Commands Reference, Volume 4

prev Command

Purpose

Shows the previous message.

Syntax

prev [ +Folder ] [ -header | -noheader ] [ -showproc CommandString | -noshowproc ]

Description

The prev command displays the previous message in a folder. The prev command is similar to the show command with the prev value specified.

The prev command passes any flags that it does not recognize to the showproc program.

Flags

+Folder	Specifies the folder that contains the message you want to show.
-header	Displays a one-line description of the message being shown. The description includes the folder name and the message number. This flag is the default.
-help	Lists the command syntax, available switches (toggles), and version information. Note: For Message Handler (MH), the name of this flag must be fully spelled out.
-noheader	Prevents display of a one-line description of each message.
-noshowproc	Uses the /usr/bin/cat command to list the previous command.
-showproc CommandString	Uses the specified command string to perform the listing.

Profile Entries

The following entries are part of the UserMhDirectory/.mh_profile file:

`Current-Folder:`	Sets the default current folder.
`Path:`	Specifies the UserMhDirectory.
`showproc:`	Specifies the program used to show messages.

Examples

To display the previous message in the current folder, enter:
```
prev
```
The system responds with a message similar to the following:
```
(Message schedule: 10)
```
The text of the message is also displayed. In this example, message 10 in the current folder schedule is the previous message.
To show the previous message in the meetings folder, enter:
prev +meetings
The system responds with a message similar to the following:
```
(Message inbox: 5)
```
In this example, message 5 in the meetings folder is the previous message.

Files

$HOME/.mh_profile	Contains the MH user profile.
/usr/bin/prev	Contains the prev command.

Related Information

The next command, show command.

The .mh_alias file format, .mh_profile file format.

Mail Overview in AIX 5L Version 5.1 System User's Guide: Communications and Networks.