Mercurial > emacs
diff man/rmail.texi @ 25829:ac7e9e5e2ccb
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| author | Dave Love <fx@gnu.org> |
|---|---|
| date | Wed, 29 Sep 1999 15:17:24 +0000 |
| parents | |
| children | 74dd5bed2ed2 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/man/rmail.texi Wed Sep 29 15:17:24 1999 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,1154 @@ +@c This is part of the Emacs manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. +@node Rmail, Dired, Sending Mail, Top +@chapter Reading Mail with Rmail +@cindex Rmail +@cindex reading mail +@findex rmail +@findex rmail-mode +@vindex rmail-mode-hook + + Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that you +receive. Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files. +Reading the message in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode, +Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing +mail. The command @code{rmail-mode} is used to switch into Rmail mode, +and it runs the hook @code{rmail-mode-hook} as usual, but don't run this +command by hand; it can't do a reasonable job unless the buffer is +visiting a proper Rmail file. + +@menu +* Basic: Rmail Basics. Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use. +* Scroll: Rmail Scrolling. Scrolling through a message. +* Motion: Rmail Motion. Moving to another message. +* Deletion: Rmail Deletion. Deleting and expunging messages. +* Inbox: Rmail Inbox. How mail gets into the Rmail file. +* Files: Rmail Files. Using multiple Rmail files. +* Output: Rmail Output. Copying message out to files. +* Labels: Rmail Labels. Classifying messages by labeling them. +* Attrs: Rmail Attributes. Certain standard labels, called attributes. +* Reply: Rmail Reply. Sending replies to messages you are viewing. +* Summary: Rmail Summary. Summaries show brief info on many messages. +* Sort: Rmail Sorting. Sorting messages in Rmail. +* Display: Rmail Display. How Rmail displays a message; customization. +* Editing: Rmail Editing. Editing message text and headers in Rmail. +* Digest: Rmail Digest. Extracting the messages from a digest message. +* Out of Rmail:: Converting an Rmail file to mailbox format. +* Rot13: Rmail Rot13. Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code. +* Movemail: Movemail. More details of fetching new mail. +@end menu + +@node Rmail Basics +@section Basic Concepts of Rmail + +@cindex primary Rmail file +@vindex rmail-file-name + Using Rmail in the simplest fashion, you have one Rmail file +@file{~/RMAIL} in which all of your mail is saved. It is called your +@dfn{primary Rmail file}. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} reads your primary +Rmail file, merges new mail in from your inboxes, displays the first +message you haven't read yet, and lets you begin reading. The variable +@code{rmail-file-name} specifies the name of the primary Rmail file. + + Rmail uses narrowing to hide all but one message in the Rmail file. +The message that is shown is called the @dfn{current message}. Rmail +mode's special commands can do such things as delete the current +message, copy it into another file, send a reply, or move to another +message. You can also create multiple Rmail files and use Rmail to move +messages between them. + +@cindex message number + Within the Rmail file, messages are normally arranged sequentially in +order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them. Messages are +assigned consecutive integers as their @dfn{message numbers}. The +number of the current message is displayed in Rmail's mode line, +followed by the total number of messages in the file. You can move to a +message by specifying its message number with the @kbd{j} key +(@pxref{Rmail Motion}). + +@kindex s @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-save + Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file +become permanent only when the file is saved. You can save it with +@kbd{s} (@code{rmail-save}), which also expunges deleted messages from +the file first (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). To save the file without +expunging, use @kbd{C-x C-s}. Rmail also saves the Rmail file after +merging new mail from an inbox file (@pxref{Rmail Inbox}). + +@kindex q @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-quit +@kindex b @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-bury + You can exit Rmail with @kbd{q} (@code{rmail-quit}); this expunges and +saves the Rmail file and then switches to another buffer. But there is +no need to `exit' formally. If you switch from Rmail to editing in +other buffers, and never happen to switch back, you have exited. (The +Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, does this for you.) Just make +sure to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have +changed). @kbd{C-x s} is a good enough way to do this +(@pxref{Saving}). + +@node Rmail Scrolling +@section Scrolling Within a Message + + When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you +must scroll through it to read the rest. You could do this with +@kbd{C-v}, @kbd{M-v} and @kbd{M-<}, but in Rmail scrolling is so +frequent that it deserves to be easier to type. + +@table @kbd +@item @key{SPC} +Scroll forward (@code{scroll-up}). +@item @key{DEL} +Scroll backward (@code{scroll-down}). +@item . +Scroll to start of message (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}). +@end table + +@kindex SPC @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex DEL @r{(Rmail)} + Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to scroll +through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes @key{SPC} and @key{DEL} synonyms of +@kbd{C-v} (@code{scroll-up}) and @kbd{M-v} (@code{scroll-down}) + +@kindex . @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-beginning-of-message + The command @kbd{.} (@code{rmail-beginning-of-message}) scrolls back to the +beginning of the selected message. This is not quite the same as @kbd{M-<}: +for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the buffer +boundaries to the current message if you have changed them. + +@node Rmail Motion +@section Moving Among Messages + + The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it. The way to +do this in Rmail is to make the message current. The usual practice is +to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of +receipt of messages. When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the +first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one +that has the @samp{unseen} attribute; @pxref{Rmail Attributes}). Move +forward to see the other new messages; move backward to reexamine old +messages. + +@table @kbd +@item n +Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening deleted +messages (@code{rmail-next-undeleted-message}). +@item p +Move to the previous nondeleted message +(@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}). +@item M-n +Move to the next message, including deleted messages +(@code{rmail-next-message}). +@item M-p +Move to the previous message, including deleted messages +(@code{rmail-previous-message}). +@item j +Move to the first message. With argument @var{n}, move to +message number @var{n} (@code{rmail-show-message}). +@item > +Move to the last message (@code{rmail-last-message}). +@item < +Move to the first message (@code{rmail-first-message}). + +@item M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Move to the next message containing a match for @var{regexp} +(@code{rmail-search}). + +@item - M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Move to the previous message containing a match for @var{regexp}. +@end table + +@kindex n @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex p @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex M-n @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex M-p @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-next-undeleted-message +@findex rmail-previous-undeleted-message +@findex rmail-next-message +@findex rmail-previous-message + @kbd{n} and @kbd{p} are the usual way of moving among messages in +Rmail. They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over +deleted messages, which is usually what you want to do. Their command +definitions are named @code{rmail-next-undeleted-message} and +@code{rmail-previous-undeleted-message}. If you do not want to skip +deleted messages---for example, if you want to move to a message to +undelete it---use the variants @kbd{M-n} and @kbd{M-p} +(@code{rmail-next-message} and @code{rmail-previous-message}). A +numeric argument to any of these commands serves as a repeat +count.@refill + + In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the +digits. You don't need to type @kbd{C-u} first. + +@kindex M-s @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-search +@cindex searching in Rmail + The @kbd{M-s} (@code{rmail-search}) command is Rmail's version of +search. The usual incremental search command @kbd{C-s} works in Rmail, +but it searches only within the current message. The purpose of +@kbd{M-s} is to search for another message. It reads a regular +expression (@pxref{Regexps}) nonincrementally, then searches starting at +the beginning of the following message for a match. It then selects +that message. If @var{regexp} is empty, @kbd{M-s} reuses the regexp +used the previous time. + + To search backward in the file for another message, give @kbd{M-s} a +negative argument. In Rmail you can do this with @kbd{- M-s}. + + It is also possible to search for a message based on labels. +@xref{Rmail Labels}. + +@kindex j @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex > @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex < @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-show-message +@findex rmail-last-message +@findex rmail-first-message + To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use @kbd{j} +(@code{rmail-show-message}) with the message number as argument. With +no argument, @kbd{j} selects the first message. @kbd{<} +(@code{rmail-first-message}) also selects the first message. @kbd{>} +(@code{rmail-last-message}) selects the last message. + +@node Rmail Deletion +@section Deleting Messages + +@cindex deletion (Rmail) + When you no longer need to keep a message, you can @dfn{delete} it. This +flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer +present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its +message number. + +@cindex expunging (Rmail) + @dfn{Expunging} the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages. +The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively. Expunging is the only +action that changes the message number of any message, except for +undigestifying (@pxref{Rmail Digest}). + +@table @kbd +@item d +Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message +(@code{rmail-delete-forward}). +@item C-d +Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted +message (@code{rmail-delete-backward}). +@item u +Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and +undelete it (@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}). +@item x +Expunge the Rmail file (@code{rmail-expunge}). +@end table + +@kindex d @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex C-d @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-delete-forward +@findex rmail-delete-backward + There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages. Both delete the +current message and select another message. @kbd{d} +(@code{rmail-delete-forward}) moves to the following message, skipping +messages already deleted, while @kbd{C-d} (@code{rmail-delete-backward}) +moves to the previous nondeleted message. If there is no nondeleted +message to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just +deleted remains current. A numeric argument to either command reverses +the direction of motion after deletion. + +@vindex rmail-delete-message-hook + Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it invokes the function(s) listed in +@code{rmail-delete-message-hook}. When the hook functions are invoked, +the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message +in the Rmail buffer. + +@cindex undeletion (Rmail) +@kindex x @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-expunge +@kindex u @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-undelete-previous-message + To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file, +type @kbd{x} (@code{rmail-expunge}). Until you do this, you can still +@dfn{undelete} the deleted messages. The undeletion command, @kbd{u} +(@code{rmail-undelete-previous-message}), is designed to cancel the +effect of a @kbd{d} command in most cases. It undeletes the current +message if the current message is deleted. Otherwise it moves backward +to previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes +that message. + + You can usually undo a @kbd{d} with a @kbd{u} because the @kbd{u} +moves back to and undeletes the message that the @kbd{d} deleted. But +this does not work when the @kbd{d} skips a few already-deleted messages +that follow the message being deleted; then the @kbd{u} command +undeletes the last of the messages that were skipped. There is no clean +way to avoid this problem. However, by repeating the @kbd{u} command, +you can eventually get back to the message that you intend to +undelete. You can also select a particular deleted message with +the @kbd{M-p} command, then type @kbd{u} to undelete it. + + A deleted message has the @samp{deleted} attribute, and as a result +@samp{deleted} appears in the mode line when the current message is +deleted. In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than +adding or removing this attribute. @xref{Rmail Attributes}. + +@node Rmail Inbox +@section Rmail Files and Inboxes +@cindex inbox file + + The operating system places incoming mail for you in a file that we +call your @dfn{inbox}. When you start up Rmail, it runs a C program +called @code{movemail} to copy the new messages from your inbox into +your primary Rmail file, which also contains other messages saved from +previous Rmail sessions. It is in this file that you actually read the +mail with Rmail. This operation is called @dfn{getting new mail}. You +can get new mail at any time in Rmail by typing @kbd{g}. + +@vindex rmail-primary-inbox-list +@cindex @code{MAIL} environment variable + The variable @code{rmail-primary-inbox-list} contains a list of the +files which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file. If you don't set +this variable explicitly, it is initialized from the @code{MAIL} +environment variable, or, as a last resort, set to @code{nil}, which +means to use the default inbox. The default inbox is +@file{/var/mail/@var{username}}, @file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}, +or @file{/usr/mail/@var{username}}, depending on your operating system. + + To see what the default is on your system, use @kbd{C-h v +rmail-primary-inbox @key{RET}}. You can specify the inbox file(s) for +any Rmail file with the command @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}; see +@ref{Rmail Files}. + + There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes. + +@enumerate +@item +The inbox file format varies between operating systems and according to +the other mail software in use. Only one part of Rmail needs to know +about the alternatives, and it need only understand how to convert all +of them to Rmail's own format. + +@item +It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of losing +mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail delivery. +Moreover, different operating systems use different interlocking +techniques. The strategy of moving mail out of the inbox once and for +all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need for interlocking in all +the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail operates on the Rmail file. +@end enumerate + + Rmail was written to use Babyl format as its internal format. Since +then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format on Unix and GNU +systems is adequate for the job, and we plan to change Rmail to use that +as its internal format. However, the Rmail file will still be separate +from the inbox file, even on systems where their format is the same. + +@node Rmail Files +@section Multiple Rmail Files + + Rmail operates by default on your @dfn{primary Rmail file}, which is named +@file{~/RMAIL} and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox file. +But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with Rmail. These +files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you can move messages +into them with explicit Rmail commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}). + +@table @kbd +@item i @var{file} @key{RET} +Read @var{file} into Emacs and run Rmail on it (@code{rmail-input}). + +@item M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} @key{RET} +Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from. + +@item g +Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes +(@code{rmail-get-new-mail}). + +@item C-u g @var{file} @key{RET} +Merge new mail from inbox file @var{file}. +@end table + +@kindex i @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-input + To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you may use +the @kbd{i} (@code{rmail-input}) command in Rmail. This visits the file +in Rmail mode. You can use @kbd{M-x rmail-input} even when not in +Rmail. + + The file you read with @kbd{i} should normally be a valid Rmail file. +If it is not, Rmail tries to decompose it into a stream of messages in +various known formats. If it succeeds, it converts the whole file to an +Rmail file. If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, @kbd{i} +initializes a new buffer for creating a new Rmail file. + +@vindex rmail-secondary-file-directory +@vindex rmail-secondary-file-regexp + You can also select an Rmail file from a menu. Choose first the menu +bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu choose the Input Rmail +File item; then choose the Rmail file you want. The variables +@code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and +@code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the +menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the +second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match +the regular expression). These variables also apply to choosing a file +for output (@pxref{Rmail Output}). + +@findex set-rmail-inbox-list + Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can specify +this list with @kbd{M-x set-rmail-inbox-list @key{RET} @var{files} +@key{RET}}. The argument can contain any number of file names, separated +by commas. It can also be empty, which specifies that this file should +have no inboxes. Once a list of inboxes is specified, the Rmail file +remembers it permanently until you specify a different list. + + As a special exception, if your primary Rmail file does not specify any +inbox files, it uses your standard system inbox. + +@kindex g @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-get-new-mail + The @kbd{g} command (@code{rmail-get-new-mail}) merges mail into the +current Rmail file from its specified inboxes. If the Rmail file +has no inboxes, @kbd{g} does nothing. The command @kbd{M-x rmail} +also merges new mail into your primary Rmail file. + + To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the +@kbd{g} key a numeric argument, as in @kbd{C-u g}. Then it reads a file +name and merges mail from that file. The inbox file is not deleted or +changed in any way when @kbd{g} with an argument is used. This is, +therefore, a general way of merging one file of messages into another. + +@node Rmail Output +@section Copying Messages Out to Files + + These commands copy messages from an Rmail file into another file. + +@table @kbd +@item o @var{file} @key{RET} +Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using Rmail +file format by default (@code{rmail-output-to-rmail-file}). + +@item C-o @var{file} @key{RET} +Append a copy of the current message to the file @var{file}, using +system inbox file format by default (@code{rmail-output}). + +@item w @var{file} @key{RET} +Output just the message body to the file @var{file}, taking the default +file name from the message @samp{Subject} header. +@end table + +@kindex o @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-output-to-rmail-file +@kindex C-o @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-output + The commands @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} copy the current message into a +specified file. This file may be an Rmail file or it may be in system +inbox format; the output commands ascertain the file's format and write +the copied message in that format. + + When copying a message to a file in Unix mail file format, these +commands include whichever header fields are currently visible. Use the +@kbd{t} command first, if you wish, to specify which headers to show +(and copy). + + The @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands differ in two ways: each has its +own separate default file name, and each specifies a choice of format to +use when the file does not already exist. The @kbd{o} command uses +Rmail format when it creates a new file, while @kbd{C-o} uses system +inbox format for a new file. The default file name for @kbd{o} is the +file name used last with @kbd{o}, and the default file name for +@kbd{C-o} is the file name used last with @kbd{C-o}. + + If the output file is an Rmail file currently visited in an Emacs buffer, +the output commands copy the message into that buffer. It is up to you +to save the buffer eventually in its file. + +@kindex w @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-output-body-to-file + Sometimes you may receive a message whose body holds the contents of a +file. You can save the body to a file (excluding the message header) +with the @kbd{w} command (@code{rmail-output-body-to-file}). Often +these messages contain the intended file name in the @samp{Subject} +field, so the @kbd{w} command uses the @samp{Subject} field as the +default for the output file name. However, the file name is read using +the minibuffer, so you can specify a different name if you wish. + + You can also output a message to an Rmail file chosen with a menu. +Choose first the menu bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu +choose the Output Rmail File menu item; then choose the Rmail file you want. +This outputs the current message to that file, like the @kbd{o} command. +The variables @code{rmail-secondary-file-directory} and +@code{rmail-secondary-file-regexp} specify which files to offer in the +menu: the first variable says which directory to find them in; the +second says which files in that directory to offer (all those that match +the regular expression). + +@vindex rmail-delete-after-output + Copying a message gives the original copy of the message the +@samp{filed} attribute, so that @samp{filed} appears in the mode line +when such a message is current. If you like to keep just a single copy +of every mail message, set the variable @code{rmail-delete-after-output} +to @code{t}; then the @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} commands delete the original +message after copying it. (You can undelete the original afterward if +you wish.) + + Copying messages into files in system inbox format uses the header +fields that are displayed in Rmail at the time. Thus, if you use the +@kbd{t} command to view the entire header and then copy the message, the +entire header is copied. @xref{Rmail Display}. + +@vindex rmail-output-file-alist + The variable @code{rmail-output-file-alist} lets you specify +intelligent defaults for the output file, based on the contents of the +current message. The value should be a list whose elements have this +form: + +@example +(@var{regexp} . @var{name-exp}) +@end example + +@noindent +If there's a match for @var{regexp} in the current message, then the +default file name for output is @var{name-exp}. If multiple elements +match the message, the first matching element decides the default file +name. The subexpression @var{name-exp} may be a string constant giving +the file name to use, or more generally it may be any Lisp expression +that returns a file name as a string. @code{rmail-output-file-alist} +applies to both @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o}. + +@node Rmail Labels +@section Labels +@cindex label (Rmail) +@cindex attribute (Rmail) + + Each message can have various @dfn{labels} assigned to it as a means +of classification. Each label has a name; different names are different +labels. Any given label is either present or absent on a particular +message. A few label names have standard meanings and are given to +messages automatically by Rmail when appropriate; these special labels +are called @dfn{attributes}. +@ifinfo +(@xref{Rmail Attributes}.) +@end ifinfo +All other labels are assigned only by users. + +@table @kbd +@item a @var{label} @key{RET} +Assign the label @var{label} to the current message (@code{rmail-add-label}). +@item k @var{label} @key{RET} +Remove the label @var{label} from the current message (@code{rmail-kill-label}). +@item C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET} +Move to the next message that has one of the labels @var{labels} +(@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}). +@item C-M-p @var{labels} @key{RET} +Move to the previous message that has one of the labels @var{labels} +(@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}). +@item C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} +Make a summary of all messages containing any of the labels @var{labels} +(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). +@end table + +@kindex a @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex k @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-add-label +@findex rmail-kill-label + The @kbd{a} (@code{rmail-add-label}) and @kbd{k} +(@code{rmail-kill-label}) commands allow you to assign or remove any +label on the current message. If the @var{label} argument is empty, it +means to assign or remove the same label most recently assigned or +removed. + + Once you have given messages labels to classify them as you wish, there +are two ways to use the labels: in moving and in summaries. + +@kindex C-M-n @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex C-M-p @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-next-labeled-message +@findex rmail-previous-labeled-message + The command @kbd{C-M-n @var{labels} @key{RET}} +(@code{rmail-next-labeled-message}) moves to the next message that has +one of the labels @var{labels}. The argument @var{labels} specifies one +or more label names, separated by commas. @kbd{C-M-p} +(@code{rmail-previous-labeled-message}) is similar, but moves backwards +to previous messages. A numeric argument to either command serves as a +repeat count. + + The command @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} +(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) displays a summary containing only the +messages that have at least one of a specified set of labels. The +argument @var{labels} is one or more label names, separated by commas. +@xref{Rmail Summary}, for information on summaries.@refill + + If the @var{labels} argument to @kbd{C-M-n}, @kbd{C-M-p} or +@kbd{C-M-l} is empty, it means to use the last set of labels specified +for any of these commands. + +@node Rmail Attributes +@section Rmail Attributes + + Some labels such as @samp{deleted} and @samp{filed} have built-in +meanings and are assigned to or removed from messages automatically at +appropriate times; these labels are called @dfn{attributes}. Here is a +list of Rmail attributes: + +@table @samp +@item unseen +Means the message has never been current. Assigned to messages when +they come from an inbox file, and removed when a message is made +current. When you start Rmail, it initially shows the first message +that has this attribute. +@item deleted +Means the message is deleted. Assigned by deletion commands and +removed by undeletion commands (@pxref{Rmail Deletion}). +@item filed +Means the message has been copied to some other file. Assigned by the +file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Files}). +@item answered +Means you have mailed an answer to the message. Assigned by the @kbd{r} +command (@code{rmail-reply}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. +@item forwarded +Means you have forwarded the message. Assigned by the @kbd{f} command +(@code{rmail-forward}). @xref{Rmail Reply}. +@item edited +Means you have edited the text of the message within Rmail. +@xref{Rmail Editing}. +@item resent +Means you have resent the message. Assigned by the command @kbd{M-x +rmail-resend}. @xref{Rmail Reply}. +@end table + + All other labels are assigned or removed only by the user, and have no +standard meaning. + +@node Rmail Reply +@section Sending Replies + + Rmail has several commands that use Mail mode to send outgoing mail. +@xref{Sending Mail}, for information on using Mail mode, including +certain features meant to work with Rmail. What this section documents +are the special commands of Rmail for entering Mail mode. Note that the +usual keys for sending mail---@kbd{C-x m}, @kbd{C-x 4 m}, and @kbd{C-x 5 +m}---are available in Rmail mode and work just as they usually do. + +@table @kbd +@item m +Send a message (@code{rmail-mail}). +@item c +Continue editing the already started outgoing message (@code{rmail-continue}). +@item r +Send a reply to the current Rmail message (@code{rmail-reply}). +@item f +Forward the current message to other users (@code{rmail-forward}). +@item C-u f +Resend the current message to other users (@code{rmail-resend}). +@item M-m +Try sending a bounced message a second time (@code{rmail-retry-failure}). +@end table + +@kindex r @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-reply +@cindex reply to a message + The most common reason to send a message while in Rmail is to reply to +the message you are reading. To do this, type @kbd{r} +(@code{rmail-reply}). This displays the @samp{*mail*} buffer in another +window, much like @kbd{C-x 4 m}, but preinitializes the @samp{Subject}, +@samp{To}, @samp{CC} and @samp{In-reply-to} header fields based on the +message you are replying to. The @samp{To} field starts out as the +address of the person who sent the message you received, and the +@samp{CC} field starts out with all the other recipients of that +message. + +@vindex rmail-dont-reply-to-names + You can exclude certain recipients from being placed automatically in +the @samp{CC}, using the variable @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names}. Its +value should be a regular expression (as a string); any recipient that +the regular expression matches, is excluded from the @samp{CC} field. +The default value matches your own name, and any name starting with +@samp{info-}. (Those names are excluded because there is a convention +of using them for large mailing lists to broadcast announcements.) + + To omit the @samp{CC} field completely for a particular reply, enter +the reply command with a numeric argument: @kbd{C-u r} or @kbd{1 r}. + + Once the @samp{*mail*} buffer has been initialized, editing and +sending the mail goes as usual (@pxref{Sending Mail}). You can edit the +presupplied header fields if they are not right for you. You can also +use the commands of Mail mode (@pxref{Mail Mode}), including @kbd{C-c +C-y} which yanks in the message that you are replying to. You can +switch to the Rmail buffer, select a different message there, switch +back, and yank the new current message. + +@kindex M-m @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-retry-failure +@cindex retrying a failed message +@vindex rmail-retry-ignored-headers + Sometimes a message does not reach its destination. Mailers usually +send the failed message back to you, enclosed in a @dfn{failure +message}. The Rmail command @kbd{M-m} (@code{rmail-retry-failure}) +prepares to send the same message a second time: it sets up a +@samp{*mail*} buffer with the same text and header fields as before. If +you type @kbd{C-c C-c} right away, you send the message again exactly +the same as the first time. Alternatively, you can edit the text or +headers and then send it. The variable +@code{rmail-retry-ignored-headers}, in the same format as +@code{rmail-ignored-headers} (@pxref{Rmail Display}), controls which +headers are stripped from the failed message when retrying it; it +defaults to @code{nil}. + +@kindex f @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-forward +@cindex forwarding a message + Another frequent reason to send mail in Rmail is to @dfn{forward} the +current message to other users. @kbd{f} (@code{rmail-forward}) makes +this easy by preinitializing the @samp{*mail*} buffer with the current +message as the text, and a subject designating a forwarded message. All +you have to do is fill in the recipients and send. When you forward a +message, recipients get a message which is ``from'' you, and which has +the original message in its contents. + +@findex unforward-rmail-message + Forwarding a message encloses it between two delimiter lines. It also +modifies every line that starts with a dash, by inserting @w{@samp{- }} +at the start of the line. When you receive a forwarded message, if it +contains something besides ordinary text---for example, program source +code---you might find it useful to undo that transformation. You can do +this by selecting the forwarded message and typing @kbd{M-x +unforward-rmail-message}. This command extracts the original forwarded +message, deleting the inserted @w{@samp{- }} strings, and inserts it +into the Rmail file as a separate message immediately following the +current one. + +@findex rmail-resend + @dfn{Resending} is an alternative similar to forwarding; the +difference is that resending sends a message that is ``from'' the +original sender, just as it reached you---with a few added header fields +@samp{Resent-from} and @samp{Resent-to} to indicate that it came via +you. To resend a message in Rmail, use @kbd{C-u f}. (@kbd{f} runs +@code{rmail-forward}, which is programmed to invoke @code{rmail-resend} +if you provide a numeric argument.) + +@kindex m @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-mail + The @kbd{m} (@code{rmail-mail}) command is used to start editing an +outgoing message that is not a reply. It leaves the header fields empty. +Its only difference from @kbd{C-x 4 m} is that it makes the Rmail buffer +accessible for @kbd{C-c C-y}, just as @kbd{r} does. Thus, @kbd{m} can be +used to reply to or forward a message; it can do anything @kbd{r} or @kbd{f} +can do.@refill + +@kindex c @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-continue + The @kbd{c} (@code{rmail-continue}) command resumes editing the +@samp{*mail*} buffer, to finish editing an outgoing message you were +already composing, or to alter a message you have sent.@refill + +@vindex rmail-mail-new-frame + If you set the variable @code{rmail-mail-new-frame} to a +non-@code{nil} value, then all the Rmail commands to start sending a +message create a new frame to edit it in. This frame is deleted when +you send the message, or when you use the @samp{Don't Send} item in the +@samp{Mail} menu. + + All the Rmail commands to send a message use the mail-composition +method that you have chosen (@pxref{Mail Methods}). + +@node Rmail Summary +@section Summaries +@cindex summary (Rmail) + + A @dfn{summary} is a buffer containing one line per message to give +you an overview of the mail in an Rmail file. Each line shows the +message number, the sender, the labels, and the subject. Almost all +Rmail commands are valid in the summary buffer also; these apply to the +message described by the current line of the summary. Moving point in +the summary buffer selects messages as you move to their summary lines. + + A summary buffer applies to a single Rmail file only; if you are +editing multiple Rmail files, each one can have its own summary buffer. +The summary buffer name is made by appending @samp{-summary} to the +Rmail buffer's name. Normally only one summary buffer is displayed at a +time. + +@menu +* Rmail Make Summary:: Making various sorts of summaries. +* Rmail Summary Edit:: Manipulating messages from the summary. +@end menu + +@node Rmail Make Summary +@subsection Making Summaries + + Here are the commands to create a summary for the current Rmail file. +Once the Rmail file has a summary buffer, changes in the Rmail file +(such as deleting or expunging messages, and getting new mail) +automatically update the summary. + +@table @kbd +@item h +@itemx C-M-h +Summarize all messages (@code{rmail-summary}). +@item l @var{labels} @key{RET} +@itemx C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET} +Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified labels +(@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}). +@item C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET} +Summarize messages that have one or more of the specified recipients +(@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}). +@item C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET} +Summarize messages that have a match for the specified regexp +@var{topic} in their subjects (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}). +@end table + +@kindex h @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-summary + The @kbd{h} or @kbd{C-M-h} (@code{rmail-summary}) command fills the summary buffer +for the current Rmail file with a summary of all the messages in the file. +It then displays and selects the summary buffer in another window. + +@kindex l @r{(Rmail)} +@kindex C-M-l @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-summary-by-labels + @kbd{C-M-l @var{labels} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-labels}) makes +a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more of the +labels @var{labels}. @var{labels} should contain label names separated by +commas.@refill + +@kindex C-M-r @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-summary-by-recipients + @kbd{C-M-r @var{rcpts} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-recipients}) +makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages that have one or more +of the recipients @var{rcpts}. @var{rcpts} should contain mailing +addresses separated by commas.@refill + +@kindex C-M-t @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-summary-by-topic + @kbd{C-M-t @var{topic} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-topic}) +makes a partial summary mentioning only the messages whose subjects have +a match for the regular expression @var{topic}. + + Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file; making one +kind of summary discards any previously made summary. + +@vindex rmail-summary-window-size +@vindex rmail-summary-line-count-flag + The variable @code{rmail-summary-window-size} says how many lines to +use for the summary window. The variable +@code{rmail-summary-line-count-flag} controls whether the summary line +for a message should include the line count of the message. + +@node Rmail Summary Edit +@subsection Editing in Summaries + + You can use the Rmail summary buffer to do almost anything you can do +in the Rmail buffer itself. In fact, once you have a summary buffer, +there's no need to switch back to the Rmail buffer. + + You can select and display various messages in the Rmail buffer, from +the summary buffer, just by moving point in the summary buffer to +different lines. It doesn't matter what Emacs command you use to move +point; whichever line point is on at the end of the command, that +message is selected in the Rmail buffer. + + Almost all Rmail commands work in the summary buffer as well as in the +Rmail buffer. Thus, @kbd{d} in the summary buffer deletes the current +message, @kbd{u} undeletes, and @kbd{x} expunges. @kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} +output the current message to a file; @kbd{r} starts a reply to it. You +can scroll the current message while remaining in the summary buffer +using @key{SPC} and @key{DEL}. + + The Rmail commands to move between messages also work in the summary +buffer, but with a twist: they move through the set of messages included +in the summary. They also ensure the Rmail buffer appears on the screen +(unlike cursor motion commands, which update the contents of the Rmail +buffer but don't display it in a window unless it already appears). +Here is a list of these commands: + +@table @kbd +@item n +Move to next line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select its +message. +@item p +Move to previous line, skipping lines saying `deleted', and select +its message. +@item M-n +Move to next line and select its message. +@item M-p +Move to previous line and select its message. +@item > +Move to the last line, and select its message. +@item < +Move to the first line, and select its message. +@item M-s @var{pattern} @key{RET} +Search through messages for @var{pattern} starting with the current +message; select the message found, and move point in the summary buffer +to that message's line. +@end table + +@vindex rmail-redisplay-summary + Deletion, undeletion, and getting new mail, and even selection of a +different message all update the summary buffer when you do them in the +Rmail buffer. If the variable @code{rmail-redisplay-summary} is +non-@code{nil}, these actions also bring the summary buffer back onto +the screen. + +@kindex Q @r{(Rmail summary)} +@findex rmail-summary-wipe +@kindex q @r{(Rmail summary)} +@findex rmail-summary-quit + When you are finished using the summary, type @kbd{Q} +(@code{rmail-summary-wipe}) to delete the summary buffer's window. You +can also exit Rmail while in the summary: @kbd{q} +(@code{rmail-summary-quit}) deletes the summary window, then exits from +Rmail by saving the Rmail file and switching to another buffer. + +@node Rmail Sorting +@section Sorting the Rmail File + +@table @kbd +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-date +Sort messages of current Rmail file by date. + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-subject +Sort messages of current Rmail file by subject. + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-author +Sort messages of current Rmail file by author's name. + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-recipient +Sort messages of current Rmail file by recipient's names. + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-correspondent +Sort messages of current Rmail file by the name of the other +correspondent. + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-lines +Sort messages of current Rmail file by size (number of lines). + +@item M-x rmail-sort-by-keywords @key{RET} @var{labels} @key{RET} +Sort messages of current Rmail file by labels. The argument +@var{labels} should be a comma-separated list of labels. The order of +these labels specifies the order of messages; messages with the first +label come first, messages with the second label come second, and so on. +Messages which have none of these labels come last. +@end table + + The Rmail sort commands perform a @emph{stable sort}: if there is no +reason to prefer either one of two messages, their order remains +unchanged. You can use this to sort by more than one criterion. For +example, if you use @code{rmail-sort-by-date} and then +@code{rmail-sort-by-author}, messages from the same author appear in +order by date. + + With a numeric argument, all these commands reverse the order of +comparison. This means they sort messages from newest to oldest, from +biggest to smallest, or in reverse alphabetical order. + +@node Rmail Display +@section Display of Messages + + Rmail reformats the header of each message before displaying it for +the first time. Reformatting hides uninteresting header fields to +reduce clutter. You can use the @kbd{t} command to show the entire +header or to repeat the header reformatting operation. + +@table @kbd +@item t +Toggle display of complete header (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). +@end table + +@vindex rmail-ignored-headers + Reformatting the header involves deleting most header fields, on the +grounds that they are not interesting. The variable +@code{rmail-ignored-headers} holds a regular expression that specifies +which header fields to hide in this way---if it matches the beginning of +a header field, that whole field is hidden. + +@kindex t @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-toggle-header + Rmail saves the complete original header before reformatting; to see +it, use the @kbd{t} command (@code{rmail-toggle-header}). This +discards the reformatted headers of the current message and displays it +with the original header. Repeating @kbd{t} reformats the message +again. Selecting the message again also reformats. + + One consequence of this is that if you edit the reformatted header +(using @kbd{e}; @pxref{Rmail Editing}), subsequent use of @kbd{t} will +discard your edits. On the other hand, if you use @kbd{e} after +@kbd{t}, to edit the original (unreformatted) header, those changes are +permanent. + + When the @kbd{t} command has a prefix argument, a positive argument +means to show the reformatted header, and a zero or negative argument +means to show the full header. + +@vindex rmail-highlighted-headers + When used with a window system that supports multiple fonts, Rmail +highlights certain header fields that are especially interesting---by +default, the @samp{From} and @samp{Subject} fields. The variable +@code{rmail-highlighted-headers} holds a regular expression that +specifies the header fields to highlight; if it matches the beginning of +a header field, that whole field is highlighted. + + If you specify unusual colors for your text foreground and background, +the colors used for highlighting may not go well with them. If so, +specify different colors for the @code{highlight} face. That is worth +doing because the @code{highlight} face is used for other kinds of +highlighting as well. @xref{Faces}, for how to do this. + + To turn off highlighting entirely in Rmail, set +@code{rmail-highlighted-headers} to @code{nil}. + +@node Rmail Editing +@section Editing Within a Message + + Most of the usual Emacs commands are available in Rmail mode, though a +few, such as @kbd{C-M-n} and @kbd{C-M-h}, are redefined by Rmail for +other purposes. However, the Rmail buffer is normally read only, and +most of the letters are redefined as Rmail commands. If you want to +edit the text of a message, you must use the Rmail command @kbd{e}. + +@table @kbd +@item e +Edit the current message as ordinary text. +@end table + +@kindex e @r{(Rmail)} +@findex rmail-edit-current-message + The @kbd{e} command (@code{rmail-edit-current-message}) switches from +Rmail mode into Rmail Edit mode, another major mode which is nearly the +same as Text mode. The mode line indicates this change. + + In Rmail Edit mode, letters insert themselves as usual and the Rmail +commands are not available. When you are finished editing the message and +are ready to go back to Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-c}, which switches back to +Rmail mode. Alternatively, you can return to Rmail mode but cancel all the +editing that you have done, by typing @kbd{C-c C-]}. + +@vindex rmail-edit-mode-hook + Entering Rmail Edit mode runs the hook @code{text-mode-hook}; then it +runs the hook @code{rmail-edit-mode-hook} (@pxref{Hooks}). It adds the +attribute @samp{edited} to the message. It also displays the full +headers of the message, so that you can edit the headers as well as the +body of the message, and your changes in the the headers will be +permanent. + +@node Rmail Digest +@section Digest Messages +@cindex digest message +@cindex undigestify + + A @dfn{digest message} is a message which exists to contain and carry +several other messages. Digests are used on some moderated mailing +lists; all the messages that arrive for the list during a period of time +such as one day are put inside a single digest which is then sent to the +subscribers. Transmitting the single digest uses much less computer +time than transmitting the individual messages even though the total +size is the same, because the per-message overhead in network mail +transmission is considerable. + +@findex undigestify-rmail-message + When you receive a digest message, the most convenient way to read it is +to @dfn{undigestify} it: to turn it back into many individual messages. +Then you can read and delete the individual messages as it suits you. + + To do this, select the digest message and type the command @kbd{M-x +undigestify-rmail-message}. This extracts the submessages as separate +Rmail messages, and inserts them following the digest. The digest +message itself is flagged as deleted. + +@node Out of Rmail +@section Converting an Rmail File to Inbox Format + +@findex unrmail + The command @kbd{M-x unrmail} converts a file in Rmail format to inbox +format (also known as the system mailbox format), so that you can use it +with other mail-editing tools. You must specify two arguments, the name +of the Rmail file and the name to use for the converted file. @kbd{M-x +unrmail} does not alter the Rmail file itself. + +@node Rmail Rot13 +@section Reading Rot13 Messages +@cindex rot13 code + + Mailing list messages that might offend some readers are sometimes +encoded in a simple code called @dfn{rot13}---so named because it +rotates the alphabet by 13 letters. This code is not for secrecy, as it +provides none; rather, it enables those who might be offended to avoid +ever seeing the real text of the message. + +@findex rot13-other-window + To view a buffer using the rot13 code, use the command @kbd{M-x +rot13-other-window}. This displays the current buffer in another window +which applies the code when displaying the text. + +@node Movemail +@section @code{movemail} and POP +@cindex @code{movemail} program + +@vindex rmail-preserve-inbox + When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox +file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it truncates +the inbox file. This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail +between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail. If +@code{rmail-preserve-inbox} is non-@code{nil}, then Rmail will copy new +mail from the inbox file to the Rmail file without truncating the inbox +file. You may wish to set this, for example, on a portable computer you +use to check your mail via POP while traveling, so that your mail will +remain on the server and you can save it later on your workstation. + + In some cases, Rmail copies the new mail from the inbox file +indirectly. First it runs the @code{movemail} program to move the mail +from the inbox to an intermediate file called +@file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}}. Then Rmail merges the new mail from +that file, saves the Rmail file, and only then deletes the intermediate +file. If there is a crash at the wrong time, this file continues to +exist, and Rmail will use it again the next time it gets new mail from +that inbox. + +@pindex movemail + If Rmail is unable to convert the data in +@file{~/.newmail-@var{inboxname}} into Babyl format, it renames the file +to @file{~/RMAILOSE.@var{n}} (@var{n} is an integer chosen to make the +name unique) so that Rmail will not have trouble with the data again. +You should look at the file, find whatever message confuses Rmail +(probably one that includes the control-underscore character, octal code +037), and delete it. Then you can use @kbd{1 g} to get new mail from +the corrected file. + + Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data +instead of storing the data in inbox files. @code{movemail} can work +with POP if you compile it with the macro @code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined. +(You can achieve that by specifying @samp{--with-pop} when you run +@code{configure} during the installation of Emacs.) +@code{movemail} only works with POP3, not with older +versions of POP. + +@cindex @code{MAILHOST} environment variable +@cindex POP inboxes + Assuming you have compiled and installed @code{movemail} +appropriately, you can specify a POP inbox by using a ``file name'' of +the form @samp{po:@var{username}}, in the inbox list of an Rmail file. +@code{movemail} handles such a name by opening a connection to the POP +server. The @code{MAILHOST} environment variable specifies the machine +to look for the server on. + +@vindex rmail-pop-password +@vindex rmail-pop-password-required + Accessing mail via POP may require a password. If the variable +@code{rmail-pop-password} is non-@code{nil}, it specifies the password +to use for POP. Alternatively, if @code{rmail-pop-password-required} is +non-@code{nil}, then Rmail asks you for the password to use. + +@vindex rmail-movemail-flags + If you need to pass additional command-line flags to @code{movemail}, +set the variable @code{rmail-movemail-flags} a list of the flags you +wish to use. Do not use this variable to pass the @samp{-p} flag to +preserve your inbox contents; use @code{rmail-preserve-inbox} instead. + +@cindex Kerberos POP authentication + The @code{movemail} program installed at your site may support +Kerberos authentication. If it is +supported, it is used by default whenever you attempt to retrieve +POP mail when @code{rmail-pop-password} and +@code{rmail-pop-password-required} are unset. + +@cindex POP inboxes in reverse order + Some POP servers store messages in reverse order. If your server does +this, and you would rather read your mail in the order in which it was +received, you can tell @code{movemail} to reverse the order of +downloaded messages by adding the @samp{-r} flag to +@code{rmail-movemail-flags}.