readmsg(1) CLIX readmsg(1)
NAME
readmsg - Reads messages from incoming mail
SYNOPSIS
readmsg [-n|-h] [-f filename] [-p]
readmsg [-n|-h] [-f filename] [-p] number ...
readmsg [-n|-h] [-f filename] [-p] pattern
FLAGS
-f Uses the named file rather than the incoming mailbox for the
operations specified.
-h Includes the entire header of every matched message. (The default is
to display the To:, From:, Date:, and Subject: lines only.)
-n Excludes all headers. This is used mostly for extracting mailed
files.
-p Puts formfeeds (the <Ctrl-L> sequence) between message headers.
DESCRIPTION
The readmsg command displays mail messages on the screen. The user may
choose from three ways to display mail messages.
First, if the user is replying to a message, the Elm mailer uses the
readmsg command to display the headers and text of the message to which
the user is replying.
With the second method, the user can display certain messages by listing
their message numbers (up to 25 at a time). The metacharacter dollar sign
($) indicates the last message in the mail file. Similarly, the asterisk
(*) represents every message in the file. (Note: depending on the shell
being used, the asterisk may need to be escaped to prevent its being
interpreted by the shell instead of by readmsg.)
Finally, users can also specify a pattern that occurs in one of the
messages as a way of displaying it. This pattern can be entered directly
(no quotes) if the words are separated by a single space in the actual
message. The pattern matching is case-sensitive, so Hello and hello are
not the same.
EXAMPLES
For the following examples, suppose the user has the following mail in the
incoming mail box.
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readmsg(1) CLIX readmsg(1)
From joe Jun 3 1990 4:45 EDT
Subject: Hello
Hi, this is Joe. Just testing my mail system.
Let me know if you get this.
Joe
From john Jul 26 1990 8:20 EDT
Subject: Meeting at 3:00pm
Remember to go to the meeting today at 3:00pm, in room 1245.
--John D--
From xxyyzz!cron Nov 19 1990 EST
Cannot connect to server: wizard
Job 432165 deleted from the queue.
1. To read the second message, enter the following at the command prompt.
readmsg 2
This command will display the second message from John, about the
meeting at 3:00 p.m.
2. To match a piece of text such as wizard, enter the following at the
command prompt.
readmsg wizard
The command finds the text, which is contained in the third message
about the failed connection, and displays it on the screen.
Note that since the commands are case-sensitive, the following command
would fail, since wizard does not contain any capital letters.
readmsg WIZARD
3. To read the message which contains the text connect to server and to
display all the headers of that message, enter the following command.
readmsg -h connect to server
The third message will display, and it will include every header in
addition to the To:, From:, Date:, and Subject: lines.
FILES
2 Intergraph Corporation - 2/94
readmsg(1) CLIX readmsg(1)
/usr/mail/username Incoming mailbox.
/usr/spool/mail/username
Incoming mailbox, with the Sun Elm product.
$HOME/.readmsg Temporary file created by Elm.
CAUTIONS
The asterisk (*) metacharacter does not always work as expected. This is
dependent on the shell being used, which may require the escaping of the
asterisk to prevent the shell from interpreting it instead of readmsg.
DIAGNOSTICS
If the user enters a character in the message number, readmsg displays the
message I don't understand what character means.
If the user specifies a pattern which readmsg cannot find, readmsg
displays the message Couldn't find message containing pattern.
EXIT VALUES
The command exits with a value of 0 if successful. If unsuccessful, the
command exits with a value of 1.
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: newmail(1), elm(1)
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