10 * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
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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.
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 This manual corresponds to Oort Gnus v.
395 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
396 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
398 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
399 being accused of plagiarism:
401 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
402 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
403 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you
404 can even read news with it!
406 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
407 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
408 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
409 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
410 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
416 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
417 * Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
418 * Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
419 * Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
420 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
421 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
422 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
423 * Various:: General purpose settings.
424 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
425 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
426 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
427 * Key Index:: Key Index.
430 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
434 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
435 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
436 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
437 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
438 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
439 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
440 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
441 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
442 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
443 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
444 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
448 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
449 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
450 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
454 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
455 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
456 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
457 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
458 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
459 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
460 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
461 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
462 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
463 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
464 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
465 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
466 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
467 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
468 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
469 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
470 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
474 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
475 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
476 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
480 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
481 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
482 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
483 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
484 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
488 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
489 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
490 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
491 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
492 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
496 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
497 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
498 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
499 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
500 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
502 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
503 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
504 * Threading:: How threads are made.
505 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
506 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
507 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
508 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
509 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
510 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
511 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
512 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
513 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
514 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
515 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
516 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
517 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
518 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
519 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
520 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
521 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
522 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
523 or reselecting the current group.
524 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
525 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
526 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
527 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
529 Summary Buffer Format
531 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
532 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
533 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
534 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
538 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
539 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
541 Reply, Followup and Post
543 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
544 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
545 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
546 * Canceling and Superseding::
550 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
551 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
552 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
554 * Generic Marking Commands::
555 * Setting Process Marks::
559 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
560 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
561 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
565 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
566 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
568 Customizing Threading
570 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
571 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
572 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
573 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
577 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
578 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
579 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
580 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
581 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
582 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
586 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
587 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
588 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
592 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
593 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
594 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
595 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
596 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
597 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
598 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
599 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
601 Alternative Approaches
603 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
604 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
606 Various Summary Stuff
608 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
609 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
610 * Summary Generation Commands::
611 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
615 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
616 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
617 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
618 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
619 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
623 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
624 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
625 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
626 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
627 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
628 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
629 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
630 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
634 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
635 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
636 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
637 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
638 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
639 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
640 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
641 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
645 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
646 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
647 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
648 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
649 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
650 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
651 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
655 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
656 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
660 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
661 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
662 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
666 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
667 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
668 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
669 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
670 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
671 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
672 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
673 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
674 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
675 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
676 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
677 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
678 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
679 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
683 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
684 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
685 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
687 Choosing a Mail Back End
689 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
690 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
691 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
692 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
693 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
694 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
698 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
699 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
700 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
701 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
702 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
703 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
707 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
708 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
709 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
713 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
714 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
715 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
716 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
717 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
721 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
725 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
726 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
727 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
731 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
732 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
736 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
737 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
738 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
739 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
740 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
741 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
742 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
743 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
744 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
745 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
749 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
750 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
751 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
755 * Group Agent Commands::
756 * Summary Agent Commands::
757 * Server Agent Commands::
761 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
762 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
763 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
764 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
765 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
766 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
767 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
768 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
769 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
770 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
771 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
772 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
773 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
774 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
775 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
776 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
777 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
781 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
782 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
783 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
784 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
788 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
789 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
790 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
794 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
795 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
796 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
797 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
798 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
799 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
800 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
801 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
802 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
803 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
804 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
805 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
806 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
807 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
808 * Image Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
809 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
810 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
811 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
815 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
816 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
817 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
818 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
819 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
820 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
821 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
822 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
826 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
827 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
828 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
829 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
833 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
834 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
835 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
836 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
837 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
841 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
842 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
843 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
844 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
845 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
846 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
847 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
851 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
852 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
853 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
854 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
855 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
856 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
857 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
858 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
859 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
863 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
864 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
865 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
866 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
867 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
871 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
872 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
873 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
874 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
878 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
879 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
880 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
881 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
882 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
883 * Group Info:: The group info format.
884 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
885 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
886 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
890 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
891 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
892 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
893 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
894 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
895 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
899 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
900 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
904 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
905 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
911 @chapter Starting Gnus
916 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
917 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
920 @findex gnus-other-frame
921 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
922 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
923 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
925 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
926 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
927 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
929 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
930 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
933 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
934 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
935 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
936 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
937 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
938 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
939 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
940 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
941 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
942 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
943 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
947 @node Finding the News
948 @section Finding the News
951 @vindex gnus-select-method
953 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
954 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
955 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
956 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
959 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
960 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
963 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
966 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
969 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
972 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
973 certainly be much faster. But do not use the local spool if your
974 server is running Leafnode; in this case, use @code{(nntp "localhost")}.
976 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
978 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
979 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
980 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
981 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
982 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
983 that fails as well, Gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
985 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
986 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
987 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
988 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
990 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
991 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
992 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
993 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
994 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
995 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
996 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
997 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
998 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
1001 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
1003 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
1004 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
1005 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
1006 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
1007 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
1008 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
1010 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
1012 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
1013 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
1014 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
1015 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
1016 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
1017 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
1020 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} back end to read your mail,
1021 you would typically set this variable to
1024 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
1028 @node The First Time
1029 @section The First Time
1030 @cindex first time usage
1032 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
1033 be subscribed by default.
1035 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
1036 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
1037 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
1038 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
1041 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
1042 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
1043 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
1045 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
1046 help you with most common problems.
1048 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
1049 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
1053 @node The Server is Down
1054 @section The Server is Down
1055 @cindex server errors
1057 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
1058 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
1059 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
1061 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
1062 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
1063 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
1064 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
1065 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
1066 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
1067 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
1069 @findex gnus-no-server
1070 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
1072 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
1073 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
1074 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
1075 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
1076 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
1077 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
1078 levels.) Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1082 @section Slave Gnusae
1085 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
1086 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
1087 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
1088 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
1090 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
1091 @code{.newsrc} file.
1093 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
1094 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
1095 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
1096 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
1097 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
1098 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
1099 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
1101 Anyway, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
1102 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
1103 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
1104 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
1105 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
1106 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
1107 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
1108 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
1110 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
1111 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
1114 @node Fetching a Group
1115 @section Fetching a Group
1116 @cindex fetching a group
1118 @findex gnus-fetch-group
1119 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
1120 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
1121 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
1122 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
1123 It takes the group name as a parameter.
1129 @cindex subscription
1131 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
1132 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
1133 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
1134 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
1135 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
1136 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
1137 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
1138 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the back ends for new groups even
1139 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1142 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
1143 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
1144 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
1148 @node Checking New Groups
1149 @subsection Checking New Groups
1151 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
1152 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
1153 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
1154 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
1155 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
1156 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
1157 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
1158 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
1159 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
1160 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
1162 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
1163 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
1164 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
1165 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
1166 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
1167 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
1168 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
1169 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
1170 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
1171 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
1172 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
1174 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
1175 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
1176 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
1177 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
1178 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
1179 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
1182 @node Subscription Methods
1183 @subsection Subscription Methods
1185 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
1186 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
1187 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
1189 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
1190 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
1192 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
1196 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
1197 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
1198 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
1199 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
1200 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
1202 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
1203 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
1204 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
1205 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
1207 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1208 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1209 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
1211 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1212 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1213 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
1214 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
1215 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
1216 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into its
1217 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
1218 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
1219 up. Or something like that.
1221 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
1222 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
1223 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
1224 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
1225 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
1227 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
1228 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
1229 Kill all new groups.
1231 @item gnus-subscribe-topics
1232 @vindex gnus-subscribe-topics
1233 Put the groups into the topic that has a matching @code{subscribe} topic
1234 parameter (@pxref{Topic Parameters}). For instance, a @code{subscribe}
1235 topic parameter that looks like
1241 will mean that all groups that match that regex will be subscribed under
1244 If no topics match the groups, the groups will be subscribed in the
1249 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
1250 A closely related variable is
1251 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
1252 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
1253 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
1254 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
1257 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
1258 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
1259 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
1260 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
1263 @node Filtering New Groups
1264 @subsection Filtering New Groups
1266 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
1267 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
1268 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
1271 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
1274 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
1275 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
1276 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
1277 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
1278 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
1279 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
1280 subscribing these groups.
1281 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
1282 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
1284 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
1285 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
1286 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
1287 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
1288 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
1289 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
1290 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
1291 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
1293 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
1294 Yet another variable that meddles here is
1295 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
1296 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
1297 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
1298 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
1299 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
1300 that come from mail back ends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
1301 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
1302 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
1304 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
1305 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
1308 @node Changing Servers
1309 @section Changing Servers
1310 @cindex changing servers
1312 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
1313 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
1314 very flaky and you want to use another.
1316 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
1317 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
1321 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
1322 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
1323 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
1324 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
1327 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
1328 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
1329 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
1330 functions more than absolutely necessary.
1332 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
1333 @findex gnus-change-server
1334 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
1335 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
1336 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
1337 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
1338 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
1340 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1341 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1342 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
1343 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
1344 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
1346 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1347 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1348 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
1349 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
1350 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
1351 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
1353 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
1354 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
1355 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
1359 @section Startup Files
1360 @cindex startup files
1365 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
1366 information is traditionally stored in this file.
1368 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
1369 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
1370 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
1371 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
1372 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
1373 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
1374 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
1376 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
1377 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
1378 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
1379 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
1380 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
1381 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
1383 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
1384 @vindex gnus-read-newsrc-file
1385 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
1386 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
1387 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from Gnus faster.
1388 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
1389 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right? Similarly, setting
1390 @code{gnus-read-newsrc-file} to @code{nil} makes Gnus ignore the
1391 @file{.newsrc} file and any @file{.newsrc-SERVER} files, which is
1392 convenient if you have a tendency to use Netscape once in a while.
1394 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
1395 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
1396 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
1397 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
1398 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
1399 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
1400 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
1401 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
1402 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
1403 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
1404 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
1405 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
1407 @vindex gnus-startup-file
1408 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
1409 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
1410 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
1412 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
1413 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
1414 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
1415 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
1416 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
1417 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
1418 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
1419 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
1420 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
1421 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
1424 (defun turn-off-backup ()
1425 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
1427 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1428 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1431 @vindex gnus-init-file
1432 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
1433 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
1434 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
1435 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
1436 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
1437 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
1438 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
1439 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
1440 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
1446 @cindex dribble file
1449 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
1450 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
1451 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
1452 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
1453 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
1456 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
1457 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
1460 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
1461 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
1462 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
1464 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
1465 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
1466 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
1467 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
1468 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
1469 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
1471 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
1472 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
1473 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
1476 @node The Active File
1477 @section The Active File
1479 @cindex ignored groups
1481 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
1482 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
1483 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
1485 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
1486 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
1487 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
1488 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
1489 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
1490 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
1491 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
1494 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
1495 @c if you set it to anything else.
1497 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
1499 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
1500 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
1501 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
1503 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
1504 you actually subscribe to.
1506 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
1507 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
1508 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
1509 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
1511 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
1512 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
1513 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
1514 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
1515 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
1516 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1518 Some news servers (old versions of Leafnode and old versions of INN, for
1519 instance) do not support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group}. For these
1520 servers, @code{nil} is probably the most efficient value for this
1523 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
1524 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1525 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1526 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1527 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1528 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1530 If you think that starting up Gnus takes too long, try all the three
1531 different values for this variable and see what works best for you.
1533 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1534 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1536 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1537 secondary select methods.
1540 @node Startup Variables
1541 @section Startup Variables
1545 @item gnus-load-hook
1546 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1547 A hook run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1548 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1549 times you start Gnus.
1551 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1552 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1553 A hook run after starting up Gnus successfully.
1555 @item gnus-startup-hook
1556 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1557 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1559 @item gnus-started-hook
1560 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1561 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1564 @item gnus-setup-news-hook
1565 @vindex gnus-setup-news-hook
1566 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1567 generating the group buffer.
1569 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1570 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1571 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1572 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1573 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1574 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1575 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1576 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1578 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1579 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1580 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1581 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1582 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1583 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1585 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1586 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1587 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
1589 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1590 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1591 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
1593 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1594 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1595 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1596 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1602 @chapter Group Buffer
1603 @cindex group buffer
1605 @c Alex Schroeder suggests to rearrange this as follows:
1607 @c <kensanata> ok, just save it for reference. I'll go to bed in a minute.
1608 @c 1. Selecting a Group, 2. (new) Finding a Group, 3. Group Levels,
1609 @c 4. Subscription Commands, 5. Group Maneuvering, 6. Group Data,
1610 @c 7. Group Score, 8. Group Buffer Format
1611 @c <kensanata> Group Levels should have more information on levels 5 to 9. I
1612 @c suggest to split the 4th paragraph ("Gnus considers groups...") as follows:
1613 @c <kensanata> First, "Gnus considers groups... (default 9)."
1614 @c <kensanata> New, a table summarizing what levels 1 to 9 mean.
1615 @c <kensanata> Third, "Gnus treats subscribed ... reasons of efficiency"
1616 @c <kensanata> Then expand the next paragraph or add some more to it.
1617 @c This short one sentence explains levels 1 and 2, therefore I understand
1618 @c that I should keep important news at 3 and boring news at 4.
1619 @c Say so! Then go on to explain why I should bother with levels 6 to 9.
1620 @c Maybe keep those that you don't want to read temporarily at 6,
1621 @c those that you never want to read at 8, those that offend your
1622 @c human rights at 9...
1625 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1626 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1627 long as Gnus is active.
1631 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1632 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group,height=9cm}}
1633 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1634 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1635 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1636 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1637 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1638 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1644 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1645 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1646 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1647 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1648 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1649 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1650 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1651 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1652 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1653 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1654 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1655 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1656 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1657 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1658 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1659 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1660 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1664 @node Group Buffer Format
1665 @section Group Buffer Format
1668 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1669 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1670 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1674 @node Group Line Specification
1675 @subsection Group Line Specification
1676 @cindex group buffer format
1678 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1679 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1681 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1684 25: news.announce.newusers
1685 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1690 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1691 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1692 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1693 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1695 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1696 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1697 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1698 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1699 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1700 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1702 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1704 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1705 the colon after performing an operation. @xref{Positioning
1706 Point}. Nothing else is required---not even the group name. All
1707 displayed text is just window dressing, and is never examined by Gnus.
1708 Gnus stores all real information it needs using text properties.
1710 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1711 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1712 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1714 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1719 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1722 Whether the group is subscribed.
1725 Level of subscribedness.
1728 Number of unread articles.
1731 Number of dormant articles.
1734 Number of ticked articles.
1737 Number of read articles.
1740 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1741 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1743 Gnus uses this estimation because the NNTP protocol provides efficient
1744 access to @var{max-number} and @var{min-number} but getting the true
1745 unread message count is not possible efficiently. For hysterical
1746 raisins, even the mail back ends, where the true number of unread
1747 messages might be available efficiently, use the same limited
1748 interface. To remove this restriction from Gnus means that the
1749 back end interface has to be changed, which is not an easy job. If you
1750 want to work on this, please contact the Gnus mailing list.
1753 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1756 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1765 Newsgroup description.
1768 @samp{m} if moderated.
1771 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1780 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1784 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1787 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1788 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1789 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1790 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1791 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.e.gnus}.
1794 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1796 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1800 @samp{#} (@code{gnus-process-mark}) if the group is process marked.
1803 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1807 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1808 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1809 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1810 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1811 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1812 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1817 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1818 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1819 group, or a bogus native group.
1822 @node Group Modeline Specification
1823 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1824 @cindex group modeline
1826 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1827 The mode line can be changed by setting
1828 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1829 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1833 The native news server.
1835 The native select method.
1839 @node Group Highlighting
1840 @subsection Group Highlighting
1841 @cindex highlighting
1842 @cindex group highlighting
1844 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1845 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1846 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1847 that look like @code{(@var{form} . @var{face})}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1848 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1850 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1854 (cond (window-system
1855 (setq custom-background-mode 'light)
1856 (defface my-group-face-1
1857 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))) "First group face")
1858 (defface my-group-face-2
1859 '((t (:foreground "DarkSeaGreen4" :bold t))) "Second group face")
1860 (defface my-group-face-3
1861 '((t (:foreground "Green4" :bold t))) "Third group face")
1862 (defface my-group-face-4
1863 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))) "Fourth group face")
1864 (defface my-group-face-5
1865 '((t (:foreground "Blue" :bold t))) "Fifth group face")))
1867 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1868 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1869 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1870 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1871 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1872 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1875 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1877 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1884 The number of unread articles in the group.
1888 Whether the group is a mail group.
1890 The level of the group.
1892 The score of the group.
1894 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1896 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1897 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1899 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1900 topic being inserted.
1903 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1904 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1905 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1907 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1908 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1909 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1910 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1911 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1914 @node Group Maneuvering
1915 @section Group Maneuvering
1916 @cindex group movement
1918 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1919 expected, hopefully.
1925 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1926 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1927 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1933 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1934 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1935 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1939 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1940 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1944 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1945 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1949 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1950 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1951 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1955 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1956 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1957 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1960 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1966 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1967 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1968 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1973 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1974 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1975 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1979 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1980 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1981 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1984 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1985 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1986 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1987 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1991 @node Selecting a Group
1992 @section Selecting a Group
1993 @cindex group selection
1998 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1999 @findex gnus-group-read-group
2000 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
2001 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
2002 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
2003 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
2004 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
2005 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
2006 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
2007 negative, Gnus fetches the @code{abs(@var{N})} oldest articles.
2009 Thus, @kbd{SPC} enters the group normally, @kbd{C-u SPC} offers old
2010 articles, @kbd{C-u 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 newest articles, and @kbd{C-u
2011 - 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 oldest ones.
2013 When you are in the group (in the Summary buffer), you can type
2014 @kbd{M-g} to fetch new articles, or @kbd{C-u M-g} to also show the old
2019 @findex gnus-group-select-group
2020 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
2021 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
2022 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
2023 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
2027 @kindex M-RET (Group)
2028 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
2029 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
2030 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
2031 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
2032 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
2033 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
2034 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
2035 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
2036 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
2039 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
2040 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
2041 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
2042 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
2043 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
2046 @kindex C-M-RET (Group)
2047 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
2048 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
2049 doing any processing of its contents
2050 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
2051 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
2052 manner will have no permanent effects.
2056 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
2057 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
2058 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
2059 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
2060 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
2061 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
2062 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
2063 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
2066 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
2067 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
2068 If @code{gnus-auto-select-first} is non-@code{nil}, select an article
2069 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
2070 Which article this is is controlled by the
2071 @code{gnus-auto-select-subject} variable. Valid values for this
2077 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article.
2080 Place point on the subject line of the first article.
2083 Place point on the subject line of the first unseen article.
2086 Place point on the subject line of the highest-scored unread article.
2090 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function
2091 will be called to place point on a subject line.
2093 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
2094 binary group with Huge articles) you can set the
2095 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} variable to @code{nil} in
2096 @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
2100 @node Subscription Commands
2101 @section Subscription Commands
2102 @cindex subscription
2110 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
2111 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
2112 Toggle subscription to the current group
2113 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2119 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
2120 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
2121 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
2122 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
2128 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
2129 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
2130 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
2136 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
2137 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
2140 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
2141 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
2142 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
2143 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
2144 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
2150 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
2151 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
2155 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
2156 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
2159 @kindex S C-k (Group)
2160 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
2161 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
2162 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
2163 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
2164 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
2165 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
2166 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
2167 @file{.newsrc} file.
2171 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
2181 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
2182 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
2183 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
2184 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
2185 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
2186 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
2191 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
2192 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
2193 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
2197 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
2198 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
2199 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
2201 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2202 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2203 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2204 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
2205 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
2206 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
2213 @section Group Levels
2217 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
2218 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
2219 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
2220 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
2221 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
2223 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
2229 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
2230 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
2231 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
2232 prompted for a level.
2235 @vindex gnus-level-killed
2236 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
2237 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
2238 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
2239 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
2240 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
2241 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
2242 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
2243 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
2244 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
2245 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
2246 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
2247 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
2248 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
2249 reasons of efficiency.
2251 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
2252 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
2254 Maybe the following description of the default behavior of Gnus helps to
2255 understand what these levels are all about. By default, Gnus shows you
2256 subscribed nonempty groups, but by hitting @kbd{L} you can have it show
2257 empty subscribed groups and unsubscribed groups, too. Type @kbd{l} to
2258 go back to showing nonempty subscribed groups again. Thus, unsubscribed
2259 groups are hidden, in a way.
2261 Zombie and killed groups are similar to unsubscribed groups in that they
2262 are hidden by default. But they are different from subscribed and
2263 unsubscribed groups in that Gnus doesn't ask the news server for
2264 information (number of messages, number of unread messages) on zombie
2265 and killed groups. Normally, you use @kbd{C-k} to kill the groups you
2266 aren't interested in. If most groups are killed, Gnus is faster.
2268 Why does Gnus distinguish between zombie and killed groups? Well, when
2269 a new group arrives on the server, Gnus by default makes it a zombie
2270 group. This means that you are normally not bothered with new groups,
2271 but you can type @kbd{A z} to get a list of all new groups. Subscribe
2272 the ones you like and kill the ones you don't want. (@kbd{A k} shows a
2273 list of killed groups.)
2275 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
2276 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
2277 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
2279 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
2280 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
2281 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
2282 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
2283 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
2284 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
2285 relevant valid ranges.
2287 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
2288 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
2289 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
2290 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
2291 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
2292 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
2295 If this variable is @code{best}, Gnus will make the next newsgroup the
2296 one with the best level.
2298 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
2299 All groups with a level less than or equal to
2300 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
2303 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
2304 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
2305 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
2306 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
2309 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
2310 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
2311 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
2312 use this level as the ``work'' level.
2314 @vindex gnus-activate-level
2315 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
2316 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
2317 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
2318 to 5. The default is 6.
2322 @section Group Score
2327 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
2328 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
2329 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
2332 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can have Gnus assign a score
2333 to each group through the mechanism described below. You can then sort
2334 the group buffer based on this score. Alternatively, you can sort on
2335 score and then level. (Taken together, the level and the score is
2336 called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group that is on level 4 and has
2337 a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group on level 5 that has a score
2338 of 300. (The level is the most significant part and the score is the
2339 least significant part.))
2341 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
2342 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
2343 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
2344 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
2345 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
2346 action after each summary exit, you can add
2347 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
2348 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
2349 slow things down somewhat.
2352 @node Marking Groups
2353 @section Marking Groups
2354 @cindex marking groups
2356 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
2357 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
2358 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
2359 bidding on those groups.
2361 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
2362 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
2363 with the process mark and then execute the command.
2371 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
2372 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
2378 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
2379 Remove the mark from the current group
2380 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
2384 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
2385 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
2389 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
2390 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
2394 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
2395 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
2399 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
2400 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
2401 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
2404 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
2406 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
2407 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
2408 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
2409 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
2410 the command to be executed.
2413 @node Foreign Groups
2414 @section Foreign Groups
2415 @cindex foreign groups
2417 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
2418 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
2419 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
2420 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
2427 @findex gnus-group-make-group
2428 @cindex making groups
2429 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
2430 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
2431 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
2435 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
2436 @cindex renaming groups
2437 Rename the current group to something else
2438 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
2439 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
2445 @findex gnus-group-customize
2446 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
2450 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
2451 @cindex renaming groups
2452 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
2453 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
2457 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
2458 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
2459 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
2463 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
2464 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
2465 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
2469 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
2471 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
2472 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
2477 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
2478 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
2482 @cindex (ding) archive
2483 @cindex archive group
2484 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
2485 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
2486 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
2487 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
2488 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
2489 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
2490 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
2494 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
2496 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
2497 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
2498 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
2499 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
2503 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
2505 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
2506 @code{nneething} back end (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
2507 @xref{Anything Groups}.
2511 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
2512 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
2514 Make a group based on some file or other
2515 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2516 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
2517 Currently supported types are @code{mbox}, @code{babyl},
2518 @code{digest}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward},
2519 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts},
2520 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs},
2521 @code{nsmail}, @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman}. If
2522 you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file
2523 type. @xref{Document Groups}.
2527 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
2528 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
2529 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
2530 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
2534 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
2539 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
2540 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2541 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
2542 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
2543 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
2544 @xref{Web Searches}.
2546 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
2547 to a particular group by using a match string like
2548 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
2551 @kindex G DEL (Group)
2552 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
2553 This function will delete the current group
2554 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
2555 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
2556 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
2557 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
2558 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
2562 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
2563 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
2564 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
2568 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
2569 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
2570 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
2573 @xref{Select Methods}, for more information on the various select
2576 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
2577 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
2578 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
2579 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
2580 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
2581 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2585 @node Group Parameters
2586 @section Group Parameters
2587 @cindex group parameters
2589 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2590 Here's an example group parameter list:
2593 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2597 We see that each element consists of a "dotted pair"---the thing before
2598 the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value. All the
2599 parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs, which are
2600 not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2602 Some parameters have correspondant customizable variables, each of which
2603 is an alist of regexps and values.
2605 The following group parameters can be used:
2610 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2613 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2616 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2617 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2618 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2619 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2620 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2622 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2623 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2624 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2625 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2626 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2627 list address instead.
2629 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-address-alist}.
2633 Address used when doing @kbd{a} in that group.
2636 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2639 It is totally ignored
2640 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2641 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2643 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2644 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2645 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2646 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2647 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2649 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2650 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2651 sending the message.
2653 @findex gnus-mailing-list-mode
2654 @cindex Mail List Groups
2655 If this variable is set, @code{gnus-mailing-list-mode} is turned on when
2656 entering summary buffer.
2658 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-list-alist}.
2662 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2663 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2664 of whether it has any unread articles.
2666 @item broken-reply-to
2667 @cindex broken-reply-to
2668 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2669 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2670 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2671 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2672 broken behavior. So there!
2676 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2677 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2681 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, Gnus
2682 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2683 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2688 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2689 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2690 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2691 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2692 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2693 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2694 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2698 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2699 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2700 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2702 See also @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups}.
2705 @cindex total-expire
2706 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2707 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2708 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2709 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2712 See also @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups}.
2716 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2717 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2718 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2719 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2720 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2721 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2724 @cindex score file group parameter
2725 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2726 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2727 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2730 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2731 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2732 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2733 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2736 @cindex admin-address
2737 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2738 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2739 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2740 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2744 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2745 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2749 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2752 Display the last INTEGER articles in the group. This is the same as
2753 entering the group with C-u INTEGER.
2756 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2760 Display articles that satisfy a predicate.
2762 Here are some examples:
2766 Display only read articles.
2769 Display everything except expirable articles.
2771 @item [and (not reply) (not expire)]
2772 Display everything except expirable and articles you've already
2776 The available operators are @code{not}, @code{and} and @code{or}.
2777 Predicates include @code{tick}, @code{unsend}, @code{undownload},
2778 @code{read}, @code{dormant}, @code{expire}, @code{reply},
2779 @code{killed}, @code{bookmark}, @code{score}, @code{save},
2780 @code{cache}, @code{forward}, @code{seen} and @code{recent}.
2784 The @code{display} parameter works by limiting the summary buffer to
2785 the subset specified. You can pop the limit by using the @kbd{/ w}
2786 command (@pxref{Limiting}).
2790 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
2791 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
2792 Gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
2797 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2798 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2799 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2801 See also @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}.
2803 @item ignored-charsets
2804 @cindex ignored-charset
2805 Elements that look like @code{(ignored-charsets x-unknown iso-8859-1)}
2806 will make @code{iso-8859-1} and @code{x-unknown} ignored; that is, the
2807 default charset will be used for decoding articles.
2809 See also @code{gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist}.
2812 @cindex posting-style
2813 You can store additional posting style information for this group only
2814 here (@pxref{Posting Styles}). The format is that of an entry in the
2815 @code{gnus-posting-styles} alist, except that there's no regexp matching
2816 the group name (of course). Style elements in this group parameter will
2817 take precedence over the ones found in @code{gnus-posting-styles}.
2819 For instance, if you want a funky name and signature in this group only,
2820 instead of hacking @code{gnus-posting-styles}, you could put something
2821 like this in the group parameters:
2826 (signature "Funky Signature"))
2831 If it is set, the value is used as the method for posting message
2832 instead of @code{gnus-post-method}.
2836 An item like @code{(banner . "regex")} causes any part of an article
2837 that matches the regular expression "regex" to be stripped. Instead of
2838 "regex", you can also use the symbol @code{signature} which strips the
2839 last signature or any of the elements of the alist
2840 @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}.
2844 This parameter contains a Sieve test that should match incoming mail
2845 that should be placed in this group. From this group parameter, a
2846 Sieve @samp{IF} control structure is generated, having the test as the
2847 condition and @samp{fileinto "group.name";} as the body.
2849 For example, if the INBOX.list.sieve group has the @code{(sieve
2850 address "sender" "sieve-admin@@extundo.com")} group parameter, when
2851 translating the group parameter into a Sieve script (@pxref{Sieve
2852 Commands}) the following Sieve code is generated:
2855 if address \"sender\" \"sieve-admin@@extundo.com\" @{
2856 fileinto \"INBOX.list.sieve\";
2860 The Sieve language is described in RFC 3028. @xref{Top, , Top, sieve,
2863 @item (@var{variable} @var{form})
2864 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2865 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2866 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2867 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2868 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2869 @code{eval}ed there.
2871 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2872 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2873 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2874 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2875 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2879 Use the @kbd{G p} or the @kbd{G c} command to edit group parameters of a
2880 group. (@kbd{G p} presents you with a Lisp-based interface, @kbd{G c}
2881 presents you with a Customize-like interface. The latter helps avoid
2882 silly Lisp errors.) You might also be interested in reading about topic
2883 parameters (@pxref{Topic Parameters}).
2885 Group parameters can be set via the @code{gnus-parameters} variable too.
2886 But some variables, such as @code{visible}, have no effect. For
2890 (setq gnus-parameters
2892 (gnus-show-threads nil)
2893 (gnus-use-scoring nil)
2894 (gnus-summary-line-format
2895 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%d:%ub%-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
2899 ("^nnimap:\\(foo.bar\\)$"
2903 (gnus-use-scoring t))
2907 (broken-reply-to . t))))
2910 String value of parameters will be subjected to regexp substitution, as
2911 the @code{to-group} example shows.
2914 @node Listing Groups
2915 @section Listing Groups
2916 @cindex group listing
2918 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2926 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2927 List all groups that have unread articles
2928 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2929 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2930 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2931 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2938 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2939 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2940 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2941 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2942 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2943 unsubscribed groups).
2947 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2948 List all unread groups on a specific level
2949 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2950 with no unread articles.
2954 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2955 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2956 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2957 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2962 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2963 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2967 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2968 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2969 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2973 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2974 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2978 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2979 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2980 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2981 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2982 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2983 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2984 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2985 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2989 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2990 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2991 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2995 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2996 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2997 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
3001 @findex gnus-group-list-cached
3002 List all groups with cached articles (@code{gnus-group-list-cached}).
3006 @findex gnus-group-list-dormant
3007 List all groups with dormant articles (@code{gnus-group-list-dormant}).
3011 @findex gnus-group-list-limit
3012 List groups limited within the current selection
3013 (@code{gnus-group-list-limit}).
3017 @findex gnus-group-list-flush
3018 Flush groups from the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-flush}).
3022 @findex gnus-group-list-plus
3023 List groups plus the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-plus}).
3027 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3028 @cindex visible group parameter
3029 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
3030 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
3031 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
3032 get the same effect.
3034 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
3035 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
3036 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
3037 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
3038 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
3041 @node Sorting Groups
3042 @section Sorting Groups
3043 @cindex sorting groups
3045 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
3046 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
3047 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
3048 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
3049 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
3050 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
3055 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3056 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3057 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
3059 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3060 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3061 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
3063 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
3064 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
3065 Sort by group level.
3067 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
3068 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
3069 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
3071 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3072 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3073 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
3074 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
3076 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3077 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3078 Sort by number of unread articles.
3080 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
3081 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
3082 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
3084 @item gnus-group-sort-by-server
3085 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-server
3086 Sort alphabetically on the Gnus server name.
3091 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
3092 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
3096 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
3097 some sorting criteria:
3101 @kindex G S a (Group)
3102 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3103 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
3104 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3107 @kindex G S u (Group)
3108 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
3109 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
3110 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3113 @kindex G S l (Group)
3114 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
3115 Sort the group buffer by group level
3116 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
3119 @kindex G S v (Group)
3120 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
3121 Sort the group buffer by group score
3122 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3125 @kindex G S r (Group)
3126 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
3127 Sort the group buffer by group rank
3128 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3131 @kindex G S m (Group)
3132 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
3133 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by back end name
3134 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
3138 All the commands below obey the process/prefix convention
3139 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3141 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
3142 commands will sort in reverse order.
3144 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
3148 @kindex G P a (Group)
3149 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
3150 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
3151 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
3154 @kindex G P u (Group)
3155 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
3156 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
3157 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
3160 @kindex G P l (Group)
3161 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
3162 Sort the groups by group level
3163 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
3166 @kindex G P v (Group)
3167 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
3168 Sort the groups by group score
3169 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3172 @kindex G P r (Group)
3173 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
3174 Sort the groups by group rank
3175 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3178 @kindex G P m (Group)
3179 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
3180 Sort the groups alphabetically by back end name
3181 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
3185 And finally, note that you can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} to manually
3189 @node Group Maintenance
3190 @section Group Maintenance
3191 @cindex bogus groups
3196 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
3197 Find bogus groups and delete them
3198 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
3202 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
3203 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
3204 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
3205 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
3206 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
3210 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
3211 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
3212 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
3213 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}). That is, delete
3214 all expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
3215 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3218 @kindex C-c C-M-x (Group)
3219 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
3220 Run all expirable articles in all groups through the expiry process
3221 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
3226 @node Browse Foreign Server
3227 @section Browse Foreign Server
3228 @cindex foreign servers
3229 @cindex browsing servers
3234 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
3235 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
3236 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
3237 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
3240 @findex gnus-browse-mode
3241 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
3242 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
3243 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
3245 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
3250 @findex gnus-group-next-group
3251 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
3255 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
3256 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
3259 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
3260 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
3261 Enter the current group and display the first article
3262 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
3265 @kindex RET (Browse)
3266 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
3267 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
3271 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
3272 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
3273 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
3279 @findex gnus-browse-exit
3280 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
3284 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
3285 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
3286 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
3291 @section Exiting Gnus
3292 @cindex exiting Gnus
3294 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
3299 @findex gnus-group-suspend
3300 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
3301 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
3302 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
3306 @findex gnus-group-exit
3307 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
3308 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
3312 @findex gnus-group-quit
3313 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
3314 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
3317 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
3318 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
3319 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
3320 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
3321 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
3326 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
3327 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
3328 trying to customize meta-variables.
3333 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
3334 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
3335 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
3341 @section Group Topics
3344 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
3345 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
3346 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
3347 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
3348 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
3349 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
3353 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
3354 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group-topic,height=9cm}}
3365 2: alt.religion.emacs
3368 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3370 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3371 13: comp.sources.unix
3374 @findex gnus-topic-mode
3376 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
3377 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
3378 is a toggling command.)
3380 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
3381 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and
3382 now press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
3383 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
3386 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
3387 the hook for the group mode. Put the following line in your
3388 @file{~/.gnus} file:
3391 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
3395 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
3396 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
3397 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
3398 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
3399 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
3403 @node Topic Commands
3404 @subsection Topic Commands
3405 @cindex topic commands
3407 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
3408 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
3409 definitions slightly.
3411 In general, the following kinds of operations are possible on topics.
3412 First of all, you want to create topics. Secondly, you want to put
3413 groups in topics and to move them around until you have an order you
3414 like. The third kind of operation is to show/hide parts of the whole
3415 shebang. You might want to hide a topic including its subtopics and
3416 groups, to get a better overview of the other groups.
3418 Here is a list of the basic keys that you might need to set up topics
3425 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
3426 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
3427 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
3431 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
3433 @findex gnus-topic-indent
3434 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3435 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
3436 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
3439 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
3440 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
3441 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3442 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
3446 The following two keys can be used to move groups and topics around.
3447 They work like the well-known cut and paste. @kbd{C-k} is like cut and
3448 @kbd{C-y} is like paste. Of course, this being Emacs, we use the terms
3449 kill and yank rather than cut and paste.
3455 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
3456 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
3457 topic will be removed along with the topic.
3461 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
3462 Yank the previously killed group or topic
3463 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
3466 So, to move a topic to the beginning of the list of topics, just hit
3467 @kbd{C-k} on it. This is like the `cut' part of cut and paste. Then,
3468 move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer (just below the `Gnus'
3469 topic) and hit @kbd{C-y}. This is like the `paste' part of cut and
3470 paste. Like I said -- E-Z.
3472 You can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} on groups as well as on topics. So
3473 you can move topics around as well as groups.
3477 After setting up the topics the way you like them, you might wish to
3478 hide a topic, or to show it again. That's why we have the following
3485 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
3487 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
3488 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
3489 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
3490 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
3491 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
3492 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
3496 Now for a list of other commands, in no particular order.
3502 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
3503 Move the current group to some other topic
3504 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3505 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3509 @findex gnus-topic-jump-to-topic
3510 Go to a topic (@code{gnus-topic-jump-to-topic}).
3514 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
3515 Copy the current group to some other topic
3516 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3517 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3521 @findex gnus-topic-hide-topic
3522 Hide the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-hide-topic}). If given
3523 a prefix, hide the topic permanently.
3527 @findex gnus-topic-show-topic
3528 Show the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-show-topic}). If given
3529 a prefix, show the topic permanently.
3533 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
3534 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
3535 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
3536 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
3537 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
3538 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
3539 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
3542 This command uses the process/prefix convention
3543 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3547 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
3548 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3549 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
3553 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
3554 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3555 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
3559 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
3560 Toggle hiding empty topics
3561 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
3565 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
3566 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
3567 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
3570 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
3571 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
3572 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
3573 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
3576 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
3577 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
3578 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the
3579 expiry process (if any)
3580 (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}). (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3584 @findex gnus-topic-rename
3585 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
3588 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
3589 @findex gnus-topic-delete
3590 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
3594 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
3595 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
3596 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
3600 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
3601 @cindex group parameters
3602 @cindex topic parameters
3604 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
3605 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
3610 @node Topic Variables
3611 @subsection Topic Variables
3612 @cindex topic variables
3614 The previous section told you how to tell Gnus which topics to display.
3615 This section explains how to tell Gnus what to display about each topic.
3617 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
3618 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
3619 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3632 Number of groups in the topic.
3634 Number of unread articles in the topic.
3636 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
3639 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
3640 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
3641 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
3644 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
3645 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
3647 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
3648 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
3649 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
3653 @subsection Topic Sorting
3654 @cindex topic sorting
3656 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
3662 @kindex T S a (Topic)
3663 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3664 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
3665 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3668 @kindex T S u (Topic)
3669 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
3670 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
3671 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3674 @kindex T S l (Topic)
3675 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
3676 Sort the current topic by group level
3677 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
3680 @kindex T S v (Topic)
3681 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
3682 Sort the current topic by group score
3683 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3686 @kindex T S r (Topic)
3687 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
3688 Sort the current topic by group rank
3689 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3692 @kindex T S m (Topic)
3693 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
3694 Sort the current topic alphabetically by back end name
3695 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
3698 @kindex T S e (Topic)
3699 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server
3700 Sort the current topic alphabetically by server name
3701 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server}).
3705 @xref{Sorting Groups}, for more information about group sorting.
3708 @node Topic Topology
3709 @subsection Topic Topology
3710 @cindex topic topology
3713 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
3719 2: alt.religion.emacs
3722 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3724 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3725 13: comp.sources.unix
3728 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
3729 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
3730 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
3735 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
3736 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
3740 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
3741 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
3742 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
3743 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
3744 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
3745 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
3747 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
3748 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
3749 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
3752 @node Topic Parameters
3753 @subsection Topic Parameters
3754 @cindex topic parameters
3756 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
3757 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
3758 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
3760 In addition, the following parameters are only valid as topic
3765 When subscribing new groups by topic (@pxref{Subscription Methods}), the
3766 @code{subscribe} topic parameter says what groups go in what topic. Its
3767 value should be a regexp to match the groups that should go in that
3770 @item subscribe-level
3771 When subscribing new groups by topic (see the @code{subscribe} parameter),
3772 the group will be subscribed with the level specified in the
3773 @code{subscribe-level} instead of @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}.
3777 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
3778 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
3779 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
3780 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
3786 2: alt.religion.emacs
3790 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3792 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3793 13: comp.sources.unix
3797 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
3798 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
3799 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
3800 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
3801 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
3802 . "religion.SCORE")}.
3804 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
3805 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
3806 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
3807 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
3808 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
3810 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
3811 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
3812 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
3813 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
3814 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
3815 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
3816 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
3817 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
3820 @node Misc Group Stuff
3821 @section Misc Group Stuff
3824 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
3825 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
3826 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
3827 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
3828 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
3835 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
3836 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
3837 @xref{Server Buffer}.
3841 @findex gnus-group-post-news
3842 Start composing a message (a news by default)
3843 (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a prefix, post to the group
3844 under the point. If the prefix is 1, prompt for a group to post to.
3845 Contrary to what the name of this function suggests, the prepared
3846 article might be a mail instead of a news, if a mail group is specified
3847 with the prefix argument. @xref{Composing Messages}.
3851 @findex gnus-group-mail
3852 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}). If given a prefix,
3853 use the posting style of the group under the point. If the prefix is 1,
3854 prompt for a group name to find the posting style.
3855 @xref{Composing Messages}.
3859 @findex gnus-group-news
3860 Start composing a news (@code{gnus-group-news}). If given a prefix,
3861 post to the group under the point. If the prefix is 1, prompt
3862 for group to post to. @xref{Composing Messages}.
3864 This function actually prepares a news even when using mail groups.
3865 This is useful for "posting" messages to mail groups without actually
3866 sending them over the network: they're just saved directly to the group
3867 in question. The corresponding back end must have a request-post method
3868 for this to work though.
3872 Variables for the group buffer:
3876 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
3877 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
3878 is called after the group buffer has been
3881 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
3882 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3883 is called after the group buffer is
3884 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
3887 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
3888 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3889 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
3890 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
3892 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3893 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3894 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
3895 whether they are empty or not.
3897 @item gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3898 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3899 An alist of method and the charset for group names. It is used to show
3900 non-ASCII group names.
3904 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
3905 '(((nntp "news.com.cn") . cn-gb-2312)))
3908 @item gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3909 @cindex UTF-8 group names
3910 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3911 An alist of regexp of group name and the charset for group names. It
3912 is used to show non-ASCII group names. @code{((".*" utf-8))} is the
3913 default value if UTF-8 is supported, otherwise the default is nil.
3917 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
3918 '(("\\.com\\.cn:" . cn-gb-2312)))
3923 @node Scanning New Messages
3924 @subsection Scanning New Messages
3925 @cindex new messages
3926 @cindex scanning new news
3932 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
3933 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
3934 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
3935 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
3936 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
3937 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3942 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3943 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3944 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3945 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3946 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3947 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3948 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3950 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3951 @cindex activating groups
3953 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3954 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3959 @findex gnus-group-restart
3960 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3961 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3962 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
3966 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3967 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3969 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3970 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3974 @node Group Information
3975 @subsection Group Information
3976 @cindex group information
3977 @cindex information on groups
3984 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3985 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3988 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3989 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3990 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3991 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3992 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3993 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3994 for fetching the file.
3996 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
3997 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
4001 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
4003 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
4004 @cindex describing groups
4005 @cindex group description
4006 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
4007 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
4008 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
4012 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
4013 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
4014 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
4021 @findex gnus-version
4022 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
4026 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
4027 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
4030 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
4033 @findex gnus-info-find-node
4034 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
4038 @node Group Timestamp
4039 @subsection Group Timestamp
4041 @cindex group timestamps
4043 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
4044 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
4045 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
4048 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
4051 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
4053 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
4054 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
4057 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4058 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
4061 This will result in lines looking like:
4064 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
4065 0: custom 19961002T012713
4068 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
4069 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
4073 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4074 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
4079 @subsection File Commands
4080 @cindex file commands
4086 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
4087 @vindex gnus-init-file
4088 @cindex reading init file
4089 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
4090 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
4094 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
4095 @cindex saving .newsrc
4096 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
4097 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
4098 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
4101 @c @kindex Z (Group)
4102 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
4103 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
4108 @node Sieve Commands
4109 @subsection Sieve Commands
4110 @cindex group sieve commands
4112 Sieve is a server-side mail filtering language. In Gnus you can use
4113 the @code{sieve} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to specify
4114 sieve rules that should apply to each group. Gnus provides two
4115 commands to translate all these group parameters into a proper Sieve
4116 script that can be transfered to the server somehow.
4118 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4119 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-start
4120 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-end
4121 The generated Sieve script is placed in @code{gnus-sieve-file} (by
4122 default @file{~/.sieve}). The Sieve code that Gnus generate is placed
4123 between two delimiters, @code{gnus-sieve-region-start} and
4124 @code{gnus-sieve-region-end}, so you may write additional Sieve code
4125 outside these delimiters that will not be removed the next time you
4126 regenerate the Sieve script.
4128 @vindex gnus-sieve-crosspost
4129 The variable @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} controls how the Sieve script
4130 is generated. If it is non-nil (the default) articles is placed in
4131 all groups that have matching rules, otherwise the article is only
4132 placed in the group with the first matching rule. For example, the
4133 group parameter @samp{(sieve address "sender"
4134 "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu")} will generate the following piece of Sieve
4135 code if @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is nil. (When
4136 @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is non-nil, it looks the same except that
4137 the line containing the call to @code{stop} is removed.)
4140 if address "sender" "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu" @{
4141 fileinto "INBOX.ding";
4146 @xref{Top, ,Top, sieve, Emacs Sieve}.
4152 @findex gnus-sieve-generate
4153 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4154 @cindex generating sieve script
4155 Regenerate a Sieve script from the @code{sieve} group parameters and
4156 put you into the @code{gnus-sieve-file} without saving it.
4160 @findex gnus-sieve-update
4161 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4162 @cindex updating sieve script
4163 Regenerates the Gnus managed part of @code{gnus-sieve-file} using the
4164 @code{sieve} group parameters, save the file and upload it to the
4165 server using the @code{sieveshell} program.
4170 @node Summary Buffer
4171 @chapter Summary Buffer
4172 @cindex summary buffer
4174 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
4175 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
4177 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
4178 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
4180 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
4183 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
4184 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
4185 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
4186 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
4187 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
4188 * Delayed Articles::
4189 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
4190 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
4191 * Threading:: How threads are made.
4192 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
4193 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
4194 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
4195 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
4196 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
4197 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
4198 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
4199 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
4200 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
4201 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
4202 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
4203 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
4204 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
4205 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
4206 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
4207 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
4208 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
4209 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
4210 or reselecting the current group.
4211 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
4212 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
4213 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
4214 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
4218 @node Summary Buffer Format
4219 @section Summary Buffer Format
4220 @cindex summary buffer format
4224 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
4225 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary,width=7.5cm}}
4226 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-article,width=7.5cm}}}
4232 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
4233 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
4234 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
4235 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
4238 @findex mail-extract-address-components
4239 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
4240 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
4241 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
4242 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
4243 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined functions exist:
4244 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
4245 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
4246 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
4247 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
4248 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead:
4251 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
4252 'mail-extract-address-components)
4255 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
4256 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
4257 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
4258 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
4261 @node Summary Buffer Lines
4262 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
4264 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4265 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
4266 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
4267 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
4268 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
4270 There should always be a colon or a point position marker on the line;
4271 the cursor always moves to the point position marker or the colon after
4272 performing an operation. (Of course, Gnus wouldn't be Gnus if it wasn't
4273 possible to change this. Just write a new function
4274 @code{gnus-goto-colon} which does whatever you like with the cursor.)
4275 @xref{Positioning Point}.
4277 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%) %s\n}.
4279 The following format specification characters and extended format
4280 specification(s) are understood:
4286 Subject string. List identifiers stripped,
4287 @code{gnus-list-identifies}. @xref{Article Hiding}.
4289 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
4290 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
4291 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
4293 Full @code{From} header.
4295 The name (from the @code{From} header).
4297 The name, code @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header
4298 (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
4300 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
4301 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
4302 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
4303 may be more thorough.
4305 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
4308 Number of lines in the article.
4310 Number of characters in the article. This specifier is not supported
4311 in some methods (like nnfolder).
4313 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4315 A complex trn-style thread tree, showing response-connecting trace
4318 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
4319 pushes everything after it off the screen).
4321 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
4322 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4324 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
4325 for adopted articles.
4327 One space for each thread level.
4329 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
4331 Unread. @xref{Read Articles}.
4334 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
4335 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
4336 or has been saved. @xref{Other Marks}.
4339 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
4341 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
4342 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
4343 default level. If the difference between
4344 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
4345 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
4353 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
4355 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
4361 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
4362 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
4364 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
4365 article has any children.
4371 Age sensitive date format. Various date format is defined in
4372 @code{gnus-user-date-format-alist}.
4374 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
4375 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
4376 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
4377 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
4378 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
4379 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
4382 Text between @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} will be highlighted with
4383 @code{gnus-mouse-face} when the mouse point is placed inside the area.
4384 There can only be one such area.
4386 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
4387 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
4388 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
4389 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
4390 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
4391 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
4393 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
4394 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
4396 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
4399 @node To From Newsgroups
4400 @subsection To From Newsgroups
4404 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
4405 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
4406 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
4407 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
4408 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
4412 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
4413 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
4414 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
4418 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4419 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
4422 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
4423 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
4426 @findex gnus-extra-header
4427 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
4428 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
4429 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
4432 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
4436 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4437 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
4438 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
4439 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
4440 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
4441 headers are used instead.
4445 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
4446 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
4447 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files. If
4448 you have old overview files, you should regenerate them after changing
4451 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4452 You also have to instruct Gnus to display the data by changing the
4453 @code{%n} spec to the @code{%f} spec in the
4454 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable.
4456 In summary, you'd typically put something like the following in
4460 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4462 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
4463 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
4464 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
4465 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4469 Now, this is mostly useful for mail groups, where you have control over
4470 the @sc{nov} files that are created. However, if you can persuade your
4477 to the end of her @file{overview.fmt} file, then you can use that just
4478 as you would the extra headers from the mail groups.
4481 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
4482 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
4484 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
4485 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
4486 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
4487 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
4489 Here are the elements you can play with:
4495 Unprefixed group name.
4497 Current article number.
4499 Current article score.
4503 Number of unread articles in this group.
4505 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
4508 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
4509 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
4510 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
4511 and no unselected ones.
4513 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
4514 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
4516 Subject of the current article.
4518 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
4520 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
4522 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4524 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4526 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
4528 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
4532 @node Summary Highlighting
4533 @subsection Summary Highlighting
4537 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4538 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4539 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
4540 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
4541 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4543 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
4544 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
4545 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
4546 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4548 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
4549 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
4550 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
4551 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
4553 @item gnus-summary-highlight
4554 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
4555 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
4556 list where the elements are of the format @code{(@var{form}
4557 . @var{face})}. If you would, for instance, like ticked articles to be
4558 italic and high-scored articles to be bold, you could set this variable
4561 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
4562 ((> score default) . bold))
4564 As you may have guessed, if @var{form} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
4565 @var{face} will be applied to the line.
4569 @node Summary Maneuvering
4570 @section Summary Maneuvering
4571 @cindex summary movement
4573 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
4574 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
4576 None of these commands select articles.
4581 @kindex M-n (Summary)
4582 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
4583 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
4584 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
4585 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
4589 @kindex M-p (Summary)
4590 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
4591 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
4592 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
4593 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
4596 @kindex G g (Summary)
4597 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
4598 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
4599 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
4602 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
4603 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
4604 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
4605 to the group buffer.
4607 Variables related to summary movement:
4611 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
4612 @item gnus-auto-select-next
4613 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
4614 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
4615 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
4616 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
4617 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
4618 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
4619 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the
4620 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
4621 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
4622 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
4623 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
4624 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
4626 @item gnus-auto-select-same
4627 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
4628 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
4629 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
4630 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
4631 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
4632 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
4634 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
4636 @item gnus-summary-check-current
4637 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
4638 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
4639 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
4640 Instead, they will choose the current article.
4642 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
4643 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
4644 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
4645 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
4646 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
4647 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
4648 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
4649 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
4652 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
4653 the given number of lines from the top.
4658 @node Choosing Articles
4659 @section Choosing Articles
4660 @cindex selecting articles
4663 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
4664 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
4668 @node Choosing Commands
4669 @subsection Choosing Commands
4671 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
4672 and they all select and display an article.
4674 If you want to fetch new articles or redisplay the group, see
4675 @ref{Exiting the Summary Buffer}.
4679 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4680 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4681 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
4682 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4687 @kindex G n (Summary)
4688 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
4689 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
4690 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
4695 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
4696 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
4697 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
4702 @kindex G N (Summary)
4703 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
4704 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
4709 @kindex G P (Summary)
4710 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
4711 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
4714 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
4715 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
4716 Go to the next article with the same subject
4717 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
4720 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
4721 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
4722 Go to the previous article with the same subject
4723 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
4727 @kindex G f (Summary)
4729 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
4730 Go to the first unread article
4731 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
4735 @kindex G b (Summary)
4737 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
4738 Go to the unread article with the highest score
4739 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}). If given a prefix argument,
4740 go to the first unread article that has a score over the default score.
4745 @kindex G l (Summary)
4746 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
4747 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
4750 @kindex G o (Summary)
4751 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
4753 @cindex article history
4754 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
4755 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
4756 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
4757 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
4758 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
4759 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
4764 @kindex G j (Summary)
4765 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
4766 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
4767 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
4772 @node Choosing Variables
4773 @subsection Choosing Variables
4775 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
4778 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4779 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
4780 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
4781 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
4782 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
4783 the server and display it in the article buffer.
4785 @item gnus-select-article-hook
4786 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
4787 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
4788 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
4790 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
4791 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
4792 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
4793 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
4794 @findex gnus-unread-mark
4795 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
4796 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
4797 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
4798 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
4799 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
4800 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
4801 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
4802 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
4803 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
4808 @node Paging the Article
4809 @section Scrolling the Article
4810 @cindex article scrolling
4815 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4816 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4817 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
4818 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
4819 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4822 @kindex DEL (Summary)
4823 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
4824 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
4827 @kindex RET (Summary)
4828 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
4829 Scroll the current article one line forward
4830 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
4833 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
4834 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
4835 Scroll the current article one line backward
4836 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
4840 @kindex A g (Summary)
4842 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
4843 @vindex gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4844 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
4845 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
4846 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
4847 the way it came from the server.
4849 If given a numerical prefix, you can do semi-manual charset stuff.
4850 @kbd{C-u 0 g cn-gb-2312 RET} will decode the message as if it were
4851 encoded in the @code{cn-gb-2312} charset. If you have
4854 (setq gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
4859 then you can say @kbd{C-u 1 g} to get the same effect.
4864 @kindex A < (Summary)
4865 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
4866 Scroll to the beginning of the article
4867 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
4872 @kindex A > (Summary)
4873 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
4874 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
4878 @kindex A s (Summary)
4880 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
4881 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
4882 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
4886 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
4887 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
4892 @node Reply Followup and Post
4893 @section Reply, Followup and Post
4896 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
4897 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
4898 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
4899 * Canceling and Superseding::
4903 @node Summary Mail Commands
4904 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
4906 @cindex composing mail
4908 Commands for composing a mail message:
4914 @kindex S r (Summary)
4916 @findex gnus-summary-reply
4917 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
4918 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
4919 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
4920 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
4925 @kindex S R (Summary)
4926 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
4927 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
4928 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
4929 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
4930 command uses the process/prefix convention.
4933 @kindex S w (Summary)
4934 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
4935 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
4936 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
4937 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4938 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
4941 @kindex S W (Summary)
4942 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
4943 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
4944 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
4945 the process/prefix convention.
4948 @kindex S v (Summary)
4949 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply
4950 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article
4951 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{very wide reply} is a reply
4952 that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
4953 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers in all the process/prefixed
4954 articles. This command uses the process/prefix convention.
4958 @kindex S o m (Summary)
4959 @kindex C-c C-f (Summary)
4960 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
4961 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
4962 Forward the current article to some other person
4963 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If no prefix is given, the message
4964 is forwarded according to the value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime})
4965 and (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
4966 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
4967 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
4968 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
4969 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
4970 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
4971 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
4976 @kindex S m (Summary)
4977 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
4978 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
4979 Prepare a mail (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}). By default, use
4980 the posting style of the current group. If given a prefix, disable that.
4981 If the prefix is 1, prompt for a group name to find the posting style.
4986 @kindex S i (Summary)
4987 @findex gnus-summary-news-other-window
4988 Prepare a news (@code{gnus-summary-news-other-window}). By default,
4989 post to the current group. If given a prefix, disable that. If the
4990 prefix is 1, prompt for a group to post to.
4992 This function actually prepares a news even when using mail groups.
4993 This is useful for "posting" messages to mail groups without actually
4994 sending them over the network: they're just saved directly to the group
4995 in question. The corresponding back end must have a request-post method
4996 for this to work though.
4999 @kindex S D b (Summary)
5000 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
5001 @cindex bouncing mail
5002 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
5003 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
5004 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
5005 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
5006 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
5007 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
5008 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
5009 very well fail, though.
5012 @kindex S D r (Summary)
5013 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
5014 Not to be confused with the previous command,
5015 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
5016 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
5017 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
5018 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
5019 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
5020 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
5021 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
5023 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
5024 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
5025 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
5026 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
5027 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
5029 This command understands the process/prefix convention
5030 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5033 @kindex S O m (Summary)
5034 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
5035 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
5036 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
5037 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5040 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
5041 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
5042 @cindex crossposting
5043 @cindex excessive crossposting
5044 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
5045 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
5047 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
5048 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
5049 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
5050 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
5051 command understands the process/prefix convention
5052 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
5056 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5057 Manual}, for more information.
5060 @node Summary Post Commands
5061 @subsection Summary Post Commands
5063 @cindex composing news
5065 Commands for posting a news article:
5071 @kindex S p (Summary)
5072 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
5073 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
5074 Prepare for posting an article (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}). By
5075 default, post to the current group. If given a prefix, disable that.
5076 If the prefix is 1, prompt for another group instead.
5081 @kindex S f (Summary)
5082 @findex gnus-summary-followup
5083 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
5084 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
5088 @kindex S F (Summary)
5090 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
5091 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
5092 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
5093 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
5094 process/prefix convention.
5097 @kindex S n (Summary)
5098 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
5099 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5100 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
5103 @kindex S N (Summary)
5104 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
5105 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5106 message through mail and include the original message
5107 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
5108 the process/prefix convention.
5111 @kindex S o p (Summary)
5112 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
5113 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
5114 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}).
5115 If no prefix is given, the message is forwarded according to the value
5116 of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}) and
5117 (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
5118 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
5119 as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
5120 forward as an rfc822 MIME section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
5121 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
5122 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
5123 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 MIME section.
5126 @kindex S O p (Summary)
5127 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
5129 @cindex making digests
5130 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
5131 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
5132 process/prefix convention.
5135 @kindex S u (Summary)
5136 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
5137 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
5138 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
5139 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
5142 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5143 Manual}, for more information.
5146 @node Summary Message Commands
5147 @subsection Summary Message Commands
5151 @kindex S y (Summary)
5152 @findex gnus-summary-yank-message
5153 Yank the current article into an already existing Message composition
5154 buffer (@code{gnus-summary-yank-message}). This command prompts for
5155 what message buffer you want to yank into, and understands the
5156 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5161 @node Canceling and Superseding
5162 @subsection Canceling Articles
5163 @cindex canceling articles
5164 @cindex superseding articles
5166 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
5167 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
5169 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
5171 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
5173 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
5174 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
5175 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
5176 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
5177 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
5178 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5180 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
5181 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
5184 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
5185 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
5186 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
5188 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
5189 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
5190 your original article.
5192 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
5194 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
5195 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
5196 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
5199 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
5200 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
5201 have posted almost the same article twice.
5203 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
5204 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
5205 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
5206 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
5207 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
5208 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
5209 header by substituting one of those words for the word
5210 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
5211 you would do normally. The previous article will be
5212 canceled/superseded.
5214 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
5216 @node Delayed Articles
5217 @section Delayed Articles
5218 @cindex delayed sending
5219 @cindex send delayed
5221 Sometimes, you might wish to delay the sending of a message. For
5222 example, you might wish to arrange for a message to turn up just in time
5223 to remind your about the birthday of your Significant Other. For this,
5224 there is the @code{gnus-delay} package. Setup is simple:
5227 (gnus-delay-initialize)
5230 @findex gnus-delay-article
5231 Normally, to send a message you use the @kbd{C-c C-c} command from
5232 Message mode. To delay a message, use @kbd{C-c C-j}
5233 (@code{gnus-delay-article}) instead. This will ask you for how long the
5234 message should be delayed. Possible answers are:
5238 A time span. Consists of an integer and a letter. For example,
5239 @code{42d} means to delay for 42 days. Available letters are @code{m}
5240 (minutes), @code{h} (hours), @code{d} (days), @code{w} (weeks), @code{M}
5241 (months) and @code{Y} (years).
5244 A specific date. Looks like @code{YYYYY-MM-DD}. The message will be
5245 delayed until that day, at a specific time (eight o'clock by default).
5246 See also @code{gnus-delay-default-hour}.
5249 A specific time of day. Given in @code{hh:mm} format, 24h, no am/pm
5250 stuff. The deadline will be at that time today, except if that time has
5251 already passed, then it's at the given time tomorrow. So if it's ten
5252 o'clock in the morning and you specify @code{11:15}, then the deadline
5253 is one hour and fifteen minutes hence. But if you specify @code{9:20},
5254 that means a time tomorrow.
5257 The action of the @code{gnus-delay-article} command is influenced by a
5258 couple of variables:
5261 @item gnus-delay-default-hour
5262 @vindex gnus-delay-default-hour
5263 When you specify a specific date, the message will be due on that hour
5264 on the given date. Possible values are integers 0 through 23.
5266 @item gnus-delay-default-delay
5267 @vindex gnus-delay-default-delay
5268 This is a string and gives the default delay. It can be of any of the
5269 formats described above.
5271 @item gnus-delay-group
5272 @vindex gnus-delay-group
5273 Delayed articles will be kept in this group on the drafts server until
5274 they are due. You probably don't need to change this. The default
5275 value is @code{"delayed"}.
5277 @item gnus-delay-header
5278 @vindex gnus-delay-header
5279 The deadline for each article will be stored in a header. This variable
5280 is a string and gives the header name. You probably don't need to
5281 change this. The default value is @code{"X-Gnus-Delayed"}.
5284 The way delaying works is like this: when you use the
5285 @code{gnus-delay-article} command, you give a certain delay. Gnus
5286 calculates the deadline of the message and stores it in the
5287 @code{X-Gnus-Delayed} header and puts the message in the
5288 @code{nndraft:delayed} group.
5290 And whenever you get new news, Gnus looks through the group for articles
5291 which are due and sends them. It uses the @code{gnus-delay-send-queue}
5292 function for this. By default, this function is added to the hook
5293 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But of course, you can change this.
5294 Maybe you want to use the demon to send drafts? Just tell the demon to
5295 execute the @code{gnus-delay-send-queue} function.
5298 @item gnus-delay-initialize
5299 @findex gnus-delay-initialize
5300 By default, this function installs the @kbd{C-c C-j} key binding in
5301 Message mode and @code{gnus-delay-send-queue} in
5302 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But it accepts two optional arguments,
5303 @code{no-keymap} and @code{no-check}. If @code{no-keymap} is non-nil,
5304 the @kbd{C-c C-j} binding is not intalled. If @code{no-check} is
5305 non-nil, @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is not changed.
5307 For example, @code{(gnus-delay-initialize nil t)} means to change the
5308 keymap but not to change @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. Presumably, you
5309 want to use the demon for sending due delayed articles. Just don't
5310 forget to set that up :-)
5314 @node Marking Articles
5315 @section Marking Articles
5316 @cindex article marking
5317 @cindex article ticking
5320 There are several marks you can set on an article.
5322 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
5323 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
5324 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
5326 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
5329 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
5330 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
5331 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
5335 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
5339 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
5340 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
5341 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
5345 @node Unread Articles
5346 @subsection Unread Articles
5348 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
5353 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
5354 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
5356 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
5357 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
5358 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
5359 tick it. However, articles can be expired (from news servers by the
5360 news server software, Gnus itself never expires ticked messages), so if
5361 you want to keep an article forever, you'll have to make it persistent
5362 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
5365 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
5366 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
5368 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
5369 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
5370 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
5371 Otherwise (except for the visibility issue), they are just like ticked
5375 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
5376 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
5378 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
5383 @subsection Read Articles
5384 @cindex expirable mark
5386 All the following marks mark articles as read.
5391 @vindex gnus-del-mark
5392 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
5393 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
5396 @vindex gnus-read-mark
5397 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
5400 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
5401 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
5402 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
5405 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
5406 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
5409 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
5410 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
5413 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
5414 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
5417 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
5418 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
5421 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
5422 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
5425 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
5426 @sc{soup}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
5429 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
5430 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
5434 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
5435 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
5436 (@code{gnus-duplicate-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
5440 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
5441 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
5443 One more special mark, though:
5447 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
5448 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
5450 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
5451 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
5452 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
5453 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
5459 @subsection Other Marks
5460 @cindex process mark
5463 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
5469 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
5470 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
5471 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
5472 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
5473 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}.
5476 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
5477 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
5478 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
5479 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
5481 @vindex gnus-forwarded-mark
5482 All articles that you have forwarded will be marked with an @samp{F} in
5483 the second column (@code{gnus-forwarded-mark}).
5485 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5486 Articles that are ``recently'' arrived in the group will be marked
5487 with an @samp{N} in the second column (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Most
5488 back end doesn't support the mark, in which case it's not shown.
5491 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
5492 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
5493 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5496 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
5497 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
5498 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
5499 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
5502 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5503 Articles that according to the back end haven't been seen by the user
5504 before are marked with a @samp{N} in the second column
5505 (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Note that not all back ends support this
5506 mark, in which case it simply never appear.
5509 @vindex gnus-unseen-mark
5510 Articles that haven't been seen by the user before are marked with a
5511 @samp{.} in the second column (@code{gnus-unseen-mark}).
5514 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
5515 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
5516 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
5517 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
5518 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
5521 @vindex gnus-process-mark
5522 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
5523 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
5524 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
5525 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
5526 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
5530 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
5531 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
5532 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
5534 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
5535 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
5536 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
5540 @subsection Setting Marks
5541 @cindex setting marks
5543 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
5548 @kindex M c (Summary)
5549 @kindex M-u (Summary)
5550 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
5551 @cindex mark as unread
5552 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
5553 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
5559 @kindex M t (Summary)
5560 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
5561 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
5562 @xref{Article Caching}.
5567 @kindex M ? (Summary)
5568 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
5569 Mark the current article as dormant
5570 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5574 @kindex M d (Summary)
5576 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
5577 Mark the current article as read
5578 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
5582 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
5583 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
5584 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
5589 @kindex M k (Summary)
5590 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
5591 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
5592 and then select the next unread article
5593 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
5597 @kindex M K (Summary)
5598 @kindex C-k (Summary)
5599 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
5600 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
5601 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
5604 @kindex M C (Summary)
5605 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
5606 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
5607 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
5610 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
5611 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
5612 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
5613 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
5616 @kindex M H (Summary)
5617 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
5618 Catchup the current group to point (before the point)
5619 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
5622 @kindex M h (Summary)
5623 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-from-here
5624 Catchup the current group from point (after the point)
5625 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-from-here}).
5628 @kindex C-w (Summary)
5629 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
5630 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
5631 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
5634 @kindex M V k (Summary)
5635 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
5636 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
5637 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
5641 @kindex M e (Summary)
5643 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
5644 Mark the current article as expirable
5645 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
5648 @kindex M b (Summary)
5649 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
5650 Set a bookmark in the current article
5651 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
5654 @kindex M B (Summary)
5655 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
5656 Remove the bookmark from the current article
5657 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
5660 @kindex M V c (Summary)
5661 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
5662 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
5663 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5666 @kindex M V u (Summary)
5667 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
5668 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
5669 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
5672 @kindex M V m (Summary)
5673 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
5674 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
5675 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
5676 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5679 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
5680 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
5681 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
5682 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
5683 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
5684 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
5685 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
5686 The default is @code{t}.
5689 @node Generic Marking Commands
5690 @subsection Generic Marking Commands
5692 Some people would like the command that ticks an article (@kbd{!}) go to
5693 the next article. Others would like it to go to the next unread
5694 article. Yet others would like it to stay on the current article. And
5695 even though I haven't heard of anybody wanting it to go to the
5696 previous (unread) article, I'm sure there are people that want that as
5699 Multiply these five behaviors with five different marking commands, and
5700 you get a potentially complex set of variable to control what each
5703 To sidestep that mess, Gnus provides commands that do all these
5704 different things. They can be found on the @kbd{M M} map in the summary
5705 buffer. Type @kbd{M M C-h} to see them all---there are too many of them
5706 to list in this manual.
5708 While you can use these commands directly, most users would prefer
5709 altering the summary mode keymap. For instance, if you would like the
5710 @kbd{!} command to go to the next article instead of the next unread
5711 article, you could say something like:
5714 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'my-alter-summary-map)
5715 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5716 (local-set-key "!" 'gnus-summary-put-mark-as-ticked-next))
5722 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
5723 (local-set-key "!" "MM!n"))
5727 @node Setting Process Marks
5728 @subsection Setting Process Marks
5729 @cindex setting process marks
5736 @kindex M P p (Summary)
5737 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
5738 Mark the current article with the process mark
5739 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
5740 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
5744 @kindex M P u (Summary)
5745 @kindex M-# (Summary)
5746 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
5747 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
5750 @kindex M P U (Summary)
5751 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
5752 Remove the process mark from all articles
5753 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
5756 @kindex M P i (Summary)
5757 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
5758 Invert the list of process marked articles
5759 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
5762 @kindex M P R (Summary)
5763 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
5764 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5765 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
5768 @kindex M P G (Summary)
5769 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
5770 Unmark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
5771 expression (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
5774 @kindex M P r (Summary)
5775 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
5776 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
5779 @kindex M P t (Summary)
5780 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5781 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5782 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5785 @kindex M P T (Summary)
5786 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5787 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
5788 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5791 @kindex M P v (Summary)
5792 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
5793 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
5794 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
5797 @kindex M P s (Summary)
5798 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
5799 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5802 @kindex M P S (Summary)
5803 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
5804 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
5805 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
5808 @kindex M P a (Summary)
5809 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
5810 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
5813 @kindex M P b (Summary)
5814 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
5815 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
5816 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
5819 @kindex M P k (Summary)
5820 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
5821 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
5822 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
5825 @kindex M P y (Summary)
5826 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
5827 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
5828 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
5831 @kindex M P w (Summary)
5832 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
5833 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
5834 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
5838 Also see the @kbd{&} command in @pxref{Searching for Articles} for how to
5839 set process marks based on article body contents.
5846 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
5847 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
5848 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
5851 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
5852 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
5853 additional articles.
5859 @kindex / / (Summary)
5860 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
5861 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
5862 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}). If given a prefix, exclude
5866 @kindex / a (Summary)
5867 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
5868 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
5869 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}). If given a prefix, exclude
5873 @kindex / x (Summary)
5874 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
5875 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match one of the ``extra''
5876 headers (@pxref{To From Newsgroups})
5877 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-extra}). If given a prefix, exclude
5882 @kindex / u (Summary)
5884 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
5885 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
5886 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
5887 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
5888 dormant articles will also be excluded.
5891 @kindex / m (Summary)
5892 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
5893 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
5894 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
5897 @kindex / t (Summary)
5898 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
5899 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
5900 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-age}). If given a prefix, limit to
5901 articles younger than that number of days.
5904 @kindex / n (Summary)
5905 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
5906 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
5907 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
5908 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5911 @kindex / w (Summary)
5912 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
5913 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
5914 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
5918 @kindex / v (Summary)
5919 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
5920 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
5921 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
5924 @kindex / p (Summary)
5925 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter
5926 Limit the summary buffer to articles that satisfy the @code{display}
5927 group parameter predicate
5928 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-display-parameter}). See @pxref{Group
5929 Parameters} for more on this predicate.
5933 @kindex M S (Summary)
5934 @kindex / E (Summary)
5935 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
5936 Include all expunged articles in the limit
5937 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
5940 @kindex / D (Summary)
5941 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
5942 Include all dormant articles in the limit
5943 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
5946 @kindex / * (Summary)
5947 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
5948 Include all cached articles in the limit
5949 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
5952 @kindex / d (Summary)
5953 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
5954 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
5955 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
5958 @kindex / M (Summary)
5959 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks
5960 Exclude all marked articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks}).
5963 @kindex / T (Summary)
5964 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
5965 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
5968 @kindex / c (Summary)
5969 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
5970 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
5971 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
5974 @kindex / C (Summary)
5975 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
5976 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
5977 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
5978 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
5981 @kindex / N (Summary)
5982 @findex gnus-summary-insert-new-articles
5983 Insert all new articles in the summary buffer. It scans for new emails
5984 if @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} is non-@code{nil}.
5987 @kindex / o (Summary)
5988 @findex gnus-summary-insert-old-articles
5989 Insert all old articles in the summary buffer. If given a numbered
5990 prefix, fetch this number of articles.
5998 @cindex article threading
6000 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
6001 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
6002 hierarchical fashion.
6004 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
6005 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
6006 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
6007 or simply missing. Weird news propagation exacerbates the problem,
6008 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
6009 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
6010 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
6012 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
6016 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
6019 A tree-like article structure.
6022 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
6025 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
6026 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
6027 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
6028 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
6029 called loose threads.
6031 @item thread gathering
6032 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
6034 @item sparse threads
6035 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
6036 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
6042 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
6043 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
6047 @node Customizing Threading
6048 @subsection Customizing Threading
6049 @cindex customizing threading
6052 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
6053 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
6054 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
6055 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
6060 @subsubsection Loose Threads
6063 @cindex loose threads
6066 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
6067 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
6068 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
6069 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
6070 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
6071 read or killed the root in a previous session.
6073 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
6074 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
6075 There are four possible values:
6079 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
6080 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-adopt,width=7.5cm}}
6081 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-empty,width=7.5cm}}}
6082 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-none,width=7.5cm}}}
6083 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-dummy,width=7.5cm}}}
6088 @cindex adopting articles
6093 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
6094 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
6095 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
6096 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
6099 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
6100 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
6101 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
6102 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
6103 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
6104 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
6105 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
6108 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
6109 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
6110 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
6114 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
6115 display them after one another.
6118 Don't gather loose threads.
6121 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6122 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6123 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
6124 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
6125 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
6126 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
6127 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
6128 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
6129 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
6130 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
6131 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
6133 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
6134 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
6135 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
6138 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6139 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6140 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
6141 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
6142 simplification is used.
6144 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6145 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6146 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
6147 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
6149 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
6151 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6157 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
6158 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
6159 "answer" "reference" "announce"
6160 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
6165 (mapconcat 'identity
6166 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
6168 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
6171 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
6174 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6175 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6176 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
6177 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
6178 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
6179 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
6181 Useful functions to put in this list include:
6184 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
6185 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
6186 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
6188 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6189 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6192 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
6193 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
6194 Remove excessive whitespace.
6197 You may also write your own functions, of course.
6200 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6201 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6202 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
6203 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
6204 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
6205 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
6206 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
6207 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
6209 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6210 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6211 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
6212 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
6213 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
6214 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
6215 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
6216 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
6217 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
6221 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6222 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6223 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
6224 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
6226 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6227 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6228 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
6231 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
6235 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6236 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
6242 @node Filling In Threads
6243 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
6246 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
6247 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
6248 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
6249 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
6250 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
6251 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
6252 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
6253 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
6254 fetching old headers only works if the back end you are using carries
6255 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
6256 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
6257 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
6259 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
6260 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
6261 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
6263 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
6264 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
6265 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
6266 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
6267 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
6268 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
6269 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
6270 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
6271 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
6272 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
6273 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
6274 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
6275 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
6276 @code{nil} by default.
6278 @item gnus-read-all-available-headers
6279 @vindex gnus-read-all-available-headers
6280 This is a rather obscure variable that few will find useful. It's
6281 intended for those non-news newsgroups where the back end has to fetch
6282 quite a lot to present the summary buffer, and where it's impossible to
6283 go back to parents of articles. This is mostly the case in the
6284 web-based groups, like the @code{nnultimate} groups.
6286 If you don't use those, then it's safe to leave this as the default
6287 @code{nil}. If you want to use this variable, it should be a regexp
6288 that matches the group name, or @code{t} for all groups.
6293 @node More Threading
6294 @subsubsection More Threading
6297 @item gnus-show-threads
6298 @vindex gnus-show-threads
6299 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
6300 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
6301 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
6302 slower and more awkward.
6304 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6305 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6306 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
6309 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
6310 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
6311 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
6312 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
6313 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
6314 threads are expunged.
6316 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
6317 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
6318 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
6321 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6322 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6323 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
6324 this variable is non-@code{nil}, which is the default, the subject
6325 change is ignored. If it is @code{nil}, a change in the subject will
6326 result in a new thread.
6328 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
6329 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
6330 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
6333 @item gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6334 @vindex gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6335 Sometimes, particularly with mailing lists, the order in which mails
6336 arrive locally is not necessarily the same as the order in which they
6337 arrived on the mailing list. Consequently, when sorting sub-threads
6338 using the default @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number}, responses can end
6339 up appearing before the article to which they are responding to.
6340 Setting this variable to an alternate value
6341 (e.g. @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}), in a group's parameters or in an
6342 appropriate hook (e.g. @code{gnus-summary-generate-hook}) can produce a
6343 more logical sub-thread ordering in such instances.
6348 @node Low-Level Threading
6349 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
6353 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
6354 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
6355 Hook run before parsing any headers.
6357 @item gnus-alter-header-function
6358 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
6359 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
6360 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
6361 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
6362 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
6363 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
6364 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
6365 meaningful. Here's one example:
6368 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
6370 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
6371 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
6373 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
6375 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
6382 @node Thread Commands
6383 @subsection Thread Commands
6384 @cindex thread commands
6390 @kindex T k (Summary)
6391 @kindex C-M-k (Summary)
6392 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
6393 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
6394 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
6395 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
6400 @kindex T l (Summary)
6401 @kindex C-M-l (Summary)
6402 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
6403 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
6404 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
6407 @kindex T i (Summary)
6408 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
6409 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
6410 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
6413 @kindex T # (Summary)
6414 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6415 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
6416 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6419 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
6420 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6421 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
6422 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6425 @kindex T T (Summary)
6426 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
6427 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
6430 @kindex T s (Summary)
6431 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
6432 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
6433 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
6436 @kindex T h (Summary)
6437 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
6438 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
6441 @kindex T S (Summary)
6442 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
6443 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
6446 @kindex T H (Summary)
6447 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
6448 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
6451 @kindex T t (Summary)
6452 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
6453 Re-thread the current article's thread
6454 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
6455 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
6458 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
6459 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
6460 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
6461 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
6465 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
6466 understand the numeric prefix.
6471 @kindex T n (Summary)
6473 @kindex C-M-n (Summary)
6475 @kindex M-down (Summary)
6476 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
6477 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
6480 @kindex T p (Summary)
6482 @kindex C-M-p (Summary)
6484 @kindex M-up (Summary)
6485 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
6486 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
6489 @kindex T d (Summary)
6490 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
6491 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
6494 @kindex T u (Summary)
6495 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
6496 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
6499 @kindex T o (Summary)
6500 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
6501 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
6504 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
6505 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
6506 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
6507 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
6508 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
6509 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
6510 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
6511 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
6512 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
6513 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
6514 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
6515 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
6519 @node Sorting the Summary Buffer
6520 @section Sorting the Summary Buffer
6522 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
6523 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
6524 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
6525 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6526 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
6527 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6528 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
6529 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
6530 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
6531 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
6532 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
6534 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
6535 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
6536 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
6537 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
6538 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
6540 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
6541 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
6542 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
6544 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
6545 last function in the list. You should probably always include
6546 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
6547 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
6548 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
6549 ascending article order.
6551 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
6552 by number, you could do something like:
6555 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6556 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6557 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6558 (not gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
6561 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
6562 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
6563 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
6564 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
6565 which the articles arrived.
6567 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
6571 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6573 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
6574 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
6577 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
6578 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
6579 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
6580 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
6583 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
6584 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
6585 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
6586 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
6587 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
6588 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
6589 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
6590 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
6591 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
6592 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
6593 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
6594 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
6595 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
6597 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
6601 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
6602 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
6603 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
6608 @node Asynchronous Fetching
6609 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
6610 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
6611 @cindex article pre-fetch
6614 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
6615 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
6616 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
6617 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
6618 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
6620 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
6621 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
6623 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
6624 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
6625 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
6626 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
6627 connection is blocked.
6629 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
6630 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
6631 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
6632 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
6634 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
6635 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
6636 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
6637 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
6640 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
6643 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
6644 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
6645 happen automatically.
6647 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
6648 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
6649 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
6650 that when you read an article in the group, the back end will pre-fetch
6651 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the back end will
6652 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
6653 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
6655 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
6656 @findex gnus-async-read-p
6657 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
6658 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
6659 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
6660 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
6661 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
6662 data structure as the only parameter.
6664 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
6667 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
6668 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
6669 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
6670 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
6673 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
6676 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
6677 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
6678 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
6680 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
6681 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
6682 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
6683 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
6687 Remove articles when they are read.
6690 Remove articles when exiting the group.
6693 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
6695 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
6696 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
6697 @c from the next group.
6700 @node Article Caching
6701 @section Article Caching
6702 @cindex article caching
6705 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
6706 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
6707 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
6708 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
6709 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
6711 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
6713 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
6714 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
6715 @vindex gnus-use-cache
6716 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
6717 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
6718 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
6719 cache is flat or hierarchical is controlled by the
6720 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
6722 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
6723 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
6724 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
6725 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
6726 as dormant, and don't worry.
6728 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
6730 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
6731 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
6732 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
6733 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
6734 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
6735 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
6736 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
6737 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
6738 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
6739 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
6741 @findex gnus-jog-cache
6742 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
6743 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
6744 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
6745 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
6746 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
6747 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
6748 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
6749 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
6750 not then be downloaded by this command.
6752 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
6753 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
6754 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
6755 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
6756 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
6757 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
6759 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
6760 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
6761 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
6762 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
6763 variables, the group is not cached.
6765 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
6766 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
6767 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
6768 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
6769 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
6770 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
6771 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
6772 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
6773 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
6777 @node Persistent Articles
6778 @section Persistent Articles
6779 @cindex persistent articles
6781 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
6782 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
6783 useful in my opinion.
6785 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
6786 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
6787 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
6788 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
6789 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
6790 the expiry going on at the news server.
6792 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
6793 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
6794 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
6800 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
6801 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
6804 @kindex M-* (Summary)
6805 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
6806 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
6807 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
6811 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
6813 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
6814 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
6815 interested in persistent articles:
6818 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
6822 @node Article Backlog
6823 @section Article Backlog
6825 @cindex article backlog
6827 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
6828 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
6829 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
6830 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
6831 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
6832 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
6833 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
6834 increase memory usage some.
6836 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
6837 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
6838 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
6839 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
6840 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
6841 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
6842 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
6844 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
6847 @node Saving Articles
6848 @section Saving Articles
6849 @cindex saving articles
6851 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
6852 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
6853 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
6854 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
6855 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
6857 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
6858 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
6859 unwanted headers before saving the article.
6861 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
6862 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
6863 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
6864 deleted before saving.
6870 @kindex O o (Summary)
6872 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
6873 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
6874 Save the current article using the default article saver
6875 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
6878 @kindex O m (Summary)
6879 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
6880 Save the current article in mail format
6881 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
6884 @kindex O r (Summary)
6885 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
6886 Save the current article in rmail format
6887 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
6890 @kindex O f (Summary)
6891 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
6892 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
6893 Save the current article in plain file format
6894 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
6897 @kindex O F (Summary)
6898 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
6899 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
6900 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
6903 @kindex O b (Summary)
6904 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
6905 Save the current article body in plain file format
6906 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
6909 @kindex O h (Summary)
6910 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
6911 Save the current article in mh folder format
6912 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
6915 @kindex O v (Summary)
6916 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
6917 Save the current article in a VM folder
6918 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
6922 @kindex O p (Summary)
6924 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
6925 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
6926 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
6929 @kindex O P (Summary)
6930 @findex gnus-summary-muttprint
6931 @vindex gnus-summary-muttprint-program
6932 Save the current article into muttprint. That is, print it using the
6933 external program Muttprint (see
6934 @uref{http://muttprint.sourceforge.net/}). The program name and
6935 options to use is controlled by the variable
6936 @code{gnus-summary-muttprint-program}. (@code{gnus-summary-muttprint}).
6940 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
6941 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
6942 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
6943 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
6944 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
6945 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
6946 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
6947 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
6948 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
6949 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
6950 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
6951 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
6955 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
6956 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
6957 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the six ready-made
6958 functions below, or you can create your own.
6962 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6963 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
6964 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
6965 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
6966 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
6967 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6968 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6970 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6971 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
6972 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
6973 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
6974 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6975 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
6977 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
6978 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
6979 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
6980 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
6981 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
6982 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6983 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6985 @item gnus-summary-write-to-file
6986 @findex gnus-summary-write-to-file
6987 Write the article straight to an ordinary file. The file is
6988 overwritten if it exists. Uses the function in the
6989 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6990 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6992 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6993 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
6994 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
6995 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
6996 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
6998 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
6999 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
7000 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
7001 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
7002 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
7005 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
7006 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
7007 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
7008 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
7009 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
7011 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
7012 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
7013 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
7014 reader to use this setting.
7017 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
7018 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
7019 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
7020 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
7023 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
7024 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
7025 available functions that generate names:
7029 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
7030 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
7031 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
7033 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
7034 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
7035 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
7037 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
7038 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
7039 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
7041 @item gnus-plain-save-name
7042 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
7043 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
7045 @item gnus-sender-save-name
7046 @findex gnus-sender-save-name
7047 File names like @file{~/News/larsi}.
7050 @vindex gnus-split-methods
7051 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
7052 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
7053 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
7054 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
7058 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
7059 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
7060 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
7061 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
7064 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
7065 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
7066 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
7067 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
7068 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
7069 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
7070 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
7071 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
7072 called returns a string or a list of strings.
7074 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
7075 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
7076 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
7077 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
7079 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
7080 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
7081 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
7084 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
7085 lots of mail groups called things like
7086 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
7087 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
7088 following will do just that:
7091 (defun my-save-name (group)
7092 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
7093 (substring group (match-end 0))))
7095 (setq gnus-split-methods
7096 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
7101 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
7102 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
7103 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
7104 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
7105 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
7106 all the files in the top level directory
7107 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
7108 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
7109 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
7110 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
7112 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
7113 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
7114 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
7115 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
7116 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
7119 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
7123 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
7124 (setq gnus-default-article-saver
7125 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
7128 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
7129 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
7130 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
7131 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
7134 @node Decoding Articles
7135 @section Decoding Articles
7136 @cindex decoding articles
7138 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
7139 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
7142 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
7143 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
7144 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
7145 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
7146 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
7147 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
7151 @cindex article series
7152 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
7153 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
7154 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
7155 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
7156 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
7158 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
7159 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
7160 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
7162 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
7163 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
7164 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
7166 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
7167 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
7168 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
7171 @node Uuencoded Articles
7172 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
7174 @cindex uuencoded articles
7179 @kindex X u (Summary)
7180 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
7181 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
7182 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
7185 @kindex X U (Summary)
7186 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
7187 Uudecodes and saves the current series
7188 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7191 @kindex X v u (Summary)
7192 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
7193 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
7196 @kindex X v U (Summary)
7197 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
7198 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
7199 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
7203 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
7204 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
7205 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
7206 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
7207 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7209 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
7210 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
7211 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
7212 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
7215 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
7216 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
7217 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
7218 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
7219 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
7220 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
7224 @node Shell Archives
7225 @subsection Shell Archives
7227 @cindex shell archives
7228 @cindex shared articles
7230 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
7231 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
7232 some commands to deal with these:
7237 @kindex X s (Summary)
7238 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
7239 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
7242 @kindex X S (Summary)
7243 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
7244 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
7247 @kindex X v s (Summary)
7248 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
7249 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
7252 @kindex X v S (Summary)
7253 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
7254 Unshars, views and saves the current series
7255 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
7259 @node PostScript Files
7260 @subsection PostScript Files
7266 @kindex X p (Summary)
7267 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
7268 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
7271 @kindex X P (Summary)
7272 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
7273 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
7274 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
7277 @kindex X v p (Summary)
7278 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
7279 View the current PostScript series
7280 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
7283 @kindex X v P (Summary)
7284 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
7285 View and save the current PostScript series
7286 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
7291 @subsection Other Files
7295 @kindex X o (Summary)
7296 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
7297 Save the current series
7298 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
7301 @kindex X b (Summary)
7302 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
7303 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
7304 doesn't really work yet.
7308 @node Decoding Variables
7309 @subsection Decoding Variables
7311 Adjective, not verb.
7314 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
7315 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
7316 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
7320 @node Rule Variables
7321 @subsubsection Rule Variables
7322 @cindex rule variables
7324 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
7325 variables are of the form
7328 (list '(regexp1 command2)
7335 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7336 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7338 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
7339 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
7342 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7343 (list '("\\\\.au$" "sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio")))
7346 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7347 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7348 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
7349 user and default view rules.
7351 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7352 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7353 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
7358 @node Other Decode Variables
7359 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
7362 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7364 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7365 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
7366 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
7367 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
7368 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
7372 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
7373 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
7376 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
7377 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
7378 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
7381 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7382 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7383 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
7384 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
7385 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
7388 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7389 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7390 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
7392 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7393 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7394 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
7395 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
7396 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
7399 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7400 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7401 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
7403 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7404 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7405 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
7406 looking for files to display.
7408 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
7409 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
7410 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
7413 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7414 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7415 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
7418 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7419 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7420 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
7423 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7424 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7425 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
7428 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7429 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7430 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
7431 decoded articles as unread.
7433 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7434 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7435 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
7436 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
7438 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7439 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7440 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
7442 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7443 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7445 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
7446 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
7447 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
7448 @code{metamail} for viewing.
7450 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7451 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7452 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
7453 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
7454 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
7455 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC 1153---no easy way
7456 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
7457 simply dropped them.
7462 @node Uuencoding and Posting
7463 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
7467 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7468 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7469 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
7470 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
7471 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
7472 for you when you post the article.
7474 @item gnus-uu-post-length
7475 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
7476 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
7477 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
7479 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
7480 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
7481 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
7482 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
7483 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
7484 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
7485 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
7487 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7488 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7489 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
7490 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
7491 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
7492 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
7493 Default is @code{t}.
7499 @subsection Viewing Files
7500 @cindex viewing files
7501 @cindex pseudo-articles
7503 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
7504 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
7505 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
7506 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
7507 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
7508 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
7509 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
7511 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
7512 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
7513 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
7514 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
7516 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
7517 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
7518 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
7520 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
7521 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
7522 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
7523 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
7524 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
7526 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
7527 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
7528 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
7529 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
7530 a list of parameters to that command.
7532 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
7533 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
7534 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
7536 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
7537 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
7538 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
7541 @node Article Treatment
7542 @section Article Treatment
7544 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
7545 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
7546 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
7547 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
7548 these articles easier.
7551 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
7552 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
7553 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
7554 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
7555 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
7556 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
7557 * Article Display:: Display various stuff---X-Face, Picons, Smileys
7558 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
7559 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
7563 @node Article Highlighting
7564 @subsection Article Highlighting
7565 @cindex highlighting
7567 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
7568 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
7573 @kindex W H a (Summary)
7574 @findex gnus-article-highlight
7575 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7576 Do much highlighting of the current article
7577 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
7578 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
7581 @kindex W H h (Summary)
7582 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
7583 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
7584 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
7585 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
7586 variable, which is a list where each element has the form
7587 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{name} @var{content})}.
7588 @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
7589 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
7590 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
7591 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
7592 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
7595 @kindex W H c (Summary)
7596 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
7597 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
7599 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
7602 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7604 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7605 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
7606 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
7608 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
7609 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
7610 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
7612 @item gnus-cite-face-list
7613 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
7614 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
7615 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
7616 Gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
7617 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
7619 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
7620 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
7621 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
7623 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7624 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7625 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
7627 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7628 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7629 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
7630 that it's a citation.
7632 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7633 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7634 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
7636 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7637 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7638 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
7640 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
7641 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
7642 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
7643 cited text belonging to the attribution.
7649 @kindex W H s (Summary)
7650 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
7651 @vindex gnus-signature-face
7652 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
7653 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
7654 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
7655 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
7656 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
7661 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to highlight articles automatically.
7664 @node Article Fontisizing
7665 @subsection Article Fontisizing
7667 @cindex article emphasis
7669 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
7670 @kindex W e (Summary)
7671 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
7672 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*} or @samp{/this/}. Gnus can make
7673 this look nicer by running the article through the @kbd{W e}
7674 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
7676 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
7677 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
7678 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
7679 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
7680 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
7681 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
7682 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
7683 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
7687 (setq gnus-emphasis-alist
7688 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
7689 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
7698 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
7699 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
7700 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
7701 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
7702 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
7703 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
7704 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
7705 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
7706 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
7707 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
7708 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
7709 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
7710 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
7712 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
7713 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
7714 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
7718 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
7721 @vindex gnus-group-highlight-words-alist
7723 If you want to highlight arbitrary words, you can use the
7724 @code{gnus-group-highlight-words-alist} variable, which uses the same
7725 syntax as @code{gnus-emphasis-alist}. The @code{highlight-words} group
7726 parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) can also be used.
7728 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to fontize articles automatically.
7731 @node Article Hiding
7732 @subsection Article Hiding
7733 @cindex article hiding
7735 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
7736 too much cruft in most articles.
7741 @kindex W W a (Summary)
7742 @findex gnus-article-hide
7743 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
7744 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
7745 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
7748 @kindex W W h (Summary)
7749 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
7750 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
7754 @kindex W W b (Summary)
7755 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7756 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
7757 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
7760 @kindex W W s (Summary)
7761 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
7762 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
7766 @kindex W W l (Summary)
7767 @findex gnus-article-hide-list-identifiers
7768 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7769 Strip list identifiers specified in @code{gnus-list-identifiers}. These
7770 are strings some mailing list servers add to the beginning of all
7771 @code{Subject} headers---for example, @samp{[zebra 4711]}. Any leading
7772 @samp{Re: } is skipped before stripping. @code{gnus-list-identifiers}
7773 may not contain @code{\\(..\\)}.
7777 @item gnus-list-identifiers
7778 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
7779 A regular expression that matches list identifiers to be removed from
7780 subject. This can also be a list of regular expressions.
7785 @kindex W W p (Summary)
7786 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
7787 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7788 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
7789 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
7790 signature has been hidden. For example, to automatically verify
7791 articles that have signatures in them do:
7793 ;;; Hide pgp cruft if any.
7795 (setq gnus-treat-strip-pgp t)
7797 ;;; After hiding pgp, verify the message;
7798 ;;; only happens if pgp signature is found.
7800 (add-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
7803 (set-buffer gnus-original-article-buffer)
7808 @kindex W W P (Summary)
7809 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
7810 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
7811 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
7814 @kindex W W B (Summary)
7815 @findex gnus-article-strip-banner
7818 @cindex stripping advertisements
7819 @cindex advertisements
7820 Strip the banner specified by the @code{banner} group parameter
7821 (@code{gnus-article-strip-banner}). This is mainly used to hide those
7822 annoying banners and/or signatures that some mailing lists and moderated
7823 groups adds to all the messages. The way to use this function is to add
7824 the @code{banner} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to the
7825 group you want banners stripped from. The parameter either be a string,
7826 which will be interpreted as a regular expression matching text to be
7827 removed, or the symbol @code{signature}, meaning that the (last)
7828 signature should be removed, or other symbol, meaning that the
7829 corresponding regular expression in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist} is
7833 @kindex W W c (Summary)
7834 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
7835 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
7836 customizing the hiding:
7840 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7841 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7842 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
7843 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
7844 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
7845 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
7846 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
7851 Starting point of the hidden text.
7853 Ending point of the hidden text.
7855 Number of characters in the hidden region.
7857 Number of lines of hidden text.
7860 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
7861 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
7862 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave
7863 shown. This can also be a cons cell with the number of lines at the top
7864 and bottom of the text, respectively, to remain visible.
7869 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
7870 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
7872 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
7873 following two variables:
7876 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7877 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
7878 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
7879 50), hide the cited text.
7881 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7882 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
7883 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
7888 @kindex W W C (Summary)
7889 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
7890 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
7891 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
7892 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
7893 have happen automatically (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
7897 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
7898 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
7899 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
7901 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
7902 citation customization.
7904 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to hide article elements
7908 @node Article Washing
7909 @subsection Article Washing
7911 @cindex article washing
7913 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
7914 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
7916 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
7917 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
7920 @xref{Customizing Articles}, if you want to change how Gnus displays
7921 articles by default.
7926 This is not really washing, it's sort of the opposite of washing. If
7927 you type this, you see the article exactly as it exists on disk or on
7931 @kindex W l (Summary)
7932 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
7933 Remove page breaks from the current article
7934 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article}, for page
7938 @kindex W r (Summary)
7939 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
7940 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
7941 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
7942 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
7943 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
7944 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
7946 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
7947 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
7948 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
7949 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
7953 @kindex W t (Summary)
7955 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
7956 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
7957 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
7960 @kindex W v (Summary)
7961 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
7962 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
7963 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
7966 @kindex W o (Summary)
7967 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
7968 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
7971 @kindex W d (Summary)
7972 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
7973 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
7975 @cindex M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s
7977 Treat M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s according to
7978 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
7979 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}). Note that this function guesses
7980 whether a character is a sm*rtq**t* or not, so it should only be used
7983 Sm*rtq**t*s are M****s***'s unilateral extension to the character map in
7984 an attempt to provide more quoting characters. If you see something
7985 like @code{\222} or @code{\264} where you're expecting some kind of
7986 apostrophe or quotation mark, then try this wash.
7989 @kindex W w (Summary)
7990 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
7991 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}).
7993 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
7997 @kindex W Q (Summary)
7998 @findex gnus-article-fill-long-lines
7999 Fill long lines (@code{gnus-article-fill-long-lines}).
8002 @kindex W C (Summary)
8003 @findex gnus-article-capitalize-sentences
8004 Capitalize the first word in each sentence
8005 (@code{gnus-article-capitalize-sentences}).
8008 @kindex W c (Summary)
8009 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
8010 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
8011 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
8012 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
8013 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
8016 @kindex W q (Summary)
8017 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
8018 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
8019 Quoted-Printable is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending
8020 non-ASCII (i. e., 8-bit) articles. It typically makes strings like
8021 @samp{déjà vu} look like @samp{d=E9j=E0 vu}, which doesn't look very
8022 readable to me. Note that the this is usually done automatically by
8023 Gnus if the message in question has a @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding}
8024 header that says that this encoding has been done.
8025 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8028 @kindex W 6 (Summary)
8029 @findex gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable
8030 Treat base64 (@code{gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable}).
8031 Base64 is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending non-ASCII
8032 (i. e., 8-bit) articles. Note that the this is usually done
8033 automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
8034 @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} header that says that this encoding has
8036 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8039 @kindex W Z (Summary)
8040 @findex gnus-article-decode-HZ
8041 Treat HZ or HZP (@code{gnus-article-decode-HZ}). HZ (or HZP) is one
8042 common encoding employed when sending Chinese articles. It typically
8043 makes strings look like @samp{~@{<:Ky2;S@{#,NpJ)l6HK!#~@}}.
8046 @kindex W h (Summary)
8047 @findex gnus-article-wash-html
8048 Treat HTML (@code{gnus-article-wash-html}).
8049 Note that the this is usually done automatically by Gnus if the message
8050 in question has a @code{Content-Type} header that says that this type
8052 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8055 @kindex W b (Summary)
8056 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
8057 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
8058 @xref{Article Buttons}.
8061 @kindex W B (Summary)
8062 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
8063 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
8064 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
8067 @kindex W p (Summary)
8068 @findex gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig
8069 Verify a signed control message (@code{gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig}).
8070 Control messages such as @code{newgroup} and @code{checkgroups} are
8071 usually signed by the hierarchy maintainer. You need to add the PGP
8072 public key of the maintainer to your keyring to verify the
8073 message.@footnote{PGP keys for many hierarchies are available at
8074 @uref{ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README.html}}
8077 @kindex W s (Summary)
8078 @findex gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt
8079 Verify a signed (PGP, PGP/MIME or S/MIME) message
8080 (@code{gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt}).
8083 @kindex W u (Summary)
8084 @findex gnus-article-treat-unfold-headers
8085 Unfold folded header lines (@code{gnus-article-treat-unfold-headers}).
8088 @kindex W n (Summary)
8089 @findex gnus-article-treat-fold-newsgroups
8090 Fold the @code{Newsgroups} and @code{Followup-To} headers
8091 (@code{gnus-article-treat-fold-newsgroups}).
8094 @kindex W W H (Summary)
8095 @findex gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body
8096 Strip headers like the @code{X-No-Archive} header from the beginning of
8097 article bodies (@code{gnus-article-strip-headers-from-body}).
8100 @kindex W E l (Summary)
8101 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
8102 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
8103 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
8106 @kindex W E m (Summary)
8107 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
8108 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
8109 lines with a single empty line.
8110 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
8113 @kindex W E t (Summary)
8114 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
8115 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
8116 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
8119 @kindex W E a (Summary)
8120 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
8121 Do all the three commands above
8122 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
8125 @kindex W E A (Summary)
8126 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
8127 Remove all blank lines
8128 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
8131 @kindex W E s (Summary)
8132 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
8133 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
8134 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
8137 @kindex W E e (Summary)
8138 @findex gnus-article-strip-trailing-space
8139 Remove all white space from the end of all lines of the article
8140 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-trailing-space}).
8144 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to wash articles automatically.
8147 @node Article Buttons
8148 @subsection Article Buttons
8151 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
8152 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
8153 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
8154 button on these references.
8156 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
8157 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
8158 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
8163 @item gnus-button-alist
8164 @vindex gnus-button-alist
8165 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
8168 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8174 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
8175 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
8176 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
8179 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
8180 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
8181 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
8184 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
8185 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
8186 avoid false matches.
8189 This function will be called when you click on this button.
8192 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
8193 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
8197 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
8200 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
8203 @item gnus-header-button-alist
8204 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
8205 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
8206 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
8207 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
8210 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8213 @var{header} is a regular expression.
8215 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
8216 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
8217 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
8218 default values of the variables above.
8220 @item gnus-article-button-face
8221 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
8222 Face used on buttons.
8224 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
8225 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
8226 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
8230 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to buttonize articles automatically.
8234 @subsection Article Date
8236 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
8237 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
8238 when the article was sent.
8243 @kindex W T u (Summary)
8244 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
8245 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
8246 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
8249 @kindex W T i (Summary)
8250 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
8252 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
8253 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
8256 @kindex W T l (Summary)
8257 @findex gnus-article-date-local
8258 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
8261 @kindex W T p (Summary)
8262 @findex gnus-article-date-english
8263 Display the date in a format that's easily pronounceable in English
8264 (@code{gnus-article-date-english}).
8267 @kindex W T s (Summary)
8268 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
8269 @findex gnus-article-date-user
8270 @findex format-time-string
8271 Display the date using a user-defined format
8272 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
8273 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
8274 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
8275 for a list of possible format specs.
8278 @kindex W T e (Summary)
8279 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
8280 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
8281 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
8282 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
8283 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). It looks something like:
8286 X-Sent: 6 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds ago
8289 The value of @code{gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header} determines
8290 whether this header will just be added below the old Date one, or will
8293 An advantage of using Gnus to read mail is that it converts simple bugs
8294 into wonderful absurdities.
8296 If you want to have this line updated continually, you can put
8299 (gnus-start-date-timer)
8302 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
8303 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
8307 @kindex W T o (Summary)
8308 @findex gnus-article-date-original
8309 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
8310 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
8311 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
8312 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
8313 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
8317 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to display the date in your
8318 preferred format automatically.
8321 @node Article Display
8322 @subsection Article Display
8327 These commands add various frivolous display gimmics to the article
8328 buffer in Emacs versions that support them.
8330 @code{X-Face} headers are small black-and-white images supplied by the
8331 message headers (@pxref{X-Face}).
8333 Picons, on the other hand, reside on your own system, and Gnus will
8334 try to match the headers to what you have (@pxref{Picons}).
8336 Smileys are those little @samp{:-)} symbols that people like to litter
8337 their messages with (@pxref{Smileys}).
8339 All these functions are toggles--if the elements already exist,
8344 @kindex W D x (Summary)
8345 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
8346 Display an @code{X-Face} in the @code{From} header.
8347 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}).
8350 @kindex W D s (Summary)
8351 @findex gnus-article-toggle-smiley
8352 Toggle whether to display smileys
8353 (@code{gnus-article-toggle-smiley}).
8356 @kindex W D f (Summary)
8357 @findex gnus-treat-from-picon
8358 Piconify the @code{From} header (@code{gnus-treat-from-picon}).
8361 @kindex W D m (Summary)
8362 @findex gnus-treat-mail-picon
8363 Piconify all mail headers (i. e., @code{Cc}, @code{To})
8364 (@code{gnus-treat-mail-picon}).
8367 @kindex W D n (Summary)
8368 @findex gnus-treat-newsgroups-picon
8369 Piconify all news headers (i. e., @code{Newsgroups} and
8370 @code{Followup-To}) (@code{gnus-treat-from-picon}).
8376 @node Article Signature
8377 @subsection Article Signature
8379 @cindex article signature
8381 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
8382 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
8383 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
8384 that says what is to be considered a signature is
8385 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
8386 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
8387 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
8388 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
8389 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
8392 (setq gnus-signature-separator
8393 '("^-- $" ; The standard
8394 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
8395 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
8396 ; line of dashes. Shame!
8397 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
8398 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
8399 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
8402 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
8405 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
8406 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
8407 signature when displaying articles.
8411 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
8414 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
8417 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
8418 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
8420 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
8421 in question is not a signature.
8424 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
8425 listed above. Here's an example:
8428 (setq gnus-signature-limit
8429 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
8432 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
8433 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
8434 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
8435 signature after all.
8438 @node Article Miscellania
8439 @subsection Article Miscellania
8443 @kindex A t (Summary)
8444 @findex gnus-article-babel
8445 Translate the article from one language to another
8446 (@code{gnus-article-babel}).
8452 @section @sc{mime} Commands
8453 @cindex MIME decoding
8455 @cindex viewing attachments
8457 The following commands all understand the numerical prefix. For
8458 instance, @kbd{3 b} means ``view the third @sc{mime} part''.
8464 @kindex K v (Summary)
8465 View the @sc{mime} part.
8468 @kindex K o (Summary)
8469 Save the @sc{mime} part.
8472 @kindex K c (Summary)
8473 Copy the @sc{mime} part.
8476 @kindex K e (Summary)
8477 View the @sc{mime} part externally.
8480 @kindex K i (Summary)
8481 View the @sc{mime} part internally.
8484 @kindex K | (Summary)
8485 Pipe the @sc{mime} part to an external command.
8488 The rest of these @sc{mime} commands do not use the numerical prefix in
8493 @kindex K b (Summary)
8494 Make all the @sc{mime} parts have buttons in front of them. This is
8495 mostly useful if you wish to save (or perform other actions) on inlined
8499 @kindex K m (Summary)
8500 @findex gnus-summary-repair-multipart
8501 Some multipart messages are transmitted with missing or faulty headers.
8502 This command will attempt to ``repair'' these messages so that they can
8503 be viewed in a more pleasant manner
8504 (@code{gnus-summary-repair-multipart}).
8507 @kindex X m (Summary)
8508 @findex gnus-summary-save-parts
8509 Save all parts matching a @sc{mime} type to a directory
8510 (@code{gnus-summary-save-parts}). Understands the process/prefix
8511 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8514 @kindex M-t (Summary)
8515 @findex gnus-summary-display-buttonized
8516 Toggle the buttonized display of the article buffer
8517 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized}).
8520 @kindex W M w (Summary)
8521 Decode RFC 2047-encoded words in the article headers
8522 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
8525 @kindex W M c (Summary)
8526 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
8527 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
8529 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
8530 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
8531 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
8532 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not include
8533 MIME headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic parameter to
8534 the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
8537 @kindex W M v (Summary)
8538 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
8539 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
8546 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
8547 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
8548 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8549 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
8552 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
8555 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
8559 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8560 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
8561 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8562 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8563 displayed or this variable is overriden by
8564 @code{gnus-buttonized-mime-types}. The default value is
8567 @item gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8568 @vindex gnus-buttonized-mime-types
8569 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
8570 this list will have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
8571 displayed. This variable overrides
8572 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types}. The default value is @code{nil}.
8574 To see e.g. security buttons but no other buttons, you could set this
8575 variable to @code{("multipart/signed")} and leave
8576 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types} to the default value.
8578 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
8579 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
8580 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
8581 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
8582 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
8583 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
8584 save all jpegs into some directory).
8586 Here's an example function the does the latter:
8589 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
8590 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
8592 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
8593 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
8594 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
8595 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
8596 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
8599 @vindex gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8600 @item gnus-mime-multipart-functions
8601 Alist of @sc{mime} multipart types and functions to handle them.
8603 @vindex mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8604 @item mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8605 List of functions used for rewriting file names of @sc{mime} parts.
8606 Each function takes a file name as input and returns a file name.
8608 Ready-made functions include@*
8609 @code{mm-file-name-delete-whitespace},
8610 @code{mm-file-name-trim-whitespace},
8611 @code{mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace}, and
8612 @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace}. The later uses the value of
8613 the variable @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace} to replace each
8614 whitespace character in a file name with that string; default value
8615 is @code{"_"} (a single underscore).
8616 @findex mm-file-name-delete-whitespace
8617 @findex mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8618 @findex mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8619 @findex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8620 @vindex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
8622 The standard functions @code{capitalize}, @code{downcase},
8623 @code{upcase}, and @code{upcase-initials} may be useful, too.
8625 Everybody knows that whitespace characters in file names are evil,
8626 except those who don't know. If you receive lots of attachments from
8627 such unenlightened users, you can make live easier by adding
8630 (setq mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
8631 '(mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
8632 mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
8633 mm-file-name-replace-whitespace))
8637 to your @file{.gnus} file.
8646 People use different charsets, and we have @sc{mime} to let us know what
8647 charsets they use. Or rather, we wish we had. Many people use
8648 newsreaders and mailers that do not understand or use @sc{mime}, and
8649 just send out messages without saying what character sets they use. To
8650 help a bit with this, some local news hierarchies have policies that say
8651 what character set is the default. For instance, the @samp{fj}
8652 hierarchy uses @code{iso-2022-jp-2}.
8654 @vindex gnus-group-charset-alist
8655 This knowledge is encoded in the @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}
8656 variable, which is an alist of regexps (use the first item to match full
8657 group names) and default charsets to be used when reading these groups.
8659 In addition, some people do use soi-disant @sc{mime}-aware agents that
8660 aren't. These blithely mark messages as being in @code{iso-8859-1}
8661 even if they really are in @code{koi-8}. To help here, the
8662 @code{gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets} variable can be used. The
8663 charsets that are listed here will be ignored. The variable can be
8664 set on a group-by-group basis using the group parameters (@pxref{Group
8665 Parameters}). The default value is @code{(unknown-8bit x-unknown)},
8666 which includes values some agents insist on having in there.
8668 @vindex gnus-group-posting-charset-alist
8669 When posting, @code{gnus-group-posting-charset-alist} is used to
8670 determine which charsets should not be encoded using the @sc{mime}
8671 encodings. For instance, some hierarchies discourage using
8672 quoted-printable header encoding.
8674 This variable is an alist of regexps and permitted unencoded charsets
8675 for posting. Each element of the alist has the form @code{(}@var{test
8676 header body-list}@code{)}, where:
8680 is either a regular expression matching the newsgroup header or a
8683 is the charset which may be left unencoded in the header (@code{nil}
8684 means encode all charsets),
8686 is a list of charsets which may be encoded using 8bit content-transfer
8687 encoding in the body, or one of the special values @code{nil} (always
8688 encode using quoted-printable) or @code{t} (always use 8bit).
8695 @cindex coding system aliases
8696 @cindex preferred charset
8698 Other charset tricks that may be useful, although not Gnus-specific:
8700 If there are several @sc{mime} charsets that encode the same Emacs
8701 charset, you can choose what charset to use by saying the following:
8704 (put-charset-property 'cyrillic-iso8859-5
8705 'preferred-coding-system 'koi8-r)
8708 This means that Russian will be encoded using @code{koi8-r} instead of
8709 the default @code{iso-8859-5} @sc{mime} charset.
8711 If you want to read messages in @code{koi8-u}, you can cheat and say
8714 (define-coding-system-alias 'koi8-u 'koi8-r)
8717 This will almost do the right thing.
8719 And finally, to read charsets like @code{windows-1251}, you can say
8723 (codepage-setup 1251)
8724 (define-coding-system-alias 'windows-1251 'cp1251)
8728 @node Article Commands
8729 @section Article Commands
8736 @kindex A P (Summary)
8737 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
8738 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
8739 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
8740 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will
8741 be run just before printing the buffer. An alternative way to print
8742 article is to use Muttprint (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
8747 @node Summary Sorting
8748 @section Summary Sorting
8749 @cindex summary sorting
8751 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
8752 can't really see why you'd want that.
8757 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
8758 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
8759 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
8762 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
8763 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
8764 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
8767 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
8768 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
8769 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
8772 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
8773 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
8774 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
8777 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
8778 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
8779 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
8782 @kindex C-c C-s C-c (Summary)
8783 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-chars
8784 Sort by article length (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-chars}).
8787 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
8788 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
8789 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
8792 @kindex C-c C-s C-o (Summary)
8793 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-original
8794 Sort using the default sorting method
8795 (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-original}).
8798 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
8799 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
8800 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
8801 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
8802 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
8806 @node Finding the Parent
8807 @section Finding the Parent
8808 @cindex parent articles
8809 @cindex referring articles
8814 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
8815 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
8816 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
8817 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
8818 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
8819 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
8820 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
8821 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
8822 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
8824 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
8825 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
8826 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
8827 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
8828 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
8832 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
8833 @kindex A R (Summary)
8834 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
8835 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
8838 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
8839 @kindex A T (Summary)
8840 Display the full thread where the current article appears
8841 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
8842 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
8843 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
8844 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
8845 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
8846 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
8848 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
8849 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
8850 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
8851 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
8852 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
8853 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
8856 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
8857 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
8859 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
8860 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
8861 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
8862 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
8863 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
8864 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
8865 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
8868 The current select method will be used when fetching by
8869 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
8870 by giving this command a prefix.
8872 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
8873 If the group you are reading is located on a back end that does not
8874 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
8875 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
8876 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
8877 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
8880 It can also be a list of select methods, as well as the special symbol
8881 @code{current}, which means to use the current select method. If it
8882 is a list, Gnus will try all the methods in the list until it finds a
8885 Here's an example setting that will first try the current method, and
8886 then ask Deja if that fails:
8889 (setq gnus-refer-article-method
8891 (nnweb "refer" (nnweb-type dejanews))))
8894 Most of the mail back ends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but
8895 do not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox}
8896 and @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
8897 @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder} and @code{nnimap}1 are only able to locate
8898 articles that have been posted to the current group. (Anything else
8899 would be too time consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at
8903 @node Alternative Approaches
8904 @section Alternative Approaches
8906 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
8907 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
8910 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
8911 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
8916 @subsection Pick and Read
8917 @cindex pick and read
8919 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
8920 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
8921 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
8922 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
8924 @findex gnus-pick-mode
8925 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
8926 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
8927 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
8928 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
8929 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
8931 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
8936 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
8937 Pick the article or thread on the current line
8938 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8939 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
8940 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
8941 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
8942 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
8943 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
8946 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
8947 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
8948 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
8949 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
8953 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
8954 Unpick the thread or article
8955 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
8956 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
8957 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
8958 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
8959 the thread or article at that line.
8963 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
8964 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
8965 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
8966 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
8967 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
8968 will still be visible when you are reading.
8972 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
8973 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
8974 which is mapped to the same function
8975 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
8977 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
8980 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
8983 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
8984 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
8986 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
8987 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
8988 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
8990 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
8991 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
8992 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
8993 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
8994 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
8995 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
8996 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
9000 @subsection Binary Groups
9001 @cindex binary groups
9003 @findex gnus-binary-mode
9004 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
9005 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
9006 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
9007 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
9008 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
9009 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
9012 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
9013 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
9014 command, when you have turned on this mode
9015 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
9017 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
9018 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
9022 @section Tree Display
9025 @vindex gnus-use-trees
9026 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
9027 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
9028 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
9031 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
9034 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
9035 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
9036 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
9038 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
9039 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
9040 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
9041 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
9042 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
9044 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
9045 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
9046 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
9047 default is @code{modeline}.
9049 @item gnus-tree-line-format
9050 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
9051 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
9052 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
9053 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
9054 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
9055 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
9061 The name of the poster.
9063 The @code{From} header.
9065 The number of the article.
9067 The opening bracket.
9069 The closing bracket.
9074 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
9076 Variables related to the display are:
9079 @item gnus-tree-brackets
9080 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
9081 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
9082 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @code{((@var{real-open} . @var{real-close})
9083 (@var{sparse-open} . @var{sparse-close}) (@var{dummy-open} . @var{dummy-close}))}, and the
9084 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
9086 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9087 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9088 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
9089 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
9093 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
9094 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
9095 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
9096 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
9097 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
9098 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
9099 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
9100 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
9101 other windows displayed next to it.
9103 You may also wish to add the following hook to keep the window minimized
9107 (add-hook 'gnus-configure-windows-hook
9108 'gnus-tree-perhaps-minimize)
9111 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
9112 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
9113 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9114 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
9115 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
9116 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
9117 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
9121 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
9124 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
9134 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
9138 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
9139 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
9141 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
9143 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
9148 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
9149 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
9150 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
9153 (setq gnus-use-trees t
9154 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9155 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
9156 (gnus-add-configuration
9160 (summary 0.75 point)
9165 @xref{Window Layout}.
9168 @node Mail Group Commands
9169 @section Mail Group Commands
9170 @cindex mail group commands
9172 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
9173 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
9175 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
9176 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9181 @kindex B e (Summary)
9182 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
9183 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
9184 process (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}). That is, delete all
9185 expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
9186 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
9189 @kindex B C-M-e (Summary)
9190 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
9191 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
9192 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
9193 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
9194 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
9197 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
9198 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
9199 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
9200 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
9201 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
9202 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
9205 @kindex B m (Summary)
9207 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
9208 @vindex gnus-preserve-marks
9209 Move the article from one mail group to another
9210 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9211 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9214 @kindex B c (Summary)
9216 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
9217 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
9218 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
9219 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9220 @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9223 @kindex B B (Summary)
9224 @cindex crosspost mail
9225 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
9226 Crosspost the current article to some other group
9227 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
9228 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
9229 be properly updated.
9232 @kindex B i (Summary)
9233 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
9234 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
9235 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
9236 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
9239 @kindex B r (Summary)
9240 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
9241 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
9242 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
9243 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
9244 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
9245 Marks will be preserved if @var{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil}
9246 (which is the default).
9250 @kindex B w (Summary)
9252 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
9253 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
9254 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
9255 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
9256 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
9257 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, Gnus won't re-highlight the article.
9260 @kindex B q (Summary)
9261 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
9262 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
9263 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
9264 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
9267 @kindex B t (Summary)
9268 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
9269 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
9270 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
9273 @kindex B p (Summary)
9274 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
9275 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
9276 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
9277 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
9278 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
9279 article from your news server (or rather, from
9280 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
9281 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
9282 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
9283 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
9284 just not have arrived yet.
9288 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
9289 @cindex moving articles
9290 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
9291 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
9292 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
9293 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
9294 suggestions you find reasonable. (Note that
9295 @code{gnus-move-split-methods} uses group names where
9296 @code{gnus-split-methods} uses file names.)
9299 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
9300 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
9301 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
9302 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
9306 @node Various Summary Stuff
9307 @section Various Summary Stuff
9310 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
9311 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
9312 * Summary Generation Commands::
9313 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
9317 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
9318 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
9319 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
9321 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
9322 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
9323 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
9324 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
9325 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
9326 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
9329 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9330 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9331 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
9332 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
9333 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
9335 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9336 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9337 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
9340 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9341 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9342 When Gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
9343 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
9344 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
9345 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
9346 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), Gnus will rename the
9347 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
9348 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
9349 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
9351 @vindex gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9352 @item gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9353 This function, which takes two parameters (the group name and the list
9354 of articles to be selected), is called to allow the user to alter the
9355 list of articles to be selected.
9357 For instance, the following function adds the list of cached articles to
9358 the list in one particular group:
9361 (defun my-add-cached-articles (group articles)
9362 (if (string= group "some.group")
9363 (append gnus-newsgroup-cached articles)
9367 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-variables
9368 @item gnus-newsgroup-variables
9369 A list of newsgroup (summary buffer) local variables, or cons of
9370 variables and their default values (when the default values are not
9371 nil), that should be made global while the summary buffer is active.
9372 These variables can be used to set variables in the group parameters
9373 while still allowing them to affect operations done in other
9374 buffers. For example:
9377 (setq gnus-newsgroup-variables
9378 '(message-use-followup-to
9379 (gnus-visible-headers .
9380 "^From:\\|^Newsgroups:\\|^Subject:\\|^Date:\\|^To:")))
9386 @node Summary Group Information
9387 @subsection Summary Group Information
9392 @kindex H f (Summary)
9393 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
9394 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
9395 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
9396 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
9397 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
9398 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
9399 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
9400 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
9401 be used for fetching the file.
9404 @kindex H d (Summary)
9405 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
9406 Give a brief description of the current group
9407 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
9408 rereading the description from the server.
9411 @kindex H h (Summary)
9412 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
9413 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
9414 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
9417 @kindex H i (Summary)
9418 @findex gnus-info-find-node
9419 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
9423 @node Searching for Articles
9424 @subsection Searching for Articles
9429 @kindex M-s (Summary)
9430 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
9431 Search through all subsequent (raw) articles for a regexp
9432 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
9435 @kindex M-r (Summary)
9436 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
9437 Search through all previous (raw) articles for a regexp
9438 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
9442 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
9443 This command will prompt you for a header, a regular expression to match
9444 on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
9445 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If the header is an empty
9446 string, the match is done on the entire article. If given a prefix,
9447 search backward instead.
9449 For instance, @kbd{& RET some.*string #} will put the process mark on
9450 all articles that have heads or bodies that match @samp{some.*string}.
9453 @kindex M-& (Summary)
9454 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
9455 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
9456 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
9459 @node Summary Generation Commands
9460 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
9465 @kindex Y g (Summary)
9466 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
9467 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
9470 @kindex Y c (Summary)
9471 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
9472 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
9473 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
9478 @node Really Various Summary Commands
9479 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
9485 @kindex C-d (Summary)
9486 @kindex A D (Summary)
9487 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
9488 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
9489 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
9490 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
9491 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
9492 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
9493 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
9494 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
9498 @kindex C-M-d (Summary)
9499 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
9500 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
9501 several documents into one biiig group
9502 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
9503 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
9504 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
9505 command understands the process/prefix convention
9506 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9509 @kindex C-t (Summary)
9510 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
9511 Toggle truncation of summary lines
9512 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
9513 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
9514 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
9518 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
9519 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
9520 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
9523 @kindex C-M-e (Summary)
9524 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
9525 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9526 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
9529 @kindex C-M-a (Summary)
9530 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
9531 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
9532 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
9537 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
9538 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
9539 @cindex summary exit
9540 @cindex exiting groups
9542 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
9543 group and return you to the group buffer.
9549 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
9551 @findex gnus-summary-exit
9552 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
9553 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
9554 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
9555 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
9556 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
9557 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
9558 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
9559 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
9560 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
9561 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
9565 @kindex Z E (Summary)
9567 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
9568 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
9569 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
9573 @kindex Z c (Summary)
9575 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
9576 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
9577 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
9578 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
9581 @kindex Z C (Summary)
9582 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
9583 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
9584 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
9587 @kindex Z n (Summary)
9588 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
9589 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
9590 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
9593 @kindex Z R (Summary)
9594 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
9595 Exit this group, and then enter it again
9596 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
9597 all articles, both read and unread.
9601 @kindex Z G (Summary)
9602 @kindex M-g (Summary)
9603 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
9604 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
9605 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
9606 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
9607 articles, both read and unread.
9610 @kindex Z N (Summary)
9611 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
9612 Exit the group and go to the next group
9613 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
9616 @kindex Z P (Summary)
9617 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
9618 Exit the group and go to the previous group
9619 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
9622 @kindex Z s (Summary)
9623 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
9624 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
9625 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
9626 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
9627 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
9630 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
9631 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current group
9632 with an ``updating'' exit. For instance @kbd{Q}
9633 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}) does not call this hook.
9635 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
9636 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
9637 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
9638 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
9639 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
9640 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
9641 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
9642 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
9643 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
9644 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
9645 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
9646 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
9648 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
9650 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
9651 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
9652 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
9653 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
9654 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
9655 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
9656 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
9657 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
9658 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
9661 @node Crosspost Handling
9662 @section Crosspost Handling
9666 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
9667 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
9668 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
9669 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
9670 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
9671 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
9674 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
9675 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
9676 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
9677 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
9678 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
9680 @cindex cross-posting
9683 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
9684 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
9685 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
9686 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
9687 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
9688 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
9689 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
9690 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
9691 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
9692 the cross reference mechanism.
9694 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
9695 @cindex overview.fmt
9696 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
9697 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
9698 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
9699 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
9700 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
9701 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
9704 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
9705 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
9706 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
9711 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
9714 @node Duplicate Suppression
9715 @section Duplicate Suppression
9717 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
9718 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
9719 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
9720 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
9725 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
9726 is evil and not very common.
9729 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
9730 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
9733 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
9734 different @sc{nntp} servers.
9737 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
9740 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
9741 well, but these four are the most common situations.
9743 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
9744 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
9745 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
9746 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
9747 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
9748 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
9749 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
9752 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
9753 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
9754 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
9755 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
9756 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
9760 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
9761 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
9762 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
9764 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
9765 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
9766 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
9767 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
9768 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single Gnus
9769 session are suppressed.
9771 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
9772 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
9773 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
9774 suppression list. The default is 10000.
9776 @item gnus-duplicate-file
9777 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
9778 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
9779 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
9782 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
9783 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
9784 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
9785 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
9786 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
9787 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
9788 to you to figure out, I think.
9793 Gnus is able to verify signed messages or decrypt encrypted messages.
9794 The formats that are supported are PGP (plain text, RFC 1991 format),
9795 PGP/MIME (RFC 2015/3156) and S/MIME, however you need some external
9796 programs to get things to work:
9800 To verify or decrypt PGP messages, you have to install mailcrypt or
9801 gpg.el as well as a OpenPGP implementation (such as GnuPG). @xref{Using GPG}.
9804 To verify or decrypt S/MIME message, you need to install OpenSSL.
9805 OpenSSL 0.9.6 or newer is recommended.
9809 More information on how to set things up can be found in the message
9810 manual. @xref{Security, ,Security, message, The Message Manual}.
9813 @item mm-verify-option
9814 @vindex mm-verify-option
9815 Option of verifying signed parts. @code{never}, not verify;
9816 @code{always}, always verify; @code{known}, only verify known
9817 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9819 @item mm-decrypt-option
9820 @vindex mm-decrypt-option
9821 Option of decrypting encrypted parts. @code{never}, no decryption;
9822 @code{always}, always decrypt @code{known}, only decrypt known
9823 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
9828 @section Mailing List
9830 Gnus understands some mailing list fields of RFC 2369. To enable it,
9831 either add a `to-list' group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}),
9832 possibly using @kbd{A M} in the summary buffer, or say:
9835 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'turn-on-gnus-mailing-list-mode)
9838 That enables the following commands to the summary buffer:
9843 @kindex C-c C-n h (Summary)
9844 @findex gnus-mailing-list-help
9845 Send a message to fetch mailing list help, if List-Help field exists.
9848 @kindex C-c C-n s (Summary)
9849 @findex gnus-mailing-list-subscribe
9850 Send a message to subscribe the mailing list, if List-Subscribe field exists.
9853 @kindex C-c C-n u (Summary)
9854 @findex gnus-mailing-list-unsubscribe
9855 Send a message to unsubscribe the mailing list, if List-Unsubscribe
9859 @kindex C-c C-n p (Summary)
9860 @findex gnus-mailing-list-post
9861 Post to the mailing list, if List-Post field exists.
9864 @kindex C-c C-n o (Summary)
9865 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9866 Send a message to the mailing list owner, if List-Owner field exists.
9869 @kindex C-c C-n a (Summary)
9870 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
9871 Browse the mailing list archive, if List-Archive field exists.
9875 @node Article Buffer
9876 @chapter Article Buffer
9877 @cindex article buffer
9879 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
9880 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
9881 tell Gnus otherwise.
9884 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
9885 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
9886 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
9887 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
9888 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
9892 @node Hiding Headers
9893 @section Hiding Headers
9894 @cindex hiding headers
9895 @cindex deleting headers
9897 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
9898 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
9900 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
9901 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
9902 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
9903 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
9904 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
9905 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
9906 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
9907 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
9908 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
9910 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
9914 @item gnus-visible-headers
9915 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
9916 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
9917 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
9918 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
9920 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
9921 the article and the subject, you'd say:
9924 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
9927 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9930 @item gnus-ignored-headers
9931 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
9932 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
9933 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
9934 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
9935 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
9937 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
9938 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
9941 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
9944 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
9947 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
9948 variable will have no effect.
9952 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
9953 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
9954 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
9955 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
9956 the headers are to be displayed.
9958 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
9959 and then the subject, you might say something like:
9962 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
9965 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
9966 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
9968 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
9969 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
9970 You can hide further boring headers by setting
9971 @code{gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers} to @code{head}. What this function
9972 does depends on the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a
9973 list, but this list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is
9974 lists various @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove
9977 These conditions are:
9980 Remove all empty headers.
9982 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
9983 @code{Newsgroups} header.
9985 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
9988 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
9991 Remove the @code{To} header if it only contains the address identical to
9992 the current groups's @code{to-address} parameter.
9994 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
9997 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
9999 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
10002 To include these three elements, you could say something like;
10005 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
10006 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
10009 This is also the default value for this variable.
10013 @section Using MIME
10016 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
10017 while people stand around yawning.
10019 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
10020 while all newsreaders die of fear.
10022 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
10023 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
10024 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
10026 @vindex gnus-display-mime-function
10027 @findex gnus-display-mime
10028 Gnus pushes @sc{mime} articles through @code{gnus-display-mime-function}
10029 to display the @sc{mime} parts. This is @code{gnus-display-mime} by
10030 default, which creates a bundle of clickable buttons that can be used to
10031 display, save and manipulate the @sc{mime} objects.
10033 The following commands are available when you have placed point over a
10037 @findex gnus-article-press-button
10038 @item RET (Article)
10039 @kindex RET (Article)
10040 @itemx BUTTON-2 (Article)
10041 Toggle displaying of the @sc{mime} object
10042 (@code{gnus-article-press-button}).
10044 @findex gnus-mime-view-part
10045 @item M-RET (Article)
10046 @kindex M-RET (Article)
10048 Prompt for a method, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
10049 method (@code{gnus-mime-view-part}).
10051 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-type
10053 @kindex t (Article)
10054 View the @sc{mime} object as if it were a different @sc{mime} media type
10055 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-type}).
10057 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset
10059 @kindex C (Article)
10060 Prompt for a charset, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
10061 charset (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset}).
10063 @findex gnus-mime-save-part
10065 @kindex o (Article)
10066 Prompt for a file name, and then save the @sc{mime} object
10067 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part}).
10069 @findex gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip
10070 @item C-o (Article)
10071 @kindex C-o (Article)
10072 Prompt for a file name, then save the @sc{mime} object and strip it from
10073 the article. Then proceed to article editing, where a reasonable
10074 suggestion is being made on how the altered article should look
10075 like. The stripped @sc{mime} object will be referred via the
10076 message/external-body @sc{mime} type.
10077 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip}).
10079 @findex gnus-mime-copy-part
10081 @kindex c (Article)
10082 Copy the @sc{mime} object to a fresh buffer and display this buffer
10083 (@code{gnus-mime-copy-part}).
10085 @findex gnus-mime-print-part
10087 @kindex p (Article)
10088 Print the @sc{mime} object (@code{gnus-mime-print-part}). This
10089 command respects the @samp{print=} specifications in the
10090 @file{.mailcap} file.
10092 @findex gnus-mime-inline-part
10094 @kindex i (Article)
10095 Insert the contents of the @sc{mime} object into the buffer
10096 (@code{gnus-mime-inline-part}) as text/plain. If given a prefix, insert
10097 the raw contents without decoding. If given a numerical prefix, you can
10098 do semi-manual charset stuff (see
10099 @code{gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist} in @pxref{Paging the
10102 @findex gnus-mime-internalize-part
10104 @kindex E (Article)
10105 View the @sc{mime} object with an internal viewer. If no internal
10106 viewer is available, use an external viewer
10107 (@code{gnus-mime-internalize-part}).
10109 @findex gnus-mime-externalize-part
10111 @kindex e (Article)
10112 View the @sc{mime} object with an external viewer.
10113 (@code{gnus-mime-externalize-part}).
10115 @findex gnus-mime-pipe-part
10117 @kindex | (Article)
10118 Output the @sc{mime} object to a process (@code{gnus-mime-pipe-part}).
10120 @findex gnus-mime-action-on-part
10122 @kindex . (Article)
10123 Interactively run an action on the @sc{mime} object
10124 (@code{gnus-mime-action-on-part}).
10128 Gnus will display some @sc{mime} objects automatically. The way Gnus
10129 determines which parts to do this with is described in the Emacs MIME
10132 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the article
10133 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
10134 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
10135 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
10136 comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find the volume button,
10137 because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you, and you
10138 try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the program
10139 to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly decides
10140 to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
10142 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
10144 Also see @pxref{MIME Commands}.
10147 @node Customizing Articles
10148 @section Customizing Articles
10149 @cindex article customization
10151 A slew of functions for customizing how the articles are to look like
10152 exist. You can call these functions interactively, or you can have them
10153 called automatically when you select the articles.
10155 To have them called automatically, you should set the corresponding
10156 ``treatment'' variable. For instance, to have headers hidden, you'd set
10157 @code{gnus-treat-hide-headers}. Below is a list of variables that can
10158 be set, but first we discuss the values these variables can have.
10160 Note: Some values, while valid, make little sense. Check the list below
10161 for sensible values.
10165 @code{nil}: Don't do this treatment.
10168 @code{t}: Do this treatment on all body parts.
10171 @code{head}: Do the treatment on the headers.
10174 @code{last}: Do this treatment on the last part.
10177 An integer: Do this treatment on all body parts that have a length less
10181 A list of strings: Do this treatment on all body parts that are in
10182 articles that are read in groups that have names that match one of the
10183 regexps in the list.
10186 A list where the first element is not a string:
10188 The list is evaluated recursively. The first element of the list is a
10189 predicate. The following predicates are recognized: @code{or},
10190 @code{and}, @code{not} and @code{typep}. Here's an example:
10194 (typep "text/x-vcard"))
10199 You may have noticed that the word @dfn{part} is used here. This refers
10200 to the fact that some messages are @sc{mime} multipart articles that may
10201 be divided into several parts. Articles that are not multiparts are
10202 considered to contain just a single part.
10204 @vindex gnus-article-treat-types
10205 Are the treatments applied to all sorts of multipart parts? Yes, if you
10206 want to, but by default, only @samp{text/plain} parts are given the
10207 treatment. This is controlled by the @code{gnus-article-treat-types}
10208 variable, which is a list of regular expressions that are matched to the
10209 type of the part. This variable is ignored if the value of the
10210 controlling variable is a predicate list, as described above.
10212 The following treatment options are available. The easiest way to
10213 customize this is to examine the @code{gnus-article-treat} customization
10214 group. Values in parenthesis are suggested sensible values. Others are
10215 possible but those listed are probably sufficient for most people.
10218 @item gnus-treat-buttonize (t, integer)
10219 @item gnus-treat-buttonize-head (head)
10220 @item gnus-treat-capitalize-sentences (t, integer)
10221 @item gnus-treat-date-english (head)
10222 @item gnus-treat-date-iso8601 (head)
10223 @item gnus-treat-date-lapsed (head)
10224 @item gnus-treat-date-local (head)
10225 @item gnus-treat-date-original (head)
10226 @item gnus-treat-date-user-defined (head)
10227 @item gnus-treat-date-ut (head)
10228 @item gnus-treat-display-picons (head)
10229 @item gnus-treat-display-smileys (t, integer)
10230 @item gnus-treat-display-xface (head)
10231 @item gnus-treat-emphasize (t, head, integer)
10232 @item gnus-treat-fill-article (t, integer)
10233 @item gnus-treat-fill-long-lines (t, integer)
10234 @item gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers (head)
10235 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation (t, integer)
10236 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation-maybe (t, integer)
10237 @item gnus-treat-hide-headers (head)
10238 @item gnus-treat-hide-signature (t, last)
10239 @item gnus-treat-highlight-citation (t, integer)
10240 @item gnus-treat-highlight-headers (head)
10241 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last, integer)
10242 @item gnus-treat-overstrike (t, integer)
10243 @item gnus-treat-play-sounds
10244 @item gnus-treat-strip-cr (t, integer)
10245 @item gnus-treat-strip-headers-in-body (t, integer)
10246 @item gnus-treat-strip-leading-blank-lines (t, integer)
10247 @item gnus-treat-strip-multiple-blank-lines (t, integer)
10248 @item gnus-treat-strip-pem (t, last, integer)
10249 @item gnus-treat-strip-pgp (t, last, integer)
10250 @item gnus-treat-strip-trailing-blank-lines (t, last, integer)
10251 @item gnus-treat-translate
10252 @item gnus-treat-x-pgp-sig (head)
10253 @item gnus-treat-from-picon (head)
10254 @item gnus-treat-mail-picon (head)
10255 @item gnus-treat-newsgroups-picon (head)
10256 @item gnus-treat-unfold-headers (head)
10257 @item gnus-treat-fold-newsgroups (head)
10258 @item gnus-treat-body-boundary (head)
10261 @vindex gnus-part-display-hook
10262 You can, of course, write your own functions to be called from
10263 @code{gnus-part-display-hook}. The functions are called narrowed to the
10264 part, and you can do anything you like, pretty much. There is no
10265 information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can change
10269 @node Article Keymap
10270 @section Article Keymap
10272 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
10273 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
10274 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
10275 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
10278 A few additional keystrokes are available:
10283 @kindex SPACE (Article)
10284 @findex gnus-article-next-page
10285 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
10288 @kindex DEL (Article)
10289 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
10290 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
10293 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
10294 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
10295 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
10296 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
10297 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
10300 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
10301 @findex gnus-article-mail
10302 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
10303 given a prefix, include the mail.
10306 @kindex s (Article)
10307 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
10308 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
10309 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
10312 @kindex ? (Article)
10313 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
10314 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
10315 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
10318 @kindex TAB (Article)
10319 @findex gnus-article-next-button
10320 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
10321 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
10324 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
10325 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
10326 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
10332 @section Misc Article
10336 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
10337 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
10338 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
10339 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
10342 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
10343 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
10345 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
10346 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
10348 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
10349 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
10350 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
10351 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
10352 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
10353 the contents of the article buffer.
10355 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
10356 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
10357 Hook called in article mode buffers.
10359 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10360 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10361 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
10362 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
10364 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
10365 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
10366 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
10367 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
10368 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with two
10374 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
10375 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
10376 performed. The characters and their meaning:
10381 Displayed when cited text may be hidden in the article buffer.
10384 Displayed when headers are hidden in the article buffer.
10387 Displayed when article is digitally signed or encrypted, and Gnus has
10388 hidden the security headers. (N.B. does not tell anything about
10389 security status, i.e. good or bad signature.)
10392 Displayed when the signature has been hidden in the Article buffer.
10395 Displayed when Gnus has treated overstrike characters in the article buffer.
10398 Displayed when Gnus has treated emphasised strings in the article buffer.
10403 The number of @sc{mime} parts in the article.
10407 @vindex gnus-break-pages
10409 @item gnus-break-pages
10410 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
10411 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
10412 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
10413 paging will not be done.
10415 @item gnus-page-delimiter
10416 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
10417 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
10422 @node Composing Messages
10423 @chapter Composing Messages
10424 @cindex composing messages
10427 @cindex sending mail
10433 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
10434 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
10435 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the
10436 article by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The
10437 Message Manual}. Where the message will be posted/mailed to depends
10438 on your setup (@pxref{Posting Server}).
10441 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
10442 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
10443 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
10444 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
10445 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
10446 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
10447 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
10448 * Using GPG:: How to use GPG and MML to sign and encrypt messages
10451 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
10452 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
10458 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
10461 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
10462 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
10463 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
10464 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
10466 @item gnus-add-to-list
10467 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
10468 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
10469 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
10474 @node Posting Server
10475 @section Posting Server
10477 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
10478 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
10480 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
10482 @vindex gnus-post-method
10484 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will post using the same
10485 select method as you're reading from (which might be convenient if
10486 you're reading lots of groups from different private servers).
10487 However. If the server you're reading from doesn't allow posting,
10488 just reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
10489 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
10490 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
10493 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
10496 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
10497 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
10498 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
10499 the ``current'' server, to get back the default behavior, for posting.
10501 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
10502 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
10504 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
10505 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
10508 Finally, if you want to always post using the native select method,
10509 you can set this variable to @code{native}.
10512 @node Mail and Post
10513 @section Mail and Post
10515 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
10519 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
10520 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
10521 @cindex mailing lists
10523 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
10524 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
10525 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
10526 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
10527 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
10528 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
10529 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
10530 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
10531 still a pain, though.
10535 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
10536 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
10537 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
10540 @findex ispell-message
10542 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
10545 If you want to change the @code{ispell} dictionary based on what group
10546 you're in, you could say something like the following:
10549 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
10553 "^de\\." (gnus-group-real-name gnus-newsgroup-name))
10554 (ispell-change-dictionary "deutsch"))
10556 (ispell-change-dictionary "english")))))
10559 Modify to suit your needs.
10562 @node Archived Messages
10563 @section Archived Messages
10564 @cindex archived messages
10565 @cindex sent messages
10567 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
10568 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
10569 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
10570 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
10573 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
10574 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
10575 use to store sent messages. The default is:
10578 (nnfolder "archive"
10579 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
10580 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
10581 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
10582 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
10585 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
10586 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likable select method
10587 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
10588 directory chosen, you could say something like:
10591 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
10592 '(nnfolder "archive"
10593 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
10594 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
10595 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
10598 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
10600 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
10601 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
10602 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
10604 This variable can be used to do the following:
10609 Messages will be saved in that group.
10611 Note that you can include a select method in the group name, then the
10612 message will not be stored in the select method given by
10613 @code{gnus-message-archive-method}, but in the select method specified
10614 by the group name, instead. Suppose @code{gnus-message-archive-method}
10615 has the default value shown above. Then setting
10616 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{"foo"} means that outgoing
10617 messages are stored in @samp{nnfolder+archive:foo}, but if you use the
10618 value @code{"nnml:foo"}, then outgoing messages will be stored in
10622 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
10624 an alist of regexps, functions and forms
10625 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
10628 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
10633 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
10635 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
10638 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
10640 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
10643 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
10645 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10646 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
10647 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
10648 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
10651 More complex stuff:
10653 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10654 '((if (message-news-p)
10659 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
10660 messages in one file per month:
10663 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
10664 '((if (message-news-p)
10666 (concat "mail." (format-time-string "%Y-%m")))))
10669 @c (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
10670 @c use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
10672 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
10673 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
10674 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
10675 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
10676 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
10677 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
10678 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
10679 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
10680 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
10681 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
10683 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
10684 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
10685 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
10686 this will disable archiving.
10689 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
10690 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
10691 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
10692 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
10693 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
10696 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
10697 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
10698 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
10701 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
10702 but the latter is the preferred method.
10704 @item gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10705 @vindex gnus-inews-mark-gcc-as-read
10706 If non-@code{nil}, automatically mark @code{Gcc} articles as read.
10711 @node Posting Styles
10712 @section Posting Styles
10713 @cindex posting styles
10716 All them variables, they make my head swim.
10718 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
10719 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
10720 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
10723 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
10724 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
10725 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
10726 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
10727 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
10732 (signature "Peace and happiness")
10733 (organization "What me?"))
10735 (signature "Death to everybody"))
10736 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
10737 (organization "Emacs is it")))
10740 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
10741 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
10742 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
10743 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
10744 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
10745 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
10746 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
10747 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
10749 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
10750 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
10751 If it is the symbol @code{header}, then Gnus will look for header (the
10752 next element in the match) in the original article , and compare that to
10753 the last regexp in the match. If it's a function symbol, that function
10754 will be called with no arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the
10755 variable will be referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be
10756 @code{eval}ed. In any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value,
10757 then the style is said to @dfn{match}.
10759 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
10760 attribute consists of a @code{(@var{name} @var{value})} pair. The
10761 attribute name can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
10762 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
10763 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
10764 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
10765 article; if the value is @code{nil}, the header name will be removed.
10766 If the attribute name is @code{eval}, the form is evaluated, and the
10767 result is thrown away.
10769 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function with
10770 zero arguments (the return value will be used), a variable (its value
10771 will be used) or a list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value
10772 will be used). The functions and sexps are called/@code{eval}ed in the
10773 message buffer that is being set up. The headers of the current article
10774 are available through the @code{message-reply-headers} variable.
10776 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
10777 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
10778 of the @code{message-news-p} and @code{message-mail-p} functions.
10780 @findex message-mail-p
10781 @findex message-news-p
10783 So here's a new example:
10786 (setq gnus-posting-styles
10788 (signature-file "~/.signature")
10790 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
10791 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
10793 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
10794 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
10795 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
10797 (signature my-news-signature))
10798 (header "to" "larsi.*org"
10799 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
10800 ((posting-from-work-p)
10801 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
10802 (address "user@@bar.foo")
10803 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
10804 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
10806 (From (save-excursion
10807 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer)
10808 (message-fetch-field "to"))))
10810 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
10813 The @samp{nnml:.*} rule means that you use the @code{To} address as the
10814 @code{From} address in all your outgoing replies, which might be handy
10815 if you fill many roles.
10822 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
10823 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
10824 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
10825 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
10826 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
10828 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
10829 some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
10830 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
10831 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
10832 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
10836 @vindex nndraft-directory
10837 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
10838 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
10839 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
10840 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
10841 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
10842 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
10844 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
10845 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
10848 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
10849 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
10850 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
10851 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
10852 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
10853 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
10854 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
10855 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
10856 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
10857 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
10858 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
10859 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
10860 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
10861 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
10863 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
10864 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
10865 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
10867 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
10868 @kindex D e (Draft)
10869 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
10870 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
10871 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
10873 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
10876 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
10877 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
10878 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
10879 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
10880 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
10881 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
10882 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
10885 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
10886 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
10887 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
10890 @node Rejected Articles
10891 @section Rejected Articles
10892 @cindex rejected articles
10894 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
10895 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
10896 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
10897 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
10899 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
10900 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
10901 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
10902 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
10903 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
10905 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
10906 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
10907 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
10913 Gnus has an ALPHA support to GPG that's provided by @file{gpg.el}. See
10914 @code{mm-verify-option} and @code{mm-decrypt-option} to enable Gnus to
10915 verify or decrypt messages accordingly.
10917 To use this correctly with GPG, you'll need the following lisp code in your
10918 @file{~/.emacs} or @file{~/.gnus}:
10922 (setq mml2015-use 'gpg)
10923 (setq mml1991-use 'gpg)
10924 (setq gpg-temp-directory (expand-file-name "~/.gnupg/tmp"))
10927 The @code{gpg-temp-directory} need to point to a directory with permissions set
10928 to 700, for your own safety.
10930 To sign or encrypt your message you may choose to use the MML Security
10931 menu or @kbd{C-c C-m s p} to sign your message using PGP/MIME,
10932 @kbd{C-c C-m s s} to sign your message using S/MIME. There's also
10933 @kbd{C-c C-m c p} to encrypt your message with PGP/MIME and @kbd{C-c
10934 C-m c s} to encrypt using S/MIME. @xref{Security, ,Security, message,
10935 The Message Manual}.
10937 Gnus will ask for your passphrase and then it will send your message, if
10938 you've typed it correctly.
10940 @node Select Methods
10941 @chapter Select Methods
10942 @cindex foreign groups
10943 @cindex select methods
10945 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
10946 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
10947 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
10948 personal mail group.
10950 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
10951 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
10952 list where the first element says what back end to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
10953 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
10954 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
10955 value may have special meaning for the back end in question.
10957 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
10958 we do just that (@pxref{Server Buffer}).
10960 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the back end will recognize the
10963 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
10964 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
10965 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
10966 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
10967 back end just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
10969 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
10972 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
10973 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
10974 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
10975 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
10976 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
10977 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
10978 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
10979 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
10983 @node Server Buffer
10984 @section Server Buffer
10986 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
10987 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
10988 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
10989 one back end or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
10990 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
10991 back end represents a virtual server.
10993 For instance, the @code{nntp} back end may be used to connect to several
10994 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
10995 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which back end to
10996 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
10998 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
10999 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
11000 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
11001 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
11002 Anyway, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
11003 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
11004 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
11006 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
11007 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
11010 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
11011 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
11012 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
11013 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
11014 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
11015 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
11016 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
11019 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
11020 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
11023 @node Server Buffer Format
11024 @subsection Server Buffer Format
11025 @cindex server buffer format
11027 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
11028 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
11029 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
11030 variable, with some simple extensions:
11035 How the news is fetched---the back end name.
11038 The name of this server.
11041 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
11044 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
11047 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
11048 The mode line can also be customized by using the
11049 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
11050 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
11060 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
11063 @node Server Commands
11064 @subsection Server Commands
11065 @cindex server commands
11071 @findex gnus-server-add-server
11072 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
11076 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
11077 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
11080 @kindex SPACE (Server)
11081 @findex gnus-server-read-server
11082 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
11086 @findex gnus-server-exit
11087 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
11091 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
11092 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
11096 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
11097 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
11101 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
11102 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
11106 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
11107 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
11111 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
11112 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
11113 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
11118 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
11119 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
11120 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
11121 a mail back end that has gotten out of sync.
11126 @node Example Methods
11127 @subsection Example Methods
11129 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
11132 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
11135 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
11141 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
11142 back end, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
11145 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
11146 @code{(@var{variable} @var{form})} pairs.
11148 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
11149 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
11153 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
11156 You should read the documentation to each back end to find out what
11157 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
11159 @code{nnmh} is a mail back end that reads a spool-like structure. Say
11160 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
11161 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
11165 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
11168 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
11171 Here's the method for a public spool:
11175 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
11176 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
11182 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
11183 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
11184 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
11185 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
11186 should probably look something like this:
11190 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet)
11191 (nntp-via-address "the.firewall.machine")
11192 (nntp-address "the.real.nntp.host")
11193 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11196 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
11197 compressed connection over the modem line, you could add the following
11198 configuration to the example above:
11201 (nntp-via-rlogin-command "ssh")
11204 If you're behind a firewall, but have direct access to the outside world
11205 through a wrapper command like "runsocks", you could open a socksified
11206 telnet connection to the news server as follows:
11210 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11211 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-telnet)
11212 (nntp-address "the.news.server")
11213 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11216 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
11217 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
11218 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
11219 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
11222 @node Creating a Virtual Server
11223 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
11225 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
11226 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
11228 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
11229 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
11230 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
11232 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
11234 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
11235 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
11236 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
11237 will contain the following:
11247 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
11248 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
11249 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
11252 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
11253 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
11254 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
11257 @node Server Variables
11258 @subsection Server Variables
11260 One sticky point when defining variables (both on back ends and in Emacs
11261 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
11262 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
11263 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
11264 won't change the "derived" variables.
11266 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
11267 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
11268 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
11269 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
11270 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
11271 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
11272 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
11273 variables for each back end, see each back end's section later in this
11274 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
11278 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
11279 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
11280 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
11284 @node Servers and Methods
11285 @subsection Servers and Methods
11287 Wherever you would normally use a select method
11288 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
11289 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
11290 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
11294 @node Unavailable Servers
11295 @subsection Unavailable Servers
11297 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
11298 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
11299 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
11300 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
11301 actually the case or not.
11303 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
11304 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
11305 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
11306 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
11307 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
11308 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
11309 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
11310 it will regard that server as ``down''.
11312 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
11313 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
11315 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{Server Buffer}) and poke it
11316 with the following commands:
11322 @findex gnus-server-open-server
11323 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
11324 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
11328 @findex gnus-server-close-server
11329 Close the connection (if any) to the server
11330 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
11334 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
11335 Mark the current server as unreachable
11336 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
11339 @kindex M-o (Server)
11340 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
11341 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
11342 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
11345 @kindex M-c (Server)
11346 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
11347 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
11348 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
11352 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
11353 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
11354 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
11360 @section Getting News
11361 @cindex reading news
11362 @cindex news back ends
11364 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
11365 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
11366 or it can read from a local spool.
11369 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
11370 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
11375 @subsection @sc{nntp}
11378 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
11379 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
11380 server as the, uhm, address.
11382 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
11383 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
11384 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
11385 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
11387 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
11388 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
11389 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
11391 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
11396 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
11397 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
11398 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
11400 @cindex authentification
11401 @cindex nntp authentification
11402 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11403 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
11404 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
11405 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
11406 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
11407 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
11408 present in this hook.
11410 @item nntp-authinfo-function
11411 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
11412 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
11413 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
11414 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
11415 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
11416 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
11417 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
11418 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
11419 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
11420 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
11421 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
11425 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
11428 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs.
11430 The valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
11431 @samp{default}. In addition Gnus introduces two new tokens, not present
11432 in the original @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} syntax, namely @samp{port} and
11433 @samp{force}. (This is the only way the @file{.authinfo} file format
11434 deviates from the @file{.netrc} file format.) @samp{port} is used to
11435 indicate what port on the server the credentials apply to and
11436 @samp{force} is explained below.
11440 Here's an example file:
11443 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
11444 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
11447 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
11448 have to be first, for instance.
11450 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
11451 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
11452 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
11453 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
11454 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
11455 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
11456 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
11458 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
11459 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
11465 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
11466 previously mentioned.
11468 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
11470 @item nntp-server-action-alist
11471 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
11472 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
11473 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
11474 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
11477 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
11478 '(("innd" (ding))))
11481 You probably don't want to do that, though.
11483 The default value is
11486 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
11487 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook
11488 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
11491 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
11492 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
11494 @item nntp-maximum-request
11495 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
11496 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this back end
11497 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
11498 speed things up, the back end sends lots of these commands without
11499 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
11500 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
11501 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
11503 @item nntp-connection-timeout
11504 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
11505 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
11506 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
11507 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
11508 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
11509 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
11510 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} back end should wait for a
11511 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
11512 no timeouts are done.
11514 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
11515 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
11516 @c @cindex PPP connections
11517 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
11518 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
11519 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
11520 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
11521 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
11522 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
11523 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
11524 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
11525 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
11526 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
11528 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
11529 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
11530 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
11531 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
11532 @c described above.
11534 @item nntp-server-hook
11535 @vindex nntp-server-hook
11536 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
11539 @item nntp-buggy-select
11540 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
11541 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
11543 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
11544 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
11545 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
11546 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
11549 @item nntp-xover-commands
11550 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
11553 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
11554 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
11558 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
11559 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
11560 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
11561 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
11562 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
11563 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
11564 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
11565 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
11566 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
11567 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
11568 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
11570 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
11571 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
11572 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
11574 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11575 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
11576 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
11577 server closes connection.
11579 @item nntp-record-commands
11580 @vindex nntp-record-commands
11581 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
11582 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestamp) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
11583 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
11584 that doesn't seem to work.
11586 @item nntp-open-connection-function
11587 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
11588 It is possible to customize how the connection to the nntp server will
11589 be opened. If you specify an @code{nntp-open-connection-function}
11590 parameter, Gnus will use that function to establish the connection.
11591 Five pre-made functions are supplied. These functions can be grouped in
11592 two categories: direct connection functions (three pre-made), and
11593 indirect ones (two pre-made).
11595 @item nntp-prepare-post-hook
11596 @vindex nntp-prepare-post-hook
11597 A hook run just before posting an article. If there is no
11598 @code{Message-ID} header in the article and the news server provides the
11599 recommended ID, it will be added to the article before running this
11600 hook. It is useful to make @code{Cancel-Lock} headers even if you
11601 inhibit Gnus to add a @code{Message-ID} header, you could say:
11604 (add-hook 'nntp-prepare-post-hook 'canlock-insert-header)
11607 Note that not all servers support the recommended ID. This works for
11608 INN versions 2.3.0 and later, for instance.
11612 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
11613 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
11614 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
11618 @node Direct Functions
11619 @subsubsection Direct Functions
11620 @cindex direct connection functions
11622 These functions are called direct because they open a direct connection
11623 between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server. The behavior of these
11624 functions is also affected by commonly understood variables
11625 (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11628 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
11629 @item nntp-open-network-stream
11630 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
11633 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
11634 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
11635 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use
11636 this you must have OpenSSL (@uref{http://www.openssl.org}) or SSLeay
11637 installed (@uref{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also
11638 need @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distribution, for instance). You then
11639 define a server as follows:
11642 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
11644 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
11646 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
11647 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
11648 (nntp-port-number "snews")
11649 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
11652 @findex nntp-open-telnet-stream
11653 @item nntp-open-telnet-stream
11654 Opens a connection to an @sc{nntp} server by simply @samp{telnet}'ing
11655 it. You might wonder why this function exists, since we have the
11656 default @code{nntp-open-network-stream} which would do the job. (One
11657 of) the reason(s) is that if you are behind a firewall but have direct
11658 connections to the outside world thanks to a command wrapper like
11659 @code{runsocks}, you can use it like this:
11663 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11664 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-telnet-stream)
11665 (nntp-address "the.news.server"))
11668 With the default method, you would need to wrap your whole Emacs
11669 session, which is not a good idea.
11673 @node Indirect Functions
11674 @subsubsection Indirect Functions
11675 @cindex indirect connection functions
11677 These functions are called indirect because they connect to an
11678 intermediate host before actually connecting to the @sc{nntp} server.
11679 All of these functions and related variables are also said to belong to
11680 the "via" family of connection: they're all prefixed with "via" to make
11681 things cleaner. The behavior of these functions is also affected by
11682 commonly understood variables (@pxref{Common Variables}).
11685 @item nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11686 @findex nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
11687 Does an @samp{rlogin} on a remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet}
11688 to the real @sc{nntp} server from there. This is useful for instance if
11689 you need to connect to a firewall machine first.
11691 @code{nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11694 @item nntp-via-rlogin-command
11695 @vindex nntp-via-rlogin-command
11696 Command used to log in on the intermediate host. The default is
11697 @samp{rsh}, but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
11700 @item nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11701 @findex nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
11702 Does essentially the same, but uses @samp{telnet} instead of
11703 @samp{rlogin} to connect to the intermediate host.
11705 @code{nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet}-specific variables:
11708 @item nntp-via-telnet-command
11709 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-command
11710 Command used to @code{telnet} the intermediate host. The default is
11713 @item nntp-via-telnet-switches
11714 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-switches
11715 List of strings to be used as the switches to the
11716 @code{nntp-via-telnet-command} command. The default is @samp{("-8")}.
11718 @item nntp-via-user-password
11719 @vindex nntp-via-user-password
11720 Password to use when logging in on the intermediate host.
11722 @item nntp-via-envuser
11723 @vindex nntp-via-envuser
11724 If non-@code{nil}, the intermediate @code{telnet} session (client and
11725 server both) will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for
11726 login name. This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
11728 @item nntp-via-shell-prompt
11729 @vindex nntp-via-shell-prompt
11730 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the intermediate host. The default
11731 is @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
11738 Here are some additional variables that are understood by all the above
11743 @item nntp-via-user-name
11744 @vindex nntp-via-user-name
11745 User name to use when connecting to the intermediate host.
11747 @item nntp-via-address
11748 @vindex nntp-via-address
11749 Address of the intermediate host to connect to.
11754 @node Common Variables
11755 @subsubsection Common Variables
11757 The following variables affect the behavior of all, or several of the
11758 pre-made connection functions. When not specified, all functions are
11763 @item nntp-pre-command
11764 @vindex nntp-pre-command
11765 A command wrapper to use when connecting through a non native connection
11766 function (all except @code{nntp-open-network-stream} and
11767 @code{nntp-open-ssl-stream}. This is where you would put a @samp{SOCKS}
11768 wrapper for instance.
11771 @vindex nntp-address
11772 The address of the @sc{nntp} server.
11774 @item nntp-port-number
11775 @vindex nntp-port-number
11776 Port number to connect to the @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{nntp}.
11778 @item nntp-end-of-line
11779 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
11780 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
11781 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
11782 using a non native connection function.
11784 @item nntp-telnet-command
11785 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
11786 Command to use when connecting to the @sc{nntp} server through
11787 @samp{telnet}. This is NOT for an intermediate host. This is just for
11788 the real @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{telnet}.
11790 @item nntp-telnet-switches
11791 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
11792 A list of switches to pass to @code{nntp-telnet-command}. The default
11799 @subsection News Spool
11803 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
11804 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
11805 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
11808 Anyway, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
11809 anything else) as the address.
11811 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
11812 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
11813 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
11814 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
11818 @item nnspool-inews-program
11819 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
11820 Program used to post an article.
11822 @item nnspool-inews-switches
11823 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
11824 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
11826 @item nnspool-spool-directory
11827 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
11828 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
11829 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
11831 @item nnspool-nov-directory
11832 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
11833 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
11834 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
11836 @item nnspool-lib-dir
11837 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
11838 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
11840 @item nnspool-active-file
11841 @vindex nnspool-active-file
11842 The path to the active file.
11844 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
11845 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
11846 The path to the group descriptions file.
11848 @item nnspool-history-file
11849 @vindex nnspool-history-file
11850 The path to the news history file.
11852 @item nnspool-active-times-file
11853 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
11854 The path to the active date file.
11856 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
11857 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
11858 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
11861 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11862 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
11864 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
11865 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
11866 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
11872 @section Getting Mail
11873 @cindex reading mail
11876 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
11880 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
11881 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
11882 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
11883 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
11884 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
11885 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
11886 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
11887 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
11888 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
11889 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
11890 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
11891 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
11892 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
11893 * Archiving Mail:: How to backup your mail.
11897 @node Mail in a Newsreader
11898 @subsection Mail in a Newsreader
11900 If you are used to traditional mail readers, but have decided to switch
11901 to reading mail with Gnus, you may find yourself experiencing something
11902 of a culture shock.
11904 Gnus does not behave like traditional mail readers. If you want to make
11905 it behave that way, you can, but it's an uphill battle.
11907 Gnus, by default, handles all its groups using the same approach. This
11908 approach is very newsreaderly---you enter a group, see the new/unread
11909 messages, and when you read the messages, they get marked as read, and
11910 you don't see them any more. (Unless you explicitly ask for them.)
11912 In particular, you do not do anything explicitly to delete messages.
11914 Does this mean that all the messages that have been marked as read are
11915 deleted? How awful!
11917 But, no, it means that old messages are @dfn{expired} according to some
11918 scheme or other. For news messages, the expire process is controlled by
11919 the news administrator; for mail, the expire process is controlled by
11920 you. The expire process for mail is covered in depth in @pxref{Expiring
11923 What many Gnus users find, after using it a while for both news and
11924 mail, is that the transport mechanism has very little to do with how
11925 they want to treat a message.
11927 Many people subscribe to several mailing lists. These are transported
11928 via SMTP, and are therefore mail. But we might go for weeks without
11929 answering, or even reading these messages very carefully. We may not
11930 need to save them because if we should need to read one again, they are
11931 archived somewhere else.
11933 Some people have local news groups which have only a handful of readers.
11934 These are transported via @sc{nntp}, and are therefore news. But we may need
11935 to read and answer a large fraction of the messages very carefully in
11936 order to do our work. And there may not be an archive, so we may need
11937 to save the interesting messages the same way we would personal mail.
11939 The important distinction turns out to be not the transport mechanism,
11940 but other factors such as how interested we are in the subject matter,
11941 or how easy it is to retrieve the message if we need to read it again.
11943 Gnus provides many options for sorting mail into ``groups'' which behave
11944 like newsgroups, and for treating each group (whether mail or news)
11947 Some users never get comfortable using the Gnus (ahem) paradigm and wish
11948 that Gnus should grow up and be a male, er, mail reader. It is possible
11949 to whip Gnus into a more mailreaderly being, but, as said before, it's
11950 not easy. People who prefer proper mail readers should try @sc{vm}
11951 instead, which is an excellent, and proper, mail reader.
11953 I don't mean to scare anybody off, but I want to make it clear that you
11954 may be required to learn a new way of thinking about messages. After
11955 you've been subjected to The Gnus Way, you will come to love it. I can
11956 guarantee it. (At least the guy who sold me the Emacs Subliminal
11957 Brain-Washing Functions that I've put into Gnus did guarantee it. You
11958 Will Be Assimilated. You Love Gnus. You Love The Gnus Mail Way.
11962 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
11963 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
11965 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
11966 mail back end of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
11967 and things will happen automatically.
11969 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
11970 mail" back end), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
11973 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
11976 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this back end will be queried for new
11977 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
11978 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
11979 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
11980 like any other group.
11982 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
11985 (setq nnmail-split-methods
11986 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11987 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
11991 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
11992 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
11993 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
11996 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
11997 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
11998 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Back End} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
12001 @node Splitting Mail
12002 @subsection Splitting Mail
12003 @cindex splitting mail
12004 @cindex mail splitting
12006 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
12007 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
12008 to be split into groups.
12011 (setq nnmail-split-methods
12012 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
12013 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
12014 ("mail.other" "")))
12017 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
12018 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
12019 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
12020 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
12021 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
12022 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
12023 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
12026 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
12029 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
12030 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
12031 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
12032 mail belongs in that group.
12034 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
12035 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
12036 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
12037 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
12038 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
12039 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
12041 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
12042 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
12043 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
12044 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
12045 thinks should carry this mail message.
12047 Note that the mail back ends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
12048 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
12049 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
12050 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
12052 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
12053 The mail back ends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
12054 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
12055 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
12056 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
12058 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
12061 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
12062 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
12063 links. If that's the case for you, set
12064 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
12065 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
12067 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
12068 @kindex nnmail-split-history
12069 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
12070 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command. If you wish to see
12071 where re-spooling messages would put the messages, you can use
12072 @code{gnus-summary-respool-trace} and related commands (@pxref{Mail
12075 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
12076 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
12077 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
12078 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
12079 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
12080 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
12081 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
12082 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
12083 month's rent money.
12087 @subsection Mail Sources
12089 Mail can be gotten from many different sources---the mail spool, from a
12090 POP mail server, from a procmail directory, or from a maildir, for
12094 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
12095 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
12096 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
12100 @node Mail Source Specifiers
12101 @subsubsection Mail Source Specifiers
12103 @cindex mail server
12106 @cindex mail source
12108 You tell Gnus how to fetch mail by setting @code{mail-sources}
12109 (@pxref{Fetching Mail}) to a @dfn{mail source specifier}.
12114 (pop :server "pop3.mailserver.com" :user "myname")
12117 As can be observed, a mail source specifier is a list where the first
12118 element is a @dfn{mail source type}, followed by an arbitrary number of
12119 @dfn{keywords}. Keywords that are not explicitly specified are given
12122 The following mail source types are available:
12126 Get mail from a single file; typically from the mail spool.
12132 The path of the file. Defaults to the value of the @code{MAIL}
12133 environment variable or @file{/usr/mail/spool/user-name}.
12136 An example file mail source:
12139 (file :path "/usr/spool/mail/user-name")
12142 Or using the default path:
12148 If the mail spool file is not located on the local machine, it's best to
12149 use POP or @sc{imap} or the like to fetch the mail. You can not use ange-ftp
12150 file names here---it has no way to lock the mail spool while moving the
12153 If it's impossible to set up a proper server, you can use ssh instead.
12157 '((file :prescript "ssh host bin/getmail >%t")))
12160 The @samp{getmail} script would look something like the following:
12164 # getmail - move mail from spool to stdout
12167 MOVEMAIL=/usr/lib/emacs/20.3/i386-redhat-linux/movemail
12169 rm -f $TMP; $MOVEMAIL $MAIL $TMP >/dev/null && cat $TMP
12172 Alter this script to fit find the @samp{movemail} you want to use.
12176 Get mail from several files in a directory. This is typically used
12177 when you have procmail split the incoming mail into several files.
12178 That is, mail from the file @file{foo.bar.spool} will be put in the
12179 group @code{foo.bar}. (You can change the suffix to be used instead
12180 of @code{.spool}.) Setting
12181 @code{nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once} to non-nil forces Gnus
12182 to scan the mail source only once. This is particularly useful if you
12183 want to scan mail groups at a specified level.
12189 The path of the directory where the files are. There is no default
12193 Only files ending with this suffix are used. The default is
12197 Only files that have this predicate return non-@code{nil} are returned.
12198 The default is @code{identity}. This is used as an additional
12199 filter---only files that have the right suffix @emph{and} satisfy this
12200 predicate are considered.
12204 Script run before/after fetching mail.
12208 An example directory mail source:
12211 (directory :path "/home/user-name/procmail-dir/"
12216 Get mail from a POP server.
12222 The name of the POP server. The default is taken from the
12223 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12226 The port number of the POP server. This can be a number (eg,
12227 @samp{:port 1234}) or a string (eg, @samp{:port "pop3"}). If it is a
12228 string, it should be a service name as listed in @file{/etc/services} on
12229 Unix systems. The default is @samp{"pop3"}. On some systems you might
12230 need to specify it as @samp{"pop-3"} instead.
12233 The user name to give to the POP server. The default is the login
12237 The password to give to the POP server. If not specified, the user is
12241 The program to use to fetch mail from the POP server. This should be
12242 a @code{format}-like string. Here's an example:
12245 fetchmail %u@@%s -P %p %t
12248 The valid format specifier characters are:
12252 The name of the file the mail is to be moved to. This must always be
12253 included in this string.
12256 The name of the server.
12259 The port number of the server.
12262 The user name to use.
12265 The password to use.
12268 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12269 corresponding keywords.
12272 A script to be run before fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12273 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12276 A script to be run after fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
12277 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
12280 The function to use to fetch mail from the POP server. The function is
12281 called with one parameter---the name of the file where the mail should
12284 @item :authentication
12285 This can be either the symbol @code{password} or the symbol @code{apop}
12286 and says what authentication scheme to use. The default is
12291 If the @code{:program} and @code{:function} keywords aren't specified,
12292 @code{pop3-movemail} will be used.
12294 Here are some examples. Fetch from the default POP server, using the
12295 default user name, and default fetcher:
12301 Fetch from a named server with a named user and password:
12304 (pop :server "my.pop.server"
12305 :user "user-name" :password "secret")
12308 Use @samp{movemail} to move the mail:
12311 (pop :program "movemail po:%u %t %p")
12315 Get mail from a maildir. This is a type of mailbox that is supported by
12316 at least qmail and postfix, where each file in a special directory
12317 contains exactly one mail.
12323 The path of the directory where the mails are stored. The default is
12324 taken from the @code{MAILDIR} environment variable or
12327 The subdirectories of the Maildir. The default is
12328 @samp{("new" "cur")}.
12330 @c If you sometimes look at your mail through a pop3 daemon before fetching
12331 @c them with Gnus, you may also have to fetch your mails from the
12332 @c @code{cur} directory inside the maildir, like in the first example
12335 You can also get mails from remote hosts (because maildirs don't suffer
12336 from locking problems).
12340 Two example maildir mail sources:
12343 (maildir :path "/home/user-name/Maildir/"
12344 :subdirs ("cur" "new"))
12348 (maildir :path "/user@@remotehost.org:~/Maildir/"
12353 Get mail from a @sc{imap} server. If you don't want to use @sc{imap}
12354 as intended, as a network mail reading protocol (ie with nnimap), for
12355 some reason or other, Gnus let you treat it similar to a POP server
12356 and fetches articles from a given @sc{imap} mailbox. @xref{IMAP}, for
12359 Note that for the Kerberos, GSSAPI, SSL/TLS and STARTTLS support you
12360 may need external programs and libraries, @xref{IMAP}.
12366 The name of the @sc{imap} server. The default is taken from the
12367 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
12370 The port number of the @sc{imap} server. The default is @samp{143}, or
12371 @samp{993} for SSL/TLS connections.
12374 The user name to give to the @sc{imap} server. The default is the login
12378 The password to give to the @sc{imap} server. If not specified, the user is
12382 What stream to use for connecting to the server, this is one of the
12383 symbols in @code{imap-stream-alist}. Right now, this means
12384 @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{starttls}, @samp{ssl},
12385 @samp{shell} or the default @samp{network}.
12387 @item :authentication
12388 Which authenticator to use for authenticating to the server, this is
12389 one of the symbols in @code{imap-authenticator-alist}. Right now,
12390 this means @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{digest-md5},
12391 @samp{cram-md5}, @samp{anonymous} or the default @samp{login}.
12394 When using the `shell' :stream, the contents of this variable is
12395 mapped into the `imap-shell-program' variable. This should be a
12396 @code{format}-like string (or list of strings). Here's an example:
12402 The valid format specifier characters are:
12406 The name of the server.
12409 User name from `imap-default-user'.
12412 The port number of the server.
12415 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
12416 corresponding keywords.
12419 The name of the mailbox to get mail from. The default is @samp{INBOX}
12420 which normally is the mailbox which receive incoming mail.
12423 The predicate used to find articles to fetch. The default, @samp{UNSEEN
12424 UNDELETED}, is probably the best choice for most people, but if you
12425 sometimes peek in your mailbox with a @sc{imap} client and mark some
12426 articles as read (or; SEEN) you might want to set this to @samp{nil}.
12427 Then all articles in the mailbox is fetched, no matter what. For a
12428 complete list of predicates, see RFC 2060 §6.4.4.
12431 How to flag fetched articles on the server, the default @samp{\Deleted}
12432 will mark them as deleted, an alternative would be @samp{\Seen} which
12433 would simply mark them as read. These are the two most likely choices,
12434 but more flags are defined in RFC 2060 §2.3.2.
12437 If non-nil, don't remove all articles marked as deleted in the mailbox
12438 after finishing the fetch.
12442 An example @sc{imap} mail source:
12445 (imap :server "mail.mycorp.com"
12447 :fetchflag "\\Seen")
12451 Get mail from a webmail server, such as www.hotmail.com,
12452 webmail.netscape.com, www.netaddress.com, www.my-deja.com.
12454 NOTE: Now mail.yahoo.com provides POP3 service, so @sc{pop} mail source
12457 NOTE: Webmail largely depends cookies. A "one-line-cookie" patch is
12458 required for url "4.0pre.46".
12460 WARNING: Mails may lost. NO WARRANTY.
12466 The type of the webmail server. The default is @code{hotmail}. The
12467 alternatives are @code{netscape}, @code{netaddress}, @code{my-deja}.
12470 The user name to give to the webmail server. The default is the login
12474 The password to give to the webmail server. If not specified, the user is
12478 If non-nil, only fetch unread articles and don't move them to trash
12479 folder after finishing the fetch.
12483 An example webmail source:
12486 (webmail :subtype 'hotmail
12488 :password "secret")
12493 @item Common Keywords
12494 Common keywords can be used in any type of mail source.
12500 If non-nil, fetch the mail even when Gnus is unplugged. If you use
12501 directory source to get mail, you can specify it as in this example:
12505 '((directory :path "/home/pavel/.Spool/"
12510 Gnus will then fetch your mail even when you are unplugged. This is
12511 useful when you use local mail and news.
12516 @subsubsection Function Interface
12518 Some of the above keywords specify a Lisp function to be executed.
12519 For each keyword @code{:foo}, the Lisp variable @code{foo} is bound to
12520 the value of the keyword while the function is executing. For example,
12521 consider the following mail-source setting:
12524 (setq mail-sources '((pop :user "jrl"
12525 :server "pophost" :function fetchfunc)))
12528 While the function @code{fetchfunc} is executing, the symbol @code{user}
12529 is bound to @code{"jrl"}, and the symbol @code{server} is bound to
12530 @code{"pophost"}. The symbols @code{port}, @code{password},
12531 @code{program}, @code{prescript}, @code{postscript}, @code{function},
12532 and @code{authentication} are also bound (to their default values).
12534 See above for a list of keywords for each type of mail source.
12537 @node Mail Source Customization
12538 @subsubsection Mail Source Customization
12540 The following is a list of variables that influence how the mail is
12541 fetched. You would normally not need to set or change any of these
12545 @item mail-source-crash-box
12546 @vindex mail-source-crash-box
12547 File where mail will be stored while processing it. The default is
12548 @file{~/.emacs-mail-crash-box}.
12550 @item mail-source-delete-incoming
12551 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
12552 If non-@code{nil}, delete incoming files after handling them.
12554 @item mail-source-directory
12555 @vindex mail-source-directory
12556 Directory where files (if any) will be stored. The default is
12557 @file{~/Mail/}. At present, the only thing this is used for is to say
12558 where the incoming files will be stored if the previous variable is
12561 @item mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12562 @vindex mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
12563 Prefix for file name for storing incoming mail. The default is
12564 @file{Incoming}, in which case files will end up with names like
12565 @file{Incoming30630D_} or @file{Incoming298602ZD}. This is really only
12566 relevant if @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} is @code{nil}.
12568 @item mail-source-default-file-modes
12569 @vindex mail-source-default-file-modes
12570 All new mail files will get this file mode. The default is 384.
12572 @item mail-source-movemail-program
12573 @vindex mail-source-movemail-program
12574 If non-nil, name of program for fetching new mail. If nil,
12575 @code{movemail} in @var{exec-directory}.
12580 @node Fetching Mail
12581 @subsubsection Fetching Mail
12583 @vindex mail-sources
12584 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
12585 The way to actually tell Gnus where to get new mail from is to set
12586 @code{mail-sources} to a list of mail source specifiers
12587 (@pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}).
12589 If this variable (and the obsolescent @code{nnmail-spool-file}) is
12590 @code{nil}, the mail back ends will never attempt to fetch mail by
12593 If you want to fetch mail both from your local spool as well as a POP
12594 mail server, you'd say something like:
12599 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12600 :password "secret")))
12603 Or, if you don't want to use any of the keyword defaults:
12607 '((file :path "/var/spool/mail/user-name")
12608 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
12611 :password "secret")))
12615 When you use a mail back end, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
12616 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
12617 mail if you're not using a mail back end---you have to do a lot of magic
12618 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
12619 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
12620 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
12624 @node Mail Back End Variables
12625 @subsection Mail Back End Variables
12627 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
12631 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12632 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
12633 The mail back ends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
12634 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
12636 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
12637 @item nnmail-split-hook
12638 @findex article-decode-encoded-words
12639 @findex RFC 1522 decoding
12640 @findex RFC 2047 decoding
12641 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
12642 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
12643 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
12644 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
12645 in the buffer will show up in any files.
12646 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
12649 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12650 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12651 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12652 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12653 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
12654 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
12655 starting to handle the new mail) and
12656 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
12657 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
12658 default file modes the new mail files get:
12661 (add-hook 'nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
12662 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
12664 (add-hook 'nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
12665 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
12668 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
12669 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
12670 If non-@code{nil}, the mail back ends will use long file and directory
12671 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
12672 (assuming use of @code{nnml} back end) or files (assuming use of
12673 @code{nnfolder} back end) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
12674 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
12676 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
12677 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
12678 @findex delete-file
12679 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
12681 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12682 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12683 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
12684 the back end (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
12685 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
12690 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
12691 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
12692 @cindex mail splitting
12693 @cindex fancy mail splitting
12695 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
12696 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
12697 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
12698 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
12699 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
12700 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
12702 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
12705 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
12706 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
12707 ;; from real errors.
12708 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
12710 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
12711 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
12712 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
12713 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
12714 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
12715 ;; Other mailing lists...
12716 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
12717 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
12718 ;; Both lists below have the same suffix, so prevent
12719 ;; cross-posting to mkpkg.list of messages posted only to
12720 ;; the bugs- list, but allow cross-posting when the
12721 ;; message was really cross-posted.
12722 (any "bugs-mypackage@@somewhere" "mypkg.bugs")
12723 (any "mypackage@@somewhere\" - "bugs-mypackage" "mypkg.list")
12725 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
12726 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
12730 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
12731 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
12732 the five possible split syntaxes:
12737 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
12738 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
12742 @code{(@var{field} @var{value} @code{[-} @var{restrict}
12743 @code{[@dots{}]}@code{]} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, the
12744 first element of which is a string, then store the message as
12745 specified by @var{split}, if header @var{field} (a regexp) contains
12746 @var{value} (also a regexp). If @var{restrict} (yet another regexp)
12747 matches some string after @var{field} and before the end of the
12748 matched @var{value}, the @var{split} is ignored. If none of the
12749 @var{restrict} clauses match, @var{split} is processed.
12752 @code{(| @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12753 element is @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each @var{split} until
12754 one of them matches. A @var{split} is said to match if it will cause
12755 the mail message to be stored in one or more groups.
12758 @code{(& @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12759 element is @code{&}, then process all @var{split}s in the list.
12762 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
12763 (i.e., delete) this message. Use with extreme caution.
12766 @code{(: @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @dots{})}: If the split is
12767 a list, and the first element is @code{:}, then the second element will
12768 be called as a function with @var{args} given as arguments. The
12769 function should return a @var{split}.
12772 For instance, the following function could be used to split based on the
12773 body of the messages:
12776 (defun split-on-body ()
12778 (set-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
12779 (goto-char (point-min))
12780 (when (re-search-forward "Some.*string" nil t)
12784 The @samp{" *nnmail incoming*"} is narrowed to the message in question
12785 when the @code{:} function is run.
12788 @code{(! @var{func} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, and the first
12789 element is @code{!}, then SPLIT will be processed, and FUNC will be
12790 called as a function with the result of SPLIT as argument. FUNC should
12794 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
12798 In these splits, @var{field} must match a complete field name.
12799 @var{value} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
12800 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
12801 field names or words. In other words, all @var{value}'s are wrapped in
12802 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
12804 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
12805 @var{field} and @var{value} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
12806 are expanded as specified by the variable
12807 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
12808 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
12811 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
12812 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
12813 when all this splitting is performed.
12815 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
12816 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
12817 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
12820 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
12823 In this example, messages sent to @samp{debian-foo@@lists.debian.org}
12824 will be filed in @samp{mail.debian.foo}.
12826 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
12827 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
12828 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
12829 groupings 1 through 9.
12831 @findex nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent
12832 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} is a function which allows you to
12833 split followups into the same groups their parents are in. Sometimes
12834 you can't make splitting rules for all your mail. For example, your
12835 boss might send you personal mail regarding different projects you are
12836 working on, and as you can't tell your boss to put a distinguishing
12837 string into the subject line, you have to resort to manually moving the
12838 messages into the right group. With this function, you only have to do
12839 it once per thread.
12841 To use this feature, you have to set @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} and
12842 @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} to a non-nil value. And then
12843 you can include @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} using the colon
12846 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
12847 '(| (: nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent)
12848 ;; other splits go here
12852 This feature works as follows: when @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} is
12853 non-nil, Gnus records the message id of every message it sees in the
12854 file specified by the variable @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file},
12855 together with the group it is in (the group is omitted for non-mail
12856 messages). When mail splitting is invoked, the function
12857 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} then looks at the References (and
12858 In-Reply-To) header of each message to split and searches the file
12859 specified by @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file} for the message ids.
12860 When it has found a parent, it returns the corresponding group name
12861 unless the group name matches the regexp
12862 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent-ignore-groups}. It is recommended
12863 that you set @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length} to a somewhat higher
12864 number than the default so that the message ids are still in the cache.
12865 (A value of 5000 appears to create a file some 300 kBytes in size.)
12866 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
12867 When @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus
12868 also records the message ids of moved articles, so that the followup
12869 messages goes into the new group.
12872 @node Group Mail Splitting
12873 @subsection Group Mail Splitting
12874 @cindex mail splitting
12875 @cindex group mail splitting
12877 @findex gnus-group-split
12878 If you subscribe to dozens of mailing lists but you don't want to
12879 maintain mail splitting rules manually, group mail splitting is for you.
12880 You just have to set @var{to-list} and/or @var{to-address} in group
12881 parameters or group customization and set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to
12882 @code{gnus-group-split}. This splitting function will scan all groups
12883 for those parameters and split mail accordingly, i.e., messages posted
12884 from or to the addresses specified in the parameters @var{to-list} or
12885 @var{to-address} of a mail group will be stored in that group.
12887 Sometimes, mailing lists have multiple addresses, and you may want mail
12888 splitting to recognize them all: just set the @var{extra-aliases} group
12889 parameter to the list of additional addresses and it's done. If you'd
12890 rather use a regular expression, set @var{split-regexp}.
12892 All these parameters in a group will be used to create an
12893 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split, in which the @var{field} is @samp{any},
12894 the @var{value} is a single regular expression that matches
12895 @var{to-list}, @var{to-address}, all of @var{extra-aliases} and all
12896 matches of @var{split-regexp}, and the @var{split} is the name of the
12897 group. @var{restrict}s are also supported: just set the
12898 @var{split-exclude} parameter to a list of regular expressions.
12900 If you can't get the right split to be generated using all these
12901 parameters, or you just need something fancier, you can set the
12902 parameter @var{split-spec} to an @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split. In
12903 this case, all other aforementioned parameters will be ignored by
12904 @code{gnus-group-split}. In particular, @var{split-spec} may be set to
12905 @code{nil}, in which case the group will be ignored by
12906 @code{gnus-group-split}.
12908 @vindex gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group
12909 @code{gnus-group-split} will do cross-posting on all groups that match,
12910 by defining a single @code{&} fancy split containing one split for each
12911 group. If a message doesn't match any split, it will be stored in the
12912 group named in @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}, unless
12913 some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all}, in which case
12914 that group is used as the catch-all group. Even though this variable is
12915 often used just to name a group, it may also be set to an arbitrarily
12916 complex fancy split (after all, a group name is a fancy split), and this
12917 may be useful to split mail that doesn't go to any mailing list to
12918 personal mail folders. Note that this fancy split is added as the last
12919 element of a @code{|} split list that also contains a @code{&} split
12920 with the rules extracted from group parameters.
12922 It's time for an example. Assume the following group parameters have
12927 ((to-address . "bar@@femail.com")
12928 (split-regexp . ".*@@femail\\.com"))
12930 ((to-list . "foo@@nowhere.gov")
12931 (extra-aliases "foo@@localhost" "foo-redist@@home")
12932 (split-exclude "bugs-foo" "rambling-foo")
12933 (admin-address . "foo-request@@nowhere.gov"))
12935 ((split-spec . catch-all))
12938 Setting @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{gnus-group-split} will
12939 behave as if @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been selected and variable
12940 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been set as follows:
12943 (| (& (any "\\(bar@@femail\\.com\\|.*@@femail\\.com\\)" "mail.bar")
12944 (any "\\(foo@@nowhere\\.gov\\|foo@@localhost\\|foo-redist@@home\\)"
12945 - "bugs-foo" - "rambling-foo" "mail.foo"))
12949 @findex gnus-group-split-fancy
12950 If you'd rather not use group splitting for all your mail groups, you
12951 may use it for only some of them, by using @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
12955 (: gnus-mlsplt-fancy GROUPS NO-CROSSPOST CATCH-ALL)
12958 @var{groups} may be a regular expression or a list of group names whose
12959 parameters will be scanned to generate the output split.
12960 @var{no-crosspost} can be used to disable cross-posting; in this case, a
12961 single @code{|} split will be output. @var{catch-all} is the fallback
12962 fancy split, used like @var{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}.
12963 If @var{catch-all} is @code{nil}, or if @var{split-regexp} matches the
12964 empty string in any selected group, no catch-all split will be issued.
12965 Otherwise, if some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all},
12966 this group will override the value of the @var{catch-all} argument.
12968 @findex gnus-group-split-setup
12969 Unfortunately, scanning all groups and their parameters can be quite
12970 slow, especially considering that it has to be done for every message.
12971 But don't despair! The function @code{gnus-group-split-setup} can be
12972 used to enable @code{gnus-group-split} in a much more efficient way. It
12973 sets @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy} and sets
12974 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} to the split produced by
12975 @code{gnus-group-split-fancy}. Thus, the group parameters are only
12976 scanned once, no matter how many messages are split.
12978 @findex gnus-group-split-update
12979 However, if you change group parameters, you'd have to update
12980 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} manually. You can do it by running
12981 @code{gnus-group-split-update}. If you'd rather have it updated
12982 automatically, just tell @code{gnus-group-split-setup} to do it for
12983 you. For example, add to your @file{.gnus}:
12986 (gnus-group-split-setup AUTO-UPDATE CATCH-ALL)
12989 If @var{auto-update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{gnus-group-split-update}
12990 will be added to @code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook}, so you won't ever
12991 have to worry about updating @code{nnmail-split-fancy} again. If you
12992 don't omit @var{catch-all} (it's optional, equivalent to @code{nil}),
12993 @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group} will be set to its
12996 @vindex gnus-group-split-updated-hook
12997 Because you may want to change @code{nnmail-split-fancy} after it is set
12998 by @code{gnus-group-split-update}, this function will run
12999 @code{gnus-group-split-updated-hook} just before finishing.
13001 @node Incorporating Old Mail
13002 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
13003 @cindex incorporating old mail
13004 @cindex import old mail
13006 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
13007 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
13008 back ends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
13011 Doing so can be quite easy.
13013 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
13014 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
13015 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
13016 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
13017 your @code{nnml} groups.
13023 Go to the group buffer.
13026 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
13027 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
13030 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
13033 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
13034 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
13037 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
13038 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
13041 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
13042 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
13043 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
13044 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
13045 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
13047 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
13048 back end to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
13049 using the new mail back end.
13052 @node Expiring Mail
13053 @subsection Expiring Mail
13054 @cindex article expiry
13056 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
13057 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
13058 different approach to mail reading.
13060 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
13061 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
13062 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
13063 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
13064 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
13065 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
13068 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
13069 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
13070 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
13071 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
13072 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
13073 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
13074 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
13075 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
13077 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
13078 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
13079 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
13080 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
13081 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
13082 column in the summary buffer.
13084 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
13085 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
13086 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
13087 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
13090 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
13092 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
13093 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
13094 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
13097 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
13098 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
13099 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
13100 articles expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
13101 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
13103 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
13104 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
13107 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
13108 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
13111 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
13112 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
13114 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
13115 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
13116 don't really mix very well.
13118 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
13119 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
13120 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
13121 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
13124 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
13125 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
13126 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
13127 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
13130 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13132 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13134 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
13136 ((string= group "mail.junk")
13138 ((string= group "important")
13144 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
13145 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
13147 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
13148 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
13149 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
13152 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
13153 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
13155 @vindex nnmail-expiry-target
13156 The normal action taken when expiring articles is to delete them.
13157 However, in some circumstances it might make more sense to move them
13158 to other groups instead of deleting them. The variable
13159 @code{nnmail-expiry-target} (and the @code{expiry-target} group
13160 parameter) controls this. The variable supplies a default value for
13161 all groups, which can be overridden for specific groups by the group
13162 parameter. default value is @code{delete}, but this can also be a
13163 string (which should be the name of the group the message should be
13164 moved to), or a function (which will be called in a buffer narrowed to
13165 the message in question, and with the name of the group being moved
13166 from as its parameter) which should return a target -- either a group
13167 name or @code{delete}.
13169 Here's an example for specifying a group name:
13171 (setq nnmail-expiry-target "nnml:expired")
13174 @findex nnmail-fancy-expiry-target
13175 @vindex nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets
13176 Gnus provides a function @code{nnmail-fancy-expiry-target} which will
13177 expire mail to groups according to the variable
13178 @code{nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets}. Here's an example:
13181 (setq nnmail-expiry-target 'nnmail-fancy-expiry-target
13182 nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets
13183 '((to-from "boss" "nnfolder:Work")
13184 ("subject" "IMPORTANT" "nnfolder:IMPORTANT.%Y.%b")
13185 ("from" ".*" "nnfolder:Archive-%Y")))
13188 With this setup, any mail that has @code{IMPORTANT} in its Subject
13189 header and was sent in the year @code{YYYY} and month @code{MMM}, will
13190 get expired to the group @code{nnfolder:IMPORTANT.YYYY.MMM}. If its
13191 From or To header contains the string @code{boss}, it will get expired
13192 to @code{nnfolder:Work}. All other mail will get expired to
13193 @code{nnfolder:Archive-YYYY}.
13195 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
13196 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
13197 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
13198 easier for procmail users.
13200 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
13201 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
13202 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
13203 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
13204 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
13205 caution. Even more dangerous is the
13206 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
13207 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
13208 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
13209 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
13210 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
13211 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
13212 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
13215 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
13217 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
13218 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
13219 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
13220 auto-expire turned on.
13224 @subsection Washing Mail
13225 @cindex mail washing
13226 @cindex list server brain damage
13227 @cindex incoming mail treatment
13229 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
13230 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC 822 doesn't explicitly
13231 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
13232 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
13233 Yes, but RFC 822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
13234 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
13236 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
13237 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
13238 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
13241 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
13242 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
13243 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
13244 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
13247 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13248 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
13249 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
13250 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
13251 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
13254 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13255 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
13256 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
13257 Emacs running on MS machines.
13261 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13262 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
13263 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
13264 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
13267 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13268 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
13269 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
13270 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
13272 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13273 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
13274 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
13275 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
13276 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
13277 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
13278 also be a list of regexp. @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} may not contain
13281 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
13282 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
13285 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
13286 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
13289 This can also be done non-destructively with
13290 @code{gnus-list-identifiers}, @xref{Article Hiding}.
13292 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
13293 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
13294 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
13296 @item nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13297 @findex nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
13299 Eudora produces broken @code{References} headers, but OK
13300 @code{In-Reply-To} headers. This function will get rid of the
13301 @code{References} headers.
13305 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13306 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
13307 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
13311 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
13312 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
13313 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
13320 @subsection Duplicates
13322 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
13323 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
13324 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
13325 @cindex duplicate mails
13326 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
13327 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
13328 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
13329 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
13330 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
13331 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
13332 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
13333 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
13334 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
13335 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
13336 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
13337 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
13338 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
13340 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
13341 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
13342 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
13343 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
13345 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
13348 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
13349 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
13353 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
13354 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
13355 ("gnus-warning" "duplicat\\(e\\|ion\\) of message" "duplicate")
13356 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
13357 (any mail "mail.misc")
13364 (setq nnmail-split-methods
13365 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:.*duplicate")
13370 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
13371 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
13372 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
13373 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
13374 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
13377 @node Not Reading Mail
13378 @subsection Not Reading Mail
13380 If you start using any of the mail back ends, they have the annoying
13381 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
13382 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
13384 If you set @code{mail-sources} and @code{nnmail-spool-file} to
13385 @code{nil}, none of the back ends will ever attempt to read incoming
13386 mail, which should help.
13388 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13389 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13390 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13391 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13392 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13393 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
13394 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
13395 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All back ends have
13396 variables called back-end-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
13397 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
13398 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
13400 All the mail back ends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
13401 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
13405 @node Choosing a Mail Back End
13406 @subsection Choosing a Mail Back End
13408 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
13409 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
13410 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
13412 There are five different mail back ends in the standard Gnus, and more
13413 back ends are available separately. The mail back end most people use
13414 (because it is the fastest and most flexible) is @code{nnml}
13415 (@pxref{Mail Spool}).
13418 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
13419 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
13420 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
13421 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
13422 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
13423 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
13427 @node Unix Mail Box
13428 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
13430 @cindex unix mail box
13432 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13433 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13434 The @dfn{nnmbox} back end will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
13435 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
13436 which group it belongs in.
13438 Virtual server settings:
13441 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
13442 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
13443 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory. Default is
13446 @item nnmbox-active-file
13447 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
13448 The name of the active file for the mail box. Default is
13449 @file{~/.mbox-active}.
13451 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
13452 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
13453 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
13454 into groups. Default is @code{t}.
13459 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
13463 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13464 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13465 The @dfn{nnbabyl} back end will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
13466 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each
13467 mail article to say which group it belongs in.
13469 Virtual server settings:
13472 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
13473 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
13474 The name of the rmail mbox file. The default is @file{~/RMAIL}
13476 @item nnbabyl-active-file
13477 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
13478 The name of the active file for the rmail box. The default is
13479 @file{~/.rmail-active}
13481 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13482 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
13483 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail. Default is
13489 @subsubsection Mail Spool
13491 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
13493 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
13494 format. It should be used with some caution.
13496 @vindex nnml-directory
13497 If you use this back end, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
13498 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
13499 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
13500 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
13502 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
13505 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
13506 in your account, you should not use this back end. As each mail gets its
13507 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
13508 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
13509 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
13510 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
13511 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
13512 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
13514 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest back end when it comes to article
13515 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
13516 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
13517 back end when it comes to reading mail.
13519 @cindex self contained nnml servers
13520 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnml}
13521 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13522 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13523 proper @code{nnml} server) and have all your marks be preserved. Marks
13524 for a group is usually stored in the @code{.marks} file (but see
13525 @code{nnml-marks-file-name}) within each @code{nnml} group's directory.
13526 Individual @code{nnml} groups are also possible to backup, use @kbd{G m}
13527 to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the nnml
13530 Virtual server settings:
13533 @item nnml-directory
13534 @vindex nnml-directory
13535 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
13536 The default is the value of `message-directory' (whose default value is
13539 @item nnml-active-file
13540 @vindex nnml-active-file
13541 The active file for the @code{nnml} server. The default is
13542 @file{~/Mail/active"}.
13544 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
13545 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
13546 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13547 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}.
13549 @item nnml-get-new-mail
13550 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
13551 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail. The default is
13554 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
13555 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
13556 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13557 default is @code{nil}.
13559 @item nnml-nov-file-name
13560 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
13561 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
13563 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13564 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
13565 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
13567 @item nnml-marks-is-evil
13568 @vindex nnml-marks-is-evil
13569 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13570 default is @code{nil}.
13572 @item nnml-marks-file-name
13573 @vindex nnml-marks-file-name
13574 The name of the @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.marks}.
13578 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
13579 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
13580 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
13581 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
13582 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
13583 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
13584 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
13589 @subsubsection MH Spool
13591 @cindex mh-e mail spool
13593 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
13594 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file or marks file.
13595 This makes @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower back end than @code{nnml},
13596 but it also makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
13598 Virtual server settings:
13601 @item nnmh-directory
13602 @vindex nnmh-directory
13603 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory. The
13604 default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13607 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
13608 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
13609 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail. The default is
13613 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
13614 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
13615 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
13616 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
13617 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
13618 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
13619 to set this variable to @code{t}. The default is @code{nil}.
13624 @subsubsection Mail Folders
13626 @cindex mbox folders
13627 @cindex mail folders
13629 @code{nnfolder} is a back end for storing each mail group in a separate
13630 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
13631 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
13634 @cindex self contained nnfolder servers
13635 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnfolder}
13636 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
13637 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
13638 proper @code{nnfolder} server) and have all your marks be preserved.
13639 Marks for a group is usually stored in a file named as the mbox file
13640 with @code{.mrk} concatenated to it (but see
13641 @code{nnfolder-marks-file-suffix}) within the @code{nnfolder} directory.
13642 Individual @code{nnfolder} groups are also possible to backup, use
13643 @kbd{G m} to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the
13644 @code{nnfolder} directory).
13646 Virtual server settings:
13649 @item nnfolder-directory
13650 @vindex nnfolder-directory
13651 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
13652 The default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
13655 @item nnfolder-active-file
13656 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
13657 The name of the active file. The default is @file{~/Mail/active}.
13659 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13660 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
13661 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
13662 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups"}
13664 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
13665 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
13666 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail. The default
13669 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13670 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
13671 @cindex backup files
13672 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
13673 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
13674 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
13675 your @file{.emacs} file:
13678 (defun turn-off-backup ()
13679 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
13681 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
13684 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13685 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
13686 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
13687 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
13688 extract some information from it before removing it.
13690 @item nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13691 @vindex nnfolder-nov-is-evil
13692 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
13693 default is @code{nil}.
13695 @item nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13696 @vindex nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
13697 The extension for @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.nov}.
13699 @item nnfolder-nov-directory
13700 @vindex nnfolder-nov-directory
13701 The directory where the @sc{nov} files should be stored. If nil,
13702 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13704 @item nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13705 @vindex nnfolder-marks-is-evil
13706 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
13707 default is @code{nil}.
13709 @item nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13710 @vindex nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
13711 The extension for @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.mrk}.
13713 @item nnfolder-marks-directory
13714 @vindex nnfolder-marks-directory
13715 The directory where the @sc{marks} files should be stored. If nil,
13716 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
13721 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
13722 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
13723 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
13724 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
13725 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
13726 @code{nnfolder-directory}. This only works if you use long file names,
13729 @node Comparing Mail Back Ends
13730 @subsubsection Comparing Mail Back Ends
13732 First, just for terminology, the @dfn{back end} is the common word for a
13733 low-level access method---a transport, if you will, by which something
13734 is acquired. The sense is that one's mail has to come from somewhere,
13735 and so selection of a suitable back end is required in order to get that
13736 mail within spitting distance of Gnus.
13738 The same concept exists for Usenet itself: Though access to articles is
13739 typically done by @sc{nntp} these days, once upon a midnight dreary, everyone
13740 in the world got at Usenet by running a reader on the machine where the
13741 articles lay (the machine which today we call an @sc{nntp} server), and
13742 access was by the reader stepping into the articles' directory spool
13743 area directly. One can still select between either the @code{nntp} or
13744 @code{nnspool} back ends, to select between these methods, if one happens
13745 actually to live on the server (or can see its spool directly, anyway,
13748 The goal in selecting a mail back end is to pick one which
13749 simultaneously represents a suitable way of dealing with the original
13750 format plus leaving mail in a form that is convenient to use in the
13751 future. Here are some high and low points on each:
13756 UNIX systems have historically had a single, very common, and well-
13757 defined format. All messages arrive in a single @dfn{spool file}, and
13758 they are delineated by a line whose regular expression matches
13759 @samp{^From_}. (My notational use of @samp{_} is to indicate a space,
13760 to make it clear in this instance that this is not the RFC-specified
13761 @samp{From:} header.) Because Emacs and therefore Gnus emanate
13762 historically from the Unix environment, it is simplest if one does not
13763 mess a great deal with the original mailbox format, so if one chooses
13764 this back end, Gnus' primary activity in getting mail from the real spool
13765 area to Gnus' preferred directory is simply to copy it, with no
13766 (appreciable) format change in the process. It is the ``dumbest'' way
13767 to move mail into availability in the Gnus environment. This makes it
13768 fast to move into place, but slow to parse, when Gnus has to look at
13773 Once upon a time, there was the DEC-10 and DEC-20, running operating
13774 systems called TOPS and related things, and the usual (only?) mail
13775 reading environment was a thing called Babyl. I don't know what format
13776 was used for mail landing on the system, but Babyl had its own internal
13777 format to which mail was converted, primarily involving creating a
13778 spool-file-like entity with a scheme for inserting Babyl-specific
13779 headers and status bits above the top of each message in the file.
13780 RMAIL was Emacs' first mail reader, it was written by Richard Stallman,
13781 and Stallman came out of that TOPS/Babyl environment, so he wrote RMAIL
13782 to understand the mail files folks already had in existence. Gnus (and
13783 VM, for that matter) continue to support this format because it's
13784 perceived as having some good qualities in those mailer-specific
13785 headers/status bits stuff. RMAIL itself still exists as well, of
13786 course, and is still maintained by Stallman.
13788 Both of the above forms leave your mail in a single file on your
13789 filesystem, and they must parse that entire file each time you take a
13794 @code{nnml} is the back end which smells the most as though you were
13795 actually operating with an @code{nnspool}-accessed Usenet system. (In
13796 fact, I believe @code{nnml} actually derived from @code{nnspool} code,
13797 lo these years ago.) One's mail is taken from the original spool file,
13798 and is then cut up into individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a
13799 Usenet-style active file (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or
13800 CNews-based news system in (for instance) @file{/var/lib/news/active},
13801 or what is returned via the @samp{NNTP LIST} verb) and also creates
13802 @dfn{overview} files for efficient group entry, as has been defined for
13803 @sc{nntp} servers for some years now. It is slower in mail-splitting,
13804 due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the @code{nnml} active
13805 file, and additions to overview files on a per-message basis, but it is
13806 extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the indexing support
13807 provided by the active file and overviews.
13809 @code{nnml} costs @dfn{inodes} in a big way; that is, it soaks up the
13810 resource which defines available places in the filesystem to put new
13811 files. Sysadmins take a dim view of heavy inode occupation within
13812 tight, shared filesystems. But if you live on a personal machine where
13813 the filesystem is your own and space is not at a premium, @code{nnml}
13816 It is also problematic using this back end if you are living in a
13817 FAT16-based Windows world, since much space will be wasted on all these
13822 The Rand MH mail-reading system has been around UNIX systems for a very
13823 long time; it operates by splitting one's spool file of messages into
13824 individual files, but with little or no indexing support -- @code{nnmh}
13825 is considered to be semantically equivalent to ``@code{nnml} without
13826 active file or overviews''. This is arguably the worst choice, because
13827 one gets the slowness of individual file creation married to the
13828 slowness of access parsing when learning what's new in one's groups.
13832 Basically the effect of @code{nnfolder} is @code{nnmbox} (the first
13833 method described above) on a per-group basis. That is, @code{nnmbox}
13834 itself puts *all* one's mail in one file; @code{nnfolder} provides a
13835 little bit of optimization to this so that each of one's mail groups has
13836 a Unix mail box file. It's faster than @code{nnmbox} because each group
13837 can be parsed separately, and still provides the simple Unix mail box
13838 format requiring minimal effort in moving the mail around. In addition,
13839 it maintains an ``active'' file making it much faster for Gnus to figure
13840 out how many messages there are in each separate group.
13842 If you have groups that are expected to have a massive amount of
13843 messages, @code{nnfolder} is not the best choice, but if you receive
13844 only a moderate amount of mail, @code{nnfolder} is probably the most
13845 friendly mail back end all over.
13850 @node Browsing the Web
13851 @section Browsing the Web
13853 @cindex browsing the web
13857 Web-based discussion forums are getting more and more popular. On many
13858 subjects, the web-based forums have become the most important forums,
13859 eclipsing the importance of mailing lists and news groups. The reason
13860 is easy to understand---they are friendly to new users; you just point
13861 and click, and there's the discussion. With mailing lists, you have to
13862 go through a cumbersome subscription procedure, and most people don't
13863 even know what a news group is.
13865 The problem with this scenario is that web browsers are not very good at
13866 being newsreaders. They do not keep track of what articles you've read;
13867 they do not allow you to score on subjects you're interested in; they do
13868 not allow off-line browsing; they require you to click around and drive
13869 you mad in the end.
13871 So---if web browsers suck at reading discussion forums, why not use Gnus
13874 Gnus has been getting a bit of a collection of back ends for providing
13875 interfaces to these sources.
13878 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
13879 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
13880 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
13881 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
13882 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
13883 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
13886 All the web sources require Emacs/w3 and the url library to work.
13888 The main caveat with all these web sources is that they probably won't
13889 work for a very long time. Gleaning information from the @sc{html} data
13890 is guesswork at best, and when the layout is altered, the Gnus back end
13891 will fail. If you have reasonably new versions of these back ends,
13892 though, you should be ok.
13894 One thing all these Web methods have in common is that the Web sources
13895 are often down, unavailable or just plain too slow to be fun. In those
13896 cases, it makes a lot of sense to let the Gnus Agent (@pxref{Gnus
13897 Unplugged}) handle downloading articles, and then you can read them at
13898 leisure from your local disk. No more World Wide Wait for you.
13900 @node Archiving Mail
13901 @subsection Archiving Mail
13902 @cindex archiving mail
13903 @cindex backup of mail
13905 Some of the back ends, notably nnml and nnfolder, now actually store
13906 the article marks with each group. For these servers, archiving and
13907 restoring a group while preserving marks is fairly simple.
13909 (Preserving the group level and group parameters as well still
13910 requires ritual dancing and sacrifices to the @code{.newsrc.eld} deity
13913 To archive an entire @code{nnml} or @code{nnfolder} server, take a
13914 recursive copy of the server directory. There is no need to shut down
13915 Gnus, so archiving may be invoked by @code{cron} or similar. You
13916 restore the data by restoring the directory tree, and adding a server
13917 definition pointing to that directory in Gnus. The @ref{Article
13918 Backlog}, @ref{Asynchronous Fetching} and other things might interfer
13919 with overwriting data, so you may want to shut down Gnus before you
13922 It is also possible to archive individual @code{nnml} or
13923 @code{nnfolder} groups, while preserving marks. For @code{nnml}, you
13924 copy all files in the group's directory. For @code{nnfolder} you need
13925 to copy both the base folder file itself (@code{FOO}, say), and the
13926 marks file (@code{FOO.mrk} in this example). Restoring the group is
13927 done with @kbd{G m} from the Group buffer. The last step makes Gnus
13928 notice the new directory.
13931 @subsection Web Searches
13935 @cindex InReference
13936 @cindex Usenet searches
13937 @cindex searching the Usenet
13939 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
13940 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
13941 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
13942 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
13943 searches without having to use a browser.
13945 The @code{nnweb} back end allows an easy interface to the mighty search
13946 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
13947 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
13948 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
13949 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
13951 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
13952 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
13953 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
13954 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
13955 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
13956 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
13957 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
13958 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
13959 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
13960 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
13963 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
13964 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
13965 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
13966 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
13967 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
13968 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
13970 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
13971 to use @code{nnweb}.
13973 Virtual server variables:
13978 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
13979 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
13983 @vindex nnweb-search
13984 The search string to feed to the search engine.
13986 @item nnweb-max-hits
13987 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
13988 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
13991 @item nnweb-type-definition
13992 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
13993 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
13994 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
13999 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
14003 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
14006 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
14009 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
14013 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
14020 @subsection Slashdot
14024 Slashdot (@uref{http://slashdot.org/}) is a popular news site, with
14025 lively discussion following the news articles. @code{nnslashdot} will
14026 let you read this forum in a convenient manner.
14028 The easiest way to read this source is to put something like the
14029 following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
14032 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
14033 '((nnslashdot "")))
14036 This will make Gnus query the @code{nnslashdot} back end for new comments
14037 and groups. The @kbd{F} command will subscribe each new news article as
14038 a new Gnus group, and you can read the comments by entering these
14039 groups. (Note that the default subscription method is to subscribe new
14040 groups as zombies. Other methods are available (@pxref{Subscription
14043 If you want to remove an old @code{nnslashdot} group, the @kbd{G DEL}
14044 command is the most handy tool (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
14046 When following up to @code{nnslashdot} comments (or posting new
14047 comments), some light @sc{html}izations will be performed. In
14048 particular, text quoted with @samp{> } will be quoted with
14049 @code{blockquote} instead, and signatures will have @code{br} added to
14050 the end of each line. Other than that, you can just write @sc{html}
14051 directly into the message buffer. Note that Slashdot filters out some
14054 The following variables can be altered to change its behavior:
14057 @item nnslashdot-threaded
14058 Whether @code{nnslashdot} should display threaded groups or not. The
14059 default is @code{t}. To be able to display threads, @code{nnslashdot}
14060 has to retrieve absolutely all comments in a group upon entry. If a
14061 threaded display is not required, @code{nnslashdot} will only retrieve
14062 the comments that are actually wanted by the user. Threading is nicer,
14063 but much, much slower than untreaded.
14065 @item nnslashdot-login-name
14066 @vindex nnslashdot-login-name
14067 The login name to use when posting.
14069 @item nnslashdot-password
14070 @vindex nnslashdot-password
14071 The password to use when posting.
14073 @item nnslashdot-directory
14074 @vindex nnslashdot-directory
14075 Where @code{nnslashdot} will store its files. The default is
14076 @samp{~/News/slashdot/}.
14078 @item nnslashdot-active-url
14079 @vindex nnslashdot-active-url
14080 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the information on
14081 news articles and comments. The default is
14082 @samp{http://slashdot.org/search.pl?section=&min=%d}.
14084 @item nnslashdot-comments-url
14085 @vindex nnslashdot-comments-url
14086 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch comments. The
14088 @samp{http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=%s&threshold=%d&commentsort=%d&mode=flat&startat=%d}.
14090 @item nnslashdot-article-url
14091 @vindex nnslashdot-article-url
14092 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the news article. The
14094 @samp{http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=%s&mode=nocomment}.
14096 @item nnslashdot-threshold
14097 @vindex nnslashdot-threshold
14098 The score threshold. The default is -1.
14100 @item nnslashdot-group-number
14101 @vindex nnslashdot-group-number
14102 The number of old groups, in addition to the ten latest, to keep
14103 updated. The default is 0.
14110 @subsection Ultimate
14112 @cindex Ultimate Bulletin Board
14114 The Ultimate Bulletin Board (@uref{http://www.ultimatebb.com/}) is
14115 probably the most popular Web bulletin board system used. It has a
14116 quite regular and nice interface, and it's possible to get the
14117 information Gnus needs to keep groups updated.
14119 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnultimate} is to say
14120 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnultimate RET
14121 http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubbcgi/ RET}. (Substitute the @sc{url}
14122 (not including @samp{Ultimate.cgi} or the like at the end) for a forum
14123 you're interested in; there's quite a list of them on the Ultimate web
14124 site.) Then subscribe to the groups you're interested in from the
14125 server buffer, and read them from the group buffer.
14127 The following @code{nnultimate} variables can be altered:
14130 @item nnultimate-directory
14131 @vindex nnultimate-directory
14132 The directory where @code{nnultimate} stores its files. The default is
14133 @samp{~/News/ultimate/}.
14138 @subsection Web Archive
14140 @cindex Web Archive
14142 Some mailing lists only have archives on Web servers, such as
14143 @uref{http://www.egroups.com/} and
14144 @uref{http://www.mail-archive.com/}. It has a quite regular and nice
14145 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
14148 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnwarchive} is to say
14149 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{M-x
14150 gnus-group-make-warchive-group RET an_egroup RET egroups RET
14151 www.egroups.com RET your@@email.address RET}. (Substitute the
14152 @sc{an_egroup} with the mailing list you subscribed, the
14153 @sc{your@@email.address} with your email address.), or to browse the
14154 back end by @kbd{B nnwarchive RET mail-archive RET}.
14156 The following @code{nnwarchive} variables can be altered:
14159 @item nnwarchive-directory
14160 @vindex nnwarchive-directory
14161 The directory where @code{nnwarchive} stores its files. The default is
14162 @samp{~/News/warchive/}.
14164 @item nnwarchive-login
14165 @vindex nnwarchive-login
14166 The account name on the web server.
14168 @item nnwarchive-passwd
14169 @vindex nnwarchive-passwd
14170 The password for your account on the web server.
14178 Some sites have RDF site summary (RSS)
14179 @uref{http://purl.org/rss/1.0/spec}. It has a quite regular and nice
14180 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
14183 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnrss} is to say something
14184 like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnrss RET RET}, then
14187 The following @code{nnrss} variables can be altered:
14190 @item nnrss-directory
14191 @vindex nnrss-directory
14192 The directory where @code{nnrss} stores its files. The default is
14193 @samp{~/News/rss/}.
14197 The following code may be helpful, if you want to show the description in
14198 the summary buffer.
14201 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-description-field)
14202 (setq gnus-summary-line-format "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-15,15f%]%) %s%uX\n")
14204 (defun gnus-user-format-function-X (header)
14206 (assq nnrss-description-field (mail-header-extra header))))
14207 (if descr (concat "\n\t" (cdr descr)) "")))
14210 The following code may be useful to open an nnrss url directly from the
14213 (require 'browse-url)
14215 (defun browse-nnrss-url( arg )
14217 (let ((url (assq nnrss-url-field
14220 (assq (gnus-summary-article-number)
14221 gnus-newsgroup-data))))))
14223 (browse-url (cdr url))
14224 (gnus-summary-scroll-up arg))))
14226 (eval-after-load "gnus"
14227 #'(define-key gnus-summary-mode-map
14228 (kbd "<RET>") 'browse-nnrss-url))
14229 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-url-field)
14232 @node Customizing w3
14233 @subsection Customizing w3
14239 Gnus uses the url library to fetch web pages and Emacs/w3 to display web
14240 pages. Emacs/w3 is documented in its own manual, but there are some
14241 things that may be more relevant for Gnus users.
14243 For instance, a common question is how to make Emacs/w3 follow links
14244 using the @code{browse-url} functions (which will call some external web
14245 browser like Netscape). Here's one way:
14248 (eval-after-load "w3"
14250 (fset 'w3-fetch-orig (symbol-function 'w3-fetch))
14251 (defun w3-fetch (&optional url target)
14252 (interactive (list (w3-read-url-with-default)))
14253 (if (eq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)
14255 (w3-fetch-orig url target)))))
14258 Put that in your @file{.emacs} file, and hitting links in w3-rendered
14259 @sc{html} in the Gnus article buffers will use @code{browse-url} to
14267 @sc{imap} is a network protocol for reading mail (or news, or ...),
14268 think of it as a modernized @sc{nntp}. Connecting to a @sc{imap}
14269 server is much similar to connecting to a news server, you just
14270 specify the network address of the server.
14272 @sc{imap} has two properties. First, @sc{imap} can do everything that
14273 POP can, it can hence be viewed as POP++. Secondly, @sc{imap} is a
14274 mail storage protocol, similar to @sc{nntp} being a news storage
14275 protocol. (@sc{imap} offers more features than @sc{nntp} because news
14276 is more or less read-only whereas mail is read-write.)
14278 If you want to use @sc{imap} as POP++, use an imap entry in
14279 mail-sources. With this, Gnus will fetch mails from the @sc{imap}
14280 server and store them on the local disk. This is not the usage
14281 described in this section. @xref{Mail Sources}.
14283 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a mail storage protocol, use an nnimap
14284 entry in gnus-secondary-select-methods. With this, Gnus will
14285 manipulate mails stored on the @sc{imap} server. This is the kind of
14286 usage explained in this section.
14288 A server configuration in @code{~/.gnus} with a few @sc{imap} servers
14289 might look something like this:
14292 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
14293 '((nnimap "simpleserver") ; no special configuration
14294 ; perhaps a ssh port forwarded server:
14296 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14297 (nnimap-server-port 1430))
14298 ; a UW server running on localhost
14300 (nnimap-server-port 143)
14301 (nnimap-address "localhost")
14302 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "mail/*")))
14303 ; anonymous public cyrus server:
14304 (nnimap "cyrus.andrew.cmu.edu"
14305 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous)
14306 (nnimap-list-pattern "archive.*")
14307 (nnimap-stream network))
14308 ; a ssl server on a non-standard port:
14310 (nnimap-address "vic20.somewhere.com")
14311 (nnimap-server-port 9930)
14312 (nnimap-stream ssl))))
14315 (Note that for SSL/TLS to work, you need the external library
14316 @samp{ssl.el}, see below.)
14318 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nnimap}
14323 @item nnimap-address
14324 @vindex nnimap-address
14326 The address of the remote @sc{imap} server. Defaults to the virtual
14327 server name if not specified.
14329 @item nnimap-server-port
14330 @vindex nnimap-server-port
14331 Port on server to contact. Defaults to port 143, or 993 for SSL.
14333 Note that this should be an integer, example server specification:
14336 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14337 (nnimap-server-port 4711))
14340 @item nnimap-list-pattern
14341 @vindex nnimap-list-pattern
14342 String or list of strings of mailboxes to limit available groups to.
14343 This is used when the server has very many mailboxes and you're only
14344 interested in a few -- some servers export your home directory via
14345 @sc{imap}, you'll probably want to limit the mailboxes to those in
14346 @file{~/Mail/*} then.
14348 The string can also be a cons of REFERENCE and the string as above, what
14349 REFERENCE is used for is server specific, but on the University of
14350 Washington server it's a directory that will be concatenated with the
14353 Example server specification:
14356 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14357 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "Mail/*" "alt.sex.*"
14358 ("~friend/Mail/" . "list/*"))))
14361 @item nnimap-stream
14362 @vindex nnimap-stream
14363 The type of stream used to connect to your server. By default, nnimap
14364 will detect and automatically use all of the below, with the exception
14365 of SSL/TLS. (IMAP over SSL/TLS is being replaced by STARTTLS, which
14366 can be automatically detected, but it's not widely deployed yet.)
14368 Example server specification:
14371 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14372 (nnimap-stream ssl))
14375 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-stream} is a symbol!
14379 @dfn{gssapi:} Connect with GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5). Requires the
14380 @samp{imtest} program.
14382 @dfn{kerberos4:} Connect with kerberos 4. Requires the @samp{imtest} program.
14384 @dfn{starttls:} Connect via the STARTTLS extension (similar to
14385 SSL). Requires the external library @samp{starttls.el} and program
14388 @dfn{ssl:} Connect through SSL. Requires OpenSSL (the program
14389 @samp{openssl}) or SSLeay (@samp{s_client}) as well as the external
14390 library @samp{ssl.el}.
14392 @dfn{shell:} Use a shell command to start @sc{imap} connection.
14394 @dfn{network:} Plain, TCP/IP network connection.
14397 @vindex imap-kerberos4-program
14398 The @samp{imtest} program is shipped with Cyrus IMAPD. If you're
14399 using @samp{imtest} from Cyrus IMAPD < 2.0.14 (which includes version
14400 1.5.x and 1.6.x) you need to frob @code{imap-process-connection-type}
14401 to make @code{imap.el} use a pty instead of a pipe when communicating
14402 with @samp{imtest}. You will then suffer from a line length
14403 restrictions on IMAP commands, which might make Gnus seem to hang
14404 indefinitely if you have many articles in a mailbox. The variable
14405 @code{imap-kerberos4-program} contain parameters to pass to the imtest
14408 @vindex imap-ssl-program
14409 For SSL connections, the OpenSSL program is available from
14410 @uref{http://www.openssl.org/}. OpenSSL was formerly known as SSLeay,
14411 and nnimap support it too - altough the most recent versions of
14412 SSLeay, 0.9.x, are known to have serious bugs making it
14413 useless. Earlier versions, especially 0.8.x, of SSLeay are known to
14414 work. The variable @code{imap-ssl-program} contain parameters to pass
14415 to OpenSSL/SSLeay. You also need @samp{ssl.el} (from the W3
14416 distribution, for instance).
14418 @vindex imap-shell-program
14419 @vindex imap-shell-host
14420 For @sc{imap} connections using the @code{shell} stream, the variable
14421 @code{imap-shell-program} specify what program to call.
14423 @item nnimap-authenticator
14424 @vindex nnimap-authenticator
14426 The authenticator used to connect to the server. By default, nnimap
14427 will use the most secure authenticator your server is capable of.
14429 Example server specification:
14432 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
14433 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous))
14436 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-authenticator} is a symbol!
14440 @dfn{gssapi:} GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5) authentication. Require
14441 external program @code{imtest}.
14443 @dfn{kerberos4:} Kerberos authentication. Require external program
14446 @dfn{digest-md5:} Encrypted username/password via DIGEST-MD5. Require
14447 external library @code{digest-md5.el}.
14449 @dfn{cram-md5:} Encrypted username/password via CRAM-MD5.
14451 @dfn{login:} Plain-text username/password via LOGIN.
14453 @dfn{anonymous:} Login as `anonymous', supplying your emailadress as password.
14456 @item nnimap-expunge-on-close
14458 @vindex nnimap-expunge-on-close
14459 Unlike Parmenides the @sc{imap} designers has decided that things that
14460 doesn't exist actually does exist. More specifically, @sc{imap} has
14461 this concept of marking articles @code{Deleted} which doesn't actually
14462 delete them, and this (marking them @code{Deleted}, that is) is what
14463 nnimap does when you delete a article in Gnus (with @kbd{G DEL} or
14466 Since the articles aren't really removed when we mark them with the
14467 @code{Deleted} flag we'll need a way to actually delete them. Feel like
14468 running in circles yet?
14470 Traditionally, nnimap has removed all articles marked as @code{Deleted}
14471 when closing a mailbox but this is now configurable by this server
14474 The possible options are:
14479 The default behavior, delete all articles marked as "Deleted" when
14482 Never actually delete articles. Currently there is no way of showing
14483 the articles marked for deletion in nnimap, but other @sc{imap} clients
14484 may allow you to do this. If you ever want to run the EXPUNGE command
14485 manually, @xref{Expunging mailboxes}.
14487 When closing mailboxes, nnimap will ask if you wish to expunge deleted
14492 @item nnimap-importantize-dormant
14493 @vindex nnimap-importantize-dormant
14495 If non-nil, marks dormant articles as ticked (as well), for other IMAP
14496 clients. Within Gnus, dormant articles will naturally still (only) be
14497 marked as ticked. This is to make dormant articles stand out, just
14498 like ticked articles, in other IMAP clients. (In other words, Gnus has
14499 two ``Tick'' marks and IMAP has only one.)
14501 Probably the only reason for frobing this would be if you're trying
14502 enable per-user persistant dormant flags, using something like:
14505 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-flag-alist)
14506 (format "gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14507 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-predicate-alist)
14508 (format "KEYWORD gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
14511 In this case, you would not want the per-user dormant flag showing up
14512 as ticked for other users.
14514 @item nnimap-expunge-search-string
14516 @vindex nnimap-expunge-search-string
14518 This variable contain the IMAP search command sent to server when
14519 searching for articles eligible for expiring. The default is
14520 @code{"UID %s NOT SINCE %s"}, where the first @code{%s} is replaced by
14521 UID set and the second @code{%s} is replaced by a date.
14523 Probably the only useful value to change this to is
14524 @code{"UID %s NOT SENTSINCE %s"}, which makes nnimap use the Date: in
14525 messages instead of the internal article date. See section 6.4.4 of
14526 RFC 2060 for more information on valid strings.
14528 @item nnimap-authinfo-file
14529 @vindex nnimap-authinfo-file
14531 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format is
14532 (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See the
14533 variable @code{nntp-authinfo-file} for exact syntax; also see
14539 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
14540 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
14541 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a "compress mailbox" button.
14546 @node Splitting in IMAP
14547 @subsection Splitting in @sc{imap}
14548 @cindex splitting imap mail
14550 Splitting is something Gnus users has loved and used for years, and now
14551 the rest of the world is catching up. Yeah, dream on, not many
14552 @sc{imap} server has server side splitting and those that have splitting
14553 seem to use some non-standard protocol. This means that @sc{imap}
14554 support for Gnus has to do it's own splitting.
14558 Here are the variables of interest:
14562 @item nnimap-split-crosspost
14563 @cindex splitting, crosspost
14565 @vindex nnimap-split-crosspost
14567 If non-nil, do crossposting if several split methods match the mail. If
14568 nil, the first match in @code{nnimap-split-rule} found will be used.
14570 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-crosspost}.
14572 @item nnimap-split-inbox
14573 @cindex splitting, inbox
14575 @vindex nnimap-split-inbox
14577 A string or a list of strings that gives the name(s) of @sc{imap}
14578 mailboxes to split from. Defaults to nil, which means that splitting is
14582 (setq nnimap-split-inbox
14583 '("INBOX" ("~/friend/Mail" . "lists/*") "lists.imap"))
14586 No nnmail equivalent.
14588 @item nnimap-split-rule
14589 @cindex Splitting, rules
14590 @vindex nnimap-split-rule
14592 New mail found in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be split according to
14595 This variable contains a list of lists, where the first element in the
14596 sublist gives the name of the @sc{imap} mailbox to move articles
14597 matching the regexp in the second element in the sublist. Got that?
14598 Neither did I, we need examples.
14601 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14603 "^Sender: owner-nnimap@@vic20.globalcom.se")
14604 ("INBOX.junk" "^Subject:.*MAKE MONEY")
14605 ("INBOX.private" "")))
14608 This will put all articles from the nnimap mailing list into mailbox
14609 INBOX.nnimap, all articles containing MAKE MONEY in the Subject: line
14610 into INBOX.junk and everything else in INBOX.private.
14612 The first string may contain `\\1' forms, like the ones used by
14613 replace-match to insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For
14617 ("INBOX.lists.\\1" "^Sender: owner-\\([a-z-]+\\)@@")
14620 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
14621 called with the first element of the rule as the argument, in a buffer
14622 containing the headers of the article. It should return a non-nil value
14623 if it thinks that the mail belongs in that group.
14625 Nnmail users might recollect that the last regexp had to be empty to
14626 match all articles (like in the example above). This is not required in
14627 nnimap. Articles not matching any of the regexps will not be moved out
14628 of your inbox. (This might affect performance if you keep lots of
14629 unread articles in your inbox, since the splitting code would go over
14630 them every time you fetch new mail.)
14632 These rules are processed from the beginning of the alist toward the
14633 end. The first rule to make a match will "win", unless you have
14634 crossposting enabled. In that case, all matching rules will "win".
14636 This variable can also have a function as its value, the function will
14637 be called with the headers narrowed and should return a group where it
14638 thinks the article should be split to. See @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14640 The splitting code tries to create mailboxes if it needs to.
14642 To allow for different split rules on different virtual servers, and
14643 even different split rules in different inboxes on the same server,
14644 the syntax of this variable have been extended along the lines of:
14647 (setq nnimap-split-rule
14648 '(("my1server" (".*" (("ding" "ding@@gnus.org")
14649 ("junk" "From:.*Simon")))
14650 ("my2server" ("INBOX" nnimap-split-fancy))
14651 ("my[34]server" (".*" (("private" "To:.*Simon")
14652 ("junk" my-junk-func)))))
14655 The virtual server name is in fact a regexp, so that the same rules
14656 may apply to several servers. In the example, the servers
14657 @code{my3server} and @code{my4server} both use the same rules.
14658 Similarly, the inbox string is also a regexp. The actual splitting
14659 rules are as before, either a function, or a list with group/regexp or
14660 group/function elements.
14662 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
14664 @item nnimap-split-predicate
14666 @vindex nnimap-split-predicate
14668 Mail matching this predicate in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be
14669 split, it is a string and the default is @samp{UNSEEN UNDELETED}.
14671 This might be useful if you use another @sc{imap} client to read mail in
14672 your inbox but would like Gnus to split all articles in the inbox
14673 regardless of readedness. Then you might change this to
14676 @item nnimap-split-fancy
14677 @cindex splitting, fancy
14678 @findex nnimap-split-fancy
14679 @vindex nnimap-split-fancy
14681 It's possible to set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14682 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} if you want to use fancy
14683 splitting. @xref{Fancy Mail Splitting}.
14685 However, to be able to have different fancy split rules for nnmail and
14686 nnimap back ends you can set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
14687 @code{nnimap-split-fancy} and define the nnimap specific fancy split
14688 rule in @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
14693 (setq nnimap-split-rule 'nnimap-split-fancy
14694 nnimap-split-fancy ...)
14697 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
14701 @node Editing IMAP ACLs
14702 @subsection Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14703 @cindex editing imap acls
14704 @cindex Access Control Lists
14705 @cindex Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
14707 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-edit-acl
14709 ACL stands for Access Control List. ACLs are used in @sc{imap} for
14710 limiting (or enabling) other users access to your mail boxes. Not all
14711 @sc{imap} servers support this, this function will give an error if it
14714 To edit a ACL for a mailbox, type @kbd{G l}
14715 (@code{gnus-group-edit-nnimap-acl}) and you'll be presented with a ACL
14716 editing window with detailed instructions.
14718 Some possible uses:
14722 Giving "anyone" the "lrs" rights (lookup, read, keep seen/unseen flags)
14723 on your mailing list mailboxes enables other users on the same server to
14724 follow the list without subscribing to it.
14726 At least with the Cyrus server, you are required to give the user
14727 "anyone" posting ("p") capabilities to have "plussing" work (that is,
14728 mail sent to user+mailbox@@domain ending up in the @sc{imap} mailbox
14732 @node Expunging mailboxes
14733 @subsection Expunging mailboxes
14737 @cindex Manual expunging
14739 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-expunge
14741 If you're using the @code{never} setting of @code{nnimap-expunge-on-close},
14742 you may want the option of expunging all deleted articles in a mailbox
14743 manually. This is exactly what @kbd{G x} does.
14745 Currently there is no way of showing deleted articles, you can just
14750 @node Other Sources
14751 @section Other Sources
14753 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
14754 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
14758 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
14759 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
14760 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
14761 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
14762 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
14766 @node Directory Groups
14767 @subsection Directory Groups
14769 @cindex directory groups
14771 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
14772 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
14775 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
14776 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
14777 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
14778 back end to read directories. Big deal.
14780 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
14781 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
14782 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
14783 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
14784 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
14786 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
14788 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' back end---you can't delete or expire
14789 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
14790 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
14791 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
14794 @node Anything Groups
14795 @subsection Anything Groups
14798 From the @code{nndir} back end (which reads a single spool-like
14799 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
14800 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
14803 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
14804 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
14805 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
14806 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're forgetting.
14807 @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it snoops each
14808 file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e., the first
14809 few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head. If this is
14810 just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source file),
14811 @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It will use
14812 file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
14815 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
14816 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
14817 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
14818 in the article buffer, just as usual.
14820 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
14821 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
14822 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
14823 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
14825 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
14826 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
14827 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
14828 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
14829 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
14830 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
14831 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
14832 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
14837 @item nneething-map-file-directory
14838 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
14839 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
14840 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
14842 @item nneething-exclude-files
14843 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
14844 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
14845 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
14847 @item nneething-include-files
14848 @vindex nneething-include-files
14849 Regexp saying what files to include in the group. If this variable is
14850 non-@code{nil}, only files matching this regexp will be included.
14852 @item nneething-map-file
14853 @vindex nneething-map-file
14854 Name of the map files.
14858 @node Document Groups
14859 @subsection Document Groups
14861 @cindex documentation group
14864 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
14865 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
14872 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
14877 The standard Unix mbox file.
14879 @cindex MMDF mail box
14881 The MMDF mail box format.
14884 Several news articles appended into a file.
14887 @cindex rnews batch files
14888 The rnews batch transport format.
14889 @cindex forwarded messages
14892 Forwarded articles.
14895 Netscape mail boxes.
14898 MIME multipart messages.
14900 @item standard-digest
14901 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
14904 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
14907 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
14908 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
14909 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
14912 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
14913 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
14914 group. And that's it.
14916 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
14917 new & spiffy Gnus mail back end, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
14918 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
14919 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
14920 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
14921 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
14922 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
14923 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
14924 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
14925 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
14927 Virtual server variables:
14930 @item nndoc-article-type
14931 @vindex nndoc-article-type
14932 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
14933 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
14934 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{standard-digest},
14935 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, @code{nsmail},
14936 @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman} or @code{guess}.
14938 @item nndoc-post-type
14939 @vindex nndoc-post-type
14940 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
14941 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
14946 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
14950 @node Document Server Internals
14951 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
14953 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
14954 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
14955 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
14956 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
14958 First, here's an example document type definition:
14962 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
14963 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
14966 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
14967 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
14968 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
14969 types can be defined with very few settings:
14972 @item first-article
14973 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
14974 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
14977 @item article-begin
14978 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
14979 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
14981 @item head-begin-function
14982 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
14985 @item nndoc-head-begin
14986 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
14989 @item nndoc-head-end
14990 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
14991 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
14993 @item body-begin-function
14994 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
14998 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
15001 @item body-end-function
15002 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
15006 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
15009 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
15010 regexp will be totally ignored.
15014 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
15015 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
15016 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
15017 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
15018 something that's palatable for Gnus:
15021 @item prepare-body-function
15022 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
15023 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
15024 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
15026 @item article-transform-function
15027 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
15028 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
15029 body of the article.
15031 @item generate-head-function
15032 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
15033 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
15034 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
15035 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
15039 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
15044 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
15045 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
15046 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
15047 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
15048 (head-end . "^ ?$")
15049 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
15050 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
15051 (subtype digest guess))
15054 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
15055 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
15056 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
15057 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
15058 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
15060 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
15061 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
15062 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
15063 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
15064 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
15065 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
15066 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
15067 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
15068 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
15069 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
15077 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
15078 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
15079 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
15081 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
15082 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
15083 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
15086 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something that's a bit
15087 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
15088 that interested in doing things properly.
15090 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
15091 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
15094 First some terminology:
15099 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
15100 get news and/or mail from.
15103 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
15104 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
15107 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
15111 @item message packets
15112 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
15113 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
15114 default, where @var{x} is a number.
15116 @item response packets
15117 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
15118 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
15119 default, where @var{x} is a number.
15129 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
15130 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
15131 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
15132 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
15135 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
15138 You put the packet in your home directory.
15141 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} back end as
15142 the native or secondary server.
15145 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
15146 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
15149 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
15153 You transfer this packet to the server.
15156 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
15159 You then repeat until you die.
15163 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
15164 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
15167 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
15168 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
15169 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
15173 @node SOUP Commands
15174 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
15176 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
15180 @kindex G s b (Group)
15181 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
15182 Pack all unread articles in the current group
15183 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
15184 process/prefix convention.
15187 @kindex G s w (Group)
15188 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
15189 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
15192 @kindex G s s (Group)
15193 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
15194 Send all replies from the replies packet
15195 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
15198 @kindex G s p (Group)
15199 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
15200 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
15203 @kindex G s r (Group)
15204 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
15205 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
15208 @kindex O s (Summary)
15209 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
15210 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
15211 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
15212 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
15217 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
15222 @item gnus-soup-directory
15223 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
15224 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
15225 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
15227 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
15228 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
15229 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
15230 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
15232 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
15233 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
15234 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
15235 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
15237 @item gnus-soup-packer
15238 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
15239 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
15240 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
15242 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
15243 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
15244 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
15245 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15247 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
15248 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
15249 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
15251 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15252 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
15253 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
15254 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
15260 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
15263 @code{nnsoup} is the back end for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
15264 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
15265 you can read them at leisure.
15267 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
15271 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
15272 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
15273 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
15274 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
15276 @item nnsoup-directory
15277 @vindex nnsoup-directory
15278 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
15279 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
15281 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
15282 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
15283 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
15284 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
15286 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
15287 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
15288 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
15289 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
15290 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
15292 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
15293 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
15294 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
15295 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
15297 @item nnsoup-active-file
15298 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
15299 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
15300 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
15301 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
15302 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
15304 @item nnsoup-packer
15305 @vindex nnsoup-packer
15306 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
15307 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
15309 @item nnsoup-unpacker
15310 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
15311 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
15312 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
15314 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
15315 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
15316 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
15319 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
15320 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
15321 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
15324 @item nnsoup-always-save
15325 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
15326 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
15332 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
15334 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
15335 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
15336 more for that to happen.
15338 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
15339 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
15340 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
15343 In specific, this is what it does:
15346 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
15347 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
15350 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
15351 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
15352 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
15355 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
15356 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
15357 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
15360 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
15361 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
15362 The @code{nngateway} back end provides the interface.
15364 Note that you can't read anything from this back end---it can only be
15370 @item nngateway-address
15371 @vindex nngateway-address
15372 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
15374 @item nngateway-header-transformation
15375 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
15376 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
15377 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
15378 transformation should be called, and defaults to
15379 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
15380 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
15383 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
15384 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
15385 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
15388 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
15391 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
15394 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
15397 The following pre-defined functions exist:
15399 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15402 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
15403 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15404 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
15406 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15408 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
15409 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
15410 @code{nngateway-address}.
15415 (setq gnus-post-method
15417 "mail2news@@replay.com"
15418 (nngateway-header-transformation
15419 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
15427 So, to use this, simply say something like:
15430 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
15435 @node Combined Groups
15436 @section Combined Groups
15438 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
15442 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
15443 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
15447 @node Virtual Groups
15448 @subsection Virtual Groups
15450 @cindex virtual groups
15451 @cindex merging groups
15453 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
15456 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
15457 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
15458 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
15460 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
15461 regexp to match component groups.
15463 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
15464 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
15465 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
15466 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
15467 the virtual group.)
15469 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
15470 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
15473 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
15476 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
15477 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
15479 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
15480 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
15481 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
15482 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
15485 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
15488 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
15489 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
15490 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
15492 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
15493 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
15494 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
15495 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
15496 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
15498 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
15499 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
15500 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
15502 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
15503 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
15504 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
15505 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15506 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
15507 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
15508 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
15509 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
15510 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
15511 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
15512 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
15514 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
15515 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
15516 has to ask the back end of the component group the article comes from
15517 whether it is a news or mail back end. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
15518 there is typically no sure way for the component back end to know this,
15519 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
15520 not-news back end. (Just to be on the safe side.)
15522 @kbd{C-c C-n} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
15523 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
15527 @node Kibozed Groups
15528 @subsection Kibozed Groups
15532 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
15533 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a back end that will do this for
15534 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
15535 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
15537 @kindex G k (Group)
15538 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
15541 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
15542 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
15543 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
15544 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
15546 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
15547 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
15548 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
15550 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
15551 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
15552 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
15553 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
15554 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
15555 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
15556 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
15557 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
15559 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
15560 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
15561 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
15562 Stranger things have happened.
15564 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
15565 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
15567 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
15568 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
15569 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
15570 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
15571 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
15572 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
15574 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
15575 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
15578 @node Gnus Unplugged
15579 @section Gnus Unplugged
15584 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
15586 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
15587 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
15588 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
15589 read news. Believe it or not.
15591 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
15592 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
15593 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
15594 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
15595 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
15597 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
15598 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
15599 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
15600 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
15601 reading news on a machine.
15603 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
15607 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
15608 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
15612 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
15613 @file{.gnus.el} file:
15620 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
15622 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
15625 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
15626 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
15627 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
15628 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
15629 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
15630 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
15631 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
15632 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
15633 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
15634 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
15639 @subsection Agent Basics
15641 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
15643 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
15644 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
15645 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
15646 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
15648 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
15649 connected to the net continuously.
15651 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
15652 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
15654 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
15659 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
15660 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
15661 already fetched while in this mode.
15664 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
15665 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
15666 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged} and use @kbd{g} to check for new mail
15667 as usual. To check for new mail in unplugged mode, see (@pxref{Mail
15668 Source Specifiers}).
15671 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
15672 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{g}
15673 to check if there are any new news and then @kbd{J
15674 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
15675 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
15678 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
15679 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
15680 then you read the news offline.
15683 And then you go to step 2.
15686 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
15692 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
15693 back end, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
15694 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
15695 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
15696 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
15697 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
15700 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
15707 @node Agent Categories
15708 @subsection Agent Categories
15710 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
15711 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
15712 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
15713 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
15714 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
15715 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
15716 you're interested in the articles anyway.
15718 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
15719 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
15720 Groups that do not belong in any other category belong to the
15721 @code{default} category. Gnus has its own buffer for creating and
15722 managing categories.
15725 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
15726 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
15727 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
15731 @node Category Syntax
15732 @subsubsection Category Syntax
15734 A category consists of two things.
15738 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
15739 are eligible for downloading; and
15742 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
15743 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
15744 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
15747 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
15748 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
15749 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
15750 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
15752 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
15753 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
15754 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as described below.
15756 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
15757 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
15758 operators sprinkled in between.
15760 Perhaps some examples are in order.
15762 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
15763 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
15769 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
15770 short (for some value of ``short'').
15772 Here's a more complex predicate:
15781 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
15782 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
15785 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
15786 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
15787 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
15789 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
15790 you want to do, you can write your own.
15794 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
15795 lines; default 100.
15798 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
15799 lines; default 200.
15802 True iff the article has a download score less than
15803 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
15806 True iff the article has a download score greater than
15807 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
15810 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
15811 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
15812 checksum and sees whether articles match.
15821 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
15822 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
15823 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
15826 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
15827 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
15828 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
15829 something along the lines of the following:
15832 (defun my-article-old-p ()
15833 "Say whether an article is old."
15834 (< (time-to-days (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
15835 (- (time-to-days (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
15838 with the predicate then defined as:
15841 (not my-article-old-p)
15844 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
15845 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
15846 wherever. (Note: this would have to be at a point *after*
15847 @code{gnus-agent} has been loaded via @code{(gnus-agentize)})
15850 (setq gnus-category-predicate-alist
15851 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
15852 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
15855 and simply specify your predicate as:
15861 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
15862 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
15863 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
15864 just don't give a damn.
15866 The above predicates apply to *all* the groups which belong to the
15867 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
15868 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
15869 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
15870 parameters like so:
15873 (agent-predicate . short)
15876 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category default.
15877 Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this, the
15878 @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair notation.
15880 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
15883 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
15886 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
15887 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
15888 predicate is assumed to be a list.
15891 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
15892 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
15893 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
15894 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
15895 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
15896 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
15898 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
15899 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
15900 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
15901 if it's to be specific to that group.
15903 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
15910 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
15911 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
15917 Category specification
15921 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15927 Group Parameter specification
15930 (agent-score ("from"
15931 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
15936 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
15942 These score files must *only* contain the permitted scoring keywords
15949 Category specification
15952 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
15958 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
15962 Group Parameter specification
15965 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
15968 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
15973 Use @code{normal} score files
15975 If you don't want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
15976 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
15977 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
15978 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
15980 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
15981 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
15982 files for a group, *filtering out* those sections that do not
15983 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
15987 Category Specification
15994 Group Parameter specification
15997 (agent-score . file)
16002 @node Category Buffer
16003 @subsubsection Category Buffer
16005 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
16006 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
16007 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
16009 The following commands are available in this buffer:
16013 @kindex q (Category)
16014 @findex gnus-category-exit
16015 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
16018 @kindex k (Category)
16019 @findex gnus-category-kill
16020 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
16023 @kindex c (Category)
16024 @findex gnus-category-copy
16025 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
16028 @kindex a (Category)
16029 @findex gnus-category-add
16030 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
16033 @kindex p (Category)
16034 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
16035 Edit the predicate of the current category
16036 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
16039 @kindex g (Category)
16040 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
16041 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
16042 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
16045 @kindex s (Category)
16046 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
16047 Edit the download score rule of the current category
16048 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
16051 @kindex l (Category)
16052 @findex gnus-category-list
16053 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
16057 @node Category Variables
16058 @subsubsection Category Variables
16061 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
16062 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
16063 Hook run in category buffers.
16065 @item gnus-category-line-format
16066 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
16067 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
16068 Variables}). Valid elements are:
16072 The name of the category.
16075 The number of groups in the category.
16078 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
16079 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
16080 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
16082 @item gnus-agent-short-article
16083 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
16084 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
16086 @item gnus-agent-long-article
16087 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
16088 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
16090 @item gnus-agent-low-score
16091 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
16092 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
16095 @item gnus-agent-high-score
16096 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
16097 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
16103 @node Agent Commands
16104 @subsection Agent Commands
16106 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
16107 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged}) command works in all modes, and
16108 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
16112 * Group Agent Commands::
16113 * Summary Agent Commands::
16114 * Server Agent Commands::
16117 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
16118 following incantation:
16120 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
16122 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
16127 @node Group Agent Commands
16128 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
16132 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
16133 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
16134 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
16135 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
16138 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
16139 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
16140 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
16143 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
16144 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
16145 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
16146 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
16149 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
16150 @findex gnus-group-send-queue
16151 Send all sendable messages in the queue group
16152 (@code{gnus-group-send-queue}). @xref{Drafts}.
16155 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
16156 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
16157 Add the current group to an Agent category
16158 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}). This command understands the
16159 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16162 @kindex J r (Agent Group)
16163 @findex gnus-agent-remove-group
16164 Remove the current group from its category, if any
16165 (@code{gnus-agent-remove-group}). This command understands the
16166 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16169 @kindex J Y (Agent Group)
16170 @findex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
16171 Synchronize flags changed while unplugged with remote server, if any.
16177 @node Summary Agent Commands
16178 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
16182 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
16183 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
16184 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
16187 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
16188 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
16189 Remove the downloading mark from the article
16190 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
16193 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
16194 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
16195 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
16198 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
16199 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
16200 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
16203 @kindex J u (Agent Summary)
16204 @findex gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group
16205 Download all downloadable articles in the current group
16206 (@code{gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group}).
16211 @node Server Agent Commands
16212 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
16216 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
16217 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
16218 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
16219 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
16222 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
16223 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
16224 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
16225 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
16231 @subsection Agent Expiry
16233 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
16234 @findex gnus-agent-expire
16235 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
16236 @cindex Agent expiry
16237 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
16240 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
16241 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
16242 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
16243 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
16244 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
16245 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
16247 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
16248 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
16249 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
16250 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
16251 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
16254 @node Agent and IMAP
16255 @subsection Agent and IMAP
16257 The Agent work with any Gnus back end, including nnimap. However,
16258 since there are some conceptual differences between @sc{nntp} and
16259 @sc{imap}, this section (should) provide you with some information to
16260 make Gnus Agent work smoother as a @sc{imap} Disconnected Mode client.
16262 The first thing to keep in mind is that all flags (read, ticked, etc)
16263 are kept on the @sc{imap} server, rather than in @code{.newsrc} as is the
16264 case for nntp. Thus Gnus need to remember flag changes when
16265 disconnected, and synchronize these flags when you plug back in.
16267 Gnus keep track of flag changes when reading nnimap groups under the
16268 Agent by default. When you plug back in, by default Gnus will check if
16269 you have any changed any flags and ask if you wish to synchronize these
16270 with the server. This behavior is customizable with
16271 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags}.
16273 @vindex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
16274 If @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} is @code{nil}, the Agent will
16275 never automatically synchronize flags. If it is @code{ask}, the
16276 default, the Agent will check if you made any changes and if so ask if
16277 you wish to synchronize these when you re-connect. If it has any other
16278 value, all flags will be synchronized automatically.
16280 If you do not wish to automatically synchronize flags when you
16281 re-connect, this can be done manually with the
16282 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} command that is bound to @kbd{J Y}
16283 in the group buffer by default.
16285 Some things are currently not implemented in the Agent that you'd might
16286 expect from a disconnected @sc{imap} client, including:
16291 Copying/moving articles into nnimap groups when unplugged.
16294 Creating/deleting nnimap groups when unplugged.
16298 Technical note: the synchronization algorithm does not work by "pushing"
16299 all local flags to the server, but rather incrementally update the
16300 server view of flags by changing only those flags that were changed by
16301 the user. Thus, if you set one flag on a article, quit the group and
16302 re-select the group and remove the flag; the flag will be set and
16303 removed from the server when you "synchronize". The queued flag
16304 operations can be found in the per-server @code{flags} file in the Agent
16305 directory. It's emptied when you synchronize flags.
16308 @node Outgoing Messages
16309 @subsection Outgoing Messages
16311 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
16312 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
16313 after posting, and edit them at will.
16315 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
16316 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
16317 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
16318 messages in the draft group.
16322 @node Agent Variables
16323 @subsection Agent Variables
16326 @item gnus-agent-directory
16327 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
16328 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
16329 @file{~/News/agent/}.
16331 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
16332 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
16333 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
16334 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
16335 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
16338 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16339 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
16340 Hook run when connecting to the network.
16342 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16343 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
16344 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
16349 @node Example Setup
16350 @subsection Example Setup
16352 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
16353 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
16354 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
16357 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over @sc{nntp}
16358 ;;; from your ISP's server.
16359 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.your-isp.com"))
16361 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
16362 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
16363 (setq mail-sources '((pop :server "pop.your-isp.com")))
16365 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
16366 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
16368 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
16372 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
16373 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
16376 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
16377 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
16378 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
16379 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
16380 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
16383 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
16384 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
16385 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
16386 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
16387 back all the killed groups.)
16389 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
16390 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
16391 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
16394 @node Batching Agents
16395 @subsection Batching Agents
16397 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
16398 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
16399 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
16403 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
16407 @node Agent Caveats
16408 @subsection Agent Caveats
16410 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
16411 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
16415 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the
16420 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists
16421 in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
16427 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
16428 articles; when it's plugged, it only talks to your ISP.
16435 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
16436 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
16437 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
16440 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
16441 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
16442 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
16443 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
16444 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
16446 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
16447 before generating the summary buffer.
16449 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
16450 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
16451 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
16453 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
16454 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
16455 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
16456 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
16459 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
16460 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
16461 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
16462 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
16463 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
16464 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
16465 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
16466 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
16467 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
16468 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
16469 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
16470 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
16471 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
16472 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
16473 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
16474 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
16475 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
16479 @node Summary Score Commands
16480 @section Summary Score Commands
16481 @cindex score commands
16483 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
16484 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
16485 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
16486 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
16487 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
16489 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
16490 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
16491 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
16492 score file the current one.
16494 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
16499 @kindex V s (Summary)
16500 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
16501 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
16504 @kindex V S (Summary)
16505 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
16506 Display the score of the current article
16507 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
16510 @kindex V t (Summary)
16511 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
16512 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
16513 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
16516 @kindex V R (Summary)
16517 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
16518 Run the current summary through the scoring process
16519 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
16520 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
16521 effect you're having.
16524 @kindex V c (Summary)
16525 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
16526 Make a different score file the current
16527 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
16530 @kindex V e (Summary)
16531 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
16532 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
16533 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
16537 @kindex V f (Summary)
16538 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
16539 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
16540 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
16543 @kindex V F (Summary)
16544 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16545 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
16546 after editing score files.
16549 @kindex V C (Summary)
16550 @findex gnus-score-customize
16551 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
16552 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
16556 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
16561 @kindex V m (Summary)
16562 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
16563 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
16564 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
16567 @kindex V x (Summary)
16568 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
16569 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
16570 expunge all articles below this score
16571 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
16574 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
16575 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
16578 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
16579 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
16583 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
16584 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
16586 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
16587 keys are available:
16591 Score on the author name.
16594 Score on the subject line.
16597 Score on the @code{Xref} line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
16600 Score on the @code{References} line.
16606 Score on the number of lines.
16609 Score on the @code{Message-ID} header.
16612 Score on followups---this matches the author name, and adds scores to
16613 the followups to this author. (Using this key leads to the creation of
16614 @file{ADAPT} files.)
16623 Score on thread. (Using this key leads to the creation of @file{ADAPT}
16629 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
16630 what headers you are scoring on.
16642 Substring matching.
16645 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
16674 Greater than number.
16679 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
16680 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
16681 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
16685 Temporary score entry.
16688 Permanent score entry.
16691 Immediately scoring.
16696 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
16697 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
16698 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
16699 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
16701 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
16702 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
16703 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
16704 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
16705 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
16707 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
16708 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
16709 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
16710 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
16711 current score file.
16713 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
16714 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
16715 pretend they are keymaps or not.
16718 @node Group Score Commands
16719 @section Group Score Commands
16720 @cindex group score commands
16722 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
16727 @kindex W f (Group)
16728 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
16729 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
16730 all the time. This command will flush the cache
16731 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
16735 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
16737 @findex gnus-batch-score
16738 @cindex batch scoring
16740 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
16744 @node Score Variables
16745 @section Score Variables
16746 @cindex score variables
16750 @item gnus-use-scoring
16751 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
16752 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
16753 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
16755 @item gnus-kill-killed
16756 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
16757 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
16758 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
16759 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
16760 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
16761 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
16762 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
16764 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
16765 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
16766 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
16767 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
16768 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
16770 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
16771 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
16772 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
16773 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
16775 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16776 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
16777 @cindex score cache
16778 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
16779 score files. However, if this might make your Emacs grow big and
16780 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
16781 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
16782 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
16783 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
16786 @item gnus-save-score
16787 @vindex gnus-save-score
16788 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
16789 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
16790 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
16792 If you do not set this to @code{t}, then manual scores (like those set
16793 with @kbd{V s} (@code{gnus-summary-set-score})) will not be preserved
16794 across group visits.
16796 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16797 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
16798 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
16799 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
16800 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
16801 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
16802 manually entered data.
16804 @item gnus-summary-default-score
16805 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
16806 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
16808 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
16809 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
16810 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
16811 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
16812 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
16813 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
16815 @item gnus-score-over-mark
16816 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
16817 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
16818 default. Default is @samp{+}.
16820 @item gnus-score-below-mark
16821 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
16822 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
16823 default. Default is @samp{-}.
16825 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16826 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
16827 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
16828 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
16830 Predefined functions available are:
16833 @item gnus-score-find-single
16834 @findex gnus-score-find-single
16835 Only apply the group's own score file.
16837 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
16838 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
16839 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
16840 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
16841 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
16842 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
16843 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
16844 then a regexp match is done.
16846 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
16847 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
16849 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
16850 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
16851 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
16852 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
16854 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16855 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
16856 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
16857 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
16858 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE} for each
16862 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all
16863 these functions will be called with the group name as argument, and
16864 all the returned lists of score files will be applied. These
16865 functions can also return lists of lists of score alists directly. In
16866 that case, the functions that return these non-file score alists
16867 should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file functions, to
16868 ensure that the last score file returned is the local score file.
16871 For example, to do hierarchical scoring but use a non-server-specific
16872 overall score file, you could use the value
16874 (list (lambda (group) ("all.SCORE"))
16875 'gnus-score-find-hierarchical)
16878 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
16879 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
16880 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
16881 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
16882 are expired. It's 7 by default.
16884 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16885 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
16886 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
16887 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
16888 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
16889 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
16890 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
16893 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16894 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
16895 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
16897 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
16898 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
16899 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
16900 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
16901 threading---according to the current value of
16902 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
16903 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
16904 simplified in this manner.
16909 @node Score File Format
16910 @section Score File Format
16911 @cindex score file format
16913 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
16914 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
16915 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
16917 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
16921 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
16923 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
16925 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
16927 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
16932 (mark-and-expunge -10)
16936 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
16937 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
16938 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
16939 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
16943 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
16944 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
16946 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
16947 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
16948 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
16950 Six keys are supported by this alist:
16955 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
16956 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
16957 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
16958 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
16959 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
16960 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
16961 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
16962 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
16963 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
16964 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
16965 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
16966 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
16967 to articles that matches these score entries.
16969 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
16970 score entry has one to four elements.
16974 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
16975 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
16979 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
16980 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
16981 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
16982 is successful. If this element is not present, the
16983 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
16984 instead. This is 1000 by default.
16987 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
16988 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
16989 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
16990 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
16991 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
16994 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
16995 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
16996 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
16997 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
17000 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
17001 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
17002 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
17003 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
17004 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
17005 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
17006 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
17007 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
17008 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
17009 instead, if you feel like.
17012 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
17013 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
17015 These predicates are true if
17018 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
17021 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
17022 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
17029 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
17030 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
17031 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
17032 it's not. I think.)
17034 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some back ends (like
17035 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
17036 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
17037 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
17040 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
17041 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
17042 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
17043 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
17044 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
17045 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
17046 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
17050 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
17051 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
17052 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
17053 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
17054 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
17055 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
17056 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
17057 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
17060 @item Head, Body, All
17061 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
17065 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
17066 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
17067 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
17068 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
17069 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
17070 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
17071 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
17075 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
17076 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an
17077 article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{x}, then you add a @samp{thread}
17078 match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each article that
17079 has @var{x} in its @code{References} header. (These new @samp{thread}
17080 matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching articles.)
17081 This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an entire thread,
17082 even though some articles in the thread may not have complete
17083 @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
17084 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
17085 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
17089 @cindex Score File Atoms
17091 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
17092 lower than this number will be marked as read.
17095 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
17096 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
17098 @item mark-and-expunge
17099 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
17100 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
17103 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
17104 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
17105 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
17106 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
17107 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
17110 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
17111 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
17114 @item exclude-files
17115 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
17116 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
17120 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
17121 ignored when handling global score files.
17124 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
17125 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
17126 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
17127 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
17130 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
17131 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
17132 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
17133 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
17135 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
17139 (mark-and-expunge -100)
17142 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
17143 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
17144 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
17145 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
17146 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
17148 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where a few
17149 interesting threads which can't be found automatically by ordinary
17150 scoring rules exist.
17153 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
17154 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
17155 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
17156 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
17157 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
17158 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
17159 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
17160 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
17161 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
17162 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
17163 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
17167 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
17168 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
17169 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
17170 file for a number of groups.
17173 @cindex local variables
17174 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
17175 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
17176 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
17177 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
17178 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
17182 @node Score File Editing
17183 @section Score File Editing
17185 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
17186 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
17187 with a mode for that.
17189 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
17190 additional commands:
17195 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
17196 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
17197 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
17198 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
17201 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
17202 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
17203 Insert the current date in numerical format
17204 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
17205 you were wondering.
17208 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
17209 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
17210 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
17211 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
17212 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
17217 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
17219 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
17220 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
17222 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
17223 e} to begin editing score files.
17226 @node Adaptive Scoring
17227 @section Adaptive Scoring
17228 @cindex adaptive scoring
17230 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
17231 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
17232 stupidity, to be precise.
17234 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
17235 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
17236 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
17237 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
17238 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
17239 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
17240 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
17241 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
17242 variable to @code{(word line)}.
17244 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17245 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
17246 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
17247 might look something like this:
17250 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
17251 '((gnus-unread-mark)
17252 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
17253 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
17254 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
17255 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
17256 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
17257 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
17258 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
17259 (gnus-ancient-mark)
17260 (gnus-low-score-mark)
17261 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
17264 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
17265 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
17266 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
17267 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
17268 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
17269 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
17272 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
17273 will be applied to each article.
17275 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
17276 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
17277 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
17278 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
17280 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
17281 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
17282 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
17283 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
17285 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
17286 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
17287 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
17288 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
17290 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
17291 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
17292 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
17293 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
17294 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
17295 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
17297 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
17298 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
17299 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
17300 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
17301 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
17302 aspirins afterwards.)
17304 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
17305 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
17306 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
17308 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
17309 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
17310 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
17312 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
17313 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
17314 let you use different rules in different groups.
17316 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
17317 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
17318 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
17321 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
17322 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
17323 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
17324 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
17325 the length of the match is less than
17326 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
17327 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
17330 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17331 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
17332 headers. If you adapt on words, the
17333 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
17334 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
17337 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
17338 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
17339 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
17340 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
17341 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
17344 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
17345 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
17346 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
17347 score with 30 points.
17349 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
17350 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
17351 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
17352 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
17353 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
17355 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit
17356 Some may feel that short words shouldn't count when doing adaptive
17357 scoring. If so, you may set @code{gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit} to
17358 an integer. Words shorter than this number will be ignored. This
17359 variable defaults til @code{nil}.
17361 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
17362 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
17363 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
17364 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
17366 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
17367 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
17368 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
17369 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
17371 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
17372 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
17373 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
17374 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
17375 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
17377 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
17378 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
17379 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
17381 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
17382 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
17383 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
17384 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
17387 @node Home Score File
17388 @section Home Score File
17390 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
17391 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
17392 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
17393 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
17395 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
17396 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
17397 could perhaps use the same home score file.
17399 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
17400 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
17405 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
17409 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
17410 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
17414 A list. The elements in this list can be:
17418 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-name})}. If the @var{regexp} matches the
17419 group name, the @var{file-name} will be used as the home score file.
17422 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
17423 the home score file.
17426 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
17429 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
17434 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
17437 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17438 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
17441 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
17442 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
17444 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
17446 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17447 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
17450 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
17451 Other functions include
17454 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
17455 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
17456 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
17457 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
17461 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
17462 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
17463 their own home score files:
17466 (setq gnus-home-score-file
17467 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
17468 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
17469 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
17470 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
17473 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
17474 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
17475 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
17476 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
17477 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
17479 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
17480 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
17481 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
17482 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
17483 precedence over this variable.
17486 @node Followups To Yourself
17487 @section Followups To Yourself
17489 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
17490 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
17491 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
17492 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
17493 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
17494 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
17498 @item gnus-score-followup-article
17499 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
17500 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
17503 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
17504 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
17505 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
17509 @vindex message-sent-hook
17510 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
17511 @code{message-sent-hook}, like this:
17513 (add-hook 'message-sent-hook 'gnus-score-followup-thread)
17517 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
17518 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
17522 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17523 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
17526 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
17527 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
17532 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore\\.no>"
17536 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
17537 is system-dependent.
17540 @node Scoring On Other Headers
17541 @section Scoring On Other Headers
17542 @cindex scoring on other headers
17544 Gnus is quite fast when scoring the ``traditional''
17545 headers---@samp{From}, @samp{Subject} and so on. However, scoring
17546 other headers requires writing a @code{head} scoring rule, which means
17547 that Gnus has to request every single article from the back end to find
17548 matches. This takes a long time in big groups.
17550 Now, there's not much you can do about this for news groups, but for
17551 mail groups, you have greater control. In the @pxref{To From
17552 Newsgroups} section of the manual, it's explained in greater detail what
17553 this mechanism does, but here's a cookbook example for @code{nnml} on
17554 how to allow scoring on the @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} headers.
17556 Put the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
17559 (setq gnus-extra-headers '(To Cc Newsgroups Keywords)
17560 nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
17563 Restart Gnus and rebuild your @code{nnml} overview files with the
17564 @kbd{M-x nnml-generate-nov-databases} command. This will take a long
17565 time if you have much mail.
17567 Now you can score on @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} as ``extra headers'' like
17568 so: @kbd{I e s p To RET <your name> RET}.
17574 @section Scoring Tips
17575 @cindex scoring tips
17581 @cindex scoring crossposts
17582 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
17583 the @code{Xref} header.
17585 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
17588 @item Multiple crossposts
17589 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
17590 more than, say, 3 groups:
17593 ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+"
17597 @item Matching on the body
17598 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
17599 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
17600 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
17601 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
17602 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
17603 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
17604 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
17607 @item Marking as read
17608 You will probably want to mark articles that have scores below a certain
17609 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
17610 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
17614 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
17616 @item Negated character classes
17617 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
17618 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
17619 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
17623 @node Reverse Scoring
17624 @section Reverse Scoring
17625 @cindex reverse scoring
17627 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
17628 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
17629 like this in your score file:
17633 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
17638 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
17639 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
17642 @node Global Score Files
17643 @section Global Score Files
17644 @cindex global score files
17646 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
17647 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
17648 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
17650 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
17651 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
17652 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
17654 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
17655 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
17656 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
17657 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
17658 files are applicable to which group.
17660 To use the score file
17661 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
17662 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory,
17666 (setq gnus-global-score-files
17667 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
17668 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
17671 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
17673 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
17674 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
17675 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
17676 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
17678 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
17679 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
17681 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
17682 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
17683 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
17684 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
17685 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
17686 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
17688 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
17694 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
17696 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
17698 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
17700 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
17701 lowered out of existence.
17703 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
17704 articles completely.
17707 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
17708 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
17709 old articles for a long time.
17712 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
17713 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
17714 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
17715 holding our breath yet?
17719 @section Kill Files
17722 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
17723 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
17724 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
17726 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
17727 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
17728 files into score files.
17730 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
17731 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
17732 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
17733 that isn't a very good idea.
17735 Normal kill files look like this:
17738 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
17739 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
17743 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
17744 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
17746 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
17747 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
17750 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
17755 @kindex M-k (Summary)
17756 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
17757 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
17760 @kindex M-K (Summary)
17761 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
17762 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
17765 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
17770 @kindex M-k (Group)
17771 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
17772 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
17775 @kindex M-K (Group)
17776 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
17777 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
17780 Kill file variables:
17783 @item gnus-kill-file-name
17784 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
17785 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
17786 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
17787 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
17788 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
17789 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
17791 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17792 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
17793 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
17794 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
17797 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
17798 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
17799 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
17800 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
17801 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
17802 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
17803 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
17804 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
17805 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
17807 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17808 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
17809 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
17814 @node Converting Kill Files
17815 @section Converting Kill Files
17817 @cindex converting kill files
17819 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
17820 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
17821 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
17824 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
17825 You can fetch it from
17826 @uref{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-various/gnus-kill-to-score.el}.
17828 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
17829 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
17830 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
17838 GroupLens (@uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/}) is a
17839 collaborative filtering system that helps you work together with other
17840 people to find the quality news articles out of the huge volume of
17841 news articles generated every day.
17843 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
17844 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
17845 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
17846 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
17847 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
17848 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
17849 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
17850 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
17853 @sc{Note:} Unfortunately the GroupLens system seems to have shut down,
17854 so this section is mostly of historical interest.
17857 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
17858 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
17859 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
17860 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
17864 @node Using GroupLens
17865 @subsection Using GroupLens
17867 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
17869 @uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
17870 better bit in town at the moment.
17872 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
17876 @item gnus-use-grouplens
17877 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
17878 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
17879 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
17881 @item grouplens-pseudonym
17882 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
17883 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
17884 with the Better Bit Bureau.
17886 @item grouplens-newsgroups
17887 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
17888 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
17892 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
17893 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
17894 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
17895 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
17896 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
17897 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
17900 @node Rating Articles
17901 @subsection Rating Articles
17903 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
17904 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
17905 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
17906 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
17909 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
17914 @kindex r (GroupLens)
17915 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
17916 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
17919 @kindex k (GroupLens)
17920 @findex grouplens-score-thread
17921 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
17922 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
17923 threads in rec.humor.
17927 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
17928 the score of the article you're reading.
17933 @kindex n (GroupLens)
17934 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
17935 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
17938 @kindex , (GroupLens)
17939 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
17940 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
17944 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
17945 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
17948 @node Displaying Predictions
17949 @subsection Displaying Predictions
17951 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
17952 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
17953 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
17954 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
17955 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
17957 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
17958 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
17959 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
17960 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
17961 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
17962 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
17963 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
17964 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
17965 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
17966 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
17967 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
17968 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
17969 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
17971 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
17972 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
17973 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
17974 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
17976 The following are valid values for that variable.
17979 @item prediction-spot
17980 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
17983 @item confidence-interval
17984 A numeric confidence interval.
17986 @item prediction-bar
17987 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
17989 @item confidence-bar
17990 Numerical confidence.
17992 @item confidence-spot
17993 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
17995 @item prediction-num
17996 Plain-old numeric value.
17998 @item confidence-plus-minus
17999 Prediction +/- confidence.
18004 @node GroupLens Variables
18005 @subsection GroupLens Variables
18009 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
18010 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
18011 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
18012 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%)
18015 @item grouplens-bbb-host
18016 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
18019 @item grouplens-bbb-port
18020 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
18022 @item grouplens-score-offset
18023 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
18024 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
18027 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
18028 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
18029 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
18034 @node Advanced Scoring
18035 @section Advanced Scoring
18037 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
18038 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
18039 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
18040 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
18041 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
18043 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
18047 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
18048 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
18049 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
18053 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
18054 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
18056 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
18057 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
18058 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
18059 non-@code{nil} value.
18061 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
18062 operator, and various match operators.
18069 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
18070 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
18071 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
18076 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
18077 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
18078 then this operator will return @code{false}.
18083 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
18084 logical negation of the value of its argument.
18088 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
18089 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
18090 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
18091 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
18092 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
18093 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
18094 the ancestry you want to go.
18096 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
18097 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
18098 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
18099 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
18100 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
18103 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
18104 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
18106 Please note that the following examples are score file rules. To
18107 make a complete score file from them, surround them with another pair
18110 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
18111 when he's talking about Gnus:
18115 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
18116 ("subject" "Gnus"))
18122 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
18126 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
18133 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
18134 really don't want to read what he's written:
18138 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
18139 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
18143 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
18144 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
18145 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
18152 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
18153 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
18154 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
18155 ("body" "white.*socks"))
18159 The possibilities are endless.
18162 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
18163 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
18165 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
18166 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
18167 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
18168 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
18169 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
18170 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
18171 @samp{subject}) first.
18173 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
18174 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
18185 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
18186 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
18192 ("subject" "Gnus")))
18199 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
18200 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
18205 @section Score Decays
18206 @cindex score decays
18209 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
18210 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
18211 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
18212 use them in any sensible way.
18214 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
18215 @findex gnus-decay-score
18216 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
18217 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
18218 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
18219 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
18220 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
18221 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
18222 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
18223 definition of that function:
18226 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
18228 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
18229 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
18232 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
18234 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
18236 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
18239 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
18240 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
18241 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
18242 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
18246 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
18249 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
18252 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
18256 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
18257 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
18258 the new score, which should be an integer.
18260 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
18261 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
18266 @include message.texi
18267 @chapter Emacs MIME
18268 @include emacs-mime.texi
18270 @include sieve.texi
18278 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
18279 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
18280 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
18281 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
18282 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
18283 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
18284 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
18285 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
18286 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
18287 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
18288 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
18289 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
18290 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
18291 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
18292 * Image Enhancements:: Modern versions of Emacs/XEmacs can display images.
18293 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
18294 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
18295 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
18299 @node Process/Prefix
18300 @section Process/Prefix
18301 @cindex process/prefix convention
18303 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
18304 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
18306 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
18307 command to be performed on.
18311 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
18312 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
18313 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
18314 with the current one.
18316 @vindex transient-mark-mode
18317 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
18318 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
18320 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
18321 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
18324 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
18325 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
18327 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
18330 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
18331 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
18332 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
18333 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
18335 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
18336 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
18337 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
18338 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
18339 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
18340 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
18341 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
18342 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
18344 Many commands do not use the process/prefix convention. All commands
18345 that do explicitly say so in this manual. To apply the process/prefix
18346 convention to commands that do not use it, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
18347 command. For instance, to mark all the articles in the group as
18348 expirable, you could say `M P b M-& E'.
18352 @section Interactive
18353 @cindex interaction
18357 @item gnus-novice-user
18358 @vindex gnus-novice-user
18359 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
18360 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
18361 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
18362 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
18365 @item gnus-expert-user
18366 @vindex gnus-expert-user
18367 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
18368 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
18369 matter how strange.
18371 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
18372 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
18373 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
18374 is @code{t} by default.
18376 @item gnus-interactive-exit
18377 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
18378 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18383 @node Symbolic Prefixes
18384 @section Symbolic Prefixes
18385 @cindex symbolic prefixes
18387 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
18388 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
18389 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
18390 rule of 900 to the current article.
18392 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
18393 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
18394 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
18395 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
18396 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
18397 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
18398 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
18400 @kindex M-i (Summary)
18401 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
18402 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
18403 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
18404 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
18405 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a C-M-u} means ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u}
18406 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b C-M-u} means
18407 ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
18408 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
18410 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
18411 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
18412 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
18414 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
18418 @node Formatting Variables
18419 @section Formatting Variables
18420 @cindex formatting variables
18422 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
18423 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
18424 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
18425 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
18426 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
18429 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
18430 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
18431 lots of percentages everywhere.
18434 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
18435 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
18436 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
18437 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
18438 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
18439 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
18440 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
18441 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
18444 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
18445 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
18446 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
18447 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
18448 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
18449 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
18450 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
18451 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
18453 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
18454 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
18456 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
18457 @findex gnus-update-format
18458 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
18459 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
18460 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
18461 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
18465 @node Formatting Basics
18466 @subsection Formatting Basics
18468 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
18469 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
18470 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
18472 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
18473 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
18474 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
18475 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
18476 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
18479 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
18480 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
18481 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
18482 less than 4 characters wide.
18484 Also Gnus supports some extended format specifications, such as
18485 @samp{%&user-date;}.
18487 @node Mode Line Formatting
18488 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
18490 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
18491 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
18492 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
18493 with the following two differences:
18498 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
18501 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
18502 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
18503 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
18504 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
18505 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
18506 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
18507 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
18512 @node Advanced Formatting
18513 @subsection Advanced Formatting
18515 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
18516 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
18517 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
18518 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
18520 These are the valid modifiers:
18525 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
18529 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
18534 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
18537 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
18542 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
18545 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
18548 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
18551 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
18555 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
18556 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
18557 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
18558 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
18559 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
18560 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
18561 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
18563 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
18564 last operation, padding.
18566 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
18567 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
18568 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
18569 @xref{Compilation}.
18572 @node User-Defined Specs
18573 @subsection User-Defined Specs
18575 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
18576 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
18577 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
18578 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
18579 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
18580 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
18581 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
18582 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
18583 should protect against that.
18585 Also Gnus supports extended user-defined specs, such as @samp{%u&foo;}.
18586 Gnus will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{foo}.
18588 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
18589 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
18590 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
18591 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
18595 @node Formatting Fonts
18596 @subsection Formatting Fonts
18598 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
18599 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
18600 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
18601 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
18604 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
18605 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
18606 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
18607 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
18608 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
18609 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
18611 Text inside the @samp{%<} and @samp{%>} specifiers will get the special
18612 @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}. If you
18613 say @samp{%1<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on. The
18614 @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or symbols
18615 naming functions that return a string. Under @code{balloon-help-mode},
18616 when the mouse passes over text with this property set, a balloon window
18617 will appear and display the string. Please refer to the doc string of
18618 @code{balloon-help-mode} for more information on this.
18620 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
18623 ;; Create three face types.
18624 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
18625 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
18627 ;; We want the article count to be in
18628 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
18629 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
18630 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
18632 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
18633 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
18635 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
18636 (setq gnus-group-line-format
18637 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
18640 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
18641 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
18643 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
18644 mode-line variables.
18646 @node Positioning Point
18647 @subsection Positioning Point
18649 Gnus usually moves point to a pre-defined place on each line in most
18650 buffers. By default, point move to the first colon character on the
18651 line. You can customize this behaviour in three different ways.
18653 You can move the colon character to somewhere else on the line.
18655 @findex gnus-goto-colon
18656 You can redefine the function that moves the point to the colon. The
18657 function is called @code{gnus-goto-colon}.
18659 But perhaps the most convenient way to deal with this, if you don't want
18660 to have a colon in your line, is to use the @samp{%C} specifier. If you
18661 put a @samp{%C} somewhere in your format line definition, Gnus will
18666 @subsection Tabulation
18668 You can usually line up your displays by padding and cutting your
18669 strings. However, when combining various strings of different size, it
18670 can often be more convenient to just output the strings, and then worry
18671 about lining up the following text afterwards.
18673 To do that, Gnus supplies tabulator specs--@samp{%=}. There are two
18674 different types---@dfn{hard tabulators} and @dfn{soft tabulators}.
18676 @samp{%50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18677 50. If the text is already past column 50, nothing will be inserted.
18678 This is the soft tabulator.
18680 @samp{%-50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
18681 50. If the text is already past column 50, the excess text past column
18682 50 will be removed. This is the hard tabulator.
18685 @node Wide Characters
18686 @subsection Wide Characters
18688 Proportional fonts in most countries have characters of the same width.
18689 Some countries, however, use Latin characters mixed with wider
18690 characters---most notable East Asian countries.
18692 The problem is that when formatting, Gnus assumes that if a string is 10
18693 characters wide, it'll be 10 Latin characters wide on the screen. In
18694 these coutries, that's not true.
18696 @vindex gnus-use-correct-string-widths
18697 To help fix this, you can set @code{gnus-use-correct-string-widths} to
18698 @code{t}. This makes buffer generation slower, but the results will be
18699 prettieer. The default value is @code{t}.
18703 @node Window Layout
18704 @section Window Layout
18705 @cindex window layout
18707 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
18709 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
18710 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
18711 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
18712 @code{t} by default.
18714 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
18715 glitches. Use at your own peril.
18717 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
18718 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
18719 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
18722 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
18723 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
18724 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18728 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
18729 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
18730 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
18731 possible names is listed below.
18733 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
18734 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
18737 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
18741 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
18742 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
18743 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
18744 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
18745 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
18746 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
18747 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
18748 size spec per split.
18750 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
18751 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
18752 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
18753 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
18754 present) gets focus.
18756 Here's a more complicated example:
18759 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
18760 (summary 0.25 point)
18761 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
18765 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
18766 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
18767 occupy, not a percentage.
18769 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
18770 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
18771 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
18772 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
18773 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
18776 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
18779 (article (horizontal 1.0
18784 (summary 0.25 point)
18789 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
18790 @code{horizontal} thingie?
18792 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
18793 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
18794 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
18795 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
18796 the screen is to be given to this strip.
18798 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
18799 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
18800 lines from the splits.
18802 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
18806 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
18807 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
18808 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
18809 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
18810 buffer = "(" buf-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
18811 size = number | frame-params
18812 buf-name = group | article | summary ...
18815 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
18816 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
18817 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
18818 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
18820 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
18821 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
18822 @cindex window height
18823 @cindex window width
18824 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
18825 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
18826 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
18827 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
18828 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
18829 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
18831 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
18832 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
18833 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
18834 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
18836 @findex gnus-configure-frame
18837 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
18838 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
18839 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
18840 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
18841 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
18842 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
18843 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
18844 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
18845 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
18846 configuration list.
18849 (gnus-configure-frame
18853 (article 0.3 point))
18861 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
18862 @code{frame} split:
18865 (gnus-configure-frame
18868 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
18870 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
18871 (user-position . t)
18872 (left . -1) (top . 1))
18877 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
18878 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
18879 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
18880 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
18881 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
18882 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
18883 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
18884 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
18886 The list of all possible keys for @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} can
18887 be found in its default value.
18889 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
18890 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
18891 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
18895 (message (horizontal 1.0
18896 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
18898 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
18903 One common desire for a multiple frame split is to have a separate frame
18904 for composing mail and news while leaving the original frame intact. To
18905 accomplish that, something like the following can be done:
18910 (if (not (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer))
18911 (car (cdr (assoc 'group gnus-buffer-configuration)))
18912 (car (cdr (assoc 'summary gnus-buffer-configuration))))
18913 (vertical ((user-position . t) (top . 1) (left . 1)
18914 (name . "Message"))
18915 (message 1.0 point))))
18918 @findex gnus-add-configuration
18919 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
18920 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
18921 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
18922 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
18925 (gnus-add-configuration
18926 '(article (vertical 1.0
18928 (summary .25 point)
18932 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
18933 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
18934 Gnus has been loaded.
18936 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
18937 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
18938 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
18939 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
18940 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
18942 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
18943 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
18944 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
18947 @subsection Example Window Configurations
18951 Narrow left hand side occupied by group buffer. Right hand side split
18952 between summary buffer (top one-sixth) and article buffer (bottom).
18967 (gnus-add-configuration
18970 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18972 (summary 0.16 point)
18975 (gnus-add-configuration
18978 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
18979 (vertical 1.0 (summary 1.0 point)))))
18985 @node Faces and Fonts
18986 @section Faces and Fonts
18991 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
18992 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
18993 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
18998 @section Compilation
18999 @cindex compilation
19000 @cindex byte-compilation
19002 @findex gnus-compile
19004 Remember all those line format specification variables?
19005 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
19006 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
19007 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
19008 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
19009 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
19012 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
19013 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
19014 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
19015 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
19016 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
19017 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
19018 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
19022 @section Mode Lines
19025 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
19026 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
19027 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
19028 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
19029 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
19030 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
19031 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
19034 @cindex display-time
19036 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
19037 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
19038 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
19039 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
19040 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
19041 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
19042 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
19043 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
19046 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
19048 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
19049 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
19051 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
19052 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
19053 (length display-time-string)))))
19056 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
19057 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
19058 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
19059 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
19060 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
19063 @node Highlighting and Menus
19064 @section Highlighting and Menus
19066 @cindex highlighting
19069 @vindex gnus-visual
19070 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
19071 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
19072 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
19075 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
19076 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
19079 @item group-highlight
19080 Do highlights in the group buffer.
19081 @item summary-highlight
19082 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
19083 @item article-highlight
19084 Do highlights in the article buffer.
19086 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
19088 Create menus in the group buffer.
19090 Create menus in the summary buffers.
19092 Create menus in the article buffer.
19094 Create menus in the browse buffer.
19096 Create menus in the server buffer.
19098 Create menus in the score buffers.
19100 Create menus in all buffers.
19103 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
19104 buffers, you could say something like:
19107 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
19110 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
19113 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
19116 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
19117 in all Gnus buffers.
19119 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
19122 @item gnus-mouse-face
19123 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
19124 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
19125 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
19129 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
19133 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
19134 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
19135 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
19137 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
19138 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
19139 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
19141 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
19142 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
19143 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
19145 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
19146 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
19147 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
19149 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
19150 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
19151 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
19153 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
19154 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
19155 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
19166 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
19167 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
19168 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
19169 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
19170 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
19174 @vindex gnus-carpal
19175 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
19176 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
19177 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
19182 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
19183 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
19184 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
19186 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
19187 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
19188 Face used on buttons.
19190 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
19191 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
19192 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
19194 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
19195 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
19196 Buttons in the group buffer.
19198 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
19199 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
19200 Buttons in the summary buffer.
19202 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
19203 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
19204 Buttons in the server buffer.
19206 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
19207 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
19208 Buttons in the browse buffer.
19211 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
19212 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
19213 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
19221 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
19222 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
19223 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
19224 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
19225 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
19227 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
19228 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
19229 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
19231 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
19232 been idle for thirty minutes:
19235 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
19238 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
19242 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
19245 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
19246 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
19247 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19249 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
19250 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
19251 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
19252 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
19254 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
19255 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
19256 @var{idle} minutes.
19258 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
19259 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
19262 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
19263 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
19264 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
19266 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
19267 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
19268 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
19269 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
19271 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
19272 your @file{.gnus} file:
19274 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
19276 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
19279 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
19280 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
19281 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
19282 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
19283 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
19284 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
19285 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
19286 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
19287 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
19288 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
19289 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
19291 @findex gnus-demon-init
19292 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
19293 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
19294 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
19295 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
19296 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
19298 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
19299 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
19300 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
19309 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
19310 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
19312 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
19313 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
19314 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
19315 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
19318 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
19319 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
19320 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
19321 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
19323 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
19324 this will make spam disappear.
19326 There are some variables to customize, of course:
19329 @item gnus-use-nocem
19330 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
19331 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
19334 @item gnus-nocem-groups
19335 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
19336 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
19337 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
19338 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
19340 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
19341 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
19342 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
19343 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
19344 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" "cosmo.roadkill" "SpamHippo"
19345 "hweede@@snafu.de")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
19347 Known despammers that you can put in this list are listed at
19348 @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosalind/nocemreg/nocemreg.html}.
19350 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
19351 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
19352 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
19353 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
19354 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
19355 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
19356 @code{(@var{issuer} @var{conditions} @dots{})} elements in the list.
19357 Each condition is either a string (which is a regexp that matches types
19358 you want to use) or a list on the form @code{(not @var{string})}, where
19359 @var{string} is a regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
19361 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
19362 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
19365 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
19368 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
19369 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
19372 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
19375 The specs are applied left-to-right.
19378 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
19379 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
19381 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
19382 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
19383 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
19384 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
19386 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
19387 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
19390 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
19392 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
19400 This might be dangerous, though.
19402 @item gnus-nocem-directory
19403 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
19404 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
19405 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
19407 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19408 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
19409 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
19410 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
19411 might then see old spam.
19413 @item gnus-nocem-check-from
19414 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-from
19415 Non-@code{nil} means check for valid issuers in message bodies.
19416 Otherwise don't bother fetching articles unless their author matches a
19417 valid issuer; that is much faster if you are selective about the
19420 @item gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19421 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
19422 If non-@code{nil}, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM
19423 group. NoCeM groups can be huge and very slow to process.
19427 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
19428 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
19429 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
19430 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
19437 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
19438 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
19439 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
19441 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
19442 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
19443 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
19444 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
19445 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
19446 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
19447 @code{undo} function.
19449 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
19450 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
19451 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
19452 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
19453 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
19454 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
19455 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
19456 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
19457 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
19458 never be totally undoable.
19460 @findex gnus-undo-mode
19461 @vindex gnus-use-undo
19463 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
19464 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
19465 default. The @kbd{C-M-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo}
19466 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
19471 @section Moderation
19474 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
19475 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
19476 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
19479 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
19483 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
19486 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
19488 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
19493 You split your incoming mail by matching on
19494 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
19495 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
19498 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
19499 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
19502 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
19503 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
19507 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
19510 (setq gnus-moderated-list
19511 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
19515 @node Image Enhancements
19516 @section Image Enhancements
19518 XEmacs, as well as Emacs 21, is able to display pictures and stuff, so
19519 Gnus has taken advantage of that.
19522 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what you're reading.
19523 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
19524 * X-Face:: Display a funky, teensy black-and-white image.
19525 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
19526 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
19539 So@dots{} You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
19540 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
19541 over your shoulder as you read news.
19544 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
19545 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
19546 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
19547 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
19548 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
19553 @subsubsection Picon Basics
19555 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
19564 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
19565 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
19566 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
19567 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
19568 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
19569 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
19570 @code{GIF} formats.
19573 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19574 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
19575 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
19576 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
19577 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
19579 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19580 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
19581 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
19582 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
19583 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
19584 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19586 If you are using Debian GNU/Linux, saying @samp{apt-get install
19587 picons.*} will install the picons where Gnus can find them.
19590 @node Picon Requirements
19591 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
19593 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must have @code{x} support
19594 compiled into XEmacs. To display color picons which are much nicer
19595 than the black & white one, you also need one of @code{xpm} or
19596 @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
19598 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19599 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
19600 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
19601 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
19602 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
19603 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19606 @subsubsection Easy Picons
19608 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
19609 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
19612 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
19613 (setq gnus-treat-display-picons t)
19616 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
19617 containing the Picons databases.
19619 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
19622 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19623 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
19628 @subsubsection Hard Picons
19636 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
19637 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
19638 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
19639 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
19640 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
19645 @item gnus-picons-database
19646 @vindex gnus-picons-database
19647 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
19648 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
19649 subdirectories. This is only useful if
19650 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
19651 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
19653 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19654 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
19655 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
19656 engine is @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
19657 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
19658 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
19659 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
19661 @item gnus-picons-display-where
19662 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19663 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
19664 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
19665 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
19666 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
19667 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
19668 routines---@pxref{Window Layout}.
19670 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19671 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
19672 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
19677 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
19678 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
19680 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
19681 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
19684 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
19686 @item gnus-article-display-picons
19687 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
19688 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
19689 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer.
19691 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
19692 @findex gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
19693 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present.
19694 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the function name, not @code{xface})
19700 @node Picon Useless Configuration
19701 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
19709 The following variables offer further control over how things are
19710 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
19711 don't need to worry about.
19715 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
19716 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
19717 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19718 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
19720 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
19721 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
19722 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
19723 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
19725 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
19726 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
19727 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
19728 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
19729 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
19731 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19732 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
19733 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
19734 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
19735 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
19736 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
19737 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
19738 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19740 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19741 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
19742 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
19743 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
19744 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable name, not @code{xface})
19746 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19747 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
19748 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
19749 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
19750 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
19751 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
19752 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
19754 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19755 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
19756 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
19757 Defaults to @code{nil}.
19759 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
19760 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
19761 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
19762 Defaults to @code{t}.
19764 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19765 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
19766 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
19767 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
19769 @item gnus-picons-setup-hook
19770 @vindex gnus-picons-setup-hook
19771 Hook run in the picon buffer, if that is displayed.
19773 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19774 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
19775 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
19776 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
19778 If @code{nil}, display the picons in the @code{From} and
19779 @code{Newsgroups} lines. This is the default.
19781 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19782 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
19783 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
19784 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
19785 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
19786 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
19787 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
19788 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
19799 @subsection Smileys
19804 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/BigFace,height=20cm}}
19809 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
19810 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
19812 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
19813 @file{.gnus.el} file:
19816 (setq gnus-treat-display-smileys t)
19819 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
19820 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
19821 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
19822 text and maps that to file names.
19824 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
19825 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
19826 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
19827 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
19828 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
19829 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
19831 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
19832 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
19834 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
19835 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
19836 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
19838 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
19839 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
19843 @item smiley-data-directory
19844 @vindex smiley-data-directory
19845 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
19847 @item smiley-flesh-color
19848 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
19849 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
19851 @item smiley-features-color
19852 @vindex smiley-features-color
19853 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19855 @item smiley-tongue-color
19856 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
19857 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
19859 @item smiley-circle-color
19860 @vindex smiley-circle-color
19861 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
19863 @item smiley-mouse-face
19864 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
19865 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
19874 @code{X-Face} headers describe a 48x48 pixel black-and-white image
19875 that's supposed to represent the author of the message. It seems to
19876 be supported by an ever-growing number of mail and news readers.
19879 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
19880 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
19881 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
19882 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
19890 Decoding an @code{X-Face} header either requires an Emacs that has
19891 @samp{compface} support (which most XEmacs versions has), or that you
19892 have @samp{compface} installed on your system. If either is true,
19893 Gnus will default to displaying @code{X-Face} headers.
19895 The variable that controls this is the
19896 @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable. If this variable is a
19897 string, this string will be executed in a sub-shell. If it is a
19898 function, this function will be called with the face as the argument.
19899 If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which is a regexp) matches
19900 the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
19902 The default action under Emacs 20 is to fork off the @code{display}
19903 program@footnote{@code{display} is from the ImageMagick package. For
19904 the @code{uncompface} and @code{icontopbm} programs look for a package
19905 like @code{compface} or @code{faces-xface} on a GNU/Linux system.} to
19908 Under XEmacs or Emacs 21+ with suitable image support, the default
19909 action is to display the face before the @code{From} header. (It's
19910 nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with @code{X-Face} support---that
19911 will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native @code{X-Face}
19912 support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
19913 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and
19914 friends.@footnote{On a GNU/Linux system look for packages with names
19915 like @code{netpbm}, @code{libgr-progs} and @code{compface}.})
19917 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable/function names, not
19922 @subsection Toolbar
19932 @item gnus-use-toolbar
19933 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
19934 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
19935 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
19936 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
19938 @item gnus-group-toolbar
19939 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
19940 The toolbar in the group buffer.
19942 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
19943 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
19944 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
19946 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19947 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
19948 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
19954 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
19957 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19958 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
19959 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
19960 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
19961 unusual directory structure.
19963 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19964 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
19965 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
19966 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
19968 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19969 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
19970 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
19971 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
19972 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
19973 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
19975 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19976 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
19977 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
19991 @node Fuzzy Matching
19992 @section Fuzzy Matching
19993 @cindex fuzzy matching
19995 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
19996 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
19998 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
19999 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
20000 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
20002 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
20003 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
20004 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
20005 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
20006 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
20009 @node Thwarting Email Spam
20010 @section Thwarting Email Spam
20014 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
20016 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
20017 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
20018 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
20019 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
20020 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
20021 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
20022 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
20023 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
20026 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
20027 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
20028 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
20029 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
20030 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
20031 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
20035 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
20036 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
20038 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
20039 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
20040 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
20041 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
20042 sysadmin whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
20043 part of the mail address.)
20046 (setq message-default-news-headers
20047 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
20050 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
20051 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
20056 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
20057 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
20058 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
20064 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
20065 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
20066 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
20067 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
20069 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
20070 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
20071 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
20072 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
20073 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
20074 your fancy split rule in this way:
20079 (to "larsi" "misc")
20083 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
20084 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
20085 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
20086 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
20087 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
20089 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
20090 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
20091 at @* @uref{http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html}.
20092 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
20093 cosmic balance somewhat.
20095 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
20096 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
20097 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
20098 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
20101 @node Various Various
20102 @section Various Various
20108 @item gnus-home-directory
20109 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
20110 defaults to @file{~/}.
20112 @item gnus-directory
20113 @vindex gnus-directory
20114 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
20115 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
20116 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
20118 Note that Gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
20119 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
20120 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
20121 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
20123 @item gnus-default-directory
20124 @vindex gnus-default-directory
20125 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
20126 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
20127 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
20128 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
20129 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
20130 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
20133 @vindex gnus-verbose
20134 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
20135 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
20136 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
20137 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
20138 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
20140 @item gnus-verbose-backends
20141 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
20142 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
20143 to the Gnus back ends instead of Gnus proper.
20145 @item nnheader-max-head-length
20146 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
20147 When the back ends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
20148 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
20149 the absolute max length the back ends will try to read before giving up
20150 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
20151 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
20152 @code{t}, the back ends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
20153 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
20154 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
20156 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
20157 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
20158 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
20159 read when doing the operation described above.
20161 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
20162 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
20164 @cindex invalid characters in file names
20165 @cindex characters in file names
20166 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
20167 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
20168 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
20171 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
20175 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
20176 Windows (phooey) systems.
20178 @item gnus-hidden-properties
20179 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
20180 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
20181 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
20182 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
20184 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
20185 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
20186 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
20187 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
20188 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
20190 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
20191 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
20192 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
20194 @item gnus-invalid-group-regexp
20195 @vindex gnus-invalid-group-regexp
20197 Regexp to match ``invalid'' group names when querying user for a group
20198 name. The default value catches some @strong{really} invalid group
20199 names who could possibly mess up Gnus internally (like allowing
20200 @samp{:} in a group name, which is normally used to delimit method and
20203 @sc{imap} users might want to allow @samp{/} in group names though.
20211 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
20212 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
20214 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
20216 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
20222 Not because of victories @*
20225 but for the common sunshine,@*
20227 the largess of the spring.
20231 but for the day's work done@*
20232 as well as I was able;@*
20233 not for a seat upon the dais@*
20234 but at the common table.@*
20239 @chapter Appendices
20242 * XEmacs:: Requirements for installing under XEmacs.
20243 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
20244 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
20245 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
20246 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
20247 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
20248 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
20249 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
20250 * Frequently Asked Questions::
20257 @cindex Installing under XEmacs
20259 XEmacs is distributed as a collection of packages. You should install
20260 whatever packages the Gnus XEmacs package requires. The current
20261 requirements are @samp{gnus}, @samp{w3}, @samp{mh-e},
20262 @samp{mailcrypt}, @samp{rmail}, @samp{eterm}, @samp{mail-lib},
20263 @samp{xemacs-base}, and @samp{fsf-compat}.
20270 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
20271 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
20273 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage,
20274 you can point your (feh!) web browser to
20275 @uref{http://quimby.gnus.org/}. This is also the primary
20276 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is
20277 known as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
20279 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
20280 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
20281 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
20282 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
20283 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
20284 appropriate name, don't you think?)
20286 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
20287 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
20288 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
20289 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
20292 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
20293 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
20294 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
20295 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
20296 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
20297 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
20298 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
20299 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
20300 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
20304 @node Gnus Versions
20305 @subsection Gnus Versions
20306 @cindex Pterodactyl Gnus
20308 @cindex September Gnus
20309 @cindex Quassia Gnus
20311 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
20312 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
20313 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
20315 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
20316 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
20318 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
20319 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
20321 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37 releases.
20322 If was released as ``Gnus 5.6'' on March 8th 1998 (46 releases).
20324 Gnus 5.6 begat Pterodactyl Gnus on August 29th 1998 and was released as
20325 ``Gnus 5.8'' (after 99 releases and a CVS repository) on December 3rd
20328 On the 26th of October 2000, Oort Gnus was begun.
20330 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
20331 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'',
20332 ``Pterodactyl Gnus'', ``Oort Gnus'' -- don't panic. Don't let it know
20333 that you're frightened. Back away. Slowly. Whatever you do, don't
20334 run. Walk away, calmly, until you're out of its reach. Find a proper
20335 released version of Gnus and snuggle up to that instead.
20338 @node Other Gnus Versions
20339 @subsection Other Gnus Versions
20342 In addition to the versions of Gnus which have had their releases
20343 coordinated by Lars, one major development has been Semi-gnus from
20344 Japan. It's based on a library called @sc{semi}, which provides
20345 @sc{mime} capabilities.
20347 These Gnusae are based mainly on Gnus 5.6 and Pterodactyl Gnus.
20348 Collectively, they are called ``Semi-gnus'', and different strains are
20349 called T-gnus, ET-gnus, Nana-gnus and Chaos. These provide powerful
20350 @sc{mime} and multilingualization things, especially important for
20357 What's the point of Gnus?
20359 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
20360 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
20361 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
20362 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
20363 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
20364 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
20365 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
20366 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
20367 keep track of millions of people who post?
20369 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
20370 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
20371 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
20372 to separate the newsreader from the back ends, Gnus now offers a simple
20373 interface for anybody who wants to write new back ends for fetching mail
20374 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
20375 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
20376 every one of you to explore and invent.
20378 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
20379 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
20382 @node Compatibility
20383 @subsection Compatibility
20385 @cindex compatibility
20386 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
20387 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
20388 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
20393 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
20397 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
20400 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
20403 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
20404 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
20405 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
20406 important variables have their values copied into their global
20407 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
20408 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
20410 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
20411 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
20412 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
20413 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
20414 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
20418 @cindex highlighting
20419 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
20420 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
20421 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
20422 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
20423 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
20424 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
20427 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
20428 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
20429 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
20430 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
20432 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
20433 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
20434 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
20435 to stop doing it the old way.
20437 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
20439 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
20441 @cindex reporting bugs
20443 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
20444 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
20445 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
20447 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
20448 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
20449 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
20450 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
20455 @subsection Conformity
20457 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
20458 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
20465 There are no known breaches of this standard.
20469 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
20471 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
20472 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
20473 We do have some breaches to this one.
20479 These are considered to be ``vanity headers'', while I consider them
20480 to be consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted
20481 articles coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use
20482 either of those for posting articles. I would not have known that if
20483 it wasn't for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
20488 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
20489 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
20490 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
20491 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
20495 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
20496 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
20501 @subsection Emacsen
20507 Gnus should work on :
20515 XEmacs 20.4 and up.
20519 This Gnus version will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than
20520 that. Not reliably, at least. Older versions of Gnus may work on older
20523 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
20524 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
20525 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
20529 @node Gnus Development
20530 @subsection Gnus Development
20532 Gnus is developed in a two-phased cycle. The first phase involves much
20533 discussion on the @samp{ding@@gnus.org} mailing list, where people
20534 propose changes and new features, post patches and new back ends. This
20535 phase is called the @dfn{alpha} phase, since the Gnusae released in this
20536 phase are @dfn{alpha releases}, or (perhaps more commonly in other
20537 circles) @dfn{snapshots}. During this phase, Gnus is assumed to be
20538 unstable and should not be used by casual users. Gnus alpha releases
20539 have names like ``Red Gnus'' and ``Quassia Gnus''.
20541 After futzing around for 50-100 alpha releases, Gnus is declared
20542 @dfn{frozen}, and only bug fixes are applied. Gnus loses the prefix,
20543 and is called things like ``Gnus 5.6.32'' instead. Normal people are
20544 supposed to be able to use these, and these are mostly discussed on the
20545 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} newsgroup.
20548 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
20549 Some variable defaults differ between alpha Gnusae and released Gnusae.
20550 In particular, @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} defaults to @code{nil} in
20551 alpha Gnusae and @code{t} in released Gnusae. This is to prevent
20552 lossage of mail if an alpha release hiccups while handling the mail.
20554 The division of discussion between the ding mailing list and the Gnus
20555 newsgroup is not purely based on publicity concerns. It's true that
20556 having people write about the horrible things that an alpha Gnus release
20557 can do (sometimes) in a public forum may scare people off, but more
20558 importantly, talking about new experimental features that have been
20559 introduced may confuse casual users. New features are frequently
20560 introduced, fiddled with, and judged to be found wanting, and then
20561 either discarded or totally rewritten. People reading the mailing list
20562 usually keep up with these rapid changes, while people on the newsgroup
20563 can't be assumed to do so.
20568 @subsection Contributors
20569 @cindex contributors
20571 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
20572 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
20573 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
20574 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
20575 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
20576 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
20577 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
20578 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
20579 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
20580 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
20582 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
20588 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
20591 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el, webmail.el,
20592 nnwarchive and many, many other things connected with @sc{mime} and
20593 other types of en/decoding, as well as general bug fixing, new
20594 functionality and stuff.
20597 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
20598 well as numerous other things).
20601 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
20604 Joe Reiss---creator of the smiley faces.
20607 Justin Sheehy--the FAQ maintainer.
20610 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
20613 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
20614 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
20617 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
20620 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
20621 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
20624 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
20627 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
20630 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
20633 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
20636 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
20637 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
20640 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
20643 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
20646 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
20649 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
20653 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
20656 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
20659 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
20662 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
20663 well as autoconf support.
20667 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
20668 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
20670 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
20679 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
20683 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
20693 Alexei V. Barantsev,
20708 Massimo Campostrini,
20713 Jae-you Chung, @c ?
20714 James H. Cloos, Jr.,
20718 Andrew J. Cosgriff,
20721 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
20727 Michael Welsh Duggan,
20732 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
20736 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
20744 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
20746 Michelangelo Grigni,
20750 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
20752 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
20754 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
20761 François Felix Ingrand,
20762 Tatsuya Ichikawa, @c ?
20763 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
20765 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
20776 Peter Skov Knudsen,
20777 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
20779 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
20780 Thor Kristoffersen,
20783 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
20801 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
20802 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
20809 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
20814 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
20818 John McClary Prevost,
20824 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
20829 Christian von Roques,
20832 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
20839 Philippe Schnoebelen,
20841 Randal L. Schwartz,
20855 Kiyokazu Suto, @c Suto
20860 Tozawa Akihiko, @c Tozawa
20876 Katsumi Yamaoka @c Yamaoka
20881 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
20882 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
20883 (550kB and counting).
20885 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
20888 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
20889 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
20893 @subsection New Features
20894 @cindex new features
20897 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
20898 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
20899 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
20900 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
20901 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
20904 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
20905 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
20906 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
20909 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
20911 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
20916 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
20917 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
20920 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
20921 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
20924 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
20927 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
20928 All the mail back ends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
20929 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
20932 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
20933 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
20934 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
20935 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
20938 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
20939 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20942 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
20943 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
20944 (@pxref{The Active File}).
20947 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
20948 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
20951 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
20952 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
20953 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
20956 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
20957 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
20958 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
20961 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
20962 the @file{.emacs} file.
20965 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
20966 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
20969 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
20970 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
20973 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
20974 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
20977 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
20978 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
20981 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
20982 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
20985 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
20988 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
20989 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
20992 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
20993 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
20996 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
20997 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
21000 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
21003 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
21004 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
21007 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
21011 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
21015 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
21016 configuration (@pxref{Window Layout}).
21019 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
21025 @node September Gnus
21026 @subsubsection September Gnus
21030 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/september,height=20cm}}
21034 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
21039 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
21040 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
21044 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
21045 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
21049 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
21053 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
21054 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
21057 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
21061 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
21064 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
21067 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
21070 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
21074 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
21075 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
21078 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
21082 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
21086 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
21090 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
21094 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
21097 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
21098 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
21101 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
21105 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
21106 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
21109 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
21112 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
21113 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
21114 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
21117 Gnus has a new back end (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
21121 The Gnus cache is much faster.
21124 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
21128 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
21129 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
21132 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
21133 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
21136 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
21137 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
21140 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
21141 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
21142 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
21145 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
21146 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
21149 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
21152 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
21155 All mail back ends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
21158 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
21161 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
21162 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
21165 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Window
21169 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
21172 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}}
21177 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
21180 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
21184 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
21187 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
21191 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
21194 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
21197 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
21198 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
21201 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
21202 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
21206 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
21207 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
21210 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
21214 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
21215 buffer to allow easier treatment.
21218 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
21221 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
21225 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
21229 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
21230 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
21233 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
21237 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
21238 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
21241 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
21242 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
21245 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
21249 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
21252 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
21255 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
21261 @subsubsection Red Gnus
21263 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
21267 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/red,height=20cm}}
21274 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
21277 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
21278 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
21281 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
21282 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
21286 Article washing status can be displayed in the
21287 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
21290 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
21293 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
21294 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
21297 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
21301 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
21302 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
21306 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
21307 Server Internals}).
21310 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
21314 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
21317 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
21318 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
21321 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
21322 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
21323 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
21326 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
21327 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21330 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
21331 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
21334 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{C-M-_}
21338 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
21339 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21342 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
21343 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
21346 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
21350 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
21353 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
21357 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
21358 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
21361 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
21362 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
21365 A new command for reading collections of documents
21366 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{C-M-d}
21367 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
21370 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
21374 A new mail-to-news back end makes it possible to post even when the @sc{nntp}
21375 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
21378 A new back end for reading searches from Web search engines
21379 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
21380 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
21383 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
21384 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
21388 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
21392 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
21396 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}}
21401 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
21405 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
21409 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
21410 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
21413 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
21419 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
21421 New features in Gnus 5.6:
21426 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
21427 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
21428 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
21431 The @code{nndraft} back end has returned, but works differently than
21432 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
21433 group, which is created automatically.
21436 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
21440 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
21443 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
21444 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
21447 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
21451 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
21454 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
21455 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
21458 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
21461 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
21462 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
21465 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
21466 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
21469 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
21470 control over simplification.
21473 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
21476 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
21480 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
21483 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
21486 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
21487 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
21488 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
21491 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
21492 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
21495 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
21499 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
21500 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
21503 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
21504 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
21507 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
21511 A history of where mails have been split is available.
21514 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
21517 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
21518 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
21521 A new function for citing in Message has been
21522 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
21525 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
21528 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
21532 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
21533 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
21536 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
21537 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
21540 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} back end.
21543 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
21547 @node Pterodactyl Gnus
21548 @subsubsection Pterodactyl Gnus
21550 New features in Gnus 5.8:
21555 The mail-fetching functions have changed. See the manual for the
21556 many details. In particular, all procmail fetching variables are gone.
21558 If you used procmail like in
21561 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
21562 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
21563 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/mail/incoming/")
21564 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "\\.in")
21567 this now has changed to
21571 '((directory :path "~/mail/incoming/"
21575 More information is available in the info doc at Select Methods ->
21576 Getting Mail -> Mail Sources
21579 Gnus is now a MIME-capable reader. This affects many parts of
21580 Gnus, and adds a slew of new commands. See the manual for details.
21583 Gnus has also been multilingualized. This also affects too
21584 many parts of Gnus to summarize here, and adds many new variables.
21587 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} can now be a function to be
21588 called to position point.
21591 The user can now decide which extra headers should be included in
21592 summary buffers and NOV files.
21595 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} has been removed. Instead, a number
21596 of variables starting with @code{gnus-treat-} have been added.
21599 The Gnus posting styles have been redone again and now works in a
21600 subtly different manner.
21603 New web-based back ends have been added: @code{nnslashdot},
21604 @code{nnwarchive} and @code{nnultimate}. nnweb has been revamped,
21605 again, to keep up with ever-changing layouts.
21608 Gnus can now read IMAP mail via @code{nnimap}.
21616 @section The Manual
21620 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
21621 either @code{texi2dvi}
21623 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
21624 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
21626 to get what you hold in your hands now.
21628 The following conventions have been used:
21633 This is a @samp{string}
21636 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
21639 This is a @file{file}
21642 This is a @code{symbol}
21646 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
21650 (setq flargnoze "yes")
21653 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
21656 (setq flumphel 'yes)
21659 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
21660 ever get them confused.
21664 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
21665 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
21666 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
21667 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
21668 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
21669 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
21670 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
21676 @node On Writing Manuals
21677 @section On Writing Manuals
21679 I guess most manuals are written after-the-fact; documenting a program
21680 that's already there. This is not how this manual is written. When
21681 implementing something, I write the manual entry for that something
21682 straight away. I then see that it's difficult to explain the
21683 functionality, so I write how it's supposed to be, and then I change the
21684 implementation. Writing the documentation and writing the code goes
21687 This, of course, means that this manual has no, or little, flow. It
21688 documents absolutely everything in Gnus, but often not where you're
21689 looking for it. It is a reference manual, and not a guide to how to get
21692 That would be a totally different book, that should be written using the
21693 reference manual as source material. It would look quite differently.
21698 @section Terminology
21700 @cindex terminology
21705 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
21706 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
21707 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
21708 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
21709 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
21713 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
21714 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
21715 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
21716 not posting, and replying is not following up.
21720 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
21724 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
21729 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of back ends, both news and mail
21730 back ends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
21731 is all done by the back ends.
21735 Gnus will always use one method (and back end) as the @dfn{native}, or
21736 default, way of getting news.
21740 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
21741 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary back ends for getting
21746 Secondary back ends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
21747 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
21751 A message that has been posted as news.
21754 @cindex mail message
21755 A message that has been mailed.
21759 A mail message or news article
21763 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
21768 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
21773 A line from the head of an article.
21777 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
21778 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
21782 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the back end for the headers of all
21783 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
21784 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
21785 normal @sc{head} format.
21789 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
21790 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
21791 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
21792 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
21793 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
21794 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
21796 @item killed groups
21797 @cindex killed groups
21798 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
21799 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
21801 @item zombie groups
21802 @cindex zombie groups
21803 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
21806 @cindex active file
21807 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
21808 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
21809 is rather large, as you might surmise.
21812 @cindex bogus groups
21813 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
21814 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
21815 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
21818 @cindex activating groups
21819 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
21820 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
21821 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
21825 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
21827 @item select method
21828 @cindex select method
21829 A structure that specifies the back end, the server and the virtual
21832 @item virtual server
21833 @cindex virtual server
21834 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
21835 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
21836 whole is a virtual server.
21840 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
21841 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
21844 @item ephemeral groups
21845 @cindex ephemeral groups
21846 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
21847 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
21848 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
21851 @cindex solid groups
21852 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
21853 group buffer are solid groups.
21855 @item sparse articles
21856 @cindex sparse articles
21857 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
21858 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
21862 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
21863 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
21867 @cindex thread root
21868 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
21869 articles in the thread.
21873 An article that has responses.
21877 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
21881 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
21882 specified by RFC 1153.
21888 @node Customization
21889 @section Customization
21890 @cindex general customization
21892 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
21893 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
21894 for some quite common situations.
21897 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
21898 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
21899 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
21900 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
21904 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
21905 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
21907 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
21908 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
21909 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
21913 @item gnus-read-active-file
21914 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
21915 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
21916 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
21917 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
21918 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
21920 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
21921 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
21922 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
21923 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
21927 @node Slow Terminal Connection
21928 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
21930 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
21931 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
21932 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
21936 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
21937 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
21938 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
21939 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
21940 horizontal and vertical recentering.
21942 @item gnus-visible-headers
21943 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
21944 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
21945 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
21946 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
21948 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
21950 (setq gnus-treat-hide-headers 'head
21951 gnus-treat-hide-signature t
21952 gnus-treat-hide-citation t)
21955 @item gnus-use-full-window
21956 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
21957 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
21958 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
21959 want to read them anyway.
21961 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
21962 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
21965 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
21966 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
21967 lines, which might save some time.
21971 @node Little Disk Space
21972 @subsection Little Disk Space
21975 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
21976 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
21980 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
21981 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
21982 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21983 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21986 @item gnus-read-newsrc-file
21987 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never read @file{.newsrc}---it will
21988 only read @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
21989 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
21992 @item gnus-save-killed-list
21993 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
21994 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
21995 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
21996 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
22002 @subsection Slow Machine
22003 @cindex slow machine
22005 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
22006 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
22008 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
22009 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
22011 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
22012 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
22013 summary buffer faster.
22017 @node Troubleshooting
22018 @section Troubleshooting
22019 @cindex troubleshooting
22021 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
22029 Make sure your computer is switched on.
22032 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
22033 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
22037 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
22038 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
22039 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
22040 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
22043 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
22047 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
22048 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
22049 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
22050 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
22051 something like that.
22054 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
22057 @cindex reporting bugs
22059 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
22061 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
22062 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
22063 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
22064 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
22066 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
22067 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
22068 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
22069 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
22072 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
22073 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
22074 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
22075 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
22076 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
22077 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
22079 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
22080 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
22081 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
22085 If you would like to contribute a patch to fix bugs or make
22086 improvements, please produce the patch using @samp{diff -u}.
22088 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
22089 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
22091 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
22092 @cindex ding mailing list
22093 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
22094 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
22098 @node Gnus Reference Guide
22099 @section Gnus Reference Guide
22101 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
22102 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
22103 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
22104 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
22107 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
22108 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
22109 back ends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
22110 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
22111 and general methods of operation.
22114 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
22115 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
22116 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
22117 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
22118 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
22119 * Group Info:: The group info format.
22120 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
22121 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
22122 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
22126 @node Gnus Utility Functions
22127 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
22128 @cindex Gnus utility functions
22129 @cindex utility functions
22131 @cindex internal variables
22133 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
22134 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
22135 Below is a list of the most common ones.
22139 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
22140 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
22141 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
22143 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
22144 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
22145 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
22147 @item gnus-group-real-name
22148 @findex gnus-group-real-name
22149 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
22152 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
22153 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
22154 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
22155 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
22157 @item gnus-get-info
22158 @findex gnus-get-info
22159 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
22161 @item gnus-group-unread
22162 @findex gnus-group-unread
22163 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
22167 @findex gnus-active
22168 The active entry for @var{group}.
22170 @item gnus-set-active
22171 @findex gnus-set-active
22172 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
22174 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
22175 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
22176 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
22179 @item gnus-continuum-version
22180 @findex gnus-continuum-version
22181 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
22182 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
22185 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
22186 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
22187 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
22189 @item gnus-news-group-p
22190 @findex gnus-news-group-p
22191 Says whether @var{group} came from a news back end.
22193 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
22194 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
22195 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
22197 @item gnus-server-to-method
22198 @findex gnus-server-to-method
22199 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
22201 @item gnus-server-equal
22202 @findex gnus-server-equal
22203 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
22205 @item gnus-group-native-p
22206 @findex gnus-group-native-p
22207 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
22209 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
22210 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
22211 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
22213 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
22214 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
22215 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
22217 @item group-group-find-parameter
22218 @findex group-group-find-parameter
22219 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
22220 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
22222 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
22223 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
22224 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
22226 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
22227 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
22228 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
22230 @item gnus-check-backend-function
22231 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
22232 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the back end
22233 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
22236 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
22240 @item gnus-read-method
22241 @findex gnus-read-method
22242 Prompts the user for a select method.
22247 @node Back End Interface
22248 @subsection Back End Interface
22250 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
22251 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
22252 server is a @dfn{back end} and some @dfn{back end variables}. As examples
22253 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
22254 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
22255 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
22257 When Gnus asks for information from a back end---say @code{nntp}---on
22258 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
22259 function parameters. (If not, the back end should use the ``current''
22260 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
22261 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
22262 been opened, the function should fail.
22264 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
22265 name. Take this example:
22269 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
22270 (nntp-port-number 4324))
22273 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
22274 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
22276 The back ends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
22277 The standard back ends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
22278 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
22280 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
22281 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
22282 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
22284 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
22285 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
22286 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
22287 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
22288 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
22289 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
22292 Some back ends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} back ends, and
22293 some might be said not to be. The latter are back ends that generally
22294 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
22295 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
22298 Gnus identifies each message by way of group name and article number. A
22299 few remarks about these article numbers might be useful. First of all,
22300 the numbers are positive integers. Secondly, it is normally not
22301 possible for later articles to `re-use' older article numbers without
22302 confusing Gnus. That is, if a group has ever contained a message
22303 numbered 42, then no other message may get that number, or Gnus will get
22304 mightily confused.@footnote{See the function
22305 @code{nnchoke-request-update-info}, @ref{Optional Back End Functions}.}
22306 Third, article numbers must be assigned in order of arrival in the
22307 group; this is not necessarily the same as the date of the message.
22309 The previous paragraph already mentions all the `hard' restrictions that
22310 article numbers must fulfill. But it seems that it might be useful to
22311 assign @emph{consecutive} article numbers, for Gnus gets quite confused
22312 if there are holes in the article numbering sequence. However, due to
22313 the `no-reuse' restriction, holes cannot be avoided altogether. It's
22314 also useful for the article numbers to start at 1 to avoid running out
22315 of numbers as long as possible.
22317 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary back end
22320 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
22323 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
22324 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
22325 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
22326 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
22327 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
22328 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
22332 @node Required Back End Functions
22333 @subsubsection Required Back End Functions
22337 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
22339 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
22340 @code{Message-ID}s. Current back ends do not fully support either---only
22341 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most back ends do not support
22342 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
22344 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
22345 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
22346 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
22347 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
22349 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
22350 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
22351 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
22352 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
22353 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the back end finds it
22354 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
22355 number, do maximum fetches.
22357 Here's an example HEAD:
22360 221 1056 Article retrieved.
22361 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
22362 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
22363 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
22364 Subject: Re: Something very droll
22365 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
22366 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
22368 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
22369 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
22370 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
22374 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
22375 these in the data buffer.
22377 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
22381 head = error / valid-head
22382 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
22383 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
22384 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
22385 header = <text> eol
22388 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
22389 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
22393 nov-buffer = *nov-line
22394 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
22395 field = <text except TAB>
22398 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
22402 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
22404 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
22405 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
22407 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The back end
22408 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
22409 server. In fact, it should do so.
22411 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
22412 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
22415 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
22417 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
22418 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
22421 There should be no data returned.
22424 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
22426 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the back end
22427 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that back end
22428 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
22429 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
22431 There should be no data returned.
22434 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
22436 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
22437 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
22438 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
22439 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
22441 There should be no data returned.
22444 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
22446 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
22448 There should be no data returned.
22451 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
22453 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
22454 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
22455 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
22456 it would be nice if that were possible.
22458 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
22459 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
22460 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
22461 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
22462 into its article buffer.
22464 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
22465 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
22466 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
22467 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
22468 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
22469 on successful article retrieval.
22472 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
22474 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
22475 making @var{group} the current group.
22477 If @var{fast}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
22480 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
22483 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
22486 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
22487 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
22488 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
22489 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
22490 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
22491 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
22492 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
22493 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
22496 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
22497 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
22498 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
22502 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22504 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
22505 a no-op on most back ends.
22507 There should be no data returned.
22510 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
22512 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
22515 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
22518 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
22519 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
22522 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
22523 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
22526 active-file = *active-line
22527 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
22529 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
22532 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
22533 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
22534 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
22537 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
22539 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
22540 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
22541 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
22542 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
22543 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
22544 clear if the posting could not be completed.
22546 There should be no result data from this function.
22551 @node Optional Back End Functions
22552 @subsubsection Optional Back End Functions
22556 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
22558 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
22559 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
22560 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
22562 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
22563 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
22564 former is in the same format as the data from
22565 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
22566 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
22569 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
22573 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
22575 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the back end for
22576 alterations. This comes in handy if the back end really carries all the
22577 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
22578 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
22579 should return the (altered) group info.
22581 There should be no result data from this function.
22584 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
22586 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
22587 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
22588 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
22589 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
22590 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
22591 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
22592 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
22593 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
22595 There should be no result data from this function.
22598 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
22600 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
22601 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
22602 @code{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some back ends (such as @sc{imap}) however carry
22603 all information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to
22604 propagate the mark information to the server.
22606 ACTION is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
22609 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
22612 RANGE is a range of articles you wish to update marks on. ACTION is
22613 @code{add} or @code{del}, used to add marks or remove marks
22614 (preserving all marks not mentioned). MARK is a list of marks; where
22615 each mark is a symbol. Currently used marks are @code{read},
22616 @code{tick}, @code{reply}, @code{expire}, @code{killed},
22617 @code{dormant}, @code{save}, @code{download}, @code{unsend},
22618 @code{forward} and @code{recent}, but your back end should, if
22619 possible, not limit itself to these.
22621 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
22622 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
22623 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
22624 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
22626 An example action list:
22629 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
22630 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
22631 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
22634 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
22635 mark on (currently not used for anything).
22637 There should be no result data from this function.
22639 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
22641 If the user tries to set a mark that the back end doesn't like, this
22642 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
22643 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
22644 @var{mark}. If the back end doesn't care, it must return the original
22645 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
22647 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
22648 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
22649 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
22652 There should be no result data from this function.
22655 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
22657 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
22658 request that the back end check for incoming articles, in one way or
22659 another. A mail back end will typically read the spool file or query the
22660 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
22661 to be heeded---if the back end decides that it is too much work just
22662 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
22663 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
22665 There should be no result data from this function.
22668 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
22670 The result data from this function should be a description of
22674 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
22676 description = <text>
22679 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
22681 The result data from this function should be the description of all
22682 groups available on the server.
22685 description-buffer = *description-line
22689 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
22691 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
22692 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date format
22693 (i.e., the date format used in mail and news headers, and returned by
22694 the function @code{message-make-date} by default). The data should be
22695 in the active buffer format.
22697 It is okay for this function to return `too many' groups; some back ends
22698 might find it cheaper to return the full list of groups, rather than
22699 just the new groups. But don't do this for back ends with many groups.
22700 Normally, if the user creates the groups herself, there won't be too
22701 many groups, so nnml and the like are probably safe. But for back ends
22702 like nntp, where the groups have been created by the server, it is quite
22703 likely that there can be many groups.
22706 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
22708 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
22710 There should be no return data.
22713 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
22715 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
22716 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
22717 numbers.) It is left up to the back end to decide how old articles
22718 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
22719 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
22722 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
22725 There should be no result data returned.
22728 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
22731 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
22732 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
22734 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
22735 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
22736 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
22737 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
22738 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
22739 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
22741 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
22742 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
22745 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22746 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22748 There should be no data returned.
22751 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
22753 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
22754 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
22755 this function in short order.
22757 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
22758 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
22760 There should be no data returned.
22763 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
22765 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
22766 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
22768 There should be no data returned.
22771 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
22773 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
22774 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
22775 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
22777 There should be no data returned.
22780 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
22782 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
22783 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
22785 There should be no data returned.
22790 @node Error Messaging
22791 @subsubsection Error Messaging
22793 @findex nnheader-report
22794 @findex nnheader-get-report
22795 The back ends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
22796 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
22797 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the back end
22798 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
22799 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
22800 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
22803 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
22805 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
22808 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
22809 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
22810 recently reported message for the back end in question. This function
22811 takes one argument---the server symbol.
22813 Internally, these functions access @var{back-end}@code{-status-string},
22814 so the @code{nnchoke} back end will have its error message stored in
22815 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
22818 @node Writing New Back Ends
22819 @subsubsection Writing New Back Ends
22821 Many back ends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
22822 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
22823 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
22824 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
22825 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
22828 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
22829 back ends when writing new back ends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
22830 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
22832 All the back ends declare their public variables and functions by using a
22833 package called @code{nnoo}.
22835 To inherit functions from other back ends (and allow other back ends to
22836 inherit functions from the current back end), you should use the
22842 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
22843 parameters. For instance:
22846 (nnoo-declare nndir
22850 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
22851 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
22854 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
22855 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
22856 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
22858 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
22859 variables in the parent back ends to map the variable to when executing
22860 a function in those back ends.
22863 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22864 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22865 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22868 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
22869 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
22870 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
22872 @item nnoo-define-basics
22873 This macro defines some common functions that almost all back ends should
22877 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22881 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
22882 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
22883 function as being public so that other back ends can inherit it.
22885 @item nnoo-map-functions
22886 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current back end to
22887 functions from the parent back ends.
22890 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22891 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22892 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
22895 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
22896 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
22897 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
22898 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
22901 This macro allows importing functions from back ends. It should be the
22902 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
22903 haven't already been defined.
22909 nnmh-request-newgroups)
22913 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
22914 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
22915 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
22920 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} back end.
22923 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
22924 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
22928 (require 'nnheader)
22932 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
22934 (nnoo-declare nndir
22937 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
22938 "Where nndir will look for groups."
22939 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
22941 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
22942 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
22945 (defvoo nndir-current-group ""
22947 nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
22948 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
22949 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
22951 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
22952 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
22954 ;;; Interface functions.
22956 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
22958 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
22959 (setq nndir-directory
22960 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
22962 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
22963 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
22964 (push `(nndir-current-group
22965 ,(file-name-nondirectory
22966 (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22968 (push `(nndir-top-directory
22969 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
22971 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
22973 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
22974 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22975 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
22976 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
22977 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
22981 nnmh-status-message
22983 nnmh-request-newgroups))
22989 @node Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22990 @subsubsection Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
22992 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
22993 @findex gnus-declare-backend
22994 Having Gnus start using your new back end is rather easy---you just
22995 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
22996 enter the back end into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
22998 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the back end name and
22999 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
23004 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
23007 The above line would then go in the @file{nnchoke.el} file.
23009 The abilities can be:
23013 This is a mailish back end---followups should (probably) go via mail.
23015 This is a newsish back end---followups should (probably) go via news.
23017 This back end supports both mail and news.
23019 This is neither a post nor mail back end---it's something completely
23022 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
23023 articles and groups.
23025 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
23026 true for almost all back ends.
23027 @item prompt-address
23028 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
23029 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for back ends like
23030 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
23034 @node Mail-like Back Ends
23035 @subsubsection Mail-like Back Ends
23037 One of the things that separate the mail back ends from the rest of the
23038 back ends is the heavy dependence by the mail back ends on common
23039 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
23040 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
23043 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
23044 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
23045 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
23048 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
23049 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
23052 This function takes four parameters.
23056 This should be a symbol to designate which back end is responsible for
23059 @item exit-function
23060 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
23062 @item temp-directory
23063 Where the temporary files should be stored.
23066 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
23067 performed for one group only.
23070 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{back-end}@code{-save-mail} to
23071 save each article. @var{back-end}@code{-active-number} will be called to
23072 find the article number assigned to this article.
23074 The function also uses the following variables:
23075 @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
23076 this back end); and @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} and
23077 @var{back-end}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
23078 @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
23082 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
23083 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
23087 @node Score File Syntax
23088 @subsection Score File Syntax
23090 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
23091 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
23092 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
23094 Here's a typical score file:
23098 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
23105 BNF definition of a score file:
23108 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
23109 element = rule / atom
23110 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
23111 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
23112 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
23113 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
23115 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
23116 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
23117 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
23118 date-header = "date"
23119 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
23120 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
23121 score = "nil" / <integer>
23122 date = "nil" / <natural number>
23123 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
23124 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
23125 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
23126 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
23127 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
23128 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
23129 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
23130 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
23131 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
23132 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
23133 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
23134 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
23135 exclude-files / read-only / touched
23136 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
23137 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
23138 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
23139 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
23140 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
23141 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
23142 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
23143 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
23144 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
23145 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
23146 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
23147 eval = "eval" space <form>
23148 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
23151 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
23154 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
23155 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
23156 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
23157 one looong line, then that's ok.
23159 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
23160 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
23164 @subsection Headers
23166 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
23167 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
23168 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
23169 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
23171 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
23172 RFC 1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
23173 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
23174 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
23175 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
23176 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
23177 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
23179 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
23180 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
23181 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
23182 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
23183 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
23185 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
23186 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
23192 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
23193 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
23195 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
23196 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
23197 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
23198 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
23200 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
23204 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
23207 is transformed into
23210 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
23213 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
23214 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
23217 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
23220 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
23221 is slightly tricky:
23224 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
23230 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
23233 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
23239 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
23246 and is equal to the previous range.
23248 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
23249 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
23250 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
23254 range = simple-range / normal-range
23255 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
23256 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
23257 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
23258 number *[ " " contents ]
23261 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
23262 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
23263 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
23264 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
23265 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
23270 @subsection Group Info
23272 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
23273 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
23274 describes the group.
23276 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
23277 second is a more complex one:
23280 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
23282 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
23283 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
23285 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
23288 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
23289 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
23290 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
23291 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
23292 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
23293 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
23294 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
23295 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
23296 this section is about.
23298 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
23299 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
23300 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
23302 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
23305 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
23306 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
23307 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
23308 group = quote <string> quote
23309 ralevel = rank / level
23310 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
23311 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
23312 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
23314 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
23315 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
23316 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
23317 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
23320 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
23321 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
23324 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
23325 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
23328 @item gnus-info-group
23329 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
23330 @findex gnus-info-group
23331 @findex gnus-info-set-group
23332 Get/set the group name.
23334 @item gnus-info-rank
23335 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
23336 @findex gnus-info-rank
23337 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
23338 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
23340 @item gnus-info-level
23341 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
23342 @findex gnus-info-level
23343 @findex gnus-info-set-level
23344 Get/set the group level.
23346 @item gnus-info-score
23347 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
23348 @findex gnus-info-score
23349 @findex gnus-info-set-score
23350 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
23352 @item gnus-info-read
23353 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
23354 @findex gnus-info-read
23355 @findex gnus-info-set-read
23356 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
23358 @item gnus-info-marks
23359 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
23360 @findex gnus-info-marks
23361 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
23362 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
23364 @item gnus-info-method
23365 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
23366 @findex gnus-info-method
23367 @findex gnus-info-set-method
23368 Get/set the group select method.
23370 @item gnus-info-params
23371 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
23372 @findex gnus-info-params
23373 @findex gnus-info-set-params
23374 Get/set the group parameters.
23377 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
23378 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
23380 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
23381 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
23382 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
23383 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
23386 @node Extended Interactive
23387 @subsection Extended Interactive
23388 @cindex interactive
23389 @findex gnus-interactive
23391 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
23392 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
23393 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
23396 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
23397 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
23402 The best thing to do would have been to implement
23403 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
23404 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
23405 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
23406 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
23407 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
23408 @code{interactive}.
23410 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
23415 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
23416 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
23420 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
23421 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
23422 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
23425 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
23429 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
23433 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
23439 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
23440 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
23444 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
23445 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
23446 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
23448 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
23449 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
23450 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
23451 Gnus, that's very useful.
23453 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
23454 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
23455 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
23456 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
23457 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
23458 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
23459 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
23460 following function:
23463 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
23467 (,function ,@@args))
23471 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
23472 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
23473 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
23476 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
23477 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
23478 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
23480 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
23481 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
23482 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
23485 @node Various File Formats
23486 @subsection Various File Formats
23489 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
23490 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
23494 @node Active File Format
23495 @subsubsection Active File Format
23497 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
23498 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
23501 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
23504 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
23505 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
23506 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
23507 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
23508 no.general 1000 900 y
23511 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
23514 active = *group-line
23515 group-line = group spc high-number spc low-number spc flag <NEWLINE>
23516 group = <non-white-space string>
23518 high-number = <non-negative integer>
23519 low-number = <positive integer>
23520 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
23523 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
23524 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
23527 @node Newsgroups File Format
23528 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
23530 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
23531 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
23532 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
23535 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
23536 Here's the definition:
23540 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
23541 group = <non-white-space string>
23543 description = <string>
23548 @node Emacs for Heathens
23549 @section Emacs for Heathens
23551 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
23552 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
23553 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{C-M-a}'', ``kill the
23554 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
23555 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
23556 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
23557 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
23561 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
23562 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
23567 @subsection Keystrokes
23571 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
23574 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
23577 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
23578 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
23579 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
23580 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
23581 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
23582 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
23584 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
23585 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
23586 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
23587 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
23588 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
23589 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
23590 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
23592 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
23593 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{C-M-m}
23594 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
23595 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
23596 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
23597 ``Press @kbd{C-M-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
23598 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
23600 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
23601 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
23602 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
23603 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
23604 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
23610 @subsection Emacs Lisp
23612 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
23613 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
23614 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
23615 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
23617 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
23618 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
23619 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
23620 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
23621 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
23622 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
23623 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
23626 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
23627 write the following:
23630 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
23633 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
23634 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
23635 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
23638 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
23639 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
23640 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
23641 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
23642 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
23644 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
23645 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
23646 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
23650 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
23654 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
23657 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
23658 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
23661 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
23664 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
23665 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
23668 @include gnus-faq.texi
23688 @c Local Variables:
23690 @c coding: iso-8859-1
23692 % LocalWords: BNF mucho detailmenu cindex kindex kbd
23693 % LocalWords: findex Gnusae vindex dfn dfn samp nntp setq nnspool nntpserver
23694 % LocalWords: nnmbox newusers Blllrph NEWGROUPS dingnusdingnusdingnus
23695 % LocalWords: pre fab rec comp nnslashdot regex ga ga sci nnml nnbabyl nnmh
23696 % LocalWords: nnfolder emph looong eld newsreaders defun init elc pxref