changeset 84264:ff351a74ca78

Move here from ../../man
author Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
date Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:48:21 +0000
parents 0b7aaecae7c7
children f4f8dd5f8455
files doc/emacs/rmail.texi
diffstat 1 files changed, 1430 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-) [+]
line wrap: on
line diff
--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/doc/emacs/rmail.texi	Thu Sep 06 04:48:21 2007 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,1430 @@
+@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
+@c Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002,
+@c   2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 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
+which use a special format.  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.
+@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.
+* Coding: Rmail Coding.      How Rmail handles decoding character sets.
+* 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::                 More details of fetching new mail.
+* Remote Mailboxes::         Retrieving Mail from Remote Mailboxes.
+* Other Mailbox Formats::    Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in
+                             Various Formats
+@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
+identified by consecutive integers which are 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-expunge-and-save
+  Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file
+become permanent only when you save the file.  You can save it with
+@kbd{s} (@code{rmail-expunge-and-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, then buries the Rmail buffer as well as its
+summary buffer, if present (@pxref{Rmail Summary}).  But there is no
+need to ``exit'' formally.  If you switch from Rmail to editing in
+other buffers, and never switch back, you have exited.  Just make sure
+to save the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have
+changed).  @kbd{C-x s} is a suitable way to do this (@pxref{Save
+Commands}).  The Rmail command @kbd{b}, @code{rmail-bury}, buries the
+Rmail buffer and its summary buffer without expunging and saving the
+Rmail file.
+
+@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.
+
+@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}).
+@item /
+Scroll to end of message (@code{rmail-end-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)}
+@kindex / @r{(Rmail)}
+@findex rmail-beginning-of-message
+@findex rmail-end-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.  Similarly,
+the command @kbd{/} (@code{rmail-end-of-message}) scrolls forward to the end
+of the selected message.
+
+@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 re-examine 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.
+
+  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.  @kbd{d} with a numeric argument is
+equivalent to @kbd{C-d}.
+
+@vindex rmail-delete-message-hook
+  Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it runs the hook
+@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
+
+  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
+  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 @env{MAIL}
+environment variable, or, as a last resort, set to @code{nil}, which
+means to use the default inbox.  The default inbox file depends on
+your operating system; often it is @file{/var/mail/@var{username}},
+@file{/usr/spool/mail/@var{username}}, or
+@file{/usr/mail/@var{username}}.
+
+  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 when 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
+clears out 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 does not clear out the inbox file when it gets new mail.  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
+
+  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 can 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, but it is easier to type @kbd{C-u M-x rmail}, which does the
+same thing.
+
+  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.  In 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 you specify a list of inboxes in an Rmail file,
+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 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.
+
+  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.
+In 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 with @kbd{o} or @kbd{C-o} 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.  @kbd{w}
+gives it the @samp{stored} attribute.  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},
+@kbd{C-o} and @kbd{w} 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}.
+@ifnottex
+(@xref{Rmail Attributes}.)
+@end ifnottex
+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 l @var{labels} @key{RET}
+@itemx 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.
+
+  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 Rmail assigns them to 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
+@kbd{o} and @kbd{C-o} file output commands (@pxref{Rmail Output}).
+@item stored
+Assigned by the @kbd{w} file output command (@pxref{Rmail Output}).
+@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 users, 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}---also work normally in Rmail mode.
+
+@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}, @samp{In-reply-to} and
+@samp{References} 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}.
+This means to reply only to the sender of the original message.
+
+  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 what you want.  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
+also 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.
+
+@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.
+
+@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.
+
+@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{Cancel} 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 and date, the sender, the line count, the labels, and
+the subject.  Moving point in the summary buffer selects messages as
+you move to their summary lines.  Almost all Rmail commands are valid
+in the summary buffer also; when used there, they apply to the message
+described by the current line of the summary.
+
+  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}).
+@item C-M-s @var{regexp}
+Summarize messages whose headers and the subject line match the
+specified regular expression @var{regexp}
+(@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp}).
+@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.
+
+@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.
+
+@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}.
+
+@kindex C-M-s @r{(Rmail)}
+@findex rmail-summary-by-regexp
+  @kbd{C-M-s @var{regexp} @key{RET}} (@code{rmail-summary-by-regexp})
+makes a partial summary which mentions only the messages whose headers
+(including the date and the subject lines) match the regular
+expression @var{regexp}.
+
+  Note that there is only one summary buffer for any Rmail file;
+making any kind of summary discards any previous 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.  (However, in the
+summary buffer, a numeric argument to @kbd{d}, @kbd{C-d} and @kbd{u}
+serves as a repeat count.  A negative argument reverses the meaning of
+@kbd{d} and @kbd{C-d}.)  @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 j
+@itemx @key{RET}
+Select the message on the current line (ensuring that the RMAIL buffer
+appears on the screen).  With argument @var{n}, select message number
+@var{n} and move to its line in the summary buffer; this signals an
+error if the message is not listed in the summary buffer.
+@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
+@vindex rmail-nonignored-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.  However, the variable
+@code{rmail-nonignored-headers} provides a further override: a header
+matching that regular expression is shown even if it matches
+@code{rmail-ignored-headers} too.
+
+@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, which shows only the interesting headers according to the
+current values of those variable.  Selecting the message again also
+reformats it if necessary.
+
+  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 the terminal supports multiple fonts or colors, 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 by setting the variable
+@code{rmail-highlight-face} to a suitable face.  To turn off
+highlighting entirely in Rmail, set @code{rmail-highlighted-headers}
+to @code{nil}.
+
+  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 @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
+
+@cindex decoding mail messages (Rmail)
+  Rmail automatically decodes messages which contain non-@acronym{ASCII}
+characters, just as Emacs does with files you visit and with subprocess
+output.  Rmail uses the standard @samp{charset=@var{charset}} header in
+the message, if any, to determine how the message was encoded by the
+sender.  It maps @var{charset} into the corresponding Emacs coding
+system (@pxref{Coding Systems}), and uses that coding system to decode
+message text.  If the message header doesn't have the @samp{charset}
+specification, or if @var{charset} is not recognized,
+Rmail chooses the coding system with the usual Emacs heuristics and
+defaults (@pxref{Recognize Coding}).
+
+@cindex fixing incorrectly decoded mail messages
+  Occasionally, a message is decoded incorrectly, either because Emacs
+guessed the wrong coding system in the absence of the @samp{charset}
+specification, or because the specification was inaccurate.  For
+example, a misconfigured mailer could send a message with a
+@samp{charset=iso-8859-1} header when the message is actually encoded
+in @code{koi8-r}.  When you see the message text garbled, or some of
+its characters displayed as empty boxes, this may have happened.
+
+@findex rmail-redecode-body
+  You can correct the problem by decoding the message again using the
+right coding system, if you can figure out or guess which one is
+right.  To do this, invoke the @kbd{M-x rmail-redecode-body} command.
+It reads the name of a coding system, encodes the message body using
+whichever coding system was used to decode it before, then redecodes
+it using the coding system you specified.  If you specified the right
+coding system, the result should be readable.
+
+  Decoding and encoding using the wrong coding system is lossless for
+most encodings, in particular with 8-bit encodings such as iso-8859 or
+koi8.  So, if the initial attempt to redecode the message didn't
+result in a legible text, you can try other coding systems until you
+succeed.
+
+  With some coding systems, notably those from the iso-2022 family,
+information can be lost in decoding, so that encoding the message
+again won't bring back the original incoming text.  In such a case,
+@code{rmail-redecode-body} cannot work.  However, the problems that
+call for use of @code{rmail-redecode-body} rarely occur with those
+coding systems.  So in practice the command works when you need it.
+
+@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 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
+@cindex Babyl format to Inbox format
+@cindex converting Rmail file to mailbox format
+
+@findex unrmail
+  The command @kbd{M-x unrmail} converts a file in Rmail format to inbox
+format (also known as the system mailbox, or mbox, 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.
+
+@pindex b2m
+  @kbd{M-x unrmail} is useful if you can run Emacs on the machine
+where the Rmail file resides, or can access the Rmail file remotely
+(@pxref{Remote Files}) from a machine where Emacs is installed.  If
+accessing Rmail files from Emacs is impossible, you can use the
+@command{b2m} program instead.  @command{b2m} is part of the Emacs
+distribution, it is installed into the same directory where all the
+other auxiliary programs (@command{etags} etc.) are installed, and its
+source is available in the Emacs source distribution, so that you
+could copy the source to the target machine and compile it there.
+
+  To convert a file @file{@var{babyl-file}} into @file{@var{mbox-file}},
+invoke @command{b2m} like this:
+
+@example
+ b2m < @var{babyl-file} > @var{mbox-file}
+@end example
+
+@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
+seeing the real text of the message.
+
+@findex rot13-other-window
+  To view a buffer which uses 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} program
+@cindex @code{movemail} program
+
+  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,'' @pxref{movemail,,,mailutils,GNU
+mailutils}).  They support the same command line syntax and the same
+basic subset of options.  However, the Mailutils version offers
+additional features.
+
+  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 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, 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}
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+where square brackets denote optional elements.
+
+@table @var
+@item proto
+Specifies the @dfn{mailbox protocol}, or @dfn{format} to
+use.  The exact semantics of the rest of @acronym{URL} elements depends
+on the actual value of @var{proto} (see below).
+
+@item user
+User name to access the remote mailbox.
+
+@item password
+User password to access the remote mailbox.
+
+@item host-or-file-name
+Hostname of the remote server for remote mailboxes or file name of a
+local mailbox.
+@end table
+
+@noindent
+@var{Proto} can be one of:
+
+@table @code
+@item mbox
+Usual UNIX mailbox format.  In this case, neither @var{user} nor
+@var{pass} are used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the file name of
+the mailbox file, e.g., @code{mbox://var/spool/mail/smith}.
+
+@item mh
+A local mailbox in the @acronym{MH} format.  @var{User} and
+@var{pass} are not used.  @var{Host-or-file-name} denotes the name of
+@acronym{MH} folder, e.g., @code{mh://Mail/inbox}.
+
+@item maildir
+A local mailbox in the @acronym{maildir} format.  @var{User} and
+@var{pass} are not used, and @var{host-or-file-name} denotes the name of
+@code{maildir} mailbox, e.g., @code{maildir://mail/inbox}.
+
+@item file
+Any local mailbox format.  Its actual format is detected automatically
+by @code{movemail}.
+
+@item pop
+A remote mailbox to be accessed via POP3 protocol.  @var{User}
+specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to
+specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP
+address of the remote mail server to connect to; e.g.,
+@code{pop://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}.
+
+@item imap
+A remote mailbox to be accessed via IMAP4 protocol.  @var{User}
+specifies the remote user name to use, @var{pass} may be used to
+specify the user password, @var{host-or-file-name} is the name or IP
+address of the remote mail server to connect to;
+e.g., @code{imap://smith:guessme@@remote.server.net}.
+@end table
+
+  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/@var{user} @equiv{} file://var/spool/mail/@var{user}
+@end smallexample
+
+@vindex rmail-movemail-program
+@vindex rmail-movemail-search-path
+  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
+
+  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
+@code{MAIL_USE_POP} defined.  (You can achieve that by specifying
+@samp{--with-pop} when you run @code{configure} during the
+installation of Emacs.)
+
+The Mailutils @code{movemail} by default supports POP, unless it was
+configured with @samp{--disable-pop} option.
+
+Both versions of @code{movemail} only work with POP3, not with older
+versions of POP.
+
+@cindex @env{MAILHOST} environment variable
+@cindex POP mailboxes
+  No matter which flavor of @code{movemail} you use, you can specify
+POP inbox by using POP @dfn{URL} (@pxref{Movemail}).  A POP
+@acronym{URL} is a ``file name'' of the form
+@samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}, where
+@var{hostname} is the host name or IP address of the remote mail
+server and @var{username} is the user name on that server.
+Additionally, you may specify the password in the mailbox @acronym{URL}:
+@samp{pop://@var{username}:@var{password}@@@var{hostname}}.  In this
+case, @var{password} takes preference over the one set by
+@code{rmail-remote-password}.  This is especially useful if you have
+several remote mailboxes with different passwords.
+
+  For backward compatibility, Rmail also supports two alternative ways
+of specifying remote POP mailboxes.  First, specifying an inbox name
+in the form @samp{po:@var{username}:@var{hostname}} is equivalent to
+@samp{pop://@var{username}@@@var{hostname}}.  Alternatively, you may
+set a ``file name'' of @samp{po:@var{username}} in the inbox list of
+an Rmail file.  @code{movemail} will handle such a name by opening a
+connection to the POP server.  In this case, the @env{MAILHOST}
+environment variable specifies the machine on which to look for the
+POP server.
+
+@cindex IMAP mailboxes
+  Another method for accessing remote mailboxes is IMAP.  This method is
+supported only by the Mailutils @code{movemail}.  To specify an IMAP
+mailbox in the inbox list, use the following mailbox @acronym{URL}:
+@samp{imap://@var{username}[:@var{password}]@@@var{hostname}}.  The
+@var{password} part is optional, as described above.
+
+@vindex rmail-remote-password
+@vindex rmail-remote-password-required
+@vindex rmail-pop-password
+@vindex rmail-pop-password-required
+  Accessing a remote mailbox may require a password.  Rmail uses the
+following algorithm to retrieve it:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+If the @var{password} is present in mailbox URL (see above), it is
+used.
+@item
+If the variable @code{rmail-remote-password} is non-@code{nil}, its
+value is used.
+@item
+Otherwise, if @code{rmail-remote-password-required} is non-@code{nil},
+then Rmail will ask you for the password to use.
+@item
+Otherwise, Rmail assumes no password is required.
+@end enumerate
+
+  For compatibility with previous versions, the variables
+@code{rmail-pop-password} and @code{rmail-pop-password-required} may
+be used instead of @code{rmail-remote-password} and
+@code{rmail-remote-password-required}.
+
+@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 reverse order in POP inboxes
+  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}.
+
+@cindex TLS encryption (Rmail)
+  Mailutils @code{movemail} supports TLS encryption.  If you wish to
+use it, add the @samp{--tls} flag to @code{rmail-movemail-flags}.
+
+@node Other Mailbox Formats
+@section Retrieving Mail from Local Mailboxes in Various Formats
+
+  If your incoming mail is stored on a local machine in a format other
+than UNIX mailbox, you will need the Mailutils @code{movemail} to
+retrieve it.  @xref{Movemail}, for the detailed description of
+@code{movemail} versions.  For example, to access mail from a inbox in
+@code{maildir} format located in @file{/var/spool/mail/in}, you would
+include the following in the Rmail inbox list:
+
+@smallexample
+maildir://var/spool/mail/in
+@end smallexample
+
+@ignore
+   arch-tag: 034965f6-38df-47a2-a9f1-b8bc8ab37e23
+@end ignore