DIST(1)             RISC/os Reference Manual              DIST(1)



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] [-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:

          Resent-To:
          Resent-cc:

     If the file named "distcomps" exists in the user's MH direc-
     tory, 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 con-
     structing the headers for the redistribution.

     If the `-annotate' switch is given, the  message being dis-
     tributed 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



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     in order to preserve links to the annotated message.

     See comp (1) for a description of the `-editor' and
     `-noedit' switches.  Note that while in the editor, the mes-
     sage 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 mes-
     sage 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.)

FILES
     /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

PROFILE COMPONENTS
     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

SEE ALSO
     comp(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1), whatnow(1)

DEFAULTS
     `+folder' defaults to the current folder
     `msg' defaults to cur
     `-noannotate'
     `-nodraftfolder'
     `-noinplace'

CONTEXT
     If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
     The message distributed will become the current message.

HISTORY
     Dist originally used headers of the form "Distribute-xxx:"



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     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:".

BUGS
     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 what-
     now, 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.




































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