mailx will list the messages it contains (in groups of 20) with an initial code, a message number, the sender, the date and time sent, the size (lines and bytes), and the subject. A message can be read by merely indicating the number at the prompt (usually ?).
If there are new messages, the headers of those messages will be listed. If there are no new messages, the headers of the initial messages still in the "var/mail" file will appear.
If you only see the headers of the initial messages (e.g., the first 20 messages), enter the command h21 to have the headers starting with message 21 be listed on the screen.
Each message is preceded by a code: O (old), N (new), R (just read), U (unread).
In the chart of mailx commands below, [msglist] is used. [msglist] is optional and specifies messages by number, author, subject or type. If omitted, the default message is the current message. (The square brackets indicate the optional nature of [msglist] and are not actually included.)
(15)pozzo>mailx jdoe@mailer.scu.eduafter which mailx will prompt you for Subject, CC:, etc.
The message is ended via a period as the first character on a line. At this point, one will return to the user prompt.
One may also enter mailx and at its prompt, the ?, type m or mail and be prompted for the username, etc. One may also enter
? mail jdoe@mailer.scu.eduafter which you will be prompted for further information.
Once again, the message is ended via a period as the first character on a line. At this point, one will return to the mailer prompt.
At the user prompt, one may also send a file, e.g., filename1.ext using the input redirection symbol, <, as follows:
(16)pozzo>mailx jdoe@mailer.scu.edu < filename1.ext
| n (integer) | message number n |
| <enter> | next message |
| . | current message |
| ^ | first undeleted message |
| $ | last message |
| * | all messages |
| + | next undeleted message |
| - | last undeleted message |
| n-m | inclusive message range (from n to m) |
| user | all messages from user |
| :c | all messages of type c |
| where c is | |
| d for deleted | |
| n for new | |
| o for old | |
| r for read | |
| u for unread | |
| /string | message with "string" in subject line |
| alias,group user ... | declare alias for user names |
| alternates user | declare alternate names for your login |
| cd,chdir [directory] | chdir to directory or home if none given |
| !command | shell escape |
| copy [msglist] file | save messages to file without marking as saved |
| d(elete) [msglist] | delete messages |
| discard,ignore header | discard header field when printing message |
| dp,dt [msglist] | delete messages and type next message |
| echo string | print the string |
| e(dit) [msglist] | edit messages |
| folder,file filename | change mailboxes to filename |
| folders | list files in directory of current folder |
| followup [msglist] | reply to authors of messages and save copy |
| Followup [message] | reply to all recipients of message and save copy |
| from [msglist] | give header lines of messages |
| h(eader) [message] | print page of active message headers |
| help,? | print this help message |
| hold,preserve [msglist] | hold messages in mailbox |
| inc | incorporate new messages into current session |
| list | list all commands (no explanations) |
| m(ail) user | mail to specific user |
| mail to specific user, saving copy | |
| mbox [msglist] | messages will go to mbox when quitting |
| next [message] | goto and type next message |
| pipe,| [msglist] shell-cmd | pipe the messages to the shell command |
| p(rint),t(ype) [msglist] | print messages |
| Print,Type [msglist] | print messages with all headers |
| q(uit) | quit, preserving unread messages |
| r(eply),r(espond) [msglist] | reply to authors (only) of the messages |
| R(eply),R(espond) [message] | reply to the author and recipients of the msg |
| s(ave) [msglist] file | save (appending) messages to file |
| Save [msglist] | save messages to file named after author |
| set variable[=value] | set variable to value |
| size [msglist] | print size of messages |
| source file | read commands from file |
| top [msglist] | print top 5 lines of messages |
| touch [msglist] | force the messages to be saved when quitting |
| undelete [msglist] | restore deleted messages |
| undiscard,unignore header | add header field back to list printed |
| unread,new [msglist] | mark messages unread |
| version | print version |
| v(isual) [msglist] | edit list with $VISUAL editor |
| write [msglist] file | write messages without headers |
| x(it),exit | quit, preserving all messages |
| z [+/-] | display next [last] page of 10 headers |
| ~ ~ | Quote a single tilde |
| ~a,~A | Autograph (insert 'sign', 'Sign' variable) |
| ~b users | Add users to Bcc list |
| ~c users | Add users to Cc list |
| ~d | Read in dead.letter file |
| ~e | Edit the message buffer |
| ~f messages | Read in messages, do not right-shift |
| ~h | Prompt for Subject and To, Cc and Bcc lists |
| ~i variable | Insert variable into message (~a := ~i sign) |
| ~m messages | Read in messages, right-shifted by a tab |
| ~p | Print the message buffer |
| ~q, ~Q | Quit, save letter in $HOME/dead.letter |
| ~r, ~< file | Read a file into the message buffer |
| ~r, ~< !command | Read output from command into message |
| ~R | Mark message for return receipt |
| ~s subject | Set subject |
| ~t users | Add users to To list |
| ~v | Invoke display editor on message |
| ~w file | Write message onto file (no header) |
| ~x | Quit, do not save letter |
| ~!command | Run a shell command |
| ~|, ~^ command | Pipe the message through the command |
| ~:, ~_ command | Execute regular mailx command |
| ~. | end of input |
| ~? | print this help message |
Using <ctrl>C twice will kill (abort) the current message being composed and append the text to the file named dead.letter.
This page is maintained by Dennis C. Smolarski, S.J.
dsmolarski@math.scu.edu
© Copyright 1998 Dennis C. Smolarski, SJ, All rights reserved.
Last changed: 7 March 1998. Slightly modified 26 September 2001.