tools/perl-5.8.0/doc/MHonArc/resources/mimealtprefs.html

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<title>MHonArc Resources: MIMEALTPREFS</title>
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<h1>MIMEALTPREFS</h1>

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<h2>Syntax</h2>

<dl>

<dt><strong>Envariable</strong></dt>
<dd><p>N/A
</p>
</dd>

<dt><strong>Element</strong></dt>
<dd><p>
<code>&lt;MIMEALTPREFS&gt;</code><br>
<var>content-type</var><br>
<var>content-type</var><br>
...<br>
<code>&lt;/MIMEALTPREFS&gt;</code><br>
</p>
</dd>

<dt><strong>Command-line Option</strong></dt>
<dd><p>N/A
</p>
</dd>

</dl>

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<h2>Description</h2>

<p>MIMEALTPREFS allows you to specify media-type preferences
for <tt>multipart/alternative</tt> data, overriding the default
preferences as specified in mail messages.
</p>

<p>When a <tt>multipart/alternative</tt> entity is processed,
the last filterable media-type is normally used.  However, it is sometimes
desirable to override this behavior for certain media-types.  For example,
it has become more common for many MUAs to generate the following
message structures:
</p>
<pre>
  multipart/alternative
    text/plain
    text/html</pre>

<p>A message with HTML, and a plain text equivalent for those receiving
MUAs who may not be able to render HTML in email.  When MHonArc processes
such a message, MHonArc will use the <tt>text/html</tt> part since it
is filterable and comes after <tt>text/plain</tt>.
</p>

<p>There are some who would like to have nothing to do with HTML in
email.  Or, due to security concerns, would prefer to not minimize the
amount of HTML from email in their archives.  With MIMEALTPREFS, you
can tell MHonArc to prefer the <tt>text/plain</tt> over the <tt>text/html</tt>
part with the following setting:
</p>
<pre>
<b>&lt;MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
text/plain
text/html
<b>&lt;/MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
</pre>

<p>Media-types listed in MIMEALTPREFS are from most prefered to least
prefered.
</p>

<p>Note, MIMEALTPREFS augments the normal processing of
<tt>multipart/alternative</tt> entities.  For example, say the following
message entity structure exists,
</p>
<pre>
  multipart/alternative
    text/plain
    text/enriched
    text/html</pre>
<p>and we are using the MIMEALTPREFS setting,
</p>
<pre>
<b>&lt;MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
text/plain
text/html
<b>&lt;/MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
</pre>

<p>So which entity will MHonArc actually use?  In this case,
the <tt>text/enriched</tt> part will be used.  The reason is that
the <tt>text/html</tt> will be excluded since there does exist a
<tt>text/plain</tt> alternative entity.  However, MHonArc still
tries to use the last filterable alternative part, which in this
case is <tt>text/enriched</tt>.
</p>

<p>In order to have <tt>text/plain</tt> chosen, the following
MIMEALTPREFS setting would be needed,
</p>
<pre>
<b>&lt;MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
text/plain
text/enriched
text/html
<b>&lt;/MIMEAltPrefs&gt;</b>
</pre>
<p>This says that <tt>text/enriched</tt> is preferred over
<tt>text/html</tt>.  And <tt>text/plain</tt> is preferred over
<tt>text/enriched</tt> and <tt>text/html</tt>.
</p>

<table border=0 cellpadding=4>
<tr valign=top>
<td><strong>NOTE</strong></td>
<td><p>Each time <tt>&lt;MIMEALTPREFS&gt;</tt> occurs in a resource file,
the last encountered setting will override any previous values.  Therefore,
specifying the <tt>override</tt> attribute is redundant.
</p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>

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<h2>Default Setting</h2>

<p>Nil
</p>

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<h2>Resource Variables</h2>

<p>N/A
</p>

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<h2>Examples</h2>

<p>None.
</p>

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<h2>Version</h2>

<p>2.5.8
</p>

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<h2>See Also</h2>

<p>
<a href="mimeexcs.html">MIMEEXCS</a>
</p>

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<address>
$Date: 2002/07/27 05:13:10 $<br>
<img align="top" src="../monicon.png" alt="">
<a href="http://www.mhonarc.org/"><strong>MHonArc</strong></a><br>
Copyright &#169; 2002, <a href="http://www.earlhood.com/"
>Earl Hood</a>, <a href="mailto:mhonarc@mhonarc.org"
>mhonarc@mhonarc.org</a><br>
</address>

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