BIFF(1,C)                   AIX Commands Reference                    BIFF(1,C)



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biff



PURPOSE

Informs the system to notify user when mail arrives.

SYNTAX


        +- y -+
biff ---|     |---|
        +- n -+


Warning: See restrictions, Chapter 18, AIX Programming Tools and Interfaces.

DESCRIPTION

The biff command informs the system whether you want to be notified when mail
arrives during the current terminal session.  The command

  biff y

enables notification; the command

  biff n

disables it.  When mail notification is enabled, the header and first few lines
of the message will be printed on your screen whenever mail arrives.  A biff y
command is often included in the file .login or .profile to be executed at each
login.

The biff command operates asynchronously.  For synchronous notification use the
MAIL variable of sh or ksh, or the mail variable of csh.

RELATED INFORMATION

See the following commands:  "csh,"  "sh, Rsh," "mail, Mail" and "comsat."














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