DIST(1)                                                   DIST(1)

NAME
       dist - redistribute a message to additional addresses

SYNOPSIS
       dist [+folder] [msg] [-annotate] [-noannotate]
            [-inplace] [-noinplace] [-form formfile]
            [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg]
            [-nodraftfolder] [-editor editor] [-noedit]
            [-whatnowproc program] [-nowhatnowproc]
            [-version] [-help]

DESCRIPTION
       Dist  is  similar to forw.  It prepares the specified mes-
       sage for redistribution to addresses that (presumably) are
       not on the original address list.

       The default message form contains the following elements:

       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  dis-
       play 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 mes-
       sage 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  annota-
       tions  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 environ-
       ment variable $editalt, and the  pathname  of  the  folder
       containing  the message is stored in the environment vari-
       able $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  occur-
       ring.)  ^/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 ^Path:~^To determine the user's  nmh  directory
       ^Current-Folder:~^To   find  the  default  current  folder
       ^Draft-Folder:~^To find  the  default  draft-folder  ^Edi-
       tor:~^To  override  the default editor ^fileproc:~^Program
       to refile the message ^whatnowproc:~^Program  to  ask  the
       "What  now?" questions comp(1), forw(1), repl(1), send(1),
       whatnow(1) `+folder' defaults to the current folder  `msg'
       defaults to cur `-noannotate' `-nodraftfolder' `-inplace'

       If  a  folder is given, it will become the current folder.
       The message distributed will become the  current  message.
       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:".
       Dist does not rigorously  check  the  message  being  dis-
       tributed 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 dist uses a built-in what-
       now, it does not actually run the whatnow program.  Hence,
       if you define your own whatnowproc, don't call it  whatnow
       since dist won't run it.

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

[nmh-0.27]                    MH.6.8                            1