mail(C) commands

mail(C) commands

This appendix summarizes the commonly used commands and variables recognized by mail(C) as discussed in ``Using e-mail''.

Starting mail

Command Description

mail invoke mail program

mail -e test for presence of mail; exit if none

mail -f myfolder read messages from a mail folder

mail -s "report" joe < status send file to another person

Command	Description
mail	invoke mail program
mail -e	test for presence of mail; exit if none
mail -f myfolder	read messages from a mail folder
mail -s "report" joe < status	send file to another person

Commands available at the mail prompt

Command Abbreviation Description

! ! execute UNIX system command

alias a create personal mailing list

Alias A find out who belongs to a mailing list

delete d delete message(s)

dp dp delete current message and print the next

edit e edit existing message

exit x exit mail without updating the folder

folder fold switch folders

forward fo forward message (indented) to another person

Forward F forward message (not indented)

headers h display headers of messages in the mailbox

help hel display usage of available commands

hold ho keep messages in system mailbox

list l display available commands

lpr lp send messages to the printer

mail m create message

print p display non-deleted messages

quit q update folder and quit mail

reply r send reply to author only

Reply R send reply to everyone in ``To'' list

save s save message(s) to folder

set se set mail variable

shell sh start subshell

undelete u restore deleted message(s)

unset uns unset mail variable

visual v edit existing message using vi

write w write message(s) to file

Command	Abbreviation	Description
!	!	execute UNIX system command
alias	a	create personal mailing list
Alias	A	find out who belongs to a mailing list
delete	d	delete message(s)
dp	dp	delete current message and print the next
edit	e	edit existing message
exit	x	exit mail without updating the folder
folder	fold	switch folders
forward	fo	forward message (indented) to another person
Forward	F	forward message (not indented)
headers	h	display headers of messages in the mailbox
help	hel	display usage of available commands
hold	ho	keep messages in system mailbox
list	l	display available commands
lpr	lp	send messages to the printer
mail	m	create message
print	p	display non-deleted messages
quit	q	update folder and quit mail
reply	r	send reply to author only
Reply	R	send reply to everyone in ``To'' list
save	s	save message(s) to folder
set	se	set mail variable
shell	sh	start subshell
undelete	u	restore deleted message(s)
unset	uns	unset mail variable
visual	v	edit existing message using vi
write	w	write message(s) to file

Commands available while composing a message

Command Description

~! execute a shell command

~? list commands

~a include your signature

~b change ``Bcc'' list

~c change ``Cc'' list

~d read in dead.letter file

~h change header

~m number read in a message (indented)

~M number read in a message (not indented)

~q abort current message (saved as dead.letter)

~r filename read in a file

~s change ``Subject''

~t add names to ``To'' list

~v edit message using vi

Command	Description
~!	execute a shell command
~?	list commands
~a	include your signature
~b	change ``Bcc'' list
~c	change ``Cc'' list
~d	read in dead.letter file
~h	change header
~m *number*	read in a message (indented)
~M *number*	read in a message (not indented)
~q	abort current message (saved as dead.letter)
~r *filename*	read in a file
~s	change ``Subject''
~t	add names to ``To'' list
~v	edit message using vi

Variables used with the set command

Variable Description

askcc prompt for carbon copy recipients

asksub prompt for ``Subject'' line

chron show message headers in chronological order, most recent last

mchron show message headers in reverse chronological order, most recent first

dot ``.'' at start of line means end-of-file

folder="myfolder" directory myfolder holds your mail folders

hold keep messages in system mailbox when you quit

crt=22 page 22 lines at a time

PAGER=/usr/bin/page display messages using page

prompt="mail: " change prompt to ``mail: ''

quiet stop mail displaying its starting message

screen=10 display 10 headers at a time

sign="That's all, folks" assign your signature, included using ~a

VISUAL=/usr/bin/vedit edit messages using vedit

Variable	Description
askcc	prompt for carbon copy recipients
asksub	prompt for ``Subject'' line
chron	show message headers in chronological order, most recent last
mchron	show message headers in reverse chronological order, most recent first
dot	``.'' at start of line means end-of-file
folder="myfolder"	directory myfolder holds your mail folders
hold	keep messages in system mailbox when you quit
crt=22	page 22 lines at a time
PAGER=/usr/bin/page	display messages using page
prompt="mail: "	change prompt to ``mail: ''
quiet	stop mail displaying its starting message
screen=10	display 10 headers at a time
sign="That's all, folks"	assign your signature, included using ~a
VISUAL=/usr/bin/vedit	edit messages using vedit