repl(1)repl(1)NAMErepl - reply to a message (only available within the message handling
system, mh)
SYNOPSISrepl [msg] [+folders] [options]
OPTIONS
Marks out the original message as replied to. When the message is shown
on the listing produced by scan, it is marked with a dash (-). The fol‐
lowing lines are also added to the message:
Replied: date Replied: addrs
where the address list contains one line for each addressee. The
mail system will annotate the message only if it is sent immedi‐
ately. If the message is not sent immediately, you can send it
later with comp -use, but the annotations will not take place.
Specifies who will receive copies of the reply. By default the
mail system sends the reply to the sender of the original mes‐
sage, and copies to all other names in the To: and cc: lines.
You can change this behavior by using the -cc option. This
sends copies of the replies only to the specified names. There
are four values: -cc all sends copies to all the names on the
original message; -cc to sends copies only to those names in the
To: field; -cc cc sends copies only to those names in the cc:
field; and -cc me sends a copy of the reply to yourself.
There is also a -nocc option, which stops copies of the reply
being sent to the named people. It takes the same values as -cc.
So, for example, -nocc cc would stop replies being sent to the
names in the cc: field of the original message. Specifies the
folder in which the draft message is created. If you do not
send the draft, it is stored in this folder.
This option is usually set up in your See mh_profile(4) for more
information. If you have this option set up, you can override it
by using the -nodraftfolder option. Specifies the editor you
wish to use to write your reply. The default editor provided is
prompter. You can specify any legal editor as an alternative.
You can also set up an editor in your file. See mh_profile(4)
for more details. Specifies a folder to receive copies of your
reply. More than one folder can be named, each preceded by -fcc.
Specifies how the original message is formatted in the draft.
By default, the mail system does not include a copy of the orig‐
inal message in your reply. If you use the -filter filterfile
option, the original message may be included in your reply, and
formatted according to the information in the file you name.
The filter file for repl should be a standard form file for mhl,
as repl will invoke mhl to format the message being replied to.
There is no default filter file for repl; you must create your
own. A filter file that is commonly used is:
: body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
This outputs a blank line and then the body of the message being
replied to, indented by one tab-stop. Varies the appearance of
the mail header for the reply. The mail system will construct
the header according to the instructions in the named file. In
order for repl to operate correctly, this must be an mhl file;
see mh-format(4) for more information. This option overrides the
header set up by the system file /usr/lib/mh/replcomps. Prints
out a list of valid options to the command. Causes annotation
to be done in place, in order to preserve links to the annotated
message. Calls repl without an editor. This option takes you
straight to the What now? prompt, without allowing you to edit
your reply. This will usually produce a reply with no text in
the body of the message. Allows you to modify the list of
recipients. The mail system asks you whether each of the
addresses that would normally be placed in the To: and cc:
fields should actually receive a copy of the reply. Sets the
maximum width of the header line. Lines exceeding this width are
split. Specifies an alternative whatnow program. Normally,
repl invokes the default whatnow program. See whatnow(1) for a
discussion of available options. You can specify your own alter‐
native to the default program using the -whatnowproc program
option. If you do specify your own program, you should not call
it whatnow.
You can suppress the whatnow program entirely by using the
-nowhatnowproc option. However, as the program normally starts
the initial edit, the -nowhatnowproc option will prevent you
from editing the message.
The default settings for this command are:
+folder defaults to the current folder
msg defaults to the current message
-cc all
-format
-noannotate
-nodraftfolder
-noinplace
-noquery
-width 72
DESCRIPTION
Use repl to reply to a message that you have received.
By default, repl replies to the current message in the current folder.
If you want to reply to another message, you can specify a message num‐
ber as the msg argument. You can also specify a message in another
folder by supplying a +folder argument. You can supply both a msg and a
+folder argument. If you specify a folder without giving a message num‐
ber, repl will reply to the current message in the named folder.
When you reply to a message, repl automatically fills in the mail
header for you, taking the information it needs from the mail header of
the original message. The following example shows how repl constructs
the mail header for the return message: To: <Reply-To> or <From> or
<sender> cc: <cc>, <To>, and yourself Subject: Re: <Subject>
In-reply-to: Your message of <Date>. <Message-Id>
Field names enclosed in angle brackets (< >) indicate the contents of
the named field from the original message.
Normally, repl replies to the original sender, and sends carbon copies
to all the addressees on the original message.
You can create a different mail header from the default and use it
every time you reply to mail. If you create an alternative mail header
and store it in the file replcomps in your Mail directory, repl will
use it instead of the default header file. This must be an mhl file;
see mh-format(4) for more information.
If you do not have a draft folder set up, repl creates your new draft
in a file called draft in your Mail directory. This file must be empty
before you can create a new draft, which means that you can only store
one draft at a time. If it is not empty, the mail system will ask you
what you want to do with the existing contents. The options are: Aborts
repl, leaving the draft intact. Replaces the existing draft with the
appropriate message form. Displays the draft message. Refiles the
existing draft message in the specified folder, and provides a new mes‐
sage form for you to complete.
If you want to be able to have more than one draft at a time, you can
set up a draft folder in your you to keep as many unsent drafts as
space allows, and still create new messages as you wish. To do this,
make sure that the following line is in your
Draft-folder: +drafts
For more information on how to do this, see mh_profile(4).
If you set up a draft folder, all draft messages are created in that
folder. If you decide not to send the draft, by typing quit at the What
now? prompt, the message is stored in the draft folder. You can then
re-edit the message, or send it at a later date, by using the comp -use
command.
Note that while in the editor, the message being replied to is avail‐
able through a link named @ (assuming the default whatnowproc). In
addition, the actual pathname of the message is stored in the environ‐
ment variable $editalt, and the pathname of the folder containing the
message is stored in the environment variable $mhfolder. If your cur‐
rent working directory is not writable, the link named @ is not avail‐
able.
PROFILE COMPONENTS
Path: To determine your Mail directory
Alternate-Mailboxes: To determine your mailboxes
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
mhlproc: Program to filter message being replied to
whatnowproc: Program to ask the “What now?” questions
EXAMPLES
This example replies to message number 15 in the current folder: % repl
15 The next example creates your reply in the folder +drafts. If you
decide not to send the draft reply, the mail system will store it in
this folder: % repl-draftfolder +drafts The next example places a copy
of your reply in your +copylog folder: % repl-fcc +copylog
FILES
The default system reply template. The user-supplied alternative to
the standard reply template. The user profile. The draft file.
SEE ALSOcomp(1), dist(1), forw(1), prompter(1), send(1), whatnow(1), mh-for‐
mat(4)repl(1)