AERC(1) # NAME aerc - a pretty good email client. # SYNOPSIS *aerc* [*-v*] [*-a* __[,__]] [*mailto:*_..._] For a guided tutorial, use *:help tutorial* from aerc, or *man aerc-tutorial* from your terminal. # OPTIONS *-v* Prints the installed version of aerc and exits. *-a* __[,__] Load only the named accounts, as opposed to all configured accounts. List must be comma separated, with no spaces. The account order will be preserved. *mailto:*_address[,address][?query[&query]]_ Opens the composer with the address(es) in the To field. These addresses must not be percent encoded. If aerc is already running, the composer is started in this instance, otherwise aerc will be started. The following (optional) query parameters are supported: [[ *Query* :[ *Description* | _subject=_ : Subject line will be completed with the __ | _body=_ : Message body will be completed with the __ | _cc=
[,
]_ : Cc header will be completed with the list of addresses | _bcc=
[,
]_ : Bcc header will be completed with the list of addresses | _in-reply-to=_ : In-reply-to header will be set to the message id | _account=_ : Specify the account (must be in _accounts.conf_; default is the selected account) | _template=_ : Template sets the template file for creating the message Note that reserved characters in the queries must be percent encoded. \:*command* [...] Run an aerc-internal command as you would in Ex-Mode. See *RUNTIME COMMANDS* below. # RUNTIME COMMANDS To execute a command, press *:* to bring up the command interface. Commands may also be bound to keys, see *aerc-binds*(5) for details. In some contexts, such as the terminal emulator, ** is used to bring up the command interface. Different commands work in different contexts, depending on the kind of tab you have selected. Dynamic arguments are expanded following *aerc-templates*(7) depending on the context. For example, if you have a message selected, the following command: ``` :filter -f "{{index (.From | emails) 0}}" ``` Will filter all messages sent by the same sender. Aerc stores a history of commands, which can be cycled through in command mode. Pressing the up key cycles backwards in history, while pressing down cycles forwards. ## GLOBAL COMMANDS These commands work in any context. *:help* __ Display one of aerc's man pages in the embedded terminal. *:help* *keys* Display the active key bindings in the current context. *:new-account* [*-t*] Start the new account wizard. *-t*: Create a temporary account. Do not modify _accounts.conf_. *:cd* __ Changes aerc's current working directory. *:z* __ Changes aerc's current working directory using zoxide. If zoxide is not on *$PATH*., the command will not be registered. *:change-tab* [*+*|*-*]__++ *:ct* [*+*|*-*]__ Changes the focus to the tab with the given name. If a number is given, it's treated as an index. If the number is prepended with *+* or *-*, the number is interpreted as a delta from the selected tab. If only a *-* is given, changes the focus to the previously selected tab. *:exec* __ Executes an arbitrary command in the background. Aerc will set the environment variables *$account* and *$folder* when the command is executed from an Account tab or an opened message. Note: commands executed in this way are not executed with the shell. *:eml* [__]++ *:preview* Opens an eml file and displays the message in the message viewer. Can also be used in the message viewer to open an rfc822 attachment or in the composer to preview the message. *:pwd* Displays aerc's current working directory in the status bar. *:term* [_..._]++ *:terminal* Opens a new terminal tab with a shell running in the current working directory, or the specified command. *:move-tab* [_+_|_-_]__ Moves the selected tab to the given index. If _+_ or _-_ is specified, the number is interpreted as a delta from the selected tab. *:prev-tab* [__]++ *:next-tab* [__] Cycles to the previous or next tab in the list, repeating __ times (default: _1_). *:pin-tab* Moves the current tab to the left of all non-pinned tabs and displays the *pinned-tab-marker* (default: _`_) to the left of the tab title. *:unpin-tab* Removes the *pinned-tab-marker* from the current tab and returns the tab to its previous location. *:prompt* __ _..._ Displays the prompt on the status bar, waits for user input, then appends that input as the last argument to the command and executes it. The input is passed as one argument to the command, unless it is empty, in which case no extra argument is added. *:choose* *-o* __ __ __ [*-o* __ __ __]... Prompts the user to choose from various options. *:quit* [*-f*]++ *:exit* [*-f*] Exits aerc. If a task is being performed that should not be interrupted (like sending a message), a normal quit call might fail. In this case, closing aerc can be forced with the *-f* option. ## MESSAGE COMMANDS These commands are valid in any context that has a selected message (e.g. the message list, the message in the message viewer, etc). *:archive* __ Moves the selected message to the archive. The available schemes are: _flat_: No special structure, all messages in the archive directory _year_: Messages are stored in folders per year _month_: Messages are stored in folders per year and subfolders per month *:accept* [*-e*|*-E*] Accepts an iCalendar meeting invitation. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. *:accept-tentative* [*-e*|*-E*] Accepts an iCalendar meeting invitation tentatively. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. *:copy* __++ *:cp* __ Copies the selected message to the target folder. *:decline* [*-e*|*-E*] Declines an iCalendar meeting invitation. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. *:delete*++ *:delete-message* Deletes the selected message. *:envelope* [*-h*] [*-s* __] Opens the message envelope in a dialog popup. *-h*: Show all header fields *-s* __ User-defined format specifier requiring two _%s_ for the key and value strings. Default format: _%-20.20s: %s_ *:recall* [*-f*] [*-e*|*-E*] Opens the selected message for re-editing. Messages can only be recalled from the postpone directory. *-f*: Open the message for re-editing even if it is not in the postpone directory. Aerc remembers the folder, so the further *:postpone* call will save the message back there. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. Original recalled messages are deleted if they are sent or postponed again. In both cases you have another copy of the message somewhere. Otherwise the recalled message is left intact. This happens if the recalled message is discarded after editing. It can be deleted with *:rm* if it is not needed. *:forward* [*-A*|*-F*] [*-T* __] [*-e*|*-E*] [_
_...] Opens the composer to forward the selected message to another recipient. *-A*: Forward the message and all attachments. *-F*: Forward the full message as an RFC 2822 attachment. *-T* __ Use the specified template file for creating the initial message body. Unless *-F* is specified, this defaults to what is set as *forwards* in the *[templates]* section of _aerc.conf_. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. *:move* __++ *:mv* __ Moves the selected message to the target folder. *:pipe* [*-bmp*] __ Downloads and pipes the selected message into the given shell command, and opens a new terminal tab to show the result. By default, the selected message part is used in the message viewer and the full message is used in the message list. Operates on multiple messages when they are marked. When piping multiple messages, aerc will write them with mbox format separators. *-b*: Run the command in the background instead of opening a terminal tab *-m*: Pipe the full message *-p*: Pipe just the selected message part, if applicable This can be used to apply patch series with git: *:pipe -m* _git am -3_ When at least one marked message subject matches a patch series (e.g. _[PATCH X/Y]_), all marked messages will be sorted by subject to ensure that the patches are applied in order. *:reply* [*-acq*] [*-T* __] [*-e*|*-E*] Opens the composer to reply to the selected message. *-a*: Reply all *-c*: Close the view tab when replying. If the reply is not sent, reopen the view tab. *-q*: Insert a quoted version of the selected message into the reply editor *-T* __ Use the specified template file for creating the initial message body. If *-q* is specified, defaults to what is set as *quoted-reply* in the *[templates]* section of _aerc.conf_. *-e*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _true_ for this message only. *-E*: Forces *[compose].edit-headers* = _false_ for this message only. *:read* [*-t*] Marks the marked or selected messages as read. *-t*: Toggle the messages between read and unread. *:unread* [*-t*] Marks the marked or selected messages as unread. *-t*: Toggle the messages between read and unread. *:flag* [*-t*] [*-a* | *-x* __] Sets (enables) a certain flag on the marked or selected messages. *-t*: Toggle the flag instead of setting (enabling) it. *-a*: Mark message as answered/unanswered. *-x* __: Mark message with specific flag. The available flags are (adapted from RFC 3501, section 2.3.2): _Seen_ Message has been read _Answered_ Message has been answered _Flagged_ Message is flagged for urgent/special attention *:unflag* [*-t*] __ Operates exactly like *:flag*, defaulting to unsetting (disabling) flags. *:modify-labels* [_+_|_-_]_