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1992-06-28
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Johan Widén 28-Jun-1992
Hugingatan 20
S-195 52 MÄRSTA
Sweden
Tel: +46 8 59 120 120, fax +46 8 59 127 761
Email: jw@jwdata.se
This is a port of metamail version 2.3a to the Commodore Amiga. The current
version has only been tested with Amiga OS 2.0, but there should not be any
problems with 1.3. See the file CHANGES for differences between this version
and the previous.
Ported programs: ezview, mailto, metamail, mmencode, richtext, splitmail.
This archive contains only the binaries. The sources can be found on
thumper.bellcore.com:pub/nsb
this directory is mirrored on
ftp.funet.fi:pub/unix/mail/metamail
The metamail sources are also available via mailserver. If you send mail to
mailserver@thumper.bellcore.com
with a subject of
metamail-sources
you will get back the mm.tar.Z file in MIME format.
If you don't already have a previous generation of MIME software at your site,
make the subject
metamail-sources-uu
and you will get the sources uuencoded instead.
MIME and related standards are described in RFC's 1341-1345.
Other files that you need
=========================
The programs expect to find configuration information in
the environment
or in
S:UUConfig
or in
UULIB:Config (Take a look at UULIB/Config.sample)
metamail and mailto relies on a configuration file called
UULIB:mailcap
A sample mailcap file can be found in UULIB/mailcap
metamail and mailto provide the multimedia capability by calling other
programs. These programs are speified in UULIB:mailcap. Most of these
programs are not provided here. You will have to get them some other way.
You will for instance need a program that can display pictures encoded
in the GIF format. I will give suggestions for such programs but many others
will work fine or better.
uulib:seq
A file used by Dillon UUCP to keep a unique sequence number. This file is
expected to exist and contain a number.
Integration with a normal mail program
======================================
I have changed AmigaElm-1.13 to use metamail to show MIME mail that
can not be handled by Elm itself. I have also put in commands to call
mailto when replying to a message.
The diffs are included here in the file Elm113Diffs.lha.
The files in the man directory
==============================
The source code distribution contains manual pages in troff format. I have
formatted the manuals and included them in the man directory. Note that
some of the manual pages do *not* have a corresponding command in the
bin directory. I have nevertheless included them for your convenience.
Environment variables and configuration file info uses by metamail
==================================================================
Note: the metamail program creates several environment variables with
names starting with MM_. As the environment under Amiga OS 1.3 is global
(and no specialcasing has been done for OS 2.0) and stays around after a
program exits, the setting of some of these variables may affect later
executions of metamail. If metamail behaves strangely, then take a look at
how the environment variables env:MM_* are set.
This is normally not a problem, but may occur when one tries out various
options to metamail.
COLUMNS (environment variable)
-------
Used by richtect when deciding how to break lines. (default 80)
domain name
-----------
Searched for in the configuration files as entry
DomainName
EDITOR (environment variable)
------
The editor used by mailto for the ~e command.
KEYHEADS (environment variable)
--------
See the metamail manual page.
LINES (environment variable)
-----
Used by richtext when paging the output. (default 23)
MAILCAPS (environment variable)
--------
What mailcap files are to be searched. (default uulib:mailcap)
mail editor
-----------
Searched for in the configuration files as entry
MailEditor
if the environment variables VISUAL or EDITOR are not set.
METAMAIL_P_DIR (environment variable)
--------------
Directory for storing message fragments of type message/partial.
(default T:message-parts)
MM_CHARSET (environment variable)
----------
The character set used when composing mail with mailto.
(default us-ascii)
MM_* (environment variable)
----
See the metamail manual page.
node name
---------
Searched for in the configuration files as entry
NodeName
PAGER (environment variable)
-----
Used by mailto to display online help. (default more)
sendmail
--------
The program that splitmail invokes when sending mail.
Searched for in the configuration files as entry
Sendmail
(default Sendmail)
SPLITSIZE (environment variable)
---------
See the mailto manual page.
TERMINAL_CMD (environment variable)
------------
See the metamail manual page.
VISUAL (environment variable)
------
The editor used by mailto for the ~v command.
user name
---------
This is first looked for in environment variables USERNAME and USER.
If not found there then the configuration files are searched for
UserName
Suggestions for programs to use with metamail and mailto
========================================================
Here are some suggestions of what you can use. If you know of something better
I would like to hear about it so that I can improve the mailcap file in later
releases.
audio/basic
-----------
To play I call a script, playUlawSound, that is provided in AmigaSrc. The
script calls the programs
SoundZAP converts from ulaw audio format to 8SVX audio format
AGMSPlaySound plays 8SVX audio format
SoundZAP and AGMSPlaySound are available from many ftp hosts.
To compose (convert actually) an audio fragment I call svxToUlaw. This
program is provided in AmigaSrc. The program calls the program
as2ss converts from 8SVX audio format to ulaw audio format
as2ss comes from an archive called iff2ulaw.lha. This is available from
several ftp hosts. However, I had to modify the source, and as there seems
to be no redistribution restriction I provide the modified iff2ulaw in
AmigaSrc.
image/gif
---------
To show a GIF picture I call the program
GIF_view
This program is available as archive GIF_view4.lha from several ftp hosts.
To compose (convert actually) a GIF picture I call ilbmToGIF. This program
is provided in AmigaSrc. The program calls the program
fbcat
fbcat is part of the Fuzzy PixMap image manipulation archive. It is
available on Fish disk 334. There are other program that can be used
for conversion from IFF ILBM to GIF, for instance: AmigaJPEG_v2.lzh.
The pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library, usually called pbm+.lzh, available
from several ftp hosts has two tools that can be used: ilbmtoppm and
ppmtogif.
image/jpeg
----------
To show a JPEG picture I call the script
showJPEG
This script in turn calls djpeg, ppmtoilbm and Mostra.
djpeg convert from JPEG to PPM
ppmtoilbm convert from PPM (or PBM, PBM) to IFF ILBM.
Mostra show an IFF ILBM
djpeg is part of the archive AmigaJPEG_v2.lzh, which is available on
several ftp hosts.
ppmtoilbm is part of the pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library available from
pc.usl.edu.
Mostra is available from several ftp hosts. Use whatever viewer suits you.
image/pbm
---------
To show a PBM picture I call the script
showPBM
This script in turn calls ppmtoilbm and Mostra.
ppmtoilbm convert from PPM (or PBM, PBM) to IFF ILBM.
Mostra show an IFF ILBM
ppmtoilbm is part of the pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library, usually called
pbm+.lzh, which is available from several ftp hosts.
Mostra is available from several ftp hosts. Use whatever viewer suits you.
The ppmtoilbm program can be excruciatingly slow. I have modified
ppmtoilbm into the program pnmtoilbm. This program is several times faster
(up to nine times faster) than ppmtoilbm, for bitmaps and graymaps.
I have passed the sources on to the Jef Poskanzer and also to Ingo Wilken
(who supports PBM on the Amiga). If you are interested in the binary or
the source and can't find it some other way, drop me a line.
BMS:Pub/pnmtoilbm.lha
is available via BMS (part of Matt Dillons UUCP distribution) from node
jwdata.se
image/pgm
---------
To show a PGM picture I call the script
showPGM
This script in turn calls ppmtoilbm and Mostra.
ppmtoilbm convert from PPM (or PGM, PBM) to IFF ILBM.
Mostra show an IFF ILBM
ppmtoilbm is part of the pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library, usually called
pbm+.lzh, which is available from several ftp hosts.
Mostra is available from several ftp hosts. Use whatever viewer suits you.
image/x-xbitmap
---------------
To show an X bitmap I call xbmtopbm, ppmtoilbm, fakePipe and Mostra.
fakePipe is provided in AmigaSrc.
xbmtopbm convert from X11 or X10 bitmap to PBM.
ppmtoilbm convert from PPM (or PBM) to IFF ILBM.
Mostra show an IFF ILBM
xbmtopbm and ppmtoilbm are part of the pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library,
usually called pbm+.lzh, which is available from several ftp hosts.
Mostra is available from several ftp hosts. Use whatever viewer suits you.
image/x-xwd
-----------
To show a color X11 or X10 window dump I call the script
showXWD
This script in turn calls xwdtoppm, ppmtoilbm and Mostra.
xwdtopnm convert from X11 or X10 window dump to PBM, PGM or PPM.
ppmtoilbm convert from PPM (or PBM) to IFF ILBM.
Mostra show an IFF ILBM
xwdtopnm and ppmtoilbm are part of the pbmplus (PBM/PGM/PPM) library,
usually called pbm+.lzh, which is available from several ftp hosts.
Mostra is available from several ftp hosts. Use whatever viewer suits you.
The script runs one program at a time. This uses less memory than running
a pipeline. Both xwdtopnm and ppmtoilbm can be quite memory hungry, so this
is an important consideration.
message/partial
---------------
The mailtransport system usually sets a limit on the size of messages.
MIME therefore provides a mechanism for automatic fragmentation and
reassembly of large messages. Message fragments have type mmessage/partial.
Reassembly is handled by the program showpartial provided in AmigaSrc.
Message fragments avaiting reassembly are stored in the directory given
by the environment variable.
METAMAIL_P_DIR
text/plain
----------
To show plain text I call Leggi or Less.
Leggi show a text file.
Less show a text file.
Leggi is available on fish disk 669.
Less is available on fish disk 511. This worked fine under OS 1.3, but I have
had some troubles with it under OS 2.0 (a wild pointer in the option parsing?).
Use whatever text displayer you are happy with.
text/richtext
-------------
To show richtext I call the richtext program, which is provided, and then
I pipe the output from richtext to Leggi or Less.
Leggi show a text file.
Less show a text file.
Leggi is available on fish disk 669.
Less is available on fish disk 511. Use a text viewer that can handle
ANSI escape sequences for bold, underline etc.
application/postscript
----------------------
Note: passing received mail to a PostScript previewer is a gigantic
security hole. You are setting yourself up for say, a virus attack.
To show PostScript I call the post PostScript previewer. A much safer
thing to do is to send the PostScript to a PostScript printer.
Post show a PostScript file.
Post is available from many ftp hosts.
Compiler requirements
=====================
I have used DICE. Changes for use with other compilers should be small.
DICE supports dynamic stack allocation. This means that the programs will not
run out of stack even if the user has set a fairly small stack. If you
recompile with a compiler that does not support dynamic stack allocation you
may have to require a larger stack setting.
I have used functions from the library provided with Dillon UUCP-1.15D. So,
you need that library. If you do not have a working popen() or mktemp() you
can use the ones I provide in AmigaSrc/UUCP-1.15D. Note that UUCP-1.15D does
not come with a working popen().