comp(1mh)comp(1mh)Namecomp - compose a message
Syntaxcomp [ msg ] [ +folder ] [ options ]
Description
Use to create a new message for mailing. When you run it provides a
message template for you to fill in and invokes an editor so that you
can complete the message.
The command normally creates the new message in your draft folder, if
you have one set up, or in the file if you do not have a draft folder
set up. If you wish to use an existing message as the basis of your
new draft message, you can use the msg or +folder arguments. The
+folder argument takes the current message in the named folder as the
basis of the new draft message. The msg argument takes the named mes‐
sage from your draft folder, or if you do not have a draft folder set
up, from your current folder. In both cases, the mail system asks you
what you want to do with the existing message. You cannot use the msg
and +folder arguments together.
A mail message consists of a mail header and the body of the message.
The mail header contains all the information that determines who is
going to receive the mail message. It can also give the recipients
some information about the sender. The body of the message is the
actual text of the message that you want to send. The header is sepa‐
rated from the body of the text by a blank line or by a line of dashes.
The header must be separated from the body of the message in this way
for the message to be identified properly when it is sent; see
The standard message header looks like this:
To:
cc:
Subject:
--------
You can specify an alternative mail header by setting up a file called
in your Mail directory. This is used instead of the default mail
header by
If you do not have a draft folder set up, creates your new draft in a
file called in your Mail directory. This file must be empty before you
can create a new draft, which means that you can only store one draft
at a time. If it is not empty, the mail system will ask you what you
want to do with the existing contents. The options are:
quit Aborts leaving the draft intact.
replace Replaces the existing draft with the appropriate message
form.
use Allows you to edit the existing draft.
list Displays the draft message.
refile Refiles the existing draft message in the specified folder,
and provides a new message form for you to complete.
If you want to have more than one draft at a time, you can set up a
draft folder in your This allows you to keep as many unsent drafts as
space allows, and still create new messages as you wish. To do this,
make sure that the following line is in your
Draft-folder: +drafts
For more information on how to do this, see
If you set up a draft folder, all draft messages are created in that
folder. If you decide not to send the draft, by typing quit at the
What now? prompt, the message is stored in the draft folder. You can
then re-edit the message, or send it at a later date, by using the -use
option to
Options-draftfolder +folder
-nodraftfolder
Specifies the folder in which the draft message is created.
If you do not send the draft, it is stored in this folder.
This option is usually set up in your See for more informa‐
tion. If you have this option set up, you can override it by
using the -nodraftfolder option.
-draftmessage file
Specifies the name of a file in which a draft message is cre‐
ated. If no absolute pathname is given, this file is assumed
to be in your Mail directory. If the file already exists,
the mail system will ask you what you want to do with its
contents before the draft message is created.
If the named file does not contain a message header, the
-draftmessage option does not create one. If you want to
create a message in an empty file, use the -file option. You
cannot use -draftmessage to specify a file name with the
-draftfolder option.
-editor editor-name
Specifies the editor used to create the draft message. The
default editor is see You can specify any approved ULTRIX
editor as an alternative.
If you regularly use the same editor, you can specify it in
the Editor: line of your The following entry sets up as the
editor you use to compose mail messages:
Editor: /usr/ucb/vi
-file filename
Uses the named file to create the draft message in. If no
absolute pathname is given, the file is assumed to be in your
Mail directory. If the file already exists, the mail system
will ask you what you want to do with its contents before the
draft is created.
Unlike the -draftmessage option, this option creates a mes‐
sage header for a new draft. This means that you can create
a draft in an empty file and send it successfully.
-form form-file
Specifies an alternative mail header for your draft. The
named form-file contains a message header, which uses when it
creates the draft message. If no absolute pathname is given,
it is assumed that the file is in your Mail directory.
If you do not specify the -form option, takes the message
header from the file in your Mail directory, or, if this does
not exist, it uses the system default header.
You cannot use the -form option with either a +folder or a
msgs argument.
-help Prints a list of the valid options for this command.
-noedit Creates a draft without invoking an editor. You are placed
immediately at the What now? prompt, without being given the
opportunity to edit the draft at all. This option is only
useful if you are sending an existing draft using the -use
option to Otherwise it will produce a draft with no addresses
and no content.
-use
-nouse Uses an existing draft as the new draft message. If you have
saved a previous unsent draft in a drafts folder or in the
file, you can edit and send it using the -use option. The
previous draft is displayed on your screen and the editor is
invoked to allow you to edit the draft. When you exit from
the editor, you receive the What now? prompt in the usual
way.
If you have a draft folder set up, or specify one with the
-draftfolder option, the mail system will use the current
draft in that folder as the new draft message. If you do not
have a draft folder, it will use the contents of the file.
If you do not want to use the current message in a folder,
you can supply a message number. You can also use a message
in a file by giving the file name using the -file or the
-draftmessage options.
If you want to send an existing draft without editing it fur‐
ther, you can supply the -use option in conjunction with the
-noedit option. This will place you at the What now? prompt
without invoking an editor.
-whatnowproc program
-nowhatnowproc
Specifies an alternative program. Normally, invokes the
default program. See for a discussion of available options.
You can specify your own alternative to the default program
using the -whatnowproc program option. If you do specify
your own program, you should not call it
You can suppress the program entirely by using the -nowhat‐
nowproc option. However, as the program normally starts the
initial edit, the -nowhatnowproc option will prevent you from
editing the message.
The defaults for are:
+foldername defaults to the current folder
msg defaults to the current message
-nodraftfolder
-nouse
Profile Components
Path: To determine your Mail 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
Files
The default system template for draft messages.
The user-supplied alternative to the default draft template.
Your user profile.
The draft file.
See Alsodist(1mh), forw(1mh), prompter(1mh), repl(1mh), send(1mh), what‐
now(1mh), mh_profile(5mh)comp(1mh)
