# HG changeset patch # User Richard M. Stallman # Date 1110130840 0 # Node ID b8d2ec2a15e78e6c3d229ca160f54fe95e7a4d6b # Parent e6fb531ca25bcb082f9e9c3aaa019adec7e31a3b (Rmail Inbox): Move text from Remote Mailboxes that really belongs here. (Remote Mailboxes): Text moved to Rmail Inbox. (Rmail Display): Mention Mouse-1. (Movemail): Clarify two movemail versions. Clarify rmail-movemail-program. diff -r e6fb531ca25b -r b8d2ec2a15e7 man/rmail.texi --- a/man/rmail.texi Sun Mar 06 17:32:45 2005 +0000 +++ b/man/rmail.texi Sun Mar 06 17:40:40 2005 +0000 @@ -297,13 +297,14 @@ @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}. + When you receive mail locally, 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 local 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 @env{MAIL} environment variable @@ -344,6 +345,35 @@ 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. +@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. + + 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. + @node Rmail Files @section Multiple Rmail Files @@ -1003,8 +1033,9 @@ You can highlight and activate URLs in incoming messages by adding the function @code{goto-address} to the hook @code{rmail-show-message-hook}. Then you can browse these URLs by -clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} or by moving to one and typing -@kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto-address, Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. +clicking on them with @kbd{Mouse-2} (or @kbd{Mouse-1} quickly) or by +moving to one and typing @kbd{C-c @key{RET}}. @xref{Goto-address, +Activating URLs, Activating URLs}. @node Rmail Coding @section Rmail and Coding Systems @@ -1158,30 +1189,27 @@ @section @code{movemail} program @cindex @code{movemail} program - When invoked for the first time, Rmail attempts to locate -@code{movemail} program and determine its version. There are -two versions of @code{movemail} program: the native one, shipped with -GNU Emacs (we will refer to it as @samp{emacs version}) and the one -coming from GNU mailutils (@xref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU mailutils}, -we will refer to it as @samp{mailutils version}). Both versions are -compatible with each other in the sense that they support the same -command line syntax and the same basic subset of options. However, -the @samp{mailutils} version offers a much richer set of -features. + When invoked for the first time, Rmail attempts to locate the +@code{movemail} program and determine its version. There are two +versions of @code{movemail} program: the native one, shipped with GNU +Emacs (the ``emacs version'') and the one included in GNU mailutils +(the ``mailutils version'', @[xref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU +mailutils}). They support the same command line syntax and the same +basic subset of options. However, the @samp{mailutils} version offers +additional features. -The @samp{Emacs version} of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from usual -UNIX mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the POP3 protocol. + The Emacs version of @code{movemail} is able to retrieve mail from +usual UNIX mailbox formats and from remote mailboxes using the POP3 +protocol. -The @samp{Mailutils version} is able to handle a wide set of mailbox + The Mailutils version is able to handle a wide set of mailbox formats, such as plain UNIX mailboxes, @code{maildir} and @code{MH} -mailboxes, etc. It is able to retrieve remote mail using POP3 or IMAP4 -protocol. In the latter case, @code{mailutils movemail} can be -instructed to retrieve mail using a TLS encrypted channel. - -The @samp{Mailutils movemail} accepts mailbox argument in the @acronym{URL} -form. The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found -in @ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a -@acronym{URL} is: +mailboxes, etc. It is able to retrieve remote mail using POP3 or +IMAP4 protocol, and can retrieve mail from them using a TLS encrypted +channel. It also accepts mailbox argument in the @acronym{URL} form. +The detailed description of mailbox @acronym{URL}s can be found in +@ref{URL,,,mailutils,Mailbox URL Formats}. In short, a @acronym{URL} +is: @smallexample @var{proto}://[@var{user}[:@var{password}]@@]@var{host-or-file-name} @@ -1244,55 +1272,26 @@ e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}. @end table -Alternatively, the mailbox may be specified as a file name of the -mailbox to use. This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: + Alternatively, you can specify the file name of the mailbox to use. +This is equivalent to specifying the @samp{file} protocol: @smallexample -/var/spool/mail/user @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/user +/var/spool/mail/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user} @end smallexample @vindex rmail-movemail-program @vindex rmail-movemail-search-path - To determine which version of @code{movemail} is being used, Rmail -examines the value of @code{rmail-movemail-program} variable. If it -is set, its value is used as a full path to the @code{movemail} binary. -Otherwise, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the list of directories -constructed by appending the values of @code{rmail-movemail-search-path} and -@code{exec-path} to @code{exec-directory}. + The variable @code{rmail-movemail-program} controls which version of +@code{movemail} to use. If that is a string, it specifies the +absolute file name of the @code{movemail} executable. If it is +@code{nil}, Rmail searches for @code{movemail} in the directories +listed in @code{rmail-movemail-search-path} and @code{exec-path}, then +in @code{exec-directory}. @node Remote Mailboxes @section Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes @pindex movemail -@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. - - 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. The @code{Emacs movemail} can work with POP if you compile it with the macro