hbiff(1)

NAME
hbiff - check for incoming mail using X11

SYNOPSIS
hbiff [ options ]

DESCRIPTION
option | .Xdefaults | description
-display |  | specifies the display to use
-u |  | the user who's mailbox is to be checked
-m |  | name of the mailbox to be checked (can be any file)
-H | noHostname | do not display hostname in hbiff window
-fn | fontName | specifies the font to use
-fg | foreground | specifies the foreground color
-bg | background | specifies the background color
-bc | borderColor | specifies the border color
-bw | borderWidth | specifies the border width
-t | time | specifies the interval for checking the mailbox
-pop | newMailRaise | raise to top when new mail
-beep | newMailBeep | notify with sound when new mail
-tally | tally | show number of messages, and new messages
-sn | showNewMail | pop up summary window with information about new mail messages when received
-R | newMailReverse | reverse video when new mail
-r | reverseVideo | reverse video (mainly useful for monochrome)
-ro | reverseOrder | reverse order of messages in summary window
-F | noFlash | do not flash the window
-g =HxW+x+y |  | the size and placement of the window
 | geometry | the size and placement of the window
 | newMailForeground | Foreground color when new mail
 | newMailBackground | Background color when new mail
 | summaryForeground | Foreground color for summary window
 | summaryBackground | Background color for summary window
-summaryGeometry =+x+y | summaryGeometry | placement of summary window
 | mailCommand | command to execute when the right button is pressed
-name string | name | name to display (if not the hostname)
Example .Xdefaults entries:
hbiff*mailCommand: | hpterm -geometry =80x24+10+15 -e mail
hbiff*borderWidth: | 1
hbiff*newMailRaise: | on
hbiff*foreground: | navy
hbiff*background: | wheat
hbiff*fontName: | 6x10
hbiff*noHostname: | on
hbiff*newMailForeground: | white
hbiff*newMailBackground: | CornflowerBlue
hbiff*newMailBeep: | on

The utility hbiff indicates the current state of an electronic mailbox. The default mailbox is /usr/mail/$LOGNAME, but an alternate file may be indicated by using the -m option.

New mail is indicated by a raised flag and mail hanging out of the mailbox, and may be accompanied by the window changing color if desired by the user. Old mail is indicated by mail hanging out of the mailbox with no flag raised, while no mail is indicated by an empty mailbox. If the -tally option is used (or the *tally resource is on), the total number of messages in the mailbox will be displayed, and the number of new messages will be displayed when new mail is detected.

To exit hbiff, press shift right button, or type "q" with the cursor in the window. To get the mail command, press the right mouse button. Pressing button2 (the middle button) will cause a window with the "From" and "subject" line of each mail message to appear. During the time the "From" window is visible, if the right mouse button is pressed on the mailbox window, the "From" window will go away and the mail command will be executed, all in one action. Any other keypresses or button presses while the "From" window is present will result in the "From" window disappearing, no other action will occur. If the mailbox icon indicates new mail, pressing the left mouse button will cause the flag to go down (this was requested since some mailers do not use separate folders, and it is necessary to drop the flag after deleting mail and exiting the mailer).

The most recent mail message is indicated with a '>' before it.

Summary information from new mail messages can be automatically displayed by using the -sn option or *showNewMail resource. When new mail is detected, hbiff will notify the user and then pop up a summary window showing only the mail that has been received since hbiff detected that the mailbox was last accessed.

To turn off window decoration (borders not supplied by the application), use the clientDecoration directive in the .Xdefaults file (i.e., Mwm*HBiff.clientDecoration: +none).

For best results when running a command executed by hbiff, use the *ttyModes resource for the hpterm or xterm you are using. This allows setting the stty parameters that would otherwise be set by the shell on initiation.

AUTHOR

hbiff was written by Hugh Mahon.

SEE ALSO
hpterm(1X), elm(1), mailx(1)