Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web pdp-10.trailing-edge.com

.;COPYRIGHT (c) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION 1988. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

.flags break
.flags hyphenate
.right margin 60
.no paging
.no number
.left margin 0
Version
.blank
This help file re=flects DECmail/MS ver=sion 11(2365),
run=ning under
.if TOPS10
TOPS-10.
.endif TOPS10
.if TOPS20
TOPS-20.
.endif TOPS20
.blank
The SHOW VERSION command will dis=play MS's ver=sion number, GLXLIB's
ver=sion number (GLXLIB is a sub=routine library used by MS), and a
list of optional features which the current ver=sion sup=ports (such as
net=works).
.page
Introduction
.blank
	DECmail/MS is a pro=duct that pro=vides facilities for sending
and receiving mes=sages, and for filing, retrieving, editing, and
dis=carding these mes=sages.  This help file ex=plains how to use MS.
MS is that part of DECmail/MS which pro=vides a com=mand-mode user
inter=face;  it is the only pro=gram that you actually com=mu=nicate
directly with (al=though there are other pro=grams per=forming tasks
invisibly in the background).
	MS is ex=tens=ively tailorable to in=div=idual taste and
styles of usage, and yet is easy for the novice or in=fre=quent user
to use.  The struc=tured HELP command makes it self-|documenting.
This file (MS.HLP) is separated into pages, one page per topic.  The
name of the topic appears on the first line of each page.  This is how
the HELP com=mand in MS can select that part of the doc=u=men=tation
pertaining to a single topic.
.left margin 8
.blank
.indent -8
o	If this is your first exposure to 
.if TOPS10
TOPS-10,
.endif TOPS10
.if TOPS20
TOPS-20,
.endif TOPS20
you should give the command HELP NOVICE first.
.blank
.indent -8
o	If you are familiar with TOPS-20-style command parsers (that is,
you know about the functions of the ESC and ? keys), but not
with elec=tronic mail systems similar to MS, you should say HELP VOCABULARY
and HELP COMMAND-LEVELS first.
.blank
.indent -8
o	If you are already familiar with TOPS-20-style command parsers
and you have used other elec=tronic mail systems before, you
probably need only to type ? a lot and feel your way around.
.left margin 0
.blank
	For all users, it is recommended that you read the
doc=u=men=tation under HELP COMMAND-LEVELS before first using MS.
.page
Novice
.blank
If you've gotten this far, you already know how to get
into MS and how to use the HELP command.  This sec=tion ex=plains
el=e=men=tary usage of MS.  But first, a little term=in=ology.
.blank
YOUR KEYBOARD
.blank
	The keyboard of the terminal you're using is almost exactly
like that of a modern electric type=writer.  The major dif=fer=ence is
that there are a few new keys, and one or two with dif=ferent
meanings.
.blank
CARRIAGE-RETURN or RETURN  (some=times called CR, RET, <ret>, or <return>)
.blank
	This key has the usual meaning of telling the terminal that
you're done with the current line of text and wish to move on to the
next line.  It also indicates to MS that you're finished typing a
com=mand, and would now like MS to act upon the com=mand.  All MS
commands must be finished with RETURN and MS will not act upon the
com=mand until you've pressed the RETURN key.
.blank
ESCAPE  (some=times called ESC, or ALTMODE on older terminals)
.blank
	This key, usually found at the upper left=hand corner of the
key=board, per=forms a par=tic=u=larly useful function called
RECOGNITION.  Many MS commands have long names, and to have to type
the name out in entirety would become rather dreary.  In order to save
you some typing, MS will allow you to type only as much of the
com=mand name as is necessary to uniquely specify it.  For example:
suppose there are only three commands beginning with the letter T:
TAKE, TAPE, and TWIST.  If you typed only TA, MS can=not know whether
you mean TAKE or TAPE, since both begin with TA.  If, how=ever, you
type TW, MS knows you mean TWIST.  Similarly, TAK could be a valid
abbreviation for TAKE and TAP for TAPE.
.break
	Using ab=brev=i=ations at all times can save you typing, but
can look rather cryptic.  And you some=times don't know how much of a
com=mand you need to type before MS will be able to recognize it,
especially when you're just starting out.
.break
	The ESCAPE key makes all this much easier.  If you think
you've typed enough of a com=mand for MS to recognize, press the
ESCAPE key.  If you have typed enough of the name, MS will finish
typing the name for you.  If you haven't typed enough, so that what
you have typed is ambiguous, MS will ring the terminal's bell.  And if
there are no commands beginning with the ab=brev=i=ation you've typed,
MS will tell you that.
.break
	Returning to our previous example, where the only three
commands beginning with the letter T were TAPE, TAKE, and TWIST, if
you were to type TW and then press the ESCAPE key, MS would type the
letters IST, to com=plete the word TWIST.
.break
	Using re=cog=ni=tion has one ad=di=tional ad=van=tage:  if the
com=mand whose name is being typed requires ad=di=tional
in=for=mation, pressing the ESCAPE key will cause MS to type "guide
words", in pa=ren=theses, which hint at what you are expected to type
next.  In our example, if you typed TW<ESC>, you might see this on
your screen:
.literal

	MS>TWist (and shout)

.end literal
	The words "and shout" are the guide words for the TWIST
com=mand.  This example is a bit whimsical, but does illustrate how
re=cog=ni=tion and guide words act together to help lead you through
the commands.
.blank
CONTROL CHARACTERS
.blank
	Another key on your terminal which is not found on type=writer
key=boards is the CONTROL key, which is usally labelled CTRL.  This
works much like the SHIFT key, in that it does nothing by itself, but
modifies the action of any key you press while holding the CTRL key
down.  Cha=rac=ters typed while holding the CTRL key down are called
CONTROL CHA=RAC=TERS;  for in=stance, the character you gen=erate when
you hold the CTRL key down and type the letter A is called ctrl-A.
The most useful control character to you right now is ctrl-Z.  You use
ctrl-Z to tell MS that you have finished typing the text of a mes=sage
you're sending and that MS can now send the mes=sage.  You would not
want to use any ordinary text character for this purpose, because that
text then would not be allowed in the text of a mes=sage you're
sending.  Since control cha=rac=ters don't ordinarily print anything
on your screen, but simply instruct the system to do some=thing for
you, they are the only good way to type commands to the system while
you're entering the text of a mes=sage.
.blank
QUESTION MARK
.blank
	At any time, if you are not sure what commands or arguments MS
has avail=able, you can type a question mark and MS will list them all
for you.  This is very similar to "menu mode" in other systems, except
that the menu is shown only when you re=quest it by typing a question
mark.  For in=stance, when you first run MS, it prompts you by typing
.blank
MS>
.blank
and awaits your first command.  This is called TOP LEVEL.
At this point, to get a list of all the avail=able top level commands,
type a question mark, and they will be dis=played.
.blank
	You give MS a command by typing the command's name, possibly
followed by additional in=for=mation (de=pen=ding on the par=tic=ular
command), and then typing a RETURN.  The additional in=for=mation you
supply is called the "arguments" to the command.  If MS prompts you
with anything other than
.blank
MS>
.blank
then you have entered another command level.  The QUIT command always
returns you to the previous level.
	This is the end of the NOVICE part of MS's doc=u=men=tation.
We re=com=mend now that you skim the in=for=mation under HELP
COMMAND-LEVELS and HELP VOCABULARY;  there is a lot of in=for=mation
there, but for now just try to skim it once.  Then try HELP SEND and
HELP READ, and try sending yourself some mail.  That should get you
started.
.page
Vocabulary
.blank
MESSAGE
.break
MS sends, receives, and files mes=sages.  These are exactly analagous
to office memos;  they are sent "To:" some people, and "cc:" to others.
They have a sub=ject, and some text.  They also have a date, which is
sup=plied auto=ma=tic=ally when you send the mes=sage.
A mes=sage is com=posed of two parts:  the "header area", at the top
of the page in which a mes=sage occurs, con=tains things
like the date, sub=ject, to and cc lists, and other iden=tifying
in=for=mation;  the "text part" con=tains the actual text of the mes=sage.
.blank
MESSAGE HEADER
.break
The first few lines of a mes=sage are called the header area, or
mes=sage header.  The header area is separated from the text of the
mes=sage by a blank line.  The header area consists of several
"header-items".  A header-item consists of the header-item's name, a
colon, and then the data portion of the header-item (which may extend
over more than one line).  Typical header-items that MS always
supplies in=clude the date the mes=sage was sent, the sub=ject, to and
cc lists, and the name of the sender.  You may use the DEFINE
HEADER-ITEM command to define your own header-items.
	Here is a sample mes=sage:
.literal

Date: 12 Sep 86 1445-EST
From: Larry Campbell <LCampbell@DEC-MARLBORO>
To: Joe Newcomer@CMU-10A, Hurley@KL2102
cc: Fred the New Guy@MIT-XX, Engel@KL2102, Hall@KL2102,
    Purretta@KL2102, Another User@MIT-XX
Subject: This is a test

Hi!  This is just a test of this system.
This is the message text.
    -------

.end literal
	In this example, the first six lines, beginning with "Date:"
and ending with "Subject:", are the header area.  Next is a blank
line, which separates the header area from the mes=sage text.  Finally
there are two lines of mes=sage text and the closing line, con=tain
a string of hyphens.  There are five header-items present in this
mes=sage:  "Date:", "From:", "To:", "cc:", and "Subject:".  The "cc:"
item in this mes=sage illustrates the case of a header-item which is
too long to fit on one line.  The strings DEC-MARLBORO, MIT-XX,
KL2102, and CMU-10A are all the names of dif=ferent com=puters in a
net=work.  To fully specify an ad=dress, you need both the user's name
and the name of the com=puter that he or she uses.
.blank
FILE
.break
A file is similar to the con=tents of an ordinary file folder.
A file has a name, called a FILESPEC (short for file spe=ci=fi=ca=tion).
Al=though a file=spec can have up to four parts (the DEVICE, DIRECTORY,
NAME, and EXTENSION), ordinarily you can ig=nore the device and di=rec=tory
and use only the name and ex=ten=sion.  A file name or ex=ten=sion can
consist of any se=quence of 
.if TOPS20
letters, numbers, and hyphens up to 39
cha=rac=ters long;  it must not con=tain spaces, dots, or other special
cha=rac=ters.  For in=stance, "name1", "budget", "memo-to-the-president",
and "my-letter" are all valid names.  "This is my letter" is not;
it con=tains spaces.
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
uppercase letters and numbers up to six cha=rac=ters long; the
ex=ten=sion can only be three cha=rac=ters long.  For example,
"MEMO1", "JULY", and "OPEN" are all valid names;  "REPORTS"
is not (con=tains seven cha=rac=ters), and "JUL-81" is not (the hyphen
is neither a letter nor a number).
.endif TOPS10
The ex=ten=sion is separated from the name by a dot, so that MAIL.TXT is a
file whose name is MAIL and whose ex=ten=sion is TXT.  For more
in=for=mation about file=specs, see the
.if TOPS20
TOPS-20 User's Guide.
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
DECsystem-10 Oper=ating System Commands Manual.
.endif TOPS10
.blank
MESSAGE FILE
.break
MS deals with mes=sage files, one at a time.  A mes=sage file is simply
a file con=taining one or more mes=sages.  MS can only handle one file
at a time, but it is simple to put one file away and take another out
to look at.  Each mes=sage in a file has a MESSAGE NUMBER;  the mes=sages
are num=bered from one on up to how=ever many mes=sages there are in the file.
.blank
CURRENT MESSAGE FILE
.break
Since MS can only handle one mes=sage file at a time, the one you are
cur=rently dealing with is called the current mes=sage file.  You may think
of MS as a desk which is only big enough to hold one file folder.
.blank
MAIL FILE
.break
Every user has his or her own per=sonal mes=sage file.  This is exactly
analogous to an in basket.  All in=coming mes=sages go into your mes=sage
file.  It is called MAIL.TXT (the name is MAIL and the ex=ten=sion is TXT).
.blank
USERNAMES
.break
You send mes=sages to, and receive them from, users of a com=puter.
Each user of a com=puter has a user=name, which is the name by which
the com=puter knows that person.  When sending to
.if TOPS20
another TOPS-20 system, or a TOPS-10 system,
user=names generally follow the same rules as file names;
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
another TOPS-10 system, or a TOPS-20 system, user=names are com=posed of
.endif TOPS10
up to 39 cha=rac=ters of letters, digits, and hyphens.  When sending
to a system which does not run TOPS-10 or TOPS-20, the rules for forming
user=names may be dif=ferent.  If you are sending to a user whose
user=name con=tains cha=rac=ters not allowed in TOPS-10/TOPS-20 user=names
(like pa=ren=theses, spaces, and the like), then you must en=close the
user=name inside double quotes.
.blank
ADDRESSES
.break
An ad=dress tells MS where to send a mes=sage.  There are two kinds
of ad=dress, de=pen=ding on whether the person you are sending to uses the
same com=puter that you do (LOCAL ADDRESS) or a dif=ferent one (NETWORK
ADDRESS, because their com=puter is con=nected to yours through a com=puter
net=work).  A local ad=dress is just a user=name.  A net=work ad=dress has
two parts:  a user=name (just like a local user), and a HOST NAME,
which names the com=puter that they use.  For in=stance, some=body who
uses a com=puter called HOST2 and who has a user=name of Joe would have
a NETWORK ADDRESS of "Joe@HOST2".
.if TOPS20
Addresses for users within your computer cluster should be local.
.endif TOPS20
.page
Command-levels
.blank
MS has three command levels: top level, read level, and send level.
Each command level has a dif=ferent prompt, and each level has its own
set of commands.  TOP LEVEL, which is the level you see when you first
run MS, has commands for dealing with mes=sage files as a whole, or
for man=i=pu=lating entire groups of mes=sages at once.  READ LEVEL
operates after you have selected a mes=sage to read, and has commands
for dealing with the current mes=sage (the default) along with any other
message sequence.  And SEND LEVEL con=tains
commands for com=posing, editing, and filing drafts of mes=sages, and
for finally sending the mes=sage once it is com=plete.  At all levels,
the QUIT command always returns you to the previous level; typing QUIT
at top level causes MS to stop.
.blank
When you first run MS, you are at top level.  MS prompts you for a
command by typing
.blank
MS>
.blank
The next command level you are likely to see is read level.
It prompts you for a command by typing
.literal

MS Read>>

.end literal
You enter read level by using the READ command.  You give the READ
command a mes=sage se=quence, which tells MS which mes=sages you want to read.
It then types the first mes=sage in the se=quence, and prompts you for a
command.  You may now type a command to do some=thing with that mes=sage,
or type car=riage-|return to go on to the next mes=sage.  When there are no
more mes=sages to read, MS returns to top level.  For more details on
read level, give the command HELP READ.
.blank
Most top level commands which act upon a mes=sage se=quence are also
available in read level.
.blank
SEND LEVEL is some=times invoked as part of the pro=cess of sending a
mes=sage, or com=posing a mes=sage draft prior to sending it.  Send
level is invoked in one of the following four ways:
.blank
.left margin 8
.indent -8
1)	You ask MS to put you there, by typing an ESC while entering
the text of a mes=sage you are sending;
.blank
.indent -8
2)	You use the RETRIEVE DRAFT (q.v.) command to con=tinue
working on a draft which you had previously saved with
the SAVE DRAFT command (q.v.);
.blank
.indent -8
3)	You use the RETRIEVE LAST-MESSAGE (q.v.) command to retrieve
the draft of the last mes=sage you sent;
.blank
.indent -8
4)	MS puts you there auto=ma=tic=ally, because it en=coun=tered
some problem while sending a mes=sage.
.blank
.left margin 0
The send level prompt is:
.literal

MS Send>>

.end literal
The commands available in send level allow you to modify any part of a
mes=sage which you are in the pro=cess of sending.  You can add or
delete users to the "To:" or "cc:" lists, change the sub=ject line, edit
the text of the mes=sage, and so forth.  If MS en=coun=ters any
dif=fi=cul=ties in sending the mes=sage, it will auto=ma=tic=ally put
you into send level, so that you have a chance to fix the part of the
mes=sage which caused the problem.  At send level, you can return to
the previous level with=out sending the mes=sage by giving the QUIT
com=mand, or you can give the SEND com=mand, which sends the mes=sage
and then returns to the previous com=mand level.
.page
Message-sequence
.blank
Most MS commands perform some action on one or more mes=sages.  You
need to tell MS which mes=sage or mes=sages you want to act upon, and
you do this with a MESSAGE SEQUENCE.  A mes=sage se=quence simply
specifies a group of mes=sages.
.blank
The simplest se=quence is a mes=sage number, or list of numbers.  For
in=stance, the fol=lowing is a mes=sage se=quence which specifies the
first six mes=sages in a file:
.literal

1,2,3,4,5,6

.end literal
For example, to read the first six mes=sages in a file, you
might say:
.literal

	MS>read 1,2,3,4,5,6

.end literal
A short=hand way to specify the same thing is "1:6".  You can mix these:
the mes=sage se=quence "1:4,7:10" means the same as "1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10".
.blank
You can also select mes=sages based on their con=tents.  For
in=stance, the mes=sage se=quence
.literal

SUBJECT BUDGET

.end literal
selects all mes=sages with the word "budget" in the sub=ject.  So the
command:
.literal

	MS>read subject monthly

.end literal
would be used to read all mes=sages with the word "monthly" in
their sub=ject.  Similarly,
.literal

	MS>read first 9

.end literal
would let you read the first 9 mes=sages in your current mes=sage file.
	One par=tic=u=larly useful mes=sage se=quence is called
"same".  This directs MS to use the same mes=sage se=quence that you
used in your last com=mand.  For in=stance, suppose you want to delete
all mes=sages from a certain person named Jones.  How=ever, before
deleting them you'd really like to check and be sure that they are all
the mes=sages you think they are.  To do this, you might give the
com=mand:
.literal

	MS>headers from Jones

.end literal

to get a one-line sum=mary of each mes=sage from Jones.  Once you're
satisfied that you really want to delete all these mes=sages, you
could then say:
.literal

	MS>delete same

.end literal
	Mes=sages can be selected by date and time, using the SINCE
and BEFORE key=words; by the SUBJECT, FROM and TO fields; by searching
for words in the mes=sage text with the KEYWORD com=mand; by mes=sage
size with the SMALLER and LARGER com=mands; and so on.  To get a
com=plete list of all the possible ways to select mes=sages, type a
question mark when MS prompts you for a mes=sage se=quence.
.page
Send
.blank
The SEND command is used to com=pose and send a mes=sage.  It prompts
you for the required in=for=mation, which in=cludes "To:", "cc:"
(which may be blank), and "Subject:".  It then prompts you for the
text of the mes=sage.  When you have com=pleted the text of the
mes=sage, type ctrl-Z, which will cause the mes=sage to be sent
im=me=di=ately.
.blank
If, at some point while you are typing the text of the mes=sage, you
realize that you've made a mis=take, like omitting some=body from the
"To:" list, you can easily correct it.  Hit the ESC key.  This will put
you into send level, which prompts with "MS Send>>", and has several
commands which you can use to alter the current draft of the mes=sage.
Among these are the REMOVE command, which removes ad=dresses from the
"To:" or "cc:" list; the ERASE command, which erases entire fields in the
header (like an entire cc list); and the TEXT command, which returns
you to text mode so you can add text to the draft of the mes=sage.  If
you're at send level and decide that you really don't want to send the
mes=sage after all, use the QUIT command, which will return you to the
level from which you came.  Other=wise, give the SEND com=mand, which
will send the mes=sage and then return you to the previous com=mand level.
.page
Read
.blank
The read command is used to read a se=quence of mes=sages.  You
specify a mes=sage se=quence after the READ command, or you can just
type READ, in which case you will be shown all the mes=sages which you
have not yet seen.  For example,
.literal

MS>read subject evaluations

.end literal
would be used to read all mes=sages with the word "evaluations" in the
sub=ject field, while
.literal

MS>read

.end literal
would be used to read all "new" (that is, not yet seen) mes=sages.
After each mes=sage is dis=played, MS is at read level and prompts
with:
.literal

MS Read>>

.end literal
In previous versions of MS, at read level, commands such as DELETE
and READ only applied to the current (just displayed) message.  That
is still the default, but you can now give arguments to these commands,
as if you were at top level.  For example:
.literal

    MS READ>>DELETE FROM BRONSON

.end literal
You can also give the READ command, to branch off and read another
entirely different sequence of messages before con=tinuing with the
current sequence:
.literal

    MS READ>>READ FROM OLSEN

.end literal
After such a command, you will enter a recursive read level and read
the messages you specified.  Recursive read levels prompt with:
.literal

    MS READ(n) >>

.end literal
where n is the depth of recursion, a number that starts at 1 and
in=creases by 1 every time you go one read level deeper.  This tells
you, for example, how many QUIT commands would be required to return
to top level (since each Quit command backs up exactly one level).
.blank
When you've finished reading all the mes=sages you spec=i=fied in the
READ com=mand, typing car=riage-|return to the "MS Read>>" prompt will
return you to the previous com=mand level (this is usually top level).
.page
Reply
.blank
The REPLY command allows you to send a reply to a mes=sage which you
have received.  MS de=ter=mines from the mes=sage being replied to who
the sender was, and thus who the reply should go to, so that you need
not type in the name of the recipient.  The reply command is available
both at top level, where it takes a mes=sage se=quence specifying which
mes=sages to reply to, and at read level, in which case it assumes that
you wish to reply to the current mes=sage.
.blank
There are two possible ways to reply to a mes=sage; the reply can be
sent to the sender (only) of the mes=sage, or to the sender and to all
recipients of the mes=sage as well.  When using the reply command at
top level, MS will first ask you "Reply message #1 to:", to which you
reply either ALL or SENDER-ONLY.  When using the reply command from
read level, you can optionally follow the word REPLY with ALL or
SENDER-ONLY; if you omit the second part MS will assume SENDER-ONLY.
(You may change this, and many more as=sump=tions that MS makes as
well, by using the SET commands (q.v.).)
.blank
Once you have given the REPLY command, it works just like a SEND
command, except that since it knows who to send the mes=sage to it
doesn't ask for the "To:" or "cc:" lists.  If you decide that you
would like to change the "To:" or "cc:" lists, you can press the ESC
key while entering the text of the mes=sage, which will put you at
send level.  You can then use the send level commands to edit the
mes=sage.
.page
Forward
.blank
The FORWARD command, available at both top level and read level, allows
you to forward a mes=sage which you have received to another user.
Its usage is straight=for=ward;  it prompts for the "To:" and "cc:"
lists, just as the send command does.  It does not prompt for the
sub=ject;  in=stead it supplies the sub=ject of the forwarded mes=sage.
It then prompts you for text;  this text is inserted in front of the
forwarded mes=sage.  This is useful for adding your own comments
about the forwarded mes=sage.
.page
Copy
.blank
The COPY command, available from both top level and read level, places
a copy of a mes=sage into a file.  This is useful if you wish to
collect a set of related mes=sages into one place.  The COPY command
requires that you supply the name of the file in which to place the
mes=sage.  The mes=sage is appended to the file you name; the existing
con=tents of the file are pre=served.  If the file does not exist, it
is created.  You may examine and man=ip=u=late the con=tents of
mes=sage files which you create this way with the GET command (q.v.).
.page
Move
.blank
The MOVE command, available from both top level and read level, allows
you to move a mes=sage into a dif=ferent file.  It works exactly as if
you had used the COPY command (q.v.) to copy the mes=sage into the
other file, and then used the DELETE com=mand to delete the mes=sage.
.page
Delete
.blank
The DELETE command, available from both top level and read level, allows
you to delete mes=sages from the current mes=sage file.  Mes=sages which
you delete don't dis=ap=pear im=me=di=ately, but are marked as deleted.
They do not actually dis=ap=pear until you give the EXPUNGE or EXIT
command.  If you ac=ci=den=tally delete a mes=sage which you really wish
to keep, you may use the UNDELETE command to get it back, unless
an ex=punge has occurred.  Once you have ex=punged a mes=sage, you cannot
get it back.
.page
Skim
.blank
The SKIM command works just like READ but only types a header
line for each message, not the whole message.
.blank
The SKIM command permits recursive calls.  The prompt will show the
level of recursion that SKIM is currently in.
.page
Headers
.blank
The HEADERS command, available from both top level and read level,
gives you a one-line sum=mary of each mes=sage specified.  The line
looks some=thing like this:
.literal

NFAD 12-Jul Fred@OFFICE-3           |This Monday's meeting (549 chars)

.end literal
The letters at the beginning of the line are called the mes=sage flags.
Each letter has a meaning, and appears only when it applies.  The letters'
meanings are:
.literal

	F - the message is Flagged
	A - the message has been Answered
	D - the message is Deleted
	N - the message is New (that is, you haven't seen it yet)

.end literal
The next column is the date of the mes=sage.  Next is the name of the user
who sent the mes=sage, in this case, Fred@OFFICE-3.  The next column,
beginning at the ver=tical bar (|) character, is the sub=ject of the mes=sage;
if it is so long that it would run off the right margin, then it is trun=cated.
And last, in pa=ren=theses, is the length of the mes=sage, in cha=rac=ters.
.blank
If the mes=sage was sent by you (this can happen if you are saving
your out=going mes=sages in your mail file, or if you explicitly sent
a copy to yourself), in=stead of dis=playing the "From:" field in the
third column, MS will dis=play the "To:" field of the mes=sage,
pre=ceded by the word "To:".  For example:
.literal

NFAD 12-Jul To: Fred@OFFICE-3       |This Monday's meeting (549 chars)

.end literal
For in=for=mation on saving your out=going mes=sages, give the command
HELP SAVE.
HEADERS and DIRECTORY perform the same function.
.page
Flag
.blank
The FLAG command, available from both top level and read level, allows
you to flag certain mes=sages as im=por=tant.  You may wish, for in=stance,
to read all your mail quickly, and flag the im=por=tant mes=sages, so
that you can later come back and say READ FLAGGED, which will dis=play
all the flagged mes=sages on your terminal.  The UNFLAG command will
turn off the flag on a mes=sage.
.page
Init-file
.blank
An "init file" is a file which con=tains MS commands.  These commands
are executed by MS every time it starts up.  This is useful for
setting pa=ra=me=ters (see the SET com=mand description) and having
them re=mem=bered per=ma=nently.  You can create an init file either
with an editor, or with the MS command CREATE-INIT-FILE.  If you
create the file with an editor, the file must be named
.if TOPS20
MS.INIT.
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
MS.INI.
.endif TOPS10
For in=for=mation on the CREATE-INIT com=mand, give the com=mand HELP
CREATE-INIT.
.blank
There may also be a de=fault, system-wide init file for system-wide
defaults and address lists.  This file is called
.if TOPS20
SYSTEM:MS.INIT.
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
STD:MS.INI.
.endif TOPS10
.b
When you begin a mail session, the system init file is processed
after your own.  If you do not have one, only the system init file
is processed.
.page
Check
.blank
Every time MS up=dates your mes=sage file, and every time it returns
to the top-level prompt, it checks the current mes=sage file to see if
any new mes=sages have arrived.  If new mes=sages have arrived, MS
notifies you by dis=playing a one-line sum=mary of each new mes=sage.
To force MS to check im=me=di=ately for new mes=sages, give the CHECK
com=mand.  If new mes=sages have arrived, MS will dis=play the new
state of the mes=sage file, along with a one-line sum=mary of each new
mes=sage.
.page
Get
.blank
The GET command causes MS to read in a new mes=sage file.  It expects,
as an argument, the name of the mes=sage file you wish to read.  Once MS
reads the file, it will type a couple of lines of status in=for=mation
about the file.  You can then use any of MS's top-|level commands to
man=ip=u=late the file.
.page
Save
.blank
There are two SAVE commands:  SAVE OUTGOING-MESSAGES and SAVE DRAFT.
.blank
SAVE OUTGOING-MESSAGES
.blank
This command allows you to keep a record of all mes=sages which you
send.  It takes a file=spec as an argument, and once this command has
been given, every mes=sage which you send is copied into the file you
named.  You may examine the con=tents of this file by using the GET
command (q.v.).  This command is most commonly placed into an init-|file
(q.v.).
.blank
SAVE DRAFT
.blank
The SAVE DRAFT command, available only at send level, allows you to
store a copy of the current draft which you are working on.  The draft
in=cludes the "To:" and "cc:" lists, the sub=ject, and the text of the
mes=sage.  You may then use the RETRIEVE DRAFT (q.v.) command
to retrieve the draft and con=tinue com=posing a mes=sage.
.blank
The SAVE DRAFT command will leave you at send level;  if you wish
to send the draft as is, give the SEND command, and if you wish to
quit send level with=out sending the draft, give the QUIT command.
.page
Blank
.blank
This command clears your screen if you are on a video terminal and
have not previously given a SET NO VIDEO-|MODE command.  Some people
place this command into their init file (q.v.) so that when they enter
MS for the first time, they start with a clear screen.
.page
Repair
.blank
This command is only applicable to DECNET systems.  It allows you to
examine mail which has been returned to you as un=de=liv=er=able by
the net=work.  It takes, as an argument, the numeric part of the .RPR
file specification referred to in the Postmaster message sent to you.
Once you have
suc=cess=fully identified a dead letter to MS, the mes=sage is
dis=played on your terminal and you are placed at send level.  You may
then use any of the send level commands to correct the problem with
the mes=sage and try to send it again.
.page
Set
.blank
The SET commands allow you to alter many of the as=sump=tions which MS
ordinarily makes on your behalf.  They also allow you to customize
MS's be=ha=vior, and make it more agree=able with your own
par=tic=ular style of usage.  There are many SET commands, and they
are all listed here alphabetically.  In the fol=lowing descriptions,
words en=closed in square brackets denote optional words; for example:
.literal

SET [NO] VIDEO-MODE

.end literal
This indicates that the word NO is optional.  Words or phrases in
lowercase, inside angle brackets, denote the name of an item which you
must supply; for example:
.literal

SET REPLY-TO <address list>

.end literal
means that in=stead of typing "<ad=dress-list>", you would actually
type a list of ad=dresses.  And lists of items inside curly brackets,
separated by ver=tical bars, denote a list of choices from which only
one must be selected.  For example:
.literal

SET DEFAULT { REPLY-TO-ALL | REPLY-TO-SENDER-ONLY }

.end literal
means you would type either SET DEFAULT REPLY-TO-ALL or SET DEFAULT
REPLY-TO-SENDER-ONLY.
.blank 2
The avail=able SET commands are:
.blank
.left margin 8
.no flags break
.indent -8
SET AUTO-EXPUNGE (ON) {ANY-EXIT | EXIT-COMMAND-ONLY | NEVER}
.flags break
.break
Controls auto=matic ex=pun=ging of deleted mes=sages.  The de=fault
is SET AUTO-|EXPUNGE (ON) EXIT-|COMMAND-|ONLY.
.blank
.indent -8
SET AUTO-FILL
.break
The command SET AUTO-FILL puts MS into auto-fill mode.  This means
that you can type messages without crlf's; MS will
handle that automatically.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] BRIEF-ADDRESS-LIST-DISPLAY
.break
When brief-|address-|list-|display is in effect, MS will not type the con=tents
of ad=dress lists in mes=sages being dis=played, but in=stead only the name
of the ad=dress list.  This makes reading mes=sages which have been
sent to very long ad=dress lists less tire=some.  If a mes=sage con=tains
a nested ad=dress list, only the name of the outer=most list is dis=played.
.blank
.indent -8
SET CLOSING-TEXT
.break
The command SET CLOSING-TEXT allows you to predefine a line
of text that will subsequently be sent at the end of each
message.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] CONCISE-MODE
.break
Shortens some of the mes=sages typed by MS; should only be set by
experienced users.
.blank
.indent -8
SET DEFAULT CC-LIST <address list>
.break
Causes the users named in the ad=dress list to be cc'ed on every out=going
mes=sage.
.blank
.no flags
.indent -8
SET DEFAULT DIRECTORY (TO) {CONNECTED-DIRECTORY |LOGGED-IN-DIRECTORY| <directory name>
.flags
.blank
Sets the de=fault di=rec=tory into which created files go.  For more
in=for=mation on di=rec=tories, see the
.if TOPS10
TOPS-10 Operating System Commands Manual.
.endif TOPS10
.if TOPS20
TOPS-20 User's Guide.
.blank
.indent -8
SET DEFAULT PROTECTION (FOR CREATED FILES) <protection code>
.break
Causes all files created by MS (by the COPY and MOVE commands,
for in=stance) to be pro=tected with the code you spec=i=fied.
For more in=for=mation on file pro=tec=tion, see the TOPS-20
User's Guide.
.endif TOPS20
.blank
.no flags break
.indent -8
SET DEFAULT { REPLY-TO-SENDER-ONLY | REPLY-TO-ALL }
.flags break
.break
Sets the de=fault recipient list for the REPLY command.  SET DEFAULT
REPLY-|TO-|SENDER-|ONLY will cause replies to go to the ad=dres=sees
named in the "Reply-to:" field of the mes=sage being replied to, or to
the sender of the mes=sage, if no "Reply-to:" field exists.  SET
DEFAULT REPLY-|TO-|ALL will cause replies to also be sent to all users
in the "To:" and "cc:" lists as well.
.blank
.indent -8
SET EXPERIENCE-LEVEL
.break
Establishes you as either an expert or novice.  Novices can use only
the following commands:  DELETE, EXIT, EXPUNGE, FILE, HEADERS, HELP,
PRINT, READ, SEND, SET, SYSTEM-MESESAGES, UNDELETE.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] FORCE-DIRECTORY-LOOKUP
.break
When set, verifies local addresses in the TO: and CC: lists, and in
address-list definitions.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] SUMMARY-ON-PRINTER-OUTPUT
.break
When set, causes the first page of any line printer lis=ting of
mes=sages created by the PRINT command to con=tain a one-|line summary
sum=mary of each mes=sage listed.  This in=for=mation is the same as
that printed by the HEADERS command.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] SUMMARY-PERSONAL-NAME-ONLY
.break
When set, causes the HEADERS command to dis=play only the per=sonal
name of each mes=sage, rather than the full "From:" or "To:" field.
For mes=sages with=out per=sonal names, the en=tire field is dis=played.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] INCLUDE-ME-IN-REPLIES
.break
Controls whether you receive copies of your replies to other
users' mes=sages.  Has no effect if you have also given the
command SET DEFAULT REPLY-|TO-|SENDER-|ONLY.
.if TOPS20
.blank
.indent -8
SET LOGOUT-ON-EXIT
.blank
This command puts MS into a state where any attempt to exit from MS
will log you off the com=puter.  It is usually employed for users who
wish to use only MS; the system ad=min=is=trator will put the
fol=lowing command in their LOGIN.CMD:
.literal

	MS SET LOGOUT-ON-EXIT

.end literal
Which will cause them to enter MS im=me=di=ately upon logging in, and force
them to stay in MS for the du=ra=tion of the ses=sion.  For more in=for=mation
on LOGIN.CMD, see the TOPS-20 User's Guide.
.endif TOPS20
.blank
.indent -8
SET ONLY-HEADERS-SHOWN <header-name> [, <header-name>, ...]
.break
Re=stricts the amount of header in=for=mation dis=played by the READ
and TYPE commands.  If this command is given, only the headers named
will be dis=played.  This is par=tic=u=larly useful on slow terminals
when reading mes=sages with large headers.  For in=stance,
.literal

		SET ONLY-HEADERS-SHOWN to, subject, from

.end literal
will cause only the "To:", "Subject:", and "From:" fields to be shown.
If you wish to tem=po=rarily over=ride the effect of this command,
the VERBOSE-|TYPE command will show the entire mes=sage literally.
A less re=stric=tive, and some=what more flexible, way of reducing
the amount of header in=for=mation dis=played is to use the
SET SUPPRESSED-|HEADERS command (q.v.).
.blank
.indent -8
SET PERSONAL-NAME <your full name>
.break
Causes MS to add your real name to out=going mail (in addition to your
user=name).  Bear in mind that certain special cha=rac=ters, including
most punc=tua=tion cha=rac=ters, are allowed only inside quoted
strings (text en=closed by double quotes).  For a list of special
cha=rac=ters, say HELP RFC822.
.blank

.indent -8
SET [NO] REPLY-TO <address list>
.break
Allows you to cause replies which
other users send to your mes=sages to go to a dif=ferent place than
they ordinarily	would.  They cause the fol=lowing line to be inserted
into every mes=sage you send:
.literal

		Reply-to: <address list>

.end literal
When the recipient of such a mes=sage uses the REPLY command
to com=pose a reply, the reply will go to the ad=dress(es)
specified in the "Reply-to:" line, rather than to the sender of
the mes=sage.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] SUPPRESSED-HEADERS <header-name>, <header-name>, ...
.break
This command takes, as an argument, a list of header-|names separated
by commas, and causes MS not to dis=play the named header-|items when
dis=playing mes=sages on your terminal.  The SET ONLY-|HEADERS-|SHOWN
command, which is stronger, will over=ride the effect of this command.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] TEXT-SCROLL-REGION [(TO) <number> (LINES)]
.break
On terminals capable of defining scroll regions (for example, VT100
and VT200 series terminals), MS can, in read mode, scroll only the text of mes=sages
being dis=played, while leaving the headers in place.  If the header
area of a mes=sage is too long, though, this results in an annoyingly
small number of lines being used to dis=play the mes=sage text.  The
SET TEXT-|SCROLL-|REGION command instructs MS to scroll the text of
the mes=sage in this manner, but only if <number> lines are avail=able
in which to scroll the text.  If the headers are so big as to not
leave <number> lines available for text, then the headers are scrolled
as well as the text.  SET NO TEXT-|SCROLL-|REGION tells MS to dis=play
mes=sages in the usual manner, with=out setting up a scroll region.
This is the de=fault be=ha=vior.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] TYPE-INITIAL-SUMMARY
.break
Controls whether, when MS starts up, it prints the initial lines of
status in=for=mation about your mes=sage file.  This in=for=mation is
also printed by the SHOW STATUS command.
.blank
.indent -8
SET [NO] VIDEO-MODE
.break
Turns on or off MS's video dis=play features for video terminals.
The de=fault is SET VIDEO-|MODE.
.left margin 0
.page
Net-mail
.blank
MS handles two kinds of mail: local mail, which goes to and from users
of the same com=puter which you use, and net=work mail, which goes to
and from users of other (remote) com=puters.  Ordinarily, the only
dif=fer=ence which is im=por=tant to you is that when you send mail to
remote users, you must iden=tify the com=puter which they use, by
adding the phrase "@NAME" to their user=name, where NAME is the name
of the com=puter they use.
.blank
When you send mail, it is not delivered im=me=di=ately,
but is queued for later trans=mis=sion ("Mail queued for
de=livery by MX").  The
system will send your mail almost immediately, though, if the destination host is accessible.
That host is given fourteen days to become accessible.  After
that, the message is undeliverable.
.page
Bad-format
.blank
Occasionally, a mes=sage file will get damaged, either by a bug in MS,
a bug in the com=puter on which MS runs, or a hard=ware problem.  If this
happens, you will see one of the fol=lowing mes=sages from MS:
.literal

?File has bad format - last message has no size field
?File has bad format - cannot find start of last message
?File has bad format - message nn has no receive date

.end literal
If you give a HEADERS ALL command, you will most likely see some
peculiar-|looking headers;  usually they will have no Sub=ject, From,
or Date field, and the length of the mes=sage will either be zero, or
ridiculously large.
.blank
MS can repair almost any kind of damage to a mes=sage file.  First,
make a copy of the damaged file using the COPY command.  When MS
creates a mes=sage file (with either COPY or MOVE), it always
writes a correctly-|formatted file.  If the file being copied is
damaged, MS is forced to make some as=sump=tions about its format,
but in all cases the new file is correctly formatted.  Then use the
GET command to read in the copy you've just made.  You should get
no error mes=sages, but you may still have some peculiar-|looking
headers.  Read the mes=sages with these headers, and if they con=tain
only garbage, you can delete them.  If they con=tain frag=ments of
real mes=sages, you may want to keep them, rather than lose the frag=ments.
.blank
Once you have made a good copy of the damaged file, you should delete
the con=tents of the damaged file to save space.  Return to the damaged
file (using the GET command), delete all the mes=sages, and give the
EXPUNGE command.
.blank
If the damaged file was your mail file, be aware that your mail file
is now empty (al=though you have a good copy of your old mail in another
file).  If you wish to put the good copy back into your mail file, use
the GET command to get the good copy, then use the MOVE command to
move all the mes=sages back into your mail file.  The file=spec of a mail
file is
.if TOPS20
"MAIL.TXT.1";
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
"MAIL.TXT";
.endif TOPS10
Be sure to type it com=pletely.  This se=quence of commands will look
like:
.literal

MS>get (messages from file) good-copy

 Last read:  Monday, February 10, 1986 17:27-EST.
 182 messages (206873 characters), in 81 disk pages.
 Message 166 flagged.

MS>move (message sequence) all
.end literal
.if TOPS20
.literal
 Into file: mail.txt.1
.end literal
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
.literal
 Into file: mail.txt
.end literal
.endif TOPS10
.literal
 1:53
MS>

.end literal
In all cases, in=stances of damaged mes=sage files should be re=ported
to the person re=spon=sible for running your com=puter, so that the cause
can be eliminated.
.page
Retrieve
.blank
There are two RETRIEVE commands:  RETRIEVE DRAFT and
RETRIEVE LAST-|MESSAGE.
.blank
RETRIEVE DRAFT
.blank
This command, available only at top level, allows you to retrieve a
draft you previously stored with the SAVE DRAFT (q.v.)  command.  It
retrieves the draft, dis=plays the draft on your terminal, and leaves
you at send level.  You may then give any of the send level commands
to man=ip=u=late the draft; most commonly, you would give the TEXT
command to add mes=sage text to the draft.
.blank
RETRIEVE LAST-MESSAGE
.blank
This command, available only at top level, allows you to re=cover a copy
of the last mes=sage you sent, so that you may edit it and re=send
it.  This is typically used when you have just sent a mes=sage, and
then realized that you forgot to include some=one in the ad=dress lists.
This command will dis=play the mes=sage and put you into send level.
You may then use all the send level commands to add or delete users in
the ad=dress lists, edit the text of the mes=sage, and send it again.
.blank
This com=mand does NOT retract mail;  that is, if you have sent a
mes=sage to some=one and then changed your mind, this com=mand does
not remove the mes=sage from the recipient's mail=box.  Once a
mes=sage has been sent, it has been sent.  What this com=mand does is
retrieves the draft of the mes=sage so you need not type it in again.
.page
Define
.blank
The DEFINE command allows you to define ex=ten=sions to MS's basic
ca=pa=bil=ities.  You can define aliases for users, using the DEFINE
ALIAS command.  You can define named ad=dress lists, using the DEFINE
ADDRESS-|LIST command.  And you can define new header-|items, with the
DEFINE HEADER-|ITEM command.
.blank
DEFINE ALIAS
.blank
This command defines an alias for an ad=dress.  This is useful when
you have a long or non-|mnemonic ad=dress to which you fre=quently
send mail, or when you wish to refer to some=one by other than their
real user=name.  The command format is:
.literal

	MS>DEFINE ALIAS John (TO BE) Purretta@KL2102

.end literal
This command will define the alias "John" to be the same as "Purretta@KL2102". 
 You can now give the alias "John" in any ad=dress
spe=ci=fi=ca=tion, such as a to or cc list, and MS will convert it to
the full ad=dress for you.  Aliases may also re=pre=sent a list of
ad=dresses, as in:
.literal

	MS>DEFINE ALIAS Neffs (TO BE) LNeff@KL2102, DNeff@KL2116

.end literal
To delete an alias de=fi=ni=tion, give the command DEFINE ALIAS <name>, where
<name> is the name of the alias de=fi=ni=tion to be deleted.  To delete
all alias de=fi=ni=tions, give the command DEFINE ALIAS *.
.blank 2
DEFINE ADDRESS-LIST
.blank
This command allows you to define named ad=dress lists.  These be=have
almost exactly like aliases, with one ex=cep=tion: the name of the
ad=dress list is shown in the mes=sage.  For example, if you defined
the fol=lowing ad=dress list:
.literal

    MS>DEFINE ADDRESS-LIST Task-force (TO BE) LCampbell, King, Jones, Dickson

.end literal
and then sent mail to "Task-force", the mail received would have a "To:"
field looking like:
.literal

    To: Task-force: LCampbell, King, Jones, Dickson;

.end literal
System ad=min=is=tra=tors may find this command useful in defining
mail=box names which refer to sub=jects;  for in=stance, rather than
ex=pec=ting users to know who main=tains a par=tic=ular pro=gram, the
system ad=min=is=trator could put the fol=lowing commands in the system
MS.INIT (init file):
.literal

	DEFINE ADDRESS-LIST MS-Bugs LCampbell@2102
	DEFINE ADDRESS-LIST EMACS-Bugs RMS@MIT-AI

.end literal
To delete an ad=dress-|list de=fi=ni=tion, give the command DEFINE
ADDRESS-|LIST <name>, where <name> is the name of the address-|list to
be deleted.  To delete all ad=dress-|list de=fi=ni=tions, give the
com=mand DEFINE ADDRESS-|LIST *.
.blank 2
DEFINE HEADER-ITEM
.blank
This command allows users to define header-|items.  A header-|item is
a field which appears in the header portion of a mes=sage;  that is, the
portion before the first blank line.  These fields consist of a key=word,
a colon, and possibly some data.  MS has six header-|items built in
to it:  "To:", "Subject:", "Date:", "From:", "cc:", "In-reply-to:".
The DEFINE HEADER-|ITEM command allows you to define your own new
header-|items.
.blank
To define a header-|item, you must supply its name, its flavor, and
its type.  If you wish the data for the header-|item to be predefined,
you must enter that as well.
.blank
Header-items come in three flavors:  optional, pre=defined, and required.
.blank
.left margin 8
.indent -8
1)	An optional header-item is one which you may elect to in=clude
in an out=going mes=sage, but which is not required.  MS will not
prompt you for it, so to in=clude it, you must use the send-level
command INCLUDE.
.blank
.indent -8
2)	A pre=defined header-item is one whose data is defined in
ad=vance.  MS will not prompt for it, but it will be in=cluded
in all out=going mes=sages.  An example of a pre=defined header-|item
might be your tele=phone number or postal ad=dress.
.blank
.indent -8
3)	A required header-item is one whose data is not sup=plied in
ad=vance, and which must be sup=plied before sending any mes=sage.  MS
will prompt you for these header-|items every time you send a
mes=sage.
.left margin 0
.blank
Header-items also come in six types.  These types are: ad=dress, date,
date-|and-|time, time, text-|string, and key=word.  When defining a
key=word header-|item, you must supply a list of legal key=words for
that header-|item.  Pre=defined key=word header-|items don't make much
sense, and are not allowed.
.blank
Here is an example of defining your tele=phone number so that it is
always in=cluded in mes=sages you send:
.literal

	MS>DEFINE HEADER-ITEM Phone (TYPE) predefined text-string 475-6446

.end literal
Mes=sage which you send will now look some=thing like this:
.literal

	Date: 14-Jan-86 15:33
	From: <your name>
	To:
	cc:
note ->	Phone: 475-6446
	Subject: <subject>

	<text>
	   -------

.end literal
One possible use for key=word header-|items is il=lus=trated by the fol=lowing
example:
.literal

	MS>DEFINE HEADER-ITEM Priority REQUIRED KEYWORD urgent,high,medium,low

.end literal
To delete a header-|item de=fi=ni=tion, just give the command DEFINE
HEADER-|ITEM <name>, where <name> is the name of the header-|item.  To
delete all header-|item de=fi=ni=tions, give the command DEFINE
HEADER-|ITEM *.
.page
Show
.blank
Available SHOW commands are:
.blank
.left margin 8
.indent -8
SHOW ALIASES
.break
Displays all currently defined aliases.
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW ADDRESS-LISTS
.break
Displays all currently defined address-lists.
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW DAYTIME
.break
Displays the current date and time.
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW DEFAULTS
.break
Shows the defaults (assumptions which MS makes on your behalf) which
are cur=rently in effect.  Each de=fault is dis=played by showing the
exact command which would cause that de=fault to be in effect.  Most
of the de=faults shown by this command may be changed with the SET
command (q.v.).
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW HEADER-ITEMS
.break
Displays all currently-|defined header-|items and their types, and
for pre=defined header-|items dis=plays the cur=rently defined value.
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW STATUS
.break
Shows you the name and status of the current mes=sage file.  This
in=cludes the number of mes=sages in the file,
the size of the file in
.if TOPS10
disk blocks (each block con=tains 640 cha=rac=ters),
.endif TOPS10
.if TOPS20
disk pages (each page con=tains 2560 cha=rac=ters),
the date and time the file was last read,
.endif TOPS20
the number of deleted mes=sages, the number of un=seen (new) mes=sages, the current message number, and
a list of flagged mes=sages.
.blank
.indent -8
SHOW VERSION
.break
Displays the ver=sion of MS cur=rently running, and a list of optional
features which are sup=ported by this ver=sion (such as net=work mail).
.left margin 0
.page
Expunge
.blank
The EXPUNGE command causes mes=sages which have been marked for removal
with the DELETE command to actually dis=ap=pear.  Until a mes=sage is
ex=punged, you may get it back by using the UNDELETE command.  Once you
have ex=punged it, though, it is gone for=ever.  The EXIT command usually
expunges deleted mes=sages auto=ma=tic=ally.  This can be changed, though,
with the SET AUTO-|EXPUNGE command.
.page
Mark
.blank
The MARK command marks a mes=sages, or mes=sages, as having been seen.
Mes=sages are marked auto=ma=tic=ally when you examine them using the READ,
TYPE, or VERBOSE-|TYPE commands.  When MS first starts up, it will
dis=play a header line for each mes=sage which is not marked as having
been seen.  The UNMARK command will remove the "seen" mark
from a mes=sage.
.page
Unmark
.blank
The UNMARK com=mand removes the mark on a mes=sage which flags it as
having been seen (see the MARK command description).
.page
Verbose-type
.blank
This command dis=plays a mes=sage literally.  Even if you have given a
SET ONLY-|HEADERS-|SHOWN command or a SET SUPPRESSED-|HEADERS command
to re=strict the amount of headers shown, the whole mes=sage will be
dis=played.
.page
Print
.blank
This command, which takes a mes=sage se=quence as an argument, causes
the mes=sages specified to be printed on the line printer.  The lis=ting
will be pre=faced by a one-|line sum=mary of each mes=sage if you have
given the SET SUMMARY-|ON-|PRINTER-|OUTPUT command.
.note
This com=mand actually causes MS to copy the mes=sage to device LL:
(lowercase line printer);  if that doesn't work, MS tries device LPT:.
MS does this to try to print the mes=sage(s) on a printer with
lowercase ca=pa=bil=ities.
.if TOPS10
.break
If you do not have spooling set for device LPT:, MS will try to assign
the physical line printer.  It is highly recommended (and the usual
de=fault) that you run with spooling for all devices (SET SPOOL ALL).
Your system ad=min=is=trator (the person who assigned you your account
on the system) can set this up for you per=ma=nently.
.endif TOPS10
.end note
.page
System-messages
.blank
The system has a public mail file which con=tains mes=sages of in=terest
to all users;  this is similar to a bul=letin board.  The SYSTEM-|MESSAGES
command loads the public mes=sage file.  You then read it just like
ordinary mail.  Unless you have special privileges, though, you may not
DELETE mes=sages or EXPUNGE deleted mes=sages from this file.
.page
Take
.blank
This command takes a file=spec as an argument.  It reads the con=tents
of the file and executes them as MS commands.  Command files may be
nested;  that is, a command file may con=tain TAKE commands.
You create command files with any editor;  for more in=for=mation
on editors, refer to the ap=pro=priate user's manual.
.page
RFC822
.blank
RFC822 (Request For Comments number 822) is the name of the ARPANET
mail format stan=dard.  It is the oldest and most widely-|known
elec=tronic mail stan=dard, and forms the basis of many other
stan=dards (usually sub=sets).  MS tries very hard to adhere to RFC822.
While it certainly does not under=stand every=thing allowed by the
stan=dard, it should never generate mes=sages which violate it.
.blank
Those interested in the details of RFC822 should read the RFC itself.
It is available on=line at SRI-KL on the ARPANET and can be accessed
through the NIC facility.  If you do not have access to the ARPANET,
you can obtain a docu=ment that in=cludes a de=scrip=tion of RFC822.
The name of the docu=ment is "ARPANET Pro=tocol Handbook", and is
avail=able as Publication no. NIC 7104 from:
.literal

	National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
	5285 Port Royal Road
	Springfield, VA 22161

.end literal
.blank
For the benefit of readers who may have been referred to this topic by
the reference in the entry for the SET PERSONAL-|NAME command, RFC822
defines "special characters" (cha=rac=ters which must be in a quoted
string to appear in a header-|item) as follows:
.literal

specials:	(  )  <  >  @  ,  ;  :  \  " ! % []

.end literal
.page
Create-init-file
.blank
	The CREATE-INIT-FILE com=mand, avail=able only at top level,
pro=vides an easy way for you to create an init file (for more
in=for=mation about init files, say HELP INIT-|FILE).  When you give
the CREATE-|INIT-|FILE com=mand, MS enters create-|init mode.  In=stead
of prompting with the stan=dard prompt,
.literal

	MS>

.end literal
MS prompts this way:
.literal

	MS Create-init>>

.end literal
	While in this mode, every com=mand you type goes into the init
file, with the ex=cep=tion of the HELP and TAKE commands.  The HELP
com=mand is excluded so that you can get help during your create-|init
ses=sion with=out cluttering up your init file with HELP commands.
.break
	If you wish to add to an existing init file, rather than
creating a new one from scratch, just give the fol=lowing com=mand at
some point during your create-|init dialogue:
.if TOPS20
.literal

	TAKE MS.INIT

.end literal
.endif TOPS20
.if TOPS10
.literal

	TAKE MS.INI

.end literal
.endif TOPS10
	If during create-|init mode you change your mind and you decide
you really don't want to change your init file, give the QUIT
com=mand.  Or, when you are finished creating your init file and wish
to update the init file and return to normal mode, give the FINISH
com=mand.
.page
File
.blank
	The FILE com=mand is similar to both the MOVE and COPY
commands.  It allows you to copy a number of mes=sages (at top level)
or the current mes=sage (at read level) into another mes=sage file,
and optionally can delete the orig=inal mes=sage(s) from the current
mes=sage file.  After copying the mes=sage(s) into the file you
specify, MS will ask whether you wish to delete the orig=inal copy of
the mes=sage(s) from the current mes=sage file.  You reply either YES
or NO;  NO is the de=fault and is assumed if you give a blank reply.
.page
Unflag
.blank
	The UNFLAG command removes the "flag" from a message.  For
more information, see the description of the FLAG command.
.page
Undelete
.blank
	The UNDELETE command removes the "deleted" flag from a
message.  For more detail, see the description of the DELETE command.
.page
Type
.blank
	The TYPE command simply types the messages you name on your
terminal.  No screen clearing is done, and if you specify more than
one message, they are typed all at once with no pauses.  This
contrasts with the READ command, which pauses after displaying each
message to allow you to manipulate the messages as they go by.
.page
Exit
.blank
	The EXIT command is used to leave MS and return to the program
which invoked it (the command language processor).  In addition,
unless you have given an overriding SET AUTO-EXPUNGE command, the EXIT
command will do an implied EXPUNGE to discard deleted messages.
.page
Quit
.blank
	The QUIT command causes MS to leave the current command level
and return to the level which invoked the current level.  At top level
then, the QUIT command returns you to the command language processor.
.page
Push
.blank
	The PUSH command places your terminal at operating system
command level, at which point you can perform any
ordinary operating system function or command.  Giving the POP command
will return you to MS.
.page
Next
.blank
	The NEXT com=mand causes MS to dis=play the "next" mes=sage,
that is, the mes=sage fol=lowing the current mes=sage.  If the current
mes=sage is the last mes=sage in the file, you will receive an error
mes=sage.
.page
Directory
.bl
	The DIRECTORY command is equivalent to the HEADERS command.
.! CMS REPLACEMENT HISTORY 


.!*2 WARREN 11-Feb-1984 09:57:35 "Added help for BBoard."
.!*1 WARREN 31-Oct-1983 07:53:15 "Runoff source for MS help file"