MH-E 7.4.80 checked in

[Bill Wohler]

[I believe this check-in addresses all outstanding issues--please let me
know if this is not the case. In the meantime, we released an alpha of
8.0 which may as well appear in Emacs as well.]

MH-E is the Emacs interface to the MH mail system. It offers all the
functionality of MH, the visual orientation and simplicity of use of a
GUI, and full integration with Emacs and XEmacs, including thorough
configuration and online help. Read on for more details.

Project home page at: http://mh-e.sourceforge.net/.

* Changes in MH-E 7.4.80

Version 7.4.80 now supports GNU mailutils, S/MIME, picons,
which-func-mode, has an improved interface for hiding header fields,
improves upon the MH variant detection, and contains many bug fixes.
Those of you familiar with the GNU version numbering schemes will
recognize this as an alpha release. This does not reflect on the
quality of this release which is as high as it has always been.
Although we are not ready to release 8.0, we want you to have access
to the work that has been hiding in CVS. At the same time we want to
make it clear that there are incompatible changes with previous
versions.

We are planning to release the long-awaited manual update synchronized
with version 8.0. We are using documentation from the manual in the
docstrings which is hoped to make "C-h f (describe-function)" really
useful and create a seamless experience when switching back and forth
between the manual and the docstrings. This has been done in about
half of the variables and functions in this version.

The writing of the manual has revealed a few inconsistencies in the
software whose fixes have resulted in incompatible changes, and there
may well be more. So, unlike version 7 which was chock full of new
features, version 8's strengths will include complete documentation
and higher quality.

** New Features in MH-E 7.4.80

*** GNU mailutils Support

MH-E now supports GNU mailutils 0.4 and higher versions.

*** S/MIME Support

MH-E now supports S/MIME using Gnus 5.10.6 or higher.

*** Picon Support

In addition to the other methods of displaying an icon for the sender
of a message, MH-E can now display images from a picon directory. The
directory search path is found in the `mh-picon-directory-list'
variable. More documentation is found in the "facedb" sections in the
xfaces man page. [NOTE: need to make mh-picon-directory-list an option
and add xfaces facedb documentation to it.]

*** X-Image-URL Updates

Now support the use of `curl' and `fetch' as alternatives to `wget' to
obtain the image. The display of images are controlled with the
`mh-show-use-xface-flag' option while the `mh-fetch-x-image-url'
option controls how the images are fetched.

WARNING: There are security concerns with this feature. Please read
the documentation for these options carefully before changing the
default.

*** Updates to mh-identity-list

Note that the field names found in `mh-identity-list' that refer to
the fields in `mh-identity-handlers' have changed in an incompatible
way from 7.4.4. In general, the symbolic names now have a ":" prefix
to avoid collisions with header fields. Before starting Emacs, edit
your .emacs and insert ":" before "signature" if you have defined it.

You can change your attribution in replies with the new "Attribution
Verb" field, and you can set your default GPG user ID with the "GPG
key ID" field.

Signatures can now be read from the `mh-signature-file-name' variable,
or come from a function, in addition to a named file. If you write
your own function, variables that you can use include
`mh-signature-separator-regexp', `mh-signature-separator',
and `mh-signature-separator-p'.

The handling of these fields has been moved into a new
`mh-identity-handlers' option, an alist of fields (strings) and
handlers (functions). Strings are lowercase. Use ":signature" for
Signature and ":pgg-default-user-id" for GPG Key ID. The function
associated with the string "default" is used if no other functions are
appropriate. For this reason, don't name a header field "Default".

If you point your signature at a vCard file with a vcf suffix, then it
will be incorporated as a vCard body part (closes SF #802723).

*** Catchup Command

There is a new "F c (mh-catchup)" command that marks all unread
messages in the current folder as read.

*** Change Content-Type Renderer on the Fly in MH-Show Buffer

This has been implemented by adding the key binding "K e
(mh-display-with-external-viewer)". For inline text/html parts,
buttons aren't displayed by default. In that case use "K t
(mh-toggle-mime-buttons)" to display the button before viewing it with
an external browser (closes SF #839318).

*** Use which-func-mode to Display Folder in Index Mode

Turning on `which-func-mode' displays the folder name of the message
under the cursor in index folders (closes SF #855520).

*** Render Signature and vCard in Italics

This has been implemented.  Use `mh-show-signature-face' to customize
the face used (closes SF #802722).

*** New Print Map

There is now a keymap for the printing functions whose prefix is "P".
The command "l (mh-print-msg)" has been replaced with "P l". Other new
functions in this keymap include:

    P A         mh-ps-print-toggle-mime
    P C         mh-ps-print-toggle-color
    P F         mh-ps-print-toggle-faces
    P M         mh-ps-print-toggle-mime
    P f         mh-ps-print-msg-file
    P l         mh-print-msg
    P p         mh-ps-print-msg
    P s         mh-ps-print-msg-show

*** Draft Buffer Keymap Changes

The keymap in the draft buffer has been modified slightly. The old
anonymous ftp and tar composition commands have been reinstated and
letter signing and encrypting keymaps have been added.

The type of signing or encryption has been generalized so the method
is now an option rather than a part of the function's name. The option
is `mh-mml-method-default' and choices include PGP (MIME), PGP,
S/MIME, or none.

Key             7.4.4                   7.4.80

C-c RET C-e     mh-mml-secure-message-encrypt-pgpmime
                                        mh-mml-secure-message-encrypt
C-c RET C-s     mh-mml-secure-message-sign-pgpmime
                                        -
C-c RET C-g     -                       mh-mhn-compose-anon-ftp
C-c RET C-n     -                       mh-mml-unsecure-message
C-c RET C-s     -                       mh-mml-secure-message-sign
C-c RET C-t     -                       mh-mhn-compose-external-compressed-tar
C-c RET C-s     mh-mml-secure-message-sign-pgpmime
                                        mh-mml-secure-message-sign
C-c RET C-x     -                       mh-mhn-compose-external-type
C-c RET e       mh-mml-secure-message-encrypt-pgpmime
                                        Prefix Command
C-c RET e e     -                       mh-mml-secure-message-encrypt
C-c RET e s     -                       mh-mml-secure-message-signencrypt
C-c RET g       -                       mh-mhn-compose-anon-ftp
C-c RET n       -                       mh-mml-unsecure-message
C-c RET s       mh-mml-secure-message-sign-pgpmime
                                        Prefix Command
C-c RET s e     -                       mh-mml-secure-message-signencrypt
C-c RET s s     -                       mh-mml-secure-message-sign
C-c RET t       -                       mh-mhn-compose-external-compressed-tar
C-c RET x       -                       mh-mhn-compose-external-type

*** Speedbar: Highlight Folders With Unseen

The speedbar now renders the folders with unseen messages in boldface
which makes them easier to identify (closes SF #623369).

*** Quick Key Help

The "? (mh-help)" function now displays the help in its own buffer
called *MH-E Help* (closes SF #493740 and SF #656631).

*** New Startup File mh-e-autoloads.el

If you are installing MH-E yourself, then you can replace any
autoloads you may have with "(require 'mh-e-autoloads.el)". See the
README for details.

*** Glimpse Support Removed

Since glimpse isn't free, we cannot mention it. Glimpse has been
removed from the option `mh-indexer-choices' (closes SF #831276).

*** mh-msg-is-in-seq Update

Can now specify an alternate message number to "S s
(mh-msg-is-in-seq)" with a prefix argument.

** New Variables in MH-E 7.4.80

Variables that have been added to MH-E that have not been discussed
elsewhere are listed here.

*** mail-citation-hook

Hook for modifying a citation just inserted in the mail buffer.

*** mh-alias-reloaded-hook

Invoked by `mh-alias-reload' after reloading aliases.

*** mh-auto-fields-prompt-flag

Non-nil means to prompt before sending if fields in
`mh-auto-fields-list' are inserted.

*** mh-default-folder-for-message-function

Function to select a default folder for refiling or `Fcc'.

*** mh-forward-hook

Invoked on the forwarded letter by "f (mh-forward)".

*** mh-invisible-header-fields-default

List of hidden header fields. The header fields listed in this option
are hidden, although you can check off any field that you would like
to see. Header fields that you would like to hide that aren't listed
can be added to the `mh-invisible-header-fields' option (closes SF
#752045).

The option `mh-visible-header-fields' has been deleted.

*** mh-junk-background

If on, spam programs are run in background. This used to be the
default behavior but this could overwhelm a system if many messages
were black- or whitelisted at once. The spam programs are now run in
the foreground, but this option can be used to put them back in the
background.

*** mh-signature-separator-flag

Non-nil means a signature separator should be inserted. It is not
recommended that you change this option since various mail user
agents, including MH-E, use the separator to present the signature
differently, and to suppress the signature when replying or yanking a
letter into a draft.

*** mh-variant

Specifies the variant used by MH-E. The default setting of this option
is `Auto-detect' which means that MH-E will automatically choose the
first of nmh, MH, or GNU mailutils that it finds in the directories
listed in `mh-path', `mh-sys-path', and `exec-path'. If, for example,
you have both nmh and mailutils installed and `mh-variant-in-use' was
initialized to nmh but you want to use mailutils, then you can set
this option to `mailutils'.

When this variable is changed, MH-E resets `mh-progs', `mh-lib',
`mh-lib-progs', `mh-flists-present-flag', and `mh-variant-in-use'
accordingly.

If you've set these variables in your .emacs, it is strongly suggested
that you comment them out. The MH detection code has been completely
rewritten and it is very likely that you no longer to set them and
their setting may confuse other MH-E settings.

** Variables Deleted in MH-E

Variables that have been removed from MH-E that have not been
discussed elsewhere are listed here.

*** mh-alias-system-aliases

System definitions should not be a user option.

*** mh-junk-mail-folder

Since this variable can accept values other than folder names, it was
renamed to `mh-junk-disposition' to more accurately reflect the content.

** Bug Fixes in MH-E 7.4.80

Many bugs were fixed in this version that aren't listed below.

*** mh-extract-rejected-mail Can't Do MIME (and Other Formats)

Now handles qmail and exim bounces (addresses SF #404965).

*** mh-rmail Hangs in XEmacs

We've determined that MH-E is incompatible with some versions of
XEmacs (21.5.9-21.5.16). More recent versions work fine. If you think
our list is too broad, please let us know which version of XEmacs you
are using (closes SF #644321).

*** Inconsistent Prompts

Prompt formats are now consistent throughout the application (closes
SF #730470).

*** Empty Shell Comments Confuse mh-mhn-directive-present-p

If you had a string that matched the regexp "^# $" in your draft, it
would cause an error. This has been fixed (closes SF #762458).

*** Quote Hashes When mhbuild Directives Used

A related bug, if you had empty shell comments but inserted your own
directives, you'd get another error from mhbuild. This has been fixed
by quoting the hash ("^# $") like this "##" before submitting to
mhbuild (closes SF #762464).

*** Inconsistent Usage in Scan Formatting Variables

The variables:

    mh-note-cur
    mh-note-deleted
    mh-note-dist
    mh-note-forw
    mh-note-refiled
    mh-note-repl
    mh-note-seq

used to contain strings. Although only the first character was read,
the entire string would be inserted which may have caused problems.
These variables have been converted to character constants so that
only a single character can be inserted into the scan line (closes SF
#770772).

*** Bad Handling of Aliases That Conflict With Local User Names

If a user name existed both locally and in the aliases file, the local
user would be flashed, but the alias would be used when sending. This
has been fixed so that the user name that is flashed is the same as
the name that is sent (closes SF #772595).

*** Args out of range

In rare and non-reproducible circumstances, compilation sometimes
threw an "Args out of range" error. Nonetheless, this has been fixed
(closes SF #806577).

*** mh-forward hard-codes '-mime' Switch on nmh

Added new option `mh-compose-forward-as-mime-flag' that controls whether
messages are forwarded as MIME attachments (closes SF #827203).

*** Not Re-prompted to Sign After Pass Phrase Typo

If there were errors when sending a signed message (like getting the
pass phrase wrong), the MML markup remained in the draft buffer. The
draft buffer is now restored if there is an error (closes SF #839303).

*** Font-lock Gets Confused in MH-Letter Buffer

If a user manually moved the cursor to the end of the header field
separator line (by mouse click or keyboard navigation) and hit Enter
to start typing their message, any line in the body with a colon would
be fontified with a gray background. This has been fixed (closes SF
#855479).

*** mh-refile-msg Fails to Suggest Folder for Empty Message

If you received a message with an empty body from someone who is
listed in your aliases file, "o (mh-refile-msg)" failed to suggest the
correct folder. This has been fixed (closes SF #917096).

*** Error Visiting Folder With no Unseen Messages

If you visited a folder without unseen messages and the option "flist:
-noshowzero" is present in your ~/.mh_profile, you'd get an error. This
has been fixed (closes SF #933954).

-- 
Bill Wohler <address@hidden>  http://www.newt.com/wohler/  GnuPG ID:610BD9AD
Maintainer of comp.mail.mh FAQ and MH-E. Vote Libertarian!
If you're passed on the right, you're in the wrong lane.