NAME

dist − redistribute a message to additional addresses

SYNOPSIS

dist ­[+folder] ­[msg] ­[−annotate] ­[−noannotate] ­[−draftfolder +folder] ­[−draftmessage msg] ­[−nodraftfolder] ­[−editor editor] ­[−noedit] ­[−form formfile] ­[−inplace] ­[−noinplace] ­[−whatnowproc program] ­[−nowhatnowproc] ­[−cnv] ­[−nocnv] ­[−help]

DESCRIPTION

Dist is similar to forw.  It prepares the specified message for redistribution to addresses that (presumably) are not on the original address list. 
 
The default message form contains the following elements:
 

 
If the file named “distcomps” exists in the user’s MH directory, it will be used instead of this form. In either case, the file specified by ‘−form formfile’ will be used if given. The form used will be prepended to the message being resent.
 
If the draft already exists, dist will ask you as to the disposition of the draft.  A reply of quit will abort dist, leaving the draft intact; replace will replace the existing draft with a blank skeleton; and list will display the draft. 
 
Only those addresses in “Resent−To:”, “Resent−cc:”, and “Resent−Bcc:” will be sent. Also, a “Resent−Fcc: folder” will be honored (see send (1)).  Note that with dist, the draft should contain only “Resent−xxx:” fields and no body.  The headers and the body of the original message are copied to the draft when the message is sent.  Use care in constructing the headers for the redistribution. 
 
If the ‘−annotate’ switch is given, the  message being distributed will be annotated with the lines:
 
     Resent: date
     Resent: addrs
 
where each address list contains as many lines as required. This annotation will be done only if the message is sent directly from dist.  If the message is not sent immediately from dist, “comp −use” may be used to re−edit and send the constructed message, but the annotations won’t take place.  The ’−inplace’ switch causes annotation to be done in place in order to preserve links to the annotated message. 
 
Dist normally converts a message to MAIL code, however, if ‘−nocnv’ is specified, dist does not. 
 
See comp (1) for a description of the ‘−editor’ and ‘−noedit’ switches.  Note that while in the editor, the message being resent is available through a link named “@” (assuming the default whatnowproc ).  In addition, the actual pathname of the message is stored in the envariable $editalt, and the pathname of the folder containing the message is stored in the envariable $mhfolder. 
 
The ‘−draftfolder +folder’ and ‘−draftmessage msg’ switches invoke the MH draft folder facility.  This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature.  Consult the Advanced Features section of the MH manual for more information. 
 
Upon exiting from the editor, dist will invoke the whatnow program.  See whatnow (1) for a discussion of available options.  The invocation of this program can be inhibited by using the ‘−nowhatnowproc’ switch.  (In truth of fact, it is the whatnow program which starts the initial edit.  Hence, ‘−nowhatnowproc’ will prevent any edit from occurring.)  ^/usr/new/lib/mh/distcomps~^The message skeleton ^or <mh−dir>/distcomps~^Rather than the standard skeleton ^$HOME/.mh_profile~^The user profile ^<mh−dir>/draft~^The draft file ^Path:~^To determine the user’s MH directory ^Current−Folder:~^To find the default current folder ^Draft−Folder:~^To find the default draft−folder ^Editor:~^To override the default editor ^fileproc:~^Program to refile the message ^whatnowproc:~^Program to ask the “What now?” questions comp(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1), sendmail(8) ‘+folder’ defaults to the current folder ‘msg’ defaults to cur ‘−noannotate’ ‘−nodraftfolder’ ‘−noinplace’ ‘−cnv’ If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.  The message distributed will become the current message.  Dist originally used headers of the form “Distribute−xxx:” instead of “Resent−xxx:”.  In order to conform with the ARPA Internet standard, RFC−822, the “Resent−xxx:” form is now used.  Dist will recognize “Distribute−xxx:” type headers and automatically convert them to “Resent−xxx:”.  Dist does not rigorously check the message being distributed for adherence to the transport standard, but post called by send does.  The post program will balk (and rightly so) at poorly formatted messages, and dist won’t correct things for you. 
 
If whatnowproc is whatnow, then dist uses a built−in whatnow, it does not actually run the whatnow program.  Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don’t call it whatnow since dist won’t run it. 
 
If your current working directory is not writable, the link named “@” is not available.

NEWS-OSRelease 4.1C