03/22/88  send_mail, sdm

Syntax as a command:  sdm {addresses} {-control_args}


Function:  sends a message to one or more recipients.


Arguments:
addresses
   specifies the primary recipients of the message.  By default, the
   message has no primary recipients.


Control arguments:
-abbrev, -ab
   enables abbreviation expansion of request lines.
-abort
   prints an error message and returns to its caller immediately upon
   detecting an invalid address.  An invalid address is either a
   sequence of arguments that cannot be converted into an address by
   sdm (e.g., missing arguments, bad pathname syntax) or a nonexistent
   address (e.g., a nonexistent mailbox, a foreign address on a host
   that cannot be reached from the local system).  (Default)
-acknowledge, -ack
   requests an acknowledgement from the recipients when they read the
   message.


-auto_write
   specifies that the qedx request automatically updates the message
   when you quit the editor.
-bcc addresses
   specifies a list of "blind" recipients of the message.  "Blind"
   recipients are listed in the bcc field for the message header.  When
   the message is transmitted, this field is not included in the copy
   of the message sent to the primary and secondary recipients; it is,
   however, included in the copy of the message sent to the actual
   "blind" recipients.  By default, the message has no "blind"
   recipients.
-brief, -bf
   shortens some informative messages and suppresses others.


-cc {addresses}
   specifies the secondary recipients of the message.  By default, the
   message has no secondary recipients.
-debug, -db
   enables sdm's debugging facilities.  It is not recommended for
   normal users of the command.
-fill, -fi
   reformats the message text according to "fill-on" and "align-left"
   mode in compose.  The message is reformatted after initial input is
   completed and after each execution of the qedx and apply requests.
   (Default for terminal input)
-from {addresses}
   specifies the authors of the message.  By default, the user issuing
   sdm is the sole author of the message.


-input_file path, -if path
   takes the message text from the specified file rather than from the
   terminal.
-line_length N, -ll N
   specifies the line length to use for filling the message text.
   (Default:  72)
-long, -lg
   prints the long form of all informative messages.  (Default)
-no_abbrev, -nab
   does not enable abbreviation expansion of request lines.  (Default)


-no_abort
   prints an error message for any invalid addresses that are
   encountered on the command line but then proceeds to prompt for a
   subject and message text.  After you type the message text, sdm
   enters its request loop to allow you to correct the lists of
   recipients before sending the message.
-no_acknowledge, -nack
   does not request an acknowledgement.  (Default)
-no_auto_write
   specifies that the qedx request requires you to use the write
   request to update the
   message before quitting the editor.  Any attempt to exit without
   writing results in a query.  (Default)
-no_debug, -ndb
   disables sdm's debugging facilities.  (Default)


-no_fill, -nfi
   does not reformat the message text unless you use the fill request
   or the -fill control argument of the qedx and apply requests.
   (Default for file input)
-no_notify, -nnt
   does not send notification messages.
-no_prompt
   suppresses the prompt for request lines in the request loop.
-no_request_loop, -nrql
   sends the message immediately upon completion of input unless input
   was from the terminal and was terminated by "\f" or "\q".  (Default
   for terminal input)
-no_subject, -nsj
   specifies that the message has no subject.


-notify, -nt
   sends a "You have mail."  notification to each recipient of the
   message.  (Default)
-profile path, -pf path
   specifies the pathname of the profile to use for abbreviation
   expansion.  The suffix profile is added if necessary.  This control
   argument implies -abbrev.
-prompt STR
   sets the request loop prompt to STR.  (Default:  ^/send_mail^[
   (^d)^]:^2x)
-reply_to {addresses}, -rpt {addresses}
   specifies the list of recipients who are to receive replies to the
   message instead of the message's authors.  By default, the authors
   of the message receive the replies.


-request STR, -rq STR
   executes STR as an sdm request line after reading the message text
   but before entering the request loop.  This control argument implies
   -request_loop.
-request_loop, -rql
   enters sdm's request loop after reading the message text.  (Default
   for file input)
-subject STR, -sj STR
   specifies the subject of the message.  By default, sdm prompts you
   for the subject.
-terminal_input, -ti
   accepts the message text from the terminal (see "Notes on Terminal
   Input" below).  (Default)
-to {addresses}
   specifies additional primary recipients of the message.


List of addresses:
-log
   specifies the user's logbox and is equivalent to

         -mailbox >udd>Project_id>Person_id>Person_id.mbx

   It is included as a "blind" recipient of the message.

-mailbox path, -mbx path
   specifies the pathname of a mailbox.  The suffix mbx is added if
   necessary.
-mailing_list path, -mls path
   specifies the pathname of a mailing list.  The suffix mls is added
   if necessary.  You can use the archive component pathname
   convention.  A mailing list is a list of addresses contained in a
   segment or archive component.


-meeting path, -mtg path
   specifies the pathname of a Forum meeting.  The suffix control or
   forum is added if necessary.  If the pathname given is just an
   entryname (i.e., no < or > characters appear in the pathname), the
   forum search path is used to find the meeting.
-save path, -sv path
   specifies the pathname of a savebox.  The suffix sv.mbx is added if
   necessary.  It is included as a "blind" recipient of the message.
-user STR
   specifies either a user's default mailbox or an entry in the system
   mail table (see "Notes on the -user Address Control Argument"
   below).


STR
   is any noncontrol argument.  If STR contains either < or >, it is
   interpreted as -mailbox path; otherwise it is interpreted as -user
   STR.
STR -at FSystem {-via RelayN...-via Relay1}
   specifies an address on another computer system (see "Notes on
   Foreign Address").


List of address qualifiers:
-comment STR, -com STR
   must appear immediately following one of the above forms of an
   address and supplies additional descriptive information about the
   address such as the user's full name.  It is considered obsolete.
-name STR, -nm STR
   must appear immediately following one of the above forms of an
   address and specifies the name of the address.  An address name is
   usually the full name of the person who receives mail at that
   address or, for mailing lists, a description of the addresses
   comprising the mailing list (e.g., site administrators).


List of requests:
   In the following summary of sdm requests, "-ca" is used as shorthand
   for "-control_args".  For a complete description of any request,
   issue the sdm request:  help request_name

.
   prints a line describing the current invocation of sdm.
?
   prints a list of requests available in sdm.
abbrev {-ca}, ab {-ca}
   controls abbreviation processing of request lines.
answer STR -ca request_line
   provides preset answers to questions asked by another request.


append path, app path
   writes the ASCII representation of the message to the end of a
   segment.
apply {-ca} cmd_line, ap {-ca} cmd_line
   passes the message text and header to a Multics command line for
   possible editing.
bcc {addresses}
   prints or updates the list of "blind" recipients of the message.
   Blind recipients are listed in the bcc field for the message header.
   When the message is transmitted, this field is not included in the
   copy of the message sent to the primary and secondary recipients; it
   is, however, included in the copy of the message sent to the actual
   blind recipients.


cc {addresses}
   prints or updates the list of secondary recipients of the message.
copy path, cp path
   copies the message into the specified mailbox.
debug_mode {-ca}
   enables/disables sends_mail's debugging facilities.
do rq_str {args}, [do rq_str args]
   executes/returns a request line with argument substitution.
exec_com ec_path {ec_args},
ec ec_path {ec_args},
[exec_com ec_path {ec_args}],
[ec ec_path {ec_args}]
   executes a file of read_mail requests that can return a value.


execute cmd_line,
e cmd_line,
[execute active_str],
[e active_str]
   executes a Multics command line or evaluates a Multics active
   string.
fill {-ca}, fi {-ca}
   reformats the text of the message.
from {addresses}
   prints or updates the list of authors of the message.
help {topics} {-ca}
   prints information about sdm requests and other topics.


if expr -then line1 {-else line2},
[if expr -then STR1 {-else STR2}]
   conditionally executes/returns one of two request lines.
list_help {topics}, lh {topics}
   displays the name of all sdm info segs on given topics.
list_requests {STRs} {-ca}, lr {STRs} {-ca}
   prints a brief description of selected sdm requests.
log
   places a copy of the message into the user's logbox.
message_id, mid
   prints the unique identifier of the message and includes a Message
   ID field in the message.
preface path, prf path
   writes the ASCII representation of the message to the beginning of a
   segment.


print {-ca}, pr {-ca}, p {-ca}
   prints the message.
print_header {-ca}, prhe {-ca}
   prints the header of the message.
qedx {-ca}, qx {-ca}
   edits the message text and header using the Multics Qedx editor.
quit {-ca}, q {-ca}
   exits sdm.
ready, rdy
   prints a Multics ready message.
ready_off, rdf
   disables printing of a ready message after each request line.
ready_on, rdn
   enables printing of a ready message after each request line.


remove {addresses} {-ca}, rm {adresses} {-ca}
   deletes addresses from the list of primary/secondary recipients,
   authors, or reply recipients and/or deletes the Subject, Message ID,
   and/or In Reply To field.
reply_to {addresses}, rpt {addresses}
   prints or updates the list of recipients of any replies to this
   message.
save path, sv path
   places a copy of the message into the specified save mailbox.
send {addresses} {-ca}
   delivers the message.
subject {STRs}, sj {STRs}, [subject], [sj]
   prints, changes, or returns the subject of the message.
subsystem_name, [subsystem_name]
   prints/returns the name of this subsystem


subystem_version, [subsystem_version]
   prints/returns the version number of this subsystem.
to {addresses}
   prints or updates the list of primary recipients of the message.
write path {-ca}, w path {-ca}
   writes the ASCII representation of the message to the end of a
   segment.


List of reply requests:
   You can use the following requests only within an invocation of sdm
   that is created using the read_mail reply request.  In this summary,
   "specs" is short for "message_specifiers" and "-c/sa" is short for
   "-control_args -selection_args".

in_reply_to {specs}, irt {specs}
   prints or changes the content of the message's In Reply To field.
list_original {specs} {-c/sa}, lso {specs} {-c/sa},
[list_original {specs} {-c/sa}], [lso {specs} {-c/sa}]
   displays a summary of the messages being answered or returns their
   message numbers.
log_original {specs} {-ca}, logo {specs} {-ca}
   places a copy of the messages being answered into the user's logbox.


print_original {specs} {-c/sa}, pro {specs} {-c/sa}
   prints the messages being answered.
print_original_header {specs} {-c/sa}, prohe {specs} {-c/sa}
   prints the message headers of the messages being answered.
save_original {specs} path {-ca}, svo {specs} path {-ca}
   places a copy of the messages being answered into a save mailbox.
write_original {specs} path {-ca}, wo {specs} path {-ca}
   writes the ASCII representation of the messages being answered to
   the end of a segment.


Notes on the -user address control argument:

A user's default mailbox is specified in the form Person_id.Project_id.
For an entry in the mail table, STR is usually in the form of Person_id
(the mail table is fully described in the "Extended Mail System User's
Guide, CH23".

If STR contains one period and no white space, it is interpreted as a
User_id that specifies the user's default mailbox; otherwise it is
interpreted as the name of an entry in the mail table.


For example;

      -user DBuxtehude.SiteSA

is interpreted as a User_id that identifies a default mailbox.  On the
other hand,

      -user "George G. Byron"
      -user L.v.Beethoven
      -user Burns

are all interpreted as the names of entries in the mail table;  the
first because it contains white space; the second because it contains
more than one period; the third because it contains no period.


When interpreted as a User_id, the STR cannot contain any angle
brackets (<>) and must have the form Person_id.Project_id, where
"Person_id" cannot exceed 28 characters in length and "Project_id" is
limited to 32 characters.  In this case, "-user STR" is equivalent to
the address -mailbox >udd>Project_id>Person_id>Person_id.mbx.

When interpreted as the name of a mail table entry, STR cannot contain
any commas, colons, semicolons, backslashes (\), parentheses, angle
brackets, braces ({}), quotes, commercial at-signs (@), or white space
other than spaces.  The query of the mail table is performed in a
case-insensitive manner.  The display_mailing_address command can be
used to determine the actual address corresponding to the STR.


Notes on foreign address:  STR identifies the user (or group of users)
to receive the message and is not interpreted in any way by the local
system.  FSystem is the name of the foreign system where the address is
located.

If you don't give the -via control arguments, FSystem must be one of
the names of a foreign system in the local system's network information
table (NIT); if you give them, however, the foreign system name need
not be known to the local system.


The -via control arguments identify an explicit route to be used to
reach the foreign system.  Relay1 must be one of the names of a foreign
system in the local system's NIT.  Mail destined for this foreign
address is forwarded to the system identified as Relay1, then to the
system identified as Relay2, and so on until it reaches the system
identified as RelayN where it is delivered to the system on which the
foreign address actually resides.

When the NIT is queried for either FSystem or Relay1, the query is
performed in a case-insensitive manner.


For example, the address

      HDT -at OZ -via MC -via mit-multics

identifies the address HDT on a system named OZ.  The local system
relays mail sent to this address to the system mit-multics, which then
forwards the mail to a system named MC, which actually delivers the
mail to its final destination.


Notes on terminal input:  By default or if you give -terminal_input,
sdm issues the prompt "Message:" and reads the message text from the
terminal.

If you terminate the text with a line containing just a period, sdm
reformats the message (unless you provide -no_fill on the command line)
and sends it to the specified recipients (unless you also give -request
or -request_loop on the command line).  If any errors occur while
sending the message, sdm enters its request loop to allow you to
correct the problem.


If you terminate the text with a line containing "\f" anywhere on the
line, the command enters the qedx editor on the message text.  Any
characters on the line after the "\f" are treated as qedx requests.
(See "Notes on the qedx Editor" below.)

If you terminate the text with a line containing "\q" anywhere on the
line, sdm reformats the message, unless you supply -no_fill on the
command line, and enters its request loop.  Any characters on the line
after the "\q" are ignored with a warning message.


Notes on the qedx editor:

You can invoke the qedx editor either by the "qedx" request in the sdm
request loop or by terminating a message being input with "\f".  Any
requests typed are processed as qedx requests until you enter the qedx
"q" (quit) request and you are returned to sdm's request loop.

Use the "w" (write) request to reflect any changes made to the message
text.  If you issue the "q" request and you have modified the message
since it was last written, qedx queries for permission to exit; if
permission is given, any changes made since the last write are lost.
You can use the "qf" (quit-force) request to abort unwanted editing of
the message without being queried.


The request line

      1,$dr

only restores the original message text to the buffer if you have not
yet used the write request, but it restores the message text as saved
by the last write request in the buffer if you give it after a write
request.

Type "help qedx" within sdm for more information on the qedx request.


Notes on addresses on the send_mail command line:

Successive uses of -from, -cc, -reply_to, and -to do not override
previous uses; instead, the addresses specified in the multiple uses
are merged to form the actual list.

For example,

      sdm DErasmus.Multics -from JJRousseau.PDO -to BShields.Multics

sends the message from JJRousseau.PDO to DErasmus.Multics and
BShields.Multics.





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Historical Background

This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated
to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. 
as a contribution to computer science knowledge.  
This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL
and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. 
Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970),
renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership
of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture 
for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems 
incorporated Multics principles.
Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., 
as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. .

                                          -----------------------------------------------------------

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without
fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies
and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining
to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission.
    Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS
    All Rights Reserved