$ apt-get install mutt msmtp
-Configure
-=========
+Local account
+=============
+
+Mutt is a very flexible beast, and in the past I've used some of the
+more complicated setups described below. However, I eventually broke
+down and got a domain name, after which it made more sense to setup a
+local [[Postfix]] server, and have Mutt interact with this local
+server. I'll keep the IMAP/POP examples below because they might be
+useful for those of you that don't want to run your own mail server
+;).
+
+Single IMAP account
+===================
You configure Mutt with the file `~/.muttrc`. To set it up with the
Drexel email system, I looked up the server addresses, and created the
# login information
set imap_user='<your-username>@drexel.edu'
set imap_pass='<your-password>'
- set from="<your-username>@drexel.edu"
+ set from='<your-username>@drexel.edu'
set use_from=yes # required so msmtp knows which account to use to send mails
# setting your realname is optional, but drexel addresses can be cryptic...
- set realname="<your-realname>"
+ set realname='<your-realname>'
# email server location
set spoolfile=imaps://<your-username>@imap.mail.drexel.edu:993/INBOX
set mail_check=600 # check for new mail every 10 minutes when user is active
set timeout=600 # check for new mail every 10 min. when user is not active
- set editor="/usr/bin/emacs -nw" # use emacs for writing emails
+ set editor='/usr/bin/emacs -nw' # use emacs for writing emails
set edit_headers # allow editing headers while you're in emacs
Since this file contains your password, you should not allow other
There's list of basic shortcuts across the top of the Mutt screen.
Most importantly, `?:Help`, which will give a list of all the current
-shortcuts.
-
-Tutorial
-========
+shortcuts. An excellent tutorial page is [my first mutt][mfm].
-An excellent tutorial page is [my first mutt][mfm].
-
-Multiple accounts
-=================
+Multiple IMAP accounts
+======================
I finally had some time to play around and get Drexel mail and Gmail
working at the same time. The basic setup is the same as above, using
user <drexel-username>
password <drexel-password>
tls on
- #tls_trust_file /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
- tls_trust_file /etc/pki/tls/cert.pem
+ tls_trust_file /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
+ #tls_trust_file /etc/pki/tls/cert.pem
account gmail
host smtp.gmail.com
`<drexel-from-address>` can be the same as `<drexel-username>`, but
you can use any address you've set up as an alias.
`<gmail-from-address>@gmail.com` is your full gmail email address. The
-`tls_trust_file` line depends on your distribution. For Debian-based
-distributions, use the `ca-certificates.crt` line; and for Red
-Hat-based distributions, use the `cert.pem` line. I don't know where
-the certificate information is stored for other distributions, but
-googling about should find it.
+`tls_trust_file` line depends on your distribution. For Gentoo and
+Debian-based distributions, use the `ca-certificates.crt` line; and
+for Red Hat-based distributions, use the `cert.pem` line. I don't
+know where the certificate information is stored for other
+distributions, but googling about should find it.
-Then configure mutt with
+Configure mutt with
# ~/.muttrc
# switch FROM field so msmtp changes sending account
# http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/mutt.html
- macro generic "<esc>1" ":set from='<drexel-from-address>@drexel.edu'"
- macro generic "<esc>2" ":set from='<gmail-username>@gmail.com'"
+ macro generic '<esc>1' ":set from='<drexel-from-address>@drexel.edu'"
+ macro generic '<esc>2' ":set from='<gmail-username>@gmail.com'"
# no send2-hook in version 1.4.2.2i
send-hook '~f <drexel-from-address>@drexel.edu' 'set sendmail="/usr/local/bin/msmtp "'
send-hook '~f <gmail-username>@gmail.com' 'set sendmail="/usr/local/bin/msmtp -a gmail"'
set use_from=yes # required so msmtp knows which account to use to send mails
-This sets up your two mailboxes (drexel and gmail) where you can
-recieve mail. It also sets up methods for switching between the two
+This sets up your two mailboxes (`drexel` and `gmail`) where you can
+receive mail. It also sets up methods for switching between the two
accounts. To ease in configuring the two accounts, we split most of
the configuration details into `~/.mutt/common`, `~/.mutt/drexel`, and
`~/.mutt/gmail`. Sourcing common brings in some configuration
The specific configuration files are:
-The common configuration (these are all optional).
+The common configuration (these are all optional):
#~/.mutt/common
- set realname="<your-realname>"
+ set realname='<your-realname>'
- set move=no # stop asking to "move read messages to mbox"
+ set move=no # stop asking to "move read messages to mbox"
set mail_check=600 # check for new mail every 10 minutes when user is active
- set timeout=600 # check for new mail every 10 minutes when user is not active
+ set timeout=600 # check for new mail every 10 minutes when user is not active
- set editor="/usr/bin/emacs -nw" # use emacs as the editor
+ set editor='/usr/bin/emacs -nw' # use emacs as the editor
set edit_headers # editable headers
-The Drexel setup
+The Drexel setup:
#~/.mutt/drexel
# Drexel information
- # Drexel mail server addresses from
- # http://www.drexel.edu/IRT/support/ConfigureEmail.html
+ # Drexel mail server addresses extracted from
+ # https://askdrexel.drexel.edu/app/answers/detail/a_id/2786
# email server location
set spoolfile=imaps://<drexel-username>@imap.mail.drexel.edu:993/INBOX
set folder=imaps://<drexel-username>@imap.mail.drexel.edu:993/
# see ~/.msmtp for configuration
set sendmail=/usr/local/bin/msmtp
- set from="<drexel-from-address>@drexel.edu"
+ set from='<drexel-from-address>@drexel.edu'
-And the Gmail setup
+The Gmail setup:
# Gmail information
# use msmtp to send outgoing mail to the mailserver
# see ~/.msmtp for configuration
- set sendmail="/usr/local/bin/msmtp -a gmail"
+ set sendmail='/usr/local/bin/msmtp -a gmail'
- set from="<gmail-username>@gmail.com"
+ set from='<gmail-username>@gmail.com'
Firing up `mutt` takes you to your Drexel inbox like you're used to.
You can change directories like your used to with `c`. You switch
your Drexel account, and the second lists all of your available
accounts (mailboxes).
-Strangely (I haven't figured out why yet), `c TAB` from gmail also
+Strangely (I haven't figured out why yet), `c TAB` from `gmail` also
lists the *drexel* directories. No problem though, you can get a list
-of gmail directories with `c +TAB TAB TAB` from gmail (I also don't
+of gmail directories with `c +TAB TAB TAB` from `gmail` (I also don't
understand what the second `TAB` does).
Anyhow, that should get people started.
# use msmtp to send outgoing mail to the mailserver
# see ~/.msmtp for configuration
- set sendmail="/usr/local/bin/msmtp -a gmail"
+ set sendmail='/usr/local/bin/msmtp -a gmail'
- set from="<gmail-username>@gmail.com"
+ set from='<gmail-username>@gmail.com'
set nopop_delete
- set pop_checkinterval="600"
+ set pop_checkinterval=600
Where the gmail stuff is because I'm sending mail using Gmail when I'm
looking at my Comcast account. This avoids using Comcast as much as
pub 1024D/0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8 2008-08-09 [expires: 2009-08-09]
…
-Where `0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8` is my long key ID (I don't understand the
-difference between the long and short keys, but I figure the longer
-one must be more specific, and since I only have to enter it once for
-Mutt, I chose the longer key.)
+Where `0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8` is my long key ID (long IDs are short IDs
+prefixed with additional fingerprint information). I use the long ID
+here because it is more specific and I only have to enter it once for
+Mutt.
-Then, tell Mutt how to use `gpg`, adding
+Tell Mutt how to use `gpg` by adding
source ~/.mutt/pgp
# `Everything You Need To Know To Start Using GnuPG with Mutt'
# http://codesorcery.net/old/mutt/mutt-gnupg-howto
- set pgp_decode_command="gpg %?p?--passphrase-fd 0? --no-verbose --batch --output - %f"
- set pgp_verify_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --verify %s %f"
- set pgp_decrypt_command="gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --no-verbose --batch --output - %f"
- set pgp_sign_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --textmode %?a?-u %a? %f"
- set pgp_clearsign_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --textmode --clearsign %?a?-u %a? %f"
- set pgp_encrypt_only_command="/usr/lib/mutt/pgpewrap gpg --batch --quiet --no-verbose --output - --encrypt --textmode --armor --always-trust --encrypt-to 0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8 -- -r %r -- %f"
- set pgp_encrypt_sign_command="/usr/lib/mutt/pgpewrap gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --batch --quiet --no-verbose --textmode --output - --encrypt --sign %?a?-u %a? --armor --always-trust --encrypt-to 0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8 -- -r %r -- %f"
- set pgp_import_command="gpg --no-verbose --import -v %f"
- set pgp_export_command="gpg --no-verbose --export --armor %r"
- set pgp_verify_key_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --fingerprint --check-sigs %r"
- set pgp_list_pubring_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --with-colons --list-keys %r"
- set pgp_list_secring_command="gpg --no-verbose --batch --with-colons --list-secret-keys %r"
+ set pgp_decode_command='gpg %?p?--passphrase-fd 0? --no-verbose --batch --output - %f'
+ set pgp_verify_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --verify %s %f'
+ set pgp_decrypt_command='gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --no-verbose --batch --output - %f'
+ set pgp_sign_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --detach-sign --textmode %?a?-u %a? %f'
+ set pgp_clearsign_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --output - --passphrase-fd 0 --armor --textmode --clearsign %?a?-u %a? %f'
+ set pgp_encrypt_only_command='/usr/lib/mutt/pgpewrap gpg --batch --quiet --no-verbose --output - --encrypt --textmode --armor --always-trust --encrypt-to 0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8 -- -r %r -- %f'
+ set pgp_encrypt_sign_command='/usr/lib/mutt/pgpewrap gpg --passphrase-fd 0 --batch --quiet --no-verbose --textmode --output - --encrypt --sign %?a?-u %a? --armor --always-trust --encrypt-to 0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8 -- -r %r -- %f'
+ set pgp_import_command='gpg --no-verbose --import -v %f'
+ set pgp_export_command='gpg --no-verbose --export --armor %r'
+ set pgp_verify_key_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --fingerprint --check-sigs %r'
+ set pgp_list_pubring_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --with-colons --list-keys %r'
+ set pgp_list_secring_command='gpg --no-verbose --batch --with-colons --list-secret-keys %r'
set pgp_autosign=yes
set pgp_sign_as=0xFC29BDCDF15F5BE8
set pgp_replyencrypt=yes
set pgp_timeout=1800
- set pgp_good_sign="^gpg: Good signature from"
+ set pgp_good_sign='^gpg: Good signature from'
The above file autosigns all your sent emails (`set
pgp_autosign=yes`), but you can obviously turn that off if you would
Browsing email with links
=========================
-Usually mutt is pretty good about handling HTML in emails. When you
+Usually Mutt is pretty good about handling HTML in emails. When you
get emails that are obviously HTML, `v` will take you to the
attachment list (which should show the email as type `text/html`), and
-enter will open the email in your browser ([[w3m]], right?).
+enter will open the email in your browser (via [[mailcap]]).
Sometimes you get `text/plain` emails with URLs in them, or maybe the
above procedure just isn't working. In that case, add
somewhere in your mutt configuration files (thank you, [Bruno
Postle][links]). Then pressing `Ctrl-b` will pipe the email you're
-looking at into w3m. Pressing `:` in w3m will scan the document for
-URL-like strings and make them browsable.
+looking at into [w3m][]. Pressing `:` in w3m will scan the document
+for URL-like strings and make them browsable.
Folder size in status bar
=========================
Add the folder size to the status bar by adding `%l` or `%L` to
`status_format` in your `~/.muttrc` file. For example
- set status_format="-%r-Mutt: %f %L"
+ set status_format='-%r-Mutt: %f %L'
[Mutt]: http://www.mutt.org/
[GnuPG]: http://www.gnupg.org/
[compose-view-p]: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=413
[links]: http://mutt.blackfish.org.uk/following-links/
+[w3m]: http://w3m.sourceforge.net/
[[!tag tags/tools]]
projects / blog.git / blobdiff