FORW(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual FORW(1) NAME forw - forward messages SYNOPSIS forw [+folder] [msgs] [-annotate] [-noannotate] [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit] [-filter filterfile] [-form formfile] [-format] [-noformat] [-inplace] [-noinplace] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc] [-help] forw [+folder] [msgs] [-digest list] [-issue number] [-volume number] [other switches for _f_o_r_w] [-help] 9 _F_o_r_w may be used to prepare a message containing other mes- sages. It constructs the new message from the components file or `-form formfile' (see _c_o_m_p ), with a body composed of the message(s) to be forwarded. An editor is invoked as in _c_o_m_p, and after editing is complete, the user is prompted before the message is sent. The default message form contains the following elements: To: cc: Subject: -------- If the file named "forwcomps" exists in the user's MH direc- tory, it will be used instead of this form. In either case, the file specified by `-form formfile' will be used if given. If the draft already exists, _f_o_r_w will ask you as to the disposition of the draft. A reply of quit will abort _f_o_r_w, leaving the draft intact; replace will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list will display the draft. If the `-annotate' switch is given, each message being for- warded will be annotated with the lines Forwarded: date Forwarded: addrs where each address list contains as many lines as required. This annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from _f_o_r_w. If the message is not sent immediately from _f_o_r_w, "comp -use" may be used to re-edit and send the constructed message, but the annotations won't take place. The '-inplace' switch causes annotation to be done in place in order to preserve links to the annotated message. 9 Printed 1/10/87 MH 1 FORW(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual FORW(1) See _c_o_m_p (1) for a description of the `-editor' and `-noedit' switches. Although _f_o_r_w uses the `-form formfile' switch to direct it how to construct the beginning of the draft, the `-filter filterfile', `-format', and `-noformat' switches direct _f_o_r_w as to how each forwarded message should be for- matted in the body of the draft. If `-noformat' is speci- fied, then each forwarded message is output exactly as it appears. If `-format' or `-filter filterfile' is specified, then each forwarded message is filtered (re-formatted) prior to being output to the body of the draft. The filter file for _f_o_r_w should be a standard form file for _m_h_l, as _f_o_r_w will invoke _m_h_l to format the forwarded messages. The default message filter (what you get with `-format') is: width=80,overflowtext=,overflowoffset=10 leftadjust,compress,compwidth=9 Date:formatfield="%<(nodate{text})%{text}%|%(tws{text})%>" From: To: cc: Subject: : body:nocomponent,overflowoffset=0,noleftadjust,nocompress If the file named "mhl.forward" exists in the user's MH directory, it will be used instead of this form. In either case, the file specified by `-filter filterfile' will be used if given. To summarize: `-noformat' will reproduce each forwarded message exactly, `-format' will use _m_h_l and a default filterfile, "mhl.forward", to format each forwarded message, and `-filter filterfile' will use the named filter- file to format each forwarded message with _m_h_l. Each forwarded message is separated with an encapsulation delimiter so that when received, the message is suitable for bursting by _b_u_r_s_t (1). For users of _p_r_o_m_p_t_e_r (1), by specifying prompter's `- prepend' switch in the .mh_profile file, any commentary text is entered before the forwarded messages. (A major win!) The `-draftfolder +folder' and `-draftmessage msg' switches invoke the _M_H draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature. Consult the Advanced Features section of the _M_H manual for more information. Upon exiting from the editor, _f_o_r_w will invoke the _w_h_a_t_n_o_w program. See _w_h_a_t_n_o_w (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 Printed 1/10/87 MH 2 FORW(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual FORW(1) the _w_h_a_t_n_o_w program which starts the initial edit. Hence, `-nowhatnowproc' will prevent any edit from occurring.) The `-digest list', `-issue number', and `-volume number' switches implement a digest facility for _M_H. See the _M_H user's manual for more information. FILES /usr/misc/mh/lib/forwcomps The message skeleton or <mh-dir>/forwcomps Rather than the standard skeleton /usr/misc/mh/lib/digestcomps The message skeleton if `-digest' is given or <mh-dir>/digestcomps Rather than the standard skeleton /usr/misc/mh/lib/mhl.forward The message filter or <mh-dir>/mhl.forward Rather than the standard filter $HOME/.mh_profile The user profile <mh-dir>/draft The draft file PROFILE COMPONENTS Path: To determine the user's MH directory Current-Folder: To find the default current folder 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 messages being forwarded whatnowproc: Program to ask the "What now?" questions SEE ALSO _P_r_o_p_o_s_e_d _S_t_a_n_d_a_r_d _f_o_r _M_e_s_s_a_g_e _E_n_c_a_p_s_u_l_a_t_i_o_n (aka RFC-934), comp(1), dist(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1) DEFAULTS `+folder' defaults to the current folder `msgs' defaults to cur `-noannotate' `-nodraftfolder' `-noformat' `-noinplace' CONTEXT If a folder is given, it will become the current folder. The first message forwarded will become the current message. BUGS If _w_h_a_t_n_o_w_p_r_o_c is _w_h_a_t_n_o_w, then _f_o_r_w uses a built-in _w_h_a_t_- _n_o_w, it does not actually run the _w_h_a_t_n_o_w program. Hence, if you define your own _w_h_a_t_n_o_w_p_r_o_c, don't call it _w_h_a_t_n_o_w since _f_o_r_w won't run it. When _f_o_r_w is told to annotate the messages it forwards, it doesn't actually annotate them until the draft is success- fully sent. If from the _w_h_a_t_n_o_w_p_r_o_c, you _p_u_s_h instead of Printed 1/10/87 MH 3 FORW(1) UNIX Programmer's Manual FORW(1) _s_e_n_d, it's possible to confuse _f_o_r_w by re-ordering the file (e.g., by using `folder -pack') before the message is suc- cessfully sent. _D_i_s_t and _r_e_p_l don't have this problem. Printed 1/10/87 MH 4