Update Sending Mail chapter of Emacs manual.
* sending.texi (Sending Mail): Document initial mail buffer name, and changed multiple mail buffer behavior. (Mail Format): Put the example at the top of the section. (Mail Headers): Move discussion of "From" to the top. (Mail Sending): Document sendmail-query-once. (Citing Mail): Make it less Rmail-specific.
This commit is contained in:
Chong Yidong
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4 changed files with 156 additions and 175 deletions
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@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ regs.texi cyd
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rmail.texi
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screen.texi cyd
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search.texi cyd
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sending.texi
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sending.texi cyd
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text.texi cyd
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trouble.texi
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vc-xtra.texi cyd
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@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
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2011-12-30 Chong Yidong <cyd@gnu.org>
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* sending.texi (Sending Mail): Document initial mail buffer name,
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and changed multiple mail buffer behavior.
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(Mail Format): Put the example at the top of the section.
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(Mail Headers): Move discussion of "From" to the top.
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(Mail Sending): Document sendmail-query-once.
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(Citing Mail): Make it less Rmail-specific.
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2011-12-29 Chong Yidong <cyd@gnu.org>
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* text.texi (Org Mode): Copyedits. Refer to Outline Format for
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@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
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@kindex C-x m
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@findex compose-mail
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To send an @dfn{e-mail} message in Emacs, type @kbd{C-x m}. This
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selects and initializes a buffer named @samp{*mail*}, where you can
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edit the text and headers of the message. Finally, type @kbd{C-c C-s}
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or @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the message.
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To send an email message from Emacs, type @kbd{C-x m}. This
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switches to a buffer named @samp{*unsent mail*}, where you can edit
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the text and headers of the message. When done, type @kbd{C-c C-s} or
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@kbd{C-c C-c} to send it.
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@table @kbd
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@item C-x m
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@ -30,37 +30,28 @@ In the mail buffer, send the message and bury the buffer
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(@code{message-send-and-exit}).
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@end table
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The mail buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, so you can switch to
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other buffers while composing the mail. If you want to send another
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mail before finishing the current one, type @kbd{C-x m} again to open
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a new mail buffer whose name has a different numeric suffix
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(@pxref{Misc Buffer}). If you invoke the command with a prefix
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argument, @w{@kbd{C-u C-x m}}, Emacs switches back to the last mail
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buffer, and asks if you want to erase the message in that buffer; if
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you answer no, this lets you pick up editing the message where you
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left off.
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@kindex C-x 4 m
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@findex compose-mail-other-window
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@kindex C-x 5 m
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@findex compose-mail-other-frame
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@noindent
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The command @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) does the
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same as @kbd{C-x m}, except it displays the mail buffer in a different
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window. The command @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame})
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creates a new frame for the mail buffer.
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The command @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) does
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the same as @kbd{C-x m}, except it displays the mail buffer in a
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different window. The command @kbd{C-x 5 m}
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(@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) does it in a new frame.
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Because the mail buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can switch
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to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch
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back later (or never). If you type @kbd{C-x m} again when you have
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been composing another message but have not sent it, Emacs asks for
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confirmation before erasing the old message. If you answer @kbd{n},
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Emacs selects the mail buffer with its old contents, so you can finish
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the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do
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this. Sending the message marks the mail buffer ``unmodified,'' which
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avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used.
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If you want to send another message before finishing the current
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message, use the command @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} to rename the
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current mail buffer (@pxref{Misc Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x
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m} to make a new mail buffer, and work with each mail buffer
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independently.
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Before using Emacs to send mail, you may need to customize the
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variable @code{send-mail-function} if your system is not set up to
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deliver mail directly via SMTP (@pxref{Mail Sending}). In addition,
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you may need to customize @code{user-mail-address} if the system
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cannot receive mail via SMTP (@pxref{Mail Headers}).
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When you type @kbd{C-c C-c} or @kbd{C-c C-s} to send the mail, Emacs
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may ask you how it should deliver the mail---either directly via SMTP,
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or using some other method. @xref{Mail Sending}, for details.
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@menu
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* Format: Mail Format. Format of a mail message.
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@ -75,77 +66,91 @@ cannot receive mail via SMTP (@pxref{Mail Headers}).
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@node Mail Format
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@section The Format of the Mail Buffer
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An email message must contain certain pieces of information, called
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@dfn{headers}, which specify the message's sender, recipient(s), and
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so on.
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At the top of the mail buffer is a set of @dfn{header fields}, where
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you can enter this information. You can insert and edit header fields
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using ordinary editing commands. @xref{Header Editing}, for commands
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specific to editing header fields.
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Some header fields are automatically pre-initialized in the buffer,
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when appropriate; other headers, such as @samp{Date} and
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@samp{Message-Id}, are normally omitted from the mail buffer and
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created automatically when the message is sent.
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@vindex mail-header-separator
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The line in the buffer that says
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@smallexample
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--text follows this line--
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@end smallexample
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@noindent
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separates the header fields from the @dfn{body} (or @dfn{text}) of the
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message. Everything above this line is treated as part of the
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headers; everything below it is treated as the body. The delimiter
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line itself does not appear in the message actually sent. The text
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used for the delimiter line is controlled by the variable
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@code{mail-header-separator}.
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Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer
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might look like.
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Here is an example of the contents of a mail buffer:
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@example
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To: gnu@@example.org
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CC: lungfish@@example.com, byob@@example.net
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Subject: The Emacs Manual
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To: subotai@@example.org
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CC: mongol.soldier@@example.net, rms@@gnu.org
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Subject: Re: What is best in life?
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From: conan@@example.org
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--text follows this line--
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Please ignore this message.
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To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the
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lamentation of their women.
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@end example
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@noindent
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At the top of the mail buffer is a set of @dfn{header fields}, which
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are used for specifying information about the email's recipient(s),
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subject, and so on. The above buffer contains header fields for
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@samp{To}, @samp{Cc}, @samp{Subject}, and @samp{From}. Some header
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fields are automatically pre-initialized in the mail buffer, when
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appropriate.
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The line that says @samp{--text follows this line--} separates the
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header fields from the @dfn{body} (or @dfn{text}) of the message.
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Everything above that line is treated as part of the headers;
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everything below it is treated as the body. The delimiter line itself
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does not appear in the message actually sent.
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You can insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing
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commands. @xref{Header Editing}, for commands specific to editing
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header fields. Certain headers, such as @samp{Date} and
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@samp{Message-Id}, are normally omitted from the mail buffer and are
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created automatically when the message is sent.
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@node Mail Headers
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@section Mail Header Fields
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@cindex headers (of mail message)
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A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the
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beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are
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equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the
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colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field.
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equivalent in field names. After the colon and optional whitespace
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comes the contents of the field.
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You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally
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people use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is
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a table of commonly-used fields. Emacs pre-initializes some of these,
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depending on various options you can set. You can delete or alter any
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header field before you send the message, if you wish.
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people use only standard field names with accepted meanings.
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@vindex user-full-name
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@vindex user-mail-address
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The @samp{From} header field identifies the person sending the email
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(i.e.@: you). This should be a valid mailing address, as replies are
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normally sent there. The default contents of this header field are
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computed from the variables @code{user-full-name} (which specifies
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your full name) and @code{user-mail-address} (your email address). On
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some operating systems, Emacs initializes these two variables using
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environment variables (@pxref{General Variables}). If this
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information is unavailable or wrong, you should customize the
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variables yourself (@pxref{Easy Customization}).
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@vindex mail-from-style
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The value of the variable @code{mail-from-style} specifies how to
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format the contents of the @samp{From} field:
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@table @asis
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@item @code{nil}
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Use just the address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}.
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@item @code{parens}
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Use both address and full name, as in:@*
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@samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}.
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@item @code{angles}
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Use both address and full name, as in:@*
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@samp{Elvis Parsley <king@@grassland.com>}.
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@item any other value
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Use @code{angles} normally. But if the address must be ``quoted'' to
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remain syntactically valid under the @code{angles} format but not
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under the @code{parens} format, use @code{parens} instead. This is
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the default.
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@end table
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Apart from @samp{From}, here is a table of commonly-used fields:
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@table @samp
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@item From
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@vindex user-mail-address
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The address of the sender (you). This should be a valid mailing
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address, as replies will normally go there. Emacs initializes this
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field using the variables @code{user-full-name} and
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@code{user-mail-address}; see below.
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@item To
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The mailing address(es) to which the message is addressed. To list
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more than one address, use commas (not spaces) to separate them.
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more than one address, use commas to separate them.
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@item Subject
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A piece of text saying what the message is about. Most mail-reading
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programs can display a summary of messages, listing the subject of
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each message but not its text.
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The subject of the message.
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@item CC
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Additional mailing address(es) to send the message to. This is like
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@ -158,47 +163,38 @@ not appear in the header of the message actually sent. ``BCC'' stands
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for @dfn{blind carbon copies}.
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@item FCC
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The name of one file, to which a copy of the sent message should be
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The name of a file, to which a copy of the sent message should be
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appended. Emacs writes the message in mbox format, unless the file is
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in Babyl format (used by Rmail before Emacs 23), in which case Emacs
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writes Babyl. If an Rmail buffer is visiting the file, Emacs updates
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it accordingly. To specify more than one file, use several @samp{FCC}
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fields, with one file name in each field.
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writes in Babyl format. If an Rmail buffer is visiting the file,
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Emacs updates it accordingly. To specify more than one file, use
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several @samp{FCC} fields, with one file name in each field.
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@item Reply-to
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An address to which replies should be sent, instead of @samp{From}.
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You can use this header if, for some reason, your @samp{From} address
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is unable to receive replies.
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This is used if, for some reason, your @samp{From} address cannot
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receive replies.
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@item Mail-reply-to
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This field takes precedence over @samp{Reply-to}. It is used because
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some mailing lists set the @samp{Reply-to} field for their own purposes
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(a somewhat controversial practice).
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This field takes precedence over @samp{Reply-to}. It is used because
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some mailing lists set the @samp{Reply-to} field for their own
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purposes (a somewhat controversial practice).
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@item Mail-followup-to
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This field contains one or more addresses. It is typically used when
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you reply to a message from a mailing list that you are subscribed to.
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It usually indicates that you want replies to go to the list, and that
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you do not need an extra copy sent directly to you.
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@c Message mode handles this differently...
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@c @vindex mail-mailing-lists
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@c The variable @code{mail-mailing-lists} holds a list of mailing list
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@c addresses that you are subscribed to. If it is non-@code{nil}, Emacs
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@c inserts an appropriate @samp{Mail-followup-to} header when sending mail
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@c to a mailing list.
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One of more address(es) to use as default recipient(s) for follow-up
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messages. This is typically used when you reply to a message from a
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mailing list that you are subscribed to, and want replies to go to the
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list without sending an extra copy to you.
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@item In-reply-to
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A piece of text describing the message you are replying to. Some mail
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systems can use this information to correlate related pieces of mail.
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Normally, you never need to think about this, because it is filled in
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automatically when you reply to a message in Rmail (or any other mail
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program built into Emacs).
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An identifier for the message you are replying to. Most mail readers
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use this information to group related messages together. Normally,
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this header is filled in automatically when you reply to a message in
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any mail program built into Emacs.
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@item References
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The Message-Ids of previous related messages (a Message-Id is a unique
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identifier generated when a message is sent). Like
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@samp{In-reply-to}, this is normally set up automatically for you.
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Identifiers for previous related messages. Like @samp{In-reply-to},
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this is normally filled in automatically for you.
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@end table
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@noindent
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@ -217,35 +213,6 @@ To: foo@@example.net, this@@example.net,
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@end group
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@end example
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@vindex user-full-name
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@vindex user-mail-address
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The default contents of the @samp{From} header field are computed
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from the variables @code{user-full-name} and @code{user-mail-address}.
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On some operating systems, Emacs initializes these two variables using
|
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environment variables (@pxref{General Variables}). If this
|
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information is unavailable or wrong, you can customize the variables
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yourself (@pxref{Easy Customization}).
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@vindex mail-from-style
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The value of the variable @code{mail-from-style} specifies how to
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format the address in the @samp{From} field:
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@table @asis
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@item @code{nil}
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Use just the address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}.
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@item @code{parens}
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Use both address and full name, as in:@*
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@samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis Parsley)}.
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@item @code{angles}
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Use both address and full name, as in:@*
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@samp{Elvis Parsley <king@@grassland.com>}.
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@item any other value
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Use @code{angles} for most addresses. However, if the address must be
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``quoted'' to remain syntactically-valid under the @code{angles}
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format but not under the @code{parens} format, use @code{parens}
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instead. This is the default.
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@end table
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@c There is also mail-specify-envelope-from and mail-envelope-from, but
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@c these are probably not topics for the Emacs manual.
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@ -273,13 +240,12 @@ particular message, edit them as necessary before sending the message.
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@vindex mail-personal-alias-file
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You can define @dfn{mail aliases}, which are short mnemonic names
|
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that stand for mail addresses or groups of mail addresses. By
|
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default, mail aliases are defined in the file @file{~/.mailrc}. You
|
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can specify a different file name to use, by setting the variable
|
||||
that stand for one or more mailing addresses. By default, mail
|
||||
aliases are defined in the file @file{~/.mailrc}. You can specify a
|
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different file name to use, by setting the variable
|
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@code{mail-personal-alias-file}.
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|
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To define an alias in @file{.mailrc}, write a line in the following
|
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format:
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To define an alias in @file{.mailrc}, write a line like this:
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@example
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alias @var{nick} @var{fulladdresses}
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@ -409,33 +375,39 @@ showing a list of possible coding systems.
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@cindex Sendmail
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@cindex Mailclient
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@vindex send-mail-function
|
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The variable @code{send-mail-function} controls how the default mail
|
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user agent sends mail. Its value should be a function, which can be
|
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one of the following:
|
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The variable @code{send-mail-function} controls how the message is
|
||||
delivered. Its value should be a function, which can be one of the
|
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following:
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|
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@table @code
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@item sendmail-send-it
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Send mail using the system's default @command{sendmail} (or
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@command{sendmail}-compatible) program. This is the default on Unix
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and GNU, and works provided the system is a valid @dfn{mail host}
|
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(that is, provided it can deliver mail via SMTP).
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@item mailclient-send-it
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Pass the mail buffer on to the system's designated mail client (see
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@file{mailclient.el}). This is the default on Mac OS X and
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MS-Windows.
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@item sendmail-query-once
|
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This function queries for a delivery method (one of the other entries
|
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in this list), and uses that method for this message. Then it saves
|
||||
the method to @code{send-mail-function}, so that the method is used
|
||||
for future deliveries. This is the default, unless you have already
|
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configured the @code{smtpmail-send-it} method.
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||||
|
||||
@item smtpmail-send-it
|
||||
Send mail through an external mail host (e.g., your Internet service
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provider's SMTP server). You will need to tell Emacs how to contact
|
||||
the SMTP server, by customizing the variables
|
||||
@code{smtpmail-smtp-server} and @code{smtpmail-auth-credentials}.
|
||||
@xref{Top,,Emacs SMTP Library, smtpmail, Sending mail via SMTP}.
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||||
Send mail through an external mail host, such as your Internet service
|
||||
provider's outgoing SMTP mail server. If you have not told Emacs how
|
||||
to contact the SMTP server, it prompts for this information (which is
|
||||
saved in the variables @code{smtpmail-smtp-server} and
|
||||
@code{smtpmail-auth-credentials}). @xref{Top,,Emacs SMTP Library,
|
||||
smtpmail, Sending mail via SMTP}.
|
||||
|
||||
@item sendmail-send-it
|
||||
Send mail using the system's default @command{sendmail} program, or
|
||||
equivalent. This requires the system to be set up for delivering mail
|
||||
directly via SMTP.
|
||||
|
||||
@item mailclient-send-it
|
||||
Pass the mail buffer on to the system's designated mail client. See
|
||||
the commentary section in the file @file{mailclient.el} for details.
|
||||
|
||||
@item feedmail-send-it
|
||||
This is similar to @code{sendmail-send-it}, but allows you to queue
|
||||
messages for later sending. See the commentary section in the file
|
||||
@file{feedmail.el} for more information.
|
||||
@file{feedmail.el} for details.
|
||||
@end table
|
||||
|
||||
@node Header Editing
|
||||
|
|
@ -511,7 +483,8 @@ just inserts a tab character.
|
|||
|
||||
@table @kbd
|
||||
@item C-c C-y
|
||||
Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{message-yank-original}).
|
||||
Yank the selected message from the mail reader, as a citation
|
||||
(@code{message-yank-original}).
|
||||
@item C-c C-q
|
||||
Fill each paragraph cited from another message
|
||||
(@code{message-fill-yanked-message}).
|
||||
|
|
@ -522,9 +495,9 @@ Fill each paragraph cited from another message
|
|||
@findex message-yank-prefix
|
||||
You can use the command @kbd{C-c C-y} (@code{message-yank-original})
|
||||
to @dfn{cite} a message that you are replying to. This inserts the
|
||||
text of that message into the mail buffer. This command is active
|
||||
only when the mail buffer is invoked from a mail program running in
|
||||
Emacs, such as Rmail.
|
||||
text of that message into the mail buffer. This command works only if
|
||||
the mail buffer is invoked from a mail reader running in Emacs, such
|
||||
as Rmail.
|
||||
|
||||
By default, Emacs inserts the string @samp{>} in front of each line
|
||||
of the cited text; this prefix string is specified by the variable
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
13
etc/NEWS
13
etc/NEWS
|
|
@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ and pops down the *Completions* buffer accordingly.
|
|||
|
||||
** Mail changes
|
||||
|
||||
The default of `send-mail-function' is now `sendmail-query-once',
|
||||
+++
|
||||
*** The default of `send-mail-function' is now `sendmail-query-once',
|
||||
which asks the user (once) whether to use the smtpmail package to send
|
||||
email, or to use the old defaults that rely on external mail
|
||||
facilities (`sendmail-send-it' on GNU/Linux and other Unix-like
|
||||
|
|
@ -156,14 +157,12 @@ If you had that set, then you need to put
|
|||
|
||||
in your ~/.authinfo file instead.
|
||||
|
||||
*** sendmail changes
|
||||
*** Mail mode changes (this is the old Mail mode, not Message mode)
|
||||
+++
|
||||
You can now add MIME attachments to outgoing messages with the new
|
||||
command `mail-add-attachment'.
|
||||
|
||||
**** New command `mail-add-attachment' for adding MIME attachments
|
||||
---
|
||||
The command `mail-attach-file' was renamed to `mail-insert-file'; the
|
||||
old name is now an obsolete alias to the new name.
|
||||
**** The command `mail-attach-file' was renamed to `mail-insert-file'.
|
||||
The old name is now an obsolete alias to the new name.
|
||||
|
||||
** Emacs server and client changes
|
||||
+++
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
Loading…
Add table
Reference in a new issue