.  A copy of the
license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
License''.

(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
this GNU Manual, like GNU software.  Copies published by the Free
Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
@end titlepage
@page

@end tex

* Appendices::        More technical things.
* Index::             Variable, function and concept index.
* Key Index::         List of Message mode keys.
@end menu

This manual corresponds to Message 5.9.0.  Message is distributed with
the Gnus distribution bearing the same version number as this manual.


@node Interface
@chapter Interface

@node New Mail Message
@section New Mail Message

@findex message-mail
The @code{message-mail} command pops up a new message buffer.

Two optional parameters are accepted: The first will be used as the
@code{To} header and the second as the @code{Subject} header.  If these
are @code{nil}, those two headers will be empty.


@node New News Message
@section New News Message

@findex message-news
The @code{message-news} command pops up a new message buffer.

This function accepts two optional parameters.  The first will be used
as the @code{Newsgroups} header and the second as the @code{Subject}
header.  If these are @code{nil}, those two headers will be empty.

@lisp
(setq message-reply-to-function
      (lambda ()
       (cond ((equal (mail-fetch-field "from") "somebody")
               (list (cons 'To (mail-fetch-field "sender"))))
             (t
              nil))))
@end lisp

This function will be called narrowed to the head of the article that is
being replied to.

This function can also return a list.  In that case, each list element
should be a cons, where the car should be the name of an header
(eg. @code{Cc}) and the cdr should be the header value
(eg. @samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no}).  All these headers will be inserted into
the head of the outgoing mail.


@node Wide Reply
@section Wide Reply

@vindex message-wide-reply-to-function
Message uses the normal methods to determine where wide replies are to go,
but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
@code{message-wide-reply-to-function}.  It is used in the same way as
@code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}).

@findex message-dont-reply-to-names
Addresses that match the @code{message-dont-reply-to-names} regular
expression will be removed from the @code{Cc} header.


@node Followup
@section Followup

The @code{message-forward} command pops up a message buffer to forward
the message in the current buffer.  If given a prefix, forward using
news.

@table @code
@item message-forward-ignored-headers
@vindex message-forward-ignored-headers
All headers that match this regexp will be deleted when forwarding a message.

@item message-make-forward-subject-function
@vindex message-make-forward-subject-function
A list of functions that are called to generate a subject header for
forwarded messages.  The subject generated by the previous function is

@end table

@item message-wash-forwarded-subjects
@vindex message-wash-forwarded-subjects
If this variable is @code{t}, the subjects of forwarded messages have
the evidence of previous forwards (such as @samp{Fwd:}, @samp{Re:},
@samp{(fwd)}) removed before the new subject is
constructed.  The default value is @code{nil}.

@item message-forward-as-mime
@vindex message-forward-as-mime
If this variable is @code{t} (the default), forwarded messages are
included as inline MIME RFC822 parts.  If it's @code{nil}, forwarded
messages will just be copied inline to the new message, like previous,
non MIME-savvy versions of gnus would do.
@end table


@node Resending
@section Resending

and resend the message in the current buffer to that address.

@vindex message-ignored-resent-headers
Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-resent-headers} regexp will
be removed before sending the message.  The default is
@samp{^Return-receipt}.


@node Bouncing
@section Bouncing

@findex message-bounce
The @code{message-bounce} command will, if the current buffer contains a
bounced mail message, pop up a message buffer stripped of the bounce
information.  A @dfn{bounced message} is typically a mail you've sent
out that has been returned by some @code{mailer-daemon} as
undeliverable.

@vindex message-ignored-bounced-headers
Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-bounced-headers} regexp
will be removed before popping up the buffer.  The default is
@samp{^\\(Received\\|Return-Path\\):}.

@menu
* Header Commands::     Commands for moving to headers.
* Movement::            Moving around in message buffers.
* Insertion::           Inserting things into message buffers.
* MIME::                @sc{mime} considerations.
* Various Commands::    Various things.
* Sending::             Actually sending the message.
* Mail Aliases::        How to use mail aliases.
@end menu

@kindex C-c ?
@findex message-goto-to
Describe the message mode.

@item C-c C-f C-t
@kindex C-c C-f C-t
@findex message-goto-to
Go to the @code{To} header (@code{message-goto-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-b
@kindex C-c C-f C-b
@findex message-goto-bcc
Go to the @code{Bcc} header (@code{message-goto-bcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-f
@kindex C-c C-f C-f
@findex message-goto-fcc
Go to the @code{Fcc} header (@code{message-goto-fcc}).

@item C-c C-f C-c
@kindex C-c C-f C-c
@findex message-goto-cc
Go to the @code{Cc} header (@code{message-goto-cc}).

@item C-c C-f C-s
@kindex C-c C-f C-s
@findex message-goto-subject
Go to the @code{Subject} header (@code{message-goto-subject}).

@item C-c C-f C-r
@kindex C-c C-f C-r
@findex message-goto-reply-to
Go to the @code{Reply-To} header (@code{message-goto-reply-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-n
@kindex C-c C-f C-n
@findex message-goto-newsgroups
Go to the @code{Newsgroups} header (@code{message-goto-newsgroups}).

@item C-c C-f C-d
@kindex C-c C-f C-d
@findex message-goto-distribution
Go to the @code{Distribution} header (@code{message-goto-distribution}).

@item C-c C-f C-o
@kindex C-c C-f C-o
@findex message-goto-followup-to
Go to the @code{Followup-To} header (@code{message-goto-followup-to}).

@item C-c C-f C-k
@kindex C-c C-f C-k
@findex message-goto-keywords
Go to the @code{Keywords} header (@code{message-goto-keywords}).

@item C-c C-f C-u
@kindex C-c C-f C-u
@findex message-goto-summary
Go to the @code{Summary} header (@code{message-goto-summary}).

@end table

@node Movement
@section Movement

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-b
@kindex C-c C-b
@findex message-goto-body
Move to the beginning of the body of the message
(@code{message-goto-body}).

@item C-c C-i
@kindex C-c C-i
@findex message-goto-signature
Move to the signature of the message (@code{message-goto-signature}).

@end table

@section Insertion

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-y
@kindex C-c C-y
@findex message-yank-original
Yank the message that's being replied to into the message buffer
(@code{message-yank-original}).

@item C-c M-C-y
@kindex C-c M-C-y
@findex message-yank-buffer
Prompt for a buffer name and yank the contents of that buffer into the
message buffer (@code{message-yank-buffer}).

@item C-c C-q
@kindex C-c C-q
@findex message-fill-yanked-message
Fill the yanked message (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}).  Warning:
Can severely mess up the yanked text if its quoting conventions are
strange.  You'll quickly get a feel for when it's safe, though.  Anyway,
just remember that @kbd{C-x u} (@code{undo}) is available and you'll be
all right.

@item C-c C-w
@kindex C-c C-w
@findex message-insert-signature
Insert a signature at the end of the buffer
(@code{message-insert-signature}).

@item C-c M-h
@kindex C-c M-h
@findex message-insert-headers
Insert the message headers (@code{message-insert-headers}).

@end table

@table @code
@item message-ignored-cited-headers

@cindex quoting
When you are replying to or following up an article, you normally want
to quote the person you are answering.  Inserting quoted text is done by
@dfn{yanking}, and each quoted line you yank will have
@code{message-yank-prefix} prepended to it.  The default is @samp{> }.

@item message-indentation-spaces
@vindex message-indentation-spaces
Number of spaces to indent yanked messages.

Also note that no signature should be more than four lines long.
Including ASCII graphics is an efficient way to get everybody to believe
that you are silly and have nothing important to say.


@node MIME
@section MIME
@cindex MML
@cindex MIME
@cindex multipart
@cindex attachment

Message is a @sc{mime}-compliant posting agent.  The user generally
doesn't have to do anything to make the @sc{mime} happen---Message will
automatically add the @code{Content-Type} and
@code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} headers.

The most typical thing users want to use the multipart things in
@sc{mime} for is to add ``attachments'' to mail they send out.  This can
be done with the @code{C-c C-a} command, which will prompt for a file
name and a @sc{mime} type.

You can also create arbitrarily complex multiparts using the MML
language (@pxref{Composing, , Composing, emacs-mime, The Emacs MIME
Manual}).


@node Various Commands
@section Various Commands

@table @kbd

@item C-c C-r
@kindex C-c C-r
@findex message-caesar-buffer-body
Caesar rotate (aka. rot13) the current message
(@code{message-caesar-buffer-body}).  If narrowing is in effect, just
rotate the visible portion of the buffer.  A numerical prefix says how
many places to rotate the text.  The default is 13.

@item C-c C-e
@kindex C-c C-e
@findex message-elide-region
Elide the text between point and mark (@code{message-elide-region}).
The text is killed and replaced with the contents of the variable
@code{message-elide-ellipsis}. The default value is to use an ellipsis
(@samp{[...]}).

@item C-c C-z
@kindex C-c C-x
@findex message-kill-to-signature
Kill all the text up to the signature, or if that's missing, up to the

*

> And here's more quoted text.
@end example

@samp{*} says where point will be placed.

@item C-c C-t
@kindex C-c C-t
@findex message-insert-to
Insert a @code{To} header that contains the @code{Reply-To} or
@code{From} header of the message you're following up
(@code{message-insert-to}).

@item C-c C-n
@kindex C-c C-n
@findex message-insert-newsgroups
Insert a @code{Newsgroups} header that reflects the @code{Followup-To}
or @code{Newsgroups} header of the article you're replying to
(@code{message-insert-newsgroups}).

@node Sending
@section Sending

@table @kbd
@item C-c C-c
@kindex C-c C-c
@findex message-send-and-exit
Send the message and bury the current buffer
(@code{message-send-and-exit}).

@item C-c C-s
@kindex C-c C-s
@findex message-send
Send the message (@code{message-send}).

@item C-c C-d
@kindex C-c C-d
@findex message-dont-send
Bury the message buffer and exit (@code{message-dont-send}).

@table @code

@item message-generate-headers-first
@vindex message-generate-headers-first
If non-@code{nil}, generate all headers before starting to compose the
message.

@item message-from-style
@vindex message-from-style
Specifies how @code{From} headers should look.  There are four valid
values:

to the @code{*post-buf*} buffer, edit the @code{Newsgroups} line, and
ship it off again.  By default, this variable makes sure that the old
generated @code{Message-ID} is deleted, and a new one generated.  If
this isn't done, the entire empire would probably crumble, anarchy would
prevail, and cats would start walking on two legs and rule the world.
Allegedly.

@item message-default-headers
@vindex message-default-headers
This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
buffers.

@end table


@node Mail Variables
@section Mail Variables

@table @code
@item message-send-mail-function
@vindex message-send-mail-function
Function used to send the current buffer as mail.  The default is

@code{message-from-style}, @code{user-full-name},
@code{user-mail-address} variables.

@item Subject
@cindex Subject
This required header will be prompted for if not present already.

@item Newsgroups
@cindex Newsgroups
This required header says which newsgroups the article is to be posted
to.  If it isn't present already, it will be prompted for.

@cindex Message-ID
@vindex mail-host-address
@findex system-name
@cindex Sun
This required header will be generated by Message.  A unique ID will be
created based on the date, time, user name and system name.  Message
will use @code{system-name} to determine the name of the system.  If
this isn't a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), Message will use
@code{mail-host-address} as the FQDN of the machine.

@item X-Newsreader
@cindex X-Newsreader
This optional header will be filled out according to the
@code{message-newsreader} local variable.

to this list.

Valid checks are:

@table @code
@item subject-cmsg
Check the subject for commands.
@item sender
@cindex Sender
Insert a new @code{Sender} header if the @code{From} header looks odd.
@item multiple-headers
Check for the existence of multiple equal headers.
@item sendsys
@cindex sendsys
Check for the existence of version and sendsys commands.
@item message-id
Check whether the @code{Message-ID} looks ok.
@item from
Check whether the @code{From} header seems nice.
@item long-lines
@cindex long lines
Check for too long lines.
@item control-chars
Check for invalid characters.
@item size

@cindex approved
Check whether the article has an @code{Approved} header, which is
something only moderators should include.
@item empty
Check whether the article is empty.
@item invisible-text
Check whether there is any invisible text in the buffer.
@item empty-headers
Check whether any of the headers are empty.
@item existing-newsgroups
Check whether the newsgroups mentioned in the @code{Newsgroups} and
@code{Followup-To} headers exist.
@item valid-newsgroups
Check whether the @code{Newsgroups} and @code{Followup-to} headers
are valid syntactically.
@item repeated-newsgroups

@table @code
@item message-send-news-function
@vindex message-send-news-function
Function used to send the current buffer as news.  The default is
@code{message-send-news}.

@item message-post-method
@vindex message-post-method
Gnusish @dfn{select method} (see the Gnus manual for details) used for
posting a prepared news message.

@node Various Message Variables
@section Various Message Variables

@table @code
@item message-default-charset
@vindex message-default-charset
@cindex charset
Symbol naming a @sc{mime} charset.  Non-ASCII characters in messages are
assumed to be encoded using this charset.  The default is @code{nil},
which means ask the user.  (This variable is used only on non-@sc{mule}
Emacsen.  
@xref{Charset Translation, , Charset Translation, emacs-mime, 
      Emacs MIME Manual}, for details on the @sc{mule}-to-@sc{mime}
translation process.

@item message-signature-separator
@vindex message-signature-separator
Regexp matching the signature separator.  It is @samp{^-- *$} by
default.

@item mail-header-separator
@vindex mail-header-separator
String used to separate the headers from the body.  It is @samp{--text
follows this line--} by default.

@item message-directory
@vindex message-directory
Directory used by many mailey things.  The default is @file{~/Mail/}.

@item message-signature-setup-hook
@vindex message-signature-setup-hook
Hook run when initializing the message buffer.  It is run after the
headers have been inserted but before the signature has been inserted.

@item message-setup-hook
@vindex message-setup-hook
Hook run as the last thing when the message buffer has been initialized,
but before yanked text is inserted.

@item message-header-setup-hook
@vindex message-header-setup-hook
Hook called narrowed to the headers after initializing the headers.

For instance, if you're running Gnus and wish to insert a
@samp{Mail-Copies-To} header in all your news articles and all messages
you send to mailing lists, you could do something like the following:

@lisp
(add-hook 'message-send-hook 'my-message-add-content)
(defun my-message-add-content ()
  (message-add-header
   "X-In-No-Sense: Nonsense"
   "X-Whatever: no"))
@end lisp

This function won't add the header if the header is already present.

@item message-send-mail-hook

@node Sending Variables
@section Sending Variables

@table @code

@item message-fcc-handler-function
@vindex message-fcc-handler-function
A function called to save outgoing articles.  This function will be
called with the name of the file to store the article in.  The default
function is @code{message-output} which saves in Unix mailbox format.

@item message-courtesy-message
@vindex message-courtesy-message
When sending combined messages, this string is inserted at the start of
the mailed copy.  If the string contains the format spec @samp{%s}, the
newsgroups the article has been posted to will be inserted there.  If
this variable is @code{nil}, no such courtesy message will be added.
The default value is @samp{"The following message is a courtesy copy of
an article\nthat has been posted to %s as well.\n\n"}.

@end table


@node Message Buffers

@section Message Actions

When Message is being used from a news/mail reader, the reader is likely
to want to perform some task after the message has been sent.  Perhaps
return to the previous window configuration or mark an article as
replied.

@vindex message-kill-actions
@vindex message-postpone-actions
@vindex message-exit-actions
@vindex message-send-actions

possibilities are @kbd{C-c C-s} which just sends the message, @kbd{C-c
C-d} which postpones the message editing and buries the message buffer,
and @kbd{C-c C-k} which kills the message buffer.  Each of these actions
have lists associated with them that contains actions to be executed:
@code{message-send-actions}, @code{message-exit-actions},
@code{message-postpone-actions}, and @code{message-kill-actions}.

Message provides a function to interface with these lists:
@code{message-add-action}.  The first parameter is the action to be
added, and the rest of the arguments are which lists to add this action
to.  Here's an example from Gnus: