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NAME

       dist - redistribute a message to additional addresses

SYNOPSIS

       dist [+folder] [msgs] [-form formfile] [-annotate | -noannotate]
            [-inplace | -noinplace] [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
            [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit] [-whatnowproc program]
            [-nowhatnowproc] [-version] [-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:
            Resent-fcc:

       If a file named “distcomps” exists in the user’s nmh directory, it will
       be  used  instead  of  this default form.  You may specify an alternate
       forms file with the switch -form  formfile.   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 constructing the headers for the redistribution.

       If  the  -annotate switch is given, the  message being distributed 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.  Normally annotations are done inplace  in  order  to
       preserve  any  links to the message.  You may use the -noinplace switch
       to change this.

       See comp(1) for a description of  the  -editor  and  -noedit  switches.
       Note  that  while  in the editor, the message being resent is available
       through a link  named  “@”  (assuming  the  default  whatnowproc).   In
       addition,  the  actual  pathname  of  the  message  is  stored  in  the
       environment  variable  $editalt,  and  the  pathname  of   the   folder
       containing the message is stored in the environment variable $mhfolder.

       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.

       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

       /etc/nmh/distcomps         The standard 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 nmh 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’
       ‘-inplace

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:” 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 comp uses a built-in whatnow,  it  does
       not  actually  run  the whatnow program.  Hence, if you define your own
       whatnowproc, don’t call it whatnow since comp won’t run it.

       If your current working directory is not writable, the link  named  “@”
       is not available.