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How to alter the behavior of mail

Following variables control the behavior of GNU `mail':

Sign

Type: String.
Default: Unset. Contains the filename holding users signature. The contents of this file is appended to the end of a message being composed by ~A escape.
appenddeadletter

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. If this variable is True, the contents of canceled letter is appended to the user's `dead.letter' file. Otherwise it overwrites its contents.
askbcc

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. When set to True the user will be prompted to enter Bcc field before composing the message.
askcc

Type: Boolean.
Default: True. When set to True the user will be prompted to enter Cc field before composing the message.
asksub

Type: Boolean.
Default: True in interactive mode, False otherwise. When set to True the user will be prompted to enter Subject field before composing the message.
autoinc

Type: Boolean.
Default: True. Automatically incorporate newly arrived messages.
autoprint

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. Causes the delete command to behave like dp - thus, after deleting a message, the next one will be typed automatically.
cmd

Type: String.
Default: Unset. Contains default shell command for pipe.
columns

Type: Numeric.
Default: Detected at startup by querying the terminal device. If this fails, the value of environment variable COLUMNS is used. This variable contains the number of columns on terminal screen.
crt

Type: Boolean.
Default: True in interactive mode, False otherwise. If True, any messages with number of lines greater than number of lines on terminal screen (as determined by screen variable) will be printed using program set in the environment variable ENVIRON.
dot

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. If True, causes `mail' to interpret a period alone on a line as the terminator of a message you are sending.
escape

Type: String.
Default: ~ If defined, the first character of this option gives the character to denoting escapes.
folder

Type: String.
Default: Unset. The name of the directory to use for storing folders of messages. If unset, $HOME is assumed.
header

Type: Boolean.
Default: True, unless started with `--nosum' (`-N') option. Whether to run headers command automatically after entering interactive mode.
hold

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. When set to True, the read or saved messages will be stored in user's mailbox (`$HOME/mbox'). Otherwise, they will be held in system mailbox also. This option is in effect only when operating upon user's system mailbox.
ignore

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. When set to True, `mail' will ignore keyboard interrupts when composing messages. Otherwise an interrupt will be taken as a signal to abort composing.
ignoreeof

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. Controls whether typing EOF character terminates the letter being composed.
indentprefix

Type: String.
Default: "\t" (a tab character). String used by the ~m tilde escape for indenting quoted messages.
keepsave

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. Controls whether saved messages should be kept in system mailbox too. This variable is in effect only when operating upon a user's system mailbox.
metoo

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. Usually, when an alias is expanded that contains the sender, the sender is removed from the expansion. Setting this option causes the sender to be included in the group.
mode

Type: String.
Default: The name of current operation mode. Setting this variable does not affect the operation mode of the program.
noregex

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. Setting this to True enables use of regular expressions in `/.../' message specifications.
outfolder

Type: String.
Default: Unset. Contains the directory in which files created by save, write, etc. commands will be stored. When unset, current directory is assumed.
page

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. If set to True, the pipe command will emit a linefeed character after printing each message.
prompt

Type: String.
Default: "? " Contains the command prompt sequence.
quiet

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. When set, suppresses the output of the startup banner.
quit

Type: Boolean.
Default: False, unless started with `--quit' (`-q') option. When set, causes keyboard interrupts to terminate the program.
rc

Type: Boolean.
Default: True, unless started with `--norc' (`-N') option. When this variable is set, `mail' will read the system-wide configuration file upon startup. See section Personal and system-wide configuration files.
record

Type: String.
Default: Unset. When set, any outgoing message will be saved to the named file.
save

Type: Boolean.
Default: True. When set, the aborted messages will be stored in the user's `dead.file'. See also appenddeadletter.
screen

Type: Numeric.
Default: Detected at startup by querying the terminal device. If this fails, the value of environment variable LINES is used. This variable contains the number of lines on terminal screen.
sendmail

Type: String.
Default: sendmail:/usr/lib/sendmail Contains the URL of mail transport agent.
sign

Type: String.
Default: Unset. Contains the user's signature. The contents of this variable is appended to the end of a message being composed by ~a escape. Use Sign variable, if your signature occupies more than one line.
subject

Type: String.
Default: Unset. Contains default subject line. This will be used when asksub is off.
toplines

Type: Numeric.
Default: 5 Number of lines to be displayed by top and Top commands.
verbose

Type: Boolean.
Default: False. When set, the actual delivery of messages is displayed on the user's terminal.


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