tkbiff Command-line Flags and Arguments

The following command-line arguments are available on UNIX and Windows. To produce these effects permanently, modify the configuration file. The INSTALL file describes how to make them system-wide defaults.

-cf file

-cf changes the default location of the configuration file.

On UNIX, tkbiff may also be invoked as tclbiff. This is merely a shorthand for tkbiff -cf /dev/null, a trivially-configured tkbiff with no GUI. (This is useful when no X server is available.)

-file

The -file flag causes tkbiff to retrieve mail from a file using the mbox or mbx format. (See -mbox flag.) To make this the default, set the variable protocol(type) to file. See the INSTALL file to make it the system-wide default.

-imap host[:port]

The -imap flag causes tkbiff to monitor mail from an IMAP server. The next argument specifies the hostname of the IMAP server. A :## suffix may be used to override the default IMAP port of 110. To make this the default, set the variable protocol(type) to imap and set protocol(host) to host:##. See the INSTALL file to make it the system-wide default.

-old

With some protocols, tkbiff has to read old mail as well as new mail. For other protocols (IMAP and maildir), tkbiff ignores existing old messages which allows it to run faster. The -old flag causes tkbiff to read old messages no matter which protocol is used. To make this the default, set the variable protocol(old) to 1.

-maildir

The -maildir flag causes tkbiff to retrieve mail from a directory using the maildir format. (See -mbox flag.) To make this the default, set the variable protocol(type) to maildir. See the INSTALL file to make it the system-wide default.

-mbox mailbox

By default, tkbiff monitors your default mailbox. Override this with the -mbox flag and the name of the mailbox. When using a file-based mail protocol, this should be a filename. When using a maildir-based mail protocol, this should be a directory. To make this the default, set the variable mbox to the mailbox name.

It is possible to monitor multiple mailboxes (i.e., folder) simultaneously simply by running multiple copies of tkbiff, each with different -mbox arguments. Trivial scripts can be used for each mailbox where each sets the variable mbox, followed by source tkbiff.

-nohostretry

tkbiff normally ignores the inability to connect to IMAP and POP servers under the assumption that the failure is temporary (i.e., server is temporarily down). To force tkbiff to give up immediately upon server failure, use the -nohostretry flag. This is useful when you are testing and don't have complete confidence in the hostname and/or port and would like to see connection failure messages. To make this the default, set the variable hostretry to 0.

-password IZ4lkj3

If a password is needed by the underlying mail system, it can be provided on the command line with this flag. Although it is not recommended as a general practice for obvious reasons, the password can be supplied automatically by storing it in the variable password. If the password is not supplied on the command line or in a variable, tkbiff will interactively prompt for the password.

-secret IZ4lkj3

In order to use apop, a secret must be provided. This can done using this command-line flag. Although it is not recommended as a general practice for obvious reasons, the secret can be supplied automatically by storing it in the variable secret. If the secret is not supplied on the command line or in a variable, tkbiff will interactively prompt for the secret if apop is selected.

-pop host[:port]

The -pop flag causes tkbiff to monitor mail from a POP server. The next argument specifies the hostname of the POP server. A :## suffix may be used to override the default POP port of 110. To make this the default, set the variable protocol(type) to pop and set protocol(host) to host:##.

-apop host[:port]

The -pop flag causes tkbiff to monitor mail from a POP server using APOP for authentication. Otherwise, -apop is similar to -pop. Note that -apop is assumed if a secret is provided and a POP server is selected.

-user user

By default, tkbiff monitors the mail of the current user. The -user flag and a user name causes tkbiff to monitor the mail of the given user. (-user is ignored if -mbox is specified with a filename.) On MacOS, the default current user is given by the File Sharing control panel. On UNIX and Windows, the environment variables USER, LOGNAME, and USERNAME are used.

-verbose

From the command line, the -verbose flag causes tkbiff to enter verbose mode.

-version

The -version flag causes tkbiff to print out a version and exit.

The following flags are specific to the default GUI.

-audiohost host

By default, tkbiff plays sounds on the same host where the display is directed (or the host on which it is running if there is no display). This can be overridden by specifying -audiohost with a hostname.

-audiorsh program

If tkbiff needs to play sounds remotely, it defaults to ssh if it can be found on the path or rsh otherwise. This can be overridden by specifying -audiorsh with a program name (such as rsh).

-audiorcmd program

If tkbiff needs to play sounds remotely, it defaults to using tkbiff_audio with the same path as on the local system. This can be overridden by specifying -audiorcmd with a program name. It should be something like /somepath/tkbiff_audio. A path is invariably necessary since tkbiff_audio is unlikely to be on the primitive path provided by a remote shell.

-title title

A title argument is used for the title of the main window. This is useful if you have multiple tkbiffs running.

-titleicon title

A titleicon argument is used for the title of the icon corresponding to the main window. This is useful if you have multiple tkbiffs running.

-titlepassword title

A titlepassword argument is used for the title of the window that tkbiff pops up to query for a password. This is useful if you start multiple tkbiffs simultaneously.

Several additional flags are available for secure connections.

If running on an X display, traditional X flags such as -display and -geometry are accepted. See wish(1) for a comprehensive list.

Last edited: Thu Mar 18 12:34:03 EST 2004 by Don Libes