The following bindings are available in the index for sending messages.
m compose compose a new message
r reply reply to sender
g group-reply reply to all recipients
L list-reply reply to mailing list address
f forward forward message
b bounce bounce (remail) message
ESC k mail-key mail a PGP public key to someone
Bouncing a message sends the message as is to the recipient you specify. Forwarding a message allows you to add comments or modify the message you are forwarding. These items are discussed in greater detail in the next chapter ``Forwarding and Bouncing Mail''.
Mutt will then enter the compose menu and prompt you for the recipients to place on the ``To:'' header field. Next, it will ask you for the ``Subject:'' field for the message, providing a default if you are replying to or forwarding a message. See also $askcc, $askbcc, $autoedit, $bounce, and $fast_reply for changing how Mutt asks these questions.
Mutt will then automatically start your $editor on the message body. If the $edit_headers variable is set, the headers will be at the top of the message in your editor. Any messages you are replying to will be added in sort order to the message, with appropriate $attribution, $indent_string and $post_indent_string. When forwarding a message, if the $mime_forward variable is unset, a copy of the forwarded message will be included. If you have specified a $signature, it will be appended to the message.
Once you have finished editing the body of your mail message, you are returned to the compose menu. The following options are available:
a attach-file attach a file
A attach-message attach message(s) to the message
ESC k attach-key attach a PGP public key
d edit-description edit description on attachment
D detach-file detach a file
t edit-to edit the To field
ESC f edit-from edit the From field
r edit-reply-to edit the Reply-To field
c edit-cc edit the Cc field
b edit-bcc edit the Bcc field
y send-message send the message
s edit-subject edit the Subject
S smime-menu select S/MIME options
f edit-fcc specify an ``Fcc'' mailbox
p pgp-menu select PGP options
P postpone-message postpone this message until later
q quit quit (abort) sending the message
w write-fcc write the message to a folder
i ispell check spelling (if available on your system)
^F forget-passphrase wipe passphrase(s) from memory
Note: The attach-message function will prompt you for a folder to attach messages from. You can now tag messages in that folder and they will be attached to the message you are sending. Note that certain operations like composing a new mail, replying, forwarding, etc. are not permitted when you are in that folder. The %r in $status_format will change to a 'A' to indicate that you are in attach-message mode.