4.4BSD/usr/src/contrib/mh-6.8/conf/doc/mhpath.rf

.\"	@(MHWARNING)
.\" @(#)$Id: mhpath.rf,v 1.7 1992/02/11 22:40:23 jromine Exp $
.SC MHPATH 1
.NA
mhpath \- print full pathnames of MH messages and folders
.SY
mhpath
\%[+folder] \%[msgs]
\%[\-help]
.DE
\fIMhpath\fR expands and sorts the message list `msgs' and writes
the full pathnames of the messages to the standard output
separated by newlines.
If no `msgs' are specified,
\fImhpath\fR outputs the folder pathname instead.
If the only argument is `+', your MH \fIPath\fR is output;
this can be useful is shell scripts.

Contrasted with other MH commands, a message argument to \fImhpath\fR
may often be intended for \fIwriting\fR.
Because of this:
.sp
1) the name \*(lqnew\*(rq has been added to \fImhpath\fR's list of
reserved message names
(the others are \*(lqfirst\*(rq, \*(lqlast\*(rq, \*(lqprev\*(rq,
\*(lqnext\*(rq, \*(lqcur\*(rq, and \*(lqall\*(rq).
The new message is equivalent to the message after the
last message in a folder
(and equivalent to 1 in a folder without messages).
The \*(lqnew\*(rq message may not be used as part of a message range.
.sp
2) Within a message list,
the following designations may refer to messages that do not exist:
a single numeric message name,
the single message name \*(lqcur\*(rq,
and (obviously) the single message name \*(lqnew\*(rq.
All other message designations must refer to at least one existing message.
.sp
3) An empty folder is not in itself an error.

Message numbers greater than the highest existing message in a folder as
part of a range designation are replaced with the next free message number.

Examples: The current folder foo contains messages 3 5 6.
Cur is 4.

.nf
.in +.5i
% mhpath
/r/phyl/Mail/foo

% mhpath all
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/3
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/5
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/6

% mhpath 2001
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/7

% mhpath 1\-2001
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/3
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/5
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/6

% mhpath new
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/7

% mhpath last new
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/6
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/7

% mhpath last\-new
bad message list \*(lqlast\-new\*(rq.

% mhpath cur
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/4

% mhpath 1\-2
no messages in range \*(lq1\-2\*(rq.

% mhpath first:2
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/3
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/5

% mhpath 1 2
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/1
/r/phyl/Mail/foo/2
.in -.5i
.fi

\fIMHpath\fR is also useful in back\-quoted operations:

.nf
.in +.5i
% cd `mhpath +inbox`

% echo `mhpath +`
/r/phyl/Mail
.in -.5i
.fi
.Fi
^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
.Pr
^Path:~^To determine the user's MH directory
.Ps
^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
.Sa
folder(1)
.De
`+folder' defaults to the current folder
.Ds
`msgs' defaults to none
.Co
None
.Bu
Like all MH commands, \fImhpath\fR expands and sorts \%[msgs].
So don't expect

.ti +.5i
mv `mhpath 501 500`

to move 501 to 500.
Quite the reverse.  But

.ti +.5i
mv `mhpath 501` `mhpath 500`

will do the trick.

Out of range message 0 is treated far more severely than large out of
range message numbers.
.En