Description

   Under OpenVMS, files can be read (accessed) in a variety of
   ways. The MODE command controls the method used to read the
   files the mail server returns. Note that default modes apply
   automatically to various sorts of files; this command provides a
   way to override these defaults.

   The possible values for mode are:

   TEXT            Read files as ordinary text files. In TEXT mode,
                   files are read as a sequence of records and sent
                   as ordinary text. TEXT mode is the default for
                   files when no other mode has been set.
   BLOCK           Read files as raw binary data. Any record
                   boundary information, including carriage returns,
                   line feeds, line length counts, and indexing
                   information for indexed files simply becomes
                   part of the data. The resulting data typically
                   can only be used on the computer system it is
                   intended for. (Note that this not necessarily
                   restricted to OpenVMS; it is possible to store
                   files intended for other systems as VMS files.)
                   This is the recommend mode to use for binary
                   files.
   RECORD          Read files as a series of records. No record
                   boundaries of any kind appear in the output data.
                   This mode is appropriate for fixed length records
                   or records that are internally self-delimiting.
   RECORD-         Read files as a series of records. If the record
   ATTRIBUTE       attributes of the file indicate that boundaries
                   should be placed between the records (i.e.,
                   some form of carriage control is requested), a
                   boundary delimiter will be placed between each
                   record. This character is normally a line feed.

   The reading mode specified with the MODE command applies to
   all subsequent SEND commands in the same message. It can be
   overridden with a subsequent MODE command or, on a per command,
   basis with the SEND command's /MODE qualifier. And, of course,
   reading modes established in previous messages sent to the server
   have no effect on subsequent messages which you might send.

   See the SEND command description for further information on the
   usage of this command.