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COMP(1mh) — COMP(1mh)

📛 NAME

comp — compose an nmh message

🚀 Quick Reference

Use Case	Command	Description
Compose a new message	comp	📝 Opens editor to compose a new email
Edit an existing draft	comp -use	✏️ Continue editing an unsent draft
Use a specific form template	comp -form formfile	📄 Use alternate message skeleton
Use an existing message as template	comp +folder msg	📨 Start from a previously sent message
Set recipients	comp -to addr -cc addr	👥 Pre-fill To and Cc fields
Set subject	comp -subject "text"	🏷️ Pre-fill Subject field
Override sender address	comp -from addr	📧 Set a different From address
Use a file as draft	comp -file file	📂 Use existing file as message draft
Build draft without editing	comp -build	⚙️ Create draft for external processing (e.g., Emacs)

📋 SYNOPSIS

comp [-help] [-version] [+folder] [msg] [-form formfile] [-use | -nouse] [-file file]
     [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
     [-width columns] [-from address] [-to address] [-cc address] [-fcc +folder] [-subject
     text] [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc] [-build]

📝 DESCRIPTION

comp is used to create a new message to be mailed. It copies a message form to the draft being composed and then invokes an editor on the draft (unless -noedit is given, in which case the initial edit is suppressed).

The default message template “components” will direct comp to construct the message draft as follows:

From: {from switch} or <Local-Mailbox> or <username@hostname>
To: {to switch} or blank
cc: {cc switch} or blank
Fcc: {fcc switch} or +outbox
Subject: {subject switch} or blank
--------

If a file named “components” exists in the user's nmh directory, it will be used instead of this form. You may specify an alternate forms file with the switch -form formfile.

You may also start comp using the contents of an existing message as the form. If you supply either a +folder or msg argument, that message will be used as the message form. You may not supply both a -form formfile and a +folder or msg argument. The line of dashes or a blank line must be left between the header and the body of the message for the message to be identified properly when it is sent (see send(1)).

The switch -use directs comp to continue editing an already started message. That is, if a comp (or dist, repl, or forw) is terminated without sending the draft, the draft can be edited again via “comp -use”.

The -file file switch says to use the named file as the message draft.

Forms that are selected via the -form switch are processed via the nmh template system; see mh-format(5) for details. Drafts constructed from another message or with the -use or -file switches will not be processed with mh-format(5).

In addition to the standard mh-format(5) escapes, the following component escapes are either new or have an alternate meaning:

Escape	Returns	Description
fcc	string	📁 Any folders specified with -fcc folder
from	string	📧 Any addresses specified with -from address
to	string	👤 Any addresses specified with -to address
cc	string	👥 Any addresses specified with -cc address
subject	string	🏷️ Any text specified with -subject text

By default the “To:” and “cc:” fields are empty. You may add addresses to these fields with the -to address and -cc address switches. You may give these switches multiple times to add multiple addresses.

By default the “From:” field has either the value of the Local-Mailbox profile entry or a system default email address. This default can be overridden by using the -from address switch. The default mailbox in the “Fcc:” field is +outbox.

📬 -fcc switch

This can be overridden by the -fcc switch.

Any text you give to the -subject switch will be placed in the “Subject:” field in the draft.

If the draft already exists, comp will ask you as to the disposition of the draft. A reply of quit will abort comp, leaving the draft intact; replace will replace the existing draft with the appropriate form; list will display the draft; use will use the draft for further composition; and refile +folder will file the draft in the given folder, and give you a new draft with the appropriate form. (The +folder argument to refile is required.)

The -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.

The -editor editor switch indicates the editor to use for the initial edit. Upon exiting from the editor, comp will invoke the whatnow program (see whatnow(1) for a discussion of available options). The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the -nowhatnowproc switch. (In fact, it is the whatnow program which starts the initial edit. Hence, -nowhatnowproc will prevent any edit from occurring.)

⏭️ -nowhatnowproc switch

The -nowhatnowproc switch inhibits the invocation of the whatnow program.

🔧 -build switch

The -build switch is intended to be used by the Emacs mh-e interface to nmh. It implies -nowhatnowproc. It causes a file <mh-dir>/draft to be created, containing the draft message that would normally be presented to the user for editing. No mail is actually sent.

📁 FILES

• /etc/nmh/components — 📄 The default message skeleton.
• <mh-dir>/components — 📄 The user's message skeleton.
• $HOME/.mh_profile — 📄 The user's profile.

⚙️ PROFILE COMPONENTS

• Path: 📁 To determine the user's nmh directory.
• Draft-Folder: 📁 To find the default draft-folder.
• Editor: ✏️ To override the default editor.
• Msg-Protect: 🔒 To set mode when creating a new message (draft).
• fileproc: 📂 Program to refile the message.
• whatnowproc: ❓ Program to ask the “What now?” questions

📚 SEE ALSO

• dist(1)
• forw(1)
• repl(1)
• send(1)
• whatnow(1)
• mh-profile(5)

⚙️ DEFAULTS

• +folder — The current folder.
• msg — The current message.
• -nodraftfolder
• -nouse

🌐 CONTEXT

None

🐛 BUGS

If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp uses a built-in whatnow, it does not actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since comp won't run it.

nmh-1.7.1 — 2013-10-18 — COMP(1mh)

📛 NAME 🚀 Quick Reference 📋 SYNOPSIS 📝 DESCRIPTION 📁 FILES ⚙️ PROFILE COMPONENTS 📚 SEE ALSO ⚙️ DEFAULTS 🌐 CONTEXT 🐛 BUGS