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(mh-e)Searching

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Searching Through Messages
==========================

   You can search a folder for messages to or from a particular person
or about a particular subject.  In fact, you can also search for
messages containing selected strings in any arbitrary header field or
any string found within the messages.  Use the `M-s'
(`mh-search-folder') command.  You are first prompted for the name of
the folder to search and then placed in the following buffer in MH-Pick
mode:

     From: #
     To:
     Cc:
     Date:
     Subject:
     --------
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     --**-Emacs: pick-pattern    (MH-Pick)------All--------------------------
     Pick window

   Edit this template by entering your search criteria in an appropriate
header field that is already there, or create a new field yourself.  If
the string you're looking for could be anywhere in a message, then place
the string underneath the row of dashes.  The `M-s' command uses the MH
command `pick' to do the real work, so read `pick'(1) to find out more
about how to enter the criteria.

   There are no semantics associated with the search criteria--they are
simply treated as strings.  Case is ignored when all lowercase is used,
and regular expressions (a la `ed') are available.  It is all right to
specify several search criteria.  What happens then is that a logical
_and_ of the various fields is performed.  If you prefer a logical _or_
operation, run `M-s' multiple times.

   As an example, let's say that we want to find messages from Ginnean
about horseback riding in the Kosciusko National Park (Australia) during
January, 1994.  Normally we would start with a broad search and narrow
it down if necessary to produce a manageable amount of data, but we'll
cut to the chase and create a fairly restrictive set of criteria as
follows:

     From: ginnean
     To:
     Cc:
     Date: Jan 1994
     Subject: horse.*kosciusko
     --------

   As with MH-Letter mode, MH-Pick provides commands like `C-c C-f C-t'
to help you fill in the blanks.

`C-c C-f C-t'
     Move to `To:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-c'
     Move to `cc:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-s'
     Move to `Subject:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-f'
     Move to `From:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-b'
     Move to `Bcc:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-f'
     Move to `Fcc:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-f C-d'
     Move to `Dcc:' header field (`mh-to-field').

`C-c C-c'
     Execute the search (`mh-do-pick-search').

   To perform the search, type `C-c C-c' (`mh-do-pick-search').  The
selected messages are placed in the search sequence, which you can use
later in forwarding (Note: Forwarding), printing (Note: Printing),
or narrowing your field of view (Note: Sequences).  Subsequent
searches are appended to the search sequence.  If, however, you wish to
start with a clean slate, first delete the search sequence (how to do
this is discussed in Note: Sequences).

   If you're searching in a folder that is already displayed in a
MH-Folder buffer, only those messages contained in the buffer are used
for the search.  Therefore, if you want to search in all messages,
first kill the folder's buffer with `C-x k' or scan the entire folder
with `M-r'.