# HG changeset patch # User Glenn Morris # Date 1189054118 0 # Node ID 63d20bc189198187c68e6a9e7dd619f82e13bc89 # Parent 30b1aa1df2a8071a0f94f10dadacf861dd0bc9ea Move here from ../../man diff -r 30b1aa1df2a8 -r 63d20bc18919 doc/emacs/sending.texi --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/doc/emacs/sending.texi Thu Sep 06 04:48:38 2007 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,724 @@ +@c This is part of the Emacs manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, +@c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. +@node Sending Mail +@chapter Sending Mail +@cindex sending mail +@cindex mail +@cindex message + + To send a message in Emacs, you start by typing a command (@kbd{C-x m}) +to select and initialize the @samp{*mail*} buffer. Then you edit the text +and headers of the message in this buffer, and type another command +(@kbd{C-c C-s} or @kbd{C-c C-c}) to send the message. + +@table @kbd +@item C-x m +Begin composing a message to send (@code{compose-mail}). +@item C-x 4 m +Likewise, but display the message in another window +(@code{compose-mail-other-window}). +@item C-x 5 m +Likewise, but make a new frame (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}). +@item C-c C-s +In Mail mode, send the message (@code{mail-send}). +@item C-c C-c +Send the message and bury the mail buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). +@end table + +@kindex C-x m +@findex compose-mail +@kindex C-x 4 m +@findex compose-mail-other-window +@kindex C-x 5 m +@findex compose-mail-other-frame + The command @kbd{C-x m} (@code{compose-mail}) selects a buffer named +@samp{*mail*} and initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing +message. @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) selects the +@samp{*mail*} buffer in a different window, leaving the previous current +buffer visible. @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) creates +a new frame to select the @samp{*mail*} buffer. + + Because the mail-composition buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can +switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch +back later (or never). If you use the @kbd{C-x m} command again when you +have been composing another message but have not sent it, you are asked to +confirm before the old message is erased. If you answer @kbd{n}, the +@samp{*mail*} buffer remains selected with its old contents, so you can +finish the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do +this. Sending the message marks the @samp{*mail*} buffer ``unmodified,'' +which avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used. + + If you are composing a message in the @samp{*mail*} buffer and want to +send another message before finishing the first, rename the +@samp{*mail*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} (@pxref{Misc +Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x m} or its variants described above +to make a new @samp{*mail*} buffer. Once you've done that, you can work +with each mail buffer independently. + +@vindex mail-default-directory + The variable @code{mail-default-directory} controls the default +directory for mail buffers, and also says where to put their auto-save +files. + +@ignore +@c Commented out because it is not user-oriented; +@c it doesn't say how to do some job. -- rms. +@cindex directory servers +@cindex LDAP +@cindex PH/QI +@cindex names and addresses +There is an interface to directory servers using various protocols such +as LDAP or the CCSO white pages directory system (PH/QI), described in a +separate manual. It may be useful for looking up names and addresses. +@xref{Top,,EUDC, eudc, EUDC Manual}. +@end ignore + +@menu +* Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed. +* Headers: Mail Headers. Details of permitted mail header fields. +* Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses. +* Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed. +* Amuse: Mail Amusements. Distracting the NSA; adding fortune messages. +* Methods: Mail Methods. Using alternative mail-composition methods. +@end menu + +@node Mail Format +@section The Format of the Mail Buffer + + In addition to the @dfn{text} or @dfn{body}, a message has @dfn{header +fields} which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on. Some +header fields, such as @samp{Date} and @samp{Sender}, are created +automatically when you send the message. Others, such as the recipient +names, must be specified by you in order to send the message properly. + + In the mail buffer, you can insert and edit header fields using +ordinary editing commands. Mail mode provides a commands to help you +edit some header fields, and some are preinitialized in the buffer +automatically when appropriate. + + The line in the buffer that says + +@example +--text follows this line-- +@end example + +@noindent +is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified from +the text. Whatever follows this line is the text of the message; the +headers precede it. The delimiter line itself does not appear in the +message actually sent. The text used for the delimiter line is controlled +by the variable @code{mail-header-separator}. + + Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer +might look like. + +@example +To: gnu@@gnu.org +CC: lungfish@@spam.org, byob@@spam.org +Subject: The Emacs Manual +--Text follows this line-- +Please ignore this message. +@end example + +@node Mail Headers +@section Mail Header Fields +@cindex headers (of mail message) + + A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the +beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are +equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the +colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field. + + You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people +use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is a table +of fields commonly used in outgoing messages. + +@table @samp +@item To +This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is +addressed. If you list more than one address, use commas, not spaces, +to separate them. + +@item Subject +The contents of the @samp{Subject} field should be a piece of text +that says what the message is about. The reason @samp{Subject} fields +are useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of +messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text. + +@item CC +This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, +like @samp{To} except that these readers should not regard the message +as directed at them. + +@item BCC +This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to, +which should not appear in the header of the message actually sent. +Copies sent this way are called @dfn{blind carbon copies}. + +@vindex mail-self-blind +@cindex copy of every outgoing message +To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself, set +the variable @code{mail-self-blind} to @code{t}. To send a blind carbon +copy of every message to some other @var{address}, set the variable +@code{mail-default-headers} to @code{"Bcc: @var{address}\n"}. + +@item FCC +This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to append a +copy of the message to that file when you send the message. If the file +is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message in Rmail format; otherwise, +Emacs writes the message in system mail file format. To specify +more than one file, use several @samp{FCC} fields, with one file +name in each field. + +@vindex mail-archive-file-name +To put a fixed file name in the @samp{FCC} field each time you start +editing an outgoing message, set the variable +@code{mail-archive-file-name} to that file name. Unless you remove the +@samp{FCC} field before sending, the message will be written into that +file when it is sent. + +@item From +Use the @samp{From} field to say who you are, when the account you are +using to send the mail is not your own. The contents of the @samp{From} +field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will normally go +there. If you don't specify the @samp{From} field yourself, Emacs uses +the value of @code{user-mail-address} as the default. + +@item Reply-to +Use this field to direct replies to a different address. Most +mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies to +the @samp{Reply-to} address in preference to the @samp{From} address. +By adding a @samp{Reply-to} field to your header, you can work around +any problems your @samp{From} address may cause for replies. + +@cindex @env{REPLYTO} environment variable +@vindex mail-default-reply-to +To put a fixed @samp{Reply-to} address into every outgoing message, set +the variable @code{mail-default-reply-to} to that address (as a string). +Then @code{mail} initializes the message with a @samp{Reply-to} field as +specified. You can delete or alter that header field before you send +the message, if you wish. When Emacs starts up, if the environment +variable @env{REPLYTO} is set, @code{mail-default-reply-to} is +initialized from that environment variable. + +@item In-reply-to +This field contains a piece of text describing the message you are +replying to. Some mail systems can use this information to correlate +related pieces of mail. Normally this field is filled in by Rmail +when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never need to +think about it (@pxref{Rmail}). + +@item References +This field lists the message IDs of related previous messages. Rmail +sets up this field automatically when you reply to a message. +@end table + + The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, and @samp{BCC} header fields can appear +any number of times, and each such header field can contain multiple +addresses, separated by commas. This way, you can specify any number +of places to send the message. These fields can also have +continuation lines: one or more lines starting with whitespace, +following the starting line of the field, are considered part of the +field. Here's an example of a @samp{To} field with a continuation +line: + +@example +@group +To: foo@@here.net, this@@there.net, + me@@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281 +@end group +@end example + +@vindex mail-from-style + When you send the message, if you didn't write a @samp{From} field +yourself, Emacs puts in one for you. The variable +@code{mail-from-style} controls the format: + +@table @code +@item nil +Use just the email address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}. +@item parens +Use both email address and full name, as in:@* +@samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}. +@item angles +Use both email address and full name, as in:@* +@samp{Elvis Parsley }. +@item system-default +Allow the system to insert the @samp{From} field. +@end table + +@vindex mail-default-headers + You can direct Emacs to insert certain default headers into the +outgoing message by setting the variable @code{mail-default-headers} +to a string. Then @code{C-x m} inserts this string into the message +headers. If the default header fields are not appropriate for a +particular message, edit them as appropriate before sending the +message. + +@node Mail Aliases +@section Mail Aliases +@cindex mail aliases +@cindex @file{.mailrc} file +@cindex mailrc file + + You can define @dfn{mail aliases} in a file named @file{~/.mailrc}. +These are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of +mail addresses. Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases +when they occur in the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and +@samp{Reply-to} fields, plus their @samp{Resent-} variants. + + To define an alias in @file{~/.mailrc}, write a line in the following +format: + +@example +alias @var{shortaddress} @var{fulladdresses} +@end example + +@noindent +Here @var{fulladdresses} stands for one or more mail addresses for +@var{shortaddress} to expand into. Separate multiple addresses with +spaces; if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a +pair of double-quotes. + +For instance, to make @code{maingnu} stand for +@code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in +this line:@refill + +@example +alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu +@end example + +@noindent +Addresses specified in this way should use doublequotes around an +entire address when the address contains spaces. But you need not +include doublequotes around parts of the address, such as the person's +full name. Emacs puts them in if they are needed. For example, + +@example +alias chief-torturer "George W. Bush " +@end example + +@noindent +is correct in @samp{.mailrc}. Emacs will insert the address as +@samp{"George W. Bush" }. + + Emacs also recognizes ``include'' commands in @samp{.mailrc} files. +They look like this: + +@example +source @var{filename} +@end example + +@noindent +The file @file{~/.mailrc} is used primarily by other mail-reading +programs; it can contain various other commands. Emacs ignores +everything in it except for alias definitions and include commands. + +@findex define-mail-alias + Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the +@code{define-mail-alias} command. It prompts for the alias and then the +full address. You can use it to define aliases in your @file{.emacs} +file, like this: + +@example +(define-mail-alias "maingnu" "gnu@@gnu.org") +@end example + +@vindex mail-aliases + @code{define-mail-alias} records aliases by adding them to a +variable named @code{mail-aliases}. If you are comfortable with +manipulating Lisp lists, you can set @code{mail-aliases} directly. The +initial value of @code{mail-aliases} is @code{t}, which means that +Emacs should read @file{.mailrc} to get the proper value. + +@vindex mail-personal-alias-file + You can specify a different file name to use instead of +@file{~/.mailrc} by setting the variable +@code{mail-personal-alias-file}. + +@findex expand-mail-aliases + Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message. You do not +need to expand mail aliases before sending the message, but you can +expand them if you want to see where the mail will actually go. To do +this, use the command @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}; it expands all mail +aliases currently present in the mail headers that hold addresses. + + If you like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as +you type them in (@pxref{Abbrevs}). To enable this feature, execute the +following: + +@example +(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup) +@end example + +@noindent +@findex define-mail-abbrev +@vindex mail-abbrevs +This can go in your @file{.emacs} file. @xref{Hooks}. If you use this +feature, you must use @code{define-mail-abbrev} instead of +@code{define-mail-alias}; the latter does not work with this package. +Note that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable +@code{mail-abbrevs} instead of @code{mail-aliases}, and that all alias +names are converted to lower case. + +@kindex C-c C-a @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-interactive-insert-alias + The mail abbreviation package also provides the @kbd{C-c C-a} +(@code{mail-interactive-insert-alias}) command, which reads an alias +name (with completion) and inserts its definition at point. This is +useful when editing the message text itself or a header field such as +@samp{Subject} in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases. + + Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator character +afterward. However, you can rebind @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{M->} to cause +expansion as well. Here's how to do that: + +@smallexample +(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook + (lambda () + (define-key + mail-mode-map [remap next-line] 'mail-abbrev-next-line) + (define-key + mail-mode-map [remap end-of-buffer] 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer))) +@end smallexample + +@node Mail Mode +@section Mail Mode +@cindex Mail mode +@cindex mode, Mail + + The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much +like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the +@kbd{C-c} prefix. These commands all have to do specifically with +editing or sending the message. In addition, Mail mode defines the +character @samp{%} as a word separator; this is helpful for using the +word commands to edit mail addresses. + + Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the +@code{mail} command and related commands. However, you can also switch +to Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer. This is a useful thing to do if +you have saved the text of a draft message in a file. + +@menu +* Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message. +* Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them. +* Citing Mail:: Copying all or part of a message you are replying to. +* Mail Mode Misc:: Spell checking, signatures, etc. +@end menu + +@node Mail Sending +@subsection Mail Sending + + Mail mode has two commands for sending the message you have been +editing: + +@table @kbd +@item C-c C-s +Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{mail-send}). +@item C-c C-c +Send the message, and select some other buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}). +@end table + +@kindex C-c C-s @r{(Mail mode)} +@kindex C-c C-c @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-send +@findex mail-send-and-exit + @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{mail-send}) sends the message and marks the mail +buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can +modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again. +@kbd{C-c C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}) sends and then deletes the +window or switches to another buffer. It puts the mail buffer at the +lowest priority for reselection by default, since you are finished with +using it. This is the usual way to send the message. + + In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the +modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. Also, you +don't get a warning if you try to send the same message twice. + +@c This is indexed in mule.texi, node "Recognize Coding". +@c @vindex sendmail-coding-system + When you send a message that contains non-@acronym{ASCII} characters, they need +to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). Usually +the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen language +environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can explicitly specify +the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the variable +@code{sendmail-coding-system} (@pxref{Recognize Coding}). + + If the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in +a particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use, +showing a list of possible coding systems. + +@cindex SMTP +@cindex Feedmail +@cindex Sendmail +@vindex send-mail-function + The variable @code{send-mail-function} controls how the default mail +user agent sends mail. It should be set to a function. The default +is @code{sendmail-send-it}, which delivers mail using the Sendmail +installation on the local host. To send mail through a SMTP server, +set it to @code{smtpmail-send-it} and set up the Emacs SMTP library +(@pxref{Top,,Emacs SMTP Library, smtpmail, Sending mail via SMTP}). A +third option is @code{feedmail-send-it}, see the commentary section of +the @file{feedmail.el} package for more information. + +@node Header Editing +@subsection Mail Header Editing + + Mail mode provides special commands to move to particular header +fields and to complete addresses in headers. + +@table @kbd +@item C-c C-f C-t +Move to the @samp{To} header field, creating one if there is none +(@code{mail-to}). +@item C-c C-f C-s +Move to the @samp{Subject} header field, creating one if there is +none (@code{mail-subject}). +@item C-c C-f C-c +Move to the @samp{CC} header field, creating one if there is none +(@code{mail-cc}). +@item C-c C-f C-b +Move to the @samp{BCC} header field, creating one if there is none +(@code{mail-bcc}). +@item C-c C-f C-f +Move to the @samp{FCC} header field, creating one if there is none +(@code{mail-fcc}). +@item M-@key{TAB} +Complete a mailing address (@code{mail-complete}). +@end table + +@kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-to +@kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-subject +@kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-cc +@kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-bcc +@kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-fcc + There are five commands to move point to particular header fields, all +based on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). They +are listed in the table above. If the field in question does not exist, +these commands create one. We provide special motion commands for these +particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to +edit. + +@findex mail-complete +@kindex M-TAB @r{(Mail mode)} + While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such +as @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete a mailing +address by typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{mail-complete}). It +inserts the full name corresponding to the address, if it can +determine the full name. The variable @code{mail-complete-style} +controls whether to insert the full name, and what style to use, as in +@code{mail-from-style} (@pxref{Mail Headers}). (If your window +manager defines @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} to switch windows, you can type +@kbd{@key{ESC} @key{TAB}} or @kbd{C-M-i}.) + + For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be +the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases. You can +specify additional sources of valid addresses; see the customization +group @samp{mailalias} to see the variables for customizing this +feature (@pxref{Customization Groups}). + + If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message, +@code{mail-complete} invokes @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text +mode. + +@node Citing Mail +@subsection Citing Mail +@cindex citing mail + + Mail mode also has commands for yanking or @dfn{citing} all or part of +a message that you are replying to. These commands are active only when +you started sending a message using an Rmail command. + +@table @kbd +@item C-c C-y +Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{mail-yank-original}). +@item C-c C-r +Yank the region from the Rmail buffer (@code{mail-yank-region}). +@item C-c C-q +Fill each paragraph cited from another message +(@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}). +@end table + +@kindex C-c C-y @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-yank-original + When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an Rmail +command, @kbd{C-c C-y} can be used inside the mail buffer to insert +the text of the message you are replying to. Normally it indents each line +of that message three spaces and eliminates most header fields. A numeric +argument specifies the number of spaces to indent. An argument of just +@kbd{C-u} says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything. +@kbd{C-c C-y} always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer, +so you can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail, +switching to @samp{*mail*} and yanking it, then switching back to +Rmail to select another. + +@vindex mail-yank-prefix + You can specify the text for @kbd{C-c C-y} to insert at the beginning +of each line: set @code{mail-yank-prefix} to the desired string. (A +value of @code{nil} means to use indentation; this is the default.) +However, @kbd{C-u C-c C-y} never adds anything at the beginning of the +inserted lines, regardless of the value of @code{mail-yank-prefix}. + +@kindex C-c C-r @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-yank-region + To yank just a part of an incoming message, set the region in Rmail to +the part you want; then go to the @samp{*Mail*} message and type +@kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{mail-yank-region}). Each line that is copied is +indented or prefixed according to @code{mail-yank-prefix}. + +@kindex C-c C-q @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-fill-yanked-message + After using @kbd{C-c C-y} or @kbd{C-c C-r}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q} +(@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the yanked +old message or messages. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such +paragraphs, each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the +quoted message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically +handle the type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix +explicitly. @xref{Filling}. + +@node Mail Mode Misc +@subsection Mail Mode Miscellany + +@table @kbd +@item C-c C-t +Move to the beginning of the message body text (@code{mail-text}). +@item C-c C-w +Insert the file @file{~/.signature} at the end of the message text +(@code{mail-signature}). +@item C-c C-i @var{file} @key{RET} +Insert the contents of @var{file} at the end of the outgoing message +(@code{mail-attach-file}). +@item M-x ispell-message +Perform spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations from +other messages. +@end table + +@kindex C-c C-t @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-text + @kbd{C-c C-t} (@code{mail-text}) moves point to just after the header +separator line---that is, to the beginning of the message body text. + +@kindex C-c C-w @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-signature +@vindex mail-signature + @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{mail-signature}) adds a standard piece of text at +the end of the message to say more about who you are. The text comes +from the file @file{~/.signature} in your home directory. To insert +your signature automatically, set the variable @code{mail-signature} to +@code{t}; after that, starting a mail message automatically inserts the +contents of your @file{~/.signature} file. If you want to omit your +signature from a particular message, delete it from the buffer before +you send the message. + + You can also set @code{mail-signature} to a string; then that string +is inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a +message to send. If you set it to some other Lisp expression, the +expression is evaluated each time, and its value (which should be a +string) specifies the signature. + +@findex ispell-message + You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written +with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked an +incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was +yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted. (It looks +for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the cited +lines from your input.) @xref{Spelling}. + +@kindex C-c C-i @r{(Mail mode)} +@findex mail-attach-file + To include a file in the outgoing message, you can use @kbd{C-x i}, +the usual command to insert a file in the current buffer. But it is +often more convenient to use a special command, @kbd{C-c C-i} +(@code{mail-attach-file}). This command inserts the file contents at +the end of the buffer, after your signature if any, with a delimiter +line that includes the file name. Note that this is not a MIME +attachment. + +@vindex mail-mode-hook +@vindex mail-setup-hook + Turning on Mail mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs the +normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{mail-mode-hook}. +Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook +@code{mail-setup-hook}; if you want to add special fields to your mail +header or make other changes to the appearance of the mail buffer, use +that hook. @xref{Hooks}. + + The main difference between these hooks is just when they are +invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{M-x mail}, @code{mail-mode-hook} runs +as soon as the @samp{*mail*} buffer is created. Then the +@code{mail-setup} function inserts the default contents of the buffer. +After these default contents are inserted, @code{mail-setup-hook} runs. + +@node Mail Amusements +@section Mail Amusements + +@findex spook +@cindex NSA + @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing +mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest +you are discussing something subversive. + + The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the +NSA@footnote{The US National Security Agency.} snoops on +all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might +find them interesting. (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they +@emph{would} say.) The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious +words to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input +that they will have to give up reading it all. + + Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start +entering an outgoing message: + +@example +(add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook) +@end example + + Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people. + +@findex fortune-to-signature +@cindex fortune cookies + You can use the @code{fortune} program to put a ``fortune cookie'' +message into outgoing mail. To do this, add +@code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook}: + +@example +(add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'fortune-to-signature) +@end example + +@node Mail Methods +@section Mail-Composition Methods +@cindex mail-composition methods + +@cindex MH mail interface +@cindex Message mode for sending mail + In this chapter we have described the usual Emacs mode for editing +and sending mail---Mail mode. Emacs has alternative facilities for +editing and sending mail, including +MH-E and Message mode, not documented in this manual. +@xref{Top,,MH-E,mh-e, The Emacs Interface to MH}. @xref{Top,,Message,message, +Message Manual}. You can choose any of them as your preferred method. +The commands @code{C-x m}, @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use +whichever agent you have specified, as do various other Emacs commands +and facilities that send mail. + +@vindex mail-user-agent + To specify your mail-composition method, customize the variable +@code{mail-user-agent}. Currently legitimate values include +@code{sendmail-user-agent} (Mail mode), @code{mh-e-user-agent}, +@code{message-user-agent} and @code{gnus-user-agent}. + + If you select a different mail-composition method, the information +in this chapter about the @samp{*mail*} buffer and Mail mode does not +apply; the other methods use a different format of text in a different +buffer, and their commands are different as well. + +@ignore + arch-tag: d8a3dfc3-5d87-45c5-a7f2-69871b8e4fd6 +@end ignore