man > whatnow(1mh)

WHATNOW(1mh)                                                                            WHATNOW(1mh)

NAME
       whatnow - prompting front-end for writing nmh messages

SYNOPSIS


       whatnow [-help] [-version] [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder] [-edi‐
            tor editor] [-noedit] [-prompt string] [file]

DESCRIPTION
       whatnow  is  the  default  program  that queries the user about the disposition of a composed
       draft.  It is normally automatically invoked by one of the nmh commands comp, dist, forw,  or
       repl after the initial edit.

       When  started, the editor is started on the draft (unless -noedit is given, in which case the
       initial edit is suppressed).  Then, whatnow repetitively prompts the user  with  “What  now?”
       and awaits a response.  The valid responses are:

            edit   Re-edit  using the same editor that was used on the preceding round unless a pro‐
                   file entry “<lasteditor>-next: <editor>” names an alternate editor.

            edit editor
                   Invoke editor for further editing.

            refile +folder
                   Refile the draft into folder .

            mime   Process the draft as a MIME composition  file  using  the  buildmimeproc  command
                   which defaults to mhbuild(1).

            display
                   List the message being replied to or distributed on the terminal.

            list   List the draft on the terminal.

            send   Send the message.

            send -watch
                   Send the message and monitor the delivery process.

            push   Send the message in the background.

            whom   List the addresses to whom the message will go.

            whom -check
                   List the addresses and verify that they are acceptable to the transport service.

            quit   Preserve the draft and exit.

            quit -delete
                   Delete the draft and exit.

            delete Delete the draft and exit.

            cd directory
                   Use  directory  when  interpreting  attachment  file names.  This does not change
                   whatnow's process's current working directory so it  and  child  processes,  e.g.
                   edit's, do not see the change.

            pwd    Print the working directory for attachment files.

            ls [ls-options]
                   List files in the attachment working directory using ls(1).

            attach [-v] files
                   Add  the  named  files  to  the  message as MIME attachments; -v displays the mh‐
                   build(1) directive that send(1) will use.

            alist [-ln]
                   List the MIME attachments' filenames.  -l gives a long listing showing their full
                   path.  -n numbers them for use with detach .

            detach [-n] files-or-numbers
                   Remove MIME attachments, either by file name or by number with -n.

       When entering your response, you need only type enough characters to  uniquely  identify  the
       response.

       For the edit response, any valid switch to the editor is valid.

       For the send and push responses, any valid switch to send(1) is valid (as push merely invokes
       send with the -push option).

       For the whom response, any valid switch to whom(1) is valid.

       For the refile response, any valid switch to the fileproc is valid.

       For  the  display  and list responses, any valid argument to the lproc is valid.  If any non-
       switch arguments are present, then the pathname of the draft will be excluded from the  argu‐
       ment list given to the lproc (this is useful for listing another nmh message).

       See  mh-profile(5)  for  further information about how editors are used by nmh.  It also dis‐
       cusses how environment variables can be used to direct whatnow's actions in complex ways.

       The -prompt string switch sets the prompting string for whatnow.

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

       If your nmh was configured with readline enabled, you'll be able to use  filename  completion
       and  other  readline  features at the prompt.  These are particularly useful with the cd, ls,
       attach, and detach commands for managing MIME attachments.

FILES
       $HOME/.mh_profile          The user profile
       <mh-dir>/draft             The draft file

PROFILE COMPONENTS
       Path:                To determine the user's nmh directory
       Draft-Folder:        To specify the default draftfolder
       Editor:              To override the default editor
       <lasteditor>-next:   To name an editor to be used after exit
                            from <lasteditor>
       buildmimeproc:       Program to translate MIME composition files
       fileproc:            Program to refile the message
       lproc:               Program to list the contents of a message
       sendproc:            Program to use to send the message
       whomproc:            Program to determine who a message would go to

SEE ALSO
       mh-draft(5), send(1), whom(1)

DEFAULTS
       `-prompt' defaults to “What Now? ”

BUGS
       If the initial edit fails, whatnow deletes your draft (by renaming it with  a  site-dependent
       prefix (usually a comma); failure of a later edit preserves the draft.

       If  the  buildmimeproc  fails (returns a nonzero status), whatnow simply prints a “What now?”
       prompt.  whatnow depends on the buildmimeproc to tell the user that something went wrong.

       If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp, dist, forw, and repl use a built-in whatnow, and do not
       actually run the whatnow program.  Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don't  call  it
       whatnow since it won't be run.

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

nmh-1.8                                      2022-12-22                                 WHATNOW(1mh)