MHonArc Resources: MIMEALTPREFS

MHonArc Resource List | TOC

# MIMEALTPREFS

## Syntax

Envariable

  N/A

Element

  `<MIMEALTPREFS>`
  content-type
  content-type
  ...
  `</MIMEALTPREFS>`

Command-line Option

  N/A

## Description

MIMEALTPREFS allows you to specify media-type preferences for `multipart/alternative` data, overriding the default preferences as specified in mail messages.

When a `multipart/alternative` entity is processed, the last filterable media-type is normally used. However, it is sometimes desirable to override this behavior for certain media-types. For example, it has become more common for many MUAs to generate the following message structures:

      multipart/alternative
        text/plain
        text/html

A message with HTML, and a plain text equivalent for those receiving MUAs who may not be able to render HTML in email. When MHonArc processes such a message, MHonArc will use the `text/html` part since it is filterable and comes after `text/plain`.

There are some who would like to have nothing to do with HTML in email. Or, due to security concerns, would prefer to not minimize the amount of HTML from email in their archives. With MIMEALTPREFS, you can tell MHonArc to prefer the `text/plain` over the `text/html` part with the following setting:

    <MIMEAltPrefs>
    text/plain
    text/html
    </MIMEAltPrefs>

Media-types listed in MIMEALTPREFS are from most prefered to least prefered.

Note, MIMEALTPREFS augments the normal processing of `multipart/alternative` entities. For example, say the following message entity structure exists,

      multipart/alternative
        text/plain
        text/enriched
        text/html

and we are using the MIMEALTPREFS setting,

    <MIMEAltPrefs>
    text/plain
    text/html
    </MIMEAltPrefs>

So which entity will MHonArc actually use? In this case, the `text/enriched` part will be used. The reason is that the `text/html` will be excluded since there does exist a `text/plain` alternative entity. However, MHonArc still tries to use the last filterable alternative part, which in this case is `text/enriched`.

In order to have `text/plain` chosen, the following MIMEALTPREFS setting would be needed,

    <MIMEAltPrefs>
    text/plain
    text/enriched
    text/html
    </MIMEAltPrefs>

This says that `text/enriched` is preferred over `text/html`. And `text/plain` is preferred over `text/enriched` and `text/html`.

NOTE | Each time `<MIMEALTPREFS>` occurs in a resource file, the last encountered setting will override any previous values. Therefore, specifying the `override` attribute is redundant.

## Default Setting

Nil

## Resource Variables

N/A

## Examples

None.

## Version

2.5.8

## See Also

MIMEEXCS