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4 @settitle T-gnus 6.15 Manual
10 * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
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280 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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289 Copyright \copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
290 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
293 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
294 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
295 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
296 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
297 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
298 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
299 License'' in the Emacs manual.
301 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
302 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
303 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
305 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
306 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
307 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
308 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
316 This file documents gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
318 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
319 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
321 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
322 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
323 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
324 Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
325 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
326 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
327 License'' in the Emacs manual.
329 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
330 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
331 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
333 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
334 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
335 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
336 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
342 @title T-gnus 6.15 Manual
344 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
347 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
348 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
349 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
351 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
352 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
353 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
354 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
355 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
356 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
357 License'' in the Emacs manual.
359 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
360 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
361 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
363 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
364 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
365 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
366 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
375 @top The gnus Newsreader
379 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using gnus. The news
380 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
381 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
384 T-gnus provides MIME features based on SEMI API. So T-gnus supports
385 your right to read strange messages including big images or other
386 various kinds of formats. T-gnus also supports
387 internationalization/localization and multiscript features based on MULE
388 API. So T-gnus does not discriminate various language communities.
389 Oh, if you are a Klingon, please wait Unicode Next Generation.
391 This manual corresponds to T-gnus 6.15.
402 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
403 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
405 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
406 being accused of plagiarism:
408 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
409 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
410 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you
411 can even read news with it!
413 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
414 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
415 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend gnus to make it behave
416 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
417 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
423 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
424 * Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
425 * Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
426 * Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
427 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
428 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
429 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
430 * Various:: General purpose settings.
431 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
432 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
433 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
434 * Key Index:: Key Index.
437 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
441 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
442 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
443 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
444 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
445 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
446 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
447 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
448 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
449 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
450 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
451 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
455 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
456 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
457 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
461 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
462 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
463 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
464 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
465 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
466 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
467 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
468 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
469 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
470 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
471 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
472 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
473 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
474 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
475 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
476 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
477 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
481 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
482 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
483 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
487 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
488 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
489 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
490 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
491 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
495 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
496 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
497 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
498 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
499 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
503 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
504 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
505 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
506 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
507 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
509 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
510 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
511 * Threading:: How threads are made.
512 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
513 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
514 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
515 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
516 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
517 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
518 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
519 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
520 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
521 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
522 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
523 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
524 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
525 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
526 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
527 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
528 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
529 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
530 or reselecting the current group.
531 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
532 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
533 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
534 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
536 Summary Buffer Format
538 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
539 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
540 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
541 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
545 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
546 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
548 Reply, Followup and Post
550 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
551 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
552 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
553 * Canceling and Superseding::
557 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
558 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
559 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
561 * Generic Marking Commands::
562 * Setting Process Marks::
566 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
567 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
568 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
572 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
573 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
575 Customizing Threading
577 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
578 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
579 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
580 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
584 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
585 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
586 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
587 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
588 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
589 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
593 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
594 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
595 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
599 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
600 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
601 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
602 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
603 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
604 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
605 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
606 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
608 Alternative Approaches
610 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
611 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
613 Various Summary Stuff
615 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
616 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
617 * Summary Generation Commands::
618 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
622 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
623 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
624 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
625 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
626 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
630 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
631 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
632 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
633 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
634 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
635 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
636 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
637 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
641 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
642 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
643 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
644 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
645 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
646 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
647 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
648 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
652 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
653 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
654 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
655 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
656 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
657 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
658 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
662 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
663 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
667 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
668 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
669 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
673 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
674 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
675 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
676 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
677 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
678 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
679 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
680 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
681 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
682 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
683 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
684 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
685 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
686 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
690 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
691 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
692 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
694 Choosing a Mail Back End
696 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
697 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
698 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
699 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
700 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
701 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
705 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
706 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
707 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
708 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
709 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
710 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
714 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
715 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
716 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
720 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
721 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
722 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
723 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
724 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
728 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
732 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
733 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
734 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
738 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
739 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
743 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
744 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
745 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
746 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
747 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
748 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
749 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
750 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
751 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
752 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
756 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
757 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
758 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
762 * Group Agent Commands::
763 * Summary Agent Commands::
764 * Server Agent Commands::
768 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
769 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
770 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
771 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
772 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
773 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
774 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
775 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
776 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
777 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
778 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
779 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
780 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
781 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
782 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
783 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
784 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
788 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
789 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
790 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
791 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
795 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
796 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
797 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
801 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
802 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
803 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
804 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
805 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
806 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
807 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
808 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
809 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
810 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
811 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
812 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
813 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
814 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
815 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
816 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
817 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
818 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
822 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
823 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
824 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
825 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
826 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
827 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
828 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
829 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
833 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
834 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
835 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
836 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
840 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
841 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
842 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
843 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
844 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
848 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
849 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
850 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
851 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
852 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
853 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
854 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
858 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
859 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
860 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
861 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
862 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
863 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
864 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
865 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
866 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
870 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
871 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
872 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
873 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
874 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
878 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
879 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
880 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
881 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
885 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
886 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
887 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
888 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
889 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
890 * Group Info:: The group info format.
891 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
892 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
893 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
897 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
898 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
899 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
900 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
901 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
902 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
906 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
907 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
911 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
912 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
918 @chapter Starting gnus
923 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting gnus
924 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
927 @findex gnus-other-frame
928 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
929 If you want to start gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
930 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
932 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
933 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
934 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
936 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
937 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
940 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
941 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
942 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
943 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
944 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
945 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
946 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
947 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
948 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
949 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
950 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
954 @node Finding the News
955 @section Finding the News
958 @vindex gnus-select-method
960 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where gnus should look for
961 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
962 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
963 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
966 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
967 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
970 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
973 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
976 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
979 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
980 certainly be much faster. But do not use the local spool if your
981 server is running Leafnode; in this case, use @code{(nntp "localhost")}.
983 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
985 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
986 If this variable is not set, gnus will take a look at the
987 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
988 gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
989 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
990 that fails as well, gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
992 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
993 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
994 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
995 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
997 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
998 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
999 You can also make gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
1000 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
1001 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), gnus will let you choose between the servers
1002 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
1003 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
1004 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
1005 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
1008 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
1010 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
1011 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
1012 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
1013 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
1014 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
1015 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
1017 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
1019 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
1020 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
1021 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
1022 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
1023 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
1024 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
1027 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} back end to read your mail,
1028 you would typically set this variable to
1031 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
1035 @node The First Time
1036 @section The First Time
1037 @cindex first time usage
1039 If no startup files exist, gnus will try to determine what groups should
1040 be subscribed by default.
1042 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
1043 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, gnus
1044 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
1045 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
1048 Since she hasn't, gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
1049 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
1050 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
1052 You'll also be subscribed to the gnus documentation group, which should
1053 help you with most common problems.
1055 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, gnus will just
1056 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
1060 @node The Server is Down
1061 @section The Server is Down
1062 @cindex server errors
1064 If the default server is down, gnus will understandably have some
1065 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
1066 the news groups, you may want to start gnus anyway.
1068 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
1069 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
1070 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
1071 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
1072 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
1073 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
1074 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
1076 @findex gnus-no-server
1077 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
1079 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
1080 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
1081 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start gnus. That might come in handy
1082 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
1083 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
1084 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
1085 levels.) Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1089 @section Slave Gnusae
1092 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one gnus at the
1093 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
1094 are using the two different gnusae to read from two different servers),
1095 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
1097 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
1098 @code{.newsrc} file.
1100 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the gnus
1101 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
1102 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
1103 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
1104 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
1105 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
1106 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
1108 Anyway, you start one gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
1109 however you do it). Each subsequent slave gnusae should be started with
1110 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
1111 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
1112 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master gnus
1113 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
1114 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
1115 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
1117 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
1118 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
1121 @node Fetching a Group
1122 @section Fetching a Group
1123 @cindex fetching a group
1125 @findex gnus-fetch-group
1126 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
1127 group and I don't care whether gnus has been started or not''. This is
1128 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
1129 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
1130 It takes the group name as a parameter.
1136 @cindex subscription
1138 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
1139 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
1140 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
1141 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
1142 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
1143 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
1144 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
1145 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the back ends for new groups even
1146 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1149 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
1150 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
1151 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
1155 @node Checking New Groups
1156 @subsection Checking New Groups
1158 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
1159 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
1160 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
1161 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, gnus will ask the
1162 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
1163 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
1164 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
1165 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
1166 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
1167 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
1169 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
1170 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
1171 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
1172 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
1173 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
1174 work. I could write a function to make gnus guess whether the server
1175 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
1176 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
1177 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
1178 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
1179 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
1181 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, gnus will
1182 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
1183 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
1184 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
1185 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
1186 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
1189 @node Subscription Methods
1190 @subsection Subscription Methods
1192 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
1193 What gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
1194 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
1196 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
1197 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
1199 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
1203 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
1204 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
1205 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
1206 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
1207 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
1209 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
1210 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
1211 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
1212 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
1214 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1215 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1216 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
1218 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1219 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1220 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
1221 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
1222 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
1223 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into its
1224 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
1225 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
1226 up. Or something like that.
1228 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
1229 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
1230 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that gnus will ask
1231 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
1232 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
1234 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
1235 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
1236 Kill all new groups.
1238 @item gnus-subscribe-topics
1239 @vindex gnus-subscribe-topics
1240 Put the groups into the topic that has a matching @code{subscribe} topic
1241 parameter (@pxref{Topic Parameters}). For instance, a @code{subscribe}
1242 topic parameter that looks like
1248 will mean that all groups that match that regex will be subscribed under
1251 If no topics match the groups, the groups will be subscribed in the
1256 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
1257 A closely related variable is
1258 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
1259 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will ask you in a
1260 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
1261 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
1264 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
1265 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
1266 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
1267 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
1270 @node Filtering New Groups
1271 @subsection Filtering New Groups
1273 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
1274 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
1275 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
1278 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
1281 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
1282 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
1283 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
1284 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
1285 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
1286 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
1287 subscribing these groups.
1288 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
1289 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
1291 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
1292 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
1293 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
1294 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
1295 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
1296 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
1297 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
1298 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
1300 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
1301 Yet another variable that meddles here is
1302 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
1303 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
1304 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
1305 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
1306 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
1307 that come from mail back ends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
1308 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
1309 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
1311 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
1312 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
1315 @node Changing Servers
1316 @section Changing Servers
1317 @cindex changing servers
1319 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
1320 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
1321 very flaky and you want to use another.
1323 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
1324 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
1328 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
1329 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
1330 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
1331 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
1334 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
1335 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
1336 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
1337 functions more than absolutely necessary.
1339 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
1340 @findex gnus-change-server
1341 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
1342 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
1343 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
1344 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
1345 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
1347 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1348 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1349 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
1350 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
1351 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
1353 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1354 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1355 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
1356 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
1357 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
1358 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
1360 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
1361 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
1362 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
1366 @section Startup Files
1367 @cindex startup files
1372 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
1373 information is traditionally stored in this file.
1375 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
1376 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
1377 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
1378 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
1379 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
1380 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
1381 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
1383 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
1384 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
1385 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
1386 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
1387 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
1388 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
1390 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
1391 @vindex gnus-read-newsrc-file
1392 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
1393 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
1394 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from gnus faster.
1395 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
1396 gnus. But hey, who would want to, right? Similarly, setting
1397 @code{gnus-read-newsrc-file} to @code{nil} makes gnus ignore the
1398 @file{.newsrc} file and any @file{.newsrc-SERVER} files, which is
1399 convenient if you have a tendency to use Netscape once in a while.
1401 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
1402 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
1403 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
1404 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
1405 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
1406 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
1407 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
1408 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
1409 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
1410 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
1411 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
1412 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
1414 @vindex gnus-startup-file
1415 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
1416 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
1417 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
1419 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
1420 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
1421 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
1422 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
1423 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
1424 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
1425 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
1426 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
1427 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
1428 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
1431 (defun turn-off-backup ()
1432 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
1434 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1435 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1438 @vindex gnus-init-file
1439 When gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
1440 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
1441 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
1442 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
1443 @file{site-init} files with gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
1444 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
1445 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
1446 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
1447 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
1453 @cindex dribble file
1456 Whenever you do something that changes the gnus data (reading articles,
1457 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
1458 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
1459 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
1460 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
1463 If gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
1464 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
1467 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
1468 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, gnus won't create and
1469 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
1471 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
1472 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
1473 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, gnus will dribble
1474 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
1475 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
1476 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
1478 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
1479 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
1480 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
1483 @node The Active File
1484 @section The Active File
1486 @cindex ignored groups
1488 When gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
1489 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
1490 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
1492 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
1493 Before examining the active file, gnus deletes all lines that match the
1494 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
1495 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make gnus
1496 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
1497 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
1498 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
1501 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
1502 @c if you set it to anything else.
1504 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
1506 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
1507 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent gnus from
1508 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
1510 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
1511 you actually subscribe to.
1513 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
1514 variable to @code{nil} will probably make gnus slower, not faster. At
1515 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow gnus down
1516 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
1518 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
1519 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
1520 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
1521 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
1522 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
1523 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1525 Some news servers (old versions of Leafnode and old versions of INN, for
1526 instance) do not support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group}. For these
1527 servers, @code{nil} is probably the most efficient value for this
1530 If this variable is @code{nil}, gnus will ask for group info in total
1531 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1532 @sc{nntp} server, gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1533 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1534 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1535 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1537 If you think that starting up Gnus takes too long, try all the three
1538 different values for this variable and see what works best for you.
1540 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1541 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1543 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1544 secondary select methods.
1547 @node Startup Variables
1548 @section Startup Variables
1552 @item gnus-load-hook
1553 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1554 A hook run while gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1555 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1556 times you start gnus.
1558 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1559 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1560 A hook run after starting up gnus successfully.
1562 @item gnus-startup-hook
1563 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1564 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1566 @item gnus-started-hook
1567 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1568 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1571 @item gnus-setup-news-hook
1572 @vindex gnus-setup-news-hook
1573 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1574 generating the group buffer.
1576 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1577 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1578 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1579 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1580 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1581 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1582 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1583 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1585 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1586 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1587 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1588 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1589 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1590 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1592 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1593 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1594 Message displayed by gnus when no groups are available.
1596 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1597 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1598 If non-@code{nil}, play the gnus jingle at startup.
1600 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1601 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1602 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1603 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1609 @chapter Group Buffer
1610 @cindex group buffer
1612 @c Alex Schroeder suggests to rearrange this as follows:
1614 @c <kensanata> ok, just save it for reference. I'll go to bed in a minute.
1615 @c 1. Selecting a Group, 2. (new) Finding a Group, 3. Group Levels,
1616 @c 4. Subscription Commands, 5. Group Maneuvering, 6. Group Data,
1617 @c 7. Group Score, 8. Group Buffer Format
1618 @c <kensanata> Group Levels should have more information on levels 5 to 9. I
1619 @c suggest to split the 4th paragraph ("Gnus considers groups...") as follows:
1620 @c <kensanata> First, "Gnus considers groups... (default 9)."
1621 @c <kensanata> New, a table summarizing what levels 1 to 9 mean.
1622 @c <kensanata> Third, "Gnus treats subscribed ... reasons of efficiency"
1623 @c <kensanata> Then expand the next paragraph or add some more to it.
1624 @c This short one sentence explains levels 1 and 2, therefore I understand
1625 @c that I should keep important news at 3 and boring news at 4.
1626 @c Say so! Then go on to explain why I should bother with levels 6 to 9.
1627 @c Maybe keep those that you don't want to read temporarily at 6,
1628 @c those that you never want to read at 8, those that offend your
1629 @c human rights at 9...
1632 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1633 is the first buffer shown when gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1634 long as gnus is active.
1638 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1639 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group,height=9cm}}
1640 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1641 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1642 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1643 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1644 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1645 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1651 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1652 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1653 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1654 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1655 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1656 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1657 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1658 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1659 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1660 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1661 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1662 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1663 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1664 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1665 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1666 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1667 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1671 @node Group Buffer Format
1672 @section Group Buffer Format
1675 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1676 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1677 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1681 @node Group Line Specification
1682 @subsection Group Line Specification
1683 @cindex group buffer format
1685 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1686 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1688 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1691 25: news.announce.newusers
1692 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1697 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1698 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1699 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1700 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1702 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1703 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1704 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1705 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1706 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1707 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1709 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1711 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1712 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1713 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1714 never examined by gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1717 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1718 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1719 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1721 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1726 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1729 Whether the group is subscribed.
1732 Level of subscribedness.
1735 Number of unread articles.
1738 Number of dormant articles.
1741 Number of ticked articles.
1744 Number of read articles.
1747 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1748 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1750 Gnus uses this estimation because the NNTP protocol provides efficient
1751 access to @var{max-number} and @var{min-number} but getting the true
1752 unread message count is not possible efficiently. For hysterical
1753 raisins, even the mail back ends, where the true number of unread
1754 messages might be available efficiently, use the same limited
1755 interface. To remove this restriction from Gnus means that the
1756 back end interface has to be changed, which is not an easy job. If you
1757 want to work on this, please contact the Gnus mailing list.
1760 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1763 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1772 Newsgroup description.
1775 @samp{m} if moderated.
1778 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1787 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1791 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1794 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1795 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1796 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1797 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1798 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.e.gnus}.
1801 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1803 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1807 @samp{#} (@code{gnus-process-mark}) if the group is process marked.
1810 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1814 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1815 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1816 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1817 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1818 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1819 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1824 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1825 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1826 group, or a bogus native group.
1829 @node Group Modeline Specification
1830 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1831 @cindex group modeline
1833 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1834 The mode line can be changed by setting
1835 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1836 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1840 The native news server.
1842 The native select method.
1846 @node Group Highlighting
1847 @subsection Group Highlighting
1848 @cindex highlighting
1849 @cindex group highlighting
1851 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1852 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1853 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1854 that look like @code{(@var{form} . @var{face})}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1855 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1857 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1861 (cond (window-system
1862 (setq custom-background-mode 'light)
1863 (defface my-group-face-1
1864 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))) "First group face")
1865 (defface my-group-face-2
1866 '((t (:foreground "DarkSeaGreen4" :bold t))) "Second group face")
1867 (defface my-group-face-3
1868 '((t (:foreground "Green4" :bold t))) "Third group face")
1869 (defface my-group-face-4
1870 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))) "Fourth group face")
1871 (defface my-group-face-5
1872 '((t (:foreground "Blue" :bold t))) "Fifth group face")))
1874 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1875 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1876 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1877 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1878 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1879 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1882 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1884 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1891 The number of unread articles in the group.
1895 Whether the group is a mail group.
1897 The level of the group.
1899 The score of the group.
1901 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1903 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1904 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1906 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1907 topic being inserted.
1910 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1911 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal gnus
1912 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1914 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1915 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1916 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1917 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1918 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1921 @node Group Maneuvering
1922 @section Group Maneuvering
1923 @cindex group movement
1925 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1926 expected, hopefully.
1932 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1933 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1934 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1940 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1941 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1942 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1946 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1947 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1951 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1952 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1956 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1957 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1958 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1962 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1963 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1964 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1967 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1973 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1974 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1975 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1980 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1981 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1982 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1986 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1987 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1988 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1991 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1992 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1993 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1994 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1998 @node Selecting a Group
1999 @section Selecting a Group
2000 @cindex group selection
2005 @kindex SPACE (Group)
2006 @findex gnus-group-read-group
2007 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
2008 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
2009 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
2010 this command, gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
2011 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
2012 determines the number of articles gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
2013 positive, gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
2014 negative, Gnus fetches the @code{abs(@var{N})} oldest articles.
2016 Thus, @kbd{SPC} enters the group normally, @kbd{C-u SPC} offers old
2017 articles, @kbd{C-u 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 newest articles, and @kbd{C-u
2018 - 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 oldest ones.
2020 When you are in the group (in the Summary buffer), you can type
2021 @kbd{M-g} to fetch new articles, or @kbd{C-u M-g} to also show the old
2026 @findex gnus-group-select-group
2027 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
2028 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
2029 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
2030 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
2034 @kindex M-RET (Group)
2035 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
2036 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
2037 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
2038 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
2039 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
2040 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
2041 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
2042 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
2043 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
2046 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
2047 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
2048 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
2049 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
2050 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
2053 @kindex C-M-RET (Group)
2054 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
2055 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
2056 doing any processing of its contents
2057 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
2058 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
2059 manner will have no permanent effects.
2063 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
2064 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what gnus should consider
2065 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
2066 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, gnus will query the user
2067 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
2068 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
2069 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
2070 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
2073 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
2074 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
2075 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
2076 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
2081 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
2082 full summary buffer.
2085 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
2088 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
2093 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function will
2094 be called to place point on a subject line, and/or select some article.
2095 Useful functions include:
2098 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-subject
2099 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article, but
2100 don't select the article.
2102 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-article
2103 Select the first unread article.
2105 @item gnus-summary-best-unread-article
2106 Select the highest-scored unread article.
2110 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
2111 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
2112 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
2116 @node Subscription Commands
2117 @section Subscription Commands
2118 @cindex subscription
2126 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
2127 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
2128 Toggle subscription to the current group
2129 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2135 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
2136 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
2137 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
2138 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
2144 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
2145 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
2146 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
2152 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
2153 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
2156 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
2157 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
2158 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
2159 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
2160 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
2166 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
2167 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
2171 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
2172 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
2175 @kindex S C-k (Group)
2176 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
2177 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
2178 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
2179 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
2180 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
2181 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
2182 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
2183 @file{.newsrc} file.
2187 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
2197 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
2198 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
2199 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
2200 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
2201 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
2202 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
2207 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
2208 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
2209 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
2213 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
2214 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
2215 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
2217 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2218 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2219 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2220 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
2221 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
2222 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
2229 @section Group Levels
2233 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
2234 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
2235 can ask gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
2236 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
2237 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
2239 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
2245 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
2246 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
2247 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
2248 prompted for a level.
2251 @vindex gnus-level-killed
2252 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
2253 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
2254 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
2255 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
2256 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
2257 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
2258 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
2259 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
2260 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
2261 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
2262 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
2263 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
2264 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
2265 reasons of efficiency.
2267 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
2268 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
2270 Maybe the following description of the default behavior of Gnus helps to
2271 understand what these levels are all about. By default, Gnus shows you
2272 subscribed nonempty groups, but by hitting @kbd{L} you can have it show
2273 empty subscribed groups and unsubscribed groups, too. Type @kbd{l} to
2274 go back to showing nonempty subscribed groups again. Thus, unsubscribed
2275 groups are hidden, in a way.
2277 Zombie and killed groups are similar to unsubscribed groups in that they
2278 are hidden by default. But they are different from subscribed and
2279 unsubscribed groups in that Gnus doesn't ask the news server for
2280 information (number of messages, number of unread messages) on zombie
2281 and killed groups. Normally, you use @kbd{C-k} to kill the groups you
2282 aren't interested in. If most groups are killed, Gnus is faster.
2284 Why does Gnus distinguish between zombie and killed groups? Well, when
2285 a new group arrives on the server, Gnus by default makes it a zombie
2286 group. This means that you are normally not bothered with new groups,
2287 but you can type @kbd{A z} to get a list of all new groups. Subscribe
2288 the ones you like and kill the ones you don't want. (@kbd{A k} shows a
2289 list of killed groups.)
2291 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
2292 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
2293 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
2295 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
2296 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
2297 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
2298 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
2299 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
2300 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
2301 relevant valid ranges.
2303 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
2304 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
2305 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
2306 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
2307 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
2308 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
2311 If this variable is @code{best}, Gnus will make the next newsgroup the
2312 one with the best level.
2314 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
2315 All groups with a level less than or equal to
2316 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
2319 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
2320 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
2321 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
2322 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
2325 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
2326 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
2327 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
2328 use this level as the ``work'' level.
2330 @vindex gnus-activate-level
2331 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
2332 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
2333 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
2334 to 5. The default is 6.
2338 @section Group Score
2343 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
2344 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
2345 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
2348 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can have Gnus assign a score
2349 to each group through the mechanism described below. You can then sort
2350 the group buffer based on this score. Alternatively, you can sort on
2351 score and then level. (Taken together, the level and the score is
2352 called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group that is on level 4 and has
2353 a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group on level 5 that has a score
2354 of 300. (The level is the most significant part and the score is the
2355 least significant part.))
2357 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
2358 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
2359 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
2360 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
2361 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
2362 action after each summary exit, you can add
2363 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
2364 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
2365 slow things down somewhat.
2368 @node Marking Groups
2369 @section Marking Groups
2370 @cindex marking groups
2372 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
2373 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
2374 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
2375 bidding on those groups.
2377 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
2378 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
2379 with the process mark and then execute the command.
2387 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
2388 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
2394 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
2395 Remove the mark from the current group
2396 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
2400 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
2401 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
2405 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
2406 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
2410 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
2411 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
2415 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
2416 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
2417 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
2420 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
2422 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
2423 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
2424 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
2425 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
2426 the command to be executed.
2429 @node Foreign Groups
2430 @section Foreign Groups
2431 @cindex foreign groups
2433 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
2434 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
2435 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
2436 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
2443 @findex gnus-group-make-group
2444 @cindex making groups
2445 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
2446 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
2447 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
2451 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
2452 @cindex renaming groups
2453 Rename the current group to something else
2454 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
2455 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
2461 @findex gnus-group-customize
2462 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
2466 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
2467 @cindex renaming groups
2468 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
2469 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
2473 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
2474 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
2475 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
2479 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
2480 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
2481 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
2485 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
2487 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
2488 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
2493 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
2494 Make the gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
2498 @cindex (ding) archive
2499 @cindex archive group
2500 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
2501 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
2502 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
2503 Make a gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
2504 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
2505 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
2506 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
2510 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
2512 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
2513 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
2514 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
2515 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
2519 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
2521 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
2522 @code{nneething} back end (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
2523 @xref{Anything Groups}.
2527 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
2528 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
2530 Make a group based on some file or other
2531 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2532 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
2533 Currently supported types are @code{mbox}, @code{babyl},
2534 @code{digest}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward},
2535 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts},
2536 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs},
2537 @code{nsmail}, @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman}. If
2538 you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file
2539 type. @xref{Document Groups}.
2543 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
2544 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
2545 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
2546 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
2550 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
2555 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
2556 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2557 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
2558 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
2559 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
2560 @xref{Web Searches}.
2562 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
2563 to a particular group by using a match string like
2564 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
2567 @kindex G DEL (Group)
2568 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
2569 This function will delete the current group
2570 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
2571 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
2572 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
2573 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
2574 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
2578 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
2579 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
2580 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
2584 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
2585 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
2586 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
2589 @xref{Select Methods}, for more information on the various select
2592 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
2593 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
2594 gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
2595 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
2596 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
2597 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2601 @node Group Parameters
2602 @section Group Parameters
2603 @cindex group parameters
2605 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2606 Here's an example group parameter list:
2609 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2613 We see that each element consists of a "dotted pair"---the thing before
2614 the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value. All the
2615 parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs, which are
2616 not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2618 Some parameters have correspondant customizable variables, each of which
2619 is an alist of regexps and values.
2621 The following group parameters can be used:
2626 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2629 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2632 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2633 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2634 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2635 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2636 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2638 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2639 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2640 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2641 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2642 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2643 list address instead.
2645 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-address-alist}.
2649 Address used when doing @kbd{a} in that group.
2652 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2655 It is totally ignored
2656 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2657 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2659 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2660 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2661 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2662 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2663 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2665 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2666 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2667 sending the message.
2669 @findex gnus-mailing-list-mode
2670 @cindex Mail List Groups
2671 If this variable is set, @code{gnus-mailing-list-mode} is turned on when
2672 entering summary buffer.
2674 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-list-alist}.
2678 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2679 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2680 of whether it has any unread articles.
2682 @item broken-reply-to
2683 @cindex broken-reply-to
2684 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2685 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2686 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2687 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2688 broken behavior. So there!
2692 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2693 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2697 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, gnus
2698 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2699 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2704 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2705 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2706 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2707 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2708 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2709 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2710 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2714 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2715 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2716 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2718 See also @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups}.
2721 @cindex total-expire
2722 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2723 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2724 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2725 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2728 See also @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups}.
2732 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2733 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2734 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2735 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2736 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2737 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2740 @cindex score file group parameter
2741 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2742 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2743 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2746 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2747 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2748 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2749 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2752 @cindex admin-address
2753 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2754 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2755 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2756 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2760 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2761 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2765 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2768 Display the last INTEGER articles in the group. This is the same as
2769 entering the group with C-u INTEGER.
2772 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2776 Display articles that satisfy a predicate.
2778 Here are some examples:
2782 Display only read articles.
2785 Display everything except expirable articles.
2787 @item [and (not reply) (not expire)]
2788 Display everything except expirable and articles you've already
2792 The available operators are @code{not}, @code{and} and @code{or}.
2793 Predicates include @code{tick}, @code{unsend}, @code{undownload},
2794 @code{read}, @code{dormant}, @code{expire}, @code{reply},
2795 @code{killed}, @code{bookmark}, @code{score}, @code{save},
2796 @code{cache}, @code{forward}, @code{seen} and @code{recent}.
2800 The @code{display} parameter works by limiting the summary buffer to
2801 the subset specified. You can pop the limit by using the @kbd{/ w}
2802 command (@pxref{Limiting}).
2806 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
2807 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
2808 gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
2813 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2814 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2815 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2817 See also @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}.
2819 @item ignored-charsets
2820 @cindex ignored-charset
2821 Elements that look like @code{(ignored-charsets x-unknown iso-8859-1)}
2822 will make @code{iso-8859-1} and @code{x-unknown} ignored; that is, the
2823 default charset will be used for decoding articles.
2825 See also @code{gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist}.
2828 @cindex posting-style
2829 You can store additional posting style information for this group only
2830 here (@pxref{Posting Styles}). The format is that of an entry in the
2831 @code{gnus-posting-styles} alist, except that there's no regexp matching
2832 the group name (of course). Style elements in this group parameter will
2833 take precedence over the ones found in @code{gnus-posting-styles}.
2835 For instance, if you want a funky name and signature in this group only,
2836 instead of hacking @code{gnus-posting-styles}, you could put something
2837 like this in the group parameters:
2842 (signature "Funky Signature"))
2847 If it is set, the value is used as the method for posting message
2848 instead of @code{gnus-post-method}.
2852 An item like @code{(banner . "regex")} causes any part of an article
2853 that matches the regular expression "regex" to be stripped. Instead of
2854 "regex", you can also use the symbol @code{signature} which strips the
2855 last signature or any of the elements of the alist
2856 @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}.
2860 This parameter contains a Sieve test that should match incoming mail
2861 that should be placed in this group. From this group parameter, a
2862 Sieve @samp{IF} control structure is generated, having the test as the
2863 condition and @samp{fileinto "group.name";} as the body.
2865 For example, if the INBOX.list.sieve group has the @code{(sieve
2866 address "sender" "sieve-admin@@extundo.com")} group parameter, when
2867 translating the group parameter into a Sieve script (@pxref{Sieve
2868 Commands}) the following Sieve code is generated:
2871 if address \"sender\" \"sieve-admin@@extundo.com\" @{
2872 fileinto \"INBOX.list.sieve\";
2876 The Sieve language is described in RFC 3028. @xref{Top, , Top, sieve,
2879 @item (@var{variable} @var{form})
2880 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2881 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2882 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2883 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2884 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2885 @code{eval}ed there.
2887 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2888 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2889 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2890 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2891 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2895 Use the @kbd{G p} or the @kbd{G c} command to edit group parameters of a
2896 group. (@kbd{G p} presents you with a Lisp-based interface, @kbd{G c}
2897 presents you with a Customize-like interface. The latter helps avoid
2898 silly Lisp errors.) You might also be interested in reading about topic
2899 parameters (@pxref{Topic Parameters}).
2901 Group parameters can be set via the @code{gnus-parameters} variable too.
2902 But some variables, such as @code{visible}, have no effect. For
2906 (setq gnus-parameters
2908 (gnus-show-threads nil)
2909 (gnus-use-scoring nil)
2910 (gnus-summary-line-format
2911 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%d:%ub%-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
2915 ("^nnimap:\\(foo.bar\\)$"
2919 (gnus-use-scoring t))
2923 (broken-reply-to . t))))
2926 String value of parameters will be subjected to regexp substitution, as
2927 the @code{to-group} example shows.
2930 @node Listing Groups
2931 @section Listing Groups
2932 @cindex group listing
2934 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2942 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2943 List all groups that have unread articles
2944 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2945 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2946 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2947 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2954 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2955 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2956 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2957 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2958 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2959 unsubscribed groups).
2963 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2964 List all unread groups on a specific level
2965 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2966 with no unread articles.
2970 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2971 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2972 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2973 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2978 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2979 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2983 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2984 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2985 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2989 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2990 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2994 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2995 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2996 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2997 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2998 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2999 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
3000 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
3001 Take the output with some grains of salt.
3005 @findex gnus-group-apropos
3006 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
3007 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
3011 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
3012 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
3013 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
3017 @findex gnus-group-list-cached
3018 List all groups with cached articles (@code{gnus-group-list-cached}).
3022 @findex gnus-group-list-dormant
3023 List all groups with dormant articles (@code{gnus-group-list-dormant}).
3027 @findex gnus-group-list-limit
3028 List groups limited within the current selection
3029 (@code{gnus-group-list-limit}).
3033 @findex gnus-group-list-flush
3034 Flush groups from the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-flush}).
3038 @findex gnus-group-list-plus
3039 List groups plus the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-plus}).
3043 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3044 @cindex visible group parameter
3045 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
3046 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
3047 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
3048 get the same effect.
3050 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
3051 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
3052 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
3053 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
3054 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
3057 @node Sorting Groups
3058 @section Sorting Groups
3059 @cindex sorting groups
3061 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
3062 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
3063 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
3064 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
3065 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
3066 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
3071 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3072 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3073 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
3075 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3076 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3077 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
3079 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
3080 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
3081 Sort by group level.
3083 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
3084 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
3085 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
3087 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3088 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3089 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
3090 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
3092 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3093 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3094 Sort by number of unread articles.
3096 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
3097 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
3098 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
3100 @item gnus-group-sort-by-server
3101 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-server
3102 Sort alphabetically on the Gnus server name.
3107 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
3108 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
3112 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
3113 some sorting criteria:
3117 @kindex G S a (Group)
3118 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3119 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
3120 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3123 @kindex G S u (Group)
3124 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
3125 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
3126 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3129 @kindex G S l (Group)
3130 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
3131 Sort the group buffer by group level
3132 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
3135 @kindex G S v (Group)
3136 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
3137 Sort the group buffer by group score
3138 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3141 @kindex G S r (Group)
3142 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
3143 Sort the group buffer by group rank
3144 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3147 @kindex G S m (Group)
3148 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
3149 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by back end name
3150 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
3154 All the commands below obey the process/prefix convention
3155 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3157 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
3158 commands will sort in reverse order.
3160 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
3164 @kindex G P a (Group)
3165 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
3166 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
3167 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
3170 @kindex G P u (Group)
3171 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
3172 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
3173 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
3176 @kindex G P l (Group)
3177 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
3178 Sort the groups by group level
3179 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
3182 @kindex G P v (Group)
3183 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
3184 Sort the groups by group score
3185 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3188 @kindex G P r (Group)
3189 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
3190 Sort the groups by group rank
3191 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3194 @kindex G P m (Group)
3195 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
3196 Sort the groups alphabetically by back end name
3197 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
3201 And finally, note that you can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} to manually
3205 @node Group Maintenance
3206 @section Group Maintenance
3207 @cindex bogus groups
3212 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
3213 Find bogus groups and delete them
3214 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
3218 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
3219 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
3220 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
3221 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
3222 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
3226 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
3227 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
3228 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
3229 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}). That is, delete
3230 all expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
3231 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3234 @kindex C-c C-M-x (Group)
3235 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
3236 Run all expirable articles in all groups through the expiry process
3237 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
3242 @node Browse Foreign Server
3243 @section Browse Foreign Server
3244 @cindex foreign servers
3245 @cindex browsing servers
3250 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
3251 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
3252 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
3253 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
3256 @findex gnus-browse-mode
3257 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
3258 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
3259 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
3261 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
3266 @findex gnus-group-next-group
3267 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
3271 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
3272 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
3275 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
3276 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
3277 Enter the current group and display the first article
3278 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
3281 @kindex RET (Browse)
3282 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
3283 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
3287 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
3288 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
3289 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
3295 @findex gnus-browse-exit
3296 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
3300 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
3301 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
3302 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
3307 @section Exiting gnus
3308 @cindex exiting gnus
3310 Yes, gnus is ex(c)iting.
3315 @findex gnus-group-suspend
3316 Suspend gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit gnus,
3317 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
3318 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
3322 @findex gnus-group-exit
3323 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
3324 Quit gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
3328 @findex gnus-group-quit
3329 Quit gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
3330 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
3333 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
3334 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
3335 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend gnus and
3336 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit gnus, while
3337 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
3342 If you wish to completely unload gnus and all its adherents, you can use
3343 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
3344 trying to customize meta-variables.
3349 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
3350 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
3351 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
3357 @section Group Topics
3360 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
3361 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
3362 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
3363 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
3364 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
3365 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
3369 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
3370 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group-topic,height=9cm}}
3381 2: alt.religion.emacs
3384 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3386 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3387 13: comp.sources.unix
3390 @findex gnus-topic-mode
3392 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
3393 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
3394 is a toggling command.)
3396 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
3397 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and
3398 now press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
3399 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
3402 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
3403 the hook for the group mode. Put the following line in your
3404 @file{~/.gnus} file:
3407 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
3411 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
3412 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
3413 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
3414 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
3415 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
3419 @node Topic Commands
3420 @subsection Topic Commands
3421 @cindex topic commands
3423 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
3424 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
3425 definitions slightly.
3427 In general, the following kinds of operations are possible on topics.
3428 First of all, you want to create topics. Secondly, you want to put
3429 groups in topics and to move them around until you have an order you
3430 like. The third kind of operation is to show/hide parts of the whole
3431 shebang. You might want to hide a topic including its subtopics and
3432 groups, to get a better overview of the other groups.
3434 Here is a list of the basic keys that you might need to set up topics
3441 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
3442 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
3443 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
3447 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
3449 @findex gnus-topic-indent
3450 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3451 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
3452 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
3455 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
3456 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
3457 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3458 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
3462 The following two keys can be used to move groups and topics around.
3463 They work like the well-known cut and paste. @kbd{C-k} is like cut and
3464 @kbd{C-y} is like paste. Of course, this being Emacs, we use the terms
3465 kill and yank rather than cut and paste.
3471 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
3472 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
3473 topic will be removed along with the topic.
3477 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
3478 Yank the previously killed group or topic
3479 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
3482 So, to move a topic to the beginning of the list of topics, just hit
3483 @kbd{C-k} on it. This is like the `cut' part of cut and paste. Then,
3484 move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer (just below the `Gnus'
3485 topic) and hit @kbd{C-y}. This is like the `paste' part of cut and
3486 paste. Like I said -- E-Z.
3488 You can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} on groups as well as on topics. So
3489 you can move topics around as well as groups.
3493 After setting up the topics the way you like them, you might wish to
3494 hide a topic, or to show it again. That's why we have the following
3501 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
3503 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
3504 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
3505 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
3506 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
3507 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
3508 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
3512 Now for a list of other commands, in no particular order.
3518 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
3519 Move the current group to some other topic
3520 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3521 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3525 @findex gnus-topic-jump-to-topic
3526 Go to a topic (@code{gnus-topic-jump-to-topic}).
3530 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
3531 Copy the current group to some other topic
3532 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3533 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3537 @findex gnus-topic-hide-topic
3538 Hide the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-hide-topic}). If given
3539 a prefix, hide the topic permanently.
3543 @findex gnus-topic-show-topic
3544 Show the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-show-topic}). If given
3545 a prefix, show the topic permanently.
3549 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
3550 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
3551 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
3552 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
3553 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
3554 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
3555 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
3558 This command uses the process/prefix convention
3559 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3563 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
3564 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3565 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
3569 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
3570 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3571 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
3575 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
3576 Toggle hiding empty topics
3577 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
3581 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
3582 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
3583 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
3586 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
3587 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
3588 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
3589 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
3592 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
3593 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
3594 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the
3595 expiry process (if any)
3596 (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}). (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3600 @findex gnus-topic-rename
3601 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
3604 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
3605 @findex gnus-topic-delete
3606 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
3610 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
3611 List all groups that gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
3612 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
3616 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
3617 @cindex group parameters
3618 @cindex topic parameters
3620 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
3621 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
3626 @node Topic Variables
3627 @subsection Topic Variables
3628 @cindex topic variables
3630 The previous section told you how to tell Gnus which topics to display.
3631 This section explains how to tell Gnus what to display about each topic.
3633 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
3634 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
3635 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3648 Number of groups in the topic.
3650 Number of unread articles in the topic.
3652 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
3655 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
3656 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
3657 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
3660 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
3661 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
3663 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
3664 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
3665 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
3669 @subsection Topic Sorting
3670 @cindex topic sorting
3672 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
3678 @kindex T S a (Topic)
3679 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3680 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
3681 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3684 @kindex T S u (Topic)
3685 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
3686 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
3687 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3690 @kindex T S l (Topic)
3691 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
3692 Sort the current topic by group level
3693 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
3696 @kindex T S v (Topic)
3697 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
3698 Sort the current topic by group score
3699 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3702 @kindex T S r (Topic)
3703 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
3704 Sort the current topic by group rank
3705 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3708 @kindex T S m (Topic)
3709 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
3710 Sort the current topic alphabetically by back end name
3711 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
3714 @kindex T S e (Topic)
3715 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server
3716 Sort the current topic alphabetically by server name
3717 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server}).
3721 @xref{Sorting Groups}, for more information about group sorting.
3724 @node Topic Topology
3725 @subsection Topic Topology
3726 @cindex topic topology
3729 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
3735 2: alt.religion.emacs
3738 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3740 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3741 13: comp.sources.unix
3744 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
3745 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
3746 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
3751 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
3752 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
3756 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
3757 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
3758 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
3759 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
3760 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
3761 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
3763 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
3764 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
3765 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
3768 @node Topic Parameters
3769 @subsection Topic Parameters
3770 @cindex topic parameters
3772 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
3773 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
3774 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
3776 In addition, the following parameters are only valid as topic
3781 When subscribing new groups by topic (@pxref{Subscription Methods}), the
3782 @code{subscribe} topic parameter says what groups go in what topic. Its
3783 value should be a regexp to match the groups that should go in that
3788 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
3789 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
3790 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
3791 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
3797 2: alt.religion.emacs
3801 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3803 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3804 13: comp.sources.unix
3808 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
3809 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
3810 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
3811 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
3812 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
3813 . "religion.SCORE")}.
3815 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
3816 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
3817 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
3818 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
3819 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
3821 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
3822 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
3823 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
3824 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
3825 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
3826 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
3827 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
3828 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
3831 @node Misc Group Stuff
3832 @section Misc Group Stuff
3835 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
3836 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
3837 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
3838 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
3839 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
3846 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
3847 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
3848 @xref{Server Buffer}.
3852 @findex gnus-group-post-news
3853 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
3854 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
3855 @xref{Composing Messages}.
3859 @findex gnus-group-mail
3860 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}). @xref{Composing Messages}.
3864 Variables for the group buffer:
3868 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
3869 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
3870 is called after the group buffer has been
3873 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
3874 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3875 is called after the group buffer is
3876 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
3879 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
3880 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3881 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
3882 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
3884 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3885 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3886 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
3887 whether they are empty or not.
3889 @item gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3890 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3891 An alist of method and the charset for group names. It is used to show
3892 non-ASCII group names.
3896 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3897 '(((nntp "news.com.cn") . cn-gb-2312)))
3900 @item gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3901 @cindex UTF-8 group names
3902 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3903 An alist of regexp of group name and the charset for group names. It
3904 is used to show non-ASCII group names. @code{((".*" utf-8))} is the
3905 default value if UTF-8 is supported, otherwise the default is nil.
3909 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3910 '(("\\.com\\.cn:" . cn-gb-2312)))
3915 @node Scanning New Messages
3916 @subsection Scanning New Messages
3917 @cindex new messages
3918 @cindex scanning new news
3924 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
3925 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
3926 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
3927 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
3928 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
3929 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3934 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3935 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3936 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3937 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3938 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3939 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3940 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3942 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3943 @cindex activating groups
3945 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3946 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3951 @findex gnus-group-restart
3952 Restart gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3953 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3954 gnus variables, and then starts gnus all over again.
3958 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3959 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3961 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3962 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3966 @node Group Information
3967 @subsection Group Information
3968 @cindex group information
3969 @cindex information on groups
3976 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3977 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3980 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3981 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3982 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3983 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3984 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3985 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3986 for fetching the file.
3988 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, gnus will attempt to go
3989 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3993 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3995 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3996 @cindex describing groups
3997 @cindex group description
3998 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3999 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
4000 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
4004 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
4005 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
4006 prefix, force gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
4013 @findex gnus-version
4014 Display current gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
4018 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
4019 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
4022 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
4025 @findex gnus-info-find-node
4026 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
4030 @node Group Timestamp
4031 @subsection Group Timestamp
4033 @cindex group timestamps
4035 It can be convenient to let gnus keep track of when you last read a
4036 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
4037 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
4040 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
4043 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
4045 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
4046 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
4049 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4050 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
4053 This will result in lines looking like:
4056 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
4057 0: custom 19961002T012713
4060 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
4061 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
4065 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4066 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
4071 @subsection File Commands
4072 @cindex file commands
4078 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
4079 @vindex gnus-init-file
4080 @cindex reading init file
4081 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
4082 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
4086 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
4087 @cindex saving .newsrc
4088 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
4089 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
4090 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
4093 @c @kindex Z (Group)
4094 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
4095 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
4100 @node Sieve Commands
4101 @subsection Sieve Commands
4102 @cindex group sieve commands
4104 Sieve is a server-side mail filtering language. In Gnus you can use
4105 the @code{sieve} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to specify
4106 sieve rules that should apply to each group. Gnus provides two
4107 commands to translate all these group parameters into a proper Sieve
4108 script that can be transfered to the server somehow.
4110 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4111 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-start
4112 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-end
4113 The generated Sieve script is placed in @code{gnus-sieve-file} (by
4114 default @file{~/.sieve}). The Sieve code that Gnus generate is placed
4115 between two delimiters, @code{gnus-sieve-region-start} and
4116 @code{gnus-sieve-region-end}, so you may write additional Sieve code
4117 outside these delimiters that will not be removed the next time you
4118 regenerate the Sieve script.
4120 @vindex gnus-sieve-crosspost
4121 The variable @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} controls how the Sieve script
4122 is generated. If it is non-nil (the default) articles is placed in
4123 all groups that have matching rules, otherwise the article is only
4124 placed in the group with the first matching rule. For example, the
4125 group parameter @samp{(sieve address "sender"
4126 "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu")} will generate the following piece of Sieve
4127 code if @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is nil. (When
4128 @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is non-nil, it looks the same except that
4129 the line containing the call to @code{stop} is removed.)
4132 if address "sender" "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu" @{
4133 fileinto "INBOX.ding";
4138 @xref{Top, ,Top, sieve, Emacs Sieve}.
4144 @findex gnus-sieve-generate
4145 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4146 @cindex generating sieve script
4147 Regenerate a Sieve script from the @code{sieve} group parameters and
4148 put you into the @code{gnus-sieve-file} without saving it.
4152 @findex gnus-sieve-update
4153 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4154 @cindex updating sieve script
4155 Regenerates the Gnus managed part of @code{gnus-sieve-file} using the
4156 @code{sieve} group parameters, save the file and upload it to the
4157 server using the @code{sieveshell} program.
4162 @node Summary Buffer
4163 @chapter Summary Buffer
4164 @cindex summary buffer
4166 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
4167 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
4169 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
4170 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
4172 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
4175 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
4176 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
4177 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
4178 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
4179 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
4180 * Delayed Articles::
4181 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
4182 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
4183 * Threading:: How threads are made.
4184 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
4185 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
4186 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
4187 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
4188 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
4189 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
4190 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
4191 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
4192 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
4193 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
4194 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
4195 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
4196 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
4197 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
4198 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
4199 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
4200 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
4201 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
4202 or reselecting the current group.
4203 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
4204 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
4205 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
4206 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
4210 @node Summary Buffer Format
4211 @section Summary Buffer Format
4212 @cindex summary buffer format
4216 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
4217 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary,width=7.5cm}}
4218 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-article,width=7.5cm}}}
4224 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
4225 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
4226 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
4227 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
4230 @findex mail-extract-address-components
4231 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
4232 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
4233 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
4234 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
4235 @code{From} header. Three pre-defined functions exist:
4236 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
4237 fast, and too simplistic solution;
4238 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works nicely, but is
4239 slower; and @code{std11-extract-address-components}, which works very
4240 nicely, but is slower. The default function will return the wrong
4241 answer in 5% of the cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the
4242 other function instead:
4245 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
4246 'mail-extract-address-components)
4249 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
4250 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
4251 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
4252 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
4255 @node Summary Buffer Lines
4256 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
4258 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4259 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
4260 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
4261 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
4262 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
4264 There should always be a colon or a point position marker on the line;
4265 the cursor always moves to the point position marker or the colon after
4266 performing an operation. (Of course, Gnus wouldn't be Gnus if it wasn't
4267 possible to change this. Just write a new function
4268 @code{gnus-goto-colon} which does whatever you like with the cursor.)
4270 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%) %s\n}.
4272 The following format specification characters and extended format
4273 specification(s) are understood:
4279 Subject string. List identifiers stripped,
4280 @code{gnus-list-identifies}. @xref{Article Hiding}.
4282 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
4283 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
4284 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
4286 Full @code{From} header.
4288 The name (from the @code{From} header).
4290 The name, code @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header
4291 (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
4293 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
4294 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
4295 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
4296 may be more thorough.
4298 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
4301 Number of lines in the article.
4303 Number of characters in the article. This specifier is not supported
4304 in some methods (like nnfolder).
4306 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4308 A complex trn-style thread tree, showing response-connecting trace
4311 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
4312 pushes everything after it off the screen).
4314 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
4315 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4317 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
4318 for adopted articles.
4320 One space for each thread level.
4322 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
4327 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
4328 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
4332 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
4334 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
4335 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
4336 default level. If the difference between
4337 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
4338 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
4346 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
4348 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
4354 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
4355 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
4357 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
4358 article has any children.
4364 Age sensitive date format. Various date format is defined in
4365 @code{gnus-user-date-format-alist}.
4367 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
4368 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
4369 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
4370 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
4371 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
4372 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
4375 Text between @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} will be highlighted with
4376 @code{gnus-mouse-face} when the mouse point is placed inside the area.
4377 There can only be one such area.
4379 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
4380 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, gnus will
4381 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
4382 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
4383 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
4384 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
4386 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
4387 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
4389 This restriction may disappear in later versions of gnus.
4392 @node To From Newsgroups
4393 @subsection To From Newsgroups
4397 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
4398 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
4399 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
4400 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
4401 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
4405 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
4406 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
4407 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
4411 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4412 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
4415 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
4416 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
4419 @findex gnus-extra-header
4420 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
4421 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
4422 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
4425 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
4429 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4430 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
4431 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
4432 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
4433 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
4434 headers are used instead.
4438 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
4439 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
4440 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files. If
4441 you have old overview files, you should regenerate them after changing
4444 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4445 You also have to instruct Gnus to display the data by changing the
4446 @code{%n} spec to the @code{%f} spec in the
4447 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable.
4449 In summary, you'd typically put something like the following in
4453 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4455 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
4456 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
4457 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
4458 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4462 Now, this is mostly useful for mail groups, where you have control over
4463 the @sc{nov} files that are created. However, if you can persuade your
4470 to the end of her @file{overview.fmt} file, then you can use that just
4471 as you would the extra headers from the mail groups.
4474 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
4475 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
4477 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
4478 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
4479 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
4480 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
4482 Here are the elements you can play with:
4488 Unprefixed group name.
4490 Current article number.
4492 Current article score.
4496 Number of unread articles in this group.
4498 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
4501 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
4502 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
4503 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
4504 and no unselected ones.
4506 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
4507 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
4509 Subject of the current article.
4511 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
4513 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
4515 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4517 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4519 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
4521 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
4525 @node Summary Highlighting
4526 @subsection Summary Highlighting
4530 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4531 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4532 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
4533 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
4534 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4536 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
4537 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
4538 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
4539 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4541 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
4542 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
4543 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
4544 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
4546 @item gnus-summary-highlight
4547 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
4548 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
4549 list where the elements are of the format @code{(@var{form}
4550 . @var{face})}. If you would, for instance, like ticked articles to be
4551 italic and high-scored articles to be bold, you could set this variable
4554 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
4555 ((> score default) . bold))
4557 As you may have guessed, if @var{form} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
4558 @var{face} will be applied to the line.
4562 @node Summary Maneuvering
4563 @section Summary Maneuvering
4564 @cindex summary movement
4566 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
4567 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
4569 None of these commands select articles.
4574 @kindex M-n (Summary)
4575 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
4576 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
4577 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
4578 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
4582 @kindex M-p (Summary)
4583 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
4584 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
4585 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
4586 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
4589 @kindex G g (Summary)
4590 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
4591 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
4592 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
4595 If gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
4596 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
4597 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
4598 to the group buffer.
4600 Variables related to summary movement:
4604 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
4605 @item gnus-auto-select-next
4606 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
4607 no more unread articles after the current one, gnus will offer to go to
4608 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
4609 empty, gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
4610 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, gnus will select the
4611 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
4612 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, gnus will select the
4613 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
4614 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
4615 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
4616 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
4617 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
4619 @item gnus-auto-select-same
4620 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
4621 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
4622 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
4623 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
4624 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
4625 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
4627 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
4629 @item gnus-summary-check-current
4630 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
4631 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
4632 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
4633 Instead, they will choose the current article.
4635 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
4636 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
4637 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
4638 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
4639 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
4640 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
4641 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
4642 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
4645 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
4646 the given number of lines from the top.
4651 @node Choosing Articles
4652 @section Choosing Articles
4653 @cindex selecting articles
4656 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
4657 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
4661 @node Choosing Commands
4662 @subsection Choosing Commands
4664 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
4665 and they all select and display an article.
4667 If you want to fetch new articles or redisplay the group, see
4668 @ref{Exiting the Summary Buffer}.
4672 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4673 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4674 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
4675 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4680 @kindex G n (Summary)
4681 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
4682 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
4683 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
4688 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
4689 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
4690 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
4695 @kindex G N (Summary)
4696 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
4697 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
4702 @kindex G P (Summary)
4703 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
4704 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
4707 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
4708 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
4709 Go to the next article with the same subject
4710 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
4713 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
4714 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
4715 Go to the previous article with the same subject
4716 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
4720 @kindex G f (Summary)
4722 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
4723 Go to the first unread article
4724 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
4728 @kindex G b (Summary)
4730 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
4731 Go to the article with the highest score
4732 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
4737 @kindex G l (Summary)
4738 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
4739 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
4742 @kindex G o (Summary)
4743 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
4745 @cindex article history
4746 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
4747 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
4748 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
4749 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
4750 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
4751 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
4756 @kindex G j (Summary)
4757 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
4758 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
4759 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
4764 @node Choosing Variables
4765 @subsection Choosing Variables
4767 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
4770 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4771 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4772 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
4773 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
4774 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
4775 the server and display it in the article buffer.
4777 @item gnus-select-article-hook
4778 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
4779 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
4780 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
4782 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
4783 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
4784 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
4785 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
4786 @findex gnus-unread-mark
4787 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
4788 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
4789 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
4790 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
4791 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
4792 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
4793 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
4794 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
4795 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
4800 @node Paging the Article
4801 @section Scrolling the Article
4802 @cindex article scrolling
4807 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4808 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4809 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
4810 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
4811 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4814 @kindex DEL (Summary)
4815 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
4816 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
4819 @kindex RET (Summary)
4820 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
4821 Scroll the current article one line forward
4822 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
4825 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
4826 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
4827 Scroll the current article one line backward
4828 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
4832 @kindex A g (Summary)
4834 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
4835 @vindex gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4836 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
4837 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
4838 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
4839 the way it came from the server.
4841 If given a numerical prefix, you can do semi-manual charset stuff.
4842 @kbd{C-u 0 g cn-gb-2312 RET} will decode the message as if it were
4843 encoded in the @code{cn-gb-2312} charset. If you have
4846 (setq gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4851 then you can say @kbd{C-u 1 g} to get the same effect.
4856 @kindex A < (Summary)
4857 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
4858 Scroll to the beginning of the article
4859 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
4864 @kindex A > (Summary)
4865 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
4866 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
4870 @kindex A s (Summary)
4872 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
4873 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
4874 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
4878 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
4879 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
4884 @node Reply Followup and Post
4885 @section Reply, Followup and Post
4888 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
4889 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
4890 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
4891 * Canceling and Superseding::
4895 @node Summary Mail Commands
4896 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
4898 @cindex composing mail
4900 Commands for composing a mail message:
4906 @kindex S r (Summary)
4908 @findex gnus-summary-reply
4909 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
4910 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
4911 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
4912 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
4917 @kindex S R (Summary)
4918 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
4919 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
4920 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
4921 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
4922 command uses the process/prefix convention.
4925 @kindex S w (Summary)
4926 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
4927 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
4928 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
4929 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4930 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
4933 @kindex S W (Summary)
4934 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
4935 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
4936 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
4937 the process/prefix convention.
4940 @kindex S v (Summary)
4941 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply
4942 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article
4943 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{very wide reply} is a reply
4944 that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4945 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers in all the process/prefixed
4946 articles. This command uses the process/prefix convention.
4950 @kindex S o m (Summary)
4951 @kindex C-c C-f (Summary)
4952 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
4953 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
4954 Forward the current article to some other person
4955 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
4956 headers of the forwarded article.
4961 @kindex S m (Summary)
4962 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
4963 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
4964 Send a mail to some other person
4965 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
4968 @kindex S D b (Summary)
4969 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
4970 @cindex bouncing mail
4971 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
4972 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
4973 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
4974 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
4975 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
4976 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, gnus will try to fetch
4977 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
4978 very well fail, though.
4981 @kindex S D r (Summary)
4982 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
4983 Not to be confused with the previous command,
4984 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
4985 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
4986 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
4987 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
4988 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
4989 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
4990 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
4992 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
4993 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
4994 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
4995 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
4996 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
4998 This command understands the process/prefix convention
4999 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5002 @kindex S O m (Summary)
5003 @findex gnus-summary-digest-mail-forward
5004 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
5005 result using mail (@code{gnus-summary-digest-mail-forward}). This
5006 command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5009 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
5010 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
5011 @cindex crossposting
5012 @cindex excessive crossposting
5013 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
5014 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
5016 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
5017 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
5018 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
5019 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
5020 command understands the process/prefix convention
5021 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
5025 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5026 Manual}, for more information.
5029 @node Summary Post Commands
5030 @subsection Summary Post Commands
5032 @cindex composing news
5034 Commands for posting a news article:
5040 @kindex S p (Summary)
5041 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
5042 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
5043 Post an article to the current group
5044 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
5049 @kindex S f (Summary)
5050 @findex gnus-summary-followup
5051 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
5052 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
5056 @kindex S F (Summary)
5058 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
5059 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
5060 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
5061 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
5062 process/prefix convention.
5065 @kindex S n (Summary)
5066 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
5067 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5068 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
5071 @kindex S N (Summary)
5072 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
5073 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5074 message through mail and include the original message
5075 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
5076 the process/prefix convention.
5079 @kindex S o p (Summary)
5080 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
5081 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
5082 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
5083 headers of the forwarded article.
5086 @kindex S O p (Summary)
5087 @findex gnus-summary-digest-post-forward
5089 @cindex making digests
5090 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
5091 (@code{gnus-summary-digest-post-forward}). This command uses the
5092 process/prefix convention.
5095 @kindex S u (Summary)
5096 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
5097 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
5098 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
5099 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
5102 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5103 Manual}, for more information.
5106 @node Summary Message Commands
5107 @subsection Summary Message Commands
5111 @kindex S y (Summary)
5112 @findex gnus-summary-yank-message
5113 Yank the current article into an already existing Message composition
5114 buffer (@code{gnus-summary-yank-message}). This command prompts for
5115 what message buffer you want to yank into, and understands the
5116 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5121 @node Canceling and Superseding
5122 @subsection Canceling Articles
5123 @cindex canceling articles
5124 @cindex superseding articles
5126 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
5127 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
5129 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
5131 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
5133 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
5134 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
5135 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
5136 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
5137 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
5138 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5140 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
5141 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
5144 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
5145 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
5146 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
5148 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
5149 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
5150 your original article.
5152 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
5154 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
5155 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
5156 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
5159 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
5160 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
5161 have posted almost the same article twice.
5163 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
5164 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
5165 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
5166 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
5167 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
5168 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
5169 header by substituting one of those words for the word
5170 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
5171 you would do normally. The previous article will be
5172 canceled/superseded.
5174 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
5176 @node Delayed Articles
5177 @section Delayed Articles
5178 @cindex delayed sending
5179 @cindex send delayed
5181 Sometimes, you might wish to delay the sending of a message. For
5182 example, you might wish to arrange for a message to turn up just in time
5183 to remind your about the birthday of your Significant Other. For this,
5184 there is the @code{gnus-delay} package. Setup is simple:
5187 (gnus-delay-initialize)
5190 @findex gnus-delay-article
5191 Normally, to send a message you use the @kbd{C-c C-c} command from
5192 Message mode. To delay a message, use @kbd{C-c C-j}
5193 (@code{gnus-delay-article}) instead. This will ask you for how long the
5194 message should be delayed. Possible answers are:
5198 A time span. Consists of an integer and a letter. For example,
5199 @code{42d} means to delay for 42 days. Available letters are @code{m}
5200 (minutes), @code{h} (hours), @code{d} (days), @code{w} (weeks), @code{M}
5201 (months) and @code{Y} (years).
5204 A specific date. Looks like @code{YYYYY-MM-DD}. The message will be
5205 delayed until that day, at a specific time (eight o'clock by default).
5206 See also @code{gnus-delay-default-hour}.
5209 A specific time of day. Given in @code{hh:mm} format, 24h, no am/pm
5210 stuff. The deadline will be at that time today, except if that time has
5211 already passed, then it's at the given time tomorrow. So if it's ten
5212 o'clock in the morning and you specify @code{11:15}, then the deadline
5213 is one hour and fifteen minutes hence. But if you specify @code{9:20},
5214 that means a time tomorrow.
5217 The action of the @code{gnus-delay-article} command is influenced by a
5218 couple of variables:
5221 @item gnus-delay-default-hour
5222 @vindex gnus-delay-default-hour
5223 When you specify a specific date, the message will be due on that hour
5224 on the given date. Possible values are integers 0 through 23.
5226 @item gnus-delay-default-delay
5227 @vindex gnus-delay-default-delay
5228 This is a string and gives the default delay. It can be of any of the
5229 formats described above.
5231 @item gnus-delay-group
5232 @vindex gnus-delay-group
5233 Delayed articles will be kept in this group on the drafts server until
5234 they are due. You probably don't need to change this. The default
5235 value is @code{"delayed"}.
5237 @item gnus-delay-header
5238 @vindex gnus-delay-header
5239 The deadline for each article will be stored in a header. This variable
5240 is a string and gives the header name. You probably don't need to
5241 change this. The default value is @code{"X-Gnus-Delayed"}.
5244 The way delaying works is like this: when you use the
5245 @code{gnus-delay-article} command, you give a certain delay. Gnus
5246 calculates the deadline of the message and stores it in the
5247 @code{X-Gnus-Delayed} header and puts the message in the
5248 @code{nndraft:delayed} group.
5250 And whenever you get new news, Gnus looks through the group for articles
5251 which are due and sends them. It uses the @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts}
5252 function for this. By default, this function is added to the hook
5253 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But of course, you can change this.
5254 Maybe you want to use the demon to send drafts? Just tell the demon to
5255 execute the @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts} function.
5258 @item gnus-delay-initialize
5259 @findex gnus-delay-initialize
5260 By default, this function installs the @kbd{C-c C-j} key binding in
5261 Message mode and @code{gnus-delay-send-drafts} in
5262 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But it accepts two optional arguments,
5263 @code{no-keymap} and @code{no-check}. If @code{no-keymap} is non-nil,
5264 the @kbd{C-c C-j} binding is not intalled. If @code{no-check} is
5265 non-nil, @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is not changed.
5267 For example, @code{(gnus-delay-initialize nil t)} means to change the
5268 keymap but not to change @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. Presumably, you
5269 want to use the demon for sending due delayed articles. Just don't
5270 forget to set that up :-)
5274 @node Marking Articles
5275 @section Marking Articles
5276 @cindex article marking
5277 @cindex article ticking
5280 There are several marks you can set on an article.
5282 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
5283 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
5284 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
5286 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
5289 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
5290 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
5291 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
5295 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
5299 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
5300 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
5301 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
5305 @node Unread Articles
5306 @subsection Unread Articles
5308 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
5313 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
5314 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
5316 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
5317 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
5318 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
5319 tick it. However, articles can be expired (from news servers by the
5320 news server software, Gnus itself never expires ticked messages), so if
5321 you want to keep an article forever, you'll have to make it persistent
5322 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
5325 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
5326 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
5328 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
5329 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
5330 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
5331 Otherwise (except for the visibility issue), they are just like ticked
5335 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
5336 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
5338 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
5343 @subsection Read Articles
5344 @cindex expirable mark
5346 All the following marks mark articles as read.
5351 @vindex gnus-del-mark
5352 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
5353 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
5356 @vindex gnus-read-mark
5357 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
5360 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
5361 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
5362 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
5365 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
5366 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
5369 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
5370 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
5373 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
5374 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
5377 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
5378 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
5381 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
5382 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
5385 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
5386 @sc{soup}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
5389 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
5390 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
5394 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
5395 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
5396 (@code{gnus-duplicate-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
5400 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
5401 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
5403 One more special mark, though:
5407 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
5408 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
5410 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
5411 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
5412 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
5413 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by gnus at
5419 @subsection Other Marks
5420 @cindex process mark
5423 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
5429 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
5430 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
5431 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
5432 in the article, and gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
5433 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}.
5436 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
5437 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
5438 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
5439 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
5441 @vindex gnus-forwarded-mark
5442 All articles that you have forwarded will be marked with an @samp{F} in
5443 the second column (@code{gnus-forwarded-mark}).
5445 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5446 Articles that are ``recently'' arrived in the group will be marked
5447 with an @samp{N} in the second column (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Most
5448 back end doesn't support the mark, in which case it's not shown.
5451 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
5452 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
5453 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5456 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
5457 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
5458 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
5459 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
5462 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5463 Articles that according to the back end haven't been seen by the user
5464 before are marked with a @samp{N} in the second column
5465 (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Note that not all back ends support this
5466 mark, in which case it simply never appear.
5469 @vindex gnus-unseen-mark
5470 Articles that haven't been seen by the user before are marked with a
5471 @samp{.} in the second column (@code{gnus-unseen-mark}).
5474 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
5475 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
5476 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
5477 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
5478 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
5481 @vindex gnus-process-mark
5482 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
5483 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
5484 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
5485 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
5486 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
5490 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
5491 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
5492 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
5494 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
5495 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
5496 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
5500 @subsection Setting Marks
5501 @cindex setting marks
5503 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
5508 @kindex M c (Summary)
5509 @kindex M-u (Summary)
5510 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
5511 @cindex mark as unread
5512 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
5513 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
5519 @kindex M t (Summary)
5520 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
5521 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
5522 @xref{Article Caching}.
5527 @kindex M ? (Summary)
5528 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
5529 Mark the current article as dormant
5530 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5534 @kindex M d (Summary)
5536 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
5537 Mark the current article as read
5538 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
5542 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
5543 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
5544 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
5549 @kindex M k (Summary)
5550 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
5551 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
5552 and then select the next unread article
5553 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
5557 @kindex M K (Summary)
5558 @kindex C-k (Summary)
5559 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
5560 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
5561 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
5564 @kindex M C (Summary)
5565 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
5566 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
5567 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
5570 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
5571 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
5572 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
5573 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
5576 @kindex M H (Summary)
5577 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
5578 Catchup the current group to point (before the point)
5579 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
5582 @kindex M h (Summary)
5583 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-from-here
5584 Catchup the current group from point (after the point)
5585 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-from-here}).
5588 @kindex C-w (Summary)
5589 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
5590 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
5591 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
5594 @kindex M V k (Summary)
5595 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
5596 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
5597 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
5601 @kindex M e (Summary)
5603 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
5604 Mark the current article as expirable
5605 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
5608 @kindex M b (Summary)
5609 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
5610 Set a bookmark in the current article
5611 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
5614 @kindex M B (Summary)
5615 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
5616 Remove the bookmark from the current article
5617 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
5620 @kindex M V c (Summary)
5621 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
5622 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
5623 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5626 @kindex M V u (Summary)
5627 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
5628 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
5629 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
5632 @kindex M V m (Summary)
5633 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
5634 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
5635 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
5636 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5639 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
5640 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
5641 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
5642 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
5643 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
5644 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
5645 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
5646 The default is @code{t}.
5649 @node Generic Marking Commands
5650 @subsection Generic Marking Commands
5652 Some people would like the command that ticks an article (@kbd{!}) go to
5653 the next article. Others would like it to go to the next unread
5654 article. Yet others would like it to stay on the current article. And
5655 even though I haven't heard of anybody wanting it to go to the
5656 previous (unread) article, I'm sure there are people that want that as
5659 Multiply these five behaviors with five different marking commands, and
5660 you get a potentially complex set of variable to control what each
5663 To sidestep that mess, Gnus provides commands that do all these
5664 different things. They can be found on the @kbd{M M} map in the summary
5665 buffer. Type @kbd{M M C-h} to see them all---there are too many of them
5666 to list in this manual.
5668 While you can use these commands directly, most users would prefer
5669 altering the summary mode keymap. For instance, if you would like the
5670 @kbd{!} command to go to the next article instead of the next unread
5671 article, you could say something like:
5674 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'my-alter-summary-map)
5675 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5676 (local-set-key "!" 'gnus-summary-put-mark-as-ticked-next))
5682 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5683 (local-set-key "!" "MM!n"))
5687 @node Setting Process Marks
5688 @subsection Setting Process Marks
5689 @cindex setting process marks
5696 @kindex M P p (Summary)
5697 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
5698 Mark the current article with the process mark
5699 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
5700 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
5704 @kindex M P u (Summary)
5705 @kindex M-# (Summary)
5706 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
5707 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
5710 @kindex M P U (Summary)
5711 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
5712 Remove the process mark from all articles
5713 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
5716 @kindex M P i (Summary)
5717 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
5718 Invert the list of process marked articles
5719 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
5722 @kindex M P R (Summary)
5723 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
5724 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5725 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
5728 @kindex M P G (Summary)
5729 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
5730 Unmark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5731 expression (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
5734 @kindex M P r (Summary)
5735 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
5736 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
5739 @kindex M P t (Summary)
5740 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5741 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5742 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5745 @kindex M P T (Summary)
5746 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5747 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5748 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5751 @kindex M P v (Summary)
5752 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
5753 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
5754 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
5757 @kindex M P s (Summary)
5758 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
5759 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5762 @kindex M P S (Summary)
5763 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
5764 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
5765 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
5768 @kindex M P a (Summary)
5769 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
5770 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5773 @kindex M P b (Summary)
5774 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
5775 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
5776 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
5779 @kindex M P k (Summary)
5780 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
5781 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
5782 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
5785 @kindex M P y (Summary)
5786 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
5787 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
5788 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
5791 @kindex M P w (Summary)
5792 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
5793 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
5794 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
5798 Also see the @kbd{&} command in @pxref{Searching for Articles} for how to
5799 set process marks based on article body contents.
5806 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
5807 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
5808 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
5811 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
5812 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
5813 additional articles.
5819 @kindex / / (Summary)
5820 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
5821 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
5822 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}). If given a prefix, exclude
5826 @kindex / a (Summary)
5827 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
5828 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
5829 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}). If given a prefix, exclude
5833 @kindex / x (Summary)
5834 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
5835 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match one of the ``extra''
5836 headers (@pxref{To From Newsgroups})
5837 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-extra}). If given a prefix, exclude
5842 @kindex / u (Summary)
5844 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
5845 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
5846 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
5847 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
5848 dormant articles will also be excluded.
5851 @kindex / m (Summary)
5852 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
5853 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
5854 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
5857 @kindex / t (Summary)
5858 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
5859 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
5860 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-age}). If given a prefix, limit to
5861 articles younger than that number of days.
5864 @kindex / n (Summary)
5865 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
5866 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
5867 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
5868 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5871 @kindex / w (Summary)
5872 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
5873 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
5874 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
5878 @kindex / v (Summary)
5879 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
5880 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
5881 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
5884 @kindex / p (Summary)
5885 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter
5886 Limit the summary buffer to articles that satisfy the @code{display}
5887 group parameter predicate
5888 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter}). See @pxref{Group
5889 Parameters} for more on this predicate.
5893 @kindex M S (Summary)
5894 @kindex / E (Summary)
5895 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
5896 Include all expunged articles in the limit
5897 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
5900 @kindex / D (Summary)
5901 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
5902 Include all dormant articles in the limit
5903 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
5906 @kindex / * (Summary)
5907 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
5908 Include all cached articles in the limit
5909 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
5912 @kindex / d (Summary)
5913 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
5914 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
5915 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
5918 @kindex / M (Summary)
5919 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks
5920 Exclude all marked articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks}).
5923 @kindex / T (Summary)
5924 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
5925 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
5928 @kindex / c (Summary)
5929 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
5930 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
5931 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
5934 @kindex / C (Summary)
5935 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
5936 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
5937 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
5938 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
5941 @kindex / N (Summary)
5942 @findex gnus-summary-insert-new-articles
5943 Insert all new articles in the summary buffer. It scans for new emails
5944 if @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} is non-@code{nil}.
5947 @kindex / o (Summary)
5948 @findex gnus-summary-insert-old-articles
5949 Insert all old articles in the summary buffer. If given a numbered
5950 prefix, fetch this number of articles.
5958 @cindex article threading
5960 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
5961 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
5962 hierarchical fashion.
5964 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
5965 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
5966 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
5967 or simply missing. Weird news propagation exacerbates the problem,
5968 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
5969 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
5970 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
5972 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
5976 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
5979 A tree-like article structure.
5982 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
5985 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
5986 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
5987 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
5988 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
5989 called loose threads.
5991 @item thread gathering
5992 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
5994 @item sparse threads
5995 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
5996 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
6002 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
6003 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
6007 @node Customizing Threading
6008 @subsection Customizing Threading
6009 @cindex customizing threading
6012 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
6013 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
6014 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
6015 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
6020 @subsubsection Loose Threads
6023 @cindex loose threads
6026 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
6027 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
6028 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
6029 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
6030 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
6031 read or killed the root in a previous session.
6033 When there is no real root of a thread, gnus will have to fudge
6034 something. This variable says what fudging method gnus should use.
6035 There are four possible values:
6039 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
6040 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-adopt,width=7.5cm}}
6041 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-empty,width=7.5cm}}}
6042 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-none,width=7.5cm}}}
6043 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-dummy,width=7.5cm}}}
6048 @cindex adopting articles
6053 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
6054 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
6055 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
6056 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
6059 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
6060 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
6061 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
6062 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
6063 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
6064 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
6065 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
6068 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
6069 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
6070 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
6074 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
6075 display them after one another.
6078 Don't gather loose threads.
6081 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6082 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6083 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
6084 variable is @code{nil}, gnus requires an exact match between the
6085 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
6086 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
6087 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
6088 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
6089 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
6090 variable to a really low number, you'll find that gnus will gather
6091 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
6093 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
6094 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, gnus will
6095 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
6098 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6099 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6100 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
6101 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
6102 simplification is used.
6104 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6105 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6106 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
6107 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
6109 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
6111 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6117 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
6118 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
6119 "answer" "reference" "announce"
6120 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
6125 (mapconcat 'identity
6126 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
6128 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
6131 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
6134 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6135 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6136 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
6137 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
6138 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
6139 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
6141 Useful functions to put in this list include:
6144 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
6145 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
6146 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
6148 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6149 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6152 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
6153 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
6154 Remove excessive whitespace.
6157 You may also write your own functions, of course.
6160 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6161 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6162 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
6163 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
6164 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
6165 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
6166 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
6167 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
6169 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6170 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6171 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
6172 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
6173 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
6174 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
6175 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
6176 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
6177 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
6181 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6182 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6183 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
6184 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
6186 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6187 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6188 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
6191 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
6195 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6196 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
6202 @node Filling In Threads
6203 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
6206 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
6207 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
6208 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
6209 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
6210 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
6211 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
6212 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
6213 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
6214 fetching old headers only works if the back end you are using carries
6215 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
6216 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
6217 expired by the server, there's not much gnus can do about that.
6219 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
6220 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
6221 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
6223 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
6224 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
6225 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
6226 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
6227 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
6228 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
6229 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where gnus guesses that an article
6230 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
6231 lines. If you select a gap, gnus will try to fetch the article in
6232 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, gnus will display all these
6233 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
6234 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, gnus won't cut
6235 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
6236 @code{nil} by default.
6238 @item gnus-read-all-available-headers
6239 @vindex gnus-read-all-available-headers
6240 This is a rather obscure variable that few will find useful. It's
6241 intended for those non-news newsgroups where the back end has to fetch
6242 quite a lot to present the summary buffer, and where it's impossible to
6243 go back to parents of articles. This is mostly the case in the
6244 web-based groups, like the @code{nnultimate} groups.
6246 If you don't use those, then it's safe to leave this as the default
6247 @code{nil}. If you want to use this variable, it should be a regexp
6248 that matches the group name, or @code{t} for all groups.
6253 @node More Threading
6254 @subsubsection More Threading
6257 @item gnus-show-threads
6258 @vindex gnus-show-threads
6259 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
6260 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
6261 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
6262 slower and more awkward.
6264 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6265 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6266 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
6269 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
6270 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
6271 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
6272 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
6273 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
6274 threads are expunged.
6276 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
6277 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
6278 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
6281 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6282 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6283 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
6284 this variable is non-@code{nil}, which is the default, the subject
6285 change is ignored. If it is @code{nil}, a change in the subject will
6286 result in a new thread.
6288 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
6289 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
6290 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
6293 @item gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6294 @vindex gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6295 Sometimes, particularly with mailing lists, the order in which mails
6296 arrive locally is not necessarily the same as the order in which they
6297 arrived on the mailing list. Consequently, when sorting sub-threads
6298 using the default @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number}, responses can end
6299 up appearing before the article to which they are responding to.
6300 Setting this variable to an alternate value
6301 (e.g. @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}), in a group's parameters or in an
6302 appropriate hook (e.g. @code{gnus-summary-generate-hook}) can produce a
6303 more logical sub-thread ordering in such instances.
6308 @node Low-Level Threading
6309 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
6313 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
6314 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
6315 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
6316 @code{(gnus-set-summary-default-charset)}, which sets up local value of
6317 @code{default-mime-charset} in summary buffer based on variable
6318 @code{gnus-newsgroup-default-charset-alist}.
6320 @item gnus-alter-header-function
6321 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
6322 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
6323 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
6324 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
6325 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
6326 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
6327 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
6328 meaningful. Here's one example:
6331 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
6333 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
6334 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
6336 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
6338 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
6345 @node Thread Commands
6346 @subsection Thread Commands
6347 @cindex thread commands
6353 @kindex T k (Summary)
6354 @kindex C-M-k (Summary)
6355 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
6356 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
6357 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
6358 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
6363 @kindex T l (Summary)
6364 @kindex C-M-l (Summary)
6365 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
6366 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
6367 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
6370 @kindex T i (Summary)
6371 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
6372 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
6373 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
6376 @kindex T # (Summary)
6377 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6378 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
6379 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6382 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
6383 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6384 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
6385 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6388 @kindex T T (Summary)
6389 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
6390 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
6393 @kindex T s (Summary)
6394 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
6395 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
6396 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
6399 @kindex T h (Summary)
6400 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
6401 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
6404 @kindex T S (Summary)
6405 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
6406 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
6409 @kindex T H (Summary)
6410 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
6411 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
6414 @kindex T t (Summary)
6415 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
6416 Re-thread the current article's thread
6417 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
6418 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
6421 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
6422 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
6423 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
6424 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
6428 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
6429 understand the numeric prefix.
6434 @kindex T n (Summary)
6436 @kindex C-M-n (Summary)
6438 @kindex M-down (Summary)
6439 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
6440 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
6443 @kindex T p (Summary)
6445 @kindex C-M-p (Summary)
6447 @kindex M-up (Summary)
6448 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
6449 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
6452 @kindex T d (Summary)
6453 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
6454 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
6457 @kindex T u (Summary)
6458 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
6459 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
6462 @kindex T o (Summary)
6463 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
6464 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
6467 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
6468 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
6469 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
6470 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
6471 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
6472 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
6473 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
6474 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
6475 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
6476 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
6477 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
6478 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
6482 @node Sorting the Summary Buffer
6483 @section Sorting the Summary Buffer
6485 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
6486 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
6487 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
6488 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6489 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
6490 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6491 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
6492 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
6493 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
6494 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
6495 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
6497 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
6498 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
6499 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
6500 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
6501 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
6503 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
6504 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
6505 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
6507 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
6508 last function in the list. You should probably always include
6509 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
6510 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
6511 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
6512 ascending article order.
6514 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
6515 by number, you could do something like:
6518 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6519 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6520 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6521 (not gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
6524 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
6525 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
6526 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
6527 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
6528 which the articles arrived.
6530 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
6534 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6536 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
6537 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
6540 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
6541 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
6542 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
6543 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
6546 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
6547 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
6548 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
6549 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
6550 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
6551 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
6552 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
6553 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
6554 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
6555 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
6556 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
6557 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
6558 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
6560 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
6564 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
6565 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
6566 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
6571 @node Asynchronous Fetching
6572 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
6573 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
6574 @cindex article pre-fetch
6577 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
6578 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
6579 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
6580 article appears. Why can't gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
6581 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
6583 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
6584 article fetching, especially the way gnus does it.
6586 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
6587 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
6588 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
6589 article 3, but since gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
6590 connection is blocked.
6592 To avoid these situations, gnus will open two (count 'em two)
6593 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
6594 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
6595 extra connection takes some time, so gnus startup will be slower.
6597 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
6598 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
6599 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
6600 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
6603 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
6606 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
6607 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
6608 happen automatically.
6610 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
6611 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
6612 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
6613 that when you read an article in the group, the back end will pre-fetch
6614 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the back end will
6615 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
6616 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
6618 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
6619 @findex gnus-async-read-p
6620 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
6621 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
6622 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
6623 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
6624 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
6625 data structure as the only parameter.
6627 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
6630 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
6631 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
6632 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
6633 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
6636 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
6639 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
6640 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down gnus too much.
6641 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
6643 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
6644 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
6645 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
6646 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
6650 Remove articles when they are read.
6653 Remove articles when exiting the group.
6656 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
6658 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
6659 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
6660 @c from the next group.
6663 @node Article Caching
6664 @section Article Caching
6665 @cindex article caching
6668 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
6669 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
6670 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
6671 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
6672 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
6674 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
6676 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6677 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
6678 @vindex gnus-use-cache
6679 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
6680 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
6681 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
6682 cache is flat or hierarchical is controlled by the
6683 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
6685 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
6686 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
6687 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
6688 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
6689 as dormant, and don't worry.
6691 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
6693 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
6694 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
6695 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
6696 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
6697 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
6698 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
6699 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
6700 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
6701 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
6702 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
6704 @findex gnus-jog-cache
6705 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
6706 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
6707 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
6708 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
6709 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
6710 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
6711 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
6712 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
6713 not then be downloaded by this command.
6715 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
6716 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
6717 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
6718 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
6719 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
6720 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
6722 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
6723 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
6724 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
6725 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
6726 variables, the group is not cached.
6728 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
6729 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
6730 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
6731 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
6732 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
6733 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, gnus
6734 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
6735 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
6736 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
6740 @node Persistent Articles
6741 @section Persistent Articles
6742 @cindex persistent articles
6744 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
6745 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
6746 useful in my opinion.
6748 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
6749 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
6750 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
6751 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
6752 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
6753 the expiry going on at the news server.
6755 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
6756 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
6757 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
6763 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
6764 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
6767 @kindex M-* (Summary)
6768 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
6769 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
6770 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
6774 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
6776 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
6777 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
6778 interested in persistent articles:
6781 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
6785 @node Article Backlog
6786 @section Article Backlog
6788 @cindex article backlog
6790 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
6791 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
6792 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where gnus will buffer
6793 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
6794 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
6795 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
6796 that, turning the backlog on will slow gnus down a little bit, and
6797 increase memory usage some.
6799 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
6800 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, gnus will store
6801 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
6802 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, gnus will store
6803 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
6804 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
6805 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
6807 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
6810 @node Saving Articles
6811 @section Saving Articles
6812 @cindex saving articles
6814 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
6815 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
6816 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
6817 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
6818 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
6820 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
6821 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, gnus will not delete
6822 unwanted headers before saving the article.
6824 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
6825 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
6826 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
6827 deleted before saving.
6833 @kindex O o (Summary)
6835 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
6836 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
6837 Save the current article using the default article saver
6838 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
6841 @kindex O m (Summary)
6842 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
6843 Save the current article in mail format
6844 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
6847 @kindex O r (Summary)
6848 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
6849 Save the current article in rmail format
6850 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
6853 @kindex O f (Summary)
6854 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
6855 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
6856 Save the current article in plain file format
6857 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
6860 @kindex O F (Summary)
6861 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
6862 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
6863 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
6866 @kindex O b (Summary)
6867 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
6868 Save the current article body in plain file format
6869 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
6872 @kindex O h (Summary)
6873 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
6874 Save the current article in mh folder format
6875 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
6878 @kindex O v (Summary)
6879 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
6880 Save the current article in a VM folder
6881 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
6885 @kindex O p (Summary)
6887 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
6888 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
6889 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
6892 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
6893 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
6894 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
6895 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
6896 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
6897 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
6898 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
6899 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
6900 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
6901 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
6902 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
6903 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
6907 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
6908 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
6909 gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the six ready-made
6910 functions below, or you can create your own.
6914 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6915 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6916 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
6917 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6918 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
6919 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6920 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6922 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6923 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6924 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
6925 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
6926 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6927 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6929 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
6930 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
6931 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
6932 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6933 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
6934 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6935 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6937 @item gnus-summary-write-to-file
6938 @findex gnus-summary-write-to-file
6939 Write the article straight to an ordinary file. The file is
6940 overwritten if it exists. Uses the function in the
6941 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6942 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6944 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6945 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6946 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
6947 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6948 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6950 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6951 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6952 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
6953 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
6954 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
6957 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
6958 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
6959 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
6960 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
6961 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
6963 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6964 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
6965 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
6966 reader to use this setting.
6969 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
6970 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
6971 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
6972 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
6975 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
6976 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
6977 available functions that generate names:
6981 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
6982 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
6983 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6985 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
6986 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6987 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
6989 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
6990 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
6991 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6993 @item gnus-plain-save-name
6994 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6995 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
6997 @item gnus-sender-save-name
6998 @findex gnus-sender-save-name
6999 File names like @file{~/News/larsi}.
7002 @vindex gnus-split-methods
7003 You can have gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
7004 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
7005 save articles related to gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
7006 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
7010 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
7011 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
7012 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
7013 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
7016 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
7017 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
7018 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
7019 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
7020 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
7021 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
7022 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
7023 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
7024 called returns a string or a list of strings.
7026 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
7027 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
7028 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
7029 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
7031 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
7032 means that gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
7033 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
7036 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
7037 lots of mail groups called things like
7038 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
7039 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
7040 following will do just that:
7043 (defun my-save-name (group)
7044 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
7045 (substring group (match-end 0))))
7047 (setq gnus-split-methods
7048 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
7053 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
7054 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
7055 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
7056 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
7057 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
7058 all the files in the top level directory
7059 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
7060 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
7061 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
7062 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
7064 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
7065 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
7066 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
7067 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
7068 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
7071 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
7075 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
7076 (setq gnus-default-article-saver
7077 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
7080 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
7081 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
7082 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
7083 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
7086 @node Decoding Articles
7087 @section Decoding Articles
7088 @cindex decoding articles
7090 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
7091 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
7094 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
7095 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
7096 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
7097 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
7098 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
7099 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
7103 @cindex article series
7104 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
7105 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
7106 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
7107 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
7108 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
7110 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
7111 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
7112 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
7114 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, gnus
7115 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
7116 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
7118 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
7119 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
7120 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
7123 @node Uuencoded Articles
7124 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
7126 @cindex uuencoded articles
7131 @kindex X u (Summary)
7132 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
7133 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
7134 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
7137 @kindex X U (Summary)
7138 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
7139 Uudecodes and saves the current series
7140 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7143 @kindex X v u (Summary)
7144 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
7145 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
7148 @kindex X v U (Summary)
7149 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
7150 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
7151 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
7155 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
7156 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
7157 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
7158 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
7159 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7161 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
7162 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
7163 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
7164 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
7167 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
7168 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
7169 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
7170 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
7171 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
7172 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
7176 @node Shell Archives
7177 @subsection Shell Archives
7179 @cindex shell archives
7180 @cindex shared articles
7182 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
7183 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
7184 some commands to deal with these:
7189 @kindex X s (Summary)
7190 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
7191 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
7194 @kindex X S (Summary)
7195 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
7196 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
7199 @kindex X v s (Summary)
7200 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
7201 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
7204 @kindex X v S (Summary)
7205 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
7206 Unshars, views and saves the current series
7207 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
7211 @node PostScript Files
7212 @subsection PostScript Files
7218 @kindex X p (Summary)
7219 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
7220 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
7223 @kindex X P (Summary)
7224 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
7225 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
7226 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
7229 @kindex X v p (Summary)
7230 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
7231 View the current PostScript series
7232 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
7235 @kindex X v P (Summary)
7236 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
7237 View and save the current PostScript series
7238 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
7243 @subsection Other Files
7247 @kindex X o (Summary)
7248 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
7249 Save the current series
7250 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
7253 @kindex X b (Summary)
7254 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
7255 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
7256 doesn't really work yet.
7260 @node Decoding Variables
7261 @subsection Decoding Variables
7263 Adjective, not verb.
7266 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
7267 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
7268 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
7272 @node Rule Variables
7273 @subsubsection Rule Variables
7274 @cindex rule variables
7276 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
7277 variables are of the form
7280 (list '(regexp1 command2)
7287 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7288 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7290 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
7291 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
7294 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7295 (list '("\\\\.au$" "sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio")))
7298 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7299 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7300 This variable is consulted if gnus couldn't make any matches from the
7301 user and default view rules.
7303 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7304 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7305 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
7310 @node Other Decode Variables
7311 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
7314 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7316 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7317 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
7318 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
7319 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
7320 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
7324 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
7325 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
7328 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
7329 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
7330 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
7333 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7334 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7335 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
7336 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
7337 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
7340 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7341 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7342 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
7344 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7345 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7346 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
7347 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
7348 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
7351 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7352 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7353 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
7355 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7356 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7357 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
7358 looking for files to display.
7360 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
7361 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
7362 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
7365 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7366 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7367 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
7370 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7371 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7372 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
7375 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7376 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7377 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
7380 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7381 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7382 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
7383 decoded articles as unread.
7385 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7386 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7387 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
7388 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
7390 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7391 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7392 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
7394 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7395 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7397 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
7398 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
7399 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
7400 @code{metamail} for viewing.
7402 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7403 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7404 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
7405 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
7406 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
7407 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC 1153---no easy way
7408 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
7409 simply dropped them.
7414 @node Uuencoding and Posting
7415 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
7419 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7420 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7421 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
7422 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
7423 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
7424 for you when you post the article.
7426 @item gnus-uu-post-length
7427 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
7428 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
7429 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
7431 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
7432 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
7433 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
7434 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
7435 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
7436 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
7437 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
7439 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7440 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7441 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
7442 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
7443 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
7444 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
7445 Default is @code{t}.
7451 @subsection Viewing Files
7452 @cindex viewing files
7453 @cindex pseudo-articles
7455 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, gnus will attempt
7456 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
7457 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
7458 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, gnus will
7459 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
7460 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
7461 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
7463 Finally, gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
7464 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
7465 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
7466 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
7468 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
7469 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
7470 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
7472 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
7473 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
7474 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
7475 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
7476 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
7478 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
7479 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
7480 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
7481 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
7482 a list of parameters to that command.
7484 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
7485 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
7486 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
7488 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
7489 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
7490 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
7493 @node Article Treatment
7494 @section Article Treatment
7496 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
7497 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
7498 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
7499 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
7500 these articles easier.
7503 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
7504 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
7505 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
7506 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
7507 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
7508 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
7509 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
7510 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
7514 @node Article Highlighting
7515 @subsection Article Highlighting
7516 @cindex highlighting
7518 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
7519 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
7524 @kindex W H a (Summary)
7525 @findex gnus-article-highlight
7526 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7527 Do much highlighting of the current article
7528 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
7529 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
7532 @kindex W H h (Summary)
7533 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
7534 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
7535 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
7536 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
7537 variable, which is a list where each element has the form
7538 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{name} @var{content})}.
7539 @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
7540 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
7541 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
7542 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
7543 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
7546 @kindex W H c (Summary)
7547 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
7548 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
7550 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
7553 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7555 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7556 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
7557 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
7559 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
7560 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
7561 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
7563 @item gnus-cite-face-list
7564 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
7565 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
7566 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
7567 gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
7568 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
7570 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
7571 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
7572 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
7574 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7575 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7576 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
7578 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7579 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7580 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
7581 that it's a citation.
7583 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7584 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7585 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
7587 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7588 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7589 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
7591 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
7592 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
7593 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
7594 cited text belonging to the attribution.
7600 @kindex W H s (Summary)
7601 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
7602 @vindex gnus-signature-face
7603 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
7604 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
7605 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
7606 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
7607 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
7612 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to highlight articles automatically.
7615 @node Article Fontisizing
7616 @subsection Article Fontisizing
7618 @cindex article emphasis
7620 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
7621 @kindex W e (Summary)
7622 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
7623 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*} or @samp{/this/}. Gnus can make
7624 this look nicer by running the article through the @kbd{W e}
7625 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
7627 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
7628 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
7629 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
7630 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
7631 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
7632 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
7633 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
7634 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
7638 (setq gnus-emphasis-alist
7639 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
7640 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
7649 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
7650 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
7651 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
7652 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
7653 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
7654 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
7655 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
7656 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
7657 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
7658 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
7659 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
7660 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
7661 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
7663 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
7664 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
7665 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
7669 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
7672 @vindex gnus-group-highlight-words-alist
7674 If you want to highlight arbitrary words, you can use the
7675 @code{gnus-group-highlight-words-alist} variable, which uses the same
7676 syntax as @code{gnus-emphasis-alist}. The @code{highlight-words} group
7677 parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) can also be used.
7679 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to fontize articles automatically.
7682 @node Article Hiding
7683 @subsection Article Hiding
7684 @cindex article hiding
7686 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
7687 too much cruft in most articles.
7692 @kindex W W a (Summary)
7693 @findex gnus-article-hide
7694 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
7695 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
7696 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
7699 @kindex W W h (Summary)
7700 @findex gnus-article-toggle-headers
7701 Toggle hiding of headers (@code{gnus-article-toggle-headers}). @xref{Hiding
7705 @kindex W W b (Summary)
7706 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7707 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
7708 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
7711 @kindex W W s (Summary)
7712 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
7713 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
7717 @kindex W W l (Summary)
7718 @findex gnus-article-hide-list-identifiers
7719 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7720 Strip list identifiers specified in @code{gnus-list-identifiers}. These
7721 are strings some mailing list servers add to the beginning of all
7722 @code{Subject} headers---for example, @samp{[zebra 4711]}. Any leading
7723 @samp{Re: } is skipped before stripping. @code{gnus-list-identifiers}
7724 may not contain @code{\\(..\\)}.
7728 @item gnus-list-identifiers
7729 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7730 A regular expression that matches list identifiers to be removed from
7731 subject. This can also be a list of regular expressions.
7736 @kindex W W p (Summary)
7737 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
7738 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7739 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
7740 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
7741 signature has been hidden. For example, to automatically verify
7742 articles that have signatures in them do:
7744 ;;; Hide pgp cruft if any.
7746 (setq gnus-treat-strip-pgp t)
7748 ;;; After hiding pgp, verify the message;
7749 ;;; only happens if pgp signature is found.
7751 (add-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7754 (set-buffer gnus-original-article-buffer)
7759 @kindex W W P (Summary)
7760 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
7761 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
7762 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
7765 @kindex W W B (Summary)
7766 @findex gnus-article-strip-banner
7769 @cindex stripping advertisements
7770 @cindex advertisements
7771 Strip the banner specified by the @code{banner} group parameter
7772 (@code{gnus-article-strip-banner}). This is mainly used to hide those
7773 annoying banners and/or signatures that some mailing lists and moderated
7774 groups adds to all the messages. The way to use this function is to add
7775 the @code{banner} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to the
7776 group you want banners stripped from. The parameter either be a string,
7777 which will be interpreted as a regular expression matching text to be
7778 removed, or the symbol @code{signature}, meaning that the (last)
7779 signature should be removed, or other symbol, meaning that the
7780 corresponding regular expression in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist} is
7784 @kindex W W c (Summary)
7785 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
7786 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
7787 customizing the hiding:
7791 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7792 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7793 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7794 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7795 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
7796 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
7797 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
7802 Starting point of the hidden text.
7804 Ending point of the hidden text.
7806 Number of characters in the hidden region.
7808 Number of lines of hidden text.
7811 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
7812 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
7813 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave
7814 shown. This can also be a cons cell with the number of lines at the top
7815 and bottom of the text, respectively, to remain visible.
7820 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
7821 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
7823 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
7824 following two variables:
7827 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7828 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7829 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
7830 50), hide the cited text.
7832 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7833 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7834 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
7839 @kindex W W C (Summary)
7840 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
7841 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
7842 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
7843 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
7844 have happen automatically (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
7848 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
7849 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
7850 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
7852 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
7853 citation customization.
7855 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to hide article elements
7859 @node Article Washing
7860 @subsection Article Washing
7862 @cindex article washing
7864 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
7865 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
7867 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
7868 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
7871 @xref{Customizing Articles}, if you want to change how Gnus displays
7872 articles by default.
7877 This is not really washing, it's sort of the opposite of washing. If
7878 you type this, you see the article exactly as it exists on disk or on
7882 @kindex W l (Summary)
7883 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
7884 Remove page breaks from the current article
7885 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article}, for page
7889 @kindex W r (Summary)
7890 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
7891 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
7892 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
7893 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
7894 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
7895 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
7897 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
7898 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
7899 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
7900 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
7904 @kindex W t (Summary)
7906 @findex gnus-article-toggle-headers
7907 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
7908 (@code{gnus-article-toggle-headers}).
7911 @kindex W v (Summary)
7912 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
7913 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
7914 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
7917 @kindex W m (Summary)
7918 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
7919 Toggle whether to run the article through @sc{mime} before displaying
7920 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
7923 @kindex W o (Summary)
7924 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
7925 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
7928 @kindex W d (Summary)
7929 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
7930 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
7932 @cindex M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s
7934 Treat M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s according to
7935 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
7936 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}). Note that this function guesses
7937 whether a character is a sm*rtq**t* or not, so it should only be used
7940 Sm*rtq**t*s are M****s***'s unilateral extension to the character map in
7941 an attempt to provide more quoting characters. If you see something
7942 like @code{\222} or @code{\264} where you're expecting some kind of
7943 apostrophe or quotation mark, then try this wash.
7946 @kindex W w (Summary)
7947 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
7948 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}).
7950 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
7954 @kindex W Q (Summary)
7955 @findex gnus-article-fill-long-lines
7956 Fill long lines (@code{gnus-article-fill-long-lines}).
7959 @kindex W C (Summary)
7960 @findex gnus-article-capitalize-sentences
7961 Capitalize the first word in each sentence
7962 (@code{gnus-article-capitalize-sentences}).
7965 @kindex W c (Summary)
7966 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
7967 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
7968 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
7969 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
7970 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
7973 @kindex W 6 (Summary)
7974 @findex gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable
7975 Treat base64 (@code{gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable}).
7976 Base64 is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending non-ASCII
7977 (i. e., 8-bit) articles. Note that the this is usually done
7978 automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
7979 @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} header that says that this encoding has
7981 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
7984 @kindex W Z (Summary)
7985 @findex gnus-article-decode-HZ
7986 Treat HZ or HZP (@code{gnus-article-decode-HZ}). HZ (or HZP) is one
7987 common encoding employed when sending Chinese articles. It typically
7988 makes strings look like @samp{~@{<:Ky2;S@{#,NpJ)l6HK!#~@}}.
7991 @kindex W h (Summary)
7992 @findex gnus-article-wash-html
7993 Treat HTML (@code{gnus-article-wash-html}).
7994 Note that the this is usually done automatically by Gnus if the message
7995 in question has a @code{Content-Type} header that says that this type
7997 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8000 @kindex W f (Summary)
8002 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
8003 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
8004 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
8005 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
8012 Look for and display any X-Face headers
8013 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
8014 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
8015 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
8016 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
8017 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
8018 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
8019 The default action under Emacs is to fork off the @code{display}
8020 program@footnote{@code{display} is from the ImageMagick package. For
8021 the @code{uncompface} and @code{icontopbm} programs look for a package
8022 like `compface' or `faces-xface' on a GNU/Linux system.} to view the
8023 face. Under XEmacs or Emacs 21+ with suitable image support, the
8024 default action is to display the face before the @code{From} header.
8025 (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face support---that will
8026 make display somewhat faster. If there's no native X-Face support, Gnus
8027 will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using external programs
8028 from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.@footnote{On a GNU/Linux
8029 system look for packages with names like @code{netpbm} or
8030 @code{libgr-progs}.}) If you want to have this function in the display
8031 hook, it should probably come last.
8032 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable/function names, not @code{xface}).
8035 @kindex W b (Summary)
8036 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
8037 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
8038 @xref{Article Buttons}.
8041 @kindex W B (Summary)
8042 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
8043 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
8044 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
8047 @kindex W p (Summary)
8048 @findex gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig
8049 Verify a signed control message (@code{gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig}).
8050 Control messages such as @code{newgroup} and @code{checkgroups} are
8051 usually signed by the hierarchy maintainer. You need to add the PGP
8052 public key of the maintainer to your keyring to verify the
8053 message.@footnote{PGP keys for many hierarchies are available at
8054 @uref{ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README.html}}
8057 @kindex W s (Summary)
8058 @findex gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt
8059 Verify a signed (PGP, PGP/MIME or S/MIME) message
8060 (@code{gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt}).
8063 @kindex W W H (Summary)
8064 @findex gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body
8065 Strip headers like the @code{X-No-Archive} header from the beginning of
8066 article bodies (@code{gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body}).
8069 @kindex W E l (Summary)
8070 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
8071 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
8072 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
8075 @kindex W E m (Summary)
8076 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
8077 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
8078 lines with a single empty line.
8079 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
8082 @kindex W E t (Summary)
8083 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
8084 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
8085 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
8088 @kindex W E a (Summary)
8089 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
8090 Do all the three commands above
8091 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
8094 @kindex W E A (Summary)
8095 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
8096 Remove all blank lines
8097 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
8100 @kindex W E s (Summary)
8101 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
8102 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
8103 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
8106 @kindex W E e (Summary)
8107 @findex gnus-article-strip-trailing-space
8108 Remove all white space from the end of all lines of the article
8109 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-trailing-space}).
8113 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to wash articles automatically.
8116 @node Article Buttons
8117 @subsection Article Buttons
8120 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
8121 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
8122 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
8123 button on these references.
8125 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
8126 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
8127 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
8132 @item gnus-button-alist
8133 @vindex gnus-button-alist
8134 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
8137 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8143 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
8144 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
8145 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
8148 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
8149 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
8150 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
8153 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
8154 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
8155 avoid false matches.
8158 This function will be called when you click on this button.
8161 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
8162 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
8166 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
8169 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
8172 @item gnus-header-button-alist
8173 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
8174 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
8175 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
8176 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
8179 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8182 @var{header} is a regular expression.
8184 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
8185 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
8186 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
8187 default values of the variables above.
8189 @item gnus-article-button-face
8190 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
8191 Face used on buttons.
8193 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
8194 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
8195 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
8199 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to buttonize articles automatically.
8203 @subsection Article Date
8205 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
8206 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
8207 when the article was sent.
8212 @kindex W T u (Summary)
8213 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
8214 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
8215 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
8218 @kindex W T i (Summary)
8219 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
8221 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
8222 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
8225 @kindex W T l (Summary)
8226 @findex gnus-article-date-local
8227 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
8230 @kindex W T p (Summary)
8231 @findex gnus-article-date-english
8232 Display the date in a format that's easily pronounceable in English
8233 (@code{gnus-article-date-english}).
8236 @kindex W T s (Summary)
8237 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
8238 @findex gnus-article-date-user
8239 @findex format-time-string
8240 Display the date using a user-defined format
8241 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
8242 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
8243 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
8244 for a list of possible format specs.
8247 @kindex W T e (Summary)
8248 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
8249 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
8250 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
8251 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
8252 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). It looks something like:
8255 X-Sent: 6 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds ago
8258 The value of @code{gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header} determines
8259 whether this header will just be added below the old Date one, or will
8262 An advantage of using Gnus to read mail is that it converts simple bugs
8263 into wonderful absurdities.
8265 If you want to have this line updated continually, you can put
8268 (gnus-start-date-timer)
8271 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
8272 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
8276 @kindex W T o (Summary)
8277 @findex gnus-article-date-original
8278 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
8279 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
8280 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
8281 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
8282 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
8286 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to display the date in your
8287 preferred format automatically.
8290 @node Article Signature
8291 @subsection Article Signature
8293 @cindex article signature
8295 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
8296 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
8297 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
8298 that says what is to be considered a signature is
8299 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
8300 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
8301 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
8302 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
8303 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
8306 (setq gnus-signature-separator
8307 '("^-- $" ; The standard
8308 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
8309 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
8310 ; line of dashes. Shame!
8311 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
8312 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
8313 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
8316 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
8319 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
8320 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
8321 signature when displaying articles.
8325 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
8328 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
8331 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
8332 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
8334 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
8335 in question is not a signature.
8338 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
8339 listed above. Here's an example:
8342 (setq gnus-signature-limit
8343 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
8346 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
8347 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
8348 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
8349 signature after all.
8352 @node Article Miscellania
8353 @subsection Article Miscellania
8357 @kindex A t (Summary)
8358 @findex gnus-article-babel
8359 Translate the article from one language to another
8360 (@code{gnus-article-babel}).
8366 @section @sc{mime} Commands
8367 @cindex MIME decoding
8369 @cindex viewing attachments
8371 The following commands all understand the numerical prefix. For
8372 instance, @kbd{3 b} means ``view the third @sc{mime} part''.
8378 @kindex K v (Summary)
8379 View the @sc{mime} part.
8382 @kindex K o (Summary)
8383 Save the @sc{mime} part.
8386 @kindex K c (Summary)
8387 Copy the @sc{mime} part.
8390 @kindex K e (Summary)
8391 View the @sc{mime} part externally.
8394 @kindex K i (Summary)
8395 View the @sc{mime} part internally.
8398 @kindex K | (Summary)
8399 Pipe the @sc{mime} part to an external command.
8402 The rest of these @sc{mime} commands do not use the numerical prefix in
8407 @kindex K b (Summary)
8408 Make all the @sc{mime} parts have buttons in front of them. This is
8409 mostly useful if you wish to save (or perform other actions) on inlined
8413 @kindex K m (Summary)
8414 @findex gnus-summary-repair-multipart
8415 Some multipart messages are transmitted with missing or faulty headers.
8416 This command will attempt to ``repair'' these messages so that they can
8417 be viewed in a more pleasant manner
8418 (@code{gnus-summary-repair-multipart}).
8421 @kindex X m (Summary)
8422 @findex gnus-summary-save-parts
8423 Save all parts matching a @sc{mime} type to a directory
8424 (@code{gnus-summary-save-parts}). Understands the process/prefix
8425 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8428 @kindex M-t (Summary)
8429 @findex gnus-summary-display-buttonized
8430 Toggle the buttonized display of the article buffer
8431 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized}).
8434 @kindex W M w (Summary)
8435 Decode RFC 2047-encoded words in the article headers
8436 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
8439 @kindex W M c (Summary)
8440 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
8441 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
8443 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
8444 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
8445 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
8446 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not include
8447 MIME headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic parameter to
8448 the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
8451 @kindex W M v (Summary)
8452 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
8453 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
8460 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
8461 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
8462 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8463 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
8466 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
8469 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
8473 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8474 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8475 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8476 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8477 displayed or this variable is overriden by
8478 @code{gnus-buttonized-mime-types}. The default value is
8481 @item gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8482 @vindex gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8483 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8484 this list will have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8485 displayed. This variable overrides
8486 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types}. The default value is @code{nil}.
8488 To see e.g. security buttons but no other buttons, you could set this
8489 variable to @code{("multipart/signed")} and leave
8490 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types} to the default value.
8492 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
8493 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
8494 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
8495 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
8496 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
8497 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
8498 save all jpegs into some directory).
8500 Here's an example function the does the latter:
8503 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
8504 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
8506 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
8507 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
8508 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
8509 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
8510 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
8513 @vindex gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8514 @item gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8515 Alist of @sc{mime} multipart types and functions to handle them.
8517 @vindex mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8518 @item mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8519 List of functions used for rewriting file names of @sc{mime} parts.
8520 Each function takes a file name as input and returns a file name.
8522 Ready-made functions include@*
8523 @code{mm-file-name-delete-whitespace},
8524 @code{mm-file-name-trim-whitespace},
8525 @code{mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace}, and
8526 @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace}. The later uses the value of
8527 the variable @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace} to replace each
8528 whitespace character in a file name with that string; default value
8529 is @code{"_"} (a single underscore).
8530 @findex mm-file-name-delete-whitespace
8531 @findex mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8532 @findex mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8533 @findex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8534 @vindex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8536 The standard functions @code{capitalize}, @code{downcase},
8537 @code{upcase}, and @code{upcase-initials} may be useful, too.
8539 Everybody knows that whitespace characters in file names are evil,
8540 except those who don't know. If you receive lots of attachments from
8541 such unenlightened users, you can make live easier by adding
8544 (setq mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8545 '(mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8546 mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8547 mm-file-name-replace-whitespace))
8551 to your @file{.gnus} file.
8560 People use different charsets, and we have @sc{mime} to let us know what
8561 charsets they use. Or rather, we wish we had. Many people use
8562 newsreaders and mailers that do not understand or use @sc{mime}, and
8563 just send out messages without saying what character sets they use. To
8564 help a bit with this, some local news hierarchies have policies that say
8565 what character set is the default. For instance, the @samp{fj}
8566 hierarchy uses @code{iso-2022-jp-2}.
8568 @vindex gnus-group-charset-alist
8569 This knowledge is encoded in the @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}
8570 variable, which is an alist of regexps (use the first item to match full
8571 group names) and default charsets to be used when reading these groups.
8573 In addition, some people do use soi-disant @sc{mime}-aware agents that
8574 aren't. These blithely mark messages as being in @code{iso-8859-1}
8575 even if they really are in @code{koi-8}. To help here, the
8576 @code{gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets} variable can be used. The
8577 charsets that are listed here will be ignored. The variable can be
8578 set on a group-by-group basis using the group parameters (@pxref{Group
8579 Parameters}). The default value is @code{(unknown-8bit x-unknown)},
8580 which includes values some agents insist on having in there.
8582 @vindex gnus-group-posting-charset-alist
8583 When posting, @code{gnus-group-posting-charset-alist} is used to
8584 determine which charsets should not be encoded using the @sc{mime}
8585 encodings. For instance, some hierarchies discourage using
8586 quoted-printable header encoding.
8588 This variable is an alist of regexps and permitted unencoded charsets
8589 for posting. Each element of the alist has the form @code{(}@var{test
8590 header body-list}@code{)}, where:
8594 is either a regular expression matching the newsgroup header or a
8597 is the charset which may be left unencoded in the header (@code{nil}
8598 means encode all charsets),
8600 is a list of charsets which may be encoded using 8bit content-transfer
8601 encoding in the body, or one of the special values @code{nil} (always
8602 encode using quoted-printable) or @code{t} (always use 8bit).
8609 @cindex coding system aliases
8610 @cindex preferred charset
8612 Other charset tricks that may be useful, although not Gnus-specific:
8614 If there are several @sc{mime} charsets that encode the same Emacs
8615 charset, you can choose what charset to use by saying the following:
8618 (put-charset-property 'cyrillic-iso8859-5
8619 'preferred-coding-system 'koi8-r)
8622 This means that Russian will be encoded using @code{koi8-r} instead of
8623 the default @code{iso-8859-5} @sc{mime} charset.
8625 If you want to read messages in @code{koi8-u}, you can cheat and say
8628 (define-coding-system-alias 'koi8-u 'koi8-r)
8631 This will almost do the right thing.
8633 And finally, to read charsets like @code{windows-1251}, you can say
8637 (codepage-setup 1251)
8638 (define-coding-system-alias 'windows-1251 'cp1251)
8642 @node Article Commands
8643 @section Article Commands
8650 @kindex A P (Summary)
8651 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
8652 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
8653 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
8654 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
8655 run just before printing the buffer.
8660 @node Summary Sorting
8661 @section Summary Sorting
8662 @cindex summary sorting
8664 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
8665 can't really see why you'd want that.
8670 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
8671 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
8672 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
8675 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
8676 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
8677 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
8680 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
8681 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
8682 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
8685 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
8686 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
8687 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
8690 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
8691 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
8692 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
8695 @kindex C-c C-s C-c (Summary)
8696 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-chars
8697 Sort by article length (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-chars}).
8700 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
8701 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
8702 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
8705 @kindex C-c C-s C-o (Summary)
8706 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-original
8707 Sort using the default sorting method
8708 (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-original}).
8711 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
8712 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
8713 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
8714 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
8715 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
8719 @node Finding the Parent
8720 @section Finding the Parent
8721 @cindex parent articles
8722 @cindex referring articles
8727 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
8728 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
8729 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
8730 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
8731 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
8732 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
8733 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
8734 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
8735 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
8737 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
8738 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
8739 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, gnus will fetch the parent, the
8740 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
8741 @kbd{-3 ^}, gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
8745 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
8746 @kindex A R (Summary)
8747 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
8748 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
8751 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
8752 @kindex A T (Summary)
8753 Display the full thread where the current article appears
8754 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
8755 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
8756 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
8757 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
8758 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
8759 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
8761 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
8762 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
8763 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
8764 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
8765 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
8766 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
8769 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
8770 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
8772 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
8773 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
8774 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
8775 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
8776 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
8777 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
8778 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
8781 The current select method will be used when fetching by
8782 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
8783 by giving this command a prefix.
8785 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
8786 If the group you are reading is located on a back end that does not
8787 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
8788 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
8789 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
8790 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
8793 It can also be a list of select methods, as well as the special symbol
8794 @code{current}, which means to use the current select method. If it
8795 is a list, Gnus will try all the methods in the list until it finds a
8798 Here's an example setting that will first try the current method, and
8799 then ask Deja if that fails:
8802 (setq gnus-refer-article-method
8804 (nnweb "refer" (nnweb-type dejanews))))
8807 Most of the mail back ends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but
8808 do not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox}
8809 and @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
8810 @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder} and @code{nnimap}1 are only able to locate
8811 articles that have been posted to the current group. (Anything else
8812 would be too time consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at
8816 @node Alternative Approaches
8817 @section Alternative Approaches
8819 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
8820 gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
8823 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
8824 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
8829 @subsection Pick and Read
8830 @cindex pick and read
8832 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
8833 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
8834 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
8835 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
8837 @findex gnus-pick-mode
8838 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
8839 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
8840 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
8841 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
8842 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
8844 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
8849 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
8850 Pick the article or thread on the current line
8851 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8852 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
8853 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
8854 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
8855 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
8856 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
8859 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
8860 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
8861 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
8862 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
8866 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
8867 Unpick the thread or article
8868 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8869 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
8870 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
8871 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
8872 the thread or article at that line.
8876 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
8877 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
8878 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
8879 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
8880 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
8881 will still be visible when you are reading.
8885 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
8886 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
8887 which is mapped to the same function
8888 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
8890 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
8893 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
8896 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
8897 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
8899 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
8900 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
8901 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
8903 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
8904 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
8905 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
8906 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
8907 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
8908 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
8909 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
8913 @subsection Binary Groups
8914 @cindex binary groups
8916 @findex gnus-binary-mode
8917 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
8918 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
8919 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
8920 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
8921 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
8922 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
8925 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
8926 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
8927 command, when you have turned on this mode
8928 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
8930 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
8931 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
8935 @section Tree Display
8938 @vindex gnus-use-trees
8939 If you don't like the normal gnus summary display, you might try setting
8940 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
8941 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
8944 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
8947 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
8948 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
8949 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
8951 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8952 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
8953 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
8954 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
8955 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
8957 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
8958 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
8959 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
8960 default is @code{modeline}.
8962 @item gnus-tree-line-format
8963 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
8964 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
8965 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
8966 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
8967 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
8968 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
8974 The name of the poster.
8976 The @code{From} header.
8978 The number of the article.
8980 The opening bracket.
8982 The closing bracket.
8987 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
8989 Variables related to the display are:
8992 @item gnus-tree-brackets
8993 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
8994 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
8995 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @code{((@var{real-open} . @var{real-close})
8996 (@var{sparse-open} . @var{sparse-close}) (@var{dummy-open} . @var{dummy-close}))}, and the
8997 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
8999 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9000 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9001 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
9002 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
9006 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
9007 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
9008 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will try to keep the tree
9009 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other gnus
9010 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
9011 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
9012 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
9013 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
9014 other windows displayed next to it.
9016 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
9017 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
9018 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9019 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
9020 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
9021 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
9022 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
9026 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
9029 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
9039 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
9043 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
9044 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
9046 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
9048 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
9053 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
9054 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
9055 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
9058 (setq gnus-use-trees t
9059 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9060 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
9061 (gnus-add-configuration
9065 (summary 0.75 point)
9070 @xref{Window Layout}.
9073 @node Mail Group Commands
9074 @section Mail Group Commands
9075 @cindex mail group commands
9077 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
9078 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
9080 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
9081 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9086 @kindex B e (Summary)
9087 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
9088 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
9089 process (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}). That is, delete all
9090 expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
9091 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
9094 @kindex B C-M-e (Summary)
9095 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
9096 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
9097 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
9098 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
9099 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
9102 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
9103 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
9104 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
9105 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
9106 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
9107 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
9110 @kindex B m (Summary)
9112 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
9113 @vindex gnus-preserve-marks
9114 Move the article from one mail group to another
9115 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9116 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9119 @kindex B c (Summary)
9121 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
9122 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
9123 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
9124 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9125 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9128 @kindex B B (Summary)
9129 @cindex crosspost mail
9130 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
9131 Crosspost the current article to some other group
9132 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
9133 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
9134 be properly updated.
9137 @kindex B i (Summary)
9138 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
9139 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
9140 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
9141 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
9144 @kindex B r (Summary)
9145 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
9146 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
9147 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
9148 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
9149 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
9150 Marks will be preserved if @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil}
9151 (which is the default).
9155 @kindex B w (Summary)
9157 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
9158 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
9159 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
9160 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
9161 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
9162 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, gnus won't re-highlight the article.
9165 @kindex B q (Summary)
9166 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
9167 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
9168 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
9169 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
9172 @kindex B t (Summary)
9173 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
9174 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
9175 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
9178 @kindex B p (Summary)
9179 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
9180 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
9181 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
9182 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
9183 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
9184 article from your news server (or rather, from
9185 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
9186 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
9187 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
9188 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
9189 just not have arrived yet.
9193 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
9194 @cindex moving articles
9195 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have gnus
9196 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
9197 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
9198 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
9199 suggestions you find reasonable. (Note that
9200 @code{gnus-move-split-methods} uses group names where
9201 @code{gnus-split-methods} uses file names.)
9204 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
9205 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
9206 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
9207 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
9211 @node Various Summary Stuff
9212 @section Various Summary Stuff
9215 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
9216 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
9217 * Summary Generation Commands::
9218 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
9222 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
9223 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
9224 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
9226 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
9227 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
9228 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
9229 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
9230 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
9231 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
9234 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9235 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9236 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
9237 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
9238 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
9240 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9241 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9242 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
9245 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9246 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9247 When gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
9248 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
9249 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
9250 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
9251 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), gnus will rename the
9252 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
9253 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
9254 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
9256 @vindex gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9257 @item gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9258 This function, which takes two parameters (the group name and the list
9259 of articles to be selected), is called to allow the user to alter the
9260 list of articles to be selected.
9262 For instance, the following function adds the list of cached articles to
9263 the list in one particular group:
9266 (defun my-add-cached-articles (group articles)
9267 (if (string= group "some.group")
9268 (append gnus-newsgroup-cached articles)
9272 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-variables
9273 @item gnus-newsgroup-variables
9274 A list of newsgroup (summary buffer) local variables, or cons of
9275 variables and their default values (when the default values are not
9276 nil), that should be made global while the summary buffer is active.
9277 These variables can be used to set variables in the group parameters
9278 while still allowing them to affect operations done in other
9279 buffers. For example:
9282 (setq gnus-newsgroup-variables
9283 '(message-use-followup-to
9284 (gnus-visible-headers .
9285 "^From:\\|^Newsgroups:\\|^Subject:\\|^Date:\\|^To:")))
9291 @node Summary Group Information
9292 @subsection Summary Group Information
9297 @kindex H f (Summary)
9298 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
9299 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
9300 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
9301 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
9302 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
9303 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
9304 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
9305 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
9306 be used for fetching the file.
9309 @kindex H d (Summary)
9310 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
9311 Give a brief description of the current group
9312 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
9313 rereading the description from the server.
9316 @kindex H h (Summary)
9317 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
9318 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
9319 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
9322 @kindex H i (Summary)
9323 @findex gnus-info-find-node
9324 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
9328 @node Searching for Articles
9329 @subsection Searching for Articles
9334 @kindex M-s (Summary)
9335 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
9336 Search through all subsequent (raw) articles for a regexp
9337 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
9340 @kindex M-r (Summary)
9341 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
9342 Search through all previous (raw) articles for a regexp
9343 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
9347 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
9348 This command will prompt you for a header, a regular expression to match
9349 on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
9350 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If the header is an empty
9351 string, the match is done on the entire article. If given a prefix,
9352 search backward instead.
9354 For instance, @kbd{& RET some.*string #} will put the process mark on
9355 all articles that have heads or bodies that match @samp{some.*string}.
9358 @kindex M-& (Summary)
9359 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
9360 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
9361 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
9364 @node Summary Generation Commands
9365 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
9370 @kindex Y g (Summary)
9371 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
9372 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
9375 @kindex Y c (Summary)
9376 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
9377 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
9378 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
9383 @node Really Various Summary Commands
9384 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
9390 @kindex C-d (Summary)
9391 @kindex A D (Summary)
9392 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
9393 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
9394 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
9395 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
9396 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
9397 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
9398 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
9399 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
9403 @kindex C-M-d (Summary)
9404 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
9405 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
9406 several documents into one biiig group
9407 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
9408 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
9409 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
9410 command understands the process/prefix convention
9411 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9414 @kindex C-t (Summary)
9415 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
9416 Toggle truncation of summary lines
9417 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
9418 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
9419 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
9423 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
9424 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
9425 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
9428 @kindex C-M-e (Summary)
9429 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
9430 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9431 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
9434 @kindex C-M-a (Summary)
9435 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
9436 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9437 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
9442 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
9443 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
9444 @cindex summary exit
9445 @cindex exiting groups
9447 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
9448 group and return you to the group buffer.
9454 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
9456 @findex gnus-summary-exit
9457 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
9458 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
9459 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
9460 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
9461 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
9462 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
9463 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
9464 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
9465 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
9466 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
9470 @kindex Z E (Summary)
9472 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
9473 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
9474 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
9478 @kindex Z c (Summary)
9480 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
9481 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
9482 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
9483 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
9486 @kindex Z C (Summary)
9487 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
9488 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
9489 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
9492 @kindex Z n (Summary)
9493 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
9494 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
9495 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
9498 @kindex Z R (Summary)
9499 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
9500 Exit this group, and then enter it again
9501 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
9502 all articles, both read and unread.
9506 @kindex Z G (Summary)
9507 @kindex M-g (Summary)
9508 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
9509 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
9510 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
9511 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
9512 articles, both read and unread.
9515 @kindex Z N (Summary)
9516 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
9517 Exit the group and go to the next group
9518 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
9521 @kindex Z P (Summary)
9522 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
9523 Exit the group and go to the previous group
9524 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
9527 @kindex Z s (Summary)
9528 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
9529 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
9530 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
9531 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
9532 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
9535 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
9536 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current group
9537 with an ``updating'' exit. For instance @kbd{Q}
9538 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}) does not call this hook.
9540 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
9541 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
9542 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
9543 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
9544 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
9545 If you do that, gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
9546 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
9547 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
9548 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
9549 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
9550 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
9551 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
9553 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
9555 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
9556 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
9557 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
9558 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
9559 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
9560 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
9561 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
9562 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
9563 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
9566 @node Crosspost Handling
9567 @section Crosspost Handling
9571 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
9572 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
9573 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
9574 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
9575 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
9576 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
9579 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
9580 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
9581 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
9582 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
9583 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
9585 @cindex cross-posting
9588 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
9589 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
9590 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
9591 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
9592 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
9593 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
9594 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
9595 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
9596 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
9597 the cross reference mechanism.
9599 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
9600 @cindex overview.fmt
9601 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
9602 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
9603 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
9604 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
9605 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
9606 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
9609 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
9610 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
9611 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
9616 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
9619 @node Duplicate Suppression
9620 @section Duplicate Suppression
9622 By default, gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
9623 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
9624 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
9625 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
9630 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
9631 is evil and not very common.
9634 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
9635 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
9638 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
9639 different @sc{nntp} servers.
9642 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
9645 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
9646 well, but these four are the most common situations.
9648 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
9649 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
9650 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
9651 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
9652 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
9653 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
9654 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
9657 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
9658 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
9659 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
9660 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
9661 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
9665 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
9666 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
9667 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
9669 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
9670 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
9671 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
9672 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
9673 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single gnus
9674 session are suppressed.
9676 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
9677 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
9678 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
9679 suppression list. The default is 10000.
9681 @item gnus-duplicate-file
9682 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
9683 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
9684 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
9687 If you have a tendency to stop and start gnus often, setting
9688 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
9689 you leave gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
9690 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
9691 so that means that if you stop and start gnus often, you should set
9692 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
9693 to you to figure out, I think.
9698 Gnus is able to verify signed messages or decrypt encrypted messages.
9699 The formats that are supported are PGP (plain text, RFC 1991 format),
9700 PGP/MIME (RFC 2015/3156) and S/MIME, however you need some external
9701 programs to get things to work:
9705 To verify or decrypt PGP messages, you have to install mailcrypt or
9706 gpg.el as well as a OpenPGP implementation (such as GnuPG). @xref{Using GPG}.
9709 To verify or decrypt S/MIME message, you need to install OpenSSL.
9710 OpenSSL 0.9.6 or newer is recommended.
9714 More information on how to set things up can be found in the message
9715 manual. @xref{Security, ,Security, message, The Message Manual}.
9718 @item mm-verify-option
9719 @vindex mm-verify-option
9720 Option of verifying signed parts. @code{never}, not verify;
9721 @code{always}, always verify; @code{known}, only verify known
9722 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9724 @item mm-decrypt-option
9725 @vindex mm-decrypt-option
9726 Option of decrypting encrypted parts. @code{never}, no decryption;
9727 @code{always}, always decrypt @code{known}, only decrypt known
9728 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9733 @section Mailing List
9735 Gnus understands some mailing list fields of RFC 2369. To enable it,
9736 either add a `to-list' group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}),
9737 possibly using @kbd{A M} in the summary buffer, or say:
9740 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'turn-on-gnus-mailing-list-mode)
9743 That enables the following commands to the summary buffer:
9748 @kindex C-c C-n h (Summary)
9749 @findex gnus-mailing-list-help
9750 Send a message to fetch mailing list help, if List-Help field exists.
9753 @kindex C-c C-n s (Summary)
9754 @findex gnus-mailing-list-subscribe
9755 Send a message to subscribe the mailing list, if List-Subscribe field exists.
9758 @kindex C-c C-n u (Summary)
9759 @findex gnus-mailing-list-unsubscribe
9760 Send a message to unsubscribe the mailing list, if List-Unsubscribe
9764 @kindex C-c C-n p (Summary)
9765 @findex gnus-mailing-list-post
9766 Post to the mailing list, if List-Post field exists.
9769 @kindex C-c C-n o (Summary)
9770 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9771 Send a message to the mailing list owner, if List-Owner field exists.
9774 @kindex C-c C-n a (Summary)
9775 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9776 Browse the mailing list archive, if List-Archive field exists.
9780 @node Article Buffer
9781 @chapter Article Buffer
9782 @cindex article buffer
9784 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
9785 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
9786 tell gnus otherwise.
9789 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
9790 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
9791 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
9792 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
9793 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
9797 @node Hiding Headers
9798 @section Hiding Headers
9799 @cindex hiding headers
9800 @cindex deleting headers
9802 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
9803 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
9805 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
9806 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
9807 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
9808 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
9809 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
9810 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
9811 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
9812 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
9813 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
9815 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
9819 @item gnus-visible-headers
9820 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
9821 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
9822 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
9823 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
9825 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
9826 the article and the subject, you'd say:
9829 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
9832 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9835 @item gnus-ignored-headers
9836 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
9837 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
9838 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
9839 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
9840 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
9842 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} field
9843 and the @code{Xref} field, you might say:
9846 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
9849 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9852 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
9853 variable will have no effect.
9857 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
9858 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
9859 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
9860 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
9861 the headers are to be displayed.
9863 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
9864 and then the subject, you might say something like:
9867 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
9870 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
9871 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
9873 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
9874 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
9875 You can hide further boring headers by setting
9876 @code{gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers} to @code{head}. What this function
9877 does depends on the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a
9878 list, but this list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is
9879 lists various @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove
9882 These conditions are:
9885 Remove all empty headers.
9887 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
9888 @code{Newsgroups} header.
9890 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
9893 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
9896 Remove the @code{To} header if it only contains the address identical to
9897 the current groups's @code{to-address} parameter.
9899 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
9902 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
9904 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
9907 To include these three elements, you could say something like;
9910 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
9911 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
9914 This is also the default value for this variable.
9921 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
9922 while people stand around yawning.
9924 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
9925 while all newsreaders die of fear.
9927 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
9928 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
9929 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
9931 @vindex gnus-show-mime
9932 @vindex gnus-article-display-method-for-mime
9933 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
9934 @findex gnus-article-display-mime-message
9935 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
9936 @code{gnus-article-display-method-for-mime}, which is
9937 @code{gnus-article-display-mime-message} by default. This function
9938 calls the SEMI MIME-View program to actually do the work. For more
9939 information on SEMI MIME-View, see its manual page (however it is not
9940 existed yet, sorry).
9942 Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
9943 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
9944 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
9945 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
9946 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
9947 buffer. These can't be avoided.
9949 In GNUS or Gnus, it might be best to just use the toggling functions
9950 from the summary buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance,
9951 you enter the group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it,
9952 @sc{mime} has decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible
9953 sing-a-long song comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find
9954 the volume button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to
9955 look at you, and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you
9956 can't find the program to control the volume, and everybody else in the
9957 room suddenly decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel
9960 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
9962 To avoid such kind of situation, gnus stops to use
9963 @code{metamail-buffer}. So now, you can set @code{gnus-show-mime} to
9964 non-@code{nil} every-time, then you can push button in the article
9965 buffer when there are nobody else.
9967 Also see @pxref{MIME Commands}.
9970 @node Customizing Articles
9971 @section Customizing Articles
9972 @cindex article customization
9974 A slew of functions for customizing how the articles are to look like
9975 exist. You can call these functions interactively, or you can have them
9976 called automatically when you select the articles.
9978 To have them called automatically, you should set the corresponding
9979 ``treatment'' variable. For instance, to have headers hidden, you'd set
9980 @code{gnus-treat-hide-headers}. Below is a list of variables that can
9981 be set, but first we discuss the values these variables can have.
9983 Note: Some values, while valid, make little sense. Check the list below
9984 for sensible values.
9988 @code{nil}: Don't do this treatment.
9991 @code{t}: Do this treatment on all body parts.
9994 @code{head}: Do the treatment on the headers.
9997 @code{last}: Do this treatment on the last part.
10000 An integer: Do this treatment on all body parts that have a length less
10004 A list of strings: Do this treatment on all body parts that are in
10005 articles that are read in groups that have names that match one of the
10006 regexps in the list.
10009 A list where the first element is not a string:
10011 The list is evaluated recursively. The first element of the list is a
10012 predicate. The following predicates are recognized: @code{or},
10013 @code{and}, @code{not} and @code{typep}. Here's an example:
10017 (typep "text/x-vcard"))
10021 @code{mime}: Do this treatment if the value of @code{gnus-show-mime}' is
10026 You may have noticed that the word @dfn{part} is used here. This refers
10027 to the fact that some messages are @sc{mime} multipart articles that may
10028 be divided into several parts. Articles that are not multiparts are
10029 considered to contain just a single part.
10031 @vindex gnus-article-treat-types
10032 Are the treatments applied to all sorts of multipart parts? Yes, if you
10033 want to, but by default, only @samp{text/plain} parts are given the
10034 treatment. This is controlled by the @code{gnus-article-treat-types}
10035 variable, which is a list of regular expressions that are matched to the
10036 type of the part. This variable is ignored if the value of the
10037 controlling variable is a predicate list, as described above.
10039 The following treatment options are available. The easiest way to
10040 customize this is to examine the @code{gnus-article-treat} customization
10041 group. Values in parenthesis are suggested sensible values. Others are
10042 possible but those listed are probably sufficient for most people.
10045 @item gnus-treat-buttonize (t, integer)
10046 @item gnus-treat-buttonize-head (head)
10047 @item gnus-treat-capitalize-sentences (t, integer)
10048 @item gnus-treat-date-english (head)
10049 @item gnus-treat-date-iso8601 (head)
10050 @item gnus-treat-date-lapsed (head)
10051 @item gnus-treat-date-local (head)
10052 @item gnus-treat-date-original (head)
10053 @item gnus-treat-date-user-defined (head)
10054 @item gnus-treat-date-ut (head)
10055 @item gnus-treat-display-picons (head)
10056 @item gnus-treat-display-smileys (t, integer)
10057 @item gnus-treat-display-xface (head)
10058 @item gnus-treat-emphasize (t, head, integer)
10059 @item gnus-treat-fill-article (t, integer)
10060 @item gnus-treat-fill-long-lines (t, integer)
10061 @item gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers (head)
10062 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation (t, integer)
10063 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation-maybe (t, integer)
10064 @item gnus-treat-hide-headers (head)
10065 @item gnus-treat-hide-signature (t, last)
10066 @item gnus-treat-highlight-citation (t, integer)
10067 @item gnus-treat-highlight-headers (head)
10068 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last, integer)
10069 @item gnus-treat-overstrike (t, integer)
10070 @item gnus-treat-play-sounds
10071 @item gnus-treat-strip-cr (t, integer)
10072 @item gnus-treat-strip-headers-in-body (t, integer)
10073 @item gnus-treat-strip-leading-blank-lines (t, integer)
10074 @item gnus-treat-strip-multiple-blank-lines (t, integer)
10075 @item gnus-treat-strip-pem (t, last, integer)
10076 @item gnus-treat-strip-pgp (t, last, integer)
10077 @item gnus-treat-strip-trailing-blank-lines (t, last, integer)
10078 @item gnus-treat-translate
10079 @item gnus-treat-x-pgp-sig (head)
10080 @item gnus-treat-decode-article-as-default-mime-charset
10083 @vindex gnus-part-display-hook
10084 You can, of course, write your own functions to be called from
10085 @code{gnus-part-display-hook}. The functions are called narrowed to the
10086 part, and you can do anything you like, pretty much. There is no
10087 information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can change
10091 @node Article Keymap
10092 @section Article Keymap
10094 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
10095 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
10096 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
10097 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
10100 A few additional keystrokes are available:
10105 @kindex SPACE (Article)
10106 @findex gnus-article-next-page
10107 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
10110 @kindex DEL (Article)
10111 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
10112 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
10115 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
10116 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
10117 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
10118 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
10119 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
10122 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
10123 @findex gnus-article-mail
10124 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
10125 given a prefix, include the mail.
10128 @kindex s (Article)
10129 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
10130 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
10131 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
10134 @kindex ? (Article)
10135 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
10136 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
10137 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
10140 @kindex TAB (Article)
10141 @findex gnus-article-next-button
10142 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
10143 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
10146 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
10147 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
10148 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
10154 @section Misc Article
10158 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
10159 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
10160 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
10161 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
10164 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
10165 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
10167 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
10168 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
10170 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
10171 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
10172 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
10173 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
10174 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
10175 the contents of the article buffer.
10177 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
10178 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
10179 Hook called in article mode buffers.
10181 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10182 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10183 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
10184 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
10186 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
10187 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
10188 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
10189 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
10190 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with two
10196 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
10197 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
10198 performed. The characters and their meaning:
10203 Displayed when cited text may be hidden in the article buffer.
10206 Displayed when headers are hidden in the article buffer.
10209 Displayed when article is digitally signed or encrypted, and Gnus has
10210 hidden the security headers. (N.B. does not tell anything about
10211 security status, i.e. good or bad signature.)
10214 Displayed when the signature has been hidden in the Article buffer.
10217 Displayed when Gnus has treated overstrike characters in the article buffer.
10220 Displayed when Gnus has treated emphasised strings in the article buffer.
10225 The number of @sc{mime} parts in the article.
10229 @vindex gnus-break-pages
10231 @item gnus-break-pages
10232 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
10233 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
10234 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
10235 paging will not be done.
10237 @item gnus-page-delimiter
10238 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
10239 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
10244 @node Composing Messages
10245 @chapter Composing Messages
10246 @cindex composing messages
10249 @cindex sending mail
10255 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
10256 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
10257 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the
10258 article by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The
10259 Message Manual}. Where the message will be posted/mailed to depends
10260 on your setup (@pxref{Posting Server}).
10263 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
10264 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
10265 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
10266 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
10267 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
10268 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
10269 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
10270 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
10273 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
10274 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
10280 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
10283 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
10284 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
10285 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
10286 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
10288 @item gnus-add-to-list
10289 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
10290 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
10291 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
10296 @node Posting Server
10297 @section Posting Server
10299 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
10300 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
10302 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
10304 @vindex gnus-post-method
10306 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will post using the same
10307 select method as you're reading from (which might be convenient if
10308 you're reading lots of groups from different private servers).
10309 However. If the server you're reading from doesn't allow posting,
10310 just reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
10311 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
10312 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
10315 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
10318 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
10319 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
10320 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
10321 the ``current'' server, to get back the default behavior, for posting.
10323 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
10324 gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
10326 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
10327 If that's the case, gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
10330 Finally, if you want to always post using the native select method,
10331 you can set this variable to @code{native}.
10334 @node Mail and Post
10335 @section Mail and Post
10337 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
10341 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
10342 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
10343 @cindex mailing lists
10345 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
10346 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
10347 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
10348 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
10349 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
10350 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
10351 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
10352 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
10353 still a pain, though.
10357 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
10358 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
10359 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
10362 @findex ispell-message
10364 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
10367 If you want to change the @code{ispell} dictionary based on what group
10368 you're in, you could say something like the following:
10371 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
10375 "^de\\." (gnus-group-real-name gnus-newsgroup-name))
10376 (ispell-change-dictionary "deutsch"))
10378 (ispell-change-dictionary "english")))))
10381 Modify to suit your needs.
10384 @node Archived Messages
10385 @section Archived Messages
10386 @cindex archived messages
10387 @cindex sent messages
10389 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
10390 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
10391 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
10392 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
10395 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
10396 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server gnus is to
10397 use to store sent messages. The default is:
10400 (nnfolder "archive"
10401 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
10402 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
10403 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
10404 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
10407 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
10408 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likable select method
10409 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
10410 directory chosen, you could say something like:
10413 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
10414 '(nnfolder "archive"
10415 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
10416 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
10417 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
10420 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
10422 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
10423 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
10424 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
10426 This variable can be used to do the following:
10431 Messages will be saved in that group.
10433 Note that you can include a select method in the group name, then the
10434 message will not be stored in the select method given by
10435 @code{gnus-message-archive-method}, but in the select method specified
10436 by the group name, instead. Suppose @code{gnus-message-archive-method}
10437 has the default value shown above. Then setting
10438 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{"foo"} means that outgoing
10439 messages are stored in @samp{nnfolder+archive:foo}, but if you use the
10440 value @code{"nnml:foo"}, then outgoing messages will be stored in
10444 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
10446 an alist of regexps, functions and forms
10447 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
10450 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
10455 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
10457 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
10460 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
10462 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
10465 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
10467 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10468 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
10469 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
10470 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
10473 More complex stuff:
10475 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10476 '((if (message-news-p)
10481 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
10482 messages in one file per month:
10485 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10486 '((if (message-news-p)
10488 (concat "mail." (format-time-string "%Y-%m")))))
10491 @c (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
10492 @c use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
10494 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
10495 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
10496 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
10497 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
10498 gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
10499 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
10500 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
10501 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
10502 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
10503 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
10505 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
10506 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
10507 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
10508 this will disable archiving.
10511 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
10512 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
10513 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
10514 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
10515 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
10518 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
10519 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
10520 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
10523 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
10524 but the latter is the preferred method.
10526 @item gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10527 @vindex gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10528 If non-@code{nil}, automatically mark @code{Gcc} articles as read.
10533 @node Posting Styles
10534 @section Posting Styles
10535 @cindex posting styles
10538 All them variables, they make my head swim.
10540 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
10541 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
10542 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
10545 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
10546 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
10547 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
10548 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
10549 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
10554 (signature "Peace and happiness")
10555 (organization "What me?"))
10557 (signature "Death to everybody"))
10558 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
10559 (organization "Emacs is it")))
10562 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
10563 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
10564 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
10565 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
10566 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
10567 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
10568 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
10569 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
10571 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
10572 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
10573 If it is the symbol @code{header}, then Gnus will look for header (the
10574 next element in the match) in the original article , and compare that to
10575 the last regexp in the match. If it's a function symbol, that function
10576 will be called with no arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the
10577 variable will be referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be
10578 @code{eval}ed. In any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value,
10579 then the style is said to @dfn{match}.
10581 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
10582 attribute consists of a @code{(@var{name} @var{value})} pair. The
10583 attribute name can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
10584 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
10585 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
10586 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
10587 article; if the value is @code{nil}, the header name will be removed.
10588 If the attribute name is @code{eval}, the form is evaluated, and the
10589 result is thrown away.
10591 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function with
10592 zero arguments (the return value will be used), a variable (its value
10593 will be used) or a list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value
10594 will be used). The functions and sexps are called/@code{eval}ed in the
10595 message buffer that is being set up. The headers of the current article
10596 are available through the @code{message-reply-headers} variable.
10598 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
10599 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
10600 of the @code{message-news-p} and @code{message-mail-p} functions.
10602 @findex message-mail-p
10603 @findex message-news-p
10605 So here's a new example:
10608 (setq gnus-posting-styles
10610 (signature-file "~/.signature")
10612 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
10613 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
10615 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
10616 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
10617 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
10619 (signature my-news-signature))
10620 (header "to" "larsi.*org"
10621 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
10622 ((posting-from-work-p)
10623 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
10624 (address "user@@bar.foo")
10625 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
10626 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
10628 (From (save-excursion
10629 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer)
10630 (message-fetch-field "to"))))
10632 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
10635 The @samp{nnml:.*} rule means that you use the @code{To} address as the
10636 @code{From} address in all your outgoing replies, which might be handy
10637 if you fill many roles.
10644 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
10645 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
10646 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
10647 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
10648 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
10650 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
10651 some sort using the gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
10652 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
10653 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
10654 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
10658 @vindex nndraft-directory
10659 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
10660 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
10661 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
10662 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
10663 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
10664 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
10666 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
10667 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
10670 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
10671 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
10672 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
10673 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
10674 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
10675 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
10676 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
10677 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
10678 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
10679 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
10680 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
10681 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
10682 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
10683 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
10685 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
10686 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
10687 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
10689 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
10690 @kindex D e (Draft)
10691 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
10692 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
10693 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
10695 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
10698 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
10699 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
10700 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
10701 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
10702 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
10703 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
10704 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
10707 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
10708 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
10709 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
10712 @node Rejected Articles
10713 @section Rejected Articles
10714 @cindex rejected articles
10716 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
10717 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
10718 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
10719 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
10721 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of gnus.
10722 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
10723 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
10724 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So gnus saves these
10725 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
10727 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
10728 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
10729 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
10735 Gnus has an ALPHA support to GPG that's provided by @file{gpg.el}. See
10736 @code{mm-verify-option} and @code{mm-decrypt-option} to enable Gnus to
10737 verify or decrypt messages accordingly.
10739 To use this correctly with GPG, you'll need the following lisp code in your
10740 @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10744 (setq mml2015-use 'gpg)
10745 (setq mml1991-use 'gpg)
10746 (setq gpg-temp-directory (expand-file-name "~/.gnupg/tmp"))
10749 The @code{gpg-temp-directory} need to point to a directory with permissions set
10750 to 700, for your own safety.
10752 If you want to benefit of PGP2.6 compatibility, you might create a script named
10753 @file{gpg-2comp} with these instructions:
10757 exec gpg --rfc1991 "$@@"
10760 If you don't want to use such compatibility, you can add the following line to
10761 your @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10764 (setq gpg-command-default-alist (quote ((gpg . "gpg") (gpg-2comp . "gpg"))))
10767 To sign or encrypt your message you may choose to use the MML Security
10768 menu or @kbd{C-c C-m s p} to sign your message using PGP/MIME,
10769 @kbd{C-c C-m s s} to sign your message using S/MIME. There's also
10770 @kbd{C-c C-m c p} to encrypt your message with PGP/MIME and @kbd{C-c
10771 C-m c s} to encrypt using S/MIME. @xref{Security, ,Security, message,
10772 The Message Manual}.
10774 Gnus will ask for your passphrase and then it will send your message, if
10775 you've typed it correctly.
10777 @node Select Methods
10778 @chapter Select Methods
10779 @cindex foreign groups
10780 @cindex select methods
10782 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
10783 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
10784 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
10785 personal mail group.
10787 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
10788 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
10789 list where the first element says what back end to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
10790 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
10791 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
10792 value may have special meaning for the back end in question.
10794 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
10795 we do just that (@pxref{Server Buffer}).
10797 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the back end will recognize the
10800 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
10801 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
10802 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
10803 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
10804 back end just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
10806 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
10809 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
10810 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
10811 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
10812 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
10813 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
10814 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
10815 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
10816 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
10820 @node Server Buffer
10821 @section Server Buffer
10823 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
10824 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
10825 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
10826 one back end or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
10827 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
10828 back end represents a virtual server.
10830 For instance, the @code{nntp} back end may be used to connect to several
10831 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
10832 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which back end to
10833 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
10835 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
10836 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
10837 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
10838 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
10839 Anyway, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
10840 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
10841 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
10843 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
10844 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
10847 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
10848 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
10849 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
10850 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
10851 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
10852 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
10853 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
10856 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
10857 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
10860 @node Server Buffer Format
10861 @subsection Server Buffer Format
10862 @cindex server buffer format
10864 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
10865 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
10866 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
10867 variable, with some simple extensions:
10872 How the news is fetched---the back end name.
10875 The name of this server.
10878 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
10881 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
10884 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
10885 The mode line can also be customized by using the
10886 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
10887 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
10897 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
10900 @node Server Commands
10901 @subsection Server Commands
10902 @cindex server commands
10908 @findex gnus-server-add-server
10909 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
10913 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
10914 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
10917 @kindex SPACE (Server)
10918 @findex gnus-server-read-server
10919 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
10923 @findex gnus-server-exit
10924 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
10928 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
10929 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
10933 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
10934 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
10938 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
10939 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
10943 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
10944 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
10948 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
10949 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
10950 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
10955 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
10956 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
10957 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
10958 a mail back end that has gotten out of sync.
10963 @node Example Methods
10964 @subsection Example Methods
10966 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
10969 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
10972 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
10978 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
10979 back end, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
10982 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
10983 @code{(@var{variable} @var{form})} pairs.
10985 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
10986 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
10990 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
10993 You should read the documentation to each back end to find out what
10994 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
10996 @code{nnmh} is a mail back end that reads a spool-like structure. Say
10997 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
10998 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
11002 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
11005 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
11008 Here's the method for a public spool:
11012 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
11013 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
11019 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
11020 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
11021 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
11022 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
11023 should probably look something like this:
11027 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet)
11028 (nntp-via-address "the.firewall.machine")
11029 (nntp-address "the.real.nntp.host")
11030 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11033 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
11034 compressed connection over the modem line, you could add the following
11035 configuration to the example above:
11038 (nntp-via-rlogin-command "ssh")
11041 If you're behind a firewall, but have direct access to the outside world
11042 through a wrapper command like "runsocks", you could open a socksified
11043 telnet connection to the news server as follows:
11047 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11048 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-telnet)
11049 (nntp-address "the.news.server")
11050 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11053 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
11054 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
11055 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
11056 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
11059 @node Creating a Virtual Server
11060 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
11062 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
11063 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
11065 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
11066 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
11067 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
11069 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
11071 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
11072 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
11073 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
11074 will contain the following:
11084 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
11085 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
11086 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
11089 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
11090 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
11091 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
11094 @node Server Variables
11095 @subsection Server Variables
11097 One sticky point when defining variables (both on back ends and in Emacs
11098 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
11099 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
11100 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
11101 won't change the "derived" variables.
11103 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
11104 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
11105 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
11106 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
11107 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
11108 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
11109 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
11110 variables for each back end, see each back end's section later in this
11111 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
11115 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
11116 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
11117 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
11121 @node Servers and Methods
11122 @subsection Servers and Methods
11124 Wherever you would normally use a select method
11125 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
11126 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
11127 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
11131 @node Unavailable Servers
11132 @subsection Unavailable Servers
11134 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
11135 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
11136 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
11137 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
11138 actually the case or not.
11140 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
11141 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
11142 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
11143 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
11144 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
11145 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
11146 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
11147 it will regard that server as ``down''.
11149 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
11150 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
11152 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{Server Buffer}) and poke it
11153 with the following commands:
11159 @findex gnus-server-open-server
11160 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
11161 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
11165 @findex gnus-server-close-server
11166 Close the connection (if any) to the server
11167 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
11171 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
11172 Mark the current server as unreachable
11173 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
11176 @kindex M-o (Server)
11177 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
11178 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
11179 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
11182 @kindex M-c (Server)
11183 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
11184 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
11185 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
11189 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
11190 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
11191 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
11197 @section Getting News
11198 @cindex reading news
11199 @cindex news back ends
11201 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
11202 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
11203 or it can read from a local spool.
11206 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
11207 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
11212 @subsection @sc{nntp}
11215 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
11216 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
11217 server as the, uhm, address.
11219 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
11220 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
11221 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
11222 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
11224 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
11225 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
11226 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
11228 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
11233 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
11234 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
11235 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
11237 @cindex authentification
11238 @cindex nntp authentification
11239 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11240 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
11241 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
11242 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
11243 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
11244 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
11245 present in this hook.
11247 @item nntp-authinfo-function
11248 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
11249 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11250 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
11251 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
11252 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
11253 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
11254 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
11255 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
11256 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
11257 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
11258 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
11262 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
11265 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs.
11267 The valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
11268 @samp{default}. In addition Gnus introduces two new tokens, not present
11269 in the original @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} syntax, namely @samp{port} and
11270 @samp{force}. (This is the only way the @file{.authinfo} file format
11271 deviates from the @file{.netrc} file format.) @samp{port} is used to
11272 indicate what port on the server the credentials apply to and
11273 @samp{force} is explained below.
11277 Here's an example file:
11280 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
11281 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
11284 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
11285 have to be first, for instance.
11287 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
11288 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
11289 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
11290 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
11291 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
11292 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
11293 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
11295 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
11296 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
11302 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
11303 previously mentioned.
11305 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
11307 @item nntp-server-action-alist
11308 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
11309 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
11310 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
11311 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
11314 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
11315 '(("innd" (ding))))
11318 You probably don't want to do that, though.
11320 The default value is
11323 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
11324 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook
11325 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
11328 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
11329 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
11331 @item nntp-maximum-request
11332 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
11333 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this back end
11334 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
11335 speed things up, the back end sends lots of these commands without
11336 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
11337 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
11338 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
11340 @item nntp-connection-timeout
11341 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
11342 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
11343 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
11344 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
11345 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
11346 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
11347 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} back end should wait for a
11348 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
11349 no timeouts are done.
11351 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
11352 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
11353 @c @cindex PPP connections
11354 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
11355 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
11356 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
11357 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
11358 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
11359 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
11360 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
11361 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
11362 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
11363 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
11365 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
11366 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
11367 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
11368 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
11369 @c described above.
11371 @item nntp-server-hook
11372 @vindex nntp-server-hook
11373 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
11376 @item nntp-buggy-select
11377 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
11378 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
11380 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
11381 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
11382 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
11383 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
11386 @item nntp-xover-commands
11387 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
11390 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
11391 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
11395 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
11396 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
11397 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
11398 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
11399 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
11400 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
11401 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
11402 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
11403 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
11404 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
11405 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
11407 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
11408 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
11409 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
11411 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11412 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11413 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
11414 server closes connection.
11416 @item nntp-record-commands
11417 @vindex nntp-record-commands
11418 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
11419 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestamp) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
11420 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
11421 that doesn't seem to work.
11423 @item nntp-open-connection-function
11424 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
11425 It is possible to customize how the connection to the nntp server will
11426 be opened. If you specify an @code{nntp-open-connection-function}
11427 parameter, Gnus will use that function to establish the connection.
11428 Five pre-made functions are supplied. These functions can be grouped in
11429 two categories: direct connection functions (three pre-made), and
11430 indirect ones (two pre-made).
11432 @item nntp-prepare-post-hook
11433 @vindex nntp-prepare-post-hook
11434 A hook run just before posting an article. If there is no
11435 @code{Message-ID} header in the article and the news server provides the
11436 recommended ID, it will be added to the article before running this
11437 hook. It is useful to make @code{Cancel-Lock} headers even if you
11438 inhibit Gnus to add a @code{Message-ID} header, you could say:
11441 (add-hook 'nntp-prepare-post-hook 'canlock-insert-header)
11444 @item nntp-list-options
11445 @vindex nntp-list-options
11446 List of newsgroup name used for a option of the LIST command to restrict
11447 the listing output to only the specified newsgroups. Each newsgroup name
11448 can be a shell-style wildcard, for instance, @dfn{fj.*}, @dfn{japan.*},
11449 etc. Fortunately, if the server can accept such a option, it will
11450 probably make gnus run faster. You may use it as a server variable as
11454 (setq gnus-select-method
11455 '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"
11456 (nntp-list-options ("fj.*" "japan.*"))))
11459 @item nntp-options-subscribe
11460 @vindex nntp-options-subscribe
11461 Regexp matching the newsgroup names which will be subscribed
11462 unconditionally. Use @dfn{ } instead of @dfn{$} for a regexp string.
11463 It may be effective as well as @code{nntp-list-options} even though the
11464 server could not accept a shell-style wildcard as a option of the LIST
11465 command. You may use it as a server variable as follows:
11468 (setq gnus-select-method
11469 '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"
11470 (nntp-options-subscribe "^fj\\.\\|^japan\\.")))
11473 @item nntp-options-not-subscribe
11474 @vindex nntp-options-not-subscribe
11475 Regexp matching the newsgroup names which will not be subscribed
11476 unconditionally. Use @dfn{ } instead of @dfn{$} for a regexp string.
11477 It may be effective as well as @code{nntp-list-options} even though the
11478 server could not accept a shell-style wildcard as a option of the LIST
11479 command. You may use it as a server variable as follows:
11482 (setq gnus-select-method
11483 '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"
11484 (nntp-options-not-subscribe "\\.binaries\\.")))
11489 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
11490 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
11491 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
11495 @node Direct Functions
11496 @subsubsection Direct Functions
11497 @cindex direct connection functions
11499 These functions are called direct because they open a direct connection
11500 between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server. The behavior of these
11501 functions is also affected by commonly understood variables
11502 (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11505 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
11506 @item nntp-open-network-stream
11507 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
11510 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
11511 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
11512 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use
11513 this you must have OpenSSL (@uref{http://www.openssl.org}) or SSLeay
11514 installed (@uref{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also
11515 need @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distribution, for instance). You then
11516 define a server as follows:
11519 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
11521 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
11523 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
11524 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
11525 (nntp-port-number "snews")
11526 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
11529 @findex nntp-open-telnet-stream
11530 @item nntp-open-telnet-stream
11531 Opens a connection to an @sc{nntp} server by simply @samp{telnet}'ing
11532 it. You might wonder why this function exists, since we have the
11533 default @code{nntp-open-network-stream} which would do the job. (One
11534 of) the reason(s) is that if you are behind a firewall but have direct
11535 connections to the outside world thanks to a command wrapper like
11536 @code{runsocks}, you can use it like this:
11540 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11541 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-telnet-stream)
11542 (nntp-address "the.news.server"))
11545 With the default method, you would need to wrap your whole Emacs
11546 session, which is not a good idea.
11550 @node Indirect Functions
11551 @subsubsection Indirect Functions
11552 @cindex indirect connection functions
11554 These functions are called indirect because they connect to an
11555 intermediate host before actually connecting to the @sc{nntp} server.
11556 All of these functions and related variables are also said to belong to
11557 the "via" family of connection: they're all prefixed with "via" to make
11558 things cleaner. The behavior of these functions is also affected by
11559 commonly understood variables (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11562 @item nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11563 @findex nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11564 Does an @samp{rlogin} on a remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet}
11565 to the real @sc{nntp} server from there. This is useful for instance if
11566 you need to connect to a firewall machine first.
11568 @code{nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11571 @item nntp-via-rlogin-command
11572 @vindex nntp-via-rlogin-command
11573 Command used to log in on the intermediate host. The default is
11574 @samp{rsh}, but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
11577 @item nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11578 @findex nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11579 Does essentially the same, but uses @samp{telnet} instead of
11580 @samp{rlogin} to connect to the intermediate host.
11582 @code{nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11585 @item nntp-via-telnet-command
11586 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-command
11587 Command used to @code{telnet} the intermediate host. The default is
11590 @item nntp-via-telnet-switches
11591 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-switches
11592 List of strings to be used as the switches to the
11593 @code{nntp-via-telnet-command} command. The default is @samp{("-8")}.
11595 @item nntp-via-user-password
11596 @vindex nntp-via-user-password
11597 Password to use when logging in on the intermediate host.
11599 @item nntp-via-envuser
11600 @vindex nntp-via-envuser
11601 If non-@code{nil}, the intermediate @code{telnet} session (client and
11602 server both) will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for
11603 login name. This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
11605 @item nntp-via-shell-prompt
11606 @vindex nntp-via-shell-prompt
11607 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the intermediate host. The default
11608 is @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
11615 Here are some additional variables that are understood by all the above
11620 @item nntp-via-user-name
11621 @vindex nntp-via-user-name
11622 User name to use when connecting to the intermediate host.
11624 @item nntp-via-address
11625 @vindex nntp-via-address
11626 Address of the intermediate host to connect to.
11631 @node Common Variables
11632 @subsubsection Common Variables
11634 The following variables affect the behavior of all, or several of the
11635 pre-made connection functions. When not specified, all functions are
11640 @item nntp-pre-command
11641 @vindex nntp-pre-command
11642 A command wrapper to use when connecting through a non native connection
11643 function (all except @code{nntp-open-network-stream} and
11644 @code{nntp-open-ssl-stream}. This is where you would put a @samp{SOCKS}
11645 wrapper for instance.
11648 @vindex nntp-address
11649 The address of the @sc{nntp} server.
11651 @item nntp-port-number
11652 @vindex nntp-port-number
11653 Port number to connect to the @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{nntp}.
11655 @item nntp-end-of-line
11656 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
11657 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
11658 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
11659 using a non native connection function.
11661 @item nntp-telnet-command
11662 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
11663 Command to use when connecting to the @sc{nntp} server through
11664 @samp{telnet}. This is NOT for an intermediate host. This is just for
11665 the real @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{telnet}.
11667 @item nntp-telnet-switches
11668 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
11669 A list of switches to pass to @code{nntp-telnet-command}. The default
11676 @subsection News Spool
11680 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
11681 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
11682 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
11685 Anyway, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
11686 anything else) as the address.
11688 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
11689 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
11690 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
11691 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
11695 @item nnspool-inews-program
11696 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
11697 Program used to post an article.
11699 @item nnspool-inews-switches
11700 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
11701 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
11703 @item nnspool-spool-directory
11704 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
11705 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
11706 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
11708 @item nnspool-nov-directory
11709 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
11710 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
11711 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
11713 @item nnspool-lib-dir
11714 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
11715 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
11717 @item nnspool-active-file
11718 @vindex nnspool-active-file
11719 The path to the active file.
11721 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
11722 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
11723 The path to the group descriptions file.
11725 @item nnspool-history-file
11726 @vindex nnspool-history-file
11727 The path to the news history file.
11729 @item nnspool-active-times-file
11730 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
11731 The path to the active date file.
11733 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
11734 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
11735 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
11738 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11739 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11741 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
11742 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
11743 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
11749 @section Getting Mail
11750 @cindex reading mail
11753 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
11757 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
11758 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
11759 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
11760 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
11761 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
11762 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
11763 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
11764 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
11765 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
11766 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
11767 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
11768 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
11769 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
11770 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
11774 @node Mail in a Newsreader
11775 @subsection Mail in a Newsreader
11777 If you are used to traditional mail readers, but have decided to switch
11778 to reading mail with Gnus, you may find yourself experiencing something
11779 of a culture shock.
11781 Gnus does not behave like traditional mail readers. If you want to make
11782 it behave that way, you can, but it's an uphill battle.
11784 Gnus, by default, handles all its groups using the same approach. This
11785 approach is very newsreaderly---you enter a group, see the new/unread
11786 messages, and when you read the messages, they get marked as read, and
11787 you don't see them any more. (Unless you explicitly ask for them.)
11789 In particular, you do not do anything explicitly to delete messages.
11791 Does this mean that all the messages that have been marked as read are
11792 deleted? How awful!
11794 But, no, it means that old messages are @dfn{expired} according to some
11795 scheme or other. For news messages, the expire process is controlled by
11796 the news administrator; for mail, the expire process is controlled by
11797 you. The expire process for mail is covered in depth in @pxref{Expiring
11800 What many Gnus users find, after using it a while for both news and
11801 mail, is that the transport mechanism has very little to do with how
11802 they want to treat a message.
11804 Many people subscribe to several mailing lists. These are transported
11805 via SMTP, and are therefore mail. But we might go for weeks without
11806 answering, or even reading these messages very carefully. We may not
11807 need to save them because if we should need to read one again, they are
11808 archived somewhere else.
11810 Some people have local news groups which have only a handful of readers.
11811 These are transported via @sc{nntp}, and are therefore news. But we may need
11812 to read and answer a large fraction of the messages very carefully in
11813 order to do our work. And there may not be an archive, so we may need
11814 to save the interesting messages the same way we would personal mail.
11816 The important distinction turns out to be not the transport mechanism,
11817 but other factors such as how interested we are in the subject matter,
11818 or how easy it is to retrieve the message if we need to read it again.
11820 Gnus provides many options for sorting mail into ``groups'' which behave
11821 like newsgroups, and for treating each group (whether mail or news)
11824 Some users never get comfortable using the Gnus (ahem) paradigm and wish
11825 that Gnus should grow up and be a male, er, mail reader. It is possible
11826 to whip Gnus into a more mailreaderly being, but, as said before, it's
11827 not easy. People who prefer proper mail readers should try @sc{vm}
11828 instead, which is an excellent, and proper, mail reader.
11830 I don't mean to scare anybody off, but I want to make it clear that you
11831 may be required to learn a new way of thinking about messages. After
11832 you've been subjected to The Gnus Way, you will come to love it. I can
11833 guarantee it. (At least the guy who sold me the Emacs Subliminal
11834 Brain-Washing Functions that I've put into Gnus did guarantee it. You
11835 Will Be Assimilated. You Love Gnus. You Love The Gnus Mail Way.
11839 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
11840 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
11842 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
11843 mail back end of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
11844 and things will happen automatically.
11846 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
11847 mail" back end), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
11850 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11853 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this back end will be queried for new
11854 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
11855 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
11856 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
11857 like any other group.
11859 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
11862 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11863 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11864 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11868 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
11869 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
11870 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
11873 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
11874 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
11875 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Back End} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
11878 @node Splitting Mail
11879 @subsection Splitting Mail
11880 @cindex splitting mail
11881 @cindex mail splitting
11883 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
11884 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
11885 to be split into groups.
11888 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11889 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11890 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11891 ("mail.other" "")))
11894 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
11895 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
11896 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
11897 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
11898 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
11899 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
11900 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
11903 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
11906 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
11907 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
11908 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
11909 mail belongs in that group.
11911 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
11912 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
11913 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
11914 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
11915 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
11916 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
11918 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
11919 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
11920 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
11921 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
11922 thinks should carry this mail message.
11924 Note that the mail back ends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
11925 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
11926 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
11927 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
11929 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
11930 The mail back ends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
11931 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
11932 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
11933 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
11935 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
11938 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
11939 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
11940 links. If that's the case for you, set
11941 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
11942 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
11944 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
11945 @kindex nnmail-split-history
11946 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
11947 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command. If you wish to see
11948 where re-spooling messages would put the messages, you can use
11949 @code{gnus-summary-respool-trace} and related commands (@pxref{Mail
11952 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
11953 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
11954 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
11955 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
11956 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
11957 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
11958 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
11959 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
11960 month's rent money.
11964 @subsection Mail Sources
11966 Mail can be gotten from many different sources---the mail spool, from a
11967 POP mail server, from a procmail directory, or from a maildir, for
11971 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
11972 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
11973 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
11977 @node Mail Source Specifiers
11978 @subsubsection Mail Source Specifiers
11980 @cindex mail server
11983 @cindex mail source
11985 You tell Gnus how to fetch mail by setting @code{mail-sources}
11986 (@pxref{Fetching Mail}) to a @dfn{mail source specifier}.
11991 (pop :server "pop3.mailserver.com" :user "myname")
11994 As can be observed, a mail source specifier is a list where the first
11995 element is a @dfn{mail source type}, followed by an arbitrary number of
11996 @dfn{keywords}. Keywords that are not explicitly specified are given
11999 The following mail source types are available:
12003 Get mail from a single file; typically from the mail spool.
12009 The path of the file. Defaults to the value of the @code{MAIL}
12010 environment variable or @file{/usr/mail/spool/user-name}.
12013 An example file mail source:
12016 (file :path "/usr/spool/mail/user-name")
12019 Or using the default path:
12025 If the mail spool file is not located on the local machine, it's best to
12026 use POP or @sc{imap} or the like to fetch the mail. You can not use ange-ftp
12027 file names here---it has no way to lock the mail spool while moving the
12030 If it's impossible to set up a proper server, you can use ssh instead.
12034 '((file :prescript "ssh host bin/getmail >%t")))
12037 The @samp{getmail} script would look something like the following:
12041 # getmail - move mail from spool to stdout
12044 MOVEMAIL=/usr/lib/emacs/20.3/i386-redhat-linux/movemail
12046 rm -f $TMP; $MOVEMAIL $MAIL $TMP >/dev/null && cat $TMP
12049 Alter this script to fit find the @samp{movemail} you want to use.
12053 Get mail from several files in a directory. This is typically used
12054 when you have procmail split the incoming mail into several files.
12055 That is, mail from the file @file{foo.bar.spool} will be put in the
12056 group @code{foo.bar}. (You can change the suffix to be used instead
12057 of @code{.spool}.) Setting
12058 @code{nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once} to non-nil forces Gnus
12059 to scan the mail source only once. This is particularly useful if you
12060 want to scan mail groups at a specified level.
12066 The path of the directory where the files are. There is no default
12070 Only files ending with this suffix are used. The default is
12074 Only files that have this predicate return non-@code{nil} are returned.
12075 The default is @code{identity}. This is used as an additional
12076 filter---only files that have the right suffix @emph{and} satisfy this
12077 predicate are considered.
12081 Script run before/after fetching mail.
12085 An example directory mail source:
12088 (directory :path "/home/user-name/procmail-dir/"
12093 Get mail from a POP server.
12099 The name of the POP server. The default is taken from the
12100 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12103 The port number of the POP server. This can be a number (eg,
12104 @samp{:port 1234}) or a string (eg, @samp{:port "pop3"}). If it is a
12105 string, it should be a service name as listed in @file{/etc/services} on
12106 Unix systems. The default is @samp{"pop3"}. On some systems you might
12107 need to specify it as @samp{"pop-3"} instead.
12110 The user name to give to the POP server. The default is the login
12114 The password to give to the POP server. If not specified, the user is
12118 The program to use to fetch mail from the POP server. This should be
12119 a @code{format}-like string. Here's an example:
12122 fetchmail %u@@%s -P %p %t
12125 The valid format specifier characters are:
12129 The name of the file the mail is to be moved to. This must always be
12130 included in this string.
12133 The name of the server.
12136 The port number of the server.
12139 The user name to use.
12142 The password to use.
12145 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12146 corresponding keywords.
12149 A script to be run before fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12150 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12153 A script to be run after fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12154 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12157 The function to use to fetch mail from the POP server. The function is
12158 called with one parameter---the name of the file where the mail should
12161 @item :authentication
12162 This can be either the symbol @code{password} or the symbol @code{apop}
12163 and says what authentication scheme to use. The default is
12168 If the @code{:program} and @code{:function} keywords aren't specified,
12169 @code{pop3-movemail} will be used.
12171 Here are some examples. Fetch from the default POP server, using the
12172 default user name, and default fetcher:
12178 Fetch from a named server with a named user and password:
12181 (pop :server "my.pop.server"
12182 :user "user-name" :password "secret")
12185 Use @samp{movemail} to move the mail:
12188 (pop :program "movemail po:%u %t %p")
12192 Get mail from a maildir. This is a type of mailbox that is supported by
12193 at least qmail and postfix, where each file in a special directory
12194 contains exactly one mail.
12200 The path of the directory where the mails are stored. The default is
12201 taken from the @code{MAILDIR} environment variable or
12204 The subdirectories of the Maildir. The default is
12205 @samp{("new" "cur")}.
12207 @c If you sometimes look at your mail through a pop3 daemon before fetching
12208 @c them with Gnus, you may also have to fetch your mails from the
12209 @c @code{cur} directory inside the maildir, like in the first example
12212 You can also get mails from remote hosts (because maildirs don't suffer
12213 from locking problems).
12217 Two example maildir mail sources:
12220 (maildir :path "/home/user-name/Maildir/"
12221 :subdirs ("cur" "new"))
12225 (maildir :path "/user@@remotehost.org:~/Maildir/"
12230 Get mail from a @sc{imap} server. If you don't want to use @sc{imap}
12231 as intended, as a network mail reading protocol (ie with nnimap), for
12232 some reason or other, Gnus let you treat it similar to a POP server
12233 and fetches articles from a given @sc{imap} mailbox. @xref{IMAP}, for
12236 Note that for the Kerberos, GSSAPI, SSL/TLS and STARTTLS support you
12237 may need external programs and libraries, @xref{IMAP}.
12243 The name of the @sc{imap} server. The default is taken from the
12244 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12247 The port number of the @sc{imap} server. The default is @samp{143}, or
12248 @samp{993} for SSL/TLS connections.
12251 The user name to give to the @sc{imap} server. The default is the login
12255 The password to give to the @sc{imap} server. If not specified, the user is
12259 What stream to use for connecting to the server, this is one of the
12260 symbols in @code{imap-stream-alist}. Right now, this means
12261 @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{starttls}, @samp{ssl},
12262 @samp{shell} or the default @samp{network}.
12264 @item :authentication
12265 Which authenticator to use for authenticating to the server, this is
12266 one of the symbols in @code{imap-authenticator-alist}. Right now,
12267 this means @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{digest-md5},
12268 @samp{cram-md5}, @samp{anonymous} or the default @samp{login}.
12271 When using the `shell' :stream, the contents of this variable is
12272 mapped into the `imap-shell-program' variable. This should be a
12273 @code{format}-like string (or list of strings). Here's an example:
12279 The valid format specifier characters are:
12283 The name of the server.
12286 User name from `imap-default-user'.
12289 The port number of the server.
12292 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12293 corresponding keywords.
12296 The name of the mailbox to get mail from. The default is @samp{INBOX}
12297 which normally is the mailbox which receive incoming mail.
12300 The predicate used to find articles to fetch. The default, @samp{UNSEEN
12301 UNDELETED}, is probably the best choice for most people, but if you
12302 sometimes peek in your mailbox with a @sc{imap} client and mark some
12303 articles as read (or; SEEN) you might want to set this to @samp{nil}.
12304 Then all articles in the mailbox is fetched, no matter what. For a
12305 complete list of predicates, see RFC 2060 §6.4.4.
12308 How to flag fetched articles on the server, the default @samp{\Deleted}
12309 will mark them as deleted, an alternative would be @samp{\Seen} which
12310 would simply mark them as read. These are the two most likely choices,
12311 but more flags are defined in RFC 2060 §2.3.2.
12314 If non-nil, don't remove all articles marked as deleted in the mailbox
12315 after finishing the fetch.
12319 An example @sc{imap} mail source:
12322 (imap :server "mail.mycorp.com"
12324 :fetchflag "\\Seen")
12328 Get mail from a webmail server, such as www.hotmail.com,
12329 webmail.netscape.com, www.netaddress.com, www.my-deja.com.
12331 NOTE: Now mail.yahoo.com provides POP3 service, so @sc{pop} mail source
12334 NOTE: Webmail largely depends cookies. A "one-line-cookie" patch is
12335 required for url "4.0pre.46".
12337 WARNING: Mails may lost. NO WARRANTY.
12343 The type of the webmail server. The default is @code{hotmail}. The
12344 alternatives are @code{netscape}, @code{netaddress}, @code{my-deja}.
12347 The user name to give to the webmail server. The default is the login
12351 The password to give to the webmail server. If not specified, the user is
12355 If non-nil, only fetch unread articles and don't move them to trash
12356 folder after finishing the fetch.
12360 An example webmail source:
12363 (webmail :subtype 'hotmail
12365 :password "secret")
12370 @item Common Keywords
12371 Common keywords can be used in any type of mail source.
12377 If non-nil, fetch the mail even when Gnus is unplugged. If you use
12378 directory source to get mail, you can specify it as in this example:
12382 '((directory :path "/home/pavel/.Spool/"
12387 Gnus will then fetch your mail even when you are unplugged. This is
12388 useful when you use local mail and news.
12393 @subsubsection Function Interface
12395 Some of the above keywords specify a Lisp function to be executed.
12396 For each keyword @code{:foo}, the Lisp variable @code{foo} is bound to
12397 the value of the keyword while the function is executing. For example,
12398 consider the following mail-source setting:
12401 (setq mail-sources '((pop :user "jrl"
12402 :server "pophost" :function fetchfunc)))
12405 While the function @code{fetchfunc} is executing, the symbol @code{user}
12406 is bound to @code{"jrl"}, and the symbol @code{server} is bound to
12407 @code{"pophost"}. The symbols @code{port}, @code{password},
12408 @code{program}, @code{prescript}, @code{postscript}, @code{function},
12409 and @code{authentication} are also bound (to their default values).
12411 See above for a list of keywords for each type of mail source.
12414 @node Mail Source Customization
12415 @subsubsection Mail Source Customization
12417 The following is a list of variables that influence how the mail is
12418 fetched. You would normally not need to set or change any of these
12422 @item mail-source-crash-box
12423 @vindex mail-source-crash-box
12424 File where mail will be stored while processing it. The default is
12425 @file{~/.emacs-mail-crash-box}.
12427 @item mail-source-delete-incoming
12428 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
12429 If non-@code{nil}, delete incoming files after handling them.
12431 @item mail-source-directory
12432 @vindex mail-source-directory
12433 Directory where files (if any) will be stored. The default is
12434 @file{~/Mail/}. At present, the only thing this is used for is to say
12435 where the incoming files will be stored if the previous variable is
12438 @item mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12439 @vindex mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12440 Prefix for file name for storing incoming mail. The default is
12441 @file{Incoming}, in which case files will end up with names like
12442 @file{Incoming30630D_} or @file{Incoming298602ZD}. This is really only
12443 relevant if @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} is @code{nil}.
12445 @item mail-source-default-file-modes
12446 @vindex mail-source-default-file-modes
12447 All new mail files will get this file mode. The default is 384.
12449 @item mail-source-movemail-program
12450 @vindex mail-source-movemail-program
12451 If non-nil, name of program for fetching new mail. If nil,
12452 @code{movemail} in @var{exec-directory}.
12457 @node Fetching Mail
12458 @subsubsection Fetching Mail
12460 @vindex mail-sources
12461 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
12462 The way to actually tell Gnus where to get new mail from is to set
12463 @code{mail-sources} to a list of mail source specifiers
12464 (@pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}).
12466 If this variable (and the obsolescent @code{nnmail-spool-file}) is
12467 @code{nil}, the mail back ends will never attempt to fetch mail by
12470 If you want to fetch mail both from your local spool as well as a POP
12471 mail server, you'd say something like:
12476 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12477 :password "secret")))
12480 Or, if you don't want to use any of the keyword defaults:
12484 '((file :path "/var/spool/mail/user-name")
12485 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12488 :password "secret")))
12492 When you use a mail back end, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
12493 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
12494 mail if you're not using a mail back end---you have to do a lot of magic
12495 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
12496 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
12497 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
12501 @node Mail Back End Variables
12502 @subsection Mail Back End Variables
12504 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
12508 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12509 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12510 The mail back ends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
12511 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
12513 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
12514 @item nnmail-split-hook
12515 @findex article-decode-encoded-words
12516 @findex RFC 1522 decoding
12517 @findex RFC 2047 decoding
12518 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
12519 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
12520 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
12521 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
12522 in the buffer will show up in any files.
12523 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
12526 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12527 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12528 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12529 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12530 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
12531 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
12532 starting to handle the new mail) and
12533 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
12534 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
12535 default file modes the new mail files get:
12538 (add-hook 'nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12539 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
12541 (add-hook 'nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12542 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
12545 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
12546 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
12547 If non-@code{nil}, the mail back ends will use long file and directory
12548 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
12549 (assuming use of @code{nnml} back end) or files (assuming use of
12550 @code{nnfolder} back end) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
12551 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
12553 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
12554 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
12555 @findex delete-file
12556 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
12558 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12559 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12560 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
12561 the back end (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
12562 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
12567 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
12568 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
12569 @cindex mail splitting
12570 @cindex fancy mail splitting
12572 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
12573 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
12574 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
12575 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
12576 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
12577 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
12579 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
12582 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
12583 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
12584 ;; from real errors.
12585 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
12587 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
12588 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
12589 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
12590 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
12591 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
12592 ;; Other mailing lists...
12593 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
12594 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
12595 ;; Both lists below have the same suffix, so prevent
12596 ;; cross-posting to mkpkg.list of messages posted only to
12597 ;; the bugs- list, but allow cross-posting when the
12598 ;; message was really cross-posted.
12599 (any "bugs-mypackage@@somewhere" "mypkg.bugs")
12600 (any "mypackage@@somewhere\" - "bugs-mypackage" "mypkg.list")
12602 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
12603 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
12607 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
12608 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
12609 the five possible split syntaxes:
12614 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
12615 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
12619 @code{(@var{field} @var{value} @code{[-} @var{restrict}
12620 @code{[@dots{}]}@code{]} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, the
12621 first element of which is a string, then store the message as
12622 specified by @var{split}, if header @var{field} (a regexp) contains
12623 @var{value} (also a regexp). If @var{restrict} (yet another regexp)
12624 matches some string after @var{field} and before the end of the
12625 matched @var{value}, the @var{split} is ignored. If none of the
12626 @var{restrict} clauses match, @var{split} is processed.
12629 @code{(| @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12630 element is @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each @var{split} until
12631 one of them matches. A @var{split} is said to match if it will cause
12632 the mail message to be stored in one or more groups.
12635 @code{(& @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12636 element is @code{&}, then process all @var{split}s in the list.
12639 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
12640 (i.e., delete) this message. Use with extreme caution.
12643 @code{(: @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @dots{})}: If the split is
12644 a list, and the first element is @code{:}, then the second element will
12645 be called as a function with @var{args} given as arguments. The
12646 function should return a @var{split}.
12649 For instance, the following function could be used to split based on the
12650 body of the messages:
12653 (defun split-on-body ()
12655 (set-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
12656 (goto-char (point-min))
12657 (when (re-search-forward "Some.*string" nil t)
12661 The @samp{" *nnmail incoming*"} is narrowed to the message in question
12662 when the @code{:} function is run.
12665 @code{(! @var{func} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12666 element is @code{!}, then SPLIT will be processed, and FUNC will be
12667 called as a function with the result of SPLIT as argument. FUNC should
12671 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
12675 In these splits, @var{field} must match a complete field name.
12676 @var{value} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
12677 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
12678 field names or words. In other words, all @var{value}'s are wrapped in
12679 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
12681 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
12682 @var{field} and @var{value} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
12683 are expanded as specified by the variable
12684 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
12685 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
12688 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
12689 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
12690 when all this splitting is performed.
12692 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
12693 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
12694 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
12697 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
12700 In this example, messages sent to @samp{debian-foo@@lists.debian.org}
12701 will be filed in @samp{mail.debian.foo}.
12703 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
12704 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
12705 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
12706 groupings 1 through 9.
12708 @findex nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent
12709 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} is a function which allows you to
12710 split followups into the same groups their parents are in. Sometimes
12711 you can't make splitting rules for all your mail. For example, your
12712 boss might send you personal mail regarding different projects you are
12713 working on, and as you can't tell your boss to put a distinguishing
12714 string into the subject line, you have to resort to manually moving the
12715 messages into the right group. With this function, you only have to do
12716 it once per thread.
12718 To use this feature, you have to set @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} and
12719 @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} to a non-nil value. And then
12720 you can include @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} using the colon
12723 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
12724 '(| (: nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent)
12725 ;; other splits go here
12729 This feature works as follows: when @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} is
12730 non-nil, Gnus records the message id of every message it sees in the
12731 file specified by the variable @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file},
12732 together with the group it is in (the group is omitted for non-mail
12733 messages). When mail splitting is invoked, the function
12734 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} then looks at the References (and
12735 In-Reply-To) header of each message to split and searches the file
12736 specified by @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file} for the message ids.
12737 When it has found a parent, it returns the corresponding group name
12738 unless the group name matches the regexp
12739 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent-ignore-groups}. It is recommended
12740 that you set @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length} to a somewhat higher
12741 number than the default so that the message ids are still in the cache.
12742 (A value of 5000 appears to create a file some 300 kBytes in size.)
12743 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12744 When @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus
12745 also records the message ids of moved articles, so that the followup
12746 messages goes into the new group.
12749 @node Group Mail Splitting
12750 @subsection Group Mail Splitting
12751 @cindex mail splitting
12752 @cindex group mail splitting
12754 @findex gnus-group-split
12755 If you subscribe to dozens of mailing lists but you don't want to
12756 maintain mail splitting rules manually, group mail splitting is for you.
12757 You just have to set @var{to-list} and/or @var{to-address} in group
12758 parameters or group customization and set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to
12759 @code{gnus-group-split}. This splitting function will scan all groups
12760 for those parameters and split mail accordingly, i.e., messages posted
12761 from or to the addresses specified in the parameters @var{to-list} or
12762 @var{to-address} of a mail group will be stored in that group.
12764 Sometimes, mailing lists have multiple addresses, and you may want mail
12765 splitting to recognize them all: just set the @var{extra-aliases} group
12766 parameter to the list of additional addresses and it's done. If you'd
12767 rather use a regular expression, set @var{split-regexp}.
12769 All these parameters in a group will be used to create an
12770 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split, in which the @var{field} is @samp{any},
12771 the @var{value} is a single regular expression that matches
12772 @var{to-list}, @var{to-address}, all of @var{extra-aliases} and all
12773 matches of @var{split-regexp}, and the @var{split} is the name of the
12774 group. @var{restrict}s are also supported: just set the
12775 @var{split-exclude} parameter to a list of regular expressions.
12777 If you can't get the right split to be generated using all these
12778 parameters, or you just need something fancier, you can set the
12779 parameter @var{split-spec} to an @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split. In
12780 this case, all other aforementioned parameters will be ignored by
12781 @code{gnus-group-split}. In particular, @var{split-spec} may be set to
12782 @code{nil}, in which case the group will be ignored by
12783 @code{gnus-group-split}.
12785 @vindex gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group
12786 @code{gnus-group-split} will do cross-posting on all groups that match,
12787 by defining a single @code{&} fancy split containing one split for each
12788 group. If a message doesn't match any split, it will be stored in the
12789 group named in @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}, unless
12790 some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all}, in which case
12791 that group is used as the catch-all group. Even though this variable is
12792 often used just to name a group, it may also be set to an arbitrarily
12793 complex fancy split (after all, a group name is a fancy split), and this
12794 may be useful to split mail that doesn't go to any mailing list to
12795 personal mail folders. Note that this fancy split is added as the last
12796 element of a @code{|} split list that also contains a @code{&} split
12797 with the rules extracted from group parameters.
12799 It's time for an example. Assume the following group parameters have
12804 ((to-address . "bar@@femail.com")
12805 (split-regexp . ".*@@femail\\.com"))
12807 ((to-list . "foo@@nowhere.gov")
12808 (extra-aliases "foo@@localhost" "foo-redist@@home")
12809 (split-exclude "bugs-foo" "rambling-foo")
12810 (admin-address . "foo-request@@nowhere.gov"))
12812 ((split-spec . catch-all))
12815 Setting @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{gnus-group-split} will
12816 behave as if @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been selected and variable
12817 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been set as follows:
12820 (| (& (any "\\(bar@@femail\\.com\\|.*@@femail\\.com\\)" "mail.bar")
12821 (any "\\(foo@@nowhere\\.gov\\|foo@@localhost\\|foo-redist@@home\\)"
12822 - "bugs-foo" - "rambling-foo" "mail.foo"))
12826 @findex gnus-group-split-fancy
12827 If you'd rather not use group splitting for all your mail groups, you
12828 may use it for only some of them, by using @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
12832 (: gnus-mlsplt-fancy GROUPS NO-CROSSPOST CATCH-ALL)
12835 @var{groups} may be a regular expression or a list of group names whose
12836 parameters will be scanned to generate the output split.
12837 @var{no-crosspost} can be used to disable cross-posting; in this case, a
12838 single @code{|} split will be output. @var{catch-all} is the fallback
12839 fancy split, used like @var{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}.
12840 If @var{catch-all} is @code{nil}, or if @var{split-regexp} matches the
12841 empty string in any selected group, no catch-all split will be issued.
12842 Otherwise, if some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all},
12843 this group will override the value of the @var{catch-all} argument.
12845 @findex gnus-group-split-setup
12846 Unfortunately, scanning all groups and their parameters can be quite
12847 slow, especially considering that it has to be done for every message.
12848 But don't despair! The function @code{gnus-group-split-setup} can be
12849 used to enable @code{gnus-group-split} in a much more efficient way. It
12850 sets @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy} and sets
12851 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} to the split produced by
12852 @code{gnus-group-split-fancy}. Thus, the group parameters are only
12853 scanned once, no matter how many messages are split.
12855 @findex gnus-group-split-update
12856 However, if you change group parameters, you'd have to update
12857 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} manually. You can do it by running
12858 @code{gnus-group-split-update}. If you'd rather have it updated
12859 automatically, just tell @code{gnus-group-split-setup} to do it for
12860 you. For example, add to your @file{.gnus}:
12863 (gnus-group-split-setup AUTO-UPDATE CATCH-ALL)
12866 If @var{auto-update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{gnus-group-split-update}
12867 will be added to @code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook}, so you won't ever
12868 have to worry about updating @code{nnmail-split-fancy} again. If you
12869 don't omit @var{catch-all} (it's optional, equivalent to @code{nil}),
12870 @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group} will be set to its
12873 @vindex gnus-group-split-updated-hook
12874 Because you may want to change @code{nnmail-split-fancy} after it is set
12875 by @code{gnus-group-split-update}, this function will run
12876 @code{gnus-group-split-updated-hook} just before finishing.
12878 @node Incorporating Old Mail
12879 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
12880 @cindex incorporating old mail
12881 @cindex import old mail
12883 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
12884 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
12885 back ends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
12888 Doing so can be quite easy.
12890 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
12891 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
12892 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
12893 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
12894 your @code{nnml} groups.
12900 Go to the group buffer.
12903 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
12904 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
12907 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
12910 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
12911 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
12914 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
12915 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
12918 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
12919 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
12920 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
12921 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
12922 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
12924 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
12925 back end to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
12926 using the new mail back end.
12929 @node Expiring Mail
12930 @subsection Expiring Mail
12931 @cindex article expiry
12933 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
12934 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
12935 different approach to mail reading.
12937 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
12938 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
12939 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
12940 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
12941 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
12942 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
12945 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
12946 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
12947 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
12948 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
12949 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
12950 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
12951 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
12952 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
12954 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12955 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
12956 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
12957 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
12958 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
12959 column in the summary buffer.
12961 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
12962 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
12963 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
12964 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
12967 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
12969 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
12970 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
12971 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
12974 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
12975 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
12976 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
12977 articles expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
12978 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
12980 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
12981 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
12984 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
12985 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
12988 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
12989 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
12991 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
12992 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
12993 don't really mix very well.
12995 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
12996 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
12997 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
12998 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
13001 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
13002 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
13003 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
13004 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
13007 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13009 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13011 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
13013 ((string= group "mail.junk")
13015 ((string= group "important")
13021 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
13022 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
13024 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
13025 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
13026 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
13029 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
13030 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
13032 @vindex nnmail-expiry-target
13033 The normal action taken when expiring articles is to delete them.
13034 However, in some circumstances it might make more sense to move them to
13035 other groups instead of deleting them. The variable @code{nnmail-expiry-target}
13036 (and the @code{expiry-target} group parameter) controls this. The
13037 variable supplies a default value for all groups, which can be
13038 overridden for specific groups by the group parameter.
13039 default value is @code{delete}, but this can also be a string (which
13040 should be the name of the group the message should be moved to), or a
13041 function (which will be called in a buffer narrowed to the message in
13042 question, and with the name of the group being moved from as its
13043 parameter) which should return a target -- either a group name or
13046 Here's an example for specifying a group name:
13048 (setq nnmail-expiry-target "nnml:expired")
13052 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
13053 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
13054 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
13055 easier for procmail users.
13057 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
13058 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
13059 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
13060 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
13061 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
13062 caution. Even more dangerous is the
13063 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
13064 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
13065 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
13066 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
13067 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
13068 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
13069 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
13072 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
13074 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
13075 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
13076 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
13077 auto-expire turned on.
13081 @subsection Washing Mail
13082 @cindex mail washing
13083 @cindex list server brain damage
13084 @cindex incoming mail treatment
13086 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
13087 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC 822 doesn't explicitly
13088 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
13089 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
13090 Yes, but RFC 822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
13091 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
13093 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
13094 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
13095 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
13098 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
13099 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
13100 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
13101 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
13104 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13105 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13106 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
13107 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
13108 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
13111 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13112 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13113 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
13114 Emacs running on MS machines.
13118 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13119 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13120 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
13121 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
13124 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13125 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13126 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
13127 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
13129 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13130 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13131 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
13132 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
13133 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
13134 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
13135 also be a list of regexp. @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} may not contain
13138 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
13139 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
13142 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
13143 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
13146 This can also be done non-destructively with
13147 @code{gnus-list-identifiers}, @xref{Article Hiding}.
13149 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
13150 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
13151 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
13153 @item nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13154 @findex nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13156 Eudora produces broken @code{References} headers, but OK
13157 @code{In-Reply-To} headers. This function will get rid of the
13158 @code{References} headers.
13162 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13163 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13164 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
13168 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
13169 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
13170 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
13177 @subsection Duplicates
13179 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
13180 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
13181 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
13182 @cindex duplicate mails
13183 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
13184 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
13185 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
13186 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
13187 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
13188 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
13189 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
13190 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
13191 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
13192 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
13193 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
13194 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
13195 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
13197 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
13198 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
13199 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
13200 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
13202 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
13205 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
13206 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
13210 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
13211 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
13212 ("gnus-warning" "duplicat\\(e\\|ion\\) of message" "duplicate")
13213 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
13214 (any mail "mail.misc")
13221 (setq nnmail-split-methods
13222 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:.*duplicate")
13227 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
13228 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
13229 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
13230 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
13231 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
13234 @node Not Reading Mail
13235 @subsection Not Reading Mail
13237 If you start using any of the mail back ends, they have the annoying
13238 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
13239 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
13241 If you set @code{mail-sources} and @code{nnmail-spool-file} to
13242 @code{nil}, none of the back ends will ever attempt to read incoming
13243 mail, which should help.
13245 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13246 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13247 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13248 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13249 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13250 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
13251 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
13252 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All back ends have
13253 variables called back-end-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
13254 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
13255 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
13257 All the mail back ends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
13258 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
13262 @node Choosing a Mail Back End
13263 @subsection Choosing a Mail Back End
13265 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
13266 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
13267 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
13269 There are five different mail back ends in the standard Gnus, and more
13270 back ends are available separately. The mail back end most people use
13271 (because it is the fastest and most flexible) is @code{nnml}
13272 (@pxref{Mail Spool}).
13275 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
13276 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
13277 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
13278 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
13279 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
13280 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
13284 @node Unix Mail Box
13285 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
13287 @cindex unix mail box
13289 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13290 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13291 The @dfn{nnmbox} back end will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
13292 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
13293 which group it belongs in.
13295 Virtual server settings:
13298 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
13299 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13300 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory. Default is
13303 @item nnmbox-active-file
13304 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13305 The name of the active file for the mail box. Default is
13306 @file{~/.mbox-active}.
13308 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
13309 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13310 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
13311 into groups. Default is @code{t}.
13316 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
13320 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13321 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13322 The @dfn{nnbabyl} back end will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
13323 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each
13324 mail article to say which group it belongs in.
13326 Virtual server settings:
13329 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
13330 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13331 The name of the rmail mbox file. The default is @file{~/RMAIL}
13333 @item nnbabyl-active-file
13334 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13335 The name of the active file for the rmail box. The default is
13336 @file{~/.rmail-active}
13338 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13339 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13340 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail. Default is
13346 @subsubsection Mail Spool
13348 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
13350 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
13351 format. It should be used with some caution.
13353 @vindex nnml-directory
13354 If you use this back end, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
13355 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
13356 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
13357 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
13359 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
13362 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
13363 in your account, you should not use this back end. As each mail gets its
13364 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
13365 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
13366 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
13367 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
13368 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
13369 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
13371 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest back end when it comes to article
13372 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
13373 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
13374 back end when it comes to reading mail.
13376 @cindex self contained nnml servers
13377 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnml}
13378 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13379 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13380 proper @code{nnml} server) and have all your marks be preserved. Marks
13381 for a group is usually stored in the @code{.marks} file (but see
13382 @code{nnml-marks-file-name}) within each @code{nnml} group's directory.
13383 Individual @code{nnml} groups are also possible to backup, use @kbd{G m}
13384 to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the nnml
13387 Virtual server settings:
13390 @item nnml-directory
13391 @vindex nnml-directory
13392 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
13393 The default is the value of `message-directory' (whose default value is
13396 @item nnml-active-file
13397 @vindex nnml-active-file
13398 The active file for the @code{nnml} server. The default is
13399 @file{~/Mail/active"}.
13401 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
13402 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
13403 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13404 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}.
13406 @item nnml-get-new-mail
13407 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13408 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail. The default is
13411 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
13412 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
13413 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13414 default is @code{nil}.
13416 @item nnml-nov-file-name
13417 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
13418 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
13420 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13421 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13422 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
13424 @item nnml-marks-is-evil
13425 @vindex nnml-marks-is-evil
13426 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13427 default is @code{nil}.
13429 @item nnml-marks-file-name
13430 @vindex nnml-marks-file-name
13431 The name of the @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.marks}.
13435 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
13436 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
13437 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
13438 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
13439 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
13440 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
13441 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
13446 @subsubsection MH Spool
13448 @cindex mh-e mail spool
13450 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
13451 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file or marks file.
13452 This makes @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower back end than @code{nnml},
13453 but it also makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
13455 Virtual server settings:
13458 @item nnmh-directory
13459 @vindex nnmh-directory
13460 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory. The
13461 default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13464 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
13465 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13466 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail. The default is
13470 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
13471 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
13472 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
13473 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
13474 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
13475 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
13476 to set this variable to @code{t}. The default is @code{nil}.
13481 @subsubsection Mail Folders
13483 @cindex mbox folders
13484 @cindex mail folders
13486 @code{nnfolder} is a back end for storing each mail group in a separate
13487 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
13488 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
13491 @cindex self contained nnfolder servers
13492 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnfolder}
13493 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13494 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13495 proper @code{nnfolder} server) and have all your marks be preserved.
13496 Marks for a group is usually stored in a file named as the mbox file
13497 with @code{.mrk} concatenated to it (but see
13498 @code{nnfolder-marks-file-suffix}) within the @code{nnfolder} directory.
13499 Individual @code{nnfolder} groups are also possible to backup, use
13500 @kbd{G m} to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the
13501 @code{nnfolder} directory).
13503 Virtual server settings:
13506 @item nnfolder-directory
13507 @vindex nnfolder-directory
13508 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
13509 The default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13512 @item nnfolder-active-file
13513 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
13514 The name of the active file. The default is @file{~/Mail/active}.
13516 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13517 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13518 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13519 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}
13521 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
13522 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13523 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail. The default
13526 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13527 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13528 @cindex backup files
13529 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
13530 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
13531 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
13532 your @file{.emacs} file:
13535 (defun turn-off-backup ()
13536 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
13538 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
13541 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13542 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13543 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
13544 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
13545 extract some information from it before removing it.
13547 @item nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13548 @vindex nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13549 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13550 default is @code{nil}.
13552 @item nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13553 @vindex nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13554 The extension for @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.nov}.
13556 @item nnfolder-nov-directory
13557 @vindex nnfolder-nov-directory
13558 The directory where the @sc{nov} files should be stored. If nil,
13559 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13561 @item nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13562 @vindex nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13563 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13564 default is @code{nil}.
13566 @item nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13567 @vindex nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13568 The extension for @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.mrk}.
13570 @item nnfolder-marks-directory
13571 @vindex nnfolder-marks-directory
13572 The directory where the @sc{marks} files should be stored. If nil,
13573 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13578 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
13579 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
13580 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
13581 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
13582 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
13583 @code{nnfolder-directory}. This only works if you use long file names,
13586 @node Comparing Mail Back Ends
13587 @subsubsection Comparing Mail Back Ends
13589 First, just for terminology, the @dfn{back end} is the common word for a
13590 low-level access method---a transport, if you will, by which something
13591 is acquired. The sense is that one's mail has to come from somewhere,
13592 and so selection of a suitable back end is required in order to get that
13593 mail within spitting distance of Gnus.
13595 The same concept exists for Usenet itself: Though access to articles is
13596 typically done by @sc{nntp} these days, once upon a midnight dreary, everyone
13597 in the world got at Usenet by running a reader on the machine where the
13598 articles lay (the machine which today we call an @sc{nntp} server), and
13599 access was by the reader stepping into the articles' directory spool
13600 area directly. One can still select between either the @code{nntp} or
13601 @code{nnspool} back ends, to select between these methods, if one happens
13602 actually to live on the server (or can see its spool directly, anyway,
13605 The goal in selecting a mail back end is to pick one which
13606 simultaneously represents a suitable way of dealing with the original
13607 format plus leaving mail in a form that is convenient to use in the
13608 future. Here are some high and low points on each:
13613 UNIX systems have historically had a single, very common, and well-
13614 defined format. All messages arrive in a single @dfn{spool file}, and
13615 they are delineated by a line whose regular expression matches
13616 @samp{^From_}. (My notational use of @samp{_} is to indicate a space,
13617 to make it clear in this instance that this is not the RFC-specified
13618 @samp{From:} header.) Because Emacs and therefore Gnus emanate
13619 historically from the Unix environment, it is simplest if one does not
13620 mess a great deal with the original mailbox format, so if one chooses
13621 this back end, Gnus' primary activity in getting mail from the real spool
13622 area to Gnus' preferred directory is simply to copy it, with no
13623 (appreciable) format change in the process. It is the ``dumbest'' way
13624 to move mail into availability in the Gnus environment. This makes it
13625 fast to move into place, but slow to parse, when Gnus has to look at
13630 Once upon a time, there was the DEC-10 and DEC-20, running operating
13631 systems called TOPS and related things, and the usual (only?) mail
13632 reading environment was a thing called Babyl. I don't know what format
13633 was used for mail landing on the system, but Babyl had its own internal
13634 format to which mail was converted, primarily involving creating a
13635 spool-file-like entity with a scheme for inserting Babyl-specific
13636 headers and status bits above the top of each message in the file.
13637 RMAIL was Emacs' first mail reader, it was written by Richard Stallman,
13638 and Stallman came out of that TOPS/Babyl environment, so he wrote RMAIL
13639 to understand the mail files folks already had in existence. Gnus (and
13640 VM, for that matter) continue to support this format because it's
13641 perceived as having some good qualities in those mailer-specific
13642 headers/status bits stuff. RMAIL itself still exists as well, of
13643 course, and is still maintained by Stallman.
13645 Both of the above forms leave your mail in a single file on your
13646 filesystem, and they must parse that entire file each time you take a
13651 @code{nnml} is the back end which smells the most as though you were
13652 actually operating with an @code{nnspool}-accessed Usenet system. (In
13653 fact, I believe @code{nnml} actually derived from @code{nnspool} code,
13654 lo these years ago.) One's mail is taken from the original spool file,
13655 and is then cut up into individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a
13656 Usenet-style active file (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or
13657 CNews-based news system in (for instance) @file{/var/lib/news/active},
13658 or what is returned via the @samp{NNTP LIST} verb) and also creates
13659 @dfn{overview} files for efficient group entry, as has been defined for
13660 @sc{nntp} servers for some years now. It is slower in mail-splitting,
13661 due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the @code{nnml} active
13662 file, and additions to overview files on a per-message basis, but it is
13663 extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the indexing support
13664 provided by the active file and overviews.
13666 @code{nnml} costs @dfn{inodes} in a big way; that is, it soaks up the
13667 resource which defines available places in the filesystem to put new
13668 files. Sysadmins take a dim view of heavy inode occupation within
13669 tight, shared filesystems. But if you live on a personal machine where
13670 the filesystem is your own and space is not at a premium, @code{nnml}
13673 It is also problematic using this back end if you are living in a
13674 FAT16-based Windows world, since much space will be wasted on all these
13679 The Rand MH mail-reading system has been around UNIX systems for a very
13680 long time; it operates by splitting one's spool file of messages into
13681 individual files, but with little or no indexing support -- @code{nnmh}
13682 is considered to be semantically equivalent to ``@code{nnml} without
13683 active file or overviews''. This is arguably the worst choice, because
13684 one gets the slowness of individual file creation married to the
13685 slowness of access parsing when learning what's new in one's groups.
13689 Basically the effect of @code{nnfolder} is @code{nnmbox} (the first
13690 method described above) on a per-group basis. That is, @code{nnmbox}
13691 itself puts *all* one's mail in one file; @code{nnfolder} provides a
13692 little bit of optimization to this so that each of one's mail groups has
13693 a Unix mail box file. It's faster than @code{nnmbox} because each group
13694 can be parsed separately, and still provides the simple Unix mail box
13695 format requiring minimal effort in moving the mail around. In addition,
13696 it maintains an ``active'' file making it much faster for Gnus to figure
13697 out how many messages there are in each separate group.
13699 If you have groups that are expected to have a massive amount of
13700 messages, @code{nnfolder} is not the best choice, but if you receive
13701 only a moderate amount of mail, @code{nnfolder} is probably the most
13702 friendly mail back end all over.
13707 @node Browsing the Web
13708 @section Browsing the Web
13710 @cindex browsing the web
13714 Web-based discussion forums are getting more and more popular. On many
13715 subjects, the web-based forums have become the most important forums,
13716 eclipsing the importance of mailing lists and news groups. The reason
13717 is easy to understand---they are friendly to new users; you just point
13718 and click, and there's the discussion. With mailing lists, you have to
13719 go through a cumbersome subscription procedure, and most people don't
13720 even know what a news group is.
13722 The problem with this scenario is that web browsers are not very good at
13723 being newsreaders. They do not keep track of what articles you've read;
13724 they do not allow you to score on subjects you're interested in; they do
13725 not allow off-line browsing; they require you to click around and drive
13726 you mad in the end.
13728 So---if web browsers suck at reading discussion forums, why not use Gnus
13731 Gnus has been getting a bit of a collection of back ends for providing
13732 interfaces to these sources.
13735 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
13736 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
13737 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
13738 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
13739 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
13740 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
13743 All the web sources require Emacs/w3 and the url library to work.
13745 The main caveat with all these web sources is that they probably won't
13746 work for a very long time. Gleaning information from the @sc{html} data
13747 is guesswork at best, and when the layout is altered, the Gnus back end
13748 will fail. If you have reasonably new versions of these back ends,
13749 though, you should be ok.
13751 One thing all these Web methods have in common is that the Web sources
13752 are often down, unavailable or just plain too slow to be fun. In those
13753 cases, it makes a lot of sense to let the Gnus Agent (@pxref{Gnus
13754 Unplugged}) handle downloading articles, and then you can read them at
13755 leisure from your local disk. No more World Wide Wait for you.
13757 @node Archiving Mail
13758 @subsection Archiving Mail
13759 @cindex archiving mail
13760 @cindex backup of mail
13762 Some of the back ends, notably nnml and nnfolder, now actually store
13763 the article marks with each group. For these servers, archiving and
13764 restoring a group while preserving marks is fairly simple.
13766 (Preserving the group level and group parameters as well still
13767 requires ritual dancing and sacrifices to the @code{.newsrc.eld} deity
13770 To archive an entire @code{nnml} or @code{nnfolder} server, take a
13771 recursive copy of the server directory. There is no need to shut down
13772 Gnus, so archiving may be invoked by @code{cron} or similar. You
13773 restore the data by restoring the directory tree, and adding a server
13774 definition pointing to that directory in Gnus. The @ref{Article
13775 Backlog}, @ref{Asynchronous Fetching} and other things might interfer
13776 with overwriting data, so you may want to shut down Gnus before you
13779 It is also possible to archive individual @code{nnml} or
13780 @code{nnfolder} groups, while preserving marks. For @code{nnml}, you
13781 copy all files in the group's directory. For @code{nnfolder} you need
13782 to copy both the base folder file itself (@code{FOO}, say), and the
13783 marks file (@code{FOO.mrk} in this example). Restoring the group is
13784 done with @kbd{G m} from the Group buffer. The last step makes Gnus
13785 notice the new directory.
13788 @subsection Web Searches
13792 @cindex InReference
13793 @cindex Usenet searches
13794 @cindex searching the Usenet
13796 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
13797 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
13798 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
13799 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
13800 searches without having to use a browser.
13802 The @code{nnweb} back end allows an easy interface to the mighty search
13803 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
13804 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
13805 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
13806 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
13808 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
13809 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
13810 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
13811 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
13812 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
13813 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
13814 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
13815 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
13816 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
13817 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
13820 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
13821 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
13822 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
13823 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
13824 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
13825 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
13827 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
13828 to use @code{nnweb}.
13830 Virtual server variables:
13835 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
13836 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
13840 @vindex nnweb-search
13841 The search string to feed to the search engine.
13843 @item nnweb-max-hits
13844 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
13845 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
13848 @item nnweb-type-definition
13849 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
13850 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
13851 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
13856 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
13860 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
13863 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
13866 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
13870 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
13877 @subsection Slashdot
13881 Slashdot (@uref{http://slashdot.org/}) is a popular news site, with
13882 lively discussion following the news articles. @code{nnslashdot} will
13883 let you read this forum in a convenient manner.
13885 The easiest way to read this source is to put something like the
13886 following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
13889 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
13890 '((nnslashdot "")))
13893 This will make Gnus query the @code{nnslashdot} back end for new comments
13894 and groups. The @kbd{F} command will subscribe each new news article as
13895 a new Gnus group, and you can read the comments by entering these
13896 groups. (Note that the default subscription method is to subscribe new
13897 groups as zombies. Other methods are available (@pxref{Subscription
13900 If you want to remove an old @code{nnslashdot} group, the @kbd{G DEL}
13901 command is the most handy tool (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
13903 When following up to @code{nnslashdot} comments (or posting new
13904 comments), some light @sc{html}izations will be performed. In
13905 particular, text quoted with @samp{> } will be quoted with
13906 @code{blockquote} instead, and signatures will have @code{br} added to
13907 the end of each line. Other than that, you can just write @sc{html}
13908 directly into the message buffer. Note that Slashdot filters out some
13911 The following variables can be altered to change its behavior:
13914 @item nnslashdot-threaded
13915 Whether @code{nnslashdot} should display threaded groups or not. The
13916 default is @code{t}. To be able to display threads, @code{nnslashdot}
13917 has to retrieve absolutely all comments in a group upon entry. If a
13918 threaded display is not required, @code{nnslashdot} will only retrieve
13919 the comments that are actually wanted by the user. Threading is nicer,
13920 but much, much slower than untreaded.
13922 @item nnslashdot-login-name
13923 @vindex nnslashdot-login-name
13924 The login name to use when posting.
13926 @item nnslashdot-password
13927 @vindex nnslashdot-password
13928 The password to use when posting.
13930 @item nnslashdot-directory
13931 @vindex nnslashdot-directory
13932 Where @code{nnslashdot} will store its files. The default is
13933 @samp{~/News/slashdot/}.
13935 @item nnslashdot-active-url
13936 @vindex nnslashdot-active-url
13937 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the information on
13938 news articles and comments. The default is
13939 @samp{http://slashdot.org/search.pl?section=&min=%d}.
13941 @item nnslashdot-comments-url
13942 @vindex nnslashdot-comments-url
13943 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch comments. The
13945 @samp{http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=%s&threshold=%d&commentsort=%d&mode=flat&startat=%d}.
13947 @item nnslashdot-article-url
13948 @vindex nnslashdot-article-url
13949 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the news article. The
13951 @samp{http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=%s&mode=nocomment}.
13953 @item nnslashdot-threshold
13954 @vindex nnslashdot-threshold
13955 The score threshold. The default is -1.
13957 @item nnslashdot-group-number
13958 @vindex nnslashdot-group-number
13959 The number of old groups, in addition to the ten latest, to keep
13960 updated. The default is 0.
13967 @subsection Ultimate
13969 @cindex Ultimate Bulletin Board
13971 The Ultimate Bulletin Board (@uref{http://www.ultimatebb.com/}) is
13972 probably the most popular Web bulletin board system used. It has a
13973 quite regular and nice interface, and it's possible to get the
13974 information Gnus needs to keep groups updated.
13976 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnultimate} is to say
13977 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnultimate RET
13978 http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubbcgi/ RET}. (Substitute the @sc{url}
13979 (not including @samp{Ultimate.cgi} or the like at the end) for a forum
13980 you're interested in; there's quite a list of them on the Ultimate web
13981 site.) Then subscribe to the groups you're interested in from the
13982 server buffer, and read them from the group buffer.
13984 The following @code{nnultimate} variables can be altered:
13987 @item nnultimate-directory
13988 @vindex nnultimate-directory
13989 The directory where @code{nnultimate} stores its files. The default is
13990 @samp{~/News/ultimate/}.
13995 @subsection Web Archive
13997 @cindex Web Archive
13999 Some mailing lists only have archives on Web servers, such as
14000 @uref{http://www.egroups.com/} and
14001 @uref{http://www.mail-archive.com/}. It has a quite regular and nice
14002 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
14005 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnwarchive} is to say
14006 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{M-x
14007 gnus-group-make-warchive-group RET an_egroup RET egroups RET
14008 www.egroups.com RET your@@email.address RET}. (Substitute the
14009 @sc{an_egroup} with the mailing list you subscribed, the
14010 @sc{your@@email.address} with your email address.), or to browse the
14011 back end by @kbd{B nnwarchive RET mail-archive RET}.
14013 The following @code{nnwarchive} variables can be altered:
14016 @item nnwarchive-directory
14017 @vindex nnwarchive-directory
14018 The directory where @code{nnwarchive} stores its files. The default is
14019 @samp{~/News/warchive/}.
14021 @item nnwarchive-login
14022 @vindex nnwarchive-login
14023 The account name on the web server.
14025 @item nnwarchive-passwd
14026 @vindex nnwarchive-passwd
14027 The password for your account on the web server.
14035 Some sites have RDF site summary (RSS)
14036 @uref{http://purl.org/rss/1.0/spec}. It has a quite regular and nice
14037 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
14040 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnrss} is to say something
14041 like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnrss RET RET}, then
14044 The following @code{nnrss} variables can be altered:
14047 @item nnrss-directory
14048 @vindex nnrss-directory
14049 The directory where @code{nnrss} stores its files. The default is
14050 @samp{~/News/rss/}.
14054 The following code may be helpful, if you want to show the description in
14055 the summary buffer.
14058 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-description-field)
14059 (setq gnus-summary-line-format "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-15,15f%]%) %s%uX\n")
14061 (defun gnus-user-format-function-X (header)
14063 (assq nnrss-description-field (mail-header-extra header))))
14064 (if descr (concat "\n\t" (cdr descr)) "")))
14067 The following code may be useful to open an nnrss url directly from the
14070 (require 'browse-url)
14072 (defun browse-nnrss-url( arg )
14074 (let ((url (assq nnrss-url-field
14077 (assq (gnus-summary-article-number)
14078 gnus-newsgroup-data))))))
14080 (browse-url (cdr url))
14081 (gnus-summary-scroll-up arg))))
14083 (eval-after-load "gnus"
14084 #'(define-key gnus-summary-mode-map
14085 (kbd "<RET>") 'browse-nnrss-url))
14086 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-url-field)
14089 @node Customizing w3
14090 @subsection Customizing w3
14096 Gnus uses the url library to fetch web pages and Emacs/w3 to display web
14097 pages. Emacs/w3 is documented in its own manual, but there are some
14098 things that may be more relevant for Gnus users.
14100 For instance, a common question is how to make Emacs/w3 follow links
14101 using the @code{browse-url} functions (which will call some external web
14102 browser like Netscape). Here's one way:
14105 (eval-after-load "w3"
14107 (fset 'w3-fetch-orig (symbol-function 'w3-fetch))
14108 (defun w3-fetch (&optional url target)
14109 (interactive (list (w3-read-url-with-default)))
14110 (if (eq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)
14112 (w3-fetch-orig url target)))))
14115 Put that in your @file{.emacs} file, and hitting links in w3-rendered
14116 @sc{html} in the Gnus article buffers will use @code{browse-url} to
14124 @sc{imap} is a network protocol for reading mail (or news, or ...),
14125 think of it as a modernized @sc{nntp}. Connecting to a @sc{imap}
14126 server is much similar to connecting to a news server, you just
14127 specify the network address of the server.
14129 @sc{imap} has two properties. First, @sc{imap} can do everything that
14130 POP can, it can hence be viewed as POP++. Secondly, @sc{imap} is a
14131 mail storage protocol, similar to @sc{nntp} being a news storage
14132 protocol. (@sc{imap} offers more features than @sc{nntp} because news
14133 is more or less read-only whereas mail is read-write.)
14135 If you want to use @sc{imap} as POP++, use an imap entry in
14136 mail-sources. With this, Gnus will fetch mails from the @sc{imap}
14137 server and store them on the local disk. This is not the usage
14138 described in this section. @xref{Mail Sources}.
14140 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a mail storage protocol, use an nnimap
14141 entry in gnus-secondary-select-methods. With this, Gnus will
14142 manipulate mails stored on the @sc{imap} server. This is the kind of
14143 usage explained in this section.
14145 A server configuration in @code{~/.gnus} with a few @sc{imap} servers
14146 might look something like this:
14149 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
14150 '((nnimap "simpleserver") ; no special configuration
14151 ; perhaps a ssh port forwarded server:
14153 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14154 (nnimap-server-port 1430))
14155 ; a UW server running on localhost
14157 (nnimap-server-port 143)
14158 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14159 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "mail/*")))
14160 ; anonymous public cyrus server:
14161 (nnimap "cyrus.andrew.cmu.edu"
14162 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous)
14163 (nnimap-list-pattern "archive.*")
14164 (nnimap-stream network))
14165 ; a ssl server on a non-standard port:
14167 (nnimap-address "vic20.somewhere.com")
14168 (nnimap-server-port 9930)
14169 (nnimap-stream ssl))))
14172 (Note that for SSL/TLS to work, you need the external library
14173 @samp{ssl.el}, see below.)
14175 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nnimap}
14180 @item nnimap-address
14181 @vindex nnimap-address
14183 The address of the remote @sc{imap} server. Defaults to the virtual
14184 server name if not specified.
14186 @item nnimap-server-port
14187 @vindex nnimap-server-port
14188 Port on server to contact. Defaults to port 143, or 993 for SSL.
14190 Note that this should be an integer, example server specification:
14193 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14194 (nnimap-server-port 4711))
14197 @item nnimap-list-pattern
14198 @vindex nnimap-list-pattern
14199 String or list of strings of mailboxes to limit available groups to.
14200 This is used when the server has very many mailboxes and you're only
14201 interested in a few -- some servers export your home directory via
14202 @sc{imap}, you'll probably want to limit the mailboxes to those in
14203 @file{~/Mail/*} then.
14205 The string can also be a cons of REFERENCE and the string as above, what
14206 REFERENCE is used for is server specific, but on the University of
14207 Washington server it's a directory that will be concatenated with the
14210 Example server specification:
14213 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14214 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "Mail/*" "alt.sex.*"
14215 ("~friend/Mail/" . "list/*"))))
14218 @item nnimap-stream
14219 @vindex nnimap-stream
14220 The type of stream used to connect to your server. By default, nnimap
14221 will detect and automatically use all of the below, with the exception
14222 of SSL/TLS. (IMAP over SSL/TLS is being replaced by STARTTLS, which
14223 can be automatically detected, but it's not widely deployed yet.)
14225 Example server specification:
14228 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14229 (nnimap-stream ssl))
14232 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-stream} is a symbol!
14236 @dfn{gssapi:} Connect with GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5). Requires the
14237 @samp{imtest} program.
14239 @dfn{kerberos4:} Connect with kerberos 4. Requires the @samp{imtest} program.
14241 @dfn{starttls:} Connect via the STARTTLS extension (similar to
14242 SSL). Requires the external library @samp{starttls.el} and program
14245 @dfn{ssl:} Connect through SSL. Requires OpenSSL (the program
14246 @samp{openssl}) or SSLeay (@samp{s_client}) as well as the external
14247 library @samp{ssl.el}.
14249 @dfn{shell:} Use a shell command to start @sc{imap} connection.
14251 @dfn{network:} Plain, TCP/IP network connection.
14254 @vindex imap-kerberos4-program
14255 The @samp{imtest} program is shipped with Cyrus IMAPD. If you're
14256 using @samp{imtest} from Cyrus IMAPD < 2.0.14 (which includes version
14257 1.5.x and 1.6.x) you need to frob @code{imap-process-connection-type}
14258 to make @code{imap.el} use a pty instead of a pipe when communicating
14259 with @samp{imtest}. You will then suffer from a line length
14260 restrictions on IMAP commands, which might make Gnus seem to hang
14261 indefinitely if you have many articles in a mailbox. The variable
14262 @code{imap-kerberos4-program} contain parameters to pass to the imtest
14265 @vindex imap-ssl-program
14266 For SSL connections, the OpenSSL program is available from
14267 @uref{http://www.openssl.org/}. OpenSSL was formerly known as SSLeay,
14268 and nnimap support it too - altough the most recent versions of
14269 SSLeay, 0.9.x, are known to have serious bugs making it
14270 useless. Earlier versions, especially 0.8.x, of SSLeay are known to
14271 work. The variable @code{imap-ssl-program} contain parameters to pass
14272 to OpenSSL/SSLeay. You also need @samp{ssl.el} (from the W3
14273 distribution, for instance).
14275 @vindex imap-shell-program
14276 @vindex imap-shell-host
14277 For @sc{imap} connections using the @code{shell} stream, the variable
14278 @code{imap-shell-program} specify what program to call.
14280 @item nnimap-authenticator
14281 @vindex nnimap-authenticator
14283 The authenticator used to connect to the server. By default, nnimap
14284 will use the most secure authenticator your server is capable of.
14286 Example server specification:
14289 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14290 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous))
14293 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-authenticator} is a symbol!
14297 @dfn{gssapi:} GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5) authentication. Require
14298 external program @code{imtest}.
14300 @dfn{kerberos4:} Kerberos authentication. Require external program
14303 @dfn{digest-md5:} Encrypted username/password via DIGEST-MD5. Require
14304 external library @code{digest-md5.el}.
14306 @dfn{cram-md5:} Encrypted username/password via CRAM-MD5.
14308 @dfn{login:} Plain-text username/password via LOGIN.
14310 @dfn{anonymous:} Login as `anonymous', supplying your emailadress as password.
14313 @item nnimap-expunge-on-close
14315 @vindex nnimap-expunge-on-close
14316 Unlike Parmenides the @sc{imap} designers has decided that things that
14317 doesn't exist actually does exist. More specifically, @sc{imap} has
14318 this concept of marking articles @code{Deleted} which doesn't actually
14319 delete them, and this (marking them @code{Deleted}, that is) is what
14320 nnimap does when you delete a article in Gnus (with @kbd{G DEL} or
14323 Since the articles aren't really removed when we mark them with the
14324 @code{Deleted} flag we'll need a way to actually delete them. Feel like
14325 running in circles yet?
14327 Traditionally, nnimap has removed all articles marked as @code{Deleted}
14328 when closing a mailbox but this is now configurable by this server
14331 The possible options are:
14336 The default behavior, delete all articles marked as "Deleted" when
14339 Never actually delete articles. Currently there is no way of showing
14340 the articles marked for deletion in nnimap, but other @sc{imap} clients
14341 may allow you to do this. If you ever want to run the EXPUNGE command
14342 manually, @xref{Expunging mailboxes}.
14344 When closing mailboxes, nnimap will ask if you wish to expunge deleted
14349 @item nnimap-importantize-dormant
14350 @vindex nnimap-importantize-dormant
14352 If non-nil, marks dormant articles as ticked (as well), for other IMAP
14353 clients. Within Gnus, dormant articles will naturally still (only) be
14354 marked as ticked. This is to make dormant articles stand out, just
14355 like ticked articles, in other IMAP clients. (In other words, Gnus has
14356 two ``Tick'' marks and IMAP has only one.)
14358 Probably the only reason for frobing this would be if you're trying
14359 enable per-user persistant dormant flags, using something like:
14362 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-flag-alist)
14363 (format "gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14364 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-predicate-alist)
14365 (format "KEYWORD gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14368 In this case, you would not want the per-user dormant flag showing up
14369 as ticked for other users.
14371 @item nnimap-expunge-search-string
14373 @vindex nnimap-expunge-search-string
14375 This variable contain the IMAP search command sent to server when
14376 searching for articles eligible for expiring. The default is
14377 @code{"UID %s NOT SINCE %s"}, where the first @code{%s} is replaced by
14378 UID set and the second @code{%s} is replaced by a date.
14380 Probably the only useful value to change this to is
14381 @code{"UID %s NOT SENTSINCE %s"}, which makes nnimap use the Date: in
14382 messages instead of the internal article date. See section 6.4.4 of
14383 RFC 2060 for more information on valid strings.
14385 @item nnimap-authinfo-file
14386 @vindex nnimap-authinfo-file
14388 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format is
14389 (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See the
14390 variable @code{nntp-authinfo-file} for exact syntax; also see
14396 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
14397 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
14398 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
14403 @node Splitting in IMAP
14404 @subsection Splitting in @sc{imap}
14405 @cindex splitting imap mail
14407 Splitting is something Gnus users has loved and used for years, and now
14408 the rest of the world is catching up. Yeah, dream on, not many
14409 @sc{imap} server has server side splitting and those that have splitting
14410 seem to use some non-standard protocol. This means that @sc{imap}
14411 support for Gnus has to do it's own splitting.
14415 Here are the variables of interest:
14419 @item nnimap-split-crosspost
14420 @cindex splitting, crosspost
14422 @vindex nnimap-split-crosspost
14424 If non-nil, do crossposting if several split methods match the mail. If
14425 nil, the first match in @code{nnimap-split-rule} found will be used.
14427 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-crosspost}.
14429 @item nnimap-split-inbox
14430 @cindex splitting, inbox
14432 @vindex nnimap-split-inbox
14434 A string or a list of strings that gives the name(s) of @sc{imap}
14435 mailboxes to split from. Defaults to nil, which means that splitting is
14439 (setq nnimap-split-inbox
14440 '("INBOX" ("~/friend/Mail" . "lists/*") "lists.imap"))
14443 No nnmail equivalent.
14445 @item nnimap-split-rule
14446 @cindex Splitting, rules
14447 @vindex nnimap-split-rule
14449 New mail found in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be split according to
14452 This variable contains a list of lists, where the first element in the
14453 sublist gives the name of the @sc{imap} mailbox to move articles
14454 matching the regexp in the second element in the sublist. Got that?
14455 Neither did I, we need examples.
14458 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14460 "^Sender: owner-nnimap@@vic20.globalcom.se")
14461 ("INBOX.junk" "^Subject:.*MAKE MONEY")
14462 ("INBOX.private" "")))
14465 This will put all articles from the nnimap mailing list into mailbox
14466 INBOX.nnimap, all articles containing MAKE MONEY in the Subject: line
14467 into INBOX.junk and everything else in INBOX.private.
14469 The first string may contain `\\1' forms, like the ones used by
14470 replace-match to insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For
14474 ("INBOX.lists.\\1" "^Sender: owner-\\([a-z-]+\\)@@")
14477 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
14478 called with the first element of the rule as the argument, in a buffer
14479 containing the headers of the article. It should return a non-nil value
14480 if it thinks that the mail belongs in that group.
14482 Nnmail users might recollect that the last regexp had to be empty to
14483 match all articles (like in the example above). This is not required in
14484 nnimap. Articles not matching any of the regexps will not be moved out
14485 of your inbox. (This might affect performance if you keep lots of
14486 unread articles in your inbox, since the splitting code would go over
14487 them every time you fetch new mail.)
14489 These rules are processed from the beginning of the alist toward the
14490 end. The first rule to make a match will "win", unless you have
14491 crossposting enabled. In that case, all matching rules will "win".
14493 This variable can also have a function as its value, the function will
14494 be called with the headers narrowed and should return a group where it
14495 thinks the article should be split to. See @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14497 The splitting code tries to create mailboxes if it need too.
14499 To allow for different split rules on different virtual servers, and
14500 even different split rules in different inboxes on the same server,
14501 the syntax of this variable have been extended along the lines of:
14504 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14505 '(("my1server" (".*" (("ding" "ding@@gnus.org")
14506 ("junk" "From:.*Simon")))
14507 ("my2server" ("INBOX" nnimap-split-fancy))
14508 ("my[34]server" (".*" (("private" "To:.*Simon")
14509 ("junk" my-junk-func)))))
14512 The virtual server name is in fact a regexp, so that the same rules
14513 may apply to several servers. In the example, the servers
14514 @code{my3server} and @code{my4server} both use the same rules.
14515 Similarly, the inbox string is also a regexp. The actual splitting
14516 rules are as before, either a function, or a list with group/regexp or
14517 group/function elements.
14519 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
14521 @item nnimap-split-predicate
14523 @vindex nnimap-split-predicate
14525 Mail matching this predicate in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be
14526 split, it is a string and the default is @samp{UNSEEN UNDELETED}.
14528 This might be useful if you use another @sc{imap} client to read mail in
14529 your inbox but would like Gnus to split all articles in the inbox
14530 regardless of readedness. Then you might change this to
14533 @item nnimap-split-fancy
14534 @cindex splitting, fancy
14535 @findex nnimap-split-fancy
14536 @vindex nnimap-split-fancy
14538 It's possible to set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14539 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} if you want to use fancy
14540 splitting. @xref{Fancy Mail Splitting}.
14542 However, to be able to have different fancy split rules for nnmail and
14543 nnimap back ends you can set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14544 @code{nnimap-split-fancy} and define the nnimap specific fancy split
14545 rule in @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14550 (setq nnimap-split-rule 'nnimap-split-fancy
14551 nnimap-split-fancy ...)
14554 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
14558 @node Editing IMAP ACLs
14559 @subsection Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14560 @cindex editing imap acls
14561 @cindex Access Control Lists
14562 @cindex Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14564 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-edit-acl
14566 ACL stands for Access Control List. ACLs are used in @sc{imap} for
14567 limiting (or enabling) other users access to your mail boxes. Not all
14568 @sc{imap} servers support this, this function will give an error if it
14571 To edit a ACL for a mailbox, type @kbd{G l}
14572 (@code{gnus-group-edit-nnimap-acl}) and you'll be presented with a ACL
14573 editing window with detailed instructions.
14575 Some possible uses:
14579 Giving "anyone" the "lrs" rights (lookup, read, keep seen/unseen flags)
14580 on your mailing list mailboxes enables other users on the same server to
14581 follow the list without subscribing to it.
14583 At least with the Cyrus server, you are required to give the user
14584 "anyone" posting ("p") capabilities to have "plussing" work (that is,
14585 mail sent to user+mailbox@@domain ending up in the @sc{imap} mailbox
14589 @node Expunging mailboxes
14590 @subsection Expunging mailboxes
14594 @cindex Manual expunging
14596 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-expunge
14598 If you're using the @code{never} setting of @code{nnimap-expunge-on-close},
14599 you may want the option of expunging all deleted articles in a mailbox
14600 manually. This is exactly what @kbd{G x} does.
14602 Currently there is no way of showing deleted articles, you can just
14607 @node Other Sources
14608 @section Other Sources
14610 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
14611 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
14615 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
14616 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
14617 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
14618 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
14619 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
14623 @node Directory Groups
14624 @subsection Directory Groups
14626 @cindex directory groups
14628 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
14629 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
14632 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
14633 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
14634 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
14635 back end to read directories. Big deal.
14637 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
14638 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
14639 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
14640 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
14641 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
14643 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
14645 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' back end---you can't delete or expire
14646 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
14647 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
14648 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
14651 @node Anything Groups
14652 @subsection Anything Groups
14655 From the @code{nndir} back end (which reads a single spool-like
14656 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
14657 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
14660 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
14661 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
14662 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
14663 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're forgetting.
14664 @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it snoops each
14665 file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e., the first
14666 few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head. If this is
14667 just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source file),
14668 @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It will use
14669 file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
14672 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
14673 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
14674 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
14675 in the article buffer, just as usual.
14677 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
14678 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
14679 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
14680 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
14682 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
14683 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
14684 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
14685 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
14686 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
14687 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
14688 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
14689 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
14694 @item nneething-map-file-directory
14695 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
14696 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
14697 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
14699 @item nneething-exclude-files
14700 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
14701 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
14702 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
14704 @item nneething-include-files
14705 @vindex nneething-include-files
14706 Regexp saying what files to include in the group. If this variable is
14707 non-@code{nil}, only files matching this regexp will be included.
14709 @item nneething-map-file
14710 @vindex nneething-map-file
14711 Name of the map files.
14715 @node Document Groups
14716 @subsection Document Groups
14718 @cindex documentation group
14721 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
14722 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
14729 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
14734 The standard Unix mbox file.
14736 @cindex MMDF mail box
14738 The MMDF mail box format.
14741 Several news articles appended into a file.
14744 @cindex rnews batch files
14745 The rnews batch transport format.
14746 @cindex forwarded messages
14749 Forwarded articles.
14752 Netscape mail boxes.
14755 MIME multipart messages.
14757 @item standard-digest
14758 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
14761 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
14764 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
14765 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
14766 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
14769 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
14770 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
14771 group. And that's it.
14773 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
14774 new & spiffy Gnus mail back end, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
14775 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
14776 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
14777 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
14778 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
14779 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
14780 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
14781 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
14782 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
14784 Virtual server variables:
14787 @item nndoc-article-type
14788 @vindex nndoc-article-type
14789 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
14790 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
14791 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{standard-digest},
14792 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, @code{nsmail},
14793 @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman} or @code{guess}.
14795 @item nndoc-post-type
14796 @vindex nndoc-post-type
14797 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
14798 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
14803 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
14807 @node Document Server Internals
14808 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
14810 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
14811 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
14812 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
14813 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
14815 First, here's an example document type definition:
14819 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
14820 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
14823 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
14824 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
14825 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
14826 types can be defined with very few settings:
14829 @item first-article
14830 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
14831 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
14834 @item article-begin
14835 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
14836 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
14838 @item head-begin-function
14839 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
14842 @item nndoc-head-begin
14843 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
14846 @item nndoc-head-end
14847 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
14848 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
14850 @item body-begin-function
14851 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
14855 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
14858 @item body-end-function
14859 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
14863 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
14866 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
14867 regexp will be totally ignored.
14871 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
14872 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
14873 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
14874 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
14875 something that's palatable for Gnus:
14878 @item prepare-body-function
14879 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
14880 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
14881 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
14883 @item article-transform-function
14884 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
14885 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
14886 body of the article.
14888 @item generate-head-function
14889 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
14890 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
14891 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
14892 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
14896 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
14901 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
14902 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
14903 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
14904 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
14905 (head-end . "^ ?$")
14906 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
14907 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
14908 (subtype digest guess))
14911 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
14912 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
14913 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
14914 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
14915 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
14917 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
14918 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
14919 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
14920 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
14921 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
14922 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
14923 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
14924 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
14925 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
14926 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
14934 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
14935 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
14936 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
14938 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
14939 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
14940 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
14943 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something that's a bit
14944 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
14945 that interested in doing things properly.
14947 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
14948 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
14951 First some terminology:
14956 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
14957 get news and/or mail from.
14960 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
14961 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
14964 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
14968 @item message packets
14969 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
14970 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
14971 default, where @var{x} is a number.
14973 @item response packets
14974 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
14975 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
14976 default, where @var{x} is a number.
14986 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
14987 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
14988 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
14989 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
14992 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
14995 You put the packet in your home directory.
14998 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} back end as
14999 the native or secondary server.
15002 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
15003 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
15006 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
15010 You transfer this packet to the server.
15013 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
15016 You then repeat until you die.
15020 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
15021 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
15024 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
15025 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
15026 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
15030 @node SOUP Commands
15031 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
15033 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
15037 @kindex G s b (Group)
15038 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
15039 Pack all unread articles in the current group
15040 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
15041 process/prefix convention.
15044 @kindex G s w (Group)
15045 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
15046 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
15049 @kindex G s s (Group)
15050 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
15051 Send all replies from the replies packet
15052 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
15055 @kindex G s p (Group)
15056 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
15057 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
15060 @kindex G s r (Group)
15061 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
15062 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
15065 @kindex O s (Summary)
15066 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
15067 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
15068 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
15069 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15074 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
15079 @item gnus-soup-directory
15080 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
15081 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
15082 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
15084 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
15085 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
15086 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
15087 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
15089 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
15090 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
15091 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
15092 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
15094 @item gnus-soup-packer
15095 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
15096 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
15097 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
15099 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
15100 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
15101 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
15102 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15104 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
15105 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
15106 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
15108 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15109 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15110 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
15111 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
15117 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
15120 @code{nnsoup} is the back end for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
15121 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
15122 you can read them at leisure.
15124 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
15128 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
15129 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
15130 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
15131 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
15133 @item nnsoup-directory
15134 @vindex nnsoup-directory
15135 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
15136 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
15138 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
15139 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
15140 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
15141 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
15143 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
15144 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
15145 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
15146 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
15147 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
15149 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
15150 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
15151 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
15152 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
15154 @item nnsoup-active-file
15155 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
15156 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
15157 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
15158 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
15159 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
15161 @item nnsoup-packer
15162 @vindex nnsoup-packer
15163 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
15164 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
15166 @item nnsoup-unpacker
15167 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
15168 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
15169 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15171 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
15172 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
15173 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
15176 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
15177 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
15178 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
15181 @item nnsoup-always-save
15182 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
15183 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
15189 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
15191 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
15192 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
15193 more for that to happen.
15195 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
15196 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
15197 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
15200 In specific, this is what it does:
15203 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
15204 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
15207 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
15208 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
15209 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
15212 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
15213 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
15214 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
15217 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
15218 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
15219 The @code{nngateway} back end provides the interface.
15221 Note that you can't read anything from this back end---it can only be
15227 @item nngateway-address
15228 @vindex nngateway-address
15229 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
15231 @item nngateway-header-transformation
15232 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
15233 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
15234 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
15235 transformation should be called, and defaults to
15236 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
15237 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
15240 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
15241 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
15242 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
15245 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
15248 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
15251 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
15254 The following pre-defined functions exist:
15256 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15259 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15260 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15261 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
15263 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15265 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15266 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15267 @code{nngateway-address}.
15272 (setq gnus-post-method
15274 "mail2news@@replay.com"
15275 (nngateway-header-transformation
15276 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
15284 So, to use this, simply say something like:
15287 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
15292 @node Combined Groups
15293 @section Combined Groups
15295 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
15299 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
15300 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
15304 @node Virtual Groups
15305 @subsection Virtual Groups
15307 @cindex virtual groups
15308 @cindex merging groups
15310 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
15313 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
15314 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
15315 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
15317 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
15318 regexp to match component groups.
15320 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
15321 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
15322 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
15323 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
15324 the virtual group.)
15326 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
15327 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
15330 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
15333 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
15334 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
15336 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
15337 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
15338 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
15339 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
15342 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
15345 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
15346 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
15347 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
15349 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
15350 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
15351 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
15352 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
15353 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
15355 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
15356 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
15357 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
15359 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
15360 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
15361 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
15362 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15363 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
15364 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
15365 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
15366 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
15367 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
15368 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
15369 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
15371 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
15372 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
15373 has to ask the back end of the component group the article comes from
15374 whether it is a news or mail back end. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
15375 there is typically no sure way for the component back end to know this,
15376 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
15377 not-news back end. (Just to be on the safe side.)
15379 @kbd{C-c C-t} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
15380 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
15384 @node Kibozed Groups
15385 @subsection Kibozed Groups
15389 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
15390 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a back end that will do this for
15391 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
15392 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
15394 @kindex G k (Group)
15395 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
15398 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
15399 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
15400 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
15401 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
15403 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
15404 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
15405 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
15407 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
15408 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
15409 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
15410 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
15411 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
15412 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
15413 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
15414 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
15416 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
15417 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
15418 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
15419 Stranger things have happened.
15421 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
15422 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
15424 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
15425 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
15426 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
15427 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
15428 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
15429 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
15431 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
15432 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
15435 @node Gnus Unplugged
15436 @section Gnus Unplugged
15441 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
15443 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
15444 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
15445 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
15446 read news. Believe it or not.
15448 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
15449 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
15450 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
15451 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
15452 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
15454 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
15455 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
15456 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
15457 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
15458 reading news on a machine.
15460 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
15464 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
15465 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
15469 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
15470 @file{.gnus.el} file:
15477 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
15479 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
15482 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
15483 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
15484 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
15485 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
15486 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
15487 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
15488 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
15489 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
15490 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
15491 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
15496 @subsection Agent Basics
15498 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
15500 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
15501 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
15502 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
15503 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
15505 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
15506 connected to the net continuously.
15508 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
15509 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
15511 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
15516 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
15517 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
15518 already fetched while in this mode.
15521 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
15522 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
15523 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged} and use @kbd{g} to check for new mail
15524 as usual. To check for new mail in unplugged mode, see (@pxref{Mail
15525 Source Specifiers}).
15528 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
15529 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{g}
15530 to check if there are any new news and then @kbd{J
15531 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
15532 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
15535 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
15536 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
15537 then you read the news offline.
15540 And then you go to step 2.
15543 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
15549 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
15550 back end, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
15551 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
15552 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
15553 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
15554 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
15557 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
15564 @node Agent Categories
15565 @subsection Agent Categories
15567 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
15568 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
15569 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
15570 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
15571 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
15572 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
15573 you're interested in the articles anyway.
15575 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
15576 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
15577 Groups that do not belong in any other category belong to the
15578 @code{default} category. Gnus has its own buffer for creating and
15579 managing categories.
15582 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
15583 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
15584 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
15588 @node Category Syntax
15589 @subsubsection Category Syntax
15591 A category consists of two things.
15595 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
15596 are eligible for downloading; and
15599 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
15600 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
15601 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
15604 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
15605 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
15606 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
15607 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
15609 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
15610 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
15611 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as described below.
15613 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
15614 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
15615 operators sprinkled in between.
15617 Perhaps some examples are in order.
15619 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
15620 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
15626 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
15627 short (for some value of ``short'').
15629 Here's a more complex predicate:
15638 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
15639 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
15642 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
15643 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
15644 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
15646 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
15647 you want to do, you can write your own.
15651 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
15652 lines; default 100.
15655 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
15656 lines; default 200.
15659 True iff the article has a download score less than
15660 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
15663 True iff the article has a download score greater than
15664 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
15667 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
15668 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
15669 checksum and sees whether articles match.
15678 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
15679 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
15680 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
15683 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
15684 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
15685 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
15686 something along the lines of the following:
15689 (defun my-article-old-p ()
15690 "Say whether an article is old."
15691 (< (time-to-days (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
15692 (- (time-to-days (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
15695 with the predicate then defined as:
15698 (not my-article-old-p)
15701 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
15702 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
15703 wherever. (Note: this would have to be at a point *after*
15704 @code{gnus-agent} has been loaded via @code{(gnus-agentize)})
15707 (setq gnus-category-predicate-alist
15708 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
15709 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
15712 and simply specify your predicate as:
15718 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
15719 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
15720 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
15721 just don't give a damn.
15723 The above predicates apply to *all* the groups which belong to the
15724 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
15725 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
15726 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
15727 parameters like so:
15730 (agent-predicate . short)
15733 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category default.
15734 Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this, the
15735 @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair notation.
15737 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
15740 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
15743 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
15744 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
15745 predicate is assumed to be a list.
15748 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
15749 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
15750 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
15751 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
15752 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
15753 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
15755 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
15756 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
15757 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
15758 if it's to be specific to that group.
15760 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
15767 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
15768 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
15774 Category specification
15778 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15784 Group Parameter specification
15787 (agent-score ("from"
15788 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15793 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
15799 These score files must *only* contain the permitted scoring keywords
15806 Category specification
15809 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
15815 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
15819 Group Parameter specification
15822 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
15825 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
15830 Use @code{normal} score files
15832 If you don't want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
15833 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
15834 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
15835 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
15837 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
15838 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
15839 files for a group, *filtering out* those sections that do not
15840 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
15844 Category Specification
15851 Group Parameter specification
15854 (agent-score . file)
15859 @node Category Buffer
15860 @subsubsection Category Buffer
15862 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
15863 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
15864 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
15866 The following commands are available in this buffer:
15870 @kindex q (Category)
15871 @findex gnus-category-exit
15872 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
15875 @kindex k (Category)
15876 @findex gnus-category-kill
15877 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
15880 @kindex c (Category)
15881 @findex gnus-category-copy
15882 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
15885 @kindex a (Category)
15886 @findex gnus-category-add
15887 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
15890 @kindex p (Category)
15891 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
15892 Edit the predicate of the current category
15893 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
15896 @kindex g (Category)
15897 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
15898 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
15899 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
15902 @kindex s (Category)
15903 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
15904 Edit the download score rule of the current category
15905 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
15908 @kindex l (Category)
15909 @findex gnus-category-list
15910 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
15914 @node Category Variables
15915 @subsubsection Category Variables
15918 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
15919 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
15920 Hook run in category buffers.
15922 @item gnus-category-line-format
15923 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
15924 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
15925 Variables}). Valid elements are:
15929 The name of the category.
15932 The number of groups in the category.
15935 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
15936 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
15937 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
15939 @item gnus-agent-short-article
15940 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
15941 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
15943 @item gnus-agent-long-article
15944 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
15945 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
15947 @item gnus-agent-low-score
15948 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
15949 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
15952 @item gnus-agent-high-score
15953 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
15954 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
15960 @node Agent Commands
15961 @subsection Agent Commands
15963 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
15964 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged}) command works in all modes, and
15965 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
15969 * Group Agent Commands::
15970 * Summary Agent Commands::
15971 * Server Agent Commands::
15974 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
15975 following incantation:
15977 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
15979 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
15984 @node Group Agent Commands
15985 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
15989 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
15990 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
15991 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
15992 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
15995 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
15996 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
15997 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
16000 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
16001 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
16002 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
16003 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
16006 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
16007 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
16008 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
16009 (@code{gnus-group-send-drafts}). @xref{Drafts}.
16012 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
16013 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
16014 Add the current group to an Agent category
16015 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}). This command understands the
16016 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16019 @kindex J r (Agent Group)
16020 @findex gnus-agent-remove-group
16021 Remove the current group from its category, if any
16022 (@code{gnus-agent-remove-group}). This command understands the
16023 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16026 @kindex J Y (Agent Group)
16027 @findex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
16028 Synchronize flags changed while unplugged with remote server, if any.
16034 @node Summary Agent Commands
16035 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
16039 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
16040 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
16041 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
16044 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
16045 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
16046 Remove the downloading mark from the article
16047 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
16050 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
16051 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
16052 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
16055 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
16056 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
16057 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
16060 @kindex J u (Agent Summary)
16061 @findex gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group
16062 Download all downloadable articles in the current group
16063 (@code{gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group}).
16068 @node Server Agent Commands
16069 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
16073 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
16074 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
16075 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
16076 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
16079 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
16080 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
16081 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
16082 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
16088 @subsection Agent Expiry
16090 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
16091 @findex gnus-agent-expire
16092 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
16093 @cindex Agent expiry
16094 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
16097 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
16098 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
16099 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
16100 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
16101 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
16102 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
16104 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
16105 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
16106 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
16107 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
16108 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
16111 @node Agent and IMAP
16112 @subsection Agent and IMAP
16114 The Agent work with any Gnus back end, including nnimap. However,
16115 since there are some conceptual differences between @sc{nntp} and
16116 @sc{imap}, this section (should) provide you with some information to
16117 make Gnus Agent work smoother as a @sc{imap} Disconnected Mode client.
16119 The first thing to keep in mind is that all flags (read, ticked, etc)
16120 are kept on the @sc{imap} server, rather than in @code{.newsrc} as is the
16121 case for nntp. Thus Gnus need to remember flag changes when
16122 disconnected, and synchronize these flags when you plug back in.
16124 Gnus keep track of flag changes when reading nnimap groups under the
16125 Agent by default. When you plug back in, by default Gnus will check if
16126 you have any changed any flags and ask if you wish to synchronize these
16127 with the server. This behavior is customizable with
16128 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags}.
16130 @vindex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
16131 If @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} is @code{nil}, the Agent will
16132 never automatically synchronize flags. If it is @code{ask}, the
16133 default, the Agent will check if you made any changes and if so ask if
16134 you wish to synchronize these when you re-connect. If it has any other
16135 value, all flags will be synchronized automatically.
16137 If you do not wish to automatically synchronize flags when you
16138 re-connect, this can be done manually with the
16139 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} command that is bound to @kbd{J Y}
16140 in the group buffer by default.
16142 Some things are currently not implemented in the Agent that you'd might
16143 expect from a disconnected @sc{imap} client, including:
16148 Copying/moving articles into nnimap groups when unplugged.
16151 Creating/deleting nnimap groups when unplugged.
16155 Technical note: the synchronization algorithm does not work by "pushing"
16156 all local flags to the server, but rather incrementally update the
16157 server view of flags by changing only those flags that were changed by
16158 the user. Thus, if you set one flag on a article, quit the group and
16159 re-select the group and remove the flag; the flag will be set and
16160 removed from the server when you "synchronize". The queued flag
16161 operations can be found in the per-server @code{flags} file in the Agent
16162 directory. It's emptied when you synchronize flags.
16165 @node Outgoing Messages
16166 @subsection Outgoing Messages
16168 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
16169 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
16170 after posting, and edit them at will.
16172 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
16173 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
16174 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
16175 messages in the draft group.
16179 @node Agent Variables
16180 @subsection Agent Variables
16183 @item gnus-agent-directory
16184 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
16185 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
16186 @file{~/News/agent/}.
16188 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
16189 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
16190 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
16191 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
16192 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
16195 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16196 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16197 Hook run when connecting to the network.
16199 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16200 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16201 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
16206 @node Example Setup
16207 @subsection Example Setup
16209 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
16210 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
16211 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
16214 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over @sc{nntp}
16215 ;;; from your ISP's server.
16216 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.your-isp.com"))
16218 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
16219 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
16220 (setq mail-sources '((pop :server "pop.your-isp.com")))
16222 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
16223 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
16225 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
16229 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
16230 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
16233 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
16234 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
16235 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
16236 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
16237 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
16240 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
16241 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
16242 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
16243 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
16244 back all the killed groups.)
16246 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
16247 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
16248 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
16251 @node Batching Agents
16252 @subsection Batching Agents
16254 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
16255 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
16256 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
16260 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
16264 @node Agent Caveats
16265 @subsection Agent Caveats
16267 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
16268 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
16272 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the
16277 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists
16278 in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
16284 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
16285 articles; when it's plugged, it only talks to your ISP.
16292 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
16293 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
16294 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
16297 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
16298 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
16299 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
16300 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
16301 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
16303 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
16304 before generating the summary buffer.
16306 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
16307 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
16308 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
16310 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
16311 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
16312 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
16313 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
16316 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
16317 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
16318 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
16319 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
16320 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
16321 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
16322 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
16323 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
16324 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
16325 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
16326 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
16327 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
16328 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
16329 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
16330 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
16331 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
16332 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
16336 @node Summary Score Commands
16337 @section Summary Score Commands
16338 @cindex score commands
16340 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
16341 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
16342 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
16343 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
16344 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
16346 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
16347 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
16348 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
16349 score file the current one.
16351 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
16356 @kindex V s (Summary)
16357 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
16358 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
16361 @kindex V S (Summary)
16362 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
16363 Display the score of the current article
16364 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
16367 @kindex V t (Summary)
16368 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
16369 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
16370 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
16373 @kindex V R (Summary)
16374 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
16375 Run the current summary through the scoring process
16376 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
16377 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
16378 effect you're having.
16381 @kindex V c (Summary)
16382 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
16383 Make a different score file the current
16384 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
16387 @kindex V e (Summary)
16388 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
16389 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
16390 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
16394 @kindex V f (Summary)
16395 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
16396 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
16397 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
16400 @kindex V F (Summary)
16401 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16402 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
16403 after editing score files.
16406 @kindex V C (Summary)
16407 @findex gnus-score-customize
16408 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
16409 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
16413 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
16418 @kindex V m (Summary)
16419 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
16420 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
16421 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
16424 @kindex V x (Summary)
16425 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
16426 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
16427 expunge all articles below this score
16428 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
16431 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
16432 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
16435 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
16436 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
16440 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
16441 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
16443 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
16444 keys are available:
16448 Score on the author name.
16451 Score on the subject line.
16454 Score on the @code{Xref} line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
16457 Score on the @code{References} line.
16463 Score on the number of lines.
16466 Score on the @code{Message-ID} header.
16469 Score on followups---this matches the author name, and adds scores to
16470 the followups to this author. (Using this key leads to the creation of
16471 @file{ADAPT} files.)
16480 Score on thread. (Using this key leads to the creation of @file{ADAPT}
16486 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
16487 what headers you are scoring on.
16499 Substring matching.
16502 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
16531 Greater than number.
16536 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
16537 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
16538 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
16542 Temporary score entry.
16545 Permanent score entry.
16548 Immediately scoring.
16553 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
16554 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
16555 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
16556 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
16558 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
16559 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
16560 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
16561 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
16562 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
16564 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
16565 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
16566 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
16567 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
16568 current score file.
16570 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
16571 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
16572 pretend they are keymaps or not.
16575 @node Group Score Commands
16576 @section Group Score Commands
16577 @cindex group score commands
16579 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
16584 @kindex W f (Group)
16585 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16586 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
16587 all the time. This command will flush the cache
16588 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
16592 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
16594 @findex gnus-batch-score
16595 @cindex batch scoring
16597 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
16601 @node Score Variables
16602 @section Score Variables
16603 @cindex score variables
16607 @item gnus-use-scoring
16608 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
16609 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
16610 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
16612 @item gnus-kill-killed
16613 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
16614 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
16615 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
16616 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
16617 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
16618 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
16619 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
16621 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
16622 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
16623 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
16624 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
16625 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
16627 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
16628 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
16629 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
16630 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
16632 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16633 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16634 @cindex score cache
16635 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
16636 score files. However, if this might make your Emacs grow big and
16637 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
16638 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
16639 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
16640 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
16643 @item gnus-save-score
16644 @vindex gnus-save-score
16645 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
16646 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
16647 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
16649 If you do not set this to @code{t}, then manual scores (like those set
16650 with @kbd{V s} (@code{gnus-summary-set-score})) will not be preserved
16651 across group visits.
16653 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16654 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16655 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
16656 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
16657 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
16658 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
16659 manually entered data.
16661 @item gnus-summary-default-score
16662 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
16663 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
16665 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
16666 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
16667 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
16668 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
16669 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
16670 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
16672 @item gnus-score-over-mark
16673 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
16674 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
16675 default. Default is @samp{+}.
16677 @item gnus-score-below-mark
16678 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
16679 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
16680 default. Default is @samp{-}.
16682 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16683 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16684 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
16685 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
16687 Predefined functions available are:
16690 @item gnus-score-find-single
16691 @findex gnus-score-find-single
16692 Only apply the group's own score file.
16694 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
16695 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
16696 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
16697 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
16698 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
16699 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
16700 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
16701 then a regexp match is done.
16703 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
16704 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
16706 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
16707 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
16708 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
16709 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
16711 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16712 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16713 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
16714 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
16715 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE} for each
16719 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all
16720 these functions will be called with the group name as argument, and
16721 all the returned lists of score files will be applied. These
16722 functions can also return lists of lists of score alists directly. In
16723 that case, the functions that return these non-file score alists
16724 should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file functions, to
16725 ensure that the last score file returned is the local score file.
16728 For example, to do hierarchical scoring but use a non-server-specific
16729 overall score file, you could use the value
16731 (list (lambda (group) ("all.SCORE"))
16732 'gnus-score-find-hierarchical)
16735 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
16736 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
16737 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
16738 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
16739 are expired. It's 7 by default.
16741 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16742 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16743 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
16744 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
16745 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
16746 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
16747 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
16750 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16751 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16752 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
16754 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
16755 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
16756 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
16757 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
16758 threading---according to the current value of
16759 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
16760 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
16761 simplified in this manner.
16766 @node Score File Format
16767 @section Score File Format
16768 @cindex score file format
16770 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
16771 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
16772 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
16774 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
16778 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
16780 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
16782 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
16784 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
16789 (mark-and-expunge -10)
16793 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
16794 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
16795 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
16796 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
16800 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
16801 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
16803 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
16804 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
16805 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
16807 Six keys are supported by this alist:
16812 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
16813 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
16814 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
16815 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
16816 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
16817 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
16818 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
16819 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
16820 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
16821 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
16822 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
16823 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
16824 to articles that matches these score entries.
16826 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
16827 score entry has one to four elements.
16831 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
16832 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
16836 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
16837 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
16838 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
16839 is successful. If this element is not present, the
16840 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
16841 instead. This is 1000 by default.
16844 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
16845 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
16846 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
16847 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
16848 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
16851 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
16852 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
16853 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
16854 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
16857 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
16858 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
16859 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
16860 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
16861 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
16862 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
16863 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
16864 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
16865 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
16866 instead, if you feel like.
16869 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
16870 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
16872 These predicates are true if
16875 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
16878 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
16879 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
16886 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
16887 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
16888 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
16889 it's not. I think.)
16891 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some back ends (like
16892 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
16893 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
16894 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
16897 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
16898 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
16899 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
16900 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
16901 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
16902 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
16903 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
16907 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
16908 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
16909 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
16910 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
16911 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
16912 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
16913 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
16914 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
16917 @item Head, Body, All
16918 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
16922 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
16923 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
16924 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
16925 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
16926 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
16927 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
16928 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
16932 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
16933 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an
16934 article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{x}, then you add a @samp{thread}
16935 match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each article that
16936 has @var{x} in its @code{References} header. (These new @samp{thread}
16937 matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching articles.)
16938 This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an entire thread,
16939 even though some articles in the thread may not have complete
16940 @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
16941 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
16942 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
16946 @cindex Score File Atoms
16948 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16949 lower than this number will be marked as read.
16952 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16953 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
16955 @item mark-and-expunge
16956 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
16957 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
16960 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
16961 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
16962 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
16963 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
16964 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
16967 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
16968 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
16971 @item exclude-files
16972 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
16973 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
16977 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
16978 ignored when handling global score files.
16981 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
16982 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
16983 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
16984 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
16987 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
16988 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
16989 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
16990 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
16992 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
16996 (mark-and-expunge -100)
16999 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
17000 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
17001 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
17002 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
17003 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
17005 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where a few
17006 interesting threads which can't be found automatically by ordinary
17007 scoring rules exist.
17010 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
17011 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
17012 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
17013 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
17014 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
17015 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
17016 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
17017 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
17018 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
17019 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
17020 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
17024 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
17025 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
17026 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
17027 file for a number of groups.
17030 @cindex local variables
17031 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
17032 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
17033 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
17034 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
17035 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
17039 @node Score File Editing
17040 @section Score File Editing
17042 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
17043 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
17044 with a mode for that.
17046 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
17047 additional commands:
17052 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
17053 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
17054 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
17055 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
17058 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
17059 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
17060 Insert the current date in numerical format
17061 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
17062 you were wondering.
17065 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
17066 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
17067 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
17068 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
17069 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
17074 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
17076 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
17077 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
17079 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
17080 e} to begin editing score files.
17083 @node Adaptive Scoring
17084 @section Adaptive Scoring
17085 @cindex adaptive scoring
17087 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
17088 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
17089 stupidity, to be precise.
17091 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
17092 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
17093 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
17094 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
17095 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
17096 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
17097 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
17098 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
17099 variable to @code{(word line)}.
17101 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17102 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
17103 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
17104 might look something like this:
17107 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17108 '((gnus-unread-mark)
17109 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
17110 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
17111 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
17112 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
17113 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
17114 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
17115 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
17116 (gnus-ancient-mark)
17117 (gnus-low-score-mark)
17118 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
17121 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
17122 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
17123 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
17124 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
17125 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
17126 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
17129 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
17130 will be applied to each article.
17132 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
17133 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
17134 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
17135 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
17137 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
17138 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
17139 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
17140 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
17142 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
17143 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
17144 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
17145 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
17147 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
17148 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
17149 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
17150 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
17151 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
17152 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
17154 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
17155 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
17156 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
17157 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
17158 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
17159 aspirins afterwards.)
17161 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
17162 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
17163 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
17165 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
17166 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
17167 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
17169 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
17170 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
17171 let you use different rules in different groups.
17173 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
17174 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
17175 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
17178 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
17179 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
17180 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
17181 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
17182 the length of the match is less than
17183 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
17184 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
17187 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17188 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
17189 headers. If you adapt on words, the
17190 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
17191 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
17194 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17195 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
17196 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
17197 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
17198 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
17201 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
17202 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
17203 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
17204 score with 30 points.
17206 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
17207 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
17208 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
17209 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
17210 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
17212 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit
17213 Some may feel that short words shouldn't count when doing adaptive
17214 scoring. If so, you may set @code{gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit} to
17215 an integer. Words shorter than this number will be ignored. This
17216 variable defaults til @code{nil}.
17218 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
17219 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
17220 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
17221 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
17223 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
17224 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
17225 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
17226 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
17228 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
17229 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
17230 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
17231 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
17232 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
17234 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
17235 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
17236 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
17238 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
17239 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
17240 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
17241 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
17244 @node Home Score File
17245 @section Home Score File
17247 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
17248 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
17249 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
17250 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
17252 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
17253 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
17254 could perhaps use the same home score file.
17256 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
17257 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
17262 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
17266 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
17267 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
17271 A list. The elements in this list can be:
17275 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-name})}. If the @var{regexp} matches the
17276 group name, the @var{file-name} will be used as the home score file.
17279 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
17280 the home score file.
17283 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
17286 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
17291 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
17294 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17295 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
17298 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
17299 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
17301 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
17303 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17304 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
17307 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
17308 Other functions include
17311 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
17312 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
17313 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
17314 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
17318 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
17319 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
17320 their own home score files:
17323 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17324 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
17325 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
17326 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
17327 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
17330 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
17331 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
17332 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
17333 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
17334 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
17336 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
17337 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
17338 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
17339 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
17340 precedence over this variable.
17343 @node Followups To Yourself
17344 @section Followups To Yourself
17346 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
17347 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
17348 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
17349 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
17350 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
17351 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
17355 @item gnus-score-followup-article
17356 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
17357 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
17360 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
17361 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
17362 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
17366 @vindex message-sent-hook
17367 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
17368 @code{message-sent-hook}, like this:
17370 (add-hook 'message-sent-hook 'gnus-score-followup-thread)
17374 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
17375 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
17379 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17380 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17383 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
17384 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
17389 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore\\.no>"
17393 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
17394 is system-dependent.
17397 @node Scoring On Other Headers
17398 @section Scoring On Other Headers
17399 @cindex scoring on other headers
17401 Gnus is quite fast when scoring the ``traditional''
17402 headers---@samp{From}, @samp{Subject} and so on. However, scoring
17403 other headers requires writing a @code{head} scoring rule, which means
17404 that Gnus has to request every single article from the back end to find
17405 matches. This takes a long time in big groups.
17407 Now, there's not much you can do about this for news groups, but for
17408 mail groups, you have greater control. In the @pxref{To From
17409 Newsgroups} section of the manual, it's explained in greater detail what
17410 this mechanism does, but here's a cookbook example for @code{nnml} on
17411 how to allow scoring on the @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} headers.
17413 Put the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
17416 (setq gnus-extra-headers '(To Cc Newsgroups Keywords)
17417 nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
17420 Restart Gnus and rebuild your @code{nnml} overview files with the
17421 @kbd{M-x nnml-generate-nov-databases} command. This will take a long
17422 time if you have much mail.
17424 Now you can score on @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} as ``extra headers'' like
17425 so: @kbd{I e s p To RET <your name> RET}.
17431 @section Scoring Tips
17432 @cindex scoring tips
17438 @cindex scoring crossposts
17439 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
17440 the @code{Xref} header.
17442 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
17445 @item Multiple crossposts
17446 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
17447 more than, say, 3 groups:
17450 ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+"
17454 @item Matching on the body
17455 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
17456 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
17457 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
17458 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
17459 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
17460 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
17461 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
17464 @item Marking as read
17465 You will probably want to mark articles that have scores below a certain
17466 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
17467 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
17471 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
17473 @item Negated character classes
17474 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
17475 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
17476 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
17480 @node Reverse Scoring
17481 @section Reverse Scoring
17482 @cindex reverse scoring
17484 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
17485 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
17486 like this in your score file:
17490 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
17495 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
17496 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
17499 @node Global Score Files
17500 @section Global Score Files
17501 @cindex global score files
17503 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
17504 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
17505 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
17507 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
17508 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
17509 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
17511 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
17512 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
17513 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
17514 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
17515 files are applicable to which group.
17517 To use the score file
17518 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
17519 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory,
17523 (setq gnus-global-score-files
17524 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
17525 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
17528 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
17530 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
17531 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
17532 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
17533 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
17535 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
17536 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
17538 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
17539 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
17540 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
17541 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
17542 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
17543 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
17545 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
17551 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
17553 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
17555 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
17557 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
17558 lowered out of existence.
17560 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
17561 articles completely.
17564 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
17565 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
17566 old articles for a long time.
17569 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
17570 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
17571 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
17572 holding our breath yet?
17576 @section Kill Files
17579 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
17580 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
17581 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
17583 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
17584 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
17585 files into score files.
17587 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
17588 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
17589 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
17590 that isn't a very good idea.
17592 Normal kill files look like this:
17595 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17596 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
17600 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
17601 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
17603 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
17604 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
17607 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
17612 @kindex M-k (Summary)
17613 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
17614 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
17617 @kindex M-K (Summary)
17618 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
17619 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
17622 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
17627 @kindex M-k (Group)
17628 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
17629 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
17632 @kindex M-K (Group)
17633 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
17634 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
17637 Kill file variables:
17640 @item gnus-kill-file-name
17641 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
17642 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
17643 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
17644 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
17645 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
17646 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
17648 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17649 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17650 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
17651 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
17654 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
17655 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
17656 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
17657 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
17658 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
17659 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
17660 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
17661 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
17662 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
17664 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17665 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17666 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
17671 @node Converting Kill Files
17672 @section Converting Kill Files
17674 @cindex converting kill files
17676 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
17677 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
17678 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
17681 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
17682 You can fetch it from
17683 @uref{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-various/gnus-kill-to-score.el}.
17685 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
17686 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
17687 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
17695 GroupLens (@uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/}) is a
17696 collaborative filtering system that helps you work together with other
17697 people to find the quality news articles out of the huge volume of
17698 news articles generated every day.
17700 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
17701 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
17702 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
17703 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
17704 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
17705 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
17706 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
17707 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
17710 @sc{Note:} Unfortunately the GroupLens system seems to have shut down,
17711 so this section is mostly of historical interest.
17714 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
17715 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
17716 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
17717 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
17721 @node Using GroupLens
17722 @subsection Using GroupLens
17724 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
17726 @uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
17727 better bit in town at the moment.
17729 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
17733 @item gnus-use-grouplens
17734 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
17735 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
17736 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
17738 @item grouplens-pseudonym
17739 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
17740 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
17741 with the Better Bit Bureau.
17743 @item grouplens-newsgroups
17744 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
17745 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
17749 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
17750 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
17751 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
17752 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
17753 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
17754 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
17757 @node Rating Articles
17758 @subsection Rating Articles
17760 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
17761 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
17762 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
17763 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
17766 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
17771 @kindex r (GroupLens)
17772 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
17773 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
17776 @kindex k (GroupLens)
17777 @findex grouplens-score-thread
17778 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
17779 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
17780 threads in rec.humor.
17784 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
17785 the score of the article you're reading.
17790 @kindex n (GroupLens)
17791 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
17792 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
17795 @kindex , (GroupLens)
17796 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
17797 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
17801 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
17802 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
17805 @node Displaying Predictions
17806 @subsection Displaying Predictions
17808 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
17809 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
17810 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
17811 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
17812 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
17814 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
17815 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
17816 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
17817 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
17818 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
17819 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
17820 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
17821 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
17822 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
17823 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
17824 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
17825 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
17826 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
17828 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
17829 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
17830 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
17831 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
17833 The following are valid values for that variable.
17836 @item prediction-spot
17837 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
17840 @item confidence-interval
17841 A numeric confidence interval.
17843 @item prediction-bar
17844 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
17846 @item confidence-bar
17847 Numerical confidence.
17849 @item confidence-spot
17850 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
17852 @item prediction-num
17853 Plain-old numeric value.
17855 @item confidence-plus-minus
17856 Prediction +/- confidence.
17861 @node GroupLens Variables
17862 @subsection GroupLens Variables
17866 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
17867 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
17868 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
17869 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%)
17872 @item grouplens-bbb-host
17873 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
17876 @item grouplens-bbb-port
17877 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
17879 @item grouplens-score-offset
17880 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
17881 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
17884 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
17885 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
17886 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
17891 @node Advanced Scoring
17892 @section Advanced Scoring
17894 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
17895 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
17896 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
17897 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
17898 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
17900 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
17904 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
17905 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
17906 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
17910 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
17911 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
17913 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
17914 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
17915 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
17916 non-@code{nil} value.
17918 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
17919 operator, and various match operators.
17926 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
17927 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
17928 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
17933 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
17934 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
17935 then this operator will return @code{false}.
17940 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
17941 logical negation of the value of its argument.
17945 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
17946 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
17947 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
17948 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
17949 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
17950 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
17951 the ancestry you want to go.
17953 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
17954 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
17955 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
17956 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
17957 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
17960 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
17961 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
17963 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
17964 when he's talking about Gnus:
17968 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17969 ("subject" "Gnus"))
17975 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
17979 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17986 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
17987 really don't want to read what he's written:
17991 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17992 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
17996 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
17997 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
17998 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
18005 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
18006 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
18007 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
18008 ("body" "white.*socks"))
18012 The possibilities are endless.
18015 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
18016 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
18018 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
18019 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
18020 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
18021 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
18022 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
18023 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
18024 @samp{subject}) first.
18026 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
18027 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
18038 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
18039 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
18045 ("subject" "Gnus")))
18052 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
18053 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
18058 @section Score Decays
18059 @cindex score decays
18062 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
18063 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
18064 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
18065 use them in any sensible way.
18067 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
18068 @findex gnus-decay-score
18069 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
18070 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
18071 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
18072 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
18073 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
18074 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
18075 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
18076 definition of that function:
18079 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
18081 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
18082 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
18085 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
18087 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
18089 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
18092 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
18093 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
18094 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
18095 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
18099 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
18102 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
18105 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
18109 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
18110 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
18111 the new score, which should be an integer.
18113 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
18114 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
18119 @include message.texi
18120 @chapter Emacs MIME
18121 @include emacs-mime.texi
18123 @include sieve.texi
18131 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
18132 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
18133 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
18134 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
18135 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
18136 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
18137 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
18138 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
18139 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
18140 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
18141 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
18142 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
18143 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
18144 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
18145 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
18146 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
18147 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
18148 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
18152 @node Process/Prefix
18153 @section Process/Prefix
18154 @cindex process/prefix convention
18156 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
18157 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
18159 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
18160 command to be performed on.
18164 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
18165 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
18166 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
18167 with the current one.
18169 @vindex transient-mark-mode
18170 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
18171 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
18173 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
18174 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
18177 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
18178 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
18180 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
18183 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
18184 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
18185 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
18186 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
18188 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
18189 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
18190 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
18191 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
18192 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
18193 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
18194 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
18195 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
18197 Many commands do not use the process/prefix convention. All commands
18198 that do explicitly say so in this manual. To apply the process/prefix
18199 convention to commands that do not use it, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
18200 command. For instance, to mark all the articles in the group as
18201 expirable, you could say `M P b M-& E'.
18205 @section Interactive
18206 @cindex interaction
18210 @item gnus-novice-user
18211 @vindex gnus-novice-user
18212 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
18213 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
18214 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
18215 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
18218 @item gnus-expert-user
18219 @vindex gnus-expert-user
18220 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
18221 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
18222 matter how strange.
18224 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
18225 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
18226 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
18227 is @code{t} by default.
18229 @item gnus-interactive-exit
18230 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
18231 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18236 @node Symbolic Prefixes
18237 @section Symbolic Prefixes
18238 @cindex symbolic prefixes
18240 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
18241 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
18242 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
18243 rule of 900 to the current article.
18245 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
18246 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
18247 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
18248 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
18249 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
18250 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
18251 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
18253 @kindex M-i (Summary)
18254 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
18255 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
18256 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
18257 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
18258 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a C-M-u} means ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u}
18259 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b C-M-u} means
18260 ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
18261 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
18263 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
18264 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
18265 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
18267 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
18271 @node Formatting Variables
18272 @section Formatting Variables
18273 @cindex formatting variables
18275 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
18276 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
18277 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
18278 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
18279 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
18282 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
18283 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
18284 lots of percentages everywhere.
18287 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
18288 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
18289 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
18290 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
18291 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
18292 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
18293 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
18294 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
18297 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
18298 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
18299 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
18300 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
18301 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
18302 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
18303 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
18304 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
18306 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
18307 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
18309 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
18310 @findex gnus-update-format
18311 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
18312 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
18313 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
18314 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
18318 @node Formatting Basics
18319 @subsection Formatting Basics
18321 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
18322 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
18323 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
18325 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
18326 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
18327 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
18328 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
18329 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
18332 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
18333 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
18334 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
18335 less than 4 characters wide.
18337 Also Gnus supports some extended format specifications, such as
18338 @samp{%&user-date;}.
18340 @node Mode Line Formatting
18341 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
18343 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
18344 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
18345 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
18346 with the following two differences:
18351 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
18354 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
18355 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
18356 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
18357 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
18358 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
18359 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
18360 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
18365 @node Advanced Formatting
18366 @subsection Advanced Formatting
18368 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
18369 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
18370 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
18371 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
18373 These are the valid modifiers:
18378 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
18382 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
18387 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
18390 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
18395 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
18398 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
18401 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
18404 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
18408 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
18409 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
18410 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
18411 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
18412 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
18413 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
18414 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
18416 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
18417 last operation, padding.
18419 @vindex gnus-compile-user-specs
18420 If @code{gnus-compile-user-specs} is set to @code{nil} (@code{t} by
18421 default) with your strong personality, and use a lots of these advanced
18422 thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets quite slow. This can be helped
18423 enormously by running @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with
18424 the look of your lines.
18425 @xref{Compilation}.
18428 @node User-Defined Specs
18429 @subsection User-Defined Specs
18431 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
18432 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
18433 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
18434 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
18435 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
18436 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
18437 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
18438 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
18439 should protect against that.
18441 Also Gnus supports extended user-defined specs, such as @samp{%u&foo;}.
18442 Gnus will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{foo}.
18444 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
18445 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
18446 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
18447 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
18451 @node Formatting Fonts
18452 @subsection Formatting Fonts
18454 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
18455 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
18456 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
18457 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
18460 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
18461 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
18462 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
18463 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
18464 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
18465 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
18467 Text inside the @samp{%<} and @samp{%>} specifiers will get the special
18468 @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}. If you
18469 say @samp{%1<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on. The
18470 @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or symbols
18471 naming functions that return a string. Under @code{balloon-help-mode},
18472 when the mouse passes over text with this property set, a balloon window
18473 will appear and display the string. Please refer to the doc string of
18474 @code{balloon-help-mode} for more information on this.
18476 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
18479 ;; Create three face types.
18480 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
18481 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
18483 ;; We want the article count to be in
18484 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
18485 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
18486 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
18488 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
18489 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
18491 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
18492 (setq gnus-group-line-format
18493 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
18496 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
18497 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
18499 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
18500 mode-line variables.
18502 @node Positioning Point
18503 @subsection Positioning Point
18505 Gnus usually moves point to a pre-defined place on each line in most
18506 buffers. By default, point move to the first colon character on the
18507 line. You can customize this behaviour in three different ways.
18509 You can move the colon character to somewhere else on the line.
18511 @findex gnus-goto-colon
18512 You can redefine the function that moves the point to the colon. The
18513 function is called @code{gnus-goto-colon}.
18515 But perhaps the most convenient way to deal with this, if you don't want
18516 to have a colon in your line, is to use the @samp{%C} specifier. If you
18517 put a @samp{%C} somewhere in your format line definition, Gnus will
18522 @subsection Tabulation
18524 You can usually line up your displays by padding and cutting your
18525 strings. However, when combining various strings of different size, it
18526 can often be more convenient to just output the strings, and then worry
18527 about lining up the following text afterwards.
18529 To do that, Gnus supplies tabulator specs--@samp{%=}. There are two
18530 different types---@dfn{hard tabulators} and @dfn{soft tabulators}.
18532 @samp{%50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18533 50. If the text is already past column 50, nothing will be inserted.
18534 This is the soft tabulator.
18536 @samp{%-50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18537 50. If the text is already past column 50, the excess text past column
18538 50 will be removed. This is the hard tabulator.
18541 @node Wide Characters
18542 @subsection Wide Characters
18544 Proportional fonts in most countries have characters of the same width.
18545 Some countries, however, use Latin characters mixed with wider
18546 characters---most notable East Asian countries.
18548 The problem is that when formatting, Gnus assumes that if a string is 10
18549 characters wide, it'll be 10 Latin characters wide on the screen. In
18550 these coutries, that's not true.
18552 @vindex gnus-use-correct-string-widths
18553 To help fix this, you can set @code{gnus-use-correct-string-widths} to
18554 @code{t}. This makes buffer generation slower, but the results will be
18555 prettieer. The default value is @code{t}.
18559 @node Window Layout
18560 @section Window Layout
18561 @cindex window layout
18563 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
18565 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
18566 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
18567 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
18568 @code{t} by default.
18570 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
18571 glitches. Use at your own peril.
18573 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
18574 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
18575 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
18578 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
18579 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
18580 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18584 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
18585 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
18586 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
18587 possible names is listed below.
18589 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
18590 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
18593 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18597 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
18598 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
18599 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
18600 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
18601 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
18602 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
18603 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
18604 size spec per split.
18606 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
18607 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
18608 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
18609 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
18610 present) gets focus.
18612 Here's a more complicated example:
18615 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
18616 (summary 0.25 point)
18617 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
18621 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
18622 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
18623 occupy, not a percentage.
18625 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
18626 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
18627 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
18628 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
18629 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
18632 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
18635 (article (horizontal 1.0
18640 (summary 0.25 point)
18645 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
18646 @code{horizontal} thingie?
18648 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
18649 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
18650 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
18651 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
18652 the screen is to be given to this strip.
18654 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
18655 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
18656 lines from the splits.
18658 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
18662 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
18663 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
18664 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
18665 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
18666 buffer = "(" buf-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
18667 size = number | frame-params
18668 buf-name = group | article | summary ...
18671 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
18672 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
18673 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
18674 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
18676 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
18677 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
18678 @cindex window height
18679 @cindex window width
18680 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
18681 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
18682 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
18683 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
18684 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
18685 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
18687 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
18688 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
18689 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
18690 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
18692 @findex gnus-configure-frame
18693 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
18694 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
18695 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
18696 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
18697 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
18698 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
18699 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
18700 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
18701 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
18702 configuration list.
18705 (gnus-configure-frame
18709 (article 0.3 point))
18717 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
18718 @code{frame} split:
18721 (gnus-configure-frame
18724 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
18726 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
18727 (user-position . t)
18728 (left . -1) (top . 1))
18733 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
18734 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
18735 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
18736 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
18737 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
18738 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
18739 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
18740 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
18742 The list of all possible keys for @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} can
18743 be found in its default value.
18745 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
18746 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
18747 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
18751 (message (horizontal 1.0
18752 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
18754 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
18759 One common desire for a multiple frame split is to have a separate frame
18760 for composing mail and news while leaving the original frame intact. To
18761 accomplish that, something like the following can be done:
18766 (if (not (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer))
18767 (car (cdr (assoc 'group gnus-buffer-configuration)))
18768 (car (cdr (assoc 'summary gnus-buffer-configuration))))
18769 (vertical ((user-position . t) (top . 1) (left . 1)
18770 (name . "Message"))
18771 (message 1.0 point))))
18774 @findex gnus-add-configuration
18775 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
18776 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
18777 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
18778 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
18781 (gnus-add-configuration
18782 '(article (vertical 1.0
18784 (summary .25 point)
18788 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
18789 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
18790 Gnus has been loaded.
18792 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
18793 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
18794 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
18795 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
18796 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
18798 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
18799 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
18800 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
18803 @subsection Example Window Configurations
18807 Narrow left hand side occupied by group buffer. Right hand side split
18808 between summary buffer (top one-sixth) and article buffer (bottom).
18823 (gnus-add-configuration
18826 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18828 (summary 0.16 point)
18831 (gnus-add-configuration
18834 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18835 (vertical 1.0 (summary 1.0 point)))))
18841 @node Faces and Fonts
18842 @section Faces and Fonts
18847 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
18848 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
18849 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
18854 @section Compilation
18855 @cindex compilation
18856 @cindex byte-compilation
18858 @findex gnus-compile
18860 Remember all those line format specification variables?
18861 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
18862 on. By default, T-gnus will use the byte-compiled codes of these
18863 variables and we can keep a slow-down to a minimum. However, if you set
18864 @code{gnus-compile-user-specs} to @code{nil} (@code{t} by default),
18865 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
18866 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
18867 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
18870 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
18871 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
18872 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
18873 you'll get top speed again. Note that T-gnus will not save these
18874 compiled specs in the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
18877 @item gnus-compile-user-specs
18878 @vindex gnus-compile-user-specs
18879 If it is non-nil, the user-defined format specs will be byte-compiled
18880 automatically. The default value of this variable is @code{t}. It has
18881 an effect on the values of @code{gnus-*-line-format-spec}.
18886 @section Mode Lines
18889 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
18890 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
18891 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
18892 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
18893 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
18894 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
18895 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
18898 @cindex display-time
18900 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
18901 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
18902 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
18903 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
18904 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
18905 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
18906 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
18907 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
18910 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
18912 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
18913 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
18915 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
18916 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
18917 (length display-time-string)))))
18920 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
18921 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
18922 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
18923 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
18924 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
18927 @node Highlighting and Menus
18928 @section Highlighting and Menus
18930 @cindex highlighting
18933 @vindex gnus-visual
18934 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
18935 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
18936 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
18939 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
18940 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
18943 @item group-highlight
18944 Do highlights in the group buffer.
18945 @item summary-highlight
18946 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
18947 @item article-highlight
18948 Do highlights in the article buffer.
18950 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
18952 Create menus in the group buffer.
18954 Create menus in the summary buffers.
18956 Create menus in the article buffer.
18958 Create menus in the browse buffer.
18960 Create menus in the server buffer.
18962 Create menus in the score buffers.
18964 Create menus in all buffers.
18967 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
18968 buffers, you could say something like:
18971 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
18974 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
18977 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
18980 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
18981 in all Gnus buffers.
18983 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
18986 @item gnus-mouse-face
18987 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
18988 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
18989 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
18993 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
18997 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
18998 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
18999 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
19001 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
19002 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
19003 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
19005 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
19006 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
19007 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
19009 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
19010 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
19011 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
19013 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
19014 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
19015 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
19017 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
19018 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
19019 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
19030 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
19031 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
19032 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
19033 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
19034 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
19038 @vindex gnus-carpal
19039 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
19040 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
19041 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
19046 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
19047 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
19048 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
19050 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
19051 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
19052 Face used on buttons.
19054 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
19055 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
19056 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
19058 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
19059 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
19060 Buttons in the group buffer.
19062 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
19063 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
19064 Buttons in the summary buffer.
19066 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
19067 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
19068 Buttons in the server buffer.
19070 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
19071 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
19072 Buttons in the browse buffer.
19075 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
19076 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
19077 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
19085 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
19086 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
19087 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
19088 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
19089 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
19091 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
19092 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
19093 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
19095 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
19096 been idle for thirty minutes:
19099 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
19102 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
19106 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
19109 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
19110 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
19111 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19113 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
19114 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
19115 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
19116 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19118 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
19119 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
19120 @var{idle} minutes.
19122 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
19123 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
19126 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
19127 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
19128 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
19130 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
19131 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
19132 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
19133 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
19135 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
19136 your @file{.gnus} file:
19138 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
19140 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
19143 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
19144 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
19145 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
19146 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
19147 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
19148 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
19149 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
19150 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
19151 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
19152 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
19153 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
19155 @findex gnus-demon-init
19156 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
19157 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
19158 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
19159 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
19160 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
19162 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
19163 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
19164 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
19173 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
19174 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
19176 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
19177 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
19178 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
19179 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
19182 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
19183 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
19184 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
19185 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
19187 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
19188 this will make spam disappear.
19190 There are some variables to customize, of course:
19193 @item gnus-use-nocem
19194 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
19195 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
19198 @item gnus-nocem-groups
19199 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
19200 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
19201 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
19202 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
19204 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
19205 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
19206 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
19207 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
19208 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" "cosmo.roadkill" "SpamHippo"
19209 "hweede@@snafu.de")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
19211 Known despammers that you can put in this list are listed at
19212 @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosalind/nocemreg/nocemreg.html}.
19214 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
19215 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
19216 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
19217 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
19218 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
19219 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
19220 @code{(@var{issuer} @var{conditions} @dots{})} elements in the list.
19221 Each condition is either a string (which is a regexp that matches types
19222 you want to use) or a list on the form @code{(not @var{string})}, where
19223 @var{string} is a regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
19225 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
19226 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
19229 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
19232 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
19233 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
19236 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
19239 The specs are applied left-to-right.
19242 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
19243 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
19245 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
19246 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
19247 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
19248 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
19250 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
19251 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
19254 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
19256 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
19264 This might be dangerous, though.
19266 @item gnus-nocem-directory
19267 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
19268 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
19269 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
19271 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19272 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19273 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
19274 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
19275 might then see old spam.
19277 @item gnus-nocem-check-from
19278 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-from
19279 Non-@code{nil} means check for valid issuers in message bodies.
19280 Otherwise don't bother fetching articles unless their author matches a
19281 valid issuer; that is much faster if you are selective about the
19284 @item gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19285 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19286 If non-@code{nil}, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM
19287 group. NoCeM groups can be huge and very slow to process.
19291 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
19292 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
19293 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
19294 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
19301 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
19302 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
19303 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
19305 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
19306 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
19307 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
19308 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
19309 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
19310 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
19311 @code{undo} function.
19313 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
19314 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
19315 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
19316 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
19317 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
19318 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
19319 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
19320 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
19321 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
19322 never be totally undoable.
19324 @findex gnus-undo-mode
19325 @vindex gnus-use-undo
19327 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
19328 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
19329 default. The @kbd{C-M-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo}
19330 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
19335 @section Moderation
19338 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
19339 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
19340 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
19343 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
19347 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
19350 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
19352 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
19357 You split your incoming mail by matching on
19358 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
19359 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
19362 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
19363 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
19366 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
19367 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
19371 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
19374 (setq gnus-moderated-list
19375 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
19379 @node XEmacs Enhancements
19380 @section XEmacs Enhancements
19383 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
19387 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
19388 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
19389 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
19390 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
19403 So@dots{} You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
19404 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
19405 over your shoulder as you read news.
19408 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
19409 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
19410 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
19411 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
19412 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
19417 @subsubsection Picon Basics
19419 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
19428 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
19429 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
19430 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
19431 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
19432 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
19433 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
19434 @code{GIF} formats.
19437 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19438 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
19439 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
19440 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
19441 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
19443 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19444 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
19445 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
19446 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
19447 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
19448 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19451 @node Picon Requirements
19452 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
19454 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must have @code{x} support
19455 compiled into XEmacs. To display color picons which are much nicer
19456 than the black & white one, you also need one of @code{xpm} or
19457 @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
19459 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19460 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
19461 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
19462 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
19463 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
19464 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19467 @subsubsection Easy Picons
19469 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
19470 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
19473 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
19474 (setq gnus-treat-display-picons t)
19477 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
19478 containing the Picons databases.
19480 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
19483 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19484 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
19489 @subsubsection Hard Picons
19497 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
19498 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
19499 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
19500 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
19501 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
19506 @item gnus-picons-database
19507 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19508 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
19509 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
19510 subdirectories. This is only useful if
19511 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
19512 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
19514 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19515 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19516 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
19517 engine is @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
19518 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
19519 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
19520 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19522 @item gnus-picons-display-where
19523 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19524 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
19525 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
19526 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
19527 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
19528 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
19529 routines---@pxref{Window Layout}.
19531 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19532 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19533 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
19538 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
19539 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
19541 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
19542 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
19545 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19547 @item gnus-article-display-picons
19548 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
19549 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
19550 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer.
19552 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
19553 @findex gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
19554 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present.
19555 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the function name, not @code{xface})
19561 @node Picon Useless Configuration
19562 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
19570 The following variables offer further control over how things are
19571 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
19572 don't need to worry about.
19576 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
19577 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
19578 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19579 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
19581 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
19582 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
19583 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
19584 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
19586 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
19587 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
19588 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19589 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
19590 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
19592 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19593 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19594 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
19595 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
19596 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
19597 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
19598 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
19599 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19601 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19602 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19603 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
19604 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
19605 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19607 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19608 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19609 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
19610 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
19611 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
19612 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
19613 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
19615 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19616 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19617 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
19618 Defaults to @code{nil}.
19620 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
19621 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
19622 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
19623 Defaults to @code{t}.
19625 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19626 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19627 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
19628 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
19630 @item gnus-picons-setup-hook
19631 @vindex gnus-picons-setup-hook
19632 Hook run in the picon buffer, if that is displayed.
19634 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19635 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19636 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
19637 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
19639 If @code{nil}, display the picons in the @code{From} and
19640 @code{Newsgroups} lines. This is the default.
19642 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19643 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19644 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
19645 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
19646 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
19647 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
19648 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
19649 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
19660 @subsection Smileys
19665 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/BigFace,height=20cm}}
19670 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
19671 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
19673 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
19674 @file{.gnus.el} file:
19677 (setq gnus-treat-display-smileys t)
19680 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
19681 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
19682 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
19683 text and maps that to file names.
19685 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
19686 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
19687 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
19688 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
19689 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
19690 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
19692 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
19693 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
19695 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
19696 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
19697 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
19699 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
19700 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
19704 @item smiley-data-directory
19705 @vindex smiley-data-directory
19706 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
19708 @item smiley-flesh-color
19709 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
19710 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
19712 @item smiley-features-color
19713 @vindex smiley-features-color
19714 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19716 @item smiley-tongue-color
19717 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
19718 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
19720 @item smiley-circle-color
19721 @vindex smiley-circle-color
19722 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19724 @item smiley-mouse-face
19725 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
19726 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
19732 @subsection Toolbar
19742 @item gnus-use-toolbar
19743 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
19744 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
19745 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
19746 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
19748 @item gnus-group-toolbar
19749 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
19750 The toolbar in the group buffer.
19752 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
19753 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
19754 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
19756 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19757 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19758 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
19764 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
19767 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19768 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19769 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
19770 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
19771 unusual directory structure.
19773 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19774 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19775 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
19776 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
19778 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19779 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19780 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
19781 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
19782 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
19783 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
19785 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19786 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19787 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
19801 @node Fuzzy Matching
19802 @section Fuzzy Matching
19803 @cindex fuzzy matching
19805 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
19806 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
19808 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
19809 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
19810 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
19812 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
19813 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
19814 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
19815 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
19816 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
19819 @node Thwarting Email Spam
19820 @section Thwarting Email Spam
19824 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
19826 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
19827 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
19828 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
19829 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
19830 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
19831 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
19832 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
19833 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
19836 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
19837 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
19838 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
19839 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
19840 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
19841 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
19845 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
19846 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
19848 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
19849 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
19850 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
19851 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
19852 sysadmin whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
19853 part of the mail address.)
19856 (setq message-default-news-headers
19857 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
19860 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
19861 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
19866 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
19867 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
19868 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
19874 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
19875 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
19876 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
19877 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
19879 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
19880 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
19881 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
19882 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
19883 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
19884 your fancy split rule in this way:
19889 (to "larsi" "misc")
19893 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
19894 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
19895 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
19896 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
19897 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
19899 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
19900 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
19901 at @* @uref{http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html}.
19902 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
19903 cosmic balance somewhat.
19905 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
19906 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
19907 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
19908 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
19911 @node Various Various
19912 @section Various Various
19918 @item gnus-home-directory
19919 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
19920 defaults to @file{~/}.
19922 @item gnus-directory
19923 @vindex gnus-directory
19924 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
19925 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
19926 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
19928 Note that gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
19929 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
19930 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
19931 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
19933 @item gnus-default-directory
19934 @vindex gnus-default-directory
19935 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
19936 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
19937 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
19938 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
19939 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
19940 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
19943 @vindex gnus-verbose
19944 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
19945 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
19946 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
19947 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
19948 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
19950 @item gnus-verbose-backends
19951 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
19952 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
19953 to the Gnus back ends instead of Gnus proper.
19955 @item nnheader-max-head-length
19956 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
19957 When the back ends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
19958 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
19959 the absolute max length the back ends will try to read before giving up
19960 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
19961 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
19962 @code{t}, the back ends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
19963 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
19964 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
19966 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
19967 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
19968 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
19969 read when doing the operation described above.
19971 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19972 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19974 @cindex invalid characters in file names
19975 @cindex characters in file names
19976 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
19977 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
19978 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
19981 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
19985 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
19986 Windows (phooey) systems.
19988 @item gnus-hidden-properties
19989 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
19990 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
19991 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
19992 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
19994 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
19995 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
19996 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
19997 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
19998 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
20000 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
20001 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
20002 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
20004 @item gnus-invalid-group-regexp
20005 @vindex gnus-invalid-group-regexp
20007 Regexp to match ``invalid'' group names when querying user for a group
20008 name. The default value catches some @strong{really} invalid group
20009 names who could possibly mess up Gnus internally (like allowing
20010 @samp{:} in a group name, which is normally used to delimit method and
20013 @sc{imap} users might want to allow @samp{/} in group names though.
20021 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
20022 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
20024 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
20026 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
20032 Not because of victories @*
20035 but for the common sunshine,@*
20037 the largess of the spring.
20041 but for the day's work done@*
20042 as well as I was able;@*
20043 not for a seat upon the dais@*
20044 but at the common table.@*
20049 @chapter Appendices
20052 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
20053 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
20054 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
20055 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
20056 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
20057 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
20058 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
20059 * Frequently Asked Questions::
20067 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
20068 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
20070 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage,
20071 you can point your (feh!) web browser to
20072 @uref{http://quimby.gnus.org/}. This is also the primary
20073 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is
20074 known as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
20076 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
20077 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
20078 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
20079 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
20080 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
20081 appropriate name, don't you think?)
20083 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
20084 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
20085 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
20086 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
20089 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
20090 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
20091 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
20092 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
20093 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
20094 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
20095 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
20096 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
20097 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
20101 @node Gnus Versions
20102 @subsection Gnus Versions
20103 @cindex Pterodactyl Gnus
20105 @cindex September Gnus
20106 @cindex Quassia Gnus
20108 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
20109 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
20110 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
20112 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
20113 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
20115 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
20116 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
20118 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37 releases.
20119 If was released as ``Gnus 5.6'' on March 8th 1998 (46 releases).
20121 Gnus 5.6 begat Pterodactyl Gnus on August 29th 1998 and was released as
20122 ``Gnus 5.8'' (after 99 releases and a CVS repository) on December 3rd
20125 On the 26th of October 2000, Oort Gnus was begun.
20127 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
20128 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'',
20129 ``Pterodactyl Gnus'', ``Oort Gnus'' -- don't panic. Don't let it know
20130 that you're frightened. Back away. Slowly. Whatever you do, don't
20131 run. Walk away, calmly, until you're out of its reach. Find a proper
20132 released version of Gnus and snuggle up to that instead.
20135 @node Other Gnus Versions
20136 @subsection Other Gnus Versions
20139 In addition to the versions of Gnus which have had their releases
20140 coordinated by Lars, one major development has been Semi-gnus from
20141 Japan. It's based on a library called @sc{semi}, which provides
20142 @sc{mime} capabilities.
20144 These Gnusae are based mainly on Gnus 5.6 and Pterodactyl Gnus.
20145 Collectively, they are called ``Semi-gnus'', and different strains are
20146 called T-gnus, ET-gnus, Nana-gnus and Chaos. These provide powerful
20147 @sc{mime} and multilingualization things, especially important for
20154 What's the point of Gnus?
20156 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
20157 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
20158 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
20159 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
20160 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
20161 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
20162 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
20163 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
20164 keep track of millions of people who post?
20166 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
20167 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
20168 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
20169 to separate the newsreader from the back ends, Gnus now offers a simple
20170 interface for anybody who wants to write new back ends for fetching mail
20171 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
20172 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
20173 every one of you to explore and invent.
20175 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
20176 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
20179 @node Compatibility
20180 @subsection Compatibility
20182 @cindex compatibility
20183 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
20184 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
20185 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
20190 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
20194 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
20197 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
20200 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
20201 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
20202 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
20203 important variables have their values copied into their global
20204 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
20205 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
20207 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
20208 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
20209 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
20210 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
20211 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
20215 @cindex highlighting
20216 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
20217 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
20218 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
20219 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
20220 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
20221 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
20224 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
20225 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
20226 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
20227 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
20229 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
20230 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
20231 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
20232 to stop doing it the old way.
20234 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
20236 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
20238 @cindex reporting bugs
20240 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
20241 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
20242 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
20244 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
20245 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
20246 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
20247 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
20252 @subsection Conformity
20254 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
20255 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
20262 There are no known breaches of this standard.
20266 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
20268 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
20269 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
20270 We do have some breaches to this one.
20276 These are considered to be ``vanity headers'', while I consider them
20277 to be consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted
20278 articles coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use
20279 either of those for posting articles. I would not have known that if
20280 it wasn't for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
20285 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
20286 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
20287 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
20288 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
20292 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
20293 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
20298 @subsection Emacsen
20304 Gnus should work on :
20312 XEmacs 21.1.1 and up.
20316 This Gnus version will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than
20317 that. Not reliably, at least. Older versions of Gnus may work on older
20318 Emacs versions. However, T-gnus does support ``Mule 2.3 based on Emacs
20319 19.34'' and possibly the versions of XEmacs prior to 21.1.1, e.g. 20.4.
20320 See the file ``README'' in the T-gnus distribution for more details.
20322 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
20323 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
20324 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
20328 @node Gnus Development
20329 @subsection Gnus Development
20331 Gnus is developed in a two-phased cycle. The first phase involves much
20332 discussion on the @samp{ding@@gnus.org} mailing list, where people
20333 propose changes and new features, post patches and new back ends. This
20334 phase is called the @dfn{alpha} phase, since the Gnusae released in this
20335 phase are @dfn{alpha releases}, or (perhaps more commonly in other
20336 circles) @dfn{snapshots}. During this phase, Gnus is assumed to be
20337 unstable and should not be used by casual users. Gnus alpha releases
20338 have names like ``Red Gnus'' and ``Quassia Gnus''.
20340 After futzing around for 50-100 alpha releases, Gnus is declared
20341 @dfn{frozen}, and only bug fixes are applied. Gnus loses the prefix,
20342 and is called things like ``Gnus 5.6.32'' instead. Normal people are
20343 supposed to be able to use these, and these are mostly discussed on the
20344 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} newsgroup.
20347 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
20348 Some variable defaults differ between alpha Gnusae and released Gnusae.
20349 In particular, @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} defaults to @code{nil} in
20350 alpha Gnusae and @code{t} in released Gnusae. This is to prevent
20351 lossage of mail if an alpha release hiccups while handling the mail.
20353 The division of discussion between the ding mailing list and the Gnus
20354 newsgroup is not purely based on publicity concerns. It's true that
20355 having people write about the horrible things that an alpha Gnus release
20356 can do (sometimes) in a public forum may scare people off, but more
20357 importantly, talking about new experimental features that have been
20358 introduced may confuse casual users. New features are frequently
20359 introduced, fiddled with, and judged to be found wanting, and then
20360 either discarded or totally rewritten. People reading the mailing list
20361 usually keep up with these rapid changes, while people on the newsgroup
20362 can't be assumed to do so.
20367 @subsection Contributors
20368 @cindex contributors
20370 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
20371 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
20372 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
20373 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
20374 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
20375 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
20376 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
20377 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
20378 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
20379 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
20381 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
20387 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
20390 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el, webmail.el,
20391 nnwarchive and many, many other things connected with @sc{mime} and
20392 other types of en/decoding, as well as general bug fixing, new
20393 functionality and stuff.
20396 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
20397 well as numerous other things).
20400 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
20403 Joe Reiss---creator of the smiley faces.
20406 Justin Sheehy--the FAQ maintainer.
20409 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
20412 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
20413 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
20416 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
20419 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
20420 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
20423 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
20426 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
20429 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
20432 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
20435 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
20436 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
20439 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
20442 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
20445 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
20448 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
20452 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
20455 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
20458 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
20461 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
20462 well as autoconf support.
20466 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
20467 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
20469 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
20478 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
20482 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
20492 Alexei V. Barantsev,
20507 Massimo Campostrini,
20512 Jae-you Chung, @c ?
20513 James H. Cloos, Jr.,
20517 Andrew J. Cosgriff,
20520 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
20526 Michael Welsh Duggan,
20531 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
20535 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
20543 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
20545 Michelangelo Grigni,
20549 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
20551 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
20553 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
20560 François Felix Ingrand,
20561 Tatsuya Ichikawa, @c ?
20562 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
20564 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
20575 Peter Skov Knudsen,
20576 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
20578 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
20579 Thor Kristoffersen,
20582 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
20600 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
20601 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
20608 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
20613 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
20617 John McClary Prevost,
20623 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
20628 Christian von Roques,
20631 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
20638 Philippe Schnoebelen,
20640 Randal L. Schwartz,
20654 Kiyokazu Suto, @c Suto
20659 Tozawa Akihiko, @c Tozawa
20675 Katsumi Yamaoka @c Yamaoka
20680 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
20681 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
20682 (550kB and counting).
20684 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
20687 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
20688 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
20692 @subsection New Features
20693 @cindex new features
20696 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
20697 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
20698 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
20699 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
20700 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
20703 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
20704 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
20705 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
20708 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
20710 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
20715 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
20716 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
20719 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
20720 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
20723 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
20726 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
20727 All the mail back ends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
20728 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
20731 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
20732 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
20733 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
20734 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
20737 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
20738 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20741 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
20742 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
20743 (@pxref{The Active File}).
20746 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
20747 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
20750 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
20751 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
20752 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
20755 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
20756 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
20757 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
20760 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
20761 the @file{.emacs} file.
20764 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
20765 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
20768 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
20769 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
20772 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
20773 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20776 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
20777 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
20780 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
20781 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
20784 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
20787 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
20788 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
20791 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
20792 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
20795 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
20796 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
20799 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
20802 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
20803 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
20806 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
20810 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
20814 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
20815 configuration (@pxref{Window Layout}).
20818 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
20824 @node September Gnus
20825 @subsubsection September Gnus
20829 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/september,height=20cm}}
20833 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
20838 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
20839 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
20843 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
20844 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
20848 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
20852 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
20853 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
20856 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
20860 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
20863 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
20866 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
20869 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
20873 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
20874 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
20877 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
20881 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
20885 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
20889 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
20893 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
20896 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
20897 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
20900 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
20904 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
20905 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
20908 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
20911 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
20912 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
20913 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
20916 Gnus has a new back end (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
20920 The Gnus cache is much faster.
20923 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
20927 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
20928 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
20931 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
20932 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
20935 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
20936 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
20939 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
20940 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
20941 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
20944 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
20945 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
20948 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
20951 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
20954 All mail back ends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
20957 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
20960 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
20961 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
20964 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Window
20968 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
20971 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}}
20976 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
20979 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
20983 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20986 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
20990 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
20993 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
20996 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
20997 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
21000 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
21001 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
21005 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
21006 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
21009 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
21013 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
21014 buffer to allow easier treatment.
21017 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
21020 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
21024 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
21028 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
21029 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
21032 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
21036 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
21037 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
21040 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
21041 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
21044 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
21048 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
21051 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
21054 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
21060 @subsubsection Red Gnus
21062 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
21066 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/red,height=20cm}}
21073 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
21076 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
21077 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
21080 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
21081 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
21085 Article washing status can be displayed in the
21086 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
21089 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
21092 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
21093 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
21096 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
21100 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
21101 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
21105 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
21106 Server Internals}).
21109 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
21113 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
21116 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
21117 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
21120 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
21121 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
21122 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
21125 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
21126 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21129 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
21130 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
21133 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{C-M-_}
21137 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
21138 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21141 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
21142 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
21145 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
21149 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
21152 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
21156 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
21157 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21160 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
21161 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21164 A new command for reading collections of documents
21165 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{C-M-d}
21166 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
21169 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
21173 A new mail-to-news back end makes it possible to post even when the @sc{nntp}
21174 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
21177 A new back end for reading searches from Web search engines
21178 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
21179 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
21182 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
21183 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
21187 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
21191 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
21195 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}}
21200 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
21204 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
21208 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
21209 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
21212 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
21218 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
21220 New features in Gnus 5.6:
21225 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
21226 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
21227 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
21230 The @code{nndraft} back end has returned, but works differently than
21231 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
21232 group, which is created automatically.
21235 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
21239 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
21242 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
21243 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
21246 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
21250 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
21253 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
21254 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
21257 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
21260 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
21261 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
21264 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
21265 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
21268 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
21269 control over simplification.
21272 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
21275 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
21279 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
21282 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
21285 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
21286 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
21287 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
21290 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
21291 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
21294 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
21298 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
21299 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
21302 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
21303 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
21306 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
21310 A history of where mails have been split is available.
21313 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
21316 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
21317 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
21320 A new function for citing in Message has been
21321 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
21324 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
21327 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
21331 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
21332 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
21335 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
21336 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
21339 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} back end.
21342 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
21346 @node Pterodactyl Gnus
21347 @subsubsection Pterodactyl Gnus
21349 New features in Gnus 5.8:
21354 The mail-fetching functions have changed. See the manual for the
21355 many details. In particular, all procmail fetching variables are gone.
21357 If you used procmail like in
21360 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
21361 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
21362 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/mail/incoming/")
21363 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "\\.in")
21366 this now has changed to
21370 '((directory :path "~/mail/incoming/"
21374 More information is available in the info doc at Select Methods ->
21375 Getting Mail -> Mail Sources
21378 Gnus is now a MIME-capable reader. This affects many parts of
21379 Gnus, and adds a slew of new commands. See the manual for details.
21382 Gnus has also been multilingualized. This also affects too
21383 many parts of Gnus to summarize here, and adds many new variables.
21386 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} can now be a function to be
21387 called to position point.
21390 The user can now decide which extra headers should be included in
21391 summary buffers and NOV files.
21394 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} has been removed. Instead, a number
21395 of variables starting with @code{gnus-treat-} have been added.
21398 The Gnus posting styles have been redone again and now works in a
21399 subtly different manner.
21402 New web-based back ends have been added: @code{nnslashdot},
21403 @code{nnwarchive} and @code{nnultimate}. nnweb has been revamped,
21404 again, to keep up with ever-changing layouts.
21407 Gnus can now read IMAP mail via @code{nnimap}.
21415 @section The Manual
21419 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
21420 either @code{texi2dvi}
21422 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
21423 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
21425 to get what you hold in your hands now.
21427 The following conventions have been used:
21432 This is a @samp{string}
21435 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
21438 This is a @file{file}
21441 This is a @code{symbol}
21445 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
21449 (setq flargnoze "yes")
21452 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
21455 (setq flumphel 'yes)
21458 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
21459 ever get them confused.
21463 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
21464 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
21465 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
21466 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
21467 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
21468 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
21469 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
21475 @node On Writing Manuals
21476 @section On Writing Manuals
21478 I guess most manuals are written after-the-fact; documenting a program
21479 that's already there. This is not how this manual is written. When
21480 implementing something, I write the manual entry for that something
21481 straight away. I then see that it's difficult to explain the
21482 functionality, so I write how it's supposed to be, and then I change the
21483 implementation. Writing the documentation and writing the code goes
21486 This, of course, means that this manual has no, or little, flow. It
21487 documents absolutely everything in Gnus, but often not where you're
21488 looking for it. It is a reference manual, and not a guide to how to get
21491 That would be a totally different book, that should be written using the
21492 reference manual as source material. It would look quite differently.
21497 @section Terminology
21499 @cindex terminology
21504 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
21505 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
21506 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
21507 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
21508 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
21512 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
21513 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
21514 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
21515 not posting, and replying is not following up.
21519 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
21523 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
21528 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of back ends, both news and mail
21529 back ends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
21530 is all done by the back ends.
21534 Gnus will always use one method (and back end) as the @dfn{native}, or
21535 default, way of getting news.
21539 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
21540 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary back ends for getting
21545 Secondary back ends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
21546 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
21550 A message that has been posted as news.
21553 @cindex mail message
21554 A message that has been mailed.
21558 A mail message or news article
21562 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
21567 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
21572 A line from the head of an article.
21576 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
21577 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
21581 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the back end for the headers of all
21582 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
21583 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
21584 normal @sc{head} format.
21588 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
21589 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
21590 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
21591 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
21592 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
21593 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
21595 @item killed groups
21596 @cindex killed groups
21597 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
21598 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
21600 @item zombie groups
21601 @cindex zombie groups
21602 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
21605 @cindex active file
21606 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
21607 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
21608 is rather large, as you might surmise.
21611 @cindex bogus groups
21612 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
21613 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
21614 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
21617 @cindex activating groups
21618 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
21619 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
21620 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
21624 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
21626 @item select method
21627 @cindex select method
21628 A structure that specifies the back end, the server and the virtual
21631 @item virtual server
21632 @cindex virtual server
21633 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
21634 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
21635 whole is a virtual server.
21639 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
21640 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
21643 @item ephemeral groups
21644 @cindex ephemeral groups
21645 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
21646 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
21647 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
21650 @cindex solid groups
21651 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
21652 group buffer are solid groups.
21654 @item sparse articles
21655 @cindex sparse articles
21656 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
21657 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
21661 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
21662 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
21666 @cindex thread root
21667 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
21668 articles in the thread.
21672 An article that has responses.
21676 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
21680 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
21681 specified by RFC 1153.
21687 @node Customization
21688 @section Customization
21689 @cindex general customization
21691 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
21692 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
21693 for some quite common situations.
21696 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
21697 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
21698 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
21699 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
21703 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
21704 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
21706 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
21707 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
21708 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
21712 @item gnus-read-active-file
21713 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
21714 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
21715 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
21716 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
21717 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
21719 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
21720 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
21721 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
21722 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
21726 @node Slow Terminal Connection
21727 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
21729 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
21730 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
21731 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
21735 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
21736 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
21737 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
21738 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
21739 horizontal and vertical recentering.
21741 @item gnus-visible-headers
21742 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
21743 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
21744 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
21745 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
21747 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
21749 (setq gnus-treat-hide-headers 'head
21750 gnus-treat-hide-signature t
21751 gnus-treat-hide-citation t)
21754 @item gnus-use-full-window
21755 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
21756 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
21757 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
21758 want to read them anyway.
21760 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
21761 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
21764 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
21765 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
21766 lines, which might save some time.
21770 @node Little Disk Space
21771 @subsection Little Disk Space
21774 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
21775 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
21779 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
21780 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
21781 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21782 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21785 @item gnus-read-newsrc-file
21786 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never read @file{.newsrc}---it will
21787 only read @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21788 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21791 @item gnus-save-killed-list
21792 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
21793 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
21794 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
21795 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
21801 @subsection Slow Machine
21802 @cindex slow machine
21804 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
21805 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
21807 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
21808 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
21810 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
21811 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
21812 summary buffer faster.
21816 @node Troubleshooting
21817 @section Troubleshooting
21818 @cindex troubleshooting
21820 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
21828 Make sure your computer is switched on.
21831 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
21832 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
21836 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
21837 like @samp{T-gnus 6.15.* (based on Oort Gnus v0.*; for SEMI 1.1*, FLIM
21838 1.1*)} you have the right files loaded. If, on the other hand, you get
21839 something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp flee}, you have some old
21840 @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
21843 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
21847 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
21848 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
21849 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
21850 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
21851 something like that.
21854 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
21857 @cindex reporting bugs
21859 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
21861 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
21862 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
21863 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
21864 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
21866 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
21867 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
21868 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
21869 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
21872 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
21873 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
21874 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
21875 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
21876 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
21877 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
21879 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
21880 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
21881 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
21885 If you would like to contribute a patch to fix bugs or make
21886 improvements, please produce the patch using @samp{diff -u}.
21888 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
21889 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
21891 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
21892 @cindex ding mailing list
21893 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
21894 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
21898 @node Gnus Reference Guide
21899 @section Gnus Reference Guide
21901 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
21902 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
21903 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
21904 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
21907 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
21908 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
21909 back ends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
21910 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
21911 and general methods of operation.
21914 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
21915 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
21916 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
21917 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
21918 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
21919 * Group Info:: The group info format.
21920 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
21921 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
21922 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
21926 @node Gnus Utility Functions
21927 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
21928 @cindex Gnus utility functions
21929 @cindex utility functions
21931 @cindex internal variables
21933 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
21934 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
21935 Below is a list of the most common ones.
21939 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
21940 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
21941 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
21943 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
21944 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
21945 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
21947 @item gnus-group-real-name
21948 @findex gnus-group-real-name
21949 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
21952 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
21953 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
21954 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
21955 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
21957 @item gnus-get-info
21958 @findex gnus-get-info
21959 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
21961 @item gnus-group-unread
21962 @findex gnus-group-unread
21963 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
21967 @findex gnus-active
21968 The active entry for @var{group}.
21970 @item gnus-set-active
21971 @findex gnus-set-active
21972 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
21974 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
21975 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
21976 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
21979 @item gnus-continuum-version
21980 @findex gnus-continuum-version
21981 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
21982 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
21985 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
21986 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
21987 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
21989 @item gnus-news-group-p
21990 @findex gnus-news-group-p
21991 Says whether @var{group} came from a news back end.
21993 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
21994 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
21995 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
21997 @item gnus-server-to-method
21998 @findex gnus-server-to-method
21999 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
22001 @item gnus-server-equal
22002 @findex gnus-server-equal
22003 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
22005 @item gnus-group-native-p
22006 @findex gnus-group-native-p
22007 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
22009 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
22010 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
22011 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
22013 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
22014 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
22015 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
22017 @item group-group-find-parameter
22018 @findex group-group-find-parameter
22019 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
22020 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
22022 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
22023 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
22024 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
22026 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
22027 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
22028 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
22030 @item gnus-check-backend-function
22031 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
22032 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the back end
22033 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
22036 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
22040 @item gnus-read-method
22041 @findex gnus-read-method
22042 Prompts the user for a select method.
22047 @node Back End Interface
22048 @subsection Back End Interface
22050 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
22051 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
22052 server is a @dfn{back end} and some @dfn{back end variables}. As examples
22053 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
22054 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
22055 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
22057 When Gnus asks for information from a back end---say @code{nntp}---on
22058 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
22059 function parameters. (If not, the back end should use the ``current''
22060 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
22061 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
22062 been opened, the function should fail.
22064 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
22065 name. Take this example:
22069 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
22070 (nntp-port-number 4324))
22073 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
22074 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
22076 The back ends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
22077 The standard back ends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
22078 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
22080 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
22081 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
22082 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
22084 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
22085 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
22086 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
22087 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
22088 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
22089 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
22092 Some back ends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} back ends, and
22093 some might be said not to be. The latter are back ends that generally
22094 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
22095 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
22098 Gnus identifies each message by way of group name and article number. A
22099 few remarks about these article numbers might be useful. First of all,
22100 the numbers are positive integers. Secondly, it is normally not
22101 possible for later articles to `re-use' older article numbers without
22102 confusing Gnus. That is, if a group has ever contained a message
22103 numbered 42, then no other message may get that number, or Gnus will get
22104 mightily confused.@footnote{See the function
22105 @code{nnchoke-request-update-info}, @ref{Optional Back End Functions}.}
22106 Third, article numbers must be assigned in order of arrival in the
22107 group; this is not necessarily the same as the date of the message.
22109 The previous paragraph already mentions all the `hard' restrictions that
22110 article numbers must fulfill. But it seems that it might be useful to
22111 assign @emph{consecutive} article numbers, for Gnus gets quite confused
22112 if there are holes in the article numbering sequence. However, due to
22113 the `no-reuse' restriction, holes cannot be avoided altogether. It's
22114 also useful for the article numbers to start at 1 to avoid running out
22115 of numbers as long as possible.
22117 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary back end
22120 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
22123 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
22124 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
22125 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
22126 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
22127 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
22128 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
22132 @node Required Back End Functions
22133 @subsubsection Required Back End Functions
22137 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
22139 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
22140 @code{Message-ID}s. Current back ends do not fully support either---only
22141 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most back ends do not support
22142 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
22144 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
22145 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
22146 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
22147 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
22149 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
22150 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
22151 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
22152 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
22153 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the back end finds it
22154 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
22155 number, do maximum fetches.
22157 Here's an example HEAD:
22160 221 1056 Article retrieved.
22161 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
22162 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
22163 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
22164 Subject: Re: Something very droll
22165 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
22166 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
22168 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
22169 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
22170 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
22174 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
22175 these in the data buffer.
22177 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
22181 head = error / valid-head
22182 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
22183 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
22184 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
22185 header = <text> eol
22188 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
22189 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
22193 nov-buffer = *nov-line
22194 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
22195 field = <text except TAB>
22198 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
22202 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
22204 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
22205 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
22207 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The back end
22208 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
22209 server. In fact, it should do so.
22211 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
22212 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
22215 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
22217 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
22218 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
22221 There should be no data returned.
22224 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
22226 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the back end
22227 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that back end
22228 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
22229 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
22231 There should be no data returned.
22234 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
22236 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
22237 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
22238 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
22239 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
22241 There should be no data returned.
22244 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
22246 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
22248 There should be no data returned.
22251 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
22253 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
22254 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
22255 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
22256 it would be nice if that were possible.
22258 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
22259 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
22260 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
22261 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
22262 into its article buffer.
22264 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
22265 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
22266 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
22267 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
22268 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
22269 on successful article retrieval.
22272 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
22274 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
22275 making @var{group} the current group.
22277 If @var{fast}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
22280 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
22283 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
22286 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
22287 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
22288 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
22289 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
22290 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
22291 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
22292 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
22293 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
22296 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
22297 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
22298 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
22302 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22304 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
22305 a no-op on most back ends.
22307 There should be no data returned.
22310 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
22312 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
22315 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
22318 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
22319 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
22322 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
22323 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
22326 active-file = *active-line
22327 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
22329 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
22332 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
22333 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
22334 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
22337 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
22339 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
22340 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
22341 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
22342 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
22343 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
22344 clear if the posting could not be completed.
22346 There should be no result data from this function.
22351 @node Optional Back End Functions
22352 @subsubsection Optional Back End Functions
22356 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
22358 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
22359 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
22360 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
22362 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
22363 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
22364 former is in the same format as the data from
22365 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
22366 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
22369 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
22373 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
22375 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the back end for
22376 alterations. This comes in handy if the back end really carries all the
22377 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
22378 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
22379 should return the (altered) group info.
22381 There should be no result data from this function.
22384 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
22386 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
22387 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
22388 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
22389 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
22390 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
22391 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
22392 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
22393 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
22395 There should be no result data from this function.
22398 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
22400 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
22401 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
22402 @code{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some back ends (such as @sc{imap}) however carry
22403 all information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to
22404 propagate the mark information to the server.
22406 ACTION is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
22409 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
22412 RANGE is a range of articles you wish to update marks on. ACTION is
22413 @code{add} or @code{del}, used to add marks or remove marks
22414 (preserving all marks not mentioned). MARK is a list of marks; where
22415 each mark is a symbol. Currently used marks are @code{read},
22416 @code{tick}, @code{reply}, @code{expire}, @code{killed},
22417 @code{dormant}, @code{save}, @code{download}, @code{unsend},
22418 @code{forward} and @code{recent}, but your back end should, if
22419 possible, not limit itself to these.
22421 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
22422 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
22423 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
22424 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
22426 An example action list:
22429 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
22430 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
22431 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
22434 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
22435 mark on (currently not used for anything).
22437 There should be no result data from this function.
22439 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
22441 If the user tries to set a mark that the back end doesn't like, this
22442 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
22443 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
22444 @var{mark}. If the back end doesn't care, it must return the original
22445 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
22447 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
22448 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
22449 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
22452 There should be no result data from this function.
22455 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
22457 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
22458 request that the back end check for incoming articles, in one way or
22459 another. A mail back end will typically read the spool file or query the
22460 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
22461 to be heeded---if the back end decides that it is too much work just
22462 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
22463 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
22465 There should be no result data from this function.
22468 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
22470 The result data from this function should be a description of
22474 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
22476 description = <text>
22479 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
22481 The result data from this function should be the description of all
22482 groups available on the server.
22485 description-buffer = *description-line
22489 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
22491 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
22492 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date format
22493 (i.e., the date format used in mail and news headers, and returned by
22494 the function @code{message-make-date} by default). The data should be
22495 in the active buffer format.
22497 It is okay for this function to return `too many' groups; some back ends
22498 might find it cheaper to return the full list of groups, rather than
22499 just the new groups. But don't do this for back ends with many groups.
22500 Normally, if the user creates the groups herself, there won't be too
22501 many groups, so nnml and the like are probably safe. But for back ends
22502 like nntp, where the groups have been created by the server, it is quite
22503 likely that there can be many groups.
22506 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22508 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
22510 There should be no return data.
22513 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
22515 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
22516 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
22517 numbers.) It is left up to the back end to decide how old articles
22518 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
22519 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
22522 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
22525 There should be no result data returned.
22528 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
22531 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
22532 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
22534 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
22535 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
22536 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
22537 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
22538 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
22539 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
22541 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
22542 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
22545 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22546 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22548 There should be no data returned.
22551 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
22553 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
22554 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
22555 this function in short order.
22557 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22558 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22560 There should be no data returned.
22563 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
22565 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
22566 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
22568 There should be no data returned.
22571 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
22573 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
22574 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
22575 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
22577 There should be no data returned.
22580 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
22582 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
22583 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
22585 There should be no data returned.
22590 @node Error Messaging
22591 @subsubsection Error Messaging
22593 @findex nnheader-report
22594 @findex nnheader-get-report
22595 The back ends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
22596 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
22597 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the back end
22598 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
22599 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
22600 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
22603 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
22605 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
22608 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
22609 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
22610 recently reported message for the back end in question. This function
22611 takes one argument---the server symbol.
22613 Internally, these functions access @var{back-end}@code{-status-string},
22614 so the @code{nnchoke} back end will have its error message stored in
22615 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
22618 @node Writing New Back Ends
22619 @subsubsection Writing New Back Ends
22621 Many back ends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
22622 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
22623 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
22624 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
22625 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
22628 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
22629 back ends when writing new back ends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
22630 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
22632 All the back ends declare their public variables and functions by using a
22633 package called @code{nnoo}.
22635 To inherit functions from other back ends (and allow other back ends to
22636 inherit functions from the current back end), you should use the
22642 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
22643 parameters. For instance:
22646 (nnoo-declare nndir
22650 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
22651 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
22654 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
22655 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
22656 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
22658 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
22659 variables in the parent back ends to map the variable to when executing
22660 a function in those back ends.
22663 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22664 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22665 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22668 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
22669 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
22670 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
22672 @item nnoo-define-basics
22673 This macro defines some common functions that almost all back ends should
22677 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22681 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
22682 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
22683 function as being public so that other back ends can inherit it.
22685 @item nnoo-map-functions
22686 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current back end to
22687 functions from the parent back ends.
22690 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22691 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22692 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
22695 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
22696 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
22697 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
22698 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
22701 This macro allows importing functions from back ends. It should be the
22702 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
22703 haven't already been defined.
22709 nnmh-request-newgroups)
22713 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
22714 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
22715 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
22720 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} back end.
22723 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
22724 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
22728 (require 'nnheader)
22732 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
22734 (nnoo-declare nndir
22737 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22738 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22739 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22741 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
22742 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
22745 (defvoo nndir-current-group ""
22747 nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
22748 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
22749 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
22751 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
22752 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
22754 ;;; Interface functions.
22756 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22758 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
22759 (setq nndir-directory
22760 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
22762 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
22763 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
22764 (push `(nndir-current-group
22765 ,(file-name-nondirectory
22766 (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22768 (push `(nndir-top-directory
22769 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22771 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
22773 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22774 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22775 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22776 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
22777 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
22781 nnmh-status-message
22783 nnmh-request-newgroups))
22789 @node Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22790 @subsubsection Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22792 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
22793 @findex gnus-declare-backend
22794 Having Gnus start using your new back end is rather easy---you just
22795 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
22796 enter the back end into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
22798 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the back end name and
22799 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
22804 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
22807 The above line would then go in the @file{nnchoke.el} file.
22809 The abilities can be:
22813 This is a mailish back end---followups should (probably) go via mail.
22815 This is a newsish back end---followups should (probably) go via news.
22817 This back end supports both mail and news.
22819 This is neither a post nor mail back end---it's something completely
22822 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
22823 articles and groups.
22825 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
22826 true for almost all back ends.
22827 @item prompt-address
22828 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
22829 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for back ends like
22830 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
22834 @node Mail-like Back Ends
22835 @subsubsection Mail-like Back Ends
22837 One of the things that separate the mail back ends from the rest of the
22838 back ends is the heavy dependence by the mail back ends on common
22839 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
22840 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
22843 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
22844 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
22845 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
22848 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
22849 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
22852 This function takes four parameters.
22856 This should be a symbol to designate which back end is responsible for
22859 @item exit-function
22860 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
22862 @item temp-directory
22863 Where the temporary files should be stored.
22866 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
22867 performed for one group only.
22870 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{back-end}@code{-save-mail} to
22871 save each article. @var{back-end}@code{-active-number} will be called to
22872 find the article number assigned to this article.
22874 The function also uses the following variables:
22875 @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
22876 this back end); and @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} and
22877 @var{back-end}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
22878 @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
22882 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
22883 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
22887 @node Score File Syntax
22888 @subsection Score File Syntax
22890 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
22891 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
22892 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
22894 Here's a typical score file:
22898 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
22905 BNF definition of a score file:
22908 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
22909 element = rule / atom
22910 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
22911 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
22912 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
22913 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
22915 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
22916 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
22917 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
22918 date-header = "date"
22919 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22920 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
22921 score = "nil" / <integer>
22922 date = "nil" / <natural number>
22923 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
22924 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
22925 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
22926 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
22927 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22928 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
22929 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
22930 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
22931 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
22932 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
22933 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
22934 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
22935 exclude-files / read-only / touched
22936 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
22937 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
22938 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
22939 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
22940 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
22941 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
22942 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
22943 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
22944 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
22945 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
22946 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
22947 eval = "eval" space <form>
22948 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
22951 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
22954 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
22955 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
22956 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
22957 one looong line, then that's ok.
22959 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
22960 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
22964 @subsection Headers
22966 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
22967 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
22968 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
22969 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
22971 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
22972 RFC 1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
22973 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
22974 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
22975 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
22976 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
22977 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
22979 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
22980 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
22981 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
22982 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
22983 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
22985 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
22986 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
22992 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
22993 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
22995 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
22996 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
22997 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
22998 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
23000 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
23004 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
23007 is transformed into
23010 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
23013 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
23014 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
23017 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
23020 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
23021 is slightly tricky:
23024 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
23030 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
23033 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
23039 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
23046 and is equal to the previous range.
23048 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
23049 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
23050 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
23054 range = simple-range / normal-range
23055 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
23056 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
23057 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
23058 number *[ " " contents ]
23061 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
23062 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
23063 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
23064 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
23065 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
23070 @subsection Group Info
23072 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
23073 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
23074 describes the group.
23076 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
23077 second is a more complex one:
23080 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
23082 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
23083 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
23085 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
23088 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
23089 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
23090 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
23091 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
23092 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
23093 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
23094 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
23095 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
23096 this section is about.
23098 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
23099 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
23100 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
23102 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
23105 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
23106 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
23107 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
23108 group = quote <string> quote
23109 ralevel = rank / level
23110 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
23111 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
23112 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
23114 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
23115 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
23116 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
23117 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
23120 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
23121 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
23124 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
23125 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
23128 @item gnus-info-group
23129 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
23130 @findex gnus-info-group
23131 @findex gnus-info-set-group
23132 Get/set the group name.
23134 @item gnus-info-rank
23135 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
23136 @findex gnus-info-rank
23137 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
23138 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
23140 @item gnus-info-level
23141 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
23142 @findex gnus-info-level
23143 @findex gnus-info-set-level
23144 Get/set the group level.
23146 @item gnus-info-score
23147 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
23148 @findex gnus-info-score
23149 @findex gnus-info-set-score
23150 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
23152 @item gnus-info-read
23153 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
23154 @findex gnus-info-read
23155 @findex gnus-info-set-read
23156 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
23158 @item gnus-info-marks
23159 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
23160 @findex gnus-info-marks
23161 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
23162 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
23164 @item gnus-info-method
23165 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
23166 @findex gnus-info-method
23167 @findex gnus-info-set-method
23168 Get/set the group select method.
23170 @item gnus-info-params
23171 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
23172 @findex gnus-info-params
23173 @findex gnus-info-set-params
23174 Get/set the group parameters.
23177 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
23178 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
23180 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
23181 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
23182 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
23183 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
23186 @node Extended Interactive
23187 @subsection Extended Interactive
23188 @cindex interactive
23189 @findex gnus-interactive
23191 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
23192 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
23193 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
23196 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
23197 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
23202 The best thing to do would have been to implement
23203 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
23204 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
23205 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
23206 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
23207 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
23208 @code{interactive}.
23210 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
23215 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
23216 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
23220 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
23221 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
23222 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
23225 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
23229 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
23233 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
23239 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
23240 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
23244 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
23245 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
23246 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
23248 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
23249 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
23250 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
23251 Gnus, that's very useful.
23253 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
23254 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
23255 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
23256 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
23257 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
23258 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
23259 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
23260 following function:
23263 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
23267 (,function ,@@args))
23271 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
23272 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
23273 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
23276 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
23277 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
23278 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
23280 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
23281 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
23282 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
23285 @node Various File Formats
23286 @subsection Various File Formats
23289 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
23290 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
23294 @node Active File Format
23295 @subsubsection Active File Format
23297 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
23298 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
23301 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
23304 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
23305 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
23306 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
23307 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
23308 no.general 1000 900 y
23311 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
23314 active = *group-line
23315 group-line = group spc high-number spc low-number spc flag <NEWLINE>
23316 group = <non-white-space string>
23318 high-number = <non-negative integer>
23319 low-number = <positive integer>
23320 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
23323 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
23324 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
23327 @node Newsgroups File Format
23328 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
23330 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
23331 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
23332 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
23335 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
23336 Here's the definition:
23340 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
23341 group = <non-white-space string>
23343 description = <string>
23348 @node Emacs for Heathens
23349 @section Emacs for Heathens
23351 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
23352 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
23353 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{C-M-a}'', ``kill the
23354 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
23355 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
23356 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
23357 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
23361 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
23362 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
23367 @subsection Keystrokes
23371 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
23374 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
23377 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
23378 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
23379 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
23380 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
23381 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
23382 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
23384 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
23385 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
23386 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
23387 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
23388 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
23389 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
23390 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
23392 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
23393 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{C-M-m}
23394 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
23395 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
23396 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
23397 ``Press @kbd{C-M-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
23398 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
23400 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
23401 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
23402 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
23403 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
23404 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
23410 @subsection Emacs Lisp
23412 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
23413 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
23414 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
23415 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
23417 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
23418 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
23419 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
23420 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
23421 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
23422 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
23423 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
23426 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
23427 write the following:
23430 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
23433 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
23434 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
23435 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
23438 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
23439 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
23440 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
23441 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
23442 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
23444 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
23445 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
23446 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
23450 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
23454 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
23457 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
23458 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
23461 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
23464 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
23465 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
23468 @include gnus-faq.texi
23489 % LocalWords: BNF mucho detailmenu cindex kindex kbd
23490 % LocalWords: findex Gnusae vindex dfn dfn samp nntp setq nnspool nntpserver
23491 % LocalWords: nnmbox newusers Blllrph NEWGROUPS dingnusdingnusdingnus
23492 % LocalWords: pre fab rec comp nnslashdot regex ga ga sci nnml nnbabyl nnmh
23493 % LocalWords: nnfolder emph looong eld newsreaders defun init elc pxref