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4 @settitle Semi-gnus 6.8.9 Manual
9 @c * Gnus: (gnus). The news reader gnus.
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262 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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271 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
273 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
274 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
275 are preserved on all copies.
277 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
278 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
279 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
280 permission notice identical to this one.
282 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
283 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
292 This file documents gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
294 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
296 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
297 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
298 are preserved on all copies.
301 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
302 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
303 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
304 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
307 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
308 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
309 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
310 permission notice identical to this one.
312 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
313 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
319 @title Semi-gnus 6.8.9 Manual
321 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
324 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
325 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
327 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
328 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
329 are preserved on all copies.
331 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
332 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
333 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
334 permission notice identical to this one.
336 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
337 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
346 @top The gnus Newsreader
350 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using gnus. The news
351 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
352 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
355 Semi-gnus provides MIME features based on SEMI API. So Semi-gnus
356 supports your right to read strange messages including big images or
357 other various kinds of formats. Semi-gnus also supports
358 internationalization/localization and multiscript features based on MULE
359 API. So Semi-gnus does not discriminate various language communities.
360 Oh, if you are a Klingon, please wait Unicode Next Generation.
362 This manual corresponds to Semi-gnus 6.8.9.
373 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
374 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
376 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
377 being accused of plagiarism:
379 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
380 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
381 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
382 even read news with it!
384 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
385 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
386 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend gnus to make it behave
387 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
388 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
395 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
396 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
397 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
398 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
399 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
400 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
401 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
402 * Various:: General purpose settings.
403 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
404 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
405 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
406 * Key Index:: Key Index.
410 @chapter Starting gnus
415 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting gnus
416 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
419 @findex gnus-other-frame
420 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
421 If you want to start gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
422 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
424 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
425 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
426 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
428 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
429 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
432 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
433 * The First Time:: What does gnus do the first time you start it?
434 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
435 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one gnus active at a time.
436 * Fetching a Group:: Starting gnus just to read a group.
437 * New Groups:: What is gnus supposed to do with new groups?
438 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
439 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
440 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
441 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
442 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
446 @node Finding the News
447 @section Finding the News
450 @vindex gnus-select-method
452 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where gnus should look for
453 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
454 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
455 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are foreign
458 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
459 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
462 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
465 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
468 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
471 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
472 certainly be much faster.
474 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
476 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
477 If this variable is not set, gnus will take a look at the
478 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
479 gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
480 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
481 that fails as well, gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an
482 @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
484 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
485 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
486 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
487 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
489 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
490 You can also make gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
491 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
492 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), gnus will let you choose between the servers
493 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
494 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting.
496 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
498 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
499 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
500 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
501 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
502 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
503 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
505 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
507 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
508 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
509 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
510 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
511 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
512 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
515 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
516 would typically set this variable to
519 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
524 @section The First Time
525 @cindex first time usage
527 If no startup files exist, gnus will try to determine what groups should
528 be subscribed by default.
530 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
531 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, gnus
532 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
533 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
536 Since she hasn't, gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
537 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
538 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
540 You'll also be subscribed to the gnus documentation group, which should
541 help you with most common problems.
543 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, gnus will just
544 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
548 @node The Server is Down
549 @section The Server is Down
550 @cindex server errors
552 If the default server is down, gnus will understandably have some
553 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
554 the news groups, you may want to start gnus anyway.
556 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
557 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
558 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
559 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
560 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
561 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
562 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
564 @findex gnus-no-server
565 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
567 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
568 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
569 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start gnus. That might come in handy
570 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
571 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
572 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
577 @section Slave Gnusae
580 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one gnus at the
581 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if
582 you are using the two different gnusae to read from two different
583 servers), that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
585 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
588 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the gnus
589 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and @dfn{slaves}.
590 (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have taken out a
591 copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in conjunction
592 with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to me. Usage of
593 the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer Applications})
594 will be much more expensive, of course.)
596 Anyways, you start one gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
597 however you do it). Each subsequent slave gnusae should be started with
598 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
599 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
600 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master gnus
601 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
602 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
603 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
605 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
606 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
609 @node Fetching a Group
610 @section Fetching a Group
611 @cindex fetching a group
613 @findex gnus-fetch-group
614 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
615 group and I don't care whether gnus has been started or not''. This is
616 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
617 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
618 It takes the group name as a parameter.
626 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
627 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
628 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
629 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
630 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
631 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
632 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
633 @code{always}, then gnus will query the backends for new groups even
634 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
637 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
638 * Subscription Methods:: What gnus should do with new groups.
639 * Filtering New Groups:: Making gnus ignore certain new groups.
643 @node Checking New Groups
644 @subsection Checking New Groups
646 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
647 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
648 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
649 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, gnus will ask the
650 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
651 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
652 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
653 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
654 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
655 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
657 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
658 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
659 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
660 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
661 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't work.
662 I could write a function to make gnus guess whether the server supports
663 @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't. You could
664 @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see whether it lists
665 @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If it does, then it
666 might work. (But there are servers that lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} without
667 supporting the function properly.)
669 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, gnus will
670 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
671 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
672 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
673 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
674 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
677 @node Subscription Methods
678 @subsection Subscription Methods
680 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
681 What gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
682 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
684 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
685 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
687 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
691 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
692 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
693 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
694 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
695 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
697 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
698 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
699 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
700 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
702 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
703 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
704 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
706 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
707 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
708 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
709 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
710 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
711 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
712 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
713 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
714 up. Or something like that.
716 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
717 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
718 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that gnus will ask you
719 about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe to
720 will be subscribed hierarchically.
722 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
723 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
728 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
729 A closely related variable is
730 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
731 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will ask you in a
732 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
733 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
736 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
737 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
738 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
739 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
742 @node Filtering New Groups
743 @subsection Filtering New Groups
745 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
746 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
747 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
750 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
753 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
754 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
755 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
756 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
757 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
758 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
759 subscribing these groups.
760 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
761 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
763 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
764 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
765 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
766 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
767 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
768 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
769 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
770 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
772 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
773 Yet another variable that meddles here is
774 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
775 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
776 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
777 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
778 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
779 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
780 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
781 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
783 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
784 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
787 @node Changing Servers
788 @section Changing Servers
789 @cindex changing servers
791 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
792 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
793 very flaky and you want to use another.
795 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
796 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
800 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
801 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
802 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
803 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
806 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
807 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
808 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
809 functions more than absolutely necessary.
811 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
812 @findex gnus-change-server
813 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
814 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
815 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
816 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
817 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
819 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
820 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
821 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
822 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
823 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
825 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
826 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
827 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
828 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
829 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
830 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
834 @section Startup Files
835 @cindex startup files
840 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
841 information is traditionally stored in this file.
843 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{GNUS}. In addition to
844 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
845 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
846 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
847 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{GNUS} would read whichever one of these
848 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
849 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
851 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
852 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
853 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
854 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
855 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
856 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
858 In addition, gnus does not change anything. Hail comrade Lars!
860 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
861 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
862 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
863 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from gnus faster.
864 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
865 gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
867 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
868 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
869 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
870 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
871 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
872 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
873 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
874 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
875 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
876 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
877 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
878 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
880 @vindex gnus-startup-file
881 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
882 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
883 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
885 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
886 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
887 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
888 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
889 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
890 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
891 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
892 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
893 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
894 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
897 (defun turn-off-backup ()
898 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
900 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
901 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
904 @vindex gnus-init-file
905 When gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
906 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
907 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
908 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
909 @file{site-init} files with gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
910 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
911 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
912 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
913 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
922 Whenever you do something that changes the gnus data (reading articles,
923 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
924 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
925 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
926 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
929 If gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
930 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file
933 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
934 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, gnus won't create and
935 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
937 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
938 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
939 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, gnus will dribble
940 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
941 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
942 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
944 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
945 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
946 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
949 @node The Active File
950 @section The Active File
952 @cindex ignored groups
954 When gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
955 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
956 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
958 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
959 Before examining the active file, gnus deletes all lines that match the
960 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
961 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make gnus
962 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
963 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
964 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
967 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
968 @c if you set it to anything else.
970 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
972 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
973 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent gnus from
974 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
976 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
977 you actually subscribe to.
979 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
980 variable to @code{nil} will probably make gnus slower, not faster. At
981 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow gnus down
982 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
984 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
985 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
986 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
987 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
988 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
989 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
991 If this variable is @code{nil}, gnus will ask for group info in total
992 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
993 @sc{nntp} server, gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
994 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
995 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
996 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
998 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
999 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1001 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1002 secondary select methods.
1005 @node Startup Variables
1006 @section Startup Variables
1010 @item gnus-load-hook
1011 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1012 A hook run while gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1013 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1014 times you start gnus.
1016 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1017 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1018 A hook run after starting up gnus successfully.
1020 @item gnus-startup-hook
1021 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1022 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1024 @item gnus-started-hook
1025 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1026 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1029 @item gnus-started-hook
1030 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1031 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1032 generating the group buffer.
1034 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1035 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1036 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1037 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1038 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1039 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1040 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1041 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1043 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1044 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1045 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1046 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1047 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1048 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1050 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1051 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1052 Message displayed by gnus when no groups are available.
1054 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1055 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1056 If non-@code{nil}, play the gnus jingle at startup.
1058 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1059 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1060 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1061 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1066 @node The Group Buffer
1067 @chapter The Group Buffer
1068 @cindex group buffer
1070 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1071 is the first buffer shown when gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1072 long as gnus is active.
1076 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1077 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group.ps,height=9cm}}
1078 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1079 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1080 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1081 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1082 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1083 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1089 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1090 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1091 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1092 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1093 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1094 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1095 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1096 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1097 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1098 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1099 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1100 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1101 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1102 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1103 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1104 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1105 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1109 @node Group Buffer Format
1110 @section Group Buffer Format
1113 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1114 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1115 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1119 @node Group Line Specification
1120 @subsection Group Line Specification
1121 @cindex group buffer format
1123 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1124 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1126 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1129 25: news.announce.newusers
1130 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1135 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1136 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1137 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1138 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1140 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1141 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1142 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1143 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1144 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1145 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1147 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1149 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1150 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1151 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1152 never examined by gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1155 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1156 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1157 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1159 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1164 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1167 Whether the group is subscribed.
1170 Level of subscribedness.
1173 Number of unread articles.
1176 Number of dormant articles.
1179 Number of ticked articles.
1182 Number of read articles.
1185 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1186 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1189 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1192 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1201 Newsgroup description.
1204 @samp{m} if moderated.
1207 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1216 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1220 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1223 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1224 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1225 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1226 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1227 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.emacs.gnus}.
1230 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1232 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1236 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1240 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1241 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1242 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1243 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1244 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1245 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1250 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1251 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1252 group, or a bogus native group.
1255 @node Group Modeline Specification
1256 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1257 @cindex group modeline
1259 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1260 The mode line can be changed by setting
1261 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1262 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1266 The native news server.
1268 The native select method.
1272 @node Group Highlighting
1273 @subsection Group Highlighting
1274 @cindex highlighting
1275 @cindex group highlighting
1277 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1278 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1279 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1280 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1281 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1283 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1287 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-1 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))))
1288 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-2 '((t (:foreground "SeaGreen" :bold t))))
1289 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-3 '((t (:foreground "SpringGreen" :bold t))))
1290 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-4 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))))
1291 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-5 '((t (:foreground "SkyBlue" :bold t))))
1293 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1294 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1295 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1296 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1297 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1298 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1301 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1303 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1310 The number of unread articles in the group.
1314 Whether the group is a mail group.
1316 The level of the group.
1318 The score of the group.
1320 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1322 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1323 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1325 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1326 topic being inserted.
1329 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1330 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal gnus
1331 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1333 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1334 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1335 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1336 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1337 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1340 @node Group Maneuvering
1341 @section Group Maneuvering
1342 @cindex group movement
1344 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1345 expected, hopefully.
1351 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1352 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1353 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1359 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1360 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1361 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1365 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1366 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1370 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1371 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1375 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1376 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1377 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1381 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1382 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1383 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1386 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1392 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1393 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1394 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1399 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1400 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1401 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1405 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1406 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1407 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1410 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1411 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1412 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1413 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1417 @node Selecting a Group
1418 @section Selecting a Group
1419 @cindex group selection
1424 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1425 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1426 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1427 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1428 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1429 this command, gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1430 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1431 determines the number of articles gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1432 positive, gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1433 negative, gnus fetches the @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1437 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1438 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1439 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1440 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1441 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1445 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1446 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1447 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1448 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1449 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1450 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1451 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1452 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
1453 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
1454 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
1457 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1458 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1459 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1460 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1461 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1464 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1465 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1466 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1467 doing any processing of its contents
1468 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1469 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1470 manner will have no permanent effects.
1474 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1475 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what gnus should consider
1476 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1477 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, gnus will query the user
1478 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1479 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1480 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1481 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1484 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1485 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1486 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1487 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
1492 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1493 full summary buffer.
1496 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1499 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
1503 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1504 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1505 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1509 @node Subscription Commands
1510 @section Subscription Commands
1511 @cindex subscription
1519 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1520 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
1521 Toggle subscription to the current group
1522 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1528 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1529 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1530 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1531 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1537 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1538 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
1539 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1545 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1546 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1549 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1550 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1551 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1552 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1553 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1559 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1560 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1564 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1565 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1568 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1569 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1570 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1571 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1572 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
1573 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1574 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
1575 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1576 @file{.newsrc} file.
1580 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1590 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1591 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1592 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
1593 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1594 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1595 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group
1596 from the group buffer.
1600 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1601 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1602 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1606 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1607 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
1608 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1610 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1611 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1612 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1613 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
1614 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
1615 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
1622 @section Group Levels
1626 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1627 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1628 can ask gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1629 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1630 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1632 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1638 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1639 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1640 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1641 prompted for a level.
1644 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1645 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1646 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1647 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1648 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
1649 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1650 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1651 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1652 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1653 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
1654 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
1655 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
1656 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
1657 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
1658 reasons of efficiency.
1660 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1661 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
1663 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1664 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1665 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1667 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1668 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1669 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1670 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1671 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1672 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1673 relevant valid ranges.
1675 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1676 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1677 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
1678 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1679 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1680 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1683 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1684 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1685 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1688 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1689 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1690 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1691 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1694 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1695 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1696 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1697 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1699 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1700 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
1701 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
1702 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
1703 to 5. The default is 6.
1707 @section Group Score
1712 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1713 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1714 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1717 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1718 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1719 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1720 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1721 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1722 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1723 part and the score is the least significant part.))
1725 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1726 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1727 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1728 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1729 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1730 action after each summary exit, you can add
1731 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1732 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1733 slow things down somewhat.
1736 @node Marking Groups
1737 @section Marking Groups
1738 @cindex marking groups
1740 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1741 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1742 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1743 bidding on those groups.
1745 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1746 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1747 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1755 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1756 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1762 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1763 Remove the mark from the current group
1764 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1768 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1769 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1773 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1774 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1778 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1779 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1783 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1784 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1785 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1788 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1790 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1791 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1792 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1793 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1794 the command to be executed.
1797 @node Foreign Groups
1798 @section Foreign Groups
1799 @cindex foreign groups
1801 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1802 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1803 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
1804 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
1811 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1812 @cindex making groups
1813 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1814 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1815 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1819 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1820 @cindex renaming groups
1821 Rename the current group to something else
1822 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
1823 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1829 @findex gnus-group-customize
1830 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
1834 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1835 @cindex renaming groups
1836 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1837 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1841 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1842 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1843 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1847 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1848 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1849 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1853 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1855 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
1856 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1861 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1862 Make the gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1866 @cindex (ding) archive
1867 @cindex archive group
1868 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1869 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1870 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1871 Make a gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1872 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1873 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1874 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1878 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1880 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1881 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1882 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1883 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
1887 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1889 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
1890 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1891 @xref{Anything Groups}.
1895 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1896 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1898 Make a group based on some file or other
1899 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1900 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1901 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1902 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs},
1903 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, and @code{forward}. If you run
1904 this command without a prefix, gnus will guess at the file type.
1905 @xref{Document Groups}.
1909 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
1914 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
1915 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1916 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
1917 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
1918 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
1919 @xref{Web Searches}.
1921 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
1922 to a particular group by using a match string like
1923 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
1926 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1927 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1928 This function will delete the current group
1929 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1930 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1931 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1932 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
1933 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
1937 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1938 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1939 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
1943 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1944 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1945 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1948 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1951 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1952 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1953 gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1954 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1955 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
1956 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
1960 @node Group Parameters
1961 @section Group Parameters
1962 @cindex group parameters
1964 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
1965 Here's an example group parameter list:
1968 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
1972 We see that each element consists of a ``dotted pair''---the thing
1973 before the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value.
1974 All the parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs,
1975 which are not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
1977 The following group parameters can be used:
1982 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
1985 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
1988 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
1989 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
1990 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
1991 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
1992 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
1994 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
1995 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
1996 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
1997 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
1998 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
1999 list address instead.
2003 Address used when doing a @kbd{a} in that group.
2006 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2009 It is totally ignored
2010 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2011 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2013 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2014 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2015 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2016 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2017 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2019 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2020 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2021 sending the message.
2025 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2026 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2027 of whether it has any unread articles.
2029 @item broken-reply-to
2030 @cindex broken-reply-to
2031 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2032 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2033 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2034 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2035 broken behavior. So there!
2039 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2040 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2044 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, gnus
2045 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2046 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2051 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2052 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2053 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2054 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2055 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2056 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2057 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2061 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2062 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2063 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2066 @cindex total-expire
2067 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2068 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2069 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2070 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2075 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2076 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2077 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2078 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2079 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2080 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2083 @cindex score file group parameter
2084 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2085 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2086 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2089 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2090 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2091 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2092 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2095 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2096 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2097 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2098 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2101 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2102 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2106 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2109 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2114 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")} are
2115 arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by gnus,
2116 but provide a place for you to store information on particular groups.
2118 @item @var{(variable form)}
2119 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2120 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2121 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2122 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2123 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2124 @code{eval}ed there.
2126 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2127 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2128 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2129 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2130 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2134 Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group. You
2135 might also be interested in reading about topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
2139 @node Listing Groups
2140 @section Listing Groups
2141 @cindex group listing
2143 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2151 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2152 List all groups that have unread articles
2153 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2154 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2155 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2156 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2163 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2164 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2165 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2166 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2167 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2168 unsubscribed groups).
2172 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2173 List all unread groups on a specific level
2174 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2175 with no unread articles.
2179 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2180 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2181 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2182 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2187 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2188 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2192 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2193 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2194 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2198 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2199 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2203 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2204 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2205 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2206 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2207 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2208 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2209 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2210 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2214 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2215 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2216 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2220 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2221 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2222 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2226 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2227 @cindex visible group parameter
2228 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2229 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2230 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2231 get the same effect.
2233 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2234 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2235 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2236 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2237 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2240 @node Sorting Groups
2241 @section Sorting Groups
2242 @cindex sorting groups
2244 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2245 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2246 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2247 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2248 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2249 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2254 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2255 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2256 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2258 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2259 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2260 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2262 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2263 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2264 Sort by group level.
2266 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2267 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2268 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
2270 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2271 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2272 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2273 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
2275 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2276 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2277 Sort by number of unread articles.
2279 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2280 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2281 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2286 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2287 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2291 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2292 some sorting criteria:
2296 @kindex G S a (Group)
2297 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2298 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2299 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2302 @kindex G S u (Group)
2303 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2304 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2305 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2308 @kindex G S l (Group)
2309 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2310 Sort the group buffer by group level
2311 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2314 @kindex G S v (Group)
2315 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2316 Sort the group buffer by group score
2317 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2320 @kindex G S r (Group)
2321 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2322 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2323 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2326 @kindex G S m (Group)
2327 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2328 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2329 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2333 When given a prefix, all these commands will sort in reverse order.
2335 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2339 @kindex G P a (Group)
2340 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2341 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2342 group name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2345 @kindex G P u (Group)
2346 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2347 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by the number of
2348 unread articles (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
2351 @kindex G P l (Group)
2352 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
2353 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group level
2354 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
2357 @kindex G P v (Group)
2358 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
2359 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group score
2360 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2363 @kindex G P r (Group)
2364 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
2365 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group rank
2366 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2369 @kindex G P m (Group)
2370 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
2371 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2372 backend name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
2378 @node Group Maintenance
2379 @section Group Maintenance
2380 @cindex bogus groups
2385 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
2386 Find bogus groups and delete them
2387 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
2391 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
2392 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
2393 If given a prefix, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
2397 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
2398 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
2399 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
2400 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
2403 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
2404 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
2405 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
2406 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
2411 @node Browse Foreign Server
2412 @section Browse Foreign Server
2413 @cindex foreign servers
2414 @cindex browsing servers
2419 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
2420 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
2421 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
2422 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
2425 @findex gnus-browse-mode
2426 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
2427 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
2428 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
2430 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
2435 @findex gnus-group-next-group
2436 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
2440 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2441 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2444 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
2445 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
2446 Enter the current group and display the first article
2447 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2450 @kindex RET (Browse)
2451 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2452 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2456 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2457 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2458 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2464 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2465 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2469 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2470 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2471 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2476 @section Exiting gnus
2477 @cindex exiting gnus
2479 Yes, gnus is ex(c)iting.
2484 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2485 Suspend gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit
2486 gnus, but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure
2487 why this is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2491 @findex gnus-group-exit
2492 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
2493 Quit gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2497 @findex gnus-group-quit
2498 Quit gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files
2499 (@code{gnus-group-quit}). The dribble file will be saved, though
2500 (@pxref{Auto Save}).
2503 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2504 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2505 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend gnus and
2506 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit gnus, while
2507 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2512 If you wish to completely unload gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2513 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2514 trying to customize meta-variables.
2519 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
2520 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2521 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2527 @section Group Topics
2530 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2531 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2532 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2533 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2534 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2535 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2539 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
2540 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group-topic.ps,height=9cm}}
2551 2: alt.religion.emacs
2554 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2556 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2557 13: comp.sources.unix
2560 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2562 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2563 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2564 is a toggling command.)
2566 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2567 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2568 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2569 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2572 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2573 the hook for the group mode:
2576 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2580 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2581 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2582 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
2583 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2584 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
2588 @node Topic Variables
2589 @subsection Topic Variables
2590 @cindex topic variables
2592 Now, if you select a topic, it will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2593 really neat, I think.
2595 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2596 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2597 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
2610 Number of groups in the topic.
2612 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2614 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2617 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2618 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2619 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2622 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2623 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2625 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
2626 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
2627 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
2630 @node Topic Commands
2631 @subsection Topic Commands
2632 @cindex topic commands
2634 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2635 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2636 definitions slightly.
2642 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2643 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2644 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2648 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2649 Move the current group to some other topic
2650 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2651 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2655 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2656 Copy the current group to some other topic
2657 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2658 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2662 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2663 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2664 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
2665 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
2666 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
2667 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
2668 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
2671 This command uses the process/prefix convention
2672 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2676 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2677 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2678 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2682 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2683 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2684 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2688 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
2689 Toggle hiding empty topics
2690 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
2694 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2695 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2696 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2699 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
2700 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2701 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2702 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2706 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2708 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2709 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2710 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2711 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2712 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2713 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2717 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
2719 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2720 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2721 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2722 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2725 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
2726 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
2727 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2728 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
2732 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2733 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
2734 topic will be removed along with the topic.
2738 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2739 Yank the previously killed group or topic
2740 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
2745 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2746 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2749 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
2750 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2751 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2755 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2756 List all groups that gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2757 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2761 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
2762 @cindex group parameters
2763 @cindex topic parameters
2765 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
2766 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
2772 @subsection Topic Sorting
2773 @cindex topic sorting
2775 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
2781 @kindex T S a (Topic)
2782 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2783 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
2784 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2787 @kindex T S u (Topic)
2788 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
2789 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
2790 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2793 @kindex T S l (Topic)
2794 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
2795 Sort the current topic by group level
2796 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
2799 @kindex T S v (Topic)
2800 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
2801 Sort the current topic by group score
2802 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2805 @kindex T S r (Topic)
2806 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
2807 Sort the current topic by group rank
2808 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2811 @kindex T S m (Topic)
2812 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
2813 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
2814 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
2818 @xref{Sorting Groups} for more information about group sorting.
2821 @node Topic Topology
2822 @subsection Topic Topology
2823 @cindex topic topology
2826 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2832 2: alt.religion.emacs
2835 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2837 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2838 13: comp.sources.unix
2841 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
2842 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
2843 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
2848 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2849 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2853 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2854 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2855 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2856 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2857 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2858 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2860 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2861 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2862 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2865 @node Topic Parameters
2866 @subsection Topic Parameters
2867 @cindex topic parameters
2869 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
2870 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
2871 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
2873 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
2874 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
2875 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
2876 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
2882 2: alt.religion.emacs
2886 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2888 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2889 13: comp.sources.unix
2893 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
2894 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
2895 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
2896 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
2897 @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
2898 . "religion.SCORE")}.
2900 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
2901 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
2902 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
2903 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
2904 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
2906 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
2907 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
2908 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
2909 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
2910 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
2911 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
2912 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
2913 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
2916 @node Misc Group Stuff
2917 @section Misc Group Stuff
2920 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2921 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and gnus.
2922 * Group Timestamp:: Making gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
2923 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the gnus files.
2930 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2931 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
2932 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
2936 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2937 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
2938 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
2942 @findex gnus-group-mail
2943 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
2947 Variables for the group buffer:
2951 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
2952 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
2953 is called after the group buffer has been
2956 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
2957 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2958 is called after the group buffer is
2959 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
2962 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
2963 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2964 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
2965 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
2967 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2968 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2969 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
2970 whether they are empty or not.
2975 @node Scanning New Messages
2976 @subsection Scanning New Messages
2977 @cindex new messages
2978 @cindex scanning new news
2984 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
2985 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
2986 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
2987 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
2988 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
2989 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
2994 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
2995 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
2996 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
2997 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
2998 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
2999 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3000 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3002 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3003 @cindex activating groups
3005 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3006 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3011 @findex gnus-group-restart
3012 Restart gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3013 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3014 gnus variables, and then starts gnus all over again.
3018 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3019 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3021 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3022 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3026 @node Group Information
3027 @subsection Group Information
3028 @cindex group information
3029 @cindex information on groups
3036 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3037 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3040 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3041 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3042 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3043 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3044 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3045 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3046 for fetching the file.
3048 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, gnus will attempt to go
3049 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3053 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3055 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3056 @cindex describing groups
3057 @cindex group description
3058 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3059 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3060 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3064 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3065 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3066 prefix, force gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3073 @findex gnus-version
3074 Display current gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3078 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3079 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3082 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3085 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3086 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3090 @node Group Timestamp
3091 @subsection Group Timestamp
3093 @cindex group timestamps
3095 It can be convenient to let gnus keep track of when you last read a
3096 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
3097 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
3100 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
3103 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
3105 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
3106 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
3109 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3110 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
3113 This will result in lines looking like:
3116 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
3117 0: custom 19961002T012713
3120 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
3121 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
3125 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3126 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
3131 @subsection File Commands
3132 @cindex file commands
3138 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
3139 @vindex gnus-init-file
3140 @cindex reading init file
3141 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
3142 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
3146 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
3147 @cindex saving .newsrc
3148 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
3149 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
3150 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
3153 @c @kindex Z (Group)
3154 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
3155 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
3160 @node The Summary Buffer
3161 @chapter The Summary Buffer
3162 @cindex summary buffer
3164 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
3165 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
3167 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
3168 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
3170 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
3173 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
3174 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
3175 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
3176 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
3177 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
3178 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
3179 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
3180 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
3181 * Threading:: How threads are made.
3182 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3183 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3184 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3185 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3186 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3187 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3188 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3189 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3190 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3191 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3192 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3193 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3194 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3195 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3196 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3197 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
3198 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3199 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3203 @node Summary Buffer Format
3204 @section Summary Buffer Format
3205 @cindex summary buffer format
3209 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
3210 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary.ps,width=7.5cm}}
3211 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-article.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
3217 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3218 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3219 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3222 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3223 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3224 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3225 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3226 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3227 @code{From} header. Three pre-defined functions exist:
3228 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3229 fast, and too simplistic solution;
3230 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works nicely, but is
3231 slower; and @code{std11-extract-address-components}, which works very
3232 nicely, but is slower. The default function will return the wrong
3233 answer in 5% of the cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the
3234 other function instead.
3236 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3237 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3238 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3239 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
3242 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3243 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3245 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3246 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3247 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3248 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3249 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3251 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3253 The following format specification characters are understood:
3261 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
3262 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3263 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
3265 Full @code{From} header.
3267 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3269 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3270 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3271 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3272 may be more thorough.
3274 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3277 Number of lines in the article.
3279 Number of characters in the article.
3281 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3283 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
3284 pushes everything after it off the screen).
3286 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
3287 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3289 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
3290 for adopted articles.
3292 One space for each thread level.
3294 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
3299 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
3300 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
3304 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
3306 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
3307 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
3308 default level. If the difference between
3309 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
3310 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
3318 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
3320 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
3326 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
3327 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
3329 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
3330 article has any children.
3336 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
3337 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
3338 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
3339 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
3340 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
3341 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
3344 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
3345 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, gnus will
3346 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
3347 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
3348 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
3349 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
3351 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
3352 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
3354 This restriction may disappear in later versions of gnus.
3357 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
3358 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
3360 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
3361 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
3362 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
3363 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
3365 Here are the elements you can play with:
3371 Unprefixed group name.
3373 Current article number.
3375 Current article score.
3379 Number of unread articles in this group.
3381 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
3384 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
3385 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
3386 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
3387 and no unselected ones.
3389 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
3390 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
3392 Subject of the current article.
3394 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
3396 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
3398 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3400 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3402 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
3404 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
3408 @node Summary Highlighting
3409 @subsection Summary Highlighting
3413 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3414 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3415 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
3416 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
3417 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3419 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
3420 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
3421 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
3422 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3424 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
3425 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
3426 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
3427 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
3429 @item gnus-summary-highlight
3430 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
3431 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
3432 list where the elements are of the format @var{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
3433 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
3434 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
3436 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
3437 ((> score default) . bold))
3439 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3440 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
3444 @node Summary Maneuvering
3445 @section Summary Maneuvering
3446 @cindex summary movement
3448 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
3449 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
3451 None of these commands select articles.
3456 @kindex M-n (Summary)
3457 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
3458 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
3459 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
3460 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
3464 @kindex M-p (Summary)
3465 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
3466 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
3467 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
3468 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
3473 @kindex G j (Summary)
3474 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
3475 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
3476 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
3479 @kindex G g (Summary)
3480 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
3481 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
3482 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
3485 If gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
3486 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
3487 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
3488 to the group buffer.
3490 Variables related to summary movement:
3494 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
3495 @item gnus-auto-select-next
3496 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
3497 no more unread articles after the current one, gnus will offer to go to
3498 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
3499 empty, gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
3500 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, gnus will select the
3501 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
3502 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, gnus will select the
3503 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
3504 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
3505 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
3506 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
3507 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
3509 @item gnus-auto-select-same
3510 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
3511 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
3512 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
3513 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
3514 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
3515 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
3517 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
3519 @item gnus-summary-check-current
3520 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
3521 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
3522 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
3523 Instead, they will choose the current article.
3525 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
3526 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
3527 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
3528 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
3529 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
3530 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
3531 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
3532 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
3538 @node Choosing Articles
3539 @section Choosing Articles
3540 @cindex selecting articles
3543 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
3544 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
3548 @node Choosing Commands
3549 @subsection Choosing Commands
3551 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
3552 and they all select and display an article.
3556 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3557 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3558 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
3559 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3564 @kindex G n (Summary)
3565 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
3566 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
3567 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
3572 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
3573 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
3574 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
3579 @kindex G N (Summary)
3580 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
3581 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
3586 @kindex G P (Summary)
3587 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
3588 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
3591 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
3592 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
3593 Go to the next article with the same subject
3594 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
3597 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
3598 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
3599 Go to the previous article with the same subject
3600 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
3604 @kindex G f (Summary)
3606 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
3607 Go to the first unread article
3608 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
3612 @kindex G b (Summary)
3614 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
3615 Go to the article with the highest score
3616 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
3621 @kindex G l (Summary)
3622 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
3623 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
3626 @kindex G o (Summary)
3627 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
3629 @cindex article history
3630 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
3631 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
3632 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
3633 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
3634 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
3635 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
3639 @node Choosing Variables
3640 @subsection Choosing Variables
3642 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
3645 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3646 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3647 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
3648 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
3649 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
3650 the server and display it in the article buffer.
3652 @item gnus-select-article-hook
3653 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
3654 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
3655 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
3657 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
3658 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
3659 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
3660 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
3661 @findex gnus-unread-mark
3662 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
3663 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
3664 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
3665 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
3666 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
3667 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
3668 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
3669 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
3670 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
3675 @node Paging the Article
3676 @section Scrolling the Article
3677 @cindex article scrolling
3682 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3683 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3684 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
3685 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
3686 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3689 @kindex DEL (Summary)
3690 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
3691 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
3694 @kindex RET (Summary)
3695 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
3696 Scroll the current article one line forward
3697 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
3701 @kindex A g (Summary)
3703 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
3704 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
3705 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
3706 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
3707 the way it came from the server.
3712 @kindex A < (Summary)
3713 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
3714 Scroll to the beginning of the article
3715 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
3720 @kindex A > (Summary)
3721 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
3722 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
3726 @kindex A s (Summary)
3728 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
3729 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
3730 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
3734 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
3735 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
3740 @node Reply Followup and Post
3741 @section Reply, Followup and Post
3744 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
3745 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3749 @node Summary Mail Commands
3750 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3752 @cindex composing mail
3754 Commands for composing a mail message:
3760 @kindex S r (Summary)
3762 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3763 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
3764 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
3765 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3766 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3771 @kindex S R (Summary)
3772 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3773 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
3774 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3775 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3776 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3779 @kindex S w (Summary)
3780 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
3781 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
3782 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
3783 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
3784 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
3787 @kindex S W (Summary)
3788 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
3789 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
3790 message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This command uses
3791 the process/prefix convention.
3794 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3795 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3796 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
3797 Forward the current article to some other person
3798 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3799 headers of the forwarded article.
3804 @kindex S m (Summary)
3805 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3806 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
3807 Send a mail to some other person
3808 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3811 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3812 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3813 @cindex bouncing mail
3814 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3815 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3816 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3817 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3818 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3819 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, gnus will try to fetch
3820 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3821 very well fail, though.
3824 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3825 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3826 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3827 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3828 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3829 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3830 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3831 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3832 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3833 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3835 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3836 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3837 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3838 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3839 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung mu
\e,A_
\e(B sein!
3841 This command understands the process/prefix convention
3842 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3845 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3846 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3847 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
3848 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
3849 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3852 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
3853 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
3854 @cindex crossposting
3855 @cindex excessive crossposting
3856 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
3857 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
3859 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
3860 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
3861 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
3862 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
3863 command understands the process/prefix convention
3864 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
3868 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
3871 @node Summary Post Commands
3872 @subsection Summary Post Commands
3874 @cindex composing news
3876 Commands for posting a news article:
3882 @kindex S p (Summary)
3883 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
3884 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
3885 Post an article to the current group
3886 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
3891 @kindex S f (Summary)
3892 @findex gnus-summary-followup
3893 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
3894 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
3898 @kindex S F (Summary)
3900 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
3901 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
3902 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
3903 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
3904 process/prefix convention.
3907 @kindex S n (Summary)
3908 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3909 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3910 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
3913 @kindex S N (Summary)
3914 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
3915 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3916 message through mail and include the original message
3917 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
3918 the process/prefix convention.
3921 @kindex S o p (Summary)
3922 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
3923 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
3924 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3925 headers of the forwarded article.
3928 @kindex S O p (Summary)
3929 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
3931 @cindex making digests
3932 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
3933 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
3934 process/prefix convention.
3937 @kindex S u (Summary)
3938 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
3939 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
3940 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
3941 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
3944 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
3947 @node Canceling and Superseding
3948 @section Canceling Articles
3949 @cindex canceling articles
3950 @cindex superseding articles
3952 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
3953 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
3955 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
3957 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
3959 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
3960 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
3961 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
3962 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
3963 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
3964 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3966 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
3967 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
3970 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
3971 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
3972 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
3974 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
3975 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
3976 your original article.
3978 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
3980 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
3981 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
3982 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
3985 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
3986 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
3987 have posted almost the same article twice.
3989 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
3990 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
3991 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
3992 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
3993 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
3994 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
3995 header by substituting one of those words for the word
3996 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
3997 you would do normally. The previous article will be
3998 canceled/superseded.
4000 Just remember, kids: There is no `c' in `supersede'.
4003 @node Marking Articles
4004 @section Marking Articles
4005 @cindex article marking
4006 @cindex article ticking
4009 There are several marks you can set on an article.
4011 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
4012 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
4013 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
4015 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
4018 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
4019 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
4020 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
4024 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
4028 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
4029 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
4033 @node Unread Articles
4034 @subsection Unread Articles
4036 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
4041 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
4042 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
4044 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
4045 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
4046 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
4047 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
4048 article forever, you'll have to make it persistent (@pxref{Persistent
4052 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
4053 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
4055 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
4056 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
4057 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
4060 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
4061 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
4063 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
4068 @subsection Read Articles
4069 @cindex expirable mark
4071 All the following marks mark articles as read.
4076 @vindex gnus-del-mark
4077 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
4078 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
4081 @vindex gnus-read-mark
4082 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
4085 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
4086 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
4087 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
4090 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
4091 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
4094 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
4095 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
4098 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
4099 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
4102 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
4103 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
4106 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
4107 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
4110 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
4111 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
4114 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
4115 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
4119 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
4120 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
4121 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
4125 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
4126 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
4128 One more special mark, though:
4132 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
4133 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
4135 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
4136 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
4137 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
4138 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by gnus at any time.
4143 @subsection Other Marks
4144 @cindex process mark
4147 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
4153 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
4154 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
4155 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
4156 in the article, and gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
4157 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}
4160 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
4161 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
4162 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
4163 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
4166 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
4167 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
4168 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}
4171 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
4172 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
4173 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
4174 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
4177 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
4178 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
4179 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
4180 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
4181 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
4184 @vindex gnus-process-mark
4185 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
4186 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
4187 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
4188 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
4189 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
4193 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
4194 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
4195 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
4197 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
4198 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
4199 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
4203 @subsection Setting Marks
4204 @cindex setting marks
4206 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
4211 @kindex M c (Summary)
4212 @kindex M-u (Summary)
4213 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
4214 @cindex mark as unread
4215 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
4216 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
4222 @kindex M t (Summary)
4223 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
4224 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
4225 @xref{Article Caching}
4230 @kindex M ? (Summary)
4231 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
4232 Mark the current article as dormant
4233 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}
4237 @kindex M d (Summary)
4239 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
4240 Mark the current article as read
4241 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
4245 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
4246 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
4247 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
4252 @kindex M k (Summary)
4253 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
4254 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
4255 and then select the next unread article
4256 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
4260 @kindex M K (Summary)
4261 @kindex C-k (Summary)
4262 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
4263 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
4264 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
4267 @kindex M C (Summary)
4268 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
4269 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
4270 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
4273 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
4274 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
4275 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
4276 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
4279 @kindex M H (Summary)
4280 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
4281 Catchup the current group to point
4282 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
4285 @kindex C-w (Summary)
4286 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
4287 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
4288 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
4291 @kindex M V k (Summary)
4292 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
4293 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
4294 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
4298 @kindex M e (Summary)
4300 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
4301 Mark the current article as expirable
4302 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
4305 @kindex M b (Summary)
4306 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
4307 Set a bookmark in the current article
4308 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
4311 @kindex M B (Summary)
4312 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
4313 Remove the bookmark from the current article
4314 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
4317 @kindex M V c (Summary)
4318 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
4319 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
4320 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4323 @kindex M V u (Summary)
4324 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
4325 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
4326 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
4329 @kindex M V m (Summary)
4330 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
4331 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
4332 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
4333 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4336 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
4337 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
4338 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
4339 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
4340 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
4341 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
4342 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
4343 The default is @code{t}.
4346 @node Setting Process Marks
4347 @subsection Setting Process Marks
4348 @cindex setting process marks
4355 @kindex M P p (Summary)
4356 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
4357 Mark the current article with the process mark
4358 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
4359 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
4363 @kindex M P u (Summary)
4364 @kindex M-# (Summary)
4365 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
4366 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
4369 @kindex M P U (Summary)
4370 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
4371 Remove the process mark from all articles
4372 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
4375 @kindex M P i (Summary)
4376 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
4377 Invert the list of process marked articles
4378 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
4381 @kindex M P R (Summary)
4382 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
4383 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
4384 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
4387 @kindex M P r (Summary)
4388 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
4389 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
4392 @kindex M P t (Summary)
4393 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4394 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4395 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4398 @kindex M P T (Summary)
4399 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4400 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4401 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4404 @kindex M P v (Summary)
4405 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
4406 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
4407 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
4410 @kindex M P s (Summary)
4411 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
4412 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4415 @kindex M P S (Summary)
4416 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
4417 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
4418 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
4421 @kindex M P a (Summary)
4422 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
4423 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4426 @kindex M P b (Summary)
4427 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
4428 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
4429 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
4432 @kindex M P k (Summary)
4433 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
4434 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
4435 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
4438 @kindex M P y (Summary)
4439 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
4440 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
4441 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
4444 @kindex M P w (Summary)
4445 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
4446 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
4447 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
4456 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
4457 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
4458 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
4461 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
4462 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
4463 additional articles.
4469 @kindex / / (Summary)
4470 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
4471 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
4472 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
4475 @kindex / a (Summary)
4476 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
4477 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
4478 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
4482 @kindex / u (Summary)
4484 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
4485 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
4486 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
4487 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
4488 dormant articles will also be excluded.
4491 @kindex / m (Summary)
4492 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
4493 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
4494 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
4497 @kindex / t (Summary)
4498 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
4499 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
4500 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}). If given a prefix, limit to
4501 articles younger than that number of days.
4504 @kindex / n (Summary)
4505 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
4506 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
4507 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
4508 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4511 @kindex / w (Summary)
4512 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
4513 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
4514 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
4518 @kindex / v (Summary)
4519 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
4520 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
4521 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
4525 @kindex M S (Summary)
4526 @kindex / E (Summary)
4527 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
4528 Include all expunged articles in the limit
4529 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
4532 @kindex / D (Summary)
4533 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
4534 Include all dormant articles in the limit
4535 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
4538 @kindex / * (Summary)
4539 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
4540 Include all cached articles in the limit
4541 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
4544 @kindex / d (Summary)
4545 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
4546 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
4547 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
4550 @kindex / T (Summary)
4551 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
4552 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
4555 @kindex / c (Summary)
4556 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
4557 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
4558 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
4561 @kindex / C (Summary)
4562 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
4563 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
4564 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
4565 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
4573 @cindex article threading
4575 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
4576 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
4577 hierarchical fashion.
4579 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
4580 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
4581 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
4582 or simply missing. Weird news propagation excarcerbates the problem,
4583 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
4584 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
4585 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
4587 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
4591 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
4594 A tree-like article structure.
4597 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
4600 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
4601 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
4602 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
4603 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
4604 called loose threads.
4606 @item thread gathering
4607 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
4609 @item sparse threads
4610 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
4611 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
4617 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
4618 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
4622 @node Customizing Threading
4623 @subsection Customizing Threading
4624 @cindex customizing threading
4627 * Loose Threads:: How gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
4628 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
4629 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
4630 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
4635 @subsubsection Loose Threads
4638 @cindex loose threads
4641 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
4642 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
4643 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
4644 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
4645 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
4646 read or killed the root in a previous session.
4648 When there is no real root of a thread, gnus will have to fudge
4649 something. This variable says what fudging method gnus should use.
4650 There are four possible values:
4654 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
4655 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-adopt.ps,width=7.5cm}}
4656 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-empty.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4657 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-none.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4658 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-dummy.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4663 @cindex adopting articles
4668 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
4669 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
4670 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
4671 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
4674 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
4675 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
4676 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
4677 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
4678 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
4679 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
4680 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
4683 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
4684 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
4685 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
4689 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
4690 display them after one another.
4693 Don't gather loose threads.
4696 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4697 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4698 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
4699 variable is @code{nil}, gnus requires an exact match between the
4700 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
4701 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
4702 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
4703 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
4704 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
4705 variable to a really low number, you'll find that gnus will gather
4706 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
4708 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
4709 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, gnus will
4710 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
4713 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4714 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4715 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
4716 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
4717 simplification is used.
4719 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4720 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4721 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
4722 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
4724 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
4726 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4732 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
4733 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
4734 "answer" "reference" "announce"
4735 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
4740 (mapconcat 'identity
4741 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
4743 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
4746 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
4749 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4750 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4751 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
4752 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
4753 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
4754 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
4756 Useful functions to put in this list include:
4759 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
4760 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
4761 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
4763 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4764 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4767 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
4768 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
4769 Remove excessive whitespace.
4772 You may also write your own functions, of course.
4775 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4776 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4777 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
4778 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
4779 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
4780 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
4781 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
4782 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
4784 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4785 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4786 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
4787 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
4788 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
4789 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
4790 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
4791 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
4792 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
4796 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4797 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4798 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
4799 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
4801 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4802 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4803 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
4806 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
4810 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4811 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
4817 @node Filling In Threads
4818 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
4821 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
4822 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
4823 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
4824 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you would
4825 like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still connect as
4826 many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable to
4827 @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than that
4828 number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case, fetching
4829 old headers only works if the backend you are using carries overview
4830 files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
4831 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
4832 expired by the server, there's not much gnus can do about that.
4834 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
4835 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
4836 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
4838 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
4839 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
4840 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
4841 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
4842 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
4843 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
4844 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where gnus guesses that an article
4845 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
4846 lines. If you select a gap, gnus will try to fetch the article in
4847 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, gnus will display all these
4848 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
4849 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, gnus won't cut
4850 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
4851 @code{nil} by default.
4856 @node More Threading
4857 @subsubsection More Threading
4860 @item gnus-show-threads
4861 @vindex gnus-show-threads
4862 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
4863 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
4864 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
4865 slower and more awkward.
4867 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4868 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4869 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
4872 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
4873 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
4874 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
4875 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
4876 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
4877 threads are expunged.
4879 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
4880 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
4881 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
4884 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4885 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4886 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
4887 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
4888 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
4891 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
4892 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
4893 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
4899 @node Low-Level Threading
4900 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
4904 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
4905 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
4906 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
4907 @code{(gnus-set-summary-default-charset)}, which sets up local value of
4908 @code{default-mime-charset} in summary buffer based on variable
4909 @code{gnus-newsgroup-default-charset-alist}.
4911 @item gnus-alter-header-function
4912 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
4913 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
4914 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
4915 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
4916 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
4917 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
4918 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
4919 meaningful. Here's one example:
4922 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
4924 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
4925 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
4927 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
4929 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
4936 @node Thread Commands
4937 @subsection Thread Commands
4938 @cindex thread commands
4944 @kindex T k (Summary)
4945 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
4946 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
4947 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
4948 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
4949 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
4954 @kindex T l (Summary)
4955 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
4956 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
4957 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
4958 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
4961 @kindex T i (Summary)
4962 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
4963 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
4964 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
4967 @kindex T # (Summary)
4968 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4969 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
4970 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4973 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
4974 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4975 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
4976 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4979 @kindex T T (Summary)
4980 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
4981 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
4984 @kindex T s (Summary)
4985 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
4986 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
4987 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
4990 @kindex T h (Summary)
4991 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
4992 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
4995 @kindex T S (Summary)
4996 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
4997 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
5000 @kindex T H (Summary)
5001 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
5002 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
5005 @kindex T t (Summary)
5006 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
5007 Re-thread the current article's thread
5008 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
5009 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
5012 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
5013 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
5014 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
5015 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
5019 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
5020 understand the numeric prefix.
5025 @kindex T n (Summary)
5026 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
5027 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
5030 @kindex T p (Summary)
5031 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
5032 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
5035 @kindex T d (Summary)
5036 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
5037 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
5040 @kindex T u (Summary)
5041 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
5042 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
5045 @kindex T o (Summary)
5046 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
5047 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
5050 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
5051 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
5052 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
5053 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
5054 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
5055 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
5056 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
5057 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
5058 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
5059 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
5060 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
5061 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
5068 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
5069 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
5070 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
5071 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5072 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
5073 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5074 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
5075 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
5076 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which is a list of functions.
5077 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
5078 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
5079 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
5080 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
5081 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
5083 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
5084 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
5085 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread. If you use
5086 more than one function, the primary sort key should be the last function
5087 in the list. You should probably always include
5088 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
5089 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
5090 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
5091 ascending article order.
5093 If you would like to sort by score, then by subject, and finally by
5094 number, you could do something like:
5097 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5098 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5099 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5100 gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score))
5103 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
5104 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
5105 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
5106 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
5107 which the articles arrived.
5109 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
5113 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5115 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
5116 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
5119 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
5120 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
5121 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
5122 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
5125 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
5126 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
5127 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
5128 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
5129 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
5130 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
5131 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
5132 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
5133 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
5134 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
5135 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
5136 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
5137 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
5139 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
5143 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
5144 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
5145 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
5150 @node Asynchronous Fetching
5151 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
5152 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
5153 @cindex article pre-fetch
5156 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
5157 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
5158 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
5159 article appears. Why can't gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
5160 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
5162 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
5163 article fetching, especially the way gnus does it.
5165 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
5166 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
5167 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
5168 article 3, but since gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
5169 connection is blocked.
5171 To avoid these situations, gnus will open two (count 'em two)
5172 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
5173 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
5174 extra connection takes some time, so gnus startup will be slower.
5176 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
5177 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
5178 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
5179 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
5182 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
5185 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
5186 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
5187 happen automatically.
5189 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
5190 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
5191 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
5192 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
5193 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
5194 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
5195 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
5197 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
5198 @findex gnus-async-read-p
5199 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
5200 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
5201 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
5202 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
5203 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
5204 data structure as the only parameter.
5206 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter
5207 than 100 lines, you could say something like:
5210 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
5211 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
5212 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
5213 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
5216 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
5219 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
5220 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down gnus too much. It's
5221 probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
5223 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
5224 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
5225 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
5226 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
5230 Remove articles when they are read.
5233 Remove articles when exiting the group.
5236 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
5238 @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
5239 If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
5240 from the next group.
5243 @node Article Caching
5244 @section Article Caching
5245 @cindex article caching
5248 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
5249 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
5250 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
5251 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
5252 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
5254 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
5256 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5257 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
5258 @vindex gnus-use-cache
5259 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
5260 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
5261 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
5262 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
5263 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
5265 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
5266 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
5267 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
5268 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
5269 as dormant, and don't worry.
5271 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
5273 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
5274 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
5275 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
5276 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
5277 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
5278 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
5279 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
5280 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
5281 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
5282 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
5284 @findex gnus-jog-cache
5285 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
5286 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
5287 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
5288 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
5289 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
5290 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
5291 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
5292 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
5293 not then be downloaded by this command.
5295 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
5296 It is likely that you do not want caching on some groups. For instance,
5297 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
5298 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
5299 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space. To limit the caching,
5300 you could set the @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to
5301 @samp{^nnml}, for instance. This variable is @code{nil} by
5304 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
5305 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
5306 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
5307 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
5308 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
5309 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, gnus
5310 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
5311 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
5312 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
5316 @node Persistent Articles
5317 @section Persistent Articles
5318 @cindex persistent articles
5320 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
5321 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
5322 useful in my opinion.
5324 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
5325 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
5326 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
5327 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
5328 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
5329 the expiry going on at the news server.
5331 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
5332 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
5333 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
5339 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
5340 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
5343 @kindex M-* (Summary)
5344 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
5345 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
5346 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
5350 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
5352 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
5353 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
5354 interested in persistent articles:
5357 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
5361 @node Article Backlog
5362 @section Article Backlog
5364 @cindex article backlog
5366 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
5367 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
5368 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where gnus will buffer
5369 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
5370 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
5371 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
5372 that, turning the backlog on will slow gnus down a little bit, and
5373 increase memory usage some.
5375 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
5376 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, gnus will store
5377 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
5378 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, gnus will store
5379 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
5380 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
5381 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
5383 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5386 @node Saving Articles
5387 @section Saving Articles
5388 @cindex saving articles
5390 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
5391 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
5392 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
5393 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
5394 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
5396 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
5397 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, gnus will not delete
5398 unwanted headers before saving the article.
5400 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
5401 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
5402 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
5403 deleted before saving.
5409 @kindex O o (Summary)
5411 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
5412 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
5413 Save the current article using the default article saver
5414 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
5417 @kindex O m (Summary)
5418 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
5419 Save the current article in mail format
5420 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
5423 @kindex O r (Summary)
5424 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
5425 Save the current article in rmail format
5426 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
5429 @kindex O f (Summary)
5430 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
5431 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
5432 Save the current article in plain file format
5433 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
5436 @kindex O F (Summary)
5437 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
5438 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
5439 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
5442 @kindex O b (Summary)
5443 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
5444 Save the current article body in plain file format
5445 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
5448 @kindex O h (Summary)
5449 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
5450 Save the current article in mh folder format
5451 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
5454 @kindex O v (Summary)
5455 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
5456 Save the current article in a VM folder
5457 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
5460 @kindex O p (Summary)
5461 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
5462 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
5463 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
5466 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
5467 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
5468 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
5469 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
5470 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
5471 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
5472 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
5473 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
5474 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
5475 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
5476 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
5477 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
5481 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
5482 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
5483 gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
5484 functions below, or you can create your own.
5488 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5489 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5490 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
5491 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5492 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
5493 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5494 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5496 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5497 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5498 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
5499 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
5500 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5501 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5503 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
5504 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
5505 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
5506 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5507 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
5508 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5509 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5511 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5512 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5513 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
5514 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5515 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5517 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5518 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5519 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
5520 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
5521 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
5524 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
5525 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
5526 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
5527 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
5528 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
5530 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5531 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5532 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
5533 reader to use this setting.
5536 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
5537 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
5538 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
5539 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
5542 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
5543 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
5544 available functions that generate names:
5548 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
5549 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
5550 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5552 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
5553 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5554 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5556 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
5557 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
5558 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5560 @item gnus-plain-save-name
5561 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5562 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5565 @vindex gnus-split-methods
5566 You can have gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp
5567 into the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would
5568 like to save articles related to gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and
5569 articles related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable
5573 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
5574 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
5575 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
5576 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
5579 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
5580 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
5581 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
5582 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
5583 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
5584 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
5585 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
5586 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
5587 called returns a string or a list of strings.
5589 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
5590 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
5591 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
5592 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
5594 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
5595 means that gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
5596 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file name.
5598 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
5599 lots of mail groups called things like
5600 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
5601 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
5602 following will do just that:
5605 (defun my-save-name (group)
5606 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
5607 (substring group (match-end 0))))
5609 (setq gnus-split-methods
5610 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
5615 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5616 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
5617 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
5618 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
5619 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
5620 all the files in the top level directory
5621 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
5622 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
5623 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
5624 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
5626 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
5627 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
5628 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
5629 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
5630 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
5633 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
5637 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
5638 (setq gnus-default-article-saver 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
5641 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
5642 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
5643 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
5644 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
5647 @node Decoding Articles
5648 @section Decoding Articles
5649 @cindex decoding articles
5651 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
5652 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
5655 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
5656 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
5657 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
5658 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
5659 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
5660 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
5664 @cindex article series
5665 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
5666 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
5667 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
5668 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
5669 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
5671 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
5672 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
5673 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
5675 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, gnus
5676 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
5677 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
5679 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
5680 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
5681 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
5684 @node Uuencoded Articles
5685 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
5687 @cindex uuencoded articles
5692 @kindex X u (Summary)
5693 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
5694 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
5695 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
5698 @kindex X U (Summary)
5699 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
5700 Uudecodes and saves the current series
5701 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5704 @kindex X v u (Summary)
5705 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
5706 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
5709 @kindex X v U (Summary)
5710 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
5711 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
5712 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
5716 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
5717 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
5718 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
5719 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
5720 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5722 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
5723 @sc{GNUS 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
5724 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
5725 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
5728 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
5729 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
5730 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
5731 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
5732 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
5733 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
5737 @node Shell Archives
5738 @subsection Shell Archives
5740 @cindex shell archives
5741 @cindex shared articles
5743 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
5744 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
5745 some commands to deal with these:
5750 @kindex X s (Summary)
5751 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
5752 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
5755 @kindex X S (Summary)
5756 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
5757 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
5760 @kindex X v s (Summary)
5761 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
5762 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
5765 @kindex X v S (Summary)
5766 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
5767 Unshars, views and saves the current series
5768 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
5772 @node PostScript Files
5773 @subsection PostScript Files
5779 @kindex X p (Summary)
5780 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
5781 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
5784 @kindex X P (Summary)
5785 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
5786 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
5787 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
5790 @kindex X v p (Summary)
5791 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
5792 View the current PostScript series
5793 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
5796 @kindex X v P (Summary)
5797 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
5798 View and save the current PostScript series
5799 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
5804 @subsection Other Files
5808 @kindex X o (Summary)
5809 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
5810 Save the current series
5811 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
5814 @kindex X b (Summary)
5815 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
5816 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
5817 doesn't really work yet.
5821 @node Decoding Variables
5822 @subsection Decoding Variables
5824 Adjective, not verb.
5827 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
5828 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
5829 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
5833 @node Rule Variables
5834 @subsubsection Rule Variables
5835 @cindex rule variables
5837 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
5838 variables are of the form
5841 (list '(regexp1 command2)
5848 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5849 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5851 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
5852 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
5855 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5856 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
5859 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5860 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5861 This variable is consulted if gnus couldn't make any matches from the
5862 user and default view rules.
5864 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5865 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5866 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
5871 @node Other Decode Variables
5872 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
5875 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5877 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5878 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
5879 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
5880 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
5881 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
5885 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
5886 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
5889 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
5890 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
5891 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
5894 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5895 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5896 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
5897 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
5898 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
5901 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5902 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5903 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
5905 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5906 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5907 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
5908 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
5909 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
5912 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5913 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5914 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
5916 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5917 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5918 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
5919 looking for files to display.
5921 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
5922 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
5923 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
5926 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5927 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5928 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
5931 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5932 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5933 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
5936 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5937 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5938 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
5941 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5942 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5943 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
5944 decoded articles as unread.
5946 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5947 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5948 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
5949 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
5951 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
5952 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
5953 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
5955 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5956 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5958 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
5959 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
5960 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
5961 @code{metamail} for viewing.
5963 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5964 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5965 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
5966 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
5967 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
5968 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
5969 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
5970 simply dropped them.
5975 @node Uuencoding and Posting
5976 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
5980 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5981 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5982 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
5983 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
5984 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
5985 for you when you post the article.
5987 @item gnus-uu-post-length
5988 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
5989 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
5990 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
5992 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
5993 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
5994 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
5995 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
5996 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
5997 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
5998 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
6000 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6001 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6002 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
6003 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
6004 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
6005 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
6006 Default is @code{t}.
6012 @subsection Viewing Files
6013 @cindex viewing files
6014 @cindex pseudo-articles
6016 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, gnus will attempt
6017 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
6018 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
6019 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, gnus will
6020 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
6021 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
6022 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
6024 Finally, gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
6025 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
6026 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
6027 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
6029 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
6030 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
6031 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
6033 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
6034 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
6035 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
6036 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
6037 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
6039 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
6040 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
6041 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
6042 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
6043 a list of parameters to that command.
6045 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
6046 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
6047 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
6049 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
6050 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
6051 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
6054 @node Article Treatment
6055 @section Article Treatment
6057 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
6058 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
6059 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
6060 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
6061 these articles easier.
6064 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
6065 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
6066 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
6067 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
6068 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
6069 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
6070 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
6074 @node Article Highlighting
6075 @subsection Article Highlighting
6078 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
6079 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
6084 @kindex W H a (Summary)
6085 @findex gnus-article-highlight
6086 Highlight the current article (@code{gnus-article-highlight}).
6089 @kindex W H h (Summary)
6090 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
6091 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
6092 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
6093 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
6094 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
6095 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
6096 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
6097 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
6098 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
6099 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
6102 @kindex W H c (Summary)
6103 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
6104 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
6106 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
6109 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6111 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6112 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
6113 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
6115 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6116 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6117 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
6119 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
6120 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
6121 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
6123 @item gnus-cite-face-list
6124 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
6125 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
6126 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
6127 gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
6128 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
6130 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
6131 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
6132 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
6134 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6135 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6136 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
6138 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6139 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6140 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
6141 that it's a citation.
6143 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6144 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6145 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
6147 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6148 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6149 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
6151 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
6152 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
6153 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
6154 cited text belonging to the attribution.
6160 @kindex W H s (Summary)
6161 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6162 @vindex gnus-signature-face
6163 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
6164 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
6165 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
6166 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
6167 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
6173 @node Article Fontisizing
6174 @subsection Article Fontisizing
6176 @cindex article emphasis
6178 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
6179 @kindex W e (Summary)
6180 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
6181 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*}. Gnus can make this look nicer by
6182 running the article through the @kbd{W e}
6183 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
6185 @vindex gnus-article-emphasis
6186 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
6187 @code{gnus-article-emphasis} variable. This is an alist where the first
6188 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
6189 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
6190 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
6191 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
6192 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
6196 (setq gnus-article-emphasis
6197 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
6198 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
6201 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
6202 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
6203 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
6204 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
6205 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
6206 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
6207 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
6208 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
6209 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
6210 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
6211 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
6212 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
6213 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
6215 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
6216 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
6217 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
6221 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
6225 @node Article Hiding
6226 @subsection Article Hiding
6227 @cindex article hiding
6229 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
6230 too much cruft in most articles.
6235 @kindex W W a (Summary)
6236 @findex gnus-article-hide
6237 Do quote a lot of hiding on the article buffer
6238 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
6239 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
6242 @kindex W W h (Summary)
6243 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
6244 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
6248 @kindex W W b (Summary)
6249 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
6250 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
6251 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
6254 @kindex W W s (Summary)
6255 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
6256 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
6260 @kindex W W p (Summary)
6261 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
6262 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
6263 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
6264 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
6265 signature has been hidden.
6268 @kindex W W P (Summary)
6269 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
6270 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
6271 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
6274 @kindex W W c (Summary)
6275 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
6276 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
6277 customizing the hiding:
6281 @item gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
6282 @vindex gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
6283 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
6284 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
6285 by this format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
6290 Start point of the hidden text.
6292 End point of the hidden text.
6294 Length of the hidden text.
6297 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
6298 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
6299 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
6304 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
6305 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
6307 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
6308 following two variables:
6311 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6312 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6313 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
6314 50), hide the cited text.
6316 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6317 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6318 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
6323 @kindex W W C (Summary)
6324 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
6325 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
6326 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
6327 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
6328 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
6332 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
6333 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
6334 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
6336 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
6337 citation customization.
6340 @node Article Washing
6341 @subsection Article Washing
6343 @cindex article washing
6345 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
6346 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
6348 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
6349 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
6355 @kindex W l (Summary)
6356 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
6357 Remove page breaks from the current article
6358 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article} for page
6362 @kindex W r (Summary)
6363 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
6364 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
6365 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
6366 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
6367 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
6368 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
6370 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
6371 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
6372 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
6373 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
6376 @kindex W t (Summary)
6377 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
6378 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
6379 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
6382 @kindex W v (Summary)
6383 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
6384 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
6385 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
6388 @kindex W m (Summary)
6389 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
6390 Toggle whether to display the article as @sc{mime} message
6391 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
6394 @kindex W o (Summary)
6395 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
6396 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
6399 @kindex W d (Summary)
6400 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
6401 Treat M******** sm*rtq**t*s (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}).
6404 @kindex W w (Summary)
6405 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
6406 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
6407 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
6408 late and certainly after any highlighting.
6410 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
6414 @kindex W c (Summary)
6415 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
6416 Remove CR (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines)
6417 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
6420 @kindex W f (Summary)
6422 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
6423 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
6424 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
6425 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
6431 Look for and display any X-Face headers
6432 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
6433 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
6434 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
6435 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
6436 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
6437 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
6438 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
6439 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
6440 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
6441 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
6442 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
6443 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
6444 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
6448 @kindex W b (Summary)
6449 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
6450 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
6451 @xref{Article Buttons}
6454 @kindex W B (Summary)
6455 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
6456 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
6457 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
6460 @kindex W E l (Summary)
6461 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
6462 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
6463 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
6466 @kindex W E m (Summary)
6467 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
6468 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
6469 lines with a single empty line.
6470 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
6473 @kindex W E t (Summary)
6474 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
6475 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
6476 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
6479 @kindex W E a (Summary)
6480 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
6481 Do all the three commands above
6482 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
6485 @kindex W E A (Summary)
6486 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
6487 Remove all blank lines
6488 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
6491 @kindex W E s (Summary)
6492 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
6493 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
6494 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
6499 @node Article Buttons
6500 @subsection Article Buttons
6503 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
6504 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
6505 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
6506 button on these references.
6508 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
6509 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
6510 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
6515 @item gnus-button-alist
6516 @vindex gnus-button-alist
6517 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
6520 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6526 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
6527 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
6528 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
6531 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
6532 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
6533 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
6536 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
6537 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
6538 avoid false matches.
6541 This function will be called when you click on this button.
6544 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
6545 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
6549 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
6552 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
6555 @item gnus-header-button-alist
6556 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
6557 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
6558 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
6559 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
6562 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6565 @var{HEADER} is a regular expression.
6567 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
6568 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
6569 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
6570 default values of the variables above.
6572 @item gnus-article-button-face
6573 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
6574 Face used on buttons.
6576 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
6577 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
6578 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
6584 @subsection Article Date
6586 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
6587 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
6588 when the article was sent.
6593 @kindex W T u (Summary)
6594 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
6595 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
6596 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
6599 @kindex W T i (Summary)
6600 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
6602 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
6603 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
6606 @kindex W T l (Summary)
6607 @findex gnus-article-date-local
6608 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
6611 @kindex W T s (Summary)
6612 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
6613 @findex gnus-article-date-user
6614 @findex format-time-string
6615 Display the date using a user-defined format
6616 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
6617 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
6618 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
6619 for a list of possible format specs.
6622 @kindex W T e (Summary)
6623 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
6624 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
6625 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
6626 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
6627 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). If you want to have this line
6628 updated continually, you can put
6631 (gnus-start-date-timer)
6634 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
6635 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
6639 @kindex W T o (Summary)
6640 @findex gnus-article-date-original
6641 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
6642 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
6643 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
6644 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
6645 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
6650 @node Article Signature
6651 @subsection Article Signature
6653 @cindex article signature
6655 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6656 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
6657 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
6658 that says what is to be considered a signature is
6659 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
6660 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
6661 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
6662 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
6663 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
6666 (setq gnus-signature-separator
6667 '("^-- $" ; The standard
6668 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
6669 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
6670 ; line of dashes. Shame!
6671 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
6672 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
6673 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
6676 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
6679 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
6680 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
6685 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
6688 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
6691 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
6692 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
6694 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
6695 in question is not a signature.
6698 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
6699 listed above. Here's an example:
6702 (setq gnus-signature-limit
6703 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
6706 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
6707 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
6708 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
6709 signature after all.
6712 @node Article Commands
6713 @section Article Commands
6720 @kindex A P (Summary)
6721 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
6722 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
6723 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
6724 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
6725 run just before printing the buffer.
6730 @node Summary Sorting
6731 @section Summary Sorting
6732 @cindex summary sorting
6734 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
6735 can't really see why you'd want that.
6740 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
6741 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
6742 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
6745 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
6746 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
6747 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
6750 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
6751 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
6752 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
6755 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
6756 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
6757 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
6760 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
6761 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
6762 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
6765 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
6766 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
6767 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
6770 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
6771 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
6772 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
6773 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
6774 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
6778 @node Finding the Parent
6779 @section Finding the Parent
6780 @cindex parent articles
6781 @cindex referring articles
6786 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
6787 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
6788 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
6789 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
6790 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
6791 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
6792 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
6793 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
6794 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
6796 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
6797 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
6798 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, gnus will fetch the parent, the
6799 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
6800 @kbd{-3 ^}, gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
6804 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
6805 @kindex A R (Summary)
6806 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
6807 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
6810 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
6811 @kindex A T (Summary)
6812 Display the full thread where the current article appears
6813 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
6814 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
6815 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
6816 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
6817 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
6818 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
6820 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
6821 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
6822 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
6823 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
6824 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
6825 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
6828 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
6829 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
6831 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
6832 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
6833 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
6834 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
6835 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
6836 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
6837 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
6840 The current select method will be used when fetching by
6841 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
6842 by giving this command a prefix.
6844 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
6845 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
6846 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
6847 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
6848 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
6849 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
6852 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
6853 not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
6854 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
6855 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
6856 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
6857 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
6860 @node Alternative Approaches
6861 @section Alternative Approaches
6863 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
6864 gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
6867 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
6868 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
6873 @subsection Pick and Read
6874 @cindex pick and read
6876 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
6877 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
6878 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
6879 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
6881 @findex gnus-pick-mode
6882 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
6883 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
6884 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
6885 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
6886 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
6888 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
6893 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
6894 Pick the article or thread on the current line
6895 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
6896 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
6897 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
6898 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
6899 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
6900 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
6903 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
6904 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
6905 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
6906 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
6910 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
6911 Unpick the thread or article
6912 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
6913 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
6914 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
6915 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
6916 the thread or article at that line.
6920 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
6921 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
6922 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
6923 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
6924 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
6925 will still be visible when you are reading.
6929 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
6930 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
6931 which is mapped to the same function
6932 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
6934 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
6937 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
6940 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
6941 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
6943 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
6944 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
6945 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
6947 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
6948 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
6949 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
6950 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
6951 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
6952 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
6953 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
6957 @subsection Binary Groups
6958 @cindex binary groups
6960 @findex gnus-binary-mode
6961 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
6962 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
6963 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
6964 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
6965 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
6966 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
6969 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
6970 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
6971 command, when you have turned on this mode
6972 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
6974 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
6975 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
6979 @section Tree Display
6982 @vindex gnus-use-trees
6983 If you don't like the normal gnus summary display, you might try setting
6984 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
6985 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
6988 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
6991 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
6992 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
6993 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
6995 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6996 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6997 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
6998 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
6999 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
7001 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
7002 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
7003 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
7004 default is @code{modeline}.
7006 @item gnus-tree-line-format
7007 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
7008 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
7009 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
7010 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
7011 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
7012 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
7018 The name of the poster.
7020 The @code{From} header.
7022 The number of the article.
7024 The opening bracket.
7026 The closing bracket.
7031 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
7033 Variables related to the display are:
7036 @item gnus-tree-brackets
7037 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
7038 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
7039 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
7040 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
7041 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
7043 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7044 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7045 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
7046 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
7050 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
7051 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
7052 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will try to keep the tree
7053 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other gnus
7054 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
7055 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
7056 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
7057 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
7058 other windows displayed next to it.
7060 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
7061 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
7062 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7063 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
7064 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
7065 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
7066 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
7070 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
7073 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
7083 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
7087 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
7088 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
7090 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
7092 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
7097 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
7098 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
7099 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
7102 (setq gnus-use-trees t
7103 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7104 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
7105 (gnus-add-configuration
7109 (summary 0.75 point)
7114 @xref{Windows Configuration}.
7117 @node Mail Group Commands
7118 @section Mail Group Commands
7119 @cindex mail group commands
7121 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
7122 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
7124 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
7125 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7130 @kindex B e (Summary)
7131 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
7132 Expire all expirable articles in the group
7133 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
7136 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
7137 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
7138 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
7139 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
7140 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
7141 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
7144 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
7145 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
7146 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
7147 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
7148 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
7149 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
7152 @kindex B m (Summary)
7154 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
7155 Move the article from one mail group to another
7156 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7159 @kindex B c (Summary)
7161 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
7162 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
7163 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
7164 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
7167 @kindex B B (Summary)
7168 @cindex crosspost mail
7169 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
7170 Crosspost the current article to some other group
7171 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
7172 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
7173 be properly updated.
7176 @kindex B i (Summary)
7177 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
7178 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
7179 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
7180 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
7183 @kindex B r (Summary)
7184 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
7185 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7186 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
7187 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
7188 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
7192 @kindex B w (Summary)
7194 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
7195 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
7196 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
7197 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
7198 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
7199 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, gnus won't re-highlight the article.
7202 @kindex B q (Summary)
7203 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
7204 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
7205 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
7206 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
7209 @kindex B t (Summary)
7210 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
7211 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
7212 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
7215 @kindex B p (Summary)
7216 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
7217 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
7218 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
7219 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
7220 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
7221 article from your news server (or rather, from
7222 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
7223 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
7224 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
7225 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
7226 just not have arrived yet.
7230 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
7231 @cindex moving articles
7232 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have gnus
7233 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
7234 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
7235 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
7236 suggestions you find reasonable.
7239 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
7240 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
7241 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
7242 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
7246 @node Various Summary Stuff
7247 @section Various Summary Stuff
7250 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
7251 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
7252 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
7253 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
7257 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
7258 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
7259 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
7261 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
7262 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
7263 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
7264 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
7265 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
7266 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
7269 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7270 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7271 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
7272 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
7273 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
7275 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7276 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7277 When gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
7278 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
7279 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
7280 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
7281 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), gnus will rename the
7282 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
7283 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
7284 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
7289 @node Summary Group Information
7290 @subsection Summary Group Information
7295 @kindex H f (Summary)
7296 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
7297 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
7298 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
7299 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
7300 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
7301 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
7302 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
7303 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
7304 be used for fetching the file.
7307 @kindex H d (Summary)
7308 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
7309 Give a brief description of the current group
7310 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
7311 rereading the description from the server.
7314 @kindex H h (Summary)
7315 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
7316 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
7317 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
7320 @kindex H i (Summary)
7321 @findex gnus-info-find-node
7322 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
7326 @node Searching for Articles
7327 @subsection Searching for Articles
7332 @kindex M-s (Summary)
7333 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
7334 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
7335 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
7338 @kindex M-r (Summary)
7339 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
7340 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
7341 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
7345 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
7346 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
7347 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
7348 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If given a prefix, search
7352 @kindex M-& (Summary)
7353 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
7354 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
7355 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
7358 @node Summary Generation Commands
7359 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
7364 @kindex Y g (Summary)
7365 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
7366 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
7369 @kindex Y c (Summary)
7370 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
7371 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
7372 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
7377 @node Really Various Summary Commands
7378 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
7383 @kindex C-d (Summary)
7384 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
7385 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
7386 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
7387 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
7388 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
7389 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
7390 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
7391 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
7395 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
7396 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
7397 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
7398 several documents into one biiig group
7399 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
7400 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
7401 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
7402 command understands the process/prefix convention
7403 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7406 @kindex C-t (Summary)
7407 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
7408 Toggle truncation of summary lines
7409 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
7410 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
7411 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
7415 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
7416 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
7417 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
7420 @kindex M-C-e (Summary)
7421 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
7422 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
7423 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
7428 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
7429 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
7430 @cindex summary exit
7431 @cindex exiting groups
7433 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
7434 group and return you to the group buffer.
7440 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
7442 @findex gnus-summary-exit
7443 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
7444 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
7445 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
7446 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
7447 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
7448 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
7449 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
7450 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
7451 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
7452 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
7456 @kindex Z E (Summary)
7458 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
7459 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
7460 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
7464 @kindex Z c (Summary)
7466 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
7467 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
7468 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
7469 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
7472 @kindex Z C (Summary)
7473 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
7474 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
7475 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
7478 @kindex Z n (Summary)
7479 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
7480 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
7481 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
7484 @kindex Z R (Summary)
7485 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
7486 Exit this group, and then enter it again
7487 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
7488 all articles, both read and unread.
7492 @kindex Z G (Summary)
7493 @kindex M-g (Summary)
7494 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
7495 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
7496 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
7497 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
7498 articles, both read and unread.
7501 @kindex Z N (Summary)
7502 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
7503 Exit the group and go to the next group
7504 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
7507 @kindex Z P (Summary)
7508 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
7509 Exit the group and go to the previous group
7510 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
7513 @kindex Z s (Summary)
7514 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
7515 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
7516 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
7517 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
7518 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
7521 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
7522 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
7525 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
7526 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
7527 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
7528 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
7529 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
7530 If you do that, gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
7531 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
7532 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
7533 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
7534 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
7535 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
7536 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
7538 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
7540 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
7541 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
7542 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
7543 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
7544 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
7545 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
7546 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
7547 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
7548 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
7551 @node Crosspost Handling
7552 @section Crosspost Handling
7556 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
7557 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
7558 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
7559 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
7560 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
7561 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
7564 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
7565 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
7566 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
7567 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
7568 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
7570 @cindex cross-posting
7573 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
7574 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
7575 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
7576 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
7577 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
7578 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
7579 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
7580 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
7581 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
7582 the cross reference mechanism.
7584 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
7585 @cindex overview.fmt
7586 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
7587 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
7588 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
7589 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
7590 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
7591 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
7594 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
7595 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
7596 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
7601 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
7604 @node Duplicate Suppression
7605 @section Duplicate Suppression
7607 By default, gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
7608 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
7609 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
7610 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various reasons.
7614 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
7615 is evil and not very common.
7618 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
7619 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
7622 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
7623 different @sc{nntp} servers.
7626 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
7629 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
7630 well, but these four are the most common situations.
7632 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
7633 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
7634 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
7635 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
7636 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
7637 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
7638 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
7641 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
7642 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
7643 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
7644 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
7645 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
7649 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
7650 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
7651 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
7653 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
7654 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
7655 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
7656 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
7657 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single gnus
7658 session are suppressed.
7660 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
7661 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
7662 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
7663 suppression list. The default is 10000.
7665 @item gnus-duplicate-file
7666 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
7667 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
7668 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
7671 If you have a tendency to stop and start gnus often, setting
7672 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
7673 you leave gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
7674 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
7675 so that means that if you stop and start gnus often, you should set
7676 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
7677 to you to figure out, I think.
7680 @node The Article Buffer
7681 @chapter The Article Buffer
7682 @cindex article buffer
7684 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
7685 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
7686 tell gnus otherwise.
7689 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
7690 * Using MIME:: Pushing to mime articles as @sc{mime} messages.
7691 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
7692 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
7693 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
7697 @node Hiding Headers
7698 @section Hiding Headers
7699 @cindex hiding headers
7700 @cindex deleting headers
7702 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
7703 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
7705 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
7706 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
7707 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
7708 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
7709 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
7710 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
7711 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
7712 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
7713 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
7715 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
7719 @item gnus-visible-headers
7720 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
7721 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
7722 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
7723 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
7725 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
7726 the article and the subject, you'd say:
7729 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
7732 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7735 @item gnus-ignored-headers
7736 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
7737 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
7738 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
7739 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
7740 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
7742 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} field
7743 and the @code{Xref} field, you might say:
7746 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
7749 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7752 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
7753 variable will have no effect.
7757 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
7758 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
7759 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
7760 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
7761 the headers are to be displayed.
7763 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
7764 and then the subject, you might say something like:
7767 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
7770 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
7771 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed
7774 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7775 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7776 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
7777 You can hide further boring headers by entering
7778 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
7779 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
7780 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
7781 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
7782 @dfn{boring conditions} that gnus can check and remove from sight.
7784 These conditions are:
7787 Remove all empty headers.
7789 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
7790 @code{Newsgroups} header.
7792 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
7795 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
7798 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
7801 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
7803 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
7806 To include the four three elements, you could say something like;
7809 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
7810 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
7813 This is also the default value for this variable.
7817 @section Using @sc{mime}
7820 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
7821 while people stand around yawning.
7823 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
7824 while all newsreaders die of fear.
7826 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
7827 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
7828 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
7830 @vindex gnus-show-mime
7831 @vindex gnus-article-display-method-for-mime
7832 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
7833 @findex gnus-article-display-mime-message
7834 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
7835 @code{gnus-article-display-method-for-mime}, which is
7836 @code{gnus-article-display-mime-message} by default. This function
7837 calls the SEMI MIME-View program to actually do the work. For more
7838 information on SEMI MIME-View, see its manual page (however it is not
7839 existed yet, sorry).
7841 Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
7842 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
7843 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
7844 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
7845 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
7846 buffer. These can't be avoided.
7848 In GNUS or Gnus, it might be best to just use the toggling functions
7849 from the summary buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance,
7850 you enter the group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it,
7851 @sc{mime} has decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible
7852 sing-a-long song comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find
7853 the volume button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to
7854 look at you, and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you
7855 can't find the program to control the volume, and everybody else in the
7856 room suddenly decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel
7859 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
7861 To avoid such kind of situation, gnus stops to use
7862 @code{metamail-buffer}. So now, you can set @code{gnus-show-mime} to
7863 non-@code{nil} every-time, then you can push button in the article
7864 buffer when there are nobody else.
7867 @node Customizing Articles
7868 @section Customizing Articles
7869 @cindex article customization
7871 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7872 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
7873 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
7874 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
7876 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7877 By default this hook just contains @code{gnus-article-hide-headers},
7878 @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}, and
7879 @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight}, but there are thousands, nay
7880 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
7881 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
7882 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
7883 Date}. Note that the order of functions in this hook might affect
7884 things, so you may have to fiddle a bit to get the desired results.
7886 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
7887 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
7888 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
7889 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
7890 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
7893 @node Article Keymap
7894 @section Article Keymap
7896 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
7897 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
7898 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
7899 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
7902 A few additional keystrokes are available:
7907 @kindex SPACE (Article)
7908 @findex gnus-article-next-page
7909 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
7912 @kindex DEL (Article)
7913 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
7914 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
7917 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
7918 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
7919 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
7920 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
7921 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
7924 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
7925 @findex gnus-article-mail
7926 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
7927 given a prefix, include the mail.
7931 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
7932 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
7933 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
7937 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
7938 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
7939 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
7942 @kindex TAB (Article)
7943 @findex gnus-article-next-button
7944 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
7945 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
7948 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
7949 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
7950 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
7956 @section Misc Article
7960 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
7961 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
7962 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
7963 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
7966 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
7967 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
7968 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
7969 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
7970 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
7971 the contents of the article buffer.
7973 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7974 @item gnus-article-display-hook
7975 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
7976 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
7977 hiding headers, and the like.
7979 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
7980 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
7981 Hook called in article mode buffers.
7983 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7984 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7985 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
7986 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
7988 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
7989 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
7990 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
7991 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
7992 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with one
7997 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
7998 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
8002 @vindex gnus-break-pages
8004 @item gnus-break-pages
8005 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
8006 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
8007 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
8008 paging will not be done.
8010 @item gnus-page-delimiter
8011 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
8012 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
8017 @node Composing Messages
8018 @chapter Composing Messages
8019 @cindex composing messages
8022 @cindex sending mail
8027 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
8028 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
8029 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
8030 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
8031 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
8032 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
8033 to make gnus try to post using the foreign server.
8036 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
8037 * Post:: Posting and following up.
8038 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
8039 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
8040 * Archived Messages:: Where gnus stores the messages you've sent.
8041 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
8042 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
8043 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
8046 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
8047 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
8053 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
8056 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
8057 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
8058 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
8059 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
8061 @item gnus-add-to-list
8062 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
8063 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
8064 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
8072 Variables for composing news articles:
8075 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8076 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8077 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
8078 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
8079 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
8080 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to send the
8081 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
8082 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
8083 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want gnus to keep a history
8086 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8087 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8088 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
8089 file. It is 1000 by default.
8094 @node Posting Server
8095 @section Posting Server
8097 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
8098 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
8100 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
8102 @vindex gnus-post-method
8104 It can be quite complicated. Normally, gnus will use the same native
8105 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
8106 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
8107 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
8108 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
8111 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
8114 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
8115 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
8116 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
8117 the ``current'' server for posting.
8119 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
8120 gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
8122 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
8123 If that's the case, gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
8126 Finally, if you want to always post using the same select method as
8127 you're reading from (which might be convenient if you're reading lots of
8128 groups from different private servers), you can set this variable to
8133 @section Mail and Post
8135 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
8139 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
8140 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
8141 @cindex mailing lists
8143 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
8144 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
8145 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
8146 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
8147 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
8148 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
8149 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
8150 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
8151 still a pain, though.
8155 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
8156 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
8157 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
8160 @findex ispell-message
8162 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
8166 @node Archived Messages
8167 @section Archived Messages
8168 @cindex archived messages
8169 @cindex sent messages
8171 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
8172 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
8173 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
8174 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
8177 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
8178 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server gnus is to
8179 use to store sent messages. The default is:
8183 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
8184 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
8185 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
8186 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
8189 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
8190 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method
8191 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
8192 directory chosen, you could say something like:
8195 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
8196 '(nnfolder "archive"
8197 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
8198 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
8199 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
8202 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
8204 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
8205 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
8206 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
8208 This variable can be used to do the following:
8212 Messages will be saved in that group.
8213 @item a list of strings
8214 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
8215 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
8216 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
8218 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
8223 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
8225 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
8228 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
8230 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
8233 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
8235 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8236 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
8237 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
8238 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
8243 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8244 '((if (message-news-p)
8249 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
8250 messages in one file per month:
8253 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8254 '((if (message-news-p)
8256 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
8257 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
8260 (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
8261 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
8263 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
8264 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
8265 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
8266 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
8267 gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
8268 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
8269 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
8270 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
8271 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
8272 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
8274 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
8275 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
8276 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
8277 this will disable archiving.
8280 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
8281 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
8282 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
8283 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
8284 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
8287 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
8288 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
8289 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
8292 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
8293 but the latter is the preferred method.
8297 @node Posting Styles
8298 @section Posting Styles
8299 @cindex posting styles
8302 All them variables, they make my head swim.
8304 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
8305 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
8306 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
8309 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
8310 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
8311 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
8312 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
8313 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
8318 (signature "Peace and happiness")
8319 (organization "What me?"))
8321 (signature "Death to everybody"))
8322 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
8323 (organization "Emacs is it")))
8326 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
8327 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
8328 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
8329 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
8330 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
8331 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
8332 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
8333 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
8335 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
8336 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
8337 If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
8338 arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
8339 referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
8340 any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
8343 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
8344 attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
8345 can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
8346 @code{organization}, @code{address} or @code{name}. The attribute name
8347 can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as a header name,
8348 and the value will be inserted in the headers of the article.
8350 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
8351 return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
8352 list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
8354 So here's a new example:
8357 (setq gnus-posting-styles
8359 (signature-file "~/.signature")
8361 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
8362 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
8364 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
8365 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
8366 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
8367 (posting-from-work-p
8368 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
8369 (address "user@@bar.foo")
8370 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
8372 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
8380 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
8381 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
8382 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
8383 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
8384 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
8386 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
8387 some sort using the gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
8388 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
8389 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
8390 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
8394 @vindex nndraft-directory
8395 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
8396 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
8397 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
8398 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
8399 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
8400 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
8402 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
8403 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
8406 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
8407 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
8408 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
8409 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
8410 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
8411 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
8412 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
8413 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
8414 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
8415 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
8416 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
8417 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
8418 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
8419 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
8421 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
8422 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
8423 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
8425 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
8427 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
8428 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
8429 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
8431 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
8434 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
8435 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
8436 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
8437 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
8438 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
8439 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
8440 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
8443 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
8444 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
8445 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
8448 @node Rejected Articles
8449 @section Rejected Articles
8450 @cindex rejected articles
8452 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
8453 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
8454 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
8455 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
8457 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of gnus.
8458 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
8459 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
8460 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So gnus saves these
8461 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
8463 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
8464 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
8465 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
8468 @node Select Methods
8469 @chapter Select Methods
8470 @cindex foreign groups
8471 @cindex select methods
8473 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
8474 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
8475 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
8476 personal mail group.
8478 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
8479 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
8480 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
8481 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
8482 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
8483 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
8485 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
8486 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
8488 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
8491 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
8492 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
8493 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
8494 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
8495 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
8497 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
8500 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
8501 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
8502 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
8503 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
8504 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
8505 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
8509 @node The Server Buffer
8510 @section The Server Buffer
8512 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
8513 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
8514 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
8515 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
8516 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
8517 backend represents a virtual server.
8519 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
8520 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
8521 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
8522 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
8524 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
8525 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
8526 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
8527 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
8528 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
8529 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
8530 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
8532 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
8533 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
8536 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
8537 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
8538 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
8539 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
8540 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
8541 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
8542 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
8545 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
8546 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
8549 @node Server Buffer Format
8550 @subsection Server Buffer Format
8551 @cindex server buffer format
8553 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
8554 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
8555 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
8556 variable, with some simple extensions:
8561 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
8564 The name of this server.
8567 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
8570 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
8573 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
8574 The mode line can also be customized by using the
8575 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
8576 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
8586 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
8589 @node Server Commands
8590 @subsection Server Commands
8591 @cindex server commands
8597 @findex gnus-server-add-server
8598 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
8602 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
8603 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
8606 @kindex SPACE (Server)
8607 @findex gnus-server-read-server
8608 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
8612 @findex gnus-server-exit
8613 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
8617 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
8618 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
8622 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
8623 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
8627 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
8628 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
8632 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
8633 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
8637 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
8638 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
8639 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
8644 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
8645 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
8646 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
8647 a mail backend that has gotten out of synch.
8652 @node Example Methods
8653 @subsection Example Methods
8655 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
8658 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
8661 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
8667 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
8668 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
8671 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
8672 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
8674 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
8675 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
8679 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
8682 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
8683 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
8685 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
8686 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
8687 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
8691 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
8694 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
8697 Here's the method for a public spool:
8701 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
8702 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
8705 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
8706 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
8707 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
8708 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
8709 should probably look something like this:
8713 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
8714 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8715 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8716 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8717 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
8720 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
8721 compressed connection over the modem line, you could create a virtual
8722 server that would look something like this:
8726 (nntp-address "copper.uio.no")
8727 (nntp-rlogin-program "ssh")
8728 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8729 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8730 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8731 ("telnet" "news.uio.no" "nntp")))
8734 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
8735 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
8736 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
8737 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
8740 @node Creating a Virtual Server
8741 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
8743 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
8744 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
8746 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
8747 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
8748 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
8750 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
8752 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
8753 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
8754 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
8755 will contain the following:
8765 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
8766 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
8767 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
8770 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
8771 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
8772 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
8775 @node Server Variables
8776 @subsection Server Variables
8778 One sticky point when defining variables (both on backends and in Emacs
8779 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
8780 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
8781 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
8782 won't change the "derived" variables.
8784 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
8785 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
8786 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
8787 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
8788 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
8789 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
8790 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
8791 variables for each backend, see each backend's section later in this
8792 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
8796 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
8797 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
8798 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
8802 @node Servers and Methods
8803 @subsection Servers and Methods
8805 Wherever you would normally use a select method
8806 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
8807 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
8808 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
8812 @node Unavailable Servers
8813 @subsection Unavailable Servers
8815 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
8816 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
8817 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
8818 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
8819 actually the case or not.
8821 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
8822 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
8823 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
8824 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
8825 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
8826 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
8827 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
8828 it will regard that server as ``down''.
8830 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
8831 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
8833 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
8834 with the following commands:
8840 @findex gnus-server-open-server
8841 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
8842 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
8846 @findex gnus-server-close-server
8847 Close the connection (if any) to the server
8848 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
8852 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
8853 Mark the current server as unreachable
8854 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
8857 @kindex M-o (Server)
8858 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
8859 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
8860 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
8863 @kindex M-c (Server)
8864 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
8865 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
8866 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
8870 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
8871 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
8872 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
8878 @section Getting News
8879 @cindex reading news
8880 @cindex news backends
8882 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
8883 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
8884 or it can read from a local spool.
8887 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
8888 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
8893 @subsection @sc{nntp}
8896 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
8897 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
8898 server as the, uhm, address.
8900 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
8901 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
8902 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
8903 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
8905 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
8906 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
8907 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
8909 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
8914 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
8915 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
8916 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
8918 @cindex authentification
8919 @cindex nntp authentification
8920 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8921 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
8922 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
8923 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
8924 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
8925 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
8926 present in this hook.
8928 @item nntp-authinfo-function
8929 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
8930 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8931 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
8932 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
8933 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
8934 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
8935 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
8936 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
8937 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
8938 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
8939 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
8943 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
8946 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs. The
8947 valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
8948 @samp{default} and @samp{force}. (The latter is not a valid
8949 @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} token, which is the only way the
8950 @file{.authinfo} file format deviates from the @file{.netrc} file
8955 Here's an example file:
8958 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
8959 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
8962 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
8963 have to be first, for instance.
8965 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
8966 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
8967 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
8968 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
8969 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
8970 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
8971 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
8973 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
8974 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
8980 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
8981 previously mentioned.
8983 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
8985 @item nntp-server-action-alist
8986 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
8987 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
8988 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
8989 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
8992 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
8996 You probably don't want to do that, though.
8998 The default value is
9001 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
9002 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
9005 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
9006 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
9008 @item nntp-maximum-request
9009 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
9010 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
9011 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
9012 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
9013 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
9014 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
9015 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
9017 @c @item nntp-connection-timeout
9018 @c @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
9019 @c If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
9020 @c regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
9021 @c responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
9022 @c time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
9023 @c somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
9024 @c that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
9025 @c connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
9026 @c no timeouts are done.
9028 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
9029 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
9030 @c @cindex PPP connections
9031 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
9032 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
9033 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
9034 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
9035 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
9036 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
9037 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
9038 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
9039 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
9040 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
9042 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
9043 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
9044 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
9045 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
9048 @item nntp-server-hook
9049 @vindex nntp-server-hook
9050 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
9053 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
9054 @findex nntp-open-telnet
9055 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
9056 @item nntp-open-connection-function
9057 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
9058 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Four pre-made
9059 functions are supplied:
9062 @item nntp-open-network-stream
9063 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
9066 @item nntp-open-rlogin
9067 Does an @samp{rlogin} on the
9068 remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
9071 @code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
9075 @item nntp-rlogin-program
9076 @vindex nntp-rlogin-program
9077 Program used to log in on remote machines. The default is @samp{rsh},
9078 but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
9080 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
9081 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
9082 This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
9084 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9085 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9086 User name on the remote system.
9090 @item nntp-open-telnet
9091 Does a @samp{telnet} to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet}
9092 to get to the @sc{nntp} server.
9094 @code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
9097 @item nntp-telnet-command
9098 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
9099 Command used to start @code{telnet}.
9101 @item nntp-telnet-switches
9102 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
9103 List of strings to be used as the switches to the @code{telnet} command.
9105 @item nntp-telnet-user-name
9106 @vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
9107 User name for log in on the remote system.
9109 @item nntp-telnet-passwd
9110 @vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
9111 Password to use when logging in.
9113 @item nntp-telnet-parameters
9114 @vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
9115 A list of strings executed as a command after logging in
9118 @item nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9119 @vindex nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9120 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the remote machine. The default is
9121 @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
9123 @item nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9124 @vindex nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9125 If non-@code{nil}, the @code{telnet} session (client and server both)
9126 will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for login name.
9127 This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
9131 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
9132 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
9133 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use this
9134 you must have SSLay installed
9135 (@file{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also need
9136 @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distributeion, for instance). You then
9137 define a server as follows:
9140 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
9142 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
9144 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
9145 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
9146 (nntp-port-number "snews")
9147 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
9152 @item nntp-end-of-line
9153 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
9154 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
9155 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
9156 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
9158 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9159 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9160 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
9164 @vindex nntp-address
9165 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
9167 @item nntp-port-number
9168 @vindex nntp-port-number
9169 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
9172 @item nntp-buggy-select
9173 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
9174 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
9176 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
9177 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
9178 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
9179 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
9182 @item nntp-xover-commands
9183 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
9186 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
9187 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
9191 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
9192 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
9193 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
9194 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
9195 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
9196 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
9197 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
9198 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
9199 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
9200 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
9201 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
9203 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
9204 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
9205 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
9207 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9208 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9209 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
9210 server closes connection.
9212 @item nntp-record-commands
9213 @vindex nntp-record-commands
9214 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
9215 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestep) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
9216 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
9217 that doesn't seem to work.
9223 @subsection News Spool
9227 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
9228 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
9229 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
9232 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
9233 anything else) as the address.
9235 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
9236 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
9237 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
9238 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
9242 @item nnspool-inews-program
9243 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
9244 Program used to post an article.
9246 @item nnspool-inews-switches
9247 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
9248 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
9250 @item nnspool-spool-directory
9251 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
9252 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
9253 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
9255 @item nnspool-nov-directory
9256 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
9257 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
9258 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
9260 @item nnspool-lib-dir
9261 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
9262 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
9264 @item nnspool-active-file
9265 @vindex nnspool-active-file
9266 The path to the active file.
9268 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
9269 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
9270 The path to the group descriptions file.
9272 @item nnspool-history-file
9273 @vindex nnspool-history-file
9274 The path to the news history file.
9276 @item nnspool-active-times-file
9277 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
9278 The path to the active date file.
9280 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
9281 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
9282 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
9285 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9286 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9288 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
9289 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
9290 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
9296 @section Getting Mail
9297 @cindex reading mail
9300 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
9304 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
9305 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
9306 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
9307 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
9308 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
9309 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
9310 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
9311 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
9312 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
9313 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
9314 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
9318 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
9319 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
9321 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
9322 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
9323 and things will happen automatically.
9325 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
9326 mail" backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
9329 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
9330 '((nnml "private")))
9333 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
9334 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
9335 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
9336 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
9337 like any other group.
9339 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
9342 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9343 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9344 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9348 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
9349 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
9350 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
9353 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
9354 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
9355 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
9358 @node Splitting Mail
9359 @subsection Splitting Mail
9360 @cindex splitting mail
9361 @cindex mail splitting
9363 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
9364 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
9365 to be split into groups.
9368 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9369 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9370 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9374 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
9375 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
9376 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
9377 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
9378 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
9379 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
9380 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
9383 ("list.\\1" "From:.*\\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
9386 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
9387 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
9388 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
9389 mail belongs in that group.
9391 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
9392 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
9393 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
9394 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
9395 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
9396 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
9398 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
9399 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
9400 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
9401 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
9402 thinks should carry this mail message.
9404 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
9405 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
9406 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
9407 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
9409 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
9410 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
9411 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
9412 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
9413 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
9415 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
9418 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
9419 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
9420 links. If that's the case for you, set
9421 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
9422 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
9424 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
9425 @kindex nnmail-split-history
9426 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
9427 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command.
9429 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
9430 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
9431 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
9432 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
9433 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
9434 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
9435 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
9436 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
9440 @node Mail Backend Variables
9441 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
9443 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
9447 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9448 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9449 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
9450 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
9452 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
9453 @item nnmail-spool-file
9457 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
9458 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
9459 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
9460 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
9461 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
9462 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
9463 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
9464 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
9465 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
9466 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
9467 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
9468 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
9469 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
9470 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
9471 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
9473 @code{nnmail-spool-file} can also be a list of mailboxes.
9475 Your Emacs has to have been configured with @samp{--with-pop} before
9476 compilation. This is the default, but some installations have it
9479 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
9480 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
9481 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
9482 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
9483 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
9484 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
9486 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9487 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9488 @item nnmail-use-procmail
9489 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
9490 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
9491 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
9492 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
9495 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
9496 @item nnmail-crash-box
9497 When a mail backend reads a spool file, mail is first moved to this
9498 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
9499 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
9502 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9503 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9504 This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
9505 used for, well, anything, really.
9507 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
9508 @item nnmail-split-hook
9509 @findex article-decode-rfc1522
9510 @findex RFC1522 decoding
9511 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
9512 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
9513 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
9514 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
9515 in the buffer will show up in any files. @code{gnus-article-decode-rfc1522}
9516 is one likely function to add to this hook.
9518 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9519 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9520 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9521 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9522 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
9523 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
9524 starting to handle the new mail) and
9525 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
9526 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
9527 default file modes the new mail files get:
9530 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9531 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
9533 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
9534 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
9537 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
9538 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
9539 This variable says where to move incoming mail to -- while processing
9540 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
9541 inhabits (e.g., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
9542 it will be used instead.
9544 @item nnmail-movemail-program
9545 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
9546 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
9547 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
9549 This can also be a function. In that case, the function will be called
9550 with two parameters -- the name of the inbox, and the file to be moved
9553 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
9554 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
9555 @cindex incoming mail files
9556 @cindex deleting incoming files
9557 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
9558 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{t} by
9561 @c This is @code{nil} by
9562 @c default for reasons of security.
9564 @c Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
9565 (No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
9566 lost mail, I think, but that's not the point. (Except certain versions
9567 of Red Gnus.)) By not deleting the Incoming* files, one can be sure not
9568 to lose mail -- if Gnus totally whacks out, one can always recover what
9571 You may delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
9573 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
9574 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
9575 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
9576 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
9577 (assuming use of @code{nnml} backend) or files (assuming use of
9578 @code{nnfolder} backend) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
9579 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
9581 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
9582 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
9584 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
9586 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9587 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9588 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
9589 the backend (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
9590 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
9595 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
9596 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
9597 @cindex mail splitting
9598 @cindex fancy mail splitting
9600 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
9601 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
9602 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
9603 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
9604 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
9605 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
9607 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
9610 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
9611 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
9612 ;; from real errors.
9613 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
9615 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
9616 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
9617 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
9618 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
9619 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
9620 ;; Other mailing lists...
9621 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
9622 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
9624 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
9625 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
9629 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
9630 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
9631 the five possible split syntaxes:
9636 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
9637 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
9641 @var{(FIELD VALUE SPLIT)}: If the split is a list, the first element of
9642 which is a string, then store the message as specified by SPLIT, if
9643 header FIELD (a regexp) contains VALUE (also a regexp).
9646 @var{(| SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9647 @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them
9648 matches. A SPLIT is said to match if it will cause the mail message to
9649 be stored in one or more groups.
9652 @var{(& SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9653 @code{&}, then process all SPLITs in the list.
9656 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
9657 this message. Use with extreme caution.
9660 @var{(: function arg1 arg2 ...)}: If the split is a list, and the first
9661 element is @code{:}, then the second element will be called as a
9662 function with @var{args} given as arguments. The function should return
9667 In these splits, @var{FIELD} must match a complete field name.
9668 @var{VALUE} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
9669 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
9670 field names or words. In other words, all @var{VALUE}'s are wrapped in
9671 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
9673 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
9674 @var{FIELD} and @var{VALUE} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
9675 are expanded as specified by the variable
9676 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
9677 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
9680 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
9681 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
9682 when all this splitting is performed.
9684 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
9685 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
9686 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
9689 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
9692 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
9693 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\1}
9694 up to @samp{\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
9695 groupings 1 through 9.
9698 @node Mail and Procmail
9699 @subsection Mail and Procmail
9704 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
9705 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
9706 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
9707 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
9708 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
9710 If you have a combined @code{procmail}/POP/mailbox setup, you can do
9711 something like the following:
9713 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9715 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
9716 (setq nnmail-spool-file
9717 '("/usr/spool/mail/my-name" "po:my-name"))
9720 This also means that you probably don't want to set
9721 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
9724 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
9725 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
9726 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends, except
9727 @code{nnmh}, actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
9728 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
9729 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
9731 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) by hand what
9734 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example:
9736 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
9737 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
9739 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
9740 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
9741 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
9742 to include all your mail groups.
9744 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
9745 method will be created automatically.
9747 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9748 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
9749 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
9750 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
9751 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
9752 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
9753 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
9754 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
9756 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
9757 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
9758 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
9759 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
9760 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
9762 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9763 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directly into an @code{nnmh}
9764 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
9765 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
9766 ever expiring the final article (i.e., the article with the highest
9767 article number) in a mail newsgroup. This is quite, quite important.
9769 Here's an example setup: The incoming spools are located in
9770 @file{~/incoming/} and have @samp{""} as suffixes (i.e., the incoming
9771 spool files have the same names as the equivalent groups). The
9772 @code{nnfolder} backend is to be used as the mail interface, and the
9773 @code{nnfolder} directory is @file{~/fMail/}.
9776 (setq nnfolder-directory "~/fMail/")
9777 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
9778 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/incoming/")
9779 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnfolder "")))
9780 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "")
9784 @node Incorporating Old Mail
9785 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
9787 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
9788 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
9789 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
9792 Doing so can be quite easy.
9794 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
9795 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
9796 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
9797 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
9798 your @code{nnml} groups.
9804 Go to the group buffer.
9807 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
9808 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
9811 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
9814 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
9815 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
9818 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
9819 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
9822 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
9823 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
9824 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
9825 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
9826 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
9828 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
9829 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
9830 using the new mail backend.
9834 @subsection Expiring Mail
9835 @cindex article expiry
9837 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
9838 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
9839 different approach to mail reading.
9841 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
9842 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
9843 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
9844 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
9845 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
9846 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
9849 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
9850 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
9851 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
9852 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
9853 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
9854 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
9855 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
9856 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
9858 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9859 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
9860 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
9861 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
9862 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
9863 column in the summary buffer.
9865 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
9866 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
9867 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
9868 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
9871 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
9873 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
9874 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
9875 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
9878 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
9879 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
9880 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
9881 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
9882 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
9884 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
9885 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
9888 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9889 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
9892 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
9893 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
9895 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
9896 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
9897 don't really mix very well.
9899 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
9900 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
9901 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
9902 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
9905 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
9906 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
9907 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
9908 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
9911 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9913 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9915 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
9917 ((string= group "mail.junk")
9919 ((string= group "important")
9925 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
9926 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
9928 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
9929 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
9930 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
9933 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
9934 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
9936 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9937 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
9938 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
9939 easier for procmail users.
9941 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
9942 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
9943 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
9944 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
9945 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
9946 caution. Even more dangerous is the
9947 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
9948 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
9949 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
9950 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
9951 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
9952 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
9953 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
9956 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
9960 @subsection Washing Mail
9961 @cindex mail washing
9962 @cindex list server brain damage
9963 @cindex incoming mail treatment
9965 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
9966 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC822 doesn't explicitly
9967 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
9968 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
9969 Yes, but RFC822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
9970 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
9972 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
9973 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
9974 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
9977 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
9978 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
9979 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
9980 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
9983 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9984 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9985 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
9986 grand, sweeping gestures. Functions to be used include:
9989 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9990 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9991 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
9992 Emacs running on MS machines.
9996 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9997 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9998 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
9999 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
10002 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10003 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10004 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
10005 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
10007 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10008 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10009 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
10010 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
10011 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
10012 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
10013 also be a list of regexp.
10015 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
10016 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
10019 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
10020 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
10023 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
10024 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
10025 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
10029 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10030 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10031 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
10035 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
10036 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
10037 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
10044 @subsection Duplicates
10046 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
10047 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
10048 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
10049 @cindex duplicate mails
10050 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
10051 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
10052 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
10053 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
10054 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
10055 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
10056 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
10057 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
10058 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
10059 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
10060 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
10061 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
10062 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
10064 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
10065 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
10066 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
10067 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
10069 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
10072 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
10073 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
10077 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
10078 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
10079 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
10080 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
10081 (any mail "mail.misc")
10088 (setq nnmail-split-methods
10089 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
10094 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
10095 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
10096 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
10097 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
10098 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
10101 @node Not Reading Mail
10102 @subsection Not Reading Mail
10104 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
10105 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
10106 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
10108 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
10109 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
10111 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10112 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10113 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10114 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10115 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10116 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
10117 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
10118 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
10119 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
10120 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
10121 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
10123 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
10124 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
10128 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
10129 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
10131 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
10132 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
10133 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
10136 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
10137 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
10138 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
10139 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
10140 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
10144 @node Unix Mail Box
10145 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
10147 @cindex unix mail box
10149 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10150 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10151 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
10152 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
10153 which group it belongs in.
10155 Virtual server settings:
10158 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
10159 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10160 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
10162 @item nnmbox-active-file
10163 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10164 The name of the active file for the mail box.
10166 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
10167 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10168 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
10174 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
10178 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10179 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10180 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
10181 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
10182 article to say which group it belongs in.
10184 Virtual server settings:
10187 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
10188 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10189 The name of the rmail mbox file.
10191 @item nnbabyl-active-file
10192 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10193 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
10195 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10196 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10197 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
10202 @subsubsection Mail Spool
10204 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
10206 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
10207 format. It should be used with some caution.
10209 @vindex nnml-directory
10210 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
10211 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
10212 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
10213 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
10215 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
10218 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
10219 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
10220 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
10221 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
10222 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
10223 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
10224 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
10225 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
10227 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
10228 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
10229 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
10230 backend when it comes to reading mail.
10232 Virtual server settings:
10235 @item nnml-directory
10236 @vindex nnml-directory
10237 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
10239 @item nnml-active-file
10240 @vindex nnml-active-file
10241 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
10243 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
10244 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
10245 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
10248 @item nnml-get-new-mail
10249 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10250 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
10252 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
10253 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
10254 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
10256 @item nnml-nov-file-name
10257 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
10258 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
10260 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10261 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10262 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
10266 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
10267 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
10268 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
10269 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
10270 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
10271 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
10272 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
10277 @subsubsection MH Spool
10279 @cindex mh-e mail spool
10281 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
10282 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
10283 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
10284 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
10286 Virtual server settings:
10289 @item nnmh-directory
10290 @vindex nnmh-directory
10291 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
10293 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
10294 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10295 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
10298 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
10299 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
10300 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
10301 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
10302 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
10303 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
10304 to set this variable to @code{t}.
10309 @subsubsection Mail Folders
10311 @cindex mbox folders
10312 @cindex mail folders
10314 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
10315 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
10316 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
10319 Virtual server settings:
10322 @item nnfolder-directory
10323 @vindex nnfolder-directory
10324 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
10326 @item nnfolder-active-file
10327 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
10328 The name of the active file.
10330 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10331 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10332 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
10334 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
10335 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10336 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
10339 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
10340 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
10341 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
10342 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
10343 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
10344 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
10347 @node Other Sources
10348 @section Other Sources
10350 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
10351 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
10355 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
10356 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
10357 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
10358 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
10359 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
10360 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
10364 @node Directory Groups
10365 @subsection Directory Groups
10367 @cindex directory groups
10369 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
10370 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
10373 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
10374 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
10375 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
10376 backend to read directories. Big deal.
10378 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
10379 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
10380 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
10381 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
10382 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
10384 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
10386 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
10387 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
10388 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
10389 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
10392 @node Anything Groups
10393 @subsection Anything Groups
10396 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
10397 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
10398 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
10401 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
10402 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
10403 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
10404 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
10405 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
10406 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
10407 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
10408 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source
10409 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
10410 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
10413 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
10414 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
10415 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
10416 in the article buffer, just as usual.
10418 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
10419 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
10420 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
10421 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
10423 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
10424 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
10425 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
10426 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
10427 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
10428 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
10429 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
10430 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
10435 @item nneething-map-file-directory
10436 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
10437 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
10438 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
10440 @item nneething-exclude-files
10441 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
10442 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
10443 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
10445 @item nneething-map-file
10446 @vindex nneething-map-file
10447 Name of the map files.
10451 @node Document Groups
10452 @subsection Document Groups
10454 @cindex documentation group
10457 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
10458 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
10465 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
10470 The standard Unix mbox file.
10472 @cindex MMDF mail box
10474 The MMDF mail box format.
10477 Several news articles appended into a file.
10480 @cindex rnews batch files
10481 The rnews batch transport format.
10482 @cindex forwarded messages
10485 Forwarded articles.
10488 MIME multipart messages, besides digests.
10492 @cindex MIME digest
10493 @cindex 1153 digest
10494 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
10495 @cindex RFC 341 digest
10496 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
10498 @item standard-digest
10499 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
10502 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
10505 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
10506 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
10507 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
10510 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
10511 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
10512 group. And that's it.
10514 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
10515 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
10516 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
10517 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
10518 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
10519 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
10520 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
10521 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
10522 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
10523 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
10525 Virtual server variables:
10528 @item nndoc-article-type
10529 @vindex nndoc-article-type
10530 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
10531 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
10532 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{mime-digest},
10533 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs} or
10536 @item nndoc-post-type
10537 @vindex nndoc-post-type
10538 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
10539 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
10544 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
10548 @node Document Server Internals
10549 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
10551 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
10552 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
10553 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
10554 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
10556 First, here's an example document type definition:
10560 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
10561 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
10564 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
10565 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
10566 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
10567 types can be defined with very few settings:
10570 @item first-article
10571 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
10572 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
10575 @item article-begin
10576 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
10577 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
10579 @item head-begin-function
10580 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
10583 @item nndoc-head-begin
10584 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
10587 @item nndoc-head-end
10588 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
10589 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
10591 @item body-begin-function
10592 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
10596 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
10599 @item body-end-function
10600 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
10604 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
10607 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
10608 regexp will be totally ignored.
10612 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
10613 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
10614 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
10615 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
10616 something that's palatable for Gnus:
10619 @item prepare-body-function
10620 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
10621 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
10622 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
10624 @item article-transform-function
10625 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
10626 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
10627 body of the article.
10629 @item generate-head-function
10630 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
10631 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
10632 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
10633 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
10637 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
10642 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10643 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10644 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
10645 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
10646 (head-end . "^ ?$")
10647 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
10648 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
10649 (subtype digest guess))
10652 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
10653 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
10654 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
10655 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
10656 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
10658 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
10659 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
10660 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
10661 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
10662 traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for a given type @code{TYPE}. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
10663 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
10664 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
10665 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
10666 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
10667 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
10675 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
10676 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
10677 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
10679 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
10680 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
10681 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
10684 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
10685 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
10686 that interested in doing things properly.
10688 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
10689 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
10692 First some terminology:
10697 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
10698 get news and/or mail from.
10701 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
10702 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
10705 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
10709 @item message packets
10710 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
10711 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
10712 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10714 @item response packets
10715 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
10716 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
10717 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10727 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
10728 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
10729 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
10730 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
10733 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
10736 You put the packet in your home directory.
10739 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
10740 the native or secondary server.
10743 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
10744 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
10747 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
10751 You transfer this packet to the server.
10754 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
10757 You then repeat until you die.
10761 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
10762 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
10765 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
10766 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
10767 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
10771 @node SOUP Commands
10772 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
10774 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
10778 @kindex G s b (Group)
10779 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
10780 Pack all unread articles in the current group
10781 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
10782 process/prefix convention.
10785 @kindex G s w (Group)
10786 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
10787 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
10790 @kindex G s s (Group)
10791 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
10792 Send all replies from the replies packet
10793 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
10796 @kindex G s p (Group)
10797 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
10798 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
10801 @kindex G s r (Group)
10802 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
10803 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
10806 @kindex O s (Summary)
10807 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
10808 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
10809 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
10810 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
10815 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
10820 @item gnus-soup-directory
10821 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
10822 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
10823 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
10825 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
10826 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
10827 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
10828 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
10830 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
10831 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
10832 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
10833 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
10835 @item gnus-soup-packer
10836 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
10837 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10838 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
10840 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
10841 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
10842 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10843 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10845 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
10846 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
10847 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
10849 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10850 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10851 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
10852 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
10858 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
10861 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
10862 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
10863 you can read them at leisure.
10865 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
10869 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
10870 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
10871 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
10872 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
10874 @item nnsoup-directory
10875 @vindex nnsoup-directory
10876 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
10877 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
10879 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
10880 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
10881 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
10882 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
10884 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
10885 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
10886 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
10887 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
10888 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
10890 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
10891 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
10892 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
10893 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
10895 @item nnsoup-active-file
10896 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
10897 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
10898 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
10899 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
10900 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
10902 @item nnsoup-packer
10903 @vindex nnsoup-packer
10904 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
10905 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
10907 @item nnsoup-unpacker
10908 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
10909 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
10910 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10912 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
10913 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
10914 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
10917 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
10918 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
10919 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
10922 @item nnsoup-always-save
10923 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
10924 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
10930 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
10932 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
10933 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
10934 more for that to happen.
10936 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
10937 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
10938 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
10941 In specific, this is what it does:
10944 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
10945 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
10948 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
10949 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
10950 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
10954 @subsection Web Searches
10958 @cindex InReference
10959 @cindex Usenet searches
10960 @cindex searching the Usenet
10962 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
10963 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
10964 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
10965 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
10966 searches without having to use a browser.
10968 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
10969 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
10970 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
10971 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
10972 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
10974 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
10975 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
10976 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
10977 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
10978 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
10979 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
10980 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
10981 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
10982 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
10983 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
10986 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
10987 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
10988 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'
\e,Aj
\e(Btre} is to
10989 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
10990 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
10991 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
10993 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
10994 to use @code{nnweb}.
10996 Virtual server variables:
11001 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
11002 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
11006 @vindex nnweb-search
11007 The search string to feed to the search engine.
11009 @item nnweb-max-hits
11010 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
11011 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
11014 @item nnweb-type-definition
11015 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
11016 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
11017 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
11022 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
11026 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
11029 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
11032 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
11036 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
11043 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
11044 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
11045 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
11048 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
11049 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
11050 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
11052 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
11058 @item nngateway-address
11059 @vindex nngateway-address
11060 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
11062 @item nngateway-header-transformation
11063 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
11064 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
11065 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
11066 transformation should be called, and defaults to
11067 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
11068 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
11071 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
11072 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
11073 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
11076 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
11079 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
11082 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
11085 The following pre-defined functions exist:
11087 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11090 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11091 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11092 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
11094 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11096 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11097 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11098 @code{nngateway-address}.
11103 (setq gnus-post-method
11104 '(nngateway "mail2news@@replay.com"
11105 (nngateway-header-transformation
11106 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
11114 So, to use this, simply say something like:
11117 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
11121 @node Combined Groups
11122 @section Combined Groups
11124 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
11128 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
11129 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
11133 @node Virtual Groups
11134 @subsection Virtual Groups
11136 @cindex virtual groups
11137 @cindex merging groups
11139 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
11142 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
11143 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
11144 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
11146 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
11147 regexp to match component groups.
11149 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
11150 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
11151 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
11152 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
11153 the virtual group.)
11155 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
11156 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
11159 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
11162 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
11163 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
11165 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
11166 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
11167 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
11168 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
11171 "^nntp\\+some\\.server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+some\\.server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
11174 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
11175 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
11176 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
11178 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
11179 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
11180 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
11181 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
11182 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
11184 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
11185 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
11186 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
11188 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
11189 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
11190 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
11191 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
11192 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
11193 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
11194 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
11195 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
11196 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
11197 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
11198 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
11201 @node Kibozed Groups
11202 @subsection Kibozed Groups
11206 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
11207 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
11208 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
11209 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
11211 @kindex G k (Group)
11212 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
11215 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
11216 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
11217 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
11218 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
11220 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
11221 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
11222 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
11224 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
11225 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
11226 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
11227 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
11228 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
11229 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
11230 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
11231 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
11233 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
11234 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
11235 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
11236 Stranger things have happened.
11238 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
11239 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
11241 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
11242 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
11243 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
11244 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
11245 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
11246 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
11248 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
11249 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
11252 @node Gnus Unplugged
11253 @section Gnus Unplugged
11258 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
11260 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
11261 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
11262 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
11263 read news. Believe it or not.
11265 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
11266 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
11267 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
11268 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
11269 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
11271 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
11272 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
11273 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
11274 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
11275 reading news on a machine.
11277 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
11281 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
11282 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
11286 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
11287 @file{.gnus.el} file:
11294 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
11296 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
11299 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
11300 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
11301 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
11302 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
11303 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
11304 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
11305 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
11306 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
11311 @subsection Agent Basics
11313 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
11315 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
11316 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
11317 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
11318 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
11320 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
11321 connected to the net continuously.
11323 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
11324 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
11326 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
11331 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
11332 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
11333 already fetched while in this mode.
11336 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
11337 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
11338 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged}.
11341 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
11342 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{J
11343 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
11344 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
11347 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
11348 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
11349 then you read the news offline.
11352 And then you go to step 2.
11355 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
11361 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
11362 backend, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
11363 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
11364 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
11365 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
11366 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
11369 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}
11376 @node Agent Categories
11377 @subsection Agent Categories
11379 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
11380 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
11381 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
11382 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
11383 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
11384 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
11385 you're interested in the articles anyway.
11387 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
11388 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
11389 Gnus has its own buffer for creating and managing categories.
11392 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
11393 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
11394 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
11398 @node Category Syntax
11399 @subsubsection Category Syntax
11401 A category consists of two things.
11405 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
11406 are eligible for downloading; and
11409 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
11410 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
11411 score} is wholly unrelated to normal scores.)
11414 A predicate consists of predicates with logical operators sprinkled in
11417 Perhaps some examples are in order.
11419 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
11420 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
11426 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
11427 short (for some value of ``short'').
11429 Here's a more complex predicate:
11438 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
11439 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
11442 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
11443 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
11444 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
11446 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
11447 you want to do, you can write your own.
11451 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
11452 lines; default 100.
11455 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
11456 lines; default 200.
11459 True iff the article has a download score less than
11460 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
11463 True iff the article has a download score greater than
11464 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
11467 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
11468 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
11469 checksum and sees whether articles match.
11478 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
11479 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
11480 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
11483 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
11484 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
11485 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
11486 following headers can be scored on: @code{From}, @code{Subject},
11487 @code{Date}, @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars}, @code{Message-ID},
11488 and @code{References}.
11491 @node The Category Buffer
11492 @subsubsection The Category Buffer
11494 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
11495 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
11496 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
11498 The following commands are available in this buffer:
11502 @kindex q (Category)
11503 @findex gnus-category-exit
11504 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
11507 @kindex k (Category)
11508 @findex gnus-category-kill
11509 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
11512 @kindex c (Category)
11513 @findex gnus-category-copy
11514 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
11517 @kindex a (Category)
11518 @findex gnus-category-add
11519 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
11522 @kindex p (Category)
11523 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
11524 Edit the predicate of the current category
11525 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
11528 @kindex g (Category)
11529 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
11530 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
11531 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
11534 @kindex s (Category)
11535 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
11536 Edit the download score rule of the current category
11537 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
11540 @kindex l (Category)
11541 @findex gnus-category-list
11542 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
11546 @node Category Variables
11547 @subsubsection Category Variables
11550 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
11551 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
11552 Hook run in category buffers.
11554 @item gnus-category-line-format
11555 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
11556 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
11557 Variables}). Valid elements are:
11561 The name of the category.
11564 The number of groups in the category.
11567 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
11568 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
11569 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
11571 @item gnus-agent-short-article
11572 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
11573 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
11575 @item gnus-agent-long-article
11576 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
11577 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
11579 @item gnus-agent-low-score
11580 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
11581 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
11584 @item gnus-agent-high-score
11585 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
11586 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
11592 @node Agent Commands
11593 @subsection Agent Commands
11595 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
11596 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged} command works in all modes, and
11597 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
11601 * Group Agent Commands::
11602 * Summary Agent Commands::
11603 * Server Agent Commands::
11606 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
11607 following incantation:
11609 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11611 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11616 @node Group Agent Commands
11617 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
11621 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
11622 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
11623 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
11624 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
11627 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
11628 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
11629 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
11632 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
11633 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
11634 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
11635 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
11638 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
11639 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
11640 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
11641 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}). @xref{Drafts}
11644 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
11645 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
11646 Add the current group to an Agent category
11647 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}).
11652 @node Summary Agent Commands
11653 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
11657 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
11658 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
11659 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
11662 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
11663 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
11664 Remove the downloading mark from the article
11665 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
11668 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
11669 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
11670 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
11673 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
11674 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
11675 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
11680 @node Server Agent Commands
11681 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
11685 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
11686 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
11687 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
11688 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
11691 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
11692 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
11693 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
11694 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
11700 @subsection Agent Expiry
11702 @vindex gnus-agent-expiry-days
11703 @findex gnus-agent-expiry
11704 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expiry
11705 @cindex Agent expiry
11706 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
11709 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
11710 @code{gnus-agent-expiry} command that will expire all read articles that
11711 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expiry-days} days. It can be run
11712 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
11713 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
11714 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
11716 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
11717 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
11718 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
11719 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
11720 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
11723 @node Outgoing Messages
11724 @subsection Outgoing Messages
11726 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
11727 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
11728 after posting, and edit them at will.
11730 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
11731 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
11732 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
11733 messages in the draft group.
11737 @node Agent Variables
11738 @subsection Agent Variables
11741 @item gnus-agent-directory
11742 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
11743 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
11744 @file{~/News/agent/}.
11746 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
11747 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
11748 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
11749 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
11750 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
11753 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11754 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11755 Hook run when connecting to the network.
11757 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11758 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11759 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
11764 @node Example Setup
11765 @subsection Example Setup
11767 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
11768 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
11769 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
11772 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over NNTP
11773 ;;; from your ISP's server.
11774 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "nntp.your-isp.com"))
11776 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
11777 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
11778 (setenv "MAILHOST" "pop.your-isp.com")
11779 (setq nnmail-spool-file "po:username")
11781 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
11782 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11784 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
11788 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
11789 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
11792 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
11793 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
11794 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
11795 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
11796 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
11799 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
11800 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
11801 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
11802 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
11803 back all the killed groups.)
11805 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
11806 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
11807 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
11810 @node Batching Agents
11811 @subsection Batching Agents
11813 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
11814 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
11815 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
11819 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
11828 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
11829 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
11830 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
11833 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
11834 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
11835 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
11836 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
11837 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
11839 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
11840 before generating the summary buffer.
11842 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
11843 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
11844 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
11846 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
11847 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
11848 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
11849 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
11852 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
11853 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
11854 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
11855 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
11856 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
11857 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
11858 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
11859 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
11860 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
11861 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
11862 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
11863 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
11864 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
11865 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
11866 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
11867 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
11871 @node Summary Score Commands
11872 @section Summary Score Commands
11873 @cindex score commands
11875 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
11876 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
11877 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
11878 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
11879 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
11881 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
11882 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
11883 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
11884 score file the current one.
11886 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
11891 @kindex V s (Summary)
11892 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
11893 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
11896 @kindex V S (Summary)
11897 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
11898 Display the score of the current article
11899 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
11902 @kindex V t (Summary)
11903 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
11904 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
11905 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
11908 @kindex V R (Summary)
11909 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
11910 Run the current summary through the scoring process
11911 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
11912 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
11913 effect you're having.
11916 @kindex V c (Summary)
11917 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
11918 Make a different score file the current
11919 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
11922 @kindex V e (Summary)
11923 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
11924 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
11925 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
11929 @kindex V f (Summary)
11930 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
11931 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
11932 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
11935 @kindex V F (Summary)
11936 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
11937 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
11938 after editing score files.
11941 @kindex V C (Summary)
11942 @findex gnus-score-customize
11943 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
11944 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
11948 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
11953 @kindex V m (Summary)
11954 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
11955 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
11956 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
11959 @kindex V x (Summary)
11960 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
11961 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
11962 expunge all articles below this score
11963 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
11966 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
11967 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
11970 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
11971 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
11975 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
11976 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
11978 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
11979 keys are available:
11983 Score on the author name.
11986 Score on the subject line.
11989 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
11992 Score on thread---the References line.
11998 Score on the number of lines.
12001 Score on the Message-ID.
12004 Score on followups.
12014 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
12015 what headers you are scoring on.
12027 Substring matching.
12030 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
12059 Greater than number.
12064 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
12065 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
12066 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
12070 Temporary score entry.
12073 Permanent score entry.
12076 Immediately scoring.
12081 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
12082 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
12083 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
12084 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
12086 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
12087 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
12088 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
12089 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
12090 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
12092 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
12093 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
12094 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
12095 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
12096 current score file.
12098 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
12099 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
12100 pretend they are keymaps or not.
12103 @node Group Score Commands
12104 @section Group Score Commands
12105 @cindex group score commands
12107 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
12112 @kindex W f (Group)
12113 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
12114 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
12115 all the time. This command will flush the cache
12116 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
12120 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
12122 @findex gnus-batch-score
12123 @cindex batch scoring
12125 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l gnus -f gnus-batch-score
12129 @node Score Variables
12130 @section Score Variables
12131 @cindex score variables
12135 @item gnus-use-scoring
12136 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
12137 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
12138 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
12140 @item gnus-kill-killed
12141 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
12142 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
12143 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
12144 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
12145 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
12146 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
12147 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
12149 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
12150 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
12151 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
12152 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
12153 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
12155 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
12156 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
12157 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
12158 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
12160 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12161 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12162 @cindex score cache
12163 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
12164 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
12165 bloated, so this regexp can be used to weed out score files unlikely to be needed again. It would be a bad idea to deny caching of
12166 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
12167 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
12168 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
12171 @item gnus-save-score
12172 @vindex gnus-save-score
12173 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
12174 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
12175 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
12177 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12178 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12179 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
12180 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
12181 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
12182 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
12183 manually entered data.
12185 @item gnus-summary-default-score
12186 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
12187 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
12189 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
12190 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
12191 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
12192 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
12193 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
12194 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
12196 @item gnus-score-over-mark
12197 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
12198 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
12199 default. Default is @samp{+}.
12201 @item gnus-score-below-mark
12202 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
12203 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
12204 default. Default is @samp{-}.
12206 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12207 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12208 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
12209 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
12211 Predefined functions available are:
12214 @item gnus-score-find-single
12215 @findex gnus-score-find-single
12216 Only apply the group's own score file.
12218 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
12219 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
12220 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
12221 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
12222 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
12223 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
12224 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
12225 then a regexp match is done.
12227 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
12228 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
12230 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
12231 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
12232 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
12233 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
12235 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12236 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12237 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
12238 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
12239 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
12242 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
12243 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
12244 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
12245 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
12246 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
12247 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
12250 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
12251 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
12252 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
12253 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
12254 are expired. It's 7 by default.
12256 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12257 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12258 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
12259 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
12260 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
12261 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
12262 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
12265 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12266 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12267 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
12269 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
12270 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
12271 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
12272 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
12273 threading---according to the current value of
12274 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
12275 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
12276 simplified in this manner.
12281 @node Score File Format
12282 @section Score File Format
12283 @cindex score file format
12285 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
12286 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
12287 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
12289 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
12293 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
12295 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
12297 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
12299 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
12304 (mark-and-expunge -10)
12308 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
12309 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
12310 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
12311 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
12315 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
12316 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
12318 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
12319 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
12320 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
12322 Six keys are supported by this alist:
12327 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
12328 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
12329 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
12330 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
12331 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
12332 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
12333 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
12334 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
12335 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
12336 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
12337 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
12338 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
12339 to articles that matches these score entries.
12341 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
12342 score entry has one to four elements.
12346 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
12347 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
12351 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
12352 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
12353 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
12354 is successful. If this element is not present, the
12355 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
12356 instead. This is 1000 by default.
12359 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
12360 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
12361 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
12362 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
12363 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
12366 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
12367 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
12368 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
12369 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
12372 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
12373 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
12374 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
12375 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
12376 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
12377 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
12378 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
12379 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
12380 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
12381 instead, if you feel like.
12384 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
12385 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
12387 These predicates are true if
12390 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
12393 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
12394 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
12401 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
12402 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
12403 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
12404 it's not. I think.)
12406 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some backends (like
12407 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
12408 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
12409 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
12412 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
12413 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
12414 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
12415 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
12416 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
12417 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
12418 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
12422 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
12423 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
12424 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
12425 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
12426 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
12427 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
12428 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
12429 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
12432 @item Head, Body, All
12433 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
12437 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
12438 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
12439 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
12440 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
12441 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
12442 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
12443 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
12447 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
12448 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{X}, then you add a
12449 @samp{thread} match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each
12450 article that has @var{X} in its @code{References} header. (These new
12451 @samp{thread} matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching
12452 articles.) This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an
12453 entire thread, even though some articles in the thread may not have
12454 complete @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
12455 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
12456 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
12460 @cindex Score File Atoms
12462 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12463 lower than this number will be marked as read.
12466 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12467 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
12469 @item mark-and-expunge
12470 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12471 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
12474 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
12475 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
12476 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
12477 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
12478 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
12481 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
12482 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
12485 @item exclude-files
12486 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
12487 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
12491 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
12492 ignored when handling global score files.
12495 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
12496 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
12497 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
12498 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
12501 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
12502 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
12503 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
12504 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
12506 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
12510 (mark-and-expunge -100)
12513 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
12514 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
12515 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
12516 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
12517 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
12519 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
12520 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
12521 ordinary scoring rules.
12524 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
12525 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
12526 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
12527 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
12528 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
12529 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
12530 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12531 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
12532 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
12533 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
12534 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
12538 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
12539 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
12540 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
12541 file for a number of groups.
12544 @cindex local variables
12545 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
12546 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
12547 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
12548 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
12549 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
12553 @node Score File Editing
12554 @section Score File Editing
12556 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
12557 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
12558 with a mode for that.
12560 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
12561 additional commands:
12566 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
12567 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
12568 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
12569 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
12572 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
12573 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
12574 Insert the current date in numerical format
12575 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
12576 you were wondering.
12579 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
12580 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
12581 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
12582 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
12583 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
12588 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
12590 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
12591 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
12593 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
12594 e} to begin editing score files.
12597 @node Adaptive Scoring
12598 @section Adaptive Scoring
12599 @cindex adaptive scoring
12601 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
12602 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
12603 stupidity, to be precise.
12605 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
12606 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
12607 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
12608 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
12609 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12610 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
12611 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
12612 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
12613 variable to @code{(word line)}.
12615 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12616 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
12617 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
12618 might look something like this:
12621 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12622 '((gnus-unread-mark)
12623 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
12624 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
12625 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
12626 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
12627 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
12628 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
12629 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
12630 (gnus-ancient-mark)
12631 (gnus-low-score-mark)
12632 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
12635 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
12636 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
12637 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
12638 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
12639 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
12640 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
12643 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
12644 will be applied to each article.
12646 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
12647 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
12648 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
12649 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
12651 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
12652 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
12653 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
12654 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
12656 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
12657 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
12658 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
12659 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
12661 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
12662 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
12663 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
12664 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
12665 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
12666 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
12668 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
12669 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
12670 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
12671 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
12672 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
12673 aspirins afterwards.)
12675 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
12676 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
12677 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
12679 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
12680 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
12681 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
12683 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
12684 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
12685 let you use different rules in different groups.
12687 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
12688 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
12689 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
12692 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
12693 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
12694 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
12695 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
12696 the length of the match is less than
12697 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
12698 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
12701 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12702 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
12703 headers. If you adapt on words, the
12704 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
12705 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
12708 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12709 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
12710 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
12711 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
12712 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
12715 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
12716 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
12717 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
12718 score with 30 points.
12720 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
12721 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
12722 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
12723 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
12724 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
12726 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
12727 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
12728 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
12729 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
12731 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
12732 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
12733 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
12734 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
12736 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
12737 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
12738 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
12740 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
12741 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
12742 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
12743 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
12746 @node Home Score File
12747 @section Home Score File
12749 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
12750 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
12751 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
12752 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
12754 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
12755 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
12756 could perhaps use the same home score file.
12758 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
12759 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
12764 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
12768 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
12769 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
12773 A list. The elements in this list can be:
12777 @var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
12778 the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
12781 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
12782 the home score file.
12785 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
12788 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
12793 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
12796 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12797 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
12800 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
12801 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
12803 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
12805 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12806 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
12809 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
12810 Other functions include
12813 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
12814 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
12815 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
12816 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
12820 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
12821 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
12822 their own home score files:
12825 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12826 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
12827 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
12828 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
12829 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
12832 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
12833 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
12834 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
12835 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
12836 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
12838 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
12839 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
12840 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
12841 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
12842 precedence over this variable.
12845 @node Followups To Yourself
12846 @section Followups To Yourself
12848 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
12849 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
12850 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
12851 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
12852 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
12853 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
12857 @item gnus-score-followup-article
12858 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
12859 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
12862 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
12863 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
12864 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
12868 @vindex message-sent-hook
12869 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
12870 @code{message-sent-hook}.
12872 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
12873 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
12877 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12878 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12881 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
12882 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
12887 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore.no>"
12891 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
12892 is system-dependent.
12896 @section Scoring Tips
12897 @cindex scoring tips
12903 @cindex scoring crossposts
12904 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
12905 the @code{Xref} header.
12907 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
12910 @item Multiple crossposts
12911 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
12912 more than, say, 3 groups:
12914 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
12917 @item Matching on the body
12918 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
12919 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
12920 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
12921 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
12922 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
12923 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
12924 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
12927 @item Marking as read
12928 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
12929 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
12930 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
12934 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
12936 @item Negated character classes
12937 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
12938 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
12939 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
12943 @node Reverse Scoring
12944 @section Reverse Scoring
12945 @cindex reverse scoring
12947 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
12948 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
12949 like this in your score file:
12953 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
12958 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
12959 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
12962 @node Global Score Files
12963 @section Global Score Files
12964 @cindex global score files
12966 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
12967 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
12968 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
12970 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
12971 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
12972 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
12974 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
12975 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
12976 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
12977 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
12978 files are applicable to which group.
12980 Say you want to use the score file
12981 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
12982 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
12985 (setq gnus-global-score-files
12986 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
12987 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
12990 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
12991 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
12992 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
12993 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
12994 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
12996 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
12997 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
12999 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
13000 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
13001 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
13002 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
13003 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
13004 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
13006 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
13012 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
13014 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
13016 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
13018 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
13019 lowered out of existence.
13021 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
13022 articles completely.
13025 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
13026 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
13027 old articles for a long time.
13030 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
13031 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
13032 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
13033 holding our breath yet?
13037 @section Kill Files
13040 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
13041 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
13042 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
13044 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
13045 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
13046 files into score files.
13048 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
13049 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
13050 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
13051 that isn't a very good idea.
13053 Normal kill files look like this:
13056 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13057 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
13061 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
13062 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
13064 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
13065 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
13068 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
13073 @kindex M-k (Summary)
13074 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
13075 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
13078 @kindex M-K (Summary)
13079 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
13080 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
13083 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
13088 @kindex M-k (Group)
13089 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
13090 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
13093 @kindex M-K (Group)
13094 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
13095 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
13098 Kill file variables:
13101 @item gnus-kill-file-name
13102 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
13103 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
13104 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
13105 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
13106 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
13107 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
13109 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13110 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13111 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
13112 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
13115 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
13116 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
13117 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
13118 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
13119 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
13120 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
13121 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
13122 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
13123 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
13125 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13126 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13127 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
13132 @node Converting Kill Files
13133 @section Converting Kill Files
13135 @cindex converting kill files
13137 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
13138 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
13139 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
13142 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
13143 You can fetch it from
13144 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-other/gnus-kill-to-score}.
13146 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
13147 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
13148 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
13156 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
13157 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
13158 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
13160 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
13161 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
13162 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
13163 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
13164 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
13165 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
13166 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
13167 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
13171 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
13172 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
13173 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
13174 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
13178 @node Using GroupLens
13179 @subsection Using GroupLens
13181 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
13183 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
13184 better bit in town at the moment.
13186 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
13190 @item gnus-use-grouplens
13191 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
13192 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
13193 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
13195 @item grouplens-pseudonym
13196 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
13197 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
13198 with the Better Bit Bureau.
13200 @item grouplens-newsgroups
13201 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
13202 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
13206 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
13207 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
13208 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
13209 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
13210 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
13211 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
13214 @node Rating Articles
13215 @subsection Rating Articles
13217 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
13218 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
13219 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
13220 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
13223 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
13228 @kindex r (GroupLens)
13229 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
13230 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
13233 @kindex k (GroupLens)
13234 @findex grouplens-score-thread
13235 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
13236 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
13237 threads in rec.humor.
13241 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
13242 the score of the article you're reading.
13247 @kindex n (GroupLens)
13248 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
13249 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
13252 @kindex , (GroupLens)
13253 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
13254 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
13258 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
13259 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
13262 @node Displaying Predictions
13263 @subsection Displaying Predictions
13265 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
13266 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
13267 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
13268 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
13269 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
13271 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
13272 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
13273 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
13274 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
13275 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
13276 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
13277 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
13278 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
13279 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
13280 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
13281 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
13282 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
13283 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
13285 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
13286 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
13287 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
13288 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
13290 The following are valid values for that variable.
13293 @item prediction-spot
13294 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
13297 @item confidence-interval
13298 A numeric confidence interval.
13300 @item prediction-bar
13301 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
13303 @item confidence-bar
13304 Numerical confidence.
13306 @item confidence-spot
13307 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
13309 @item prediction-num
13310 Plain-old numeric value.
13312 @item confidence-plus-minus
13313 Prediction +/- confidence.
13318 @node GroupLens Variables
13319 @subsection GroupLens Variables
13323 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
13324 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
13325 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
13326 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%)
13329 @item grouplens-bbb-host
13330 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
13333 @item grouplens-bbb-port
13334 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
13336 @item grouplens-score-offset
13337 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
13338 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
13341 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
13342 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
13343 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
13348 @node Advanced Scoring
13349 @section Advanced Scoring
13351 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
13352 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
13353 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
13354 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
13355 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
13357 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
13361 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
13362 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
13363 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
13367 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
13368 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
13370 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
13371 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
13372 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
13373 non-@code{nil} value.
13375 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
13376 operator, and various match operators.
13383 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13384 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
13385 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
13390 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13391 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
13392 then this operator will return @code{false}.
13397 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
13398 logical negation of the value of its argument.
13402 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
13403 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
13404 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
13405 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
13406 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
13407 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
13408 the ancestry you want to go.
13410 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
13411 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
13412 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
13413 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
13414 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
13417 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
13418 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
13420 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
13421 when he's talking about Gnus:
13425 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13426 ("subject" "Gnus"))
13432 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
13436 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13443 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
13444 really don't want to read what he's written:
13448 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13449 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
13453 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
13454 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
13455 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
13462 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
13463 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
13464 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
13465 ("body" "white.*socks"))
13469 The possibilities are endless.
13472 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
13473 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
13475 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
13476 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
13477 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
13478 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
13479 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
13480 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
13481 @samp{subject}) first.
13483 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
13484 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
13495 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
13496 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
13502 ("subject" "Gnus")))
13509 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
13510 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
13515 @section Score Decays
13516 @cindex score decays
13519 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
13520 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
13521 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
13522 use them in any sensible way.
13524 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
13525 @findex gnus-decay-score
13526 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
13527 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
13528 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
13529 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
13530 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
13531 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
13532 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
13533 definition of that function:
13536 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
13537 "Decay SCORE according to `gnus-score-decay-constant' and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
13540 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
13542 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
13544 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
13547 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
13548 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
13549 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
13550 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
13554 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
13557 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
13560 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
13564 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
13565 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
13566 the new score, which should be an integer.
13568 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
13569 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
13576 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
13577 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
13578 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
13579 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
13580 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
13581 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
13582 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
13583 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
13584 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
13585 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
13586 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
13587 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
13588 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
13589 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
13590 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
13591 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
13592 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
13593 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
13597 @node Process/Prefix
13598 @section Process/Prefix
13599 @cindex process/prefix convention
13601 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
13602 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
13604 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
13605 command to be performed on.
13609 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
13610 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
13611 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
13612 with the current one.
13614 @vindex transient-mark-mode
13615 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
13616 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
13618 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
13619 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
13622 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
13623 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
13625 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
13628 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
13629 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
13630 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
13631 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
13633 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
13634 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
13635 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
13636 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
13637 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
13638 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
13639 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
13640 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
13644 @section Interactive
13645 @cindex interaction
13649 @item gnus-novice-user
13650 @vindex gnus-novice-user
13651 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
13652 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
13653 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
13654 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
13657 @item gnus-expert-user
13658 @vindex gnus-expert-user
13659 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
13660 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
13661 matter how strange.
13663 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
13664 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
13665 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
13666 is @code{t} by default.
13668 @item gnus-interactive-exit
13669 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
13670 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
13675 @node Symbolic Prefixes
13676 @section Symbolic Prefixes
13677 @cindex symbolic prefixes
13679 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
13680 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
13681 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
13682 rule of 900 to the current article.
13684 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
13685 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
13686 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
13687 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
13688 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
13689 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
13690 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
13692 @kindex M-i (Summary)
13693 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
13694 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
13695 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
13696 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
13697 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
13698 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
13699 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
13700 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
13702 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
13703 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
13704 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
13706 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
13710 @node Formatting Variables
13711 @section Formatting Variables
13712 @cindex formatting variables
13714 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
13715 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
13716 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
13717 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
13718 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
13721 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
13722 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
13723 lots of percentages everywhere.
13726 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
13727 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
13728 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
13729 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
13730 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
13733 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
13734 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
13735 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
13736 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
13737 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
13738 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
13739 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
13740 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
13742 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
13743 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
13745 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
13746 @findex gnus-update-format
13747 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
13748 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
13749 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
13750 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
13754 @node Formatting Basics
13755 @subsection Formatting Basics
13757 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
13758 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
13759 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
13761 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
13762 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
13763 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
13764 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
13765 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
13768 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
13769 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
13770 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
13771 less than 4 characters wide.
13774 @node Mode Line Formatting
13775 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
13777 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
13778 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
13779 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
13780 with the following two differences:
13785 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
13788 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
13789 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
13790 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
13791 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
13792 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
13793 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
13794 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
13799 @node Advanced Formatting
13800 @subsection Advanced Formatting
13802 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
13803 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
13804 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
13805 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
13807 These are the valid modifiers:
13812 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
13816 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
13821 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
13824 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
13829 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
13832 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
13835 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
13838 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
13842 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
13843 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
13844 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
13845 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
13846 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
13847 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
13848 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
13850 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
13851 last operation, padding.
13853 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
13854 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
13855 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
13856 @xref{Compilation}.
13859 @node User-Defined Specs
13860 @subsection User-Defined Specs
13862 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
13863 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
13864 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
13865 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
13866 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
13867 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
13868 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
13869 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
13870 should protect against that.
13872 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
13873 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
13874 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
13875 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
13879 @node Formatting Fonts
13880 @subsection Formatting Fonts
13882 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
13883 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
13884 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
13885 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
13888 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
13889 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
13890 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
13891 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
13892 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
13893 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
13895 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
13898 ;; Create three face types.
13899 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
13900 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
13902 ;; We want the article count to be in
13903 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
13904 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
13905 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
13907 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
13908 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
13910 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
13911 (setq gnus-group-line-format
13912 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
13915 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
13916 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
13918 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
13919 mode-line variables.
13922 @node Windows Configuration
13923 @section Windows Configuration
13924 @cindex windows configuration
13926 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
13928 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
13929 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
13930 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
13931 @code{t} by default.
13933 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
13934 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
13935 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
13938 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
13939 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
13940 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
13944 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
13945 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
13946 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
13947 possible names is listed below.
13949 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
13950 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
13953 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
13957 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
13958 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
13959 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
13960 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
13961 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
13962 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
13963 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
13964 size spec per split.
13966 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
13967 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
13968 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
13969 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
13970 present) gets focus.
13972 Here's a more complicated example:
13975 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
13976 (summary 0.25 point)
13977 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
13981 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
13982 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
13983 occupy, not a percentage.
13985 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
13986 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
13987 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
13988 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
13989 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
13992 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
13995 (article (horizontal 1.0
14000 (summary 0.25 point)
14005 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
14006 @code{horizontal} thingie?
14008 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
14009 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
14010 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
14011 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
14012 the screen is to be given to this strip.
14014 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
14015 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
14016 lines from the splits.
14018 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
14022 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
14023 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
14024 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
14025 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
14026 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
14027 size = number | frame-params
14028 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
14031 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
14032 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
14033 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
14034 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
14036 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
14037 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
14038 @cindex window height
14039 @cindex window width
14040 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
14041 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
14042 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
14043 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
14044 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
14045 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
14047 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
14048 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
14049 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
14050 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
14052 @findex gnus-configure-frame
14053 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
14054 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
14055 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
14056 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
14057 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
14058 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
14059 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
14060 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
14061 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
14062 configuration list.
14065 (gnus-configure-frame
14069 (article 0.3 point))
14077 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
14078 @code{frame} split:
14081 (gnus-configure-frame
14084 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
14086 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
14087 (user-position . t)
14088 (left . -1) (top . 1))
14093 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
14094 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
14095 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
14096 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
14097 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
14098 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
14099 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
14100 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
14103 Here's a list of all possible keys for
14104 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
14106 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
14107 @code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
14108 @code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
14109 @code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
14110 @code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft}, @code{pipe},
14111 @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}, and @code{score-trace}.
14113 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
14114 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
14115 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
14119 (message (horizontal 1.0
14120 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
14122 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
14127 @findex gnus-add-configuration
14128 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
14129 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
14130 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
14131 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
14134 (gnus-add-configuration
14135 '(article (vertical 1.0
14137 (summary .25 point)
14141 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
14142 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
14143 Gnus has been loaded.
14145 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
14146 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
14147 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
14148 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
14149 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
14152 @node Faces and Fonts
14153 @section Faces and Fonts
14158 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
14159 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
14160 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
14165 @section Compilation
14166 @cindex compilation
14167 @cindex byte-compilation
14169 @findex gnus-compile
14171 Remember all those line format specification variables?
14172 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
14173 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
14174 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
14175 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
14176 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
14179 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
14180 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
14181 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
14182 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
14183 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
14184 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
14185 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
14189 @section Mode Lines
14192 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
14193 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
14194 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
14195 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
14196 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
14197 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
14198 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
14201 @cindex display-time
14203 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
14204 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
14205 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
14206 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
14207 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
14208 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
14209 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
14210 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
14213 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
14215 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
14216 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
14218 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
14219 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
14220 (length display-time-string)))))
14223 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
14224 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
14225 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
14226 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
14227 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
14230 @node Highlighting and Menus
14231 @section Highlighting and Menus
14233 @cindex highlighting
14236 @vindex gnus-visual
14237 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
14238 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
14239 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
14242 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
14243 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
14246 @item group-highlight
14247 Do highlights in the group buffer.
14248 @item summary-highlight
14249 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
14250 @item article-highlight
14251 Do highlights in the article buffer.
14253 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
14255 Create menus in the group buffer.
14257 Create menus in the summary buffers.
14259 Create menus in the article buffer.
14261 Create menus in the browse buffer.
14263 Create menus in the server buffer.
14265 Create menus in the score buffers.
14267 Create menus in all buffers.
14270 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
14271 buffers, you could say something like:
14274 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
14277 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
14280 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
14283 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
14284 in all Gnus buffers.
14286 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
14289 @item gnus-mouse-face
14290 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
14291 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
14292 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
14296 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
14300 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
14301 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
14302 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
14304 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
14305 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
14306 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
14308 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
14309 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
14310 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
14312 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
14313 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
14314 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
14316 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
14317 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
14318 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
14320 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
14321 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
14322 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
14333 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
14334 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
14335 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
14336 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
14337 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
14341 @vindex gnus-carpal
14342 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
14343 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
14344 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
14349 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14350 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14351 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
14353 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
14354 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
14355 Face used on buttons.
14357 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
14358 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
14359 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
14361 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14362 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14363 Buttons in the group buffer.
14365 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14366 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14367 Buttons in the summary buffer.
14369 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14370 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14371 Buttons in the server buffer.
14373 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14374 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14375 Buttons in the browse buffer.
14378 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
14379 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
14380 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
14388 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
14389 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
14390 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
14391 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
14392 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
14394 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
14395 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
14396 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
14398 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
14399 been idle for thirty minutes:
14402 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
14405 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
14409 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
14412 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
14413 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
14414 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14416 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
14417 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
14418 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
14419 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14421 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
14422 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
14423 @var{idle} minutes.
14425 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
14426 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
14429 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
14430 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
14431 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
14433 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
14434 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
14435 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
14436 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
14438 @vindex gnus-use-demon
14439 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
14440 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
14442 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
14443 your @file{.gnus} file:
14445 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
14447 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
14450 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
14451 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
14452 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
14453 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
14454 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
14455 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
14456 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
14457 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
14458 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
14459 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
14460 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
14462 @findex gnus-demon-init
14463 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
14464 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
14465 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
14466 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
14467 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
14469 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
14470 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
14471 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
14480 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
14481 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
14483 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
14484 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
14485 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
14486 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
14489 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
14490 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
14491 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
14492 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
14494 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
14495 this will make spam disappear.
14497 There are some variables to customize, of course:
14500 @item gnus-use-nocem
14501 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
14502 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
14505 @item gnus-nocem-groups
14506 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
14507 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
14508 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
14509 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
14511 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
14512 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
14513 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
14514 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
14515 "rbraver@@ohww.norman.ok.us" "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca"
14516 "jem@@xpat.com" "snowhare@@xmission.com" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
14517 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
14519 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
14522 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
14523 @cindex Chris Lewis
14524 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
14525 usenet abuse than anybody else.
14528 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
14529 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
14530 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
14532 @item jem@@xpat.com;
14534 John Milburn---despammer located in Korea who is getting very busy these
14537 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
14538 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
14539 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
14542 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
14543 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
14544 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
14545 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
14546 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
14547 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
14548 @var{(issuer conditions ...)} elements in the list. Each condition is
14549 either a string (which is a regexp that matches types you want to use)
14550 or a list on the form @code{(not STRING)}, where @var{string} is a
14551 regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
14553 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
14554 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
14557 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
14560 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
14561 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
14564 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
14567 The specs are applied left-to-right.
14570 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
14571 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
14573 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
14574 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
14575 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
14576 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
14578 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
14579 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
14582 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
14584 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
14592 This might be dangerous, though.
14594 @item gnus-nocem-directory
14595 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
14596 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
14597 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
14599 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14600 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14601 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
14602 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
14603 might then see old spam.
14607 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
14608 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
14609 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
14610 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
14617 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
14618 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
14619 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
14621 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
14622 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
14623 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
14624 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
14625 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
14626 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
14627 @code{undo} function.
14629 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
14630 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
14631 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
14632 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
14633 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
14634 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
14635 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
14636 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
14637 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
14638 never be totally undoable.
14640 @findex gnus-undo-mode
14641 @vindex gnus-use-undo
14643 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
14644 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
14645 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo} command
14646 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
14651 @section Moderation
14654 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
14655 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
14656 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
14659 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
14663 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
14666 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
14668 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
14673 You split your incoming mail by matching on
14674 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
14675 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
14678 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
14679 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
14682 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
14683 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
14687 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
14690 (setq gnus-moderated-list
14691 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
14695 @node XEmacs Enhancements
14696 @section XEmacs Enhancements
14699 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
14703 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
14704 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
14705 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
14706 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
14719 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
14720 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
14721 over your shoulder as you read news.
14724 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
14725 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
14726 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
14727 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
14728 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
14733 @subsubsection Picon Basics
14735 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
14744 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
14745 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
14746 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
14747 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
14748 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
14749 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
14750 @code{GIF} formats.
14753 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14754 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
14755 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
14756 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string
14757 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
14759 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14760 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
14761 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at
14762 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
14763 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
14764 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
14767 @node Picon Requirements
14768 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
14770 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
14771 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
14774 Additionally, you must have @code{x} support compiled into XEmacs. To
14775 display color picons which are much nicer than the black & white one,
14776 you also need one of @code{xpm} or @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
14778 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14779 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
14780 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
14781 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
14782 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
14786 @subsubsection Easy Picons
14788 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
14789 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
14792 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
14793 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14794 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
14797 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
14798 containing the Picons databases.
14800 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
14803 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
14808 @subsubsection Hard Picons
14816 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
14817 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
14818 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
14819 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
14820 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
14825 @item gnus-picons-database
14826 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14827 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
14828 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
14829 subdirectories. This is only useful if
14830 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
14831 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
14833 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14834 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14835 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
14836 engine is @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
14837 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
14838 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
14839 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
14841 @item gnus-picons-display-where
14842 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14843 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
14844 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
14845 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
14846 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
14847 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
14848 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
14850 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14851 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14852 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
14857 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
14858 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
14860 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
14861 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
14864 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
14865 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14867 @item gnus-article-display-picons
14868 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14869 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
14870 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to the
14871 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14873 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
14874 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14875 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
14876 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14880 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
14881 for the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
14884 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14888 @node Picon Useless Configuration
14889 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
14897 The following variables offer further control over how things are
14898 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
14899 don't need to worry about.
14903 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
14904 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
14905 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
14906 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
14908 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
14909 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
14910 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
14911 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
14913 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
14914 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
14915 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
14916 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
14917 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
14919 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14920 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14921 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
14922 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
14923 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
14924 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
14925 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
14927 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14928 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14929 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
14930 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
14932 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
14933 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
14934 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
14935 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
14936 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
14937 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
14938 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
14940 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
14941 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
14942 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
14943 Defaults to @code{nil}.
14945 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
14946 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
14947 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
14948 Defaults to @code{t}.
14950 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
14951 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
14952 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
14953 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
14955 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
14956 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
14957 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
14958 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
14960 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
14961 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
14962 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
14963 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
14964 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
14965 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
14966 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
14967 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
14978 @subsection Smileys
14983 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/BigFace.ps,height=20cm}}
14988 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
14989 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
14991 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
14992 @file{.gnus.el} file:
14995 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-smiley-display t)
14998 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
14999 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
15000 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
15001 text and maps that to file names.
15003 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
15004 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
15005 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
15006 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
15007 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
15008 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
15010 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
15011 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
15013 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
15014 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
15015 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
15017 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
15018 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
15022 @item smiley-data-directory
15023 @vindex smiley-data-directory
15024 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
15026 @item smiley-flesh-color
15027 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
15028 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
15030 @item smiley-features-color
15031 @vindex smiley-features-color
15032 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15034 @item smiley-tongue-color
15035 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
15036 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
15038 @item smiley-circle-color
15039 @vindex smiley-circle-color
15040 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15042 @item smiley-mouse-face
15043 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
15044 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
15050 @subsection Toolbar
15060 @item gnus-use-toolbar
15061 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
15062 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
15063 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
15064 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
15066 @item gnus-group-toolbar
15067 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
15068 The toolbar in the group buffer.
15070 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
15071 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
15072 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
15074 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15075 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15076 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
15082 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
15085 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15086 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15087 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
15088 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
15089 unusual directory structure.
15091 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15092 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15093 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
15094 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
15096 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15097 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15098 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
15099 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
15100 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
15101 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
15103 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15104 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15105 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
15119 @node Fuzzy Matching
15120 @section Fuzzy Matching
15121 @cindex fuzzy matching
15123 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
15124 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
15126 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
15127 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
15128 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
15130 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
15131 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
15132 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
15133 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
15134 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
15137 @node Thwarting Email Spam
15138 @section Thwarting Email Spam
15142 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
15144 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
15145 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
15146 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
15147 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
15148 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
15149 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
15150 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
15151 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
15154 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
15155 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
15156 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
15157 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
15158 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
15159 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
15163 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
15164 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
15166 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
15167 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
15168 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
15169 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
15170 sysadm whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
15171 part of the mail address.)
15174 (setq message-default-news-headers
15175 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
15178 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
15179 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
15184 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
15185 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
15186 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
15192 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
15193 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
15194 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
15195 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
15197 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
15198 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
15199 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
15200 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
15201 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
15202 your fancy split rule in this way:
15207 (to "larsi" "misc")
15211 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
15212 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
15213 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
15214 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
15215 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
15217 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
15218 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
15219 at @file{<URL:http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html>}.
15220 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
15221 cosmic balance somewhat.
15223 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
15224 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
15225 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
15226 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
15229 @node Various Various
15230 @section Various Various
15236 @item gnus-home-directory
15237 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
15238 defaults to @file{~/}.
15240 @item gnus-directory
15241 @vindex gnus-directory
15242 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
15243 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
15244 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
15246 Note that gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
15247 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
15248 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
15249 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
15251 @item gnus-default-directory
15252 @vindex gnus-default-directory
15253 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
15254 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
15255 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
15256 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15257 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
15258 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
15261 @vindex gnus-verbose
15262 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
15263 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
15264 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
15265 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
15266 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
15268 @item gnus-verbose-backends
15269 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
15270 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
15271 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
15273 @item nnheader-max-head-length
15274 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
15275 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
15276 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
15277 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
15278 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
15279 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
15280 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
15281 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
15282 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
15284 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
15285 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
15286 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
15287 read when doing the operation described above.
15289 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15290 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15292 @cindex invalid characters in file names
15293 @cindex characters in file names
15294 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
15295 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
15296 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
15299 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15303 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
15304 Windows (phooey) systems.
15306 @item gnus-hidden-properties
15307 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
15308 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
15309 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
15310 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
15312 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
15313 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
15314 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
15315 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
15316 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
15318 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
15319 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
15320 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
15329 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
15330 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
15332 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
15334 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
15340 Not because of victories @*
15343 but for the common sunshine,@*
15345 the largess of the spring.
15349 but for the day's work done@*
15350 as well as I was able;@*
15351 not for a seat upon the dais@*
15352 but at the common table.@*
15357 @chapter Appendices
15360 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
15361 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
15362 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
15363 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
15364 * A Programmers Guide to Gnus:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
15365 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
15366 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
15374 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
15375 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
15377 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
15378 can point your (feh!) web browser to
15379 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
15380 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
15381 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
15383 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
15384 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
15385 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
15386 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
15387 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
15388 appropriate name, don't you think?)
15390 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
15391 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
15392 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
15393 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
15395 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
15396 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
15397 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
15399 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
15400 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
15402 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
15403 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
15405 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37
15406 releases. If was released as ``Gnus 5.6.31' on March 8th 1998.
15408 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
15409 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'' --
15410 don't panic. Don't let it know that you're frightened. Back away.
15411 Slowly. Whatever you do, don't run. Walk away, calmly, until you're
15412 out of its reach. Find a proper released version of Gnus and snuggle up
15416 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
15417 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
15418 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
15419 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
15420 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
15421 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
15422 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
15429 What's the point of Gnus?
15431 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
15432 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
15433 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
15434 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
15435 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
15436 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
15437 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
15438 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
15439 keep track of millions of people who post?
15441 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
15442 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
15443 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
15444 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
15445 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
15446 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
15447 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
15448 every one of you to explore and invent.
15450 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
15451 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
15454 @node Compatibility
15455 @subsection Compatibility
15457 @cindex compatibility
15458 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
15459 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
15460 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
15465 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
15469 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
15472 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
15475 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
15476 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
15477 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
15478 important variables have their values copied into their global
15479 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
15480 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
15482 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
15483 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
15484 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
15485 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
15486 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
15490 @cindex highlighting
15491 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
15492 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
15493 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
15494 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
15495 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
15496 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
15499 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
15500 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
15501 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
15502 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
15504 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
15505 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
15506 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
15507 to stop doing it the old way.
15509 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
15511 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
15513 @cindex reporting bugs
15515 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
15516 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
15517 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
15519 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
15520 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
15521 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
15522 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
15527 @subsection Conformity
15529 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
15530 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
15537 There are no known breaches of this standard.
15541 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
15543 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
15544 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
15545 We do have some breaches to this one.
15550 Gnus does no MIME handling, and this standard-to-be seems to think that
15551 MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
15554 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
15555 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
15556 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
15557 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
15558 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
15563 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
15564 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
15569 @subsection Emacsen
15575 Gnus should work on :
15580 Emacs 19.32 and up.
15583 XEmacs 19.14 and up.
15586 Mule versions based on Emacs 19.32 and up.
15590 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
15591 reliably, at least.
15593 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
15594 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
15595 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
15600 @subsection Contributors
15601 @cindex contributors
15603 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
15604 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
15605 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
15606 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
15607 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
15608 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
15609 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
15610 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
15611 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
15612 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
15614 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
15620 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
15623 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
15624 well as numerous other things).
15627 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
15630 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
15633 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
15634 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
15637 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
15640 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
15641 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
15644 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
15647 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
15650 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
15653 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
15656 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
15657 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
15660 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
15663 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
15666 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
15669 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
15673 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
15676 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
15679 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
15682 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
15683 well as autoconf support.
15687 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
15688 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
15690 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
15695 David K
\e,Ae
\e(Bgedal,
15699 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
15703 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
15725 Massimo Campostrini,
15733 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
15739 Michael Welsh Duggan,
15742 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
15746 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
15752 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
15754 Michelangelo Grigni,
15757 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
15759 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
15761 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
15766 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Felix Ingrand,
15767 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
15769 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
15777 Peter Skov Knudsen,
15778 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
15779 Thor Kristoffersen,
15781 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
15798 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
15799 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
15806 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
15810 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
15812 John McClary Prevost,
15817 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
15822 Christian von Roques,
15824 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
15830 Philippe Schnoebelen,
15832 Randal L. Schwartz,
15860 Katsumi Yamaoka, @c Yamaoka
15862 Shenghuo Zhu. @c Zhu
15864 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
15865 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
15866 (550kB and counting).
15868 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
15871 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
15872 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
15876 @subsection New Features
15877 @cindex new features
15880 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
15881 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.3/5.3.
15882 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
15883 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6.31.
15886 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
15887 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
15888 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
15892 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
15894 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
15899 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
15900 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
15903 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
15904 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
15907 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
15910 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
15911 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
15912 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
15915 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
15916 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
15917 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
15918 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
15921 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
15922 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15925 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
15926 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
15927 (@pxref{The Active File}).
15930 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
15931 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
15934 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
15935 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
15936 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
15939 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
15940 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
15941 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
15944 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
15945 the @file{.emacs} file.
15948 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
15949 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15952 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
15953 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
15956 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
15957 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15960 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
15961 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
15964 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
15965 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
15968 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
15971 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
15972 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
15975 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
15976 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
15979 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
15980 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
15983 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
15986 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
15987 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
15990 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
15994 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
15998 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
15999 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
16002 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
16008 @node September Gnus
16009 @subsubsection September Gnus
16013 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/september.ps,height=20cm}}
16017 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
16022 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
16023 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
16027 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
16028 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
16032 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
16036 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
16037 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
16040 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
16044 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
16047 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
16050 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
16053 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
16057 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
16058 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
16061 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
16065 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
16069 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
16073 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
16077 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
16080 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
16081 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
16084 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
16088 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
16089 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
16092 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
16095 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
16096 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
16097 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
16100 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
16104 The Gnus cache is much faster.
16107 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
16111 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
16112 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
16115 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
16116 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
16119 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
16120 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
16123 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
16124 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
16125 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
16128 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
16129 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
16132 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
16135 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16138 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16139 'gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head)
16143 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
16146 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
16149 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
16150 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
16153 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
16157 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
16160 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}}
16165 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
16168 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
16172 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16175 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
16179 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
16182 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
16185 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
16186 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
16189 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
16190 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
16194 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
16195 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
16198 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
16202 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
16203 buffer to allow easier treatment.
16206 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
16209 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
16213 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
16217 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
16218 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
16221 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
16225 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
16226 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16229 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
16230 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16233 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
16237 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16240 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16241 'gnus-article-hide-boring-headers t)
16245 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
16248 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
16254 @subsubsection Red Gnus
16256 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
16260 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/red.ps,height=20cm}}
16267 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
16270 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
16271 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
16274 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
16275 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
16279 Article washing status can be displayed in the
16280 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
16283 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
16286 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
16287 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
16290 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
16294 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
16295 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
16299 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
16300 Server Internals}).
16303 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
16307 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
16310 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
16311 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
16314 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
16315 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
16316 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
16319 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
16320 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16323 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
16324 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
16327 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
16331 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
16332 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16335 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
16336 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
16339 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
16343 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
16346 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
16350 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
16351 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16354 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
16355 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16358 A new command for reading collections of documents
16359 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
16360 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
16363 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
16367 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the NNTP
16368 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
16371 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
16372 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
16373 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
16376 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
16377 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
16381 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
16385 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
16389 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}}
16394 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
16398 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
16402 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
16403 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
16406 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
16409 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-emphasize)
16416 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
16418 New features in Gnus 5.6.31:
16423 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
16424 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
16425 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
16428 The @code{nndraft} backend has returned, but works differently than
16429 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
16430 group, which is created automatically.
16433 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
16437 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
16440 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
16441 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
16444 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
16448 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
16451 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
16452 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
16455 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
16458 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
16459 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
16462 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
16463 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
16466 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
16467 control over simplification.
16470 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
16473 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
16477 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
16480 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
16483 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
16484 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
16485 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
16488 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
16489 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
16492 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
16496 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
16497 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
16500 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
16501 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
16504 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
16508 A history of where mails have been split is available.
16511 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
16514 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
16515 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
16518 A new function for citing in Message has been
16519 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
16522 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
16525 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
16529 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
16530 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
16533 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
16534 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
16537 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} backend.
16540 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
16545 @node Newest Features
16546 @subsection Newest Features
16549 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
16552 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
16554 (That a feature appears in this list doesn't necessarily mean that I've
16555 decided to actually implement it. It just means that I think it sounds
16558 (Yes, this is the actual, up-to-the-second todo list.)
16563 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
16566 Really do unbinhexing.
16569 I would like the zombie-page to contain an URL to the source of the
16570 latest version of gnus or some explanation on where to find it.
16573 A way to continue editing the latest Message composition.
16576 http://www.sonicnet.com/feature/ari3/
16579 facep is not declared.
16582 Include a section in the manual on why the number of articles
16583 isn't the same in the group buffer and on the SPC prompt.
16586 Interacting with rmail fcc isn't easy.
16591 <URL:http://www.falch.no/people/pepper/DSSSL-Lite/archives/>
16592 <URL:http://www.eit.com/software/hypermail/hypermail.html>
16593 <URL:http://homer.ncm.com/>
16594 <URL:http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/HTML_Converters/>
16595 http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9610/index.html
16596 <URL:http://union.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HyperNews/get/www/html/converters.html>
16597 http://www.miranova.com/gnus-list/
16602 @samp{^-- } is made into - in LaTeX.
16605 gnus-kill is much slower than it was in GNUS 4.1.3.
16608 when expunging articles on low score, the sparse nodes keep hanging on?
16610 starting the first time seems to hang Gnus on some systems. Does
16611 NEWGROUPS answer too fast?
16613 nndir doesn't read gzipped files.
16615 FAQ doesn't have an up node?
16617 when moving mail from a procmail spool to the crash-box,
16618 the crash-box is only appropriate to one specific group.
16620 `t' `t' makes X-Faces disappear.
16622 nnmh-be-safe means that crossposted articles will
16623 be marked as unread.
16625 Orphan score entries don't show on "V t" score trace
16627 when clearing out data, the cache data should also be reset.
16629 rewrite gnus-summary-limit-children to be non-recursive
16630 to avoid exceeding lisp nesting on huge groups.
16632 expunged articles are counted when computing scores.
16634 implement gnus-batch-brew-soup
16636 ticked articles aren't easy to read in pick mode -- `n' and
16637 stuff just skips past them. Read articles are the same.
16639 topics that contain just groups with ticked
16640 articles aren't displayed.
16642 nndoc should always allocate unique Message-IDs.
16644 implement gnus-score-thread
16646 If there are mail groups the first time you use Gnus, Gnus'll
16647 make the mail groups killed.
16649 no "no news is good news" when using topics.
16651 when doing crosspost marking, the cache has to be consulted
16652 and articles have to be removed.
16654 nnweb should fetch complete articles when they are split into several
16657 scoring on head immediate doesn't work.
16659 finding short score file names takes forever.
16661 canceling articles in foreign groups.
16663 nntp-open-rlogin no longer works.
16665 C-u C-x C-s (Summary) switches to the group buffer.
16667 move nnmail-split-history out to the backends.
16669 nnweb doesn't work properly.
16671 using a virtual server name as `gnus-select-method' doesn't work?
16673 when killing/yanking a group from one topic to another in a slave, the
16674 master will yank it first to one topic and then add it to another.
16678 warn user about `=' redirection of a group in the active file?
16680 really unbinhex binhex files.
16682 take over the XEmacs menubar and offer a toggle between the XEmacs
16683 bar and the Gnus bar.
16686 push active file and NOV file parsing down into C code.
16687 `(canonize-message-id id)'
16688 `(mail-parent-message-id references n)'
16689 `(parse-news-nov-line &optional dependency-hashtb)'
16690 `(parse-news-nov-region beg end &optional dependency-hashtb fullp)'
16691 `(parse-news-active-region beg end hashtb)'
16696 nnml .overview directory with splits.
16700 postponed commands.
16702 the selected article show have its Subject displayed in its summary line.
16704 when entering groups, get the real number of unread articles from
16707 sort after gathering threads -- make false roots have the
16708 headers of the oldest orphan with a 0 article number?
16710 nndoc groups should inherit the score files of their parents? Also
16711 inherit copy prompts and save files.
16713 command to start up Gnus (if not running) and enter a mail mode buffer.
16715 allow editing the group description from the group buffer
16716 for backends that support that.
16718 gnus-hide,show-all-topics
16720 groups and sub-topics should be allowed to mingle inside each topic,
16721 and not just list all subtopics at the end.
16723 a command to remove all read articles that are not needed to connect
16724 threads -- `gnus-summary-limit-to-sparse-unread'?
16726 a variable to turn off limiting/cutting of threads in the tree buffer.
16728 a variable to limit how many files are uudecoded.
16730 add zombie groups to a special "New Groups" topic.
16732 server mode command: close/open all connections
16734 put a file date in gnus-score-alist and check whether the file
16735 has been changed before using it.
16737 on exit from a digest group, go to the next article in the parent group.
16739 hide (sub)threads with low score.
16741 when expiring, remove all marks from expired articles.
16743 gnus-summary-limit-to-body
16745 a regexp alist that says what level groups are to be subscribed
16746 on. Eg. -- `(("nnml:" . 1))'.
16748 easier interface to nnkiboze to create ephemeral groups that
16749 contain groups that match a regexp.
16751 allow newlines in <URL:> urls, but remove them before using
16754 If there is no From line, the mail backends should fudge one from the
16757 fuzzy simplifying should strip all non-alpha-numerical info
16758 from subject lines.
16760 gnus-soup-brew-soup-with-high-scores.
16762 nntp-ping-before-connect
16764 command to check whether NOV is evil. "list overview.fmt".
16766 when entering a group, Gnus should look through the score
16767 files very early for `local' atoms and set those local variables.
16769 message annotations.
16771 topics are always yanked before groups, and that's not good.
16773 (set-extent-property extent 'help-echo "String to display in minibuf")
16774 to display help in the minibuffer on buttons under XEmacs.
16776 allow group line format spec to say how many articles there
16781 support qmail maildir spools
16783 `run-with-idle-timer' in gnus-demon.
16785 stop using invisible text properties and start using overlays instead
16787 C-c C-f C-e to add an Expires header.
16789 go from one group to the next; everything is expunged; go to the
16790 next group instead of going to the group buffer.
16792 gnus-renumber-cache -- to renumber the cache using "low" numbers.
16794 record topic changes in the dribble buffer.
16796 `nnfolder-generate-active-file' should look at the folders it
16797 finds and generate proper active ranges.
16799 nneething-look-in-files-for-article-heads variable to control
16800 whether nneething should sniff all files in the directories.
16802 gnus-fetch-article -- start Gnus, enter group, display article
16804 gnus-dont-move-articles-to-same-group variable when respooling.
16806 when messages are crossposted between several auto-expirable groups,
16807 articles aren't properly marked as expirable.
16809 nneething should allow deletion/moving.
16811 TAB on the last button should go to the first button.
16813 if the car of an element in `mail-split-methods' is a function,
16814 and the function returns non-nil, use that as the name of the group(s) to
16817 command for listing all score files that have been applied.
16819 a command in the article buffer to return to `summary' config.
16821 `gnus-always-post-using-current-server' -- variable to override
16822 `C-c C-c' when posting.
16824 nnmail-group-spool-alist -- says where each group should use
16827 when an article is crossposted to an auto-expirable group, the article
16828 should be marker as expirable.
16830 article mode command/menu for "send region as URL to browser".
16832 on errors, jump to info nodes that explain the error. For instance,
16833 on invalid From headers, or on error messages from the nntp server.
16835 when gathering threads, make the article that has no "Re: " the parent.
16836 Also consult Date headers.
16838 a token in splits to call shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer
16840 `1 0 A M' to do matches on the active hashtb.
16842 duplicates -- command to remove Gnus-Warning header, use the read
16843 Message-ID, delete the "original".
16845 when replying to several messages at once, put the "other" message-ids
16846 into a See-Also header.
16848 support setext: URL:http://www.bsdi.com/setext/
16850 support ProleText: <URL:http://proletext.clari.net/prole/proletext.html>
16852 when browsing a foreign server, the groups that are already subscribed
16853 should be listed as such and not as "K".
16855 generate font names dynamically.
16857 score file mode auto-alist.
16859 allow nndoc to change/add/delete things from documents. Implement
16860 methods for each format for adding an article to the document.
16862 `gnus-fetch-old-headers' `all' value to incorporate
16863 absolutely all headers there is.
16865 function like `|', but concatenate all marked articles
16866 and pipe them to the process.
16868 cache the list of killed (or active) groups in a separate file. Update
16869 the file whenever we read the active file or the list
16870 of killed groups in the .eld file reaches a certain length.
16872 function for starting to edit a file to put into
16873 the current mail group.
16875 score-find-trace should display the total score of the article.
16877 "ghettozie" -- score on Xref header and nix it out after using it
16878 to avoid marking as read in other groups it has been crossposted to.
16880 look at procmail splitting. The backends should create
16881 the groups automatically if a spool file exists for that group.
16883 function for backends to register themselves with Gnus.
16885 when replying to several process-marked articles,
16886 have all the From end up in Cc headers? Variable to toggle.
16888 command to delete a crossposted mail article from all
16889 groups it has been mailed to.
16891 `B c' and `B m' should be crosspost aware.
16893 hide-pgp should also hide PGP public key blocks.
16895 Command in the group buffer to respool process-marked groups.
16897 `gnus-summary-find-matching' should accept
16898 pseudo-"headers" like "body", "head" and "all"
16900 When buttifying <URL: > things, all white space (including
16901 newlines) should be ignored.
16903 Process-marking all groups in a topic should process-mark
16904 groups in subtopics as well.
16906 Add non-native groups to the list of killed groups when killing them.
16908 nntp-suggest-kewl-config to probe the nntp server and suggest
16911 add edit and forward secondary marks.
16913 nnml shouldn't visit its .overview files.
16915 allow customizing sorting within gathered threads.
16917 `B q' shouldn't select the current article.
16919 nnmbox should support a newsgroups file for descriptions.
16921 allow fetching mail from several pop servers.
16923 Be able to specify whether the saving commands save the original
16924 or the formatted article.
16926 a command to reparent with the child process-marked (cf. `T ^'.).
16928 I think the possibility to send a password with nntp-open-rlogin
16929 should be a feature in Red Gnus.
16931 The `Z n' command should be possible to execute from a mouse click.
16933 more limiting functions -- date, etc.
16935 be able to limit on a random header; on body; using reverse matches.
16937 a group parameter (`absofucking-total-expiry') that will make Gnus expire
16938 even unread articles.
16940 a command to print the article buffer as postscript.
16942 variable to disable password fetching when opening by nntp-open-telnet.
16944 manual: more example servers -- nntp with rlogin, telnet
16946 checking for bogus groups should clean topic alists as well.
16948 canceling articles in foreign groups.
16950 article number in folded topics isn't properly updated by
16953 Movement in the group buffer to the next unread group should go to the
16954 next closed topic with unread messages if no group can be found.
16956 Extensive info pages generated on the fly with help everywhere --
16957 in the "*Gnus edit*" buffers, for instance.
16959 Topic movement commands -- like thread movement. Up, down, forward, next.
16961 a way to tick/mark as read Gcc'd articles.
16963 a way to say that all groups within a specific topic comes
16964 from a particular server? Hm.
16966 `gnus-article-fill-if-long-lines' -- a function to fill
16967 the article buffer if there are any looong lines there.
16969 `T h' should jump to the parent topic and fold it.
16971 a command to create an ephemeral nndoc group out of a file,
16972 and then splitting it/moving it to some other group/backend.
16974 a group parameter for nnkiboze groups that says that
16975 all kibozed articles should be entered into the cache.
16977 It should also probably be possible to delimit what
16978 `gnus-jog-cache' does -- for instance, work on just some groups, or on
16979 some levels, and entering just articles that have a score higher than
16982 nnfolder should append to the folder instead of re-writing
16983 the entire folder to disk when accepting new messages.
16985 allow all backends to do the proper thing with .gz files.
16987 a backend for reading collections of babyl files nnbabylfolder?
16989 a command for making the native groups into foreign groups.
16991 server mode command for clearing read marks from all groups
16994 when following up multiple articles, include all To, Cc, etc headers
16997 a command for deciding what the total score of the current
16998 thread is. Also a way to highlight based on this.
17000 command to show and edit group scores
17002 a gnus-tree-minimize-horizontal to minimize tree buffers
17005 command to generate nnml overview file for one group.
17007 `C-u C-u a' -- prompt for many crossposted groups.
17009 keep track of which mail groups have received new articles (in this session).
17010 Be able to generate a report and perhaps do some marking in the group
17013 gnus-build-sparse-threads to a number -- build only sparse threads
17014 that are of that length.
17016 have nnmh respect mh's unseen sequence in .mh_profile.
17018 cache the newsgroups descriptions locally.
17020 asynchronous posting under nntp.
17022 be able to control word adaptive scoring from the score files.
17024 a variable to make `C-c C-c' post using the "current" select method.
17026 `limit-exclude-low-scored-articles'.
17028 if `gnus-summary-show-thread' is a number, hide threads that have
17029 a score lower than this number.
17031 split newsgroup subscription variable up into "order" and "method".
17033 buttonize ange-ftp file names.
17035 a command to make a duplicate copy of the current article
17036 so that each copy can be edited separately.
17038 nnweb should allow fetching from the local nntp server.
17040 record the sorting done in the summary buffer so that
17041 it can be repeated when limiting/regenerating the buffer.
17043 nnml-generate-nov-databses should generate for
17046 when the user does commands in the group buffer, check
17047 the modification time of the .newsrc.eld file and use
17048 ask-user-about-supersession-threat. Also warn when trying
17049 to save .newsrc.eld and it has changed.
17051 M-g on a topic will display all groups with 0 articles in
17054 command to remove all topic stuff.
17056 allow exploding incoming digests when reading incoming mail
17057 and splitting the resulting digests.
17059 nnsoup shouldn't set the `message-' variables.
17061 command to nix out all nnoo state information.
17063 nnmail-process-alist that calls functions if group names
17064 matches an alist -- before saving.
17066 use buffer-invisibility-spec everywhere for hiding text.
17068 variable to activate each group before entering them
17069 to get the (new) number of articles. `gnus-activate-before-entering'.
17071 command to fetch a Message-ID from any buffer, even
17072 starting Gnus first if necessary.
17074 when posting and checking whether a group exists or not, just
17075 ask the nntp server instead of relying on the active hashtb.
17077 buttonize the output of `C-c C-a' in an apropos-like way.
17079 `G p' should understand process/prefix, and allow editing
17080 of several groups at once.
17082 command to create an ephemeral nnvirtual group that
17083 matches some regexp(s).
17085 nndoc should understand "Content-Type: message/rfc822" forwarded messages.
17087 it should be possible to score "thread" on the From header.
17089 hitting RET on a "gnus-uu-archive" pseudo article should unpack it.
17091 `B i' should display the article at once in the summary buffer.
17093 remove the "*" mark at once when unticking an article.
17095 `M-s' should highlight the matching text.
17097 when checking for duplicated mails, use Resent-Message-ID if present.
17099 killing and yanking groups in topics should be better. If killing one copy
17100 of a group that exists in multiple topics, only that copy should
17101 be removed. Yanking should insert the copy, and yanking topics
17102 should be possible to be interspersed with the other yankings.
17104 command for enter a group just to read the cached articles. A way to say
17105 "ignore the nntp connection; just read from the cache."
17107 `X u' should decode base64 articles.
17109 a way to hide all "inner" cited text, leaving just the most
17110 recently cited text.
17112 nnvirtual should be asynchronous.
17114 after editing an article, gnus-original-article-buffer should
17117 there should probably be a way to make Gnus not connect to the
17118 server and just read the articles in the server
17120 allow a `set-default' (or something) to change the default
17121 value of nnoo variables.
17123 a command to import group infos from a .newsrc.eld file.
17125 groups from secondary servers have the entire select method
17126 listed in each group info.
17128 a command for just switching from the summary buffer to the group
17131 a way to specify that some incoming mail washing functions
17132 should only be applied to some groups.
17134 Message `C-f C-t' should ask the user whether to heed
17135 mail-copies-to: never.
17137 new group parameter -- `post-to-server' that says to post
17138 using the current server. Also a variable to do the same.
17140 the slave dribble files should autosave to the slave file names.
17142 a group parameter that says what articles to display on group entry, based
17145 a way to visually distinguish slave Gnusae from masters. (Whip instead
17148 Use DJ Bernstein "From " quoting/dequoting, where applicable.
17150 Why is hide-citation-maybe and hide-citation different? Also
17153 group user-defined meta-parameters.
17157 From: John Griffith <griffith@@sfs.nphil.uni-tuebingen.de>
17159 I like the option for trying to retrieve the FAQ for a group and I was
17160 thinking it would be great if for those newsgroups that had archives
17161 you could also try to read the archive for that group. Part of the
17162 problem is that archives are spread all over the net, unlike FAQs.
17163 What would be best I suppose is to find the one closest to your site.
17165 In any case, there is a list of general news group archives at
17166 ftp://ftp.neosoft.com/pub/users/claird/news.lists/newsgroup_archives.html
17173 From: Jason L Tibbitts III <tibbs@@hpc.uh.edu>
17174 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
17176 (gnus-group-add-parameter group
17177 (cons 'gnus-group-date-last-entered (list (current-time-string))))))
17179 (defun gnus-user-format-function-d (headers)
17180 "Return the date the group was last read."
17181 (cond ((car (gnus-group-get-parameter gnus-tmp-group 'gnus-group-date-last-entered)))
17186 tanken var at n
\e,Ae
\e(Br du bruker `gnus-startup-file' som prefix (FOO) til ilete
17187 opp en fil FOO-SERVER, FOO-SERVER.el, FOO-SERVER.eld, kan du la den v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en
17188 liste hvor du bruker hvert element i listen som FOO, istedet. da kunne man
17189 hatt forskjellige serveres startup-filer forskjellige steder.
17193 LMI> Well, nnbabyl could alter the group info to heed labels like
17194 LMI> answered and read, I guess.
17196 It could also keep them updated (the same for the Status: header of
17199 They could be used like this:
17203 `M l <name> RET' add label <name> to current message.
17204 `M u <name> RET' remove label <name> from current message.
17205 `/ l <expr> RET' limit summary buffer according to <expr>.
17207 <expr> would be a boolean expression on the labels, e.g.
17209 `/ l bug & !fixed RET'
17212 would show all the messages which are labeled `bug' but not labeled
17215 One could also imagine the labels being used for highlighting, or
17216 affect the summary line format.
17220 Sender: abraham@@dina.kvl.dk
17222 I'd like a gnus-find-file which work like find file, except that it
17223 would recognize things that looks like messages or folders:
17225 - If it is a directory containing numbered files, create an nndir
17228 - For other directories, create a nneething summary buffer.
17230 - For files matching "\\`From ", create a nndoc/mbox summary.
17232 - For files matching "\\`BABYL OPTIONS:", create a nndoc/baby summary.
17234 - For files matching "\\`[^ \t\n]+:", create an *Article* buffer.
17236 - For other files, just find them normally.
17238 I'd like `nneething' to use this function, so it would work on a
17239 directory potentially containing mboxes or babyl files.
17242 Please send a mail to bwarsaw@@cnri.reston.va.us (Barry A. Warsaw) and
17243 tell him what you are doing.
17246 Currently, I get prompted:
17250 decend into sci.something ?
17254 The problem above is that since there is really only one subsection of
17255 science, shouldn't it prompt you for only descending sci.something? If
17256 there was a sci.somethingelse group or section, then it should prompt
17257 for sci? first the sci.something? then sci.somethingelse?...
17260 Ja, det burde v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en m
\e,Ae
\e(Bte
\e,Ae
\e(B si slikt. Kanskje en ny variabel?
17261 `gnus-use-few-score-files'? S
\e,Ae
\e(B kunne score-regler legges til den
17262 "mest" lokale score-fila. F. eks. ville no-gruppene betjenes av
17263 "no.all.SCORE", osv.
17266 What i want is for Gnus to treat any sequence or combination of the following
17267 as a single spoiler warning and hide it all, replacing it with a "Next Page"
17273 more than n blank lines
17275 more than m identical lines
17276 (which should be replaced with button to show them)
17278 any whitespace surrounding any of the above
17282 Well, we could allow a new value to `gnus-thread-ignore-subject' --
17283 `spaces', or something. (We could even default to that.) And then
17284 subjects that differ in white space only could be considered the
17285 "same" subject for threading purposes.
17288 Modes to preprocess the contents (e.g. jka-compr) use the second form
17289 "(REGEXP FUNCTION NON-NIL)" while ordinary modes (e.g. tex) use the first
17290 form "(REGEXP . FUNCTION)", so you could use it to distinguish between
17291 those two types of modes. (auto-modes-alist, insert-file-contents-literally.)
17294 Under XEmacs -- do funny article marks:
17297 soup - bowl of soup
17298 score below - dim light bulb
17299 score over - bright light bulb
17302 Yes. I think the algorithm is as follows:
17307 show-list-of-articles-in-group
17308 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17309 if (no-more-articles-in-group-to-select)
17310 if (articles-selected)
17311 start-reading-selected-articles;
17312 junk-unread-articles;
17317 else if (key-pressed = '.')
17318 if (consolidated-menus) # same as hide-thread in Gnus
17319 select-thread-under-cursor;
17321 select-article-under-cursor;
17325 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17326 if (more-pages-in-article)
17328 else if (more-selected-articles-to-read)
17335 My precise need here would have been to limit files to Incoming*.
17336 One could think of some `nneething-only-files' variable, but I guess
17337 it would have been unacceptable if one was using many unrelated such
17340 A more useful approach would be to, in response to the `G D' prompt, be
17341 allowed to say something like: `~/.mail/Incoming*', somewhat limiting
17342 the top-level directory only (in case directories would be matched by
17343 the wildcard expression).
17346 It would be nice if it also handled
17348 <URL:news://sunsite.auc.dk/>
17350 which should correspond to `B nntp RET sunsite.auc.dk' in *Group*.
17355 Take a look at w3-menu.el in the Emacs-W3 distribution - this works out
17356 really well. Each menu is 'named' by a symbol that would be on a
17357 gnus-*-menus (where * would be whatever, but at least group, summary, and
17358 article versions) variable.
17360 So for gnus-summary-menus, I would set to '(sort mark dispose ...)
17362 A value of '1' would just put _all_ the menus in a single 'GNUS' menu in
17363 the main menubar. This approach works really well for Emacs-W3 and VM.
17367 nndoc should take care to create unique Message-IDs for all its
17370 gnus-score-followup-article only works when you have a summary buffer
17371 active. Make it work when posting from the group buffer as well.
17372 (message-sent-hook).
17374 rewrite gnus-demon to use run-with-idle-timers.
17377 * Enhancements to Gnus:
17381 * gnus-servers (gnus-start-server-buffer?)--enters Gnus and goes
17382 straight to the server buffer, without opening any connections to
17385 * gnus-server-read-server-newsrc--produces a buffer very similar to
17386 the group buffer, but with only groups from that server listed;
17387 quitting this buffer returns to the server buffer.
17390 add a command to check the integrity of an nnfolder folder --
17391 go through the article numbers and see that there are no duplicates,
17395 `unsmileyfy-buffer' to undo smileification.
17398 a command to give all relevant info on an article, including all
17402 when doing `-request-accept-article', the backends should do
17403 the nnmail duplicate checking.
17406 allow `message-signature-file' to be a function to return the
17407 value of the signature file.
17410 In addition, I would love it if I could configure message-tab so that it
17411 could call `bbdb-complete-name' in other headers. So, some sort of
17414 (setq message-tab-alist
17415 '((message-header-regexp message-expand-group)
17416 ("^\\(To\\|[cC]c\\|[bB]cc\\)" bbdb-complete-name)))
17418 then you could run the relevant function to complete the information in
17422 cache the newsgroups file locally to avoid reloading it all the time.
17425 a command to import a buffer into a group.
17428 nnweb should allow fetching by Message-ID from servers.
17431 point in the article buffer doesn't always go to the
17432 beginning of the buffer when selecting new articles.
17435 a command to process mark all unread articles.
17438 `gnus-gather-threads-by-references-and-subject' -- first
17439 do gathering by references, and then go through the dummy roots and
17440 do more gathering by subject.
17443 gnus-uu-mark-in-numerical-order -- process mark articles in
17444 article numerical order.
17447 (gnus-thread-total-score
17448 (gnus-id-to-thread (mail-header-id (gnus-summary-article-header))))
17452 sorting by score is wrong when using sparse threads.
17455 a command to fetch an arbitrary article -- without having to be
17456 in the summary buffer.
17459 a new nncvs backend. Each group would show an article, using
17460 version branches as threading, checkin date as the date, etc.
17463 http://www.dejanews.com/forms/dnsetfilter_exp.html ?
17464 This filter allows one to construct advance queries on the Dejanews
17465 database such as specifying start and end dates, subject, author,
17466 and/or newsgroup name.
17469 new Date header scoring type -- older, newer
17472 use the summary toolbar in the article buffer.
17475 a command to fetch all articles that are less than X days old.
17478 in pick mode, `q' should save the list of selected articles in the
17479 group info. The next time the group is selected, these articles
17480 will automatically get the process mark.
17483 Isn't it possible to (also?) allow M-^ to automatically try the
17484 default server if it fails on the current server? (controlled by a
17485 user variable, (nil, t, 'ask)).
17488 make it possible to cancel articles using the select method for the
17492 `gnus-summary-select-article-on-entry' or something. It'll default
17493 to t and will select whatever article decided by `gnus-auto-select-first'.
17496 a new variable to control which selection commands should be unselecting.
17497 `first', `best', `next', `prev', `next-unread', `prev-unread' are
17501 be able to select groups that have no articles in them
17502 to be able to post in them (using the current select method).
17505 be able to post via DejaNews.
17508 `x' should retain any sortings that have been performed.
17511 allow the user to specify the precedence of the secondary marks. Also
17512 allow them to be displayed separately.
17515 gnus-summary-save-in-pipe should concatenate the results from
17516 the processes when doing a process marked pipe.
17519 a new match type, like Followup, but which adds Thread matches on all
17520 articles that match a certain From header.
17523 a function that can be read from kill-emacs-query-functions to offer
17524 saving living summary buffers.
17527 a function for selecting a particular group which will contain
17528 the articles listed in a list of article numbers/id's.
17531 a battery of character translation functions to translate common
17532 Mac, MS (etc) characters into ISO 8859-1.
17535 (defun article-fix-m$word ()
17536 "Fix M$Word smartquotes in an article."
17539 (let ((buffer-read-only nil))
17540 (goto-char (point-min))
17541 (while (search-forward "\221" nil t)
17542 (replace-match "`" t t))
17543 (goto-char (point-min))
17544 (while (search-forward "\222" nil t)
17545 (replace-match "'" t t))
17546 (goto-char (point-min))
17547 (while (search-forward "\223" nil t)
17548 (replace-match "\"" t t))
17549 (goto-char (point-min))
17550 (while (search-forward "\224" nil t)
17551 (replace-match "\"" t t)))))
17556 (add-hook 'gnus-exit-query-functions
17558 (if (and (file-exists-p nnmail-spool-file)
17559 (> (nnheader-file-size nnmail-spool-file) 0))
17560 (yes-or-no-p "New mail has arrived. Quit Gnus anyways? ")
17561 (y-or-n-p "Are you sure you want to quit Gnus? "))))
17565 allow message-default-headers to be a function.
17568 new Date score match types -- < > = (etc) that take floating point
17569 numbers and match on the age of the article.
17572 gnus-cacheable-groups
17576 > > > If so, I've got one gripe: It seems that when I fire up gnus 5.2.25
17577 > > > under xemacs-19.14, it's creating a new frame, but is erasing the
17578 > > > buffer in the frame that it was called from =:-O
17580 > > Hm. How do you start up Gnus? From the toolbar or with
17581 > > `M-x gnus-other-frame'?
17583 > I normally start it up from the toolbar; at
17584 > least that's the way I've caught it doing the
17589 all commands that react to the process mark should push
17590 the current process mark set onto the stack.
17593 gnus-article-hide-pgp
17594 Selv ville jeg nok ha valgt islette den dersom teksten matcher
17596 "\\(This\s+\\)?[^ ]+ has been automatically signed by"
17598 og det er maks hundre tegn mellom match-end og ----linja. Men -det-
17599 er min type heuristikk og langt fra alles.
17602 `gnus-subscribe-sorted' -- insert new groups where they would have been
17603 sorted to if `gnus-group-sort-function' were run.
17606 gnus-(group,summary)-highlight should respect any `face' text props set
17610 use run-with-idle-timer for gnus-demon instead of the
17611 home-brewed stuff for better reliability.
17614 add a way to select which NoCeM type to apply -- spam, troll, etc.
17617 nndraft-request-group should tally autosave files.
17620 implement nntp-retry-on-break and nntp-command-timeout.
17623 gnus-article-highlight-limit that says when not to highlight (long)
17627 (nnoo-set SERVER VARIABLE VALUE)
17633 interrupitng agent fetching of articles should save articles.
17636 command to open a digest group, and copy all the articles there to the
17640 a variable to disable article body highlights if there's more than
17641 X characters in the body.
17644 handle 480/381 authinfo requests separately.
17647 include the texi/dir file in the distribution.
17650 format spec to "tab" to a position.
17653 Move all prompting to the new `M-n' default style.
17656 command to display all dormant articles.
17659 gnus-auto-select-next makeover -- list of things it should do.
17662 a score match type that adds scores matching on From if From has replied
17663 to something someone else has said.
17666 Read Netscape discussion groups:
17667 snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.communicator.unix
17670 One command to edit the original version if an article, and one to edit
17671 the displayed version.
17674 @kbd{T v} -- make all process-marked articles the children of the
17678 Switch from initial text to the new default text mechanism.
17681 How about making it possible to expire local articles? Will it be
17682 possible to make various constraints on when an article can be
17683 expired, e.g. (read), (age > 14 days), or the more interesting (read
17687 New limit command---limit to articles that have a certain string
17688 in the head or body.
17691 Allow breaking lengthy NNTP commands.
17694 gnus-article-highlight-limit, to disable highlighting in big articles.
17697 Editing an article should put the article to be edited
17698 in a special, unique buffer.
17701 A command to send a mail to the admin-address group param.
17704 A Date scoring type that will match if the article
17705 is less than a certain number of days old.
17708 New spec: %~(tab 56) to put point on column 56
17711 Allow Gnus Agent scoring to use normal score files.
17714 Rething the Agent active file thing. `M-g' doesn't update the active
17715 file, for instance.
17718 With dummy roots, `^' and then selecing the first article
17719 in any other dummy thread will make gnus highlight the
17720 dummy root instead of the first article.
17723 Propagate all group properties (marks, article numbers, etc) up to the
17724 topics for displaying.
17727 `n' in the group buffer with topics should go to the next group
17728 with unread articles, even if that group is hidden in a topic.
17731 gnus-posting-styles doesn't work in drafts.
17734 gnus-summary-limit-include-cached is slow when there are
17735 many articles in the cache, since it regenerates big parts of the
17736 summary buffer for each article.
17739 Implement gnus-batch-brew-soup.
17742 Solve the halting problem.
17751 @section The Manual
17755 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
17756 either @code{texi2dvi}
17758 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
17759 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
17761 to get what you hold in your hands now.
17763 The following conventions have been used:
17768 This is a @samp{string}
17771 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
17774 This is a @file{file}
17777 This is a @code{symbol}
17781 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
17785 (setq flargnoze "yes")
17788 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
17791 (setq flumphel 'yes)
17794 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
17795 ever get them confused.
17799 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
17800 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
17801 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
17802 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
17803 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
17804 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
17805 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
17813 @section Terminology
17815 @cindex terminology
17820 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
17821 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
17822 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
17823 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
17824 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
17828 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
17829 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
17830 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
17831 not posting, and replying is not following up.
17835 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
17839 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
17844 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
17845 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
17846 is all done by the backends.
17850 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
17851 default, way of getting news.
17855 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
17856 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary backends for getting
17861 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
17862 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
17866 A message that has been posted as news.
17869 @cindex mail message
17870 A message that has been mailed.
17874 A mail message or news article
17878 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
17883 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
17888 A line from the head of an article.
17892 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
17893 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
17897 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
17898 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
17899 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
17900 normal @sc{head} format.
17904 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
17905 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
17906 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
17907 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
17908 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
17909 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
17911 @item killed groups
17912 @cindex killed groups
17913 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
17914 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
17916 @item zombie groups
17917 @cindex zombie groups
17918 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
17921 @cindex active file
17922 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
17923 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
17924 is rather large, as you might surmise.
17927 @cindex bogus groups
17928 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
17929 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
17930 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
17933 @cindex activating groups
17934 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
17935 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
17936 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
17940 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
17942 @item select method
17943 @cindex select method
17944 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
17947 @item virtual server
17948 @cindex virtual server
17949 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
17950 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
17951 whole is a virtual server.
17955 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
17956 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
17959 @item ephemeral groups
17960 @cindex ephemeral groups
17961 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
17962 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
17963 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
17966 @cindex solid groups
17967 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
17968 group buffer are solid groups.
17970 @item sparse articles
17971 @cindex sparse articles
17972 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
17973 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
17977 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
17978 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
17982 @cindex thread root
17983 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
17984 articles in the thread.
17988 An article that has responses.
17992 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
17996 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
17997 specified by RFC1153.
18003 @node Customization
18004 @section Customization
18005 @cindex general customization
18007 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
18008 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
18009 for some quite common situations.
18012 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
18013 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
18014 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
18015 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
18019 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
18020 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
18022 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
18023 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
18024 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
18028 @item gnus-read-active-file
18029 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
18030 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
18031 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18032 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
18033 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
18035 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
18036 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
18037 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
18038 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
18042 @node Slow Terminal Connection
18043 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
18045 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
18046 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
18047 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
18051 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
18052 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
18053 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
18054 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
18055 horizontal and vertical recentering.
18057 @item gnus-visible-headers
18058 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
18059 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
18060 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
18061 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
18063 @item gnus-article-display-hook
18064 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
18066 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
18067 '(gnus-article-hide-headers gnus-article-hide-signature
18068 gnus-article-hide-citation))
18071 @item gnus-use-full-window
18072 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
18073 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
18074 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
18075 want to read them anyway.
18077 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
18078 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
18081 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
18082 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
18083 lines, which might save some time.
18087 @node Little Disk Space
18088 @subsection Little Disk Space
18091 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
18092 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
18096 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
18097 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
18098 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
18099 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18102 @item gnus-save-killed-list
18103 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
18104 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
18105 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
18106 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
18112 @subsection Slow Machine
18113 @cindex slow machine
18115 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
18116 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
18118 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18119 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
18121 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
18122 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
18123 summary buffer faster.
18125 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
18126 processing a bit faster.
18130 @node Troubleshooting
18131 @section Troubleshooting
18132 @cindex troubleshooting
18134 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
18142 Make sure your computer is switched on.
18145 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
18146 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
18150 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
18151 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
18152 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
18153 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
18156 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
18160 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
18161 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
18162 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
18163 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
18164 something like that.
18167 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
18170 @cindex reporting bugs
18172 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
18174 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
18175 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
18176 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
18177 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
18179 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
18180 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
18181 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
18182 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
18185 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
18186 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
18187 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
18188 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
18189 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
18190 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
18192 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
18193 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
18194 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
18197 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
18198 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
18200 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
18201 @cindex ding mailing list
18202 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
18203 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
18207 @node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
18208 @section A Programmer@'s Guide to Gnus
18210 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
18211 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
18212 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
18213 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
18216 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
18217 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
18218 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
18219 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
18220 and general methods of operation.
18223 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
18224 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
18225 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
18226 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
18227 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
18228 * Group Info:: The group info format.
18229 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
18230 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
18231 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
18235 @node Gnus Utility Functions
18236 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
18237 @cindex Gnus utility functions
18238 @cindex utility functions
18240 @cindex internal variables
18242 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
18243 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
18244 Below is a list of the most common ones.
18248 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
18249 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
18250 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
18252 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
18253 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
18254 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
18256 @item gnus-group-real-name
18257 @findex gnus-group-real-name
18258 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
18261 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
18262 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
18263 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
18264 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
18266 @item gnus-get-info
18267 @findex gnus-get-info
18268 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
18270 @item gnus-group-unread
18271 @findex gnus-group-unread
18272 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
18276 @findex gnus-active
18277 The active entry for @var{group}.
18279 @item gnus-set-active
18280 @findex gnus-set-active
18281 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
18283 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18284 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18285 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
18288 @item gnus-continuum-version
18289 @findex gnus-continuum-version
18290 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
18291 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
18294 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
18295 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
18296 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
18298 @item gnus-news-group-p
18299 @findex gnus-news-group-p
18300 Says whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
18302 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18303 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18304 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
18306 @item gnus-server-to-method
18307 @findex gnus-server-to-method
18308 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
18310 @item gnus-server-equal
18311 @findex gnus-server-equal
18312 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
18314 @item gnus-group-native-p
18315 @findex gnus-group-native-p
18316 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
18318 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
18319 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
18320 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
18322 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
18323 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
18324 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
18326 @item group-group-find-parameter
18327 @findex group-group-find-parameter
18328 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
18329 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
18331 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
18332 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
18333 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
18335 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
18336 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
18337 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
18339 @item gnus-check-backend-function
18340 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
18341 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
18342 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
18345 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
18349 @item gnus-read-method
18350 @findex gnus-read-method
18351 Prompts the user for a select method.
18356 @node Backend Interface
18357 @subsection Backend Interface
18359 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
18360 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
18361 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
18362 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
18363 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
18364 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
18366 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
18367 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
18368 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
18369 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
18370 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
18371 been opened, the function should fail.
18373 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
18374 name. Take this example:
18378 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
18379 (nntp-port-number 4324))
18382 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
18383 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
18385 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
18386 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
18387 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
18389 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
18390 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
18391 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
18393 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
18394 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
18395 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
18396 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
18397 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
18398 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
18401 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
18402 some might be said not to be. The latter are backends that generally
18403 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
18404 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
18407 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
18410 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
18413 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
18414 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
18415 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
18416 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
18417 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
18418 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
18422 @node Required Backend Functions
18423 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
18427 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
18429 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
18430 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
18431 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
18432 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
18434 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
18435 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
18436 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
18437 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
18439 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
18440 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
18441 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
18442 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
18443 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
18444 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
18445 number, do maximum fetches.
18447 Here's an example HEAD:
18450 221 1056 Article retrieved.
18451 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
18452 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
18453 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
18454 Subject: Re: Something very droll
18455 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
18456 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
18458 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
18459 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
18460 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
18464 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
18465 these in the data buffer.
18467 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
18471 head = error / valid-head
18472 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
18473 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
18474 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
18475 header = <text> eol
18478 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
18479 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
18483 nov-buffer = *nov-line
18484 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
18485 field = <text except TAB>
18488 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
18492 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
18494 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
18495 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
18497 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
18498 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
18499 server. In fact, it should do so.
18501 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
18502 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
18505 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
18507 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
18508 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
18511 There should be no data returned.
18514 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
18516 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
18517 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
18518 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
18519 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
18521 There should be no data returned.
18524 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
18526 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
18527 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
18528 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
18529 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
18531 There should be no data returned.
18534 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
18536 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
18538 There should be no data returned.
18541 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
18543 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
18544 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
18545 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
18546 it would be nice if that were possible.
18548 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
18549 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
18550 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
18551 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
18552 into its article buffer.
18554 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
18555 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
18556 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
18557 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
18558 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
18559 on successful article retrieval.
18562 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
18564 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
18565 making @var{group} the current group.
18567 If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
18570 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
18573 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
18576 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
18577 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
18578 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
18579 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
18580 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
18581 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
18582 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
18583 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
18586 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
18587 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
18588 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
18592 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
18594 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
18595 a no-op on most backends.
18597 There should be no data returned.
18600 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
18602 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
18605 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
18608 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
18609 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
18612 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
18613 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
18616 active-file = *active-line
18617 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
18619 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
18622 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
18623 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
18624 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
18627 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
18629 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
18630 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
18631 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
18632 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
18633 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
18634 clear if the posting could not be completed.
18636 There should be no result data from this function.
18641 @node Optional Backend Functions
18642 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
18646 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
18648 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
18649 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
18650 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
18652 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
18653 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
18654 former is in the same format as the data from
18655 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
18656 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
18659 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
18663 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
18665 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
18666 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
18667 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
18668 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
18669 should return the (altered) group info.
18671 There should be no result data from this function.
18674 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
18676 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
18677 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
18678 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
18679 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
18680 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
18681 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
18682 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
18683 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
18685 There should be no result data from this function.
18688 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
18690 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
18691 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
18692 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
18693 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
18694 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
18696 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
18697 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
18698 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
18701 There should be no result data from this function.
18704 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
18706 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
18707 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
18708 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
18709 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
18710 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
18711 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
18712 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
18714 There should be no result data from this function.
18717 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
18719 The result data from this function should be a description of
18723 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
18725 description = <text>
18728 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
18730 The result data from this function should be the description of all
18731 groups available on the server.
18734 description-buffer = *description-line
18738 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
18740 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
18741 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
18742 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
18745 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
18747 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
18749 There should be no return data.
18752 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
18754 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
18755 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
18756 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
18757 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
18758 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
18761 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
18764 There should be no result data returned.
18767 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
18770 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
18771 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
18773 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
18774 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
18775 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
18776 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
18777 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
18778 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
18780 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
18781 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
18784 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
18785 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
18787 There should be no data returned.
18790 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
18792 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
18793 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
18794 this function in short order.
18796 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
18797 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
18799 There should be no data returned.
18802 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
18804 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
18805 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
18807 There should be no data returned.
18810 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
18812 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
18813 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
18814 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
18816 There should be no data returned.
18819 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
18821 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
18822 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
18824 There should be no data returned.
18829 @node Error Messaging
18830 @subsubsection Error Messaging
18832 @findex nnheader-report
18833 @findex nnheader-get-report
18834 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
18835 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
18836 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
18837 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
18838 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
18839 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
18842 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
18844 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
18847 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
18848 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
18849 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
18850 takes one argument---the server symbol.
18852 Internally, these functions access @var{backend}@code{-status-string},
18853 so the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
18854 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
18857 @node Writing New Backends
18858 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
18860 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
18861 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
18862 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
18863 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
18864 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
18867 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
18868 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
18869 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
18871 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
18872 package called @code{nnoo}.
18874 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
18875 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
18881 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
18882 parameters. For instance:
18885 (nnoo-declare nndir
18889 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
18890 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
18893 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
18894 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
18895 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
18897 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
18898 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
18899 a function in those backends.
18902 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
18903 "Where nndir will look for groups."
18904 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
18907 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
18908 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
18909 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
18911 @item nnoo-define-basics
18912 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
18916 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
18920 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
18921 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
18922 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
18924 @item nnoo-map-functions
18925 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
18926 functions from the parent backends.
18929 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
18930 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
18931 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
18934 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
18935 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
18936 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
18937 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
18940 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
18941 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
18942 haven't already been defined.
18948 nnmh-request-newgroups)
18952 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
18953 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
18954 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
18959 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
18962 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
18963 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
18967 (require 'nnheader)
18971 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
18973 (nnoo-declare nndir
18976 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
18977 "Where nndir will look for groups."
18978 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
18980 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
18981 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
18984 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
18985 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
18986 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
18988 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
18989 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
18991 ;;; Interface functions.
18993 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
18995 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
18996 (setq nndir-directory
18997 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
18999 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
19000 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
19001 (push `(nndir-current-group
19002 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19004 (push `(nndir-top-directory
19005 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19007 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
19009 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
19010 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19011 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19012 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
19013 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
19017 nnmh-status-message
19019 nnmh-request-newgroups))
19025 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19026 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19028 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
19029 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
19030 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
19031 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
19033 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
19034 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
19039 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
19042 The abilities can be:
19046 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
19048 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
19050 This backend supports both mail and news.
19052 This is neither a post nor mail backend---it's something completely
19055 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
19056 articles and groups.
19058 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
19059 true for almost all backends.
19060 @item prompt-address
19061 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
19062 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
19063 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
19067 @node Mail-like Backends
19068 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
19070 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
19071 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
19072 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
19073 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
19076 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
19077 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
19078 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
19081 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
19082 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
19085 This function takes four parameters.
19089 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
19092 @item exit-function
19093 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
19095 @item temp-directory
19096 Where the temporary files should be stored.
19099 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
19100 performed for one group only.
19103 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
19104 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
19105 find the article number assigned to this article.
19107 The function also uses the following variables:
19108 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
19109 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
19110 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
19111 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
19115 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
19116 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
19120 @node Score File Syntax
19121 @subsection Score File Syntax
19123 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
19124 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
19125 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
19127 Here's a typical score file:
19131 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
19138 BNF definition of a score file:
19141 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
19142 element = rule / atom
19143 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
19144 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
19145 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
19146 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
19148 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
19149 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
19150 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
19151 date-header = "date"
19152 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19153 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19154 score = "nil" / <integer>
19155 date = "nil" / <natural number>
19156 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
19157 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
19158 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
19159 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
19160 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19161 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19162 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
19163 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19164 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
19165 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
19166 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
19167 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
19168 exclude-files / read-only / touched
19169 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
19170 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
19171 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
19172 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
19173 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
19174 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
19175 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
19176 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
19177 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
19178 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
19179 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
19180 eval = "eval" space <form>
19181 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
19184 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
19187 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
19188 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
19189 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
19190 one looong line, then that's ok.
19192 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
19193 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
19197 @subsection Headers
19199 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
19200 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
19201 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
19202 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
19204 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
19205 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
19206 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
19207 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
19208 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
19209 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
19210 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
19212 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
19213 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
19214 @code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
19215 slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
19216 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
19218 The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
19225 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
19226 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
19228 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
19229 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
19230 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
19231 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
19233 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
19237 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
19240 is transformed into
19243 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
19246 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
19247 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
19250 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
19253 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
19254 is slightly tricky:
19257 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
19263 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
19266 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
19272 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
19279 and is equal to the previous range.
19281 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
19282 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
19283 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
19287 range = simple-range / normal-range
19288 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
19289 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
19290 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
19291 number *[ " " contents ]
19294 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
19295 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
19296 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
19297 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
19298 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
19303 @subsection Group Info
19305 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
19306 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
19307 describes the group.
19309 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
19310 second is a more complex one:
19313 ("no.group" 5 (1 . 54324))
19315 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
19316 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
19318 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
19321 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
19322 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
19323 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
19324 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
19325 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
19326 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
19327 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
19328 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
19329 this section is about.
19331 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
19332 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
19333 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
19335 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
19338 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
19339 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
19340 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19341 group = quote <string> quote
19342 ralevel = rank / level
19343 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
19344 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
19345 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
19347 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
19348 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
19349 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
19350 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
19353 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
19354 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
19357 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
19358 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
19361 @item gnus-info-group
19362 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
19363 @findex gnus-info-group
19364 @findex gnus-info-set-group
19365 Get/set the group name.
19367 @item gnus-info-rank
19368 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
19369 @findex gnus-info-rank
19370 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
19371 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
19373 @item gnus-info-level
19374 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
19375 @findex gnus-info-level
19376 @findex gnus-info-set-level
19377 Get/set the group level.
19379 @item gnus-info-score
19380 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
19381 @findex gnus-info-score
19382 @findex gnus-info-set-score
19383 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
19385 @item gnus-info-read
19386 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
19387 @findex gnus-info-read
19388 @findex gnus-info-set-read
19389 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
19391 @item gnus-info-marks
19392 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
19393 @findex gnus-info-marks
19394 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
19395 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
19397 @item gnus-info-method
19398 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
19399 @findex gnus-info-method
19400 @findex gnus-info-set-method
19401 Get/set the group select method.
19403 @item gnus-info-params
19404 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
19405 @findex gnus-info-params
19406 @findex gnus-info-set-params
19407 Get/set the group parameters.
19410 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
19411 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
19413 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
19414 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
19415 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
19416 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
19419 @node Extended Interactive
19420 @subsection Extended Interactive
19421 @cindex interactive
19422 @findex gnus-interactive
19424 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
19425 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
19426 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
19429 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
19430 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
19435 The best thing to do would have been to implement
19436 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
19437 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
19438 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
19439 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
19440 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
19441 @code{interactive}.
19443 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
19448 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
19449 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
19453 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
19454 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
19455 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
19458 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
19462 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
19466 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
19472 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
19473 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
19477 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
19478 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
19479 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
19481 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
19482 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
19483 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
19484 Gnus, that's very useful.
19486 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
19487 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
19488 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
19489 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
19490 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
19491 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
19492 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
19493 following function:
19496 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
19500 (,function ,@@args))
19504 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
19505 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
19506 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
19509 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
19510 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
19511 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
19513 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
19514 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
19515 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
19518 @node Various File Formats
19519 @subsection Various File Formats
19522 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
19523 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
19527 @node Active File Format
19528 @subsubsection Active File Format
19530 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
19531 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
19534 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
19537 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
19538 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
19539 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
19540 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
19541 no.general 1000 900 y
19544 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
19547 active = *group-line
19548 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
19549 group = <non-white-space string>
19551 high-number = <non-negative integer>
19552 low-number = <positive integer>
19553 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
19556 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
19557 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
19560 @node Newsgroups File Format
19561 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
19563 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
19564 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
19565 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
19568 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
19569 Here's the definition:
19573 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
19574 group = <non-white-space string>
19576 description = <string>
19581 @node Emacs for Heathens
19582 @section Emacs for Heathens
19584 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
19585 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
19586 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
19587 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
19588 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
19589 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
19590 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
19594 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
19595 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
19600 @subsection Keystrokes
19604 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
19607 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
19610 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
19611 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
19612 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
19613 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
19614 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
19615 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
19617 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
19618 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
19619 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
19620 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
19621 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
19622 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
19623 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
19625 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
19626 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
19627 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
19628 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
19629 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
19630 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
19631 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
19633 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
19634 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
19635 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
19636 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
19637 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
19643 @subsection Emacs Lisp
19645 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
19646 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
19647 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
19648 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
19650 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
19651 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
19652 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
19653 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
19654 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
19655 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
19656 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
19659 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
19660 write the following:
19663 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
19666 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
19667 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
19668 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
19671 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
19672 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
19673 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
19674 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
19675 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
19677 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
19678 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
19679 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
19683 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
19687 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
19690 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
19691 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
19694 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
19697 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
19698 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
19701 @include gnus-faq.texi