Message Compose

The Message Compose screen is where you will write and send your email messages.

- Using your header fields
- Writing your messages
- Sending, postponing and canceling
- Differences from Pine and PC-Pine

Using your headers

The message header area is used for addressing your message and providing other information that may be useful to you or the message recipient.

By default, your messages headers will include: To, Cc, Attachments, Subject. Go to Configure from the Message View or List page and click the Composer tab to change the defaults or customize your settings. If you have additional headers configured, click to display them. Below is a description of commonly used headers:

- To: Use this field to specify intended email recipients. This can be done in any of three ways:
  - Type the full email address of the intended message recipient. Separate multiple addresses with a comma.
  - Type a name or nickname specified in your address book and click . Alpine will not automatically expand your addresses without this step. Separate multiple names or nicknames with a comma.
  - Click to go to your address book to select an address.
- Attachments: Use this field to attach files (such as documents, images, audio clips) to your message. Click to find and attach a file from your local system. If you have attached a file that you do not want to send, click the corresponding to remove it.

- Subject: Use this field to provide a few words that summarize the message.

- Cc: (Carbon copy) This field is similar to the "To:" field, but it is used to send a copy of the message to one or more people. These email addresses will be seen by all message recipients.

- Bcc: (Blind carbon copy) This field is similar to the "To:" and "Cc:" fields, but it is used to send a copy of the message to one or more people whose addresses you do not want disclosed to other message recipients.

- Fcc: (File carbon copy) Use this field to specify the folder to which a copy of your outgoing message will be saved. When this header is visible, you can change or remove the Fcc by editing the folder name.

- Reply-To: Use this field when you would like replies to your messages to be directed to an address other than your usual "From:" address.

Writing your messages

Type your message in the large text box beneath the headers. Depending on your browser, messages you send may contain a single long line rather than the nicely wrapping text shown in the text box. In those cases, recipients will have to scroll horizontally to read your message. To avoid this problem, use the Return key at the end of each line.

To spell check your message, click the button. The resulting page will list each potentially misspelled word. Each word will have a text box for you to enter a correction. Additionally, some words will also have a list of suggested corrections. Click the Apply button to have your changes appear in the composer, or Cancel to return to the composer with the original text.

Do you want to add a personalized signature line to your messages? Go to Configure from the Message View or List page and click the Composer tab.

Sending, postponing, canceling

To send your message, postpone it to resume later, or to cancel it completely, click the appropriate radio button and then click .

- Send - Use this option to send your message to the recipients.

- Postpone - Use this option to store an unfinished message without sending it. To finish the message at a later time, click Resume in the far left column of the Message List.

- Cancel - Use this option to throw out the current composition. The message will not be sent and you will not be able to resume it.

Differences from Pine and PC-Pine

Alpine is designed primarily for easy access to email. It is not intended to replace any other heavy duty email programs. Accordingly, it is missing some of the more advanced features you will find in Pine and PC-Pine. As development continues, features will be added as long as they do not make a large impact on Alpine's speed or efficiency.

Some of the features you will not currently find in Alpine Compose:

- Lcc (List carbon copy)
- Where is (instead, use your browser's "find" command)
- Read a file into the composition