Multiple Folders¶

Specifying -all will produce a summary line for each top-level folder in the user's nmh directory, sorted alphabetically. (If folder is invoked by a name ending with “s” (e.g. folders), -all is assumed.) Specifying -recurse with -all will include a line for all sub-folders. These folders are all preceded by any read-only folders, which occur as “atr-cur-” entries in the user's nmh context. For example:

FOLDER	      # MESSAGES	RANGE	CUR     (OTHERS)
/var/work/folder	has  35 messages	( 1- 35);	cur=23.
/usr/bugs/Mail	has  82 messages	( 1-108);	cur=82.
ff	has  no messages.
inbox+	has  16 messages	( 3- 22);	cur= 5.
mh	has  76 messages	(15- 76);	cur=70.
notes	has   2 messages	( 1-  2);	cur= 1.
ucom	has 124 messages	( 1-124);	cur= 6; (others).
TOTAL = 339 messages in 7 folders

The “+” after inbox indicates that it is the current folder. The “(others)” indicates that the folder ucom contains files which aren't messages; these may either be sub-folders, or files that don't belong under the nmh file naming scheme.

The header is output if either the -all or -header switches are specified. It is suppressed by -noheader.

The folder and message totals are output if either the -all or -total switches are specified. They are suppressed by -nototal.

If -fast is given, only the folder name (or names, in the case of -all) will be listed. (This is faster because the folders need not be read.)

If a +folder is given with the -all switch, folder will, in addition to setting the current folder, list the top-level sub-folders for the current folder (with -norecurse) or list all sub-folders under the current folder recursively (with -recurse).

If msg is supplied, together with +folder or without -all, it will become the current message of +folder (if it had been supplied) or the current folder.

The -recurse switch lists each folder recursively, so its use effectively defeats the speed enhancement of -fast, since each folder must be searched for sub-folders. Nevertheless, the combination of these options is useful.

Compacting a Folder¶

The -pack switch will compress the message names in the designated folders, removing holes in message numbering. The -verbose switch directs folder to tell the user the general actions it is taking to compress the folder.

The Folder Stack¶

The -push switch directs folder to push the current folder onto the folder-stack, and make the +folder argument the current folder. If +folder is not given, the current folder and the top of the folder-stack are exchanged. This corresponds to the “pushd” operation in the shell.

The -pop switch directs folder to discard the top of the folder-stack, after setting the current folder to that value. No +folder argument is allowed. This corresponds to the “popd” operation in the shell. The -push and -pop switches are mutually exclusive: the last occurrence of either one overrides any previous occurrence of the other. The use of either of these switches also sets -list, by default.

The -list switch directs folder to list the folder-stack. No +folder argument is allowed. After a successful -push or -pop, the -list action is taken, unless a -nolist switch follows them on the command line. This corresponds to the “dirs” operation in the shell. The -push, -pop, and -list switches disable the default -print behavior.