10/21/83  send_mail request:  apply, ap

Syntax:  ap {-control_args} command_line


Function:  passes the message text and, optionally, the message header
to an arbitrary Multics command line which is then executed in order to
possibly edit the message.


Arguments:
command_line
   is the Multics command line to be executed.  See the Notes below for
   an explanation of how the message is supplied to the command line.


Control arguments:
-fill, -fi
   specifies that the message text should be reformatted after the
   command line has been executed.
-no_fill, -nfi
   specifies that the message text should not be reformatted.
-line_length N, -ll N
   specifies the line length to use when reformatting the message text.
   If this control argument is not given, the line length specified on
   the send_mail command line will be used; if, however, no line length
   was specified on the send_mail command line, a line length of 72
   will be used.
-header, -he
   specifies that the message header is to be passed to the command
   line in addition to the message text.
-no_header, -nhe
   specifies that only the message text is to be passed to the command
   line.  (Default)


Notes:
The supplied command line need not be enclosed in quotes.  However, if
there are (), [], or "'s in the command line which should be processed
by the Multics command processor, they should be enclosed in quotes to
prevent processing by send_mail's request processor.

The message is passed to the Multics command line by placing the
message text and header (if requested) into a temporary segment.  The
pathname of this segment is then appended to the command line which is
then executed.  The content of the segment after execution then
replaces the prior message text (and header).

This request may be used to edit the message with an editor other than
qedx.  For example, the request
      apply emacs
will invoke the Emacs text editor on the message text.


The default for reformatting the message after execution of the command
line is dependent on the original source of the message text.  If
terminal input was used, the default is to reformat the message; if
file input was used, the default is to not reformat the message.  This
default may be changed by use of the -fill and -no_fill control
arguments on the send_mail command line.  Additionally, whatever
default is specified may be overriden for one invocation of the apply
request by use of the control arguments described above.

If the -header control argument is specified, both the message header
and text will be passed to the command line.  After execution is
complete, send_mail will analyze the new message and then update the
message's subject, lists of primary/secondary/"blind" recipients,
authors, and list of recipients for future replies.  For detailed
information on the content of the message header, type:
     help message_format.gi



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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. .

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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