# man > flists(1mh)

---
type: CommandReference
command: flist
mode: man
section: "1mh"
source: man-pages
---

## Quick Reference

- `flist` — list messages in the “unseen” sequence in the current folder
- `flist +folder1 +folder2` — check specified folders for the given sequence
- `flist -all` — search all top-level folders in the nmh directory
- `flist -sequence name1 -sequence name2` — specify which sequences to check
- `flist -recurse` — recursively descend into subfolders
- `flist -fast` — only show folder names (suppress counts)
- `flist -noshowzero` — suppress folders with zero matching messages
- `flists` — equivalent to `flist -all`

## Name

flist, flists — list the number of nmh messages in given sequences

## Synopsis

shell
flist [-help] [-version] [+folder1 [+folder2 ...]] [-sequence name1 [-sequence name2 ...]]
     [-all | -noall] [-showzero | -noshowzero] [-recurse | -norecurse] [-fast | -nofast]
     [-alpha | -noalpha]
`flists` is equivalent to `flist -all`.

## Options

- `-help` — display help and exit
- `-version` — show version and exit
- `+folder ...` — folders to search; if omitted, search the current folder
- `-sequence name` — sequence to check (may be given multiple times); default is the `Unseen-Sequence` profile entry
- `-all` — search all top-level folders in the user's nmh directory (also searches first-level subfolders if `+folder` is given)
- `-noall` — do not search all folders (default)
- `-showzero` — show folders with zero matching messages (default)
- `-noshowzero` — only show folders that have at least one matching message
- `-recurse` — recursively descend into subfolders
- `-norecurse` — do not recurse (default)
- `-fast` — only display folder names, suppress counts
- `-nofast` — display full output (default)
- `-alpha` — sort folders alphabetically
- `-noalpha` — sort by priority order defined by the `Flist-Order` profile entry (default)

## Examples

shell
# List unseen messages in the current folder
flist

# List unseen messages in all top-level folders
flist -all

# Check specific folders for the "unseen" sequence
flist +inbox +junklist

# Show only folders that contain at least one unseen message
flist -all -noshowzero

# Recursively search all folders and subfolders for multiple sequences
flist -all -recurse -sequence unseen -sequence important
Example output of `flist -all`:

text
/work/Mail  has  5 in sequence unseen (private); out of  46
inbox+      has 10 in sequence unseen          ; out of 153
junklist    has  0 in sequence unseen          ; out of  63
postmaster  has  1 in sequence unseen          ; out of   3
The `+` after `inbox` indicates it is the current folder. The `private` flag indicates a private sequence.

## Files

- `$HOME/.mh_profile` — user's profile

## Profile Components

- `Path` — determines the user's nmh directory
- `mh-sequences` — file that contains public sequences
- `Unseen-Sequence` — name of the unseen message sequence
- `Flist-Order` — defines folder sorting priority (used with `-noalpha`)

## See Also

[_folder_(1)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/folder/1/markdown),
[_rcvstore_(1)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/rcvstore/1/markdown),
[_slocal_(1)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/slocal/1/markdown),
[_mh-sequence_(5)](http://localhost/phpMan.php/man/mh-sequence/5/markdown)

## Context

If `+folder` is given, it becomes the current folder. If multiple folders are given, the last one becomes current.