---
name: "sendmsg"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "sendfile"
version: "2.1b.20080616-10"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sendmsg"
---

# sendmsg(1)

send a message via Internet

## NAME

sendmsg - send a message via Internet

## SYNOPSIS

**sendmsg** \[ **-46vVfrmMl** \] \[ **-u 'from'** \] \[ **-s 'message'** \] *recipient*

## DESCRIPTION

**sendmsg** sends a one line text message to the terminal(s) of the specified recipient.

On the receiving site there must be a SAFT-server (Simple Asynchronous File Transfer) installed, like the **sendfiled** and the recipients terminal must be writeable.

The **recipient** address can be specified as:

- **user**

  a local user or a sendfile alias (see below), e.g.: framstag

- **user@host**

  an user on a remote host, e.g.: framstag@bofh.belwue.de

- **saft://host/user**

  like above, but in URL-syntax, e.g.: saft://bofh.belwue.de/framstag

- **saft://host:port/user**

  like above, but with alternate SAFT-port, e.g.: saft://bofh.belwue.de:4870/framstag

## OPTIONS

- **-4, -6**

  Explicitly force  IPv4 or IPv6 connections.  By default, the program will try to resolve the name given, and choose the appropriate protocol automatically. If resolving a host name returns both IPv4  and  IPv6  addresses, sendmsg will try to use the adresses in the order they are returned by the resolver.

- **-v**

  Verbose mode: show SAFT protocol messages.

- **-V**

  Show version information and exit.

- **-f**

  Force sending of messages and ignore tty (re)settings.

- **-r**

  Reply to last received message.

- **-m**

  Receive messages only on this tty. This is the default.

- **-M**

  Allow receiving messages on other ttys.

- **-l**

  Allow sending of multiline messages messages.

- **-s 'message'**

  Send directly **message**.

- **-u 'from'**

  Set sender to **from** instead of **$LOGNAME**.

- **-q**

  Quiet mode: print no transfer messages.

## EXAMPLES

**sendmsg neg@linux.rus.uni-stuttgart.de**\
 message: *how about lunch?*

## FILES

- */etc/sendfile.deny*

  Users which are not allowed to receive files or messages (set by root).

- */var/spool/sendfile/$LOGNAME/config/restrictions*

  List of addresses from where you don't want messages or files. The format is:

     user@host \[mfb\]

  m stands for messages, f for files and b for both. Wildcards \* and ? are allowed. Examples:

     gates@microsoft.com b\
      \*aol.com m

- */var/spool/sendfile/$LOGNAME/config/aliases*

  The sendfile alias file. Format:

     alias address

  Example:

     chief grmblfz@bigvax.somewhere.net

## SEE ALSO

[**sendfile**(1)](/sendfile/1.md).

## AUTHOR

Ulli Horlacher  -  framstag@rus.uni-stuttgart.de