1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
4 @settitle Semi-gnus 6.10.038 Manual
9 @c * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
14 @setchapternewpage odd
18 \documentclass[twoside,a4paper,openright,11pt]{book}
19 \usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
20 \usepackage{pagestyle}
28 \newcommand{\gnuschaptername}{}
29 \newcommand{\gnussectionname}{}
31 \newcommand{\gnusbackslash}{/}
33 \newcommand{\gnusxref}[1]{See ``#1'' on page \pageref{#1}}
34 \newcommand{\gnuspxref}[1]{see ``#1'' on page \pageref{#1}}
36 \newcommand{\gnuskindex}[1]{\index{#1}}
37 \newcommand{\gnusindex}[1]{\index{#1}}
39 \newcommand{\gnustt}[1]{{\fontfamily{pfu}\fontsize{10pt}{10}\selectfont #1}}
40 \newcommand{\gnuscode}[1]{\gnustt{#1}}
41 \newcommand{\gnussamp}[1]{``{\fontencoding{OT1}\fontfamily{pfu}\fontsize{10pt}{10}\selectfont #1}''}
42 \newcommand{\gnuslisp}[1]{\gnustt{#1}}
43 \newcommand{\gnuskbd}[1]{`\gnustt{#1}'}
44 \newcommand{\gnusfile}[1]{`\gnustt{#1}'}
45 \newcommand{\gnusdfn}[1]{\textit{#1}}
46 \newcommand{\gnusi}[1]{\textit{#1}}
47 \newcommand{\gnusstrong}[1]{\textbf{#1}}
48 \newcommand{\gnusemph}[1]{\textit{#1}}
49 \newcommand{\gnusvar}[1]{{\fontsize{10pt}{10}\selectfont\textsl{\textsf{#1}}}}
50 \newcommand{\gnussc}[1]{\textsc{#1}}
51 \newcommand{\gnustitle}[1]{{\huge\textbf{#1}}}
52 \newcommand{\gnusauthor}[1]{{\large\textbf{#1}}}
54 \newcommand{\gnusbullet}{{${\bullet}$}}
55 \newcommand{\gnusdollar}{\$}
56 \newcommand{\gnusampersand}{\&}
57 \newcommand{\gnuspercent}{\%}
58 \newcommand{\gnushash}{\#}
59 \newcommand{\gnushat}{\symbol{"5E}}
60 \newcommand{\gnusunderline}{\symbol{"5F}}
61 \newcommand{\gnusnot}{$\neg$}
62 \newcommand{\gnustilde}{\symbol{"7E}}
63 \newcommand{\gnusless}{{$<$}}
64 \newcommand{\gnusgreater}{{$>$}}
65 \newcommand{\gnusbraceleft}{{$>$}}
66 \newcommand{\gnusbraceright}{{$>$}}
68 \newcommand{\gnushead}{\raisebox{-1cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-head.eps,height=1cm}}}
69 \newcommand{\gnusinteresting}{
70 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\gnushead]{\gnushead}
73 \newcommand{\gnuscleardoublepage}{\ifodd\count0\mbox{}\clearpage\thispagestyle{empty}\mbox{}\clearpage\else\clearpage\fi}
75 \newcommand{\gnuspagechapter}[1]{
82 \newcommand{\gnuschapter}[2]{
84 \ifdim \gnusdimen = 0pt\setcounter{page}{1}\pagestyle{gnus}\pagenumbering{arabic} \gnusdimen 1pt\fi
86 \renewcommand{\gnussectionname}{}
87 \renewcommand{\gnuschaptername}{#2}
90 \begin{picture}(500,500)(0,0)
91 \put(480,350){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{#1}}
92 \put(40,300){\makebox(500,50)[bl]{{\Huge\bf{#2}}}}
97 \newcommand{\gnusfigure}[3]{
99 \mbox{}\ifodd\count0\hspace*{-0.8cm}\else\hspace*{-3cm}\fi\begin{picture}(440,#2)
106 \newcommand{\gnusicon}[1]{
107 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\raisebox{-1.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/#1-up.ps,height=1.5cm}}]{\raisebox{-1cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/#1-up.ps,height=1cm}}}
110 \newcommand{\gnuspicon}[1]{
111 \margindex{\epsfig{figure=#1,width=2cm}}
114 \newcommand{\gnusxface}[2]{
115 \margindex{\epsfig{figure=#1,width=1cm}\epsfig{figure=#2,width=1cm}}
118 \newcommand{\gnussmiley}[2]{
119 \margindex{\makebox[2cm]{\hfill\epsfig{figure=#1,width=0.5cm}\hfill\epsfig{figure=#2,width=0.5cm}\hfill}}
122 \newcommand{\gnusitemx}[1]{\mbox{}\vspace*{-\itemsep}\vspace*{-\parsep}\item#1}
124 \newcommand{\gnussection}[1]{
125 \renewcommand{\gnussectionname}{#1}
129 \newenvironment{codelist}%
134 \newenvironment{kbdlist}%
140 \newenvironment{dfnlist}%
145 \newenvironment{stronglist}%
150 \newenvironment{samplist}%
155 \newenvironment{varlist}%
160 \newenvironment{emphlist}%
165 \newlength\gnusheadtextwidth
166 \setlength{\gnusheadtextwidth}{\headtextwidth}
167 \addtolength{\gnusheadtextwidth}{1cm}
169 \newpagestyle{gnuspreamble}%
174 \hspace*{-0.23cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\mbox{}}\textbf{\hfill\roman{page}}}
178 \hspace*{-3.25cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\textbf{\roman{page}\hfill\mbox{}}}
187 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
189 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
194 \newpagestyle{gnusindex}%
199 \hspace*{-0.23cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\textbf{\gnuschaptername\hfill\arabic{page}}}}
203 \hspace*{-3.25cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\textbf{\arabic{page}\hfill\gnuschaptername}}}
211 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
213 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
223 \makebox[12cm]{\hspace*{3.1cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\textbf{\arabic{chapter}.\arabic{section}} \textbf{\gnussectionname\hfill\arabic{page}}}}}
227 \makebox[12cm]{\hspace*{-2.95cm}\underline{\makebox[\gnusheadtextwidth]{\textbf{\arabic{page}\hfill\gnuschaptername}}}}
235 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
237 \raisebox{-0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=1cm}}
242 \pagenumbering{roman}
243 \pagestyle{gnuspreamble}
253 %\addtolength{\oddsidemargin}{-5cm}
254 %\addtolength{\evensidemargin}{-5cm}
256 \addtolength{\textheight}{2cm}
258 \gnustitle{\gnustitlename}\\
261 \hspace*{0cm}\epsfig{figure=ps/gnus-big-logo.eps,height=15cm}
264 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
271 \thispagestyle{empty}
273 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96,97,98 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
275 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
276 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
277 are preserved on all copies.
279 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
280 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
281 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
282 permission notice identical to this one.
284 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
285 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
294 This file documents gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
296 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
298 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
299 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
300 are preserved on all copies.
303 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
304 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
305 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
306 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
309 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
310 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
311 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
312 permission notice identical to this one.
314 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
315 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
321 @title Semi-gnus 6.10.038 Manual
323 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
326 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
327 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96,97 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
329 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
330 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
331 are preserved on all copies.
333 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
334 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
335 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
336 permission notice identical to this one.
338 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
339 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
348 @top The gnus Newsreader
352 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using gnus. The news
353 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
354 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
357 Semi-gnus provides MIME features based on SEMI API. So Semi-gnus
358 supports your right to read strange messages including big images or
359 other various kinds of formats. Semi-gnus also supports
360 internationalization/localization and multiscript features based on MULE
361 API. So Semi-gnus does not discriminate various language communities.
362 Oh, if you are a Klingon, please wait Unicode Next Generation.
364 This manual corresponds to Semi-gnus 6.10.038.
375 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
376 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
378 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
379 being accused of plagiarism:
381 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
382 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
383 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
384 even read news with it!
386 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
387 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
388 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend gnus to make it behave
389 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
390 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
397 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
398 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
399 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
400 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
401 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
402 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
403 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
404 * Various:: General purpose settings.
405 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
406 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
407 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
408 * Key Index:: Key Index.
412 @chapter Starting gnus
417 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting gnus
418 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
421 @findex gnus-other-frame
422 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
423 If you want to start gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
424 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
426 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
427 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
428 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
430 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
431 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
434 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
435 * The First Time:: What does gnus do the first time you start it?
436 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
437 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one gnus active at a time.
438 * Fetching a Group:: Starting gnus just to read a group.
439 * New Groups:: What is gnus supposed to do with new groups?
440 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
441 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
442 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
443 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
444 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
448 @node Finding the News
449 @section Finding the News
452 @vindex gnus-select-method
454 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where gnus should look for
455 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
456 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
457 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are foreign
460 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
461 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
464 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
467 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
470 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
473 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
474 certainly be much faster.
476 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
478 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
479 If this variable is not set, gnus will take a look at the
480 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
481 gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
482 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
483 that fails as well, gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an
484 @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
486 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
487 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
488 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
489 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
491 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
492 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
493 You can also make gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
494 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
495 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), gnus will let you choose between the servers
496 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
497 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
498 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
499 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
502 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
504 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
505 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
506 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
507 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
508 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
509 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
511 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
513 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
514 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
515 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
516 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
517 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
518 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
521 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
522 would typically set this variable to
525 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
530 @section The First Time
531 @cindex first time usage
533 If no startup files exist, gnus will try to determine what groups should
534 be subscribed by default.
536 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
537 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, gnus
538 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
539 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
542 Since she hasn't, gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
543 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
544 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
546 You'll also be subscribed to the gnus documentation group, which should
547 help you with most common problems.
549 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, gnus will just
550 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
554 @node The Server is Down
555 @section The Server is Down
556 @cindex server errors
558 If the default server is down, gnus will understandably have some
559 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
560 the news groups, you may want to start gnus anyway.
562 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
563 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
564 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
565 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
566 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
567 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
568 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
570 @findex gnus-no-server
571 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
573 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
574 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
575 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start gnus. That might come in handy
576 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
577 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
578 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
583 @section Slave Gnusae
586 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one gnus at the
587 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if
588 you are using the two different gnusae to read from two different
589 servers), that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
591 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
594 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the gnus
595 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and @dfn{slaves}.
596 (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have taken out a
597 copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in conjunction
598 with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to me. Usage of
599 the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer Applications})
600 will be much more expensive, of course.)
602 Anyways, you start one gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
603 however you do it). Each subsequent slave gnusae should be started with
604 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
605 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
606 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master gnus
607 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
608 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
609 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
611 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
612 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
615 @node Fetching a Group
616 @section Fetching a Group
617 @cindex fetching a group
619 @findex gnus-fetch-group
620 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
621 group and I don't care whether gnus has been started or not''. This is
622 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
623 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
624 It takes the group name as a parameter.
632 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
633 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
634 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
635 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
636 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
637 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
638 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
639 @code{always}, then gnus will query the backends for new groups even
640 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
643 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
644 * Subscription Methods:: What gnus should do with new groups.
645 * Filtering New Groups:: Making gnus ignore certain new groups.
649 @node Checking New Groups
650 @subsection Checking New Groups
652 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
653 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
654 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
655 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, gnus will ask the
656 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
657 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
658 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
659 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
660 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
661 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
663 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
664 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
665 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
666 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
667 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't work.
668 I could write a function to make gnus guess whether the server supports
669 @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't. You could
670 @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see whether it lists
671 @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If it does, then it
672 might work. (But there are servers that lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} without
673 supporting the function properly.)
675 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, gnus will
676 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
677 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
678 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
679 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
680 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
683 @node Subscription Methods
684 @subsection Subscription Methods
686 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
687 What gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
688 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
690 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
691 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
693 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
697 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
698 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
699 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
700 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
701 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
703 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
704 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
705 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
706 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
708 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
709 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
710 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
712 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
713 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
714 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
715 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
716 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
717 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
718 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
719 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
720 up. Or something like that.
722 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
723 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
724 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that gnus will ask you
725 about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe to
726 will be subscribed hierarchically.
728 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
729 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
734 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
735 A closely related variable is
736 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
737 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will ask you in a
738 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
739 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
742 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
743 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
744 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
745 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
748 @node Filtering New Groups
749 @subsection Filtering New Groups
751 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
752 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
753 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
756 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
759 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
760 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
761 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
762 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
763 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
764 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
765 subscribing these groups.
766 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
767 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
769 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
770 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
771 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
772 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
773 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
774 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
775 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
776 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
778 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
779 Yet another variable that meddles here is
780 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
781 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
782 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
783 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
784 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
785 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
786 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
787 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
789 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
790 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
793 @node Changing Servers
794 @section Changing Servers
795 @cindex changing servers
797 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
798 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
799 very flaky and you want to use another.
801 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
802 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
806 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
807 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
808 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
809 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
812 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
813 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
814 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
815 functions more than absolutely necessary.
817 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
818 @findex gnus-change-server
819 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
820 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
821 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
822 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
823 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
825 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
826 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
827 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
828 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
829 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
831 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
832 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
833 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
834 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
835 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
836 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
838 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
839 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
840 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
844 @section Startup Files
845 @cindex startup files
850 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
851 information is traditionally stored in this file.
853 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{GNUS}. In addition to
854 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
855 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
856 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
857 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{GNUS} would read whichever one of these
858 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
859 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
861 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
862 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
863 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
864 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
865 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
866 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
868 In addition, gnus does not change anything. Hail comrade Lars!
870 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
871 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
872 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
873 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from gnus faster.
874 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
875 gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
877 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
878 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
879 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
880 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
881 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
882 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
883 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
884 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
885 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
886 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
887 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
888 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
890 @vindex gnus-startup-file
891 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
892 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
893 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
895 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
896 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
897 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
898 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
899 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
900 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
901 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
902 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
903 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
904 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
907 (defun turn-off-backup ()
908 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
910 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
911 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
914 @vindex gnus-init-file
915 When gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
916 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
917 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
918 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
919 @file{site-init} files with gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
920 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
921 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
922 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
923 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
932 Whenever you do something that changes the gnus data (reading articles,
933 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
934 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
935 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
936 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
939 If gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
940 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file
943 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
944 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, gnus won't create and
945 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
947 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
948 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
949 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, gnus will dribble
950 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
951 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
952 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
954 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
955 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
956 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
959 @node The Active File
960 @section The Active File
962 @cindex ignored groups
964 When gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
965 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
966 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
968 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
969 Before examining the active file, gnus deletes all lines that match the
970 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
971 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make gnus
972 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
973 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
974 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
977 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
978 @c if you set it to anything else.
980 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
982 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
983 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent gnus from
984 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
986 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
987 you actually subscribe to.
989 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
990 variable to @code{nil} will probably make gnus slower, not faster. At
991 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow gnus down
992 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
994 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
995 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
996 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
997 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
998 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
999 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1001 If this variable is @code{nil}, gnus will ask for group info in total
1002 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1003 @sc{nntp} server, gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1004 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1005 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1006 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1008 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1009 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1011 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1012 secondary select methods.
1015 @node Startup Variables
1016 @section Startup Variables
1020 @item gnus-load-hook
1021 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1022 A hook run while gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1023 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1024 times you start gnus.
1026 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1027 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1028 A hook run after starting up gnus successfully.
1030 @item gnus-startup-hook
1031 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1032 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1034 @item gnus-started-hook
1035 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1036 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up gnus
1039 @item gnus-started-hook
1040 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1041 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1042 generating the group buffer.
1044 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1045 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1046 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1047 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1048 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1049 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1050 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1051 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1053 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1054 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1055 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1056 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1057 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1058 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
1060 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1061 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1062 Message displayed by gnus when no groups are available.
1064 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1065 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1066 If non-@code{nil}, play the gnus jingle at startup.
1068 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1069 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1070 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1071 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1076 @node The Group Buffer
1077 @chapter The Group Buffer
1078 @cindex group buffer
1080 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1081 is the first buffer shown when gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1082 long as gnus is active.
1086 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1087 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group.ps,height=9cm}}
1088 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1089 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1090 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1091 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1092 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1093 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1099 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1100 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1101 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1102 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1103 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1104 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1105 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1106 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1107 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1108 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1109 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1110 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1111 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1112 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1113 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1114 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1115 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1119 @node Group Buffer Format
1120 @section Group Buffer Format
1123 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1124 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1125 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1129 @node Group Line Specification
1130 @subsection Group Line Specification
1131 @cindex group buffer format
1133 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1134 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1136 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1139 25: news.announce.newusers
1140 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1145 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1146 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1147 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1148 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1150 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1151 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1152 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1153 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1154 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1155 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1157 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1159 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1160 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1161 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1162 never examined by gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1165 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1166 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1167 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1169 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1174 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1177 Whether the group is subscribed.
1180 Level of subscribedness.
1183 Number of unread articles.
1186 Number of dormant articles.
1189 Number of ticked articles.
1192 Number of read articles.
1195 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1196 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1199 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1202 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1211 Newsgroup description.
1214 @samp{m} if moderated.
1217 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1226 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1230 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1233 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1234 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1235 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1236 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1237 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.emacs.gnus}.
1240 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1242 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1246 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1250 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1251 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1252 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1253 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1254 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1255 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1260 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1261 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1262 group, or a bogus native group.
1265 @node Group Modeline Specification
1266 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1267 @cindex group modeline
1269 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1270 The mode line can be changed by setting
1271 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1272 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1276 The native news server.
1278 The native select method.
1282 @node Group Highlighting
1283 @subsection Group Highlighting
1284 @cindex highlighting
1285 @cindex group highlighting
1287 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1288 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1289 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1290 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1291 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1293 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1297 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-1
1298 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))))
1299 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-2
1300 '((t (:foreground "SeaGreen" :bold t))))
1301 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-3
1302 '((t (:foreground "SpringGreen" :bold t))))
1303 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-4
1304 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))))
1305 (face-spec-set 'my-group-face-5
1306 '((t (:foreground "SkyBlue" :bold t))))
1308 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1309 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1310 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1311 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1312 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1313 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1316 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1318 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1325 The number of unread articles in the group.
1329 Whether the group is a mail group.
1331 The level of the group.
1333 The score of the group.
1335 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1337 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1338 MIN-NUMBER plus one.
1340 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1341 topic being inserted.
1344 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1345 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal gnus
1346 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1348 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1349 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1350 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1351 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1352 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1355 @node Group Maneuvering
1356 @section Group Maneuvering
1357 @cindex group movement
1359 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1360 expected, hopefully.
1366 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1367 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1368 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1374 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1375 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1376 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1380 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1381 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1385 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1386 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1390 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1391 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1392 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1396 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1397 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1398 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1401 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1407 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1408 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1409 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1414 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1415 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1416 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1420 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1421 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1422 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1425 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1426 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1427 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1428 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1432 @node Selecting a Group
1433 @section Selecting a Group
1434 @cindex group selection
1439 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1440 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1441 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1442 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1443 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1444 this command, gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1445 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1446 determines the number of articles gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1447 positive, gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1448 negative, gnus fetches the @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1452 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1453 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1454 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1455 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1456 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1460 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1461 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1462 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1463 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1464 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1465 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1466 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1467 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
1468 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
1469 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
1472 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1473 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1474 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1475 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1476 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1479 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1480 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1481 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1482 doing any processing of its contents
1483 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1484 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1485 manner will have no permanent effects.
1489 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1490 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what gnus should consider
1491 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1492 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, gnus will query the user
1493 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1494 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1495 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1496 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1499 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1500 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1501 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1502 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
1507 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1508 full summary buffer.
1511 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1514 Select the highest scored article in the group when entering the
1519 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function will
1520 be called to place point on a subject line, and/or select some article.
1521 Useful functions include:
1524 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-subject
1525 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article, but
1526 don't select the article.
1528 @item gnus-summary-first-unread-article
1529 Select the first unread article.
1531 @item gnus-summary-best-unread-article
1532 Select the highest-scored unread article.
1536 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1537 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1538 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1542 @node Subscription Commands
1543 @section Subscription Commands
1544 @cindex subscription
1552 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1553 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
1554 Toggle subscription to the current group
1555 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1561 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1562 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1563 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1564 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1570 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1571 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
1572 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1578 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1579 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1582 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1583 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1584 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1585 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1586 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1592 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1593 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1597 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1598 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1601 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1602 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1603 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1604 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1605 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
1606 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1607 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
1608 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1609 @file{.newsrc} file.
1613 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1623 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1624 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1625 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
1626 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1627 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1628 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group
1629 from the group buffer.
1633 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1634 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1635 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1639 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1640 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
1641 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1643 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1644 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1645 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1646 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
1647 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
1648 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
1655 @section Group Levels
1659 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1660 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1661 can ask gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1662 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1663 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1665 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1671 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1672 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1673 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1674 prompted for a level.
1677 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1678 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1679 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1680 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1681 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
1682 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1683 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1684 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1685 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1686 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
1687 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
1688 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
1689 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
1690 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
1691 reasons of efficiency.
1693 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1694 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
1696 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1697 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1698 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1700 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1701 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1702 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1703 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1704 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1705 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1706 relevant valid ranges.
1708 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1709 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1710 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
1711 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1712 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1713 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1716 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1717 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1718 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1721 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1722 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1723 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1724 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1727 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1728 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1729 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1730 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1732 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1733 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
1734 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
1735 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
1736 to 5. The default is 6.
1740 @section Group Score
1745 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1746 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1747 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1750 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1751 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1752 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1753 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1754 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1755 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1756 part and the score is the least significant part.))
1758 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1759 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1760 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1761 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1762 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1763 action after each summary exit, you can add
1764 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1765 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1766 slow things down somewhat.
1769 @node Marking Groups
1770 @section Marking Groups
1771 @cindex marking groups
1773 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1774 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1775 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1776 bidding on those groups.
1778 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1779 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1780 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1788 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1789 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1795 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1796 Remove the mark from the current group
1797 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1801 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1802 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1806 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1807 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1811 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1812 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1816 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1817 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1818 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1821 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1823 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1824 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1825 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1826 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1827 the command to be executed.
1830 @node Foreign Groups
1831 @section Foreign Groups
1832 @cindex foreign groups
1834 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1835 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1836 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
1837 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
1844 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1845 @cindex making groups
1846 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1847 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1848 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1852 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1853 @cindex renaming groups
1854 Rename the current group to something else
1855 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
1856 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1862 @findex gnus-group-customize
1863 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
1867 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1868 @cindex renaming groups
1869 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1870 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1874 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1875 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1876 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1880 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1881 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1882 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1886 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1888 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
1889 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1894 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1895 Make the gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1899 @cindex (ding) archive
1900 @cindex archive group
1901 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1902 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1903 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1904 Make a gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1905 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1906 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1907 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1911 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1913 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1914 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1915 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1916 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
1920 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1922 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
1923 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1924 @xref{Anything Groups}.
1928 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1929 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1931 Make a group based on some file or other
1932 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1933 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1934 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1935 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs},
1936 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, and @code{forward}. If you run
1937 this command without a prefix, gnus will guess at the file type.
1938 @xref{Document Groups}.
1942 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
1943 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
1944 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
1945 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
1949 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
1954 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
1955 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1956 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
1957 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
1958 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
1959 @xref{Web Searches}.
1961 If you use the @code{dejanews} search engine, you can limit the search
1962 to a particular group by using a match string like
1963 @samp{~g alt.sysadmin.recovery shaving}.
1966 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1967 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1968 This function will delete the current group
1969 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1970 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1971 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1972 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
1973 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
1977 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1978 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1979 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
1983 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1984 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1985 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1988 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1991 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1992 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1993 gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1994 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1995 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
1996 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2000 @node Group Parameters
2001 @section Group Parameters
2002 @cindex group parameters
2004 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2005 Here's an example group parameter list:
2008 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2012 We see that each element consists of a ``dotted pair''---the thing
2013 before the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value.
2014 All the parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs,
2015 which are not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2017 The following group parameters can be used:
2022 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2025 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2028 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2029 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2030 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2031 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2032 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2034 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2035 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2036 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2037 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2038 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2039 list address instead.
2043 Address used when doing a @kbd{a} in that group.
2046 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2049 It is totally ignored
2050 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2051 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2053 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2054 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2055 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2056 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2057 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2059 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2060 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2061 sending the message.
2065 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2066 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2067 of whether it has any unread articles.
2069 @item broken-reply-to
2070 @cindex broken-reply-to
2071 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2072 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2073 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2074 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2075 broken behavior. So there!
2079 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2080 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2084 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, gnus
2085 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2086 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2091 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2092 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2093 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2094 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2095 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2096 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2097 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
2101 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2102 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2103 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2106 @cindex total-expire
2107 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2108 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2109 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2110 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2115 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2116 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
2117 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
2118 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
2119 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
2120 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2123 @cindex score file group parameter
2124 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2125 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2126 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2129 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2130 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2131 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2132 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2135 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2136 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2137 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2138 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2141 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2142 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2146 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2149 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2154 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")} are
2155 arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by gnus,
2156 but provide a place for you to store information on particular groups.
2159 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2160 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2161 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2163 @item @var{(variable form)}
2164 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2165 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2166 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2167 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2168 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2169 @code{eval}ed there.
2171 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2172 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2173 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2174 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2175 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2179 Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group. You
2180 might also be interested in reading about topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
2184 @node Listing Groups
2185 @section Listing Groups
2186 @cindex group listing
2188 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
2196 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2197 List all groups that have unread articles
2198 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2199 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2200 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2201 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2208 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2209 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2210 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2211 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2212 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2213 unsubscribed groups).
2217 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2218 List all unread groups on a specific level
2219 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2220 with no unread articles.
2224 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2225 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2226 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2227 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2232 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2233 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2237 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2238 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2239 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2243 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2244 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2248 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2249 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
2250 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2251 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2252 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2253 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
2254 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
2255 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2259 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2260 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2261 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2265 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2266 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2267 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2271 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2272 @cindex visible group parameter
2273 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2274 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2275 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2276 get the same effect.
2278 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2279 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2280 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2281 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2282 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2285 @node Sorting Groups
2286 @section Sorting Groups
2287 @cindex sorting groups
2289 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2290 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2291 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2292 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2293 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2294 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2299 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2300 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2301 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2303 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2304 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2305 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2307 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2308 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2309 Sort by group level.
2311 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2312 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2313 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
2315 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2316 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2317 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2318 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
2320 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2321 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2322 Sort by number of unread articles.
2324 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2325 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2326 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2331 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2332 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2336 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2337 some sorting criteria:
2341 @kindex G S a (Group)
2342 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2343 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2344 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2347 @kindex G S u (Group)
2348 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2349 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2350 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2353 @kindex G S l (Group)
2354 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2355 Sort the group buffer by group level
2356 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2359 @kindex G S v (Group)
2360 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2361 Sort the group buffer by group score
2362 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2365 @kindex G S r (Group)
2366 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2367 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2368 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2371 @kindex G S m (Group)
2372 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2373 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2374 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2378 All the commands below obeys the process/prefix convention
2379 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2381 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
2382 commands will sort in reverse order.
2384 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2388 @kindex G P a (Group)
2389 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2390 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
2391 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2394 @kindex G P u (Group)
2395 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2396 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
2397 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
2400 @kindex G P l (Group)
2401 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
2402 Sort the groups by group level
2403 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
2406 @kindex G P v (Group)
2407 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
2408 Sort the groups by group score
2409 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2412 @kindex G P r (Group)
2413 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
2414 Sort the groups by group rank
2415 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2418 @kindex G P m (Group)
2419 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
2420 Sort the groups alphabetically by backend name
2421 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
2427 @node Group Maintenance
2428 @section Group Maintenance
2429 @cindex bogus groups
2434 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
2435 Find bogus groups and delete them
2436 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
2440 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
2441 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
2442 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
2443 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
2444 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
2448 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
2449 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
2450 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
2451 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
2454 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
2455 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
2456 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
2457 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
2462 @node Browse Foreign Server
2463 @section Browse Foreign Server
2464 @cindex foreign servers
2465 @cindex browsing servers
2470 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
2471 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
2472 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
2473 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
2476 @findex gnus-browse-mode
2477 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
2478 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
2479 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
2481 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
2486 @findex gnus-group-next-group
2487 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
2491 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2492 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2495 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
2496 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
2497 Enter the current group and display the first article
2498 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2501 @kindex RET (Browse)
2502 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2503 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2507 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2508 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2509 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2515 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2516 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2520 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2521 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2522 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2527 @section Exiting gnus
2528 @cindex exiting gnus
2530 Yes, gnus is ex(c)iting.
2535 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2536 Suspend gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit
2537 gnus, but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure
2538 why this is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2542 @findex gnus-group-exit
2543 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
2544 Quit gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2548 @findex gnus-group-quit
2549 Quit gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files
2550 (@code{gnus-group-quit}). The dribble file will be saved, though
2551 (@pxref{Auto Save}).
2554 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2555 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2556 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend gnus and
2557 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit gnus, while
2558 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2563 If you wish to completely unload gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2564 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2565 trying to customize meta-variables.
2570 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
2571 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2572 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2578 @section Group Topics
2581 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2582 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2583 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2584 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2585 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2586 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2590 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
2591 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=tmp/group-topic.ps,height=9cm}}
2602 2: alt.religion.emacs
2605 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2607 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2608 13: comp.sources.unix
2611 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2613 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2614 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2615 is a toggling command.)
2617 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2618 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2619 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2620 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2623 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2624 the hook for the group mode:
2627 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2631 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2632 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2633 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
2634 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2635 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
2639 @node Topic Variables
2640 @subsection Topic Variables
2641 @cindex topic variables
2643 Now, if you select a topic, it will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2644 really neat, I think.
2646 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2647 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2648 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
2661 Number of groups in the topic.
2663 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2665 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2668 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2669 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2670 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2673 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2674 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2676 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
2677 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
2678 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
2681 @node Topic Commands
2682 @subsection Topic Commands
2683 @cindex topic commands
2685 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2686 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2687 definitions slightly.
2693 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2694 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2695 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2699 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2700 Move the current group to some other topic
2701 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2702 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2706 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2707 Copy the current group to some other topic
2708 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2709 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2713 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2714 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2715 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
2716 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
2717 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
2718 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
2719 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
2722 This command uses the process/prefix convention
2723 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2727 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2728 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2729 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2733 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2734 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2735 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2739 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
2740 Toggle hiding empty topics
2741 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
2745 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2746 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2747 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2750 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
2751 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2752 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2753 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2757 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
2759 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2760 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2761 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2762 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2765 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
2766 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
2767 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2768 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
2772 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2774 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2775 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2776 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2777 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2778 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2779 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2782 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
2783 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
2784 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the expiry
2785 process (if any) (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}).
2789 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2790 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
2791 topic will be removed along with the topic.
2795 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2796 Yank the previously killed group or topic
2797 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
2802 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2803 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2806 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
2807 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2808 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2812 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2813 List all groups that gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2814 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2818 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
2819 @cindex group parameters
2820 @cindex topic parameters
2822 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
2823 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
2829 @subsection Topic Sorting
2830 @cindex topic sorting
2832 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
2838 @kindex T S a (Topic)
2839 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2840 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
2841 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2844 @kindex T S u (Topic)
2845 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
2846 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
2847 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2850 @kindex T S l (Topic)
2851 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
2852 Sort the current topic by group level
2853 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
2856 @kindex T S v (Topic)
2857 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
2858 Sort the current topic by group score
2859 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
2862 @kindex T S r (Topic)
2863 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
2864 Sort the current topic by group rank
2865 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
2868 @kindex T S m (Topic)
2869 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
2870 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
2871 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
2875 @xref{Sorting Groups} for more information about group sorting.
2878 @node Topic Topology
2879 @subsection Topic Topology
2880 @cindex topic topology
2883 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2889 2: alt.religion.emacs
2892 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2894 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2895 13: comp.sources.unix
2898 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
2899 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
2900 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
2905 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2906 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2910 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2911 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2912 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2913 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2914 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2915 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2917 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2918 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2919 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2922 @node Topic Parameters
2923 @subsection Topic Parameters
2924 @cindex topic parameters
2926 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
2927 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
2928 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
2930 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
2931 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
2932 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
2933 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
2939 2: alt.religion.emacs
2943 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2945 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2946 13: comp.sources.unix
2950 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
2951 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
2952 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
2953 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
2954 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
2955 . "religion.SCORE")}.
2957 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
2958 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
2959 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
2960 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
2961 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
2963 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
2964 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
2965 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
2966 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
2967 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
2968 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
2969 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
2970 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
2973 @node Misc Group Stuff
2974 @section Misc Group Stuff
2977 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2978 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and gnus.
2979 * Group Timestamp:: Making gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
2980 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the gnus files.
2987 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2988 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
2989 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
2993 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2994 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a
2995 prefix, the current group name will be used as the default.
2999 @findex gnus-group-mail
3000 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
3004 Variables for the group buffer:
3008 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
3009 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
3010 is called after the group buffer has been
3013 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
3014 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3015 is called after the group buffer is
3016 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
3019 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
3020 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
3021 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
3022 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
3024 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3025 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3026 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
3027 whether they are empty or not.
3032 @node Scanning New Messages
3033 @subsection Scanning New Messages
3034 @cindex new messages
3035 @cindex scanning new news
3041 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
3042 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
3043 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
3044 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
3045 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
3046 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
3051 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
3052 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
3053 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
3054 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
3055 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
3056 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
3057 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
3059 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
3060 @cindex activating groups
3062 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
3063 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
3068 @findex gnus-group-restart
3069 Restart gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
3070 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
3071 gnus variables, and then starts gnus all over again.
3075 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
3076 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
3078 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
3079 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
3083 @node Group Information
3084 @subsection Group Information
3085 @cindex group information
3086 @cindex information on groups
3093 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
3094 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
3097 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
3098 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
3099 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
3100 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
3101 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
3102 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
3103 for fetching the file.
3105 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, gnus will attempt to go
3106 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
3110 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
3112 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
3113 @cindex describing groups
3114 @cindex group description
3115 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
3116 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
3117 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
3121 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
3122 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
3123 prefix, force gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
3130 @findex gnus-version
3131 Display current gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
3135 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
3136 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
3139 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
3142 @findex gnus-info-find-node
3143 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
3147 @node Group Timestamp
3148 @subsection Group Timestamp
3150 @cindex group timestamps
3152 It can be convenient to let gnus keep track of when you last read a
3153 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
3154 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
3157 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
3160 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
3162 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
3163 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
3166 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3167 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
3170 This will result in lines looking like:
3173 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
3174 0: custom 19961002T012713
3177 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
3178 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
3182 (setq gnus-group-line-format
3183 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
3188 @subsection File Commands
3189 @cindex file commands
3195 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
3196 @vindex gnus-init-file
3197 @cindex reading init file
3198 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
3199 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
3203 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
3204 @cindex saving .newsrc
3205 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
3206 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
3207 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
3210 @c @kindex Z (Group)
3211 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
3212 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
3217 @node The Summary Buffer
3218 @chapter The Summary Buffer
3219 @cindex summary buffer
3221 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
3222 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
3224 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
3225 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
3227 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
3230 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
3231 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
3232 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
3233 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
3234 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
3235 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
3236 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
3237 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
3238 * Threading:: How threads are made.
3239 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3240 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3241 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3242 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3243 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3244 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3245 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3246 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3247 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
3248 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3249 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3250 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3251 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3252 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3253 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3254 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3255 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
3256 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3257 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3261 @node Summary Buffer Format
3262 @section Summary Buffer Format
3263 @cindex summary buffer format
3267 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
3268 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary.ps,width=7.5cm}}
3269 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-article.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
3275 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3276 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
3277 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3278 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3281 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3282 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3283 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3284 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3285 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3286 @code{From} header. Three pre-defined functions exist:
3287 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3288 fast, and too simplistic solution;
3289 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works nicely, but is
3290 slower; and @code{std11-extract-address-components}, which works very
3291 nicely, but is slower. The default function will return the wrong
3292 answer in 5% of the cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the
3293 other function instead:
3296 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
3297 'mail-extract-address-components)
3300 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3301 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3302 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3303 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
3306 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3307 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3309 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3310 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3311 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3312 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3313 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3315 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3317 The following format specification characters are understood:
3325 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
3326 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3327 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
3329 Full @code{From} header.
3331 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3333 The name, code @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header
3334 (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
3336 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3337 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3338 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3339 may be more thorough.
3341 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3344 Number of lines in the article.
3346 Number of characters in the article.
3348 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3350 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
3351 pushes everything after it off the screen).
3353 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
3354 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3356 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
3357 for adopted articles.
3359 One space for each thread level.
3361 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
3366 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
3367 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
3371 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
3373 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
3374 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
3375 default level. If the difference between
3376 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
3377 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
3385 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
3387 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
3393 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
3394 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
3396 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
3397 article has any children.
3403 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
3404 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
3405 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
3406 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
3407 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
3408 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
3411 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
3412 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, gnus will
3413 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
3414 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
3415 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
3416 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
3418 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
3419 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
3421 This restriction may disappear in later versions of gnus.
3424 @node To From Newsgroups
3425 @subsection To From Newsgroups
3429 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
3430 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
3431 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
3432 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
3433 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
3437 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
3438 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
3439 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
3443 (setq gnus-extra-headers
3444 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
3447 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
3448 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
3451 @findex gnus-extra-header
3452 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
3453 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
3454 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
3457 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
3461 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
3462 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
3463 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
3464 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
3465 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
3466 headers are used instead.
3470 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
3471 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
3472 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files.
3474 In summary, you'd typically do something like the following:
3477 (setq gnus-extra-headers
3479 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
3480 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
3481 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20f%]%) %s\n")
3482 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
3487 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
3488 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
3490 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
3491 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
3492 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
3493 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
3495 Here are the elements you can play with:
3501 Unprefixed group name.
3503 Current article number.
3505 Current article score.
3509 Number of unread articles in this group.
3511 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
3514 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
3515 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
3516 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
3517 and no unselected ones.
3519 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
3520 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
3522 Subject of the current article.
3524 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
3526 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
3528 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3530 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
3532 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
3534 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
3538 @node Summary Highlighting
3539 @subsection Summary Highlighting
3543 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3544 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3545 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
3546 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
3547 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3549 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
3550 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
3551 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
3552 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3554 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
3555 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
3556 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
3557 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
3559 @item gnus-summary-highlight
3560 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
3561 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
3562 list where the elements are of the format @var{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
3563 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
3564 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
3566 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
3567 ((> score default) . bold))
3569 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3570 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
3574 @node Summary Maneuvering
3575 @section Summary Maneuvering
3576 @cindex summary movement
3578 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
3579 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
3581 None of these commands select articles.
3586 @kindex M-n (Summary)
3587 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
3588 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
3589 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
3590 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
3594 @kindex M-p (Summary)
3595 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
3596 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
3597 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
3598 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
3603 @kindex G j (Summary)
3604 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
3605 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
3606 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
3609 @kindex G g (Summary)
3610 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
3611 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
3612 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
3615 If gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
3616 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
3617 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
3618 to the group buffer.
3620 Variables related to summary movement:
3624 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
3625 @item gnus-auto-select-next
3626 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
3627 no more unread articles after the current one, gnus will offer to go to
3628 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
3629 empty, gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
3630 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, gnus will select the
3631 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
3632 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, gnus will select the
3633 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
3634 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
3635 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
3636 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
3637 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
3639 @item gnus-auto-select-same
3640 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
3641 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
3642 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
3643 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
3644 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
3645 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
3647 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
3649 @item gnus-summary-check-current
3650 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
3651 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
3652 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
3653 Instead, they will choose the current article.
3655 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
3656 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
3657 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
3658 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
3659 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
3660 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
3661 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
3662 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
3665 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
3666 the given number of lines from the top.
3671 @node Choosing Articles
3672 @section Choosing Articles
3673 @cindex selecting articles
3676 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
3677 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
3681 @node Choosing Commands
3682 @subsection Choosing Commands
3684 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
3685 and they all select and display an article.
3689 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3690 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3691 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
3692 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3697 @kindex G n (Summary)
3698 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
3699 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
3700 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
3705 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
3706 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
3707 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
3712 @kindex G N (Summary)
3713 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
3714 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
3719 @kindex G P (Summary)
3720 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
3721 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
3724 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
3725 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
3726 Go to the next article with the same subject
3727 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
3730 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
3731 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
3732 Go to the previous article with the same subject
3733 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
3737 @kindex G f (Summary)
3739 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
3740 Go to the first unread article
3741 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
3745 @kindex G b (Summary)
3747 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
3748 Go to the article with the highest score
3749 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
3754 @kindex G l (Summary)
3755 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
3756 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
3759 @kindex G o (Summary)
3760 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
3762 @cindex article history
3763 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
3764 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
3765 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
3766 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
3767 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
3768 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
3772 @node Choosing Variables
3773 @subsection Choosing Variables
3775 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
3778 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3779 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3780 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
3781 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
3782 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
3783 the server and display it in the article buffer.
3785 @item gnus-select-article-hook
3786 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
3787 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
3788 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
3790 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
3791 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
3792 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
3793 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
3794 @findex gnus-unread-mark
3795 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
3796 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
3797 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
3798 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
3799 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
3800 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
3801 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
3802 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
3803 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
3808 @node Paging the Article
3809 @section Scrolling the Article
3810 @cindex article scrolling
3815 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3816 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3817 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
3818 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
3819 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3822 @kindex DEL (Summary)
3823 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
3824 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
3827 @kindex RET (Summary)
3828 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
3829 Scroll the current article one line forward
3830 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
3833 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
3834 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
3835 Scroll the current article one line backward
3836 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
3840 @kindex A g (Summary)
3842 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
3843 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
3844 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
3845 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
3846 the way it came from the server.
3851 @kindex A < (Summary)
3852 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
3853 Scroll to the beginning of the article
3854 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
3859 @kindex A > (Summary)
3860 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
3861 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
3865 @kindex A s (Summary)
3867 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
3868 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
3869 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
3873 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
3874 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
3879 @node Reply Followup and Post
3880 @section Reply, Followup and Post
3883 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
3884 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3888 @node Summary Mail Commands
3889 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3891 @cindex composing mail
3893 Commands for composing a mail message:
3899 @kindex S r (Summary)
3901 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3902 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
3903 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
3904 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3905 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3910 @kindex S R (Summary)
3911 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3912 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
3913 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3914 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3915 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3918 @kindex S w (Summary)
3919 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
3920 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
3921 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
3922 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
3923 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
3926 @kindex S W (Summary)
3927 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
3928 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
3929 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
3930 the process/prefix convention.
3933 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3934 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3935 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
3936 Forward the current article to some other person
3937 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3938 headers of the forwarded article.
3943 @kindex S m (Summary)
3944 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3945 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
3946 Send a mail to some other person
3947 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3950 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3951 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3952 @cindex bouncing mail
3953 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3954 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3955 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3956 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3957 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3958 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, gnus will try to fetch
3959 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3960 very well fail, though.
3963 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3964 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3965 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3966 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3967 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3968 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3969 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3970 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3971 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3972 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3974 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3975 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3976 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3977 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3978 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung mu
\e,A_
\e(B sein!
3980 This command understands the process/prefix convention
3981 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3984 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3985 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3986 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
3987 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
3988 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3991 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
3992 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
3993 @cindex crossposting
3994 @cindex excessive crossposting
3995 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
3996 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
3998 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
3999 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
4000 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
4001 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
4002 command understands the process/prefix convention
4003 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
4007 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
4010 @node Summary Post Commands
4011 @subsection Summary Post Commands
4013 @cindex composing news
4015 Commands for posting a news article:
4021 @kindex S p (Summary)
4022 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
4023 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
4024 Post an article to the current group
4025 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
4030 @kindex S f (Summary)
4031 @findex gnus-summary-followup
4032 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
4033 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
4037 @kindex S F (Summary)
4039 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
4040 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
4041 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
4042 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
4043 process/prefix convention.
4046 @kindex S n (Summary)
4047 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
4048 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4049 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
4052 @kindex S N (Summary)
4053 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
4054 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
4055 message through mail and include the original message
4056 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
4057 the process/prefix convention.
4060 @kindex S o p (Summary)
4061 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
4062 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
4063 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
4064 headers of the forwarded article.
4067 @kindex S O p (Summary)
4068 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
4070 @cindex making digests
4071 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
4072 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
4073 process/prefix convention.
4076 @kindex S u (Summary)
4077 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
4078 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
4079 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
4080 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
4083 Also @pxref{(message)Header Commands} for more information.
4086 @node Canceling and Superseding
4087 @section Canceling Articles
4088 @cindex canceling articles
4089 @cindex superseding articles
4091 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
4092 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
4094 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
4096 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
4098 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
4099 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
4100 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
4101 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
4102 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
4103 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4105 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
4106 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
4109 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
4110 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
4111 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
4113 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
4114 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
4115 your original article.
4117 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
4119 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
4120 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
4121 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
4124 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
4125 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
4126 have posted almost the same article twice.
4128 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
4129 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
4130 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
4131 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
4132 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
4133 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
4134 header by substituting one of those words for the word
4135 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
4136 you would do normally. The previous article will be
4137 canceled/superseded.
4139 Just remember, kids: There is no `c' in `supersede'.
4142 @node Marking Articles
4143 @section Marking Articles
4144 @cindex article marking
4145 @cindex article ticking
4148 There are several marks you can set on an article.
4150 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
4151 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
4152 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
4154 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
4157 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
4158 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
4159 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
4163 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
4167 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
4168 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
4172 @node Unread Articles
4173 @subsection Unread Articles
4175 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
4180 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
4181 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
4183 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
4184 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
4185 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
4186 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
4187 article forever, you'll have to make it persistent (@pxref{Persistent
4191 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
4192 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
4194 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
4195 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
4196 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
4199 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
4200 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
4202 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
4207 @subsection Read Articles
4208 @cindex expirable mark
4210 All the following marks mark articles as read.
4215 @vindex gnus-del-mark
4216 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
4217 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
4220 @vindex gnus-read-mark
4221 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
4224 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
4225 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
4226 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
4229 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
4230 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
4233 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
4234 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
4237 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
4238 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
4241 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
4242 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
4245 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
4246 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
4249 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
4250 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
4253 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
4254 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
4258 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
4259 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
4260 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
4264 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
4265 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
4267 One more special mark, though:
4271 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
4272 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
4274 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
4275 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
4276 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
4277 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by gnus at any time.
4282 @subsection Other Marks
4283 @cindex process mark
4286 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
4292 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
4293 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
4294 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
4295 in the article, and gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
4296 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}
4299 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
4300 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
4301 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
4302 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
4305 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
4306 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
4307 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
4310 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
4311 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
4312 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
4313 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
4316 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
4317 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
4318 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
4319 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
4320 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
4323 @vindex gnus-process-mark
4324 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
4325 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
4326 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
4327 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
4328 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
4332 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
4333 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
4334 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
4336 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
4337 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
4338 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
4342 @subsection Setting Marks
4343 @cindex setting marks
4345 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
4350 @kindex M c (Summary)
4351 @kindex M-u (Summary)
4352 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
4353 @cindex mark as unread
4354 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
4355 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
4361 @kindex M t (Summary)
4362 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
4363 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
4364 @xref{Article Caching}.
4369 @kindex M ? (Summary)
4370 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
4371 Mark the current article as dormant
4372 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
4376 @kindex M d (Summary)
4378 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
4379 Mark the current article as read
4380 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
4384 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
4385 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
4386 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
4391 @kindex M k (Summary)
4392 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
4393 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
4394 and then select the next unread article
4395 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
4399 @kindex M K (Summary)
4400 @kindex C-k (Summary)
4401 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
4402 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
4403 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
4406 @kindex M C (Summary)
4407 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
4408 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
4409 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
4412 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
4413 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
4414 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
4415 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
4418 @kindex M H (Summary)
4419 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
4420 Catchup the current group to point
4421 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
4424 @kindex C-w (Summary)
4425 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
4426 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
4427 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
4430 @kindex M V k (Summary)
4431 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
4432 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
4433 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
4437 @kindex M e (Summary)
4439 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
4440 Mark the current article as expirable
4441 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
4444 @kindex M b (Summary)
4445 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
4446 Set a bookmark in the current article
4447 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
4450 @kindex M B (Summary)
4451 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
4452 Remove the bookmark from the current article
4453 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
4456 @kindex M V c (Summary)
4457 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
4458 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
4459 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4462 @kindex M V u (Summary)
4463 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
4464 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
4465 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
4468 @kindex M V m (Summary)
4469 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
4470 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
4471 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
4472 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4475 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
4476 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
4477 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
4478 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
4479 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
4480 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
4481 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
4482 The default is @code{t}.
4485 @node Setting Process Marks
4486 @subsection Setting Process Marks
4487 @cindex setting process marks
4494 @kindex M P p (Summary)
4495 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
4496 Mark the current article with the process mark
4497 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
4498 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
4502 @kindex M P u (Summary)
4503 @kindex M-# (Summary)
4504 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
4505 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
4508 @kindex M P U (Summary)
4509 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
4510 Remove the process mark from all articles
4511 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
4514 @kindex M P i (Summary)
4515 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
4516 Invert the list of process marked articles
4517 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
4520 @kindex M P R (Summary)
4521 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
4522 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
4523 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
4526 @kindex M P r (Summary)
4527 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
4528 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
4531 @kindex M P t (Summary)
4532 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4533 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4534 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4537 @kindex M P T (Summary)
4538 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4539 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4540 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4543 @kindex M P v (Summary)
4544 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
4545 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
4546 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
4549 @kindex M P s (Summary)
4550 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
4551 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4554 @kindex M P S (Summary)
4555 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
4556 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
4557 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
4560 @kindex M P a (Summary)
4561 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
4562 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4565 @kindex M P b (Summary)
4566 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
4567 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
4568 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
4571 @kindex M P k (Summary)
4572 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
4573 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
4574 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
4577 @kindex M P y (Summary)
4578 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
4579 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
4580 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
4583 @kindex M P w (Summary)
4584 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
4585 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
4586 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
4595 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
4596 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
4597 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
4600 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
4601 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
4602 additional articles.
4608 @kindex / / (Summary)
4609 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
4610 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
4611 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
4614 @kindex / a (Summary)
4615 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
4616 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
4617 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
4621 @kindex / u (Summary)
4623 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
4624 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
4625 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
4626 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
4627 dormant articles will also be excluded.
4630 @kindex / m (Summary)
4631 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
4632 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
4633 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
4636 @kindex / t (Summary)
4637 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
4638 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
4639 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}). If given a prefix, limit to
4640 articles younger than that number of days.
4643 @kindex / n (Summary)
4644 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
4645 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
4646 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
4647 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4650 @kindex / w (Summary)
4651 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
4652 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
4653 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
4657 @kindex / v (Summary)
4658 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
4659 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
4660 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
4664 @kindex M S (Summary)
4665 @kindex / E (Summary)
4666 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
4667 Include all expunged articles in the limit
4668 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
4671 @kindex / D (Summary)
4672 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
4673 Include all dormant articles in the limit
4674 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
4677 @kindex / * (Summary)
4678 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
4679 Include all cached articles in the limit
4680 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
4683 @kindex / d (Summary)
4684 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
4685 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
4686 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
4689 @kindex / T (Summary)
4690 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
4691 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
4694 @kindex / c (Summary)
4695 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
4696 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
4697 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
4700 @kindex / C (Summary)
4701 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
4702 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
4703 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
4704 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
4712 @cindex article threading
4714 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
4715 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
4716 hierarchical fashion.
4718 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
4719 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
4720 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
4721 or simply missing. Weird news propagation excarcerbates the problem,
4722 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
4723 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
4724 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
4726 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
4730 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
4733 A tree-like article structure.
4736 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
4739 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
4740 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
4741 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
4742 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
4743 called loose threads.
4745 @item thread gathering
4746 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
4748 @item sparse threads
4749 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
4750 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
4756 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
4757 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
4761 @node Customizing Threading
4762 @subsection Customizing Threading
4763 @cindex customizing threading
4766 * Loose Threads:: How gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
4767 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
4768 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
4769 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over... but you were wrong!
4774 @subsubsection Loose Threads
4777 @cindex loose threads
4780 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
4781 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
4782 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
4783 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
4784 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
4785 read or killed the root in a previous session.
4787 When there is no real root of a thread, gnus will have to fudge
4788 something. This variable says what fudging method gnus should use.
4789 There are four possible values:
4793 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
4794 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-adopt.ps,width=7.5cm}}
4795 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-empty.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4796 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-none.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4797 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/summary-dummy.ps,width=7.5cm}}}
4802 @cindex adopting articles
4807 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
4808 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
4809 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
4810 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
4813 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
4814 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
4815 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
4816 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
4817 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
4818 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
4819 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
4822 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
4823 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
4824 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
4828 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
4829 display them after one another.
4832 Don't gather loose threads.
4835 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4836 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4837 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
4838 variable is @code{nil}, gnus requires an exact match between the
4839 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
4840 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
4841 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
4842 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
4843 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
4844 variable to a really low number, you'll find that gnus will gather
4845 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
4847 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
4848 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, gnus will
4849 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
4852 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4853 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4854 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
4855 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
4856 simplification is used.
4858 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4859 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4860 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
4861 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
4863 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
4865 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4871 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
4872 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
4873 "answer" "reference" "announce"
4874 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
4879 (mapconcat 'identity
4880 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
4882 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
4885 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
4888 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4889 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
4890 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
4891 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
4892 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
4893 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
4895 Useful functions to put in this list include:
4898 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
4899 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
4900 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
4902 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4903 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
4906 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
4907 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
4908 Remove excessive whitespace.
4911 You may also write your own functions, of course.
4914 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4915 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4916 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
4917 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
4918 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
4919 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
4920 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
4921 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
4923 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4924 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4925 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
4926 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
4927 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
4928 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
4929 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
4930 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
4931 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
4935 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4936 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4937 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
4938 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
4940 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4941 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4942 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
4945 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
4949 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4950 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
4956 @node Filling In Threads
4957 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
4960 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
4961 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
4962 If non-@code{nil}, gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
4963 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you would
4964 like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still connect as
4965 many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable to
4966 @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than that
4967 number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case, fetching
4968 old headers only works if the backend you are using carries overview
4969 files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
4970 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
4971 expired by the server, there's not much gnus can do about that.
4973 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
4974 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
4975 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
4977 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
4978 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
4979 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
4980 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
4981 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
4982 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
4983 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where gnus guesses that an article
4984 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
4985 lines. If you select a gap, gnus will try to fetch the article in
4986 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, gnus will display all these
4987 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
4988 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, gnus won't cut
4989 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
4990 @code{nil} by default.
4995 @node More Threading
4996 @subsubsection More Threading
4999 @item gnus-show-threads
5000 @vindex gnus-show-threads
5001 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
5002 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
5003 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
5004 slower and more awkward.
5006 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
5007 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
5008 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
5011 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
5012 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
5013 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
5014 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
5015 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
5016 threads are expunged.
5018 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
5019 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
5020 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
5023 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
5024 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
5025 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
5026 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
5027 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
5030 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
5031 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
5032 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
5038 @node Low-Level Threading
5039 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
5043 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
5044 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
5045 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
5046 @code{(gnus-set-summary-default-charset)}, which sets up local value of
5047 @code{default-mime-charset} in summary buffer based on variable
5048 @code{gnus-newsgroup-default-charset-alist}.
5050 @item gnus-alter-header-function
5051 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
5052 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
5053 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
5054 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
5055 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
5056 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
5057 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
5058 meaningful. Here's one example:
5061 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
5063 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
5064 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
5066 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
5068 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
5075 @node Thread Commands
5076 @subsection Thread Commands
5077 @cindex thread commands
5083 @kindex T k (Summary)
5084 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
5085 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
5086 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
5087 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
5088 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
5093 @kindex T l (Summary)
5094 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
5095 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
5096 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
5097 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
5100 @kindex T i (Summary)
5101 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
5102 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
5103 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
5106 @kindex T # (Summary)
5107 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5108 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
5109 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5112 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
5113 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5114 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
5115 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5118 @kindex T T (Summary)
5119 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
5120 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
5123 @kindex T s (Summary)
5124 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
5125 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
5126 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
5129 @kindex T h (Summary)
5130 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
5131 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
5134 @kindex T S (Summary)
5135 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
5136 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
5139 @kindex T H (Summary)
5140 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
5141 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
5144 @kindex T t (Summary)
5145 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
5146 Re-thread the current article's thread
5147 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
5148 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
5151 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
5152 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
5153 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
5154 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
5158 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
5159 understand the numeric prefix.
5164 @kindex T n (Summary)
5165 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
5166 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
5169 @kindex T p (Summary)
5170 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
5171 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
5174 @kindex T d (Summary)
5175 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
5176 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
5179 @kindex T u (Summary)
5180 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
5181 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
5184 @kindex T o (Summary)
5185 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
5186 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
5189 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
5190 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
5191 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
5192 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
5193 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
5194 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
5195 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
5196 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
5197 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
5198 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
5199 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
5200 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
5207 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
5208 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
5209 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
5210 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5211 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
5212 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5213 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
5214 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
5215 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
5216 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
5217 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
5219 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
5220 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
5221 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
5222 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
5223 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
5225 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
5226 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
5227 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
5229 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
5230 last function in the list. You should probably always include
5231 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
5232 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
5233 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
5234 ascending article order.
5236 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
5237 by number, you could do something like:
5240 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5241 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
5242 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
5243 (reverse gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
5246 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
5247 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
5248 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
5249 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
5250 which the articles arrived.
5252 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
5256 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
5258 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
5259 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
5262 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
5263 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
5264 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
5265 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
5268 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
5269 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
5270 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
5271 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
5272 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
5273 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
5274 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
5275 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
5276 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
5277 it uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
5278 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
5279 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
5280 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
5282 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
5286 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
5287 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
5288 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
5293 @node Asynchronous Fetching
5294 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
5295 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
5296 @cindex article pre-fetch
5299 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
5300 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
5301 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
5302 article appears. Why can't gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
5303 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
5305 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
5306 article fetching, especially the way gnus does it.
5308 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
5309 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
5310 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
5311 article 3, but since gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
5312 connection is blocked.
5314 To avoid these situations, gnus will open two (count 'em two)
5315 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
5316 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
5317 extra connection takes some time, so gnus startup will be slower.
5319 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
5320 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
5321 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
5322 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
5325 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
5328 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
5329 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
5330 happen automatically.
5332 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
5333 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
5334 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
5335 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
5336 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
5337 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
5338 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
5340 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
5341 @findex gnus-async-read-p
5342 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
5343 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This function should
5344 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
5345 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
5346 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
5347 data structure as the only parameter.
5349 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter
5350 than 100 lines, you could say something like:
5353 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
5354 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
5355 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
5356 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
5359 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
5362 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
5363 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down gnus too much. It's
5364 probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
5366 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
5367 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
5368 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
5369 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
5373 Remove articles when they are read.
5376 Remove articles when exiting the group.
5379 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
5381 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
5382 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
5383 @c from the next group.
5386 @node Article Caching
5387 @section Article Caching
5388 @cindex article caching
5391 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
5392 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
5393 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
5394 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
5395 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
5397 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
5399 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5400 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
5401 @vindex gnus-use-cache
5402 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
5403 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
5404 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
5405 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
5406 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
5408 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
5409 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
5410 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
5411 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
5412 as dormant, and don't worry.
5414 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
5416 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
5417 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
5418 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
5419 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
5420 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
5421 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
5422 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
5423 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
5424 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
5425 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
5427 @findex gnus-jog-cache
5428 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
5429 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
5430 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
5431 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
5432 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
5433 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
5434 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
5435 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
5436 not then be downloaded by this command.
5438 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
5439 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
5440 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
5441 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
5442 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
5443 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
5445 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
5446 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
5447 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
5448 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
5449 variables, the group is not cached.
5451 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
5452 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
5453 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
5454 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
5455 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
5456 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, gnus
5457 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
5458 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
5459 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
5463 @node Persistent Articles
5464 @section Persistent Articles
5465 @cindex persistent articles
5467 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
5468 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
5469 useful in my opinion.
5471 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
5472 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
5473 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
5474 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
5475 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
5476 the expiry going on at the news server.
5478 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
5479 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
5480 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
5486 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
5487 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
5490 @kindex M-* (Summary)
5491 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
5492 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
5493 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
5497 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
5499 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
5500 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
5501 interested in persistent articles:
5504 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
5508 @node Article Backlog
5509 @section Article Backlog
5511 @cindex article backlog
5513 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
5514 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
5515 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where gnus will buffer
5516 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
5517 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
5518 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
5519 that, turning the backlog on will slow gnus down a little bit, and
5520 increase memory usage some.
5522 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
5523 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, gnus will store
5524 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
5525 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, gnus will store
5526 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
5527 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
5528 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
5530 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
5533 @node Saving Articles
5534 @section Saving Articles
5535 @cindex saving articles
5537 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
5538 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
5539 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
5540 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
5541 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
5543 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
5544 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, gnus will not delete
5545 unwanted headers before saving the article.
5547 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
5548 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
5549 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
5550 deleted before saving.
5556 @kindex O o (Summary)
5558 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
5559 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
5560 Save the current article using the default article saver
5561 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
5564 @kindex O m (Summary)
5565 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
5566 Save the current article in mail format
5567 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
5570 @kindex O r (Summary)
5571 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
5572 Save the current article in rmail format
5573 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
5576 @kindex O f (Summary)
5577 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
5578 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
5579 Save the current article in plain file format
5580 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
5583 @kindex O F (Summary)
5584 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
5585 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
5586 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
5589 @kindex O b (Summary)
5590 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
5591 Save the current article body in plain file format
5592 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
5595 @kindex O h (Summary)
5596 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
5597 Save the current article in mh folder format
5598 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
5601 @kindex O v (Summary)
5602 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
5603 Save the current article in a VM folder
5604 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
5607 @kindex O p (Summary)
5608 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
5609 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
5610 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
5613 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
5614 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
5615 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
5616 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
5617 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
5618 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
5619 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
5620 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
5621 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
5622 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
5623 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
5624 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
5628 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
5629 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
5630 gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
5631 functions below, or you can create your own.
5635 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5636 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5637 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
5638 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5639 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
5640 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5641 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5643 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5644 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5645 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
5646 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
5647 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5648 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5650 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
5651 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
5652 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
5653 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5654 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
5655 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5656 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5658 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5659 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5660 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
5661 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5662 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5664 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5665 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5666 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
5667 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
5668 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
5671 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
5672 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
5673 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
5674 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
5675 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
5677 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5678 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5679 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
5680 reader to use this setting.
5683 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
5684 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
5685 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
5686 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
5689 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
5690 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
5691 available functions that generate names:
5695 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
5696 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
5697 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5699 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
5700 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5701 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5703 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
5704 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
5705 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5707 @item gnus-plain-save-name
5708 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5709 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5712 @vindex gnus-split-methods
5713 You can have gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp
5714 into the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would
5715 like to save articles related to gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and
5716 articles related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable
5720 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
5721 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
5722 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
5723 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
5726 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
5727 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
5728 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
5729 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
5730 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
5731 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
5732 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
5733 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
5734 called returns a string or a list of strings.
5736 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
5737 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
5738 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
5739 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
5741 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
5742 means that gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
5743 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file name.
5745 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
5746 lots of mail groups called things like
5747 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
5748 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
5749 following will do just that:
5752 (defun my-save-name (group)
5753 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
5754 (substring group (match-end 0))))
5756 (setq gnus-split-methods
5757 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
5762 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5763 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
5764 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
5765 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
5766 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
5767 all the files in the top level directory
5768 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
5769 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
5770 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
5771 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
5773 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
5774 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
5775 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
5776 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
5777 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
5780 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
5784 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
5785 (setq gnus-default-article-saver 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
5788 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
5789 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
5790 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
5791 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
5794 @node Decoding Articles
5795 @section Decoding Articles
5796 @cindex decoding articles
5798 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
5799 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
5802 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
5803 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
5804 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
5805 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
5806 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
5807 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
5811 @cindex article series
5812 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
5813 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
5814 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
5815 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
5816 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
5818 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
5819 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
5820 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
5822 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, gnus
5823 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
5824 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
5826 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
5827 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
5828 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
5831 @node Uuencoded Articles
5832 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
5834 @cindex uuencoded articles
5839 @kindex X u (Summary)
5840 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
5841 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
5842 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
5845 @kindex X U (Summary)
5846 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
5847 Uudecodes and saves the current series
5848 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5851 @kindex X v u (Summary)
5852 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
5853 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
5856 @kindex X v U (Summary)
5857 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
5858 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
5859 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
5863 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
5864 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
5865 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
5866 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
5867 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5869 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
5870 @sc{GNUS 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
5871 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
5872 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
5875 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
5876 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
5877 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
5878 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
5879 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
5880 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
5884 @node Shell Archives
5885 @subsection Shell Archives
5887 @cindex shell archives
5888 @cindex shared articles
5890 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
5891 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
5892 some commands to deal with these:
5897 @kindex X s (Summary)
5898 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
5899 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
5902 @kindex X S (Summary)
5903 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
5904 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
5907 @kindex X v s (Summary)
5908 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
5909 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
5912 @kindex X v S (Summary)
5913 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
5914 Unshars, views and saves the current series
5915 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
5919 @node PostScript Files
5920 @subsection PostScript Files
5926 @kindex X p (Summary)
5927 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
5928 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
5931 @kindex X P (Summary)
5932 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
5933 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
5934 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
5937 @kindex X v p (Summary)
5938 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
5939 View the current PostScript series
5940 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
5943 @kindex X v P (Summary)
5944 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
5945 View and save the current PostScript series
5946 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
5951 @subsection Other Files
5955 @kindex X o (Summary)
5956 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
5957 Save the current series
5958 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
5961 @kindex X b (Summary)
5962 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
5963 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
5964 doesn't really work yet.
5968 @node Decoding Variables
5969 @subsection Decoding Variables
5971 Adjective, not verb.
5974 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
5975 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
5976 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
5980 @node Rule Variables
5981 @subsubsection Rule Variables
5982 @cindex rule variables
5984 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
5985 variables are of the form
5988 (list '(regexp1 command2)
5995 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5996 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5998 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
5999 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
6002 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
6003 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
6006 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
6007 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
6008 This variable is consulted if gnus couldn't make any matches from the
6009 user and default view rules.
6011 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
6012 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
6013 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
6018 @node Other Decode Variables
6019 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
6022 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
6024 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
6025 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
6026 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
6027 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
6028 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
6032 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
6033 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
6036 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
6037 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
6038 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
6041 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
6042 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
6043 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
6044 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
6045 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
6048 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
6049 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
6050 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
6052 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
6053 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
6054 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
6055 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
6056 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
6059 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
6060 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
6061 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
6063 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
6064 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
6065 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
6066 looking for files to display.
6068 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
6069 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
6070 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
6073 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
6074 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
6075 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
6078 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
6079 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
6080 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
6083 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
6084 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
6085 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
6088 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
6089 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
6090 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
6091 decoded articles as unread.
6093 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
6094 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
6095 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
6096 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
6098 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
6099 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
6100 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
6102 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
6103 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
6105 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
6106 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
6107 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
6108 @code{metamail} for viewing.
6110 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
6111 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
6112 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
6113 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
6114 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
6115 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
6116 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
6117 simply dropped them.
6122 @node Uuencoding and Posting
6123 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
6127 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6128 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
6129 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
6130 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
6131 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
6132 for you when you post the article.
6134 @item gnus-uu-post-length
6135 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
6136 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
6137 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
6139 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
6140 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
6141 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
6142 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
6143 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
6144 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
6145 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
6147 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6148 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
6149 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
6150 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
6151 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
6152 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
6153 Default is @code{t}.
6159 @subsection Viewing Files
6160 @cindex viewing files
6161 @cindex pseudo-articles
6163 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, gnus will attempt
6164 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
6165 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
6166 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, gnus will
6167 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
6168 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
6169 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
6171 Finally, gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
6172 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
6173 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
6174 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
6176 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
6177 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
6178 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
6180 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
6181 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
6182 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
6183 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
6184 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
6186 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
6187 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
6188 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
6189 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
6190 a list of parameters to that command.
6192 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
6193 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
6194 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
6196 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
6197 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
6198 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
6201 @node Article Treatment
6202 @section Article Treatment
6204 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
6205 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
6206 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
6207 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
6208 these articles easier.
6211 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
6212 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
6213 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
6214 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
6215 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
6216 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
6217 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
6221 @node Article Highlighting
6222 @subsection Article Highlighting
6223 @cindex highlighting
6225 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
6226 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
6231 @kindex W H a (Summary)
6232 @findex gnus-article-highlight
6233 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
6234 Do much highlighting of the current article
6235 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
6236 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
6238 Most users would prefer using @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight} in
6239 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}) instead.
6240 This is a bit less agressive---it highlights only the headers, the
6241 signature and adds buttons.
6244 @kindex W H h (Summary)
6245 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
6246 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
6247 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
6248 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
6249 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
6250 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
6251 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
6252 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
6253 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
6254 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
6257 @kindex W H c (Summary)
6258 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
6259 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
6261 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
6264 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6266 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
6267 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
6268 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
6270 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6271 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
6272 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
6274 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
6275 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
6276 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
6278 @item gnus-cite-face-list
6279 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
6280 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
6281 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
6282 gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
6283 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
6285 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
6286 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
6287 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
6289 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6290 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
6291 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
6293 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6294 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
6295 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
6296 that it's a citation.
6298 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6299 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
6300 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
6302 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6303 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
6304 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
6306 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
6307 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
6308 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
6309 cited text belonging to the attribution.
6315 @kindex W H s (Summary)
6316 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6317 @vindex gnus-signature-face
6318 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
6319 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
6320 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
6321 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
6322 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
6327 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to highlight articles automatically.
6330 @node Article Fontisizing
6331 @subsection Article Fontisizing
6333 @cindex article emphasis
6335 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
6336 @kindex W e (Summary)
6337 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
6338 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*}. Gnus can make this look nicer by
6339 running the article through the @kbd{W e}
6340 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
6342 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
6343 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
6344 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
6345 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
6346 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
6347 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
6348 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
6349 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
6353 (setq gnus-article-emphasis
6354 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
6355 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
6358 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
6359 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
6360 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
6361 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
6362 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
6363 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
6364 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
6365 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
6366 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
6367 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
6368 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
6369 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
6370 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
6372 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
6373 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
6374 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
6378 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
6381 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to fontize articles automatically.
6384 @node Article Hiding
6385 @subsection Article Hiding
6386 @cindex article hiding
6388 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
6389 too much cruft in most articles.
6394 @kindex W W a (Summary)
6395 @findex gnus-article-hide
6396 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
6397 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
6398 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
6401 @kindex W W h (Summary)
6402 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
6403 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
6407 @kindex W W b (Summary)
6408 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
6409 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
6410 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
6413 @kindex W W s (Summary)
6414 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
6415 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
6419 @kindex W W p (Summary)
6420 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
6421 @vindex gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
6422 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}). The
6423 @code{gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook} hook will be run after a @sc{pgp}
6424 signature has been hidden. For example, to automatically verify
6425 articles that have signatures in them do:
6427 ;;; Hide pgp cruft if any.
6429 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp)
6431 ;;; After hiding pgp, verify the message;
6432 ;;; only happens if pgp signature is found.
6434 (add-hook 'gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook
6437 (set-buffer gnus-original-article-buffer)
6442 @kindex W W P (Summary)
6443 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
6444 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
6445 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
6448 @kindex W W c (Summary)
6449 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
6450 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
6451 customizing the hiding:
6455 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
6456 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
6457 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
6458 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
6459 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
6460 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
6461 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
6466 Starting point of the hidden text.
6468 Ending point of the hidden text.
6470 Number of characters in the hidden region.
6472 Number of lines of hidden text.
6475 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
6476 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
6477 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
6482 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
6483 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
6485 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
6486 following two variables:
6489 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6490 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
6491 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
6492 50), hide the cited text.
6494 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6495 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
6496 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
6501 @kindex W W C (Summary)
6502 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
6503 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
6504 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
6505 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
6506 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
6510 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
6511 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
6512 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
6514 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
6515 citation customization.
6517 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to hide article elements
6521 @node Article Washing
6522 @subsection Article Washing
6524 @cindex article washing
6526 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
6527 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
6529 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
6530 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
6536 @kindex W l (Summary)
6537 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
6538 Remove page breaks from the current article
6539 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article} for page
6543 @kindex W r (Summary)
6544 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
6545 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
6546 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
6547 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
6548 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
6549 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
6551 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
6552 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
6553 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
6554 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
6557 @kindex W t (Summary)
6558 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
6559 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
6560 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
6563 @kindex W v (Summary)
6564 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
6565 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
6566 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
6569 @kindex W m (Summary)
6570 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
6571 Toggle whether to display the article as @sc{mime} message
6572 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
6575 @kindex W o (Summary)
6576 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
6577 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
6580 @kindex W d (Summary)
6581 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
6582 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
6584 @cindex M******** sm*rtq**t*s
6586 Treat M******** sm*rtq**t*s according to
6587 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
6588 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}).
6591 @kindex W w (Summary)
6592 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
6593 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
6594 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
6595 late and certainly after any highlighting.
6597 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
6601 @kindex W c (Summary)
6602 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
6603 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
6604 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
6605 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
6606 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
6609 @kindex W f (Summary)
6611 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
6612 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
6613 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
6614 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
6620 Look for and display any X-Face headers
6621 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
6622 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
6623 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
6624 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
6625 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
6626 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
6627 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
6628 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
6629 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
6630 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
6631 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
6632 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
6633 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
6637 @kindex W b (Summary)
6638 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
6639 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
6640 @xref{Article Buttons}.
6643 @kindex W B (Summary)
6644 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
6645 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
6646 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
6649 @kindex W E l (Summary)
6650 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
6651 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
6652 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
6655 @kindex W E m (Summary)
6656 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
6657 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
6658 lines with a single empty line.
6659 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
6662 @kindex W E t (Summary)
6663 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
6664 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
6665 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
6668 @kindex W E a (Summary)
6669 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
6670 Do all the three commands above
6671 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
6674 @kindex W E A (Summary)
6675 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
6676 Remove all blank lines
6677 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
6680 @kindex W E s (Summary)
6681 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
6682 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
6683 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
6687 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to wash articles automatically.
6690 @node Article Buttons
6691 @subsection Article Buttons
6694 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
6695 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
6696 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
6697 button on these references.
6699 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
6700 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
6701 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
6706 @item gnus-button-alist
6707 @vindex gnus-button-alist
6708 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
6711 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6717 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
6718 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches embedded URLs:
6719 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
6722 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
6723 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
6724 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
6727 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
6728 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
6729 avoid false matches.
6732 This function will be called when you click on this button.
6735 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
6736 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
6740 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
6743 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
6746 @item gnus-header-button-alist
6747 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
6748 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
6749 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
6750 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
6753 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6756 @var{HEADER} is a regular expression.
6758 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
6759 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
6760 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
6761 default values of the variables above.
6763 @item gnus-article-button-face
6764 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
6765 Face used on buttons.
6767 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
6768 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
6769 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
6773 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to buttonize articles automatically.
6777 @subsection Article Date
6779 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
6780 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
6781 when the article was sent.
6786 @kindex W T u (Summary)
6787 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
6788 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
6789 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
6792 @kindex W T i (Summary)
6793 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
6795 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
6796 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
6799 @kindex W T l (Summary)
6800 @findex gnus-article-date-local
6801 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
6804 @kindex W T s (Summary)
6805 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
6806 @findex gnus-article-date-user
6807 @findex format-time-string
6808 Display the date using a user-defined format
6809 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
6810 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
6811 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
6812 for a list of possible format specs.
6815 @kindex W T e (Summary)
6816 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
6817 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
6818 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
6819 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
6820 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). If you want to have this line
6821 updated continually, you can put
6824 (gnus-start-date-timer)
6827 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
6828 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
6832 @kindex W T o (Summary)
6833 @findex gnus-article-date-original
6834 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
6835 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
6836 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
6837 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
6838 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
6842 @xref{Customizing Articles} for how to display the date in your
6843 preferred format automatically.
6846 @node Article Signature
6847 @subsection Article Signature
6849 @cindex article signature
6851 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6852 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
6853 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
6854 that says what is to be considered a signature is
6855 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
6856 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
6857 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
6858 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
6859 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
6862 (setq gnus-signature-separator
6863 '("^-- $" ; The standard
6864 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
6865 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
6866 ; line of dashes. Shame!
6867 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
6868 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
6869 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
6872 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
6875 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
6876 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
6881 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
6884 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
6887 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
6888 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
6890 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
6891 in question is not a signature.
6894 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
6895 listed above. Here's an example:
6898 (setq gnus-signature-limit
6899 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
6902 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
6903 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
6904 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
6905 signature after all.
6909 @section MIME Commands
6910 @cindex MIME decoding
6914 @kindex W M w (Summary)
6915 Decode RFC2047-encoded words in the article headers
6916 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
6919 @kindex W M c (Summary)
6920 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
6921 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
6923 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
6924 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
6925 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
6926 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not include
6927 MIME headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic parameter to
6928 the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
6931 @kindex W M v (Summary)
6932 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
6933 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
6940 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
6941 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
6942 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
6943 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
6946 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
6949 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
6953 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
6954 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
6955 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
6956 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
6957 displayed. The default value is @code{(".*/.*")}.
6959 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
6960 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
6961 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
6962 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
6963 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
6964 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
6965 save all jpegs into some directory).
6967 Here's an example function the does the latter:
6970 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
6971 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
6973 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
6974 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
6975 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
6976 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
6977 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
6983 @node Article Commands
6984 @section Article Commands
6991 @kindex A P (Summary)
6992 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
6993 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
6994 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
6995 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will be
6996 run just before printing the buffer.
7001 @node Summary Sorting
7002 @section Summary Sorting
7003 @cindex summary sorting
7005 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
7006 can't really see why you'd want that.
7011 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
7012 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
7013 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
7016 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
7017 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
7018 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
7021 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
7022 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
7023 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
7026 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
7027 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
7028 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
7031 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
7032 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
7033 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
7036 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
7037 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
7038 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
7041 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
7042 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
7043 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
7044 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
7045 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
7049 @node Finding the Parent
7050 @section Finding the Parent
7051 @cindex parent articles
7052 @cindex referring articles
7057 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
7058 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
7059 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
7060 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
7061 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
7062 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
7063 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
7064 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
7065 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
7067 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
7068 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
7069 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, gnus will fetch the parent, the
7070 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
7071 @kbd{-3 ^}, gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
7075 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
7076 @kindex A R (Summary)
7077 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
7078 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
7081 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
7082 @kindex A T (Summary)
7083 Display the full thread where the current article appears
7084 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
7085 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
7086 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
7087 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
7088 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
7089 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
7091 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
7092 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
7093 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
7094 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
7095 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
7096 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
7099 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
7100 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
7102 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
7103 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
7104 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
7105 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
7106 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
7107 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
7108 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
7111 The current select method will be used when fetching by
7112 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
7113 by giving this command a prefix.
7115 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
7116 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
7117 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
7118 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
7119 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
7120 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
7123 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
7124 not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
7125 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
7126 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
7127 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
7128 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
7131 @node Alternative Approaches
7132 @section Alternative Approaches
7134 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
7135 gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
7138 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
7139 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
7144 @subsection Pick and Read
7145 @cindex pick and read
7147 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
7148 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
7149 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
7150 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
7152 @findex gnus-pick-mode
7153 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
7154 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
7155 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
7156 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
7157 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
7159 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
7164 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
7165 Pick the article or thread on the current line
7166 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
7167 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
7168 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
7169 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
7170 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
7171 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
7174 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
7175 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
7176 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
7177 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
7181 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
7182 Unpick the thread or article
7183 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
7184 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
7185 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
7186 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
7187 the thread or article at that line.
7191 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
7192 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
7193 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
7194 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
7195 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
7196 will still be visible when you are reading.
7200 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
7201 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
7202 which is mapped to the same function
7203 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
7205 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
7208 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
7211 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
7212 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
7214 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
7215 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
7216 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
7218 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
7219 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
7220 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
7221 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
7222 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
7223 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
7224 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
7228 @subsection Binary Groups
7229 @cindex binary groups
7231 @findex gnus-binary-mode
7232 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
7233 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
7234 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
7235 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
7236 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
7237 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
7240 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
7241 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
7242 command, when you have turned on this mode
7243 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
7245 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
7246 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
7250 @section Tree Display
7253 @vindex gnus-use-trees
7254 If you don't like the normal gnus summary display, you might try setting
7255 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
7256 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
7259 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
7262 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
7263 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
7264 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
7266 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
7267 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
7268 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
7269 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
7270 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
7272 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
7273 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
7274 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
7275 default is @code{modeline}.
7277 @item gnus-tree-line-format
7278 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
7279 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
7280 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
7281 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
7282 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
7283 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
7289 The name of the poster.
7291 The @code{From} header.
7293 The number of the article.
7295 The opening bracket.
7297 The closing bracket.
7302 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
7304 Variables related to the display are:
7307 @item gnus-tree-brackets
7308 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
7309 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
7310 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
7311 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
7312 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
7314 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7315 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
7316 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
7317 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
7321 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
7322 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
7323 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, gnus will try to keep the tree
7324 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other gnus
7325 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
7326 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
7327 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
7328 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
7329 other windows displayed next to it.
7331 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
7332 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
7333 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7334 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
7335 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
7336 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
7337 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
7341 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
7344 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
7354 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
7358 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
7359 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
7361 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
7363 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
7368 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
7369 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
7370 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
7373 (setq gnus-use-trees t
7374 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
7375 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
7376 (gnus-add-configuration
7380 (summary 0.75 point)
7385 @xref{Windows Configuration}.
7388 @node Mail Group Commands
7389 @section Mail Group Commands
7390 @cindex mail group commands
7392 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
7393 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
7395 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
7396 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7401 @kindex B e (Summary)
7402 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
7403 Expire all expirable articles in the group
7404 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
7407 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
7408 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
7409 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
7410 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
7411 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
7412 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
7415 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
7416 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
7417 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
7418 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
7419 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
7420 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
7423 @kindex B m (Summary)
7425 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
7426 Move the article from one mail group to another
7427 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
7430 @kindex B c (Summary)
7432 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
7433 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
7434 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
7435 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
7438 @kindex B B (Summary)
7439 @cindex crosspost mail
7440 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
7441 Crosspost the current article to some other group
7442 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
7443 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
7444 be properly updated.
7447 @kindex B i (Summary)
7448 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
7449 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
7450 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
7451 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
7454 @kindex B r (Summary)
7455 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
7456 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
7457 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
7458 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
7459 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
7463 @kindex B w (Summary)
7465 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
7466 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
7467 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
7468 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
7469 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
7470 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, gnus won't re-highlight the article.
7473 @kindex B q (Summary)
7474 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
7475 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
7476 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
7477 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
7480 @kindex B t (Summary)
7481 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
7482 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
7483 when repooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
7486 @kindex B p (Summary)
7487 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
7488 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
7489 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
7490 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
7491 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
7492 article from your news server (or rather, from
7493 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
7494 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
7495 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
7496 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
7497 just not have arrived yet.
7501 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
7502 @cindex moving articles
7503 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have gnus
7504 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
7505 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
7506 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
7507 suggestions you find reasonable.
7510 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
7511 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
7512 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
7513 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
7517 @node Various Summary Stuff
7518 @section Various Summary Stuff
7521 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
7522 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
7523 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
7524 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
7528 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
7529 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
7530 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
7532 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
7533 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
7534 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
7535 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
7536 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
7537 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
7540 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7541 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
7542 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
7543 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
7544 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
7546 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
7547 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
7548 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
7551 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7552 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
7553 When gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
7554 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
7555 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
7556 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
7557 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), gnus will rename the
7558 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
7559 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
7560 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
7565 @node Summary Group Information
7566 @subsection Summary Group Information
7571 @kindex H f (Summary)
7572 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
7573 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
7574 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
7575 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
7576 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
7577 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
7578 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
7579 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
7580 be used for fetching the file.
7583 @kindex H d (Summary)
7584 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
7585 Give a brief description of the current group
7586 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
7587 rereading the description from the server.
7590 @kindex H h (Summary)
7591 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
7592 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
7593 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
7596 @kindex H i (Summary)
7597 @findex gnus-info-find-node
7598 Go to the gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
7602 @node Searching for Articles
7603 @subsection Searching for Articles
7608 @kindex M-s (Summary)
7609 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
7610 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
7611 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
7614 @kindex M-r (Summary)
7615 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
7616 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
7617 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
7621 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
7622 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
7623 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
7624 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If given a prefix, search
7628 @kindex M-& (Summary)
7629 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
7630 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
7631 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
7634 @node Summary Generation Commands
7635 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
7640 @kindex Y g (Summary)
7641 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
7642 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
7645 @kindex Y c (Summary)
7646 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
7647 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
7648 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
7653 @node Really Various Summary Commands
7654 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
7659 @kindex C-d (Summary)
7660 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
7661 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
7662 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
7663 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
7664 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
7665 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
7666 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
7667 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
7671 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
7672 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
7673 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
7674 several documents into one biiig group
7675 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
7676 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
7677 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
7678 command understands the process/prefix convention
7679 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7682 @kindex C-t (Summary)
7683 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
7684 Toggle truncation of summary lines
7685 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
7686 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
7687 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
7691 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
7692 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
7693 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
7696 @kindex M-C-e (Summary)
7697 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
7698 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
7699 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
7702 @kindex M-C-g (Summary)
7703 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
7704 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
7705 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
7710 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
7711 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
7712 @cindex summary exit
7713 @cindex exiting groups
7715 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
7716 group and return you to the group buffer.
7722 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
7724 @findex gnus-summary-exit
7725 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
7726 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
7727 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
7728 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
7729 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
7730 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
7731 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
7732 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
7733 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
7734 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
7738 @kindex Z E (Summary)
7740 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
7741 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
7742 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
7746 @kindex Z c (Summary)
7748 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
7749 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
7750 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
7751 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
7754 @kindex Z C (Summary)
7755 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
7756 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
7757 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
7760 @kindex Z n (Summary)
7761 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
7762 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
7763 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
7766 @kindex Z R (Summary)
7767 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
7768 Exit this group, and then enter it again
7769 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
7770 all articles, both read and unread.
7774 @kindex Z G (Summary)
7775 @kindex M-g (Summary)
7776 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
7777 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
7778 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
7779 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
7780 articles, both read and unread.
7783 @kindex Z N (Summary)
7784 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
7785 Exit the group and go to the next group
7786 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
7789 @kindex Z P (Summary)
7790 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
7791 Exit the group and go to the previous group
7792 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
7795 @kindex Z s (Summary)
7796 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
7797 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
7798 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
7799 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
7800 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
7803 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
7804 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
7807 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
7808 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
7809 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
7810 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
7811 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
7812 If you do that, gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
7813 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
7814 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
7815 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
7816 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
7817 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
7818 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
7820 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
7822 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
7823 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
7824 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
7825 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
7826 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
7827 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
7828 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
7829 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
7830 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
7833 @node Crosspost Handling
7834 @section Crosspost Handling
7838 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
7839 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
7840 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
7841 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
7842 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
7843 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
7846 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
7847 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
7848 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
7849 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
7850 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
7852 @cindex cross-posting
7855 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
7856 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
7857 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
7858 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
7859 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
7860 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
7861 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
7862 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
7863 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
7864 the cross reference mechanism.
7866 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
7867 @cindex overview.fmt
7868 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
7869 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
7870 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
7871 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
7872 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
7873 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
7876 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
7877 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
7878 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
7883 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
7886 @node Duplicate Suppression
7887 @section Duplicate Suppression
7889 By default, gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
7890 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
7891 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
7892 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various reasons.
7896 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
7897 is evil and not very common.
7900 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
7901 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
7904 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
7905 different @sc{nntp} servers.
7908 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
7911 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
7912 well, but these four are the most common situations.
7914 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
7915 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
7916 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
7917 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
7918 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
7919 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
7920 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
7923 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
7924 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
7925 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
7926 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
7927 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
7931 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
7932 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
7933 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
7935 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
7936 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
7937 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
7938 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
7939 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single gnus
7940 session are suppressed.
7942 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
7943 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
7944 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
7945 suppression list. The default is 10000.
7947 @item gnus-duplicate-file
7948 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
7949 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
7950 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
7953 If you have a tendency to stop and start gnus often, setting
7954 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
7955 you leave gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
7956 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
7957 so that means that if you stop and start gnus often, you should set
7958 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
7959 to you to figure out, I think.
7962 @node The Article Buffer
7963 @chapter The Article Buffer
7964 @cindex article buffer
7966 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
7967 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
7968 tell gnus otherwise.
7971 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
7972 * Using MIME:: Pushing to mime articles as @sc{mime} messages.
7973 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
7974 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
7975 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
7979 @node Hiding Headers
7980 @section Hiding Headers
7981 @cindex hiding headers
7982 @cindex deleting headers
7984 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
7985 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
7987 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
7988 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
7989 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
7990 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
7991 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
7992 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
7993 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
7994 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
7995 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
7997 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
8001 @item gnus-visible-headers
8002 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
8003 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
8004 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
8005 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
8007 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
8008 the article and the subject, you'd say:
8011 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
8014 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
8017 @item gnus-ignored-headers
8018 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
8019 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
8020 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
8021 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
8022 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
8024 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} field
8025 and the @code{Xref} field, you might say:
8028 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
8031 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
8034 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
8035 variable will have no effect.
8039 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
8040 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
8041 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
8042 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
8043 the headers are to be displayed.
8045 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
8046 and then the subject, you might say something like:
8049 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
8052 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
8053 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed
8056 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
8057 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
8058 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
8059 You can hide further boring headers by entering
8060 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
8061 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
8062 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
8063 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
8064 @dfn{boring conditions} that gnus can check and remove from sight.
8066 These conditions are:
8069 Remove all empty headers.
8071 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
8072 @code{Newsgroups} header.
8074 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
8077 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
8080 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
8083 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
8085 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
8088 To include the four three elements, you could say something like;
8091 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
8092 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
8095 This is also the default value for this variable.
8099 @section Using @sc{mime}
8102 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
8103 while people stand around yawning.
8105 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
8106 while all newsreaders die of fear.
8108 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
8109 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
8110 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
8112 @vindex gnus-show-mime
8113 @vindex gnus-article-display-method-for-mime
8114 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
8115 @findex gnus-article-display-mime-message
8116 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
8117 @code{gnus-article-display-method-for-mime}, which is
8118 @code{gnus-article-display-mime-message} by default. This function
8119 calls the SEMI MIME-View program to actually do the work. For more
8120 information on SEMI MIME-View, see its manual page (however it is not
8121 existed yet, sorry).
8123 Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
8124 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
8125 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
8126 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
8127 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
8128 buffer. These can't be avoided.
8130 In GNUS or Gnus, it might be best to just use the toggling functions
8131 from the summary buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance,
8132 you enter the group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it,
8133 @sc{mime} has decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible
8134 sing-a-long song comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find
8135 the volume button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to
8136 look at you, and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you
8137 can't find the program to control the volume, and everybody else in the
8138 room suddenly decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel
8141 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
8143 To avoid such kind of situation, gnus stops to use
8144 @code{metamail-buffer}. So now, you can set @code{gnus-show-mime} to
8145 non-@code{nil} every-time, then you can push button in the article
8146 buffer when there are nobody else.
8149 @node Customizing Articles
8150 @section Customizing Articles
8151 @cindex article customization
8153 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
8154 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
8155 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
8156 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
8158 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
8159 @findex gnus-article-maybe-hide-headers
8160 By default this hook just contains
8161 @code{gnus-article-maybe-hide-headers},
8162 @code{gnus-hide-boring-headers}, @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike},
8163 and @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight} (and under XEmacs,
8164 @code{gnus-article-display-x-face}), but there are thousands, nay
8165 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
8166 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
8167 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
8168 Date}. Note that the order of functions in this hook might affect
8169 things, so you may have to fiddle a bit to get the desired results.
8171 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
8172 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
8173 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
8174 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
8175 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
8178 @node Article Keymap
8179 @section Article Keymap
8181 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
8182 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
8183 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
8184 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
8187 A few additional keystrokes are available:
8192 @kindex SPACE (Article)
8193 @findex gnus-article-next-page
8194 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
8197 @kindex DEL (Article)
8198 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
8199 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
8202 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
8203 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
8204 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
8205 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
8206 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
8209 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
8210 @findex gnus-article-mail
8211 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
8212 given a prefix, include the mail.
8216 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
8217 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
8218 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
8222 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
8223 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
8224 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
8227 @kindex TAB (Article)
8228 @findex gnus-article-next-button
8229 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
8230 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
8233 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
8234 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
8235 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
8241 @section Misc Article
8245 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
8246 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
8247 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
8248 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
8251 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
8252 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
8254 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
8255 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
8257 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
8258 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
8259 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
8260 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
8261 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
8262 the contents of the article buffer.
8264 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
8265 @item gnus-article-display-hook
8266 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
8267 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
8268 hiding headers, and the like.
8270 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
8271 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
8272 Hook called in article mode buffers.
8274 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
8275 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
8276 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
8277 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
8279 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
8280 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
8281 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
8282 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
8283 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with one
8288 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
8289 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
8293 @vindex gnus-break-pages
8295 @item gnus-break-pages
8296 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
8297 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
8298 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
8299 paging will not be done.
8301 @item gnus-page-delimiter
8302 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
8303 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
8308 @node Composing Messages
8309 @chapter Composing Messages
8310 @cindex composing messages
8313 @cindex sending mail
8318 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
8319 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
8320 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
8321 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
8322 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
8323 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
8324 to make gnus try to post using the foreign server.
8327 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
8328 * Post:: Posting and following up.
8329 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
8330 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
8331 * Archived Messages:: Where gnus stores the messages you've sent.
8332 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
8333 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
8334 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
8337 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
8338 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
8344 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
8347 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
8348 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
8349 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
8350 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
8352 @item gnus-add-to-list
8353 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
8354 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
8355 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
8363 Variables for composing news articles:
8366 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8367 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
8368 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
8369 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
8370 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
8371 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to send the
8372 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
8373 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
8374 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want gnus to keep a history
8377 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8378 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
8379 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
8380 file. It is 1000 by default.
8385 @node Posting Server
8386 @section Posting Server
8388 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
8389 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
8391 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
8393 @vindex gnus-post-method
8395 It can be quite complicated. Normally, gnus will use the same native
8396 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
8397 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
8398 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
8399 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
8402 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
8405 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
8406 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
8407 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
8408 the ``current'' server for posting.
8410 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
8411 gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
8413 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
8414 If that's the case, gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
8417 Finally, if you want to always post using the same select method as
8418 you're reading from (which might be convenient if you're reading lots of
8419 groups from different private servers), you can set this variable to
8424 @section Mail and Post
8426 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
8430 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
8431 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
8432 @cindex mailing lists
8434 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
8435 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
8436 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
8437 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
8438 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
8439 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
8440 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
8441 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
8442 still a pain, though.
8446 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
8447 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
8448 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
8451 @findex ispell-message
8453 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
8457 @node Archived Messages
8458 @section Archived Messages
8459 @cindex archived messages
8460 @cindex sent messages
8462 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
8463 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
8464 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
8465 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
8468 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
8469 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server gnus is to
8470 use to store sent messages. The default is:
8474 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
8475 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
8476 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
8477 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
8480 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
8481 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method
8482 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
8483 directory chosen, you could say something like:
8486 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
8487 '(nnfolder "archive"
8488 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
8489 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
8490 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
8493 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
8495 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
8496 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
8497 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
8499 This variable can be used to do the following:
8503 Messages will be saved in that group.
8504 @item a list of strings
8505 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
8506 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
8507 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
8509 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
8514 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
8516 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
8519 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
8521 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
8524 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
8526 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8527 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
8528 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
8529 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
8534 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8535 '((if (message-news-p)
8540 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
8541 messages in one file per month:
8544 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
8545 '((if (message-news-p)
8547 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
8548 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
8551 (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
8552 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
8554 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
8555 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
8556 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
8557 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
8558 gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
8559 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
8560 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
8561 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
8562 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
8563 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
8565 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
8566 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
8567 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
8568 this will disable archiving.
8571 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
8572 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
8573 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
8574 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
8575 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
8578 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
8579 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
8580 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
8583 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
8584 but the latter is the preferred method.
8588 @node Posting Styles
8589 @section Posting Styles
8590 @cindex posting styles
8593 All them variables, they make my head swim.
8595 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
8596 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
8597 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
8600 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
8601 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
8602 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
8603 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
8604 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
8609 (signature "Peace and happiness")
8610 (organization "What me?"))
8612 (signature "Death to everybody"))
8613 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
8614 (organization "Emacs is it")))
8617 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
8618 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
8619 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
8620 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
8621 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
8622 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
8623 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
8624 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
8626 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
8627 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
8628 If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
8629 arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
8630 referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
8631 any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
8634 Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
8635 attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
8636 can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
8637 @code{organization}, @code{address}, @code{name} or @code{body}. The
8638 attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
8639 a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
8642 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
8643 return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
8644 list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
8646 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
8647 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
8648 of the two dynamically bound variables @code{message-this-is-news} and
8649 @code{message-this-is-mail}.
8651 @vindex message-this-is-mail
8652 @vindex message-this-is-news
8654 So here's a new example:
8657 (setq gnus-posting-styles
8659 (signature-file "~/.signature")
8661 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
8662 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
8664 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
8665 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
8666 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
8667 (message-this-is-news
8668 (signature my-news-signature))
8669 (posting-from-work-p
8670 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
8671 (address "user@@bar.foo")
8672 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
8673 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
8675 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
8683 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
8684 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
8685 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
8686 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
8687 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
8689 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
8690 some sort using the gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
8691 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
8692 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
8693 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
8697 @vindex nndraft-directory
8698 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
8699 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
8700 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
8701 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
8702 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
8703 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
8705 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
8706 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
8709 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
8710 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
8711 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
8712 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
8713 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
8714 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
8715 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
8716 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
8717 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
8718 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
8719 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
8720 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
8721 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
8722 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
8724 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
8725 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
8726 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
8728 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
8730 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
8731 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
8732 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
8734 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
8737 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
8738 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
8739 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
8740 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
8741 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
8742 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
8743 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
8746 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
8747 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
8748 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
8751 @node Rejected Articles
8752 @section Rejected Articles
8753 @cindex rejected articles
8755 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
8756 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
8757 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
8758 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
8760 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of gnus.
8761 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
8762 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
8763 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So gnus saves these
8764 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
8766 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
8767 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
8768 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
8771 @node Select Methods
8772 @chapter Select Methods
8773 @cindex foreign groups
8774 @cindex select methods
8776 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
8777 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
8778 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
8779 personal mail group.
8781 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
8782 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
8783 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
8784 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
8785 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
8786 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
8788 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
8789 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
8791 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
8794 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
8795 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
8796 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
8797 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
8798 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
8800 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
8803 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
8804 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
8805 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
8806 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
8807 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
8808 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
8812 @node The Server Buffer
8813 @section The Server Buffer
8815 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
8816 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
8817 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
8818 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
8819 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
8820 backend represents a virtual server.
8822 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
8823 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
8824 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
8825 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
8827 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
8828 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
8829 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
8830 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
8831 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
8832 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
8833 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
8835 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
8836 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
8839 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
8840 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
8841 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
8842 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
8843 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
8844 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
8845 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
8848 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
8849 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
8852 @node Server Buffer Format
8853 @subsection Server Buffer Format
8854 @cindex server buffer format
8856 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
8857 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
8858 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
8859 variable, with some simple extensions:
8864 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
8867 The name of this server.
8870 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
8873 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
8876 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
8877 The mode line can also be customized by using the
8878 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
8879 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
8889 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
8892 @node Server Commands
8893 @subsection Server Commands
8894 @cindex server commands
8900 @findex gnus-server-add-server
8901 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
8905 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
8906 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
8909 @kindex SPACE (Server)
8910 @findex gnus-server-read-server
8911 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
8915 @findex gnus-server-exit
8916 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
8920 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
8921 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
8925 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
8926 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
8930 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
8931 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
8935 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
8936 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
8940 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
8941 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
8942 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
8947 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
8948 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
8949 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
8950 a mail backend that has gotten out of synch.
8955 @node Example Methods
8956 @subsection Example Methods
8958 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
8961 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
8964 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
8970 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
8971 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
8974 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
8975 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
8977 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
8978 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
8982 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
8985 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
8986 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
8988 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
8989 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
8990 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
8994 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
8997 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
9000 Here's the method for a public spool:
9004 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
9005 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
9008 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
9009 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
9010 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
9011 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
9012 should probably look something like this:
9016 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
9017 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
9018 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
9019 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
9020 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
9023 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
9024 compressed connection over the modem line, you could create a virtual
9025 server that would look something like this:
9029 (nntp-address "copper.uio.no")
9030 (nntp-rlogin-program "ssh")
9031 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
9032 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
9033 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
9034 ("telnet" "news.uio.no" "nntp")))
9037 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
9038 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
9039 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
9040 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
9043 @node Creating a Virtual Server
9044 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
9046 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
9047 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
9049 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
9050 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
9051 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
9053 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
9055 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
9056 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
9057 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
9058 will contain the following:
9068 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
9069 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
9070 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
9073 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
9074 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
9075 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
9078 @node Server Variables
9079 @subsection Server Variables
9081 One sticky point when defining variables (both on backends and in Emacs
9082 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
9083 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
9084 change the "base" variable after the variables have been loaded, you
9085 won't change the "derived" variables.
9087 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
9088 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
9089 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
9090 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
9091 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
9092 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
9093 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
9094 variables for each backend, see each backend's section later in this
9095 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
9099 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
9100 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
9101 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
9105 @node Servers and Methods
9106 @subsection Servers and Methods
9108 Wherever you would normally use a select method
9109 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
9110 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
9111 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
9115 @node Unavailable Servers
9116 @subsection Unavailable Servers
9118 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
9119 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
9120 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
9121 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
9122 actually the case or not.
9124 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
9125 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
9126 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
9127 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
9128 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
9129 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
9130 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
9131 it will regard that server as ``down''.
9133 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
9134 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
9136 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
9137 with the following commands:
9143 @findex gnus-server-open-server
9144 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
9145 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
9149 @findex gnus-server-close-server
9150 Close the connection (if any) to the server
9151 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
9155 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
9156 Mark the current server as unreachable
9157 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
9160 @kindex M-o (Server)
9161 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
9162 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
9163 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
9166 @kindex M-c (Server)
9167 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
9168 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
9169 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
9173 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
9174 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
9175 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
9181 @section Getting News
9182 @cindex reading news
9183 @cindex news backends
9185 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
9186 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
9187 or it can read from a local spool.
9190 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
9191 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
9196 @subsection @sc{nntp}
9199 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
9200 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
9201 server as the, uhm, address.
9203 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
9204 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
9205 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
9206 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
9208 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
9209 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
9210 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
9212 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
9217 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
9218 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
9219 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
9221 @cindex authentification
9222 @cindex nntp authentification
9223 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
9224 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
9225 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
9226 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
9227 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
9228 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
9229 present in this hook.
9231 @item nntp-authinfo-function
9232 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
9233 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
9234 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
9235 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
9236 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
9237 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
9238 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
9239 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
9240 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
9241 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
9242 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
9246 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
9249 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs. The
9250 valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
9251 @samp{default} and @samp{force}. (The latter is not a valid
9252 @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} token, which is the only way the
9253 @file{.authinfo} file format deviates from the @file{.netrc} file
9258 Here's an example file:
9261 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
9262 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
9265 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
9266 have to be first, for instance.
9268 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
9269 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
9270 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
9271 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
9272 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
9273 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
9274 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
9276 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
9277 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
9283 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
9284 previously mentioned.
9286 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
9288 @item nntp-server-action-alist
9289 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
9290 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
9291 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
9292 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
9295 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
9299 You probably don't want to do that, though.
9301 The default value is
9304 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
9305 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
9308 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
9309 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
9311 @item nntp-maximum-request
9312 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
9313 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
9314 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
9315 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
9316 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
9317 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
9318 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
9320 @item nntp-connection-timeout
9321 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
9322 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
9323 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
9324 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
9325 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
9326 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
9327 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
9328 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
9329 no timeouts are done.
9331 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
9332 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
9333 @c @cindex PPP connections
9334 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
9335 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
9336 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
9337 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
9338 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
9339 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
9340 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
9341 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
9342 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
9343 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
9345 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
9346 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
9347 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
9348 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
9351 @item nntp-server-hook
9352 @vindex nntp-server-hook
9353 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
9356 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
9357 @findex nntp-open-telnet
9358 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
9359 @item nntp-open-connection-function
9360 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
9361 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Four pre-made
9362 functions are supplied:
9365 @item nntp-open-network-stream
9366 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
9369 @item nntp-open-rlogin
9370 Does an @samp{rlogin} on the
9371 remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet} to the @sc{nntp} server
9374 @code{nntp-open-rlogin}-related variables:
9378 @item nntp-rlogin-program
9379 @vindex nntp-rlogin-program
9380 Program used to log in on remote machines. The default is @samp{rsh},
9381 but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
9383 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
9384 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
9385 This list will be used as the parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
9387 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9388 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9389 User name on the remote system.
9393 @item nntp-open-telnet
9394 Does a @samp{telnet} to the remote system and then another @samp{telnet}
9395 to get to the @sc{nntp} server.
9397 @code{nntp-open-telnet}-related variables:
9400 @item nntp-telnet-command
9401 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
9402 Command used to start @code{telnet}.
9404 @item nntp-telnet-switches
9405 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
9406 List of strings to be used as the switches to the @code{telnet} command.
9408 @item nntp-telnet-user-name
9409 @vindex nntp-telnet-user-name
9410 User name for log in on the remote system.
9412 @item nntp-telnet-passwd
9413 @vindex nntp-telnet-passwd
9414 Password to use when logging in.
9416 @item nntp-telnet-parameters
9417 @vindex nntp-telnet-parameters
9418 A list of strings executed as a command after logging in
9421 @item nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9422 @vindex nntp-telnet-shell-prompt
9423 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the remote machine. The default is
9424 @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
9426 @item nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9427 @vindex nntp-open-telnet-envuser
9428 If non-@code{nil}, the @code{telnet} session (client and server both)
9429 will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for login name.
9430 This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
9434 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
9435 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
9436 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use this
9437 you must have SSLay installed
9438 (@file{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}, and you also need
9439 @file{ssl.el} (from the W3 distributeion, for instance). You then
9440 define a server as follows:
9443 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
9445 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
9447 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
9448 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
9449 (nntp-port-number "snews")
9450 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
9455 @item nntp-end-of-line
9456 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
9457 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
9458 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
9459 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
9461 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
9462 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
9463 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
9467 @vindex nntp-address
9468 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
9470 @item nntp-port-number
9471 @vindex nntp-port-number
9472 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
9475 @item nntp-buggy-select
9476 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
9477 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
9479 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
9480 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
9481 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
9482 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
9485 @item nntp-xover-commands
9486 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
9489 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
9490 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
9494 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
9495 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
9496 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
9497 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
9498 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
9499 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
9500 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
9501 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
9502 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
9503 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
9504 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
9506 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
9507 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
9508 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
9510 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9511 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
9512 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
9513 server closes connection.
9515 @item nntp-record-commands
9516 @vindex nntp-record-commands
9517 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
9518 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestep) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
9519 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
9520 that doesn't seem to work.
9526 @subsection News Spool
9530 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
9531 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
9532 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
9535 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
9536 anything else) as the address.
9538 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
9539 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
9540 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
9541 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
9545 @item nnspool-inews-program
9546 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
9547 Program used to post an article.
9549 @item nnspool-inews-switches
9550 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
9551 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
9553 @item nnspool-spool-directory
9554 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
9555 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
9556 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
9558 @item nnspool-nov-directory
9559 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
9560 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
9561 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
9563 @item nnspool-lib-dir
9564 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
9565 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
9567 @item nnspool-active-file
9568 @vindex nnspool-active-file
9569 The path to the active file.
9571 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
9572 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
9573 The path to the group descriptions file.
9575 @item nnspool-history-file
9576 @vindex nnspool-history-file
9577 The path to the news history file.
9579 @item nnspool-active-times-file
9580 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
9581 The path to the active date file.
9583 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
9584 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
9585 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
9588 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9589 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
9591 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
9592 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
9593 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
9599 @section Getting Mail
9600 @cindex reading mail
9603 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
9607 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
9608 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
9609 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
9610 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
9611 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
9612 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
9613 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
9614 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
9615 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
9616 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
9617 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
9621 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
9622 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
9624 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
9625 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
9626 and things will happen automatically.
9628 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a "one file per
9629 mail" backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
9632 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
9633 '((nnml "private")))
9636 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
9637 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
9638 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
9639 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
9640 like any other group.
9642 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
9645 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9646 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9647 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9651 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
9652 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
9653 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
9656 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
9657 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
9658 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
9661 @node Splitting Mail
9662 @subsection Splitting Mail
9663 @cindex splitting mail
9664 @cindex mail splitting
9666 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
9667 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
9668 to be split into groups.
9671 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9672 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9673 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
9677 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
9678 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
9679 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
9680 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
9681 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
9682 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
9683 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
9686 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
9689 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
9690 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
9691 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
9692 mail belongs in that group.
9694 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
9695 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any mails
9696 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
9697 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
9698 rule to make a match will "win", unless you have crossposting enabled.
9699 In that case, all matching rules will "win".)
9701 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
9702 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
9703 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
9704 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
9705 thinks should carry this mail message.
9707 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
9708 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
9709 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
9710 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
9712 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
9713 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
9714 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
9715 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
9716 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
9718 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
9721 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
9722 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
9723 links. If that's the case for you, set
9724 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
9725 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
9727 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
9728 @kindex nnmail-split-history
9729 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
9730 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command.
9732 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
9733 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
9734 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
9735 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
9736 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
9737 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
9738 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
9739 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
9743 @node Mail Backend Variables
9744 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
9746 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
9750 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9751 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
9752 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
9753 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
9755 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
9756 @item nnmail-spool-file
9760 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
9761 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
9762 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
9763 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
9764 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
9765 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
9766 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
9767 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
9768 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
9769 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
9770 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
9771 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
9772 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
9773 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
9774 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
9776 @code{nnmail-spool-file} can also be a list of mailboxes.
9778 Your Emacs has to have been configured with @samp{--with-pop} before
9779 compilation. This is the default, but some installations have it
9782 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
9783 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
9784 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
9785 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
9786 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
9787 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
9789 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
9790 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
9791 @item nnmail-use-procmail
9792 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
9793 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
9794 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
9795 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
9798 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
9799 @item nnmail-crash-box
9800 When a mail backend reads a spool file, mail is first moved to this
9801 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
9802 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
9805 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
9806 @item nnmail-split-hook
9807 @findex article-decode-encoded-words
9808 @findex RFC1522 decoding
9809 @findex RFC2047 decoding
9810 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
9811 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
9812 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
9813 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
9814 in the buffer will show up in any files.
9815 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
9818 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9819 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9820 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9821 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
9822 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
9823 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
9824 starting to handle the new mail) and
9825 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
9826 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
9827 default file modes the new mail files get:
9830 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
9831 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
9833 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
9834 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
9837 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
9838 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
9839 This variable says where to move incoming mail to -- while processing
9840 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
9841 inhabits (e.g., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
9842 it will be used instead.
9844 @item nnmail-movemail-program
9845 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
9846 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
9847 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
9849 This can also be a function. In that case, the function will be called
9850 with two parameters -- the name of the inbox, and the file to be moved
9853 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
9854 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
9855 @cindex incoming mail files
9856 @cindex deleting incoming files
9857 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
9858 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{t} by
9861 @c This is @code{nil} by
9862 @c default for reasons of security.
9864 @c Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
9865 (No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
9866 lost mail, I think, but that's not the point. (Except certain versions
9867 of Red Gnus.)) By not deleting the Incoming* files, one can be sure not
9868 to lose mail -- if Gnus totally whacks out, one can always recover what
9871 You may delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
9873 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
9874 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
9875 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
9876 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
9877 (assuming use of @code{nnml} backend) or files (assuming use of
9878 @code{nnfolder} backend) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
9879 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
9881 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
9882 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
9884 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
9886 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9887 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
9888 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
9889 the backend (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
9890 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
9895 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
9896 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
9897 @cindex mail splitting
9898 @cindex fancy mail splitting
9900 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
9901 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
9902 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
9903 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
9904 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
9905 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
9907 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
9910 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
9911 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
9912 ;; from real errors.
9913 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
9915 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
9916 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
9917 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
9918 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
9919 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
9920 ;; Other mailing lists...
9921 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
9922 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
9924 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
9925 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
9929 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
9930 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
9931 the five possible split syntaxes:
9936 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
9937 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
9941 @var{(FIELD VALUE SPLIT)}: If the split is a list, the first element of
9942 which is a string, then store the message as specified by SPLIT, if
9943 header FIELD (a regexp) contains VALUE (also a regexp).
9946 @var{(| SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9947 @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them
9948 matches. A SPLIT is said to match if it will cause the mail message to
9949 be stored in one or more groups.
9952 @var{(& SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
9953 @code{&}, then process all SPLITs in the list.
9956 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
9957 this message. Use with extreme caution.
9960 @var{(: function arg1 arg2 ...)}: If the split is a list, and the first
9961 element is @code{:}, then the second element will be called as a
9962 function with @var{args} given as arguments. The function should return
9966 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
9970 In these splits, @var{FIELD} must match a complete field name.
9971 @var{VALUE} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
9972 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
9973 field names or words. In other words, all @var{VALUE}'s are wrapped in
9974 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
9976 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
9977 @var{FIELD} and @var{VALUE} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
9978 are expanded as specified by the variable
9979 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
9980 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
9983 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
9984 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
9985 when all this splitting is performed.
9987 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
9988 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
9989 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
9992 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
9995 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
9996 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
9997 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
9998 groupings 1 through 9.
10001 @node Mail and Procmail
10002 @subsection Mail and Procmail
10007 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
10008 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
10009 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
10010 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
10011 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
10013 If you have a combined @code{procmail}/POP/mailbox setup, you can do
10014 something like the following:
10016 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
10018 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
10019 (setq nnmail-spool-file
10020 '("/usr/spool/mail/my-name" "po:my-name"))
10023 This also means that you probably don't want to set
10024 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
10027 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
10028 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
10029 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends, except
10030 @code{nnmh}, actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
10031 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
10032 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
10034 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) by hand what
10037 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example:
10039 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
10040 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
10042 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
10043 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
10044 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
10045 to include all your mail groups.
10047 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
10048 method will be created automatically.
10050 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
10051 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
10052 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
10053 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
10054 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
10055 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
10056 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
10057 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
10059 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
10060 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
10061 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
10062 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
10063 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
10065 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
10066 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directly into an @code{nnmh}
10067 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
10068 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
10069 ever expiring the final article (i.e., the article with the highest
10070 article number) in a mail newsgroup. This is quite, quite important.
10072 Here's an example setup: The incoming spools are located in
10073 @file{~/incoming/} and have @samp{""} as suffixes (i.e., the incoming
10074 spool files have the same names as the equivalent groups). The
10075 @code{nnfolder} backend is to be used as the mail interface, and the
10076 @code{nnfolder} directory is @file{~/fMail/}.
10079 (setq nnfolder-directory "~/fMail/")
10080 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
10081 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/incoming/")
10082 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnfolder "")))
10083 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "")
10087 @node Incorporating Old Mail
10088 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
10090 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
10091 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
10092 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
10095 Doing so can be quite easy.
10097 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
10098 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
10099 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
10100 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
10101 your @code{nnml} groups.
10107 Go to the group buffer.
10110 Type `G f' and give the path to the mbox file when prompted to create an
10111 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
10114 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
10117 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
10118 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
10121 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
10122 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
10125 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
10126 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
10127 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
10128 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
10129 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
10131 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
10132 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
10133 using the new mail backend.
10136 @node Expiring Mail
10137 @subsection Expiring Mail
10138 @cindex article expiry
10140 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
10141 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
10142 different approach to mail reading.
10144 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
10145 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
10146 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
10147 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
10148 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
10149 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
10152 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
10153 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
10154 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
10155 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
10156 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
10157 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
10158 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
10159 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
10161 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
10162 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
10163 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
10164 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
10165 articles marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
10166 column in the summary buffer.
10168 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
10169 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
10170 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
10171 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
10174 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
10176 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
10177 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
10178 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
10181 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
10182 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
10183 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
10184 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
10185 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
10187 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
10188 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
10191 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
10192 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
10195 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
10196 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
10198 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
10199 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
10200 don't really mix very well.
10202 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
10203 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
10204 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
10205 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
10208 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
10209 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
10210 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
10211 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
10214 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
10216 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
10218 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
10220 ((string= group "mail.junk")
10222 ((string= group "important")
10228 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
10229 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
10231 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
10232 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
10233 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
10236 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
10237 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
10239 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
10240 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
10241 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
10242 easier for procmail users.
10244 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
10245 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
10246 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
10247 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
10248 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
10249 caution. Even more dangerous is the
10250 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
10251 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
10252 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
10253 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
10254 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
10255 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
10256 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
10259 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
10261 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
10262 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
10263 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
10264 auto-expire turned on.
10268 @subsection Washing Mail
10269 @cindex mail washing
10270 @cindex list server brain damage
10271 @cindex incoming mail treatment
10273 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
10274 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC822 doesn't explicitly
10275 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
10276 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
10277 Yes, but RFC822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
10278 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
10280 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
10281 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
10282 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
10285 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
10286 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
10287 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
10288 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
10291 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
10292 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
10293 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
10294 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
10295 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
10298 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
10299 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
10300 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
10301 Emacs running on MS machines.
10305 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
10306 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
10307 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
10308 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
10311 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10312 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
10313 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
10314 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
10316 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10317 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
10318 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
10319 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
10320 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
10321 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
10322 also be a list of regexp.
10324 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
10325 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
10328 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
10329 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
10332 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
10333 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
10334 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
10338 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10339 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
10340 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
10344 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
10345 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
10346 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
10353 @subsection Duplicates
10355 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
10356 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
10357 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
10358 @cindex duplicate mails
10359 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
10360 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
10361 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
10362 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
10363 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
10364 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
10365 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
10366 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
10367 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
10368 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
10369 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
10370 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
10371 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
10373 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
10374 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
10375 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
10376 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
10378 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
10381 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
10382 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
10386 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
10387 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
10388 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
10389 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
10390 (any mail "mail.misc")
10397 (setq nnmail-split-methods
10398 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
10403 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
10404 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
10405 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
10406 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
10407 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
10410 @node Not Reading Mail
10411 @subsection Not Reading Mail
10413 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
10414 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
10415 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
10417 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
10418 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
10420 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10421 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10422 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10423 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10424 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10425 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
10426 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
10427 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
10428 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
10429 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
10430 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
10432 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
10433 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
10437 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
10438 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
10440 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
10441 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
10442 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
10445 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
10446 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
10447 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
10448 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
10449 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
10453 @node Unix Mail Box
10454 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
10456 @cindex unix mail box
10458 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10459 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10460 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
10461 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
10462 which group it belongs in.
10464 Virtual server settings:
10467 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
10468 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
10469 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
10471 @item nnmbox-active-file
10472 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
10473 The name of the active file for the mail box.
10475 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
10476 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
10477 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
10483 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
10487 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10488 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10489 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
10490 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
10491 article to say which group it belongs in.
10493 Virtual server settings:
10496 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
10497 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
10498 The name of the rmail mbox file.
10500 @item nnbabyl-active-file
10501 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
10502 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
10504 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10505 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
10506 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
10511 @subsubsection Mail Spool
10513 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
10515 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
10516 format. It should be used with some caution.
10518 @vindex nnml-directory
10519 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
10520 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
10521 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
10522 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
10524 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
10527 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
10528 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
10529 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
10530 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
10531 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
10532 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
10533 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
10534 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
10536 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
10537 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
10538 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it the fastest
10539 backend when it comes to reading mail.
10541 Virtual server settings:
10544 @item nnml-directory
10545 @vindex nnml-directory
10546 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
10548 @item nnml-active-file
10549 @vindex nnml-active-file
10550 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
10552 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
10553 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
10554 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
10557 @item nnml-get-new-mail
10558 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
10559 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
10561 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
10562 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
10563 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
10565 @item nnml-nov-file-name
10566 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
10567 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
10569 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10570 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
10571 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
10575 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
10576 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
10577 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
10578 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
10579 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
10580 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
10581 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
10586 @subsubsection MH Spool
10588 @cindex mh-e mail spool
10590 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
10591 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
10592 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
10593 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
10595 Virtual server settings:
10598 @item nnmh-directory
10599 @vindex nnmh-directory
10600 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
10602 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
10603 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
10604 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
10607 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
10608 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
10609 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
10610 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
10611 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
10612 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
10613 to set this variable to @code{t}.
10618 @subsubsection Mail Folders
10620 @cindex mbox folders
10621 @cindex mail folders
10623 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
10624 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
10625 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
10628 Virtual server settings:
10631 @item nnfolder-directory
10632 @vindex nnfolder-directory
10633 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
10635 @item nnfolder-active-file
10636 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
10637 The name of the active file.
10639 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10640 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
10641 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
10643 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
10644 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
10645 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
10647 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
10648 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
10649 @cindex backup files
10650 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
10651 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
10652 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
10653 your @file{.emacs} file:
10656 (defun turn-off-backup ()
10657 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
10659 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
10662 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
10663 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
10664 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
10665 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
10666 extract some information from it before removing it.
10671 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
10672 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
10673 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
10674 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
10675 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
10676 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
10679 @node Other Sources
10680 @section Other Sources
10682 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
10683 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
10687 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
10688 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
10689 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
10690 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
10691 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
10692 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
10696 @node Directory Groups
10697 @subsection Directory Groups
10699 @cindex directory groups
10701 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
10702 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
10705 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
10706 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
10707 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
10708 backend to read directories. Big deal.
10710 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
10711 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
10712 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
10713 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
10714 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
10716 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
10718 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
10719 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
10720 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
10721 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
10724 @node Anything Groups
10725 @subsection Anything Groups
10728 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
10729 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
10730 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
10733 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
10734 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
10735 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
10736 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
10737 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
10738 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
10739 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
10740 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source
10741 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
10742 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
10745 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
10746 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
10747 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
10748 in the article buffer, just as usual.
10750 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
10751 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
10752 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
10753 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
10755 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
10756 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
10757 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
10758 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
10759 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
10760 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
10761 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
10762 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
10767 @item nneething-map-file-directory
10768 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
10769 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
10770 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
10772 @item nneething-exclude-files
10773 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
10774 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
10775 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
10777 @item nneething-map-file
10778 @vindex nneething-map-file
10779 Name of the map files.
10783 @node Document Groups
10784 @subsection Document Groups
10786 @cindex documentation group
10789 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
10790 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
10797 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
10802 The standard Unix mbox file.
10804 @cindex MMDF mail box
10806 The MMDF mail box format.
10809 Several news articles appended into a file.
10812 @cindex rnews batch files
10813 The rnews batch transport format.
10814 @cindex forwarded messages
10817 Forwarded articles.
10820 MIME multipart messages, besides digests.
10824 @cindex MIME digest
10825 @cindex 1153 digest
10826 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
10827 @cindex RFC 341 digest
10828 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
10830 @item standard-digest
10831 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
10834 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
10837 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
10838 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
10839 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
10842 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
10843 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
10844 group. And that's it.
10846 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
10847 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
10848 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
10849 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
10850 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
10851 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
10852 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
10853 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
10854 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
10855 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
10857 Virtual server variables:
10860 @item nndoc-article-type
10861 @vindex nndoc-article-type
10862 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
10863 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
10864 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{mime-digest},
10865 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs} or
10868 @item nndoc-post-type
10869 @vindex nndoc-post-type
10870 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
10871 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
10876 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
10880 @node Document Server Internals
10881 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
10883 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
10884 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
10885 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
10886 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
10888 First, here's an example document type definition:
10892 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
10893 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
10896 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
10897 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
10898 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
10899 types can be defined with very few settings:
10902 @item first-article
10903 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
10904 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
10907 @item article-begin
10908 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
10909 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
10911 @item head-begin-function
10912 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
10915 @item nndoc-head-begin
10916 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
10919 @item nndoc-head-end
10920 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
10921 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
10923 @item body-begin-function
10924 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
10928 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
10931 @item body-end-function
10932 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
10936 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
10939 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
10940 regexp will be totally ignored.
10944 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
10945 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
10946 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
10947 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
10948 something that's palatable for Gnus:
10951 @item prepare-body-function
10952 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
10953 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
10954 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
10956 @item article-transform-function
10957 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
10958 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
10959 body of the article.
10961 @item generate-head-function
10962 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
10963 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
10964 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
10965 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
10969 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
10974 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10975 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
10976 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
10977 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
10978 (head-end . "^ ?$")
10979 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
10980 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
10981 (subtype digest guess))
10984 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
10985 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
10986 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
10987 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
10988 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
10990 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
10991 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
10992 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
10993 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
10994 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
10995 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
10996 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
10997 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
10998 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
10999 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
11007 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
11008 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
11009 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
11011 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
11012 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
11013 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
11016 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
11017 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
11018 that interested in doing things properly.
11020 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
11021 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
11024 First some terminology:
11029 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
11030 get news and/or mail from.
11033 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
11034 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
11037 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
11041 @item message packets
11042 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
11043 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
11044 default, where @var{X} is a number.
11046 @item response packets
11047 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
11048 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
11049 default, where @var{X} is a number.
11059 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
11060 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
11061 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
11062 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
11065 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
11068 You put the packet in your home directory.
11071 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
11072 the native or secondary server.
11075 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
11076 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
11079 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
11083 You transfer this packet to the server.
11086 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
11089 You then repeat until you die.
11093 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
11094 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
11097 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
11098 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
11099 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
11103 @node SOUP Commands
11104 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
11106 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
11110 @kindex G s b (Group)
11111 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
11112 Pack all unread articles in the current group
11113 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
11114 process/prefix convention.
11117 @kindex G s w (Group)
11118 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
11119 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
11122 @kindex G s s (Group)
11123 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
11124 Send all replies from the replies packet
11125 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
11128 @kindex G s p (Group)
11129 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
11130 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
11133 @kindex G s r (Group)
11134 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
11135 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
11138 @kindex O s (Summary)
11139 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
11140 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
11141 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
11142 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
11147 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
11152 @item gnus-soup-directory
11153 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
11154 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
11155 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
11157 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
11158 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
11159 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
11160 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
11162 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
11163 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
11164 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
11165 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
11167 @item gnus-soup-packer
11168 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
11169 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
11170 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
11172 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
11173 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
11174 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
11175 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
11177 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
11178 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
11179 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
11181 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
11182 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
11183 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
11184 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
11190 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
11193 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
11194 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
11195 you can read them at leisure.
11197 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
11201 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
11202 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
11203 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
11204 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
11206 @item nnsoup-directory
11207 @vindex nnsoup-directory
11208 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
11209 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
11211 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
11212 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
11213 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
11214 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
11216 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
11217 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
11218 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
11219 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
11220 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
11222 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
11223 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
11224 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
11225 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
11227 @item nnsoup-active-file
11228 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
11229 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
11230 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
11231 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
11232 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
11234 @item nnsoup-packer
11235 @vindex nnsoup-packer
11236 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
11237 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
11239 @item nnsoup-unpacker
11240 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
11241 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
11242 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
11244 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
11245 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
11246 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
11249 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
11250 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
11251 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
11254 @item nnsoup-always-save
11255 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
11256 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
11262 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
11264 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
11265 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
11266 more for that to happen.
11268 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
11269 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
11270 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
11273 In specific, this is what it does:
11276 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
11277 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
11280 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
11281 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
11282 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
11286 @subsection Web Searches
11290 @cindex InReference
11291 @cindex Usenet searches
11292 @cindex searching the Usenet
11294 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
11295 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
11296 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
11297 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
11298 searches without having to use a browser.
11300 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
11301 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
11302 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
11303 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
11304 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
11306 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
11307 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
11308 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
11309 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
11310 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
11311 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
11312 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
11313 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
11314 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
11315 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
11318 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
11319 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
11320 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'
\e,Aj
\e(Btre} is to
11321 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
11322 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
11323 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
11325 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
11326 to use @code{nnweb}.
11328 Virtual server variables:
11333 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
11334 are @code{dejanews}, @code{dejanewsold}, @code{altavista} and
11338 @vindex nnweb-search
11339 The search string to feed to the search engine.
11341 @item nnweb-max-hits
11342 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
11343 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
11346 @item nnweb-type-definition
11347 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
11348 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
11349 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
11354 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
11358 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
11361 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
11364 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
11368 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
11375 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
11376 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
11377 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
11380 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
11381 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
11382 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
11384 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
11390 @item nngateway-address
11391 @vindex nngateway-address
11392 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
11394 @item nngateway-header-transformation
11395 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
11396 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
11397 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
11398 transformation should be called, and defaults to
11399 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
11400 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
11403 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
11404 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
11405 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
11408 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
11411 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
11414 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
11417 The following pre-defined functions exist:
11419 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11422 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
11423 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11424 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
11426 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11428 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
11429 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
11430 @code{nngateway-address}.
11435 (setq gnus-post-method
11436 '(nngateway "mail2news@@replay.com"
11437 (nngateway-header-transformation
11438 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
11446 So, to use this, simply say something like:
11449 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
11453 @node Combined Groups
11454 @section Combined Groups
11456 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
11460 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
11461 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
11465 @node Virtual Groups
11466 @subsection Virtual Groups
11468 @cindex virtual groups
11469 @cindex merging groups
11471 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
11474 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
11475 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
11476 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
11478 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
11479 regexp to match component groups.
11481 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
11482 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
11483 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
11484 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
11485 the virtual group.)
11487 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
11488 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
11491 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
11494 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
11495 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
11497 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
11498 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
11499 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
11500 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
11503 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
11506 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
11507 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
11508 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
11510 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
11511 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
11512 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
11513 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
11514 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
11516 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
11517 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
11518 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
11520 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
11521 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
11522 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
11523 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
11524 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
11525 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
11526 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
11527 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
11528 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
11529 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
11530 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
11532 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
11533 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
11534 has to ask the backend of the component group the article comes from
11535 whether it is a news or mail backend. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
11536 there is typically no sure way for the component backend to know this,
11537 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
11538 not-news backend. (Just to be on the safe side.)
11540 @kbd{C-c C-t} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
11541 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
11545 @node Kibozed Groups
11546 @subsection Kibozed Groups
11550 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
11551 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
11552 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
11553 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
11555 @kindex G k (Group)
11556 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
11559 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
11560 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
11561 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
11562 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
11564 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
11565 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
11566 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
11568 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
11569 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
11570 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
11571 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
11572 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
11573 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
11574 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
11575 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
11577 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
11578 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
11579 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
11580 Stranger things have happened.
11582 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
11583 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
11585 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
11586 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
11587 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
11588 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
11589 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
11590 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
11592 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
11593 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
11596 @node Gnus Unplugged
11597 @section Gnus Unplugged
11602 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
11604 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
11605 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
11606 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
11607 read news. Believe it or not.
11609 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
11610 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
11611 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
11612 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
11613 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
11615 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
11616 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
11617 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
11618 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
11619 reading news on a machine.
11621 Using Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple.
11625 First, set up Gnus as you would do if you were running it on a machine
11626 that has full connection to the net. Go ahead. I'll still be waiting
11630 Then, put the following magical incantation at the end of your
11631 @file{.gnus.el} file:
11638 That's it. Gnus is now an ``offline'' newsreader.
11640 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
11643 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
11644 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
11645 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
11646 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
11647 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
11648 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
11649 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
11650 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
11651 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
11656 @subsection Agent Basics
11658 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
11660 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
11661 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
11662 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
11663 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
11665 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
11666 connected to the net continuously.
11668 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
11669 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
11671 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
11676 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
11677 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
11678 already fetched while in this mode.
11681 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
11682 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
11683 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged}.
11686 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
11687 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{J
11688 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
11689 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
11692 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
11693 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
11694 then you read the news offline.
11697 And then you go to step 2.
11700 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
11706 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
11707 backend, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
11708 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
11709 @kbd{J a} the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
11710 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}). This will typically be only the
11711 primary select method, which is listed on the bottom in the buffer.
11714 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
11721 @node Agent Categories
11722 @subsection Agent Categories
11724 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
11725 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
11726 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
11727 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
11728 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
11729 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
11730 you're interested in the articles anyway.
11732 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
11733 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
11734 Gnus has its own buffer for creating and managing categories.
11737 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
11738 * The Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
11739 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
11743 @node Category Syntax
11744 @subsubsection Category Syntax
11746 A category consists of two things.
11750 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
11751 are eligible for downloading; and
11754 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
11755 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
11756 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
11759 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
11760 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
11761 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
11762 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
11764 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
11765 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
11766 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as descibed below.
11768 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
11769 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
11770 operators sprinkled in between.
11772 Perhaps some examples are in order.
11774 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
11775 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
11781 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
11782 short (for some value of ``short'').
11784 Here's a more complex predicate:
11793 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
11794 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
11797 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
11798 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
11799 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
11801 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
11802 you want to do, you can write your own.
11806 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
11807 lines; default 100.
11810 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
11811 lines; default 200.
11814 True iff the article has a download score less than
11815 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
11818 True iff the article has a download score greater than
11819 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
11822 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
11823 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
11824 checksum and sees whether articles match.
11833 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
11834 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
11835 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
11838 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
11839 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
11840 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
11841 something along the lines of the following:
11844 (defun my-article-old-p ()
11845 "Say whether an article is old."
11846 (< (time-to-day (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
11847 (- (time-to-day (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
11850 with the predicate then defined as:
11853 (not my-article-old-p)
11856 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
11857 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
11858 wherever. (Note: this would have to be at a point *after*
11859 @code{gnus-agent} has been loaded via @code{(gnus-agentize)})
11862 (defvar gnus-category-predicate-alist
11863 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
11864 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
11867 and simply specify your predicate as:
11873 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
11874 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
11875 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
11876 just don't give a damm.
11879 The above predicates apply to *all* the groups which belong to the
11880 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
11881 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
11882 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
11883 parameters like so:
11886 (agent-predicate . short)
11889 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category
11890 default. Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this,
11891 the @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair
11894 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
11897 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
11900 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
11901 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
11902 predicate is assumed to be a list.
11905 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
11906 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
11907 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
11908 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
11909 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
11910 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
11912 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
11913 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
11914 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
11915 if it's to be specific to that group.
11917 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
11924 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
11925 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
11931 Category specification
11935 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
11941 Group Parameter specification
11944 (agent-score ("from"
11945 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
11950 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
11956 These score files must *only* contain the permitted scoring keywords
11963 Category specification
11966 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
11972 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
11976 Group Parameter specification
11979 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
11982 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
11987 Use @code{normal} score files
11989 If you dont want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
11990 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
11991 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
11992 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
11994 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
11995 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
11996 files for a group, *filtering out* those those sections that do not
11997 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
12001 Category Specification
12008 Group Parameter specification
12011 (agent-score . file)
12016 @node The Category Buffer
12017 @subsubsection The Category Buffer
12019 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
12020 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
12021 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
12023 The following commands are available in this buffer:
12027 @kindex q (Category)
12028 @findex gnus-category-exit
12029 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
12032 @kindex k (Category)
12033 @findex gnus-category-kill
12034 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
12037 @kindex c (Category)
12038 @findex gnus-category-copy
12039 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
12042 @kindex a (Category)
12043 @findex gnus-category-add
12044 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
12047 @kindex p (Category)
12048 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
12049 Edit the predicate of the current category
12050 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
12053 @kindex g (Category)
12054 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
12055 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
12056 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
12059 @kindex s (Category)
12060 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
12061 Edit the download score rule of the current category
12062 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
12065 @kindex l (Category)
12066 @findex gnus-category-list
12067 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
12071 @node Category Variables
12072 @subsubsection Category Variables
12075 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
12076 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
12077 Hook run in category buffers.
12079 @item gnus-category-line-format
12080 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
12081 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
12082 Variables}). Valid elements are:
12086 The name of the category.
12089 The number of groups in the category.
12092 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
12093 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
12094 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
12096 @item gnus-agent-short-article
12097 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
12098 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
12100 @item gnus-agent-long-article
12101 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
12102 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
12104 @item gnus-agent-low-score
12105 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
12106 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
12109 @item gnus-agent-high-score
12110 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
12111 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
12117 @node Agent Commands
12118 @subsection Agent Commands
12120 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
12121 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged} command works in all modes, and
12122 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
12126 * Group Agent Commands::
12127 * Summary Agent Commands::
12128 * Server Agent Commands::
12131 You can run a complete batch fetch from the command line with the
12132 following incantation:
12134 @cindex gnus-agent-batch-fetch
12136 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-agent-batch-fetch
12141 @node Group Agent Commands
12142 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
12146 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
12147 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
12148 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
12149 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
12152 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
12153 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
12154 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
12157 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
12158 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
12159 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
12160 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
12163 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
12164 @findex gnus-group-send-drafts
12165 Send all sendable messages in the draft group
12166 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}). @xref{Drafts}.
12169 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
12170 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
12171 Add the current group to an Agent category
12172 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}).
12177 @node Summary Agent Commands
12178 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
12182 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
12183 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
12184 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
12187 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
12188 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
12189 Remove the downloading mark from the article
12190 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
12193 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
12194 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
12195 Toggle whether to download the article (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}).
12198 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
12199 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
12200 Mark all undownloaded articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}).
12205 @node Server Agent Commands
12206 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
12210 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
12211 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
12212 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
12213 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
12216 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
12217 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
12218 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
12219 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
12225 @subsection Agent Expiry
12227 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
12228 @findex gnus-agent-expire
12229 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
12230 @cindex Agent expiry
12231 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
12234 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
12235 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
12236 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
12237 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
12238 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
12239 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
12241 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
12242 if @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
12243 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
12244 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
12245 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
12248 @node Outgoing Messages
12249 @subsection Outgoing Messages
12251 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
12252 stored in the draft groups (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view them there
12253 after posting, and edit them at will.
12255 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
12256 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
12257 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
12258 messages in the draft group.
12262 @node Agent Variables
12263 @subsection Agent Variables
12266 @item gnus-agent-directory
12267 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
12268 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
12269 @file{~/News/agent/}.
12271 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
12272 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
12273 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
12274 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
12275 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
12278 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
12279 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
12280 Hook run when connecting to the network.
12282 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
12283 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
12284 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
12289 @node Example Setup
12290 @subsection Example Setup
12292 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
12293 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
12294 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
12297 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over NNTP
12298 ;;; from your ISP's server.
12299 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "nntp.your-isp.com"))
12301 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
12302 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
12303 (setenv "MAILHOST" "pop.your-isp.com")
12304 (setq nnmail-spool-file "po:username")
12306 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
12307 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
12309 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
12313 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
12314 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
12317 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
12318 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
12319 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
12320 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
12321 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
12324 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
12325 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
12326 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
12327 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
12328 back all the killed groups.)
12330 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
12331 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
12332 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
12335 @node Batching Agents
12336 @subsection Batching Agents
12338 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
12339 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
12340 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
12344 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null
12348 @node Agent Caveats
12349 @subsection Agent Caveats
12351 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
12352 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
12356 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the
12361 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists
12362 in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
12368 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
12369 articles; when it's plugged, it only talks to your ISP.
12376 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
12377 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
12378 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
12381 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
12382 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
12383 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
12384 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
12385 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
12387 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
12388 before generating the summary buffer.
12390 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
12391 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
12392 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
12394 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
12395 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
12396 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
12397 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
12400 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
12401 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
12402 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
12403 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
12404 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
12405 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
12406 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
12407 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
12408 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
12409 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
12410 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
12411 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
12412 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
12413 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
12414 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
12415 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
12419 @node Summary Score Commands
12420 @section Summary Score Commands
12421 @cindex score commands
12423 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
12424 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
12425 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
12426 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
12427 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
12429 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
12430 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
12431 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
12432 score file the current one.
12434 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
12439 @kindex V s (Summary)
12440 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
12441 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
12444 @kindex V S (Summary)
12445 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
12446 Display the score of the current article
12447 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
12450 @kindex V t (Summary)
12451 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
12452 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
12453 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
12456 @kindex V R (Summary)
12457 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
12458 Run the current summary through the scoring process
12459 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
12460 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
12461 effect you're having.
12464 @kindex V c (Summary)
12465 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
12466 Make a different score file the current
12467 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
12470 @kindex V e (Summary)
12471 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
12472 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
12473 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
12477 @kindex V f (Summary)
12478 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
12479 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
12480 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
12483 @kindex V F (Summary)
12484 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
12485 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
12486 after editing score files.
12489 @kindex V C (Summary)
12490 @findex gnus-score-customize
12491 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
12492 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
12496 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
12501 @kindex V m (Summary)
12502 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
12503 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
12504 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
12507 @kindex V x (Summary)
12508 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
12509 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
12510 expunge all articles below this score
12511 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
12514 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
12515 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
12518 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
12519 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
12523 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
12524 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
12526 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
12527 keys are available:
12531 Score on the author name.
12534 Score on the subject line.
12537 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
12540 Score on the References line.
12546 Score on the number of lines.
12549 Score on the Message-ID.
12552 Score on followups.
12566 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
12567 what headers you are scoring on.
12579 Substring matching.
12582 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
12611 Greater than number.
12616 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
12617 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
12618 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
12622 Temporary score entry.
12625 Permanent score entry.
12628 Immediately scoring.
12633 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
12634 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
12635 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
12636 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
12638 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
12639 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
12640 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
12641 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
12642 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
12644 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
12645 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
12646 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
12647 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
12648 current score file.
12650 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
12651 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
12652 pretend they are keymaps or not.
12655 @node Group Score Commands
12656 @section Group Score Commands
12657 @cindex group score commands
12659 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
12664 @kindex W f (Group)
12665 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
12666 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
12667 all the time. This command will flush the cache
12668 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
12672 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
12674 @findex gnus-batch-score
12675 @cindex batch scoring
12677 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
12681 @node Score Variables
12682 @section Score Variables
12683 @cindex score variables
12687 @item gnus-use-scoring
12688 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
12689 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
12690 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
12692 @item gnus-kill-killed
12693 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
12694 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
12695 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
12696 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
12697 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
12698 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
12699 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
12701 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
12702 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
12703 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
12704 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
12705 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
12707 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
12708 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
12709 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
12710 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
12712 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12713 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
12714 @cindex score cache
12715 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
12716 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
12717 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
12718 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
12719 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
12720 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
12723 @item gnus-save-score
12724 @vindex gnus-save-score
12725 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
12726 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
12727 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
12729 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12730 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
12731 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
12732 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
12733 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
12734 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
12735 manually entered data.
12737 @item gnus-summary-default-score
12738 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
12739 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
12741 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
12742 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
12743 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
12744 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
12745 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
12746 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
12748 @item gnus-score-over-mark
12749 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
12750 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
12751 default. Default is @samp{+}.
12753 @item gnus-score-below-mark
12754 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
12755 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
12756 default. Default is @samp{-}.
12758 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12759 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
12760 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
12761 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
12763 Predefined functions available are:
12766 @item gnus-score-find-single
12767 @findex gnus-score-find-single
12768 Only apply the group's own score file.
12770 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
12771 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
12772 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
12773 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
12774 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
12775 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
12776 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
12777 then a regexp match is done.
12779 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
12780 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
12782 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
12783 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
12784 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
12785 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
12787 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12788 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
12789 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
12790 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
12791 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
12794 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
12795 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
12796 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
12797 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
12798 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
12799 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
12802 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
12803 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
12804 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
12805 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
12806 are expired. It's 7 by default.
12808 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12809 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
12810 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
12811 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
12812 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
12813 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
12814 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
12817 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12818 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
12819 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
12821 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
12822 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
12823 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
12824 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
12825 threading---according to the current value of
12826 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
12827 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
12828 simplified in this manner.
12833 @node Score File Format
12834 @section Score File Format
12835 @cindex score file format
12837 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
12838 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
12839 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
12841 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
12845 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
12847 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
12849 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
12851 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
12856 (mark-and-expunge -10)
12860 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
12861 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
12862 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
12863 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
12867 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
12868 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
12870 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
12871 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
12872 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
12874 Six keys are supported by this alist:
12879 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
12880 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
12881 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
12882 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
12883 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
12884 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
12885 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
12886 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
12887 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
12888 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
12889 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
12890 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
12891 to articles that matches these score entries.
12893 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
12894 score entry has one to four elements.
12898 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
12899 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
12903 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
12904 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
12905 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
12906 is successful. If this element is not present, the
12907 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
12908 instead. This is 1000 by default.
12911 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
12912 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
12913 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
12914 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
12915 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
12918 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
12919 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
12920 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
12921 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
12924 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
12925 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
12926 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
12927 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
12928 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
12929 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
12930 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
12931 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
12932 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
12933 instead, if you feel like.
12936 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
12937 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
12939 These predicates are true if
12942 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
12945 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
12946 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
12953 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
12954 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
12955 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
12956 it's not. I think.)
12958 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some backends (like
12959 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
12960 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
12961 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
12964 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
12965 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
12966 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
12967 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
12968 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
12969 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
12970 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
12974 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
12975 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
12976 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
12977 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
12978 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
12979 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
12980 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
12981 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
12984 @item Head, Body, All
12985 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
12989 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
12990 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
12991 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
12992 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
12993 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
12994 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
12995 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
12999 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
13000 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{X}, then you add a
13001 @samp{thread} match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each
13002 article that has @var{X} in its @code{References} header. (These new
13003 @samp{thread} matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching
13004 articles.) This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an
13005 entire thread, even though some articles in the thread may not have
13006 complete @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
13007 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
13008 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
13012 @cindex Score File Atoms
13014 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
13015 lower than this number will be marked as read.
13018 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
13019 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
13021 @item mark-and-expunge
13022 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
13023 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
13026 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
13027 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
13028 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
13029 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
13030 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
13033 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
13034 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
13037 @item exclude-files
13038 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
13039 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
13043 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
13044 ignored when handling global score files.
13047 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
13048 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
13049 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
13050 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
13053 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
13054 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
13055 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
13056 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
13058 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
13062 (mark-and-expunge -100)
13065 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
13066 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
13067 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
13068 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
13069 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
13071 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
13072 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
13073 ordinary scoring rules.
13076 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
13077 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
13078 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
13079 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
13080 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
13081 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
13082 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
13083 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
13084 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
13085 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
13086 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
13090 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
13091 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
13092 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
13093 file for a number of groups.
13096 @cindex local variables
13097 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
13098 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
13099 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
13100 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
13101 much. Note that the @var{value} won't be evaluated.
13105 @node Score File Editing
13106 @section Score File Editing
13108 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
13109 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
13110 with a mode for that.
13112 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
13113 additional commands:
13118 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
13119 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
13120 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
13121 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
13124 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
13125 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
13126 Insert the current date in numerical format
13127 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
13128 you were wondering.
13131 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
13132 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
13133 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
13134 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
13135 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
13140 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
13142 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
13143 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
13145 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
13146 e} to begin editing score files.
13149 @node Adaptive Scoring
13150 @section Adaptive Scoring
13151 @cindex adaptive scoring
13153 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
13154 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
13155 stupidity, to be precise.
13157 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
13158 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
13159 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
13160 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
13161 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
13162 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
13163 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
13164 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
13165 variable to @code{(word line)}.
13167 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
13168 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
13169 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
13170 might look something like this:
13173 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
13174 '((gnus-unread-mark)
13175 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
13176 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
13177 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
13178 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
13179 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
13180 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
13181 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
13182 (gnus-ancient-mark)
13183 (gnus-low-score-mark)
13184 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
13187 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
13188 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
13189 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
13190 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
13191 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
13192 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
13195 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
13196 will be applied to each article.
13198 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
13199 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
13200 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
13201 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
13203 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
13204 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
13205 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
13206 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
13208 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
13209 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
13210 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
13211 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
13213 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
13214 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
13215 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
13216 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
13217 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
13218 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
13220 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
13221 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
13222 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
13223 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
13224 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
13225 aspirins afterwards.)
13227 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
13228 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
13229 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
13231 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
13232 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
13233 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
13235 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
13236 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
13237 let you use different rules in different groups.
13239 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
13240 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
13241 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
13244 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
13245 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
13246 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
13247 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
13248 the length of the match is less than
13249 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
13250 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
13253 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
13254 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
13255 headers. If you adapt on words, the
13256 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
13257 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
13260 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
13261 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
13262 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
13263 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
13264 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
13267 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
13268 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
13269 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
13270 score with 30 points.
13272 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
13273 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
13274 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
13275 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
13276 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
13278 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
13279 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
13280 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
13281 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
13283 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
13284 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
13285 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
13286 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
13288 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
13289 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
13290 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
13291 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
13292 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
13294 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
13295 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
13296 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
13298 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
13299 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
13300 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
13301 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
13304 @node Home Score File
13305 @section Home Score File
13307 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
13308 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
13309 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
13310 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
13312 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
13313 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
13314 could perhaps use the same home score file.
13316 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
13317 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
13322 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
13326 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
13327 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
13331 A list. The elements in this list can be:
13335 @var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
13336 the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
13339 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
13340 the home score file.
13343 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
13346 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
13351 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
13354 (setq gnus-home-score-file
13355 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
13358 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
13359 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
13361 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
13363 (setq gnus-home-score-file
13364 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
13367 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
13368 Other functions include
13371 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
13372 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
13373 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
13374 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
13378 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
13379 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
13380 their own home score files:
13383 (setq gnus-home-score-file
13384 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
13385 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
13386 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
13387 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
13390 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
13391 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
13392 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
13393 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
13394 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
13396 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
13397 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
13398 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
13399 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
13400 precedence over this variable.
13403 @node Followups To Yourself
13404 @section Followups To Yourself
13406 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
13407 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
13408 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
13409 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
13410 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
13411 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
13415 @item gnus-score-followup-article
13416 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
13417 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
13420 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
13421 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
13422 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
13426 @vindex message-sent-hook
13427 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
13428 @code{message-sent-hook}.
13430 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
13431 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
13435 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
13436 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
13439 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
13440 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
13445 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore.no>"
13449 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
13450 is system-dependent.
13454 @section Scoring Tips
13455 @cindex scoring tips
13461 @cindex scoring crossposts
13462 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
13463 the @code{Xref} header.
13465 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
13468 @item Multiple crossposts
13469 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
13470 more than, say, 3 groups:
13472 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
13475 @item Matching on the body
13476 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
13477 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
13478 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
13479 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
13480 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
13481 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
13482 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
13485 @item Marking as read
13486 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
13487 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
13488 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
13492 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
13494 @item Negated character classes
13495 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
13496 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
13497 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
13501 @node Reverse Scoring
13502 @section Reverse Scoring
13503 @cindex reverse scoring
13505 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
13506 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
13507 like this in your score file:
13511 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
13516 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
13517 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
13520 @node Global Score Files
13521 @section Global Score Files
13522 @cindex global score files
13524 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
13525 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
13526 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
13528 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
13529 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
13530 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
13532 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
13533 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
13534 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
13535 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
13536 files are applicable to which group.
13538 Say you want to use the score file
13539 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
13540 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
13543 (setq gnus-global-score-files
13544 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
13545 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
13548 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
13549 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
13550 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
13551 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
13552 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
13554 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
13555 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
13557 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
13558 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
13559 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
13560 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
13561 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
13562 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
13564 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
13570 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
13572 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
13574 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
13576 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
13577 lowered out of existence.
13579 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
13580 articles completely.
13583 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
13584 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
13585 old articles for a long time.
13588 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
13589 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
13590 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
13591 holding our breath yet?
13595 @section Kill Files
13598 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
13599 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
13600 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
13602 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
13603 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
13604 files into score files.
13606 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
13607 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
13608 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
13609 that isn't a very good idea.
13611 Normal kill files look like this:
13614 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13615 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
13619 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
13620 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
13622 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
13623 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
13626 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
13631 @kindex M-k (Summary)
13632 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
13633 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
13636 @kindex M-K (Summary)
13637 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
13638 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
13641 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
13646 @kindex M-k (Group)
13647 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
13648 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
13651 @kindex M-K (Group)
13652 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
13653 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
13656 Kill file variables:
13659 @item gnus-kill-file-name
13660 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
13661 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
13662 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
13663 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
13664 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
13665 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
13667 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13668 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
13669 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
13670 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
13673 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
13674 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
13675 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
13676 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
13677 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
13678 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
13679 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
13680 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
13681 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
13683 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13684 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
13685 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
13690 @node Converting Kill Files
13691 @section Converting Kill Files
13693 @cindex converting kill files
13695 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
13696 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
13697 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
13700 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
13701 You can fetch it from
13702 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-other/gnus-kill-to-score}.
13704 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
13705 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
13706 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
13714 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
13715 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
13716 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
13718 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
13719 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
13720 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
13721 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
13722 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
13723 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
13724 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
13725 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
13729 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
13730 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
13731 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
13732 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
13736 @node Using GroupLens
13737 @subsection Using GroupLens
13739 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
13741 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
13742 better bit in town at the moment.
13744 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
13748 @item gnus-use-grouplens
13749 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
13750 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
13751 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
13753 @item grouplens-pseudonym
13754 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
13755 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
13756 with the Better Bit Bureau.
13758 @item grouplens-newsgroups
13759 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
13760 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
13764 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
13765 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
13766 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
13767 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
13768 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
13769 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
13772 @node Rating Articles
13773 @subsection Rating Articles
13775 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
13776 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
13777 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
13778 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
13781 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
13786 @kindex r (GroupLens)
13787 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
13788 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
13791 @kindex k (GroupLens)
13792 @findex grouplens-score-thread
13793 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
13794 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
13795 threads in rec.humor.
13799 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
13800 the score of the article you're reading.
13805 @kindex n (GroupLens)
13806 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
13807 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
13810 @kindex , (GroupLens)
13811 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
13812 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
13816 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
13817 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
13820 @node Displaying Predictions
13821 @subsection Displaying Predictions
13823 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
13824 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
13825 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
13826 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
13827 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
13829 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
13830 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
13831 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
13832 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
13833 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
13834 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
13835 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
13836 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
13837 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
13838 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
13839 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
13840 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
13841 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
13843 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
13844 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
13845 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
13846 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
13848 The following are valid values for that variable.
13851 @item prediction-spot
13852 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
13855 @item confidence-interval
13856 A numeric confidence interval.
13858 @item prediction-bar
13859 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
13861 @item confidence-bar
13862 Numerical confidence.
13864 @item confidence-spot
13865 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
13867 @item prediction-num
13868 Plain-old numeric value.
13870 @item confidence-plus-minus
13871 Prediction +/- confidence.
13876 @node GroupLens Variables
13877 @subsection GroupLens Variables
13881 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
13882 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
13883 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
13884 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%)
13887 @item grouplens-bbb-host
13888 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
13891 @item grouplens-bbb-port
13892 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
13894 @item grouplens-score-offset
13895 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
13896 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
13899 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
13900 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
13901 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
13906 @node Advanced Scoring
13907 @section Advanced Scoring
13909 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
13910 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
13911 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
13912 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
13913 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
13915 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
13919 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
13920 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
13921 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
13925 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
13926 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
13928 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
13929 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
13930 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
13931 non-@code{nil} value.
13933 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
13934 operator, and various match operators.
13941 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13942 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
13943 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
13948 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
13949 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
13950 then this operator will return @code{false}.
13955 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
13956 logical negation of the value of its argument.
13960 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
13961 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
13962 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
13963 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
13964 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
13965 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
13966 the ancestry you want to go.
13968 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
13969 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
13970 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
13971 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
13972 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
13975 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
13976 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
13978 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
13979 when he's talking about Gnus:
13983 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
13984 ("subject" "Gnus"))
13990 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
13994 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
14001 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
14002 really don't want to read what he's written:
14006 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
14007 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
14011 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
14012 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
14013 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
14020 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
14021 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
14022 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
14023 ("body" "white.*socks"))
14027 The possibilities are endless.
14030 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
14031 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
14033 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
14034 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
14035 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
14036 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
14037 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
14038 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
14039 @samp{subject}) first.
14041 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
14042 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
14053 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
14054 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
14060 ("subject" "Gnus")))
14067 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
14068 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
14073 @section Score Decays
14074 @cindex score decays
14077 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
14078 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
14079 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
14080 use them in any sensible way.
14082 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
14083 @findex gnus-decay-score
14084 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
14085 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
14086 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
14087 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
14088 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
14089 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
14090 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
14091 definition of that function:
14094 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
14096 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
14097 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
14100 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
14102 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
14104 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
14107 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
14108 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
14109 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
14110 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
14114 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
14117 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
14120 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
14124 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
14125 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
14126 the new score, which should be an integer.
14128 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
14129 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
14136 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
14137 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
14138 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
14139 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
14140 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
14141 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
14142 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
14143 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
14144 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
14145 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
14146 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
14147 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
14148 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
14149 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
14150 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
14151 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
14152 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
14153 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
14157 @node Process/Prefix
14158 @section Process/Prefix
14159 @cindex process/prefix convention
14161 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
14162 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
14164 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
14165 command to be performed on.
14169 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
14170 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
14171 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
14172 with the current one.
14174 @vindex transient-mark-mode
14175 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
14176 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
14178 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
14179 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
14182 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
14183 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
14185 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
14188 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
14189 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
14190 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
14191 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
14193 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
14194 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
14195 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
14196 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
14197 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
14198 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
14199 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
14200 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
14204 @section Interactive
14205 @cindex interaction
14209 @item gnus-novice-user
14210 @vindex gnus-novice-user
14211 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
14212 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
14213 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
14214 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
14217 @item gnus-expert-user
14218 @vindex gnus-expert-user
14219 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
14220 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
14221 matter how strange.
14223 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
14224 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
14225 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
14226 is @code{t} by default.
14228 @item gnus-interactive-exit
14229 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
14230 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
14235 @node Symbolic Prefixes
14236 @section Symbolic Prefixes
14237 @cindex symbolic prefixes
14239 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
14240 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
14241 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
14242 rule of 900 to the current article.
14244 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
14245 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
14246 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
14247 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
14248 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
14249 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
14250 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
14252 @kindex M-i (Summary)
14253 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
14254 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
14255 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
14256 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
14257 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a M-C-u} means ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u}
14258 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b M-C-u} means
14259 ``feed the @kbd{M-C-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
14260 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
14262 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
14263 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
14264 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
14266 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
14270 @node Formatting Variables
14271 @section Formatting Variables
14272 @cindex formatting variables
14274 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
14275 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
14276 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
14277 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
14278 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
14281 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
14282 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
14283 lots of percentages everywhere.
14286 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
14287 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
14288 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
14289 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
14290 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
14293 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
14294 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
14295 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
14296 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
14297 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
14298 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
14299 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
14300 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
14302 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
14303 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
14305 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
14306 @findex gnus-update-format
14307 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
14308 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
14309 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
14310 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
14314 @node Formatting Basics
14315 @subsection Formatting Basics
14317 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
14318 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
14319 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
14321 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
14322 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
14323 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
14324 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
14325 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
14328 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
14329 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
14330 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
14331 less than 4 characters wide.
14334 @node Mode Line Formatting
14335 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
14337 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
14338 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
14339 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
14340 with the following two differences:
14345 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
14348 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
14349 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
14350 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
14351 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
14352 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
14353 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
14354 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
14359 @node Advanced Formatting
14360 @subsection Advanced Formatting
14362 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
14363 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
14364 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
14365 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
14367 These are the valid modifiers:
14372 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
14376 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
14381 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
14384 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
14389 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
14392 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
14395 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
14398 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
14402 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
14403 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
14404 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
14405 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
14406 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
14407 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
14408 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
14410 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
14411 last operation, padding.
14413 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
14414 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
14415 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
14416 @xref{Compilation}.
14419 @node User-Defined Specs
14420 @subsection User-Defined Specs
14422 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
14423 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
14424 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
14425 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
14426 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
14427 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
14428 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
14429 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
14430 should protect against that.
14432 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
14433 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
14434 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
14435 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
14439 @node Formatting Fonts
14440 @subsection Formatting Fonts
14442 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
14443 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
14444 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
14445 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
14448 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
14449 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
14450 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
14451 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
14452 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
14453 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
14455 Text inside the @samp{%<} and @samp{%>} specifiers will get the special
14456 @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}. If you say
14457 @samp{%1<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on. The
14458 @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or
14459 symbols naming functions that return a string. Under @code{balloon-help-mode},
14460 when the mouse passes over text with this property set, a balloon window
14461 will appear and display the string. Please refer to the doc string of
14462 @code{balloon-help-mode} for more information on this.
14464 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
14467 ;; Create three face types.
14468 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
14469 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
14471 ;; We want the article count to be in
14472 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
14473 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
14474 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
14476 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
14477 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
14479 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
14480 (setq gnus-group-line-format
14481 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
14484 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
14485 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
14487 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
14488 mode-line variables.
14491 @node Windows Configuration
14492 @section Windows Configuration
14493 @cindex windows configuration
14495 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
14497 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
14498 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
14499 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
14500 @code{t} by default.
14502 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
14503 glitches. Use at your own peril.
14505 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
14506 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
14507 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
14510 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
14511 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
14512 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
14516 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
14517 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
14518 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
14519 possible names is listed below.
14521 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
14522 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
14525 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
14529 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
14530 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
14531 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
14532 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
14533 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
14534 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
14535 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
14536 size spec per split.
14538 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
14539 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
14540 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
14541 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
14542 present) gets focus.
14544 Here's a more complicated example:
14547 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
14548 (summary 0.25 point)
14549 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
14553 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
14554 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
14555 occupy, not a percentage.
14557 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
14558 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
14559 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
14560 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
14561 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
14564 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
14567 (article (horizontal 1.0
14572 (summary 0.25 point)
14577 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
14578 @code{horizontal} thingie?
14580 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
14581 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
14582 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
14583 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
14584 the screen is to be given to this strip.
14586 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
14587 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
14588 lines from the splits.
14590 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
14594 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
14595 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
14596 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
14597 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
14598 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
14599 size = number | frame-params
14600 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
14603 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
14604 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
14605 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
14606 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
14608 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
14609 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
14610 @cindex window height
14611 @cindex window width
14612 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
14613 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
14614 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
14615 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
14616 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
14617 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
14619 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
14620 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
14621 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
14622 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
14624 @findex gnus-configure-frame
14625 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
14626 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
14627 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
14628 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
14629 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
14630 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
14631 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
14632 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
14633 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
14634 configuration list.
14637 (gnus-configure-frame
14641 (article 0.3 point))
14649 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
14650 @code{frame} split:
14653 (gnus-configure-frame
14656 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
14658 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
14659 (user-position . t)
14660 (left . -1) (top . 1))
14665 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
14666 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
14667 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
14668 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
14669 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
14670 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
14671 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
14672 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
14675 Here's a list of all possible keys for
14676 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
14678 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
14679 @code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
14680 @code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
14681 @code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
14682 @code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft}, @code{pipe},
14683 @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}, and @code{score-trace}.
14685 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
14686 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
14687 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
14691 (message (horizontal 1.0
14692 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
14694 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
14699 @findex gnus-add-configuration
14700 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
14701 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
14702 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
14703 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
14706 (gnus-add-configuration
14707 '(article (vertical 1.0
14709 (summary .25 point)
14713 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
14714 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
14715 Gnus has been loaded.
14717 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
14718 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
14719 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
14720 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
14721 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
14723 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
14724 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
14725 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
14729 @node Faces and Fonts
14730 @section Faces and Fonts
14735 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
14736 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
14737 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
14742 @section Compilation
14743 @cindex compilation
14744 @cindex byte-compilation
14746 @findex gnus-compile
14748 Remember all those line format specification variables?
14749 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
14750 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
14751 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
14752 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
14753 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
14756 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
14757 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
14758 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
14759 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
14760 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
14761 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
14762 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
14766 @section Mode Lines
14769 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
14770 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
14771 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
14772 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
14773 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
14774 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
14775 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
14778 @cindex display-time
14780 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
14781 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
14782 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
14783 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
14784 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
14785 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
14786 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
14787 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
14790 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
14792 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
14793 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
14795 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
14796 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
14797 (length display-time-string)))))
14800 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
14801 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
14802 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
14803 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
14804 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
14807 @node Highlighting and Menus
14808 @section Highlighting and Menus
14810 @cindex highlighting
14813 @vindex gnus-visual
14814 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
14815 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
14816 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
14819 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
14820 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
14823 @item group-highlight
14824 Do highlights in the group buffer.
14825 @item summary-highlight
14826 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
14827 @item article-highlight
14828 Do highlights according to @code{gnus-article-display-hook} in the
14831 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
14833 Create menus in the group buffer.
14835 Create menus in the summary buffers.
14837 Create menus in the article buffer.
14839 Create menus in the browse buffer.
14841 Create menus in the server buffer.
14843 Create menus in the score buffers.
14845 Create menus in all buffers.
14848 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
14849 buffers, you could say something like:
14852 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
14855 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
14858 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
14861 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
14862 in all Gnus buffers.
14864 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
14867 @item gnus-mouse-face
14868 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
14869 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
14870 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
14874 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
14878 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
14879 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
14880 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
14882 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
14883 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
14884 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
14886 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
14887 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
14888 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
14890 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
14891 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
14892 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
14894 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
14895 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
14896 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
14898 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
14899 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
14900 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
14911 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
14912 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
14913 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
14914 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
14915 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
14919 @vindex gnus-carpal
14920 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
14921 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
14922 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
14927 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14928 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
14929 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
14931 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
14932 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
14933 Face used on buttons.
14935 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
14936 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
14937 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
14939 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14940 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
14941 Buttons in the group buffer.
14943 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14944 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
14945 Buttons in the summary buffer.
14947 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14948 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
14949 Buttons in the server buffer.
14951 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14952 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
14953 Buttons in the browse buffer.
14956 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
14957 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
14958 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
14966 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
14967 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
14968 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
14969 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
14970 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
14972 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
14973 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
14974 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
14976 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
14977 been idle for thirty minutes:
14980 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
14983 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
14987 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
14990 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
14991 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
14992 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14994 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
14995 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
14996 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
14997 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
14999 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
15000 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
15001 @var{idle} minutes.
15003 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
15004 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
15007 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
15008 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
15009 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
15011 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
15012 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
15013 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
15014 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
15016 @vindex gnus-use-demon
15017 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
15018 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
15020 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
15021 your @file{.gnus} file:
15023 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
15025 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
15028 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
15029 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
15030 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
15031 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
15032 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
15033 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
15034 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
15035 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
15036 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
15037 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
15038 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
15040 @findex gnus-demon-init
15041 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
15042 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
15043 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
15044 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
15045 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
15047 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
15048 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
15049 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
15058 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
15059 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
15061 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
15062 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
15063 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
15064 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
15067 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
15068 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
15069 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
15070 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
15072 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
15073 this will make spam disappear.
15075 There are some variables to customize, of course:
15078 @item gnus-use-nocem
15079 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
15080 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
15083 @item gnus-nocem-groups
15084 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
15085 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
15086 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
15087 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
15089 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
15090 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
15091 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
15092 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
15093 "rbraver@@ohww.norman.ok.us" "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca"
15094 "jem@@xpat.com" "snowhare@@xmission.com" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
15095 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
15097 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
15100 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
15101 @cindex Chris Lewis
15102 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
15103 usenet abuse than anybody else.
15106 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
15107 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
15108 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
15110 @item jem@@xpat.com;
15112 John Milburn---despammer located in Korea who is getting very busy these
15115 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
15116 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
15117 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
15120 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
15121 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
15122 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
15123 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
15124 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
15125 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
15126 @var{(issuer conditions ...)} elements in the list. Each condition is
15127 either a string (which is a regexp that matches types you want to use)
15128 or a list on the form @code{(not STRING)}, where @var{string} is a
15129 regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
15131 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
15132 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
15135 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
15138 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
15139 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
15142 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
15145 The specs are applied left-to-right.
15148 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
15149 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
15151 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
15152 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
15153 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
15154 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
15156 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
15157 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
15160 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
15162 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
15170 This might be dangerous, though.
15172 @item gnus-nocem-directory
15173 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
15174 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
15175 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
15177 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
15178 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
15179 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
15180 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
15181 might then see old spam.
15185 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
15186 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
15187 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
15188 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
15195 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
15196 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
15197 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
15199 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
15200 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
15201 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
15202 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
15203 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
15204 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
15205 @code{undo} function.
15207 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
15208 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
15209 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
15210 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
15211 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
15212 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
15213 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
15214 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
15215 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
15216 never be totally undoable.
15218 @findex gnus-undo-mode
15219 @vindex gnus-use-undo
15221 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
15222 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
15223 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo} command
15224 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
15229 @section Moderation
15232 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
15233 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
15234 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
15237 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
15241 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
15244 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
15246 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
15251 You split your incoming mail by matching on
15252 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
15253 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
15256 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
15257 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
15260 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
15261 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
15265 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
15268 (setq gnus-moderated-list
15269 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
15273 @node XEmacs Enhancements
15274 @section XEmacs Enhancements
15277 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
15281 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
15282 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
15283 * Toolbar:: Click'n'drool.
15284 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
15297 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
15298 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
15299 over your shoulder as you read news.
15302 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
15303 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
15304 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
15305 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
15306 * Picon Useless Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
15311 @subsubsection Picon Basics
15313 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
15322 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
15323 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
15324 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
15325 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
15326 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
15327 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
15328 @code{GIF} formats.
15331 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
15332 If you have a permanent connection to the Internet you can use Steve
15333 Kinzler's Picons Search engine by setting
15334 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} to the string @*
15335 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/search.html}.
15337 @vindex gnus-picons-database
15338 Otherwise you need a local copy of his database. For instructions on
15339 obtaining and installing the picons databases, point your Web browser at @*
15340 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}. Gnus expects
15341 picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
15342 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
15345 @node Picon Requirements
15346 @subsubsection Picon Requirements
15348 To have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
15349 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
15352 Additionally, you must have @code{x} support compiled into XEmacs. To
15353 display color picons which are much nicer than the black & white one,
15354 you also need one of @code{xpm} or @code{gif} compiled into XEmacs.
15356 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
15357 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you should have
15358 the @code{xface} support compiled into XEmacs. Otherwise you must have
15359 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
15360 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
15364 @subsubsection Easy Picons
15366 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
15367 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
15370 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
15371 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
15372 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
15373 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
15374 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
15377 and make sure @code{gnus-picons-database} points to the directory
15378 containing the Picons databases.
15380 Alternatively if you want to use the web piconsearch engine add this:
15383 (setq gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
15384 "http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch")
15389 @subsubsection Hard Picons
15397 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
15398 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
15399 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
15400 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
15401 feature, you need to select where to get the picons from, and where to
15406 @item gnus-picons-database
15407 @vindex gnus-picons-database
15408 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
15409 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
15410 subdirectories. This is only useful if
15411 @code{gnus-picons-piconsearch-url} is @code{nil}. Defaults to
15412 @file{/usr/local/faces/}.
15414 @item gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
15415 @vindex gnus-picons-piconsearch-url
15416 The URL for the web picons search engine. The only currently known
15417 engine is @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu:800/piconsearch}. To
15418 workaround network delays, icons will be fetched in the background. If
15419 this is @code{nil} 'the default), then picons are fetched from local
15420 database indicated by @code{gnus-picons-database}.
15422 @item gnus-picons-display-where
15423 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
15424 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
15425 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
15426 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
15427 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
15428 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
15429 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
15431 @item gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
15432 @vindex gnus-picons-group-excluded-groups
15433 Groups that are matched by this regexp won't have their group icons
15438 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
15439 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
15441 Now that you've made those decision, you need to add the following
15442 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get displayed
15445 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
15446 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
15448 @item gnus-article-display-picons
15449 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
15450 Looks up and displays the picons for the author and the author's domain
15451 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to the
15452 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
15454 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
15455 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
15456 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
15457 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
15461 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
15462 for the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
15465 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
15469 @node Picon Useless Configuration
15470 @subsubsection Picon Useless Configuration
15478 The following variables offer further control over how things are
15479 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
15480 don't need to worry about.
15484 @item gnus-picons-news-directories
15485 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directories
15486 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
15487 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
15489 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
15490 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
15491 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
15492 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc")} is the default.
15494 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
15495 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
15496 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
15497 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
15498 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
15500 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
15501 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
15502 If you don't have @code{xface} support builtin XEmacs, this is the
15503 command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
15504 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
15505 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
15506 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
15508 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
15509 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
15510 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
15511 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
15513 @item gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
15514 @vindex gnus-picons-has-modeline-p
15515 If you have set @code{gnus-picons-display-where} to @code{picons}, your
15516 XEmacs frame will become really cluttered. To alleviate this a bit you
15517 can set @code{gnus-picons-has-modeline-p} to @code{nil}; this will
15518 remove the mode line from the Picons buffer. This is only useful if
15519 @code{gnus-picons-display-where} is @code{picons}.
15521 @item gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
15522 @vindex gnus-picons-refresh-before-display
15523 If non-nil, display the article buffer before computing the picons.
15524 Defaults to @code{nil}.
15526 @item gnus-picons-display-as-address
15527 @vindex gnus-picons-display-as-address
15528 If @code{t} display textual email addresses along with pictures.
15529 Defaults to @code{t}.
15531 @item gnus-picons-file-suffixes
15532 @vindex gnus-picons-file-suffixes
15533 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
15534 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your XEmacs.
15536 @item gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
15537 @vindex gnus-picons-display-article-move-p
15538 Whether to move point to first empty line when displaying picons. This
15539 has only an effect if `gnus-picons-display-where' has value `article'.
15541 @item gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
15542 @vindex gnus-picons-clear-cache-on-shutdown
15543 Whether to clear the picons cache when exiting gnus. Gnus caches every
15544 picons it finds while it is running. This saves some time in the search
15545 process but eats some memory. If this variable is set to @code{nil},
15546 Gnus will never clear the cache itself; you will have to manually call
15547 @code{gnus-picons-clear-cache} to clear it. Otherwise the cache will be
15548 cleared every time you exit Gnus. Defaults to @code{t}.
15559 @subsection Smileys
15564 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/BigFace.ps,height=20cm}}
15569 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
15570 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
15572 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
15573 @file{.gnus.el} file:
15576 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-smiley-display t)
15579 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{:-=}, @samp{:-(} and
15580 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
15581 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
15582 text and maps that to file names.
15584 @vindex smiley-nosey-regexp-alist
15585 @vindex smiley-deformed-regexp-alist
15586 Smiley supplies two example conversion alists by default:
15587 @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist} (which matches @samp{:)}, @samp{:(}
15588 and so on), and @code{smiley-nosey-regexp-alist} (which matches
15589 @samp{:-)}, @samp{:-(} and so on).
15591 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist} variable,
15592 which defaults to the value of @code{smiley-deformed-regexp-alist}.
15594 The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched; the second
15595 element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by the picture;
15596 and the third element is the name of the file to be displayed.
15598 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
15599 files, as well as the color to be used and stuff:
15603 @item smiley-data-directory
15604 @vindex smiley-data-directory
15605 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
15607 @item smiley-flesh-color
15608 @vindex smiley-flesh-color
15609 Skin color. The default is @samp{yellow}, which is really racist.
15611 @item smiley-features-color
15612 @vindex smiley-features-color
15613 Color of the features of the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15615 @item smiley-tongue-color
15616 @vindex smiley-tongue-color
15617 Color of the tongue. The default is @samp{red}.
15619 @item smiley-circle-color
15620 @vindex smiley-circle-color
15621 Color of the circle around the face. The default is @samp{black}.
15623 @item smiley-mouse-face
15624 @vindex smiley-mouse-face
15625 Face used for mouse highlighting over the smiley face.
15631 @subsection Toolbar
15641 @item gnus-use-toolbar
15642 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
15643 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
15644 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
15645 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
15647 @item gnus-group-toolbar
15648 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
15649 The toolbar in the group buffer.
15651 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
15652 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
15653 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
15655 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15656 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
15657 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
15663 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
15666 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15667 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
15668 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
15669 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
15670 unusual directory structure.
15672 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15673 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
15674 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
15675 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
15677 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15678 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
15679 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
15680 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
15681 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
15682 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
15684 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15685 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
15686 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
15700 @node Fuzzy Matching
15701 @section Fuzzy Matching
15702 @cindex fuzzy matching
15704 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
15705 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
15707 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
15708 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
15709 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
15711 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
15712 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
15713 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
15714 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
15715 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
15718 @node Thwarting Email Spam
15719 @section Thwarting Email Spam
15723 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
15725 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
15726 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
15727 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
15728 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
15729 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
15730 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
15731 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
15732 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
15735 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
15736 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
15737 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
15738 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
15739 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
15740 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
15744 The way to deal with this is having Gnus split out all spam into a
15745 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
15747 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
15748 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
15749 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
15750 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
15751 sysadm whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
15752 part of the mail address.)
15755 (setq message-default-news-headers
15756 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
15759 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
15760 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
15765 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
15766 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
15767 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
15773 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
15774 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
15775 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
15776 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
15778 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @code{smtp} server
15779 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
15780 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
15781 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
15782 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
15783 your fancy split rule in this way:
15788 (to "larsi" "misc")
15792 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
15793 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
15794 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
15795 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
15796 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
15798 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
15799 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
15800 at @* @file{<URL:http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html>}.
15801 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
15802 cosmic balance somewhat.
15804 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
15805 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
15806 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
15807 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
15810 @node Various Various
15811 @section Various Various
15817 @item gnus-home-directory
15818 All Gnus path variables will be initialized from this variable, which
15819 defaults to @file{~/}.
15821 @item gnus-directory
15822 @vindex gnus-directory
15823 Most Gnus storage path variables will be initialized from this variable,
15824 which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or
15825 @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
15827 Note that gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
15828 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
15829 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
15830 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
15832 @item gnus-default-directory
15833 @vindex gnus-default-directory
15834 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
15835 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
15836 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
15837 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
15838 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
15839 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
15842 @vindex gnus-verbose
15843 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
15844 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
15845 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
15846 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
15847 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
15849 @item gnus-verbose-backends
15850 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
15851 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
15852 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
15854 @item nnheader-max-head-length
15855 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
15856 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
15857 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
15858 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
15859 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
15860 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
15861 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
15862 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
15863 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
15865 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
15866 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
15867 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
15868 read when doing the operation described above.
15870 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15871 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15873 @cindex invalid characters in file names
15874 @cindex characters in file names
15875 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
15876 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
15877 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
15880 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
15884 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
15885 Windows (phooey) systems.
15887 @item gnus-hidden-properties
15888 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
15889 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
15890 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
15891 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
15893 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
15894 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
15895 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
15896 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
15897 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
15899 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
15900 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
15901 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
15910 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
15911 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
15913 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
15915 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
15921 Not because of victories @*
15924 but for the common sunshine,@*
15926 the largess of the spring.
15930 but for the day's work done@*
15931 as well as I was able;@*
15932 not for a seat upon the dais@*
15933 but at the common table.@*
15938 @chapter Appendices
15941 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
15942 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
15943 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
15944 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
15945 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
15946 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
15947 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
15955 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
15956 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
15958 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
15959 can point your (feh!) web browser to
15960 @file{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
15961 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
15962 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
15964 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
15965 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
15966 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
15967 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
15968 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
15969 appropriate name, don't you think?)
15971 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
15972 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
15973 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
15974 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
15976 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
15977 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
15978 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
15980 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
15981 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
15983 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
15984 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
15986 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37
15987 releases. If was released as ``Gnus 5.6 on March 8th 1998.
15989 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
15990 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'' --
15991 don't panic. Don't let it know that you're frightened. Back away.
15992 Slowly. Whatever you do, don't run. Walk away, calmly, until you're
15993 out of its reach. Find a proper released version of Gnus and snuggle up
15997 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
15998 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
15999 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
16000 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
16001 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
16002 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
16003 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
16010 What's the point of Gnus?
16012 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
16013 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
16014 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
16015 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
16016 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
16017 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
16018 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
16019 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
16020 keep track of millions of people who post?
16022 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
16023 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
16024 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
16025 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
16026 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
16027 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
16028 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
16029 every one of you to explore and invent.
16031 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
16032 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
16035 @node Compatibility
16036 @subsection Compatibility
16038 @cindex compatibility
16039 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
16040 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
16041 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
16046 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
16050 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
16053 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
16056 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
16057 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
16058 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
16059 important variables have their values copied into their global
16060 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
16061 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
16063 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
16064 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
16065 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
16066 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
16067 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
16071 @cindex highlighting
16072 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
16073 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
16074 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
16075 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
16076 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
16077 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
16080 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
16081 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
16082 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
16083 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
16085 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
16086 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
16087 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
16088 to stop doing it the old way.
16090 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
16092 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
16094 @cindex reporting bugs
16096 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
16097 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
16098 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
16100 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
16101 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
16102 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
16103 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
16108 @subsection Conformity
16110 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
16111 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
16118 There are no known breaches of this standard.
16122 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
16124 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
16125 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
16126 We do have some breaches to this one.
16131 Gnus does not yet fully handle MIME, and this standard-to-be seems to
16132 think that MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
16135 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
16136 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
16137 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
16138 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
16139 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
16144 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
16145 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
16146 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
16147 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
16151 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
16152 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
16157 @subsection Emacsen
16163 Gnus should work on :
16171 XEmacs 20.4 and up.
16175 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
16176 reliably, at least.
16178 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
16179 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
16180 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
16185 @subsection Contributors
16186 @cindex contributors
16188 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
16189 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
16190 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
16191 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
16192 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
16193 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
16194 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
16195 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
16196 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
16197 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
16199 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
16205 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
16208 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
16209 well as numerous other things).
16212 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
16215 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
16218 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el and many other things
16219 connected with @sc{mime} and other types of en/decoding.
16222 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
16223 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
16226 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
16229 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
16230 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
16233 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
16236 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
16239 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
16242 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
16245 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
16246 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
16249 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
16252 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
16255 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
16258 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
16262 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
16265 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
16268 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
16271 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
16272 well as autoconf support.
16276 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
16277 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
16279 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
16284 David K
\e,Ae
\e(Bgedal,
16288 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
16292 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
16314 Massimo Campostrini,
16322 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
16328 Michael Welsh Duggan,
16331 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
16335 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
16342 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
16344 Michelangelo Grigni,
16347 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
16349 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
16351 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
16356 Fran
\e,Ag
\e(Bois Felix Ingrand,
16357 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
16359 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
16368 Peter Skov Knudsen,
16369 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
16370 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
16371 Thor Kristoffersen,
16374 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
16391 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
16392 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
16399 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
16403 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
16406 John McClary Prevost,
16412 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
16417 Christian von Roques,
16419 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
16426 Philippe Schnoebelen,
16428 Randal L. Schwartz,
16458 Katsumi Yamaoka, @c Yamaoka.
16460 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
16461 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
16462 (550kB and counting).
16464 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
16467 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
16468 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
16472 @subsection New Features
16473 @cindex new features
16476 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
16477 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.3/5.3.
16478 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
16479 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
16482 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
16483 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
16484 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
16488 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
16490 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
16495 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
16496 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
16499 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
16500 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
16503 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
16506 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
16507 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
16508 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
16511 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
16512 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
16513 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
16514 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
16517 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
16518 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16521 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
16522 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
16523 (@pxref{The Active File}).
16526 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
16527 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
16530 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
16531 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
16532 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
16535 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
16536 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
16537 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
16540 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
16541 the @file{.emacs} file.
16544 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
16545 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16548 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
16549 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
16552 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
16553 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16556 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
16557 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
16560 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
16561 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
16564 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
16567 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
16568 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
16571 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
16572 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
16575 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
16576 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
16579 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
16582 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
16583 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
16586 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
16590 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
16594 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
16595 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
16598 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
16604 @node September Gnus
16605 @subsubsection September Gnus
16609 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/september.ps,height=20cm}}
16613 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
16618 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
16619 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
16623 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
16624 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
16628 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
16632 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
16633 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
16636 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
16640 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
16643 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
16646 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
16649 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
16653 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
16654 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
16657 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
16661 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
16665 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
16669 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
16673 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
16676 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
16677 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
16680 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
16684 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
16685 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
16688 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
16691 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
16692 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
16693 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
16696 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
16700 The Gnus cache is much faster.
16703 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
16707 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
16708 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
16711 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
16712 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
16715 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
16716 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
16719 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
16720 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
16721 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
16724 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
16725 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
16728 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
16731 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16734 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16735 'gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head)
16739 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
16742 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
16745 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
16746 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
16749 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
16753 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
16756 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fseptember.ps,height=5cm}}
16761 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
16764 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
16768 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
16771 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
16775 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
16778 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
16781 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
16782 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
16785 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
16786 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
16790 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
16791 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
16794 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
16798 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
16799 buffer to allow easier treatment.
16802 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
16805 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
16809 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
16813 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
16814 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
16817 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
16821 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
16822 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
16825 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
16826 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16829 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
16833 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
16836 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
16837 'gnus-article-hide-boring-headers t)
16841 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
16844 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
16850 @subsubsection Red Gnus
16852 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
16856 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=tmp/red.ps,height=20cm}}
16863 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
16866 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
16867 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
16870 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
16871 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
16875 Article washing status can be displayed in the
16876 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
16879 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
16882 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
16883 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
16886 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
16890 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
16891 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
16895 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
16896 Server Internals}).
16899 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
16903 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
16906 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
16907 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
16910 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
16911 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
16912 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
16915 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
16916 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16919 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
16920 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
16923 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
16927 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
16928 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16931 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
16932 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
16935 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
16939 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
16942 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
16946 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
16947 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
16950 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
16951 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
16954 A new command for reading collections of documents
16955 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
16956 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
16959 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
16963 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the NNTP
16964 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
16967 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
16968 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
16969 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
16972 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
16973 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
16977 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
16981 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
16985 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=tmp/fred.ps,width=3cm}}
16990 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
16994 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
16998 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
16999 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
17002 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
17005 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
17006 'gnus-article-emphasize)
17013 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
17015 New features in Gnus 5.6:
17020 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
17021 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
17022 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
17025 The @code{nndraft} backend has returned, but works differently than
17026 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
17027 group, which is created automatically.
17030 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
17034 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
17037 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
17038 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
17041 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
17045 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
17048 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
17049 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
17052 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
17055 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section "Symbolic
17056 Prefixes" in the Gnus manual for details.
17059 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
17060 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the "all.SCORE" file.
17063 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
17064 control over simplification.
17067 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
17070 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
17074 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
17077 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
17080 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
17081 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
17082 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
17085 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
17086 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
17089 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
17093 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
17094 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
17097 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
17098 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
17101 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
17105 A history of where mails have been split is available.
17108 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
17111 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
17112 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
17115 A new function for citing in Message has been
17116 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
17119 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
17122 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
17126 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
17127 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
17130 The "lapsed date" article header can be kept continually
17131 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
17134 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} backend.
17137 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
17142 @node Newest Features
17143 @subsection Newest Features
17146 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
17149 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
17151 (That a feature appears in this list doesn't necessarily mean that I've
17152 decided to actually implement it. It just means that I think it sounds
17155 (Yes, this is the actual, up-to-the-second todo list.)
17160 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
17163 Really do unbinhexing.
17166 I would like the zombie-page to contain an URL to the source of the
17167 latest version of gnus or some explanation on where to find it.
17170 A way to continue editing the latest Message composition.
17173 http://www.sonicnet.com/feature/ari3/
17176 facep is not declared.
17179 Include a section in the manual on why the number of articles
17180 isn't the same in the group buffer and on the SPC prompt.
17183 Interacting with rmail fcc isn't easy.
17188 <URL:http://www.falch.no/people/pepper/DSSSL-Lite/archives/>
17189 <URL:http://www.eit.com/software/hypermail/hypermail.html>
17190 <URL:http://homer.ncm.com/>
17191 <URL:http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_Web/HTML_Converters/>
17192 http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9610/index.html
17193 <URL:http://union.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HyperNews/get/www/html/converters.html>
17194 http://www.miranova.com/gnus-list/
17199 @samp{^-- } is made into - in LaTeX.
17202 gnus-kill is much slower than it was in GNUS 4.1.3.
17205 when expunging articles on low score, the sparse nodes keep hanging on?
17207 starting the first time seems to hang Gnus on some systems. Does
17208 NEWGROUPS answer too fast?
17210 nndir doesn't read gzipped files.
17212 FAQ doesn't have an up node?
17214 when moving mail from a procmail spool to the crash-box,
17215 the crash-box is only appropriate to one specific group.
17217 `t' `t' makes X-Faces disappear.
17219 nnmh-be-safe means that crossposted articles will
17220 be marked as unread.
17222 Orphan score entries don't show on "V t" score trace
17224 when clearing out data, the cache data should also be reset.
17226 rewrite gnus-summary-limit-children to be non-recursive
17227 to avoid exceeding lisp nesting on huge groups.
17229 expunged articles are counted when computing scores.
17231 implement gnus-batch-brew-soup
17233 ticked articles aren't easy to read in pick mode -- `n' and
17234 stuff just skips past them. Read articles are the same.
17236 topics that contain just groups with ticked
17237 articles aren't displayed.
17239 nndoc should always allocate unique Message-IDs.
17241 If there are mail groups the first time you use Gnus, Gnus'll
17242 make the mail groups killed.
17244 no "no news is good news" when using topics.
17246 when doing crosspost marking, the cache has to be consulted
17247 and articles have to be removed.
17249 nnweb should fetch complete articles when they are split into several
17252 scoring on head immediate doesn't work.
17254 finding short score file names takes forever.
17256 canceling articles in foreign groups.
17258 nntp-open-rlogin no longer works.
17260 C-u C-x C-s (Summary) switches to the group buffer.
17262 move nnmail-split-history out to the backends.
17264 nnweb doesn't work properly.
17266 using a virtual server name as `gnus-select-method' doesn't work?
17268 when killing/yanking a group from one topic to another in a slave, the
17269 master will yank it first to one topic and then add it to another.
17273 warn user about `=' redirection of a group in the active file?
17275 really unbinhex binhex files.
17277 take over the XEmacs menubar and offer a toggle between the XEmacs
17278 bar and the Gnus bar.
17281 push active file and NOV file parsing down into C code.
17282 `(canonize-message-id id)'
17283 `(mail-parent-message-id references n)'
17284 `(parse-news-nov-line &optional dependency-hashtb)'
17285 `(parse-news-nov-region beg end &optional dependency-hashtb fullp)'
17286 `(parse-news-active-region beg end hashtb)'
17291 nnml .overview directory with splits.
17295 postponed commands.
17297 the selected article show have its Subject displayed in its summary line.
17299 when entering groups, get the real number of unread articles from
17302 sort after gathering threads -- make false roots have the
17303 headers of the oldest orphan with a 0 article number?
17305 nndoc groups should inherit the score files of their parents? Also
17306 inherit copy prompts and save files.
17308 command to start up Gnus (if not running) and enter a mail mode buffer.
17310 allow editing the group description from the group buffer
17311 for backends that support that.
17313 gnus-hide,show-all-topics
17315 groups and sub-topics should be allowed to mingle inside each topic,
17316 and not just list all subtopics at the end.
17318 a command to remove all read articles that are not needed to connect
17319 threads -- `gnus-summary-limit-to-sparse-unread'?
17321 a variable to turn off limiting/cutting of threads in the tree buffer.
17323 a variable to limit how many files are uudecoded.
17325 add zombie groups to a special "New Groups" topic.
17327 server mode command: close/open all connections
17329 put a file date in gnus-score-alist and check whether the file
17330 has been changed before using it.
17332 on exit from a digest group, go to the next article in the parent group.
17334 hide (sub)threads with low score.
17336 when expiring, remove all marks from expired articles.
17338 gnus-summary-limit-to-body
17340 a regexp alist that says what level groups are to be subscribed
17341 on. Eg. -- `(("nnml:" . 1))'.
17343 easier interface to nnkiboze to create ephemeral groups that
17344 contain groups that match a regexp.
17346 allow newlines in <URL:> urls, but remove them before using
17349 If there is no From line, the mail backends should fudge one from the
17352 fuzzy simplifying should strip all non-alpha-numerical info
17353 from subject lines.
17355 gnus-soup-brew-soup-with-high-scores.
17357 nntp-ping-before-connect
17359 command to check whether NOV is evil. "list overview.fmt".
17361 when entering a group, Gnus should look through the score
17362 files very early for `local' atoms and set those local variables.
17364 message annotations.
17366 topics are always yanked before groups, and that's not good.
17368 (set-extent-property extent 'help-echo "String to display in minibuf")
17369 to display help in the minibuffer on buttons under XEmacs.
17371 allow group line format spec to say how many articles there
17376 support qmail maildir spools
17378 `run-with-idle-timer' in gnus-demon.
17380 stop using invisible text properties and start using overlays instead
17382 C-c C-f C-e to add an Expires header.
17384 go from one group to the next; everything is expunged; go to the
17385 next group instead of going to the group buffer.
17387 gnus-renumber-cache -- to renumber the cache using "low" numbers.
17389 record topic changes in the dribble buffer.
17391 `nnfolder-generate-active-file' should look at the folders it
17392 finds and generate proper active ranges.
17394 nneething-look-in-files-for-article-heads variable to control
17395 whether nneething should sniff all files in the directories.
17397 gnus-fetch-article -- start Gnus, enter group, display article
17399 gnus-dont-move-articles-to-same-group variable when respooling.
17401 when messages are crossposted between several auto-expirable groups,
17402 articles aren't properly marked as expirable.
17404 nneething should allow deletion/moving.
17406 TAB on the last button should go to the first button.
17408 if the car of an element in `mail-split-methods' is a function,
17409 and the function returns non-nil, use that as the name of the group(s) to
17412 command for listing all score files that have been applied.
17414 a command in the article buffer to return to `summary' config.
17416 `gnus-always-post-using-current-server' -- variable to override
17417 `C-c C-c' when posting.
17419 nnmail-group-spool-alist -- says where each group should use
17422 when an article is crossposted to an auto-expirable group, the article
17423 should be marker as expirable.
17425 article mode command/menu for "send region as URL to browser".
17427 on errors, jump to info nodes that explain the error. For instance,
17428 on invalid From headers, or on error messages from the nntp server.
17430 when gathering threads, make the article that has no "Re: " the parent.
17431 Also consult Date headers.
17433 a token in splits to call shrink-window-if-larger-than-buffer
17435 `1 0 A M' to do matches on the active hashtb.
17437 duplicates -- command to remove Gnus-Warning header, use the read
17438 Message-ID, delete the "original".
17440 when replying to several messages at once, put the "other" message-ids
17441 into a See-Also header.
17443 support setext: URL:http://www.bsdi.com/setext/
17445 support ProleText: <URL:http://proletext.clari.net/prole/proletext.html>
17447 when browsing a foreign server, the groups that are already subscribed
17448 should be listed as such and not as "K".
17450 generate font names dynamically.
17452 score file mode auto-alist.
17454 allow nndoc to change/add/delete things from documents. Implement
17455 methods for each format for adding an article to the document.
17457 `gnus-fetch-old-headers' `all' value to incorporate
17458 absolutely all headers there is.
17460 function like `|', but concatenate all marked articles
17461 and pipe them to the process.
17463 cache the list of killed (or active) groups in a separate file. Update
17464 the file whenever we read the active file or the list
17465 of killed groups in the .eld file reaches a certain length.
17467 function for starting to edit a file to put into
17468 the current mail group.
17470 score-find-trace should display the total score of the article.
17472 "ghettozie" -- score on Xref header and nix it out after using it
17473 to avoid marking as read in other groups it has been crossposted to.
17475 look at procmail splitting. The backends should create
17476 the groups automatically if a spool file exists for that group.
17478 function for backends to register themselves with Gnus.
17480 when replying to several process-marked articles,
17481 have all the From end up in Cc headers? Variable to toggle.
17483 command to delete a crossposted mail article from all
17484 groups it has been mailed to.
17486 `B c' and `B m' should be crosspost aware.
17488 hide-pgp should also hide PGP public key blocks.
17490 Command in the group buffer to respool process-marked groups.
17492 `gnus-summary-find-matching' should accept
17493 pseudo-"headers" like "body", "head" and "all"
17495 When buttifying <URL: > things, all white space (including
17496 newlines) should be ignored.
17498 Process-marking all groups in a topic should process-mark
17499 groups in subtopics as well.
17501 Add non-native groups to the list of killed groups when killing them.
17503 nntp-suggest-kewl-config to probe the nntp server and suggest
17506 add edit and forward secondary marks.
17508 nnml shouldn't visit its .overview files.
17510 allow customizing sorting within gathered threads.
17512 `B q' shouldn't select the current article.
17514 nnmbox should support a newsgroups file for descriptions.
17516 allow fetching mail from several pop servers.
17518 Be able to specify whether the saving commands save the original
17519 or the formatted article.
17521 a command to reparent with the child process-marked (cf. `T ^'.).
17523 I think the possibility to send a password with nntp-open-rlogin
17524 should be a feature in Red Gnus.
17526 The `Z n' command should be possible to execute from a mouse click.
17528 more limiting functions -- date, etc.
17530 be able to limit on a random header; on body; using reverse matches.
17532 a group parameter (`absofucking-total-expiry') that will make Gnus expire
17533 even unread articles.
17535 a command to print the article buffer as postscript.
17537 variable to disable password fetching when opening by nntp-open-telnet.
17539 manual: more example servers -- nntp with rlogin, telnet
17541 checking for bogus groups should clean topic alists as well.
17543 canceling articles in foreign groups.
17545 article number in folded topics isn't properly updated by
17548 Movement in the group buffer to the next unread group should go to the
17549 next closed topic with unread messages if no group can be found.
17551 Extensive info pages generated on the fly with help everywhere --
17552 in the "*Gnus edit*" buffers, for instance.
17554 Topic movement commands -- like thread movement. Up, down, forward, next.
17556 a way to tick/mark as read Gcc'd articles.
17558 a way to say that all groups within a specific topic comes
17559 from a particular server? Hm.
17561 `gnus-article-fill-if-long-lines' -- a function to fill
17562 the article buffer if there are any looong lines there.
17564 `T h' should jump to the parent topic and fold it.
17566 a command to create an ephemeral nndoc group out of a file,
17567 and then splitting it/moving it to some other group/backend.
17569 a group parameter for nnkiboze groups that says that
17570 all kibozed articles should be entered into the cache.
17572 It should also probably be possible to delimit what
17573 `gnus-jog-cache' does -- for instance, work on just some groups, or on
17574 some levels, and entering just articles that have a score higher than
17577 nnfolder should append to the folder instead of re-writing
17578 the entire folder to disk when accepting new messages.
17580 allow all backends to do the proper thing with .gz files.
17582 a backend for reading collections of babyl files nnbabylfolder?
17584 a command for making the native groups into foreign groups.
17586 server mode command for clearing read marks from all groups
17589 when following up multiple articles, include all To, Cc, etc headers
17592 a command for deciding what the total score of the current
17593 thread is. Also a way to highlight based on this.
17595 command to show and edit group scores
17597 a gnus-tree-minimize-horizontal to minimize tree buffers
17600 command to generate nnml overview file for one group.
17602 `C-u C-u a' -- prompt for many crossposted groups.
17604 keep track of which mail groups have received new articles (in this session).
17605 Be able to generate a report and perhaps do some marking in the group
17608 gnus-build-sparse-threads to a number -- build only sparse threads
17609 that are of that length.
17611 have nnmh respect mh's unseen sequence in .mh_profile.
17613 cache the newsgroups descriptions locally.
17615 asynchronous posting under nntp.
17617 be able to control word adaptive scoring from the score files.
17619 a variable to make `C-c C-c' post using the "current" select method.
17621 `limit-exclude-low-scored-articles'.
17623 if `gnus-summary-show-thread' is a number, hide threads that have
17624 a score lower than this number.
17626 split newsgroup subscription variable up into "order" and "method".
17628 buttonize ange-ftp file names.
17630 a command to make a duplicate copy of the current article
17631 so that each copy can be edited separately.
17633 nnweb should allow fetching from the local nntp server.
17635 record the sorting done in the summary buffer so that
17636 it can be repeated when limiting/regenerating the buffer.
17638 nnml-generate-nov-databses should generate for
17641 when the user does commands in the group buffer, check
17642 the modification time of the .newsrc.eld file and use
17643 ask-user-about-supersession-threat. Also warn when trying
17644 to save .newsrc.eld and it has changed.
17646 M-g on a topic will display all groups with 0 articles in
17649 command to remove all topic stuff.
17651 allow exploding incoming digests when reading incoming mail
17652 and splitting the resulting digests.
17654 nnsoup shouldn't set the `message-' variables.
17656 command to nix out all nnoo state information.
17658 nnmail-process-alist that calls functions if group names
17659 matches an alist -- before saving.
17661 use buffer-invisibility-spec everywhere for hiding text.
17663 variable to activate each group before entering them
17664 to get the (new) number of articles. `gnus-activate-before-entering'.
17666 command to fetch a Message-ID from any buffer, even
17667 starting Gnus first if necessary.
17669 when posting and checking whether a group exists or not, just
17670 ask the nntp server instead of relying on the active hashtb.
17672 buttonize the output of `C-c C-a' in an apropos-like way.
17674 `G p' should understand process/prefix, and allow editing
17675 of several groups at once.
17677 command to create an ephemeral nnvirtual group that
17678 matches some regexp(s).
17680 nndoc should understand "Content-Type: message/rfc822" forwarded messages.
17682 it should be possible to score "thread" on the From header.
17684 hitting RET on a "gnus-uu-archive" pseudo article should unpack it.
17686 `B i' should display the article at once in the summary buffer.
17688 remove the "*" mark at once when unticking an article.
17690 `M-s' should highlight the matching text.
17692 when checking for duplicated mails, use Resent-Message-ID if present.
17694 killing and yanking groups in topics should be better. If killing one copy
17695 of a group that exists in multiple topics, only that copy should
17696 be removed. Yanking should insert the copy, and yanking topics
17697 should be possible to be interspersed with the other yankings.
17699 command for enter a group just to read the cached articles. A way to say
17700 "ignore the nntp connection; just read from the cache."
17702 `X u' should decode base64 articles.
17704 a way to hide all "inner" cited text, leaving just the most
17705 recently cited text.
17707 nnvirtual should be asynchronous.
17709 after editing an article, gnus-original-article-buffer should
17712 there should probably be a way to make Gnus not connect to the
17713 server and just read the articles in the server
17715 allow a `set-default' (or something) to change the default
17716 value of nnoo variables.
17718 a command to import group infos from a .newsrc.eld file.
17720 groups from secondary servers have the entire select method
17721 listed in each group info.
17723 a command for just switching from the summary buffer to the group
17726 a way to specify that some incoming mail washing functions
17727 should only be applied to some groups.
17729 Message `C-f C-t' should ask the user whether to heed
17730 mail-copies-to: never.
17732 new group parameter -- `post-to-server' that says to post
17733 using the current server. Also a variable to do the same.
17735 the slave dribble files should auto-save to the slave file names.
17737 a group parameter that says what articles to display on group entry, based
17740 a way to visually distinguish slave Gnusae from masters. (Whip instead
17743 Use DJ Bernstein "From " quoting/dequoting, where applicable.
17745 Why is hide-citation-maybe and hide-citation different? Also
17748 group user-defined meta-parameters.
17752 From: John Griffith <griffith@@sfs.nphil.uni-tuebingen.de>
17754 I like the option for trying to retrieve the FAQ for a group and I was
17755 thinking it would be great if for those newsgroups that had archives
17756 you could also try to read the archive for that group. Part of the
17757 problem is that archives are spread all over the net, unlike FAQs.
17758 What would be best I suppose is to find the one closest to your site.
17760 In any case, there is a list of general news group archives at @*
17761 ftp://ftp.neosoft.com/pub/users/claird/news.lists/newsgroup_archives.html
17768 From: Jason L Tibbitts III <tibbs@@hpc.uh.edu>
17769 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
17771 (gnus-group-add-parameter group
17772 (cons 'gnus-group-date-last-entered (list (current-time-string))))))
17774 (defun gnus-user-format-function-d (headers)
17775 "Return the date the group was last read."
17776 (cond ((car (gnus-group-get-parameter gnus-tmp-group 'gnus-group-date-last-entered)))
17781 tanken var at n
\e,Ae
\e(Br du bruker `gnus-startup-file' som prefix (FOO) til ilete
17782 opp en fil FOO-SERVER, FOO-SERVER.el, FOO-SERVER.eld, kan du la den v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en
17783 liste hvor du bruker hvert element i listen som FOO, istedet. da kunne man
17784 hatt forskjellige serveres startup-filer forskjellige steder.
17788 LMI> Well, nnbabyl could alter the group info to heed labels like
17789 LMI> answered and read, I guess.
17791 It could also keep them updated (the same for the Status: header of
17794 They could be used like this:
17798 `M l <name> RET' add label <name> to current message.
17799 `M u <name> RET' remove label <name> from current message.
17800 `/ l <expr> RET' limit summary buffer according to <expr>.
17802 <expr> would be a boolean expression on the labels, e.g.
17804 `/ l bug & !fixed RET'
17807 would show all the messages which are labeled `bug' but not labeled
17810 One could also imagine the labels being used for highlighting, or
17811 affect the summary line format.
17815 Sender: abraham@@dina.kvl.dk
17817 I'd like a gnus-find-file which work like find file, except that it
17818 would recognize things that looks like messages or folders:
17820 - If it is a directory containing numbered files, create an nndir
17823 - For other directories, create a nneething summary buffer.
17825 - For files matching "\\`From ", create a nndoc/mbox summary.
17827 - For files matching "\\`BABYL OPTIONS:", create a nndoc/baby summary.
17829 - For files matching "\\`[^ \t\n]+:", create an *Article* buffer.
17831 - For other files, just find them normally.
17833 I'd like `nneething' to use this function, so it would work on a
17834 directory potentially containing mboxes or babyl files.
17837 Please send a mail to bwarsaw@@cnri.reston.va.us (Barry A. Warsaw) and
17838 tell him what you are doing.
17841 Currently, I get prompted:
17845 decend into sci.something ?
17849 The problem above is that since there is really only one subsection of
17850 science, shouldn't it prompt you for only descending sci.something? If
17851 there was a sci.somethingelse group or section, then it should prompt
17852 for sci? first the sci.something? then sci.somethingelse?...
17855 Ja, det burde v
\e,Af
\e(Bre en m
\e,Ae
\e(Bte
\e,Ae
\e(B si slikt. Kanskje en ny variabel?
17856 `gnus-use-few-score-files'? S
\e,Ae
\e(B kunne score-regler legges til den
17857 "mest" lokale score-fila. F. eks. ville no-gruppene betjenes av
17858 "no.all.SCORE", osv.
17861 What i want is for Gnus to treat any sequence or combination of the following
17862 as a single spoiler warning and hide it all, replacing it with a "Next Page"
17868 more than n blank lines
17870 more than m identical lines
17871 (which should be replaced with button to show them)
17873 any whitespace surrounding any of the above
17877 Well, we could allow a new value to `gnus-thread-ignore-subject' --
17878 `spaces', or something. (We could even default to that.) And then
17879 subjects that differ in white space only could be considered the
17880 "same" subject for threading purposes.
17883 Modes to preprocess the contents (e.g. jka-compr) use the second form
17884 "(REGEXP FUNCTION NON-NIL)" while ordinary modes (e.g. tex) use the first
17885 form "(REGEXP . FUNCTION)", so you could use it to distinguish between
17886 those two types of modes. (auto-modes-alist, insert-file-contents-literally.)
17889 Under XEmacs -- do funny article marks:
17892 soup - bowl of soup
17893 score below - dim light bulb
17894 score over - bright light bulb
17897 Yes. I think the algorithm is as follows:
17902 show-list-of-articles-in-group
17903 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17904 if (no-more-articles-in-group-to-select)
17905 if (articles-selected)
17906 start-reading-selected-articles;
17907 junk-unread-articles;
17912 else if (key-pressed = '.')
17913 if (consolidated-menus) # same as hide-thread in Gnus
17914 select-thread-under-cursor;
17916 select-article-under-cursor;
17920 if (key-pressed == SPACE)
17921 if (more-pages-in-article)
17923 else if (more-selected-articles-to-read)
17930 My precise need here would have been to limit files to Incoming*.
17931 One could think of some `nneething-only-files' variable, but I guess
17932 it would have been unacceptable if one was using many unrelated such
17935 A more useful approach would be to, in response to the `G D' prompt, be
17936 allowed to say something like: `~/.mail/Incoming*', somewhat limiting
17937 the top-level directory only (in case directories would be matched by
17938 the wildcard expression).
17941 It would be nice if it also handled
17943 <URL:news://sunsite.auc.dk/>
17945 which should correspond to `B nntp RET sunsite.auc.dk' in *Group*.
17950 Take a look at w3-menu.el in the Emacs-W3 distribution - this works out
17951 really well. Each menu is 'named' by a symbol that would be on a
17952 gnus-*-menus (where * would be whatever, but at least group, summary, and
17953 article versions) variable.
17955 So for gnus-summary-menus, I would set to '(sort mark dispose ...)
17957 A value of '1' would just put _all_ the menus in a single 'GNUS' menu in
17958 the main menubar. This approach works really well for Emacs-W3 and VM.
17962 nndoc should take care to create unique Message-IDs for all its
17965 gnus-score-followup-article only works when you have a summary buffer
17966 active. Make it work when posting from the group buffer as well.
17967 (message-sent-hook).
17969 rewrite gnus-demon to use run-with-idle-timers.
17972 * Enhancements to Gnus:
17976 * gnus-servers (gnus-start-server-buffer?)--enters Gnus and goes
17977 straight to the server buffer, without opening any connections to
17980 * gnus-server-read-server-newsrc--produces a buffer very similar to
17981 the group buffer, but with only groups from that server listed;
17982 quitting this buffer returns to the server buffer.
17985 add a command to check the integrity of an nnfolder folder --
17986 go through the article numbers and see that there are no duplicates,
17990 `unsmileyfy-buffer' to undo smileification.
17993 a command to give all relevant info on an article, including all
17997 when doing `-request-accept-article', the backends should do
17998 the nnmail duplicate checking.
18001 allow `message-signature-file' to be a function to return the
18002 value of the signature file.
18005 In addition, I would love it if I could configure message-tab so that it
18006 could call `bbdb-complete-name' in other headers. So, some sort of
18009 (setq message-tab-alist
18010 '((message-header-regexp message-expand-group)
18011 ("^\\(To\\|[cC]c\\|[bB]cc\\)" bbdb-complete-name)))
18013 then you could run the relevant function to complete the information in
18017 cache the newsgroups file locally to avoid reloading it all the time.
18020 a command to import a buffer into a group.
18023 nnweb should allow fetching by Message-ID from servers.
18026 point in the article buffer doesn't always go to the
18027 beginning of the buffer when selecting new articles.
18030 a command to process mark all unread articles.
18033 `gnus-gather-threads-by-references-and-subject' -- first
18034 do gathering by references, and then go through the dummy roots and
18035 do more gathering by subject.
18038 gnus-uu-mark-in-numerical-order -- process mark articles in
18039 article numerical order.
18042 (gnus-thread-total-score
18043 (gnus-id-to-thread (mail-header-id (gnus-summary-article-header))))
18047 sorting by score is wrong when using sparse threads.
18050 a command to fetch an arbitrary article -- without having to be
18051 in the summary buffer.
18054 a new nncvs backend. Each group would show an article, using
18055 version branches as threading, checkin date as the date, etc.
18058 http://www.dejanews.com/forms/dnsetfilter_exp.html ?
18059 This filter allows one to construct advance queries on the Dejanews
18060 database such as specifying start and end dates, subject, author,
18061 and/or newsgroup name.
18064 new Date header scoring type -- older, newer
18067 use the summary toolbar in the article buffer.
18070 a command to fetch all articles that are less than X days old.
18073 in pick mode, `q' should save the list of selected articles in the
18074 group info. The next time the group is selected, these articles
18075 will automatically get the process mark.
18078 Isn't it possible to (also?) allow M-^ to automatically try the
18079 default server if it fails on the current server? (controlled by a
18080 user variable, (nil, t, 'ask)).
18083 make it possible to cancel articles using the select method for the
18087 `gnus-summary-select-article-on-entry' or something. It'll default
18088 to t and will select whatever article decided by `gnus-auto-select-first'.
18091 a new variable to control which selection commands should be unselecting.
18092 `first', `best', `next', `prev', `next-unread', `prev-unread' are
18096 be able to select groups that have no articles in them
18097 to be able to post in them (using the current select method).
18100 be able to post via DejaNews.
18103 `x' should retain any sortings that have been performed.
18106 allow the user to specify the precedence of the secondary marks. Also
18107 allow them to be displayed separately.
18110 gnus-summary-save-in-pipe should concatenate the results from
18111 the processes when doing a process marked pipe.
18114 a new match type, like Followup, but which adds Thread matches on all
18115 articles that match a certain From header.
18118 a function that can be read from kill-emacs-query-functions to offer
18119 saving living summary buffers.
18122 a function for selecting a particular group which will contain
18123 the articles listed in a list of article numbers/id's.
18126 a battery of character translation functions to translate common
18127 Mac, MS (etc) characters into ISO 8859-1.
18130 (defun article-fix-m$word ()
18131 "Fix M$Word smartquotes in an article."
18134 (let ((buffer-read-only nil))
18135 (goto-char (point-min))
18136 (while (search-forward "\221" nil t)
18137 (replace-match "`" t t))
18138 (goto-char (point-min))
18139 (while (search-forward "\222" nil t)
18140 (replace-match "'" t t))
18141 (goto-char (point-min))
18142 (while (search-forward "\223" nil t)
18143 (replace-match "\"" t t))
18144 (goto-char (point-min))
18145 (while (search-forward "\224" nil t)
18146 (replace-match "\"" t t)))))
18151 (add-hook 'gnus-exit-query-functions
18153 (if (and (file-exists-p nnmail-spool-file)
18154 (> (nnheader-file-size nnmail-spool-file) 0))
18155 (yes-or-no-p "New mail has arrived. Quit Gnus anyways? ")
18156 (y-or-n-p "Are you sure you want to quit Gnus? "))))
18160 allow message-default-headers to be a function.
18163 new Date score match types -- < > = (etc) that take floating point
18164 numbers and match on the age of the article.
18168 > > > If so, I've got one gripe: It seems that when I fire up gnus 5.2.25
18169 > > > under xemacs-19.14, it's creating a new frame, but is erasing the
18170 > > > buffer in the frame that it was called from =:-O
18172 > > Hm. How do you start up Gnus? From the toolbar or with
18173 > > `M-x gnus-other-frame'?
18175 > I normally start it up from the toolbar; at
18176 > least that's the way I've caught it doing the
18181 all commands that react to the process mark should push
18182 the current process mark set onto the stack.
18185 gnus-article-hide-pgp
18186 Selv ville jeg nok ha valgt islette den dersom teksten matcher
18188 "\\(This\s+\\)?[^ ]+ has been automatically signed by"
18190 og det er maks hundre tegn mellom match-end og ----linja. Men -det-
18191 er min type heuristikk og langt fra alles.
18194 `gnus-subscribe-sorted' -- insert new groups where they would have been
18195 sorted to if `gnus-group-sort-function' were run.
18198 gnus-(group,summary)-highlight should respect any `face' text props set
18202 use run-with-idle-timer for gnus-demon instead of the
18203 home-brewed stuff for better reliability.
18206 add a way to select which NoCeM type to apply -- spam, troll, etc.
18209 nndraft-request-group should tally auto-save files.
18212 implement nntp-retry-on-break and nntp-command-timeout.
18215 gnus-article-highlight-limit that says when not to highlight (long)
18219 (nnoo-set SERVER VARIABLE VALUE)
18225 interrupitng agent fetching of articles should save articles.
18228 command to open a digest group, and copy all the articles there to the
18232 a variable to disable article body highlights if there's more than
18233 X characters in the body.
18236 handle 480/381 authinfo requests separately.
18239 include the texi/dir file in the distribution.
18242 format spec to "tab" to a position.
18245 Move all prompting to the new `M-n' default style.
18248 command to display all dormant articles.
18251 gnus-auto-select-next makeover -- list of things it should do.
18254 a score match type that adds scores matching on From if From has replied
18255 to something someone else has said.
18258 Read Netscape discussion groups:
18259 snews://secnews.netscape.com/netscape.communicator.unix
18262 One command to edit the original version if an article, and one to edit
18263 the displayed version.
18266 @kbd{T v} -- make all process-marked articles the children of the
18270 Switch from initial text to the new default text mechanism.
18273 How about making it possible to expire local articles? Will it be
18274 possible to make various constraints on when an article can be
18275 expired, e.g. (read), (age > 14 days), or the more interesting (read
18279 New limit command---limit to articles that have a certain string
18280 in the head or body.
18283 Allow breaking lengthy NNTP commands.
18286 gnus-article-highlight-limit, to disable highlighting in big articles.
18289 Editing an article should put the article to be edited
18290 in a special, unique buffer.
18293 A command to send a mail to the admin-address group param.
18296 A Date scoring type that will match if the article
18297 is less than a certain number of days old.
18300 New spec: %~(tab 56) to put point on column 56
18303 Allow Gnus Agent scoring to use normal score files.
18306 Rething the Agent active file thing. `M-g' doesn't update the active
18307 file, for instance.
18310 With dummy roots, `^' and then selecing the first article
18311 in any other dummy thread will make gnus highlight the
18312 dummy root instead of the first article.
18315 Propagate all group properties (marks, article numbers, etc) up to the
18316 topics for displaying.
18319 `n' in the group buffer with topics should go to the next group
18320 with unread articles, even if that group is hidden in a topic.
18323 gnus-posting-styles doesn't work in drafts.
18326 gnus-summary-limit-include-cached is slow when there are
18327 many articles in the cache, since it regenerates big parts of the
18328 summary buffer for each article.
18331 Implement gnus-batch-brew-soup.
18334 Group parameters and summary commands for un/subscribing to mailing
18338 Introduce nnmail-home-directory.
18341 gnus-fetch-group and friends should exit Gnus when the user
18345 The jingle is only played on the second invocation of Gnus.
18348 Bouncing articles should do MIME.
18351 Crossposted articles should "inherit" the % or @ mark from the other
18352 groups it has been crossposted to, or something. (Agent.)
18355 `S D r' should allow expansion of aliases.
18358 If point is on a group that appears multiple times in topics, and
18359 you press `l', point will move to the first instance of the group.
18362 The documentation should mention pop3.el, fetchmail, smtpmail and why
18363 po:username often fails.
18366 Fetch by Message-ID from dejanews.
18368 <URL:http://search.dejanews.com/msgid.xp?MID=%3C62h9l9$hm4@@basement.replay.com%3E&fmt=raw>
18371 Solve the halting problem.
18380 @section The Manual
18384 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
18385 either @code{texi2dvi}
18387 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
18388 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
18390 to get what you hold in your hands now.
18392 The following conventions have been used:
18397 This is a @samp{string}
18400 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
18403 This is a @file{file}
18406 This is a @code{symbol}
18410 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
18414 (setq flargnoze "yes")
18417 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
18420 (setq flumphel 'yes)
18423 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
18424 ever get them confused.
18428 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
18429 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
18430 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
18431 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
18432 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
18433 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
18434 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
18442 @section Terminology
18444 @cindex terminology
18449 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
18450 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
18451 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
18452 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
18453 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
18457 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
18458 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
18459 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
18460 not posting, and replying is not following up.
18464 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
18468 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
18473 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
18474 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
18475 is all done by the backends.
18479 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
18480 default, way of getting news.
18484 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
18485 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary backends for getting
18490 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
18491 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
18495 A message that has been posted as news.
18498 @cindex mail message
18499 A message that has been mailed.
18503 A mail message or news article
18507 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
18512 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
18517 A line from the head of an article.
18521 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
18522 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
18526 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
18527 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
18528 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
18529 normal @sc{head} format.
18533 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
18534 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
18535 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
18536 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
18537 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
18538 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
18540 @item killed groups
18541 @cindex killed groups
18542 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
18543 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
18545 @item zombie groups
18546 @cindex zombie groups
18547 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
18550 @cindex active file
18551 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
18552 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
18553 is rather large, as you might surmise.
18556 @cindex bogus groups
18557 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
18558 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
18559 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
18562 @cindex activating groups
18563 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
18564 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
18565 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
18569 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
18571 @item select method
18572 @cindex select method
18573 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
18576 @item virtual server
18577 @cindex virtual server
18578 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
18579 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
18580 whole is a virtual server.
18584 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
18585 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
18588 @item ephemeral groups
18589 @cindex ephemeral groups
18590 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
18591 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
18592 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
18595 @cindex solid groups
18596 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
18597 group buffer are solid groups.
18599 @item sparse articles
18600 @cindex sparse articles
18601 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
18602 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
18606 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
18607 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
18611 @cindex thread root
18612 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
18613 articles in the thread.
18617 An article that has responses.
18621 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
18625 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
18626 specified by RFC1153.
18632 @node Customization
18633 @section Customization
18634 @cindex general customization
18636 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
18637 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
18638 for some quite common situations.
18641 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
18642 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
18643 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
18644 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
18648 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
18649 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
18651 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
18652 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
18653 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
18657 @item gnus-read-active-file
18658 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
18659 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
18660 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18661 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
18662 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
18664 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
18665 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
18666 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
18667 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
18671 @node Slow Terminal Connection
18672 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
18674 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
18675 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
18676 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
18680 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
18681 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
18682 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
18683 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
18684 horizontal and vertical recentering.
18686 @item gnus-visible-headers
18687 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
18688 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
18689 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
18690 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
18692 @item gnus-article-display-hook
18693 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
18695 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
18696 '(gnus-article-hide-headers
18697 gnus-article-hide-signature
18698 gnus-article-hide-citation))
18701 @item gnus-use-full-window
18702 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
18703 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
18704 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
18705 want to read them anyway.
18707 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
18708 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
18711 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
18712 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
18713 lines, which might save some time.
18717 @node Little Disk Space
18718 @subsection Little Disk Space
18721 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
18722 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
18726 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
18727 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
18728 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
18729 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
18732 @item gnus-save-killed-list
18733 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
18734 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
18735 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
18736 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
18742 @subsection Slow Machine
18743 @cindex slow machine
18745 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
18746 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
18748 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
18749 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
18751 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
18752 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
18753 summary buffer faster.
18755 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
18756 processing a bit faster.
18760 @node Troubleshooting
18761 @section Troubleshooting
18762 @cindex troubleshooting
18764 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
18772 Make sure your computer is switched on.
18775 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
18776 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
18780 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
18781 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
18782 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
18783 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
18786 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
18790 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
18791 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
18792 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
18793 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
18794 something like that.
18797 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
18800 @cindex reporting bugs
18802 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
18804 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
18805 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
18806 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
18807 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
18809 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
18810 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
18811 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
18812 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
18815 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
18816 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
18817 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
18818 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
18819 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
18820 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
18822 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
18823 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
18824 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
18827 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
18828 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
18830 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
18831 @cindex ding mailing list
18832 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@gnus.org}.
18833 Write to @samp{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
18837 @node Gnus Reference Guide
18838 @section Gnus Reference Guide
18840 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
18841 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
18842 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
18843 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
18846 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
18847 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
18848 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
18849 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
18850 and general methods of operation.
18853 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
18854 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
18855 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
18856 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
18857 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
18858 * Group Info:: The group info format.
18859 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
18860 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
18861 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
18865 @node Gnus Utility Functions
18866 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
18867 @cindex Gnus utility functions
18868 @cindex utility functions
18870 @cindex internal variables
18872 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
18873 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
18874 Below is a list of the most common ones.
18878 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
18879 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
18880 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
18882 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
18883 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
18884 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
18886 @item gnus-group-real-name
18887 @findex gnus-group-real-name
18888 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
18891 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
18892 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
18893 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
18894 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
18896 @item gnus-get-info
18897 @findex gnus-get-info
18898 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
18900 @item gnus-group-unread
18901 @findex gnus-group-unread
18902 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
18906 @findex gnus-active
18907 The active entry for @var{group}.
18909 @item gnus-set-active
18910 @findex gnus-set-active
18911 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
18913 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18914 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
18915 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
18918 @item gnus-continuum-version
18919 @findex gnus-continuum-version
18920 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
18921 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
18924 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
18925 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
18926 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
18928 @item gnus-news-group-p
18929 @findex gnus-news-group-p
18930 Says whether @var{group} came from a news backend.
18932 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18933 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
18934 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
18936 @item gnus-server-to-method
18937 @findex gnus-server-to-method
18938 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
18940 @item gnus-server-equal
18941 @findex gnus-server-equal
18942 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
18944 @item gnus-group-native-p
18945 @findex gnus-group-native-p
18946 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
18948 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
18949 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
18950 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
18952 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
18953 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
18954 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
18956 @item group-group-find-parameter
18957 @findex group-group-find-parameter
18958 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
18959 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
18961 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
18962 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
18963 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
18965 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
18966 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
18967 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
18969 @item gnus-check-backend-function
18970 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
18971 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the backend
18972 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
18975 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
18979 @item gnus-read-method
18980 @findex gnus-read-method
18981 Prompts the user for a select method.
18986 @node Backend Interface
18987 @subsection Backend Interface
18989 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
18990 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
18991 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
18992 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
18993 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
18994 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
18996 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
18997 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
18998 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
18999 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
19000 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
19001 been opened, the function should fail.
19003 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
19004 name. Take this example:
19008 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
19009 (nntp-port-number 4324))
19012 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
19013 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
19015 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
19016 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
19017 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
19019 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
19020 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
19021 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
19023 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
19024 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
19025 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
19026 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
19027 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
19028 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
19031 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
19032 some might be said not to be. The latter are backends that generally
19033 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
19034 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
19037 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
19040 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
19043 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
19044 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
19045 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
19046 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
19047 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
19048 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
19052 @node Required Backend Functions
19053 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
19057 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
19059 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
19060 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
19061 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
19062 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
19064 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
19065 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
19066 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
19067 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
19069 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching "extra
19070 headers", in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
19071 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
19072 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
19073 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
19074 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
19075 number, do maximum fetches.
19077 Here's an example HEAD:
19080 221 1056 Article retrieved.
19081 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
19082 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
19083 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
19084 Subject: Re: Something very droll
19085 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
19086 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
19088 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
19089 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
19090 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
19094 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
19095 these in the data buffer.
19097 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
19101 head = error / valid-head
19102 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
19103 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
19104 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
19105 header = <text> eol
19108 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
19109 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
19113 nov-buffer = *nov-line
19114 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
19115 field = <text except TAB>
19118 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
19122 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
19124 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
19125 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
19127 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
19128 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
19129 server. In fact, it should do so.
19131 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
19132 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
19135 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
19137 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
19138 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
19141 There should be no data returned.
19144 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
19146 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
19147 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
19148 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
19149 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
19151 There should be no data returned.
19154 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
19156 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
19157 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
19158 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
19159 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
19161 There should be no data returned.
19164 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
19166 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
19168 There should be no data returned.
19171 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
19173 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
19174 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
19175 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
19176 it would be nice if that were possible.
19178 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
19179 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
19180 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
19181 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
19182 into its article buffer.
19184 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
19185 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
19186 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
19187 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
19188 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
19189 on successful article retrieval.
19192 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
19194 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
19195 making @var{group} the current group.
19197 If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
19200 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
19203 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
19206 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
19207 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
19208 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
19209 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
19210 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
19211 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
19212 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
19213 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
19216 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
19217 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
19218 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
19222 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
19224 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
19225 a no-op on most backends.
19227 There should be no data returned.
19230 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
19232 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
19235 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
19238 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
19239 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
19242 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
19243 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
19246 active-file = *active-line
19247 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
19249 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
19252 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
19253 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
19254 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
19257 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
19259 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
19260 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
19261 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
19262 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
19263 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
19264 clear if the posting could not be completed.
19266 There should be no result data from this function.
19271 @node Optional Backend Functions
19272 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
19276 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
19278 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
19279 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
19280 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
19282 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
19283 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
19284 former is in the same format as the data from
19285 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
19286 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
19289 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
19293 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
19295 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
19296 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
19297 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
19298 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
19299 should return the (altered) group info.
19301 There should be no result data from this function.
19304 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
19306 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
19307 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
19308 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
19309 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
19310 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
19311 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
19312 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
19313 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
19315 There should be no result data from this function.
19318 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
19320 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
19321 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
19322 @code{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some backends (such as IMAP) however carry all
19323 information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to propagate
19324 the mark information to the server.
19326 ACTION is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
19329 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
19332 Range is a range of articles you wish to update marks on. Action is
19333 @code{set}, @code{add} or @code{del}, respectively used for removing all
19334 existing marks and setting them as specified, adding (preserving the
19335 marks not mentioned) mark and removing (preserving the marks not
19336 mentioned) marks. Mark is a list of marks; where each mark is a
19337 symbol. Currently used marks are @code{read}, @code{tick}, @code{reply},
19338 @code{expire}, @code{killed}, @code{dormant}, @code{save},
19339 @code{download} and @code{unsend}, but your backend should, if possible,
19340 not limit itself to theese.
19342 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
19343 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
19344 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
19345 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
19347 An example action list:
19350 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
19351 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
19352 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
19355 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
19356 mark on (currently not used for anything).
19358 There should be no result data from this function.
19360 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
19362 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
19363 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
19364 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
19365 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
19366 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
19368 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
19369 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
19370 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
19373 There should be no result data from this function.
19376 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
19378 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
19379 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
19380 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
19381 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
19382 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
19383 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
19384 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
19386 There should be no result data from this function.
19389 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
19391 The result data from this function should be a description of
19395 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
19397 description = <text>
19400 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
19402 The result data from this function should be the description of all
19403 groups available on the server.
19406 description-buffer = *description-line
19410 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
19412 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
19413 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
19414 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
19417 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
19419 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
19421 There should be no return data.
19424 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
19426 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
19427 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
19428 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
19429 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
19430 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
19433 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
19436 There should be no result data returned.
19439 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
19442 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
19443 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
19445 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
19446 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
19447 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
19448 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
19449 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
19450 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
19452 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
19453 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
19456 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
19457 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
19459 There should be no data returned.
19462 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
19464 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
19465 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
19466 this function in short order.
19468 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
19469 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
19471 There should be no data returned.
19474 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
19476 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
19477 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
19479 There should be no data returned.
19482 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
19484 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
19485 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
19486 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
19488 There should be no data returned.
19491 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
19493 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
19494 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
19496 There should be no data returned.
19501 @node Error Messaging
19502 @subsubsection Error Messaging
19504 @findex nnheader-report
19505 @findex nnheader-get-report
19506 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
19507 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
19508 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
19509 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
19510 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
19511 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
19514 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
19516 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
19519 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
19520 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
19521 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
19522 takes one argument---the server symbol.
19524 Internally, these functions access @var{backend}@code{-status-string},
19525 so the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
19526 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
19529 @node Writing New Backends
19530 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
19532 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
19533 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
19534 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
19535 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
19536 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
19539 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
19540 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
19541 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
19543 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
19544 package called @code{nnoo}.
19546 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
19547 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
19553 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
19554 parameters. For instance:
19557 (nnoo-declare nndir
19561 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
19562 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
19565 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
19566 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
19567 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
19569 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
19570 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
19571 a function in those backends.
19574 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
19575 "Where nndir will look for groups."
19576 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
19579 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
19580 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
19581 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
19583 @item nnoo-define-basics
19584 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
19588 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
19592 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
19593 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
19594 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
19596 @item nnoo-map-functions
19597 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
19598 functions from the parent backends.
19601 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
19602 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19603 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
19606 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
19607 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
19608 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
19609 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
19612 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
19613 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
19614 haven't already been defined.
19620 nnmh-request-newgroups)
19624 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
19625 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
19626 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
19631 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
19634 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
19635 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
19639 (require 'nnheader)
19643 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
19645 (nnoo-declare nndir
19648 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
19649 "Where nndir will look for groups."
19650 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
19652 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
19653 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
19656 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
19657 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
19658 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
19660 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
19661 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
19663 ;;; Interface functions.
19665 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
19667 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
19668 (setq nndir-directory
19669 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
19671 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
19672 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
19673 (push `(nndir-current-group
19674 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19676 (push `(nndir-top-directory
19677 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
19679 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
19681 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
19682 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19683 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
19684 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
19685 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
19689 nnmh-status-message
19691 nnmh-request-newgroups))
19697 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19698 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
19700 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
19701 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
19702 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
19703 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
19705 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
19706 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
19711 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
19714 The abilities can be:
19718 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
19720 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
19722 This backend supports both mail and news.
19724 This is neither a post nor mail backend---it's something completely
19727 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
19728 articles and groups.
19730 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
19731 true for almost all backends.
19732 @item prompt-address
19733 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
19734 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
19735 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
19739 @node Mail-like Backends
19740 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
19742 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
19743 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
19744 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
19745 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
19748 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
19749 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
19750 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
19753 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
19754 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
19757 This function takes four parameters.
19761 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
19764 @item exit-function
19765 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
19767 @item temp-directory
19768 Where the temporary files should be stored.
19771 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
19772 performed for one group only.
19775 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
19776 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
19777 find the article number assigned to this article.
19779 The function also uses the following variables:
19780 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
19781 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
19782 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
19783 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
19787 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
19788 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
19792 @node Score File Syntax
19793 @subsection Score File Syntax
19795 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
19796 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
19797 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
19799 Here's a typical score file:
19803 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
19810 BNF definition of a score file:
19813 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
19814 element = rule / atom
19815 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
19816 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
19817 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
19818 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
19820 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
19821 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
19822 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
19823 date-header = "date"
19824 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19825 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19826 score = "nil" / <integer>
19827 date = "nil" / <natural number>
19828 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
19829 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
19830 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
19831 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
19832 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19833 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
19834 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
19835 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
19836 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
19837 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
19838 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
19839 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
19840 exclude-files / read-only / touched
19841 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
19842 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
19843 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
19844 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
19845 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
19846 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
19847 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
19848 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
19849 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
19850 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
19851 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
19852 eval = "eval" space <form>
19853 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
19856 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
19859 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
19860 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
19861 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
19862 one looong line, then that's ok.
19864 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
19865 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
19869 @subsection Headers
19871 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
19872 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
19873 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
19874 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
19876 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
19877 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
19878 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
19879 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
19880 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
19881 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
19882 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
19884 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
19885 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
19886 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
19887 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
19888 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
19890 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
19891 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
19897 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
19898 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
19900 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
19901 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
19902 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
19903 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
19905 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
19909 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
19912 is transformed into
19915 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
19918 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
19919 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
19922 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
19925 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
19926 is slightly tricky:
19929 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
19935 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
19938 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
19944 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
19951 and is equal to the previous range.
19953 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
19954 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
19955 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
19959 range = simple-range / normal-range
19960 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
19961 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
19962 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
19963 number *[ " " contents ]
19966 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
19967 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
19968 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
19969 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
19970 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
19975 @subsection Group Info
19977 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
19978 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
19979 describes the group.
19981 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
19982 second is a more complex one:
19985 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
19987 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
19988 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
19990 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
19993 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
19994 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
19995 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
19996 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
19997 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
19998 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
19999 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
20000 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
20001 this section is about.
20003 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
20004 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
20005 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
20007 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
20010 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
20011 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
20012 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
20013 group = quote <string> quote
20014 ralevel = rank / level
20015 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
20016 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
20017 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
20019 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
20020 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
20021 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
20022 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
20025 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
20026 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
20029 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
20030 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
20033 @item gnus-info-group
20034 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
20035 @findex gnus-info-group
20036 @findex gnus-info-set-group
20037 Get/set the group name.
20039 @item gnus-info-rank
20040 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
20041 @findex gnus-info-rank
20042 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
20043 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
20045 @item gnus-info-level
20046 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
20047 @findex gnus-info-level
20048 @findex gnus-info-set-level
20049 Get/set the group level.
20051 @item gnus-info-score
20052 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
20053 @findex gnus-info-score
20054 @findex gnus-info-set-score
20055 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
20057 @item gnus-info-read
20058 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
20059 @findex gnus-info-read
20060 @findex gnus-info-set-read
20061 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
20063 @item gnus-info-marks
20064 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
20065 @findex gnus-info-marks
20066 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
20067 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
20069 @item gnus-info-method
20070 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
20071 @findex gnus-info-method
20072 @findex gnus-info-set-method
20073 Get/set the group select method.
20075 @item gnus-info-params
20076 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
20077 @findex gnus-info-params
20078 @findex gnus-info-set-params
20079 Get/set the group parameters.
20082 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
20083 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
20085 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
20086 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
20087 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
20088 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
20091 @node Extended Interactive
20092 @subsection Extended Interactive
20093 @cindex interactive
20094 @findex gnus-interactive
20096 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
20097 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
20098 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
20101 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
20102 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
20107 The best thing to do would have been to implement
20108 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
20109 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
20110 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
20111 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
20112 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
20113 @code{interactive}.
20115 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
20120 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
20121 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
20125 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
20126 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
20127 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
20130 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
20134 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
20138 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
20144 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
20145 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
20149 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
20150 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
20151 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
20153 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
20154 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
20155 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
20156 Gnus, that's very useful.
20158 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
20159 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
20160 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
20161 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
20162 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
20163 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
20164 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
20165 following function:
20168 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
20172 (,function ,@@args))
20176 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
20177 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
20178 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
20181 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
20182 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
20183 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
20185 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
20186 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
20187 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
20190 @node Various File Formats
20191 @subsection Various File Formats
20194 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
20195 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
20199 @node Active File Format
20200 @subsubsection Active File Format
20202 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
20203 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
20206 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
20209 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
20210 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
20211 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
20212 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
20213 no.general 1000 900 y
20216 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
20219 active = *group-line
20220 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
20221 group = <non-white-space string>
20223 high-number = <non-negative integer>
20224 low-number = <positive integer>
20225 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
20228 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
20229 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
20232 @node Newsgroups File Format
20233 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
20235 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
20236 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
20237 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
20240 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
20241 Here's the definition:
20245 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
20246 group = <non-white-space string>
20248 description = <string>
20253 @node Emacs for Heathens
20254 @section Emacs for Heathens
20256 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
20257 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
20258 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
20259 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
20260 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
20261 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
20262 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
20266 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
20267 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
20272 @subsection Keystrokes
20276 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
20279 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
20282 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
20283 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
20284 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
20285 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
20286 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
20287 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
20289 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
20290 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
20291 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
20292 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
20293 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
20294 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
20295 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
20297 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
20298 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
20299 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
20300 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
20301 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
20302 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
20303 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
20305 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
20306 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
20307 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
20308 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
20309 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
20315 @subsection Emacs Lisp
20317 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
20318 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
20319 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
20320 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
20322 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
20323 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
20324 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
20325 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
20326 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
20327 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
20328 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
20331 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
20332 write the following:
20335 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
20338 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
20339 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
20340 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
20343 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
20344 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
20345 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
20346 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
20347 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
20349 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
20350 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
20351 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
20355 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
20359 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
20362 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
20363 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
20366 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
20369 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
20370 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
20373 @include gnus-faq.texi