COMP

NAME

comp − compose a message

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION

Comp is used to create a new message to be mailed. It copies a message form to the draft being composed and then invokes an editor on the draft (unless −noedit is given, in which case the initial edit is suppressed).

The default message form contains the following elements:

To:
cc:
Fcc: +outbox
Subject:
--------

If a file named “components” exists in the user’s nmh directory, it will be used instead of this form. You may specify an alternate forms file with the switch −form formfile.

You may also start comp using the contents of an existing message as the form. If you supply either a +folder or msg argument, that message will be used as the message form. You may not supply both a −form formfile and a +folder or msg argument. The line of dashes or a blank line must be left between the header and the body of the message for the message to be identified properly when it is sent (see send(1)).

The switch −use directs comp to continue editing an already started message. That is, if a comp (or dist, repl, or forw) is terminated without sending the draft, the draft can be edited again via “comp −use”.

The −file file switch says to use the named file as the message draft.

If the draft already exists, comp will ask you as to the disposition of the draft. A reply of quit will abort comp, leaving the draft intact; replace will replace the existing draft with the appropriate form; list will display the draft; use will use the draft for further composition; and refile +folder will file the draft in the given folder, and give you a new draft with the appropriate form. (The +folder argument to refile is required.)

The −draftfolder +folder and −draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.

The −editor editor switch indicates the editor to use for the initial edit. Upon exiting from the editor, comp will invoke the whatnow program. See whatnow(1) for a discussion of available options. The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the −nowhatnowproc switch. (In truth of fact, it is the whatnow program which starts the initial edit. Hence, −nowhatnowproc will prevent any edit from occurring.)

FILES

/etc/nmh/components The standard message skeleton
or <mh−dir>/components Rather than the standard skeleton
$HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
<mh−dir>/draft The draft file

PROFILE COMPONENTS

Path: To determine the user’s nmh directory
Draft−Folder: To find the default draft−folder
Editor: To override the default editor
Msg−Protect: To set mode when creating a new message (draft)
fileproc: Program to refile the message
whatnowproc: Program to ask the “What now?” questions

SEE ALSO

dist(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh-profile(5)

DEFAULTS

‘+folder’ defaults to the current folder
‘msg’ defaults to the current message
‘−nodraftfolder’
‘−nouse’

CONTEXT

None

BUGS

If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp uses a built−in whatnow, it does not actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don’t call it whatnow since comp won’t run it.