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4 @settitle Semi-gnus 6.8.12 Manual
9 @c * Gnus: (gnus). The news reader gnus.
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264 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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273 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
275 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
276 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
277 are preserved on all copies.
279 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
280 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
281 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
282 permission notice identical to this one.
284 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
285 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
294 This file documents gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
296 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
298 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
299 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
300 are preserved on all copies.
303 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
304 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
305 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
306 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
309 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
310 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
311 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
312 permission notice identical to this one.
314 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
315 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
321 @title Semi-gnus 6.8.12 Manual
323 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
326 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
327 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
329 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
330 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
331 are preserved on all copies.
333 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
334 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
335 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
336 permission notice identical to this one.
338 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
339 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
348 @top The gnus Newsreader
352 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using gnus. The news
353 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
354 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
357 Semi-gnus provides MIME features based on SEMI API. So Semi-gnus
358 supports your right to read strange messages including big images or
359 other various kinds of formats. Semi-gnus also supports
360 internationalization/localization and multiscript features based on MULE
361 API. So Semi-gnus does not discriminate various language communities.
362 Oh, if you are a Klingon, please wait Unicode Next Generation.
364 This manual corresponds to Semi-gnus 6.8.12.
375 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
376 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
378 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
379 being accused of plagiarism:
381 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
382 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
383 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
384 even read news with it!
386 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
387 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
388 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend gnus to make it behave
389 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
390 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
397 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
398 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
399 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
400 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
401 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
402 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
403 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
404 * Various:: General purpose settings.
405 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
406 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
407 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
408 * Key Index:: Key Index.
412 @chapter Starting gnus
417 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting gnus
418 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
421 @findex gnus-other-frame
422 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
423 If you want to start gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
424 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
426 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
427 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
428 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
430 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
431 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
434 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
435 * The First Time:: What does gnus do the first time you start it?
436 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
437 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one gnus active at a time.
438 * Fetching a Group:: Starting gnus just to read a group.
439 * New Groups:: What is gnus supposed to do with new groups?
440 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
441 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
442 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
443 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
444 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
448 @node Finding the News
449 @section Finding the News
452 @vindex gnus-select-method
454 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where gnus should look for
455 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
456 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
457 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are foreign
460 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
461 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
464 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
467 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
470 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
473 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
474 certainly be much faster.
476 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
478 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
479 If this variable is not set, gnus will take a look at the
480 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
481 gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
482 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
483 that fails as well, gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an
484 @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
486 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
487 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
488 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
489 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
491 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
492 You can also make gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
493 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
494 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), gnus will let you choose between the servers
495 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
496 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting.
498 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
500 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
501 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
502 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
503 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
504 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
505 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
507 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
509 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
510 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
511 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
512 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
513 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
514 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
517 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
518 would typically set this variable to
521 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
526 @section The First Time
527 @cindex first time usage
529 If no startup files exist, gnus will try to determine what groups should
530 be subscribed by default.
532 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
533 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, gnus
534 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
535 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
538 Since she hasn't, gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
539 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
540 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
542 You'll also be subscribed to the gnus documentation group, which should
543 help you with most common problems.
545 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, gnus will just
546 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
550 @node The Server is Down
551 @section The Server is Down
552 @cindex server errors
554 If the default server is down, gnus will understandably have some
555 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
556 the news groups, you may want to start gnus anyway.
558 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
559 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
560 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
561 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
562 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
563 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
564 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
566 @findex gnus-no-server
567 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
569 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
570 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
571 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start gnus. That might come in handy
572 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
573 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
574 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
579 @section Slave Gnusae
582 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one gnus at the
583 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if
584 you are using the two different gnusae to read from two different
585 servers), that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
587 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
590 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the gnus
591 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and @dfn{slaves}.
592 (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have taken out a
593 copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in conjunction
594 with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to me. Usage of
595 the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer Applications})
596 will be much more expensive, of course.)
598 Anyways, you start one gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
599 however you do it). Each subsequent slave gnusae should be started with
600 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
601 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
602 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master gnus
603 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
604 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
605 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
607 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
608 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
611 @node Fetching a Group
612 @section Fetching a Group
613 @cindex fetching a group
615 @findex gnus-fetch-group
616 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
617 group and I don't care whether gnus has been started or not''. This is
618 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
619 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
620 It takes the group name as a parameter.
628 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
629 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
630 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
631 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
632 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
633 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
634 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
635 @code{always}, then gnus will query the backends for new groups even
636 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
639 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
640 * Subscription Methods:: What gnus should do with new groups.
641 * Filtering New Groups:: Making gnus ignore certain new groups.
645 @node Checking New Groups
646 @subsection Checking New Groups
648 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
649 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
650 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
651 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, gnus will ask the
652 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
653 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
654 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
655 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
656 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
657 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
659 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
660 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
661 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
662 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
663 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't work.
664 I could write a function to make gnus guess whether the server supports
665 @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't. You could
666 @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see whether it lists
667 @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If it does, then it
668 might work. (But there are servers that lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} without
669 supporting the function properly.)
671 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, gnus will
672 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
673 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
674 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
675 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
676 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
679 @node Subscription Methods
680 @subsection Subscription Methods
682 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
683 What gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
684 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
686 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
687 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
689 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
693 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
694 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
695 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
696 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
697 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
699 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
700 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
701 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
702 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
704 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
705 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
706 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
708 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
709 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
710 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
711 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
712 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
713 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
714 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
715 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
716 up. Or something like that.
718 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
719 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
720 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that gnus will ask you
721 about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe to
722 will be subscribed hierarchically.
724 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
725 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
730 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
731 A closely related variable is
732 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
733 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will ask you in a
734 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
735 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
738 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
739 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
740 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
741 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
744 @node Filtering New Groups
745 @subsection Filtering New Groups
747 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
748 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
749 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
752 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
755 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
756 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
757 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
758 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
759 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
760 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
761 subscribing these groups.
762 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
763 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
765 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
766 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
767 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
768 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
769 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
770 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
771 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
772 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
774 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
775 Yet another variable that meddles here is
776 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
777 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
778 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
779 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
780 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
781 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
782 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
783 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
785 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
786 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
789 @node Changing Servers
790 @section Changing Servers
791 @cindex changing servers
793 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
794 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
795 very flaky and you want to use another.
797 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
798 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
802 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
803 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
804 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
805 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
808 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
809 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
810 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
811 functions more than absolutely necessary.
813 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
814 @findex gnus-change-server
815 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
816 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
817 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
818 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
819 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
821 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
822 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
823 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
824 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
825 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
827 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
828 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
829 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
830 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
831 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
832 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
836 @section Startup Files
837 @cindex startup files
842 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
843 information is traditionally stored in this file.
845 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{GNUS}. In addition to
846 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
847 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
848 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
849 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{GNUS} would read whichever one of these
850 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
851 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
853 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
854 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
855 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
856 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
857 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
858 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
860 In addition, gnus does not change anything. Hail comrade Lars!
862 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
863 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
864 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
865 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from gnus faster.
866 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
867 gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
869 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
870 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
871 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
872 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
873 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
874 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
875 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
876 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
877 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
878 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
879 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
880 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
882 @vindex gnus-startup-file
883 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
884 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
885 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
887 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
888 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
889 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
890 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
891 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
892 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
893 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
894 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
895 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
896 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
899 (defun turn-off-backup ()
900 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
902 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
903 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
906 @vindex gnus-init-file
907 When gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
908 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
909 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
910 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
911 @file{site-init} files with gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
912 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
913 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
914 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
915 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
924 Whenever you do something that changes the gnus data (reading articles,
925 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
926 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
927 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
928 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
931 If gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
932 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file
935 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
936 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, gnus won't create and
937 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
939 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
940 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
941 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, gnus will dribble
942 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
943 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
944 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
946 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
947 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
948 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
951 @node The Active File
952 @section The Active File
954 @cindex ignored groups
956 When gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
957 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
958 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
960 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
961 Before examining the active file, gnus deletes all lines that match the
962 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
963 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make gnus
964 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
965 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
966 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
969 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
970 @c if you set it to anything else.
972 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
974 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
975 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent gnus from
976 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
978 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
979 you actually subscribe to.
981 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
982 variable to @code{nil} will probably make gnus slower, not faster. At
983 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow gnus down
984 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
986 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
987 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
988 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
989 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
990 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
991 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
993 If this variable is @code{nil}, gnus will ask for group info in total
994 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
995 @sc{nntp} server, gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
996 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
997 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
998 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1000 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1001 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1003 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1004 secondary select methods.
1007 @node Startup Variables
1008 @section Startup Variables
1012 @item gnus-load-hook
1013 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1014 A hook run while gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1015 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1016 times you start gnus.
1018 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1019 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1020 A hook run after starting up gnus successfully.
1022 @item gnus-startup-hook
1023 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1024 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1026 @item gnus-started-hook
1027 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1028 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1031 @item gnus-started-hook
1032 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1033 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1034 generating the group buffer.
1036 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1037 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1038 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1039 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1040 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1041 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1042 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1043 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1045 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1046 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1047 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1048 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1049 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1050 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1052 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1053 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1054 Message displayed by gnus when no groups are available.
1056 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1057 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1058 If non-@code{nil}, play the gnus jingle at startup.
1060 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1061 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1062 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1063 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1068 @node The Group Buffer
1069 @chapter The Group Buffer
1070 @cindex group buffer
1072 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1073 is the first buffer shown when gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1074 long as gnus is active.
1078 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1079 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group.ps,height=9cm}}
1080 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1081 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1082 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1083 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1084 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1085 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1091 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1092 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1093 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1094 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1095 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1096 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1097 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1098 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1099 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1100 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1101 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1102 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1103 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1104 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1105 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1106 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1107 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1111 @node Group Buffer Format
1112 @section Group Buffer Format
1115 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1116 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1117 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1121 @node Group Line Specification
1122 @subsection Group Line Specification
1123 @cindex group buffer format
1125 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1126 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1128 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1131 25: news.announce.newusers
1132 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1137 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1138 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1139 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1140 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1142 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1143 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1144 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1145 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1146 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1147 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1149 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1151 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1152 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1153 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1154 never examined by gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1157 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1158 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1159 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1161 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1166 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1169 Whether the group is subscribed.
1172 Level of subscribedness.
1175 Number of unread articles.
1178 Number of dormant articles.
1181 Number of ticked articles.
1184 Number of read articles.
1187 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1188 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1191 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1194 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1203 Newsgroup description.
1206 @samp{m} if moderated.
1209 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1218 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1222 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1225 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1226 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1227 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1228 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1229 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.emacs.gnus}.
1232 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1234 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1238 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1242 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1243 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1244 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1245 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1246 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1247 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1252 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1253 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1254 group, or a bogus native group.
1257 @node Group Modeline Specification
1258 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1259 @cindex group modeline
1261 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1262 The mode line can be changed by setting
1263 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1264 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1268 The native news server.
1270 The native select method.
1274 @node Group Highlighting
1275 @subsection Group Highlighting
1276 @cindex highlighting
1277 @cindex group highlighting
1279 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1280 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1281 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1282 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1283 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1285 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1289 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-1
1290 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))))
1291 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-2
1292 '((t (:foreground "SeaGreen" :bold t))))
1293 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-3
1294 '((t (:foreground "SpringGreen" :bold t))))
1295 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-4
1296 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))))
1297 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-5
1298 '((t (:foreground "SkyBlue" :bold t))))
1300 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1301 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1302 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1303 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1304 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1305 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1308 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1310 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1317 The number of unread articles in the group.
1321 Whether the group is a mail group.
1323 The level of the group.
1325 The score of the group.
1327 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1329 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1330 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1332 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1333 topic being inserted.
1336 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1337 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal gnus
1338 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1340 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1341 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1342 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1343 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1344 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1347 @node Group Maneuvering
1348 @section Group Maneuvering
1349 @cindex group movement
1351 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1352 expected, hopefully.
1358 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1359 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1360 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1366 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1367 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1368 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1372 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1373 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1377 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1378 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1382 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1383 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1384 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1388 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1389 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1390 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1393 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1399 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1400 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1401 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1406 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1407 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1408 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1412 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1413 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1414 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1417 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1418 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1419 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1420 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1424 @node Selecting a Group
1425 @section Selecting a Group
1426 @cindex group selection
1431 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1432 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1433 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1434 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1435 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1436 this command, gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1437 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1438 determines the number of articles gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1439 positive, gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1440 negative, gnus fetches the @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1444 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1445 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1446 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1447 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1448 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1452 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1453 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1454 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1455 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1456 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1457 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1458 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1459 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
1460 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
1461 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
1464 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1465 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1466 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1467 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1468 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1471 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1472 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1473 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1474 doing any processing of its contents
1475 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1476 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1477 manner will have no permanent effects.
1481 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1482 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what gnus should consider
1483 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1484 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, gnus will query the user
1485 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1486 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1487 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1488 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1491 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1492 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1493 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1494 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
1499 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1500 full summary buffer.
1503 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1506 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
1510 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1511 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1512 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1516 @node Subscription Commands
1517 @section Subscription Commands
1518 @cindex subscription
1526 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1527 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
1528 Toggle subscription to the current group
1529 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1535 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1536 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1537 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1538 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1544 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1545 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
1546 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1552 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1553 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1556 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1557 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1558 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1559 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1560 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1566 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1567 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1571 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1572 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1575 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1576 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1577 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1578 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1579 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
1580 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1581 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
1582 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1583 @file{.newsrc} file.
1587 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1597 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1598 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1599 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
1600 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1601 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1602 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group
1603 from the group buffer.
1607 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1608 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1609 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1613 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1614 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
1615 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1617 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1618 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1619 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1620 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
1621 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
1622 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
1629 @section Group Levels
1633 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1634 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1635 can ask gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1636 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1637 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1639 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1645 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1646 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1647 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1648 prompted for a level.
1651 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1652 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1653 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1654 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1655 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
1656 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1657 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1658 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1659 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1660 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
1661 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
1662 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
1663 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
1664 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
1665 reasons of efficiency.
1667 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1668 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
1670 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1671 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1672 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1674 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1675 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1676 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1677 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1678 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1679 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1680 relevant valid ranges.
1682 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1683 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1684 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
1685 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1686 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1687 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1690 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1691 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1692 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1695 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1696 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1697 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1698 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1701 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1702 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1703 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1704 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1706 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1707 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
1708 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
1709 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
1710 to 5. The default is 6.
1714 @section Group Score
1719 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1720 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1721 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1724 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1725 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1726 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1727 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1728 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1729 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1730 part and the score is the least significant part.))
1732 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1733 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1734 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1735 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1736 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1737 action after each summary exit, you can add
1738 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1739 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1740 slow things down somewhat.
1743 @node Marking Groups
1744 @section Marking Groups
1745 @cindex marking groups
1747 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1748 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1749 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1750 bidding on those groups.
1752 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1753 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1754 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1762 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1763 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1769 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1770 Remove the mark from the current group
1771 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1775 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1776 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1780 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1781 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1785 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1786 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1790 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1791 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1792 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1795 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1797 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1798 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1799 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1800 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1801 the command to be executed.
1804 @node Foreign Groups
1805 @section Foreign Groups
1806 @cindex foreign groups
1808 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1809 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1810 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
1811 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
1818 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1819 @cindex making groups
1820 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1821 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1822 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1826 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1827 @cindex renaming groups
1828 Rename the current group to something else
1829 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
1830 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1836 @findex gnus-group-customize
1837 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
1841 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1842 @cindex renaming groups
1843 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1844 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1848 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1849 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1850 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1854 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1855 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1856 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1860 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1862 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
1863 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1868 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1869 Make the gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1873 @cindex (ding) archive
1874 @cindex archive group
1875 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1876 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1877 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1878 Make a gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1879 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1880 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1881 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1885 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1887 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1888 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1889 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1890 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
1894 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1896 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
1897 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1898 @xref{Anything Groups}.
1902 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1903 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1905 Make a group based on some file or other
1906 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1907 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1908 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1909 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs},
1910 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, and @code{forward}. If you run
1911 this command without a prefix, gnus will guess at the file type.
1912 @xref{Document Groups}.
1916 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
1921 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
1922 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1923 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
1924 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
1925 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
1926 @xref{Web Searches}.
1928 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
1929 to a particular group by using a match string like
1930 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
1933 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1934 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1935 This function will delete the current group
1936 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1937 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1938 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1939 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
1940 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
1944 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1945 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1946 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
1950 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1951 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1952 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1955 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1958 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1959 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1960 gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1961 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1962 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
1963 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
1967 @node Group Parameters
1968 @section Group Parameters
1969 @cindex group parameters
1971 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
1972 Here's an example group parameter list:
1975 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
1979 We see that each element consists of a ``dotted pair''---the thing
1980 before the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value.
1981 All the parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs,
1982 which are not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
1984 The following group parameters can be used:
1989 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
1992 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
1995 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
1996 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
1997 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
1998 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
1999 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2001 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2002 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2003 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2004 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2005 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2006 list address instead.
2010 Address used when doing a @kbd{a} in that group.
2013 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2016 It is totally ignored
2017 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2018 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2020 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2021 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2022 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2023 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2024 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2026 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2027 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2028 sending the message.
2032 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2033 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2034 of whether it has any unread articles.
2036 @item broken-reply-to
2037 @cindex broken-reply-to
2038 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2039 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2040 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2041 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2042 broken behavior. So there!
2046 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2047 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2051 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, gnus
2052 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2053 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2058 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2059 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2060 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2061 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2062 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2063 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2064 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2068 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2069 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2070 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2073 @cindex total-expire
2074 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2075 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2076 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2077 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2082 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2083 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2084 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2085 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2086 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2087 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2090 @cindex score file group parameter
2091 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2092 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2093 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2096 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2097 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2098 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2099 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2102 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2103 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2104 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2105 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2108 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2109 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2113 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2116 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2121 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")} are
2122 arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by gnus,
2123 but provide a place for you to store information on particular groups.
2125 @item @var{(variable form)}
2126 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2127 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2128 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2129 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2130 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2131 @code{eval}ed there.
2133 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2134 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2135 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2136 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2137 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2141 Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group. You
2142 might also be interested in reading about topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
2146 @node Listing Groups
2147 @section Listing Groups
2148 @cindex group listing
2150 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2158 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2159 List all groups that have unread articles
2160 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2161 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2162 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2163 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2170 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2171 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2172 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2173 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2174 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2175 unsubscribed groups).
2179 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2180 List all unread groups on a specific level
2181 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2182 with no unread articles.
2186 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2187 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2188 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2189 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2194 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2195 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2199 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2200 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2201 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2205 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2206 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2210 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2211 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2212 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2213 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2214 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2215 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2216 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2217 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2221 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2222 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2223 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2227 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2228 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2229 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2233 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2234 @cindex visible group parameter
2235 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2236 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2237 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2238 get the same effect.
2240 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2241 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2242 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2243 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2244 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2247 @node Sorting Groups
2248 @section Sorting Groups
2249 @cindex sorting groups
2251 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2252 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2253 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2254 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2255 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2256 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2261 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2262 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2263 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2265 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2266 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2267 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2269 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2270 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2271 Sort by group level.
2273 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2274 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2275 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
2277 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2278 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2279 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2280 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
2282 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2283 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2284 Sort by number of unread articles.
2286 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2287 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2288 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2293 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2294 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2298 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2299 some sorting criteria:
2303 @kindex G S a (Group)
2304 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2305 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2306 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2309 @kindex G S u (Group)
2310 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2311 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2312 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2315 @kindex G S l (Group)
2316 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2317 Sort the group buffer by group level
2318 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2321 @kindex G S v (Group)
2322 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2323 Sort the group buffer by group score
2324 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2327 @kindex G S r (Group)
2328 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2329 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2330 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2333 @kindex G S m (Group)
2334 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2335 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2336 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2340 When given a prefix, all these commands will sort in reverse order.
2342 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2346 @kindex G P a (Group)
2347 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2348 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2349 group name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2352 @kindex G P u (Group)
2353 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2354 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by the number of
2355 unread articles (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
2358 @kindex G P l (Group)
2359 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
2360 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group level
2361 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
2364 @kindex G P v (Group)
2365 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
2366 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group score
2367 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2370 @kindex G P r (Group)
2371 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
2372 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group rank
2373 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2376 @kindex G P m (Group)
2377 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
2378 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2379 backend name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
2385 @node Group Maintenance
2386 @section Group Maintenance
2387 @cindex bogus groups
2392 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
2393 Find bogus groups and delete them
2394 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
2398 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
2399 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
2400 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
2401 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
2402 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
2406 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
2407 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
2408 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
2409 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
2412 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
2413 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
2414 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
2415 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
2420 @node Browse Foreign Server
2421 @section Browse Foreign Server
2422 @cindex foreign servers
2423 @cindex browsing servers
2428 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
2429 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
2430 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
2431 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
2434 @findex gnus-browse-mode
2435 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
2436 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
2437 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
2439 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
2444 @findex gnus-group-next-group
2445 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
2449 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2450 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2453 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
2454 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
2455 Enter the current group and display the first article
2456 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2459 @kindex RET (Browse)
2460 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2461 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2465 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2466 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2467 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2473 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2474 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2478 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2479 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2480 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2485 @section Exiting gnus
2486 @cindex exiting gnus
2488 Yes, gnus is ex(c)iting.
2493 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2494 Suspend gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit
2495 gnus, but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure
2496 why this is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2500 @findex gnus-group-exit
2501 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
2502 Quit gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2506 @findex gnus-group-quit
2507 Quit gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files
2508 (@code{gnus-group-quit}). The dribble file will be saved, though
2509 (@pxref{Auto Save}).
2512 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2513 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2514 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend gnus and
2515 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit gnus, while
2516 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2521 If you wish to completely unload gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2522 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2523 trying to customize meta-variables.
2528 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
2529 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2530 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2536 @section Group Topics
2539 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2540 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2541 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2542 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2543 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2544 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2548 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
2549 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group-topic.ps,height=9cm}}
2560 2: alt.religion.emacs
2563 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2565 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2566 13: comp.sources.unix
2569 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2571 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2572 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2573 is a toggling command.)
2575 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2576 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2577 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2578 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2581 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2582 the hook for the group mode:
2585 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2589 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2590 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2591 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
2592 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2593 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
2597 @node Topic Variables
2598 @subsection Topic Variables
2599 @cindex topic variables
2601 Now, if you select a topic, it will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2602 really neat, I think.
2604 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2605 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2606 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
2619 Number of groups in the topic.
2621 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2623 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2626 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2627 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2628 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2631 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2632 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2634 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
2635 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
2636 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
2639 @node Topic Commands
2640 @subsection Topic Commands
2641 @cindex topic commands
2643 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2644 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2645 definitions slightly.
2651 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2652 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2653 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2657 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2658 Move the current group to some other topic
2659 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2660 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2664 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2665 Copy the current group to some other topic
2666 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2667 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2671 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2672 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2673 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
2674 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
2675 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
2676 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
2677 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
2680 This command uses the process/prefix convention
2681 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2685 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2686 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2687 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2691 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2692 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2693 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2697 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
2698 Toggle hiding empty topics
2699 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
2703 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2704 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2705 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2708 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
2709 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2710 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2711 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2715 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2717 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2718 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2719 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2720 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2721 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2722 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2726 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
2728 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2729 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2730 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2731 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2734 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
2735 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
2736 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2737 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
2741 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2742 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
2743 topic will be removed along with the topic.
2747 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2748 Yank the previously killed group or topic
2749 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
2754 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2755 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2758 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
2759 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2760 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2764 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2765 List all groups that gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2766 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2770 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
2771 @cindex group parameters
2772 @cindex topic parameters
2774 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
2775 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
2781 @subsection Topic Sorting
2782 @cindex topic sorting
2784 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
2790 @kindex T S a (Topic)
2791 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2792 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
2793 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2796 @kindex T S u (Topic)
2797 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
2798 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
2799 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2802 @kindex T S l (Topic)
2803 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
2804 Sort the current topic by group level
2805 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
2808 @kindex T S v (Topic)
2809 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
2810 Sort the current topic by group score
2811 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2814 @kindex T S r (Topic)
2815 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
2816 Sort the current topic by group rank
2817 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2820 @kindex T S m (Topic)
2821 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
2822 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
2823 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
2827 @xref{Sorting Groups} for more information about group sorting.
2830 @node Topic Topology
2831 @subsection Topic Topology
2832 @cindex topic topology
2835 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2841 2: alt.religion.emacs
2844 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2846 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2847 13: comp.sources.unix
2850 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
2851 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
2852 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
2857 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2858 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2862 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2863 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2864 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2865 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2866 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2867 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2869 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2870 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2871 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2874 @node Topic Parameters
2875 @subsection Topic Parameters
2876 @cindex topic parameters
2878 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
2879 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
2880 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
2882 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
2883 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
2884 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
2885 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
2891 2: alt.religion.emacs
2895 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2897 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2898 13: comp.sources.unix
2902 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
2903 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
2904 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
2905 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
2906 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
2907 . "religion.SCORE")}.
2909 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
2910 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
2911 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
2912 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
2913 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
2915 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
2916 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
2917 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
2918 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
2919 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
2920 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
2921 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
2922 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
2925 @node Misc Group Stuff
2926 @section Misc Group Stuff
2929 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2930 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and gnus.
2931 * Group Timestamp:: Making gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
2932 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the gnus files.
2939 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2940 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
2941 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
2945 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2946 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
2947 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
2951 @findex gnus-group-mail
2952 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
2956 Variables for the group buffer:
2960 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
2961 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
2962 is called after the group buffer has been
2965 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
2966 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2967 is called after the group buffer is
2968 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
2971 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
2972 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2973 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
2974 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
2976 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2977 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2978 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
2979 whether they are empty or not.
2984 @node Scanning New Messages
2985 @subsection Scanning New Messages
2986 @cindex new messages
2987 @cindex scanning new news
2993 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
2994 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
2995 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
2996 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
2997 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
2998 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3003 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3004 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3005 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3006 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3007 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3008 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3009 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3011 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3012 @cindex activating groups
3014 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3015 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3020 @findex gnus-group-restart
3021 Restart gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3022 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3023 gnus variables, and then starts gnus all over again.
3027 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3028 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3030 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3031 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3035 @node Group Information
3036 @subsection Group Information
3037 @cindex group information
3038 @cindex information on groups
3045 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3046 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3049 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3050 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3051 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3052 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3053 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3054 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3055 for fetching the file.
3057 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, gnus will attempt to go
3058 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3062 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3064 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3065 @cindex describing groups
3066 @cindex group description
3067 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3068 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3069 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3073 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3074 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3075 prefix, force gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3082 @findex gnus-version
3083 Display current gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3087 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3088 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3091 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3094 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3095 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3099 @node Group Timestamp
3100 @subsection Group Timestamp
3102 @cindex group timestamps
3104 It can be convenient to let gnus keep track of when you last read a
3105 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
3106 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
3109 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
3112 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
3114 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
3115 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
3118 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3119 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
3122 This will result in lines looking like:
3125 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
3126 0: custom 19961002T012713
3129 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
3130 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
3134 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3135 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
3140 @subsection File Commands
3141 @cindex file commands
3147 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
3148 @vindex gnus-init-file
3149 @cindex reading init file
3150 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
3151 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
3155 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
3156 @cindex saving .newsrc
3157 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
3158 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
3159 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
3162 @c @kindex Z (Group)
3163 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
3164 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
3169 @node The Summary Buffer
3170 @chapter The Summary Buffer
3171 @cindex summary buffer
3173 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
3174 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
3176 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
3177 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
3179 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
3182 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
3183 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
3184 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
3185 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
3186 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
3187 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
3188 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
3189 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
3190 * Threading:: How threads are made.
3191 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3192 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3193 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3194 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3195 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3196 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3197 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3198 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3199 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3200 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3201 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3202 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3203 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3204 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3205 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3206 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
3207 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3208 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3212 @node Summary Buffer Format
3213 @section Summary Buffer Format
3214 @cindex summary buffer format
3218 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
3219 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary.ps,width=7.5cm}}
3220 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-article.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
3226 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3227 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3228 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3231 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3232 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3233 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3234 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3235 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3236 @code{From} header. Three pre-defined functions exist:
3237 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3238 fast, and too simplistic solution;
3239 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works nicely, but is
3240 slower; and @code{std11-extract-address-components}, which works very
3241 nicely, but is slower. The default function will return the wrong
3242 answer in 5% of the cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the
3243 other function instead.
3245 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3246 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3247 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3248 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
3251 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3252 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3254 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3255 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3256 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3257 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3258 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3260 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3262 The following format specification characters are understood:
3270 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
3271 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3272 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
3274 Full @code{From} header.
3276 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3278 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3279 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3280 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3281 may be more thorough.
3283 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3286 Number of lines in the article.
3288 Number of characters in the article.
3290 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3292 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
3293 pushes everything after it off the screen).
3295 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
3296 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3298 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
3299 for adopted articles.
3301 One space for each thread level.
3303 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
3308 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
3309 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
3313 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
3315 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
3316 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
3317 default level. If the difference between
3318 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
3319 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
3327 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
3329 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
3335 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
3336 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
3338 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
3339 article has any children.
3345 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
3346 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
3347 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
3348 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
3349 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
3350 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
3353 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
3354 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, gnus will
3355 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
3356 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
3357 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
3358 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
3360 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
3361 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
3363 This restriction may disappear in later versions of gnus.
3366 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
3367 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
3369 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
3370 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
3371 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
3372 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
3374 Here are the elements you can play with:
3380 Unprefixed group name.
3382 Current article number.
3384 Current article score.
3388 Number of unread articles in this group.
3390 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
3393 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
3394 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
3395 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
3396 and no unselected ones.
3398 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
3399 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
3401 Subject of the current article.
3403 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
3405 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
3407 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3409 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3411 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
3413 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
3417 @node Summary Highlighting
3418 @subsection Summary Highlighting
3422 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3423 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3424 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
3425 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
3426 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3428 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
3429 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
3430 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
3431 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3433 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
3434 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
3435 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
3436 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
3438 @item gnus-summary-highlight
3439 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
3440 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
3441 list where the elements are of the format @var{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
3442 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
3443 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
3445 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
3446 ((> score default) . bold))
3448 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3449 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
3453 @node Summary Maneuvering
3454 @section Summary Maneuvering
3455 @cindex summary movement
3457 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
3458 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
3460 None of these commands select articles.
3465 @kindex M-n (Summary)
3466 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
3467 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
3468 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
3469 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
3473 @kindex M-p (Summary)
3474 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
3475 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
3476 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
3477 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
3482 @kindex G j (Summary)
3483 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
3484 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
3485 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
3488 @kindex G g (Summary)
3489 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
3490 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
3491 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
3494 If gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
3495 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
3496 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
3497 to the group buffer.
3499 Variables related to summary movement:
3503 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
3504 @item gnus-auto-select-next
3505 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
3506 no more unread articles after the current one, gnus will offer to go to
3507 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
3508 empty, gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
3509 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, gnus will select the
3510 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
3511 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, gnus will select the
3512 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
3513 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
3514 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
3515 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
3516 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
3518 @item gnus-auto-select-same
3519 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
3520 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
3521 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
3522 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
3523 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
3524 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
3526 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
3528 @item gnus-summary-check-current
3529 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
3530 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
3531 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
3532 Instead, they will choose the current article.
3534 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
3535 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
3536 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
3537 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
3538 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
3539 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
3540 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
3541 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
3547 @node Choosing Articles
3548 @section Choosing Articles
3549 @cindex selecting articles
3552 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
3553 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
3557 @node Choosing Commands
3558 @subsection Choosing Commands
3560 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
3561 and they all select and display an article.
3565 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3566 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3567 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
3568 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3573 @kindex G n (Summary)
3574 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
3575 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
3576 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
3581 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
3582 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
3583 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
3588 @kindex G N (Summary)
3589 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
3590 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
3595 @kindex G P (Summary)
3596 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
3597 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
3600 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
3601 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
3602 Go to the next article with the same subject
3603 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
3606 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
3607 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
3608 Go to the previous article with the same subject
3609 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
3613 @kindex G f (Summary)
3615 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
3616 Go to the first unread article
3617 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
3621 @kindex G b (Summary)
3623 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
3624 Go to the article with the highest score
3625 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
3630 @kindex G l (Summary)
3631 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
3632 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
3635 @kindex G o (Summary)
3636 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
3638 @cindex article history
3639 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
3640 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
3641 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
3642 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
3643 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
3644 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
3648 @node Choosing Variables
3649 @subsection Choosing Variables
3651 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
3654 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3655 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3656 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
3657 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
3658 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
3659 the server and display it in the article buffer.
3661 @item gnus-select-article-hook
3662 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
3663 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
3664 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
3666 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
3667 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
3668 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
3669 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
3670 @findex gnus-unread-mark
3671 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
3672 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
3673 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
3674 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
3675 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
3676 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
3677 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
3678 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
3679 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
3684 @node Paging the Article
3685 @section Scrolling the Article
3686 @cindex article scrolling
3691 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3692 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3693 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
3694 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
3695 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3698 @kindex DEL (Summary)
3699 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
3700 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
3703 @kindex RET (Summary)
3704 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
3705 Scroll the current article one line forward
3706 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
3709 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
3710 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
3711 Scroll the current article one line backward
3712 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
3716 @kindex A g (Summary)
3718 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
3719 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
3720 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
3721 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
3722 the way it came from the server.
3727 @kindex A < (Summary)
3728 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
3729 Scroll to the beginning of the article
3730 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
3735 @kindex A > (Summary)
3736 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
3737 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
3741 @kindex A s (Summary)
3743 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
3744 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
3745 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
3749 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
3750 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
3755 @node Reply Followup and Post
3756 @section Reply, Followup and Post
3759 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
3760 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3764 @node Summary Mail Commands
3765 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3767 @cindex composing mail
3769 Commands for composing a mail message:
3775 @kindex S r (Summary)
3777 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3778 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
3779 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
3780 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3781 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3786 @kindex S R (Summary)
3787 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3788 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
3789 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3790 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3791 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3794 @kindex S w (Summary)
3795 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
3796 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
3797 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
3798 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
3799 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
3802 @kindex S W (Summary)
3803 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
3804 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
3805 message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This command uses
3806 the process/prefix convention.
3809 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3810 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3811 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
3812 Forward the current article to some other person
3813 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3814 headers of the forwarded article.
3819 @kindex S m (Summary)
3820 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3821 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
3822 Send a mail to some other person
3823 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3826 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3827 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3828 @cindex bouncing mail
3829 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3830 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3831 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3832 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3833 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3834 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, gnus will try to fetch
3835 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3836 very well fail, though.
3839 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3840 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3841 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3842 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3843 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3844 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3845 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3846 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3847 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3848 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3850 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3851 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3852 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3853 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3854 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung mu
\e,A_
\e(B sein!
3856 This command understands the process/prefix convention
3857 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3860 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3861 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3862 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
3863 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
3864 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3867 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
3868 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
3869 @cindex crossposting
3870 @cindex excessive crossposting
3871 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
3872 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
3874 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
3875 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
3876 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
3877 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
3878 command understands the process/prefix convention
3879 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
3883 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
3886 @node Summary Post Commands
3887 @subsection Summary Post Commands
3889 @cindex composing news
3891 Commands for posting a news article:
3897 @kindex S p (Summary)
3898 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
3899 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
3900 Post an article to the current group
3901 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
3906 @kindex S f (Summary)
3907 @findex gnus-summary-followup
3908 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
3909 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
3913 @kindex S F (Summary)
3915 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
3916 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
3917 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
3918 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
3919 process/prefix convention.
3922 @kindex S n (Summary)
3923 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3924 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3925 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
3928 @kindex S N (Summary)
3929 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
3930 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3931 message through mail and include the original message
3932 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
3933 the process/prefix convention.
3936 @kindex S o p (Summary)
3937 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
3938 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
3939 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3940 headers of the forwarded article.
3943 @kindex S O p (Summary)
3944 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
3946 @cindex making digests
3947 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
3948 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
3949 process/prefix convention.
3952 @kindex S u (Summary)
3953 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
3954 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
3955 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
3956 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
3959 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
3962 @node Canceling and Superseding
3963 @section Canceling Articles
3964 @cindex canceling articles
3965 @cindex superseding articles
3967 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
3968 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
3970 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
3972 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
3974 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
3975 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
3976 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
3977 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
3978 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
3979 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3981 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
3982 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
3985 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
3986 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
3987 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
3989 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
3990 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
3991 your original article.
3993 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
3995 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
3996 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
3997 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
4000 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
4001 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
4002 have posted almost the same article twice.
4004 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
4005 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
4006 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
4007 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
4008 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
4009 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
4010 header by substituting one of those words for the word
4011 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
4012 you would do normally. The previous article will be
4013 canceled/superseded.
4015 Just remember, kids: There is no `c' in `supersede'.
4018 @node Marking Articles
4019 @section Marking Articles
4020 @cindex article marking
4021 @cindex article ticking
4024 There are several marks you can set on an article.
4026 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
4027 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
4028 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
4030 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
4033 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
4034 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
4035 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
4039 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
4043 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
4044 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
4048 @node Unread Articles
4049 @subsection Unread Articles
4051 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
4056 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
4057 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
4059 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
4060 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
4061 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
4062 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
4063 article forever, you'll have to make it persistent (@pxref{Persistent
4067 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
4068 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
4070 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
4071 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
4072 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
4075 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
4076 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
4078 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
4083 @subsection Read Articles
4084 @cindex expirable mark
4086 All the following marks mark articles as read.
4091 @vindex gnus-del-mark
4092 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
4093 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
4096 @vindex gnus-read-mark
4097 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
4100 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
4101 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
4102 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
4105 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
4106 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
4109 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
4110 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
4113 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
4114 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
4117 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
4118 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
4121 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
4122 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
4125 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
4126 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
4129 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
4130 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
4134 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
4135 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
4136 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
4140 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
4141 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
4143 One more special mark, though:
4147 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
4148 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
4150 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
4151 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
4152 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
4153 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by gnus at any time.
4158 @subsection Other Marks
4159 @cindex process mark
4162 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
4168 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
4169 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
4170 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
4171 in the article, and gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
4172 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}
4175 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
4176 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
4177 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
4178 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
4181 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
4182 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
4183 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}
4186 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
4187 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
4188 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
4189 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
4192 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
4193 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
4194 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
4195 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
4196 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
4199 @vindex gnus-process-mark
4200 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
4201 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
4202 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
4203 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
4204 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
4208 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
4209 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
4210 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
4212 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
4213 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
4214 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
4218 @subsection Setting Marks
4219 @cindex setting marks
4221 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
4226 @kindex M c (Summary)
4227 @kindex M-u (Summary)
4228 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
4229 @cindex mark as unread
4230 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
4231 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
4237 @kindex M t (Summary)
4238 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
4239 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
4240 @xref{Article Caching}
4245 @kindex M ? (Summary)
4246 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
4247 Mark the current article as dormant
4248 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}
4252 @kindex M d (Summary)
4254 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
4255 Mark the current article as read
4256 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
4260 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
4261 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
4262 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
4267 @kindex M k (Summary)
4268 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
4269 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
4270 and then select the next unread article
4271 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
4275 @kindex M K (Summary)
4276 @kindex C-k (Summary)
4277 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
4278 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
4279 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
4282 @kindex M C (Summary)
4283 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
4284 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
4285 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
4288 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
4289 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
4290 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
4291 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
4294 @kindex M H (Summary)
4295 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
4296 Catchup the current group to point
4297 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
4300 @kindex C-w (Summary)
4301 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
4302 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
4303 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
4306 @kindex M V k (Summary)
4307 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
4308 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
4309 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
4313 @kindex M e (Summary)
4315 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
4316 Mark the current article as expirable
4317 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
4320 @kindex M b (Summary)
4321 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
4322 Set a bookmark in the current article
4323 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
4326 @kindex M B (Summary)
4327 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
4328 Remove the bookmark from the current article
4329 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
4332 @kindex M V c (Summary)
4333 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
4334 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
4335 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4338 @kindex M V u (Summary)
4339 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
4340 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
4341 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
4344 @kindex M V m (Summary)
4345 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
4346 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
4347 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
4348 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4351 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
4352 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
4353 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
4354 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
4355 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
4356 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
4357 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
4358 The default is @code{t}.
4361 @node Setting Process Marks
4362 @subsection Setting Process Marks
4363 @cindex setting process marks
4370 @kindex M P p (Summary)
4371 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
4372 Mark the current article with the process mark
4373 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
4374 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
4378 @kindex M P u (Summary)
4379 @kindex M-# (Summary)
4380 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
4381 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
4384 @kindex M P U (Summary)
4385 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
4386 Remove the process mark from all articles
4387 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
4390 @kindex M P i (Summary)
4391 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
4392 Invert the list of process marked articles
4393 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
4396 @kindex M P R (Summary)
4397 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
4398 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
4399 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
4402 @kindex M P r (Summary)
4403 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
4404 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
4407 @kindex M P t (Summary)
4408 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4409 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4410 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4413 @kindex M P T (Summary)
4414 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4415 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4416 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4419 @kindex M P v (Summary)
4420 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
4421 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
4422 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
4425 @kindex M P s (Summary)
4426 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
4427 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4430 @kindex M P S (Summary)
4431 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
4432 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
4433 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
4436 @kindex M P a (Summary)
4437 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
4438 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4441 @kindex M P b (Summary)
4442 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
4443 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
4444 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
4447 @kindex M P k (Summary)
4448 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
4449 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
4450 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
4453 @kindex M P y (Summary)
4454 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
4455 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
4456 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
4459 @kindex M P w (Summary)
4460 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
4461 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
4462 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
4471 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
4472 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
4473 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
4476 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
4477 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
4478 additional articles.
4484 @kindex / / (Summary)
4485 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
4486 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
4487 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
4490 @kindex / a (Summary)
4491 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
4492 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
4493 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
4497 @kindex / u (Summary)
4499 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
4500 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
4501 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
4502 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
4503 dormant articles will also be excluded.
4506 @kindex / m (Summary)
4507 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
4508 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
4509 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
4512 @kindex / t (Summary)
4513 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
4514 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
4515 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}). If given a prefix, limit to
4516 articles younger than that number of days.
4519 @kindex / n (Summary)
4520 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
4521 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
4522 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
4523 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4526 @kindex / w (Summary)
4527 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
4528 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
4529 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
4533 @kindex / v (Summary)
4534 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
4535 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
4536 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
4540 @kindex M S (Summary)
4541 @kindex / E (Summary)
4542 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
4543 Include all expunged articles in the limit
4544 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
4547 @kindex / D (Summary)
4548 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
4549 Include all dormant articles in the limit
4550 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
4553 @kindex / * (Summary)
4554 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
4555 Include all cached articles in the limit
4556 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
4559 @kindex / d (Summary)
4560 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
4561 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
4562 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
4565 @kindex / T (Summary)
4566 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
4567 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
4570 @kindex / c (Summary)
4571 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
4572 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
4573 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
4576 @kindex / C (Summary)
4577 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
4578 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
4579 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
4580 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
4588 @cindex article threading
4590 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
4591 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
4592 hierarchical fashion.
4594 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
4595 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
4596 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
4597 or simply missing. Weird news propagation excarcerbates the problem,
4598 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
4599 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
4600 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
4602 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
4606 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
4609 A tree-like article structure.
4612 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
4615 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
4616 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
4617 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
4618 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
4619 called loose threads.
4621 @item thread gathering
4622 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
4624 @item sparse threads
4625 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
4626 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
4632 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
4633 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
4637 @node Customizing Threading
4638 @subsection Customizing Threading
4639 @cindex customizing threading
4642 * Loose Threads:: How gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
4643 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
4644 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
4645 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
4650 @subsubsection Loose Threads
4653 @cindex loose threads
4656 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
4657 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
4658 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
4659 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
4660 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
4661 read or killed the root in a previous session.
4663 When there is no real root of a thread, gnus will have to fudge
4664 something. This variable says what fudging method gnus should use.
4665 There are four possible values:
4669 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
4670 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-adopt.ps,width=7.5cm}}
4671 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-empty.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4672 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-none.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4673 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-dummy.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4678 @cindex adopting articles
4683 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
4684 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
4685 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
4686 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
4689 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
4690 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
4691 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
4692 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
4693 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
4694 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
4695 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
4698 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
4699 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
4700 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
4704 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
4705 display them after one another.
4708 Don't gather loose threads.
4711 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4712 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4713 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
4714 variable is @code{nil}, gnus requires an exact match between the
4715 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
4716 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
4717 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
4718 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
4719 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
4720 variable to a really low number, you'll find that gnus will gather
4721 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
4723 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
4724 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, gnus will
4725 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
4728 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4729 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4730 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
4731 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
4732 simplification is used.
4734 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4735 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4736 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
4737 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
4739 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
4741 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4747 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
4748 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
4749 "answer" "reference" "announce"
4750 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
4755 (mapconcat 'identity
4756 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
4758 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
4761 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
4764 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4765 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4766 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
4767 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
4768 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
4769 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
4771 Useful functions to put in this list include:
4774 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
4775 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
4776 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
4778 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4779 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4782 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
4783 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
4784 Remove excessive whitespace.
4787 You may also write your own functions, of course.
4790 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4791 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4792 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
4793 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
4794 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
4795 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
4796 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
4797 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
4799 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4800 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4801 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
4802 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
4803 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
4804 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
4805 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
4806 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
4807 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
4811 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4812 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4813 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
4814 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
4816 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4817 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4818 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
4821 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
4825 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4826 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
4832 @node Filling In Threads
4833 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
4836 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
4837 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
4838 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
4839 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you would
4840 like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still connect as
4841 many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable to
4842 @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than that
4843 number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case, fetching
4844 old headers only works if the backend you are using carries overview
4845 files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
4846 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
4847 expired by the server, there's not much gnus can do about that.
4849 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
4850 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
4851 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
4853 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
4854 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
4855 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
4856 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
4857 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
4858 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
4859 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where gnus guesses that an article
4860 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
4861 lines. If you select a gap, gnus will try to fetch the article in
4862 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, gnus will display all these
4863 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
4864 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, gnus won't cut
4865 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
4866 @code{nil} by default.
4871 @node More Threading
4872 @subsubsection More Threading
4875 @item gnus-show-threads
4876 @vindex gnus-show-threads
4877 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
4878 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
4879 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
4880 slower and more awkward.
4882 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4883 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4884 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
4887 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
4888 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
4889 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
4890 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
4891 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
4892 threads are expunged.
4894 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
4895 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
4896 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
4899 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4900 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4901 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
4902 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
4903 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
4906 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
4907 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
4908 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
4914 @node Low-Level Threading
4915 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
4919 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
4920 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
4921 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
4922 @code{(gnus-set-summary-default-charset)}, which sets up local value of
4923 @code{default-mime-charset} in summary buffer based on variable
4924 @code{gnus-newsgroup-default-charset-alist}.
4926 @item gnus-alter-header-function
4927 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
4928 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
4929 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
4930 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
4931 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
4932 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
4933 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
4934 meaningful. Here's one example:
4937 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
4939 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
4940 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
4942 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
4944 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
4951 @node Thread Commands
4952 @subsection Thread Commands
4953 @cindex thread commands
4959 @kindex T k (Summary)
4960 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
4961 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
4962 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
4963 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
4964 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
4969 @kindex T l (Summary)
4970 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
4971 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
4972 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
4973 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
4976 @kindex T i (Summary)
4977 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
4978 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
4979 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
4982 @kindex T # (Summary)
4983 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4984 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
4985 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4988 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
4989 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4990 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
4991 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4994 @kindex T T (Summary)
4995 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
4996 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
4999 @kindex T s (Summary)
5000 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
5001 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
5002 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
5005 @kindex T h (Summary)
5006 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
5007 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
5010 @kindex T S (Summary)
5011 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
5012 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
5015 @kindex T H (Summary)
5016 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
5017 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
5020 @kindex T t (Summary)
5021 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
5022 Re-thread the current article's thread
5023 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
5024 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
5027 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
5028 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
5029 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
5030 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
5034 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
5035 understand the numeric prefix.
5040 @kindex T n (Summary)
5041 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
5042 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
5045 @kindex T p (Summary)
5046 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
5047 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
5050 @kindex T d (Summary)
5051 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
5052 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
5055 @kindex T u (Summary)
5056 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
5057 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
5060 @kindex T o (Summary)
5061 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
5062 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
5065 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
5066 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
5067 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
5068 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
5069 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
5070 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
5071 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
5072 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
5073 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
5074 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
5075 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
5076 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
5083 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
5084 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
5085 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
5086 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5087 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
5088 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5089 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
5090 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
5091 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which is a list of functions.
5092 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
5093 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
5094 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
5095 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
5096 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
5098 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
5099 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
5100 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread. If you use
5101 more than one function, the primary sort key should be the last function
5102 in the list. You should probably always include
5103 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
5104 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
5105 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
5106 ascending article order.
5108 If you would like to sort by score, then by subject, and finally by
5109 number, you could do something like:
5112 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5113 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5114 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5115 gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score))
5118 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
5119 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
5120 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
5121 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
5122 which the articles arrived.
5124 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
5128 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5130 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
5131 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
5134 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
5135 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
5136 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
5137 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
5140 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
5141 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
5142 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
5143 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
5144 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
5145 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
5146 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
5147 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
5148 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
5149 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
5150 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
5151 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
5152 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
5154 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
5158 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
5159 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
5160 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
5165 @node Asynchronous Fetching
5166 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
5167 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
5168 @cindex article pre-fetch
5171 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
5172 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
5173 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
5174 article appears. Why can't gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
5175 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
5177 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
5178 article fetching, especially the way gnus does it.
5180 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
5181 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
5182 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
5183 article 3, but since gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
5184 connection is blocked.
5186 To avoid these situations, gnus will open two (count 'em two)
5187 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
5188 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
5189 extra connection takes some time, so gnus startup will be slower.
5191 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
5192 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
5193 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
5194 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
5197 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
5200 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
5201 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
5202 happen automatically.
5204 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
5205 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
5206 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
5207 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
5208 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
5209 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
5210 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
5212 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
5213 @findex gnus-async-read-p
5214 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
5215 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
5216 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
5217 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
5218 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
5219 data structure as the only parameter.
5221 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter
5222 than 100 lines, you could say something like:
5225 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
5226 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
5227 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
5228 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
5231 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
5234 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
5235 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down gnus too much. It's
5236 probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
5238 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
5239 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
5240 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
5241 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
5245 Remove articles when they are read.
5248 Remove articles when exiting the group.
5251 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
5253 @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
5254 If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
5255 from the next group.
5258 @node Article Caching
5259 @section Article Caching
5260 @cindex article caching
5263 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
5264 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
5265 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
5266 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
5267 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
5269 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
5271 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5272 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
5273 @vindex gnus-use-cache
5274 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
5275 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
5276 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
5277 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
5278 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
5280 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
5281 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
5282 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
5283 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
5284 as dormant, and don't worry.
5286 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
5288 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
5289 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
5290 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
5291 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
5292 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
5293 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
5294 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
5295 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
5296 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
5297 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
5299 @findex gnus-jog-cache
5300 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
5301 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
5302 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
5303 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
5304 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
5305 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
5306 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
5307 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
5308 not then be downloaded by this command.
5310 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
5311 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
5312 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
5313 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
5314 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
5315 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
5317 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
5318 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
5319 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
5320 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
5321 variables, the group is not cached.
5323 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
5324 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
5325 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
5326 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
5327 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
5328 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, gnus
5329 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
5330 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
5331 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
5335 @node Persistent Articles
5336 @section Persistent Articles
5337 @cindex persistent articles
5339 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
5340 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
5341 useful in my opinion.
5343 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
5344 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
5345 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
5346 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
5347 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
5348 the expiry going on at the news server.
5350 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
5351 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
5352 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
5358 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
5359 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
5362 @kindex M-* (Summary)
5363 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
5364 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
5365 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
5369 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
5371 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
5372 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
5373 interested in persistent articles:
5376 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
5380 @node Article Backlog
5381 @section Article Backlog
5383 @cindex article backlog
5385 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
5386 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
5387 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where gnus will buffer
5388 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
5389 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
5390 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
5391 that, turning the backlog on will slow gnus down a little bit, and
5392 increase memory usage some.
5394 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
5395 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, gnus will store
5396 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
5397 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, gnus will store
5398 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
5399 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
5400 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
5402 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5405 @node Saving Articles
5406 @section Saving Articles
5407 @cindex saving articles
5409 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
5410 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
5411 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
5412 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
5413 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
5415 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
5416 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, gnus will not delete
5417 unwanted headers before saving the article.
5419 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
5420 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
5421 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
5422 deleted before saving.
5428 @kindex O o (Summary)
5430 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
5431 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
5432 Save the current article using the default article saver
5433 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
5436 @kindex O m (Summary)
5437 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
5438 Save the current article in mail format
5439 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
5442 @kindex O r (Summary)
5443 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
5444 Save the current article in rmail format
5445 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
5448 @kindex O f (Summary)
5449 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
5450 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
5451 Save the current article in plain file format
5452 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
5455 @kindex O F (Summary)
5456 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
5457 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
5458 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
5461 @kindex O b (Summary)
5462 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
5463 Save the current article body in plain file format
5464 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
5467 @kindex O h (Summary)
5468 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
5469 Save the current article in mh folder format
5470 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
5473 @kindex O v (Summary)
5474 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
5475 Save the current article in a VM folder
5476 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
5479 @kindex O p (Summary)
5480 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
5481 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
5482 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
5485 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
5486 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
5487 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
5488 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
5489 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
5490 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
5491 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
5492 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
5493 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
5494 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
5495 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
5496 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
5500 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
5501 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
5502 gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
5503 functions below, or you can create your own.
5507 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5508 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5509 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
5510 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5511 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
5512 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5513 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5515 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5516 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5517 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
5518 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
5519 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5520 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5522 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
5523 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
5524 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
5525 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5526 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
5527 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5528 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5530 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5531 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5532 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
5533 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5534 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5536 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5537 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5538 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
5539 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
5540 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
5543 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
5544 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
5545 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
5546 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
5547 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
5549 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5550 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5551 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
5552 reader to use this setting.
5555 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
5556 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
5557 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
5558 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
5561 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
5562 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
5563 available functions that generate names:
5567 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
5568 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
5569 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5571 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
5572 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5573 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5575 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
5576 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
5577 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5579 @item gnus-plain-save-name
5580 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5581 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5584 @vindex gnus-split-methods
5585 You can have gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp
5586 into the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would
5587 like to save articles related to gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and
5588 articles related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable
5592 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
5593 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
5594 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
5595 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
5598 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
5599 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
5600 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
5601 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
5602 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
5603 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
5604 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
5605 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
5606 called returns a string or a list of strings.
5608 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
5609 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
5610 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
5611 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
5613 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
5614 means that gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
5615 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file name.
5617 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
5618 lots of mail groups called things like
5619 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
5620 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
5621 following will do just that:
5624 (defun my-save-name (group)
5625 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
5626 (substring group (match-end 0))))
5628 (setq gnus-split-methods
5629 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
5634 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5635 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
5636 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
5637 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
5638 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
5639 all the files in the top level directory
5640 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
5641 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
5642 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
5643 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
5645 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
5646 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
5647 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
5648 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
5649 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
5652 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
5656 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
5657 (setq gnus-default-article-saver 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
5660 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
5661 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
5662 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
5663 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
5666 @node Decoding Articles
5667 @section Decoding Articles
5668 @cindex decoding articles
5670 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
5671 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
5674 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
5675 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
5676 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
5677 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
5678 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
5679 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
5683 @cindex article series
5684 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
5685 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
5686 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
5687 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
5688 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
5690 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
5691 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
5692 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
5694 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, gnus
5695 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
5696 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
5698 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
5699 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
5700 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
5703 @node Uuencoded Articles
5704 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
5706 @cindex uuencoded articles
5711 @kindex X u (Summary)
5712 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
5713 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
5714 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
5717 @kindex X U (Summary)
5718 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
5719 Uudecodes and saves the current series
5720 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5723 @kindex X v u (Summary)
5724 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
5725 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
5728 @kindex X v U (Summary)
5729 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
5730 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
5731 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
5735 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
5736 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
5737 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
5738 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
5739 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5741 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
5742 @sc{GNUS 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
5743 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
5744 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
5747 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
5748 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
5749 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
5750 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
5751 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
5752 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
5756 @node Shell Archives
5757 @subsection Shell Archives
5759 @cindex shell archives
5760 @cindex shared articles
5762 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
5763 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
5764 some commands to deal with these:
5769 @kindex X s (Summary)
5770 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
5771 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
5774 @kindex X S (Summary)
5775 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
5776 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
5779 @kindex X v s (Summary)
5780 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
5781 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
5784 @kindex X v S (Summary)
5785 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
5786 Unshars, views and saves the current series
5787 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
5791 @node PostScript Files
5792 @subsection PostScript Files
5798 @kindex X p (Summary)
5799 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
5800 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
5803 @kindex X P (Summary)
5804 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
5805 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
5806 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
5809 @kindex X v p (Summary)
5810 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
5811 View the current PostScript series
5812 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
5815 @kindex X v P (Summary)
5816 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
5817 View and save the current PostScript series
5818 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
5823 @subsection Other Files
5827 @kindex X o (Summary)
5828 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
5829 Save the current series
5830 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
5833 @kindex X b (Summary)
5834 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
5835 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
5836 doesn't really work yet.
5840 @node Decoding Variables
5841 @subsection Decoding Variables
5843 Adjective, not verb.
5846 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
5847 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
5848 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
5852 @node Rule Variables
5853 @subsubsection Rule Variables
5854 @cindex rule variables
5856 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
5857 variables are of the form
5860 (list '(regexp1 command2)
5867 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5868 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5870 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
5871 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
5874 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5875 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
5878 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5879 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5880 This variable is consulted if gnus couldn't make any matches from the
5881 user and default view rules.
5883 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5884 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5885 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
5890 @node Other Decode Variables
5891 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
5894 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5896 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5897 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
5898 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
5899 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
5900 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
5904 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
5905 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
5908 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
5909 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
5910 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
5913 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5914 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5915 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
5916 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
5917 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
5920 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5921 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5922 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
5924 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5925 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5926 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
5927 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
5928 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
5931 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5932 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5933 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
5935 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5936 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5937 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
5938 looking for files to display.
5940 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
5941 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
5942 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
5945 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5946 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5947 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
5950 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5951 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5952 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
5955 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5956 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5957 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
5960 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5961 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5962 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
5963 decoded articles as unread.
5965 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5966 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5967 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
5968 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
5970 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
5971 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
5972 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
5974 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5975 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5977 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
5978 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
5979 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
5980 @code{metamail} for viewing.
5982 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5983 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5984 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
5985 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
5986 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
5987 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
5988 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
5989 simply dropped them.
5994 @node Uuencoding and Posting
5995 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
5999 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6000 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6001 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
6002 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
6003 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
6004 for you when you post the article.
6006 @item gnus-uu-post-length
6007 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
6008 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
6009 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
6011 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
6012 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
6013 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
6014 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
6015 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
6016 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
6017 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
6019 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6020 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6021 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
6022 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
6023 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
6024 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
6025 Default is @code{t}.
6031 @subsection Viewing Files
6032 @cindex viewing files
6033 @cindex pseudo-articles
6035 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, gnus will attempt
6036 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
6037 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
6038 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, gnus will
6039 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
6040 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
6041 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
6043 Finally, gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
6044 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
6045 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
6046 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
6048 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
6049 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
6050 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
6052 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
6053 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
6054 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
6055 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
6056 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
6058 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
6059 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
6060 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
6061 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
6062 a list of parameters to that command.
6064 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
6065 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
6066 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
6068 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
6069 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
6070 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
6073 @node Article Treatment
6074 @section Article Treatment
6076 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
6077 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
6078 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
6079 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
6080 these articles easier.
6083 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
6084 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
6085 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
6086 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
6087 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
6088 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
6089 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
6093 @node Article Highlighting
6094 @subsection Article Highlighting
6095 @cindex highlighting
6097 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
6098 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
6103 @kindex W H a (Summary)
6104 @findex gnus-article-highlight
6105 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
6106 Do much highlighting of the current article
6107 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
6108 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
6110 Most users would prefer using @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight} in
6111 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}) instead.
6112 This is a bit less agressive---it highlights only the headers, the
6113 signature and adds buttons.
6116 @kindex W H h (Summary)
6117 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
6118 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
6119 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
6120 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
6121 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
6122 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
6123 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
6124 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
6125 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
6126 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
6129 @kindex W H c (Summary)
6130 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
6131 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
6133 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
6136 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6138 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6139 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
6140 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
6142 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6143 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6144 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
6146 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
6147 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
6148 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
6150 @item gnus-cite-face-list
6151 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
6152 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
6153 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
6154 gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
6155 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
6157 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
6158 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
6159 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
6161 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6162 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6163 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
6165 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6166 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6167 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
6168 that it's a citation.
6170 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6171 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6172 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
6174 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6175 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6176 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
6178 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
6179 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
6180 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
6181 cited text belonging to the attribution.
6187 @kindex W H s (Summary)
6188 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6189 @vindex gnus-signature-face
6190 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
6191 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
6192 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
6193 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
6194 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
6199 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to highlight articles automatically.
6202 @node Article Fontisizing
6203 @subsection Article Fontisizing
6205 @cindex article emphasis
6207 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
6208 @kindex W e (Summary)
6209 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
6210 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*}. Gnus can make this look nicer by
6211 running the article through the @kbd{W e}
6212 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
6214 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
6215 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
6216 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
6217 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
6218 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
6219 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
6220 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
6221 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
6225 (setq gnus-article-emphasis
6226 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
6227 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
6230 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
6231 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
6232 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
6233 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
6234 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
6235 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
6236 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
6237 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
6238 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
6239 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
6240 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
6241 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
6242 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
6244 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
6245 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
6246 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
6250 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
6253 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to fontize articles automatically.
6256 @node Article Hiding
6257 @subsection Article Hiding
6258 @cindex article hiding
6260 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
6261 too much cruft in most articles.
6266 @kindex W W a (Summary)
6267 @findex gnus-article-hide
6268 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
6269 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
6270 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
6273 @kindex W W h (Summary)
6274 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
6275 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
6279 @kindex W W b (Summary)
6280 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
6281 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
6282 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
6285 @kindex W W s (Summary)
6286 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
6287 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
6291 @kindex W W p (Summary)
6292 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
6293 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
6294 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
6295 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
6296 signature has been hidden.
6299 @kindex W W P (Summary)
6300 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
6301 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
6302 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
6305 @kindex W W c (Summary)
6306 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
6307 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
6308 customizing the hiding:
6312 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
6313 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
6314 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
6315 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
6316 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
6317 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
6318 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
6323 Start point of the hidden text.
6325 End point of the hidden text.
6327 Length of the hidden text.
6330 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
6331 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
6332 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
6337 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
6338 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
6340 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
6341 following two variables:
6344 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6345 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6346 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
6347 50), hide the cited text.
6349 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6350 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6351 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
6356 @kindex W W C (Summary)
6357 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
6358 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
6359 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
6360 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
6361 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
6365 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
6366 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
6367 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
6369 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
6370 citation customization.
6372 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to hide article elements
6376 @node Article Washing
6377 @subsection Article Washing
6379 @cindex article washing
6381 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
6382 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
6384 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
6385 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
6391 @kindex W l (Summary)
6392 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
6393 Remove page breaks from the current article
6394 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article} for page
6398 @kindex W r (Summary)
6399 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
6400 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
6401 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
6402 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
6403 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
6404 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
6406 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
6407 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
6408 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
6409 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
6412 @kindex W t (Summary)
6413 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
6414 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
6415 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
6418 @kindex W v (Summary)
6419 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
6420 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
6421 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
6424 @kindex W m (Summary)
6425 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
6426 Toggle whether to display the article as @sc{mime} message
6427 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
6430 @kindex W o (Summary)
6431 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
6432 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
6435 @kindex W d (Summary)
6436 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
6437 Treat M******** sm*rtq**t*s (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}).
6440 @kindex W w (Summary)
6441 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
6442 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
6443 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
6444 late and certainly after any highlighting.
6446 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
6450 @kindex W c (Summary)
6451 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
6452 Remove CR (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines)
6453 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
6456 @kindex W f (Summary)
6458 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
6459 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
6460 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
6461 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
6467 Look for and display any X-Face headers
6468 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
6469 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
6470 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
6471 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
6472 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
6473 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
6474 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
6475 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
6476 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
6477 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
6478 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
6479 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
6480 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
6484 @kindex W b (Summary)
6485 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
6486 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
6487 @xref{Article Buttons}
6490 @kindex W B (Summary)
6491 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
6492 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
6493 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
6496 @kindex W E l (Summary)
6497 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
6498 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
6499 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
6502 @kindex W E m (Summary)
6503 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
6504 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
6505 lines with a single empty line.
6506 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
6509 @kindex W E t (Summary)
6510 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
6511 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
6512 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
6515 @kindex W E a (Summary)
6516 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
6517 Do all the three commands above
6518 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
6521 @kindex W E A (Summary)
6522 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
6523 Remove all blank lines
6524 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
6527 @kindex W E s (Summary)
6528 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
6529 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
6530 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
6534 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to wash articles automatically.
6537 @node Article Buttons
6538 @subsection Article Buttons
6541 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
6542 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
6543 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
6544 button on these references.
6546 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
6547 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
6548 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
6553 @item gnus-button-alist
6554 @vindex gnus-button-alist
6555 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
6558 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6564 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
6565 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
6566 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
6569 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
6570 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
6571 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
6574 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
6575 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
6576 avoid false matches.
6579 This function will be called when you click on this button.
6582 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
6583 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
6587 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
6590 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
6593 @item gnus-header-button-alist
6594 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
6595 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
6596 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
6597 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
6600 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6603 @var{HEADER} is a regular expression.
6605 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
6606 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
6607 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
6608 default values of the variables above.
6610 @item gnus-article-button-face
6611 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
6612 Face used on buttons.
6614 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
6615 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
6616 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
6620 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to buttonize articles automatically.
6624 @subsection Article Date
6626 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
6627 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
6628 when the article was sent.
6633 @kindex W T u (Summary)
6634 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
6635 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
6636 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
6639 @kindex W T i (Summary)
6640 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
6642 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
6643 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
6646 @kindex W T l (Summary)
6647 @findex gnus-article-date-local
6648 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
6651 @kindex W T s (Summary)
6652 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
6653 @findex gnus-article-date-user
6654 @findex format-time-string
6655 Display the date using a user-defined format
6656 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
6657 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
6658 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
6659 for a list of possible format specs.
6662 @kindex W T e (Summary)
6663 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
6664 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
6665 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
6666 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
6667 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). If you want to have this line
6668 updated continually, you can put
6671 (gnus-start-date-timer)
6674 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
6675 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
6679 @kindex W T o (Summary)
6680 @findex gnus-article-date-original
6681 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
6682 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
6683 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
6684 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
6685 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
6689 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to display the date in your
6690 preferred format automatically.
6693 @node Article Signature
6694 @subsection Article Signature
6696 @cindex article signature
6698 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6699 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
6700 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
6701 that says what is to be considered a signature is
6702 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
6703 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
6704 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
6705 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
6706 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
6709 (setq gnus-signature-separator
6710 '("^-- $" ; The standard
6711 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
6712 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
6713 ; line of dashes. Shame!
6714 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
6715 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
6716 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
6719 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
6722 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
6723 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
6728 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
6731 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
6734 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
6735 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
6737 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
6738 in question is not a signature.
6741 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
6742 listed above. Here's an example:
6745 (setq gnus-signature-limit
6746 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
6749 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
6750 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
6751 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
6752 signature after all.
6755 @node Article Commands
6756 @section Article Commands
6763 @kindex A P (Summary)
6764 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
6765 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
6766 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
6767 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
6768 run just before printing the buffer.
6773 @node Summary Sorting
6774 @section Summary Sorting
6775 @cindex summary sorting
6777 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
6778 can't really see why you'd want that.
6783 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
6784 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
6785 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
6788 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
6789 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
6790 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
6793 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
6794 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
6795 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
6798 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
6799 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
6800 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
6803 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
6804 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
6805 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
6808 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
6809 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
6810 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
6813 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
6814 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
6815 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
6816 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
6817 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
6821 @node Finding the Parent
6822 @section Finding the Parent
6823 @cindex parent articles
6824 @cindex referring articles
6829 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
6830 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
6831 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
6832 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
6833 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
6834 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
6835 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
6836 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
6837 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
6839 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
6840 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
6841 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, gnus will fetch the parent, the
6842 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
6843 @kbd{-3 ^}, gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
6847 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
6848 @kindex A R (Summary)
6849 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
6850 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
6853 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
6854 @kindex A T (Summary)
6855 Display the full thread where the current article appears
6856 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
6857 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
6858 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
6859 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
6860 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
6861 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
6863 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
6864 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
6865 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
6866 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
6867 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
6868 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
6871 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
6872 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
6874 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
6875 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
6876 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
6877 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
6878 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
6879 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
6880 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
6883 The current select method will be used when fetching by
6884 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
6885 by giving this command a prefix.
6887 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
6888 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
6889 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
6890 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
6891 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
6892 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
6895 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
6896 not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
6897 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
6898 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
6899 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
6900 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
6903 @node Alternative Approaches
6904 @section Alternative Approaches
6906 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
6907 gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
6910 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
6911 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
6916 @subsection Pick and Read
6917 @cindex pick and read
6919 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
6920 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
6921 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
6922 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
6924 @findex gnus-pick-mode
6925 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
6926 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
6927 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
6928 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
6929 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
6931 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
6936 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
6937 Pick the article or thread on the current line
6938 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
6939 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
6940 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
6941 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
6942 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
6943 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
6946 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
6947 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
6948 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
6949 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
6953 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
6954 Unpick the thread or article
6955 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
6956 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
6957 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
6958 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
6959 the thread or article at that line.
6963 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
6964 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
6965 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
6966 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
6967 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
6968 will still be visible when you are reading.
6972 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
6973 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
6974 which is mapped to the same function
6975 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
6977 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
6980 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
6983 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
6984 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
6986 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
6987 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
6988 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
6990 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
6991 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
6992 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
6993 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
6994 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
6995 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
6996 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
7000 @subsection Binary Groups
7001 @cindex binary groups
7003 @findex gnus-binary-mode
7004 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
7005 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
7006 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
7007 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
7008 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
7009 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
7012 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
7013 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
7014 command, when you have turned on this mode
7015 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
7017 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
7018 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
7022 @section Tree Display
7025 @vindex gnus-use-trees
7026 If you don't like the normal gnus summary display, you might try setting
7027 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
7028 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
7031 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
7034 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
7035 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
7036 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
7038 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
7039 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
7040 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
7041 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
7042 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
7044 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
7045 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
7046 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
7047 default is @code{modeline}.
7049 @item gnus-tree-line-format
7050 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
7051 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
7052 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
7053 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
7054 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
7055 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
7061 The name of the poster.
7063 The @code{From} header.
7065 The number of the article.
7067 The opening bracket.
7069 The closing bracket.
7074 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
7076 Variables related to the display are:
7079 @item gnus-tree-brackets
7080 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
7081 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
7082 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
7083 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
7084 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
7086 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7087 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7088 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
7089 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
7093 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
7094 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
7095 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will try to keep the tree
7096 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other gnus
7097 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
7098 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
7099 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
7100 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
7101 other windows displayed next to it.
7103 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
7104 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
7105 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7106 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
7107 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
7108 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
7109 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
7113 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
7116 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
7126 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
7130 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
7131 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
7133 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
7135 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
7140 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
7141 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
7142 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
7145 (setq gnus-use-trees t
7146 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7147 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
7148 (gnus-add-configuration
7152 (summary 0.75 point)
7157 @xref{Windows Configuration}.
7160 @node Mail Group Commands
7161 @section Mail Group Commands
7162 @cindex mail group commands
7164 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
7165 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
7167 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
7168 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7173 @kindex B e (Summary)
7174 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
7175 Expire all expirable articles in the group
7176 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
7179 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
7180 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
7181 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
7182 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
7183 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
7184 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
7187 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
7188 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
7189 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
7190 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
7191 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
7192 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
7195 @kindex B m (Summary)
7197 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
7198 Move the article from one mail group to another
7199 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7202 @kindex B c (Summary)
7204 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
7205 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
7206 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
7207 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
7210 @kindex B B (Summary)
7211 @cindex crosspost mail
7212 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
7213 Crosspost the current article to some other group
7214 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
7215 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
7216 be properly updated.
7219 @kindex B i (Summary)
7220 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
7221 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
7222 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
7223 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
7226 @kindex B r (Summary)
7227 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
7228 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
7229 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
7230 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
7231 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
7235 @kindex B w (Summary)
7237 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
7238 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
7239 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
7240 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
7241 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
7242 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, gnus won't re-highlight the article.
7245 @kindex B q (Summary)
7246 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
7247 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
7248 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
7249 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
7252 @kindex B t (Summary)
7253 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
7254 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
7255 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
7258 @kindex B p (Summary)
7259 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
7260 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
7261 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
7262 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
7263 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
7264 article from your news server (or rather, from
7265 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
7266 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
7267 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
7268 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
7269 just not have arrived yet.
7273 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
7274 @cindex moving articles
7275 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have gnus
7276 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
7277 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
7278 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
7279 suggestions you find reasonable.
7282 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
7283 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
7284 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
7285 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
7289 @node Various Summary Stuff
7290 @section Various Summary Stuff
7293 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
7294 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
7295 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
7296 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
7300 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
7301 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
7302 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
7304 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
7305 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
7306 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
7307 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
7308 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
7309 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
7312 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7313 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7314 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
7315 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
7316 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
7318 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7319 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7320 When gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
7321 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
7322 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
7323 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
7324 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), gnus will rename the
7325 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
7326 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
7327 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
7332 @node Summary Group Information
7333 @subsection Summary Group Information
7338 @kindex H f (Summary)
7339 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
7340 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
7341 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
7342 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
7343 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
7344 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
7345 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
7346 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
7347 be used for fetching the file.
7350 @kindex H d (Summary)
7351 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
7352 Give a brief description of the current group
7353 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
7354 rereading the description from the server.
7357 @kindex H h (Summary)
7358 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
7359 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
7360 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
7363 @kindex H i (Summary)
7364 @findex gnus-info-find-node
7365 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
7369 @node Searching for Articles
7370 @subsection Searching for Articles
7375 @kindex M-s (Summary)
7376 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
7377 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
7378 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
7381 @kindex M-r (Summary)
7382 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
7383 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
7384 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
7388 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
7389 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
7390 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
7391 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If given a prefix, search
7395 @kindex M-& (Summary)
7396 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
7397 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
7398 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
7401 @node Summary Generation Commands
7402 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
7407 @kindex Y g (Summary)
7408 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
7409 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
7412 @kindex Y c (Summary)
7413 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
7414 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
7415 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
7420 @node Really Various Summary Commands
7421 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
7426 @kindex C-d (Summary)
7427 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
7428 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
7429 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
7430 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
7431 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
7432 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
7433 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
7434 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
7438 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
7439 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
7440 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
7441 several documents into one biiig group
7442 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
7443 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
7444 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
7445 command understands the process/prefix convention
7446 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7449 @kindex C-t (Summary)
7450 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
7451 Toggle truncation of summary lines
7452 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
7453 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
7454 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
7458 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
7459 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
7460 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
7463 @kindex M-C-e (Summary)
7464 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
7465 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
7466 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
7471 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
7472 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
7473 @cindex summary exit
7474 @cindex exiting groups
7476 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
7477 group and return you to the group buffer.
7483 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
7485 @findex gnus-summary-exit
7486 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
7487 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
7488 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
7489 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
7490 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
7491 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
7492 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
7493 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
7494 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
7495 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
7499 @kindex Z E (Summary)
7501 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
7502 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
7503 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
7507 @kindex Z c (Summary)
7509 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
7510 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
7511 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
7512 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
7515 @kindex Z C (Summary)
7516 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
7517 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
7518 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
7521 @kindex Z n (Summary)
7522 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
7523 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
7524 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
7527 @kindex Z R (Summary)
7528 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
7529 Exit this group, and then enter it again
7530 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
7531 all articles, both read and unread.
7535 @kindex Z G (Summary)
7536 @kindex M-g (Summary)
7537 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
7538 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
7539 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
7540 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
7541 articles, both read and unread.
7544 @kindex Z N (Summary)
7545 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
7546 Exit the group and go to the next group
7547 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
7550 @kindex Z P (Summary)
7551 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
7552 Exit the group and go to the previous group
7553 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
7556 @kindex Z s (Summary)
7557 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
7558 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
7559 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
7560 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
7561 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
7564 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
7565 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
7568 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
7569 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
7570 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
7571 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
7572 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
7573 If you do that, gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
7574 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
7575 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
7576 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
7577 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
7578 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
7579 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
7581 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
7583 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
7584 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
7585 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
7586 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
7587 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
7588 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
7589 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
7590 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
7591 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
7594 @node Crosspost Handling
7595 @section Crosspost Handling
7599 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
7600 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
7601 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
7602 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
7603 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
7604 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
7607 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
7608 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
7609 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
7610 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
7611 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
7613 @cindex cross-posting
7616 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
7617 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
7618 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
7619 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
7620 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
7621 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
7622 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
7623 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
7624 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
7625 the cross reference mechanism.
7627 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
7628 @cindex overview.fmt
7629 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
7630 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
7631 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
7632 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
7633 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
7634 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
7637 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
7638 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
7639 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
7644 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
7647 @node Duplicate Suppression
7648 @section Duplicate Suppression
7650 By default, gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
7651 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
7652 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
7653 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various reasons.
7657 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
7658 is evil and not very common.
7661 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
7662 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
7665 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
7666 different @sc{nntp} servers.
7669 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
7672 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
7673 well, but these four are the most common situations.
7675 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
7676 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
7677 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
7678 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
7679 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
7680 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
7681 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
7684 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
7685 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
7686 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
7687 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
7688 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
7692 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
7693 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
7694 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
7696 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
7697 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
7698 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
7699 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
7700 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single gnus
7701 session are suppressed.
7703 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
7704 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
7705 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
7706 suppression list. The default is 10000.
7708 @item gnus-duplicate-file
7709 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
7710 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
7711 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
7714 If you have a tendency to stop and start gnus often, setting
7715 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
7716 you leave gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
7717 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
7718 so that means that if you stop and start gnus often, you should set
7719 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
7720 to you to figure out, I think.
7723 @node The Article Buffer
7724 @chapter The Article Buffer
7725 @cindex article buffer
7727 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
7728 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
7729 tell gnus otherwise.
7732 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
7733 * Using MIME:: Pushing to mime articles as @sc{mime} messages.
7734 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
7735 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
7736 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
7740 @node Hiding Headers
7741 @section Hiding Headers
7742 @cindex hiding headers
7743 @cindex deleting headers
7745 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
7746 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
7748 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
7749 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
7750 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
7751 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
7752 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
7753 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
7754 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
7755 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
7756 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
7758 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
7762 @item gnus-visible-headers
7763 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
7764 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
7765 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
7766 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
7768 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
7769 the article and the subject, you'd say:
7772 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
7775 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7778 @item gnus-ignored-headers
7779 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
7780 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
7781 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
7782 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
7783 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
7785 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} field
7786 and the @code{Xref} field, you might say:
7789 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
7792 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
7795 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
7796 variable will have no effect.
7800 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
7801 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
7802 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
7803 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
7804 the headers are to be displayed.
7806 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
7807 and then the subject, you might say something like:
7810 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
7813 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
7814 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed
7817 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7818 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7819 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
7820 You can hide further boring headers by entering
7821 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
7822 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
7823 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
7824 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
7825 @dfn{boring conditions} that gnus can check and remove from sight.
7827 These conditions are:
7830 Remove all empty headers.
7832 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
7833 @code{Newsgroups} header.
7835 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
7838 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
7841 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
7844 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
7846 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
7849 To include the four three elements, you could say something like;
7852 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
7853 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
7856 This is also the default value for this variable.
7860 @section Using @sc{mime}
7863 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
7864 while people stand around yawning.
7866 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
7867 while all newsreaders die of fear.
7869 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
7870 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
7871 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
7873 @vindex gnus-show-mime
7874 @vindex gnus-article-display-method-for-mime
7875 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
7876 @findex gnus-article-display-mime-message
7877 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
7878 @code{gnus-article-display-method-for-mime}, which is
7879 @code{gnus-article-display-mime-message} by default. This function
7880 calls the SEMI MIME-View program to actually do the work. For more
7881 information on SEMI MIME-View, see its manual page (however it is not
7882 existed yet, sorry).
7884 Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
7885 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
7886 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
7887 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
7888 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
7889 buffer. These can't be avoided.
7891 In GNUS or Gnus, it might be best to just use the toggling functions
7892 from the summary buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance,
7893 you enter the group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it,
7894 @sc{mime} has decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible
7895 sing-a-long song comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find
7896 the volume button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to
7897 look at you, and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you
7898 can't find the program to control the volume, and everybody else in the
7899 room suddenly decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel
7902 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
7904 To avoid such kind of situation, gnus stops to use
7905 @code{metamail-buffer}. So now, you can set @code{gnus-show-mime} to
7906 non-@code{nil} every-time, then you can push button in the article
7907 buffer when there are nobody else.
7910 @node Customizing Articles
7911 @section Customizing Articles
7912 @cindex article customization
7914 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7915 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
7916 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
7917 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
7919 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7920 @findex gnus-article-maybe-hide-headers
7921 By default this hook just contains
7922 @code{gnus-article-maybe-hide-headers},
7923 @code{gnus-hide-boring-headers}, @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike},
7924 and @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight} (and under XEmacs,
7925 @code{gnus-article-display-x-face}), but there are thousands, nay
7926 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
7927 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
7928 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
7929 Date}. Note that the order of functions in this hook might affect
7930 things, so you may have to fiddle a bit to get the desired results.
7932 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
7933 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
7934 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
7935 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
7936 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
7939 @node Article Keymap
7940 @section Article Keymap
7942 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
7943 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
7944 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
7945 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
7948 A few additional keystrokes are available:
7953 @kindex SPACE (Article)
7954 @findex gnus-article-next-page
7955 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
7958 @kindex DEL (Article)
7959 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
7960 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
7963 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
7964 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
7965 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
7966 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
7967 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
7970 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
7971 @findex gnus-article-mail
7972 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
7973 given a prefix, include the mail.
7977 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
7978 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
7979 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
7983 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
7984 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
7985 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
7988 @kindex TAB (Article)
7989 @findex gnus-article-next-button
7990 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
7991 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
7994 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
7995 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
7996 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
8002 @section Misc Article
8006 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
8007 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
8008 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
8009 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
8012 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
8013 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
8014 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
8015 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
8016 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
8017 the contents of the article buffer.
8019 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
8020 @item gnus-article-display-hook
8021 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
8022 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
8023 hiding headers, and the like.
8025 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
8026 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
8027 Hook called in article mode buffers.
8029 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
8030 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
8031 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
8032 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
8034 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
8035 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
8036 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
8037 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
8038 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with one
8043 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
8044 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
8048 @vindex gnus-break-pages
8050 @item gnus-break-pages
8051 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
8052 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
8053 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
8054 paging will not be done.
8056 @item gnus-page-delimiter
8057 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
8058 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
8063 @node Composing Messages
8064 @chapter Composing Messages
8065 @cindex composing messages
8068 @cindex sending mail
8073 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
8074 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
8075 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
8076 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
8077 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
8078 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
8079 to make gnus try to post using the foreign server.
8082 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
8083 * Post:: Posting and following up.
8084 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
8085 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
8086 * Archived Messages:: Where gnus stores the messages you've sent.
8087 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
8088 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
8089 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
8092 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
8093 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
8099 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
8102 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
8103 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
8104 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
8105 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
8107 @item gnus-add-to-list
8108 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
8109 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
8110 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
8118 Variables for composing news articles:
8121 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8122 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8123 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
8124 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
8125 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
8126 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to send the
8127 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
8128 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
8129 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want gnus to keep a history
8132 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8133 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8134 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
8135 file. It is 1000 by default.
8140 @node Posting Server
8141 @section Posting Server
8143 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
8144 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
8146 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
8148 @vindex gnus-post-method
8150 It can be quite complicated. Normally, gnus will use the same native
8151 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
8152 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
8153 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
8154 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
8157 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
8160 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
8161 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
8162 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
8163 the ``current'' server for posting.
8165 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
8166 gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
8168 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
8169 If that's the case, gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
8172 Finally, if you want to always post using the same select method as
8173 you're reading from (which might be convenient if you're reading lots of
8174 groups from different private servers), you can set this variable to
8179 @section Mail and Post
8181 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
8185 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
8186 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
8187 @cindex mailing lists
8189 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
8190 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
8191 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
8192 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
8193 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
8194 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
8195 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
8196 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
8197 still a pain, though.
8201 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
8202 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
8203 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
8206 @findex ispell-message
8208 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
8212 @node Archived Messages
8213 @section Archived Messages
8214 @cindex archived messages
8215 @cindex sent messages
8217 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
8218 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
8219 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
8220 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
8223 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
8224 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server gnus is to
8225 use to store sent messages. The default is:
8229 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
8230 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
8231 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
8232 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
8235 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
8236 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method
8237 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
8238 directory chosen, you could say something like:
8241 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
8242 '(nnfolder "archive"
8243 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
8244 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
8245 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
8248 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
8250 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
8251 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
8252 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
8254 This variable can be used to do the following:
8258 Messages will be saved in that group.
8259 @item a list of strings
8260 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
8261 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
8262 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
8264 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
8269 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
8271 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
8274 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
8276 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
8279 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
8281 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8282 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
8283 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
8284 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
8289 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8290 '((if (message-news-p)
8295 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
8296 messages in one file per month:
8299 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8300 '((if (message-news-p)
8302 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
8303 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
8306 (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
8307 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
8309 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
8310 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
8311 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
8312 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
8313 gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
8314 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
8315 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
8316 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
8317 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
8318 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
8320 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
8321 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
8322 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
8323 this will disable archiving.
8326 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
8327 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
8328 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
8329 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
8330 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
8333 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
8334 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
8335 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
8338 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
8339 but the latter is the preferred method.
8343 @node Posting Styles
8344 @section Posting Styles
8345 @cindex posting styles
8348 All them variables, they make my head swim.
8350 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
8351 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
8352 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
8355 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
8356 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
8357 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
8358 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
8359 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
8364 (signature "Peace and happiness")
8365 (organization "What me?"))
8367 (signature "Death to everybody"))
8368 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
8369 (organization "Emacs is it")))
8372 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
8373 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
8374 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
8375 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
8376 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
8377 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
8378 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
8379 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
8381 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
8382 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
8383 If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
8384 arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
8385 referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
8386 any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
8389 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
8390 attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
8391 can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
8392 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
8393 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
8394 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
8397 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
8398 return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
8399 list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
8401 So here's a new example:
8404 (setq gnus-posting-styles
8406 (signature-file "~/.signature")
8408 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
8409 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
8411 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
8412 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
8413 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
8414 (posting-from-work-p
8415 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
8416 (address "user@@bar.foo")
8417 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
8418 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
8420 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
8428 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
8429 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
8430 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
8431 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
8432 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
8434 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
8435 some sort using the gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
8436 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
8437 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
8438 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
8442 @vindex nndraft-directory
8443 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
8444 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
8445 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
8446 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
8447 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
8448 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
8450 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
8451 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
8454 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
8455 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
8456 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
8457 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
8458 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
8459 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
8460 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
8461 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
8462 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
8463 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
8464 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
8465 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
8466 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
8467 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
8469 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
8470 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
8471 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
8473 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
8475 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
8476 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
8477 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
8479 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
8482 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
8483 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
8484 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
8485 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
8486 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
8487 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
8488 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
8491 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
8492 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
8493 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
8496 @node Rejected Articles
8497 @section Rejected Articles
8498 @cindex rejected articles
8500 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
8501 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
8502 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
8503 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
8505 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of gnus.
8506 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
8507 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
8508 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So gnus saves these
8509 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
8511 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
8512 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
8513 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
8516 @node Select Methods
8517 @chapter Select Methods
8518 @cindex foreign groups
8519 @cindex select methods
8521 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
8522 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
8523 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
8524 personal mail group.
8526 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
8527 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
8528 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
8529 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
8530 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
8531 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
8533 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
8534 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
8536 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
8539 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
8540 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
8541 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
8542 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
8543 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
8545 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
8548 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
8549 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
8550 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
8551 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
8552 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
8553 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
8557 @node The Server Buffer
8558 @section The Server Buffer
8560 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
8561 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
8562 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
8563 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
8564 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
8565 backend represents a virtual server.
8567 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
8568 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
8569 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
8570 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
8572 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
8573 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
8574 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
8575 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
8576 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
8577 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
8578 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
8580 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
8581 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
8584 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
8585 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
8586 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
8587 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
8588 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
8589 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
8590 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
8593 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
8594 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
8597 @node Server Buffer Format
8598 @subsection Server Buffer Format
8599 @cindex server buffer format
8601 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
8602 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
8603 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
8604 variable, with some simple extensions:
8609 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
8612 The name of this server.
8615 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
8618 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
8621 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
8622 The mode line can also be customized by using the
8623 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
8624 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
8634 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
8637 @node Server Commands
8638 @subsection Server Commands
8639 @cindex server commands
8645 @findex gnus-server-add-server
8646 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
8650 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
8651 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
8654 @kindex SPACE (Server)
8655 @findex gnus-server-read-server
8656 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
8660 @findex gnus-server-exit
8661 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
8665 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
8666 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
8670 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
8671 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
8675 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
8676 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
8680 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
8681 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
8685 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
8686 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
8687 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
8692 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
8693 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
8694 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
8695 a mail backend that has gotten out of synch.
8700 @node Example Methods
8701 @subsection Example Methods
8703 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
8706 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
8709 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
8715 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
8716 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
8719 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
8720 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
8722 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
8723 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
8727 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
8730 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
8731 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
8733 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
8734 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
8735 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
8739 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
8742 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
8745 Here's the method for a public spool:
8749 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
8750 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
8753 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
8754 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
8755 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
8756 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
8757 should probably look something like this:
8761 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
8762 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8763 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8764 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8765 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
8768 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
8769 compressed connection over the modem line, you could create a virtual
8770 server that would look something like this:
8774 (nntp-address "copper.uio.no")
8775 (nntp-rlogin-program "ssh")
8776 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8777 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8778 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8779 ("telnet" "news.uio.no" "nntp")))
8782 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
8783 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
8784 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
8785 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
8788 @node Creating a Virtual Server
8789 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
8791 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
8792 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
8794 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
8795 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
8796 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
8798 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
8800 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
8801 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
8802 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
8803 will contain the following:
8813 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
8814 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
8815 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
8818 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
8819 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
8820 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
8823 @node Server Variables
8824 @subsection Server Variables
8826 One sticky point when defining variables (both on backends and in Emacs
8827 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
8828 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
8829 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
8830 won't change the "derived" variables.
8832 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
8833 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
8834 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
8835 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
8836 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
8837 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
8838 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
8839 variables for each backend, see each backend's section later in this
8840 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
8844 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
8845 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
8846 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
8850 @node Servers and Methods
8851 @subsection Servers and Methods
8853 Wherever you would normally use a select method
8854 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
8855 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
8856 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
8860 @node Unavailable Servers
8861 @subsection Unavailable Servers
8863 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
8864 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
8865 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
8866 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
8867 actually the case or not.
8869 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
8870 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
8871 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
8872 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
8873 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
8874 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
8875 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
8876 it will regard that server as ``down''.
8878 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
8879 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
8881 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
8882 with the following commands:
8888 @findex gnus-server-open-server
8889 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
8890 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
8894 @findex gnus-server-close-server
8895 Close the connection (if any) to the server
8896 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
8900 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
8901 Mark the current server as unreachable
8902 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
8905 @kindex M-o (Server)
8906 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
8907 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
8908 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
8911 @kindex M-c (Server)
8912 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
8913 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
8914 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
8918 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
8919 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
8920 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
8926 @section Getting News
8927 @cindex reading news
8928 @cindex news backends
8930 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
8931 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
8932 or it can read from a local spool.
8935 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
8936 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
8941 @subsection @sc{nntp}
8944 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
8945 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
8946 server as the, uhm, address.
8948 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
8949 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
8950 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
8951 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
8953 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
8954 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
8955 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
8957 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
8962 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
8963 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
8964 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
8966 @cindex authentification
8967 @cindex nntp authentification
8968 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8969 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
8970 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
8971 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
8972 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
8973 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
8974 present in this hook.
8976 @item nntp-authinfo-function
8977 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
8978 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8979 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
8980 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
8981 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
8982 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
8983 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
8984 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
8985 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
8986 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
8987 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
8991 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
8994 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs. The
8995 valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
8996 @samp{default} and @samp{force}. (The latter is not a valid
8997 @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} token, which is the only way the
8998 @file{.authinfo} file format deviates from the @file{.netrc} file
9003 Here's an example file:
9006 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
9007 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
9010 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
9011 have to be first, for instance.
9013 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
9014 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
9015 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
9016 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
9017 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
9018 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
9019 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
9021 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
9022 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
9028 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
9029 previously mentioned.
9031 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
9033 @item nntp-server-action-alist
9034 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
9035 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
9036 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
9037 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
9040 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
9044 You probably don't want to do that, though.
9046 The default value is
9049 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
9050 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
9053 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
9054 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
9056 @item nntp-maximum-request
9057 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
9058 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
9059 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
9060 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
9061 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
9062 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
9063 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
9065 @c @item nntp-connection-timeout
9066 @c @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
9067 @c If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
9068 @c regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
9069 @c responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
9070 @c time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
9071 @c somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
9072 @c that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
9073 @c connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
9074 @c no timeouts are done.
9076 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
9077 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
9078 @c @cindex PPP connections
9079 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
9080 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
9081 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
9082 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
9083 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
9084 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
9085 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
9086 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
9087 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
9088 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
9090 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
9091 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
9092 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
9093 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
9096 @item nntp-server-hook
9097 @vindex nntp-server-hook
9098 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
9101 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
9102 @findex nntp-open-telnet
9103 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
9104 @item nntp-open-connection-function
9105 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
9106 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Four pre-made
9107 functions are supplied:
9110 @item nntp-open-network-stream
9111 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
9114 @item nntp-open-rlogin
9115 Does an @samp{rlogin} on the
9116 remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
9119 @code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
9123 @item nntp-rlogin-program
9124 @vindex nntp-rlogin-program
9125 Program used to log in on remote machines. The default is @samp{rsh},
9126 but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
9128 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
9129 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
9130 This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
9132 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9133 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9134 User name on the remote system.
9138 @item nntp-open-telnet
9139 Does a @samp{telnet} to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet}
9140 to get to the @sc{nntp} server.
9142 @code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
9145 @item nntp-telnet-command
9146 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
9147 Command used to start @code{telnet}.
9149 @item nntp-telnet-switches
9150 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
9151 List of strings to be used as the switches to the @code{telnet} command.
9153 @item nntp-telnet-user-name
9154 @vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
9155 User name for log in on the remote system.
9157 @item nntp-telnet-passwd
9158 @vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
9159 Password to use when logging in.
9161 @item nntp-telnet-parameters
9162 @vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
9163 A list of strings executed as a command after logging in
9166 @item nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9167 @vindex nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9168 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the remote machine. The default is
9169 @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
9171 @item nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9172 @vindex nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9173 If non-@code{nil}, the @code{telnet} session (client and server both)
9174 will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for login name.
9175 This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
9179 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
9180 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
9181 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use this
9182 you must have SSLay installed
9183 (@file{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also need
9184 @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distributeion, for instance). You then
9185 define a server as follows:
9188 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
9190 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
9192 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
9193 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
9194 (nntp-port-number "snews")
9195 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
9200 @item nntp-end-of-line
9201 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
9202 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
9203 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
9204 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
9206 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9207 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9208 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
9212 @vindex nntp-address
9213 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
9215 @item nntp-port-number
9216 @vindex nntp-port-number
9217 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
9220 @item nntp-buggy-select
9221 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
9222 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
9224 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
9225 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
9226 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
9227 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
9230 @item nntp-xover-commands
9231 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
9234 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
9235 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
9239 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
9240 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
9241 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
9242 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
9243 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
9244 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
9245 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
9246 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
9247 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
9248 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
9249 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
9251 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
9252 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
9253 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
9255 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9256 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9257 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
9258 server closes connection.
9260 @item nntp-record-commands
9261 @vindex nntp-record-commands
9262 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
9263 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestep) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
9264 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
9265 that doesn't seem to work.
9271 @subsection News Spool
9275 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
9276 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
9277 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
9280 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
9281 anything else) as the address.
9283 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
9284 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
9285 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
9286 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
9290 @item nnspool-inews-program
9291 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
9292 Program used to post an article.
9294 @item nnspool-inews-switches
9295 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
9296 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
9298 @item nnspool-spool-directory
9299 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
9300 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
9301 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
9303 @item nnspool-nov-directory
9304 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
9305 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
9306 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
9308 @item nnspool-lib-dir
9309 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
9310 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
9312 @item nnspool-active-file
9313 @vindex nnspool-active-file
9314 The path to the active file.
9316 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
9317 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
9318 The path to the group descriptions file.
9320 @item nnspool-history-file
9321 @vindex nnspool-history-file
9322 The path to the news history file.
9324 @item nnspool-active-times-file
9325 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
9326 The path to the active date file.
9328 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
9329 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
9330 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
9333 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9334 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9336 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
9337 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
9338 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
9344 @section Getting Mail
9345 @cindex reading mail
9348 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
9352 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
9353 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
9354 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
9355 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
9356 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
9357 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
9358 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
9359 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
9360 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
9361 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
9362 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
9366 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
9367 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
9369 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
9370 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
9371 and things will happen automatically.
9373 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
9374 mail" backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
9377 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
9378 '((nnml "private")))
9381 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
9382 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
9383 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
9384 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
9385 like any other group.
9387 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
9390 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9391 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9392 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9396 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
9397 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
9398 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
9401 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
9402 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
9403 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
9406 @node Splitting Mail
9407 @subsection Splitting Mail
9408 @cindex splitting mail
9409 @cindex mail splitting
9411 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
9412 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
9413 to be split into groups.
9416 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9417 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9418 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9422 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
9423 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
9424 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
9425 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
9426 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
9427 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
9428 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
9431 ("list.\\1" "From:.*\\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
9434 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
9435 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
9436 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
9437 mail belongs in that group.
9439 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
9440 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
9441 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
9442 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
9443 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
9444 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
9446 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
9447 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
9448 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
9449 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
9450 thinks should carry this mail message.
9452 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
9453 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
9454 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
9455 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
9457 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
9458 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
9459 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
9460 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
9461 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
9463 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
9466 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
9467 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
9468 links. If that's the case for you, set
9469 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
9470 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
9472 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
9473 @kindex nnmail-split-history
9474 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
9475 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command.
9477 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
9478 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
9479 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
9480 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
9481 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
9482 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
9483 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
9484 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
9488 @node Mail Backend Variables
9489 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
9491 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
9495 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9496 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9497 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
9498 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
9500 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
9501 @item nnmail-spool-file
9505 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
9506 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
9507 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
9508 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
9509 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
9510 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
9511 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
9512 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
9513 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
9514 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
9515 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
9516 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
9517 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
9518 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
9519 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
9521 @code{nnmail-spool-file} can also be a list of mailboxes.
9523 Your Emacs has to have been configured with @samp{--with-pop} before
9524 compilation. This is the default, but some installations have it
9527 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
9528 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
9529 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
9530 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
9531 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
9532 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
9534 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9535 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9536 @item nnmail-use-procmail
9537 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
9538 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
9539 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
9540 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
9543 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
9544 @item nnmail-crash-box
9545 When a mail backend reads a spool file, mail is first moved to this
9546 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
9547 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
9550 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9551 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9552 This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
9553 used for, well, anything, really.
9555 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
9556 @item nnmail-split-hook
9557 @findex article-decode-rfc1522
9558 @findex RFC1522 decoding
9559 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
9560 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
9561 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
9562 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
9563 in the buffer will show up in any files. @code{gnus-article-decode-rfc1522}
9564 is one likely function to add to this hook.
9566 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9567 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9568 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9569 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9570 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
9571 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
9572 starting to handle the new mail) and
9573 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
9574 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
9575 default file modes the new mail files get:
9578 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9579 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
9581 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
9582 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
9585 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
9586 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
9587 This variable says where to move incoming mail to -- while processing
9588 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
9589 inhabits (e.g., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
9590 it will be used instead.
9592 @item nnmail-movemail-program
9593 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
9594 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
9595 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
9597 This can also be a function. In that case, the function will be called
9598 with two parameters -- the name of the inbox, and the file to be moved
9601 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
9602 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
9603 @cindex incoming mail files
9604 @cindex deleting incoming files
9605 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
9606 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{t} by
9609 @c This is @code{nil} by
9610 @c default for reasons of security.
9612 @c Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
9613 (No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
9614 lost mail, I think, but that's not the point. (Except certain versions
9615 of Red Gnus.)) By not deleting the Incoming* files, one can be sure not
9616 to lose mail -- if Gnus totally whacks out, one can always recover what
9619 You may delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
9621 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
9622 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
9623 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
9624 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
9625 (assuming use of @code{nnml} backend) or files (assuming use of
9626 @code{nnfolder} backend) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
9627 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
9629 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
9630 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
9632 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
9634 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9635 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9636 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
9637 the backend (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
9638 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
9643 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
9644 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
9645 @cindex mail splitting
9646 @cindex fancy mail splitting
9648 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
9649 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
9650 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
9651 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
9652 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
9653 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
9655 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
9658 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
9659 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
9660 ;; from real errors.
9661 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
9663 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
9664 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
9665 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
9666 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
9667 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
9668 ;; Other mailing lists...
9669 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
9670 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
9672 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
9673 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
9677 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
9678 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
9679 the five possible split syntaxes:
9684 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
9685 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
9689 @var{(FIELD VALUE SPLIT)}: If the split is a list, the first element of
9690 which is a string, then store the message as specified by SPLIT, if
9691 header FIELD (a regexp) contains VALUE (also a regexp).
9694 @var{(| SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9695 @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them
9696 matches. A SPLIT is said to match if it will cause the mail message to
9697 be stored in one or more groups.
9700 @var{(& SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9701 @code{&}, then process all SPLITs in the list.
9704 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
9705 this message. Use with extreme caution.
9708 @var{(: function arg1 arg2 ...)}: If the split is a list, and the first
9709 element is @code{:}, then the second element will be called as a
9710 function with @var{args} given as arguments. The function should return
9714 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
9718 In these splits, @var{FIELD} must match a complete field name.
9719 @var{VALUE} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
9720 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
9721 field names or words. In other words, all @var{VALUE}'s are wrapped in
9722 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
9724 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
9725 @var{FIELD} and @var{VALUE} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
9726 are expanded as specified by the variable
9727 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
9728 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
9731 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
9732 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
9733 when all this splitting is performed.
9735 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
9736 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
9737 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
9740 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
9743 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
9744 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
9745 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
9746 groupings 1 through 9.
9749 @node Mail and Procmail
9750 @subsection Mail and Procmail
9755 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
9756 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
9757 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
9758 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
9759 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
9761 If you have a combined @code{procmail}/POP/mailbox setup, you can do
9762 something like the following:
9764 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9766 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
9767 (setq nnmail-spool-file
9768 '("/usr/spool/mail/my-name" "po:my-name"))
9771 This also means that you probably don't want to set
9772 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
9775 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
9776 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
9777 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends, except
9778 @code{nnmh}, actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
9779 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
9780 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
9782 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) by hand what
9785 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example:
9787 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
9788 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
9790 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
9791 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
9792 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
9793 to include all your mail groups.
9795 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
9796 method will be created automatically.
9798 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9799 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
9800 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
9801 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
9802 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
9803 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
9804 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
9805 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
9807 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
9808 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
9809 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
9810 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
9811 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
9813 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9814 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directly into an @code{nnmh}
9815 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
9816 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
9817 ever expiring the final article (i.e., the article with the highest
9818 article number) in a mail newsgroup. This is quite, quite important.
9820 Here's an example setup: The incoming spools are located in
9821 @file{~/incoming/} and have @samp{""} as suffixes (i.e., the incoming
9822 spool files have the same names as the equivalent groups). The
9823 @code{nnfolder} backend is to be used as the mail interface, and the
9824 @code{nnfolder} directory is @file{~/fMail/}.
9827 (setq nnfolder-directory "~/fMail/")
9828 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
9829 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/incoming/")
9830 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnfolder "")))
9831 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "")
9835 @node Incorporating Old Mail
9836 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
9838 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
9839 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
9840 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
9843 Doing so can be quite easy.
9845 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
9846 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
9847 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
9848 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
9849 your @code{nnml} groups.
9855 Go to the group buffer.
9858 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
9859 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
9862 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
9865 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
9866 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
9869 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
9870 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
9873 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
9874 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
9875 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
9876 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
9877 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
9879 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
9880 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
9881 using the new mail backend.
9885 @subsection Expiring Mail
9886 @cindex article expiry
9888 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
9889 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
9890 different approach to mail reading.
9892 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
9893 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
9894 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
9895 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
9896 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
9897 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
9900 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
9901 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
9902 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
9903 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
9904 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
9905 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
9906 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
9907 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
9909 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9910 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
9911 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
9912 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
9913 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
9914 column in the summary buffer.
9916 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
9917 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
9918 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
9919 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
9922 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
9924 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
9925 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
9926 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
9929 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
9930 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
9931 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
9932 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
9933 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
9935 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
9936 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
9939 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9940 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
9943 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
9944 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
9946 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
9947 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
9948 don't really mix very well.
9950 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
9951 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
9952 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
9953 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
9956 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
9957 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
9958 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
9959 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
9962 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9964 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9966 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
9968 ((string= group "mail.junk")
9970 ((string= group "important")
9976 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
9977 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
9979 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
9980 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
9981 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
9984 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
9985 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
9987 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9988 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
9989 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
9990 easier for procmail users.
9992 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
9993 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
9994 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
9995 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
9996 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
9997 caution. Even more dangerous is the
9998 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
9999 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
10000 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
10001 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
10002 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
10003 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
10004 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
10007 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
10011 @subsection Washing Mail
10012 @cindex mail washing
10013 @cindex list server brain damage
10014 @cindex incoming mail treatment
10016 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
10017 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC822 doesn't explicitly
10018 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
10019 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
10020 Yes, but RFC822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
10021 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
10023 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
10024 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
10025 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
10028 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
10029 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
10030 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
10031 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
10034 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
10035 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
10036 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
10037 grand, sweeping gestures. Functions to be used include:
10040 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
10041 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
10042 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
10043 Emacs running on MS machines.
10047 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
10048 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
10049 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
10050 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
10053 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10054 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10055 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
10056 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
10058 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10059 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10060 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
10061 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
10062 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
10063 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
10064 also be a list of regexp.
10066 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
10067 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
10070 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
10071 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
10074 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
10075 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
10076 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
10080 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10081 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10082 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
10086 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
10087 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
10088 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
10095 @subsection Duplicates
10097 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
10098 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
10099 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
10100 @cindex duplicate mails
10101 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
10102 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
10103 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
10104 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
10105 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
10106 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
10107 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
10108 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
10109 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
10110 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
10111 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
10112 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
10113 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
10115 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
10116 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
10117 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
10118 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
10120 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
10123 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
10124 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
10128 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
10129 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
10130 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
10131 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
10132 (any mail "mail.misc")
10139 (setq nnmail-split-methods
10140 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
10145 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
10146 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
10147 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
10148 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
10149 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
10152 @node Not Reading Mail
10153 @subsection Not Reading Mail
10155 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
10156 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
10157 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
10159 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
10160 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
10162 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10163 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10164 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10165 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10166 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10167 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
10168 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
10169 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
10170 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
10171 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
10172 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
10174 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
10175 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
10179 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
10180 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
10182 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
10183 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
10184 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
10187 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
10188 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
10189 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
10190 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
10191 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
10195 @node Unix Mail Box
10196 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
10198 @cindex unix mail box
10200 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10201 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10202 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
10203 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
10204 which group it belongs in.
10206 Virtual server settings:
10209 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
10210 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10211 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
10213 @item nnmbox-active-file
10214 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10215 The name of the active file for the mail box.
10217 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
10218 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10219 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
10225 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
10229 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10230 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10231 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
10232 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
10233 article to say which group it belongs in.
10235 Virtual server settings:
10238 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
10239 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10240 The name of the rmail mbox file.
10242 @item nnbabyl-active-file
10243 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10244 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
10246 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10247 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10248 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
10253 @subsubsection Mail Spool
10255 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
10257 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
10258 format. It should be used with some caution.
10260 @vindex nnml-directory
10261 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
10262 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
10263 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
10264 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
10266 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
10269 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
10270 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
10271 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
10272 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
10273 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
10274 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
10275 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
10276 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
10278 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
10279 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
10280 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
10281 backend when it comes to reading mail.
10283 Virtual server settings:
10286 @item nnml-directory
10287 @vindex nnml-directory
10288 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
10290 @item nnml-active-file
10291 @vindex nnml-active-file
10292 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
10294 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
10295 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
10296 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
10299 @item nnml-get-new-mail
10300 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10301 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
10303 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
10304 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
10305 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
10307 @item nnml-nov-file-name
10308 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
10309 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
10311 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10312 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10313 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
10317 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
10318 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
10319 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
10320 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
10321 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
10322 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
10323 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
10328 @subsubsection MH Spool
10330 @cindex mh-e mail spool
10332 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
10333 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
10334 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
10335 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
10337 Virtual server settings:
10340 @item nnmh-directory
10341 @vindex nnmh-directory
10342 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
10344 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
10345 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10346 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
10349 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
10350 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
10351 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
10352 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
10353 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
10354 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
10355 to set this variable to @code{t}.
10360 @subsubsection Mail Folders
10362 @cindex mbox folders
10363 @cindex mail folders
10365 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
10366 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
10367 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
10370 Virtual server settings:
10373 @item nnfolder-directory
10374 @vindex nnfolder-directory
10375 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
10377 @item nnfolder-active-file
10378 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
10379 The name of the active file.
10381 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10382 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10383 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
10385 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
10386 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10387 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
10390 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
10391 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
10392 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
10393 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
10394 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
10395 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
10398 @node Other Sources
10399 @section Other Sources
10401 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
10402 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
10406 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
10407 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
10408 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
10409 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
10410 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
10411 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
10415 @node Directory Groups
10416 @subsection Directory Groups
10418 @cindex directory groups
10420 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
10421 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
10424 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
10425 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
10426 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
10427 backend to read directories. Big deal.
10429 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
10430 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
10431 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
10432 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
10433 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
10435 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
10437 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
10438 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
10439 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
10440 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
10443 @node Anything Groups
10444 @subsection Anything Groups
10447 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
10448 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
10449 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
10452 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
10453 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
10454 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
10455 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
10456 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
10457 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
10458 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
10459 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source
10460 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
10461 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
10464 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
10465 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
10466 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
10467 in the article buffer, just as usual.
10469 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
10470 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
10471 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
10472 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
10474 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
10475 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
10476 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
10477 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
10478 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
10479 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
10480 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
10481 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
10486 @item nneething-map-file-directory
10487 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
10488 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
10489 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
10491 @item nneething-exclude-files
10492 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
10493 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
10494 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
10496 @item nneething-map-file
10497 @vindex nneething-map-file
10498 Name of the map files.
10502 @node Document Groups
10503 @subsection Document Groups
10505 @cindex documentation group
10508 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
10509 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
10516 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
10521 The standard Unix mbox file.
10523 @cindex MMDF mail box
10525 The MMDF mail box format.
10528 Several news articles appended into a file.
10531 @cindex rnews batch files
10532 The rnews batch transport format.
10533 @cindex forwarded messages
10536 Forwarded articles.
10539 MIME multipart messages, besides digests.
10543 @cindex MIME digest
10544 @cindex 1153 digest
10545 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
10546 @cindex RFC 341 digest
10547 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
10549 @item standard-digest
10550 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
10553 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
10556 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
10557 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
10558 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
10561 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
10562 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
10563 group. And that's it.
10565 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
10566 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
10567 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
10568 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
10569 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
10570 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
10571 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
10572 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
10573 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
10574 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
10576 Virtual server variables:
10579 @item nndoc-article-type
10580 @vindex nndoc-article-type
10581 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
10582 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
10583 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{mime-digest},
10584 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs} or
10587 @item nndoc-post-type
10588 @vindex nndoc-post-type
10589 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
10590 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
10595 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
10599 @node Document Server Internals
10600 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
10602 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
10603 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
10604 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
10605 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
10607 First, here's an example document type definition:
10611 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
10612 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
10615 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
10616 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
10617 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
10618 types can be defined with very few settings:
10621 @item first-article
10622 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
10623 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
10626 @item article-begin
10627 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
10628 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
10630 @item head-begin-function
10631 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
10634 @item nndoc-head-begin
10635 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
10638 @item nndoc-head-end
10639 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
10640 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
10642 @item body-begin-function
10643 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
10647 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
10650 @item body-end-function
10651 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
10655 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
10658 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
10659 regexp will be totally ignored.
10663 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
10664 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
10665 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
10666 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
10667 something that's palatable for Gnus:
10670 @item prepare-body-function
10671 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
10672 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
10673 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
10675 @item article-transform-function
10676 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
10677 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
10678 body of the article.
10680 @item generate-head-function
10681 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
10682 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
10683 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
10684 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
10688 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
10693 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10694 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10695 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
10696 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
10697 (head-end . "^ ?$")
10698 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
10699 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
10700 (subtype digest guess))
10703 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
10704 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
10705 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
10706 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
10707 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
10709 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
10710 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
10711 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
10712 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
10713 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
10714 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
10715 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
10716 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
10717 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
10718 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
10726 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
10727 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
10728 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
10730 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
10731 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
10732 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
10735 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
10736 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
10737 that interested in doing things properly.
10739 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
10740 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
10743 First some terminology:
10748 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
10749 get news and/or mail from.
10752 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
10753 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
10756 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
10760 @item message packets
10761 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
10762 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
10763 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10765 @item response packets
10766 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
10767 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
10768 default, where @var{X} is a number.
10778 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
10779 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
10780 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
10781 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
10784 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
10787 You put the packet in your home directory.
10790 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
10791 the native or secondary server.
10794 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
10795 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
10798 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
10802 You transfer this packet to the server.
10805 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
10808 You then repeat until you die.
10812 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
10813 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
10816 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
10817 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
10818 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
10822 @node SOUP Commands
10823 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
10825 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
10829 @kindex G s b (Group)
10830 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
10831 Pack all unread articles in the current group
10832 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
10833 process/prefix convention.
10836 @kindex G s w (Group)
10837 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
10838 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
10841 @kindex G s s (Group)
10842 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
10843 Send all replies from the replies packet
10844 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
10847 @kindex G s p (Group)
10848 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
10849 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
10852 @kindex G s r (Group)
10853 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
10854 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
10857 @kindex O s (Summary)
10858 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
10859 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
10860 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
10861 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
10866 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
10871 @item gnus-soup-directory
10872 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
10873 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
10874 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
10876 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
10877 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
10878 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
10879 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
10881 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
10882 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
10883 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
10884 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
10886 @item gnus-soup-packer
10887 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
10888 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10889 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
10891 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
10892 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
10893 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
10894 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10896 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
10897 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
10898 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
10900 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10901 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
10902 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
10903 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
10909 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
10912 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
10913 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
10914 you can read them at leisure.
10916 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
10920 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
10921 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
10922 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
10923 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
10925 @item nnsoup-directory
10926 @vindex nnsoup-directory
10927 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
10928 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
10930 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
10931 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
10932 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
10933 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
10935 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
10936 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
10937 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
10938 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
10939 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
10941 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
10942 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
10943 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
10944 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
10946 @item nnsoup-active-file
10947 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
10948 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
10949 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
10950 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
10951 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
10953 @item nnsoup-packer
10954 @vindex nnsoup-packer
10955 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
10956 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
10958 @item nnsoup-unpacker
10959 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
10960 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
10961 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10963 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
10964 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
10965 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
10968 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
10969 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
10970 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
10973 @item nnsoup-always-save
10974 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
10975 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
10981 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
10983 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
10984 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
10985 more for that to happen.
10987 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
10988 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
10989 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
10992 In specific, this is what it does:
10995 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
10996 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
10999 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
11000 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
11001 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
11005 @subsection Web Searches
11009 @cindex InReference
11010 @cindex Usenet searches
11011 @cindex searching the Usenet
11013 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
11014 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
11015 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
11016 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
11017 searches without having to use a browser.
11019 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
11020 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
11021 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
11022 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
11023 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
11025 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
11026 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
11027 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
11028 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
11029 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
11030 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
11031 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
11032 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
11033 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
11034 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
11037 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
11038 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
11039 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'
\e,Aj
\e(Btre} is to
11040 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
11041 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
11042 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
11044 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
11045 to use @code{nnweb}.
11047 Virtual server variables:
11052 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
11053 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
11057 @vindex nnweb-search
11058 The search string to feed to the search engine.
11060 @item nnweb-max-hits
11061 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
11062 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
11065 @item nnweb-type-definition
11066 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
11067 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
11068 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
11073 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
11077 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
11080 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
11083 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
11087 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
11094 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
11095 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
11096 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
11099 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
11100 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
11101 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
11103 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
11109 @item nngateway-address
11110 @vindex nngateway-address
11111 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
11113 @item nngateway-header-transformation
11114 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
11115 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
11116 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
11117 transformation should be called, and defaults to
11118 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
11119 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
11122 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
11123 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
11124 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
11127 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
11130 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
11133 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
11136 The following pre-defined functions exist:
11138 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11141 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11142 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11143 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
11145 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11147 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11148 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11149 @code{nngateway-address}.
11154 (setq gnus-post-method
11155 '(nngateway "mail2news@@replay.com"
11156 (nngateway-header-transformation
11157 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
11165 So, to use this, simply say something like:
11168 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
11172 @node Combined Groups
11173 @section Combined Groups
11175 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
11179 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
11180 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
11184 @node Virtual Groups
11185 @subsection Virtual Groups
11187 @cindex virtual groups
11188 @cindex merging groups
11190 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
11193 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
11194 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
11195 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
11197 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
11198 regexp to match component groups.
11200 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
11201 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
11202 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
11203 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
11204 the virtual group.)
11206 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
11207 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
11210 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
11213 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
11214 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
11216 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
11217 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
11218 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
11219 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
11222 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
11225 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
11226 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
11227 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
11229 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
11230 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
11231 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
11232 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
11233 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
11235 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
11236 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
11237 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
11239 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
11240 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
11241 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
11242 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
11243 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
11244 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
11245 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
11246 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
11247 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
11248 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
11249 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
11252 @node Kibozed Groups
11253 @subsection Kibozed Groups
11257 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
11258 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
11259 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
11260 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
11262 @kindex G k (Group)
11263 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
11266 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
11267 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
11268 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
11269 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
11271 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
11272 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
11273 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
11275 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
11276 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
11277 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
11278 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
11279 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
11280 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
11281 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
11282 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
11284 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
11285 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
11286 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
11287 Stranger things have happened.
11289 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
11290 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
11292 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
11293 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
11294 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
11295 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
11296 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
11297 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
11299 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
11300 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
11303 @node Gnus Unplugged
11304 @section Gnus Unplugged
11309 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
11311 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
11312 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
11313 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
11314 read news. Believe it or not.
11316 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
11317 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
11318 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
11319 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
11320 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
11322 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
11323 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
11324 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
11325 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
11326 reading news on a machine.
11328 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
11332 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
11333 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
11337 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
11338 @file{.gnus.el} file:
11345 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
11347 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
11350 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
11351 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
11352 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
11353 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
11354 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
11355 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
11356 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
11357 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
11362 @subsection Agent Basics
11364 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
11366 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
11367 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
11368 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
11369 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
11371 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
11372 connected to the net continuously.
11374 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
11375 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
11377 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
11382 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
11383 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
11384 already fetched while in this mode.
11387 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
11388 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
11389 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged}.
11392 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
11393 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{J
11394 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
11395 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
11398 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
11399 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
11400 then you read the news offline.
11403 And then you go to step 2.
11406 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
11412 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
11413 backend, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
11414 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
11415 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
11416 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
11417 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
11420 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}
11427 @node Agent Categories
11428 @subsection Agent Categories
11430 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
11431 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
11432 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
11433 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
11434 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
11435 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
11436 you're interested in the articles anyway.
11438 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
11439 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
11440 Gnus has its own buffer for creating and managing categories.
11443 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
11444 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
11445 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
11449 @node Category Syntax
11450 @subsubsection Category Syntax
11452 A category consists of two things.
11456 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
11457 are eligible for downloading; and
11460 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
11461 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
11462 score} is wholly unrelated to normal scores.)
11465 A predicate consists of predicates with logical operators sprinkled in
11468 Perhaps some examples are in order.
11470 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
11471 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
11477 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
11478 short (for some value of ``short'').
11480 Here's a more complex predicate:
11489 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
11490 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
11493 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
11494 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
11495 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
11497 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
11498 you want to do, you can write your own.
11502 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
11503 lines; default 100.
11506 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
11507 lines; default 200.
11510 True iff the article has a download score less than
11511 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
11514 True iff the article has a download score greater than
11515 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
11518 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
11519 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
11520 checksum and sees whether articles match.
11529 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
11530 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
11531 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
11534 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
11535 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
11536 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
11537 following headers can be scored on: @code{From}, @code{Subject},
11538 @code{Date}, @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars}, @code{Message-ID},
11539 and @code{References}.
11542 @node The Category Buffer
11543 @subsubsection The Category Buffer
11545 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
11546 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
11547 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
11549 The following commands are available in this buffer:
11553 @kindex q (Category)
11554 @findex gnus-category-exit
11555 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
11558 @kindex k (Category)
11559 @findex gnus-category-kill
11560 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
11563 @kindex c (Category)
11564 @findex gnus-category-copy
11565 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
11568 @kindex a (Category)
11569 @findex gnus-category-add
11570 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
11573 @kindex p (Category)
11574 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
11575 Edit the predicate of the current category
11576 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
11579 @kindex g (Category)
11580 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
11581 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
11582 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
11585 @kindex s (Category)
11586 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
11587 Edit the download score rule of the current category
11588 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
11591 @kindex l (Category)
11592 @findex gnus-category-list
11593 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
11597 @node Category Variables
11598 @subsubsection Category Variables
11601 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
11602 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
11603 Hook run in category buffers.
11605 @item gnus-category-line-format
11606 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
11607 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
11608 Variables}). Valid elements are:
11612 The name of the category.
11615 The number of groups in the category.
11618 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
11619 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
11620 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
11622 @item gnus-agent-short-article
11623 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
11624 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
11626 @item gnus-agent-long-article
11627 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
11628 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
11630 @item gnus-agent-low-score
11631 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
11632 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
11635 @item gnus-agent-high-score
11636 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
11637 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
11643 @node Agent Commands
11644 @subsection Agent Commands
11646 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
11647 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged} command works in all modes, and
11648 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
11652 * Group Agent Commands::
11653 * Summary Agent Commands::
11654 * Server Agent Commands::
11657 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
11658 following incantation:
11660 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11662 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
11667 @node Group Agent Commands
11668 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
11672 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
11673 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
11674 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
11675 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
11678 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
11679 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
11680 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
11683 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
11684 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
11685 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
11686 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
11689 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
11690 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
11691 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
11692 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}). @xref{Drafts}
11695 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
11696 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
11697 Add the current group to an Agent category
11698 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}).
11703 @node Summary Agent Commands
11704 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
11708 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
11709 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
11710 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
11713 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
11714 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
11715 Remove the downloading mark from the article
11716 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
11719 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
11720 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
11721 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
11724 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
11725 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
11726 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
11731 @node Server Agent Commands
11732 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
11736 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
11737 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
11738 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
11739 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
11742 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
11743 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
11744 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
11745 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
11751 @subsection Agent Expiry
11753 @vindex gnus-agent-expiry-days
11754 @findex gnus-agent-expiry
11755 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expiry
11756 @cindex Agent expiry
11757 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
11760 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
11761 @code{gnus-agent-expiry} command that will expire all read articles that
11762 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expiry-days} days. It can be run
11763 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
11764 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
11765 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
11767 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
11768 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
11769 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
11770 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
11771 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
11774 @node Outgoing Messages
11775 @subsection Outgoing Messages
11777 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
11778 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
11779 after posting, and edit them at will.
11781 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
11782 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
11783 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
11784 messages in the draft group.
11788 @node Agent Variables
11789 @subsection Agent Variables
11792 @item gnus-agent-directory
11793 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
11794 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
11795 @file{~/News/agent/}.
11797 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
11798 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
11799 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
11800 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
11801 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
11804 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11805 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
11806 Hook run when connecting to the network.
11808 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11809 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
11810 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
11815 @node Example Setup
11816 @subsection Example Setup
11818 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
11819 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
11820 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
11823 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over NNTP
11824 ;;; from your ISP's server.
11825 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "nntp.your-isp.com"))
11827 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
11828 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
11829 (setenv "MAILHOST" "pop.your-isp.com")
11830 (setq nnmail-spool-file "po:username")
11832 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
11833 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11835 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
11839 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
11840 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
11843 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
11844 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
11845 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
11846 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
11847 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
11850 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
11851 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
11852 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
11853 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
11854 back all the killed groups.)
11856 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
11857 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
11858 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
11861 @node Batching Agents
11862 @subsection Batching Agents
11864 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
11865 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
11866 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
11870 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
11879 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
11880 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
11881 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
11884 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
11885 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
11886 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
11887 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
11888 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
11890 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
11891 before generating the summary buffer.
11893 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
11894 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
11895 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
11897 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
11898 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
11899 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
11900 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
11903 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
11904 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
11905 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
11906 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
11907 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
11908 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
11909 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
11910 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
11911 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
11912 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
11913 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
11914 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
11915 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
11916 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
11917 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
11918 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
11922 @node Summary Score Commands
11923 @section Summary Score Commands
11924 @cindex score commands
11926 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
11927 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
11928 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
11929 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
11930 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
11932 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
11933 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
11934 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
11935 score file the current one.
11937 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
11942 @kindex V s (Summary)
11943 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
11944 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
11947 @kindex V S (Summary)
11948 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
11949 Display the score of the current article
11950 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
11953 @kindex V t (Summary)
11954 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
11955 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
11956 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
11959 @kindex V R (Summary)
11960 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
11961 Run the current summary through the scoring process
11962 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
11963 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
11964 effect you're having.
11967 @kindex V c (Summary)
11968 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
11969 Make a different score file the current
11970 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
11973 @kindex V e (Summary)
11974 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
11975 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
11976 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
11980 @kindex V f (Summary)
11981 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
11982 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
11983 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
11986 @kindex V F (Summary)
11987 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
11988 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
11989 after editing score files.
11992 @kindex V C (Summary)
11993 @findex gnus-score-customize
11994 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
11995 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
11999 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
12004 @kindex V m (Summary)
12005 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
12006 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
12007 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
12010 @kindex V x (Summary)
12011 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
12012 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
12013 expunge all articles below this score
12014 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
12017 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
12018 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
12021 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
12022 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
12026 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
12027 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
12029 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
12030 keys are available:
12034 Score on the author name.
12037 Score on the subject line.
12040 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
12043 Score on thread---the References line.
12049 Score on the number of lines.
12052 Score on the Message-ID.
12055 Score on followups.
12065 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
12066 what headers you are scoring on.
12078 Substring matching.
12081 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
12110 Greater than number.
12115 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
12116 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
12117 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
12121 Temporary score entry.
12124 Permanent score entry.
12127 Immediately scoring.
12132 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
12133 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
12134 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
12135 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
12137 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
12138 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
12139 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
12140 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
12141 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
12143 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
12144 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
12145 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
12146 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
12147 current score file.
12149 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
12150 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
12151 pretend they are keymaps or not.
12154 @node Group Score Commands
12155 @section Group Score Commands
12156 @cindex group score commands
12158 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
12163 @kindex W f (Group)
12164 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
12165 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
12166 all the time. This command will flush the cache
12167 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
12171 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
12173 @findex gnus-batch-score
12174 @cindex batch scoring
12176 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l gnus -f gnus-batch-score
12180 @node Score Variables
12181 @section Score Variables
12182 @cindex score variables
12186 @item gnus-use-scoring
12187 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
12188 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
12189 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
12191 @item gnus-kill-killed
12192 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
12193 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
12194 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
12195 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
12196 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
12197 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
12198 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
12200 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
12201 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
12202 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
12203 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
12204 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
12206 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
12207 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
12208 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
12209 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
12211 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12212 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12213 @cindex score cache
12214 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
12215 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
12216 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
12217 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
12218 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
12219 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
12222 @item gnus-save-score
12223 @vindex gnus-save-score
12224 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
12225 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
12226 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
12228 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12229 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12230 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
12231 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
12232 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
12233 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
12234 manually entered data.
12236 @item gnus-summary-default-score
12237 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
12238 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
12240 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
12241 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
12242 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
12243 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
12244 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
12245 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
12247 @item gnus-score-over-mark
12248 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
12249 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
12250 default. Default is @samp{+}.
12252 @item gnus-score-below-mark
12253 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
12254 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
12255 default. Default is @samp{-}.
12257 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12258 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12259 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
12260 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
12262 Predefined functions available are:
12265 @item gnus-score-find-single
12266 @findex gnus-score-find-single
12267 Only apply the group's own score file.
12269 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
12270 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
12271 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
12272 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
12273 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
12274 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
12275 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
12276 then a regexp match is done.
12278 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
12279 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
12281 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
12282 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
12283 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
12284 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
12286 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12287 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12288 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
12289 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
12290 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
12293 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
12294 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
12295 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
12296 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
12297 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
12298 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
12301 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
12302 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
12303 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
12304 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
12305 are expired. It's 7 by default.
12307 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12308 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12309 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
12310 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
12311 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
12312 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
12313 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
12316 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12317 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12318 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
12320 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
12321 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
12322 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
12323 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
12324 threading---according to the current value of
12325 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
12326 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
12327 simplified in this manner.
12332 @node Score File Format
12333 @section Score File Format
12334 @cindex score file format
12336 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
12337 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
12338 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
12340 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
12344 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
12346 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
12348 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
12350 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
12355 (mark-and-expunge -10)
12359 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
12360 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
12361 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
12362 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
12366 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
12367 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
12369 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
12370 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
12371 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
12373 Six keys are supported by this alist:
12378 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
12379 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
12380 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
12381 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
12382 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
12383 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
12384 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
12385 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
12386 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
12387 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
12388 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
12389 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
12390 to articles that matches these score entries.
12392 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
12393 score entry has one to four elements.
12397 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
12398 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
12402 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
12403 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
12404 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
12405 is successful. If this element is not present, the
12406 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
12407 instead. This is 1000 by default.
12410 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
12411 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
12412 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
12413 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
12414 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
12417 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
12418 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
12419 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
12420 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
12423 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
12424 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
12425 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
12426 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
12427 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
12428 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
12429 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
12430 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
12431 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
12432 instead, if you feel like.
12435 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
12436 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
12438 These predicates are true if
12441 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
12444 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
12445 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
12452 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
12453 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
12454 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
12455 it's not. I think.)
12457 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some backends (like
12458 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
12459 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
12460 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
12463 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
12464 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
12465 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
12466 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
12467 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
12468 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
12469 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
12473 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
12474 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
12475 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
12476 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
12477 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
12478 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
12479 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
12480 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
12483 @item Head, Body, All
12484 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
12488 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
12489 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
12490 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
12491 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
12492 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
12493 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
12494 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
12498 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
12499 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
12500 @samp{thread} match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each
12501 article that has @var{X} in its @code{References} header. (These new
12502 @samp{thread} matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching
12503 articles.) This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an
12504 entire thread, even though some articles in the thread may not have
12505 complete @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
12506 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
12507 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
12511 @cindex Score File Atoms
12513 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12514 lower than this number will be marked as read.
12517 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12518 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
12520 @item mark-and-expunge
12521 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
12522 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
12525 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
12526 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
12527 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
12528 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
12529 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
12532 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
12533 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
12536 @item exclude-files
12537 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
12538 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
12542 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
12543 ignored when handling global score files.
12546 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
12547 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
12548 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
12549 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
12552 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
12553 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
12554 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
12555 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
12557 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
12561 (mark-and-expunge -100)
12564 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
12565 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
12566 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
12567 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
12568 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
12570 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
12571 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
12572 ordinary scoring rules.
12575 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
12576 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
12577 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
12578 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
12579 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
12580 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
12581 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12582 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
12583 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
12584 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
12585 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
12589 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
12590 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
12591 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
12592 file for a number of groups.
12595 @cindex local variables
12596 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
12597 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
12598 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
12599 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
12600 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
12604 @node Score File Editing
12605 @section Score File Editing
12607 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
12608 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
12609 with a mode for that.
12611 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
12612 additional commands:
12617 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
12618 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
12619 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
12620 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
12623 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
12624 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
12625 Insert the current date in numerical format
12626 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
12627 you were wondering.
12630 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
12631 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
12632 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
12633 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
12634 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
12639 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
12641 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
12642 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
12644 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
12645 e} to begin editing score files.
12648 @node Adaptive Scoring
12649 @section Adaptive Scoring
12650 @cindex adaptive scoring
12652 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
12653 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
12654 stupidity, to be precise.
12656 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
12657 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
12658 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
12659 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
12660 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
12661 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
12662 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
12663 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
12664 variable to @code{(word line)}.
12666 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12667 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
12668 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
12669 might look something like this:
12672 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
12673 '((gnus-unread-mark)
12674 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
12675 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
12676 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
12677 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
12678 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
12679 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
12680 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
12681 (gnus-ancient-mark)
12682 (gnus-low-score-mark)
12683 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
12686 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
12687 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
12688 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
12689 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
12690 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
12691 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
12694 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
12695 will be applied to each article.
12697 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
12698 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
12699 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
12700 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
12702 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
12703 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
12704 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
12705 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
12707 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
12708 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
12709 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
12710 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
12712 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
12713 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
12714 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
12715 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
12716 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
12717 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
12719 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
12720 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
12721 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
12722 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
12723 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
12724 aspirins afterwards.)
12726 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
12727 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
12728 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
12730 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
12731 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
12732 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
12734 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
12735 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
12736 let you use different rules in different groups.
12738 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
12739 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
12740 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
12743 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
12744 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
12745 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
12746 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
12747 the length of the match is less than
12748 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
12749 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
12752 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12753 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
12754 headers. If you adapt on words, the
12755 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
12756 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
12759 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
12760 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
12761 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
12762 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
12763 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
12766 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
12767 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
12768 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
12769 score with 30 points.
12771 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
12772 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
12773 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
12774 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
12775 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
12777 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
12778 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
12779 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
12780 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
12782 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
12783 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
12784 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
12785 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
12787 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
12788 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
12789 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
12791 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
12792 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
12793 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
12794 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
12797 @node Home Score File
12798 @section Home Score File
12800 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
12801 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
12802 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
12803 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
12805 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
12806 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
12807 could perhaps use the same home score file.
12809 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
12810 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
12815 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
12819 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
12820 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
12824 A list. The elements in this list can be:
12828 @var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
12829 the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
12832 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
12833 the home score file.
12836 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
12839 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
12844 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
12847 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12848 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
12851 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
12852 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
12854 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
12856 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12857 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
12860 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
12861 Other functions include
12864 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
12865 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
12866 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
12867 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
12871 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
12872 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
12873 their own home score files:
12876 (setq gnus-home-score-file
12877 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
12878 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
12879 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
12880 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
12883 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
12884 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
12885 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
12886 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
12887 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
12889 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
12890 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
12891 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
12892 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
12893 precedence over this variable.
12896 @node Followups To Yourself
12897 @section Followups To Yourself
12899 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
12900 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
12901 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
12902 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
12903 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
12904 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
12908 @item gnus-score-followup-article
12909 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
12910 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
12913 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
12914 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
12915 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
12919 @vindex message-sent-hook
12920 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
12921 @code{message-sent-hook}.
12923 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
12924 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
12928 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12929 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
12932 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
12933 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
12938 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore.no>"
12942 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
12943 is system-dependent.
12947 @section Scoring Tips
12948 @cindex scoring tips
12954 @cindex scoring crossposts
12955 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
12956 the @code{Xref} header.
12958 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
12961 @item Multiple crossposts
12962 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
12963 more than, say, 3 groups:
12965 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
12968 @item Matching on the body
12969 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
12970 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
12971 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
12972 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
12973 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
12974 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
12975 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
12978 @item Marking as read
12979 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
12980 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
12981 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
12985 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
12987 @item Negated character classes
12988 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
12989 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
12990 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
12994 @node Reverse Scoring
12995 @section Reverse Scoring
12996 @cindex reverse scoring
12998 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
12999 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
13000 like this in your score file:
13004 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
13009 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
13010 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
13013 @node Global Score Files
13014 @section Global Score Files
13015 @cindex global score files
13017 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
13018 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
13019 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
13021 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
13022 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
13023 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
13025 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
13026 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
13027 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
13028 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
13029 files are applicable to which group.
13031 Say you want to use the score file
13032 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
13033 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
13036 (setq gnus-global-score-files
13037 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
13038 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
13041 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
13042 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
13043 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
13044 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
13045 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
13047 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
13048 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
13050 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
13051 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
13052 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
13053 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
13054 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
13055 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
13057 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
13063 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
13065 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
13067 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
13069 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
13070 lowered out of existence.
13072 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
13073 articles completely.
13076 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
13077 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
13078 old articles for a long time.
13081 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
13082 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
13083 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
13084 holding our breath yet?
13088 @section Kill Files
13091 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
13092 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
13093 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
13095 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
13096 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
13097 files into score files.
13099 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
13100 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
13101 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
13102 that isn't a very good idea.
13104 Normal kill files look like this:
13107 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13108 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
13112 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
13113 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
13115 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
13116 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
13119 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
13124 @kindex M-k (Summary)
13125 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
13126 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
13129 @kindex M-K (Summary)
13130 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
13131 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
13134 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
13139 @kindex M-k (Group)
13140 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
13141 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
13144 @kindex M-K (Group)
13145 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
13146 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
13149 Kill file variables:
13152 @item gnus-kill-file-name
13153 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
13154 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
13155 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
13156 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
13157 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
13158 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
13160 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13161 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13162 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
13163 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
13166 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
13167 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
13168 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
13169 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
13170 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
13171 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
13172 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
13173 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
13174 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
13176 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13177 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13178 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
13183 @node Converting Kill Files
13184 @section Converting Kill Files
13186 @cindex converting kill files
13188 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
13189 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
13190 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
13193 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
13194 You can fetch it from
13195 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-other/gnus-kill-to-score}.
13197 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
13198 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
13199 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
13207 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
13208 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
13209 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
13211 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
13212 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
13213 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
13214 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
13215 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
13216 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
13217 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
13218 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
13222 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
13223 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
13224 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
13225 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
13229 @node Using GroupLens
13230 @subsection Using GroupLens
13232 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
13234 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
13235 better bit in town at the moment.
13237 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
13241 @item gnus-use-grouplens
13242 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
13243 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
13244 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
13246 @item grouplens-pseudonym
13247 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
13248 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
13249 with the Better Bit Bureau.
13251 @item grouplens-newsgroups
13252 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
13253 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
13257 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
13258 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
13259 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
13260 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
13261 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
13262 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
13265 @node Rating Articles
13266 @subsection Rating Articles
13268 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
13269 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
13270 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
13271 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
13274 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
13279 @kindex r (GroupLens)
13280 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
13281 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
13284 @kindex k (GroupLens)
13285 @findex grouplens-score-thread
13286 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
13287 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
13288 threads in rec.humor.
13292 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
13293 the score of the article you're reading.
13298 @kindex n (GroupLens)
13299 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
13300 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
13303 @kindex , (GroupLens)
13304 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
13305 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
13309 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
13310 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
13313 @node Displaying Predictions
13314 @subsection Displaying Predictions
13316 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
13317 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
13318 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
13319 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
13320 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
13322 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
13323 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
13324 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
13325 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
13326 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
13327 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
13328 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
13329 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
13330 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
13331 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
13332 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
13333 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
13334 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
13336 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
13337 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
13338 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
13339 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
13341 The following are valid values for that variable.
13344 @item prediction-spot
13345 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
13348 @item confidence-interval
13349 A numeric confidence interval.
13351 @item prediction-bar
13352 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
13354 @item confidence-bar
13355 Numerical confidence.
13357 @item confidence-spot
13358 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
13360 @item prediction-num
13361 Plain-old numeric value.
13363 @item confidence-plus-minus
13364 Prediction +/- confidence.
13369 @node GroupLens Variables
13370 @subsection GroupLens Variables
13374 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
13375 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
13376 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
13377 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%)
13380 @item grouplens-bbb-host
13381 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
13384 @item grouplens-bbb-port
13385 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
13387 @item grouplens-score-offset
13388 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
13389 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
13392 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
13393 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
13394 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
13399 @node Advanced Scoring
13400 @section Advanced Scoring
13402 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
13403 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
13404 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
13405 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
13406 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
13408 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
13412 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
13413 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
13414 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
13418 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
13419 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
13421 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
13422 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
13423 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
13424 non-@code{nil} value.
13426 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
13427 operator, and various match operators.
13434 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13435 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
13436 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
13441 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13442 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
13443 then this operator will return @code{false}.
13448 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
13449 logical negation of the value of its argument.
13453 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
13454 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
13455 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
13456 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
13457 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
13458 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
13459 the ancestry you want to go.
13461 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
13462 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
13463 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
13464 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
13465 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
13468 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
13469 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
13471 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
13472 when he's talking about Gnus:
13476 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13477 ("subject" "Gnus"))
13483 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
13487 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13494 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
13495 really don't want to read what he's written:
13499 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13500 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
13504 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
13505 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
13506 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
13513 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
13514 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
13515 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
13516 ("body" "white.*socks"))
13520 The possibilities are endless.
13523 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
13524 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
13526 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
13527 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
13528 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
13529 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
13530 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
13531 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
13532 @samp{subject}) first.
13534 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
13535 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
13546 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
13547 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
13553 ("subject" "Gnus")))
13560 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
13561 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
13566 @section Score Decays
13567 @cindex score decays
13570 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
13571 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
13572 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
13573 use them in any sensible way.
13575 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
13576 @findex gnus-decay-score
13577 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
13578 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
13579 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
13580 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
13581 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
13582 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
13583 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
13584 definition of that function:
13587 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
13589 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
13590 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
13593 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
13595 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
13597 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
13600 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
13601 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
13602 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
13603 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
13607 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
13610 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
13613 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
13617 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
13618 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
13619 the new score, which should be an integer.
13621 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
13622 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
13629 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
13630 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
13631 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
13632 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
13633 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
13634 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
13635 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
13636 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
13637 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
13638 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
13639 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
13640 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
13641 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
13642 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
13643 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
13644 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
13645 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
13646 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
13650 @node Process/Prefix
13651 @section Process/Prefix
13652 @cindex process/prefix convention
13654 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
13655 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
13657 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
13658 command to be performed on.
13662 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
13663 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
13664 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
13665 with the current one.
13667 @vindex transient-mark-mode
13668 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
13669 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
13671 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
13672 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
13675 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
13676 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
13678 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
13681 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
13682 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
13683 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
13684 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
13686 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
13687 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
13688 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
13689 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
13690 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
13691 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
13692 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
13693 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
13697 @section Interactive
13698 @cindex interaction
13702 @item gnus-novice-user
13703 @vindex gnus-novice-user
13704 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
13705 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
13706 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
13707 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
13710 @item gnus-expert-user
13711 @vindex gnus-expert-user
13712 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
13713 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
13714 matter how strange.
13716 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
13717 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
13718 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
13719 is @code{t} by default.
13721 @item gnus-interactive-exit
13722 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
13723 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
13728 @node Symbolic Prefixes
13729 @section Symbolic Prefixes
13730 @cindex symbolic prefixes
13732 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
13733 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
13734 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
13735 rule of 900 to the current article.
13737 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
13738 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
13739 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
13740 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
13741 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
13742 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
13743 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
13745 @kindex M-i (Summary)
13746 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
13747 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
13748 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
13749 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
13750 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
13751 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
13752 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
13753 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
13755 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
13756 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
13757 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
13759 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
13763 @node Formatting Variables
13764 @section Formatting Variables
13765 @cindex formatting variables
13767 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
13768 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
13769 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
13770 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
13771 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
13774 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
13775 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
13776 lots of percentages everywhere.
13779 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
13780 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
13781 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
13782 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
13783 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
13786 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
13787 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
13788 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
13789 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
13790 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
13791 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
13792 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
13793 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
13795 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
13796 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
13798 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
13799 @findex gnus-update-format
13800 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
13801 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
13802 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
13803 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
13807 @node Formatting Basics
13808 @subsection Formatting Basics
13810 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
13811 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
13812 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
13814 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
13815 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
13816 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
13817 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
13818 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
13821 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
13822 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
13823 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
13824 less than 4 characters wide.
13827 @node Mode Line Formatting
13828 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
13830 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
13831 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
13832 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
13833 with the following two differences:
13838 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
13841 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
13842 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
13843 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
13844 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
13845 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
13846 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
13847 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
13852 @node Advanced Formatting
13853 @subsection Advanced Formatting
13855 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
13856 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
13857 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
13858 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
13860 These are the valid modifiers:
13865 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
13869 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
13874 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
13877 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
13882 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
13885 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
13888 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
13891 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
13895 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
13896 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
13897 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
13898 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
13899 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
13900 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
13901 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
13903 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
13904 last operation, padding.
13906 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
13907 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
13908 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
13909 @xref{Compilation}.
13912 @node User-Defined Specs
13913 @subsection User-Defined Specs
13915 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
13916 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
13917 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
13918 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
13919 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
13920 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
13921 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
13922 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
13923 should protect against that.
13925 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
13926 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
13927 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
13928 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
13932 @node Formatting Fonts
13933 @subsection Formatting Fonts
13935 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
13936 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
13937 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
13938 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
13941 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
13942 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
13943 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
13944 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
13945 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
13946 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
13948 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
13951 ;; Create three face types.
13952 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
13953 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
13955 ;; We want the article count to be in
13956 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
13957 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
13958 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
13960 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
13961 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
13963 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
13964 (setq gnus-group-line-format
13965 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
13968 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
13969 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
13971 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
13972 mode-line variables.
13975 @node Windows Configuration
13976 @section Windows Configuration
13977 @cindex windows configuration
13979 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
13981 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
13982 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
13983 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
13984 @code{t} by default.
13986 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
13987 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
13988 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
13991 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
13992 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
13993 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
13997 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
13998 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
13999 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
14000 possible names is listed below.
14002 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
14003 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
14006 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
14010 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
14011 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
14012 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
14013 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
14014 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
14015 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
14016 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
14017 size spec per split.
14019 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
14020 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
14021 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
14022 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
14023 present) gets focus.
14025 Here's a more complicated example:
14028 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
14029 (summary 0.25 point)
14030 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
14034 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
14035 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
14036 occupy, not a percentage.
14038 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
14039 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
14040 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
14041 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
14042 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
14045 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
14048 (article (horizontal 1.0
14053 (summary 0.25 point)
14058 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
14059 @code{horizontal} thingie?
14061 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
14062 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
14063 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
14064 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
14065 the screen is to be given to this strip.
14067 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
14068 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
14069 lines from the splits.
14071 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
14075 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
14076 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
14077 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
14078 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
14079 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
14080 size = number | frame-params
14081 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
14084 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
14085 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
14086 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
14087 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
14089 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
14090 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
14091 @cindex window height
14092 @cindex window width
14093 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
14094 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
14095 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
14096 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
14097 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
14098 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
14100 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
14101 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
14102 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
14103 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
14105 @findex gnus-configure-frame
14106 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
14107 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
14108 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
14109 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
14110 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
14111 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
14112 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
14113 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
14114 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
14115 configuration list.
14118 (gnus-configure-frame
14122 (article 0.3 point))
14130 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
14131 @code{frame} split:
14134 (gnus-configure-frame
14137 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
14139 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
14140 (user-position . t)
14141 (left . -1) (top . 1))
14146 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
14147 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
14148 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
14149 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
14150 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
14151 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
14152 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
14153 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
14156 Here's a list of all possible keys for
14157 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
14159 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
14160 @code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
14161 @code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
14162 @code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
14163 @code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft}, @code{pipe},
14164 @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}, and @code{score-trace}.
14166 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
14167 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
14168 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
14172 (message (horizontal 1.0
14173 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
14175 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
14180 @findex gnus-add-configuration
14181 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
14182 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
14183 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
14184 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
14187 (gnus-add-configuration
14188 '(article (vertical 1.0
14190 (summary .25 point)
14194 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
14195 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
14196 Gnus has been loaded.
14198 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
14199 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
14200 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
14201 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
14202 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
14205 @node Faces and Fonts
14206 @section Faces and Fonts
14211 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
14212 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
14213 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
14218 @section Compilation
14219 @cindex compilation
14220 @cindex byte-compilation
14222 @findex gnus-compile
14224 Remember all those line format specification variables?
14225 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
14226 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
14227 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
14228 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
14229 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
14232 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
14233 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
14234 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
14235 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
14236 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
14237 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
14238 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
14242 @section Mode Lines
14245 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
14246 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
14247 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
14248 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
14249 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
14250 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
14251 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
14254 @cindex display-time
14256 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
14257 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
14258 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
14259 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
14260 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
14261 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
14262 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
14263 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
14266 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
14268 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
14269 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
14271 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
14272 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
14273 (length display-time-string)))))
14276 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
14277 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
14278 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
14279 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
14280 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
14283 @node Highlighting and Menus
14284 @section Highlighting and Menus
14286 @cindex highlighting
14289 @vindex gnus-visual
14290 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
14291 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
14292 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
14295 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
14296 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
14299 @item group-highlight
14300 Do highlights in the group buffer.
14301 @item summary-highlight
14302 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
14303 @item article-highlight
14304 Do highlights in the article buffer.
14306 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
14308 Create menus in the group buffer.
14310 Create menus in the summary buffers.
14312 Create menus in the article buffer.
14314 Create menus in the browse buffer.
14316 Create menus in the server buffer.
14318 Create menus in the score buffers.
14320 Create menus in all buffers.
14323 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
14324 buffers, you could say something like:
14327 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
14330 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
14333 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
14336 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
14337 in all Gnus buffers.
14339 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
14342 @item gnus-mouse-face
14343 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
14344 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
14345 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
14349 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
14353 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
14354 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
14355 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
14357 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
14358 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
14359 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
14361 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
14362 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
14363 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
14365 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
14366 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
14367 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
14369 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
14370 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
14371 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
14373 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
14374 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
14375 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
14386 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
14387 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
14388 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
14389 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
14390 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
14394 @vindex gnus-carpal
14395 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
14396 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
14397 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
14402 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14403 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14404 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
14406 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
14407 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
14408 Face used on buttons.
14410 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
14411 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
14412 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
14414 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14415 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14416 Buttons in the group buffer.
14418 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14419 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14420 Buttons in the summary buffer.
14422 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14423 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14424 Buttons in the server buffer.
14426 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14427 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14428 Buttons in the browse buffer.
14431 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
14432 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
14433 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
14441 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
14442 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
14443 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
14444 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
14445 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
14447 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
14448 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
14449 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
14451 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
14452 been idle for thirty minutes:
14455 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
14458 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
14462 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
14465 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
14466 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
14467 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14469 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
14470 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
14471 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
14472 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14474 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
14475 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
14476 @var{idle} minutes.
14478 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
14479 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
14482 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
14483 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
14484 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
14486 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
14487 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
14488 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
14489 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
14491 @vindex gnus-use-demon
14492 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
14493 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
14495 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
14496 your @file{.gnus} file:
14498 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
14500 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
14503 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
14504 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
14505 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
14506 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
14507 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
14508 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
14509 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
14510 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
14511 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
14512 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
14513 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
14515 @findex gnus-demon-init
14516 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
14517 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
14518 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
14519 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
14520 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
14522 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
14523 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
14524 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
14533 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
14534 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
14536 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
14537 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
14538 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
14539 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
14542 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
14543 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
14544 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
14545 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
14547 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
14548 this will make spam disappear.
14550 There are some variables to customize, of course:
14553 @item gnus-use-nocem
14554 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
14555 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
14558 @item gnus-nocem-groups
14559 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
14560 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
14561 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
14562 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
14564 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
14565 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
14566 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
14567 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
14568 "rbraver@@ohww.norman.ok.us" "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca"
14569 "jem@@xpat.com" "snowhare@@xmission.com" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
14570 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
14572 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
14575 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
14576 @cindex Chris Lewis
14577 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
14578 usenet abuse than anybody else.
14581 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
14582 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
14583 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
14585 @item jem@@xpat.com;
14587 John Milburn---despammer located in Korea who is getting very busy these
14590 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
14591 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
14592 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
14595 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
14596 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
14597 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
14598 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
14599 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
14600 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
14601 @var{(issuer conditions ...)} elements in the list. Each condition is
14602 either a string (which is a regexp that matches types you want to use)
14603 or a list on the form @code{(not STRING)}, where @var{string} is a
14604 regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
14606 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
14607 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
14610 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
14613 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
14614 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
14617 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
14620 The specs are applied left-to-right.
14623 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
14624 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
14626 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
14627 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
14628 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
14629 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
14631 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
14632 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
14635 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
14637 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
14645 This might be dangerous, though.
14647 @item gnus-nocem-directory
14648 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
14649 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
14650 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
14652 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14653 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
14654 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
14655 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
14656 might then see old spam.
14660 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
14661 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
14662 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
14663 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
14670 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
14671 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
14672 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
14674 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
14675 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
14676 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
14677 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
14678 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
14679 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
14680 @code{undo} function.
14682 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
14683 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
14684 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
14685 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
14686 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
14687 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
14688 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
14689 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
14690 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
14691 never be totally undoable.
14693 @findex gnus-undo-mode
14694 @vindex gnus-use-undo
14696 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
14697 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
14698 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo} command
14699 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
14704 @section Moderation
14707 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
14708 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
14709 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
14712 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
14716 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
14719 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
14721 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
14726 You split your incoming mail by matching on
14727 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
14728 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
14731 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
14732 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
14735 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
14736 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
14740 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
14743 (setq gnus-moderated-list
14744 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
14748 @node XEmacs Enhancements
14749 @section XEmacs Enhancements
14752 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
14756 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
14757 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
14758 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
14759 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
14772 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
14773 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
14774 over your shoulder as you read news.
14777 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
14778 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
14779 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
14780 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
14781 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
14786 @subsubsection Picon Basics
14788 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
14797 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
14798 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
14799 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
14800 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
14801 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
14802 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
14803 @code{GIF} formats.
14806 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14807 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
14808 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
14809 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
14810 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
14812 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14813 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
14814 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
14815 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
14816 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
14817 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
14820 @node Picon Requirements
14821 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
14823 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
14824 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
14827 Additionally, you must have @code{x} support compiled into XEmacs. To
14828 display color picons which are much nicer than the black & white one,
14829 you also need one of @code{xpm} or @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
14831 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14832 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
14833 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
14834 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
14835 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
14839 @subsubsection Easy Picons
14841 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
14842 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
14845 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
14846 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
14847 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14848 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
14849 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
14852 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
14853 containing the Picons databases.
14855 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
14858 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14859 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
14864 @subsubsection Hard Picons
14872 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
14873 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
14874 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
14875 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
14876 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
14881 @item gnus-picons-database
14882 @vindex gnus-picons-database
14883 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
14884 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
14885 subdirectories. This is only useful if
14886 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
14887 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
14889 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14890 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
14891 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
14892 engine is @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
14893 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
14894 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
14895 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
14897 @item gnus-picons-display-where
14898 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14899 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
14900 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
14901 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
14902 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
14903 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
14904 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
14906 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14907 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
14908 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
14913 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
14914 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
14916 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
14917 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
14920 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
14921 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
14923 @item gnus-article-display-picons
14924 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14925 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
14926 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to the
14927 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14929 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
14930 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
14931 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
14932 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
14936 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
14937 for the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
14940 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
14944 @node Picon Useless Configuration
14945 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
14953 The following variables offer further control over how things are
14954 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
14955 don't need to worry about.
14959 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
14960 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
14961 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
14962 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
14964 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
14965 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
14966 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
14967 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
14969 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
14970 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
14971 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
14972 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
14973 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
14975 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14976 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
14977 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
14978 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
14979 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
14980 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
14981 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
14983 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14984 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
14985 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
14986 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
14988 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
14989 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
14990 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
14991 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
14992 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
14993 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
14994 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
14996 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
14997 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
14998 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
14999 Defaults to @code{nil}.
15001 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
15002 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
15003 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
15004 Defaults to @code{t}.
15006 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
15007 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
15008 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
15009 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
15011 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
15012 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
15013 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
15014 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
15016 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
15017 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
15018 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
15019 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
15020 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
15021 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
15022 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
15023 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
15034 @subsection Smileys
15039 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/BigFace.ps,height=20cm}}
15044 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
15045 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
15047 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
15048 @file{.gnus.el} file:
15051 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-smiley-display t)
15054 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
15055 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
15056 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
15057 text and maps that to file names.
15059 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
15060 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
15061 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
15062 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
15063 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
15064 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
15066 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
15067 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
15069 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
15070 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
15071 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
15073 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
15074 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
15078 @item smiley-data-directory
15079 @vindex smiley-data-directory
15080 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
15082 @item smiley-flesh-color
15083 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
15084 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
15086 @item smiley-features-color
15087 @vindex smiley-features-color
15088 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15090 @item smiley-tongue-color
15091 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
15092 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
15094 @item smiley-circle-color
15095 @vindex smiley-circle-color
15096 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15098 @item smiley-mouse-face
15099 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
15100 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
15106 @subsection Toolbar
15116 @item gnus-use-toolbar
15117 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
15118 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
15119 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
15120 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
15122 @item gnus-group-toolbar
15123 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
15124 The toolbar in the group buffer.
15126 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
15127 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
15128 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
15130 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15131 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15132 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
15138 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
15141 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15142 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15143 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
15144 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
15145 unusual directory structure.
15147 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15148 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15149 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
15150 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
15152 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15153 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15154 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
15155 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
15156 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
15157 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
15159 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15160 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15161 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
15175 @node Fuzzy Matching
15176 @section Fuzzy Matching
15177 @cindex fuzzy matching
15179 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
15180 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
15182 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
15183 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
15184 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
15186 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
15187 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
15188 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
15189 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
15190 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
15193 @node Thwarting Email Spam
15194 @section Thwarting Email Spam
15198 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
15200 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
15201 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
15202 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
15203 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
15204 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
15205 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
15206 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
15207 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
15210 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
15211 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
15212 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
15213 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
15214 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
15215 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
15219 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
15220 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
15222 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
15223 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
15224 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
15225 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
15226 sysadm whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
15227 part of the mail address.)
15230 (setq message-default-news-headers
15231 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
15234 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
15235 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
15240 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
15241 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
15242 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
15248 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
15249 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
15250 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
15251 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
15253 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
15254 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
15255 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
15256 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
15257 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
15258 your fancy split rule in this way:
15263 (to "larsi" "misc")
15267 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
15268 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
15269 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
15270 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
15271 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
15273 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
15274 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
15275 at @* @file{<URL:http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html>}.
15276 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
15277 cosmic balance somewhat.
15279 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
15280 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
15281 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
15282 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
15285 @node Various Various
15286 @section Various Various
15292 @item gnus-home-directory
15293 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
15294 defaults to @file{~/}.
15296 @item gnus-directory
15297 @vindex gnus-directory
15298 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
15299 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
15300 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
15302 Note that gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
15303 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
15304 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
15305 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
15307 @item gnus-default-directory
15308 @vindex gnus-default-directory
15309 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
15310 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
15311 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
15312 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15313 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
15314 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
15317 @vindex gnus-verbose
15318 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
15319 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
15320 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
15321 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
15322 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
15324 @item gnus-verbose-backends
15325 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
15326 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
15327 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
15329 @item nnheader-max-head-length
15330 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
15331 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
15332 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
15333 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
15334 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
15335 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
15336 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
15337 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
15338 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
15340 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
15341 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
15342 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
15343 read when doing the operation described above.
15345 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15346 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15348 @cindex invalid characters in file names
15349 @cindex characters in file names
15350 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
15351 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
15352 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
15355 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15359 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
15360 Windows (phooey) systems.
15362 @item gnus-hidden-properties
15363 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
15364 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
15365 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
15366 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
15368 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
15369 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
15370 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
15371 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
15372 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
15374 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
15375 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
15376 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
15385 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
15386 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
15388 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
15390 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
15396 Not because of victories @*
15399 but for the common sunshine,@*
15401 the largess of the spring.
15405 but for the day's work done@*
15406 as well as I was able;@*
15407 not for a seat upon the dais@*
15408 but at the common table.@*
15413 @chapter Appendices
15416 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
15417 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
15418 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
15419 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
15420 * A Programmers Guide to Gnus:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
15421 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
15422 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
15430 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
15431 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
15433 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
15434 can point your (feh!) web browser to
15435 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
15436 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
15437 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
15439 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
15440 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
15441 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
15442 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
15443 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
15444 appropriate name, don't you think?)
15446 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
15447 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
15448 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
15449 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
15451 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
15452 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
15453 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
15455 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
15456 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
15458 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
15459 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
15461 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37
15462 releases. If was released as ``Gnus 5.6 on March 8th 1998.
15464 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
15465 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'' --
15466 don't panic. Don't let it know that you're frightened. Back away.
15467 Slowly. Whatever you do, don't run. Walk away, calmly, until you're
15468 out of its reach. Find a proper released version of Gnus and snuggle up
15472 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
15473 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
15474 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
15475 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
15476 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
15477 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
15478 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
15485 What's the point of Gnus?
15487 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
15488 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
15489 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
15490 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
15491 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
15492 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
15493 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
15494 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
15495 keep track of millions of people who post?
15497 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
15498 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
15499 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
15500 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
15501 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
15502 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
15503 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
15504 every one of you to explore and invent.
15506 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
15507 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
15510 @node Compatibility
15511 @subsection Compatibility
15513 @cindex compatibility
15514 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
15515 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
15516 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
15521 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
15525 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
15528 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
15531 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
15532 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
15533 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
15534 important variables have their values copied into their global
15535 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
15536 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
15538 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
15539 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
15540 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
15541 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
15542 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
15546 @cindex highlighting
15547 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
15548 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
15549 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
15550 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
15551 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
15552 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
15555 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
15556 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
15557 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
15558 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
15560 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
15561 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
15562 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
15563 to stop doing it the old way.
15565 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
15567 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
15569 @cindex reporting bugs
15571 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
15572 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
15573 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
15575 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
15576 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
15577 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
15578 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
15583 @subsection Conformity
15585 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
15586 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
15593 There are no known breaches of this standard.
15597 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
15599 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
15600 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
15601 We do have some breaches to this one.
15606 Gnus does no MIME handling, and this standard-to-be seems to think that
15607 MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
15610 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
15611 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
15612 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
15613 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
15614 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
15619 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
15620 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
15625 @subsection Emacsen
15631 Gnus should work on :
15636 Emacs 19.32 and up.
15639 XEmacs 19.14 and up.
15642 Mule versions based on Emacs 19.32 and up.
15646 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
15647 reliably, at least.
15649 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
15650 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
15651 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
15656 @subsection Contributors
15657 @cindex contributors
15659 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
15660 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
15661 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
15662 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
15663 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
15664 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
15665 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
15666 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
15667 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
15668 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
15670 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
15676 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
15679 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
15680 well as numerous other things).
15683 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
15686 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
15689 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
15690 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
15693 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
15696 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
15697 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
15700 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
15703 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
15706 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
15709 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
15712 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
15713 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
15716 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
15719 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
15722 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
15725 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
15729 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
15732 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
15735 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
15738 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
15739 well as autoconf support.
15743 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
15744 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
15746 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
15751 David K
\e,Ae
\e(Bgedal,
15755 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
15759 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
15781 Massimo Campostrini,
15789 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
15795 Michael Welsh Duggan,
15798 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
15802 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
15808 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
15810 Michelangelo Grigni,
15813 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
15815 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
15817 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
15822 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Felix Ingrand,
15823 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
15825 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
15833 Peter Skov Knudsen,
15834 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
15835 Thor Kristoffersen,
15837 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
15854 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
15855 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
15862 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
15866 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
15868 John McClary Prevost,
15873 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
15878 Christian von Roques,
15880 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
15886 Philippe Schnoebelen,
15888 Randal L. Schwartz,
15916 Katsumi Yamaoka, @c Yamaoka
15918 Shenghuo Zhu. @c Zhu
15920 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
15921 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
15922 (550kB and counting).
15924 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
15927 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
15928 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
15932 @subsection New Features
15933 @cindex new features
15936 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
15937 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.3/5.3.
15938 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
15939 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6.
15942 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
15943 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
15944 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
15948 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
15950 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
15955 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
15956 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
15959 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
15960 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
15963 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
15966 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
15967 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
15968 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
15971 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
15972 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
15973 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
15974 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
15977 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
15978 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
15981 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
15982 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
15983 (@pxref{The Active File}).
15986 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
15987 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
15990 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
15991 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
15992 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
15995 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
15996 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
15997 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
16000 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
16001 the @file{.emacs} file.
16004 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
16005 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16008 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
16009 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
16012 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
16013 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16016 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
16017 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
16020 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
16021 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
16024 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
16027 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
16028 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
16031 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
16032 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
16035 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
16036 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
16039 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
16042 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
16043 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
16046 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
16050 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
16054 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
16055 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
16058 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
16064 @node September Gnus
16065 @subsubsection September Gnus
16069 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/september.ps,height=20cm}}
16073 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
16078 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
16079 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
16083 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
16084 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
16088 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
16092 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
16093 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
16096 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
16100 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
16103 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
16106 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
16109 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
16113 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
16114 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
16117 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
16121 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
16125 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
16129 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
16133 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
16136 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
16137 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
16140 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
16144 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
16145 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
16148 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
16151 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
16152 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
16153 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
16156 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
16160 The Gnus cache is much faster.
16163 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
16167 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
16168 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
16171 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
16172 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
16175 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
16176 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
16179 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
16180 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
16181 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
16184 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
16185 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
16188 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
16191 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16194 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16195 'gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head)
16199 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
16202 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
16205 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
16206 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
16209 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
16213 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
16216 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}}
16221 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
16224 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
16228 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16231 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
16235 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
16238 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
16241 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
16242 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
16245 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
16246 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
16250 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
16251 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
16254 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
16258 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
16259 buffer to allow easier treatment.
16262 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
16265 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
16269 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
16273 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
16274 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
16277 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
16281 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
16282 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16285 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
16286 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16289 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
16293 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16296 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16297 'gnus-article-hide-boring-headers t)
16301 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
16304 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
16310 @subsubsection Red Gnus
16312 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
16316 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/red.ps,height=20cm}}
16323 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
16326 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
16327 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
16330 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
16331 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
16335 Article washing status can be displayed in the
16336 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
16339 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
16342 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
16343 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
16346 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
16350 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
16351 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
16355 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
16356 Server Internals}).
16359 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
16363 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
16366 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
16367 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
16370 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
16371 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
16372 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
16375 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
16376 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16379 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
16380 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
16383 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
16387 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
16388 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16391 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
16392 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
16395 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
16399 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
16402 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
16406 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
16407 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16410 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
16411 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16414 A new command for reading collections of documents
16415 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
16416 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
16419 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
16423 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the NNTP
16424 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
16427 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
16428 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
16429 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
16432 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
16433 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
16437 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
16441 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
16445 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}}
16450 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
16454 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
16458 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
16459 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
16462 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
16465 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16466 'gnus-article-emphasize)
16473 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
16475 New features in Gnus 5.6:
16480 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
16481 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
16482 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
16485 The @code{nndraft} backend has returned, but works differently than
16486 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
16487 group, which is created automatically.
16490 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
16494 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
16497 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
16498 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
16501 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
16505 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
16508 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
16509 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
16512 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
16515 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
16516 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
16519 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
16520 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
16523 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
16524 control over simplification.
16527 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
16530 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
16534 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
16537 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
16540 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
16541 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
16542 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
16545 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
16546 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
16549 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
16553 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
16554 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
16557 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
16558 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
16561 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
16565 A history of where mails have been split is available.
16568 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
16571 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
16572 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
16575 A new function for citing in Message has been
16576 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
16579 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
16582 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
16586 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
16587 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
16590 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
16591 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
16594 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} backend.
16597 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
16602 @node Newest Features
16603 @subsection Newest Features
16606 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
16609 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
16611 (That a feature appears in this list doesn't necessarily mean that I've
16612 decided to actually implement it. It just means that I think it sounds
16615 (Yes, this is the actual, up-to-the-second todo list.)
16620 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
16623 Really do unbinhexing.
16626 I would like the zombie-page to contain an URL to the source of the
16627 latest version of gnus or some explanation on where to find it.
16630 A way to continue editing the latest Message composition.
16633 http://www.sonicnet.com/feature/ari3/
16636 facep is not declared.
16639 Include a section in the manual on why the number of articles
16640 isn't the same in the group buffer and on the SPC prompt.
16643 Interacting with rmail fcc isn't easy.
16648 <URL:http://www.falch.no/people/pepper/DSSSL-Lite/archives/>
16649 <URL:http://www.eit.com/software/hypermail/hypermail.html>
16650 <URL:http://homer.ncm.com/>
16651 <URL:http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/HTML_Converters/>
16652 http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9610/index.html
16653 <URL:http://union.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HyperNews/get/www/html/converters.html>
16654 http://www.miranova.com/gnus-list/
16659 @samp{^-- } is made into - in LaTeX.
16662 gnus-kill is much slower than it was in GNUS 4.1.3.
16665 when expunging articles on low score, the sparse nodes keep hanging on?
16667 starting the first time seems to hang Gnus on some systems. Does
16668 NEWGROUPS answer too fast?
16670 nndir doesn't read gzipped files.
16672 FAQ doesn't have an up node?
16674 when moving mail from a procmail spool to the crash-box,
16675 the crash-box is only appropriate to one specific group.
16677 `t' `t' makes X-Faces disappear.
16679 nnmh-be-safe means that crossposted articles will
16680 be marked as unread.
16682 Orphan score entries don't show on "V t" score trace
16684 when clearing out data, the cache data should also be reset.
16686 rewrite gnus-summary-limit-children to be non-recursive
16687 to avoid exceeding lisp nesting on huge groups.
16689 expunged articles are counted when computing scores.
16691 implement gnus-batch-brew-soup
16693 ticked articles aren't easy to read in pick mode -- `n' and
16694 stuff just skips past them. Read articles are the same.
16696 topics that contain just groups with ticked
16697 articles aren't displayed.
16699 nndoc should always allocate unique Message-IDs.
16701 If there are mail groups the first time you use Gnus, Gnus'll
16702 make the mail groups killed.
16704 no "no news is good news" when using topics.
16706 when doing crosspost marking, the cache has to be consulted
16707 and articles have to be removed.
16709 nnweb should fetch complete articles when they are split into several
16712 scoring on head immediate doesn't work.
16714 finding short score file names takes forever.
16716 canceling articles in foreign groups.
16718 nntp-open-rlogin no longer works.
16720 C-u C-x C-s (Summary) switches to the group buffer.
16722 move nnmail-split-history out to the backends.
16724 nnweb doesn't work properly.
16726 using a virtual server name as `gnus-select-method' doesn't work?
16728 when killing/yanking a group from one topic to another in a slave, the
16729 master will yank it first to one topic and then add it to another.
16733 warn user about `=' redirection of a group in the active file?
16735 really unbinhex binhex files.
16737 take over the XEmacs menubar and offer a toggle between the XEmacs
16738 bar and the Gnus bar.
16741 push active file and NOV file parsing down into C code.
16742 `(canonize-message-id id)'
16743 `(mail-parent-message-id references n)'
16744 `(parse-news-nov-line &optional dependency-hashtb)'
16745 `(parse-news-nov-region beg end &optional dependency-hashtb fullp)'
16746 `(parse-news-active-region beg end hashtb)'
16751 nnml .overview directory with splits.
16755 postponed commands.
16757 the selected article show have its Subject displayed in its summary line.
16759 when entering groups, get the real number of unread articles from
16762 sort after gathering threads -- make false roots have the
16763 headers of the oldest orphan with a 0 article number?
16765 nndoc groups should inherit the score files of their parents? Also
16766 inherit copy prompts and save files.
16768 command to start up Gnus (if not running) and enter a mail mode buffer.
16770 allow editing the group description from the group buffer
16771 for backends that support that.
16773 gnus-hide,show-all-topics
16775 groups and sub-topics should be allowed to mingle inside each topic,
16776 and not just list all subtopics at the end.
16778 a command to remove all read articles that are not needed to connect
16779 threads -- `gnus-summary-limit-to-sparse-unread'?
16781 a variable to turn off limiting/cutting of threads in the tree buffer.
16783 a variable to limit how many files are uudecoded.
16785 add zombie groups to a special "New Groups" topic.
16787 server mode command: close/open all connections
16789 put a file date in gnus-score-alist and check whether the file
16790 has been changed before using it.
16792 on exit from a digest group, go to the next article in the parent group.
16794 hide (sub)threads with low score.
16796 when expiring, remove all marks from expired articles.
16798 gnus-summary-limit-to-body
16800 a regexp alist that says what level groups are to be subscribed
16801 on. Eg. -- `(("nnml:" . 1))'.
16803 easier interface to nnkiboze to create ephemeral groups that
16804 contain groups that match a regexp.
16806 allow newlines in <URL:> urls, but remove them before using
16809 If there is no From line, the mail backends should fudge one from the
16812 fuzzy simplifying should strip all non-alpha-numerical info
16813 from subject lines.
16815 gnus-soup-brew-soup-with-high-scores.
16817 nntp-ping-before-connect
16819 command to check whether NOV is evil. "list overview.fmt".
16821 when entering a group, Gnus should look through the score
16822 files very early for `local' atoms and set those local variables.
16824 message annotations.
16826 topics are always yanked before groups, and that's not good.
16828 (set-extent-property extent 'help-echo "String to display in minibuf")
16829 to display help in the minibuffer on buttons under XEmacs.
16831 allow group line format spec to say how many articles there
16836 support qmail maildir spools
16838 `run-with-idle-timer' in gnus-demon.
16840 stop using invisible text properties and start using overlays instead
16842 C-c C-f C-e to add an Expires header.
16844 go from one group to the next; everything is expunged; go to the
16845 next group instead of going to the group buffer.
16847 gnus-renumber-cache -- to renumber the cache using "low" numbers.
16849 record topic changes in the dribble buffer.
16851 `nnfolder-generate-active-file' should look at the folders it
16852 finds and generate proper active ranges.
16854 nneething-look-in-files-for-article-heads variable to control
16855 whether nneething should sniff all files in the directories.
16857 gnus-fetch-article -- start Gnus, enter group, display article
16859 gnus-dont-move-articles-to-same-group variable when respooling.
16861 when messages are crossposted between several auto-expirable groups,
16862 articles aren't properly marked as expirable.
16864 nneething should allow deletion/moving.
16866 TAB on the last button should go to the first button.
16868 if the car of an element in `mail-split-methods' is a function,
16869 and the function returns non-nil, use that as the name of the group(s) to
16872 command for listing all score files that have been applied.
16874 a command in the article buffer to return to `summary' config.
16876 `gnus-always-post-using-current-server' -- variable to override
16877 `C-c C-c' when posting.
16879 nnmail-group-spool-alist -- says where each group should use
16882 when an article is crossposted to an auto-expirable group, the article
16883 should be marker as expirable.
16885 article mode command/menu for "send region as URL to browser".
16887 on errors, jump to info nodes that explain the error. For instance,
16888 on invalid From headers, or on error messages from the nntp server.
16890 when gathering threads, make the article that has no "Re: " the parent.
16891 Also consult Date headers.
16893 a token in splits to call shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer
16895 `1 0 A M' to do matches on the active hashtb.
16897 duplicates -- command to remove Gnus-Warning header, use the read
16898 Message-ID, delete the "original".
16900 when replying to several messages at once, put the "other" message-ids
16901 into a See-Also header.
16903 support setext: URL:http://www.bsdi.com/setext/
16905 support ProleText: <URL:http://proletext.clari.net/prole/proletext.html>
16907 when browsing a foreign server, the groups that are already subscribed
16908 should be listed as such and not as "K".
16910 generate font names dynamically.
16912 score file mode auto-alist.
16914 allow nndoc to change/add/delete things from documents. Implement
16915 methods for each format for adding an article to the document.
16917 `gnus-fetch-old-headers' `all' value to incorporate
16918 absolutely all headers there is.
16920 function like `|', but concatenate all marked articles
16921 and pipe them to the process.
16923 cache the list of killed (or active) groups in a separate file. Update
16924 the file whenever we read the active file or the list
16925 of killed groups in the .eld file reaches a certain length.
16927 function for starting to edit a file to put into
16928 the current mail group.
16930 score-find-trace should display the total score of the article.
16932 "ghettozie" -- score on Xref header and nix it out after using it
16933 to avoid marking as read in other groups it has been crossposted to.
16935 look at procmail splitting. The backends should create
16936 the groups automatically if a spool file exists for that group.
16938 function for backends to register themselves with Gnus.
16940 when replying to several process-marked articles,
16941 have all the From end up in Cc headers? Variable to toggle.
16943 command to delete a crossposted mail article from all
16944 groups it has been mailed to.
16946 `B c' and `B m' should be crosspost aware.
16948 hide-pgp should also hide PGP public key blocks.
16950 Command in the group buffer to respool process-marked groups.
16952 `gnus-summary-find-matching' should accept
16953 pseudo-"headers" like "body", "head" and "all"
16955 When buttifying <URL: > things, all white space (including
16956 newlines) should be ignored.
16958 Process-marking all groups in a topic should process-mark
16959 groups in subtopics as well.
16961 Add non-native groups to the list of killed groups when killing them.
16963 nntp-suggest-kewl-config to probe the nntp server and suggest
16966 add edit and forward secondary marks.
16968 nnml shouldn't visit its .overview files.
16970 allow customizing sorting within gathered threads.
16972 `B q' shouldn't select the current article.
16974 nnmbox should support a newsgroups file for descriptions.
16976 allow fetching mail from several pop servers.
16978 Be able to specify whether the saving commands save the original
16979 or the formatted article.
16981 a command to reparent with the child process-marked (cf. `T ^'.).
16983 I think the possibility to send a password with nntp-open-rlogin
16984 should be a feature in Red Gnus.
16986 The `Z n' command should be possible to execute from a mouse click.
16988 more limiting functions -- date, etc.
16990 be able to limit on a random header; on body; using reverse matches.
16992 a group parameter (`absofucking-total-expiry') that will make Gnus expire
16993 even unread articles.
16995 a command to print the article buffer as postscript.
16997 variable to disable password fetching when opening by nntp-open-telnet.
16999 manual: more example servers -- nntp with rlogin, telnet
17001 checking for bogus groups should clean topic alists as well.
17003 canceling articles in foreign groups.
17005 article number in folded topics isn't properly updated by
17008 Movement in the group buffer to the next unread group should go to the
17009 next closed topic with unread messages if no group can be found.
17011 Extensive info pages generated on the fly with help everywhere --
17012 in the "*Gnus edit*" buffers, for instance.
17014 Topic movement commands -- like thread movement. Up, down, forward, next.
17016 a way to tick/mark as read Gcc'd articles.
17018 a way to say that all groups within a specific topic comes
17019 from a particular server? Hm.
17021 `gnus-article-fill-if-long-lines' -- a function to fill
17022 the article buffer if there are any looong lines there.
17024 `T h' should jump to the parent topic and fold it.
17026 a command to create an ephemeral nndoc group out of a file,
17027 and then splitting it/moving it to some other group/backend.
17029 a group parameter for nnkiboze groups that says that
17030 all kibozed articles should be entered into the cache.
17032 It should also probably be possible to delimit what
17033 `gnus-jog-cache' does -- for instance, work on just some groups, or on
17034 some levels, and entering just articles that have a score higher than
17037 nnfolder should append to the folder instead of re-writing
17038 the entire folder to disk when accepting new messages.
17040 allow all backends to do the proper thing with .gz files.
17042 a backend for reading collections of babyl files nnbabylfolder?
17044 a command for making the native groups into foreign groups.
17046 server mode command for clearing read marks from all groups
17049 when following up multiple articles, include all To, Cc, etc headers
17052 a command for deciding what the total score of the current
17053 thread is. Also a way to highlight based on this.
17055 command to show and edit group scores
17057 a gnus-tree-minimize-horizontal to minimize tree buffers
17060 command to generate nnml overview file for one group.
17062 `C-u C-u a' -- prompt for many crossposted groups.
17064 keep track of which mail groups have received new articles (in this session).
17065 Be able to generate a report and perhaps do some marking in the group
17068 gnus-build-sparse-threads to a number -- build only sparse threads
17069 that are of that length.
17071 have nnmh respect mh's unseen sequence in .mh_profile.
17073 cache the newsgroups descriptions locally.
17075 asynchronous posting under nntp.
17077 be able to control word adaptive scoring from the score files.
17079 a variable to make `C-c C-c' post using the "current" select method.
17081 `limit-exclude-low-scored-articles'.
17083 if `gnus-summary-show-thread' is a number, hide threads that have
17084 a score lower than this number.
17086 split newsgroup subscription variable up into "order" and "method".
17088 buttonize ange-ftp file names.
17090 a command to make a duplicate copy of the current article
17091 so that each copy can be edited separately.
17093 nnweb should allow fetching from the local nntp server.
17095 record the sorting done in the summary buffer so that
17096 it can be repeated when limiting/regenerating the buffer.
17098 nnml-generate-nov-databses should generate for
17101 when the user does commands in the group buffer, check
17102 the modification time of the .newsrc.eld file and use
17103 ask-user-about-supersession-threat. Also warn when trying
17104 to save .newsrc.eld and it has changed.
17106 M-g on a topic will display all groups with 0 articles in
17109 command to remove all topic stuff.
17111 allow exploding incoming digests when reading incoming mail
17112 and splitting the resulting digests.
17114 nnsoup shouldn't set the `message-' variables.
17116 command to nix out all nnoo state information.
17118 nnmail-process-alist that calls functions if group names
17119 matches an alist -- before saving.
17121 use buffer-invisibility-spec everywhere for hiding text.
17123 variable to activate each group before entering them
17124 to get the (new) number of articles. `gnus-activate-before-entering'.
17126 command to fetch a Message-ID from any buffer, even
17127 starting Gnus first if necessary.
17129 when posting and checking whether a group exists or not, just
17130 ask the nntp server instead of relying on the active hashtb.
17132 buttonize the output of `C-c C-a' in an apropos-like way.
17134 `G p' should understand process/prefix, and allow editing
17135 of several groups at once.
17137 command to create an ephemeral nnvirtual group that
17138 matches some regexp(s).
17140 nndoc should understand "Content-Type: message/rfc822" forwarded messages.
17142 it should be possible to score "thread" on the From header.
17144 hitting RET on a "gnus-uu-archive" pseudo article should unpack it.
17146 `B i' should display the article at once in the summary buffer.
17148 remove the "*" mark at once when unticking an article.
17150 `M-s' should highlight the matching text.
17152 when checking for duplicated mails, use Resent-Message-ID if present.
17154 killing and yanking groups in topics should be better. If killing one copy
17155 of a group that exists in multiple topics, only that copy should
17156 be removed. Yanking should insert the copy, and yanking topics
17157 should be possible to be interspersed with the other yankings.
17159 command for enter a group just to read the cached articles. A way to say
17160 "ignore the nntp connection; just read from the cache."
17162 `X u' should decode base64 articles.
17164 a way to hide all "inner" cited text, leaving just the most
17165 recently cited text.
17167 nnvirtual should be asynchronous.
17169 after editing an article, gnus-original-article-buffer should
17172 there should probably be a way to make Gnus not connect to the
17173 server and just read the articles in the server
17175 allow a `set-default' (or something) to change the default
17176 value of nnoo variables.
17178 a command to import group infos from a .newsrc.eld file.
17180 groups from secondary servers have the entire select method
17181 listed in each group info.
17183 a command for just switching from the summary buffer to the group
17186 a way to specify that some incoming mail washing functions
17187 should only be applied to some groups.
17189 Message `C-f C-t' should ask the user whether to heed
17190 mail-copies-to: never.
17192 new group parameter -- `post-to-server' that says to post
17193 using the current server. Also a variable to do the same.
17195 the slave dribble files should autosave to the slave file names.
17197 a group parameter that says what articles to display on group entry, based
17200 a way to visually distinguish slave Gnusae from masters. (Whip instead
17203 Use DJ Bernstein "From " quoting/dequoting, where applicable.
17205 Why is hide-citation-maybe and hide-citation different? Also
17208 group user-defined meta-parameters.
17212 From: John Griffith <griffith@@sfs.nphil.uni-tuebingen.de>
17214 I like the option for trying to retrieve the FAQ for a group and I was
17215 thinking it would be great if for those newsgroups that had archives
17216 you could also try to read the archive for that group. Part of the
17217 problem is that archives are spread all over the net, unlike FAQs.
17218 What would be best I suppose is to find the one closest to your site.
17220 In any case, there is a list of general news group archives at @*
17221 ftp://ftp.neosoft.com/pub/users/claird/news.lists/newsgroup_archives.html
17228 From: Jason L Tibbitts III <tibbs@@hpc.uh.edu>
17229 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
17231 (gnus-group-add-parameter group
17232 (cons 'gnus-group-date-last-entered (list (current-time-string))))))
17234 (defun gnus-user-format-function-d (headers)
17235 "Return the date the group was last read."
17236 (cond ((car (gnus-group-get-parameter gnus-tmp-group 'gnus-group-date-last-entered)))
17241 tanken var at n
\e,Ae
\e(Br du bruker `gnus-startup-file' som prefix (FOO) til ilete
17242 opp en fil FOO-SERVER, FOO-SERVER.el, FOO-SERVER.eld, kan du la den v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en
17243 liste hvor du bruker hvert element i listen som FOO, istedet. da kunne man
17244 hatt forskjellige serveres startup-filer forskjellige steder.
17248 LMI> Well, nnbabyl could alter the group info to heed labels like
17249 LMI> answered and read, I guess.
17251 It could also keep them updated (the same for the Status: header of
17254 They could be used like this:
17258 `M l <name> RET' add label <name> to current message.
17259 `M u <name> RET' remove label <name> from current message.
17260 `/ l <expr> RET' limit summary buffer according to <expr>.
17262 <expr> would be a boolean expression on the labels, e.g.
17264 `/ l bug & !fixed RET'
17267 would show all the messages which are labeled `bug' but not labeled
17270 One could also imagine the labels being used for highlighting, or
17271 affect the summary line format.
17275 Sender: abraham@@dina.kvl.dk
17277 I'd like a gnus-find-file which work like find file, except that it
17278 would recognize things that looks like messages or folders:
17280 - If it is a directory containing numbered files, create an nndir
17283 - For other directories, create a nneething summary buffer.
17285 - For files matching "\\`From ", create a nndoc/mbox summary.
17287 - For files matching "\\`BABYL OPTIONS:", create a nndoc/baby summary.
17289 - For files matching "\\`[^ \t\n]+:", create an *Article* buffer.
17291 - For other files, just find them normally.
17293 I'd like `nneething' to use this function, so it would work on a
17294 directory potentially containing mboxes or babyl files.
17297 Please send a mail to bwarsaw@@cnri.reston.va.us (Barry A. Warsaw) and
17298 tell him what you are doing.
17301 Currently, I get prompted:
17305 decend into sci.something ?
17309 The problem above is that since there is really only one subsection of
17310 science, shouldn't it prompt you for only descending sci.something? If
17311 there was a sci.somethingelse group or section, then it should prompt
17312 for sci? first the sci.something? then sci.somethingelse?...
17315 Ja, det burde v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en m
\e,Ae
\e(Bte
\e,Ae
\e(B si slikt. Kanskje en ny variabel?
17316 `gnus-use-few-score-files'? S
\e,Ae
\e(B kunne score-regler legges til den
17317 "mest" lokale score-fila. F. eks. ville no-gruppene betjenes av
17318 "no.all.SCORE", osv.
17321 What i want is for Gnus to treat any sequence or combination of the following
17322 as a single spoiler warning and hide it all, replacing it with a "Next Page"
17328 more than n blank lines
17330 more than m identical lines
17331 (which should be replaced with button to show them)
17333 any whitespace surrounding any of the above
17337 Well, we could allow a new value to `gnus-thread-ignore-subject' --
17338 `spaces', or something. (We could even default to that.) And then
17339 subjects that differ in white space only could be considered the
17340 "same" subject for threading purposes.
17343 Modes to preprocess the contents (e.g. jka-compr) use the second form
17344 "(REGEXP FUNCTION NON-NIL)" while ordinary modes (e.g. tex) use the first
17345 form "(REGEXP . FUNCTION)", so you could use it to distinguish between
17346 those two types of modes. (auto-modes-alist, insert-file-contents-literally.)
17349 Under XEmacs -- do funny article marks:
17352 soup - bowl of soup
17353 score below - dim light bulb
17354 score over - bright light bulb
17357 Yes. I think the algorithm is as follows:
17362 show-list-of-articles-in-group
17363 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17364 if (no-more-articles-in-group-to-select)
17365 if (articles-selected)
17366 start-reading-selected-articles;
17367 junk-unread-articles;
17372 else if (key-pressed = '.')
17373 if (consolidated-menus) # same as hide-thread in Gnus
17374 select-thread-under-cursor;
17376 select-article-under-cursor;
17380 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17381 if (more-pages-in-article)
17383 else if (more-selected-articles-to-read)
17390 My precise need here would have been to limit files to Incoming*.
17391 One could think of some `nneething-only-files' variable, but I guess
17392 it would have been unacceptable if one was using many unrelated such
17395 A more useful approach would be to, in response to the `G D' prompt, be
17396 allowed to say something like: `~/.mail/Incoming*', somewhat limiting
17397 the top-level directory only (in case directories would be matched by
17398 the wildcard expression).
17401 It would be nice if it also handled
17403 <URL:news://sunsite.auc.dk/>
17405 which should correspond to `B nntp RET sunsite.auc.dk' in *Group*.
17410 Take a look at w3-menu.el in the Emacs-W3 distribution - this works out
17411 really well. Each menu is 'named' by a symbol that would be on a
17412 gnus-*-menus (where * would be whatever, but at least group, summary, and
17413 article versions) variable.
17415 So for gnus-summary-menus, I would set to '(sort mark dispose ...)
17417 A value of '1' would just put _all_ the menus in a single 'GNUS' menu in
17418 the main menubar. This approach works really well for Emacs-W3 and VM.
17422 nndoc should take care to create unique Message-IDs for all its
17425 gnus-score-followup-article only works when you have a summary buffer
17426 active. Make it work when posting from the group buffer as well.
17427 (message-sent-hook).
17429 rewrite gnus-demon to use run-with-idle-timers.
17432 * Enhancements to Gnus:
17436 * gnus-servers (gnus-start-server-buffer?)--enters Gnus and goes
17437 straight to the server buffer, without opening any connections to
17440 * gnus-server-read-server-newsrc--produces a buffer very similar to
17441 the group buffer, but with only groups from that server listed;
17442 quitting this buffer returns to the server buffer.
17445 add a command to check the integrity of an nnfolder folder --
17446 go through the article numbers and see that there are no duplicates,
17450 `unsmileyfy-buffer' to undo smileification.
17453 a command to give all relevant info on an article, including all
17457 when doing `-request-accept-article', the backends should do
17458 the nnmail duplicate checking.
17461 allow `message-signature-file' to be a function to return the
17462 value of the signature file.
17465 In addition, I would love it if I could configure message-tab so that it
17466 could call `bbdb-complete-name' in other headers. So, some sort of
17469 (setq message-tab-alist
17470 '((message-header-regexp message-expand-group)
17471 ("^\\(To\\|[cC]c\\|[bB]cc\\)" bbdb-complete-name)))
17473 then you could run the relevant function to complete the information in
17477 cache the newsgroups file locally to avoid reloading it all the time.
17480 a command to import a buffer into a group.
17483 nnweb should allow fetching by Message-ID from servers.
17486 point in the article buffer doesn't always go to the
17487 beginning of the buffer when selecting new articles.
17490 a command to process mark all unread articles.
17493 `gnus-gather-threads-by-references-and-subject' -- first
17494 do gathering by references, and then go through the dummy roots and
17495 do more gathering by subject.
17498 gnus-uu-mark-in-numerical-order -- process mark articles in
17499 article numerical order.
17502 (gnus-thread-total-score
17503 (gnus-id-to-thread (mail-header-id (gnus-summary-article-header))))
17507 sorting by score is wrong when using sparse threads.
17510 a command to fetch an arbitrary article -- without having to be
17511 in the summary buffer.
17514 a new nncvs backend. Each group would show an article, using
17515 version branches as threading, checkin date as the date, etc.
17518 http://www.dejanews.com/forms/dnsetfilter_exp.html ?
17519 This filter allows one to construct advance queries on the Dejanews
17520 database such as specifying start and end dates, subject, author,
17521 and/or newsgroup name.
17524 new Date header scoring type -- older, newer
17527 use the summary toolbar in the article buffer.
17530 a command to fetch all articles that are less than X days old.
17533 in pick mode, `q' should save the list of selected articles in the
17534 group info. The next time the group is selected, these articles
17535 will automatically get the process mark.
17538 Isn't it possible to (also?) allow M-^ to automatically try the
17539 default server if it fails on the current server? (controlled by a
17540 user variable, (nil, t, 'ask)).
17543 make it possible to cancel articles using the select method for the
17547 `gnus-summary-select-article-on-entry' or something. It'll default
17548 to t and will select whatever article decided by `gnus-auto-select-first'.
17551 a new variable to control which selection commands should be unselecting.
17552 `first', `best', `next', `prev', `next-unread', `prev-unread' are
17556 be able to select groups that have no articles in them
17557 to be able to post in them (using the current select method).
17560 be able to post via DejaNews.
17563 `x' should retain any sortings that have been performed.
17566 allow the user to specify the precedence of the secondary marks. Also
17567 allow them to be displayed separately.
17570 gnus-summary-save-in-pipe should concatenate the results from
17571 the processes when doing a process marked pipe.
17574 a new match type, like Followup, but which adds Thread matches on all
17575 articles that match a certain From header.
17578 a function that can be read from kill-emacs-query-functions to offer
17579 saving living summary buffers.
17582 a function for selecting a particular group which will contain
17583 the articles listed in a list of article numbers/id's.
17586 a battery of character translation functions to translate common
17587 Mac, MS (etc) characters into ISO 8859-1.
17590 (defun article-fix-m$word ()
17591 "Fix M$Word smartquotes in an article."
17594 (let ((buffer-read-only nil))
17595 (goto-char (point-min))
17596 (while (search-forward "\221" nil t)
17597 (replace-match "`" t t))
17598 (goto-char (point-min))
17599 (while (search-forward "\222" nil t)
17600 (replace-match "'" t t))
17601 (goto-char (point-min))
17602 (while (search-forward "\223" nil t)
17603 (replace-match "\"" t t))
17604 (goto-char (point-min))
17605 (while (search-forward "\224" nil t)
17606 (replace-match "\"" t t)))))
17611 (add-hook 'gnus-exit-query-functions
17613 (if (and (file-exists-p nnmail-spool-file)
17614 (> (nnheader-file-size nnmail-spool-file) 0))
17615 (yes-or-no-p "New mail has arrived. Quit Gnus anyways? ")
17616 (y-or-n-p "Are you sure you want to quit Gnus? "))))
17620 allow message-default-headers to be a function.
17623 new Date score match types -- < > = (etc) that take floating point
17624 numbers and match on the age of the article.
17628 > > > If so, I've got one gripe: It seems that when I fire up gnus 5.2.25
17629 > > > under xemacs-19.14, it's creating a new frame, but is erasing the
17630 > > > buffer in the frame that it was called from =:-O
17632 > > Hm. How do you start up Gnus? From the toolbar or with
17633 > > `M-x gnus-other-frame'?
17635 > I normally start it up from the toolbar; at
17636 > least that's the way I've caught it doing the
17641 all commands that react to the process mark should push
17642 the current process mark set onto the stack.
17645 gnus-article-hide-pgp
17646 Selv ville jeg nok ha valgt islette den dersom teksten matcher
17648 "\\(This\s+\\)?[^ ]+ has been automatically signed by"
17650 og det er maks hundre tegn mellom match-end og ----linja. Men -det-
17651 er min type heuristikk og langt fra alles.
17654 `gnus-subscribe-sorted' -- insert new groups where they would have been
17655 sorted to if `gnus-group-sort-function' were run.
17658 gnus-(group,summary)-highlight should respect any `face' text props set
17662 use run-with-idle-timer for gnus-demon instead of the
17663 home-brewed stuff for better reliability.
17666 add a way to select which NoCeM type to apply -- spam, troll, etc.
17669 nndraft-request-group should tally autosave files.
17672 implement nntp-retry-on-break and nntp-command-timeout.
17675 gnus-article-highlight-limit that says when not to highlight (long)
17679 (nnoo-set SERVER VARIABLE VALUE)
17685 interrupitng agent fetching of articles should save articles.
17688 command to open a digest group, and copy all the articles there to the
17692 a variable to disable article body highlights if there's more than
17693 X characters in the body.
17696 handle 480/381 authinfo requests separately.
17699 include the texi/dir file in the distribution.
17702 format spec to "tab" to a position.
17705 Move all prompting to the new `M-n' default style.
17708 command to display all dormant articles.
17711 gnus-auto-select-next makeover -- list of things it should do.
17714 a score match type that adds scores matching on From if From has replied
17715 to something someone else has said.
17718 Read Netscape discussion groups:
17719 snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.communicator.unix
17722 One command to edit the original version if an article, and one to edit
17723 the displayed version.
17726 @kbd{T v} -- make all process-marked articles the children of the
17730 Switch from initial text to the new default text mechanism.
17733 How about making it possible to expire local articles? Will it be
17734 possible to make various constraints on when an article can be
17735 expired, e.g. (read), (age > 14 days), or the more interesting (read
17739 New limit command---limit to articles that have a certain string
17740 in the head or body.
17743 Allow breaking lengthy NNTP commands.
17746 gnus-article-highlight-limit, to disable highlighting in big articles.
17749 Editing an article should put the article to be edited
17750 in a special, unique buffer.
17753 A command to send a mail to the admin-address group param.
17756 A Date scoring type that will match if the article
17757 is less than a certain number of days old.
17760 New spec: %~(tab 56) to put point on column 56
17763 Allow Gnus Agent scoring to use normal score files.
17766 Rething the Agent active file thing. `M-g' doesn't update the active
17767 file, for instance.
17770 With dummy roots, `^' and then selecing the first article
17771 in any other dummy thread will make gnus highlight the
17772 dummy root instead of the first article.
17775 Propagate all group properties (marks, article numbers, etc) up to the
17776 topics for displaying.
17779 `n' in the group buffer with topics should go to the next group
17780 with unread articles, even if that group is hidden in a topic.
17783 gnus-posting-styles doesn't work in drafts.
17786 gnus-summary-limit-include-cached is slow when there are
17787 many articles in the cache, since it regenerates big parts of the
17788 summary buffer for each article.
17791 Implement gnus-batch-brew-soup.
17794 Group parameters and summary commands for un/subscribing to mailing
17798 Solve the halting problem.
17807 @section The Manual
17811 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
17812 either @code{texi2dvi}
17814 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
17815 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
17817 to get what you hold in your hands now.
17819 The following conventions have been used:
17824 This is a @samp{string}
17827 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
17830 This is a @file{file}
17833 This is a @code{symbol}
17837 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
17841 (setq flargnoze "yes")
17844 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
17847 (setq flumphel 'yes)
17850 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
17851 ever get them confused.
17855 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
17856 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
17857 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
17858 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
17859 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
17860 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
17861 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
17869 @section Terminology
17871 @cindex terminology
17876 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
17877 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
17878 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
17879 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
17880 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
17884 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
17885 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
17886 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
17887 not posting, and replying is not following up.
17891 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
17895 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
17900 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
17901 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
17902 is all done by the backends.
17906 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
17907 default, way of getting news.
17911 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
17912 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary backends for getting
17917 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
17918 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
17922 A message that has been posted as news.
17925 @cindex mail message
17926 A message that has been mailed.
17930 A mail message or news article
17934 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
17939 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
17944 A line from the head of an article.
17948 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
17949 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
17953 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
17954 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
17955 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
17956 normal @sc{head} format.
17960 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
17961 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
17962 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
17963 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
17964 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
17965 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
17967 @item killed groups
17968 @cindex killed groups
17969 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
17970 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
17972 @item zombie groups
17973 @cindex zombie groups
17974 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
17977 @cindex active file
17978 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
17979 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
17980 is rather large, as you might surmise.
17983 @cindex bogus groups
17984 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
17985 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
17986 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
17989 @cindex activating groups
17990 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
17991 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
17992 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
17996 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
17998 @item select method
17999 @cindex select method
18000 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
18003 @item virtual server
18004 @cindex virtual server
18005 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
18006 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
18007 whole is a virtual server.
18011 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
18012 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
18015 @item ephemeral groups
18016 @cindex ephemeral groups
18017 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
18018 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
18019 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
18022 @cindex solid groups
18023 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
18024 group buffer are solid groups.
18026 @item sparse articles
18027 @cindex sparse articles
18028 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
18029 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
18033 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
18034 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
18038 @cindex thread root
18039 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
18040 articles in the thread.
18044 An article that has responses.
18048 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
18052 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
18053 specified by RFC1153.
18059 @node Customization
18060 @section Customization
18061 @cindex general customization
18063 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
18064 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
18065 for some quite common situations.
18068 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
18069 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
18070 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
18071 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
18075 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
18076 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
18078 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
18079 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
18080 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
18084 @item gnus-read-active-file
18085 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
18086 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
18087 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18088 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
18089 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
18091 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
18092 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
18093 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
18094 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
18098 @node Slow Terminal Connection
18099 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
18101 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
18102 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
18103 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
18107 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
18108 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
18109 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
18110 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
18111 horizontal and vertical recentering.
18113 @item gnus-visible-headers
18114 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
18115 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
18116 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
18117 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
18119 @item gnus-article-display-hook
18120 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
18122 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
18123 '(gnus-article-hide-headers
18124 gnus-article-hide-signature
18125 gnus-article-hide-citation))
18128 @item gnus-use-full-window
18129 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
18130 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
18131 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
18132 want to read them anyway.
18134 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
18135 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
18138 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
18139 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
18140 lines, which might save some time.
18144 @node Little Disk Space
18145 @subsection Little Disk Space
18148 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
18149 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
18153 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
18154 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
18155 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
18156 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18159 @item gnus-save-killed-list
18160 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
18161 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
18162 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
18163 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
18169 @subsection Slow Machine
18170 @cindex slow machine
18172 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
18173 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
18175 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18176 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
18178 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
18179 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
18180 summary buffer faster.
18182 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
18183 processing a bit faster.
18187 @node Troubleshooting
18188 @section Troubleshooting
18189 @cindex troubleshooting
18191 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
18199 Make sure your computer is switched on.
18202 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
18203 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
18207 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
18208 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
18209 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
18210 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
18213 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
18217 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
18218 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
18219 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
18220 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
18221 something like that.
18224 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
18227 @cindex reporting bugs
18229 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
18231 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
18232 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
18233 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
18234 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
18236 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
18237 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
18238 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
18239 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
18242 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
18243 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
18244 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
18245 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
18246 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
18247 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
18249 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
18250 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
18251 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
18254 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
18255 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
18257 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
18258 @cindex ding mailing list
18259 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
18260 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
18264 @node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
18265 @section A Programmer@'s Guide to Gnus
18267 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
18268 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
18269 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
18270 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
18273 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
18274 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
18275 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
18276 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
18277 and general methods of operation.
18280 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
18281 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
18282 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
18283 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
18284 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
18285 * Group Info:: The group info format.
18286 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
18287 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
18288 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
18292 @node Gnus Utility Functions
18293 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
18294 @cindex Gnus utility functions
18295 @cindex utility functions
18297 @cindex internal variables
18299 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
18300 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
18301 Below is a list of the most common ones.
18305 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
18306 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
18307 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
18309 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
18310 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
18311 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
18313 @item gnus-group-real-name
18314 @findex gnus-group-real-name
18315 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
18318 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
18319 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
18320 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
18321 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
18323 @item gnus-get-info
18324 @findex gnus-get-info
18325 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
18327 @item gnus-group-unread
18328 @findex gnus-group-unread
18329 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
18333 @findex gnus-active
18334 The active entry for @var{group}.
18336 @item gnus-set-active
18337 @findex gnus-set-active
18338 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
18340 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18341 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18342 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
18345 @item gnus-continuum-version
18346 @findex gnus-continuum-version
18347 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
18348 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
18351 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
18352 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
18353 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
18355 @item gnus-news-group-p
18356 @findex gnus-news-group-p
18357 Says whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
18359 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18360 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18361 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
18363 @item gnus-server-to-method
18364 @findex gnus-server-to-method
18365 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
18367 @item gnus-server-equal
18368 @findex gnus-server-equal
18369 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
18371 @item gnus-group-native-p
18372 @findex gnus-group-native-p
18373 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
18375 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
18376 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
18377 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
18379 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
18380 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
18381 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
18383 @item group-group-find-parameter
18384 @findex group-group-find-parameter
18385 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
18386 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
18388 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
18389 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
18390 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
18392 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
18393 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
18394 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
18396 @item gnus-check-backend-function
18397 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
18398 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
18399 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
18402 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
18406 @item gnus-read-method
18407 @findex gnus-read-method
18408 Prompts the user for a select method.
18413 @node Backend Interface
18414 @subsection Backend Interface
18416 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
18417 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
18418 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
18419 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
18420 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
18421 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
18423 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
18424 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
18425 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
18426 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
18427 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
18428 been opened, the function should fail.
18430 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
18431 name. Take this example:
18435 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
18436 (nntp-port-number 4324))
18439 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
18440 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
18442 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
18443 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
18444 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
18446 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
18447 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
18448 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
18450 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
18451 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
18452 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
18453 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
18454 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
18455 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
18458 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
18459 some might be said not to be. The latter are backends that generally
18460 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
18461 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
18464 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
18467 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
18470 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
18471 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
18472 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
18473 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
18474 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
18475 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
18479 @node Required Backend Functions
18480 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
18484 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
18486 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
18487 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
18488 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
18489 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
18491 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
18492 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
18493 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
18494 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
18496 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
18497 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
18498 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
18499 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
18500 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
18501 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
18502 number, do maximum fetches.
18504 Here's an example HEAD:
18507 221 1056 Article retrieved.
18508 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
18509 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
18510 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
18511 Subject: Re: Something very droll
18512 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
18513 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
18515 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
18516 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
18517 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
18521 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
18522 these in the data buffer.
18524 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
18528 head = error / valid-head
18529 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
18530 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
18531 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
18532 header = <text> eol
18535 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
18536 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
18540 nov-buffer = *nov-line
18541 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
18542 field = <text except TAB>
18545 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
18549 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
18551 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
18552 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
18554 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
18555 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
18556 server. In fact, it should do so.
18558 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
18559 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
18562 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
18564 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
18565 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
18568 There should be no data returned.
18571 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
18573 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
18574 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
18575 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
18576 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
18578 There should be no data returned.
18581 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
18583 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
18584 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
18585 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
18586 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
18588 There should be no data returned.
18591 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
18593 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
18595 There should be no data returned.
18598 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
18600 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
18601 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
18602 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
18603 it would be nice if that were possible.
18605 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
18606 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
18607 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
18608 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
18609 into its article buffer.
18611 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
18612 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
18613 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
18614 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
18615 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
18616 on successful article retrieval.
18619 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
18621 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
18622 making @var{group} the current group.
18624 If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
18627 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
18630 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
18633 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
18634 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
18635 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
18636 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
18637 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
18638 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
18639 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
18640 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
18643 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
18644 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
18645 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
18649 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
18651 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
18652 a no-op on most backends.
18654 There should be no data returned.
18657 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
18659 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
18662 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
18665 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
18666 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
18669 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
18670 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
18673 active-file = *active-line
18674 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
18676 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
18679 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
18680 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
18681 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
18684 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
18686 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
18687 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
18688 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
18689 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
18690 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
18691 clear if the posting could not be completed.
18693 There should be no result data from this function.
18698 @node Optional Backend Functions
18699 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
18703 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
18705 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
18706 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
18707 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
18709 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
18710 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
18711 former is in the same format as the data from
18712 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
18713 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
18716 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
18720 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
18722 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
18723 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
18724 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
18725 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
18726 should return the (altered) group info.
18728 There should be no result data from this function.
18731 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
18733 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
18734 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
18735 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
18736 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
18737 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
18738 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
18739 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
18740 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
18742 There should be no result data from this function.
18745 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
18747 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
18748 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
18749 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
18750 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
18751 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
18753 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
18754 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
18755 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
18758 There should be no result data from this function.
18761 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
18763 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
18764 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
18765 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
18766 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
18767 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
18768 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
18769 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
18771 There should be no result data from this function.
18774 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
18776 The result data from this function should be a description of
18780 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
18782 description = <text>
18785 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
18787 The result data from this function should be the description of all
18788 groups available on the server.
18791 description-buffer = *description-line
18795 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
18797 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
18798 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
18799 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
18802 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
18804 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
18806 There should be no return data.
18809 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
18811 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
18812 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
18813 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
18814 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
18815 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
18818 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
18821 There should be no result data returned.
18824 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
18827 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
18828 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
18830 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
18831 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
18832 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
18833 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
18834 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
18835 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
18837 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
18838 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
18841 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
18842 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
18844 There should be no data returned.
18847 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
18849 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
18850 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
18851 this function in short order.
18853 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
18854 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
18856 There should be no data returned.
18859 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
18861 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
18862 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
18864 There should be no data returned.
18867 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
18869 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
18870 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
18871 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
18873 There should be no data returned.
18876 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
18878 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
18879 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
18881 There should be no data returned.
18886 @node Error Messaging
18887 @subsubsection Error Messaging
18889 @findex nnheader-report
18890 @findex nnheader-get-report
18891 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
18892 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
18893 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
18894 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
18895 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
18896 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
18899 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
18901 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
18904 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
18905 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
18906 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
18907 takes one argument---the server symbol.
18909 Internally, these functions access @var{backend}@code{-status-string},
18910 so the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
18911 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
18914 @node Writing New Backends
18915 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
18917 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
18918 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
18919 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
18920 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
18921 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
18924 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
18925 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
18926 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
18928 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
18929 package called @code{nnoo}.
18931 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
18932 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
18938 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
18939 parameters. For instance:
18942 (nnoo-declare nndir
18946 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
18947 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
18950 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
18951 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
18952 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
18954 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
18955 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
18956 a function in those backends.
18959 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
18960 "Where nndir will look for groups."
18961 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
18964 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
18965 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
18966 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
18968 @item nnoo-define-basics
18969 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
18973 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
18977 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
18978 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
18979 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
18981 @item nnoo-map-functions
18982 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
18983 functions from the parent backends.
18986 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
18987 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
18988 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
18991 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
18992 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
18993 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
18994 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
18997 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
18998 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
18999 haven't already been defined.
19005 nnmh-request-newgroups)
19009 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
19010 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
19011 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
19016 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
19019 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
19020 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
19024 (require 'nnheader)
19028 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
19030 (nnoo-declare nndir
19033 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
19034 "Where nndir will look for groups."
19035 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
19037 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
19038 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
19041 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
19042 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
19043 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
19045 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
19046 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
19048 ;;; Interface functions.
19050 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
19052 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
19053 (setq nndir-directory
19054 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
19056 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
19057 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
19058 (push `(nndir-current-group
19059 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19061 (push `(nndir-top-directory
19062 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19064 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
19066 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
19067 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19068 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19069 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
19070 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
19074 nnmh-status-message
19076 nnmh-request-newgroups))
19082 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19083 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19085 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
19086 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
19087 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
19088 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
19090 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
19091 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
19096 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
19099 The abilities can be:
19103 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
19105 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
19107 This backend supports both mail and news.
19109 This is neither a post nor mail backend---it's something completely
19112 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
19113 articles and groups.
19115 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
19116 true for almost all backends.
19117 @item prompt-address
19118 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
19119 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
19120 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
19124 @node Mail-like Backends
19125 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
19127 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
19128 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
19129 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
19130 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
19133 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
19134 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
19135 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
19138 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
19139 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
19142 This function takes four parameters.
19146 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
19149 @item exit-function
19150 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
19152 @item temp-directory
19153 Where the temporary files should be stored.
19156 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
19157 performed for one group only.
19160 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
19161 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
19162 find the article number assigned to this article.
19164 The function also uses the following variables:
19165 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
19166 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
19167 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
19168 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
19172 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
19173 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
19177 @node Score File Syntax
19178 @subsection Score File Syntax
19180 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
19181 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
19182 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
19184 Here's a typical score file:
19188 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
19195 BNF definition of a score file:
19198 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
19199 element = rule / atom
19200 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
19201 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
19202 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
19203 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
19205 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
19206 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
19207 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
19208 date-header = "date"
19209 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19210 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19211 score = "nil" / <integer>
19212 date = "nil" / <natural number>
19213 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
19214 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
19215 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
19216 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
19217 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19218 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19219 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
19220 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19221 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
19222 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
19223 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
19224 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
19225 exclude-files / read-only / touched
19226 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
19227 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
19228 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
19229 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
19230 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
19231 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
19232 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
19233 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
19234 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
19235 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
19236 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
19237 eval = "eval" space <form>
19238 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
19241 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
19244 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
19245 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
19246 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
19247 one looong line, then that's ok.
19249 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
19250 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
19254 @subsection Headers
19256 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
19257 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
19258 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
19259 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
19261 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
19262 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
19263 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
19264 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
19265 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
19266 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
19267 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
19269 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
19270 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
19271 @code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
19272 slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
19273 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
19275 The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
19282 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
19283 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
19285 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
19286 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
19287 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
19288 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
19290 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
19294 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
19297 is transformed into
19300 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
19303 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
19304 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
19307 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
19310 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
19311 is slightly tricky:
19314 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
19320 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
19323 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
19329 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
19336 and is equal to the previous range.
19338 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
19339 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
19340 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
19344 range = simple-range / normal-range
19345 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
19346 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
19347 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
19348 number *[ " " contents ]
19351 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
19352 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
19353 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
19354 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
19355 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
19360 @subsection Group Info
19362 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
19363 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
19364 describes the group.
19366 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
19367 second is a more complex one:
19370 ("no.group" 5 (1 . 54324))
19372 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
19373 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
19375 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
19378 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
19379 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
19380 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
19381 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
19382 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
19383 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
19384 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
19385 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
19386 this section is about.
19388 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
19389 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
19390 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
19392 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
19395 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
19396 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
19397 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19398 group = quote <string> quote
19399 ralevel = rank / level
19400 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
19401 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
19402 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
19404 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
19405 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
19406 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
19407 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
19410 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
19411 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
19414 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
19415 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
19418 @item gnus-info-group
19419 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
19420 @findex gnus-info-group
19421 @findex gnus-info-set-group
19422 Get/set the group name.
19424 @item gnus-info-rank
19425 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
19426 @findex gnus-info-rank
19427 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
19428 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
19430 @item gnus-info-level
19431 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
19432 @findex gnus-info-level
19433 @findex gnus-info-set-level
19434 Get/set the group level.
19436 @item gnus-info-score
19437 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
19438 @findex gnus-info-score
19439 @findex gnus-info-set-score
19440 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
19442 @item gnus-info-read
19443 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
19444 @findex gnus-info-read
19445 @findex gnus-info-set-read
19446 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
19448 @item gnus-info-marks
19449 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
19450 @findex gnus-info-marks
19451 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
19452 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
19454 @item gnus-info-method
19455 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
19456 @findex gnus-info-method
19457 @findex gnus-info-set-method
19458 Get/set the group select method.
19460 @item gnus-info-params
19461 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
19462 @findex gnus-info-params
19463 @findex gnus-info-set-params
19464 Get/set the group parameters.
19467 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
19468 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
19470 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
19471 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
19472 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
19473 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
19476 @node Extended Interactive
19477 @subsection Extended Interactive
19478 @cindex interactive
19479 @findex gnus-interactive
19481 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
19482 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
19483 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
19486 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
19487 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
19492 The best thing to do would have been to implement
19493 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
19494 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
19495 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
19496 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
19497 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
19498 @code{interactive}.
19500 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
19505 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
19506 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
19510 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
19511 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
19512 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
19515 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
19519 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
19523 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
19529 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
19530 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
19534 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
19535 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
19536 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
19538 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
19539 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
19540 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
19541 Gnus, that's very useful.
19543 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
19544 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
19545 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
19546 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
19547 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
19548 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
19549 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
19550 following function:
19553 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
19557 (,function ,@@args))
19561 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
19562 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
19563 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
19566 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
19567 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
19568 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
19570 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
19571 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
19572 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
19575 @node Various File Formats
19576 @subsection Various File Formats
19579 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
19580 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
19584 @node Active File Format
19585 @subsubsection Active File Format
19587 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
19588 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
19591 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
19594 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
19595 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
19596 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
19597 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
19598 no.general 1000 900 y
19601 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
19604 active = *group-line
19605 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
19606 group = <non-white-space string>
19608 high-number = <non-negative integer>
19609 low-number = <positive integer>
19610 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
19613 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
19614 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
19617 @node Newsgroups File Format
19618 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
19620 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
19621 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
19622 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
19625 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
19626 Here's the definition:
19630 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
19631 group = <non-white-space string>
19633 description = <string>
19638 @node Emacs for Heathens
19639 @section Emacs for Heathens
19641 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
19642 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
19643 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
19644 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
19645 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
19646 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
19647 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
19651 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
19652 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
19657 @subsection Keystrokes
19661 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
19664 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
19667 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
19668 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
19669 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
19670 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
19671 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
19672 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
19674 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
19675 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
19676 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
19677 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
19678 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
19679 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
19680 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
19682 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
19683 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
19684 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
19685 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
19686 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
19687 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
19688 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
19690 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
19691 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
19692 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
19693 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
19694 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
19700 @subsection Emacs Lisp
19702 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
19703 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
19704 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
19705 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
19707 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
19708 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
19709 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
19710 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
19711 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
19712 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
19713 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
19716 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
19717 write the following:
19720 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
19723 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
19724 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
19725 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
19728 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
19729 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
19730 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
19731 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
19732 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
19734 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
19735 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
19736 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
19740 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
19744 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
19747 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
19748 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
19751 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
19754 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
19755 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
19758 @include gnus-faq.texi