


BINMAIL(1)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual	       BINMAIL(1)



NAME
     binmail - send or receive mail among users

SYNOPSIS
     /bin/mail [ + ] [ -i ] [ person ] ...
     /bin/mail [ + ] [ -i ] -f file

DESCRIPTION
     Note: This is the old version 7 UNIX system mail program.
     The default _m_a_i_l command is described in _M_a_i_l(1), and its
     binary is in the directory /_u_s_r/_u_c_b.

     _m_a_i_l with no argument prints a user's mail, message-by-
     message, in last-in, first-out order; the optional argument
     + displays the mail messages in first-in, first-out order.
     For each message, it reads a line from the standard input to
     direct disposition of the message.

     newline
	  Go on to next message.

     d	  Delete message and go on to the next.

     p	  Print message again.

     -	  Go back to previous message.

     s [ _f_i_l_e ] ...
	  Save the message in the named _f_i_l_e_s (`mbox' default).

     w [ _f_i_l_e ] ...
	  Save the message, without a header, in the named _f_i_l_e_s
	  (`mbox' default).

     m [ _p_e_r_s_o_n ] ...
	  Mail the message to the named _p_e_r_s_o_n_s (yourself is
	  default).

     EOT (control-D)
	  Put unexamined mail back in the mailbox and stop.

     q	  Same as EOT.

     !_c_o_m_m_a_n_d
	  Escape to the Shell to do _c_o_m_m_a_n_d.

     *	  Print a command summary.

     An interrupt normally terminates the _m_a_i_l command; the mail
     file is unchanged.  The optional argument -i tells _m_a_i_l to
     continue after interrupts.




Printed 11/26/99	 April 29, 1985                         1






BINMAIL(1)	    UNIX Programmer's Manual	       BINMAIL(1)



     When _p_e_r_s_o_n_s are named, _m_a_i_l takes the standard input up to
     an end-of-file (or a line with just `.') and adds it to each
     _p_e_r_s_o_n'_s `mail' file.  The message is preceded by the
     sender's name and a postmark.  Lines that look like post-
     marks are prepended with `>'.  A _p_e_r_s_o_n is usually a user
     name recognized by _l_o_g_i_n(1).  To denote a recipient on a
     remote system, prefix _p_e_r_s_o_n by the system name and exclama-
     tion mark (see _u_u_c_p(1C)).

     The -f option causes the named file, for example, `mbox', to
     be printed as if it were the mail file.

     When a user logs in he is informed of the presence of mail.

FILES
     /etc/passwd	    to identify sender and locate persons
     /usr/spool/mail/*	    incoming mail for user *
     mbox		    saved mail
     /tmp/ma*		    temp file
     /usr/spool/mail/*.lock lock for mail directory
     dead.letter	    unmailable text

SEE ALSO
     Mail(1), write(1), uucp(1C), uux(1C), xsend(1), sendmail(8)

BUGS
     Race conditions sometimes result in a failure to remove a
     lock file.

     Normally anybody can read your mail, unless it is sent by
     _x_s_e_n_d(1).	An installation can overcome this by making _m_a_i_l
     a set-user-id command that owns the mail directory.























Printed 11/26/99	 April 29, 1985                         2



