From c89f1021a83bde2f9c780929dd9418759edee12e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Chris Hanson Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 02:29:40 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Add section about server connections. Write outline and introductory text for Commands chapter. --- v7/doc/imail/imail.texinfo | 176 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++- 1 file changed, 173 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/v7/doc/imail/imail.texinfo b/v7/doc/imail/imail.texinfo index 38e2a041a..426eb32d4 100644 --- a/v7/doc/imail/imail.texinfo +++ b/v7/doc/imail/imail.texinfo @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ @iftex @finalout @end iftex -@comment $Id: imail.texinfo,v 1.3 2000/07/11 01:43:43 cph Exp $ +@comment $Id: imail.texinfo,v 1.4 2000/07/11 02:29:40 cph Exp $ @comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.) @setfilename imail.info @settitle IMAIL User's Manual @@ -162,12 +162,13 @@ the mail in the @samp{inbox} folder on your @sc{imap} server, type To use @sc{imail} effectively, it is helpful to know the terminology and understand the concepts underlying @sc{imail}'s design. Here we will -introduce you to messages, folders, and @sc{url}s. +introduce you to messages, folders, @sc{url}s, and server connections. @menu * Messages:: * Folders:: * URLs:: +* Server Connections:: @end menu @node Messages, Folders, Concepts, Concepts @@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ different @dfn{types} of folder are treated exactly the same by @sc{imail}. Finally, because @sc{imail} is extensible, other types of folders may be supported in the future. -@node URLs, , Folders, Concepts +@node URLs, Server Connections, Folders, Concepts @section URLs @cindex Uniform Resource Locator @@ -412,9 +413,178 @@ individual messages; no editing commands, flags vs. labels. @end itemize @end ifset +@node Server Connections, , URLs, Concepts +@section Server Connections + +@cindex connection state +Unlike a file folder, in which the folder's contents are always +available, access to an @sc{imap} folder requires an active network +connection to the @sc{imap} server. This adds an additional layer of +complexity to the mail-reading process, which is reflected in the +@dfn{connection state} of an @sc{imap} folder. + +@cindex online state +@cindex offline state +@cindex online mode +@cindex offline mode +@cindex disconnected mode +An @sc{imap} folder can be in one of two states: @dfn{online}, meaning +that there is an established network connection between @sc{imail} and +the @sc{imap} server, and @dfn{offline} when there is not. @sc{imail} +is, at present, a very simple @sc{imap} mail reader: it must be online +to read and manipulate mail messages. Mail readers that have this +property are said to operate in @dfn{online mode}.@footnote{@sc{imap} +also supports two other modes of operation, called @dfn{offline mode} +and @dfn{disconnected mode}; at present @sc{imail} does not support +these alternate modes.} Do not confuse the online @emph{state} with +online @emph{mode}. When we refer to online or offline in this +document, it always means the corresponding state. + +When an @sc{imap} folder is selected in an @sc{imail} buffer, the +modeline for that buffer shows either @samp{online} or @samp{offline} to +indicate the folder's connection state. Normally, an @sc{imap} folder +goes online when it is first selected, and stays online indefinitely +until it is explicitly disconnected.@footnote{Although @sc{imap} servers +are allowed to disconnect mail readers that are inactive for long +periods of time, @sc{imail} silently keeps the connection open by +periodically transmitting commands to the server.} Commands that break +the connection are explicitly pointed out in their descriptions below; +most other commands will force an @sc{imap} folder into the online state +if it is offline. + @node Commands, Variables, Concepts, Top @chapter Commands +@sc{imail} provides a rich set of commands for manipulating messages. +Like Rmail, most of these commands are bound to letter keys. + +The most important command is @kbd{M-x imail}, which is used to start +@sc{imail}. With no arguments, @kbd{M-x imail} reads the primary +folder, selects the first unseen message in the folder, then selects the +folder's buffer. If the primary folder is an @sc{imap} folder, @kbd{M-x +imail} will connect to the server and check for new mail. If @kbd{M-x +imail} is given a prefix argument, it will prompt for the @sc{url} of a +folder rather than reading the primary folder. + +The buffer that shows a message in an @sc{imail} folder is put in +@code{IMAIL} mode, which is a special mode in which most letter commands +are defined to have special meanings. Where possible, the letters +chosen for these commands are the same as those for the corresponding +Rmail commands. The command keys specified in this chapter are for +@code{IMAIL} mode, unless otherwise specified. + +@menu +* Navigation:: +* Deleting Messages:: +* Multiple Folders:: +* Copying Messages:: +* MIME Support:: +* Flags:: +* Sending Replies:: +* Summaries:: +* Other Commands:: +* Differences between IMAIL and Rmail:: +@end menu + +@node Navigation, Deleting Messages, Commands, Commands +@section Navigation + +@example +imail-first-message +imail-first-unseen-message +imail-last-message +imail-next-message +imail-next-same-subject +imail-next-undeleted-message +imail-previous-message +imail-previous-same-subject +imail-previous-undeleted-message +imail-select-message +@end example + +@node Deleting Messages, Multiple Folders, Navigation, Commands +@section Deleting Messages + +@example +imail-delete-backward +imail-delete-forward +imail-delete-message +imail-expunge +imail-undelete-backward +imail-undelete-forward +imail-undelete-previous-message +@end example + +@node Multiple Folders, Copying Messages, Deleting Messages, Commands +@section Multiple Folders + +@example +imail-create-folder +imail-delete-folder +imail-input +imail-rename-folder +@end example + +@node Copying Messages, MIME Support, Multiple Folders, Commands +@section Copying Messages + +@example +imail-copy-folder +imail-input-from-folder +imail-output +@end example + +@node MIME Support, Flags, Copying Messages, Commands +@section MIME Support + +@example +imail-mouse-save-mime-entity +imail-save-attachment +imail-save-mime-entity +imail-toggle-mime-entity +@end example + +@node Flags, Sending Replies, MIME Support, Commands +@section Flags + +@example +imail-add-flag +imail-kill-flag +imail-next-flagged-message +imail-previous-flagged-message +@end example + +@node Sending Replies, Summaries, Flags, Commands +@section Sending Replies + +@example +imail-continue +imail-forward +imail-mail +imail-reply +imail-resend +@end example + +@node Summaries, Other Commands, Sending Replies, Commands +@section Summaries + +@node Other Commands, Differences between IMAIL and Rmail, Summaries, Commands +@section Other Commands + +@example +imail-bury +imail-disconnect +imail-get-new-mail +imail-quit +imail-save-folder +imail-search +imail-toggle-header +imail-toggle-message +@end example + +@node Differences between IMAIL and Rmail, , Other Commands, Commands +@section Differences between IMAIL and Rmail + @node Variables, Index, Commands, Top @chapter Variables -- 2.25.1