emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

[thomas]

Hello,
I've just installed mutt with emacs as the editor. If I do a reply, I
get the following lines and the cursor is on the second line (the one
with Hello) :
--------------------
On Sun, Jan 01, 2006 at 05:24:26AM -0800, foo wrote:
> Hello!
>   Blablablablabla
>   Bye
--------------------

I would like emacs to add to blank lines on the top and set the cursor
on the first line, that is :
--------------------
[cursor is here]

On Sun, Jan 01, 2006 at 05:24:26AM -0800, foo wrote:
> Hello!
>   Blablablablabla
>   Bye
--------------------

How can I do that? So far, my ~/.emacs contains the following lines:

(setq auto-mode-alist (append (list (cons "^\/tmp\/mutt" 'mail-mode))
  auto-mode-alist))
(add-hook 'mail-mode-hook 'my-mail-mode-hook)
(defun my-mail-mode-hook ()
  (turn-on-font-lock)
  (auto-fill-mode)
  (mail-text)

Thanks for your answer and happy new year!
++

Thomas

Re: emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

[Bill Wohler]

thomas <thomas.bsd@gmail.com> writes:

> Hello,
> I've just installed mutt with emacs as the editor. If I do a reply, I
> get the following lines and the cursor is on the second line (the one
> with Hello) :
> --------------------
> On Sun, Jan 01, 2006 at 05:24:26AM -0800, foo wrote:
>> Hello!
>>   Blablablablabla
>>   Bye
> --------------------
>
> I would like emacs to add to blank lines on the top and set the cursor
> on the first line, that is :
> --------------------
> [cursor is here]
>
> On Sun, Jan 01, 2006 at 05:24:26AM -0800, foo wrote:
>> Hello!
>>   Blablablablabla
>>   Bye
> --------------------
>
> How can I do that? So far, my ~/.emacs contains the following lines:

Add the following to the appropriate hook:

  (when (looking-at ">")
    (previous-line 1)
    (save-excursion
      (insert "\n\n")))

If you're correct that the cursor in a reply is always at the ">"
character, then the first test will succeed. You may have to modify
this as necessary.

I must try to discourage you from replying in this fashion. It's a bad
habit started by Outbreak. As you can see by my reply, it is easier to
see the threads and context when using a common type of replying
technique shared by dozens of mail user agents (rather than a
monopolistic style).

-- 
Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com>  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.

Re: emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

[thomas]

On 1/1/06, Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com> wrote:
> I must try to discourage you from replying in this fashion. It's a bad
> habit started by Outbreak. As you can see by my reply, it is easier to
> see the threads and context when using a common type of replying
> technique shared by dozens of mail user agents (rather than a
> monopolistic style).

I got the point, no more top-posting for me.
Thanks for your advice

Re: emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

[Bill Wohler]

Walter Mitty <mitticus@gmail.com> writes:

>> I must try to discourage you from replying in this fashion. It's a bad
>> habit started by Outbreak. As you can see by my reply, it is easier to
>> see the threads and context when using a common type of replying
>> technique shared by dozens of mail user agents (rather than a
>> monopolistic style).
>
> If you are referring to top posting, it was explained to me thus : by
> putting the cursor on the first line of the previous post it
> encourages the poster to *snip* and make the reply more
> readable. Using slrn for a few weeks now, I agree.

This is what MH-E and Gnus do too. We also set mark at the end of the
draft so you can delete the entire quoted message with C-w. Contrast
that with inserting blank lines above the quoted message and leaving
point above them (which is what I was reacting to).

-- 
Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com>  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.

Re: emacs + mutt > better quoting of emails while replying

[thomas]

Hello,
Is there a command allowing me to check if I have new mail when mutt
is not opened?
I mean, something like : "mutt -some -args", which could ouputting
"you have new mail in mailboxes a, b, c" or "you have no new mail".
If mutt cannot do that, is there a script or a cli app which could do
that? I use the maildir format.
Thanks

Thomas