.\"	@(MHWARNING)
.\" @(#)$Id: sortm.rf,v 1.9 1993/08/27 20:21:19 jromine Exp $
.SC SORTM 1
.NA
sortm \- sort messages
.SY
sortm
\%[+folder] \%[msgs]
\%[\-datefield\ field]
\%[\-textfield\ field] \%[\-notextfield]
\%[\-limit days] \%[\-nolimit]
\%[\-verbose] \%[\-noverbose]
\%[\-help]
.DE
\fISortm\fR sorts the specified messages in the named folder according
to the chronological order of the \*(lqDate:\*(rq field of each message.

The `\-verbose' switch directs \fIsortm\fR to tell the user the general
actions that it is taking to place the folder in sorted order.

The `\-datefield\ field' switch tells \fIsortm\fR the name of the field
to use when making the date comparison.
If the user has a special field in each message,
such as \*(lqBB\-Posted:\*(rq or \*(lqDelivery\-Date:\*(rq,
then the `\-datefield' switch can be used to direct \fIsortm\fR which
field to examine.

The `\-textfield\ field' switch causes \fIsortm\fR to sort messages by 
the specified text field.
If this field is \*(lqsubject\*(rq,
any leading "re:" is stripped off.
In any case, all characters except letters and numbers are stripped
and the resulting strings are sorted 
datefield\-major, textfield\-minor,
using a case insensitive comparison.

With `\-textfield\ field', 
if `\-limit\ days' is specified, messages with similar textfields
that are dated within `days' of each other appear together.
Specifying `\-nolimit' makes the limit infinity.
With `\-limit 0', the sort is instead made textfield\-major, date\-minor.

.\"Ex
For example, to order a folder by date-major, subject-minor, use:

.ti +.5i
sortm -textfield subject +folder

.Fi
^$HOME/\&.mh\(ruprofile~^The user profile
.Pr
^Path:~^To determine the user's MH directory
.Ps
^Current\-Folder:~^To find the default current folder
.Sa
folder (1)
.De
`+folder' defaults to the current folder
.Ds
`msgs' defaults to all
.Ds
`\-datefield date'
.Ds
`\-notextfield'
.Ds
`\-noverbose'
.Ds
`\-nolimit'
.Co
If a folder is given, it will become the current folder.
If the current message is moved, \fIsortm\fR will preserve its status
as current.
.Hi
Timezones used to be ignored when comparing dates:
they aren't any more.

Messages which were in the folder, but not specified by `msgs',
used to be moved to the end of the folder;
now such messages are left untouched.

\fISortm\fP sometimes did not preserve the message
numbering in a folder (e.g., messages
1, 3, and 5, might have been renumbered
to 1, 2, 3 after sorting).
This was a bug, and has been fixed.
To compress the message numbering in a folder, use
\*(lq\fIfolder\ \-pack\fR\|\*(rq as always.
.Bu
If \fIsortm\fR encounters a message without a date\-field,
or if the message has a date\-field that \fIsortm\fR cannot parse,
then \fIsortm\fR attempts to keep the message in the same relative
position.
This does not always work.
For instance, if the first message encountered lacks a date which can be
parsed,
then it will usually be placed at the end of the messages being sorted.

When \fIsortm\fR complains about a message which it can't temporally order,
it complains about the message number \fIprior\fR to sorting.
It should indicate what the message number will be \fIafter\fR sorting.
.En
