NAME

       whatnow - prompting front-end for writing nmh messages

SYNOPSIS

       whatnow [-help] [-version] [-draftfolder +folder] [-draftmessage msg] [-nodraftfolder]
            [-editor editor] [-noedit] [-prompt string] [file]

DESCRIPTION

       whatnow is the default program that queries the user about the disposition of  a  composed
       draft.   It is normally automatically invoked by one of the nmh commands comp, dist, forw,
       or repl after the initial edit.

       When started, the editor is started on the draft (unless -noedit is given, in  which  case
       the  initial  edit is suppressed).  Then, whatnow repetitively prompts the user with “What
       now?”  and awaits a response.  The valid responses are:

            edit   Re-edit using the same editor that was used on the preceding  round  unless  a
                   profile entry “<lasteditor>-next: <editor>” names an alternate editor.

            edit editor
                   Invoke editor for further editing.

            refile +folder
                   Refile the draft into folder .

            mime   Process  the  draft as a MIME composition file using the buildmimeproc command
                   which defaults to mhbuild(1).

            display
                   List the message being replied to or distributed on the terminal.

            list   List the draft on the terminal.

            send   Send the message.

            send -watch
                   Send the message and monitor the delivery process.

            push   Send the message in the background.

            whom   List the addresses to whom the message will go.

            whom -check
                   List the addresses and verify  that  they  are  acceptable  to  the  transport
                   service.

            quit   Preserve the draft and exit.

            quit -delete
                   Delete the draft and exit.

            delete Delete the draft and exit.

            cd directory
                   Use  directory  when interpreting attachment file names.  This does not change
                   whatnow's process's current working directory so it and child processes,  e.g.
                   edit's, do not see the change.

            pwd    Print the working directory for attachment files.

            ls [ls-options]
                   List files in the attachment working directory using ls(1).

            attach [-v] files
                   Add  the  named  files  to  the  message  as MIME attachments; -v displays the
                   mhbuild(1) directive that send(1) will use.

            alist [-ln]
                   List the MIME attachments' filenames.  -l gives a long listing  showing  their
                   full path.  -n numbers them for use with detach .

            detach [-n] files-or-numbers
                   Remove MIME attachments, either by file name or by number with -n.

       When entering your response, you need only type enough characters to uniquely identify the
       response.

       For the edit response, any valid switch to the editor is valid.

       For the send and push responses, any valid switch to send(1)  is  valid  (as  push  merely
       invokes send with the -push option).

       For the whom response, any valid switch to whom(1) is valid.

       For the refile response, any valid switch to the fileproc is valid.

       For the display and list responses, any valid argument to the lproc is valid.  If any non-
       switch arguments are present, then the pathname of the draft will  be  excluded  from  the
       argument list given to the lproc (this is useful for listing another nmh message).

       See  mh-profile(5)  for  further  information  about how editors are used by nmh.  It also
       discusses how environment variables can be used to direct  whatnow's  actions  in  complex
       ways.

       The -prompt string switch sets the prompting string for whatnow.

       The  -draftfolder  +folder  and  -draftmessage  msg  switches  invoke the nmh draft folder
       facility.  This is an advanced (and highly useful) feature.  Consult mh-draft(5) for  more
       information.

       If  your  nmh  was  configured  with  readline  enabled,  you'll  be  able to use filename
       completion and other readline features at the prompt.  These are particularly useful  with
       the cd, ls, attach, and detach commands for managing MIME attachments.

FILES

       $HOME/.mh_profile          The user profile
       <mh-dir>/draft             The draft file

PROFILE COMPONENTS

       Path:                To determine the user's nmh directory
       Draft-Folder:        To specify the default draftfolder
       Editor:              To override the default editor
       <lasteditor>-next:   To name an editor to be used after exit
                            from <lasteditor>
       buildmimeproc:       Program to translate MIME composition files
       fileproc:            Program to refile the message
       lproc:               Program to list the contents of a message
       sendproc:            Program to use to send the message
       whomproc:            Program to determine who a message would go to

SEE ALSO

       mh-draft(5), send(1), whom(1)

DEFAULTS

       `-prompt' defaults to “What Now? ”

BUGS

       If  the  initial  edit  fails,  whatnow  deletes  your  draft (by renaming it with a site-
       dependent prefix (usually a comma); failure of a later edit preserves the draft.

       If the buildmimeproc fails (returns a nonzero status), whatnow simply prints a “What now?”
       prompt.  whatnow depends on the buildmimeproc to tell the user that something went wrong.

       If  whatnowproc is whatnow, then comp, dist, forw, and repl use a built-in whatnow, and do
       not actually run the whatnow program.  Hence, if you define your  own  whatnowproc,  don't
       call it whatnow since it won't be run.

       If  sendproc is send, then whatnow uses a built-in send, it does not actually run the send
       program.  Hence, if you define your own sendproc, don't call it send since  whatnow  won't
       run it.