XBUFFY(1)XBUFFY(1)NAMExbuffy - yet another biff for the X Window System
SYNOPSISxbuffy [X toolkit options] [-help] [-version] [-horiz] [-poll seconds]
[-header seconds] [-acmd sound file] [-nobeep] [-names] [-orig] [-pri‐
ority priority] [-command command] [-shortnames] [-mail <mailbox
files...>] [-news <newsgroup names...>]
DESCRIPTION
Xbuffy is based on Xmultibiff by John Reardon.
Xbuffy keeps track of multiple mailboxes. You can either specify mail‐
box files on the command line, in a Xresources file, in a text configu‐
ration file, or set your MAILPATH environment variable (a colon sepa‐
rated list of files). It will display the number of new messages in
each mail file in a box. You can clear the reverse video in a box by
clicking on the box with Button 3.
Another key feature of xbuffy is that it will use NNTP to watch news‐
groups in the same way it watches mailboxes. You can also specify
newsgroups on the command line, in Xresources, in a text configuration
file (the same file can specify both mailboxes and newsboxes), or set
your NEWSPATH environment variable using the same format as the MAIL‐
PATH environment variable.
By specifying certain command line options and/or Xresources, xbuffy
can show the From and Subject lines in each box. It can also invoke
shell commands on button clicks. Each box can be configured differ‐
ently by using a boxfile. In general, it is a very extensible biff.
Read on for details on what it can do.
OPTIONS
The following options are recognized:
-help Print a brief help message and exit
-version Print the current version and exit
-poll secs
How often the mailbox files are polled for new mail. If this
is not specified, it will use the MAILCHECK environment vari‐
able. (default: 60)
-header secs
This will display the From: and Subject: lines from incoming
mail messages in a popup window when button 1 is pressed in
the box label. The mail header will also popup automatically
for the amount of time indicated in secs when new mail
arrives. If secs is 0, the mail header will not pop up when
new mail arrives. Clicking in the popup window when mail
arrives (if the argument is non-zero) will instantly popdown
the window. This feature was borrowed from xpbiff.
-fill Makes all the boxes the same size.
-center Centers the name of the box in the box. This option turns on
the fill option.
-acmd sound command
This will run a command instead of ringing the bell when new
mail arrives. For example, you could "cat meow >/dev/audio".
This option could also be used to automatically open a mail
reader when new mail arrives.
-horiz This will line up the boxes horizontally (default: vertical)
-nobeep This will disable the beep (or sound command) when new mail
arrives
-boxfile filename
The name of a file containing configuration information for
the boxes. The boxfile is an alternative way of specifying
what to watch. The boxfile also allows each box to have dif‐
ferent polltime, headertime, etc.
-origMode This will show all messages in each mailbox. It has no
effect on news groups.
-names Will display the full pathname of all the mailboxes it is
watching.
-shortnames
Will display the file names of all the mailboxes it is watch‐
ing.
-priority priority
Nice level at which xbuffy and its child processes will run.
-command command
This is the default command that is to be executed when But‐
ton 2 is pressed on a box.
X Options Standard X windows options (e.g. -fn, -display, etc.)
ENVIRONMENT
The names and purpose of the some of the following environment vari‐
ables were borrowed from Bash, the GNU Shell.
MAILCHECK
This specifies the amount of seconds to wait in between polling
for mail.
MAILPATH
This is a colon separated list of files to check for mail.
NEWSPATH
This is a colon separated list of newsgroups to monitor.
NNTPSERVER
This is the name of the NNTP server to use for news boxes.
X DEFAULTS
The application class is XBuffy. Almost all the arguments above can be
set in the X resource database, allowing for one-time configuration and
eliminating long command lines. The environment variables described
above take precedence over any X resources that are specified. Also,
any command line arguments take precedence over both X resources and
environment variables.
BOXFILE FORMAT
The boxfile contains configuration information for each box. Any line
that begins with '#' is considered a comment and is ignored. The defi‐
nition of a box begins with the keyword box followed by the filename or
newsgroup for that box. All subsequent lines are then used to config‐
ure that box until either another box command or the end of file. Note
that these options are NOT case sensitive.
The following are settable on a per box basis by using the boxfile
option (note that the boxfile may also be set in the Xresources with
the resource Xbuffy.boxfile: <filename>).
When using a boxfile, only the box line is required. All options that
are not given in the boxfile will default to the command line (or built
in) value.
box file name
The filename or newsgroup for this box. This also marks the
beginning of a box definition.
title box title
The title that you want for this box. This will override the
shortname or longname option.
mailbox Specify that the box is a mailbox (a file). If neither mail‐
box or newsbox is specified, mailbox is the default.
newsbox Specify that the box is a newsbox (a NNTP newsgroup).
origMode origMode will make Xbuffy try to act like Xmultibiff and
count ALL messages instead of just NEW message.
newMode newMode will make Xbuffy count only new messages (this is the
default).
nobeep This will disable the beep (or sound command) when new mail
arrives in the specified mailbox to be counted.
beep This will enable the beep (or sound) when new mail arrives in
the specified mailbox to be counted.
shortname This will cause the specified box to be prefaced with the
filename.
longname This will cause the specified box to be prefaced with a full
path name.
audio command string
Set to the command string to be used automatically when new
mail arrives.
polltime secs
Set to the time (in seconds) in between polling the box.
headertime secs
Set to the time (in seconds) to display the header when new
things arrive.
command command string
Specifies a UNIX shell command to be executed by sh when the
middle mouse button is pushed in a box. Take care to escape
characters correctly.
led num Specifies a keyboard led to flash when new mail arrives. This
is a number between 1 and 3. (1 - NumLock, 2 - CapsLock or 3
- ScrollLock).
NOTE: This is only available on LINUX and only if compiled
with --enable-led
The following resources are settable on a per application basis
in the Xresources:
horiz Set to TRUE or FALSE. Same as the -horiz option.
mailboxes Set to a colon separated list of mailboxes (files). This is
the same as specifying files on the command line.
newsboxes Set to a colon separated list of news groups. This is the
same as specifying files on the command line.
EXAMPLES
The following examples demonstrate how to configure xbuffy to do the
same thing from both the command-line and X resources. Although, for
maximum flexibility on a per-box basis, I suggest using a boxfile.
The following example will watch 2 mailboxes in a home directory:
% xbuffy-mail ~/box1 ~/box2 &
boxfile:
box ~/box1
box ~/box2
The following example will watch a mailbox and a newsgroup:
% xbuffy-mail /usr/spool/mail/you -news comp.windows.x &
boxfile:
box /usr/spool/mail/you
box comp.windows.x
newsbox
GRATITUDE
Thanks to John Reardon for writing the original Xmultibiff and Xmultib‐
iff 2.0. Xbuffy is a modified version of Xmultibiff 2.0 (although the
code is looking less and less similar everyday).
BUGS
Sometimes buffy detects a change in the mailbox and reports new mail
before the mail is finished being delivered. This can (will) be fixed
when buffy learns hows to deal with file locking.
There is a bug with the NNTP stuff that isn't really Buffy's fault.
Most versions of the NNTP server will not dynamically update the high
message number (you must disconnect from the server and re-connect to
get a new high message). If your server is running one of these ver‐
sions of NNTP then you will not get told of new articles in your news‐
boxes.
AUTHOR
xbuffy: Bill Pemberton, wfp5p@virginia.EDU
xmultibiff: John Reardon, Midnight Networks Inc.,
badger@midnight.com
01/31/95 XBUFFY(1)
