xget Command

Purpose

Receives secret mail in a secure communication channel.

Syntax

xget

Description

The xget command is used to receive secret mail in a secure communication channel. The messages can be read only by the intended recipient. The xget command asks for your password and enables you to read your secret mail.

The xget command is used with the enroll command and the xsend command to send and receive secret mail. The enroll command sets up the password used to receive secret mail. The xsend command sends mail that can be read only by the intended recipient.

When you issue the xget command, you are prompted for your encryption key. Enter the password you previously set up using the enroll command.

The prompt for the xget command is a ? (question mark). The following subcommands control message disposition:

Item Description
q (quit) Writes any mail not yet deleted to the user's mailbox and exits. Pressing End Of File (Ctrl-D) has the same effect.
n (delete) or d (delete) or Enter                         Deletes the current message and displays the next message.
!Command Runs the specified workstation command.
s[Filename] Saves the message in the named File parameter instead of in the default mail file, mbox.
w[Filename] Saves the message, without its header, in the specified File parameter instead of in the default mail file mbox.
? (help) Displays a subcommand summary.

Examples

  1. To receive secret mail, enter:
    xget
    You are prompted for the password, established with the enroll command. After entering your password, the xget command prompt (?) and a listing of any secret mail is displayed.
  2. To display your secret mail, at the xget prompt (?), press the Enter key.

    After the most recent message is displayed, a ? (question mark) indicates the xget command is waiting for one of the xget subcommands. Enter help or a ? (question mark) to list the subcommands available.

  3. To save a message or a file to the default mail file, enter:
    xget
    Press the Enter key after the ? (question mark) prompt until the desired file is displayed. When the appropriate file is displayed, enter:
    s
    In this example, the file is saved in the default mail file, mbox.
  4. To save a message or a file to a specific file, enter:
    xget
    Press the Enter key after the ? (question mark) prompt until the desired file is displayed. When the appropriate file is displayed, enter:
    s mycopy
    In this example, the file is saved in a file named mycopy, instead of the default mail file.
  5. To delete a message, enter:
    xget
    Press the Enter key after the ? (question mark) prompt until the desired file is displayed. When the appropriate file is displayed, enter:
    d
    In this example, the current file is deleted.

Files

Item Description
/var/spool/secretmail/User.key                       Contains the encrypted key for User.
/var/spool/secretmail/User.[0-9]                  Contains the encrypted mail messages for User.
/usr/bin/xget Contains executable files.