alpine(1)
alpine(1) USER COMMANDS alpine(1)
NAME
alpine - an Alternatively Licensed Program for Internet News
and Email
SYNTAX
alpine [ options ] [ address , address ]
alpinef [ options ] [ address , address ]
DESCRIPTION
Alpine is a screen-oriented message-handling tool. In its
default configuration, Alpine offers an intentionally lim-
ited set of functions geared toward the novice user, but it
also has a large list of optional "power-user" and
personal-preference features. alpinef is a variant of
Alpine that uses function keys rather than mnemonic single-
letter commands. Alpine's basic feature set includes:
View, Save, Export, Delete, Print, Reply and Forward
messages.
Compose messages in a simple editor (Pico) with word-
wrap and a spelling checker. Messages may be postponed
for later completion.
Full-screen selection and management of message fold-
ers.
Address book to keep a list of long or frequently-used
addresses. Personal distribution lists may be defined.
Addresses may be taken into the address book from
incoming mail without retyping them.
New mail checking and notification occurs automatically
every 2.5 minutes and after certain commands, e.g.
refresh-screen (Ctrl-L).
On-line, context-sensitive help screens.
Alpine supports MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Exten-
sions), an Internet Standard for representing multipart and
multimedia data in email. Alpine allows you to save MIME
objects to files, and in some cases, can also initiate the
correct program for viewing the object. It uses the
system's mailcap configuration file to determine what pro-
gram can process a particular MIME object type. Alpine's
message composer does not have integral multimedia capabil-
ity, but any type of data file --including multimedia-- can
be attached to a text message and sent using MIME's encoding
rules. This allows any group of individuals with MIME-
capable mail software (e.g. Alpine, PC-Alpine, or many other
programs) to exchange formatted documents, spread-sheets,
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image files, etc, via Internet email.
Alpine uses the c-client messaging API to access local and
remote mail folders. This library provides a variety of
low-level message-handling functions, including drivers for
a variety of different mail file formats, as well as rou-
tines to access remote mail and news servers, using IMAP
(Internet Message Access Protocol) and NNTP (Network News
Transport Protocol). Outgoing mail is usually posted
directly via SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).
OPTIONS
The command line options/arguments are:
address Send mail to address. This will cause
Alpine to go directly into the message
composer.
-attach file Send mail with the listed file as an
attachment.
-attachlist file-list
Send mail with the listed file-list as
an attachments.
-attach_and_delete file
Send mail with the listed file as an
attachment, and remove the file after
the message is sent.
-aux local_directory
PC-Alpine only. When using a remote con-
figuration (-p <remote_config>) this
tells PC-Alpine the local directory to
use for storing auxiliary files, like
debug files, address books, and signa-
ture files.
-bail Exit if the pinerc file does not exist.
This might be useful if the config file
is accessed using some remote filesystem
protocol. If the remote mount is missing
this will cause Alpine to quit instead
of creating a new pinerc.
-c context-number context-number is the number correspond-
ing to the folder-collection to which
the -f command line argument should be
applied. By default the -f argument is
applied to the first defined folder-
collection.
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-conf Produce a sample/fresh copy of the
system-wide configuration file,
pine.conf, on the standard output. This
is distinct from the per-user .pinerc
file.
-convert_sigs -p pinerc
Convert signature files into literal
signatures.
-copy_abook <local_abook> <remote_abook>
Copy the local address book file to a
remote address book folder.
-copy_pinerc <local_pinerc> <remote_pinerc>
Copy the local pinerc file to a remote
pinerc folder.
-d debug-level Output diagnostic info at debug-level
(0-9) to the current .pine-debug[1-4]
file. A value of 0 turns debugging off
and suppresses the .pine-debug file.
-d key[=val] Fine tuned output of diagnostic messages
where "flush" causes debug file writing
without buffering, "timestamp" appends
each message with a timestamp, "imap=n"
where n is between 0 and 4 representing
none to verbose IMAP telemetry report-
ing, "numfiles=n" where n is between 0
and 31 corresponding to the number of
debug files to maintain, and "verbose=n"
where n is between 0 and 9 indicating an
inverse threshold for message output.
-f folder Open folder (in first defined folder
collection, use -c n to specify another
collection) instead of INBOX.
-F file Open named text file and view with
Alpine's browser.
-h Help: list valid command-line options.
-i Start up in the FOLDER INDEX screen.
-I keystrokes Initial (comma separated list of) keys-
trokes which Alpine should execute on
startup.
-install For PC-Alpine only, this option causes
PC-Alpine to prompt for some basic setup
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information, then exits.
-k Use function keys for commands. This is
the same as running the command alpinef.
-n number Start up with current message-number set
to number.
-o Open first folder read-only.
-p config-file Use config-file as the personal confi-
guration file instead of the default
.pinerc.
-P config-file Use config-file as the configuration
file instead of default system-wide con-
figuration file pine.conf.
-pinerc file Output fresh pinerc configuration to
file, preserving the settings of vari-
ables Use file set to ``-'' to make out-
put go to standard out. <IP>
-registry cmd 20 For PC-Alpine only,
this option affects the values of
Alpine's registry entries. Possible
values for cmd are set, clear, and dump.
Set will always reset Alpine's registry
entries according to its current set-
tings. Clear will clear the registry
values. Clearsilent will silently clear
the registry values. Dump will display
the values of current registry settings.
Note that the dump command is currently
disabled. Without the -registry option,
PC-Alpine will write values into the
registry only if there currently aren't
any values set.
-r Use restricted/demo mode. Alpine will
only send mail to itself and functions
like save and export are restricted.
-sort order Sort the FOLDER INDEX display in one of
the following orders: arrival, date,
subject, orderedsubj, thread, from, or
reverse. Arrival order is the default.
The OrderedSubj choice simulates a
threaded sort. Any sort may be reversed
by adding /reverse to it. Reverse by
itself is the same as arrival/reverse.
-supported Some options may or may not be supported
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depending on how Alpine was compiled.
This is a way to determine which options
are supported in the particular copy of
Alpine you are using.
-uninstall For PC-Alpine only, this option causes
PC-Alpine to remove references to Alpine
in Windows settings.
-url url Open the given url. Cannot be used with
-f or -F options.
-v Version: Print version information.
-version Version: Print version information.
-x config Use configuration exceptions in config.
Exceptions are used to override your
default pinerc settings for a particular
platform, can be a local file or a
remote folder.
-z Enable ^Z and SIGTSTP so alpine may be
suspended.
-option=value Assign value to the config option option
e.g. -signature-file=sig1 or -feature-
list=signature-at-bottom (Note:
feature-list values are additive)
CONFIGURATION
There are several levels of Alpine configuration. Confi-
guration values at a given level over-ride corresponding
values at lower levels. In order of increasing precedence:
o built-in defaults.
o system-wide pine.conf file.
o personal .pinerc file (may be set via built-in
Setup/Config menu.)
o command-line options.
o system-wide pine.conf.fixed file.
There is one exception to the rule that configuration values
are replaced by the value of the same option in a higher-
precedence file: the feature-list variable has values that
are additive, but can be negated by prepending "no-" in
front of an individual feature name. Unix Alpine also uses
the following environment variables:
TERM
DISPLAY (determines if Alpine can display IMAGE
attachments.)
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SHELL (if not set, default is /bin/sh )
MAILCAPS (semicolon delimited list of path names to
mailcap files)
FILES
/usr/spool/mail/xxxx Default folder for incoming
mail.
~/mail Default directory for mail fold-
ers.
~/.addressbook Default address book file.
~/.pine-debug[1-4] Diagnostic log for debugging.
~/.pinerc Personal alpine config file.
~/.newsrc News subscription/state file.
~/.mailcap Personal mail capabilities file.
~/.mime.types Personal file extension to MIME
type mapping
/etc/mailcap System-wide mail capabilities
file.
/etc/mime.types System-wide file ext. to MIME
type mapping
/usr/local/lib/pine.info Local pointer to system adminis-
trator.
/usr/local/lib/pine.conf System-wide configuration file.
/usr/local/lib/pine.conf.fixed Non-overridable configuration
file.
/tmp/.\usr\spool\mail\xxxx Per-folder mailbox lock files.
~/.pine-interrupted-mail Message which was interrupted.
~/mail/postponed-msgs For postponed messages.
~/mail/sent-mail Outgoing message archive (FCC).
~/mail/saved-messages Default destination for Saving
messages.
SEE ALSO
pico(1), binmail(1), aliases(5), mailaddr(7), sendmail(8),
spell(1), imapd(8)
Newsgroup: comp.mail.pine
Mailing List:
Alpine-info, at https://www.washington.edu/alpine/alpine-
info/
Main Alpine distribution site:
http://patches.freeiz.com/alpine/
Source code distribution:
http://patches.freeiz.com/alpine/release/alpine.tar.gz
Alpine Technical Notes, included in the source distribution.
C-Client messaging API library, included in the source dis-
tribution.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This software is the result of the contribution of many individuals
who have dedicated their time to support, improve and suggest ways
to improve Alpine through the years. This software would not be
possible without the support of the University of Washington in
Seattle, Washington. The Alpine community extends its most sincere
thanks to all contributors and invites everyone to join in and
contribute to this project.
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