FORW(1m,C) AIX Commands Reference FORW(1m,C) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- forw PURPOSE Forwards messages. SYNTAX +-----------------------------------------------------+ forw ---| +--------------+ +---------------+ |---> +- -digest name -| |---| |-+ +- -issue num -+ +- -volume num -+ +--------------+ +-----------------+ +--- -noformat ----+ >---| |---| one of |---| one of |---> +- -form file -+ | +-------------+ | | +--------------+ | +-| -editor cmd |-+ +-| -format |-+ | -noedit | | -noformat | +-------------+ | -filter file | +--------------+ +-- -noinplace --+ +----------------------------+ >---| one of |---| one of |---| | +------------+ | | +------------------------+ | +-| -inplace |-+ +-| -whatnowproc cmdstring |-+ | -noinplace | | -nowhatnowproc | +------------+ +------------------------+ forw --- -help ---| DESCRIPTION The forw command is used to create a message containing other messages. This command is part of the Message Handling (MH) package and can be used with other MH and AIX commands. By default, the forw command copies a message form to a new draft message and invokes an editor. You can then fill in the message header fields To: and Subject: and fill in or delete the other header fields (such as cc: and Bcc:). When you exit the editor, the forw command invokes the MH command whatnow. You can press Enter to see a list of the available whatnow subcommands. These subcommands enable you to continue editing the message, list the message, direct the disposition of the message, or end the processing of the forw command. See "whatnow" for a description of the subcommands. You can specify the messages that you want to distribute by using the +folder msgs flag. If you do not specify a message, the forw command forwards the current message. Processed November 8, 1990 FORW(1m,C) 1 FORW(1m,C) AIX Commands Reference FORW(1m,C) You can specify the format of the message by using the -form flag. If you do not specify this flag, the forw command uses your default message format located in the file user_mh_directory/forwcomps. If this file does not exist, the forw command uses the system default message format, which is located in the file /usr/lib/mh/forwcomps. Note: 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 when it is sent. FLAGS -annotate Annotates the messages being forwarded with the lines: Forwarded: date Forwarded: addrs The annotation appears in the original draft message so that you can maintain a complete list of recipients with the original message. If you do not actually redistribute the message using the immediate forw command, the -annotate flag may fail to provide annotation. The -inplace flag forces annotation to be done in place. -digest name Uses the digest facility to create a new issue for the digest called name. The forw command expands the format strings in the components file (using the same format string mechanism used by the repl command) and composes the draft using the standard digest encapsulation algorithm. After the draft has been composed, the forw command writes out the volume and issue entries for the digest and invokes the editor. -draftfolder +folder Places the draft message in the specified folder. If you do not specify this flag, the forw command selects a default draft folder according to the information supplied in the MH profiles. You can define a default draft folder in the file $HOME/.mh_profile. If the -draftfolder +folder flag is followed by msg, msg represents the -draftmessage attribute. -draftmessage msg Specifies the draft message. You can specify one of the following message references as msg: num sequence first prev cur . next last new The default draft message is new. Processed November 8, 1990 FORW(1m,C) 2 FORW(1m,C) AIX Commands Reference FORW(1m,C) -editor cmd Specifies that cmd is the initial editor for preparing the message. If you do not specify this flag, the forw command selects a default editor or suppresses the initial edit, according to the information supplied in the MH profiles. You can define a default initial editor in the file $HOME/.mh_profile. -filter file Reformats each message being forwarded and places the reformatted message in the draft message. The -filter flag uses the mhl command and the specified format file. When you also specify the -digest flag, you may want to use the filter file /usr/lib/mh/mhl.digest. +folder msgs Specifies the messages that you want to forward. You can specify msgs, which can be several messages, a range of messages, or a single message. You can use the following message references when specifying msgs: num first prev cur . next last all sequence The default message is the current message in the current folder. If you specify several messages, the first message forwarded becomes the current message. If you specify a folder, that folder becomes the current folder. -form file Uses the form contained in the specified file to construct the beginning of the message. The forw command treats each line in file as a format string. If the -digest flag is also specified, the forw command uses the form specified in file for the format of the digest. If you do not specify a form for a digest, the forw command uses the format in the file user_mh_directory/digestcomps. If this file does not exist, the forw command uses the system default digest form specified in the file /usr/lib/mh/digestcomps. -format Reformats each message being forwarded and places the reformatted message in the draft message. The -format flag uses the mhl command and a default format file. If the file user_mh_directory/mhl.forward exists, it contains the default format. Otherwise, the file /usr/lib/mh/mhl.forw contains the default format. -help Displays help information for the command. -inplace Forces annotation to be done in place in order to preserve links to the annotated message. Processed November 8, 1990 FORW(1m,C) 3 FORW(1m,C) AIX Commands Reference FORW(1m,C) -issue num Specifies the issue number of the digest. The default issue number is one greater than current value of the digest_name-issue-list entry in the file user_mh_directory/context. -noannotate Does not annotate the message. This flag is the default. -nodraftfolder Places the draft in the file user_mh_directory/draft. -noedit Suppresses the initial edit. -noformat Does not reformat the messages being forwarded. This flag is the default. -noinplace Does not perform annotation in place. This flag is the default. -nowhatnowproc Does not invoke a program that guides you through the forwarding tasks. The -nowhatnowproc flag also prevents any edit from occurring. -volume num Specifies the volume number of the digest. The default volume number is the current value of the digest_name-volume-list entry in the file user_mh_directory/context. -whatnowproc cmdstring Invokes cmdstring as the program to guide you through the forwarding tasks. See "whatnow" for information about the default whatnow program and its subcommands. Note: If you specify "whatnow" for cmdstring, the forw command invokes an internal whatnow procedure rather than a program with the file name whatnow. PROFILE ENTRIES Current-Folder: Sets your default current folder. Draft-Folder: Sets your default folder for drafts. Editor: Sets your default initial editor. fileproc: Specifies the program used to refile messages. mhlproc: Specifies the program used to filter messages being forwarded. Msg-Protect: Sets the protection level for your new message files. Path: Specifies your user_mh_directory. whatnowproc: Specifies the program used to prompt "What now?" questions. FILES /usr/lib/mh/forwcomps The MH default message skeleton. Processed November 8, 1990 FORW(1m,C) 4 FORW(1m,C) AIX Commands Reference FORW(1m,C) user_mh_directory/forwcomps The user's default message skeleton. (If it exists, it overrides the MH default message skeleton.) /usr/lib/mh/digestcomps The MH default message skeleton when the -digest flag is specified. user_mh_directory/digestcomps The user's default message skeleton when the -digest flag is specified. (If it exists, it overrides the MH default message skeleton.) /usr/lib/mh/mhl.forward The default MH message filter. user_mh_directory/mhl.forward The user's default message filter. (If it exists, it overrides the MH default message filter.) $HOME/.mh_profile The MH user profile. user_mh_directory/draft The draft file. user_mh_directory/context The context file. RELATED INFORMATION See other MH commands: "ali," "anno," "comp," "dist," "dp," "inc," "mhl," "msh," "repl," "send," "whatnow," and "whom." See the mh-alias, mh-format, mh-mail, and mh-profile files in AIX Operating System Technical Reference. See "Overview of the Message Handling Package" in Managing the AIX Operating System. Processed November 8, 1990 FORW(1m,C) 5