10/21/83 send_mail request: qedx, qx Syntax: qx {-control_args} Function: invokes the Multics qedx editor to edit the message text and, optionally, the message header. Control arguments: -auto_write specifies that this request will automatically update the message when the user quits the editor. -no_auto_write specifies that this request will require the user to use the write request to update the message before quitting the editor. Any attempt to exit without writing will result in a query. -fill, -fi specifies that the message text should be reformatted after editing. -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 edited in addition to the message text. -no_header, -nhe specifies that only the message text should be edited. (Default) Notes: The default for reformatting the message after editing 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 qedx request by use of the control arguments described above. For compatibilty with the qedx command, the behavior described above for -no_auto_write is the default mode of operation for this request. This default may be changed by use of the -auto_write and -no_auto_write control arguments on the send_mail command line. Additionally, whatever default is specified may be overidden for one invocation of the qedx request by the use of these control arguments on the qedx request line. The message text (and header if requested) are placed in buffer 0. If -auto_write is in effect, the quit (q) request will automatically reflect any changes made to the message back to send_mail. When -no_auto_write is in effect, the write (w) request must be used to reflect any changes back to send_mail. In either case, the write request may be used as often as desired to checkpoint the editing process. If the quit (q) request is issued with -no_auto_write in effect and the message has been modified since it was last written, qedx will query for permission to exit. If permission is given, any changes to the message since the last write request (if any) will be lost. The quit-force (qf) request may be used to abort unwanted editing of the message without being queried. The read (r) and write (w) requests will accept pathnames when used in buffer 0 (the message) but they will never change the default pathname of the buffer. Thus, when used without a pathname, read and write will always refer to send_mail's copy of the message. When used with a pathname, the read request will insert a segment into the message and the write request will make a copy of the message in a segment for later use. If issued before use of the write request, the request line 1,$dr will restore the original message text to the buffer. If given after a write request, this request line will restore the message text as saved by the last write request given in the buffer. If the -header control argument is specified, both the message header and text will be given to the editor. After editing 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 ----------------------------------------------------------- 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