SGI Freeware 1999 August/SGI Freeware 1999 August.iso/dist/fw_emacs.idb/usr/freeware/info/emacs-15.z/emacs-15

GNU Info File | 1998-10-28 | 48.8 KB | 1,141 lines

This is Info file ../info/emacs, produced by Makeinfo-1.63 from the
input file emacs.texi.


File: emacs,  Node: Dabbrev Customization,  Prev: Dynamic Abbrevs,  Up: Abbrevs

Customizing Dynamic Abbreviation
================================

   Normally, dynamic abbrev expansion ignores case when searching for
expansions.  That is, the expansion need not agree in case with the word
you are expanding.  If you set `dabbrev-case-fold-search' to `nil',
then the word and the expansion must match in case.

   The value of `dabbrev-case-fold-search' may be any expression.
Dynamic abbrev expansion evaluates that expression, and ignores case
while searching if its value is not `nil'.  The default value of
`dabbrev-case-fold-search' is `case-fold-search', so normally the value
of `case-fold-search' controls the decision.  The reason why dynamic
abbrev expansion normally ignores case when searching for expansions is
that normally the value of `case-fold-search' is `t'.

   Normally, dynamic abbrev expansion preserves the case pattern *of
the word you are expanding*, by converting the expansion to that case
pattern.  If you set `dabbrev-case-replace' to `nil', the expansion is
copied without conversion.

   The variables `dabbrev-case-fold-search' and `dabbrev-case-replace'
are handled in a special way.  Their values are actually Lisp
expressions which are evaluated each time a decision needs to be made.
If the expression's value is non-`nil', then case is ignored in
searching, or converted on replacement, respectively.  If the
expression's value is `nil', case is not ignored or not converted.  The
default values let the variables `case-fold-search' (*note Search
Case::.) and `case-replace' (*note Replacement and Case::.) control
what to do.

   The variable `dabbrev-abbrev-char-regexp', if non-`nil', controls
which characters are considered part of a word, for dynamic expansion
purposes.  The regular expression must match just one character, never
two or more.  The same regular expression also determines which
characters are part of an expansion.  The value `nil' has a special
meaning: abbreviations are made of word characters, but expansions are
made of word and symbol characters.

   In shell scripts and makefiles, a variable name is sometimes prefixed
with `$' and sometimes not.  Major modes for this kind of text can
customize dynamic abbreviation to handle optional prefixes by setting
the variable `dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp'.  Its value should be
a regular expression that matches the optional prefix that dynamic
abbreviation should ignore.


File: emacs,  Node: Picture,  Next: Sending Mail,  Prev: Abbrevs,  Up: Top

Editing Pictures
****************

   To edit a picture made out of text characters (for example, a picture
of the division of a register into fields, as a comment in a program),
use the command `M-x edit-picture' to enter Picture mode.

   In Picture mode, editing is based on the "quarter-plane" model of
text, according to which the text characters lie studded on an area that
stretches infinitely far to the right and downward.  The concept of the
end of a line does not exist in this model; the most you can say is
where the last nonblank character on the line is found.

   Of course, Emacs really always considers text as a sequence of
characters, and lines really do have ends.  But Picture mode replaces
the most frequently-used commands with variants that simulate the
quarter-plane model of text.  They do this by inserting spaces or by
converting tabs to spaces.

   Most of the basic editing commands of Emacs are redefined by Picture
mode to do essentially the same thing but in a quarter-plane way.  In
addition, Picture mode defines various keys starting with the `C-c'
prefix to run special picture editing commands.

   One of these keys, `C-c C-c', is pretty important.  Often a picture
is part of a larger file that is usually edited in some other major
mode.  `M-x edit-picture' records the name of the previous major mode
so you can use the `C-c C-c' command (`picture-mode-exit') later to go
back to that mode.  `C-c C-c' also deletes spaces from the ends of
lines, unless given a numeric argument.

   The special commands of Picture mode all work in other modes
(provided the `picture' library is loaded), but are not bound to keys
except in Picture mode.  The descriptions below talk of moving "one
column" and so on, but all the picture mode commands handle numeric
arguments as their normal equivalents do.

   Turning on Picture mode runs the hook `picture-mode-hook' (*note
Hooks::.).

* Menu:

* Basic Picture::         Basic concepts and simple commands of Picture Mode.
* Insert in Picture::     Controlling direction of cursor motion
                            after "self-inserting" characters.
* Tabs in Picture::       Various features for tab stops and indentation.
* Rectangles in Picture:: Clearing and superimposing rectangles.


File: emacs,  Node: Basic Picture,  Next: Insert in Picture,  Prev: Picture,  Up: Picture

Basic Editing in Picture Mode
=============================

   Most keys do the same thing in Picture mode that they usually do, but
do it in a quarter-plane style.  For example, `C-f' is rebound to run
`picture-forward-column', a command which moves point one column to the
right, inserting a space if necessary so that the actual end of the
line makes no difference.  `C-b' is rebound to run
`picture-backward-column', which always moves point left one column,
converting a tab to multiple spaces if necessary.  `C-n' and `C-p' are
rebound to run `picture-move-down' and `picture-move-up', which can
either insert spaces or convert tabs as necessary to make sure that
point stays in exactly the same column.  `C-e' runs
`picture-end-of-line', which moves to after the last nonblank character
on the line.  There is no need to change `C-a', as the choice of screen
model does not affect beginnings of lines.

   Insertion of text is adapted to the quarter-plane screen model
through the use of Overwrite mode (*note Minor Modes::.).
Self-inserting characters replace existing text, column by column,
rather than pushing existing text to the right.  RET runs
`picture-newline', which just moves to the beginning of the following
line so that new text will replace that line.

   Picture mode provides erasure instead of deletion and killing of
text.  DEL (`picture-backward-clear-column') replaces the preceding
character with a space rather than removing it; this moves point
backwards.  `C-d' (`picture-clear-column') replaces the next character
or characters with spaces, but does not move point.  (If you want to
clear characters to spaces and move forward over them, use SPC.)  `C-k'
(`picture-clear-line') really kills the contents of lines, but does not
delete the newlines from the buffer.

   To do actual insertion, you must use special commands.  `C-o'
(`picture-open-line') creates a blank line after the current line; it
never splits a line.  `C-M-o', `split-line', makes sense in Picture
mode, so it is not changed.  LFD (`picture-duplicate-line') inserts
below the current line another line with the same contents.

   To do actual deletion in Picture mode, use `C-w', `C-c C-d' (which
is defined as `delete-char', as `C-d' is in other modes), or one of the
picture rectangle commands (*note Rectangles in Picture::.).


File: emacs,  Node: Insert in Picture,  Next: Tabs in Picture,  Prev: Basic Picture,  Up: Picture

Controlling Motion after Insert
===============================

   Since "self-inserting" characters in Picture mode overwrite and move
point, there is no essential restriction on how point should be moved.
Normally point moves right, but you can specify any of the eight
orthogonal or diagonal directions for motion after a "self-inserting"
character.  This is useful for drawing lines in the buffer.

`C-c <'
     Move left after insertion (`picture-movement-left').

`C-c >'
     Move right after insertion (`picture-movement-right').

`C-c ^'
     Move up after insertion (`picture-movement-up').

`C-c .'
     Move down after insertion (`picture-movement-down').

`C-c `'
     Move up and left ("northwest") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-nw').

`C-c ''
     Move up and right ("northeast") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-ne').

`C-c /'
     Move down and left ("southwest") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-sw').

`C-c \'
     Move down and right ("southeast") after insertion
     (`picture-movement-se').

   Two motion commands move based on the current Picture insertion
direction.  The command `C-c C-f' (`picture-motion') moves in the same
direction as motion after "insertion" currently does, while `C-c C-b'
(`picture-motion-reverse') moves in the opposite direction.


File: emacs,  Node: Tabs in Picture,  Next: Rectangles in Picture,  Prev: Insert in Picture,  Up: Picture

Picture Mode Tabs
=================

   Two kinds of tab-like action are provided in Picture mode.  Use
`M-TAB' (`picture-tab-search') for context-based tabbing.  With no
argument, it moves to a point underneath the next "interesting"
character that follows whitespace in the previous nonblank line.
"Next" here means "appearing at a horizontal position greater than the
one point starts out at."  With an argument, as in `C-u M-TAB', this
command moves to the next such interesting character in the current
line.  `M-TAB' does not change the text; it only moves point.
"Interesting" characters are defined by the variable
`picture-tab-chars', which should define a set of characters.  The
syntax for this variable is like the syntax used inside of `[...]' in a
regular expression--but without the `[' and the `]'.  Its default value
is `"!-~"'.

   TAB itself runs `picture-tab', which operates based on the current
tab stop settings; it is the Picture mode equivalent of
`tab-to-tab-stop'.  Normally it just moves point, but with a numeric
argument it clears the text that it moves over.

   The context-based and tab-stop-based forms of tabbing are brought
together by the command `C-c TAB', `picture-set-tab-stops'.  This
command sets the tab stops to the positions which `M-TAB' would
consider significant in the current line.  The use of this command,
together with TAB, can get the effect of context-based tabbing.  But
`M-TAB' is more convenient in the cases where it is sufficient.

   It may be convenient to prevent use of actual tab characters in
pictures.  For example, this prevents `C-x TAB' from messing up the
picture.  You can do this by setting the variable `indent-tabs-mode' to
`nil'.  *Note Just Spaces::.


File: emacs,  Node: Rectangles in Picture,  Prev: Tabs in Picture,  Up: Picture

Picture Mode Rectangle Commands
===============================

   Picture mode defines commands for working on rectangular pieces of
the text in ways that fit with the quarter-plane model.  The standard
rectangle commands may also be useful (*note Rectangles::.).

`C-c C-k'
     Clear out the region-rectangle with spaces
     (`picture-clear-rectangle').  With argument, delete the text.

`C-c C-w R'
     Similar but save rectangle contents in register R first
     (`picture-clear-rectangle-to-register').

`C-c C-y'
     Copy last killed rectangle into the buffer by overwriting, with
     upper left corner at point (`picture-yank-rectangle').  With
     argument, insert instead.

`C-c C-x R'
     Similar, but use the rectangle in register R
     (`picture-yank-rectangle-from-register').

   The picture rectangle commands `C-c C-k' (`picture-clear-rectangle')
and `C-c C-w' (`picture-clear-rectangle-to-register') differ from the
standard rectangle commands in that they normally clear the rectangle
instead of deleting it; this is analogous with the way `C-d' is changed
in Picture mode.

   However, deletion of rectangles can be useful in Picture mode, so
these commands delete the rectangle if given a numeric argument.  `C-c
C-k' either with or without a numeric argument saves the rectangle for
`C-c C-y'.

   The Picture mode commands for yanking rectangles differ from the
standard ones in overwriting instead of inserting.  This is the same way
that Picture mode insertion of other text differs from other modes.
`C-c C-y' (`picture-yank-rectangle') inserts (by overwriting) the
rectangle that was most recently killed, while `C-c C-x'
(`picture-yank-rectangle-from-register') does likewise for the
rectangle found in a specified register.


File: emacs,  Node: Sending Mail,  Next: Rmail,  Prev: Picture,  Up: Top

Sending Mail
************

   To send a message in Emacs, you start by typing a command (`C-x m')
to select and initialize the `*mail*' buffer.  Then you edit the text
and headers of the message in this buffer, and type another command
(`C-c C-s' or `C-c C-c') to send the message.

`C-x m'
     Begin composing a message to send (`mail').

`C-x 4 m'
     Likewise, but display the message in another window
     (`mail-other-window').

`C-x 5 m'
     Likewise, but make a new frame (`mail-other-frame').

`C-c C-s'
     In Mail mode, send the message (`mail-send').

`C-c C-c'
     Send the message and bury the mail buffer (`mail-send-and-exit').

   The command `C-x m' (`mail') selects a buffer named `*mail*' and
initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing message.  `C-x 4 m'
(`mail-other-window') selects the `*mail*' buffer in a different
window, leaving the previous current buffer visible.  `C-x 5 m'
(`mail-other-frame') creates a new frame to select the `*mail*' buffer.

   Because the mail composition buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you
can switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and
switch back later (or never).  If you use the `C-x m' command again
when you have been composing another message but have not sent it, you
are asked to confirm before the old message is erased.  If you answer
`n', the `*mail*' buffer is left selected with its old contents, so you
can finish the old message and send it.  `C-u C-x m' is another way to
do this.  Sending the message marks the `*mail*' buffer "unmodified",
which avoids the need for confirmation when `C-x m' is next used.

   If you are composing a message in the `*mail*' buffer and want to
send another message before finishing the first, rename the `*mail*'
buffer using `M-x rename-uniquely' (*note Misc Buffer::.).  Then you
can use `C-x m' or its variants described above to make a new `*mail*'
buffer.  Once you've done that, you can work with each mail buffer
independently.

* Menu:

* Format: Mail Format.         Format of the mail being composed.
* Headers: Mail Headers.     Details of permitted mail header fields.
* Aliases: Mail Aliases.     Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses.
* Mode: Mail Mode.         Special commands for editing mail being composed.
* Spook: Distracting NSA.    How to distract the NSA's attention.


File: emacs,  Node: Mail Format,  Next: Mail Headers,  Up: Sending Mail

The Format of the Mail Buffer
=============================

   In addition to the "text" or "body", a message has "header fields"
which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on.  Some header
fields such as the date and sender are created automatically after the
message is sent.  Others, such as the recipient names, must be
specified by you in order to send the message properly.

   Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header
fields, and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at
times.  You can insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing
commands.

   The line in the buffer that says

     --text follows this line--

is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified
from the text.  Whatever follows this line is the text of the message;
the headers precede it.  The delimiter line itself does not appear in
the message actually sent.  The text used for the delimiter line is
controlled by the variable `mail-header-separator'.

   Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer
might look like.

     To: [e-mail]
     CC: [e-mail], [e-mail]
     Subject: The Emacs Manual
     --Text follows this line--
     Please ignore this message.


File: emacs,  Node: Mail Headers,  Next: Mail Aliases,  Prev: Mail Format,  Up: Sending Mail

Mail Header Fields
==================

   A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the
beginning of a line, terminated by a colon.  Upper and lower case are
equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also).  After the
colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field.

   You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people
use only standard field names with accepted meanings.  Here is a table
of fields commonly used in outgoing messages.

`To'
     This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is
     addressed.

`Subject'
     The contents of the `Subject' field should be a piece of text that
     says what the message is about.  The reason `Subject' fields are
     useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of
     messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text.

`CC'
     This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the
     message to, but whose readers should not regard the message as
     addressed to them.

`BCC'
     This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the
     message to, which should not appear in the header of the message
     actually sent.  Copies sent this way are called "blind carbon
     copies".

     To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself,
     set the variable `mail-self-blind' to `t'.

`FCC'
     This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to
     append a copy of the message to that file when you send the
     message.  If the file is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message
     to Rmail format; otherwise, Emacs writes the message in system
     mail file format.

     To put a fixed file name as in `FCC' field each time you start
     editing an outgoing message, set the variable
     `mail-archive-file-name' to that file name.  Unless you remove the
     `FCC' field before sending, the message will be written into that
     file when it is sent.

`From'
     Use the `From' field to say who you are, when the account you are
     using to send the mail is not your own.  The contents of the `From'
     field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will
     normally go there.  If you don't specify the `From' field
     yourself, Emacs uses the value of `user-mail-address' as the
     default.

`Reply-to'
     Use this field to direct replies to a different address.  Most
     mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies
     to the `Reply-to' address in preference to the `From' address.  By
     adding a `Reply-to' field to your header, you can work around any
     problems your `From' address may cause for replies.

     To put a fixed `Reply-to' address into every outgoing message, set
     the variable `mail-default-reply-to' to that address (as a string).
     Then `mail' initializes the message with a `Reply-to' field as
     specified.  You can delete or alter that header field before you
     send the message, if you wish.  When Emacs starts up, if the
     environment variable `REPLYTO' is set, `mail-default-reply-to' is
     initialized from that environment variable.

`In-reply-to'
     This field contains a piece of text describing a message you are
     replying to.  Some mail systems can use this information to
     correlate related pieces of mail.  Normally this field is filled
     in by Rmail when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never
     need to think about it (*note Rmail::.).

   The `To', `CC', `BCC' and `FCC' fields can appear any number of
times, to specify many places to send the message.  The `To', `CC', and
`BCC' fields can have continuation lines.  All the lines starting with
whitespace, following the line on which the field starts, are
considered part of the field.  For example,

     To: [e-mail], [e-mail],
       [e-mail]3281

   When you send the message, if you didn't write a `From' field
yourself, Emacs puts in one for you.  The variable `mail-from-style'
controls the format:

`nil'
     Just the email address, as in `[e-mail]'.

`parens'
     Both email address and full name, as in `[e-mail] (Elvis
     Parsley)'.

`angles'
     Both email address and full name, as in `Elvis Parsley
     <[e-mail]>'.


File: emacs,  Node: Mail Aliases,  Next: Mail Mode,  Prev: Mail Headers,  Up: Sending Mail

Mail Aliases
============

   You can define "mail aliases" in a file named `~/.mailrc'.  These
are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of
mail addresses.  Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases
when they occur in the `To', `From', `CC', `BCC', and `Reply-to'
fields, plus their `Resent-' variants.

   To define an alias in `~/.mailrc', write a line in the following
format:

     alias SHORTADDRESS FULLADDRESSES

Here FULLADDRESSES stands for one or more mail addresses for
SHORTADDRESS to expand into.  Separate multiple addresses with spaces;
if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a pair of
double-quotes.

   For instance, to make `maingnu' stand for `[e-mail]' plus
a local address of your own, put in this line:

     alias maingnu [e-mail] local-gnu

   Emacs also recognizes include commands in `.mailrc' files.  They
look like this:

     source FILENAME

The file `~/.mailrc' is used primarily by other mail-reading programs;
it can contain various other commands.  Emacs ignores everything in it
except for alias definitions and include commands.

   Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the
`define-mail-alias' command.  It prompts for the alias and then the
full address.  You can use it to define aliases in your `.emacs' file,
like this:

     (define-mail-alias "maingnu" "[e-mail]")

   `define-mail-alias' records aliases by adding them to a variable
named `mail-aliases'.  If you are comfortable with manipulating Lisp
lists, you can set `mail-aliases' directly.  The initial value of
`mail-aliases' is `t', which means that Emacs should read `.mailrc' to
get the proper value.

   You can specify a different file name to use instead of `~/.mailrc'
by setting the variable `mail-personal-alias-file'.

   Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message.  If you
like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as you type
them in (*note Abbrevs::.).  To enable this feature, execute the
following:

     (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup)

This can go in your `.emacs' file.  *Note Hooks::.  If you use this
feature, you must use `define-mail-abbrev' instead of
`define-mail-alias'; the latter does not work with this package.  Note
that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable `mail-abbrevs'
instead of `mail-aliases', and that all alias names are converted to
lower case.

   The mail abbreviation package also provides the `C-c C-a'
(`mail-interactive-insert-alias') command, which reads an alias name
(with completion) and inserts its definition at point.  This is useful
when editing the message text itself or a header field such as
`Subject' in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases.

   Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator
character afterward.  However, you can rebind `C-n' and `M->' to cause
expansion as well.  Here's how to do that:

     (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook
               '(lambda ()
                  (substitute-key-definition
                    'next-line 'mail-abbrev-next-line
                    mail-mode-map global-map)
                  (substitute-key-definition
                    'end-of-buffer 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer
                    mail-mode-map global-map)))


File: emacs,  Node: Mail Mode,  Next: Distracting NSA,  Prev: Mail Aliases,  Up: Sending Mail

Mail Mode
=========

   The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much
like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the
`C-c' prefix.  These commands all have to do specifically with editing
or sending the message.

`C-c C-s'
     Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (`mail-send').

`C-c C-c'
     Send the message, and select some other buffer
     (`mail-send-and-exit').

`M-TAB'
     Complete a mailing address (`mail-complete').

`C-c C-f C-t'
     Move to the `To' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-to').

`C-c C-f C-s'
     Move to the `Subject' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-subject').

`C-c C-f C-c'
     Move to the `CC' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-cc').

`C-c C-f C-b'
     Move to the `BCC' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-bcc').

`C-c C-f C-f'
     Move to the `FCC' header field, creating one if there is none
     (`mail-fcc').

`C-c C-t'
     Move to the beginning of the message body text (`mail-text').

`C-c C-w'
     Insert the file `~/.signature' at the end of the message text
     (`mail-signature').

`C-c C-y'
     Yank the selected message from Rmail (`mail-yank-original').  This
     command does nothing unless your command to start sending a
     message was issued with Rmail.

`C-c C-q'
     Fill all paragraphs of yanked old messages, each individually
     (`mail-fill-yanked-message').

`M-x ispell-message'
     Do spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations
     from other messages.

   There are two ways to send the message.  `C-c C-s' (`mail-send')
sends the message and marks the mail buffer unmodified, but leaves that
buffer selected so that you can modify the message (perhaps with new
recipients) and send it again.  `C-c C-c' (`mail-send-and-exit') sends
and then deletes the window or switches to another buffer.  It puts the
mail buffer at the lowest priority for reselection by default, since
you are finished with using it.  This is the usual way to send the
message.

   While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such as
`To:', `CC:' and `BCC:', you can complete a mailing address by typing
`M-TAB' (`mail-complete').  For completion purposes, the valid mailing
addresses are taken to be the local users' names plus your personal
mail aliases.  Additionally, if your site provides a mail directory or
a specific host to use for any unrecognized user name, you can arrange
to query that host for completion--see the variables
`mail-directory-process' and `mail-directory-stream' in the source code.

   If you type `M-TAB' in the body of the message, it invokes
`ispell-complete-word', as in Text mode.

   Mail mode provides special commands for editing the headers and text
of the message before you send it.  There are five commands defined to
move point to particular header fields, all based on the prefix `C-c
C-f' (`C-f' is for "field").  They are `C-c C-f C-t' (`mail-to') to
move to the `To' field, `C-c C-f C-s' (`mail-subject') for the
`Subject' field, `C-c C-f C-c' (`mail-cc') for the `CC' field, `C-c C-f
C-b' (`mail-bcc') for the `BCC' field, and `C-c C-f C-f' (`mail-fcc')
for the `FCC' field.  If the field in question does not exist, these
commands create one.  We provide special motion commands for these
particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to
edit.

   `C-c C-t' (`mail-text') moves point to just after the header
separator line--that is, to the beginning of the message body text.

   `C-c C-w' (`mail-signature') adds a standard piece text at the end
of the message to say more about who you are.  The text comes from the
file `.signature' in your home directory.  To insert your signature
automatically, set the variable `mail-signature' to `t'; then starting
a mail message automatically inserts the contents of your `.signature'
file.  If you want to omit your signature from a particular message,
delete it from the buffer before you send the message.

   You can also set `mail-signature' to a string; then that string is
inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a
message to send.

   When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an
Rmail command, `C-c C-y' can be used inside the mail buffer to insert
the text of the message you are replying to.  Normally it indents each
line of that message four spaces and eliminates most header fields.  A
numeric argument specifies the number of spaces to indent.  An argument
of just `C-u' says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything.
`C-c C-y' always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer, so you
can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail, switching to
`*mail*' and yanking it, then switching back to Rmail to select another.

   You can specify the text for `C-c C-y' to insert at the beginning of
each line: set `mail-yank-prefix' to the desired string.  (A value of
`nil' means to use indentation; this is the default.) However, `C-u C-c
C-y' never adds anything at the beginning of the inserted lines,
regardless of the value of `mail-yank-prefix'.

   After using `C-c C-y', you can use the command `C-c C-q'
(`mail-fill-yanked-message') to fill the paragraphs of the yanked old
message or messages.  One use of `C-c C-q' fills all such paragraphs,
each one individually.  To fill a single paragraph of the quoted
message, use `M-q', after first setting the fill prefix appropriately
to handle the indentation.  *Note Filling::.

   You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written
with the command `M-x ispell-message'.  If you have yanked an incoming
message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was yanked,
but it checks the text that you yourself inserted.  (It looks for
indentation or `mail-yank-prefix' to distinguish the cited lines from
your input.)  *Note Spelling::.

   Mail mode defines the character `%' as a word separator; this is
helpful for using the word commands to edit mail addresses.

   Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the
`mail' command and related commands.  However, you can also switch to
Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer.  That is a useful thing to do if
you have saved draft message text in a file.  In a file-visiting buffer,
`C-c C-c' does not clear the modified flag, because only saving the
file should do that.  As a result, you don't get a warning about trying
to send the same message twice.

   Turning on Mail mode (which `C-x m' does automatically) runs the
normal hooks `text-mode-hook' and `mail-mode-hook'.  Initializing a new
outgoing message runs the normal hook `mail-setup-hook'; if you want to
add special fields to your mail header or make other changes to the
appearance of the mail buffer, use that hook.  *Note Hooks::.

   The main difference between these hooks is just when they are
invoked.  Whenever you type `M-x mail', `mail-mode-hook' runs as soon
as the `*mail*' buffer is created.  Then the `mail-setup' function puts
in the default contents of the buffer.  After these default contents
are inserted, `mail-setup-hook' runs.


File: emacs,  Node: Distracting NSA,  Prev: Mail Mode,  Up: Sending Mail

Distracting the NSA
===================

   `M-x spook' adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing
mail message.  The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest
you are discussing something subversive.

   The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the NSA snoops on
all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might
find them interesting.  (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they
*would* say.)  The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious words
to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input that
they will have to give up reading it all.

   Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start
entering an outgoing message:

     (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook)

   Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail,  Next: Dired,  Prev: Sending Mail,  Up: Top

Reading Mail with Rmail
***********************

   Rmail is an Emacs subsystem for reading and disposing of mail that
you receive.  Rmail stores mail messages in files called Rmail files.
Reading the message in an Rmail file is done in a special major mode,
Rmail mode, which redefines most letters to run commands for managing
mail.

* Menu:

* Basic: Rmail Basics.       Basic concepts of Rmail, and simple use.
* Scroll: Rmail Scrolling.   Scrolling through a message.
* Motion: Rmail Motion.      Moving to another message.
* Deletion: Rmail Deletion.  Deleting and expunging messages.
* Inbox: Rmail Inbox.        How mail gets into the Rmail file.
* Files: Rmail Files.        Using multiple Rmail files.
* Output: Rmail Output.         Copying message out to files.
* Labels: Rmail Labels.      Classifying messages by labeling them.
* Reply: Rmail Reply.        Sending replies to messages you are viewing.
* Summary: Rmail Summary.    Summaries show brief info on many messages.
* Sort: Rmail Sorting.       Sorting messages in Rmail.
* Display: Rmail Display.    How Rmail displays a message; customization.
* Editing: Rmail Editing.    Editing message text and headers in Rmail.
* Digest: Rmail Digest.      Extracting the messages from a digest message.
* Out of Rmail::         Converting an Rmail file to mailbox format.
* Rot13: Rmail Rot13.         Reading messages encoded in the rot13 code.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Basics,  Next: Rmail Scrolling,  Up: Rmail

Basic Concepts of Rmail
=======================

   Using Rmail in the simplest fashion, you have one Rmail file
`~/RMAIL' in which all of your mail is saved.  It is called your
"primary Rmail file".  The command `M-x rmail' reads your primary Rmail
file, merges new mail in from your inboxes, displays the first message
you haven't read yet, and lets you begin reading.  The variable
`rmail-file-name' specifies the name of the primary Rmail file.

   Rmail uses narrowing to hide all but one message in the Rmail file.
The message that is shown is called the "current message".  Rmail
mode's special commands can do such things as delete the current
message, copy it into another file, send a reply, or move to another
message.  You can also create multiple Rmail files and use Rmail to move
messages between them.

   Within the Rmail file, messages are normally arranged sequentially in
order of receipt; you can specify other ways to sort them.  Messages are
assigned consecutive integers as their "message numbers".  The number
of the current message is displayed in Rmail's mode line, followed by
the total number of messages in the file.  You can move to a message by
specifying its message number with the `j' key (*note Rmail Motion::.).

   Following the usual conventions of Emacs, changes in an Rmail file
become permanent only when the file is saved.  You can save it with `s'
(`rmail-save'), which also expunges deleted messages from the file
first (*note Rmail Deletion::.).  To save the file without expunging,
use `C-x C-s'.  Rmail also saves the Rmail file after merging new mail
from an inbox file (*note Rmail Inbox::.).

   You can exit Rmail with `q' (`rmail-quit'); this expunges and saves
the Rmail file and then switches to another buffer.  But there is no
need to `exit' formally.  If you switch from Rmail to editing in other
buffers, and never happen to switch back, you have exited.  (The Rmail
command `b', `rmail-bury', does this for you.)  Just make sure to save
the Rmail file eventually (like any other file you have changed).  `C-x
s' is a good enough way to do this (*note Saving::.).


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Scrolling,  Next: Rmail Motion,  Prev: Rmail Basics,  Up: Rmail

Scrolling Within a Message
==========================

   When Rmail displays a message that does not fit on the screen, you
must scroll through it to read the rest.  You could do this with `C-v',
`M-v' and `M-<', but in Rmail scrolling is so frequent that it deserves
to be easier to type.

`SPC'
     Scroll forward (`scroll-up').

`DEL'
     Scroll backward (`scroll-down').

`.'
     Scroll to start of message (`rmail-beginning-of-message').

   Since the most common thing to do while reading a message is to
scroll through it by screenfuls, Rmail makes SPC and DEL synonyms of
`C-v' (`scroll-up') and `M-v' (`scroll-down')

   The command `.' (`rmail-beginning-of-message') scrolls back to the
beginning of the selected message.  This is not quite the same as `M-<':
for one thing, it does not set the mark; for another, it resets the
buffer boundaries to the current message if you have changed them.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Motion,  Next: Rmail Deletion,  Prev: Rmail Scrolling,  Up: Rmail

Moving Among Messages
=====================

   The most basic thing to do with a message is to read it.  The way to
do this in Rmail is to make the message current.  The usual practice is
to move sequentially through the file, since this is the order of
receipt of messages.  When you enter Rmail, you are positioned at the
first message that you have not yet made current (that is, the first one
that has the `unseen' attribute; *note Rmail Labels::.).  Move forward
to see the other new messages; move backward to reexamine old messages.

`n'
     Move to the next nondeleted message, skipping any intervening
     deleted messages (`rmail-next-undeleted-message').

`p'
     Move to the previous nondeleted message
     (`rmail-previous-undeleted-message').

`M-n'
     Move to the next message, including deleted messages
     (`rmail-next-message').

`M-p'
     Move to the previous message, including deleted messages
     (`rmail-previous-message').

`j'
     Move to the first message.  With argument N, move to message
     number N (`rmail-show-message').

`>'
     Move to the last message (`rmail-last-message').

`<'
     Move to the first message (`rmail-first-message').

`M-s REGEXP RET'
     Move to the next message containing a match for REGEXP
     (`rmail-search').

`- M-s REGEXP RET'
     Move to the previous message containing a match for REGEXP.

   `n' and `p' are the usual way of moving among messages in Rmail.
They move through the messages sequentially, but skip over deleted
messages, which is usually what you want to do.  Their command
definitions are named `rmail-next-undeleted-message' and
`rmail-previous-undeleted-message'.  If you do not want to skip deleted
messages--for example, if you want to move to a message to undelete
it--use the variants `M-n' and `M-p' (`rmail-next-message' and
`rmail-previous-message').  A numeric argument to any of these commands
serves as a repeat count.

   In Rmail, you can specify a numeric argument by typing just the
digits.  You don't need to type `C-u' first.

   The `M-s' (`rmail-search') command is Rmail's version of search.
The usual incremental search command `C-s' works in Rmail, but it
searches only within the current message.  The purpose of `M-s' is to
search for another message.  It reads a regular expression (*note
Regexps::.) nonincrementally, then searches starting at the beginning
of the following message for a match.  It then selects that message.
If REGEXP is empty, `M-s' reuses the regexp used the previous time.

   To search backward in the file for another message, give `M-s' a
negative argument.  In Rmail you can do this with `- M-s'.

   It is also possible to search for a message based on labels.  *Note
Rmail Labels::.

   To move to a message specified by absolute message number, use `j'
(`rmail-show-message') with the message number as argument.  With no
argument, `j' selects the first message.  `<' (`rmail-first-message')
also selects the first message.  `>' (`rmail-last-message') selects the
last message.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Deletion,  Next: Rmail Inbox,  Prev: Rmail Motion,  Up: Rmail

Deleting Messages
=================

   When you no longer need to keep a message, you can "delete" it.  This
flags it as ignorable, and some Rmail commands pretend it is no longer
present; but it still has its place in the Rmail file, and still has its
message number.

   "Expunging" the Rmail file actually removes the deleted messages.
The remaining messages are renumbered consecutively.  Expunging is the
only action that changes the message number of any message, except for
undigestifying (*note Rmail Digest::.).

`d'
     Delete the current message, and move to the next nondeleted message
     (`rmail-delete-forward').

`C-d'
     Delete the current message, and move to the previous nondeleted
     message (`rmail-delete-backward').

`u'
     Undelete the current message, or move back to a deleted message and
     undelete it (`rmail-undelete-previous-message').

`x'
     Expunge the Rmail file (`rmail-expunge').

   There are two Rmail commands for deleting messages.  Both delete the
current message and select another message.  `d'
(`rmail-delete-forward') moves to the following message, skipping
messages already deleted, while `C-d' (`rmail-delete-backward') moves
to the previous nondeleted message.  If there is no nondeleted message
to move to in the specified direction, the message that was just
deleted remains current.

   Whenever Rmail deletes a message, it invokes the function(s) listed
in `rmail-delete-message-hook'.  When the hook functions are invoked,
the message has been marked deleted, but it is still the current message
in the Rmail buffer.

   To make all the deleted messages finally vanish from the Rmail file,
type `x' (`rmail-expunge').  Until you do this, you can still
"undelete" the deleted messages.  The undeletion command, `u'
(`rmail-undelete-previous-message'), is designed to cancel the effect
of a `d' command in most cases.  It undeletes the current message if
the current message is deleted.  Otherwise it moves backward to
previous messages until a deleted message is found, and undeletes that
message.

   You can usually undo a `d' with a `u' because the `u' moves back to
and undeletes the message that the `d' deleted.  But this does not work
when the `d' skips a few already-deleted messages that follow the
message being deleted; then the `u' command undeletes the last of the
messages that were skipped.  There is no clean way to avoid this
problem.  However, by repeating the `u' command, you can eventually get
back to the message that you intend to undelete.  You can also select a
particular deleted message with the `M-p' command, then type `u' to
undelete it.

   A deleted message has the `deleted' attribute, and as a result
`deleted' appears in the mode line when the current message is deleted.
In fact, deleting or undeleting a message is nothing more than adding
or removing this attribute.  *Note Rmail Labels::.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Inbox,  Next: Rmail Files,  Prev: Rmail Deletion,  Up: Rmail

Rmail Files and Inboxes
=======================

   The operating system places incoming mail for you in a file that we
call your "inbox".  When you start up Rmail, it runs a C program called
`movemail' to copy the new messages from your inbox into your primary
Rmail file, which also contains other messages saved from previous
Rmail sessions.  It is in this file that you actually read the mail
with Rmail.  This operation is called "getting new mail".  You can get
new mail at any time in Rmail by typing `g'.

   The variable `rmail-primary-inbox-list' contains a list of the files
which are inboxes for your primary Rmail file.  If you don't set this
variable explicitly, it is initialized from the `MAIL' environment
variable, or, as a last resort, set to `nil', which means to use the
default inbox.  The default inbox is `/var/mail/USERNAME',
`/usr/spool/mail/USERNAME', or `/usr/mail/USERNAME', depending on your
operating system.  You can specify the inbox file(s) for any Rmail file
with the command `set-rmail-inbox-list'; see *Note Rmail Files::.

   Some sites use a method called POP for accessing users' inbox data
instead of storing the data in inbox files.  `movemail' can work with
POP if you compile it with the macro `MAIL_USE_POP' defined, and then
install it setuid to `root'.  It is safe to install `movemail' in this
way.  Note: `movemail' only works with POP3, not with older versions of
POP.

   Assuming you have compiled and installed `movemail' appropriately,
you can specify a POP inbox with a "file name" of the form
`po:USERNAME'.  `movemail' handles such a name by opening a connection
to the POP server.  The `MAILHOST' environment variable specifies the
machine to look for the server on.

   Accessing mail via POP may require a password.  If the variable
`rmail-pop-password' is non-`nil', it specifies the password to use for
POP.  Alternatively, if `rmail-pop-password-required' is non-`nil',
then Rmail asks you for the password to use.

   There are two reasons for having separate Rmail files and inboxes.

  1. The inbox file format varies between operating systems and
     according to the other mail software in use.  Only one part of
     Rmail needs to know about the alternatives, and it need only
     understand how to convert all of them to Rmail's own format.

  2. It is very cumbersome to access an inbox file without danger of
     losing mail, because it is necessary to interlock with mail
     delivery.  Moreover, different operating systems use different
     interlocking techniques.  The strategy of moving mail out of the
     inbox once and for all into a separate Rmail file avoids the need
     for interlocking in all the rest of Rmail, since only Rmail
     operates on the Rmail file.

   Rmail was written to use Babyl format as its internal format.  Since
then, we have recognized that the usual inbox format on Unix and GNU
systems is adequate for the job, and we plan to change Rmail to use that
as its internal format.  However, the Rmail file will still be separate
from the inbox file, even on systems where their format is the same.

   When getting new mail, Rmail first copies the new mail from the inbox
file to the Rmail file; then it saves the Rmail file; then it truncates
the inbox file.  This way, a system crash may cause duplication of mail
between the inbox and the Rmail file, but cannot lose mail.

   When `movemail' copies mail from an inbox in the system's mailer
directory, it actually puts it in an intermediate file
`~/.newmail-INBOXNAME'.  Once it finishes, Rmail reads that file,
merges the new mail, saves the Rmail file, and only then deletes the
intermediate file.  If there is a crash at the wrong time, this file
continues to exist and Rmail will use it again the next time it gets new
mail from that inbox.


File: emacs,  Node: Rmail Files,  Next: Rmail Output,  Prev: Rmail Inbox,  Up: Rmail

Multiple Rmail Files
====================

   Rmail operates by default on your "primary Rmail file", which is
named `~/RMAIL' and receives your incoming mail from your system inbox
file.  But you can also have other Rmail files and edit them with
Rmail.  These files can receive mail through their own inboxes, or you
can move messages into them with explicit Rmail commands (*note Rmail
Output::.).

`i FILE RET'
     Read FILE into Emacs and run Rmail on it (`rmail-input').

`M-x set-rmail-inbox-list RET FILES RET'
     Specify inbox file names for current Rmail file to get mail from.

`g'
     Merge new mail from current Rmail file's inboxes
     (`rmail-get-new-mail').

`C-u g FILE RET'
     Merge new mail from inbox file FILE.

   To run Rmail on a file other than your primary Rmail file, you may
use the `i' (`rmail-input') command in Rmail.  This visits the file in
Rmail mode.  You can use `M-x rmail-input' even when not in Rmail.

   The file you read with `i' should normally be a valid Rmail file.
If it is not, Rmail tries to decompose it into a stream of messages in
various known formats.  If it succeeds, it converts the whole file to an
Rmail file.  If you specify a file name that doesn't exist, `i'
initializes a new buffer for creating a new Rmail file.

   You can also select an Rmail file from a menu.  Choose first the menu
bar Classify item, then from the Classify menu choose the Input Rmail
File item; then choose the Rmail file you want.  The variables
`rmail-secondary-file-directory' and `rmail-secondary-file-regexp'
specify which files to offer in the menu: the first variable says which
directory to find them in; the second says which files in that
directory to offer (all those that match the regular expression).
These variables also apply to choosing a file for output (*note Rmail
Output::.).

   Each Rmail file can contain a list of inbox file names; you can
specify this list with `M-x set-rmail-inbox-list RET FILES RET'.  The
argument can contain any number of file names, separated by commas.  It
can also be empty, which specifies that this file should have no
inboxes.  Once a list of inboxes is specified, the Rmail file remembers
it permanently until you specify a different list.

   As a special exception, if your primary Rmail file does not specify
any inbox files, it uses your standard system inbox.

   The `g' command (`rmail-get-new-mail') merges mail into the current
Rmail file from its specified inboxes.  If the Rmail file has no
inboxes, `g' does nothing.  The command `M-x rmail' also merges new
mail into your primary Rmail file.

   To merge mail from a file that is not the usual inbox, give the `g'
key a numeric argument, as in `C-u g'.  Then it reads a file name and
merges mail from that file.  The inbox file is not deleted or changed
in any way when `g' with an argument is used.  This is, therefore, a
general way of merging one file of messages into another.