diff --git a/emacs/Makefile.am b/emacs/Makefile.am
index 6c082d48..17a8ad28 100644
--- a/emacs/Makefile.am
+++ b/emacs/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 include $(top_srcdir)/gtest.mk
 
 SUBDIRS=
- 
+
 info_TEXINFOS=mu4e.texi
 mu4e_TEXINFOS=fdl.texi
 
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ dist_lisp_LISP=			\
 	mu4e-compose.el		\
 	mu4e-hdrs.el		\
 	mu4e-main.el		\
+	mu4e-meta.el		\
 	mu4e-proc.el		\
 	mu4e-speedbar.el	\
 	mu4e-utils.el		\
diff --git a/emacs/mu4e-version.el.in b/emacs/mu4e-meta.el.in
similarity index 56%
rename from emacs/mu4e-version.el.in
rename to emacs/mu4e-meta.el.in
index 05d6b6e1..bdffd6f0 100644
--- a/emacs/mu4e-version.el.in
+++ b/emacs/mu4e-meta.el.in
@@ -3,5 +3,7 @@
   "Required mu binary version; mu4e's verson must agree with
   this.")
 
-(provide 'mu4e-version)
+(defconst mu4e-builddir "@abs_top_builddir@"
+  "Top-level build directory.")
 
+(provide 'mu4e-meta)
diff --git a/emacs/mu4e-vars.el b/emacs/mu4e-vars.el
index fbfef059..7c250f7e 100644
--- a/emacs/mu4e-vars.el
+++ b/emacs/mu4e-vars.el
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; Customization
+(require 'mu4e-meta)
 
 (defgroup mu4e nil
   "mu4e - mu for emacs"
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ else: don't split (show either headers or messages, not both) Also
 see `mu4e-headers-visible-lines' and
 `mu4e-headers-visible-columns'.")
 
- 
+
 ;; Folders
 (defgroup mu4e-folders nil
   "Special folders."
@@ -282,7 +283,8 @@ display with `mu4e-view-toggle-hide-cited (default keybinding:
 (defalias 'mu4e-count-lines  'mu4e--dummy-func)
 
 (defvar mu4e-view-actions
-  '( ("count-lines" ?l mu4e-count-lines))
+  '( ("count-lines" ?l mu4e-count-lines)
+     ("view as pdf" ?p mu4e-show-as-pdf))
   "List of actions to perform on messages in view mode. The actions
 are of the form:
    (NAME SHORTCUT FUNC)
@@ -316,7 +318,7 @@ where:
 (defgroup mu4e-compose nil
   "Customizations for composing/sending messages."
   :group 'mu4e)
- 
+
 (defcustom mu4e-reply-to-address nil
   "The Reply-To address (if this, for some reason, is not equal to
 the From: address.)"
@@ -509,6 +511,18 @@ viewed in view mode.")
 (defvar mu4e-mu-proc nil "*internal* The mu-server process")
 
 
+
+
+;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
+;; misc other stuff
+
+;; for the msg2pdf toy program
+(defvar mu4e-msg2pdf
+  (concat mu4e-builddir "/toys/msg2pdf/msg2pdf"))
+;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
+
+
+
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; our handlers funcs
diff --git a/emacs/mu4e.el b/emacs/mu4e.el
index 2ef53871..53209128 100644
--- a/emacs/mu4e.el
+++ b/emacs/mu4e.el
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
 
-(require 'mu4e-version)  ;; autogenerated file with the version
+(require 'mu4e-meta)     ;; autogenerated file with metadata (version etc.)
 (require 'mu4e-hdrs)     ;; headers view
 (require 'mu4e-view)     ;; message view
 (require 'mu4e-main)     ;; main screen
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 (require 'mu4e-proc)     ;; communication with backend
 (require 'mu4e-utils)    ;; utility functions
 (require 'mu4e-speedbar) ;; support for speedbar
- 
+
 
 
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;