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DMAIL(1) DMAIL(1)
NAME
dmail - an original mail like interface for mail
SYNOPSIS
dmail -v -O -f [fromfile] -o [tofile] -l rcfile -L -F field -F field...
dmail user user user user...
GENERAL
Dmail is a program which hopefully simplifies the reading and organiza-
tion of your mail. It was designed to overcome serveral gripes I have
over other mailers. Dmail uses the /usr/spool format for any folders
you create. To simply matters even more, it was partially modeled on
standard Mail in terms of writing to your 'mbox' and getting items from
your 'spool', at least as default parameters. About the only other
similarity between the two programs is in the 'type', 'quit', and
'exit' commands of dmail. Dmail keeps multiple messages per file,
fully compatible with standard mail (thus folders are files rather than
directories).
Dmail is not a glorified Mail, however. Though most other mailers have
folders, you are usually required to read your mail in the order it
comes in. For somebody who is on three high-volume mailing lists, it
can be rather difficult. Dmail provides a mechanism in which you can
separate your mail by any partial string in any Field without having to
create a folder. The select command is usually instantanious, and with
aliases, you can switch between mailing lists, personal mail, or any-
thing you wish at a keystroke. Whenever you select on something, you
get a reduced list (as if the other messages didn't exist), and may
execute such things as 'delete all' on it without effecting other mail.
It serves to allow you to read each mailing list (or whatever) one at a
time.
Mail-headers are a problem for many people, especially those logging in
over 300 or 1200 baud lines. In many cases, the header is larger than
the message; in any case, they can be a nuisances. Dmail will not
print any fields you do not want printed. This seems to be a better
mechanism than Mail, which allows you to exclude certain headers. In
dmail, you specify what to include. To see the entire header, you use
the header command from dmail.
Apart from that, dmail gives you set variables, aliases, folder's, and
is generally faster than other mail programs.
OPTIONS
Dmail may be executed with several options, putting it in one of two
modes. Firstly, when executed with a user-name list, dmail will put
you into the editor setting up the To: field properly and allowing you
to enter a letter which would then be sent off. Secondly, if no user-
list is given, dmail will attempt to read mail from your spool file (or
from file), and put you into command mode. If the mail file is empty
or does not exist, you will be told that you have no mail, and control
will be returned to your shell. The editor is specified by the enviro-
ment variable VISUAL (Default vi).
dmail -O -v -f [fromfile] -o [tofile] -l rcfile -L -F [field] -F
[field]...
-O places dmail in interactive mode, even if there is no mail to
read.
-v Places sendmail in verbose mode when you mail, reply, or forward
a message. (sets the verbose variable)
-f Specify where mail should be taken from. The default is
/usr/spool/mail/$USER. This option without a filename specifies
that mail should be taken from $HOME/mbox. Otherwise, the spec-
ified filename becomes the fromfile. This means that by speci-
fying just the -f option and not the -o option will cause both
the infile and outfile to be $HOME/mbox
-o Specify where 'read' mail will be written out to. The default
is $HOME/mbox. This option without a filename specifies that
the mail should be placed in $HOME/.mbox . Otherwise, the spec-
ified filename becomes the outfile. Additionally, if both -f
and -o are specified without filenames, both the fromfile and
the outfile will be set to $HOME/.mbox
-l Specify the RC file (default is $HOME/.dmailrc). The RC file
consists of a list of dmail commands, as if they were typed in.
-L Disables sourcing of any RC files
-F This option tells dmail to include the given field on initial
mail load. Normally, only the From:, To:, and Subject: fields
are initially loaded. When you specify other fields, dmail must
scan your fromfile again. When you have large amounts of mail
(+50000 bytes), this can take a couple of seconds. The -F
option allows you to specify a field to be loaded in addition to
the defaults listed above. You may specify multiple -F field
options. This is only a convenience feature, normally you don't
have to worry about it. Some people, however, have spool files
of several hundred thousand bytes and would use this option to
prevent delays later on.
INTERRUPTS
dmail handles the INTR character. You may use it to break out of list-
ings, types, or anything else without worry of destroying something.
COMMAND OVERVIEW
The basic commands for dmail are as follows (There are, of course, many
commands, these are just a few): list type header delete next select
quit exit alias unalias set unset and mail
You may abbrieviate any command you wish. It is suggested that you do
not abbreviate commands in your rc file (default .dmailrc), as any new
commands added in later versions may change something. Using full com-
mand names in your rc file will keep things compatible.
For many commands (e.g. delete), you may specify a message list. You
can give numerical ranges (1-4 6-9), number lists (1 2 3 6), or any of
several reserved words, such as 'all'. See 'help keywords' from dmail
for a complete list. All lists apply only to the currently selected
messages.
list displays parts of the headers of messages, one message per line,
for all messages currently selected. You can set the output format
with the setlist command.
type prints the message text of a message. By the way, only header
fields specified by the setlist command will be printed (default- From:
To: Subject:), which is useful.
header prints out the entire header of a message.
delete deletes a message or message list (you can say 'delete all' to
delete all messages currently selected).
next goes to the next message and type's or header's it, depending on
what last was done (type or header).
select selects what you want to look at. You can say 'select all', to
select all the messages, or selects of the form:
select Field match match match , Field match match ....
where Field is From:, To:, or any field you wish (you can abbreviate
the fields.... Fro To, etc...). match is a string which you are
attempting to match in the Field. If a match is found, that message
will become selected. Thus, you can select all your personal mail
with:
select Cc myname , To myname
Use the on-line help for more information on the select or any other
command.
quit from dmail please. Any unread messages stay in your spool (or
fromfile), any read messages are placed in your mail-box, any deleted
messages are deleted.
exit from dmail please. Nothing is written or altered, exit without
changing anything. alias is used to alias commands to other commands,
or command sequences. For instance, you can alias 'me' to select all
personal mail:
alias me "select Cc myname , To myname"
you can alias a sequence of commands:
alias q "select all ; pre all ; quit"
The above would unread any read mail and quit (therefore, any mail not
deleted will end up staying in your spool file). You can also unalias
aliases.
set a variable to a string. You can also unset a variable. Several
variables have special meaning, use help set from dmail for a full
explanation.
mail and reply may be used to mail out or reply to messages.
FILES
.dmailrc In your home directory or whatever directory
you specify
dmail.help dmail help file (external version only)
/tmp/dmtXXXX temporary vi file
# copy of message you are current replying to
BUGS
Please send bug reports to:
dillon@backplane.com
3rd Berkeley Distribution 20 February 1986 DMAIL(1)