REFILE(1)REFILE(1)NAMErefile - file message in other folders
SYNOPSISrefile [msgs] [-draft] [-link | -nolink] [-preserve | -nopreserve]
[-unlink | -nounlink] [-src +folder] [-file file] [-rmmproc pro‐
gram] [-normmproc] +folder1 ... [-version] [-help]
DESCRIPTION
Refile moves (see mv(1)) or links (see ln(1)) messages from a source
folder into one or more destination folders.
If you think of a message as a sheet of paper, this operation is not
unlike filing the sheet of paper (or copies) in file cabinet folders.
When a message is filed, it is linked into the destination folder(s) if
possible, and is copied otherwise. As long as the destination folders
are all on the same file system, multiple filing causes little storage
overhead. This facility provides a good way to cross-file or multi‐
ply-index messages. For example, if a message is received from Jones
about the ARPA Map Project, the command
refile cur +jones +Map
would allow the message to be found in either of the two folders
`jones' or `Map'.
You may specify the source folder using -src +folder. If this is not
given, the current folder is used by default. If no message is speci‐
fied, then `cur' is used by default.
The option -file file directs refile to use the specified file as the
source message to be filed, rather than a message from a folder. Note
that the file should be a validly formatted message, just like any
other nmh message. It should NOT be in mail drop format (to convert a
file in mail drop format to a folder of nmh messages, see inc(1)).
If a destination folder doesn't exist, refile will ask if you want to
create it. A negative response will abort the file operation. If the
standard input for refile is not a tty, then refile will not ask any
questions and will proceed as if the user answered “yes” to all ques‐
tions.
The option -link preserves the source folder copy of the message (i.e.,
it does a ln(1) rather than a mv(1)), whereas, -nolink (the default)
deletes the filed messages from the source folder.
Normally when a message is refiled, for each destination folder it is
assigned the number which is one above the current highest message num‐
ber in that folder. Use of the -preserv switch will override this mes‐
sage renaming, and try to preserve the number of the message. If a
conflict for a particular folder occurs when using the -preserve
switch, then refile will use the next available message number which is
above the message number you wish to preserve.
If -link is not specified (or -nolink is specified), the filed messages
will be removed from the source folder. The default is to remove these
messages by renaming them with a site-dependent prefix (usually a
comma). Such files will then need to be removed in some manner after a
certain amount of time. Many sites arrange for cron to remove these
files once a day, so check with your system administrator.
Alternately, if you wish for refile to really remove the files repre‐
senting these messages from the source folder, you can use the -unlink
switch (not to be confused with the -link switch). But messages
removed by this method cannot be later recovered.
If you prefer a more sophisticated method of `removing' the messages
from the source folder, you can define the rmmproc profile component.
For example, you can add a profile component such as
rmmproc: /home/coleman/bin/rmm_msgs
then refile will instead call the named program or script to handle the
message files.
The user may specify -rmmproc program on the command line to override
this profile specification. The -normmproc option forces the message
files to be deleted by renaming or unlinking them as described above.
The -draft switch tells refile to file the <mh-dir>/draft.
FILES
$HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
PROFILE COMPONENTS
Path: To determine the user's nmh directory
Current-Folder: To find the default current folder
Folder-Protect: To set mode when creating a new folder
rmmproc: Program to delete the message
SEE ALSOfolder(1), rmf(1), rmm(1)DEFAULTS
`-src +folder' defaults to the current folder
`msgs' defaults to cur
`-nolink'
`-nounlink'
`-nopreserve'
CONTEXT
If -src +folder is given, it will become the current folder. If nei‐
ther -link nor `all' is specified, the current message in the source
folder will be set to the last message specified; otherwise, the cur‐
rent message won't be changed.
If the “Previous-Sequence” profile entry is set, in addition to defin‐
ing the named sequences from the source folder, refile will also define
those sequences for the destination folders. See mh-sequence (5) for
information concerning the previous sequence.
BUGS
Since refile uses your rmmproc to delete the message, the rmmproc must
NOT call refile without specifying -normmproc, or you will create an
infinite loop.
nmh-1.5-2 January 18, 2001 REFILE(1)
