---
name: "run-mailcap"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "mime-support"
version: "2.17-1"
release: "Debian 2.0 (Hamm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/run-mailcap/8"
---

# run-mailcap(8)

execute programs via entries in the mailcap file

## NAME

run-mailcap, see - execute programs via entries in the *mailcap* file

## SYNOPSIS

**see** --action=\<action\> \[--debug=\<value\>\] \[\<mime-type\>:\]\<filename\>  \[...\]

**run-mailcap** --action=\<action\> \[--debug=\<value\>\] \[\<mime-type\>:\]\<filename\>  \[...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**run-mailcap** ( or its alias, **see** ) will use the given action to process each mime-type/file in turn. Each file is is specified as its mime-type and filename together, separated by a colon.  If the mime-type is omitted, an attempt to determine the type is made by trying to match the file's extension with those in the *mime.types* files.

Both the user's files (~/.mailcap; ~/.mime.types) and the system files (/etc/mailcap; /etc/mime.types) are searched in turn for information.

### OPTIONS

All options are in the form --\<opt\>=\<value\>.

- **--action=\<action\>**

  Performs the specified action on the files.  Valid actions are *view* , *compose* , *composetyped* , *edit* , and *print.* If no action is specified, "view" will be used.

- **--debug=\<value\>**

  Turns on extra information to find out what is happening.  Any value other than zero (0) will turn on debugging output.

## AUTHOR

**run-mailcap** (see) was written by Brian White \<bcwhite@pobox.com\>.

## COPYRIGHT

**run-mailcap** (see) is in the public domain.