NAME

mailtool - OpenWindows interface for the mail program

SYNOPSIS

mailtool [ −Mv ] [ −Mi interval ] [ generic-tool-arguments ]

AVAILABILITY

Although this command is available with both the SunView software installation and the OpenWindows  environment, its appearance is not the same for both environments.  The man page you are currently viewing refers to the mailtool that is available with OpenWindows. The primary difference between this and the SunView mailtool is the user interface.  All OpenWindows standard tools use the OPEN LOOK Graphical User Interface. For more information about the OPEN LOOK UI, refer to the OpenWindows User’s Guide, the OPEN LOOK Graphical User Interface Functional and the OPEN LOOK Graphical User Interface Style For information about installing OpenWindows, refer to the OpenWindows Installation and Start-Up Guide. 

DESCRIPTION

mailtool is the standard OpenWindows interface to mail(1).  It provides a menu-driven facility for reading, storing, composing, and sending mail messages.  Scrollable windows allow easy access to mailbox and mail folders. 

The full editing capabilities of textedit(1) are available for modifying and composing mail messages as well as text fields within command panels. 

USAGE

 
mailtool operates through the use of a set of command panel buttons, message windows, menus, and other components that conform to the OPEN LOOK Graphical User Interface Functional Specification.  Mail messages are edited using the menus and commands of the textedit program. For more information about the general usage of OPEN LOOK software applications, see the OpenWindows User’s Guide.  For more information about textedit conventions, see the textedit(1) man page. 
 
Command Panel Buttons
 
The mailtool command panel is located near the top of the main window, under the window header. Select a command panel button to reveal the menu for that button. 
 
File >

Open >

InTray

Used to read mail from the user’s system mail file into mailtool. 

Mail File

Opens the mail file specified in the Mail File text field in the command panel. 

History

Selecting this option displays a list of all Mail Files that have been opened since mailtool was first invoked. 

Move into Mail File

Moves all selected messages from the InTray to the file named in the Mail File text field in the command panel. If the file exists, the messages are appended. 

Copy into Mail File

Copies all selected messages from the InTray to the file named in the Mail File text field in the command panel. If the file exists, the messages are appended. Unlike Move into Mail File , the messages are not deleted from the InTray. 

Print

Sends copies of all the selected mail items to your default printer.  If there are no selected items, mailtool sends copies of those items you are currently viewing. 

Commit Changes

Causes all the deletions and changes you have made to the mail file to become permanent and opens your InTray for any new mail. 

View >

Messages >

Using Old Windows

Causes all of the selected messages to be displayed in viewing windows, using as many existing windows as needed. Unneeded windows are deleted; if more windows are needed than currently exist, they are created. 

Using New Windows

Causes all selected messages to be displayed in newly created viewing windows.  Existing viewing windows are not disturbed, but no message is displayed twice. 

Previous >

Message

Determines which the previous message after the last one displayed and displays it.  The message is chosen from all the messages in the current mail file. 

Selected Message

Determines the message previous to the last one displayed and displays it.  The message is chosen from all the Selected messages in the current mail file. This provides a way to cycle through a smaller set of messages. 
 

Next >

Message

Determines the message following the last one displayed and displays it. 
 The message is chosen from all the messages in the current mail file.

Selected Message

Determines the message following the last one displayed and displays it.  The message is chosen from all the selected messages in the current mail file. This provides a way to cycle through a smaller set of messages. 

Sort By >

Time and Date

Sorts the messages in the mail folder by chronological order. 

Sender

Sorts the messages in the mail folder alphabetically by sender. 

Subject

Sorts the messages in the mail folder alphabetically by subject. 

Edit >

Cut

Deletes the selected mail messages, placing copies in the Clipboard. 

Copy

Copies the selected mail messages, placing copies in the Clipboard. 

Delete

Deletes the selected mail messages, without placing copies in the Clipboard.  If no mail messages are selected, the messages currently being viewed are deleted. 

Undelete >

Last

Restores the last message deleted to your mail header display.  This may be done until all messages deleted since the last commit are restored.  This option also restores messages deleted through cut and move commands. 

From list

Causes a command frame to appear.  This frame contains a list box that has all the mail items that have been deleted since the last commit operation.  You can select any number of these, and press the button on the command frame.  All the selected items will be returned to the mail header window. 

Select

Selecting the Select menu option brings up a pop-up menu allowing you to specify which mail messages are to be selected. Once the selection field has been filled in, press the button marked Select > at the bottom of the pop-up menu. 
 
Select by Subject

Fill in this text field to select mail messages by subject. 

Select by Sender

Fill in this text field to select mail messages by sender. 

Compose >
 
The Compose panel button allows users to create new mail to be sent, reply to existing messages with or without including the current message, and to forward messages as needed. 

 
New >

Selecting an option from the submenu of the New > menu option creates a mail message. If an unused mail message window current exists on the screen, it will be brought forward to be used and no new window is created. If an unused mail message window current exists and is fully displayed on the screen, there will be no change in the display.  Options to this submenu are described below: With Cc:

When this option is selected, the subject, address, and compositon areas of the new composition window are all blank. The header area includes a blank Cc: line for additonal addressees. 

No Cc:

As above, except no Cc: line appears in the header. 

Reply >

As with New > selecting an option from the submenu of the Reply menu option creates a window for the composition of a new mail message. If an unused mail message window current exists on the screen, it will be brought forward to be used and no new window is created. If an unused mail message window current exists and is fully displayed on the screen, there will be no change in the display.  Options to this submenu are described below:
 
To Sender:

Selecting this option displays a message window addressed to the originator of the message being replied to, but not to the addresses included in the field of the original message. The text of the original message is not included in the body of the newly created message. 

To All:

Selecting this option displays a message windowaddressed to the originator of the message being replied to and all addresses included in the original Cc: field. The subject field contains a line created from the subject field of the original message. The text of the original message is not included in the body of the newly created message. 

To Sender, Include:

Selecting this option displays a composition window addressed to the originator of the message being replied to, but not to the addresses included in the field of the original message. The text of the original message is included in the body of the newly created message. 

To All, Include:

Selecting this option displays a composition window addressed to the originator of the message being replied to and all addresses included in the original Cc: field. The subject field contains a line created from the subject field of the original message. The text of the original message is included in the body of the newly created message. 

Forward >

Selecting an option from the submenu of the Forward > menu option creates a window for the composition of a new mail message that includes the full text of the message being forwarded. The address field is left blank.  If an unused mail message window current exists on the screen, it will be brought forward to be used and no new window is created. If an unused mail message window current exists and is fully displayed on the screen, there will be no change in the display.  Options to this submenu are described below:
 

No Cc:

Displays a message window displayed that does not include a Cc: line in the address panel. 

With Cc:

Displays a message window that includes a Cc: line in the address panel. 

 
The Composition window displayed has its own control panel with the following buttons:
 
Include >

Selecting an option from the submenu of the Include > menu option causes the message being composed to include a copy of any currently selected messages. 
 
Bracketed:

Includes copies of all the selected mail messages in the message composition area. The included copies are marked with brackets.  If no mail items are selected, the items being viewed are included. 

Indented:

Includes copies of all the selected mail messages in the message composition area. The included copies are indented by one tab stop.  If no mail items are selected, the items being viewed are included. 

Deliver >

Take Down Window

Sends the mail message, clears the message window, and dismisses the window. 

Clear Message

Sends the mail message, leaves the composition window up, clearing the message and address areas. 

Leave Message Intact

Sends the mail message and leaves the composition window up with the original message and address intact. 

Clear

Clears the mail message for reuse as a new composition window.  Before the message is cleared, however, a pop-up Notice Window appears, requiring confirmation in order to discard the text and text fields in the message window. 

Headers >

Selecting an option from the Headers > menu affects the header of the mail message in one of the following ways:

Add Cc:

Selecting this option adds a field to the mail message header area so that you can send copies of your message to other addresses. 

Add Bcc:

Selecting this option adds a .Bcc (blind copy) field to the mail message header area so that you can send copies of your message to other addresses without those addresses appearing as part of the mail message. 

Delete Subject

Selecting this option deletes the field from the mail message header area. 

Name Finder... 

Displays a popup window that lets you ask for the mailing addresses of individuals in the yp database. Type the requested name, select the Find button, and all matching names appear in the text window below. Select the Sounds Like button to match all names that sound similar to the one requested. 

Mailtool Variables
 
In addition to the variables recognized by mail(1), mailtool recognizes those listed below.  They can be set by editing your .mailrc file. Unless otherwise noted, the default for the following variables is off. 

allowreversescan

When set, allows you to step through messages in latest-first, oldest-first order if you choose.  The next message depends on the order of travel. 

askbcc

Prompt for the Bcc: field when composing or replying. 

bell

The number of times to ring the bell when new mail arrives.  The default is 0. 

editmessagewindow

Request confirmation before the first editing opersztion to a message in the message window (as opposed to composing a reply).  The default is not to request confirmation of the first edit. 

expert

Set expert mode in which no confirmation are requested. 

filemenu

A list of files from which to initialize the File: menu.  These can be absolute pathnames, pathnames relative to the working directory for mailtool (typically your home directory), or filenames prefixed with a + , which are taken as relative to the directory specified in the folder variable (see mail (1)). 

filemenusize

Specifies the maximum size of the .File: menu. 

flash

The number of times to flash the window or icon when new mail arrives.  The default is 0. 

headerlines

The number of lines in header window. The default is 10. 

interval

The interval in seconds to check for new mail.  The default is 300. 

moveinputfocus

Move the input focus into the compostion window for Compose and Reply This only works for click-to-type. 

popuplines

The number of lines in pop-up message composition window.  The default is 30. 

printmail

The command to use to print a message.  The default is lpr -p

trash

The name of trash bin, which may be accessed just lke any other folder.  If set, all deleted messages are moved to the trash bin.  The trash bin is emptied when you commit changes. 

FILES

/var/spool/mail/∗

system mailboxes

/.mailrc

start-up file for mail and mailtool

SEE ALSO

binmail(1), mail(1), textedit(1), aliases(5), newaliases(8), sendmail(8)
 
OpenWindows User’s Guide
 

Sun Release 4.1  —  Last change: 1 September 1989