Use the -help command line option to determine if these options are
supported.
DESCRIPTION
The
mp
program reads each
filename
in sequence and generates a prettified version of the contents in
POSTSCRIPT format. By default the output is sent to standard output. If you use
one of the different names, output is sent direct to the printer.
The program will use the
PRINTER
or
LPDEST
environment variables to determine which printer the output is sent to.
If no filename argument is provided,
mp
reads the standard input.
If the standard input is a terminal, input is terminated by an
EOF
signal, usually
Ctrl-D.
Mail items, news articles, ordinary ASCII files, complete mail folders,
and digests are all acceptable input formats for
mp.
The output format includes grayscale lozenges containing banner information
at the top and bottom of every page.
The program is conveniently used in conjunction with the print button of the
SunView/xnews(1)
mailtool(1)
programs, or the
pipe
command provided by
mail(1).
Add the following two lines to your
.mailrc
file:
set printmail='mp -printer'
set cmd="mp -printer &"
Source the
.mailrc
file, and you are ready to use
mp.
For printing ordinary ASCII files, the following alias (to be placed in your
.cshrc
file) may also prove useful:
alias print 'mp -text -printer -subject "\!*" <\!*'
OPTIONS
-a4
Use A4 paper size (8.5 x 11.4 inches). The default paper size is none, in
which case
mp
will try to fill the paper.
-addhdr type
Add
type
to the list of mail or news headers to be printed.
-alias name
The user name alias that should be printed out in the
mp
banner heading, to show who the output is for. This will override the
NAME environment variable and the users entry in the password file.
-allhdrs
If set, then print out all mail or news headers.
-article
Format the file as a news article.
The top banner contains the text:
"Article from
newsgroup
", where
newsgroup
is the first news group found on the Newsgroups: line. By default, the
input files are assumed to be mail messages.
-bottom #
The size (in points) for the bottom margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch. The default value is 8 points.
-bsdprint
If set, then assume this is a BSD system, and use the appropriate print
command, and command line options. The default value for this option is false.
-chars #
The maximum number of characters to extract from the gecos field of the users
/etc/passwd
entry. The default is 40.
-columns #
Number of columns of output per page. This value will override the default
value in the prologue file.
-config name
The name of an alternate X resource configuration file, which will be read by
mp
at startup time. The default name is
$HOME/.mpdefaults
-content
Instead of using "\nFrom" to denote the start of new mail messages, mp will
look for (and use) the value of the Content-Length: mail header. If the
Content-Length doesn't take you to the next "\nFrom", then it's wrong, and
mp falls back to looking for the next "\nFrom" in the mail folder.
-copies #
Number of copies of each file to output. This option only works when the
filenames to print are given on the command line. The default number of copies
is 1.
-digest
Format the file as a digest.
-elm
Assume the ELM mail frontend intermediate file format. Used when printing
messages from within ELM (using the "p" command), especially for printing
tagged messages. This option must be specified in your ELM option setup.
-flip
Flip the top and bottom banners on the output. By default, the banners are
not flipped.
-folder
Format the file as a mail folder, printing multiple messages. By default, this
option is not set.
-forcepage
Always start a new page (rather than a new column) when in landscape or
multi-page personal organiser mode.
-from
Instead of printing who the mail article is for, the top header will
contain who the mail article is from. A useful option for people with
their own personal printer.
-help
Print the usage message for
mp
-landscape
Format output in landscape mode.
Two pages of text will be printed per sheet of paper. By default, output
will be in portrait mode.
-left #
The size (in points) for the left margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch. The default value is 8 points.
-linelength #
Maximum number of characters on each line of output. This value will override
the default value in the prologue file.
-modtime
Use the files last modification time (rather than the current time) in the
mp
banner. Note that this only works when the files are supplied on the command
line (as opposed to standard input).
-name appname
Use this name, when looking for X resources for this application.
-newpage
Always start a new sheet of paper for each new file when printing in duplex
mode.
-nobanners
Don't print a header and a footer banner on each page. By default, banners
will be printed.
-noburstpage
If the output is destined for a printer, than the printing of the burst page
is disabled. Most of the information that typically appears on the burst page
sheet is output in the mp banners. By default, a burst page will be
printed.
-number
Print the line number on each line output. This option is not set by default.
-onesided
Print the output in simplex (one-sided) mode. The default is to print in
duplex (two-sided) mode.
-organiser type
Format the file for use with the given organiser type.
Valid organiser types are filofax, franklin, proplan, timeman, tsintl and
tspartner
-pagelength #
Maximum number of lines on each page of output. This value will override the
default value in the prologue file.
-portrait
Format output in portait mode.
One page of text will be printed per sheet of paper. This is the default value.
-printer name
Send output to the named printer. Otherwise send output to the printer named
in the PRINTER or LPDEST environment variables.
-ps
If the mail or digest message just has PostScript as the text of the message,
then this is normally just passed straight through. Specifying this option,
causes PostScript to be printed as text.
-prologue name
Employ the file
name
as the POSTSCRIPT prologue file,
overriding any previously defined file names.
-remhdr type
Add
type
to the list of mail or news headers which will not be printed.
-right #
The size (in points) for the right margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch. The default value is 8 points.
-subject text
Use
text
as the new subject for the printout. If you are printing ordinary ASCII
files which have been specified on the command line, the subject will
default to the name of each of these files. Note that as
mp
automatically assumes the default input file format is a mail file, you will
have to include the -text command line option to make this happen.
-tab #
The number of spaces to output when encountering a tab character. The
default value is 8.
-text
Format the file as an ordinary ASCII text file. By default, the file
is assumed to be a mail message.
-top #
The size (in points) for the top margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch. The default value is 8 points.
-tumble
If printing in duplex mode, adjust the alignment of the reverse page. By
default, the reverse page is not tumbled.
-twosided
Print the output in duplex (two-sided) mode. This is the default. This
obviously only works if the printer is capable of printing on both sides
of the paper.
-us
Use US paper size (8.5 x 11 inches). The default paper size is none, in
which case
mp
will try to fill the paper.
-version
Print the version number of this release of
mp.
-words #
The maximum number of words to extract from the gecos field of the users
/etc/passwd
entry. The default is 3.
-wrap
Wrap words onto the next line of output. By default, this option is not set.
RESOURCES
On startup,
mp
will use the following X resources which by default are stored in
$HOME/.mpdefaults.
Note these resource names will be prepended with the running application
name (mp, newsp, mailp ...). This means that you can have different sets of
resources for each type of program.
Resource:
addHeaders
Values:
Headers to add (string)
Description
A comma separated list of the extra headers that
mp
should print out.
Resource:
aliasName
Values:
Text string (NULL).
Description
The user name alias that should be printed out in the
mp
banner heading, to show who the output is for. This will override the
NAME environment variable and the users entry in the password file.
Resource:
allHeaders
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, then all mail or news headers are printed out.
Resource:
bottomMargin
Values:
positive integer (8)
Description
The size (in points) for the bottom margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch.
Resource:
bsdPrinter
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, then it is assumed that this is a BSD system, and the
appropriate printer command and command line options are used.
Resource:
copies
Values:
positive integer (1)
Description
The number of copies to be printed for each file.
Resource:
doubleSided
Values:
True, False (True)
Description
Determines whether the output will be printed on one side of the paper or
two. Obviously for two-sided output to work, the printer has to support it.
Resource:
elmMail
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, assumes the ELM mail frontend intermediate file format.
Resource:
fileType
Values:
Mail, News, Postscript or Text (Mail)
Description
Describes the type of the input file to be processed. Either mail messages,
news articles, pure PostScript or plain text files.
Resource:
flipBanners
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, flips the top and bottom banners on the output.
Resource:
forcePage
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, always starts a new page (rather than a new column) when in
landscape or multi-page personal organiser mode.
Resource:
leftMargin
Values:
positive integer (8)
Description
The size (in points) for the left margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch.
Resource:
lineLength
Values:
positive integer (80)
Description
The maximum number of characters printed on each line.
Resource:
mailDigest
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true then
mp
assumes the input is in the form of a mail digest.
Resource:
mailFolder
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true then
mp
assumes the input is a file containing more then one mail message, and
processes (and prints) each in turn.
Resource:
nameChars
Values:
1-255 (40)
Description
The maximum number of characters to extract from the gecos field of the users
/etc/passwd
entry.
Resource:
nameWords
Values:
1-255 (3)
Description
The maximum number of words to extract from the gecos field of the users
/etc/passwd
entry.
Resource:
newPage
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, and printing duplex (two-sided), then printing of each new
file is started on a new sheet of paper.
Resource:
numberColumns
Values:
positive integer (1)
Description
The number of columns of output per page. This value will override the
default value in the prologue file.
Resource:
numberLines
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true then
mp
will number each line of output.
Resource:
organiserType
Values:
Filofax, Franklin, Proplan, Timeman, Tsintl or Tspartner
Description
Describes the personal organiser output format.
Resource:
outputType
Values:
Portrait, Landscape or Organiser (Portrait)
Description
Describes the printed output format. Either portrait, landscape or one
of the special personal organiser formats.
Resource:
pageLength
Values:
positive integer (66)
Description
The maximum number of lines printed on each page.
Resource:
paperSize
Values:
None, A4 or US (None)
Description
Describes the size of the paper the the output will be printed on.
Resource:
printHeaderPage
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true then a burst banner page will be printed at the beginning of
the
mp
output.
Resource:
printerName
Values:
Text string (NULL)
Description
The name of the printer to send output to. If no name is supplied, then
mp
will use the default printer.
Resource:
prologueName
Values:
UNIX pathname (NULL)
Description
Use this as the prologue filename overriding any previously defined file
names.
Resource:
removeHeaders
Values:
Headers to remove (string)
Description
A comma separated list of the standard headers that
mp
should not print out.
Resource:
rightMargin
Values:
positive integer (8)
Description
The size (in points) for the right margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch.
Resource:
subject
Values:
Text string (NULL)
Description
The subject that will be printed out in the banner for each file printed.
Resource:
tabSize
Values:
positive integer (8)
Description
The number of spaces to output when encountering a tab character.
Resource:
topMargin
Values:
positive integer (8)
Description
The size (in points) for the top margin on each page. There are
approximately 72 points per inch.
Resource:
tumble
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true and printing in duplex mode, adjust the alignment of the
reverse page.
Resource:
useContent
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, instead of using "\nFrom" to denote the start of new mail
messages,
mp
will look for (and use) the value of the Content-Length: mail header. If the
Content-Length doesn't take you to the next "\nFrom", then it's wrong, and
mp
falls back to looking for the next "\nFrom" in the mail folder.
Resource:
useFrom
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, instead of printing who the mail article is for, the top
header will contain who the mail article is from. A useful option for people
with their own personal printer.
Resource:
useModTime
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, use the files last modification time (rather than the current
time) in the
mp
banner.
Resource:
wrapWords
Values:
True, False (False)
Description
If set to true, wrap words onto the next line of output.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The default output printer is determined by looking at the
PRINTER
environment variable for BSD systems or the
LPDEST
environment variable for System V systems.
An alternative file containing the
mp
X resources can be given with the
MPDEFAULTS
environment variable.
The
mp
prologue file is determined by first looking for the environment variable
MP_PROLOGUE,
which specifies the directory where
mp
prologue files are to be found.
If
MP_PROLOGUE
is not found, then the default directory is assumed
(LIBDIR/mp.pro.ps).
SUPPLIED PROLOGUE FILES
The following prologue files are provided:
mp.pro.ps
Used by default
mp.pro.l.ps
Used by the
-landscape
landscape mode option
mp.pro.ff.ps
Used if the
-filofax
option is in effect
mp.pro.fp.ps
Used if the
-franklin
option is in effect
mp.pro.pp.ps
Used if the
-proplan
option is in effect
mp.pro.tm.ps
Used if the
-timeman
option is in effect
mp.pro.tsi.ps
Used if the
-tsintl
option is in effect
mp.pro.tsp.ps
Used if the
-tspartner
option is in effect
mp.pro.alt.ps
An alternative modification of the default prologue file which outputs the
page number in the right corner of the bottom banner.
mp.pro.altl.ps
An alternative landscape option mode prologue file.