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<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="Jerry Peek">
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<TITLE>MH & nmh: What's a New Command Version?</TITLE>
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<H1>What's a New Command Version?</H1>
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[<A HREF="ch-nvomc.htm">previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="makcom.htm">next</A>]
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[<A HREF="tocs/jump.htm">table of contents</A>] [<A HREF="indexes/map.htm">index</A>]
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In UNIX, you can give the same command more than one name.
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For instance, typing the command <I>view</I> will run the <I>vi</I>
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program -- but the program will notice that you've run it with the name
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<I>view</I>, so it automatically sets its read-only mode.
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You can do the same thing with MH programs.
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(Besides this chapter,
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there are some good examples in the <I>miscellany/mtrenv</I> directory
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of the MH distribution.)
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An MH command will run the same way, no matter what name you give
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it -- but it will look for an entry in your MH profile
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with the name you use to run it.
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For example, you can set a second name for the <I>repl</I> command
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called <I>replx</I> (see the directions below).
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Then, add an entry with the new name to your MH profile.
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replx: -query -filter <TT><I>filter_file</I></TT>
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the program will run as if you'd typed
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<TT>repl -query -filter <I>filter_file</I> 23</TT>
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and read a copy of your original message into your draft reply.
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New versions are easy to make -- almost as easy as shell aliases.
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Usually, you don't even have to be a programmer.
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(It might help to have a guru "on call" when you do the first setup.)
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<A HREF="makcom.htm">Making a New Command Version</A> explains how to make them.
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<A HREF="mhanthsh.htm#UsSAaFwM">shell aliases or functions</A>, MH command
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versions can be run by any other MH or UNIX command.
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You can use MH command versions in <I>at</I> or <I>cron</I> jobs, from
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inside a shell script, from another MH command, from a C or <I>perl</I>
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Sometimes, though, an alias or function is all you need.
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<A HREF="wcvaaof.htm">Writing Command Versions as Aliases or Functions</A>
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tells how to write these versions as an alias
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[<A HREF="tocs/jump.htm">Table of Contents</A>] [<A HREF="indexes/map.htm">Index</A>]
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[<A HREF="ch-nvomc.htm">Previous: Chapter Introduction (New Versions of MH Commands)</A>]
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[<A HREF="makcom.htm">Next: Making a New Command Version</A>]
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<EM>Last change $Date: 1999/10/10 05:14:05 $</EM>
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This file is from the third edition of the book <I>MH & xmh: Email
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for Users & Programmers</I>, ISBN 1-56592-093-7, by Jerry Peek.
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Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
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This file is freely available; you can redistribute it and/or modify
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it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
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the Free Software Foundation. For more information, see
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<A HREF="../copying.htm">the file <I>copying.htm</I></A>.
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Suggestions are welcome:
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<A HREF="http://www.jpeek.com/">Jerry Peek</A>
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<A HREF="mailto:jpeek@jpeek.com"><jpeek@jpeek.com></A>
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