Responding to mail

You can respond to a mail message with the r command. If you have just read a message, typing r at the mail prompt starts a response to that message. If you have not read any messages, pressing r begins a response to the message at the bottom of your screen. You can also type the following at the mail prompt to respond to the message numbered number:

r number

When you respond to a message, mail automatically fills in the ``To:'' field with the name of the sender of the original message, and the ``Subject:'' field with ``Re: the original subject''.

Lowercase r responds only to the sender of the message. If you want to respond to the sender and everyone who was copied on the original mail, use uppercase R.

For practice, send yourself another mail message and then respond to it:

1. Type mail and your login name, then press <Enter>.

2. At the Subject: prompt, type Test message and press <Enter>.

3. Type This is a test message as the body of the message.

4. Go to a new line and press <Ctrl>D to end the message.

5. If you see a Cc: prompt, press <Enter>.

6. Go into your mailbox by typing mail, then pressing <Enter>.

7. At the mail prompt, type the number of the test message you just sent and press <Enter>.

8. At the next mail prompt, type r.

9. Type a brief response, as shown in the following screen display, then go to a new line, and press <Ctrl>D.

10. If you see a Cc: prompt, press <Enter>.
    

11. To read the response you just sent, type mail and press <Enter> to enter mail again and then type the number next to the response message. You will be able to tell it is a response to the previous message because it will have the subject of that message in its ``Subject:'' line. (If you do not see your response immediately, do not worry. It may take a moment or two for your message to arrive.)

12. When you finish, type q and press <Enter> to quit mail.

    From susannah Wed Jun 29 15:23:01 1994
    To: susannah
    Subject: Test message
    Date: Wed Jun 29 15:23:02 1994
    
    This is a test message
    
    r
    To: susannah
    Subject: Re: Test message
    
    Received the test message.
    Thanks.
    
    <Ctrl>D
    Cc: <Enter>
    q