WHATNOW(1)

NAME

whatnow - prompting front-end for sending messages

SYNOPSIS

whatnow [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder]
     [-editor editor] [-noedit] [-prompt string] [file] [-version]
     [-help] [-attach header-field-name]

DESCRIPTION

Whatnow is the default program that queries the user about the disposition of a composed draft. It is normally automatically invoked by one of the nmh commands comp, dist, forw, or repl after the initial edit.

When started, the editor is started on the draft (unless -noedit is given, in which case the initial edit is suppressed). Then, whatnow repetitively prompts the user with "What now?" and awaits a response. The valid responses are:

edit re-edit using the same editor that was used on

the preceding round unless a profile entry "<lasteditor>-next: <editor>" names an alternate editor

edit <editor> invoke <editor> for further editing

refile +folder refile the draft into the given folder

mime process the draft as MIME composition file using

the buildmimeproc command (mhbuild by default)

display list the message being distributed/replied-to on

the terminal

list list the draft on the terminal

send send the message

send -watch send the message and monitor the delivery process

push send the message in the background

whom list the addresses that the message will go to

whom -check list the addresses and verify that they are

acceptable to the transport service

quit preserve the draft and exit

quit -delete delete the draft and exit

delete delete the draft and exit

cd directory use the directory when interpreting attachment

file names

pwd print the working directory for attachment files

ls [ls-options] list files in the attachment working directory

using the ls command

attach files add the named files to the draft as MIME attach

ments

alist [-ln] list the MIME attachments, either short, long

[-l] or numbered [-n]

detach [-n] files-or-numbers

remove MIME attachments, either by file name or by number with -n

When entering your response, you need only type enough characters to uniquely identify the response.

For the edit response, any valid switch to the editor is valid.

For the send and push responses, any valid switch to send(1) is valid (as push merely invokes send with the -push option).

For the whom response, any valid switch to whom(1) is valid.

For the refile response, any valid switch to the fileproc is valid.

For the display and list responses, any valid argument to the lproc is valid. If any non-switch arguments are present, then the pathname of the draft will be excluded from the argument list given to the lproc (this is useful for listing another nmh message).

See mh-profile(5) for further information about how editors are used by nmh. It also discusses how environment variables can be used to direct whatnow's actions in complex ways.

The -prompt string switch sets the prompting string for whatnow.

The -draftfolder +folder and -draftmessage msg switches invoke the nmh draft folder facility. This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature. Consult the mh-draft(5) man page for more information.

FILES

$HOME/.mh_profile The user profile
<mh-dir>/draft The draft file

PROFILE COMPONENTS

Path: To determine the user's nmh directory
Draft-Folder: To find the default draft-folder
Editor: To override the default editor
<lasteditor>-next: To name an editor to be used after exit

from <lasteditor>

automimeproc: If value is 1, and the draft is a MIME

composition file, then automatically call
buildmimeproc prior to sending.

buildmimeproc: Program to translate MIME composition files
fileproc: Program to refile the message
lproc: Program to list the contents of a message
sendproc: Program to use to send the message
whomproc: Program to determine who a message would go to

SEE ALSO

send(1), whom(1)

DEFAULTS

`-prompt' defaults to "What Now? "

CONTEXT

None

BUGS

The argument to the -prompt switch must be interpreted as a single token by the shell that invokes whatnow. Therefore, one must usually place the argument to this switch inside double-quotes.

If the initial edit fails, whatnow deletes your draft (by renaming it with a leading comma); failure of a later edit preserves the draft.

If the buildmimeproc fails (returns a nonzero status), whatnow simply prints a "What now?" prompt. whatnow depends on the buildmimeproc to tell the user that something went wrong.

If whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp, dist, forw, and repl use a built-in whatnow, and do not actually run the whatnow program. Hence, if you define your own whatnowproc, don't call it whatnow since it won't be run.

If sendproc is send, then whatnow uses a built-in send, it does not actually run the send program. Hence, if you define your own sendproc, don't call it send since whatnow won't run it.

MH.6.8 1 June 2008 WHATNOW(1)