1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
4 @settitle Message Manual
11 @setchapternewpage odd
15 This file documents Messa, the Emacs message composition mode.
17 Copyright (C) 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
19 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
20 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
21 are preserved on all copies.
24 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
25 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
26 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
27 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
30 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
31 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
32 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
33 permission notice identical to this one.
35 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
36 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
44 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
47 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
48 Copyright @copyright{} 1996 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
50 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
51 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
52 are preserved on all copies.
54 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
55 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
56 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
57 permission notice identical to this one.
59 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
60 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
70 All message composition (both mail and news) takes place in Message mode
74 * Interface:: Setting up message buffers.
75 * Commands:: Commands you can execute in message mode buffers.
76 * Variables:: Customizing the message buffers.
77 * Compatibility:: Making Message backwards compatible.
78 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
79 * Key Index:: List of Message mode keys.
86 When a program (or a person) wants to respond to a message -- reply,
87 follow up, forward, cancel -- the program (or person) should just put
88 point in the buffer where the message is and call the required command.
89 @code{Message} will then pop up a new @code{message} mode buffer with
90 appropriate headers filled out, and the user can edit the message before
94 * New Mail Message:: Editing a brand new mail message.
95 * New News Message:: Editing a brand new news message.
96 * Reply:: Replying via mail.
97 * Wide Reply:: Responding to all people via mail.
98 * Followup:: Following up via news.
99 * Canceling News:: Canceling a news article.
100 * Superseding:: Superseding a message.
101 * Forwarding:: Forwarding a message via news or mail.
102 * Resending:: Resending a mail message.
103 * Bouncing:: Bouncing a mail message.
107 @node New Mail Message
108 @section New Mail Message
111 The @code{message-mail} command pops up a new message buffer.
113 Two optional parameters are accepted: The first will be used as the
114 @code{To} header and the second as the @code{Subject} header. If these
115 aren't present, those two headers will be empty.
118 @node New News Message
119 @section New News Message
122 The @code{message-news} command pops up a new message buffer.
124 This function accepts two optional parameters. The first will be used
125 as the @code{Newsgroups} header and the second as the @code{Subject}
126 header. If these aren't present, those two headers will be empty.
132 @findex message-reply
133 The @code{message-reply} function pops up a message buffer that's a
134 reply to the message in the current buffer.
136 @vindex message-reply-to-function
137 Message uses the normal methods to determine where replies are to go,
138 but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
139 @code{message-reply-to-function} variable.
141 If you want the replies to go to the @code{Sender} instead of the
142 @code{From}, you could do something like this:
145 (setq message-reply-to-function
147 (cond ((equal (mail-fetch-field "from") "somebody")
148 (mail-fetch-field "sender"))
153 This function will be called narrowed to the head of the article that is
156 As you can see, this function should return a string if it has an
157 opinion as to what the To header should be. If it does not, it should
158 just return @code{nil}, and the normal methods for determining the To
161 This function can also return a list. In that case, each list element
162 should be a cons, where the car should be the name of an header
163 (eg. @code{Cc}) and the cdr should be the header value
164 (eg. @samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no}). All these headers will be inserted into
165 the head of the outgoing mail.
171 @findex message-wide-reply
172 The @code{message-wide-reply} pops up a message buffer that's a wide
173 reply to the message in the current buffer. A @dfn{wide reply} is a
174 reply that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From}
175 and @code{Cc} headers.
177 @vindex message-wide-reply-to-function
178 Message uses the normal methods to determine where wide replies are to go,
179 but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
180 @code{message-wide-reply-to-function}. It is used in the same way as
181 @code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}).
183 @findex rmail-dont-reply-to-names
184 Addresses that match the @code{rmail-dont-reply-to-names} regular
185 expression will be removed from the @code{Cc} header.
191 @findex message-followup
192 The @code{message-followup} command pops up a message buffer that's a
193 followup to the message in the current buffer.
195 @vindex message-followup-to-function
196 Message uses the normal methods to determine where followups are to go,
197 but you can change the behavior to suit your needs by fiddling with the
198 @code{message-followup-to-function}. It is used in the same way as
199 @code{message-reply-to-function} (@pxref{Reply}).
201 @vindex message-use-followup-to
202 The @code{message-use-followup-to} variable says what to do about
203 @code{Followup-To} headers. If it is @code{use}, always use the value.
204 If it is @code{ask} (which is the default), ask whether to use the
205 value. If it is @code{t}, use the value unless it is @samp{poster}. If
206 it is @code{nil}, don't use the value.
210 @section Canceling News
212 @findex message-cancel-news
213 The @code{message-cancel-news} command cancels the article in the
220 @findex message-supersede
221 The @code{message-supersede} command pops up a message buffer that will
222 supersede the message in the current buffer.
224 @vindex message-ignored-supersedes-headers
225 Headers matching the @code{message-ignored-supersedes-headers} are
226 removed before popping up the new message buffer. The default is@*
227 @samp{^Path:\\|^Date\\|^NNTP-Posting-Host:\\|^Xref:\\|^Lines:\\|@*
228 ^Received:\\|^X-From-Line:\\|Return-Path:}.
235 @findex message-forward
236 The @code{message-forward} command pops up a message buffer to forward
237 the message in the current buffer. If given a prefix, forward using
241 @item message-forward-start-separator
242 @vindex message-forward-start-separator
243 Delimiter inserted before forwarded messages. The default is@*
244 @samp{------- Start of forwarded message -------\n}.
246 @vindex message-forward-end-separator
247 @item message-forward-end-separator
248 @vindex message-forward-end-separator
249 Delimiter inserted after forwarded messages. The default is@*
250 @samp{------- End of forwarded message -------\n}.
252 @item message-signature-before-forwarded-message
253 @vindex message-signature-before-forwarded-message
254 If this variable is @code{t}, which it is by default, your personal
255 signature will be inserted before the forwarded message. If not, the
256 forwarded message will be inserted first in the new mail.
258 @item message-included-forward-headers
259 @vindex message-included-forward-headers
260 Regexp matching header lines to be included in forwarded messages.
268 @findex message-resend
269 The @code{message-resend} command will prompt the user for an address
270 and resend the message in the current buffer to that address.
272 @vindex message-ignored-resent-headers
273 Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-resent-headers} regexp will
274 be removed before sending the message. The default is
275 @samp{^Return-receipt}.
281 @findex message-bounce
282 The @code{message-bounce} command will, if the current buffer contains a
283 bounced mail message, pop up a message buffer stripped of the bounce
284 information. A @dfn{bounced message} is typically a mail you've sent
285 out that has been returned by some @code{mailer-daemon} as
288 @vindex message-ignored-bounced-headers
289 Headers that match the @code{message-ignored-bounced-headers} regexp
290 will be removed before popping up the buffer. The default is
298 * Header Commands:: Commands for moving to headers.
299 * Movement:: Moving around in message buffers.
300 * Insertion:: Inserting things into message buffers.
301 * Various Commands:: Various things.
302 * Sending:: Actually sending the message.
303 * Mail Aliases:: How to use mail aliases.
307 @node Header Commands
308 @section Header Commands
310 All these commands move to the header in question. If it doesn't exist,
317 @findex message-goto-to
318 Describe the message mode.
322 @findex message-goto-to
323 Go to the @code{To} header (@code{message-goto-to}).
327 @findex message-goto-bcc
328 Go to the @code{Bcc} header (@code{message-goto-bcc}).
332 @findex message-goto-fcc
333 Go to the @code{Fcc} header (@code{message-goto-fcc}).
337 @findex message-goto-cc
338 Go to the @code{Cc} header (@code{message-goto-cc}).
342 @findex message-goto-subject
343 Go to the @code{Subject} header (@code{message-goto-subject}).
347 @findex message-goto-reply-to
348 Go to the @code{Reply-To} header (@code{message-goto-reply-to}).
352 @findex message-goto-newsgroups
353 Go to the @code{Newsgroups} header (@code{message-goto-newsgroups}).
357 @findex message-goto-distribution
358 Go to the @code{Distribution} header (@code{message-goto-distribution}).
362 @findex message-goto-followup-to
363 Go to the @code{Followup-To} header (@code{message-goto-followup-to}).
367 @findex message-goto-keywords
368 Go to the @code{Keywords} header (@code{message-goto-keywords}).
372 @findex message-goto-summary
373 Go to the @code{Summary} header (@code{message-goto-summary}).
384 @findex message-goto-body
385 Move to the beginning of the body of the message
386 (@code{message-goto-body}).
390 @findex message-goto-signature
391 Move to the signature of the message (@code{message-goto-signature}).
403 @findex message-yank-original
404 Yank the message that's being replied to into the message buffer
405 (@code{message-yank-original}).
409 @findex message-fill-yanked-message
410 Fill the yanked message (@code{message-fill-yanked-message}).
414 @findex message-insert-signature
415 Insert a signature at the end of the buffer
416 (@code{message-insert-signature}).
421 @item message-ignored-cited-headers
422 @vindex message-ignored-cited-headers
423 All headers that match this regexp will be removed from yanked
424 messages. The default is @samp{.}, which means that all headers will be
427 @item message-citation-line-function
428 @vindex message-citation-line-function
429 Function called to insert the citation line. The default is
430 @code{message-insert-citation-line}.
432 @item message-yank-prefix
433 @vindex message-yank-prefix
436 When you are replying to or following up an article, you normally want
437 to quote the person you are answering. Inserting quoted text is done by
438 @dfn{yanking}, and each quoted line you yank will have
439 @code{message-yank-prefix} prepended to it. The default is @samp{> }.
440 If it is @code{nil}, just indent the message.
442 @item message-indentation-spaces
443 @vindex message-indentation-spaces
444 Number of spaces to indent yanked messages.
446 @item message-cite-function
447 @vindex message-cite-function
448 @findex message-cite-original
449 @findex sc-cite-original
451 Function for citing an original message. The default is
452 @code{message-cite-original}. You can also set it to
453 @code{sc-cite-original} to use Supercite.
455 @item message-indent-citation-function
456 @vindex message-indent-citation-function
457 Function for modifying a citation just inserted in the mail buffer.
458 This can also be a list of functions. Each function can find the
459 citation between @code{(point)} and @code{(mark t)}. And each function
460 should leave point and mark around the citation text as modified.
462 @item message-signature
463 @vindex message-signature
464 String to be inserted at the end of the message buffer. If @code{t}
465 (which is the default), the @code{message-signature-file} file will be
466 inserted instead. If a function, the result from the function will be
467 used instead. If a form, the result from the form will be used instead.
468 If this variable is @code{nil}, no signature will be inserted at all.
470 @item message-signature-file
471 @vindex message-signature-file
472 File containing the signature to be inserted at the end of the buffer.
473 The default is @samp{~/.signature}.
477 Note that RFC1036 says that a signature should be preceded by the three
478 characters @samp{-- } on a line by themselves. This is to make it
479 easier for the recipient to automatically recognize and process the
480 signature. So don't remove those characters, even though you might feel
481 that they ruin your beautiful design, like, totally.
483 Also note that no signature should be more than four lines long.
484 Including ASCII graphics is an efficient way to get everybody to believe
485 that you are silly and have nothing important to say.
489 @node Various Commands
490 @section Various Commands
496 @findex message-caesar-buffer-body
497 Caesar rotate (aka. rot13) the current message
498 (@code{message-caesar-buffer-body}). If narrowing is in effect, just
499 rotate the visible portion of the buffer. A numerical prefix says how
500 many places to rotate the text. The default is 13.
504 @findex message-elide-region
505 Elide the text between point and mark (@code{message-elide-region}).
506 The text is killed and an ellipsis (@samp{[...]}) will be inserted in
511 @findex message-insert-to
512 Insert a @code{To} header that contains the @code{Reply-To} or
513 @code{From} header of the message you're following up
514 (@code{message-insert-to}).
518 @findex message-insert-newsgroups
519 Insert a @code{Newsgroups} header that reflects the @code{Followup-To}
520 or @code{Newsgroups} header of the article you're replying to
521 (@code{message-insert-newsgroups}).
525 @findex message-rename-buffer
526 Rename the buffer (@code{message-rename-buffer}). If given a prefix,
527 prompt for a new buffer name.
538 @findex message-send-and-exit
539 Send the message and bury the current buffer
540 (@code{message-send-and-exit}).
545 Send the message (@code{message-send}).
549 @findex message-dont-send
550 Bury the message buffer and exit (@code{message-dont-send}).
554 @findex message-kill-buffer
555 Kill the message buffer and exit (@code{message-kill-buffer}).
562 @section Mail Aliases
566 Message uses @code{mailabbrev} to handle mail aliases.
567 @code{mailabbrev} works by parsing the @file{/etc/mailrc} and
568 @file{~/.mailrc} files. These files look like:
571 alias lmi "Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@ifi.uio.no>"
572 alias ding "ding@@ifi.uio.no (ding mailing list)"
575 After adding lines like this to your @file{~/.mailrc} file, you should
576 be able to just write @samp{lmi} in the @code{To} or @code{Cc} (and so
577 on) headers and press @kbd{SPC} to expand the alias.
579 No expansion will be performed upon sending of the message---all
580 expansions have to be done explicitly.
588 * Message Headers:: General message header stuff.
589 * Mail Headers:: Customizing mail headers.
590 * Mail Variables:: Other mail variables.
591 * News Headers:: Customizing news headers.
592 * News Variables:: Other news variables.
593 * Various Message Variables:: Other message variables.
594 * Sending Variables:: Variables for sending.
595 * Message Buffers:: How Message names its buffers.
596 * Message Actions:: Actions to be performed when exiting.
600 @node Message Headers
601 @section Message Headers
603 Message is quite aggressive on the message generation front. It has
604 to be -- it's a combined news and mail agent. To be able to send
605 combined messages, it has to generate all headers itself to ensure that
606 mail and news copies of messages look sufficiently similar.
610 @item message-generate-headers-first
611 @vindex message-generate-headers-first
612 If non-@code{nil}, generate all headers before starting to compose the
615 @item message-from-style
616 @vindex message-from-style
617 Specifies how @code{From} headers should look. There are four legal
622 Just the address -- @samp{king@@grassland.com}.
625 @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}.
628 @samp{Elvis Parsley <king@@grassland.com>}.
631 Look like @code{angles} if that doesn't require quoting, and
632 @code{parens} if it does. If even @code{parens} requires quoting, use
633 @code{angles} anyway.
637 @item message-deletable-headers
638 @vindex message-deletable-headers
639 Headers in this list that were previously generated by Message will be
640 deleted before posting. Let's say you post an article. Then you decide
641 to post it again to some other group, you naughty boy, so you jump back
642 to the @code{*post-buf*} buffer, edit the @code{Newsgroups} line, and
643 ship it off again. By default, this variable makes sure that the old
644 generated @code{Message-ID} is deleted, and a new one generated. If
645 this isn't done, the entire empire would probably crumble, anarchy would
646 prevail, and cats would start walking on two legs and rule the world.
649 @item message-default-headers
650 @vindex message-default-headers
651 This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
658 @section Mail Headers
661 @item message-required-mail-headers
662 @vindex message-required-mail-headers
663 @xref{News Headers}, for the syntax of this variable. It is
664 @code{(From Date Subject (optional . In-Reply-To) Message-ID Lines
665 (optional . X-Mailer))} by default.
667 @item message-ignored-mail-headers
668 @vindex message-ignored-mail-headers
669 Regexp of headers to be removed before mailing. The default is
670 @samp{^Gcc:\\|^Fcc:}.
672 @item message-default-mail-headers
673 @vindex message-default-mail-headers
674 This string is inserted at the end of the headers in all message
675 buffers that are initialized as mail.
681 @section Mail Variables