---
name: "mhlist"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "nmh"
version: "1.5-release-0.2"
release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mhlist"
---

# mhlist(1)

list information about MIME messages

## NAME

mhlist - list information about MIME messages

## SYNOPSIS

**mhlist** \[*+folder*\] \[*msgs*\] \[**-file** *file*\] \[**-part** *number*\] ... \[**-type** *content*\] ... \[**-headers** \| **-noheaders**\] \[**-realsize** \| **-norealsize**\] \[**-rcache** *policy*\] \[**-wcache** *policy*\] \[**-check** \| **-nocheck**\] \[**-verbose** \| **-noverbose**\] \[**-version**\] \[**-help**\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **mhlist** command allows you to list information (essentially a table of contents) about the various parts of a collection of MIME (multi-media) messages.

**mhlist** manipulates MIME (multi-media messages) as specified in RFC-2045 thru RFC-2049 (See [**mhbuild**(1)](/mhbuild/1.md)).

The **-headers** switch indicates that a one-line banner should be displayed above the listing.

The **-realsize** switch tells **mhlist** to evaluate the “native” (decoded) format of each content prior to listing. This provides an accurate count at the expense of a small delay.

If the **-verbose** switch is present, then the listing will show any “extra” information that is present in the message, such as comments in the “Content-Type” header.

The option **-file** *file* directs **mhlist** to use the specified file as the source message, rather than a message from a folder. If you specify this file as “-”, then **mhlist** will accept the source message on the standard input.  Note that the file, or input from standard input should be a validly formatted message, just like any other **nmh** message.  It should **NOT** be in mail drop format (to convert a file in mail drop format to a folder of **nmh** messages, see [**inc**(1)](/inc/1.md)).

By default, **mhlist** will list information about the entire message (all of its parts).  By using the **-part** and **-type** switches, you may limit the scope of this command to particular subparts (of a multipart content) and/or particular content types.

A part specification consists of a series of numbers separated by dots. For example, in a multipart content containing three parts, these would be named as 1, 2, and 3, respectively.  If part 2 was also a multipart content containing two parts, these would be named as 2.1 and 2.2, respectively.  Note that the **-part** switch is effective for only messages containing a multipart content.  If a message has some other kind of content, or if the part is itself another multipart content, the **-part** switch will not prevent the content from being acted upon.

A content specification consists of a content type and a subtype. The initial list of “standard” content types and subtypes can be found in RFC-2046.

A list of commonly used contents is briefly reproduced here:

```
Type	Subtypes
----	--------
text	plain, enriched
multipart	mixed, alternative, digest, parallel
message	rfc822, partial, external-body
application	octet-stream, postscript
image	jpeg, gif, png
audio	basic
video	mpeg
```

A legal MIME message must contain a subtype specification.

To specify a content, regardless of its subtype, just use the name of the content, e.g., “audio”.  To specify a specific subtype, separate the two with a slash, e.g., “audio/basic”. Note that regardless of the values given to the **-type** switch, a multipart content (of any subtype listed above) is always acted upon. Further note that if the **-type** switch is used, and it is desirable to act on a message/external-body content, then the **-type** switch must be used twice: once for message/external-body and once for the content externally referenced.

### Checking the Contents

The **-check** switch tells **mhlist** to check each content for an integrity checksum.  If a content has such a checksum (specified as a Content-MD5 header field), then **mhlist** will attempt to verify the integrity of the content.

## FILES

```
^$HOME/.mh_profile~^The user profile
```

## PROFILE COMPONENTS

```
^Path:~^To determine the user's nmh directory
^Current-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
```

## SEE ALSO

[mhbuild(1)](/mhbuild/1.md), [mhshow(1)](/mhshow/1.md), [mhstore(1)](/mhstore/1.md), [sendfiles(1)](/sendfiles/1.md)

## DEFAULTS

```
`+folder' defaults to the current folder
`msgs' defaults to cur
`-nocheck'
`-headers'
`-realsize'
`-rcache ask'
`-wcache ask'
`-noverbose'
```

## CONTEXT

If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.  The last message selected will become the current message.