Pine Setup, Configuration and Usage, E-mail Client Configuration

Summary Table of Contents:

1. What is Pine?
2. Starting Pine
3. Quitting Pine
4. The Main Menu
5. Getting Help in Pine
6. Writing a Message in Pine
7. Listing Messages
8. Viewing a Message
9. Replying to a Message
10. Pine Folders
11. Saving a Message
12. Forwarding a Message
13. Deleting a Message
14. Using the Address Book
15. Additional Pine Options
16. Pine Can Do More
17. Guidelines for Using E-mail

1. What is Pine?

   Pine - a Program for Internet News and E-mail, is an electronic e-mail system created and maintained by the Computing & Communications group at the University of Washington.

   Pine is a trademark of the University of Washington. Permission to use this document for non-commercial purposes, in original or modified form, is granted, provided that the original source of the document is acknowledged as the University of Washington Computing & Communications and that this paragraph, as well as the notice above, are retained on the title page of any documentation based on this text.

   Information for this page taken from: Pine Information Center

2. Starting Pine

   Pine is available on Solaris, Linux, and Windows platforms. At a UNIX prompt type: "pine". On PCs, click on the Pine icon.

3. Quitting Pine

   To quit Pine:

   1. From a menu in Pine, type "q" (quit).

      You are asked:
      Really quit Pine?

   2. Type "y" (yes) or press RETURN to quit.

4. The Main Menu

   The Main Menu displays Pine's main options (see Figure 1). The letter you must type to enter your choice is to the left of each option or command name. You can usually type either uppercase or lowercase letters, and you should not press to enter commands.

   From the Main Menu, you can read online help, write and send a message, look at an index of your mail messages, open or maintain your mails folders, update your address book, configure or update Pine, and quit Pine.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 MAIN MENU Folder:INBOX 2 Messages ? HELP - Get help using Pine C COMPOSE MESSAGE - Compose and send a message I FOLDER INDEX - View messages in current folder L FOLDER LIST - Select a folder to view A ADDRESS BOOK - Update address book S SETUP - Configure or update Pine Q QUIT - Exit the Pine program Copyright 1989-1998. PINE is a trademark of the University of Washington. [Folder "INBOX" opened with 2 messages] ? Help P PrevCmd R RelNotes O OTHER CMDS > [ListFldrs] N NextCmd K KBLock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Figure 1. The Pine Main Menu.

   Now that you know how to start Pine you can explore on your own, or you can browse the rest of this document for a summary of Pine's main features.
   

5. Getting Help

   To read the online help use the Help command at the bottom of each screen. For example, at the Main Menu screen, type "?" (help). The help screen has a table of contents with 23 sections. To view help on a particular topic, scroll through the list with the arrow keys and hit enter. To exit the online help, type "E" (exit help).

6. Composing a Message

   To write a message, type "C" (compose) to see the Compose Message screen.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 COMPOSE MESSAGE Folder:INBOX 2 Messages To : Cc : Attchmnt: Subject : ----- Message Text ----- ^G Get Help ^X Send ^R Rich Hdr ^Y PrvPg/Top ^K Cut Line ^O Postpone ^C Cancel ^D Del Char ^J Attach ^V NxtPg/End ^U UnDel Line ^T To AddrBk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Figure 2. A Pine Compose Message Screen

   In the command menu above, the "^" character is used to indicate the Control key. This means you must hold down the Control key (written in this document as "^") while you press the letter for each command.

   Press "^G" (get help) to see additional commands. To move around, move the arrow keys or "N" (next line) and "P" (previous line).
   You can practice in Pine by sending yourself a message. The follow section shows you how.

   Writing and Sending a Test Message to Yourself

   To write and send a test message to yourself:

   1. Type "C" (compose) to see the Compose Message screen.

   2. In the "To:" field, type your email address and press RETURN.

   3. In the "Cc:" field, press RETURN.

   4. In the "Attachment:" field, press RETURN.

   5. In the "Subject:" field, type "Test" and press RETURN.

   6. Below the "Message Text" line, type "This is a test".

      If a user Jean Hughes at site art.somewhere.edu whose userid is jhughes were to compose such a test message, the completed screen would look like the example below.

      -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 COMPOSE MESSAGE Folder:INBOX 2 Messages To : Jean Hughes Cc : Attchmnt: Subject : Test ----- Message Text ----- This is a test. ^G Get Help ^X Send ^R Read File ^Y Prev Pg ^K Cut Text ^O Postpone ^C Cancel ^J Justify ^W Where is ^V Next Pg ^U UnCut Text ^T To Spell --------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Figure 3. A Pine Compose Message Screen

   7. To send your message, press "^X" (send).
      You are asked:
      Send message?

   8. Type "y" (yes) or press RETURN.

      The message is sent and a copy is saved to your sent-mail folder. (If you type "n" [no] the message is not sent, and you can continue to work on it.)

   This test message is very simple. There are, of course, other options you can use as you compose a message. A few are summarized in the next section and complete information about options for the Compose Message screen is available in online help. As you compose a message, you can press "^G" (get help) at any time to see details about your current test.

   Hints for Writing a Message:

   "To:"
   In this field type the email addresses of your recipients. Separate the addresses with commas. When you are finished press RETURN. Note that if you type in only the userid (login name) of your recipient, the Pine program assumes that the "right-hand part" of your recipient's address is the same as yours (eg. "art.somewhere.edu"), unless you explicitly enter a different one. Always check the addresses in both the "To:" and the "Cc:" fields for accuracy and completeness before you send a message.

   Finding and Formatting Addresses. The best way to get a person's email address is to ask him or her for it. For more information on finding and formatting email addresses on local and remote computers, press "^G" (get help) in the "To:" field.

   Using the Address Book. In both the "To:" and the "Cc:" fields, you can enter a person's email address manually, or you can use an entry from your Pine Address Book. See "Using the Address Book".

   "Cc:"
   In this field type the email addresses of the person(s) to whom you want to send copies. Separate their addresses with commas. When you are finished or if you do not want to send any copies press RETURN.

   "Attachment:"
   This is an advanced Pine feature that allows you to attach files, including word processing documents, speadsheets, or images that exist on the same computer where you are running Pine. If you do not want to attach a file to your message press RETURN. For more information, with your cursor in the "Attachment:" field, press "^G" (get help).

   "Subject:"
   In this field enter a one-line description of your message. A short, pertinent description is appreciated by the recipients, since this is what they see when they scan their email index. When finished press RETURN.

   "Message Text:"
   Type your message. To move around, use the arrow keys. To delete characters, press or . To delete a line, press "^K". To justify your text, press "^J". To check your spelling, press "^T". To see other edit commands, press "^G" (get help).

   Inserting a Plain Text File. If you want to send a "plain text" file with your message, you can insert the file in the body of your message using the "^R" (read in file) command. Plain text files are files created by text editors such a Pica, the editor you use when you compose a Pine message. For information about inserting files, with your cursor in the "Message Text:" field, press "^G" (get help).

   Hints for Sending a Message:
   Sending a Message - After your message is composed, press "^X", and then type y or press RETURN. Your message is sent and a copy is saved to the sent-mail folder. If a message cannot be delivered, it eventually is returned to you. If you want to re-send a message, you can use the "F" (forward) command.

   Changing Your Mind:
   If you change your mind after typing "^X", type n instead of y to continue to work on your message. While you are writing your message you can press "^O" (postpone) to hold your message so you can work on it later, or you can press "^C" (cancel) to delete your message entirely. You are asked to confirm whether or not you want to cancel a message.

7. Listing Messages

   Pine stores messages sent to you (including those you send to yourself) in your INBOX folder. Messages remain in your INBOX folder until you delete them or save them in other folders. (You will learn more about the INBOX and other folders in "Pine Folders".)

   To see a list of the messages you have received in your INBOX folder navigate to the Pine Main Menu and type I (folder index). If you have any messages they are listed as shown in the following example for the user name "jhughes".

   *** See "Moving Between Folders" if you want to list the messages in a folder other than your INBOX.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 FOLDER INDEX Folder:INBOX Message 3 of 3 NEW D 1 Jan 10 Mu Li (486) Proposal + A 2 Jan 10 Christine Smith (500) NSF + N 3 Jan 11 To: jhughes (448) Test ? Help < FldrList P PrevMsg - Prev Page D Delete R Reply O OTHER CMDS > [ViewMsg] N NextMsg Spc Next Page U Undelete F Forward -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Figure 4. A Pine Folder Index Screen

   The selected message is highlighted. The first column on the left shows the message status. It may be blank, or it may contain "N" if the message is new (unread), "+" if the message was sent directly to you (it is not a copy or from a list), "A" if you have answered the message (using the reply command), or "D" if you have marked the message for deletion. The rest of the columns in the message line show the message number, date sent, sender, size, and subject. For details, press "?" (help).

   Most of the commands you need to manage your message are listed at the bottom of the screen. You can type "O" (other commands) to see the additional commands that are available. You do not need to see these commands on the screen to use them. That is, you never need to type "O" as a prefix for any other command.

8. Viewing a Message

   To view a message:

   1. At the Folder Index screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the message you want to view.
   2. Type "V" (view message) or press RETURN to read a selected message.
   3. To see the next message, press "N" (next message).
   4. To return to the index, press "I" (index).

9. Replying to a Message

   To reply to a message that you have selected at the Folder Index screen or that you are viewing:

   Type "R" (reply).

   Pine will ask you if you want to include the original message in your reply. Also, if the original message was sent to more than one person you are asked if you want to reply to all recipients. Selecting this option will deliver your message to all of the original recipients, which is not always desirable. It is always a good idea to verify that the addresses in the "To:" and "Cc:" fields are correct before you send a message.

10. Pine Folders

    Messages in your INBOX folder should be moved to other folders. Leaving e-mail in your INBOX folder can lead to a large inbox size; the result of which is reduced performance. This can be very detrimental to the efficiency of reading your e-mail, particularly while traveling, while connecting through wireless connections, or through other mobile devices.

    Organizing Messages With Folders

    An e-mail folder is simply a storage place for messages, be it incoming, read, sent, etc. E-mail can be organized into different folders by topic, correspondent, date, or any other desirable identifier. By default, Pine creates three default folders, as shown below. Additionally, you can create your own folders for further organization.

    • The INBOX Folder - Messages sent to you are listed in this folder. When you first start Pine and go to the Folder Index screen, you are looking at the list of messages in your INBOX folder. Every incoming message remains in your INBOX until you delete it or save it in another folder.
    • The Saved-Messages Folder - Copies of messages you save are stored in this folder unless you save them to other folders you create yourself. See "Saving a Message".
    • The Sent-Mail Folder - Copies of messages you send are automatically stored in this folder. This is convenient if you cannot remember whether you actually sent a message or if you want to send a message again.

    Organizing your Folders

    Messages--whether they are in your INBOX or your other Pine folders--occupy storage space, and your storage space is limited.

    • Check your mail frequently to see if you have any new messages.
    • Do not keep messages in your INBOX folder. A large INBOX reduces performance: it takes longer to display large lists of messages when you start Pine, and it requires more time to move between messages.
    • Delete your incoming messages right away if you do not want them, or save them to other folders if you do.
    • Routinely delete obsolete messages from all of your Pine folders.
    • You will get a monthly message via Pine that asks if you want to delete entire Sent-Mail folders (and all the messages they contain) from previous months. It is advisable to back up your sent mail folder periodically. If you do not, then removing your sent folder is not recommended.

    Moving Between Folders

    When you start Pine and press "I" (Index) at the Main Menu, you see a list of messages in your INBOX folder. To view messages in another folder you will need to open it first. The following text shows you two ways to go to another folder from nearly anywhere in Pine.

    To access your folders and the messages that are stored in them:

    1. Type "L" (folder list).

       You see a Folder List screen like the following, in which your current folder is highlighted (when you start Pine, the current folder is your INBOX).

       -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 FOLDER LIST Folder:INBOX 3 Messages INBOX sent-mail saved-messages 101class ? Help < Main Menu P PrevCltn - PrevPage O OTHER CMDS > [ViewFldr] N NextCltn Spc NextPage W WhereIs --------------------------------------------------------------------------

       Figure 5. A Pine Folder List Screen.

    2. Use the arrow keys to highlight a folder.
    3. To see an index of the messages in that folder, type "V" (view folder) or press RETURN.

    Note that this method of moving between folders takes you to the Folder List screen, which has a menu of commands that enable you to do such things as add, delete, and rename folders. If you simply want to move to and list the massages in another folder, try the method below.

    To move most quickly to the index of another folder:

    1. Type "G" (goto folder). You are prompted for the name of a folder.
    2. Type the folder name.

       If you forget the name of the folder, type "^T" (to folders) and select a folder using the commands at the bottom of the screen.

    3. Press RETURN.

       You see the list of the messages in the folder.

    Deleting a Folder

    To delete a folder and all of the messages it contains:

    1. Type "L" (folder list).
    2. Use the arrow keys to highlight a folder.
    3. To delete the entire folder of messages, type "D" (delete).

       You are asked:
       "Really delete 'folder'?"

    4. Type "y" (yes) if you want to delete the folder and all of its messages.

       The folder disappears. There is no way to undelete a deleted folder.

11. Saving a Message

    When you save a message, you are given a choice: you can store it in the saved- messages folder, or you can specify another folder.

    Once you save a message, the copy in the INBOX folder is automatically marked for deletion so that you will only have one copy. When you quit Pine, you are asked to confirm whether or not you want to expunge the copy from the INBOX folder. To conserve space, it is a good idea to do this.

    Saving a Message to the Saved-Messages Folder

    To save a message to the saved-messages folder:

    1. At the Index screen, use the arrow keys to [Folder "INBOX" opened with 2 messages] the message you want to save, or, at the Message Text screen as you view a message:

       Type "S" (save).

       You are asked if you want to save the message to the saved-messages folder or to another folder:
       SAVE to folder [saved-messages]:

    2. Press RETURN to choose the default folder: ["saved-messages"].

       Pine saves your message, and you see the following:
       [Message "#" copied to folder "saved-messages" and marked deleted].

    Saving a Message to a Folder You Specify

    You will find it useful to create additional folders for storing messages on particular subjects.

    To save a message to a folder you specify:

    1. At the Folder Index screen, use the arrow keys to highlight the message you want to save, or, at the Message Text screen as you view a message:

       Type "S" (save).

       You are asked if you want to save it to the saved-messages folder or another folder:
       Save to folder [saved messages]:

    2. Type a folder name and press RETURN.

       For example, to save a message to a folder named "papers", type "papers" and press RETURN.

       Folder "papers" doesn't exist. Create?
       Type "y" (yes) or press RETURN to create the folder.

       Once you have created the folder, or whenever you type the name of a folder that already exists, you see a message like the following:
       [Message "#" copied to folder "papers" and marked deleted]

12. Forwarding a Message

    To forward a selected message (or the currently viewed message):

    1. Type "F" (forward).

       A copy of the message opens and the "To:" field is highlighted.

    2. Enter the address of your recipient and send the message as usual. Note that you can modify the original message if you wish, for example, to forward only a portion of it or to add a message or notes of your own.

13. Deleting a Message

    To mark for deletion a message you do not want:

    1. Select and open the folder that contains the message you wish to mark for deletion. See "Moving Between Folders", if the message you want to mark for deletion is in a folder other than your INBOX.
    2. At the Folder Index screen, select the message you want to mark for deletion, or simply view the message.
    3. Type "D" (delete).

       While viewing the Folder Index screen: when you mark a message for deletion, a "D" appears in the left-hand column of the message line.

       While viewing the Message Text screen: when you mark a message for deletion, a "DEL" appears in the upper right corner of your screen. The next message, if there is one, appears.

    Repeat this process to mark additional messages for deletion.

    Undeleting a Message

    If you change your mind about a message you have marked for deletion, use the U (Undelete) command to remove the deletion mark any time before you expunge a message. After you expunge a message, it cannot be restored from within Pine.

    Expunging a Message

    A message that is marked for deletion remains in Pine until you expunge it. You can expunge a message that is marked for deletion at any time, or you can wait until you quit Pine. Once you have a few messages marked for deletion, you may want to expunge them before you continue to work, because it is easier to look through a folder index that contains fewer messages.

    To expunge a message:

    1. At the Folder Index screen, type "X" (expunge).

       You are asked:
       "Expunge '#' message(s) from 'folder'?"

    2. Type y (yes) or press RETURN.

       Messages marked for deletion disappear.

    Note that you will be asked whether you want to expunge messages that are marked for deletion when you leave a folder (other than the INBOX) that contains messages marked for deletion, or when you quit your Pine session.

14. Using the Address Book

    You can create a list of email correspondents. You can use the Pine Address Book to store e-mail addresses for individuals or groups, to create easily remembered "nicknames" for these addresses, and to quickly retrieve an e-mail address when you are composing a message. Here is a sample page from an Address Book:

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE 4.03 ADDRESS BOOK Folder:INBOX Message 1 of 3 gomez Gonzalez, George ggonz@unixz.university.ca mu Li, Mu muli@u.university.edu chris Smith, Christine K. cksmith@art.somewhere.edu rt Research Team DISTRIBUTION LIST: gomez chris jhughes@art.somewhere.edu ? Help < MainMenu P PrevEntry - PrevPage D Delete C ComposeTo O OTHER CMDS > [View/Update] N NextEntry Spc NextPage @ Add W WhereIs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Figure 6. A Pine Address Book Screen.

    There are two ways to set up an individual address in your Address Book. You can add an address manually or take it more easily from an incoming message. With either method, you specify nicknames for your correspondents. You can also set up a group (list) address in your Address Book, but only manually.

    Adding an Individual Address

    To add an individual address manually:

    1. Note the address.
    2. At the Pine Main Menu, type "A" (address book).
    3. Type "A" (add).
    4. Follow the instructions. (Press "^G" if you need help.)

    Taking an Individual Address From an Incoming Message

    To take an individual address from a message you are viewing or have selected in the index:

    1. Type "T" (take address). The T command is not visible on your screen unless you type "O" (other commands), but you need not see it to use it.
    2. Follow the instructions. (Press "^G" if you need help.)

    Adding a Group (List) Address

    If you routinely send messages to a group, you can create a list address. That way you do not need to type each person's address every time you send a message to the group.

    To create a list address:

    1. At the Pine Main Menu, type "A" (address book).
    2. Type "S" (create list).
    3. Follow the instructions. (Press "^G" if you need help.)

    Using Address Book Entries When Composing Email

    When composing a message, at the "To:" or the "Cc:" (Carbon Copy) fields you can enter an email address in any of the following ways:

    • Type the entire email address.
    • Type a nickname you have setup in the address book.

      For example, if your Address Book looked like the one in Figure 6, you could type the following nickname in the "To:" field:
      "mu"

      After you pressed RETURN, Pine would provide the full address for Mu from the Address Book as follows:
      "To: Mu Li <muli@u.university.edu>"

    • Select a name from the Address Book:
      Move to the Address Book (with or cursor in the"To:" or "Cc:" field press "T") and use the arrow keys to highlight the name you want. Type "S" (select) or press RETURN.

15. Additional Pine Options

    Pine offers other options. To use them, at the Pine Main Menu, type S (Setup). You see a message asking you to choose from the options below or cancel:

    • Printer - Choose a printer for Pine messages. You will need to setup PRINTER and LPDEST variables.
    • Newpassword - Change your account password while still in Pine. This will change your password for your account the next time you login.
    • Config (Setup Configuration) - Select additional options.
    • Update - Update Pine. Includes technical notes and PC-Pine information.
    • Signature - Setup a signature block for use with Pine.

    The option allowing you to choose a printer is especially useful and is described in the following section.

    Choosing Printer Variables

    From the setup menu, select P for print. When prompted to choose the type of printing (1-3) select 2 for Standard Unix Print Command. You will also need to set up environment variables at a prompt or in your .cshrc file to select the printer:

    setenv LPDEST eb1328ps1

    Printing a Message

    After setting the printer variables, print messages from either the Folder Index screen or the View Message screen, type Y (Print). You will be asked to confirm your choice.

    Note that you can also use this command to print Pine's online help text.

16. More in PINE

    Pine has other useful features that have not been covered in this introductory document. Although originally designed for novice email users, Pine has evolved to support many advanced features. It has become an easy-to-use program for sending, receiving, and filing Internet electronic mail messages and bulletin board (Netnews) messages including multimedia attachments. There is also a PC version of Pine for use with IMAP mail servers. If you would like to learn more about Pine:

    • Try all of the commands at the bottom of each Pine screen, including the ones that appear when you type "O" (other commands).
    • Read Pine's online help often. It contains tips to help you at every stage of learning Pine. Read about different functions, even those you do not use yet.
    • Check out the original Pine site at http://www.washington.edu/pine/.
    • For more advanced information, see the online Unix Manuel entries for Pine and Pico. In addition, at the Pine Main Menu, choose "R" for release notes.

    Your local system managers may have customized Pine to suit specific needs, and they may or may not offer all of Pine's ever-growing set of configuration and personal-preference options. Thus, your local system managers are a good source of information about additional Pine features.

17. Guidelines for Using E-mail

    Electronic mail is a unique medium of communication. Messages can be replied to or forwarded with speed and ease, and email has the potential to reach a wide audience. These features can also be misused. There are a few basic guidelines for the responsible use of email that can help you avoid common mistakes while you enjoy the full benefits of this technology.

    E-mail does not show the subtleties of voice or body language. Avoid attempts at irony or sarcasm. The most effective email is short, clear, and relevant. If you receive a message that makes you upset, do not respond immediately, and in any case, avoid "flaming," that is, sending an angry or rude message.

    E-mail Tips

    As you use e-mail, keep the following tips in mind:

    • E-mail is easily forwarded to someone else. Although this is convenient, it is not always appropriate. If you are unsure, ask the sender before you forward a message.
    • E-mail replies may go to more people than you realize. When replying to a message, be sure to look at the list of recipients.
    • E-mail can be junk mail, so avoid unnecessary proliferation of messages.
    • E-mail takes up computer space, so delete messages you no longer need.
    • E-mail should not be considered private. Confidential information should not be sent by email.