repl(1mh) repl(1mh)
Name
repl - reply to a message
Syntax
repl [ 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 num-
ber 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
original 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
information.
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 com-
mand.
Note that while in the editor, the message being replied to is available 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 message 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 imme-
diately. 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 mes-
sage, 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 information. 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 origi-
nal message in your reply. If you use the -filter filterfile 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 filter 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 correctly, 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? (R)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 -nowhatnowproc 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 Also
comp(1mh), dist(1mh), forw(1mh), prompter(1mh), send(1mh), whatnow(1mh), mh-format(5mh)
repl(1mh)