comp
PURPOSE
Composes a message.
SYNOPSIS
comp [+folder][msg][-draftfolder +folder][-draftmessage msg]
[-nodraftfolder][-editor editor][-noedit][-file file]
[-form formfile][-use][-nouse][-whatnowproc proram]
[-nowhatnowproc][-help]
DESCRIPTION
The comp command is used to create and modify messages.
comp is part of the MH (Message Handling) package and can
be used with other MH and AIX commands.
By default, comp copies a message form to a new draft
message and invokes an editor. You can then fill in the
message header fields To: and Subject:, fill in or delete
the other header fields (such as cc: and Bcc:), and add
the body of the message. When you exit the editor, the
comp command invokes the MH command whatnow. You can
specify any of the whatnow subcommands, or you can press
Enter to see a list of the subcommands. These subcom-
mands enable you to continue composing the message,
direct the disposition of the message, or end the proc-
essing of the comp command. See "whatnow" for a
description of the subcommands.
You can specify the form, or format, of the message by
using the -form flag or the +folder flag. If you do not
specify one of these flags, comp uses your default
message format located in the file user_mh_directory/com-
ponents. If this file does not exist, comp uses the
system default message format located in
/usr/lib/mh/components.
You can compose a new message, or you can specify the
-use flag and continue composing an existing message.
The -file, -draftfolder, and -draftmessage flags enable
you to specify the new or existing message that you want
to compose.
Note: The line of dashes or a blank line must be left
between the header and the body of the message for the
message to be identified when it is sent.
FLAGS
-draftfolder +folder Places the draft message in the
specified folder. If you do not
specify this flag, comp selects a
default draft folder according to
the information supplied in the
MH profiles. You can define a
default draft folder in
$HOME/.mh_profile. If
-draftfolder +folder is followed
by msg, msg represents the
-draftmessage attribute.
-draftmessage msg Specifies the draft message. You
can specify one of the following
message references as msg:
num sequence first
prev cur .
next last new
If the -use flag is specified,
the default draft message is cur.
Otherwise, the default draft
message is new.
-editor cmd Specifies that cmd is the initial
editor for composing the message.
If you do not specify this flag,
comp selects a default editor or
suppresses the initial edit,
according to the information sup-
plied in the MH profiles. You
can define a default initial
editor in $HOME/.mh_profile.
-file file Places the draft message in the
specified file. If you do not
specify the absolute path name
for file, comp places file in
user_mh_directory. If file
exists, comp prompts your for the
disposition of the draft.
+folder msg Uses the form of the specified
message in the specified folder.
You can specify one of the fol-
lowing message references as msg:
num sequence first
prev cur .
next last
The default message is the
current message in the current
folder.
-form file Uses the form contained in the
specified file. comp treats each
line in file as a format string.
-help Displays help information for the
command.
-nodraftfolder Places the draft in the file
user_mh_directory/draft.
-noedit Suppresses the initial edit.
-nouse Creates a new message.
-nowhatnowproc Does not invoke a program that
guides you through the composing
tasks. The -nowhatnowproc flag
also prevents any edit from
occurring.
-use Continues composing an existing
draft of a message.
-whatnowproc cmdstring Invokes cmdstring as the program
to guide you through the com-
posing tasks. See "whatnow" for
information about the default
whatnow program and its subcom-
mands.
Note: If you specify "whatnow"
for cmdstring, comp invokes an
internal whatnow procedure rather
than a program with the file name
whatnow.
PROFILE ENTRIES
Draft-Folder: Sets your default folder for drafts.
Editor: Sets your default initial editor.
fileproc: Specifies the program used to refile
messages.
Msg-Protect: Sets the protection level for your new
message files.
Path: Specifies your user_mh_directory.
whatnowproc: Specifies the program used to prompt
"What now?" questions.
FILES
/usr/lib/mh/components The system default
message form.
user_mh_directory/components The user's default
message form. (If it
exists, it overrides the
system default message
form.)
$HOME/.mh_profile The MH user profile.
user_mh_directory/draft The draft file.
RELATED INFORMATION
Other MH commands: "ali," "dist," "forw," "prompter,"
"repl," "refile," "send," "whatnow," "whom."
The mh-alias, mh-format, and mh-profile files in AIX
Operating System Technical Reference.
The "Overview of the Message Handling Package" in Man-
aging the AIX Operating System.