Chapter 3. Configuration
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## Chapter 3. Configuration

While the default configuration (or ``preferences'') make Mutt usable right out of the box, it is often desirable to tailor Mutt to suit your own tastes. When Mutt is first invoked, it will attempt to read the ``system'' configuration file (defaults set by your local system administrator), unless the ``-n'' command line option is specified. This file is typically `/usr/local/share/mutt/Muttrc` or `/etc/Muttrc`. Mutt will next look for a file named `.muttrc` in your home directory. If this file does not exist and your home directory has a subdirectory named `.mutt`, mutt try to load a file named `.mutt/muttrc`.

`.muttrc` is the file where you will usually place your commands to configure Mutt.

In addition, mutt supports version specific configuration files that are parsed instead of the default files as explained above. For instance, if your system has a `Muttrc-0.88` file in the system configuration directory, and you are running version 0.88 of mutt, this file will be sourced instead of the `Muttrc` file. The same is true of the user configuration file, if you have a file `.muttrc-0.88.6` in your home directory, when you run mutt version 0.88.6, it will source this file instead of the default `.muttrc` file. The version number is the same which is visible using the ``-v'' command line switch or using the `show-version` key (default: V) from the index menu.

## 1. Syntax of Initialization Files

An initialization file consists of a series of commands. Each line of the file may contain one or more commands. When multiple commands are used, they must be separated by a semicolon (;).

    set realname='Mutt user' ; ignore x-

The hash mark, or pound sign (``#''), is used as a ``comment'' character. You can use it to annotate your initialization file. All text after the comment character to the end of the line is ignored. For example,

    my_hdr X-Disclaimer: Why are you listening to me? # This is a comment

Single quotes (') and double quotes (") can be used to quote strings which contain spaces or other special characters. The difference between the two types of quotes is similar to that of many popular shell programs, namely that a single quote is used to specify a literal string (one that is not interpreted for shell variables or quoting with a backslash [see next paragraph]), while double quotes indicate a string for which should be evaluated. For example, backtics are evaluated inside of double quotes, but not for single quotes.

\ quotes the next character, just as in shells such as bash and zsh. For example, if want to put quotes ``"'' inside of a string, you can use ``\'' to force the next character to be a literal instead of interpreted character.

    set realname="Michael \"MuttDude\" Elkins"

``\\'' means to insert a literal ``\'' into the line. ``\n'' and ``\r'' have their usual C meanings of linefeed and carriage-return, respectively.

A \ at the end of a line can be used to split commands over multiple lines, provided that the split points don't appear in the middle of command names.

It is also possible to substitute the output of a Unix command in an initialization file. This is accomplished by enclosing the command in backquotes (``). For example,

    my_hdr X-Operating-System: `uname -a`

The output of the Unix command ``uname -a'' will be substituted before the line is parsed. Note that since initialization files are line oriented, only the first line of output from the Unix command will be substituted.

Both environment variables and mutt variables can be accessed by prepending ``$'' to the name of the variable. For example,

    set record=+sent_on_$HOSTNAME

will cause mutt to save outgoing messages to a folder named ``sent_on_kremvax'' if the environment variable HOSTNAME is set to ``kremvax.'' (See $record for details.)

Mutt expands the variable when it is assigned, not when it is used. If the value of a variable on the right-hand side of an assignment changes after the assignment, the variable on the left-hand side will not be affected.

The commands understood by mutt are explained in the next paragraphs. For a complete list, see the command reference.

## 2. Address groups

Usage: `group` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] [ `-rx` EXPR [ ... ] ] [ `-addr` EXPR [ ... ] ]

`group` is used to directly add either addresses or regular expressions to the specified group or groups. The different categories of arguments to the `group` command can be in any order. The flags `-rx` and `-addr` specify what the following strings (that cannot begin with a hyphen) should be interpreted as: either a regular expression or an email address, respectively.

These address groups can also be created implicitely by the alias, lists, subscribe and alternates commands by specifying the optional `-group` option.

Once defined, these address groups can be used in patterns to search for and limit the display to messages matching a group.

Usage: `ungroup` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] [ * | [ [ `-rx` EXPR [ ... ] ] [ `-addr` EXPR [ ... ] ] ]

`ungroup` is used to remove addresses or regular expressions from the specified group or groups. The syntax is similar to the `group` command, however the special character `*` can be used to empty a group of all of its contents.

## 3. Defining/Using aliases

Usage: `alias` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] key address [ , address, ... ]

It's usually very cumbersome to remember or type out the address of someone you are communicating with. Mutt allows you to create ``aliases'' which map a short string to a full address.

Note: if you want to create an alias for more than one address, you must separate the addresses with a comma (``,'').

The optional `-group` argument to `alias` causes the aliased address(es) to be added to the named group.

To remove an alias or aliases (``*'' means all aliases):

`unalias` [ * | key ... ]

    alias muttdude me@cs.hmc.edu (Michael Elkins)
    alias theguys manny, moe, jack

Unlike other mailers, Mutt doesn't require aliases to be defined in a special file. The `alias` command can appear anywhere in a configuration file, as long as this file is sourced. Consequently, you can have multiple alias files, or you can have all aliases defined in your muttrc.

On the other hand, the create-alias function can use only one file, the one pointed to by the $alias_file variable (which is `˜/.muttrc` by default). This file is not special either, in the sense that Mutt will happily append aliases to any file, but in order for the new aliases to take effect you need to explicitly source this file too.

For example:

    source /usr/local/share/Mutt.aliases
    source ~/.mail_aliases
    set alias_file=~/.mail_aliases

To use aliases, you merely use the alias at any place in mutt where mutt prompts for addresses, such as the To: or Cc: prompt. You can also enter aliases in your editor at the appropriate headers if you have the $edit_headers variable set.

In addition, at the various address prompts, you can use the tab character to expand a partial alias to the full alias. If there are multiple matches, mutt will bring up a menu with the matching aliases. In order to be presented with the full list of aliases, you must hit tab with out a partial alias, such as at the beginning of the prompt or after a comma denoting multiple addresses.

In the alias menu, you can select as many aliases as you want with the select-entry key (default: RET), and use the exit key (default: q) to return to the address prompt.

## 4. Changing the default key bindings

Usage: `bind` map key function

This command allows you to change the default key bindings (operation invoked when pressing a key).

map specifies in which menu the binding belongs. Multiple maps may be specified by separating them with commas (no additional whitespace is allowed). The currently defined maps are:

generic

  This is not a real menu, but is used as a fallback for all of the other menus except for the pager and editor modes. If a key is not defined in another menu, Mutt will look for a binding to use in this menu. This allows you to bind a key to a certain function in multiple menus instead of having multiple bind statements to accomplish the same task.

alias

  The alias menu is the list of your personal aliases as defined in your muttrc. It is the mapping from a short alias name to the full email address(es) of the recipient(s).

attach

  The attachment menu is used to access the attachments on received messages.

browser

  The browser is used for both browsing the local directory structure, and for listing all of your incoming mailboxes.

editor

  The editor is the line-based editor the user enters text data.

index

  The index is the list of messages contained in a mailbox.

compose

  The compose menu is the screen used when sending a new message.

pager

  The pager is the mode used to display message/attachment data, and help listings.

pgp

  The pgp menu is used to select the OpenPGP keys used for encrypting outgoing messages.

postpone

  The postpone menu is similar to the index menu, except is used when recalling a message the user was composing, but saved until later.

key is the key (or key sequence) you wish to bind. To specify a control character, use the sequence \Cx, where x is the letter of the control character (for example, to specify control-A use ``\Ca''). Note that the case of x as well as \C is ignored, so that \CA, \Ca, \cA and \ca are all equivalent. An alternative form is to specify the key as a three digit octal number prefixed with a ``\'' (for example \177 is equivalent to \c?). In addition, key may be a symbolic name as shown in Table 3.1, “Symbolic key names”.

Table 3.1. Symbolic key names

Symbolic name | Meaning
--- | ---
\t | tab
<tab> | tab
<backtab> | backtab / shift-tab
\r | carriage return
\n | newline
\e | escape
<esc> | escape
<up> | up arrow
<down> | down arrow
<left> | left arrow
<right> | right arrow
<pageup> | Page Up
<pagedown> | Page Down
<backspace> | Backspace
<delete> | Delete
<insert> | Insert
<enter> | Enter
<return> | Return
<home> | Home
<end> | End
<space> | Space bar
<f1> | function key 1
<f10> | function key 10

key does not need to be enclosed in quotes unless it contains a space (`` '').

function specifies which action to take when key is pressed. For a complete list of functions, see the reference. The special function `noop` unbinds the specified key sequence.

## 5. Defining aliases for character sets

Usage: `charset-hook` alias charset
Usage: `iconv-hook` charset local-charset

The `charset-hook` command defines an alias for a character set. This is useful to properly display messages which are tagged with a character set name not known to mutt.

The `iconv-hook` command defines a system-specific name for a character set. This is helpful when your systems character conversion library insists on using strange, system-specific names for character sets.

## 6. Setting variables based upon mailbox

Usage: `folder-hook` [!]regexp command

It is often desirable to change settings based on which mailbox you are reading. The folder-hook command provides a method by which you can execute any configuration command. regexp is a regular expression specifying in which mailboxes to execute command before loading. If a mailbox matches multiple folder-hook's, they are executed in the order given in the muttrc.

Note: if you use the ``!'' shortcut for $spoolfile at the beginning of the pattern, you must place it inside of double or single quotes in order to distinguish it from the logical not operator for the expression.

Note that the settings are not restored when you leave the mailbox. For example, a command action to perform is to change the sorting method based upon the mailbox being read:

    folder-hook mutt set sort=threads

However, the sorting method is not restored to its previous value when reading a different mailbox. To specify a default command, use the pattern ``.'':

    folder-hook . set sort=date-sent

## 7. Keyboard macros

Usage: `macro` menu key sequence [ description ]

Macros are useful when you would like a single key to perform a series of actions. When you press key in menu menu, Mutt will behave as if you had typed sequence. So if you have a common sequence of commands you type, you can create a macro to execute those commands with a single key.

menu is the map which the macro will be bound. Multiple maps may be specified by separating multiple menu arguments by commas. Whitespace may not be used in between the menu arguments and the commas separating them.

key and sequence are expanded by the same rules as the key bindings. There are some additions however. The first is that control characters in sequence can also be specified as ^x. In order to get a caret (`^'') you need to use ^^. Secondly, to specify a certain key such as up or to invoke a function directly, you can use the format <key name> and <function name>. For a listing of key names see the section on key bindings. Functions are listed in the reference.

The advantage with using function names directly is that the macros will work regardless of the current key bindings, so they are not dependent on the user having particular key definitions. This makes them more robust and portable, and also facilitates defining of macros in files used by more than one user (e.g., the system Muttrc).

Optionally you can specify a descriptive text after sequence, which is shown in the help screens.

Note: Macro definitions (if any) listed in the help screen(s), are silently truncated at the screen width, and are not wrapped.

## 8. Using color and mono video attributes

Usage: `color` object foreground background [ regexp ]
Usage: `color` index foreground background pattern
Usage: `uncolor` index pattern [ pattern ... ]

If your terminal supports color, you can spice up Mutt by creating your own color scheme. To define the color of an object (type of information), you must specify both a foreground color and a background color (it is not possible to only specify one or the other).

object can be one of:

- attachment

- body (match regexp in the body of messages)

- bold (hiliting bold patterns in the body of messages)

- error (error messages printed by Mutt)

- header (match regexp in the message header)

- hdrdefault (default color of the message header in the pager)

- index (match pattern in the message index)

- indicator (arrow or bar used to indicate the current item in a menu)

- markers (the ``+'' markers at the beginning of wrapped lines in the pager)

- message (informational messages)

- normal

- quoted (text matching $quote_regexp in the body of a message)

- quoted1, quoted2, ..., quotedN (higher levels of quoting)

- search (hiliting of words in the pager)

- signature

- status (mode lines used to display info about the mailbox or message)

- tilde (the ``˜'' used to pad blank lines in the pager)

- tree (thread tree drawn in the message index and attachment menu)

- underline (hiliting underlined patterns in the body of messages)

foreground and background can be one of the following:

- white

- black

- green

- magenta

- blue

- cyan

- yellow

- red

- default

- colorx

foreground can optionally be prefixed with the keyword `bright` to make the foreground color boldfaced (e.g., `brightred`).

If your terminal supports it, the special keyword default can be used as a transparent color. The value brightdefault is also valid. If Mutt is linked against the S-Lang library, you also need to set the COLORFGBG environment variable to the default colors of your terminal for this to work; for example (for Bourne-like shells):

    set COLORFGBG="green;black"
    export COLORFGBG

Note: The S-Lang library requires you to use the lightgray and brown keywords instead of white and yellow when setting this variable.

Note: The uncolor command can be applied to the index object only. It removes entries from the list. You must specify the same pattern specified in the color command for it to be removed. The pattern ``*'' is a special token which means to clear the color index list of all entries.

Mutt also recognizes the keywords color0, color1, …, color N-1 (N being the number of colors supported by your terminal). This is useful when you remap the colors for your display (for example by changing the color associated with color2 for your xterm), since color names may then lose their normal meaning.

If your terminal does not support color, it is still possible change the video attributes through the use of the ``mono'' command:

Usage: `mono` <object> <attribute> [ regexp ]
Usage: `mono` index attribute pattern
Usage: `unmono` index pattern [ pattern ... ]

where attribute is one of the following:

- none

- bold

- underline

- reverse

- standout

## 9. Ignoring (weeding) unwanted message headers

Usage: `[un]ignore` pattern [ pattern ... ]

Messages often have many header fields added by automatic processing systems, or which may not seem useful to display on the screen. This command allows you to specify header fields which you don't normally want to see.

You do not need to specify the full header field name. For example, ``ignore content-'' will ignore all header fields that begin with the pattern ``content-''. ``ignore *'' will ignore all headers.

To remove a previously added token from the list, use the ``unignore'' command. The ``unignore'' command will make Mutt display headers with the given pattern. For example, if you do ``ignore x-'' it is possible to ``unignore x-mailer''.

``unignore *'' will remove all tokens from the ignore list.

For example:

    # Sven's draconian header weeding
    ignore *
    unignore from date subject to cc
    unignore organization organisation x-mailer: x-newsreader: x-mailing-list:
    unignore posted-to:

## 10. Alternative addresses

Usage: `[un]alternates` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] regexp [ regexp ... ]

With various functions, mutt will treat messages differently, depending on whether you sent them or whether you received them from someone else. For instance, when replying to a message that you sent to a different party, mutt will automatically suggest to send the response to the original message's recipients -- responding to yourself won't make much sense in many cases. (See $reply_to.)

Many users receive e-mail under a number of different addresses. To fully use mutt's features here, the program must be able to recognize what e-mail addresses you receive mail under. That's the purpose of the `alternates` command: It takes a list of regular expressions, each of which can identify an address under which you receive e-mail.

As addresses are matched using regular expressions and not exact strict comparisons, you should make sure you specify your addresses as precise as possible to avoid mismatches. For example, if you specify:

    alternates user@example

mutt will consider ```some-user@example`'' as being your address, too which may not be desired. As a solution, in such cases addresses should be specified as:

    alternates '^user@example$'

The `-group` flag causes all of the subsequent regular expressions to be added to the named group.

The `unalternates` command can be used to write exceptions to `alternates` patterns. If an address matches something in an `alternates` command, but you nonetheless do not think it is from you, you can list a more precise pattern under an `unalternates` command.

To remove a regular expression from the `alternates` list, use the `unalternates` command with exactly the same regexp. Likewise, if the regexp for an `alternates` command matches an entry on the `unalternates` list, that `unalternates` entry will be removed. If the regexp for `unalternates` is ``*'', all entries on `alternates` will be removed.

## 11. Mailing lists

Usage: `[un]lists` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] regexp [ regexp ... ]
Usage: `[un]subscribe` [ `-group` name [ ... ] ] regexp [ regexp ... ]

Mutt has a few nice features for handling mailing lists. In order to take advantage of them, you must specify which addresses belong to mailing lists, and which mailing lists you are subscribed to. Once you have done this, the list-reply function will work for all known lists. Additionally, when you send a message to a subscribed list, mutt will add a Mail-Followup-To header to tell other users' mail user agents not to send copies of replies to your personal address. Note that the Mail-Followup-To header is a non-standard extension which is not supported by all mail user agents. Adding it is not bullet-proof against receiving personal CCs of list messages. Also note that the generation of the Mail-Followup-To header is controlled by the $followup_to configuration variable.

More precisely, Mutt maintains lists of patterns for the addresses of known and subscribed mailing lists. Every subscribed mailing list is known. To mark a mailing list as known, use the ``lists'' command. To mark it as subscribed, use ``subscribe''.

You can use regular expressions with both commands. To mark all messages sent to a specific bug report's address on mutt's bug tracking system as list mail, for instance, you could say ``subscribe [0-9]*@bugs.guug.de''. Often, it's sufficient to just give a portion of the list's e-mail address.

Specify as much of the address as you need to to remove ambiguity. For example, if you've subscribed to the Mutt mailing list, you will receive mail addressed to mutt-users@mutt.org. So, to tell Mutt that this is a mailing list, you could add ``lists mutt-users@'' to your initialization file. To tell mutt that you are subscribed to it, add ``subscribe mutt-users'' to your initialization file instead. If you also happen to get mail from someone whose address is mutt-users@example.com, you could use ``lists ^mutt-users@mutt\\.org$'' or ``subscribe ^mutt-users@mutt\\.org$'' to match only mail from the actual list.

The `-group` flag adds all of the subsequent regular expressions to the named group.

The ``unlists'' command is used to remove a token from the list of known and subscribed mailing-lists. Use ``unlists *'' to remove all tokens.

To remove a mailing list from the list of subscribed mailing lists, but keep it on the list of known mailing lists, use ``unsubscribe''.

## 12. Using Multiple spool mailboxes

Usage: `mbox-hook` [!]pattern mailbox

This command is used to move read messages from a specified mailbox to a different mailbox automatically when you quit or change folders. pattern is a regular expression specifying the mailbox to treat as a ``spool'' mailbox and mailbox specifies where mail should be saved when read.

Unlike some of the other hook commands, only the first matching pattern is used (it is not possible to save read mail in more than a single mailbox).

## 13. Monitoring incoming mail

Usage: `[un]mailboxes` folder [ folder ... ]

This command specifies folders which can receive mail and which will be checked for new messages. By default, the main menu status bar displays how many of these folders have new messages.

`folder` can either be a local file or directory (Mbox/Mmdf or Maildir/Mh). If Mutt was built with POP and/or IMAP support, `folder` can also be a POP/IMAP folder URL. The URL syntax is described in Section 1.2, “URL syntax”, POP and IMAP are described in Section 3, “POP3 Support” and Section 4, “IMAP Support” respectively.

When changing folders, pressing space will cycle through folders with new mail.

Pressing TAB in the directory browser will bring up a menu showing the files specified by the `mailboxes` command, and indicate which contain new messages. Mutt will automatically enter this mode when invoked from the command line with the `-y` option.

The ``unmailboxes'' command is used to remove a token from the list of folders which receive mail. Use ``unmailboxes *'' to remove all tokens.

Note: the folders in the `mailboxes` command are resolved when the command is executed, so if these names contain shortcut characters (such as ``='' and ``!''), any variable definition that affect these characters (like $folder and $spoolfile) should be executed before the `mailboxes` command. If none of these shorcuts are used, a local path should be absolute as otherwise mutt tries to find it within the current working directory from where mutt was started which may not always be desired.

For local folders, new mail is detected by comparing access and/or modification times of files and folders. The interval in which Mutt checks for new mail is defined by $mail_check.

Special care is required with Mbox and Mmdf folders as Mutt assumes such a folder has new mail if it wasn't accessed after it was last modified. Utilities like `biff` or `frm` or any other program which accesses the mailbox might cause Mutt to never detect new mail for that mailbox if they do not properly reset the access time. Backup tools are another common reason for updated access times.

## 14. User defined headers

Usage: `my_hdr` string `unmy_hdr` field [ field ... ]

The ``my_hdr'' command allows you to create your own header fields which will be added to every message you send.

For example, if you would like to add an ``Organization:'' header field to all of your outgoing messages, you can put the command

“my_hdr Organization: A Really Big Company, Anytown, USA”

in your `.muttrc`.

Note: space characters are not allowed between the keyword and the colon (``:''). The standard for electronic mail (RFC822) says that space is illegal there, so Mutt enforces the rule.

If you would like to add a header field to a single message, you should either set the $edit_headers variable, or use the edit-headers function (default: ``E'') in the send-menu so that you can edit the header of your message along with the body.

To remove user defined header fields, use the ``unmy_hdr'' command. You may specify an asterisk (``*'') to remove all header fields, or the fields to remove. For example, to remove all ``To'' and ``Cc'' header fields, you could use:

“unmy_hdr to cc”

## 15. Defining the order of headers when viewing messages

Usage: `hdr_order` header1 header2 header3

With this command, you can specify an order in which mutt will attempt to present headers to you when viewing messages.

``unhdr_order *'' will clear all previous headers from the order list, thus removing the header order effects set by the system-wide startup file.

    hdr_order From Date: From: To: Cc: Subject:

## 16. Specify default save mailbox

Usage: `save-hook` [!]pattern mailbox

This command is used to override the default mailbox used when saving messages. mailbox will be used as the default if the message matches pattern, see Message Matching in Hooks for information on the exact format.

To provide more flexibility and good defaults, Mutt applies the expandos of $index_format to mailbox after it was expanded.

Examples:

    # default: save all to ~/Mail/<author name>
    save-hook . ~/Mail/%F
    # save from me@turing.cs.hmc.edu/me@cs.hmc.edu to $folder/elinks
    save-hook me@(turing\\.)?cs\\.hmc\\.edu$ +elkins
    # save from aol.com to $folder/spam
    save-hook aol\\.com$ +spam

Also see the fcc-save-hook command.

## 17. Specify default Fcc: mailbox when composing

Usage: `fcc-hook` [!]pattern mailbox

This command is used to save outgoing mail in a mailbox other than $record. Mutt searches the initial list of message recipients for the first matching regexp and uses mailbox as the default Fcc: mailbox. If no match is found the message will be saved to $record mailbox.

To provide more flexibility and good defaults, Mutt applies the expandos of $index_format to mailbox after it was expanded.

See Message Matching in Hooks for information on the exact format of pattern.

Example: `fcc-hook [@.]aol\\.com$ +spammers`

The above will save a copy of all messages going to the aol.com domain to the `+spammers' mailbox by default. Also see the fcc-save-hook command.

## 18. Specify default save filename and default Fcc: mailbox at once

Usage: `fcc-save-hook` [!]pattern mailbox

This command is a shortcut, equivalent to doing both a fcc-hook and a save-hook with its arguments, including %-expansion on mailbox according to $index_format.

## 19. Change settings based upon message recipients

Usage: `reply-hook` [!]pattern command
Usage: `send-hook` [!]pattern command
Usage: `send2-hook` [!]pattern command

These commands can be used to execute arbitrary configuration commands based upon recipients of the message. pattern is a regular expression matching the desired address. command is executed when regexp matches recipients of the message.

`reply-hook` is matched against the message you are replying to, instead of the message you are sending. `send-hook` is matched against all messages, both new and replies. Note: `reply-hook`s are matched before the `send-hook`, regardless of the order specified in the user's configuration file.

`send2-hook` is matched every time a message is changed, either by editing it, or by using the compose menu to change its recipients or subject. `send2-hook` is executed after `send-hook`, and can, e.g., be used to set parameters such as the $sendmail variable depending on the message's sender address.

For each type of `send-hook` or `reply-hook`, when multiple matches occur, commands are executed in the order they are specified in the muttrc (for that type of hook).

See Message Matching in Hooks for information on the exact format of pattern.

Example: `send-hook mutt "set mime_forward signature=''"`

Another typical use for this command is to change the values of the $attribution, $signature and $locale variables in order to change the language of the attributions and signatures based upon the recipients.

Note: the send-hook's are only executed ONCE after getting the initial list of recipients. Adding a recipient after replying or editing the message will NOT cause any send-hook to be executed. Also note that my_hdr commands which modify recipient headers, or the message's subject, don't have any effect on the current message when executed from a send-hook.

## 20. Change settings before formatting a message

Usage: `message-hook` [!]pattern command

This command can be used to execute arbitrary configuration commands before viewing or formatting a message based upon information about the message. command is executed if the pattern matches the message to be displayed. When multiple matches occur, commands are executed in the order they are specified in the muttrc.

See Message Matching in Hooks for information on the exact format of pattern.

Example:

    message-hook ~A 'set pager=builtin'
    message-hook '~f freshmeat-news' 'set pager="less \"+/^  subject: .*\""'

## 21. Choosing the cryptographic key of the recipient

Usage: `crypt-hook` pattern keyid

When encrypting messages with PGP or OpenSSL, you may want to associate a certain key with a given e-mail address automatically, either because the recipient's public key can't be deduced from the destination address, or because, for some reasons, you need to override the key Mutt would normally use. The crypt-hook command provides a method by which you can specify the ID of the public key to be used when encrypting messages to a certain recipient.

The meaning of "key id" is to be taken broadly in this context: You can either put a numerical key ID here, an e-mail address, or even just a real name.

## 22. Adding key sequences to the keyboard buffer

Usage: `push` string

This command adds the named string to the keyboard buffer. The string may contain control characters, key names and function names like the sequence string in the macro command. You may use it to automatically run a sequence of commands at startup, or when entering certain folders. For example, the following command will automatically collapse all threads when entering a folder:

    folder-hook . 'push <collapse-all>'

## 23. Executing functions

Usage: `exec` function [ function ... ]

This command can be used to execute any function. Functions are listed in the function reference. ``exec function'' is equivalent to ``push <function>''.

## 24. Message Scoring

Usage: `score` pattern value
Usage: `unscore` pattern [ pattern ... ]

The `score` commands adds value to a message's score if pattern matches it. pattern is a string in the format described in the patterns section (note: For efficiency reasons, patterns which scan information not available in the index, such as `˜b`, `˜B` or `˜h`, may not be used). value is a positive or negative integer. A message's final score is the sum total of all matching `score` entries. However, you may optionally prefix value with an equal sign (=) to cause evaluation to stop at a particular entry if there is a match. Negative final scores are rounded up to 0.

The `unscore` command removes score entries from the list. You must specify the same pattern specified in the `score` command for it to be removed. The pattern ``*'' is a special token which means to clear the list of all score entries.

## 25. Spam detection

Usage: `spam` pattern format
Usage: `nospam` pattern

Mutt has generalized support for external spam-scoring filters. By defining your spam patterns with the `spam` and `nospam` commands, you can limit, search, and sort your mail based on its spam attributes, as determined by the external filter. You also can display the spam attributes in your index display using the `%H` selector in the $index_format variable. (Tip: try `%?H?[%H] ?` to display spam tags only when they are defined for a given message.)

Your first step is to define your external filter's spam patterns using the `spam` command. pattern should be a regular expression that matches a header in a mail message. If any message in the mailbox matches this regular expression, it will receive a ``spam tag'' or ``spam attribute'' (unless it also matches a `nospam` pattern -- see below.) The appearance of this attribute is entirely up to you, and is governed by the format parameter. format can be any static text, but it also can include back-references from the pattern expression. (A regular expression ``back-reference'' refers to a sub-expression contained within parentheses.) `%1` is replaced with the first back-reference in the regex, `%2` with the second, etc.

If you're using multiple spam filters, a message can have more than one spam-related header. You can define `spam` patterns for each filter you use. If a message matches two or more of these patterns, and the $spam_separator variable is set to a string, then the message's spam tag will consist of all the format strings joined together, with the value of $spam_separator separating them.

For example, suppose I use DCC, SpamAssassin, and PureMessage. I might define these spam settings:

    spam "X-DCC-.*-Metrics:.*(....)=many"         "90+/DCC-%1"
    spam "X-Spam-Status: Yes"                     "90+/SA"
    spam "X-PerlMX-Spam: .*Probability=([0-9]+)%" "%1/PM"
    set spam_separator=", "

If I then received a message that DCC registered with ``many'' hits under the ``Fuz2'' checksum, and that PureMessage registered with a 97% probability of being spam, that message's spam tag would read `90+/DCC-Fuz2, 97/PM`. (The four characters before ``=many'' in a DCC report indicate the checksum used -- in this case, ``Fuz2''.)

If the $spam_separator variable is unset, then each spam pattern match supersedes the previous one. Instead of getting joined format strings, you'll get only the last one to match.

The spam tag is what will be displayed in the index when you use `%H` in the `$index_format` variable. It's also the string that the `˜H` pattern-matching expression matches against for search and limit functions. And it's what sorting by spam attribute will use as a sort key.

That's a pretty complicated example, and most people's actual environments will have only one spam filter. The simpler your configuration, the more effective mutt can be, especially when it comes to sorting.

Generally, when you sort by spam tag, mutt will sort lexically -- that is, by ordering strings alphanumerically. However, if a spam tag begins with a number, mutt will sort numerically first, and lexically only when two numbers are equal in value. (This is like UNIX's `sort -n`.) A message with no spam attributes at all -- that is, one that didn't match any of your `spam` patterns -- is sorted at lowest priority. Numbers are sorted next, beginning with 0 and ranging upward. Finally, non-numeric strings are sorted, with ``a'' taking lower priority than ``z''. Clearly, in general, sorting by spam tags is most effective when you can coerce your filter to give you a raw number. But in case you can't, mutt can still do something useful.

The `nospam` command can be used to write exceptions to `spam` patterns. If a header pattern matches something in a `spam` command, but you nonetheless do not want it to receive a spam tag, you can list a more precise pattern under a `nospam` command.

If the pattern given to `nospam` is exactly the same as the pattern on an existing `spam` list entry, the effect will be to remove the entry from the spam list, instead of adding an exception. Likewise, if the pattern for a `spam` command matches an entry on the `nospam` list, that `nospam` entry will be removed. If the pattern for `nospam` is ``*'', all entries on both lists will be removed. This might be the default action if you use `spam` and `nospam` in conjunction with a `folder-hook`.

You can have as many `spam` or `nospam` commands as you like. You can even do your own primitive spam detection within mutt -- for example, if you consider all mail from `MAILER-DAEMON` to be spam, you can use a `spam` command like this:

    spam "^From: .*MAILER-DAEMON"       "999"

## 26. Setting and Querying Variables

### 26.1. Commands

The following commands are available to manipulate and query variables:

Usage: `set` [no|inv]variable[=value] [ variable ... ]
Usage: `toggle` variable [variable ... ]
Usage: `unset` variable [variable ... ]
Usage: `reset` variable [variable ... ]

This command is used to set (and unset) configuration variables. There are four basic types of variables: boolean, number, string and quadoption. boolean variables can be set (true) or unset (false). number variables can be assigned a positive integer value.

string variables consist of any number of printable characters. strings must be enclosed in quotes if they contain spaces or tabs. You may also use the ``C'' escape sequences \n and \t for newline and tab, respectively.

quadoption variables are used to control whether or not to be prompted for certain actions, or to specify a default action. A value of yes will cause the action to be carried out automatically as if you had answered yes to the question. Similarly, a value of no will cause the action to be carried out as if you had answered ``no.'' A value of ask-yes will cause a prompt with a default answer of ``yes'' and ask-no will provide a default answer of ``no.''

Prefixing a variable with ``no'' will unset it. Example: `set noaskbcc`.

For boolean variables, you may optionally prefix the variable name with `inv` to toggle the value (on or off). This is useful when writing macros. Example: `set invsmart_wrap`.

The `toggle` command automatically prepends the `inv` prefix to all specified variables.

The `unset` command automatically prepends the `no` prefix to all specified variables.

Using the enter-command function in the index menu, you can query the value of a variable by prefixing the name of the variable with a question mark:

    set ?allow_8bit

The question mark is actually only required for boolean and quadoption variables.

The `reset` command resets all given variables to the compile time defaults (hopefully mentioned in this manual). If you use the command `set` and prefix the variable with ``&'' this has the same behavior as the reset command.

With the `reset` command there exists the special variable ``all'', which allows you to reset all variables to their system defaults.

### 26.2. User-defined variables

#### 26.2.1. Introduction

Along with the variables listed in the Configuration variables section, mutt supports user-defined variables with names starting with `my_` as in, for example, `my_cfgdir`.

The `set` command creates a custom `$my_` variable and changes its value. The `unset` and `reset` commands remove the variable entirely.

Since user-defined variables are expanded in the same way that environment variables are (except for the shell-escape command), this feature can be used to make configuration files more readable.

#### 26.2.2. Examples

The following example defines and uses the variable `my_cfgdir` to abbreviate the calls of the source command:

    set my_cfgdir = $HOME/mutt/config

    source $my_cfgdir/hooks
    source $my_cfgdir/macros
    # more source commands...

A custom variable can also be used in macros to backup the current value of another variable. In the following example, the value of the $delete is changed temporarily while its original value is saved as `my_delete`. After the macro has executed all commands, the original value of $delete is restored.

    macro pager ,x '\
    <enter-command>set my_delete=$delete<enter>\
    <enter-command>set delete=yes<enter>\
    ...\
    <enter-command>set delete=$my_delete<enter>'

Since mutt expands such values already when parsing the configuration file(s), the value of `$my_delete` in the last example would be the value of `$delete` exactly as it was at that point during parsing the configuration file. If another statement would change the value for `$delete` later in the same or another file, it would have no effect on `$my_delete`. However, the expansion can be deferred to runtime, as shown in the next example, when escaping the dollar sign.

    macro pager <PageDown> "\
    <enter-command> set my_old_pager_stop=\$pager_stop pager_stop<Enter>\
    <next-page>\
    <enter-command> set pager_stop=\$my_old_pager_stop<Enter>\
    <enter-command> unset my_old_pager_stop<Enter>"

Note that there is a space between `<enter-command>` and the `set` configuration command, preventing mutt from recording the macro's commands into its history.

## 27. Reading initialization commands from another file

Usage: `source` filename

This command allows the inclusion of initialization commands from other files. For example, I place all of my aliases in `˜/.mail_aliases` so that I can make my `˜/.muttrc` readable and keep my aliases private.

If the filename begins with a tilde (``˜''), it will be expanded to the path of your home directory.

If the filename ends with a vertical bar (|), then filename is considered to be an executable program from which to read input (eg. `source ˜/bin/myscript|`).

## 28. Removing hooks

Usage: `unhook` [ * | hook-type ]

This command permits you to flush hooks you have previously defined. You can either remove all hooks by giving the ``*'' character as an argument, or you can remove all hooks of a specific type by saying something like `unhook send-hook`.

## 29. Format Strings

### 29.1. Basic usage

Format strings are a general concept you'll find in several locations through the mutt configuration, especially in the $index_format", $pager_format", $status_format", and other ``*_format'' variables. These can be very straightforward, and it's quite possible you already know how to use them.

The most basic format string element is a percent symbol followed by another character. For example, `%s` represents a message's Subject: header in the $index_format" variable. The ``expandos'' available are documented with each format variable, but there are general modifiers available with all formatting expandos, too. Those are our concern here.

Some of the modifers are borrowed right out of C (though you might know them from Perl, Python, shell, or another langugage). These are the [-]m.n modifiers, as in `%-12.12s`. As with such programming languages, these modifiers allow you to specify the minumum and maximum size of the resulting string, as well as its justification. If the ``-'' sign follows the percent, the string will be left-justified instead of right-justified. If there's a number immediately following that, it's the minimum amount of space the formatted string will occupy -- if it's naturally smaller than that, it will be padded out with spaces. If a decimal point and another number follow, that's the maximum space allowable -- the string will not be permitted to exceed that width, no matter its natural size. Each of these three elements is optional, so that all these are legal format strings: `%-12s` `%4c` `%.15F` `%-12.15L`

Mutt adds some other modifiers to format strings. If you use an equals symbol (`=`) as a numeric prefix (like the minus above), it will force the string to be centered within its minimum space range. For example, `%=14y` will reserve 14 characters for the %y expansion -- that's the X-Label: header, in `$index_format`. If the expansion results in a string less than 14 characters, it will be centered in a 14-character space. If the X-Label for a message were "test", that expansion would look like `` test ''.

There are two very little-known modifiers that affect the way that an expando is replaced. If there is an underline (``_'') character between any format modifiers (as above) and the expando letter, it will expands in all lower case. And if you use a colon (``:''), it will replace all decimal points with underlines.

### 29.2. Filters

Any format string ending in a vertical bar (``|'') will be expanded and piped through the first word in the string, using spaces as separator. The string returned will be used for display. If the returned string ends in %, it will be passed through the formatter a second time. This allows the filter to generate a replacement format string including % expandos.

All % expandos in a format string are expanded before the script is called so that:

    set status_format="script.sh '%r %f (%L)'|"

will make mutt expand `%r`, `%f` and `%L` before calling the script. The example also shows that arguments can be quoted: the script will receive the expanded string between the single quotes as the only argument.

A practical example is the `mutt_xtitle` script installed in the `samples` subdirectory of the mutt documentation: it can be used as filter for `$status_format` to set the current terminal's title, if supported.

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