1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual.
2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93-95, 97, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
4 @node Sending Mail, Rmail, Picture, Top
10 To send a message in Emacs, you start by typing a command (@kbd{C-x m})
11 to select and initialize the @samp{*mail*} buffer. Then you edit the text
12 and headers of the message in this buffer, and type another command
13 (@kbd{C-c C-s} or @kbd{C-c C-c}) to send the message.
17 Begin composing a message to send (@code{compose-mail}).
19 Likewise, but display the message in another window
20 (@code{compose-mail-other-window}).
22 Likewise, but make a new frame (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}).
24 In Mail mode, send the message (@code{mail-send}).
26 Send the message and bury the mail buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}).
32 @findex compose-mail-other-window
34 @findex compose-mail-other-frame
35 The command @kbd{C-x m} (@code{compose-mail}) selects a buffer named
36 @samp{*mail*} and initializes it with the skeleton of an outgoing
37 message. @kbd{C-x 4 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-window}) selects the
38 @samp{*mail*} buffer in a different window, leaving the previous current
39 buffer visible. @kbd{C-x 5 m} (@code{compose-mail-other-frame}) creates
40 a new frame to select the @samp{*mail*} buffer.
42 Because the mail-composition buffer is an ordinary Emacs buffer, you can
43 switch to other buffers while in the middle of composing mail, and switch
44 back later (or never). If you use the @kbd{C-x m} command again when you
45 have been composing another message but have not sent it, you are asked to
46 confirm before the old message is erased. If you answer @kbd{n}, the
47 @samp{*mail*} buffer is left selected with its old contents, so you can
48 finish the old message and send it. @kbd{C-u C-x m} is another way to do
49 this. Sending the message marks the @samp{*mail*} buffer ``unmodified,''
50 which avoids the need for confirmation when @kbd{C-x m} is next used.
52 If you are composing a message in the @samp{*mail*} buffer and want to
53 send another message before finishing the first, rename the
54 @samp{*mail*} buffer using @kbd{M-x rename-uniquely} (@pxref{Misc
55 Buffer}). Then you can use @kbd{C-x m} or its variants described above
56 to make a new @samp{*mail*} buffer. Once you've done that, you can work
57 with each mail buffer independently.
60 * Format: Mail Format. Format of the mail being composed.
61 * Headers: Mail Headers. Details of permitted mail header fields.
62 * Aliases: Mail Aliases. Abbreviating and grouping mail addresses.
63 * Mode: Mail Mode. Special commands for editing mail being composed.
64 * Spook: Distracting NSA. How to distract the NSA's attention.
65 * Fortune:: `Fortune' items in signatures.
66 * Footnotes: Mail Footnotes. Making footnotes in messages.
67 * Mail Methods:: Using alternative mail-composition methods.
71 @section The Format of the Mail Buffer
73 In addition to the @dfn{text} or @dfn{body}, a message has @dfn{header
74 fields} which say who sent it, when, to whom, why, and so on. Some
75 header fields, such as @samp{Date} and @samp{Sender}, are created
76 automatically when you send the message. Others, such as the recipient
77 names, must be specified by you in order to send the message properly.
79 Mail mode provides a few commands to help you edit some header fields,
80 and some are preinitialized in the buffer automatically at times. You can
81 insert and edit header fields using ordinary editing commands.
83 The line in the buffer that says
86 --text follows this line--
90 is a special delimiter that separates the headers you have specified from
91 the text. Whatever follows this line is the text of the message; the
92 headers precede it. The delimiter line itself does not appear in the
93 message actually sent. The text used for the delimiter line is controlled
94 by the variable @code{mail-header-separator}.
96 Here is an example of what the headers and text in the mail buffer
101 CC: lungfish@@spam.org, byob@@spam.org
102 Subject: The Emacs Manual
103 --Text follows this line--
104 Please ignore this message.
108 @section Mail Header Fields
109 @cindex headers (of mail message)
111 A header field in the mail buffer starts with a field name at the
112 beginning of a line, terminated by a colon. Upper and lower case are
113 equivalent in field names (and in mailing addresses also). After the
114 colon and optional whitespace comes the contents of the field.
116 You can use any name you like for a header field, but normally people
117 use only standard field names with accepted meanings. Here is a table
118 of fields commonly used in outgoing messages.
122 This field contains the mailing addresses to which the message is
123 addressed. If you list more than one address, use commas, not spaces,
127 The contents of the @samp{Subject} field should be a piece of text
128 that says what the message is about. The reason @samp{Subject} fields
129 are useful is that most mail-reading programs can provide a summary of
130 messages, listing the subject of each message but not its text.
133 This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to,
134 like @samp{To} except that these readers should not regard the message
138 This field contains additional mailing addresses to send the message to,
139 which should not appear in the header of the message actually sent.
140 Copies sent this way are called @dfn{blind carbon copies}.
142 @vindex mail-self-blind
143 To send a blind carbon copy of every outgoing message to yourself, set
144 the variable @code{mail-self-blind} to @code{t}.
147 This field contains the name of one file and directs Emacs to append a
148 copy of the message to that file when you send the message. If the file
149 is in Rmail format, Emacs writes the message in Rmail format; otherwise,
150 Emacs writes the message in system mail file format.
152 @vindex mail-archive-file-name
153 To put a fixed file name in the @samp{FCC} field each time you start
154 editing an outgoing message, set the variable
155 @code{mail-archive-file-name} to that file name. Unless you remove the
156 @samp{FCC} field before sending, the message will be written into that
157 file when it is sent.
160 Use the @samp{From} field to say who you are, when the account you are
161 using to send the mail is not your own. The contents of the @samp{From}
162 field should be a valid mailing address, since replies will normally go
163 there. If you don't specify the @samp{From} field yourself, Emacs uses
164 the value of @code{user-mail-address} as the default.
167 Use this field to direct replies to a different address. Most
168 mail-reading programs (including Rmail) automatically send replies to
169 the @samp{Reply-to} address in preference to the @samp{From} address.
170 By adding a @samp{Reply-to} field to your header, you can work around
171 any problems your @samp{From} address may cause for replies.
173 @cindex @code{REPLYTO} environment variable
174 @vindex mail-default-reply-to
175 To put a fixed @samp{Reply-to} address into every outgoing message, set
176 the variable @code{mail-default-reply-to} to that address (as a string).
177 Then @code{mail} initializes the message with a @samp{Reply-to} field as
178 specified. You can delete or alter that header field before you send
179 the message, if you wish. When Emacs starts up, if the environment
180 variable @code{REPLYTO} is set, @code{mail-default-reply-to} is
181 initialized from that environment variable.
184 This field contains a piece of text describing a message you are
185 replying to. Some mail systems can use this information to correlate
186 related pieces of mail. Normally this field is filled in by Rmail
187 when you reply to a message in Rmail, and you never need to
188 think about it (@pxref{Rmail}).
191 This field lists the message IDs of related previous messages. Rmail
192 sets up this field automatically when you reply to a message.
195 The @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC} and @samp{FCC} header fields can
196 appear any number of times, and each such header field can contain
197 multiple addresses, separated by commas. This way, you can specify any
198 number of places to send the message. A @samp{To}, @samp{CC}, or
199 @samp{BCC} field can also have continuation lines: one or more lines
200 starting with whitespace, following the starting line of the field, are
201 considered part of the field. Here's an example of a @samp{To} field
202 with a continuation line:@refill
206 To: foo@@here.net, this@@there.net,
207 me@@gnu.cambridge.mass.usa.earth.spiral3281
211 @vindex mail-from-style
212 When you send the message, if you didn't write a @samp{From} field
213 yourself, Emacs puts in one for you. The variable
214 @code{mail-from-style} controls the format:
218 Use just the email address, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com}.
220 Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{king@@grassland.com (Elvis
223 Use both email address and full name, as in @samp{Elvis Parsley
224 <king@@grassland.com>}.
226 Allow the system to insert the @samp{From} field.
230 @section Mail Aliases
232 @cindex @file{.mailrc} file
235 You can define @dfn{mail aliases} in a file named @file{~/.mailrc}.
236 These are short mnemonic names which stand for mail addresses or groups of
237 mail addresses. Like many other mail programs, Emacs expands aliases
238 when they occur in the @samp{To}, @samp{From}, @samp{CC}, @samp{BCC}, and
239 @samp{Reply-to} fields, plus their @samp{Resent-} variants.
241 To define an alias in @file{~/.mailrc}, write a line in the following
245 alias @var{shortaddress} @var{fulladdresses}
249 Here @var{fulladdresses} stands for one or more mail addresses for
250 @var{shortaddress} to expand into. Separate multiple addresses with
251 spaces; if an address contains a space, quote the whole address with a
252 pair of double-quotes.
254 For instance, to make @code{maingnu} stand for
255 @code{gnu@@gnu.org} plus a local address of your own, put in
259 alias maingnu gnu@@gnu.org local-gnu
262 Emacs also recognizes include commands in @samp{.mailrc} files.
266 source @var{filename}
270 The file @file{~/.mailrc} is used primarily by other mail-reading
271 programs; it can contain various other commands. Emacs ignores
272 everything in it except for alias definitions and include commands.
274 @findex define-mail-alias
275 Another way to define a mail alias, within Emacs alone, is with the
276 @code{define-mail-alias} command. It prompts for the alias and then the
277 full address. You can use it to define aliases in your @file{.emacs}
281 (define-mail-alias "maingnu" "gnu@@gnu.org")
285 @code{define-mail-alias} records aliases by adding them to a
286 variable named @code{mail-aliases}. If you are comfortable with
287 manipulating Lisp lists, you can set @code{mail-aliases} directly. The
288 initial value of @code{mail-aliases} is @code{t}, which means that
289 Emacs should read @file{.mailrc} to get the proper value.
291 @vindex mail-personal-alias-file
292 You can specify a different file name to use instead of
293 @file{~/.mailrc} by setting the variable
294 @code{mail-personal-alias-file}.
296 @findex expand-mail-aliases
297 Normally, Emacs expands aliases when you send the message. You do not
298 need to expand mail aliases before sending the message, but you can
299 expand them if you want to see where the mail will actually go. To do
300 this, use the command @kbd{M-x expand-mail-aliases}; it expands all mail
301 aliases currently present in the mail headers that hold addresses.
303 If you like, you can have mail aliases expand as abbrevs, as soon as
304 you type them in (@pxref{Abbrevs}). To enable this feature, execute the
308 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup)
312 @findex define-mail-abbrev
314 This can go in your @file{.emacs} file. @xref{Hooks}. If you use this
315 feature, you must use @code{define-mail-abbrev} instead of
316 @code{define-mail-alias}; the latter does not work with this package.
317 Note that the mail abbreviation package uses the variable
318 @code{mail-abbrevs} instead of @code{mail-aliases}, and that all alias
319 names are converted to lower case.
321 @kindex C-c C-a @r{(Mail mode)}
322 @findex mail-interactive-insert-alias
323 The mail abbreviation package also provides the @kbd{C-c C-a}
324 (@code{mail-interactive-insert-alias}) command, which reads an alias
325 name (with completion) and inserts its definition at point. This is
326 useful when editing the message text itself or a header field such as
327 @samp{Subject} in which Emacs does not normally expand aliases.
329 Note that abbrevs expand only if you insert a word-separator character
330 afterward. However, you can rebind @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{M->} to cause
331 expansion as well. Here's how to do that:
334 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook
336 (substitute-key-definition
337 'next-line 'mail-abbrev-next-line
338 mail-mode-map global-map)
339 (substitute-key-definition
340 'end-of-buffer 'mail-abbrev-end-of-buffer
341 mail-mode-map global-map)))
349 The major mode used in the mail buffer is Mail mode, which is much
350 like Text mode except that various special commands are provided on the
351 @kbd{C-c} prefix. These commands all have to do specifically with
352 editing or sending the message. In addition, Mail mode defines the
353 character @samp{%} as a word separator; this is helpful for using the
354 word commands to edit mail addresses.
356 Mail mode is normally used in buffers set up automatically by the
357 @code{mail} command and related commands. However, you can also switch
358 to Mail mode in a file-visiting buffer. That is a useful thing to do if
359 you have saved draft message text in a file.
362 * Mail Sending:: Commands to send the message.
363 * Header Editing:: Commands to move to header fields and edit them.
364 * Citing Mail:: Copying all or part of a message you are replying to.
365 * Mail Mode Misc:: Spell checking, signatures, etc.
369 @subsection Mail Sending
371 Mail mode has two commands for sending the message you have been
376 Send the message, and leave the mail buffer selected (@code{mail-send}).
378 Send the message, and select some other buffer (@code{mail-send-and-exit}).
381 @kindex C-c C-s @r{(Mail mode)}
382 @kindex C-c C-c @r{(Mail mode)}
384 @findex mail-send-and-exit
385 @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{mail-send}) sends the message and marks the mail
386 buffer unmodified, but leaves that buffer selected so that you can
387 modify the message (perhaps with new recipients) and send it again.
388 @kbd{C-c C-c} (@code{mail-send-and-exit}) sends and then deletes the
389 window or switches to another buffer. It puts the mail buffer at the
390 lowest priority for reselection by default, since you are finished with
391 using it. This is the usual way to send the message.
393 In a file-visiting buffer, sending the message does not clear the
394 modified flag, because only saving the file should do that. As a
395 result, you don't get a warning if you try to send the same message
398 @vindex sendmail-coding-system
399 When you send a message that contains non-ASCII characters, they need
400 to be encoded with a coding system (@pxref{Coding Systems}). Usually
401 the coding system is specified automatically by your chosen language
402 environment (@pxref{Language Environments}). You can explicitly specify
403 the coding system for outgoing mail by setting the variable
404 @code{sendmail-coding-system}.
406 If the coding system thus determined does not handle the characters in
407 a particular message, Emacs asks you to select the coding system to use,
408 showing a list of possible coding systems.
411 @subsection Mail Header Editing
413 Mail mode provides special commands to move to particular header
414 fields and to complete addresses in headers.
418 Move to the @samp{To} header field, creating one if there is none
421 Move to the @samp{Subject} header field, creating one if there is
422 none (@code{mail-subject}).
424 Move to the @samp{CC} header field, creating one if there is none
427 Move to the @samp{BCC} header field, creating one if there is none
430 Move to the @samp{FCC} header field, creating one if there is none
433 Complete a mailing address (@code{mail-complete}).
436 @kindex C-c C-f C-t @r{(Mail mode)}
438 @kindex C-c C-f C-s @r{(Mail mode)}
440 @kindex C-c C-f C-c @r{(Mail mode)}
442 @kindex C-c C-f C-b @r{(Mail mode)}
444 @kindex C-c C-f C-f @r{(Mail mode)}
446 There are five commands to move point to particular header fields, all
447 based on the prefix @kbd{C-c C-f} (@samp{C-f} is for ``field''). They
448 are listed in the table above. If the field in question does not exist,
449 these commands create one. We provide special motion commands for these
450 particular fields because they are the fields users most often want to
453 @findex mail-complete
454 @kindex M-TAB @r{(Mail mode)}
455 While editing a header field that contains mailing addresses, such as
456 @samp{To:}, @samp{CC:} and @samp{BCC:}, you can complete a mailing
457 address by typing @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} (@code{mail-complete}). It inserts
458 the full name corresponding to the address, if it can determine the full
459 name. The variable @code{mail-complete-style} controls whether to insert
460 the full name, and what style to use, as in @code{mail-from-style}
461 (@pxref{Mail Headers}).
463 For completion purposes, the valid mailing addresses are taken to be
464 the local users' names plus your personal mail aliases. You can specify
465 additional sources of valid addresses; use the customization buffer
466 to see the options for this.
468 If you type @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} in the body of the message, it invokes
469 @code{ispell-complete-word}, as in Text mode.
472 @subsection Citing Mail
475 Mail mode also has commands for yanking or @dfn{citing} all or part of
476 a message that you are replying to. These commands are active only when
477 you started sending a message using an Rmail command.
481 Yank the selected message from Rmail (@code{mail-yank-original}).
483 Yank the region from the Rmail buffer (@code{mail-yank-region}).
485 Fill each paragraph cited from another message
486 (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}).
489 @kindex C-c C-y @r{(Mail mode)}
490 @findex mail-yank-original
491 When mail sending is invoked from the Rmail mail reader using an Rmail
492 command, @kbd{C-c C-y} can be used inside the mail buffer to insert
493 the text of the message you are replying to. Normally it indents each line
494 of that message three spaces and eliminates most header fields. A numeric
495 argument specifies the number of spaces to indent. An argument of just
496 @kbd{C-u} says not to indent at all and not to eliminate anything.
497 @kbd{C-c C-y} always uses the current message from the Rmail buffer,
498 so you can insert several old messages by selecting one in Rmail,
499 switching to @samp{*mail*} and yanking it, then switching back to
500 Rmail to select another.
502 @vindex mail-yank-prefix
503 You can specify the text for @kbd{C-c C-y} to insert at the beginning
504 of each line: set @code{mail-yank-prefix} to the desired string. (A
505 value of @code{nil} means to use indentation; this is the default.)
506 However, @kbd{C-u C-c C-y} never adds anything at the beginning of the
507 inserted lines, regardless of the value of @code{mail-yank-prefix}.
509 @kindex C-c C-r @r{(Mail mode)}
510 @findex mail-yank-region
511 To yank just a part of an incoming message, set the region in Rmail to
512 the part you want; then go to the @samp{*Mail*} message and type
513 @kbd{C-c C-r} (@code{mail-yank-region}). Each line that is copied is
514 indented or prefixed according to @code{mail-yank-prefix}.
516 @kindex C-c C-q @r{(Mail mode)}
517 @findex mail-fill-yanked-message
518 After using @kbd{C-c C-y} or @kbd{C-c C-r}, you can type @kbd{C-c C-q}
519 (@code{mail-fill-yanked-message}) to fill the paragraphs of the yanked
520 old message or messages. One use of @kbd{C-c C-q} fills all such
521 paragraphs, each one individually. To fill a single paragraph of the
522 quoted message, use @kbd{M-q}. If filling does not automatically
523 handle the type of citation prefix you use, try setting the fill prefix
524 explicitly. @xref{Filling}.
527 @subsection Mail Mode Miscellany
531 Move to the beginning of the message body text (@code{mail-text}).
533 Insert the file @file{~/.signature} at the end of the message text
534 (@code{mail-signature}).
535 @item C-c C-i @var{file} @key{RET}
536 Insert the contents of @var{file} at the end of the outgoing message
537 (@code{mail-attach-file}).
538 @item M-x ispell-message
539 Do spelling correction on the message text, but not on citations from
543 @kindex C-c C-t @r{(Mail mode)}
545 @kbd{C-c C-t} (@code{mail-text}) moves point to just after the header
546 separator line---that is, to the beginning of the message body text.
548 @kindex C-c C-w @r{(Mail mode)}
549 @findex mail-signature
550 @vindex mail-signature
551 @kbd{C-c C-w} (@code{mail-signature}) adds a standard piece of text at
552 the end of the message to say more about who you are. The text comes
553 from the file @file{~/.signature} in your home directory. To insert
554 your signature automatically, set the variable @code{mail-signature} to
555 @code{t}; then starting a mail message automatically inserts the
556 contents of your @file{~/.signature} file. If you want to omit your
557 signature from a particular message, delete it from the buffer before
558 you send the message.
560 You can also set @code{mail-signature} to a string; then that string
561 is inserted automatically as your signature when you start editing a
562 message to send. If you set it to some other Lisp expression, the
563 expression is evaluated each time, and its value (which should be a
564 string) specifies the signature.
566 @findex ispell-message
567 You can do spelling correction on the message text you have written
568 with the command @kbd{M-x ispell-message}. If you have yanked an
569 incoming message into the outgoing draft, this command skips what was
570 yanked, but it checks the text that you yourself inserted. (It looks
571 for indentation or @code{mail-yank-prefix} to distinguish the cited
572 lines from your input.) @xref{Spelling}.
574 @kindex C-c C-i @r{(Mail mode)}
575 @findex mail-attach-file
576 To include a file in the outgoing message, you can use @kbd{C-x i},
577 the usual command to insert a file in the current buffer. But it is
578 often more convenient to use a special command, @kbd{C-c C-i}
579 (@code{mail-attach-file}). This command inserts the file contents at
580 the end of the buffer, after your signature if any, with a delimiter
581 line that includes the file name.
583 @vindex mail-mode-hook
584 @vindex mail-setup-hook
585 Turning on Mail mode (which @kbd{C-x m} does automatically) runs the
586 normal hooks @code{text-mode-hook} and @code{mail-mode-hook}.
587 Initializing a new outgoing message runs the normal hook
588 @code{mail-setup-hook}; if you want to add special fields to your mail
589 header or make other changes to the appearance of the mail buffer, use
590 that hook. @xref{Hooks}.
592 The main difference between these hooks is just when they are
593 invoked. Whenever you type @kbd{M-x mail}, @code{mail-mode-hook} runs
594 as soon as the @samp{*mail*} buffer is created. Then the
595 @code{mail-setup} function puts in the default contents of the buffer.
596 After these default contents are inserted, @code{mail-setup-hook} runs.
598 @node Distracting NSA
599 @section Distracting the NSA
603 @kbd{M-x spook} adds a line of randomly chosen keywords to an outgoing
604 mail message. The keywords are chosen from a list of words that suggest
605 you are discussing something subversive.
607 The idea behind this feature is the suspicion that the NSA snoops on
608 all electronic mail messages that contain keywords suggesting they might
609 find them interesting. (The NSA says they don't, but that's what they
610 @emph{would} say.) The idea is that if lots of people add suspicious
611 words to their messages, the NSA will get so busy with spurious input
612 that they will have to give up reading it all.
614 Here's how to insert spook keywords automatically whenever you start
615 entering an outgoing message:
618 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'spook)
621 Whether or not this confuses the NSA, it at least amuses people.
624 @section Putting @code{fortune} Items in Signatures
627 @findex fortune-to-signature
628 @findex fortune-from-region
629 @cindex signatures, mail/news
630 @cindex fortune cookies
631 The Fortune package uses the @code{fortune} program to create signatures
632 for mail or network news messages. (@code{fortune} prints a
633 random---with luck, interesting---adage, originally inspired by `fortune
634 cookie' messages.) It also allows you automatically to cut regions to a
635 Fortune file with @kbd{M-x fortune-from-region} and compile your own
636 Fortune database. To generate signatures, add
637 @code{fortune-to-signature} to @code{mail-setup-hook} and/or
638 @code{message-setup-hook} as appropriate.
641 @section Making Footnotes
644 @findex footnote-mode
645 @kbd{M-x footnote-mode} toggles a minor mode for making footnotes in
646 mail or network news messages. It is intended for use specifically with
647 Message mode but is not specific to that. It provides commands and
648 keybindings to insert footnotes, go to a given note, delete a note and
649 renumber notes. See the group @code{footnote} for customization and the
650 mode's documentation for keybindings. To set up Footnote mode for all
651 messages, add @code{footnote-mode} to @code{mail-mode-hook} and/or
652 @code{message-mode-hook} as appropriate.
655 @section Mail-Composition Methods
656 @cindex mail-composition methods
658 This chapter describes the usual Emacs mode for editing and sending
659 mail---Mail mode. Emacs has alternative facilities for editing and
660 sending mail, including MH-E and Message mode, not documented in this
661 manual. You can choose any of them as your preferred method. The
662 commands @code{C-x m}, @code{C-x 4 m} and @code{C-x 5 m} use whichever
663 agent you have specified. So do various other Emacs commands and
664 facilities that send mail.
666 @vindex mail-user-agent
667 To specify your mail-composition method, set the variable
668 @code{mail-user-agent}. Currently legitimate values include
669 @code{sendmail-user-agent}, @code{mh-e-user-agent}, and
670 @code{message-user-agent}.
672 If you select a different mail-composition method, the information in
673 this chapter about the @samp{*mail*} buffer and Mail mode does not
674 apply; other methods may use completely different commands with a
675 different format in a differently named buffer.