mh-e 6.2 imminent

[Bill Wohler]

  I noticed that Emacs is in pre-release. We expect to release a beta of
  mh-e 6.2 at the end of the month. I assume that the pre-release means
  that only bug fixes are allowed, but if this isn't strictly the case,
  I was wondering if I'd be able to update mh-e when we're ready. It's a
  pretty big release (release notes enclosed), but is limited to just
  the mh-e files so it should be little or no risk to the rest of the
  project.


* Changes in mh-e 6.2

This is a major minor release which includes a lot of new features
including improved MIME handling, speedbar folder browsing, and
indexed searching. In this version, mh-e runs under XEmacs and
compiles clean under all supported platforms.

** New Features in mh-e 6.2

*** Speedbar

There is now support for the speedbar. Try "M-x speedbar" (closes SF
#503727). 

Press the middle mouse button on the `+' icons to open a folder,
middle mouse button on a folder name to open the folder. Folders with
unseen messages are shown in bold, so this is a handy way to browse
new messages that you have filed with procmail or slocal.

See the new customization variable `mh-large-folder,' which controls
when the speedbar asks for how many messages to scan when opening a
large folder.

*** Indexed search

Interoperability with swish, glimpse, and namazu has been added to
enable lightening-fast searches of your mail. If none of these are
present, grep is used. Try "F i (mh-index-search)".

For more information, read the documentation for the functions
`mh-swish-execute-search,' `mh-namazu-execute-search,' or
`mh-glimpse-execute-search' depending on your preferred indexing
program to see what kind of setup is needed to generate the index.
You'll first need to run "F i" or load "mh-thread" to read the
documentation.

*** Threading

Use "T t (mh-toggle-threads)" to view the threads in the folder. Use
it again to return to a non-threaded view.

*** Brief help

Use "? (mh-help)" and "X ? (mh-prefix-help)," where X is a prefix
character, for a brief synopsis in the minibuffer of frequently used
commands. In the MH-Letter or MH-Pick buffers, use "C-c ? (mh-help)"
(closes SF #493740).

*** Folder keymap shared by show buffer

You can now use the MH-Folder mode commands from the MH-Show buffer.
Because of this, the MH-Show buffer is now read-only (closes SF
#527946) and you now have to use "M (mh-modify)" to edit a message.
 
*** Better scanning

You no longer have to modify your scan format if your folders have
more than 9999 messages in them. If you've only modified your scan
format file to allow for the wider message numbers, consider removing
your modifications of `mh-scan.*-regexp' and `mh-cmd-note', set the
new customization variable `mh-adaptive-cmd-note' to t, and
`mh-scan-format-file' to its default (t).

You may still want the updated format files for running MH commands
outside of mh-e, but these changes will simplify your mh-e
configuration considerably.

*** X-Face

mh-e now displays the content of the X-Face header field in the From
field. When sending a message, an X-Face field is appended to the
header if it doesn't already exist and "~/.face" is present. See the
new customization variables `mh-show-use-xface' and `mh-x-face-file'
(closes SF #480770).

mh-e depends on the external x-face package found in
ftp://ftp.jpl.org/pub/elisp/ to do this.

*** Graphical smileys

Smiley's are now converted to cute little images. See the new
customization variable `mh-graphical-smileys-p.'

*** Text emphasis

ASCII formatting is now converted to the appropriate font. For
example, *bold* appears in bold, /italic/ appears in italic, etc. See
the new customization variables `mh-decode-mime' and
`mh-graphical-emphasis-p.'

*** Attachment handling

Inline attachments are now displayed. Regular attachments appear as
buttons in show buffer. Use "K TAB (mh-next-button)" or "K SHIFT-TAB
(mh-prev-button)" to cycle through these buttons. Use "K v
(mh-folder-toggle-mime-part)" to view, "K o
(mh-folder-save-mime-part)" to save one part or "M-x
mh-store-mime-parts" to save all parts, or "K i
(mh-folder-inline-mime-part)" to view the attachment inline.

See the new customization variable `mh-decode-mime' for additional
information. In additiona, see the new customization variable
`mh-store-mime-parts-default-directory.'

HTML documents can be viewed inline if Gnus v5.9 and w3 or w3m lisp
packages are present. Set the customization variable
`mm-text-html-renderer' accordingly (closes SF #453352).

*** Quoted-printable handling

Quoted-printable body parts are now decoded.

*** More choices for `mh-yank-from-start-of-msg'

Historically, if this variable was t, the entire message, with full
headers would be included and every line would begin with
`mh-ins-buf-prefix.' This usage is deprecated in favor of the setting
`supercite' below. The default has been changed to `attribution.' The
following symbols are now understood:

`body': yank the message minus the header.

`supercite': include the entire message, with full headers. This also
causes the invocation of `sc-cite-original' without the setting of
`mail-citation-hook', now deprecated practice.

`autosupercite': do as for `supercite' automatically when show buffer
matches the message being replied-to.

`attribution': yank the message minus the header and add a simple
attribution line at the top.

`autoattrib': do as for `attribution' automatically when show buffer
matches the message being replied-to.

There is a new customization variable called
`mh-extract-from-attribution-verb' which is used for attribution which
provides a method for setting a different language.

*** Use Gnus mml instead of mhn

When inserting attachments into a message draft, Gnus mml directives
are now used instead of mhn directives. One beneficial side-effect of
this is that attachments can now appear inline as well as separate.

The new customization variable `mh-compose-insertion' controls whether
Gnus or mhn is used to insert MIME message directives in messages
(default: 'gnus, if the mml library exists).

*** Content-Type now obtained automatically

The value of the Content-Type no longer needs to be entered by the
user.

*** Attachments automatically included upon send

You no longer have to run "C-c C-e (mh-edit-mhn)" before sending a
message with attachments--this is done automatically when you send the
message with "C-c C-c (mh-send-letter)". There is, however, a new key
binding "C-c C-m m (mh-mml-to-mime)" which is analogous to "C-c C-e
(mh-edit-mhn)".

** New Variables in mh-e 6.2

New customization variables not mentioned earlier include:

*** mh-tool-bar-reply-3-buttons

Non-nil means use three buttons for reply commands in tool-bar. If you
have room on your tool-bar because you are using a large font, you may
set this variable to expand the single reply button into three buttons
that won't lead to minibuffer prompt about who to reply to.

** Bug Fixes in mh-e 6.2

*** mh-delete-msg, mh-refile-msg, mh-undo

Mandrake Linux includes XEmacs initialization code that binds
`transient-mark-mode' which causes problems in mh-e. These problems
have been fixed (closes SF #541915).

*** mh-edit-again

This would sometimes yield a read-only buffer. This has been fixed
(closes SF #624283).

*** mh-next-undeleted-msg, mh-previous-undeleted-msg 

If there are no more undeleted messages the point remains at its
original position and a message is produced (closes SF #494304).

*** mh-refile-msg, mh-write-msg-to-file

These functions stomped on the variables that held the name of the
last file and folder respectively for the other function. This has
been fixed so that the last folder or file name is preserved (closes
SF #580772).

*** mh-region-to-sequence

If the region in MH-Folder was set with "C-x h (mark-whole-buffer)",
you couldn't perform operations on all of the messages as you would
expect. This has been fixed (closes SF #621632).

*** mh-reply

Performing an undo the first thing after replying would blank out the
entire draft. Now just the insertion of the yanked message is undone
leaving the header and signature intact for additional editing (closes
SF #623693).

*** mh-subject-thread-to-sequence

Make 'subject sequence a real one, exported to MH. This means you can,
for example, mh-forward it. But it also shows up with a mark in the
scan output (closes SF #489445).



--
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.