---
name: "getfilename"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "metamail"
version: "2.7-54"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getfilename"
---

# getfilename(1)

Ask the user to name a file in a given format

## NAME

getfilename - Ask the user to name a file in a given format

## SYNOPSIS

**getfilename**  format-name file-name\

## DESCRIPTION

The *getfilename* program will ask the user for the name of a file in the specified format, and will copy that file to the file-name given as the second argument.

If this doesn't sound very useful by itself, you're right.  However, this turns out to be all you need in order to add some useful functionality to mailcap-oriented programs such as [mailto(1)](/mailto/1.md).  For example, the following line in a mailcap file allows mailto to help the user include PostScript in outgoing mail:

application/postscript ; lpr -Pipa %s ; description="Include a Postscript File";	compose="getfilename Postscript %s"

## SEE ALSO

[mailto(1)](/mailto/1.md), [metamail(1)](/metamail/1.md)

## BUGS

This is such a tiny program it might actually be bug-free, but I wouldn't bet on it.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 1991 Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore)

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this material  for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided  that the above copyright notice and this permission notice  appear in all copies, and that the name of Bellcore not be  used in advertising or publicity pertaining to this  material without the specific, prior written permission  of an authorized representative of Bellcore.  BELLCORE  MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR SUITABILITY  OF THIS MATERIAL FOR ANY PURPOSE.  IT IS PROVIDED "AS IS",  WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES.

## AUTHOR

Nathaniel S. Borenstein, Bellcore