sortm(1)sortm(1)NAMEsortm - sort messages (only available within the message handling sys‐
tem, mh)
SYNOPSISsortm [msgs] [+folder] [options]
OPTIONS
Specifies the name of the header field to use when making the date com‐
parison. If you have a special field in each message, such as Deliv‐
ery-Date:, then the -datefield switch can be used to tell sortm which
field to examine. If you do not give this option, the default is to use
the Date: header field. Prints a list of all the valid options to this
command. Displays the general actions that it is taking to place the
folder in sorted order. The -noverbose option performs these actions
silently. The default is -noverbose.
The default settings for this command are:
+folder defaults to the current folder
msgs defaults to all
-datefield date
-noverbose
DESCRIPTION
The command sortm sorts all the messages in the current folder into
chronological order according to the contents of the Date: fields of
the messages.
By default, sortm sorts all the messages in the current folder. You can
select particular messages in the folder by giving a range of messages.
You can also sort messages in another folder by specifying the folder
name.
If sortm encounters a message without a Date: field, or if the message
has a Date: field that sortm cannot parse, it attempts to keep the mes‐
sage in the same relative position. However, this does not always work;
for instance, if the first message encountered lacks a date which can
be parsed, then it will usually be placed at the end of the messages
being sorted.
When sortm complains about a message which it cannot order, it com‐
plains about the message number prior to sorting.
PROFILE COMPONENTS
Path: To determine your MH directory
EXAMPLES
The following example sorts all the messages in the folder +meetings: %
sortm +meetings The next example sorts messages 10-30 in the folder
called +test: % sortm +test 10-30
FILES
The user profile.
SEE ALSOfolder(1)sortm(1)
