mail \- send and receive mail
is a intelligent mail processing system, which has
a command syntax reminiscent of
with lines replaced by messages.
To send a message to one or more other people,
can be invoked with arguments which are the names of people to
send to. You are then expected to type in your message, followed
by an \s-2EOT\s0 (control\-D) at the beginning of a line.
The section below, labeled
.I "Replying to or originating mail,"
describes some features of
available to help you compose your letter.
is given no arguments and checks your mail out of the
printing out a one line header of each message there.
The current message is initially the first message (numbered 1)
and can be printed using the
command (which can be abbreviated \fBp\fR).
You can move among the messages much as you move between lines in
with the commands `+' and `\-' moving backwards and forwards, and
simple numbers typing the addressed message.
.I "Disposing of mail.\ "
After examining a message you can
program to forget about the message.
This is not irreversible, the message can be
by giving its number, or the
session can be aborted by giving the
Deleted messages will, however, usually disappear never to be seen again.
.I "Specifying messages.\ "
often can be given a list of message numbers as argument to apply
to a number of messages at once.
Thus ``delete 1 2'' deletes messages 1 and 2, while ``delete 1\-5''
deletes messages 1 through 5.
The special name ``*'' addresses all messages, and ``$'' addresses
the last message; thus the command
which prints the first few lines of a message could be used in
``top *'' to print the first few lines of all messages.
.I "Replying to or originating mail.\ "
set up a response to a message, sending it back to the
Text you then type in, up to an end-of-file (or a line consisting only
of a ``.'') defines the contents of
While you are composing a message,
treats lines beginning with the character `~' specially.
For instance, typing ``~m'' (alone on a line) will place a copy
of the current message into the response right shifting it by a tabstop.
Other escapes will set up subject fields, add and delete recipients
to the message and allow you to escape to an editor to revise the
message or to a shell to run some commands. (These options
will be given in the summary below.)
.I "Ending a mail processing session.\ "
Messages which have been examined go to your
file unless they have been deleted in which case they are discarded.
Unexamined messages go back to the post office.
to read in the contents of your
writes undeleted messages back to this file.
.I "Personal and systemwide distribution lists.\ "
It is also possible to create a personal distribution lists so that,
for instance, you can send mail to ``cohorts'' and have it go
Such lists can be defined by placing a line like
alias cohorts bill ozalp sklower jkf mark cory:kridle
in the file \&.mailrc in your home directory.
The current list of such aliases can be displayed by the
System wide distribution lists can be created by editing
these are kept in a slightly different syntax.
In mail you send, personal aliases will be expanded in mail sent
to others so that they will be able to \fBreply\fR to the recipients.
System wide \fIaliases\fR are not expanded when the mail is sent,
but any reply returned to the machine will have the system wide
alias expanded as all mail goes through
/usr/lib/aliases, you must run the program
.I "Network mail (ARPA, UUCP, Berknet)\ "
Mail to sites on the ARPA network and sites within Bell laboratories
can be sent using ``name@site'' for ARPA-net sites or ``machine!user''
for Bell labs sites, provided appropriate gateways are known to the
system. (Be sure to escape the ! in Bell sites when giving it on a
command line by preceding it with an \e.
Machines on an instance of the Berkeley network are addressed as
``machine:user'', e.g. ``csvax:bill''. When addressed from the
arpa-net, ``csvax:bill'' is known as ``csvax.bill@berkeley''.
has a number of options which can be
file to alter its behavior; thus ``set askcc'' enables the ``askcc''
feature. (These options are summarized below.)
(Adapted from the `Mail Reference Manual')
Each command is typed on a line by itself, and may take arguments
following the command word. The command need not be typed in its
entirety \- the first command which matches the typed prefix is used.
For the commands which take message lists as arguments, if no message
list is given, then the next message forward which satisfies the
command's requirements is used. If there are no messages forward of
the current message, the search proceeds backwards, and if there are no
types ``No applicable messages'' and
Goes to the previous message and prints it out. If given a numeric
previous message and prints it.
Prints a brief summary of commands.
Executes the \s-2UNIX\s0 shell command which follows.
(\fBa\fR) With no arguments, prints out all currently-defined aliases. With one
argument, prints out that alias. With more than one argument, adds the
users named in the second and later arguments to the alias named in the
(\fBc\fR) Changes the user's working directory to that specified, if given. If
no directory is given, then changes to the user's login directory.
(\fBd\fR) Takes a list of messages as argument and marks them all as deleted.
Deleted messages will not be saved in
nor will they be available for most other commands.
(also \fBdt\fR) Deletes the current message and prints the next message.
If there is no next message,
(\fBe\fR) Takes a list of messages and points the text editor at each one in
turn. On return from the editor, the message is read back in.
(\fBex\fR or \fBx\fR) Effects an immediate return to the Shell without
modifying the user's system mailbox, his
file, or his edit file in
(\fBf\fR) Takes a list of messages and prints their message headers.
(\fBh\fR) Lists the current range of headers, which is an 18 message group. If
a ``+'' argument is given, then the next 18 message group is printed, and if
a ``\-'' argument is given, the previous 18 message group is printed.
(\fBho\fR, also \fBpreserve\fR) Takes a message list and marks each
message therein to be saved in the
user's system mailbox instead of in
(\fBm\fR) Takes as argument login names and distribution group names and sends
(\fBn\fR like \fB+\fR or CR) Goes to the next message in sequence and types it.
With an argument list, types the next matching message.
(\fBp\fR) Takes a message list and types out each message on the user's
(\fBq\fR) Terminates the session, saving all undeleted, unsaved messages in
file in his login directory, preserving all messages marked with
in his system mailbox, and removing all other messages from his system
mailbox. If new mail has arrived during the session, the message
``You have new mail'' is given. If given while editing a
flag, then the edit file is rewritten. A return to the Shell is
effected, unless the rewrite of edit file fails, in which case the user
(\fBr\fR) Takes a message list and sends mail to each message author just like
command. The default message must not be deleted.
(\fBs\fR) Takes a message list and a filename and appends each message in
turn to the end of the file. The filename in quotes, followed by the line
count and character count is echoed on the user's terminal.
(\fBse\fR) With no arguments, prints all variable values. Otherwise, sets
option. Arguments are of the form
(\fBsh\fR) Invokes an interactive version of the shell.
Takes a message list and prints out the size in characters of each
Takes a message list and prints the top few lines of each. The number of
lines printed is controlled by the variable
Takes a list of names defined by
commands and discards the remembered groups of users. The group names
no longer have any significance.
(\fBu\fR) Takes a message list and marks each one as
Takes a list of option names and discards their remembered values;
(\fBv\fR) Takes a message list and invokes the display editor on each message.
Here is a summary of the tilde escapes,
which are used when composing messages to perform
special functions. Tilde escapes are only recognized at the beginning
is somewhat of a misnomer since the actual escape character can be set
Execute the indicated shell command, then return to the message.
Add the given names to the list of carbon copy recipients.
Read the file ``dead.letter'' from your home directory into the message.
Invoke the text editor on the message collected so far. After the
editing session is finished, you may continue appending text to the
Edit the message header fields by typing each one in turn and allowing
the user to append text to the end or modify the field by using the
current terminal erase and kill characters.
Read the named messages into the message being sent, shifted right one
tab. If no messages are specified, read the current message.
Print out the message collected so far, prefaced by the message header
Abort the message being sent, copying the message to
in your home directory if
Read the named file into the message.
Cause the named string to become the current subject field.
Add the given names to the direct recipient list.
Invoke an alternate editor (defined by the VISUAL option) on the
message collected so far. Usually, the alternate editor will be a
screen editor. After you quit the editor, you may resume appending
text to the end of your message.
Write the message onto the named file.
Pipe the message through the command as a filter. If the command gives
no output or terminates abnormally, retain the original text of the
to rejustify the message.
Insert the string of text in the message prefaced by a single ~. If
you have changed the escape character, then you should double
that character in order to send it.
Options are controlled via the
commands. Options may be either binary, in which case it is only
significant to see whether they are set or not, or string, in which
case the actual value is of interest.
The binary options include the following:
to be appended to the end rather than prepended.
to prompt you for the subject of each message you send. If
you respond with simply a newline, no subject field will be sent.
Causes you to be prompted for additional carbon copy recipients at the
end of each message. Responding with a newline indicates your
satisfaction with the current list.
\- thus, after deleting a message, the next one will be typed
Causes interrupt signals from your terminal to be ignored and echoed as
Usually, when a group is expanded that contains the sender, the sender
is removed from the expansion. Setting this option causes the sender
to be included in the group.
Suppresses the printing of the version when first invoked.
Causes the message collected prior to a interrupt to be saved on
in your home directory on receipt of two interrupts (or after a \fB~q\fR.)
The following options have string values:
Pathname of the text editor to use in the
command and ~e escape. If not defined, then a default editor is used.
Pathname of the shell to use in the
command and the ~! escape. A default shell is used if this option is
Pathname of the text editor to use in the
If defined, the first character of this option gives the character to
use in the place of ~ to denote escapes.
If defined, gives the pathname of the file used to record all outgoing
mail. If not defined, then outgoing mail is not so saved.
If defined, gives the number of lines of a message to be printed out
command; normally, the first five lines are printed.
/usr/spool/mail/* post office
~/.mailrc file giving initial mail commands
/tmp/R# temporary for editor escape
/usr/lib/Mail.help* help files
/usr/lib/Mail.rc system initialization file
/bin/mail to do actual mailing
binmail(1), fmt(1), newaliases(1), aliases(5), delivermail(8)
`The Mail Reference Manual'