COMP(1)                                                   COMP(1)

NAME
       comp - compose a message

SYNOPSIS
       comp [+folder] [msg]
            [-form formfile] [-use] [-nouse] [-file file]
            [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
            [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
            [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc]
            [-version] [-help]

DESCRIPTION
       Comp  is  used  to  create a new message to be mailed.  It
       copies a message form to the draft being composed and then
       invokes an editor on the draft (unless `-noedit' is given,
       in which case the initial edit is suppressed).

       The default message form contains the following elements:

       If a file named "components"  exists  in  the  user's  nmh
       directory,  it will be used instead of this form.  You may
       specify  an  alternate  forms   file   with   the   switch
       `-form formfile'.

       You  may also start comp using the contents of an existing
       message as the form.  If you supply either a `+folder'  or
       `msg'  argument,  that message will be used as the message
       form.  You may not supply both a  `-form formfile'  and  a
       `+folder'  or  `msg'  argument.   The  line of dashes or a
       blank line must be left between the header and the body of
       the message for the message to be identified properly when
       it is sent (see send(1)).

       The switch `-use' directs  comp  to  continue  editing  an
       already  started  message.   That  is, if a comp (or dist,
       repl, or forw ) is terminated without sending  the  draft,
       the draft can be edited again via "comp -use".

       The  `-file file' switch says to use the named file as the
       message draft.

       If the draft already exists, comp will ask you as  to  the
       disposition  of  the  draft.   A  reply of quit will abort
       comp, leaving the draft intact; replace will  replace  the
       existing  draft  with the appropriate form; list will dis-
       play the draft; use will use the draft for further  compo-
       sition;  and  refile +folder  will  file  the draft in the
       given folder, and give you a new draft with the  appropri-
       ate form.  (The `+folder' argument to refile is required.)

       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.

       The  `-editor editor'  switch  indicates the editor to use
       for the initial edit.  Upon exiting from the editor,  comp
       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.)   ^/etc/nmh/compo-
       nents~^The  standard  message skeleton ^or <mh-dir>/compo-
       nents~^Rather than the standard  skeleton  ^$HOME/.mh_pro-
       file~^The  user  profile  ^<mh-dir>/draft~^The  draft file
       ^Path:~^To   determine   the    user's    nmh    directory
       ^Draft-Folder:~^To  find  the  default  draft-folder ^Edi-
       tor:~^To override the default editor ^Msg-Protect:~^To set
       mode  when creating a new message (draft) ^fileproc:~^Pro-
       gram to refile the message ^whatnowproc:~^Program  to  ask
       the  "What  now?"  questions  dist(1),  forw(1),  repl(1),
       send(1), whatnow(1), mh-profile(5) `+folder'  defaults  to
       the  current  folder `msg' defaults to the current message
       `-nodraftfolder' `-nouse' None 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.

[nmh-0.27]                    MH.6.8                            1