whatnow
PURPOSE
Invokes a prompting interface for draft disposition.
SYNOPSIS
whatnow[-draftfolder +folder][-draftmessage msg][-nodraftfolder]
[-editor editor][-noedit][-prompt string][file][-help]
DESCRIPTION
The whatnow command is the default program used by comp,
dist, forw, and repl to prompt you for the disposition of
messages. whatnow is part of the MH (Message Handling)
package and can be used with other MH and AIX commands.
By default, whatnow invokes an editor and places the
current draft message (or file) in the editing session.
When you exit the editing session, whatnow prompts:
What now? You can specify any of the whatnow subcom-
mands, or you can press Enter to see a list of the sub-
commands. These subcommands enable you to re-edit the
message, direct the disposition of the message, or end
the processing of the whatnow command. The whatnow
command continues to prompt you for subcommands until you
specify quit.
SUBCOMMANDS
display [ flags ] Displays the message being
acted upon (redistributed or
replied to). For flags, you
can specify any flag that is
valid for the command serving
as the lproc. (You can set a
default lproc: entry in
$HOME/.mh_profile.) If you
specify any flags that are not
valid for lproc, whatnow does
not pass the path name of the
draft to the lproc.
edit [ cmdstring ] Re-edits the message using the
specified editor. You can
specify the editor and any
valid flags to that editor.
If you do not specify an
editor, whatnow selects a
default editor according to
the information supplied in
the MH profiles. You can
define a default editor for
re-editing in
$HOME/.mh_profile. If an
editor is not defined for re-
editing in your .mh_profile,
whatnow invokes the editor
used in the previous editing
session.
list [ flags ] Displays the draft. For
flags, you can specify any
flag that is valid for the
command serving as the lproc.
(You can set a default lproc:
entry in $HOME/.mh_profile.)
If you specify any flags that
are not valid for lproc,
whatnow does not pass the path
name of the draft to lproc.
push [ flags ] Sends the message in the back-
ground. You can specify any
valid flag for the send
command.
quit [ -delete ] Ends the whatnow session. If
you specify -delete, whatnow
deletes the draft. Otherwise,
whatnow stores the draft.
refile [ flags ] +folder Files the draft in the speci-
fied folder and supplies a new
draft having the previously
specified form. For flags,
you can specify any flag that
is valid for the command
serving as the fileproc. (You
can set a default fileproc:
entry in $HOME/.mh_profile.)
send [ flags ] Sends the message. You can
specify any valid flags for
the send command.
whom [ flags ] Displays the addresses to
which the message would be
sent. You can specify any
valid flags for the whom
command.
FLAGS
-draftfolder +folder Places the draft message in the
specified folder. If you do not
specify this flag, whatnow 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 use one of the following
message references as msg:
num sequence first
prev cur .
next last
The default draft message is cur.
-editor cmd Specifies that cmd is the initial
editor for composing or revising
the message. If you do not specify
this flag, whatnow selects a
default editor or suppresses the
initial edit, according to the
information supplied in the MH pro-
files. You can define a default
initial editor in
$HOME/.mh_profile.
-help Displays help information for the
command.
-nodraftfolder Places the draft in the file
user_mh_directory/draft.
-noedit Suppresses the initial edit.
-prompt string Uses string as the prompt. The
default string is "What now?"
PROFILE ENTRIES
Draft-Folder: Sets your default folder for drafts.
Editor: Sets your default initial editor.
fileproc: Specifies the program used to refile
messages.
lasteditor-next: Specifies the editor used after
exiting lasteditor.
lproc: Specifies the program used to list the
contents of a message.
Path: Specifies your user_mh_directory.
sendproc: Specifies the program used to send
messages.
whomproc: Specifies the program used to deter-
mine the users to whom a message would
be sent.
FILES
$HOME/.mh_profile The MH user profile.
user_mh_directory/draft The draft file.
RELATED INFORMATION
Other MH commands: "comp," "dist," "forw," "prompter,"
"refile," "repl," "rmm," "scan," "send," "whom."
The mh-alias, mh-format, mh-mail, and mh-profile files in
AIX Operating System Technical Reference.
The "Overview of the Message Handling Package" in Man-
aging the AIX Operating System.