{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "mhmail",
    "section": "1mh",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mhmail/1mh/json",
    "generated": "2026-06-03T01:49:00Z",
    "synopsis": "mhmail [-help] [-version] [-to] addrs ...  [-attach file] [-body text] [-cc addrs ...]\n[-from addr] [-headerfield name:value] [-subject subject] [-resent] [switches for post\n... | -profile [switches for send ...]]  [-send | -nosend]\nmhmail with no arguments is equivalent to inc",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "mhmail - send or read mail non-interactively with nmh\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "mhmail [-help] [-version] [-to] addrs ...  [-attach file] [-body text] [-cc addrs ...]\n[-from addr] [-headerfield name:value] [-subject subject] [-resent] [switches for post\n... | -profile [switches for send ...]]  [-send | -nosend]\n\nmhmail with no arguments is equivalent to inc\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "mhmail is intended as a replacement, compatible with nmh, for the standard Berkeley mail pro‐\ngram (mail or mailx).  nmh is intended for the use of programs such as cron, which expect  to\nsend  mail  automatically.  It is also used by some nmh commands to mail error notifications.\nAlthough mhmail can be used interactively, it is recommended that comp and send be  used  in‐\nstead, to send messages.\n\nWhen  invoked  without  arguments, mhmail simply invokes inc to incorporate new messages from\nthe user's mail drop.\n\nWhen one or more addresses are specified, a message is  read  from  the  standard  input  and\nspooled  to a temporary file.  mhmail then invokes by default, with the name of the temporary\nfile as its argument, to by default, with the name of the temporary file as its  argument  to\ndeliver the message to the specified address.\n\nThe  -subject  switch can be used to specify the “Subject:” field of the message.  “Subject:”\nfield of the message.\n\nThe -resent switch indicates that the message body is a fully formed message that will be re‐\nsent, as dist would do.  For example:\n\nmhmail u2@example.com -resent < `mhpath cur`\n\nBy default, mhmail will read the message to be sent from the standard input.  You can specify\nthe text of the message at the command line with the -body text switch.  If the standard  in‐\nput  has zero length, mhmail will not send the message and return with status 1.  You can use\nthe switch -body “” to force an empty message.\n\nNormally, addresses appearing as arguments are put in the “To:” field.  At least one such ad‐\ndress  is  required when sending a message, i.e., if any other switches are supplied.  If the",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "-cc",
                    "content": "than  -to, are placed in the “cc:” field.  The optional -to switch can appear in front of any\naddresses to signify their placement in the “To:” field.  The -to and  -cc  switches  may  be\ngiven multiple times.\n\nBy  using -from addr, you can specify the “From:” header of the draft.  If no -from switch is\nused when sending, mhmail will supply a “From:” header field using the sender's  local  mail‐\nbox,  see  localmbox in mh-format(5).  Naturally, post will fill in the “Sender:” header cor‐\nrectly.\n\nThe -headerfield name:value switch adds a header field with the specified name and  value  to\nthe message.  (The value is called the field body in RFC 2822, but that's too easily confused\nwith the message body.)  There need not be a space after the colon that  separates  the  name\nand  value  in  the  argument  to this switch.  It is usually best to enclose the argument in\nquotes to protect it from the shell.  The -headerfield switch may be given multiple times  to\nadd multiple header fields, for example,\n\nmhmail -from sender@example.com \\\n-headerfield 'MIME-Version:1.0' \\\n-headerfield 'Content-Type:text/plain; charset=utf-8' \\\n-headerfield 'Content-Transfer-Encoding:8bit' \\\nrecipient@example.com\n\nNote  about this example:  the -attach switch causes MIME-Version and Content-Type headers to\nbe added to the message.\n\nThe -profile switch instructs mhmail to use send instead of post to send the  message.   This\nallows use of the user's context and aliases.\n\nThe  -attach  file switch attaches the specified file to the message.  Use of -attach enables"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-profile",
                    "content": "the  argument in quotes to protect it from the shell.  The -attach switch may be given multi‐\nple times to add multiple attachments.\n\nThe -nosend option shows the draft file that would be posted/sent on the  command's  standard\noutput but does not post or send it.  -send provides the default behavior of posting or send‐\ning the message.  It can be used to disable -nosend, for example, when using a shell alias.\n\nAll other switches are passed to post if -profile is not used, or send if -profile is used.\n"
                }
            ]
        },
        "FILES": {
            "content": "/usr/bin/mh/inc            Program to incorporate mail drop into folder\n/usr/lib/mh/post           Program to deliver a message\n/tmp/mhmail*               Temporary copy of message\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "dist(1), send(1), mh-format(5), send(1), post(8)\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DEFAULTS": {
            "content": "`-from localmbox'\n`-profile' is enabled by default only with -attach\n`-send'\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "CONTEXT": {
            "content": "If inc is invoked, then inc's context changes occur.  With the -profile switch,  the  context\nof  send  is  used.  mhmail does not read the context file itself, so an entry for it will be\nignored.\n\n\n\nnmh-1.7.1                                    2012-07-01                                  MHMAIL(1mh)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "mhmail - send or read mail non-interactively with nmh",
    "flags": [
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "than -to, are placed in the “cc:” field. The optional -to switch can appear in front of any addresses to signify their placement in the “To:” field. The -to and -cc switches may be given multiple times. By using -from addr, you can specify the “From:” header of the draft. If no -from switch is used when sending, mhmail will supply a “From:” header field using the sender's local mail‐ box, see localmbox in mh-format(5). Naturally, post will fill in the “Sender:” header cor‐ rectly. The -headerfield name:value switch adds a header field with the specified name and value to the message. (The value is called the field body in RFC 2822, but that's too easily confused with the message body.) There need not be a space after the colon that separates the name and value in the argument to this switch. It is usually best to enclose the argument in quotes to protect it from the shell. The -headerfield switch may be given multiple times to add multiple header fields, for example, mhmail -from sender@example.com \\ -headerfield 'MIME-Version:1.0' \\ -headerfield 'Content-Type:text/plain; charset=utf-8' \\ -headerfield 'Content-Transfer-Encoding:8bit' \\ recipient@example.com Note about this example: the -attach switch causes MIME-Version and Content-Type headers to be added to the message. The -profile switch instructs mhmail to use send instead of post to send the message. This allows use of the user's context and aliases. The -attach file switch attaches the specified file to the message. Use of -attach enables"
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "the argument in quotes to protect it from the shell. The -attach switch may be given multi‐ ple times to add multiple attachments. The -nosend option shows the draft file that would be posted/sent on the command's standard output but does not post or send it. -send provides the default behavior of posting or send‐ ing the message. It can be used to disable -nosend, for example, when using a shell alias. All other switches are passed to post if -profile is not used, or send if -profile is used."
        }
    ],
    "examples": [],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "dist",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dist/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "send",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/send/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "mh-format",
            "section": "5",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mh-format/5/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "send",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/send/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "post",
            "section": "8",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/post/8/json"
        }
    ]
}