DIST(1)DIST(1)NAMEdist - redistribute a message to additional addresses
SYNOPSISdist [+folder] [msg] [-annotate] [-noannotate]
[-inplace] [-noinplace] [-form formfile]
[-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
[-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
[-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc]
[-version] [-help]
DESCRIPTION
Dist is similar to forw. It prepares the specified mes-
sage for redistribution to addresses that (presumably) are
not on the original address list.
The default message form contains the following elements:
Resent-To:
Resent-cc:
If a file named "distcomps" exists in the user's nmh
directory, it will be used instead of this default form.
You may specify an alternate forms file with the switch
`-form formfile'. The form used will be prepended to the
message being resent.
If the draft already exists, dist will ask you as to the
disposition of the draft. A reply of quit will abort
dist, leaving the draft intact; replace will replace the
existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list will dis-
play the draft.
Only those addresses in "Resent-To:", "Resent-cc:", and
"Resent-Bcc:" will be sent. Also, a "Resent-Fcc: folder"
will be honored (see send (1)). Note that with dist, the
draft should contain only "Resent-xxx:" fields and no
body. The headers and the body of the original message
are copied to the draft when the message is sent. Use
care in constructing the headers for the redistribution.
If the `-annotate' switch is given, the message being
distributed will be annotated with the lines:
Resent: date
Resent: addrs
where each address list contains as many lines as
required. This annotation will be done only if the mes-
sage is sent directly from dist. If the message is not
sent immediately from dist, "comp -use" may be used to
re-edit and send the constructed message, but the annota-
tions won't take place. Normally annotations are done
inplace in order to preserve any links to the message.
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You may use the '-noinplace' switch to change this.
See comp (1) for a description of the `-editor' and
`-noedit' switches. Note that while in the editor, the
message being resent is available 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 vari-
able $mhfolder.
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.
Upon exiting from the editor, dist 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 occur-
ring.)
FILES
/usr/contrib/mh/etc/distcomps The standard message skeleton
or <mh-dir>/distcomps 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
Current-Folder: To find the default current folder
Draft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder
Editor: To override the default editor
fileproc: Program to refile the message
whatnowproc: Program to ask the "What now?" questions
SEE ALSOcomp(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)DEFAULTS
`+folder' defaults to the current folder
`msg' defaults to cur
`-noannotate'
`-nodraftfolder'
`-inplace'
CONTEXT
If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
The message distributed will become the current message.
HISTORY
Dist originally used headers of the form "Distribute-xxx:"
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DIST(1)DIST(1)
instead of "Resent-xxx:". In order to conform with the
ARPA Internet standard, RFC-822, the "Resent-xxx:" form is
now used. Dist will recognize "Distribute-xxx:" type
headers and automatically convert them to "Resent-xxx:".
BUGS
Dist does not rigorously check the message being dis-
tributed for adherence to the transport standard, but post
called by send does. The post program will balk (and
rightly so) at poorly formatted messages, and dist won't
correct things for you.
If whatnowproc is whatnow, then dist uses a built-in what-
now, it does not actually run the whatnow program. Hence,
if you define your own whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow
since dist won't run it.
If your current working directory is not writable, the
link named "@" is not available.
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