Documentation / git-send-email.txton commit user-manual: remote-tracking can be checked out, with detached HEAD (45dfd40)
   1git-send-email(1)
   2=================
   3
   4NAME
   5----
   6git-send-email - Send a collection of patches as emails
   7
   8
   9SYNOPSIS
  10--------
  11'git send-email' [options] <file|directory|rev-list options>...
  12
  13
  14DESCRIPTION
  15-----------
  16Takes the patches given on the command line and emails them out.
  17Patches can be specified as files, directories (which will send all
  18files in the directory), or directly as a revision list.  In the
  19last case, any format accepted by linkgit:git-format-patch[1] can
  20be passed to git send-email.
  21
  22The header of the email is configurable by command line options.  If not
  23specified on the command line, the user will be prompted with a ReadLine
  24enabled interface to provide the necessary information.
  25
  26There are two formats accepted for patch files:
  27
  281. mbox format files
  29+
  30This is what linkgit:git-format-patch[1] generates.  Most headers and MIME
  31formatting are ignored.
  32
  332. The original format used by Greg Kroah-Hartman's 'send_lots_of_email.pl'
  34script
  35+
  36This format expects the first line of the file to contain the "Cc:" value
  37and the "Subject:" of the message as the second line.
  38
  39
  40OPTIONS
  41-------
  42
  43Composing
  44~~~~~~~~~
  45
  46--annotate::
  47        Review and edit each patch you're about to send. See the
  48        CONFIGURATION section for 'sendemail.multiedit'.
  49
  50--bcc=<address>::
  51        Specify a "Bcc:" value for each email. Default is the value of
  52        'sendemail.bcc'.
  53+
  54The --bcc option must be repeated for each user you want on the bcc list.
  55
  56--cc=<address>::
  57        Specify a starting "Cc:" value for each email.
  58        Default is the value of 'sendemail.cc'.
  59+
  60The --cc option must be repeated for each user you want on the cc list.
  61
  62--compose::
  63        Invoke a text editor (see GIT_EDITOR in linkgit:git-var[1])
  64        to edit an introductory message for the patch series.
  65+
  66When '--compose' is used, git send-email will use the From, Subject, and
  67In-Reply-To headers specified in the message. If the body of the message
  68(what you type after the headers and a blank line) only contains blank
  69(or GIT: prefixed) lines the summary won't be sent, but From, Subject,
  70and In-Reply-To headers will be used unless they are removed.
  71+
  72Missing From or In-Reply-To headers will be prompted for.
  73+
  74See the CONFIGURATION section for 'sendemail.multiedit'.
  75
  76--from=<address>::
  77        Specify the sender of the emails.  If not specified on the command line,
  78        the value of the 'sendemail.from' configuration option is used.  If
  79        neither the command line option nor 'sendemail.from' are set, then the
  80        user will be prompted for the value.  The default for the prompt will be
  81        the value of GIT_AUTHOR_IDENT, or GIT_COMMITTER_IDENT if that is not
  82        set, as returned by "git var -l".
  83
  84--in-reply-to=<identifier>::
  85        Specify the contents of the first In-Reply-To header.
  86        Subsequent emails will refer to the previous email
  87        instead of this if --chain-reply-to is set.
  88        Only necessary if --compose is also set.  If --compose
  89        is not set, this will be prompted for.
  90
  91--subject=<string>::
  92        Specify the initial subject of the email thread.
  93        Only necessary if --compose is also set.  If --compose
  94        is not set, this will be prompted for.
  95
  96--to=<address>::
  97        Specify the primary recipient of the emails generated. Generally, this
  98        will be the upstream maintainer of the project involved. Default is the
  99        value of the 'sendemail.to' configuration value; if that is unspecified,
 100        and --to-cmd is not specified, this will be prompted for.
 101+
 102The --to option must be repeated for each user you want on the to list.
 103
 104--8bit-encoding=<encoding>::
 105        When encountering a non-ASCII message or subject that does not
 106        declare its encoding, add headers/quoting to indicate it is
 107        encoded in <encoding>.  Default is the value of the
 108        'sendemail.assume8bitEncoding'; if that is unspecified, this
 109        will be prompted for if any non-ASCII files are encountered.
 110+
 111Note that no attempts whatsoever are made to validate the encoding.
 112
 113
 114Sending
 115~~~~~~~
 116
 117--envelope-sender=<address>::
 118        Specify the envelope sender used to send the emails.
 119        This is useful if your default address is not the address that is
 120        subscribed to a list. In order to use the 'From' address, set the
 121        value to "auto". If you use the sendmail binary, you must have
 122        suitable privileges for the -f parameter.  Default is the value of the
 123        'sendemail.envelopesender' configuration variable; if that is
 124        unspecified, choosing the envelope sender is left to your MTA.
 125
 126--smtp-encryption=<encryption>::
 127        Specify the encryption to use, either 'ssl' or 'tls'.  Any other
 128        value reverts to plain SMTP.  Default is the value of
 129        'sendemail.smtpencryption'.
 130
 131--smtp-domain=<FQDN>::
 132        Specifies the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) used in the
 133        HELO/EHLO command to the SMTP server.  Some servers require the
 134        FQDN to match your IP address.  If not set, git send-email attempts
 135        to determine your FQDN automatically.  Default is the value of
 136        'sendemail.smtpdomain'.
 137
 138--smtp-pass[=<password>]::
 139        Password for SMTP-AUTH. The argument is optional: If no
 140        argument is specified, then the empty string is used as
 141        the password. Default is the value of 'sendemail.smtppass',
 142        however '--smtp-pass' always overrides this value.
 143+
 144Furthermore, passwords need not be specified in configuration files
 145or on the command line. If a username has been specified (with
 146'--smtp-user' or a 'sendemail.smtpuser'), but no password has been
 147specified (with '--smtp-pass' or 'sendemail.smtppass'), then the
 148user is prompted for a password while the input is masked for privacy.
 149
 150--smtp-server=<host>::
 151        If set, specifies the outgoing SMTP server to use (e.g.
 152        `smtp.example.com` or a raw IP address).  Alternatively it can
 153        specify a full pathname of a sendmail-like program instead;
 154        the program must support the `-i` option.  Default value can
 155        be specified by the 'sendemail.smtpserver' configuration
 156        option; the built-in default is `/usr/sbin/sendmail` or
 157        `/usr/lib/sendmail` if such program is available, or
 158        `localhost` otherwise.
 159
 160--smtp-server-port=<port>::
 161        Specifies a port different from the default port (SMTP
 162        servers typically listen to smtp port 25, but may also listen to
 163        submission port 587, or the common SSL smtp port 465);
 164        symbolic port names (e.g. "submission" instead of 587)
 165        are also accepted. The port can also be set with the
 166        'sendemail.smtpserverport' configuration variable.
 167
 168--smtp-server-option=<option>::
 169        If set, specifies the outgoing SMTP server option to use.
 170        Default value can be specified by the 'sendemail.smtpserveroption'
 171        configuration option.
 172+
 173The --smtp-server-option option must be repeated for each option you want
 174to pass to the server. Likewise, different lines in the configuration files
 175must be used for each option.
 176
 177--smtp-ssl::
 178        Legacy alias for '--smtp-encryption ssl'.
 179
 180--smtp-user=<user>::
 181        Username for SMTP-AUTH. Default is the value of 'sendemail.smtpuser';
 182        if a username is not specified (with '--smtp-user' or 'sendemail.smtpuser'),
 183        then authentication is not attempted.
 184
 185
 186Automating
 187~~~~~~~~~~
 188
 189--to-cmd=<command>::
 190        Specify a command to execute once per patch file which
 191        should generate patch file specific "To:" entries.
 192        Output of this command must be single email address per line.
 193        Default is the value of 'sendemail.tocmd' configuration value.
 194
 195--cc-cmd=<command>::
 196        Specify a command to execute once per patch file which
 197        should generate patch file specific "Cc:" entries.
 198        Output of this command must be single email address per line.
 199        Default is the value of 'sendemail.cccmd' configuration value.
 200
 201--[no-]chain-reply-to::
 202        If this is set, each email will be sent as a reply to the previous
 203        email sent.  If disabled with "--no-chain-reply-to", all emails after
 204        the first will be sent as replies to the first email sent.  When using
 205        this, it is recommended that the first file given be an overview of the
 206        entire patch series. Disabled by default, but the 'sendemail.chainreplyto'
 207        configuration variable can be used to enable it.
 208
 209--identity=<identity>::
 210        A configuration identity. When given, causes values in the
 211        'sendemail.<identity>' subsection to take precedence over
 212        values in the 'sendemail' section. The default identity is
 213        the value of 'sendemail.identity'.
 214
 215--[no-]signed-off-by-cc::
 216        If this is set, add emails found in Signed-off-by: or Cc: lines to the
 217        cc list. Default is the value of 'sendemail.signedoffbycc' configuration
 218        value; if that is unspecified, default to --signed-off-by-cc.
 219
 220--suppress-cc=<category>::
 221        Specify an additional category of recipients to suppress the
 222        auto-cc of:
 223+
 224--
 225- 'author' will avoid including the patch author
 226- 'self' will avoid including the sender
 227- 'cc' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Cc lines in the patch header
 228  except for self (use 'self' for that).
 229- 'bodycc' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Cc lines in the
 230  patch body (commit message) except for self (use 'self' for that).
 231- 'sob' will avoid including anyone mentioned in Signed-off-by lines except
 232   for self (use 'self' for that).
 233- 'cccmd' will avoid running the --cc-cmd.
 234- 'body' is equivalent to 'sob' + 'bodycc'
 235- 'all' will suppress all auto cc values.
 236--
 237+
 238Default is the value of 'sendemail.suppresscc' configuration value; if
 239that is unspecified, default to 'self' if --suppress-from is
 240specified, as well as 'body' if --no-signed-off-cc is specified.
 241
 242--[no-]suppress-from::
 243        If this is set, do not add the From: address to the cc: list.
 244        Default is the value of 'sendemail.suppressfrom' configuration
 245        value; if that is unspecified, default to --no-suppress-from.
 246
 247--[no-]thread::
 248        If this is set, the In-Reply-To and References headers will be
 249        added to each email sent.  Whether each mail refers to the
 250        previous email (`deep` threading per 'git format-patch'
 251        wording) or to the first email (`shallow` threading) is
 252        governed by "--[no-]chain-reply-to".
 253+
 254If disabled with "--no-thread", those headers will not be added
 255(unless specified with --in-reply-to).  Default is the value of the
 256'sendemail.thread' configuration value; if that is unspecified,
 257default to --thread.
 258+
 259It is up to the user to ensure that no In-Reply-To header already
 260exists when 'git send-email' is asked to add it (especially note that
 261'git format-patch' can be configured to do the threading itself).
 262Failure to do so may not produce the expected result in the
 263recipient's MUA.
 264
 265
 266Administering
 267~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 268
 269--confirm=<mode>::
 270        Confirm just before sending:
 271+
 272--
 273- 'always' will always confirm before sending
 274- 'never' will never confirm before sending
 275- 'cc' will confirm before sending when send-email has automatically
 276  added addresses from the patch to the Cc list
 277- 'compose' will confirm before sending the first message when using --compose.
 278- 'auto' is equivalent to 'cc' + 'compose'
 279--
 280+
 281Default is the value of 'sendemail.confirm' configuration value; if that
 282is unspecified, default to 'auto' unless any of the suppress options
 283have been specified, in which case default to 'compose'.
 284
 285--dry-run::
 286        Do everything except actually send the emails.
 287
 288--[no-]format-patch::
 289        When an argument may be understood either as a reference or as a file name,
 290        choose to understand it as a format-patch argument ('--format-patch')
 291        or as a file name ('--no-format-patch'). By default, when such a conflict
 292        occurs, git send-email will fail.
 293
 294--quiet::
 295        Make git-send-email less verbose.  One line per email should be
 296        all that is output.
 297
 298--[no-]validate::
 299        Perform sanity checks on patches.
 300        Currently, validation means the following:
 301+
 302--
 303                *       Warn of patches that contain lines longer than 998 characters; this
 304                        is due to SMTP limits as described by http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt.
 305--
 306+
 307Default is the value of 'sendemail.validate'; if this is not set,
 308default to '--validate'.
 309
 310
 311CONFIGURATION
 312-------------
 313
 314sendemail.aliasesfile::
 315        To avoid typing long email addresses, point this to one or more
 316        email aliases files.  You must also supply 'sendemail.aliasfiletype'.
 317
 318sendemail.aliasfiletype::
 319        Format of the file(s) specified in sendemail.aliasesfile. Must be
 320        one of 'mutt', 'mailrc', 'pine', 'elm', or 'gnus'.
 321
 322sendemail.multiedit::
 323        If true (default), a single editor instance will be spawned to edit
 324        files you have to edit (patches when '--annotate' is used, and the
 325        summary when '--compose' is used). If false, files will be edited one
 326        after the other, spawning a new editor each time.
 327
 328sendemail.confirm::
 329        Sets the default for whether to confirm before sending. Must be
 330        one of 'always', 'never', 'cc', 'compose', or 'auto'. See '--confirm'
 331        in the previous section for the meaning of these values.
 332
 333
 334Use gmail as the smtp server
 335----------------------------
 336
 337Add the following section to the config file:
 338
 339        [sendemail]
 340                smtpencryption = tls
 341                smtpserver = smtp.gmail.com
 342                smtpuser = yourname@gmail.com
 343                smtpserverport = 587
 344
 345Note: the following perl modules are required
 346      Net::SMTP::SSL, MIME::Base64 and Authen::SASL
 347
 348
 349Author
 350------
 351Written by Ryan Anderson <ryan@michonline.com>
 352
 353git-send-email is originally based upon
 354send_lots_of_email.pl by Greg Kroah-Hartman.
 355
 356
 357Documentation
 358--------------
 359Documentation by Ryan Anderson
 360
 361
 362GIT
 363---
 364Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite