WHATNOW(1) [mh.6] (MH.6.8) WHATNOW(1)
NAME
whatnow - prompting front-end for send
SYNOPSIS
whatnow [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
[-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
[-prompt string] [file] [-help]
DESCRIPTION
Whatnow is the default program that queries the user about
the disposition of a composed draft. It is normally invoked
by one of comp, dist, forw, or repl after the initial edit.
When started, the editor is started on the draft (unless
`-noedit' is given, in which case the initial edit is
suppressed). Then, whatnow repetitively prompts the user
with What now? and awaits a response. The valid responses
are:
display to list the message being distributed/replied-to on
the terminal
edit to re-edit using the same editor that was used on the
preceding round unless a profile entry
<lasteditor>-next: <editor> names an alternate editor
edit <editor> to invoke <editor> for further editing
list to list the draft on the terminal
push to send the message in the background
quit to terminate the session and preserve the draft
quit -delete to terminate, then delete the draft
refile +folder to refile the draft into the given folder
send to send the message
send -watch to cause the delivery process to be monitored
whom to list the addresses that the message will go to
whom -check to list the addresses and verify that they are
acceptable to the transport service
For the edit response, any valid switch to the editor is
valid. Similarly, for the send and whom responses, any
valid switch to send (1) and whom (1) commands,
respectively, are valid. For the push response, any valid
switch to send (1) is valid (as this merely invokes send
with the `-push' option). For the refile response, any
valid switch to the fileproc is valid. For the display and
list responses, any valid argument to the lproc is valid.
If any non-switch arguments are present, then the pathname
of the draft will be excluded from the argument list given
to the lproc (this is useful for listing another MH
message).
See mh-profile (5) for further information about how editors
are used by MH. It also discusses how complex envariables
can be used to direct whatnow's actions.
Page 1 (printed 9/30/94)
WHATNOW(1) [mh.6] (MH.6.8) WHATNOW(1)
The `-prompt string' switch sets the prompting string for
whatnow.
The `-draftfolder +folder' and `-draftmessage msg' switches
invoke the MH draft folder facility. This is an advanced
(and highly useful) feature. Consult the Advanced Features
section of the MH manual for more information.
FILES
$HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
<mh-dir>/draft The draft file
PROFILE COMPONENTS
Path: To determine the user's MH directory
Draft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder
Editor: To override the default editor
<lasteditor>-next: To name an editor to be used after exit from <lasteditor>
fileproc: Program to refile the message
lproc: Program to list the contents of a message
sendproc: Program to use to send the message
whomproc: Program to determine who a message would go to
SEE ALSO
send(1), whom(1)
DEFAULTS
`-prompt What Now? '
CONTEXT
None
BUGS
The argument to the `-prompt' switch must be interpreted as
a single token by the shell that invokes whatnow.
Therefore, one must usually place the argument to this
switch inside double-quotes.
If the initial edit fails, whatnow deletes your draft (by
renaming it with a leading comma); failure of a later edit
preverves the draft.
If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp, dist, forw, and repl
use a built-in whatnow, and do not actually run the whatnow
program. Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don't
call it whatnow since it won't be run.
If sendproc is send, then whatnow uses a built-in send, it
does not actually run the send program. Hence, if you
define your own sendproc, don't call it send since whatnow
won't run it.
Page 2 (printed 9/30/94)