forw(1) 						      General Commands Manual							   forw(1)

NAME

       forw - Forwards messages (only available within the message handling system, mh)

SYNOPSIS

       forw [msgs] [+folder] [options]

OPTIONS

       The  -annotate  option  annotates  the  message you are forwarding. If you do not specify this option or specify the -noannotate option, no
       annotation is done. The -annotate option adds the following lines to the message  that  you  are  forwarding:  Forwarded:  date	Forwarded:
       address(es)

	      The  first  line records the time at which the message was forwarded; the second records the addresses of the recipients of the for-
	      warded message.

	      The forw command annotates messages only when they are successfully sent. If you do not send the message immediately  and  file  the
	      unsent  draft,  it  will	not  be  annotated. It is also possible to confuse forw by using the push command to send the message, and
	      renumbering the message before it is sent (for example, by using folder -pack to reorder the folder).  The -dashmunging option  rep-
	      resents  default	forw behavior, which adds an extra dash (-) before any line that begins with a dash. This behavior causes problems
	      when forwarded messages contain PostScript files because the extra characters prevent those files from being printed.

	      Specify the -nodashmunging option when forwarding messages that contain PostScript files.  The -nodashmunging option works  only	in
	      combination  with the -format or -filter filterfile option.  The -draftfolder option specifies the folder in which the draft message
	      is created. If you do not send the draft, the mail system will store it in this folder.

	      The draft folder is usually specified as an option in rather than through the -draftfolder option  on  the  command  line.  See  the
	      mh_profile(4) reference page for more information.

	      If  you  specify	a  draft  folder in can override it by using the -nodraftfolder option on the command line.  Specifies the file in
	      which the draft message is created.  If no absolute pathname is given, the file is assumed to be in  your  Mail  directory,  usually
	      $HOME/Mail.  If you do not send the message, it is stored in the named file until you delete it, or send it at a later date.  Speci-
	      fies the editor that you want to use to edit your forwarded message. You can supply the name  of	any  approved  editor.	 Reformats
	      (filters)  the forwarded messages prior to inclusion in the draft message. If you do not specify -filter, the forwarded messages are
	      included in the draft exactly as they appear. This option allows you to reformat them according to instructions in  a  named  filter
	      file. This must be an mhl file; see the mh-format(4) reference page for more information.

	      The  -format  option  also reformats messages before encapsulating them in the draft. However, -format always reformats according to
	      the instructions in the default mhl.forward file.  The -filter option allows you to use your own, named filter file  to  format  the
	      messages.   Specifies  the  message header to be used in the draft message.  If this option is present, forw takes the header of the
	      draft message from the named file. If this option is not present, the header is taken from the forwcomps file in	your  Mail  direc-
	      tory, or failing that, from the mail system default header. However, the -form option overrides both of these defaults.  The -format
	      option reformats the messages to be forwarded before enclosing them in the draft message. If this option	is  not  supplied  or  the
	      -noformat option is used, the forwarded messages are included in the draft exactly as they appear. With the -format option, the for-
	      warded message is reformatted according to the instructions in the mhl.forward file in your Mail directory. If this  file  does  not
	      exist,  the  message is formatted according to the system file /usr/lib/mh/mhl.forward. The mhl.forward file is an mhl file; see the
	      mh-format(4) reference page for more information.

	      You can also use the -filter filterfile option to reformat messages. The difference is that -format always  takes  its  instructions
	      from  the  mhl.forward  file. With -filter, you can specify the name of the filter file you want to use.	Prints a list of the valid
	      options for this command.  These options apply only when the -annotate option is also used.

	      The -inplace option causes annotation to be done in place, to preserve links to the annotated message.

	      The -noinplace option specifies that annotation be done without preserving links to the annotated message.   Suppresses  editing	of
	      the  draft message altogether.  The -whatnowproc option specifies an alternative whatnow program. Normally, forw invokes the default
	      whatnow program. See the whatnow(1) reference page for a discussion of available options. You can specify your  own  alternative	to
	      the default program by using the -whatnowproc program option. If you do specify your own program, you should not call it whatnow.

	      You  can	suppress the whatnow program entirely by using the -nowhatnowproc option. However, as the program normally starts the ini-
	      tial edit, the -nowhatnowproc option prevents you from editing the message.

OPERANDS

       Specifies one or more numbers, or a range of numbers, to identify the messages that you want to forward. By default, forw forwards the cur-
       rent message.  Identifies the folder from which messages are to be forwarded.  By default, forw forwards messages from the current folder.

DESCRIPTION

       The  forw  command sends one or more messages on to recipients who were not the original addressees.  The command encapsulates all messages
       to be forwarded and adds a message header.  Forwarded messages appear to originate from the forwarder and not the sender  of  the  original
       message.

       The  command  invokes  an  editor so that you can edit the forwarded message or add text before or after the encapsulated message. When you
       exit from the editor, you receive a prompt asking what you want to do with the completed draft. This prompt usually  takes  the	form  What
       now?. See the whatnow(1) reference page for more information on the options available.

       If  you forward a number of messages, each forwarded message is encapsulated separately. When received, the message is suitable for expand-
       ing with the burst command (see the burst(1) reference page).

       By default, the mail system uses a standard message header for forwarded messages. This is taken from  the  system  file  /usr/lib/mh/forw-
       comps.  You  can supply your own header by creating a file called forwcomps in your Mail directory. If this file exists, forw automatically
       uses the header in it when creating draft messages.

       If you do not have a draft folder set up, forw creates your new draft in a file called draft in your Mail  directory,  usually  $HOME/Mail.
       This file must be empty before you can create a new draft, which means that you can store only 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. Your options are: To abort  forw,  leaving  the  draft	intact	To
       replace	the existing draft with the appropriate message form To display the draft message To refile the existing draft message in a speci-
       fied folder.

	      This option provides a new message form for you to complete.

       If you want to keep more than one draft (unsent) message available, you can set up a draft folder in your folder allows you to keep as many
       unsent drafts as space allows and still create new messages. To set up a draft folder, make sure that the following line is in your file:

       Draft-folder: +drafts

       For more information on setting up folders, see the mh_profile(4) reference page.

       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 with the comp command.

       If  you	use  prompter  as  your  editor,  you can specify the -prepend option to prompter in the file. If you do this, any text you add is
       entered before the forwarded messages. See the prompter(1) reference page for details on other prompter options.

       If you specify the forw command without any operands or options, the following defaults apply: +folder  defaults  to  the  current  folder.
       msgs  defaults  to  the current message.  -dashmunging -noannotate If a draft folder is specified in the $HOME/.mh_profile file, that draft
       folder is used; otherwise, -nodraftfolder is the default.  -noformat -noinplace

   Profile Components
       The following entries in $HOME/.mh_profile can affect operation of the forw command.  Refer to mh_profile(4) for a more	complete  descrip-
       tion  of  these entries.  Determines your Mail directory.  Finds the default draft folder.  Overrides the default editor.  Sets the protec-
       tion mode when creating a new message (draft).  Overrides the default mail interchange code.  Specifies a nondefault program  for  refiling
       messages.   Specifies  a nondefault program for filtering the messages being forwarded.	Specifies a nondefault program for asking the What
       now?  questions.

FILES

       The default system template for forwarded messages The user-supplied alternative to the default system template.  The user-supplied  alter-
       native to the system message template used with -digest The default message filter The user-supplied alternative to the default system mes-
       sage filter The user profile The draft file

SEE ALSO

       Commands: comp(1), dist(1), refile(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)

       Files: mh-format(4), mh_profile(4)

       Proposed Standard for Message Encapsulation (RFC 934)

																	   forw(1)