1 MAIL_Command Invokes the OpenVMS Mail utility (MAIL). You can use the Mail utility to send messages to other users on your system or network. You can also read, file, forward, delete, print, and reply to messages that other users send to you. For more information on the Mail utility, invoke MAIL and type HELP at the MAIL> prompt. Format MAIL [filespec] [recipient-name] 2 Parameters filespec Specifies an optional file containing message text to be sent to the specified users. If you omit the file type, the default file type is TXT. The recipient-name parameter is required with the filespec parameter. If you omit the filespec parameter, MAIL is invoked to process MAIL commands interactively. No wild card characters are allowed in the file specification. recipient-name Specifies one or more users to receive the message. If the filespec parameter is specified, this parameter is required. A recipient-name is the name that the user uses to log in. If any user is on a remote node, you should precede that recipient-name parameter with the name of the remote node followed by two colons (::). As an alternative to listing the user names, you can specify a distribution list file containing user names. Simply precede the distribution list file specification with an at sign (@) and enclose this construction in quotation marks ("). The file you specify should contain the user names, entered one per line, denoting any remote nodes as described above. If you omit the file type, the default file type is DIS. No wild card characters are allowed in the distribution list file specification. 2 Qualifiers /EDIT /EDIT[=(keyword[=option], . . . )] Sets the default to /EDIT for the SEND and REPLY commands and allows you to edit your mail messages. By default, the DECTPU- based EVE editor will be invoked. You can use the SET EDITOR command in MAIL to change your editor. Valid keywords are FORWARD, REPLY[=EXTRACT], and SEND. /PERSONAL_NAME /PERSONAL_NAME=name NOPERSONAL_NAME Specifies the personal name to be used when sending a message. Use quotation marks around the personal name to include more than one word or to print in lowercase letters. This qualifier does not override the default personal name specified by the SET PERSONAL_NAME command; the personal name is only changed for the current message.The /NOPERSONAL_NAME qualifier sends a message with a null personal name field. /SELF Sends a copy of the message containing the file specification on the command line back to you as well as to other users. /SIGNATURE_FILE /SIGNATURE_FILE[=file-name] /NOSIGNATURE_FILE Specifies a file to be appended to the end of a mail message. The signature file contains text and has a default file type of .SIG. An example of a signature file is a text file formatted as business card, containing the user's company name, address, telephone, and Internet address. Specify the /SIGNATURE_FILE qualifier when you want to override the default established by the Mail command SET SIGNATURE_FILE (if you want to send a signature file that is different from that default specification). If there is no default setting, specify the /SIGNATURE_FILE qualifier to interactively include a signature file with a particular mail message. When you use the /SIGNATURE_FILE qualifier, note the following: o When you create a mail message that includes a signature file, that message requires more temporary disk space than a conventional message because temporary files are created during the operation. After the message is sent, those temporary files are deleted. o If you do not specify a directory, the Mail utility looks for the signature file in your mail directory. o If you do not specify a file, the Mail utility uses the file specification in your user profile. If there is no default signature file in the profile, Mail will send the message without one. o If a specified signature file does not exist, the system displays an error message. Specify the /NOSIGNATURE_FILE qualifier when you do not want to include a signature file with a particular mail message. Specifying this qualifier overrides the current setting, including any specifications in your user profile. /SUBJECT /SUBJECT="text" Specifies the subject of the message for the heading. If the text consists of more than one word, any spaces, or nonalphanumeric characters, enclose the text in quotation marks. 2 Examples 1.$ MAIL MAIL> This MAIL command invokes MAIL to process commands interactively. 2.$ MAIL/SUBJECT="New Project" PROJECT.DOC JONES,SMITH,ADAMS This MAIL command specifies that the file named PROJECT.DOC is to be sent to users JONES, SMITH, and ADAMS, with a subject description of New Project in the heading. 3.$MAIL/SUBJECT="Vacation Policy Change" NEWSLETTR "@USERS" This MAIL command invokes MAIL to send the file NEWSLETTR.TXT to all the users named in the file USERS.DIS. The subject description is Vacation Policy Change. 4.$ MAIL/EDIT MAIL> SEND To: EARTH::MAX Subj: Experiment . . . [End of file] Buffer: MAIL | Write | Insert | Forward | This example shows how to use the /EDIT qualifier with the MAIL command enabling you to create and edit a new message. Press the Do key to return to the command prompt (Command:). Type EXIT to send the message or QUIT to end the editing session without sending the message. 5.$ MAIL/EDIT=(REPLY,FORWARD) MAIL> 14 . . . MAIL> REPLY To: EARTH::MAX Subj: Experiment [End of file] Buffer: MAIL | Write | Insert | Forward | This example shows how to use the /EDIT qualifier specifying the keywords REPLY and FORWARD, which enable you to edit any message you forward or to which you reply. To reply to message 14, enter REPLY and edit your text. Press the Do key to return to the line-editing prompt and to send the reply to user EARTH::MAX. 6.$ MAIL/PERSONAL_NAME ="Cindy L." TEST.DAT VROMAN This example shows the user's personal name defined as Cindy L. in the current message containing the file TEST.DAT sent to user VROMAN. 7.$ MAIL/SELF experiments.dat smith,jones This example shows how to use the /SELF qualifier to send a copy of the message containing the file named EXPERIMENTS.DAT back to you and to users SMITH and JONES. 8.$ MAIL/SIGNATURE_FILE=BUSINESS_CARD.SIG HELLO.DOC JONES This example shows how to append a text file (BUSINESS_CARD.SIG) to a mail message containing the file HELLO.DOC. User JONES will receive a single mail message containing both files. 9.$ MAIL/SUBJECT="Life in the Big City" newfile.txt JOHNSON This example shows how to use the /SUBJECT qualifier to send a file named NEWFILE.TXT with a subject heading of "Life in the Big City." Use quotation marks around the subject heading to include more than one word, to print in lowercase letters, or to include any spaces or nonalphanumeric characters.