---
name: "spruce"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "spruce"
version: "0.5.9-3"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/spruce"
---

# spruce(1)

a GTK+ Internet mail client for X11.

## NAME

spruce - a GTK+ Internet mail client for X11.

## SYNOPSIS

**spruce** \[ *options* **...** \]

## DESCRIPTION

*Spruce* is an X11 mail user agent (commonly known as an email client) written with  the Gtk+ widget set. It is geared towards speed and useability, supporting  all the common features that users want or need without sacrificing speed  or space. Spruce's basic feature set includes:

-

  View, Save, Delete, Expunge, Print, Copy/Move between mailboxes, Reply and  Forward messages.

-

  Compose messages in a simple editor with word-wrap. Allows inserting text files into the editor to save composition time through a menu option. Supports adding file attachments via toolbar button.

-

  Easy manipulation of mailboxes and messages using both menus and drag-and-drop  technology.

-

  Address book to keep a list of long or frequently used addresses.

-

  New mail checking at the press of a button or on a set timer.

Spruce supports MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), an Internet  Standard for representing multipart and multimedia data in email. Spruce allows you to save MIME objects to files. Spruce's message composer does not have integral multimedia capability, but any type of data file (including multimedia) can be attached to a text message and sent using MIME's encoding  rules. This allows any group of individuals with MIME-capable mail software  (e.g. Spruce, Kmail, Pine, or many other programs) to exchange formatted documents, spreadsheets, image files, etc, via Internet email.

At the present time, spruce uses it's own SMTP interface to send mail.  Future versions may support the ability to have an external program like *Sendmail* send messages as an alternative.

Spruce currently supports several different methods of mail retrieval.  Currently supported are: POP3, IMAP and mbox (mbox is the standard UNIX mail format. These mailboxes are commonly found in /var/spool/mail and/or in the user's home directory: ~/mbox).

## OPTIONS

The command line options/arguments are:

- **--bindings**

  This will cause spruce to display any and all key bindings and then exit. Key bindings are keystrokes that are shrotcuts to common menu functions.

- **-h, --help**

  Output spruce's help screen and then exit.

- **-i, --icons**

  This will cause spruce to use icons in the toolbars. If used with the next option ( *-t* , *--text* ), spruce will display both text and icons.

- **-t, --text**

  This will cause spruce to use text in the toolbar buttons. If combined with the previous option ( *-i* , *--icons* ), both text and icons will be displayed.

- **-o, --both**

  This is the equivalent of the previous two arguments ( *--text* and *--icons* ). This is the default configuration if no other toolbar specific option(s) are passed.

- **-v, --version**

  Output spruce's version information and then exit.

## SPECIAL OPTIONS

Any combination of these options will cause spruce to automatically open a new compse window on startup.

- **--mailto** *address*

  Specify a mail-to (TO) address

- **--cc** *address*

  Specify a carbon-copy (CC) address

- **--bcc** *address*

  Specify a blind carbon-copy (BCC) address (not yet implemented)

- **--subject** *subject*

  Specify a subject (must be in quotes if the subject contains spaces)

## CONFIGURATION

There  are several levels of Spruce configuration. Configuration values at a  given level over-ride corresponding values at lower levels. In order of increasing precedence:

-

  o built-in defaults.\
   o personal ~/.spruce/spruce.conf file\
  \
     (may be set via built-in Options dialog.)\
   o command-line options.

## FILES

\~/.spruce/spruce.conf    configuration file\
 \~/.spruce/addrbook       addressbook file\
 \~/.spruce/\*.mbx          spruce specific mailboxes\
 \~/.spruce/uid.list       list of downloaded messages\
\
                          which prevents spruce from\
\
                          redownloading the same email\
\
                          message.\
 \~/.spruce/msgid.list     list of read messages\
 \~/.spruce/sprucesig      random signature file (takes\
\
                          precedence over the global\
\
                          random signature file)\
 /etc/sprucesig           global random signature file

## SEE ALSO

http://www.xtorshun.org/spruce/faq.html for frequently asked questions

## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

```
The Spruce development team includes:
 Project Leader:           Jeffrey Stedfast
 Principal authors:        Jeffrey Stedfast, Kristoffer Brånemyr and
                           Melissa Matthews
 Documentation:            Jeffrey Stedfast
 Web Site:                 Justin Mecham and Eliot Landrum
 Suggestions:              Folks from all over!
Copyright (c)1999 by Jeffrey Stedfast
```