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10.10 Sending Messages

The most useful commands for sending mail are Send Message (bound to m and s in Headers and Message modes), Reply to Message (bound to r in Headers mode), and Reply to Message in Other Window (bound to r in Message mode). These commands set up a Draft buffer and associate a Message buffer with the draft when possible. To actually deliver the message to its recipient(s), use Deliver Message (bound to H-s in Draft mode). To abort sending mail, use Delete Draft and Buffer (bound to H-q in Draft mode). If one wants to temporarily stop composing a draft with the intention of finishing it later, then the Save File command (bound to C-x C-s) will save the draft to the user’s draft folder.

Draft buffers have a special Hemlock minor mode called Draft mode. The major mode of a Draft buffer is taken from the Default Modes variable. The user may wish to arrange that Text mode (and possibly Fill mode or Save mode) be turned on whenever Draft mode is set. For a further description of how to manipulate modes in Hemlock see the Hemlock Command Implementor’s Manual.

Command: Send Message stuff (bound to s and m in Headers and Message modes and C-x m globally)

This command, when invoked in a Headers buffer, creates a unique Draft buffer and a unique Message buffer. The current message is inserted in the Message buffer, and the Draft buffer is displayed in the current window. The Draft buffer’s point is moved to the end of the line containing To: if it exists. The name of the draft message file is used to produce the buffer’s name. A pathname is associated with the Draft buffer so that Save File can be used to incrementally save a composition before delivering it. The comp utility will be used to allocate a draft message in the user’s MH draft folder and to insert the proper header components into the draft message. Both the Draft and Message buffers are associated with the Headers buffer, and the Draft buffer is associated with the Message buffer.

When invoked in a Message buffer, a unique Draft buffer is created, and these two buffers are associated. If the Message buffer is associated with a Headers buffer, this association is propagated to the Draft buffer. Showing other messages while in this Headers buffer will not affect this Message buffer.

When not in a Headers or Message buffer, this command does the same thing as described in the previous two cases, but there are no Message or Headers buffer manipulations.

Deliver Message will deliver the draft to its intended recipient(s).

The Goto Headers Buffer command, when invoked in a Draft or Message buffer, makes the associated Headers buffer current. The Goto Message Buffer command, when invoked in a Draft buffer, makes the associated Message buffer current.

Command: Reply to Message stuff (bound to r in Headers mode)
Command: Reply to Message in Other Window stuff (bound to r in Message mode)
Hemlock Variable: Reply to Message Prefix Action

Reply to Message, when invoked in a Headers buffer, creates a unique Draft buffer and a unique Message buffer. The current message is inserted in the Message buffer, and the Draft buffer is displayed in the current window. The draft components are set up in reply to the message, and the Draft buffer’s point is moved to the end of the buffer. The name of the draft message file is used to produce the buffer’s name. A pathname is associated with the Draft buffer so that Save File can be used to incrementally save a composition before delivering it. The repl utility will be used to allocate a draft message file in the user’s MH draft folder and to insert the proper header components into the draft message. Both the Draft and Message buffers are associated with the Headers buffer, and the Draft buffer is associated with the Message buffer.

When invoked in a Message buffer, a unique Draft buffer is set up using the message in the buffer as the associated message. Any previous association between the Message buffer and a Draft buffer is removed. Any association of the Message buffer with a Headers buffer is propagated to the Draft buffer.

When not in a Headers buffer or Message buffer, this command prompts for a folder and message to reply to. This message is inserted into a unique Message buffer, and a unique Draft buffer is created as in the previous two cases. There is no association of either the Message buffer or the Draft buffer with a Headers buffer.

When a prefix argument is supplied, Reply to Message Prefix Action is considered with respect to supplying carbon copy switches to repl. This variable’s value is one of :cc-all, :no-cc-all, or nil. See section Styles for examples of how to use this.

Reply to Message in Other Window is identical to Reply to Message, but the current window is split showing the Draft buffer in the new window. The split window displays the Message buffer.

Deliver Message will deliver the draft to its intended recipient(s).

The Goto Headers Buffer commmand, when invoked in a Draft or Message buffer, makes the associated Headers buffer current. The Goto Message Buffer command, when invoked in a Draft buffer, makes the associated Message buffer current.

Command: Forward Message stuff (bound to f in Headers and Message modes)

This command, when invoked in a Headers buffer, creates a unique Draft buffer. The current message is inserted in the draft by using the forw utility, and the Draft buffer is shown in the current window. The name of the draft message file is used to produce the buffer’s name. A pathname is associated with the Draft buffer so that Save File can be used to incrementally save a composition before delivering it. The Draft buffer is associated with the Headers buffer, but no Message buffer is created since the message is already a part of the draft.

When invoked in a Message buffer, a unique Draft buffer is set up inserting the message into the Draft buffer. The Message buffer is not associated with the Draft buffer because the message is already a part of the draft. However, any association of the Message buffer with a Headers buffer is propagated to the Draft buffer.

When not in a Headers buffer or Message buffer, this command prompts for a folder and message to forward. A Draft buffer is created as described in the previous two cases.

Deliver Message will deliver the draft to its intended recipient(s).

Command: Deliver Message stuff (bound to H-s and H-c in Draft mode)
Hemlock Variable: Deliver Message Confirm (initial value nil)

This command, when invoked in a Draft buffer, saves the file and uses the MH send utility to deliver the draft. If the draft is a reply to some message, then anno is used to annotate that message with a "replied" component. Any Headers buffers containing the replied-to message are updated with an "A" placed in the appropriate headers line two characters after the message ID. Before doing any of this, confirmation is asked for based on Deliver Message Confirm.

When not in a Draft buffer, this prompts for a draft message ID and invokes send on that draft message to deliver it. Sending a draft in this way severs any association that draft may have had with a message being replied to, so no annotation will occur.

Command: Delete Draft and Buffer stuff (bound to H-q in Draft mode)

This command, when invoked in a Draft buffer, deletes the draft message file and the buffer. This also deletes any associated message buffer unless the user preserved it with Keep Message.

Command: Remail Message stuff (bound to H-r in Headers and Message modes)

This command, when invoked in a Headers or Message buffer, prompts for resend To: and resend Cc: addresses, remailing the current message. When invoked in any other kind of buffer, this command prompts for a folder and message as well. MH’s dist sets up a draft folder message which is then modified. The above mentioned addresses are inserted on the Resent-To: and Resent-Cc: lines. Then the message is delivered.

There is no mechanism for annotating messages as having been remailed.

Command: Draft Help (bound to Draft: H-?)

This command displays documentation on Draft mode.


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