MSGS(1) | General Commands Manual | MSGS(1)

# NAME

`msgs` —
system messages and junk mail program

# SYNOPSIS

`msgs` | [`-fhlpqr`] [number] [-number]

`msgs` | [`-s`]

`msgs` | [`-c` [-days]]

# DESCRIPTION

`msgs` is used to read system messages. These messages are sent by mailing to the login `msgs' and should be short pieces of information which are suitable to be read once by most users of the system.

`msgs` is normally invoked each time you login, by placing it in the file .login (or .profile if you use sh(1)). It will then prompt you with the source and subject of each new message. If there is no subject line, the first few non-blank lines of the message will be displayed. If there is more to the message, you will be told how long it is and asked whether you wish to see the rest of the message. The possible responses are:

`y`
  Type the rest of the message.
`RETURN`
  Synonym for y.
`n`
  Skip this message and go on to the next message.
`-`
  Redisplay the last message.
`q`
  Drop out of `msgs`; the next time `msgs` will pick up where it last left off.
`s`
  Append the current message to the file ``Messages'' in the current directory; `s-' will save the previously displayed message. A `s' or `s-' may be followed by a space and a file name to receive the message replacing the default ``Messages''.
`m`
  A copy of the specified message is placed in a temporary mailbox and mail(1) is invoked on that mailbox.
`p`
  The specified message is piped through `PAGER`, or, if `PAGER` is null or not defined, more(1). The commands `m', `p', and `s' all accept a numeric argument in place of the `-'.

`msgs` keeps track of the next message you will see by a number in the file .msgsrc in your home directory. In the directory /var/msgs it keeps a set of files whose names are the (sequential) numbers of the messages they represent. The file /var/msgs/bounds shows the low and high number of the messages in the directory so that `msgs` can quickly determine if there are no messages for you. If the contents of bounds is incorrect it can be fixed by removing it; `msgs` will make a new bounds file the next time it is run.

The `-s` option is used for setting up the posting of messages. The line

`msgs: "| /usr/bin/msgs -s"`

should be included in /etc/mail/aliases (see newaliases(1)) to enable posting of messages.

The `-c` option is used for performing cleanup on /var/msgs. An entry with the `-c` option should be placed in /etc/crontab to run every night. This will remove all messages over 21 days old. A different expiration may be specified on the command line to override the default. This number must be negative and indicates the number of days before the present whose messages should be kept; that is, use `-c` -3 to remove messages more than three days old.

Options when reading messages include:

`-f`
  Do not print ``No new messages.''. This is useful in a .login file since this is often the case here.
`-q`
  Queries whether there are messages, printing ``There are new messages.'' if there are. The command ``msgs -q'' is often used in login scripts.
`-h`
  Print the first part of messages only.
`-r`
  Disables the ability to save messages or enter the mailer. It is assumed that `PAGER` is set to something secure.
`-l`
  Option causes only locally originated messages to be reported.
number
  A message number can be given on the command line, causing `msgs` to start at the specified message rather than at the next message indicated by your .msgsrc file. Thus

  `msgs -h 1`

  prints the first part of all messages.

-number
  Start number messages back from the one indicated in the .msgsrc file, useful for reviews of recent messages.
`-p`
  Pipe long messages through `PAGER`, or, if `PAGER` is null or not defined, more(1).

Within `msgs` you can also go to any specific message by typing its number when `msgs` requests input as to what to do.

# ENVIRONMENT

`msgs` uses the `HOME` and `TERM` environment variables for the default home directory and terminal type.

# FILES

/var/msgs/*
  database
~/.msgsrc
  number of next message to be presented

# SEE ALSO

mail(1), more(1), aliases(5)

# HISTORY

The `msgs` command appeared in 3.0BSD.

April 28, 1995 | NetBSD 9.5