{ "mode": "info", "parameter": "DIST", "section": "", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/info/DIST/json", "generated": "2026-07-05T17:51:26Z", "synopsis": "dist [-help] [-version] [+folder] [msg] [-form formfile] [-annotate |\n-noannotate] [-inplace | -noinplace] [-draftfolder +folder]\n[-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]\n[-width columns] [-from address] [-to address] [-cc address] [-fcc\n+folder] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc] [-atfile] [-noat-\nfile]", "sections": { "NAME": { "content": "dist - distribute an nmh message to additional addresses\n", "subsections": [] }, "SYNOPSIS": { "content": "dist [-help] [-version] [+folder] [msg] [-form formfile] [-annotate |\n-noannotate] [-inplace | -noinplace] [-draftfolder +folder]\n[-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]\n[-width columns] [-from address] [-to address] [-cc address] [-fcc\n+folder] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc] [-atfile] [-noat-\nfile]\n", "subsections": [] }, "DESCRIPTION": { "content": "dist is similar to forw. It prepares the specified message for redis-\ntribution to addresses that (presumably) are not on the original ad-\ndress list.\n\nThe default message form contains the following elements:\n\nResent-From: {from switch} or or \nResent-To: {to switch} or blank\nResent-cc: {cc switch} or blank\nResent-fcc: {fcc switch} or blank\n\nIf a file named \"distcomps\" exists in the user's nmh directory, it will\nbe used instead of this default form. You may specify an alternate\nforms file with the switch -form formfile. Forms are processed via the\nnmh template system; see mh-format(5) for details. Components from the\nredistributed message are available as standard component escapes in\nthe forms file.\n\nIn addition to the standard mh-format(5) escapes, the following compo-\nnent escapes are also supported:\n\nEscape Returns Description\nfcc string Any folders specified with `-fcc folder'\nnmh-from string Addresses specified with `-from address'\nnmh-to string Addresses specified with `-to address'\nnmh-cc string Addresses specified with `-cc address'\n\nSee the forw(1) man page for descriptions of the -from, -to, -cc, and\n-fcc switches.\n\nIf the draft already exists, dist will ask you as to the disposition of\nthe draft. A reply of quit will abort dist, leaving the draft intact;\nreplace will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list\nwill display the draft.\n\nOnly those addresses in \"Resent-To:\", \"Resent-cc:\", and \"Resent-Bcc:\"\nwill be sent. Also, a \"Resent-Fcc: folder\" will be honored (see\nsend(1)). Note that with dist, the draft should contain only \"Re-\nsent-xxx:\" fields and no body. The headers and the body of the origi-\nnal message are copied to the draft when the message is sent. Use care\nin constructing the headers for the redistribution.\n\nBecause the draft is minimal, the prompter(1) editor is quite useful\nwith dist.\n\nIf the -annotate switch is given, the message being distributed will\nbe annotated with the lines:\nResent: date\nResent: addrs\nwhere each address list contains as many lines as required. This anno-\ntation will be done only if the message is sent directly from dist. If\nthe message is not sent immediately from dist, \"comp -use\" may be used\nto re-edit and send the constructed message, but the annotations won't\ntake place. Normally annotations are done in place in order to pre-\nserve any links to the message. You may use the -noinplace switch to\nchange this.\n\nSee comp(1) for a description of the -editor and -noedit switches.\nNote that while in the editor, with -atfile and if the current direc-\ntory is writable, the message being resent is available through a link\nnamed \"@\" (assuming the default whatnowproc). In addition, the actual\npathname of the message is stored in the environment variable $editalt,\nand the pathname of the folder containing the message is stored in the\nenvironment variable $mhfolder. The creation of the \"@\" file is con-\ntrolled via the -atfile and -noatfile options.\n\nThe -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh\ndraft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) fea-\nture. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.\n\nUpon exiting from the editor, dist will invoke the whatnow program.\nSee whatnow(1) for a discussion of available options. The invocation\nof this program can be inhibited by using the -nowhatnowproc switch.\n(In fact, it is the whatnow program which starts the initial edit.\nHence, -nowhatnowproc will prevent any edit from occurring.)\n", "subsections": [] }, "FILES": { "content": "/etc/nmh/distcomps The default message skeleton.\n/distcomps The user's message skeleton.\n$HOME/.mhprofile The user's profile.\n/draft The draft file.\n", "subsections": [] }, "PROFILE COMPONENTS": { "content": "Path: To determine the user's nmh directory.\nCurrent-Folder: To find the default current folder.\nDraft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder.\nEditor: To override the default editor.\nfileproc: Program to refile the message.\nwhatnowproc: Program to ask the \"What now?\" questions.\n", "subsections": [] }, "SEE ALSO": { "content": "comp(1), forw(1), prompter(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)\n", "subsections": [] }, "DEFAULTS": { "content": "+folder The current folder.\nmsg The current message.", "subsections": [ { "name": "-noannotate", "content": "" }, { "name": "-nodraftfolder", "content": "" }, { "name": "-inplace", "content": "" }, { "name": "-noatfile", "content": "" } ] }, "CONTEXT": { "content": "If a folder is given, it will become the current folder. The message\ndistributed will become the current message.\n", "subsections": [] }, "HISTORY": { "content": "dist originally used headers of the form \"Distribute-xxx:\" instead of\n\"Resent-xxx:\". In order to conform with the ARPA Internet standard,\nRFC 822, the \"Resent-xxx:\" form is now used. dist will recognize \"Dis-\ntribute-xxx:\" type headers and automatically convert them to \"Re-\nsent-xxx:\".\n", "subsections": [] }, "BUGS": { "content": "dist does not rigorously check the message being distributed for adher-\nence to the transport standard, but post called by send does. The post\nprogram will balk (and rightly so) at poorly formatted messages, and\ndist won't correct things for you.\n\nIf whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp uses a built-in whatnow, it does\nnot actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you define your own\nwhatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since comp won't run it.\n\nnmh-1.7.1 2012-12-04 DIST(1mh)", "subsections": [] } }, "summary": "dist - distribute an nmh message to additional addresses", "flags": [], "examples": [], "see_also": [ { "name": "comp", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/comp/1/json" }, { "name": "forw", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/forw/1/json" }, { "name": "prompter", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/prompter/1/json" }, { "name": "repl", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/repl/1/json" }, { "name": "send", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/send/1/json" }, { "name": "whatnow", "section": "1", "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/whatnow/1/json" } ] }