# phpman > man > alpinef(1) [alpine(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/alpine/1/markdown) General Commands Manual [alpine(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/alpine/1/markdown) ## NAME alpine - an Alternatively Licensed Program for Internet News and Email ## SYNTAX **alpine** [ _options_ ] [ _address_ , _address_ ] **alpinef** [ _options_ ] [ _address_ , _address_ ] ## DESCRIPTION Alpine is a screen-oriented message-handling tool. In its default configuration, Alpine of‐ fers an intentionally limited set of functions geared toward the novice user, but it also has a large list of optional "power-user" and personal-preference features. _alpinef_ is a variant of Alpine that uses function keys rather than mnemonic single-letter commands. Alpine's ba‐ sic feature set includes: View, Save, Export, Delete, Print, Reply and Forward messages. Compose messages in a simple editor (Pico) with word-wrap and a spelling checker. Messages may be postponed for later completion. Full-screen selection and management of message folders. Address book to keep a list of long or frequently-used addresses. Personal distribu‐ tion lists may be defined. Addresses may be taken into the address book from incoming mail without retyping them. New mail checking and notification occurs automatically every 2.5 minutes and after certain commands, e.g. refresh-screen (Ctrl-L). On-line, context-sensitive help screens. Alpine supports MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), an Internet Standard for repre‐ senting multipart and multimedia data in email. Alpine allows you to save MIME objects to files, and in some cases, can also initiate the correct program for viewing the object. It uses the system's _mailcap_ configuration file to determine what program can process a particu‐ lar MIME object type. Alpine's message composer does not have integral multimedia capabil‐ ity, but any type of data file --including multimedia-- can be attached to a text message and sent using MIME's encoding rules. This allows any group of individuals with MIME-capable mail software (e.g. Alpine, PC-Alpine, or many other programs) to exchange formatted docu‐ ments, spread-sheets, image files, etc, via Internet email. Alpine uses the _c-client_ messaging API to access local and remote mail folders. This library provides a variety of low-level message-handling functions, including drivers for a variety of different mail file formats, as well as routines to access remote mail and news servers, using IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and NNTP (Network News Transport Protocol). Outgoing mail is usually posted directly via SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). ## OPTIONS The command line options/arguments are: _address_ Send mail to _address._ This will cause Alpine to go directly into the message composer. ### -attach ### -attachlist Send mail with the listed _file-list_ as an attachments. ### -attach Send mail with the listed _file_ as an attachment, and remove the file af‐ ter the message is sent. ### -aux PC-Alpine only. When using a remote configuration (-p ) this tells PC-Alpine the local directory to use for storing auxiliary files, like debug files, address books, and signature files. ### -bail fig file is accessed using some remote filesystem protocol. If the remote mount is missing this will cause Alpine to quit instead of creating a new pinerc. ### -c which the _-f_ command line argument should be applied. By default the _-f_ argument is applied to the first defined folder-collection. ### -conf _pine.conf,_ on the standard output. This is distinct from the per-user _.pinerc_ file. ### -convert Convert signature files into literal signatures. ### -copy Copy the local address book file to a remote address book folder. ### -copy Copy the local pinerc file to a remote pinerc folder. ### -d _bug[1-4]_ file. A value of 0 turns debugging off and suppresses the _.pine-debug_ file. ### -d writing without buffering, "timestamp" appends each message with a time‐ stamp, "imap=n" where n is between 0 and 4 representing none to verbose IMAP telemetry reporting, "numfiles=n" where n is between 0 and 31 corre‐ sponding to the number of debug files to maintain, and "verbose=n" where n is between 0 and 9 indicating an inverse threshold for message output. ### -f other collection) instead of INBOX. ### -F ### -h ### -i ### -I on startup. ### -install setup information, then exits. ### -k _alpinef_. ### -n ### -nowrite Read from a password cache if there is one, but never offer to write a password to the cache ### -o ### -p _.pinerc_. ### -P configuration file _pine.conf_. ### -passfile When password file support is compiled in, use the file specified in __ instead of the default. ### -pinerc _variables_ _that_ _the_ _user_ _has_ _made._ Use _file_ set to ``-'' to make output go to standard out. ### -pwdcertdir When SMIME and password file support are compiled in, this variable sets the directory to store your personal key and certificate to encrypt and decrypt your password file. ### -r tions like save and export are restricted. ### -registry entries. Possible values for _cmd_ are set, clear, and dump. _Set_ will al‐ ways reset Alpine's registry entries according to its current settings. _Clear_ will clear the registry values. _Clearsilent_ will silently clear the registry values. _Dump_ will display the values of current registry settings. Note that the dump command is currently disabled. Without the -registry option, PC-Alpine will write values into the registry only if there currently aren't any values set. ### -smimedir If SMIME is compiled in, this argument sets the directory where the pub‐ lic, private, and certificate authorities certificates and keys are stored. If not set by the command line the default is ~/.alpine-smime ### -sort _date,_ _subject,_ _orderedsubj,_ _thread,_ _from,_ _size,_ _score,_ _to,_ _cc,_ or _re__‐ _verse._ _Arrival_ order is the default. The OrderedSubj choice simulates a threaded sort. Any sort may be reversed by adding _/reverse_ to it. _Re__‐ _verse_ by itself is the same as _arrival/reverse_. ### -supported piled. This is a way to determine which options are supported in the particular copy of Alpine you are using. ### -uninstall Alpine in Windows settings. ### -url ### -v ### -version ### -x your default pinerc settings for a particular platform, can be a local file or a remote folder. ### -xoauth2-server Name of the service that XOAUTH2 authentication will be attempted. The only service supported as of this writing is Gmail. Note that all of the options -xoauth2-server, -xoauth2-client-id and -xoauth2-client-secret must be used simultaneously. Example: -xoauth2-server Gmail. ### -xoauth2-client-id String that identifies Alpine with the service provider that provides XOAUTH2 authentication. Note that all of the options -xoauth2-server, -xoauth2-client-id and -xoauth2-client-secret must be used simultane‐ ously. ### -xoauth2-client-secret Secret string that identifies the Alpine with the service provider that provides XOAUTH2 authentication. Note that all of the options -xoauth2-server, -xoauth2-client-id and -xoauth2-client-secret must be used simultaneously. ### -z _-option=value_ Assign _value_ to the config option _option_ e.g. -signature-file=sig1 or -feature-list=signature-at-bottom (Note: feature-list values are addi‐ tive) ## CONFIGURATION There are several levels of Alpine configuration. Configuration values at a given level over-ride corresponding values at lower levels. In order of increasing precedence: o built-in defaults. o system-wide _pine.conf_ file. o personal _.pinerc_ file (may be set via built-in Setup/Config menu.) o command-line options. o system-wide _pine.conf.fixed_ file. There is one exception to the rule that configuration values are replaced by the value of the same option in a higher-precedence file: the feature-list variable has values that are addi‐ tive, but can be negated by prepending "no-" in front of an individual feature name. Unix Alpine also uses the following environment variables: TERM DISPLAY (determines if Alpine can display IMAGE attachments.) SHELL (if not set, default is /bin/sh ) MAILCAPS (semicolon delimited list of path names to mailcap files) ## FILES /var/spool/mail/xxxx Default folder for incoming mail. ~/mail Default directory for mail folders. ~/.addressbook Default address book file. ~/.signature File used for signature, appended to every message. ~/.pine-debug[1-4] Diagnostic log for debugging. ~/.pinerc Personal alpine config file. ~/.pine-crash Debug information useful to debug a crash. ~/.newsrc News subscription/state file. ~/.mailcap Personal mail capabilities file. ~/.mime.types Personal file extension to MIME type mapping /etc/mailcap System-wide mail capabilities file. /etc/mime.types System-wide file ext. to MIME type mapping /etc/pine.info Local pointer to system administrator. /etc/pine.conf System-wide configuration file. /etc/pine.conf.fixed Non-overridable configuration file. ~/.alpine-smime/ca Directory that contains Certificate Authority files. ~/.alpine-smime/private Directory that contains private key(s). ~/.alpine-smime/public Directory that contains public key(s). /tmp/.\usr\spool\mail\xxxx Per-folder mailbox lock files. ~/.pine-interrupted-mail Message which was interrupted. ~/mail/postponed-msgs For postponed messages (drafts) ~/mail/sent-mail Outgoing message archive (FCC). ~/mail/saved-messages Default destination for Saving messages. ## SEE ALSO [pico(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pico/1/markdown), [binmail(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/binmail/1/markdown), [aliases(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/aliases/5/markdown), [mailaddr(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mailaddr/7/markdown), [sendmail(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/sendmail/8/markdown), [spell(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/spell/1/markdown), [imapd(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/imapd/8/markdown) Newsgroup: comp.mail.pine Mailing List: Alpine-info, at Main Alpine distribution site: Alpine Technical Notes, included in the source distribution. C-Client messaging API library, included in the source distribution. ## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This software is the result of the contribution of many individuals who have dedicated their time to support, improve and suggest ways to improve Alpine through the years. This software would not be possible without the support of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. The Alpine community extends its most sincere thanks to all contributors and invites everyone to join in and contribute to this project. Version 2.25 [alpine(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/alpine/1/markdown)