repl(1mh)repl(1mh)Namerepl - reply to a message
Syntaxrepl [ msg ] [ +folders ] [ options ]
Description
Use to reply to a message that you have received.
By default, replies to the current message in the current folder. If
you want to reply to another message, you can specify a message number
as the msg argument. You can also specify a message in another folder
by supplying a +folder argument. You can supply both a msg and a
+folder argument. If you specify a folder without giving a message
number, will reply to the current message in the named folder.
When you reply to a message, automatically fills in the mail header for
you, taking the information it needs from the mail header of the origi‐
nal message. The following example shows how constructs the mail
header for the return message:
To: <Reply-To> or <From> or <sender>
cc: <cc>, <To>, and yourself
Subject: Re: <Subject>
In-reply-to: Your message of <Date>.
<Message-Id>
Field names enclosed in angle brackets (< >) indicate the contents of
the named field from the original message.
Normally, replies to the original sender, and sends carbon copies to
all the addressees on the original message.
You can create a different mail header from the default and use it
every time you reply to mail. If you create an alternative mail header
and store it in the file in your Mail directory, will use it instead of
the default header file. This must be an mhl file; see for more infor‐
mation.
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.
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 be able 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 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 command.
Note that while in the editor, the message being replied to is avail‐
able through a link named (assuming the default In addition, the actual
pathname of the message is stored in the environment variable $editalt,
and the pathname of the folder containing the message is stored in the
environment variable $mhfolder. If your current working directory is
not writable, the link named is not available.
Options-annotate
-noannotate
Marks out the original message as replied to. When the mes‐
sage is shown on the listing produced by it is marked with a
dash (-). The following lines are also added to the message:
Replied: date
Replied: addrs
where the address list contains one line for each addressee.
The mail system will annotate the message only if it is sent
immediately. If the message is not sent immediately, you can
send it later with but the annotations will not take place.
-cc all|to|cc|me
-nocc all|to|cc|me
Specifies who will receive copies of the reply. By default
the mail system sends the reply to the sender of the original
message, and copies to all other names in the To: and cc:
lines. You can change this behavior by using the -cc option.
This sends copies of the replies only to the specified names.
There are four values: -cc all sends copies to all the names
on the original message; -cc to sends copies only to those
names in the To: field; -cc cc sends copies only to those
names in the cc: field; and -cc me sends a copy of the reply
to yourself.
There is also a -nocc option, which stops copies of the reply
being sent to the named people. It takes the same values as
-cc . So, for example, -nocc cc would stop replies being
sent to the names in the cc: field of the original message.
-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.
-editor editorname
Specifies the editor you wish to use to write your reply.
The default editor provided is You can specify any legal
ULTRIX editor as an alternative.
You can also set up an editor in your file. See for more
details.
-fcc +folder
Specifies a folder to receive copies of your reply. More
than one folder can be named, each preceded by -fcc .
-filter filterfile
Specifies how the original message is formatted in the draft.
By default, the mail system does not include a copy of the
original message in your reply. If you use the -filter fil‐
terfile option, the original message may be included in your
reply, and formatted according to the information in the file
you name.
The filter file for should be a standard form file for as
will invoke to format the message being replied to. There is
no default filter file for you must create your own. A fil‐
ter file that is commonly used is:
:
body:nocomponent,compwidth=9,offset=9
This outputs a blank line and then the body of the message
being replied to, indented by one tab-stop.
-form formfile
Varies the appearance of the mail header for the reply. The
mail system will construct the header according to the
instructions in the named file. In order for to operate cor‐
rectly, this must be an mhl file; see for more information.
This option overrides the header set up by the system file
-help Prints out a list of valid options to the command.
-inplace
-noinplace
Causes annotation to be done in place, in order to preserve
links to the annotated message.
-noedit Calls without an editor. This option takes you straight to
the What now? ®prompt, without allowing you to edit your
reply. This will usually produce a reply with no text in the
body of the message.
-query
-noquery Allows you to modify the list of recipients. The mail system
asks you whether each of the addresses that would normally be
placed in the To: and cc: fields should actually receive a
copy of the reply.
-width Sets the maximum width of the header line. Lines exceeding
this width are split.
-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 default settings for this command are:
+folder defaults to the current folder
msg defaults to the current message
-cc all
-format
-noannotate
-nodraftfolder
-noinplace
-noquery
-width 72
Examples
This example replies to message number 15 in the current folder:
% repl 15
The next example creates your reply in the folder If you decide not to
send the draft reply, the mail system will store it in this folder:
% repl-draftfolder +drafts
The next example places a copy of your reply in your folder:
% repl-fcc +copylog
Profile Components
Path: To determine your Mail directory
Alternate-Mailboxes: To determine your mailboxes
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
mhlproc: Program to filter message being replied to
whatnowproc: Program to ask the “What now?” questions
Files
The default system reply template.
The user-supplied alternative to the standard reply template.
The user profile.
The draft file.
See Alsocomp(1mh), dist(1mh), forw(1mh), prompter(1mh), send(1mh), what‐
now(1mh), mh-format(5mh)repl(1mh)
