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diff --git a/doc/tech-notes/cmd-line.html b/doc/tech-notes/cmd-line.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cb6d1efb --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/tech-notes/cmd-line.html @@ -0,0 +1,553 @@ +<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Alpine Technical Notes: Command Line Arguments</TITLE></HEAD><BODY> +<H1>Command Line Arguments</H1> + +<H2><A NAME="alpine">Alpine</A></H2> + +<EM>Alpine</EM> and <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> can accept quite a few +command-line arguments. +Many of these arguments overlap with variables +in the <EM>Alpine</EM> configuration file. +If there is a difference, then a flag set in the command line takes precedence. +Both <EM>Alpine</EM> and <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> expect command line arguments (other +than addresses) to be +preceded by the "-" (dash) as normally used by UNIX programs. +<P> + +<DL COMPACT> + +<DT> <EM>[addresses]</EM> + +<DD> Send-to: If you give <EM>Alpine</EM> an argument or arguments which +do not begin with a dash, <EM>Alpine</EM> treats them as email addresses. +<EM>Alpine</EM> will startup in +the composer with a message started to the addresses specified. +Once the message is sent, the <EM>Alpine</EM> session closes. +Standard input redirection is allowed. +Separate multiple addresses with a space between them. +Addresses are placed in the "To" field only. +<P> + +<DT> < <EM>file</EM> + +<DD> <EM>Alpine</EM> will startup in the composer with <EM>file</EM> read +into the body of the message. +Once the message is sent, the <EM>Alpine</EM> session closes. +<P> + +<DT> -attach <EM>file</EM> + +<DD> Go directly into composer with given file attached. +<P> + +<DT> -attachlist <EM>file-list</EM> + +<DD> Go directly into composer with given files attached. +This must be the last option on the command line. +<P> + +<DT> -attach_and_delete <EM>file</EM> + +<DD> Go directly into composer with given file attached, delete when finished. +<P> + +<DT> -aux <EM>local_directory</EM> + +<DD> <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> only. +This tells <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> the local directory to use for storing auxiliary +files, like debug files, address books, and signature files. The pinerc may +be local or remote. +<P> + +<DT> -nosplash + +<DD> <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> only. +This tells <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> to not display the splash screen upon startup. +This may be helpful for certain troubleshooting or terminal server scenarios. +<P> + +<DT> -bail + +<DD> If the personal configuration file doesn't already exist, exit. +This might be useful if the configuration file is accessed using some +remote filesystem protocol. If the remote mount is missing this will cause +<EM>Alpine</EM> to quit instead of creating a new pinerc. +<P> + +<DT> -c <EM>n</EM> + +<DD> When used with the <CODE>-f</CODE> option, apply the <EM>n</EM>th context. +This is used when there are multiple folder collections (contexts) and you +want to open a folder not in the primary collection. +<P> + +<DT> -conf + +<DD> Configuration: Prints a sample system configuration file to the +screen or standard output. To generate an initial system configuration +file, execute + +<PRE><CODE> + alpine -conf > /usr/local/lib/pine.conf +</CODE></PRE> +<P> + +To generate a system configuration file using settings from an old +system configuration file, execute + +<PRE><CODE> + alpine -P old-pine.conf -conf > /usr/local/lib/pine.conf +</CODE></PRE> +<P> +A system configuration file is not required. +<P> + +<DT> -convert_sigs <EM>-p pinerc</EM> + +<DD> Convert signatures contained in signature files into literal signatures. +<P> + +<DT> <A NAME="copy_abook">-copy_abook <EM><local_abook_file> <remote_abook_folder></EM> + +<DD> Copy an address book file to a remote address book folder. +If the remote folder doesn't exist, it will be created. +If it exists but the first message in the folder isn't a remote address +book header message, the copy will be aborted. +This flag will not usually be used by a user. +Instead, the user will create a remote address book from within <EM>Alpine</EM> +and copy entries from the local address book by using aggregate Save in +the address book screen. +<P> + +<DT> <A NAME="copy_pinerc">-copy_pinerc <EM><local_pinerc_file> <remote_pinerc_folder></EM> + +<DD> Copy a pinerc configuration file to a remote pinerc folder. +If the remote folder doesn't exist, it will be created. +If it exists but the first message in the folder isn't a remote pinerc +header message, the copy will be aborted. +This flag may be useful to users who already have a local pinerc file and +would like to convert it to a remote pinerc folder and use that instead. +This gives a way to bootstrap that conversion without having to manually +reset all of the variables in the remote pinerc folder. +<P> + +<DT> -d <EM>debug-level</EM> + +<DD> Debug Level: Sets the level of debugging information written by +<EM>Alpine</EM>. +<EM>Debug-level</EM> can be set to any integer 0-9. +A debug level of 0 turns off debugging for the session. +(Actually there are some levels higher than 9, but you probably don't +want to see them. Sensitive authentication information is hidden at +levels less than 10.) +<P> + +<DT> -d <EM>keywords</EM> + +<DD> You may use a more detailed version of the debugging flag to set +the debug level in separate parts of <EM>Alpine</EM>. +The possibilities are flush, timestamp, imap=0..4, tcp, numfiles=0..31, and +verbose=0..9. +<EM>Flush</EM> causes debugging information to be flushed immediately to +the debug file as it is written. +<EM>Verbose</EM> is the general debugging verbosity level. +<EM>Timestamp</EM> causes timestamps to be added to the debug file, which +is useful when you are trying to figure out what is responsible for delays. +<EM>Numfiles</EM> sets the number of debug files saved. +<EM>Imap</EM> sets the debug level for the debugging statements related +to the conversation with the IMAP server, and more generally, for the +debugging related to <EM>Alpine</EM>'s interaction with the C-Client library. +If <EM>imap</EM> is set higher than 4, sensitive authentication information +will be included in the debug file. +<EM>Tcp</EM> adds more TCP/IP debugging information. +<P> + +<DT> -f <EM>folder</EM> + +<DD> Startup folder: <EM>Alpine</EM> will open this folder in place +of the standard INBOX. +<P> + +<DT> -F <EM>file</EM> + +<DD> Open named text file for viewing and forwarding. +<P> + +<DT> -h + +<DD> Help: Prints the list of available command-line arguments to the +screen. +<P> + +<DT> -i + +<DD> <EM>Alpine</EM> will start up in the FOLDER INDEX +screen instead of the MAIN MENU. +<P> + +Configuration equivalent: <EM>initial-keystroke-list=i</EM>. +<P> + +<DT> -I <EM>a,b,c,...</EM> + +<DD> Initial Keystrokes: <EM>Alpine</EM> will execute this comma-separated +sequence of commands upon startup. +This allows users to get <EM>Alpine</EM> to start in any +of its menus/screens. +You cannot include any input to the composer in the initial keystrokes. +The key <Return> is represented by a ``CR'' in +the keystroke list; the spacebar is designated by the letters ``SPACE''. +Control keys are two character sequences beginning with ``^'', such as +``^I''. +A tab character is ``TAB''. +Function keys are ``F1'' - ``F12'' and the arrow keys are ``UP'', +``DOWN'', ``LEFT'', and ``RIGHT''. +A restriction is that you can't mix function keys and character keys in this +list even though you can, in some cases, mix them when running <EM>Alpine</EM>. +A user can always use only <EM>character</EM> keys in the startup list even +if he or she is using <EM>function</EM> keys normally, or vice versa. +If an element in this list is a string of characters surrounded by double +quotes (") then it will be expanded into the individual characters in +the string, excluding the double quotes. +<P> + +Configuration equivalent: <EM>initial-keystroke-list</EM> +<P> + +<DT> -install + +<DD> For <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> only, this option prompts for some basic +setup information, then exits. +<P> + +<DT> -k + +<DD> Function-Key Mode: When invoked in this way, <EM>Alpine</EM> expects +the input of commands to be function-keys. +Otherwise, commands are linked to the regular character keys. +<P> + +Configuration equivalent: <EM>use-function-keys</EM> included in +<EM>feature-list</EM>. +<P> + +<DT> -n <EM>n</EM> + +<DD> Message-Number: When specified, <EM>Alpine</EM> starts up in the +FOLDER INDEX screen with the current message being the specified +message number. +<P> + +<DT> -nowrite_password_cache + +<DD> This tells <EM>Alpine</EM> to use the local password cache if there is one, but to +never offer writing new passwords to the cache. +<P> + +<DT> -o <EM>folder</EM> + +<DD> Opens the INBOX (or a folder specified via the -f argument) ReadOnly. +<P> + +<DT> -p <EM>pinerc</EM> + +<DD> Uses the named file as the personal configuration file instead of +<EM>~/.pinerc</EM> or the default PINERC search sequence <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> uses. +Pinerc may be either a local file or a remote configuration folder. +<P> + +<DT> -P <EM>pinerc</EM> + +<DD> Uses the named file as the system wide configuration file instead of +<EM>/usr/local/lib/pine.conf</EM> on UNIX, or nothing on <EM>PC-Alpine</EM>. +Pinerc may be either a local file or a remote configuration folder. +<P> + +<DT> -passfile <EM>passfile</EM> + +<DD> This tells <EM>Alpine</EM> what file should be used as the password file. +This should be a fully-qualified filename. +<P> + +<DT> -pinerc <EM>file</EM> + +<DD> Output fresh pinerc configuration to <EM>file</EM>, preserving the +settings of variables that the user has made. +Use <EM>file</EM> set to ``-'' to make output go to standard out. +<P> + +<DT> -r + +<DD> Restricted Mode: For UNIX <EM>Alpine</EM> only. +<EM>Alpine</EM> in restricted mode can only send email to itself. +Save and export are limited. +<P> + +<DT> -registry <EM>cmd</EM> + +<DD> For <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> only, this option affects the values of +<EM>Alpine</EM>'s registry entries. +Possible values for <EM>cmd</EM> are set, noset, clear, clearsilent, and dump. +<EM>Set</EM> will always reset <EM>Alpine</EM>'s registry +entries according to its current settings. +<EM>NoSet</EM> will never set any values in the registry, but it will +still use the values already set in the registry. +<EM>Clear</EM> will clear the registry values. +<EM>Clearsilent</EM> will silently clear the registry values. +<EM>Dump</EM> will display the values of current registry settings. +Note that the dump command is currently disabled. +Without the -registry option, <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> will write values into +the registry only if there currently aren't any values set. +<P> + +<DT> -sort <EM>key</EM> + +<DD> Sort-Key: Specifies the order messages will be displayed in for the +FOLDER INDEX screen. +<EM>Key</EM> can have the following values: +arrival, date, subject, orderedsubj, thread, from, size, score, to, cc, +arrival/reverse, date/reverse, subject/reverse, orderedsubj/reverse, thread/reverse, +from/reverse, size/reverse, score/reverse, to/reverse, and cc/reverse. +The default value is "arrival". +The <EM>key</EM> value reverse is equivalent to arrival/reverse. +<P> + +Configuration equivalent: <EM>sort-key</EM>. +<P> + +<DT> -supported + +<DD> Some options may or may not be supported depending on how <EM>Alpine</EM> +was compiled. +This is a way to determine which options are supported in the particular +copy of <EM>Alpine</EM> you are using. +<P> + +<DT> -install + +<DD> For <EM>PC-Alpine</EM> only, this option removes references to Alpine +in Windows settings. The registry settings are removed and +the password cache is cleared. +<P> + +<DT> -url <EM>url</EM> + +<DD> Open the given URL. +<P> + +<DT> -v + +<DD> Version: Print version information to the screen. +<P> + +<DT> -version + +<DD> Version: Print version information to the screen. +<P> + +<DT> -x <EM>exceptions_config</EM> + +<DD> Configuration settings in the exceptions config override your normal +default settings. +<EM>Exceptions_config</EM> may be either a local file or a remote pinerc folder. +<P> + +<DT> -z + +<DD> Enable Suspend: When run with this flag, the key sequence ctrl-z +will suspend the <EM>Alpine</EM> session. +<P> + +Configuration equivalent: <EM>enable-suspend</EM> included in +<EM>feature-list</EM>. +<P> + +<DT> -<EM>option</EM>=<EM>value</EM> + +<DD> Assign <EM>value</EM> to the config option <EM>option</EM>. +For example, <EM>-signature-file=sig1</EM> or +<EM>-feature-list=signature-at-bottom</EM>. +(Note: feature-list values are +additive and features may be preceded with no- to turn them off). +<P> + +</DL> +<P> + +<H2><A NAME="pico">Pico</A></H2> + +The following command line options are supported in <EM>Pico</EM>: + +<DL> + +<DT> +<EM>n</EM> + +<DD> Causes <EM>Pico</EM> to be started with the cursor located <EM>n</EM> +lines into the file. (Note: no space between "+" sign and number) <P> + +<DT> -a + +<DD> Display all files and directories, including those beginning +with a period (.). <P> + +<DT> -b + +<DD> Enable the option to Replace text matches found using the +"Where is" command. This now does nothing. Instead, the option is +always turned on (as if the -b flag had been specified). <P> + +<DT> -d + +<DD> Rebind the "delete" key so the character the cursor is on is rubbed +out rather than the character to its left. <P> + +<DT> -e + +<DD>Enable file name completion. <P> + +<DT> -f + +<DD> Use function keys for commands. <I>This option supported only in +conjunction with UW Enhanced NCSA telnet.</I> <P> + +<DT> -g + +<DD> Enable "Show Cursor" mode in file browser. Cause cursor to be +positioned before the current selection rather than placed at the lower +left of the display. <P> + +<DT> -k + +<DD>Causes "Cut Text" command to remove characters from the cursor +position to the end of the line rather than remove the entire line. <P> + +<DT> -m + +<DD> Enable mouse functionality. This only works when <EM>Pico</EM> is +run from within an X Window System "xterm" window. <P> + +<DT>-n<EM>n</EM> + +<DD> The -n<EM>n</EM> option enables new mail notification. The +<EM>n</EM> argument is optional, and specifies how often, in seconds, your +mailbox is checked for new mail. For example, -n60 causes <EM>Pico</EM> +to check for new mail once every minute. The default interval is 180 +seconds, while the minimum allowed is 30. (Note: no space between "n" and +the number) <P> + +<DT> -o <EM>dir</EM> + +<DD> Sets operating directory. Only files within this directory are +accessible. Likewise, the file browser is limited to the specified +directory subtree. <P> + +<DT> -p + +<DD> Preserve the "start" and "stop" characters, typically Ctrl-Q + and Ctrl-S, which are sometimes used in communications paths to control data flow +between devices that operate at different speeds.<P> + +<DT> -q + +<DD> TermdefWins. Termcap or terminfo escape sequences are used in preference +to default escape sequences.<P> + +<DT> -Q <EM>quotestr</EM> + +<DD> Set the quote string. Especially useful when composing email, setting this +allows the quote string to be checked for when Justifying paragraphs. +A common quote string is "> ".<P> + +<DT> -r<EM>n</EM> + +<DD> Sets column used to limit the "Justify" command's right margin. <P> + +<DT> -t + +<DD> Enable "tool" mode. Intended for when <EM>Pico</EM> is used as the +editor within other tools (e.g., Elm, Pnews). <EM>Pico</EM> will not +prompt for save on exit, and will not rename the buffer during the "Write +Out" command. <P> + +<DT> -v + +<DD> View the file only, disallowing any editing. <P> + +<DT> -version + +<DD> Print version information. <P> + +<DT> -w + +<DD> Disable word wrap (thus allow editing of long lines). <P> + +<I>Note: <EM>Pico</EM> will break any lines over 255 characters when reading a +file, regardless of word wrapping.</I> <P> + +<DT> -x + +<DD> Disable keymenu at the bottom of the screen. <P> + +<DT> -z + +<DD> Enable ^Z suspension of <EM>Pico</EM>. <P> + +</DL> + +<H2><A NAME="pilot">Pilot</A></H2> + +The following command line options are supported in <EM>Pilot</EM>: + +<DL> + +<DT> -a + +<DD> Display all files including those beginning with a period (.). <P> + +<DT> -f + +<DD> Use function keys for commands. <I>This option supported only in +conjunction with UW Enhanced NCSA telnet.</I> <P> + +<DT> -g + +<DD> Enable "Show Cursor" mode. Cause cursor to be positioned before the +current selection rather than placed at the lower left of the display. <P> + +<DT> -m + +<DD> Enable mouse functionality. This only works when <EM>Pilot</EM> is +run from within an X Window System "xterm" window. <P> + +<DT> -n<EM>n</EM> + +<DD> The -n<EM>n</EM> option enables new mail notification. The +<EM>n</EM> argument is optional, and specifies how often, in seconds, your +mailbox is checked for new mail. For example, -n60 causes <EM>Pilot</EM> +to check for new mail once every minute. The default interval is 180 +seconds, while the minimum allowed is 30. (Note: no space between "n" and +the number) <P> + +<DT> -o <EM>dir</EM> + +<DD>Sets operating directory. Only files within the specified directory +are accessible and browsing is limited to the specified directory subtree. +<P> + +<DT> -v + +<DD> Enable single vertical column display. <P> + +<DT> -x + +<DD> Disable keymenu at the bottom of the screen. <P> + +<DT> -z + +<DD> Enable ^Z suspension of <EM>Pilot</EM>. + +</DL> + +<!-- pnuts --> + +</BODY> +</HTML> |