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4 @settitle Red Gnus Manual
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176 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
183 \thispagestyle{empty}
185 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
187 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
188 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
189 are preserved on all copies.
191 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
192 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
193 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
194 permission notice identical to this one.
196 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
197 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
206 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
208 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
210 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
211 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
212 are preserved on all copies.
215 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
216 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
217 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
218 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
221 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
222 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
223 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
224 permission notice identical to this one.
226 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
227 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
233 @title Red Gnus Manual
235 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
238 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
239 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
241 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
242 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
243 are preserved on all copies.
245 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
246 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
247 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
248 permission notice identical to this one.
250 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
251 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
260 @top The Gnus Newsreader
264 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
265 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
266 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
274 \thispagestyle{empty}
277 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
278 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
280 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
281 being accused of plagiarism:
283 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
284 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
285 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
286 even read news with it!
288 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
289 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
290 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
291 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
292 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
299 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
300 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
301 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
302 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
303 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
304 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
305 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
306 * Various:: General purpose settings.
307 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
308 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
309 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
310 * Key Index:: Key Index.
315 @chapter Starting Gnus
320 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
321 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
324 @findex gnus-other-frame
325 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
326 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
327 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
329 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
333 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
334 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
335 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
336 * Slave Gnusii:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
337 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
338 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
339 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
340 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
341 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
342 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
346 @node Finding the News
347 @section Finding the News
349 @vindex gnus-select-method
351 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
352 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
353 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
354 native method. All groups that are not fetched with this method are
357 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
358 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
361 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
364 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
367 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
370 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
371 certainly be much faster.
373 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
375 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
376 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
377 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
378 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
379 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
380 that fails as well, Gnus will will try to use the machine that is
381 running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long-shot, though.
383 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
384 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
385 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
386 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
388 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
389 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
390 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
391 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
392 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
393 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting.
395 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
397 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
398 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
399 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
400 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
401 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
402 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
404 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
406 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
407 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
408 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
409 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
410 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
411 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
414 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
415 would typically set this variable to
418 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
423 @section The First Time
424 @cindex first time usage
426 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
427 be subscribed by default.
429 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
430 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
431 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
432 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
435 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
436 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is here
437 defined as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
439 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
440 help you with most common problems.
442 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
443 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
447 @node The Server is Down
448 @section The Server is Down
449 @cindex server errors
451 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
452 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
453 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
455 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
456 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
457 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
458 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
459 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
460 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
461 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
463 @findex gnus-no-server
465 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
466 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
467 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
468 if you're in a hurry as well.
472 @section Slave Gnusiï
475 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
476 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (eg., if you
477 are using the two different Gnusiï to read from two different servers),
478 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
480 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusiï that use the same
483 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
484 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
485 @dfn{servants}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
486 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
487 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
488 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
489 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
491 Anyways, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
492 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusiï should be started with
493 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
494 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contains information only
495 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
496 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
497 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
498 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
500 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
501 information in the normal (i. e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
504 @node Fetching a Group
505 @section Fetching a Group
507 @findex gnus-fetch-group
508 It it sometime convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
509 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
510 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
511 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
512 It takes the group name as a parameter.
519 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
520 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
521 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
523 This variable should contain a function. Some handy pre-fab values
528 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
529 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
530 Make all new groups zombies. You can browse the zombies later (with
531 @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly, or subscribe to them.
534 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
535 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
536 Subscribe all new groups randomly.
538 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
539 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
540 Subscribe all new groups alphabetically.
542 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
543 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
544 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
545 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
546 {gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
547 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
548 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
549 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
550 up. Or something like that.
552 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
553 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
554 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
555 you about @strong{all} new groups.
557 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
558 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
563 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
564 A closely related variable is
565 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
566 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
567 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
568 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
571 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above to
572 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
573 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
575 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
576 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
577 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
580 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
583 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
584 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
585 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
586 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
587 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
588 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
589 subscribing these groups.
590 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
591 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
593 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
594 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
595 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
596 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
597 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
598 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
599 and if the the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
600 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
602 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
603 Yet another variable that meddles here is
604 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
605 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
606 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
607 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
608 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
609 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
610 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
611 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
613 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
614 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
615 you could set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
616 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
617 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
618 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
619 is @code{t} by default.
621 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
622 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
623 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
624 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
625 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster &
626 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
627 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
628 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
629 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
630 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
632 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
633 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
634 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
635 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
636 few days. If any do, then it works. If any don't, then it doesn't
637 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
638 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
639 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
640 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
641 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
642 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
644 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
645 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
646 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
647 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
648 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
649 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
653 @section Startup Files
654 @cindex startup files
657 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
658 information is traditionally stored in this file.
660 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
661 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
662 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
663 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
664 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
665 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
666 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
668 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
669 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
670 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
671 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file.
673 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
674 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
675 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
676 the file and save some space, as well as making exit from Gnus faster.
677 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
678 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
680 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
681 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
682 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
683 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
684 will also means that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
685 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
686 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
687 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
690 @vindex gnus-startup-file
691 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
692 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
693 file being whatever that one is with a @samp{.eld} appended.
695 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
696 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
697 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
698 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
699 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
700 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
701 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
702 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
703 control on or off. Version control is off by default when saving the
706 @vindex gnus-init-file
707 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-init-file} file, which is
708 @file{~/.gnus.el} by default. This is a normal Emacs Lisp file and can
709 be used to avoid cluttering your @file{.emacs} file with Gnus stuff.
717 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
718 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
719 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
720 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
721 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
724 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
725 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
728 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
729 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
730 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
732 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
733 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
734 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
735 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
736 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
737 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
740 @node The Active File
741 @section The Active File
743 @cindex ignored groups
745 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
746 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
747 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
749 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
750 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
751 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
752 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
753 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
754 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
755 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
758 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
759 @c if you set it to anything else.
761 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
763 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
764 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
765 reading the active file. This variable is @code{t} by default.
767 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
768 you actually subscribe to.
770 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
771 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
772 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
773 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
775 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
776 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
777 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
778 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
779 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
780 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
782 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
783 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
784 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
785 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
786 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
787 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
789 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
790 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
793 @node Startup Variables
794 @section Startup Variables
799 @vindex gnus-load-hook
800 A hook that is run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
801 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
802 times you start Gnus.
804 @item gnus-startup-hook
805 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
806 A hook that is run after starting up Gnus successfully.
808 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
809 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
810 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
811 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
812 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
813 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
814 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
815 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
817 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
818 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
819 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
820 your boss might not notice that you are reading news instead of doing
823 @item gnus-no-groups-message
824 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
825 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
829 @node The Group Buffer
830 @chapter The Group Buffer
833 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
834 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
835 long as Gnus is active.
838 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
839 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
840 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
841 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
842 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
843 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
844 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
845 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
846 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
847 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
848 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
849 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
850 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
851 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
852 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
853 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
857 @node Group Buffer Format
858 @section Group Buffer Format
859 @cindex group buffer format
862 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
863 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
864 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
868 @node Group Line Specification
869 @subsection Group Line Specification
871 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
872 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
874 Here's a couple of example group lines:
877 25: news.announce.newusers
878 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
883 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
884 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
885 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
886 asterisk at the beginning of the line?)
888 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
889 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
890 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
891 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
892 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
893 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
895 The default value that produced those lines above is
896 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n}.
898 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
899 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
900 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
901 never examined by Gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
904 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
905 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
906 instead of wasting time reading news.)
908 Here's a list of all available format characters:
913 Only marked articles.
916 Whether the group is subscribed.
919 Level of subscribedness.
922 Number of unread articles.
925 Number of dormant articles.
928 Number of ticked articles.
931 Number of read articles.
934 Total number of articles.
937 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
940 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
949 Newsgroup description.
952 @samp{m} if moderated.
955 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
964 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
968 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
971 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
972 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
973 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
974 The default is @code{1}.
977 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
978 be a letter. @sc{gnus} will call the function
979 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
980 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current headers as
981 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
982 into the buffer just like information from any other specifier.
986 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
987 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
988 group, or a bogus (or semi-bogus) native group.
991 @node Group Modeline Specification
992 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
994 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
995 The mode line can be changed by setting
996 (@code{gnus-group-mode-line-format}). It doesn't understand that many
1001 The native news server.
1003 The native select method.
1007 @node Group Highlighting
1008 @subsection Group Highlighting
1010 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1011 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1012 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1013 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1014 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1016 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1020 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1022 ,(custom-face-lookup "Red" nil nil t nil nil))
1023 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) .
1024 ,(custom-face-lookup "SeaGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1026 ,(custom-face-lookup "SpringGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1028 ,(custom-face-lookup "SteelBlue" nil nil t nil nil))
1030 ,(custom-face-lookup "SkyBlue" nil nil t nil nil))
1034 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1041 The number of unread articles in the group.
1045 Whether the group is a mail group.
1047 The level of the group.
1049 The score of the group.
1051 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1053 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1054 topic being inserted.
1057 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1058 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1059 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1061 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1062 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1063 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1064 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1065 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1068 @node Group Maneuvering
1069 @section Group Maneuvering
1070 @cindex group movement
1072 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1073 expected, hopefully.
1079 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1080 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1081 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1088 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1089 Go to the previous group group that has unread articles
1090 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1094 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1095 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1099 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1100 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1104 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1105 Go to the next unread group on the same level (or lower)
1106 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1110 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1111 Go to the previous unread group on the same level (or lower)
1112 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1115 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1121 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1122 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1123 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1128 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1129 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1130 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1134 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1135 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1136 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1139 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1140 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1141 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1142 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1146 @node Selecting a Group
1147 @section Selecting a Group
1148 @cindex group selection
1153 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1154 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1155 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1156 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1157 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1158 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1159 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, Gnus
1160 will fetch @var{N} number of articles. If @var{N} is positive, fetch
1161 the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is negative, fetch the
1162 @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1166 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1167 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1168 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1169 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1170 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1174 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1175 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1176 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1177 minimum amount off fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1178 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1179 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1180 enter some humongous group.
1183 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1184 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1185 This is yet one more command that does the same as the one above, but
1186 this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1187 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1191 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1192 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1193 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1194 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1195 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is when catching up a group from
1200 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1201 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1202 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1205 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1206 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
1207 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1208 unread articles than this, Gnus will query the user before entering the
1209 group. The user can then specify how many articles should be fetched
1210 from the server. If the user specifies a negative number (@code{-n}),
1211 the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it is positive, the
1212 @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will be fetched.
1214 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1215 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1216 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1217 automatically when entering a group.
1222 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1223 full summary buffer.
1226 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1229 Select the most high-scored article in the group when entering the
1233 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1234 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1235 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1239 @node Subscription Commands
1240 @section Subscription Commands
1249 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1250 Toggle subscription to the current group
1251 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1257 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1258 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1259 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1260 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1266 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1267 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1273 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1274 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1277 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1278 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1279 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1280 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1281 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1287 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1288 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1292 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1293 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1296 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1297 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1298 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1299 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1300 be used with some caution. The only thing where this command comes in
1301 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1302 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level @code{7} will
1303 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1304 @file{.newsrc} file.
1308 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1312 @section Group Levels
1315 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1316 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1317 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1318 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1319 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1321 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1327 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1328 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1329 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1330 prompted for a level.
1333 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1334 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1335 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1336 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1337 Gnus considers groups on between levels 1 and
1338 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1339 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1340 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1341 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1342 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (default 9),
1343 completely dead. Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly
1344 the same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what
1345 articles you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and
1346 living groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely
1347 for reasons of efficiency.
1349 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1350 low levels (eg. 1 or 2).
1352 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1353 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1354 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1356 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1357 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1358 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1359 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1360 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1361 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1362 relevant legal ranges.
1364 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1365 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1366 will only move to groups that are of the same level (or lower). In
1367 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1368 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1369 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1372 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1373 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1374 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1377 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1378 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1379 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1380 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1383 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1384 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1385 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1386 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1388 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1389 Gnus will normally just activate groups that are on level
1390 @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to activate
1391 unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable to
1396 @section Group Score
1399 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1400 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1401 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1404 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1405 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1406 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1407 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1408 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1409 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1410 part and the score is the least significant part.)
1412 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1413 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1414 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1415 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1416 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1417 action after each summary exit, you can add
1418 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1419 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1420 slow things down somewhat.
1423 @node Marking Groups
1424 @section Marking Groups
1425 @cindex marking groups
1427 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1428 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1429 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1430 bidding on those groups.
1432 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1433 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1434 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1442 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1443 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1449 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1450 Remove the mark from the current group
1451 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1455 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1456 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1460 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1461 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1465 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1466 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1470 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1471 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1472 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1475 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1477 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1478 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1479 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1480 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1481 the command to be executed.
1484 @node Foreign Groups
1485 @section Foreign Groups
1487 Here are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1488 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1489 special-purpose groups:
1495 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1496 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1497 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1498 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1502 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1503 Rename the current group to something else
1504 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is legal only on some
1505 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1510 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1511 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1512 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1516 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1517 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1518 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1522 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1523 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1524 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1528 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1529 Make a directory group. You will be prompted for a directory name
1530 (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1534 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1535 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1539 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1540 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1541 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1542 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1543 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1544 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1545 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1549 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1550 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1551 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1552 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1553 @xref{Kibozed Groups}
1557 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1558 Read an arbitrary directory as if with were a newsgroup with the
1559 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1563 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1564 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1565 Make a group based on some file or other
1566 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1567 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1568 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1569 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs}, and
1570 @code{forward}. If you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will
1571 guess at the file type.
1574 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1575 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1576 This function will delete the current group
1577 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1578 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1579 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1580 absolutely sure of what you are doing.
1584 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1585 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1586 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}).
1590 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1591 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1592 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1595 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1598 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1599 If the @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1600 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1601 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1602 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers.
1605 @node Group Parameters
1606 @section Group Parameters
1607 @cindex group parameters
1609 Gnus stores all information on a group in a list that is usually known
1610 as the @dfn{group info}. This list has from three to six elements.
1611 Here's an example info.
1614 ("nnml:mail.ding" 3 ((1 . 232) 244 (256 . 270)) ((tick 246 249))
1615 (nnml "private") ((to-address . "ding@@ifi.uio.no")))
1618 The first element is the @dfn{group name}, as Gnus knows the group,
1619 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
1620 normally is a small integer. The third element is a list of ranges of
1621 read articles. The fourth element is a list of lists of article marks
1622 of various kinds. The fifth element is the select method (or virtual
1623 server, if you like). The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group
1624 parameters}, which is what this section is about.
1626 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
1627 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
1628 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
1630 The group parameters store information local to a particular group:
1635 If the group parameter list contains an element that looks like
1636 @code{(to-address . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used by
1637 the backend when doing followups and posts. This is primarily useful in
1638 mail groups that represent closed mailing lists---mailing lists where
1639 it's expected that everybody that writes to the mailing list is
1640 subscribed to it. Since using this parameter ensures that the mail only
1641 goes to the mailing list itself, it means that members won't receive two
1642 copies of your followups.
1644 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
1645 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
1646 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
1647 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
1648 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
1649 list address instead.
1653 If the group parameter list has an element that looks like
1654 @code{(to-list . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used when
1655 doing a @kbd{a} in any group. It is totally ignored when doing a
1656 followup---except that if it is present in a news group, you'll get mail
1657 group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
1659 @item broken-reply-to
1660 @cindex broken-reply-to
1661 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
1662 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
1663 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
1664 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
1665 broken behavior. So there!
1669 If the group parameter list contains an element like @code{(to-group
1670 . "some.group.name")}, all posts will be sent to that group.
1674 If this symbol is present in the group parameter list, all articles that
1675 are read will be marked as expirable. For an alternative approach,
1676 @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
1679 @cindex total-expire
1680 If this symbol is present, all read articles will be put through the
1681 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
1686 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
1687 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
1688 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
1689 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
1690 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
1691 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
1694 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
1695 @samp{file} into the current score file for the group in question. This
1696 means that all score commands you issue will end up in that file.
1699 When unsubscribing to a mailing list you should never send the
1700 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
1701 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
1702 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
1705 This parameter allows you to enter a arbitrary comment on the group.
1707 @item @var{(variable form)}
1708 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
1709 are entering. Say you want to turn threading off in
1710 @samp{news.answers}. You'd then put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in
1711 the group parameters of that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be
1712 made into a local variable in the summary buffer you enter, and the form
1713 @code{nil} will be @code{eval}ed there.
1715 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
1716 If you want to hear a beep when you enter the group
1717 @samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, you could put something like
1718 @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that group.
1719 @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the @code{(ding)}
1720 form, but who cares?
1724 If you want to change the group info you can use the @kbd{G E} command
1725 to enter a buffer where you can edit it.
1727 You usually don't want to edit the entire group info, so you'd be better
1728 off using the @kbd{G p} command to just edit the group parameters.
1731 @node Listing Groups
1732 @section Listing Groups
1733 @cindex group listing
1735 These commands all list various slices of the groups that are available.
1743 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
1744 List all groups that have unread articles
1745 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
1746 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
1747 only lists groups of level five or lower (i.e., just subscribed groups).
1753 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
1754 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
1755 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
1756 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
1757 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
1758 unsubscribed groups).
1762 @findex gnus-group-list-level
1763 List all unread groups on a specific level
1764 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
1765 with no unread articles.
1769 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
1770 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
1771 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
1772 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
1777 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
1778 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
1782 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
1783 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
1784 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
1788 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
1789 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
1793 @findex gnus-group-list-active
1794 List absolutely all groups that are in the active file(s) of the
1795 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
1796 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
1797 to do a @kbd{A m} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
1802 @findex gnus-group-apropos
1803 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
1804 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
1808 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
1809 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
1810 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
1814 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
1815 @cindex visible group parameter
1816 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
1817 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
1818 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
1819 get the same effect.
1821 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
1822 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
1823 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
1824 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
1825 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
1828 @node Sorting Groups
1829 @section Sorting Groups
1830 @cindex sorting groups
1832 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
1833 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
1834 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
1835 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
1836 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
1837 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
1842 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
1843 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
1844 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
1846 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
1847 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
1848 Sort by group level.
1850 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
1851 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
1852 Sort by group score.
1854 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
1855 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
1856 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
1857 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}.
1859 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
1860 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
1861 Sort by number of unread articles.
1863 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
1864 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
1865 Sort by alphabetically on the select method.
1870 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
1871 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
1875 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
1876 some sorting criteria:
1880 @kindex G S a (Group)
1881 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
1882 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
1883 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
1886 @kindex G S u (Group)
1887 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
1888 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
1889 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
1892 @kindex G S l (Group)
1893 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
1894 Sort the group buffer by group level
1895 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
1898 @kindex G S v (Group)
1899 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
1900 Sort the group buffer by group score
1901 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}).
1904 @kindex G S r (Group)
1905 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
1906 Sort the group buffer by group level
1907 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}).
1910 @kindex G S m (Group)
1911 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
1912 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
1913 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
1917 When given a prefix, all these commands will sort in reverse order.
1920 @node Group Maintenance
1921 @section Group Maintenance
1922 @cindex bogus groups
1927 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
1928 Find bogus groups and delete them
1929 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
1933 @findex gnus-find-new-newsgroups
1934 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-find-new-newsgroups}). If
1935 given a prefix, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server for
1939 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
1940 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
1941 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
1942 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
1945 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
1946 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
1947 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
1948 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
1953 @node Browse Foreign Server
1954 @section Browse Foreign Server
1955 @cindex foreign servers
1956 @cindex browsing servers
1961 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
1962 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
1963 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
1964 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
1967 @findex gnus-browse-mode
1968 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
1969 will be use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit
1970 (well, a lot) like a normal group buffer, but with one major difference
1971 - you can't enter any of the groups. If you want to read any of the
1972 news available on that server, you have to subscribe to the groups you
1973 think may be interesting, and then you have to exit this buffer. The
1974 new groups will be added to the group buffer, and then you can read them
1975 as you would any other group.
1977 Future versions of Gnus may possibly permit reading groups straight from
1980 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
1985 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1986 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1990 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1991 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1994 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
1995 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
1996 Enter the current group and display the first article
1997 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2000 @kindex RET (Browse)
2001 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2002 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2006 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2007 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2008 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2014 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2015 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2019 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2020 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2021 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2026 @section Exiting Gnus
2027 @cindex exiting Gnus
2029 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
2034 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2035 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
2036 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
2037 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2041 @findex gnus-group-exit
2042 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2046 @findex gnus-group-quit
2047 Quit Gnus without saving any startup files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
2050 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2051 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2052 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
2053 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
2054 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2059 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2060 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2061 trying to customize meta-variables.
2066 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, feels her feet go
2067 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2068 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2074 @section Group Topics
2077 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2078 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2079 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2080 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2081 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2082 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2084 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2086 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2087 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2088 is a toggling command.)
2090 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2091 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2092 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2093 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2096 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2097 the hook for the group mode:
2100 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2104 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2105 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2106 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2110 @node Topic Variables
2111 @subsection Topic Variables
2112 @cindex topic variables
2114 Now, if you select a topic, if will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2115 really neat, I think.
2117 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2118 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2119 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
2120 Elements allowed are:
2132 Number of groups in the topic.
2134 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2136 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2139 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2140 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2141 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2142 The default is @code{2}.
2144 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2145 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2148 @node Topic Commands
2149 @subsection Topic Commands
2150 @cindex topic commands
2152 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2153 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2154 definitions slightly.
2160 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2161 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2162 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2166 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2167 Move the current group to some other topic
2168 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command understands the
2169 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2173 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2174 Copy the current group to some other topic
2175 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command understands the
2176 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2180 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2181 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2182 This command understands the process/prefix convention
2183 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2187 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2188 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2189 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2193 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2194 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2195 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2199 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2200 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2201 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2204 @kindex T M-# (Group)
2205 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2206 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2207 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2211 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2213 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2214 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2215 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2216 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2217 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2218 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2221 @kindex T TAB (Group)
2222 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2223 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2224 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2225 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2229 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2230 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}).
2234 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2235 Yank the previously killed group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}).
2236 Note that all topics will be yanked before all groups.
2240 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2241 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2244 @kindex T DEL (Group)
2245 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2246 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2250 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2251 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2252 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2257 @node Topic Topology
2258 @subsection Topic Topology
2259 @cindex topic topology
2262 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2268 2: alt.religion.emacs
2271 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2273 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2274 13: comp.sources.unix
2277 So, here we have one top-level topic, two topics under that, and one
2278 sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always just one (1)
2279 top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as follows:
2283 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2284 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2288 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2289 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2290 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2291 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2292 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2293 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2295 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2296 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2297 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2300 @node Misc Group Stuff
2301 @section Misc Group Stuff
2304 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2305 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
2306 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
2313 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2314 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}). @xref{The
2319 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2320 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). The current
2321 group name will be used as the default.
2325 @findex gnus-group-mail
2326 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
2330 Variables for the group buffer:
2334 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
2335 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
2336 @code{gnus-group-mode-hook} is called after the group buffer has been
2339 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
2340 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2341 @code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} is called after the group buffer is
2342 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
2345 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2346 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2347 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
2348 whether they are empty or not.
2353 @node Scanning New Messages
2354 @subsection Scanning New Messages
2355 @cindex new messages
2356 @cindex scanning new news
2362 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
2363 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
2364 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
2365 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
2366 command will force a total rereading of the active file(s) from the
2371 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
2372 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
2373 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
2374 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}). The
2375 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} variable controls whether
2376 this command is to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t}
2379 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
2380 @cindex activating groups
2382 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
2383 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
2388 @findex gnus-group-restart
2389 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}).
2393 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
2394 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
2396 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
2397 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
2401 @node Group Information
2402 @subsection Group Information
2403 @cindex group information
2404 @cindex information on groups
2410 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
2413 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
2414 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
2415 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
2416 remote machine. @code{ange-ftp} will be used for fetching the file.
2420 @cindex describing groups
2421 @cindex group description
2422 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
2423 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
2424 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
2428 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
2429 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
2430 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
2435 @findex gnus-version
2436 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
2440 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
2441 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
2444 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
2447 @findex gnus-info-find-node
2448 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
2453 @subsection File Commands
2454 @cindex file commands
2460 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
2461 @vindex gnus-init-file
2462 @cindex reading init file
2463 Read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
2464 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
2468 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
2469 @cindex saving .newsrc
2470 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
2471 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
2472 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
2475 @c @kindex Z (Group)
2476 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
2477 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
2482 @node The Summary Buffer
2483 @chapter The Summary Buffer
2484 @cindex summary buffer
2486 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
2487 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
2490 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
2491 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
2492 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
2493 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
2494 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
2495 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
2496 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
2497 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
2498 * Threading:: How threads are made.
2499 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
2500 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
2501 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
2502 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
2503 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
2504 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
2505 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
2506 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
2507 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
2508 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
2509 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
2510 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
2511 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
2512 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
2513 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
2517 @node Summary Buffer Format
2518 @section Summary Buffer Format
2519 @cindex summary buffer format
2522 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
2523 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
2524 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
2527 @findex mail-extract-address-components
2528 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
2529 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
2530 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
2531 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
2532 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined function exist:
2533 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
2534 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
2535 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
2536 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
2537 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead.
2539 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
2540 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
2541 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
2542 with those specs that require it. The default is @samp{}.
2545 @node Summary Buffer Lines
2546 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
2548 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
2549 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
2550 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
2551 lines a a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions.
2553 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
2555 The following format specification characters are understood:
2563 Subject if the article is the root, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject}
2566 Full @code{From} line.
2568 The name (from the @code{From} header).
2570 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
2571 spec in that it uses @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is
2572 slower, but may be more thorough.
2574 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
2577 Number of lines in the article.
2579 Number of characters in the article.
2581 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
2583 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
2584 pushes everything after it off the screen).
2586 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{\[}, but can also be @samp{<}
2587 for adopted articles.
2589 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{\]}, but can also be @samp{>}
2590 for adopted articles.
2592 One space for each thread level.
2594 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
2602 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
2603 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
2604 default level. If the difference between
2605 @code{gnus-summary-default-level} and the score is less than
2606 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
2618 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
2619 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
2621 A single character will be displayed if the article has any children.
2623 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
2624 be a letter. @sc{gnus} will call the function
2625 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
2626 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
2627 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
2628 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
2631 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
2632 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
2633 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
2634 that. This means that it is illegal to have these specs after a
2635 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
2636 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
2638 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
2639 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
2641 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
2644 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
2645 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
2647 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
2648 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar. Set
2649 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you like. Here are the
2650 elements you can play with:
2656 Unprefixed group name.
2658 Current article number.
2662 Number of unread articles in this group.
2664 Number of unselected articles in this group.
2666 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
2667 either as @samp{<%U(+%u) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
2668 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
2669 and no unselected ones.
2671 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
2672 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
2674 Subject of the current article.
2678 Name of the current score file.
2680 Number of dormant articles.
2682 Number of ticked articles.
2684 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
2686 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
2690 @node Summary Highlighting
2691 @subsection Summary Highlighting
2695 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
2696 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
2697 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
2698 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
2699 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
2701 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
2702 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
2703 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
2704 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
2706 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
2707 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
2708 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) that is used to
2709 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
2711 @item gnus-summary-highlight
2712 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
2713 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
2714 list where the elements are on the format @code{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
2715 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
2716 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
2718 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
2719 ((> score default) . bold))
2721 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
2722 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
2726 @node Summary Maneuvering
2727 @section Summary Maneuvering
2728 @cindex summary movement
2730 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
2731 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
2733 None of these commands select articles.
2738 @kindex M-n (Summary)
2739 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
2740 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
2741 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
2742 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
2746 @kindex M-p (Summary)
2747 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
2748 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
2749 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
2750 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
2755 @kindex G j (Summary)
2756 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
2757 Ask for an article number and then go that article
2758 (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
2761 @kindex G g (Summary)
2762 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
2763 Ask for an article number and then go the summary line of that article
2764 (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
2767 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
2768 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
2769 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
2770 to the group buffer.
2772 Variables related to summary movement:
2776 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
2777 @item gnus-auto-select-next
2778 If you are at the end of the group and issue one of the movement
2779 commands, Gnus will offer to go to the next group. If this variable is
2780 @code{t} and the next group is empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and
2781 return to the group buffer. If this variable is neither @code{t} nor
2782 @code{nil}, Gnus will select the next group, no matter whether it has
2783 any unread articles or not. As a special case, if this variable is
2784 @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the next group without asking for
2785 confirmation. If this variable is @code{almost-quietly}, the same will
2786 happen only if you are located on the last article in the group.
2787 Finally, if this variable is @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n}
2788 command will go to the next group without confirmation. Also
2789 @pxref{Group Levels}.
2791 @item gnus-auto-select-same
2792 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
2793 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
2794 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
2795 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
2796 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) This variable is not
2797 particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
2799 @item gnus-summary-check-current
2800 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
2801 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
2802 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
2803 Instead, they will choose the current article.
2805 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
2806 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
2807 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
2808 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
2809 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
2810 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
2811 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
2812 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
2818 @node Choosing Articles
2819 @section Choosing Articles
2820 @cindex selecting articles
2822 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
2823 and they all select and display an article.
2827 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
2828 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
2829 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
2830 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
2835 @kindex G n (Summary)
2836 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
2837 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
2842 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
2843 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
2848 @kindex G N (Summary)
2849 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
2850 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
2855 @kindex G P (Summary)
2856 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
2857 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
2860 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
2861 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
2862 Go to the next article with the same subject
2863 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
2866 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
2867 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
2868 Go to the previous article with the same subject
2869 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
2873 @kindex G f (Summary)
2875 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
2876 Go to the first unread article
2877 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
2881 @kindex G b (Summary)
2883 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
2884 Go to the article with the highest score
2885 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
2890 @kindex G l (Summary)
2891 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
2892 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
2895 @kindex G p (Summary)
2896 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
2897 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
2898 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
2899 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
2900 history as you like.
2903 Some variables that are relevant for moving and selecting articles:
2906 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
2907 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
2908 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
2909 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
2910 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
2911 the server and display it in the article buffer.
2913 @item gnus-select-article-hook
2914 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
2915 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
2916 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
2918 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
2919 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
2920 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
2921 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
2922 @findex gnus-unread-mark
2923 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
2924 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
2925 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
2926 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
2927 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
2928 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
2929 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
2930 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
2931 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
2936 @node Paging the Article
2937 @section Scrolling the Article
2938 @cindex article scrolling
2943 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
2944 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
2945 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
2946 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
2947 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
2950 @kindex DEL (Summary)
2951 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
2952 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
2955 @kindex RET (Summary)
2956 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
2957 Scroll the current article one line forward
2958 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
2962 @kindex A g (Summary)
2964 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
2965 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
2966 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
2967 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
2968 the way it came from the server.
2973 @kindex A < (Summary)
2974 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
2975 Scroll to the beginning of the article
2976 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
2981 @kindex A > (Summary)
2982 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
2983 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
2986 @kindex A s (Summary)
2987 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
2988 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
2989 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
2994 @node Reply Followup and Post
2995 @section Reply, Followup and Post
2998 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
2999 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3003 @node Summary Mail Commands
3004 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3006 @cindex composing mail
3008 Commands for composing a mail message:
3014 @kindex S r (Summary)
3016 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3017 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3018 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3023 @kindex S R (Summary)
3024 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3025 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3026 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3027 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3030 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3031 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3032 Forward the current article to some other person
3033 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}).
3036 @kindex S o p (Summary)
3037 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
3038 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
3039 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}).
3044 @kindex S m (Summary)
3045 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3046 Send a mail to some other person
3047 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3050 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3051 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3052 @cindex bouncing mail
3053 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3054 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3055 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3056 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3057 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3058 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
3059 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3060 very well fail, though.
3063 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3064 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3065 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3066 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3067 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3068 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3069 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3070 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3071 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3072 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3074 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3075 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3076 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3077 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3078 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muss sein!
3081 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3082 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3083 Digest the current series and forward the result using mail
3084 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
3085 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3088 @kindex S O p (Summary)
3089 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
3090 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
3091 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}).
3095 @node Summary Post Commands
3096 @subsection Summary Post Commands
3098 @cindex composing news
3100 Commands for posting an article:
3106 @kindex S p (Summary)
3107 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
3108 Post an article to the current group
3109 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
3114 @kindex S f (Summary)
3115 @findex gnus-summary-followup
3116 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
3120 @kindex S F (Summary)
3122 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
3123 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
3124 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
3125 process/prefix convention.
3128 @kindex S u (Summary)
3129 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
3130 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
3131 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
3135 @node Canceling and Superseding
3136 @section Canceling Articles
3137 @cindex canceling articles
3138 @cindex superseding articles
3140 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
3141 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
3143 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
3145 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
3147 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
3148 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
3149 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
3150 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
3152 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
3153 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
3156 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
3157 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
3158 your original article.
3160 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
3162 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
3163 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
3164 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
3167 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
3168 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
3169 have posted almost the same article twice.
3171 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
3172 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
3173 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
3174 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*post-buf*}). There you will
3175 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
3176 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
3177 header by substituting one of those words for @code{Message-ID}. Then
3178 just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as you would do normally.
3179 The previous article will be canceled/superseded.
3181 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
3184 @node Marking Articles
3185 @section Marking Articles
3186 @cindex article marking
3187 @cindex article ticking
3190 There are several marks you can set on an article.
3192 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
3193 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
3194 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
3196 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
3199 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
3200 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
3201 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
3205 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
3209 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
3210 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
3214 @node Unread Articles
3215 @subsection Unread Articles
3217 The following marks mark articles as unread, in one form or other.
3219 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
3220 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
3223 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
3224 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
3225 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
3226 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
3227 article forever, you'll have to save it. Ticked articles have a
3228 @samp{!} (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}) in the first column.
3231 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
3232 A @dfn{dormant} article is marked with a @samp{?}
3233 (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}), and will only appear in the summary buffer
3234 if there are followups to it.
3237 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
3238 An @dfn{unread} article is marked with a @samp{SPACE}
3239 (@code{gnus-unread-mark}). These are articles that haven't been read at
3245 @subsection Read Articles
3246 @cindex expirable mark
3248 All the following marks mark articles as read.
3253 @vindex gnus-del-mark
3254 Articles that are marked as read. They have a @samp{r}
3255 (@code{gnus-del-mark}) in the first column. These are articles that the
3256 user has marked as read more or less manually.
3259 @vindex gnus-read-mark
3260 Articles that are actually read are marked with @samp{R}
3261 (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
3264 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
3265 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions are now
3266 @dfn{old} and marked with @samp{O} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
3269 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
3270 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
3273 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
3274 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
3277 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
3278 Marked as read by having a too low score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
3281 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
3282 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
3285 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
3286 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
3289 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
3290 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}).
3293 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
3294 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}).
3297 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
3298 They are interpreted differently by the adaptive scoring scheme,
3301 One more special mark, though:
3305 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
3306 You can also mark articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as
3307 such automatically). That doesn't make much sense in normal groups,
3308 because a user does not control the expiring of news articles, but in
3309 mail groups, for instance, articles that are marked as @dfn{expirable}
3310 can be deleted by Gnus at any time. Expirable articles are marked with
3311 @samp{E} (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
3316 @subsection Other Marks
3317 @cindex process mark
3320 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
3326 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
3327 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
3328 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
3329 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
3330 encounters the article.
3333 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
3334 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
3335 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
3336 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
3339 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
3340 Articles that are stored in the article cache will be marked with an
3341 @samp{*} in the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}).
3344 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
3345 Articles that are ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
3346 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
3347 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}.
3350 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
3351 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
3352 It the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
3353 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
3354 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
3357 @vindex gnus-process-mark
3358 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}. A
3359 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
3360 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
3361 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
3362 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
3366 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
3367 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
3368 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
3370 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
3371 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
3372 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
3376 @subsection Setting Marks
3377 @cindex setting marks
3379 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
3385 @kindex M t (Summary)
3386 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
3387 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
3392 @kindex M ? (Summary)
3393 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
3394 Mark the current article as dormant
3395 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}).
3399 @kindex M d (Summary)
3401 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
3402 Mark the current article as read
3403 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
3408 @kindex M k (Summary)
3409 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
3410 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
3411 and then select the next unread article
3412 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
3416 @kindex M K (Summary)
3417 @kindex C-k (Summary)
3418 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
3419 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
3420 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
3423 @kindex M C (Summary)
3424 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
3425 Mark all unread articles in the group as read
3426 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
3429 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
3430 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
3431 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
3432 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
3435 @kindex M H (Summary)
3436 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
3437 Catchup the current group to point
3438 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
3441 @kindex C-w (Summary)
3442 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
3443 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
3444 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
3447 @kindex M V k (Summary)
3448 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
3449 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
3450 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
3454 @kindex M c (Summary)
3455 @kindex M-u (Summary)
3456 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
3457 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
3458 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}).
3462 @kindex M e (Summary)
3464 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
3465 Mark the current article as expirable
3466 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
3469 @kindex M b (Summary)
3470 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
3471 Set a bookmark in the current article
3472 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
3475 @kindex M B (Summary)
3476 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
3477 Remove the bookmark from the current article
3478 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
3481 @kindex M V c (Summary)
3482 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
3483 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
3484 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
3487 @kindex M V u (Summary)
3488 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
3489 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
3490 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
3493 @kindex M V m (Summary)
3494 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
3495 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
3496 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
3497 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
3500 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
3501 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
3502 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
3503 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
3504 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
3505 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
3506 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
3507 The default is @code{t}.
3510 @node Setting Process Marks
3511 @subsection Setting Process Marks
3512 @cindex setting process marks
3519 @kindex M P p (Summary)
3520 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
3521 Mark the current article with the process mark
3522 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
3523 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
3527 @kindex M P u (Summary)
3528 @kindex M-# (Summary)
3529 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
3530 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
3533 @kindex M P U (Summary)
3534 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
3535 Remove the process mark from all articles
3536 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
3539 @kindex M P R (Summary)
3540 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
3541 Mark articles by a regular expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
3544 @kindex M P r (Summary)
3545 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
3546 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
3549 @kindex M P t (Summary)
3550 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
3551 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
3552 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
3555 @kindex M P T (Summary)
3556 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
3557 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
3558 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
3561 @kindex M P v (Summary)
3562 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
3563 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
3564 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
3567 @kindex M P s (Summary)
3568 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
3569 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
3572 @kindex M P S (Summary)
3573 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
3574 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
3575 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
3578 @kindex M P a (Summary)
3579 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
3580 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
3583 @kindex M P b (Summary)
3584 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
3585 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
3586 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
3594 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
3595 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
3596 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
3603 @kindex / / (Summary)
3604 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
3605 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
3606 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
3609 @kindex / a (Summary)
3610 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
3611 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
3612 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
3616 @kindex / u (Summary)
3618 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
3619 Limit the summary buffer to articles that are not marked as read
3620 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
3621 buffer to articles that are strictly unread. This means that ticked and
3622 dormant articles will also be excluded.
3625 @kindex / m (Summary)
3626 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
3627 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have not been marked
3628 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
3631 @kindex / n (Summary)
3632 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
3633 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
3634 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
3635 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3638 @kindex / w (Summary)
3639 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
3640 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
3641 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
3645 @kindex / v (Summary)
3646 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
3647 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
3648 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
3652 @kindex M S (Summary)
3653 @kindex / E (Summary)
3654 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
3655 Display all expunged articles
3656 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
3659 @kindex / D (Summary)
3660 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
3661 Display all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
3664 @kindex / d (Summary)
3665 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
3666 Hide all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
3669 @kindex / c (Summary)
3670 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
3671 Hide all dormant articles that have no children
3672 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
3675 @kindex / C (Summary)
3676 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
3677 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
3678 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
3679 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
3687 @cindex article threading
3689 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put replies to
3690 articles directly after the articles they reply to---in a hierarchical
3694 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
3695 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
3699 @node Customizing Threading
3700 @subsection Customizing Threading
3701 @cindex customizing threading
3707 @item gnus-show-threads
3708 @vindex gnus-show-threads
3709 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
3710 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
3711 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
3712 slower and more awkward.
3714 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
3715 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
3716 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
3717 more old headers---headers to articles that are marked as read. If you
3718 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
3719 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
3720 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
3721 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
3722 fetching old headers only works if the backend you are using carries
3723 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
3724 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
3725 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
3727 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
3728 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
3729 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
3730 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
3731 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
3732 articles that belong in the same thread together. This will leave
3733 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
3734 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
3735 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
3736 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
3737 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
3738 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
3739 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
3740 @code{nil} by default.
3742 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
3743 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
3744 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
3745 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
3746 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
3747 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
3748 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subjects lines. If
3749 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
3750 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
3751 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
3752 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
3754 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
3755 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
3756 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects.
3758 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
3759 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
3760 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
3761 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
3762 simplification is used.
3764 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
3765 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
3766 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
3767 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
3769 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
3771 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
3774 (mapconcat 'identity
3776 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
3777 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
3778 "answer" "reference" "announce"
3779 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
3784 (mapconcat 'identity
3785 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
3787 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
3790 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
3793 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
3794 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
3795 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
3796 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
3797 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
3798 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
3799 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process. The
3800 default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
3802 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
3803 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
3804 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
3805 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
3806 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
3807 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
3808 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever includes unrelated
3809 articles, but it's also means that people who have posted with broken
3810 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
3814 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
3815 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
3816 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
3817 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
3819 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
3820 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
3821 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
3824 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
3828 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
3829 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
3832 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
3833 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
3834 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
3835 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
3836 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
3837 read or killed the root in a previous session.
3839 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
3840 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
3841 There are four possible values:
3843 @cindex adopting articles
3848 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
3849 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
3850 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
3851 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
3854 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
3855 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
3856 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
3857 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
3858 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
3859 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
3860 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
3863 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
3864 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
3865 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
3869 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
3870 display them after one another.
3873 Don't gather loose threads.
3876 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
3877 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
3878 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
3881 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
3882 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
3883 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
3886 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
3887 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
3888 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
3889 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
3890 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
3893 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
3894 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
3895 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
3896 The default is @code{4}.
3900 @node Thread Commands
3901 @subsection Thread Commands
3902 @cindex thread commands
3908 @kindex T k (Summary)
3909 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
3910 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
3911 Mark all articles in the current sub-thread as read
3912 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
3913 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
3918 @kindex T l (Summary)
3919 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
3920 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
3921 Lower the score of the current thread
3922 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
3925 @kindex T i (Summary)
3926 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
3927 Increase the score of the current thread
3928 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
3931 @kindex T # (Summary)
3932 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
3933 Set the process mark on the current thread
3934 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
3937 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
3938 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
3939 Remove the process mark from the current thread
3940 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
3943 @kindex T T (Summary)
3944 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
3945 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
3948 @kindex T s (Summary)
3949 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
3950 Expose the thread hidden under the current article, if any
3951 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
3954 @kindex T h (Summary)
3955 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
3956 Hide the current (sub)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
3959 @kindex T S (Summary)
3960 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
3961 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
3964 @kindex T H (Summary)
3965 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
3966 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
3969 @kindex T t (Summary)
3970 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
3971 Re-thread the thread the current article is part of
3972 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
3973 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
3976 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
3977 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
3978 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
3979 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}.
3983 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
3984 understand the numeric prefix.
3989 @kindex T n (Summary)
3990 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
3991 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
3994 @kindex T p (Summary)
3995 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
3996 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
3999 @kindex T d (Summary)
4000 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
4001 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
4004 @kindex T u (Summary)
4005 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
4006 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
4009 @kindex T o (Summary)
4010 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
4011 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
4014 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
4015 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
4016 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
4017 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
4018 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
4019 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
4020 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If is
4021 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
4022 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
4023 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
4024 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
4025 that have subjects that are fuzzily equal will be included.
4031 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
4032 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
4033 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
4034 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
4035 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
4036 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
4037 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
4038 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
4039 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which is a list of functions.
4040 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
4041 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
4042 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
4043 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
4044 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
4046 Each function takes two threads and return non-@code{nil} if the first
4047 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
4048 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread. If you use
4049 more than one function, the primary sort key should be the last function
4050 in the list. You should probably always include
4051 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
4052 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
4053 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
4054 ascending article order.
4056 If you would like to sort by score, then by subject, and finally by
4057 number, you could do something like:
4060 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
4061 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
4062 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
4063 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
4066 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
4067 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
4068 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
4069 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
4070 which the articles arrived.
4072 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
4076 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
4078 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
4079 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
4082 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
4083 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
4084 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
4085 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
4088 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
4089 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
4090 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
4091 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
4092 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
4093 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
4094 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
4095 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
4096 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
4097 is uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
4098 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
4099 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
4100 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
4102 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
4106 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
4107 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
4108 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
4113 @node Asynchronous Fetching
4114 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
4115 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
4117 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
4118 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
4119 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
4120 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
4121 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
4123 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
4124 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
4126 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
4127 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
4128 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
4129 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
4130 connection is blocked.
4132 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
4133 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
4134 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
4135 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
4137 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
4138 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
4139 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
4140 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
4143 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
4146 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
4147 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
4148 happen automatically.
4150 @vindex nntp-async-number
4151 You can control how many articles that are to be pre-fetched by setting
4152 @code{nntp-async-number}. This is five by default, which means that when
4153 you read an article in the group, @code{nntp} will pre-fetch the next
4154 five articles. If this variable is @code{t}, @code{nntp} will pre-fetch
4155 all the articles that it can without bound. If it is @code{nil}, no
4156 pre-fetching will be made.
4158 @vindex gnus-asynchronous-article-function
4159 You may wish to create some sort of scheme for choosing which articles
4160 that @code{nntp} should consider as candidates for pre-fetching. For
4161 instance, you may wish to pre-fetch all articles with high scores, and
4162 not pre-fetch low-scored articles. You can do that by setting the
4163 @code{gnus-asynchronous-article-function}, which will be called with an
4164 alist where the keys are the article numbers. Your function should
4165 return an alist where the articles you are not interested in have been
4166 removed. You could also do sorting on article score and the like.
4169 @node Article Caching
4170 @section Article Caching
4171 @cindex article caching
4174 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
4175 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
4176 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
4177 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
4178 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
4180 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
4182 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
4183 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
4184 @vindex gnus-use-cache
4185 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
4186 all articles that are ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
4187 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
4188 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
4189 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
4191 When re-select a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
4192 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
4193 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
4194 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
4195 as dormant, and don't worry.
4197 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
4199 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
4200 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
4201 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
4202 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
4203 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
4204 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
4205 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
4206 articles that are marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
4207 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
4208 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
4210 @findex gnus-jog-cache
4211 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
4212 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
4213 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, and store them in
4214 the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this command if 1)
4215 your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really, really slow
4216 and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk. Seriously.
4218 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
4219 It is likely that you do not want caching on some groups. For instance,
4220 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
4221 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
4222 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space. To limit the caching,
4223 you could set the @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to
4224 @samp{^nnml}, for instance. This variable is @code{nil} by
4227 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
4228 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
4229 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
4230 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
4231 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
4232 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
4233 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
4234 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
4235 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
4239 @node Persistent Articles
4240 @section Persistent Articles
4241 @cindex persistent articles
4243 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
4244 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
4245 useful in my opinion.
4247 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
4248 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
4249 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
4250 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
4251 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
4252 the expiry going on at the news server.
4254 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
4255 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
4256 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
4262 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
4263 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
4266 @kindex M-* (Summary)
4267 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
4268 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
4269 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
4273 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
4275 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
4276 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
4277 interested in persistent articles:
4280 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
4284 @node Article Backlog
4285 @section Article Backlog
4287 @cindex article backlog
4289 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
4290 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
4291 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
4292 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
4293 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
4294 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
4295 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
4296 increase memory usage some.
4298 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
4299 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
4300 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
4301 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
4302 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
4303 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
4304 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
4306 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
4309 @node Saving Articles
4310 @section Saving Articles
4311 @cindex saving articles
4313 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
4314 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
4315 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
4316 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
4317 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
4319 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
4320 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
4321 unwanted headers before saving the article.
4323 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
4324 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
4325 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
4326 deleted before saving.
4332 @kindex O o (Summary)
4334 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
4335 Save the current article using the default article saver
4336 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
4339 @kindex O m (Summary)
4340 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
4341 Save the current article in mail format
4342 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
4345 @kindex O r (Summary)
4346 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
4347 Save the current article in rmail format
4348 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
4351 @kindex O f (Summary)
4352 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
4353 Save the current article in plain file format
4354 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
4357 @kindex O b (Summary)
4358 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
4359 Save the current article body in plain file format
4360 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
4363 @kindex O h (Summary)
4364 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
4365 Save the current article in mh folder format
4366 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
4369 @kindex O v (Summary)
4370 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
4371 Save the current article in a VM folder
4372 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
4375 @kindex O p (Summary)
4376 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
4377 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
4378 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
4381 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
4382 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
4383 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
4384 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
4385 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
4386 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
4387 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
4388 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
4389 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
4390 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
4391 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
4392 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
4396 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
4397 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
4398 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
4399 functions below, or you can create your own.
4403 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
4404 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
4405 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
4406 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
4407 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
4408 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
4409 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
4411 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
4412 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
4413 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
4414 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
4415 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
4416 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
4418 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
4419 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
4420 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
4421 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
4422 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
4423 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
4424 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
4426 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
4427 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
4428 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
4429 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
4430 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
4432 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
4433 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
4434 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
4435 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
4436 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
4439 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
4440 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
4441 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
4442 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
4443 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}. The former creates capitalized names, and
4444 the latter does not.
4446 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
4447 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
4448 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
4449 reader to use this setting.
4452 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
4453 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
4454 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
4455 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
4458 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
4459 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
4460 available functions that generate names:
4464 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
4465 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
4466 Generates file names that look like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
4468 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
4469 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
4470 Generates file names that look like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
4472 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
4473 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
4474 Generates file names that look like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
4476 @item gnus-plain-save-name
4477 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
4478 Generates file names that look like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
4481 @vindex gnus-split-methods
4482 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
4483 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
4484 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
4485 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
4489 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
4490 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
4491 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
4492 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
4495 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
4496 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
4497 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
4498 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
4499 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
4500 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
4501 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
4502 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
4503 called returns a string or a list of strings.
4505 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
4506 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
4507 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
4508 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
4510 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
4511 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
4512 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
4515 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
4516 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
4517 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
4518 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
4519 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
4520 all the files in the toplevel directory
4521 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
4522 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
4523 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
4524 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
4526 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
4527 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
4528 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
4529 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
4530 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
4533 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
4537 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
4538 (setq gnus-default-article-save 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
4541 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
4542 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
4543 the toplevel directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
4544 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
4547 @node Decoding Articles
4548 @section Decoding Articles
4549 @cindex decoding articles
4551 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
4552 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
4555 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
4556 * Shared Articles:: Unshar articles.
4557 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
4558 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
4559 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
4562 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
4563 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
4564 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
4565 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
4566 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
4568 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
4569 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
4570 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
4572 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
4573 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
4574 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
4576 Subjects that are nonstandard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
4577 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
4578 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
4581 @node Uuencoded Articles
4582 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
4584 @cindex uuencoded articles
4589 @kindex X u (Summary)
4590 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
4591 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
4594 @kindex X U (Summary)
4595 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
4596 Uudecodes and saves the current series
4597 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
4600 @kindex X v u (Summary)
4601 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
4602 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
4605 @kindex X v U (Summary)
4606 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
4607 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
4608 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
4611 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
4612 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
4613 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
4614 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
4615 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
4617 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
4618 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
4619 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
4620 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
4623 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
4624 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
4625 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
4626 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
4627 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
4628 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
4632 @node Shared Articles
4633 @subsection Shared Articles
4635 @cindex shared articles
4640 @kindex X s (Summary)
4641 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
4642 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
4645 @kindex X S (Summary)
4646 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
4647 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
4650 @kindex X v s (Summary)
4651 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
4652 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
4655 @kindex X v S (Summary)
4656 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
4657 Unshars, views and saves the current series
4658 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
4662 @node PostScript Files
4663 @subsection PostScript Files
4669 @kindex X p (Summary)
4670 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
4671 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
4674 @kindex X P (Summary)
4675 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
4676 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
4677 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
4680 @kindex X v p (Summary)
4681 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
4682 View the current PostScript series
4683 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
4686 @kindex X v P (Summary)
4687 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
4688 View and save the current PostScript series
4689 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
4693 @node Decoding Variables
4694 @subsection Decoding Variables
4696 Adjective, not verb.
4699 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
4700 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
4701 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
4705 @node Rule Variables
4706 @subsubsection Rule Variables
4707 @cindex rule variables
4709 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
4710 variables are on the form
4713 (list '(regexp1 command2)
4720 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
4721 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
4723 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
4724 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
4727 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
4728 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
4731 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
4732 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
4733 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
4734 user and default view rules.
4736 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
4737 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
4738 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
4743 @node Other Decode Variables
4744 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
4747 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
4749 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
4750 All functions in this list will be called right each file has been
4751 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
4752 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
4753 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
4757 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
4758 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
4761 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
4762 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
4763 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
4766 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
4767 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
4768 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
4770 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
4771 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
4772 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
4773 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
4774 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
4777 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
4778 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
4779 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
4781 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
4782 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
4783 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
4784 looking for files to display.
4786 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
4787 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
4788 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
4791 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
4792 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
4793 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
4796 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
4797 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
4798 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
4801 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
4802 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
4803 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
4806 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
4807 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
4808 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark articles that were
4809 unsuccessfully decoded as unread.
4811 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
4812 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
4813 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
4814 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
4816 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
4817 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
4819 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
4820 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
4821 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
4822 @code{metamail} for viewing.
4824 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
4825 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
4826 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
4827 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
4828 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
4829 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
4830 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
4831 simply dropped them.
4836 @node Uuencoding and Posting
4837 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
4841 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
4842 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
4843 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
4844 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
4845 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
4846 for you when you post the article.
4848 @item gnus-uu-post-length
4849 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
4850 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
4851 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
4853 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
4854 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
4855 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
4856 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen are able
4857 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
4858 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
4859 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
4861 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
4862 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
4863 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
4864 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
4865 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
4866 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
4867 Default is @code{t}.
4873 @subsection Viewing Files
4874 @cindex viewing files
4875 @cindex pseudo-articles
4877 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
4878 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
4879 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
4880 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
4881 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
4882 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
4883 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
4885 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
4886 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
4887 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
4888 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
4890 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
4891 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
4892 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
4894 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
4895 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
4896 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
4897 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
4898 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
4900 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
4901 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
4902 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
4903 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
4904 a list of parameters to that command.
4906 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
4907 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
4908 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
4910 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
4911 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
4912 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
4915 @node Article Treatment
4916 @section Article Treatment
4918 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
4919 object of newsreaders are to actually, like, read what people have
4920 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
4921 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
4922 these articles easier.
4925 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
4926 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
4927 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
4928 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
4929 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
4933 @node Article Highlighting
4934 @subsection Article Highlighting
4937 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
4938 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
4943 @kindex W H a (Summary)
4944 @findex gnus-article-highlight
4945 Highlight the current article (@code{gnus-article-highlight}).
4948 @kindex W H h (Summary)
4949 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
4950 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
4951 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
4952 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
4953 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
4954 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
4955 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name and
4956 @var{content} is the face for highlighting the header value. The first
4957 match made will be used. Note that @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^}
4958 prepended---Gnus will add one.
4961 @kindex W H c (Summary)
4962 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
4963 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
4965 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
4968 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
4970 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
4971 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
4972 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
4974 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
4975 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
4976 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
4978 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
4979 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
4980 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
4982 @item gnus-cite-face-list
4983 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
4984 List of faces used for highlighting citations. When there are citations
4985 from multiple articles in the same message, Gnus will try to give each
4986 citation from each article its own face. This should make it easier to
4989 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
4990 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
4991 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
4993 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
4994 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
4995 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
4997 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
4998 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
4999 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
5000 that it's a citation.
5002 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
5003 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
5004 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
5006 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
5007 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
5008 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
5010 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
5011 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
5012 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
5013 cited text belonging to the attribution.
5019 @kindex W H s (Summary)
5020 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
5021 @vindex gnus-signature-face
5022 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
5023 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
5024 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} in an article will be
5025 considered a signature and will be highlighted with
5026 @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by default.
5031 @node Article Hiding
5032 @subsection Article Hiding
5033 @cindex article hiding
5035 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
5036 too much cruft in most articles.
5041 @kindex W W a (Summary)
5042 @findex gnus-article-hide
5043 Do maximum hiding on the summary buffer (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}).
5046 @kindex W W h (Summary)
5047 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
5048 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
5052 @kindex W W b (Summary)
5053 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
5054 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
5055 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
5058 @kindex W W s (Summary)
5059 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
5060 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}).
5063 @kindex W W p (Summary)
5064 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
5065 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}).
5068 @kindex W W P (Summary)
5069 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
5070 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhavnced hessages) gruft
5071 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
5074 @kindex W W c (Summary)
5075 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
5076 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
5077 customizing the hiding:
5081 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
5082 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
5083 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
5084 50), hide the cited text.
5086 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
5087 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
5088 The cited text must be have at least this length (default 10) before it
5091 @item gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
5092 @vindex gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
5093 Gnus adds buttons show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
5094 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
5095 by this format-like variable. These specs are legal:
5099 Start point of the hidden text.
5101 End point of the hidden text.
5103 Length of the hidden text.
5106 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
5107 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
5108 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
5113 @kindex W W C (Summary)
5114 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
5115 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
5116 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
5117 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
5118 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
5122 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
5123 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
5124 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
5126 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
5127 citation customization.
5129 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
5130 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
5131 signature. If it is a number, no signature may not be longer (in
5132 characters) than that number. If it is a function, the function will be
5133 called without any parameters, and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no
5134 signature in the buffer. If it is a string, it will be used as a
5135 regexp. If it matches, the text in question is not a signature.
5138 @node Article Washing
5139 @subsection Article Washing
5141 @cindex article washing
5143 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
5144 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
5146 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
5147 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
5153 @kindex W l (Summary)
5154 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
5155 Remove page breaks from the current article
5156 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}).
5159 @kindex W r (Summary)
5160 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
5161 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
5162 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
5165 @kindex W t (Summary)
5166 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
5167 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
5168 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
5171 @kindex W v (Summary)
5172 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
5173 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
5174 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
5177 @kindex W m (Summary)
5178 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
5179 Toggle whether to run the article through @sc{mime} before displaying
5180 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
5183 @kindex W o (Summary)
5184 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
5185 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
5188 @kindex W w (Summary)
5189 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
5190 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
5191 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
5192 late and certainly after any highlighting.
5195 @kindex W c (Summary)
5196 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
5197 Remove CR (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
5200 @kindex W L (Summary)
5201 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
5202 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
5203 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
5206 @kindex W q (Summary)
5207 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
5208 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
5211 @kindex W f (Summary)
5213 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
5214 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
5215 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
5216 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
5217 Look for and display any X-Face headers
5218 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
5219 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
5220 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
5221 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
5222 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
5223 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
5224 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
5225 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
5226 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
5227 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
5228 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
5229 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
5230 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
5234 @kindex W b (Summary)
5235 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
5236 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
5239 @kindex W B (Summary)
5240 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
5241 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
5242 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
5247 @node Article Buttons
5248 @subsection Article Buttons
5251 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
5252 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
5253 with the minimum of fuzz.
5255 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
5256 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
5257 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
5262 @item gnus-button-alist
5263 @vindex gnus-button-alist
5264 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
5267 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
5273 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
5274 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that match embedded URLs:
5275 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
5278 Gnus has to know which parts of the match is to be highlighted. This is
5279 a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp that is to be
5280 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use @code{0} here.
5283 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
5284 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
5285 avoid false matches.
5288 This function will be called when you click on this button.
5291 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
5292 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
5296 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
5299 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
5302 @item gnus-header-button-alist
5303 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
5304 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
5305 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
5306 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
5309 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
5312 @var{header} is a regular expression.
5314 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
5315 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
5316 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
5317 default values of the variables above.
5319 @item gnus-article-button-face
5320 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
5321 Face used on bottons.
5323 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
5324 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
5325 Face is used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
5331 @subsection Article Date
5333 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
5334 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
5335 when the article was sent.
5340 @kindex W T u (Summary)
5341 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
5342 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
5343 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
5346 @kindex W T l (Summary)
5347 @findex gnus-article-date-local
5348 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
5351 @kindex W T e (Summary)
5352 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
5353 Say how much time has (e)lapsed between the article was posted and now
5354 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}).
5357 @kindex W T o (Summary)
5358 @findex gnus-article-date-original
5359 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
5360 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and is
5361 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
5362 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
5363 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
5368 @node Summary Sorting
5369 @section Summary Sorting
5370 @cindex summary sorting
5372 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
5373 can't really see why you'd want that.
5378 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
5379 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
5380 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
5383 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
5384 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
5385 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
5388 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
5389 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
5390 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
5393 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
5394 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
5395 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
5398 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
5399 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
5400 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
5403 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
5404 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
5405 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
5406 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
5407 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
5411 @node Finding the Parent
5412 @section Finding the Parent
5413 @cindex parent articles
5414 @cindex referring articles
5416 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
5418 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
5419 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
5420 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
5421 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
5422 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
5423 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
5424 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
5425 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
5427 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
5428 @kindex A R (Summary)
5429 You can have Gnus fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References}
5430 header of the article by pushing @kbd{A R}
5431 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
5433 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
5434 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
5435 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
5436 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
5437 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
5438 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long thingies that look
5439 something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You have to get
5440 it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
5442 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
5443 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
5444 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
5445 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
5446 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the same
5447 as the one that keeps the spool you are reading from updated, but that's
5448 not really necessary.
5450 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
5451 not do a particularly excellent job of it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
5452 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
5453 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
5454 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
5455 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
5458 @node Alternative Approaches
5459 @section Alternative Approaches
5461 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
5462 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
5465 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
5466 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
5471 @subsection Pick and Read
5472 @cindex pick and read
5474 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{nn}) use a two-phased
5475 reading interface. The user first marks the articles she wants to read
5476 from a summary buffer. Then she starts reading the articles with just
5477 an article buffer displayed.
5479 @findex gnus-pick-mode
5480 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
5481 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
5482 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
5483 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
5484 it makes one additional command for switching to the summary buffer
5487 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
5491 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
5492 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
5493 Pick the article (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
5497 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
5498 Unpick the article (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
5502 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
5503 Unpick all articles (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
5507 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
5508 Pick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
5512 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
5513 Unpick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
5517 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
5518 Pick the region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
5522 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-region
5523 Unpick the region (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-region}).
5527 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
5528 Pick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
5532 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
5533 Unpick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
5537 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
5538 Pick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
5542 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-buffer
5543 Unpick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-buffer}).
5547 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
5548 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
5549 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
5550 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
5551 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
5552 will still be visible when you are reading.
5556 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
5559 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
5562 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
5563 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
5567 @subsection Binary Groups
5568 @cindex binary groups
5570 @findex gnus-binary-mode
5571 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
5572 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
5573 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
5574 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
5575 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
5576 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
5579 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
5580 In fact, the only way to see the actual articles if you have turned this
5581 mode on is the @kbd{g} command (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
5583 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
5584 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
5588 @section Tree Display
5591 @vindex gnus-use-trees
5592 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
5593 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
5594 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
5597 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
5600 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
5601 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
5602 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
5604 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
5605 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
5606 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers. The default
5607 is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}. For a list of legal specs, @pxref{Summary
5610 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
5611 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
5612 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
5613 default is @code{modeline}.
5615 @item gnus-tree-line-format
5616 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
5617 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
5618 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
5619 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
5620 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
5621 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
5627 The name of the poster.
5629 The @code{From} header.
5631 The number of the article.
5633 The opening bracket.
5635 The closing bracket.
5640 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
5642 Variables related to the display are:
5645 @item gnus-tree-brackets
5646 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
5647 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
5648 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
5649 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
5650 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}))}.
5652 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
5653 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
5654 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
5655 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
5659 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
5660 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
5661 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
5662 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
5663 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
5664 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}.
5666 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
5667 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
5668 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
5669 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
5670 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
5671 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
5672 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
5676 Here's and example from a horizontal tree buffer:
5679 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
5689 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
5693 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
5694 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
5696 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
5698 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
5704 @node Mail Group Commands
5705 @section Mail Group Commands
5706 @cindex mail group commands
5708 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
5709 illegal in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
5711 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
5712 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5717 @kindex B e (Summary)
5718 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
5719 Expire all expirable articles in the group
5720 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
5723 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
5724 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
5725 Expunge all the expirable articles in the group
5726 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
5727 articles that are eligible for expiry in the current group will
5728 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
5731 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
5732 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
5733 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
5734 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
5735 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
5738 @kindex B m (Summary)
5740 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
5741 Move the article from one mail group to another
5742 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
5745 @kindex B c (Summary)
5747 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
5748 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
5749 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
5752 @kindex B C (Summary)
5753 @cindex crosspost mail
5754 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
5755 Crosspost the current article to some other group
5756 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
5757 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
5758 be properly updated.
5761 @kindex B i (Summary)
5762 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
5763 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
5764 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
5765 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
5768 @kindex B r (Summary)
5769 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
5770 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
5774 @kindex B w (Summary)
5776 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
5777 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
5778 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
5779 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
5780 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}).
5783 @kindex B q (Summary)
5784 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
5785 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
5786 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
5787 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
5790 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
5791 @cindex moving articles
5792 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
5793 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
5794 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
5795 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
5796 suggestions you find reasonable.
5799 @node Various Summary Stuff
5800 @section Various Summary Stuff
5803 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
5804 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
5805 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
5809 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
5810 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
5811 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
5813 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
5814 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
5815 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
5816 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
5817 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
5818 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
5821 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
5822 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
5823 Is is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
5824 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
5825 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
5830 @node Summary Group Information
5831 @subsection Summary Group Information
5836 @kindex H f (Summary)
5837 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
5838 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
5839 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
5840 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
5841 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
5842 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
5843 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
5844 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} probably will be used for
5848 @kindex H d (Summary)
5849 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
5850 Give a brief description of the current group
5851 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
5852 rereading the description from the server.
5855 @kindex H h (Summary)
5856 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
5857 Give a very brief description of the most important summary keystrokes
5858 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
5861 @kindex H i (Summary)
5862 @findex gnus-info-find-node
5863 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
5867 @node Searching for Articles
5868 @subsection Searching for Articles
5873 @kindex M-s (Summary)
5874 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
5875 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
5876 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
5879 @kindex M-r (Summary)
5880 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
5881 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
5882 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
5886 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
5887 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
5888 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
5889 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}).
5892 @kindex M-& (Summary)
5893 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
5894 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
5895 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
5899 @node Really Various Summary Commands
5900 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
5905 @kindex A D (Summary)
5906 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
5907 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
5908 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
5909 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
5910 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
5911 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
5912 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages on
5913 some format, you @kbd{A D} and read these messages in a more convenient
5917 @kindex C-t (Summary)
5918 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
5919 Toggle truncation of summary lines (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}).
5923 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
5924 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
5925 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
5929 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
5930 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
5931 @cindex summary exit
5932 @cindex exiting groups
5934 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
5935 group and return you to the group buffer.
5941 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
5943 @findex gnus-summary-exit
5944 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
5945 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
5946 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
5947 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
5948 called before doing much of the exiting, and calls
5949 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
5950 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exiting
5955 @kindex Z E (Summary)
5957 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
5958 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
5959 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
5963 @kindex Z c (Summary)
5965 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
5966 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
5967 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
5970 @kindex Z C (Summary)
5971 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
5972 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
5973 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
5976 @kindex Z n (Summary)
5977 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
5978 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
5979 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
5982 @kindex Z R (Summary)
5983 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
5984 Exit this group, and then enter it again
5985 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
5986 all articles, both read and unread.
5990 @kindex Z G (Summary)
5991 @kindex M-g (Summary)
5992 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
5993 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
5994 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
5995 articles, both read and unread.
5998 @kindex Z N (Summary)
5999 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
6000 Exit the group and go to the next group
6001 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
6004 @kindex Z P (Summary)
6005 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
6006 Exit the group and go to the previous group
6007 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
6010 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
6011 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
6014 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
6015 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
6016 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
6017 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
6018 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
6019 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
6020 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
6021 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
6022 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
6023 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
6024 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
6025 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
6027 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
6029 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
6030 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
6031 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
6032 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
6033 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
6034 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
6035 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
6036 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
6037 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups.
6041 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
6042 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
6043 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
6044 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
6045 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
6048 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
6049 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
6050 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided.
6052 @cindex cross-posting
6055 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
6056 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
6057 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
6058 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
6059 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
6060 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
6061 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
6062 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
6063 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
6064 the cross reference mechanism.
6066 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
6067 @cindex overview.fmt
6068 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
6069 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
6070 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
6071 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
6072 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
6073 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
6076 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
6077 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
6078 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
6084 @node The Article Buffer
6085 @chapter The Article Buffer
6086 @cindex article buffer
6088 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
6089 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
6090 tell Gnus otherwise.
6093 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
6094 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
6095 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
6096 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer
6097 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
6101 @node Hiding Headers
6102 @section Hiding Headers
6103 @cindex hiding headers
6104 @cindex deleting headers
6106 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
6107 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
6109 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
6110 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
6111 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
6112 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
6113 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
6114 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
6115 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
6116 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
6117 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
6119 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
6123 @item gnus-visible-headers
6124 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
6125 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
6126 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
6127 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
6129 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
6130 the article and the subject, you'd say:
6133 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
6136 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers that are to
6139 @item gnus-ignored-headers
6140 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
6141 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
6142 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
6143 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
6144 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
6146 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
6147 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
6150 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
6153 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers that are to
6156 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
6157 variable will have no effect.
6161 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
6162 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
6163 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
6164 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
6165 the headers are to be displayed.
6167 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
6168 and then the subject, you might say something like:
6171 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
6174 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
6175 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers that
6176 are listed in this variable.
6178 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
6179 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
6180 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
6181 You can hide further boring headers by entering
6182 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
6183 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
6184 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
6185 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
6186 @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove from sight.
6188 These conditions are:
6191 Remove all empty headers.
6193 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
6196 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
6197 @code{Newsgroups} header.
6199 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
6202 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
6206 To include the four first elements, you could say something like;
6209 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
6210 '(empty newsgroups followup-to reply-to))
6213 This is also the default value for this variable.
6217 @section Using @sc{mime}
6220 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
6221 while people stand around yawning.
6223 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
6224 while all newsreaders die of fear.
6226 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
6227 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
6228 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
6230 @vindex gnus-show-mime
6231 @vindex gnus-show-mime-method
6232 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
6233 @findex metamail-buffer
6234 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by shoving the articles through
6235 @code{gnus-show-mime-method}, which is @code{metamail-buffer} by
6236 default. Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
6237 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
6238 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
6239 @sc{mime} headers in the article.
6241 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the summary
6242 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
6243 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
6244 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
6245 comes streaming out out your speakers, and you can't find the volume
6246 button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you,
6247 and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the
6248 program to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly
6249 decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
6251 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
6254 @node Customizing Articles
6255 @section Customizing Articles
6256 @cindex article customization
6258 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
6259 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
6260 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
6261 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
6263 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
6264 By default it contains @code{gnus-article-hide-headers},
6265 @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}, and
6266 @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight}, but there are thousands, nay
6267 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
6268 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
6269 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
6272 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
6273 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
6274 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
6275 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
6276 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
6279 @node Article Keymap
6280 @section Article Keymap
6282 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
6283 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
6284 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
6285 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
6288 A few additional keystrokes are available:
6293 @kindex SPACE (Article)
6294 @findex gnus-article-next-page
6295 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
6298 @kindex DEL (Article)
6299 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
6300 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
6303 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
6304 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
6305 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
6306 @kbd{r}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
6307 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
6310 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
6311 @findex gnus-article-mail
6312 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
6313 given a prefix, include the mail.
6317 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
6318 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
6319 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
6323 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
6324 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
6325 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
6328 @kindex TAB (Article)
6329 @findex gnus-article-next-button
6330 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}. This
6331 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
6334 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
6335 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
6336 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}.
6342 @section Misc Article
6346 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
6347 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
6348 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
6349 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
6352 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
6353 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
6354 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
6355 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
6356 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
6357 the contents of the article buffer.
6359 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
6360 @item gnus-article-display-hook
6361 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
6362 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
6363 hiding headers, and the like.
6365 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
6366 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
6367 Hook called in article mode buffers.
6369 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
6370 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
6371 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
6372 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. It accepts the same
6373 format specifications as that variable, with one extension:
6377 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
6378 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
6382 @vindex gnus-break-pages
6384 @item gnus-break-pages
6385 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
6386 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
6387 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
6388 paging will not be done.
6390 @item gnus-page-delimiter
6391 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
6392 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
6397 @node Composing Messages
6398 @chapter Composing Messages
6403 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
6404 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
6405 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
6406 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
6407 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
6408 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
6409 to make Gnus try to post using the foreign server.
6412 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
6413 * Post:: Posting and following up.
6414 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
6415 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
6416 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
6417 @c * Posting Styles:: An easier way to configure some key elements.
6418 @c * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
6419 @c * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
6422 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
6423 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
6429 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
6432 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
6433 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
6434 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
6435 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
6443 Variables for composing news articles:
6446 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
6447 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
6448 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
6449 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
6450 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
6451 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to sent the
6452 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
6453 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
6454 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want Gnus to keep a history
6457 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
6458 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
6459 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
6460 file. It is 1000 by default.
6465 @node Posting Server
6466 @section Posting Server
6468 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
6469 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
6471 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
6473 @vindex gnus-post-method
6475 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will use the same native
6476 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
6477 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
6478 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
6479 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
6482 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
6485 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
6486 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
6487 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
6488 the ``current'' server for posting.
6490 If you give a zero prefix (i. e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
6491 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
6493 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
6494 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
6499 @section Mail and Post
6501 Here's a list of variables that are relevant to both mailing and
6505 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
6506 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
6507 @cindex mailing lists
6509 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists that are
6510 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
6511 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
6512 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
6513 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
6514 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that match the groups that
6515 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
6516 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
6517 still a pain, though.
6521 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
6522 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
6523 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
6526 @findex ispell-message
6528 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
6532 @node Archived Messages
6533 @section Archived Messages
6534 @cindex archived messages
6535 @cindex sent messages
6537 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail you send.
6538 The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to store
6539 the mail. If you want to disable this completely, you should set
6540 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil}.
6542 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
6543 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
6544 use to store sent messages. It is @code{(nnfolder "archive"
6545 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive/"))} by default, but you can use any
6546 mail select method (@code{nnml}, @code{nnmbox}, etc.). However,
6547 @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method for doing this sort of
6548 thing. If you don't like the default directory chosen, you could say
6552 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
6553 '(nnfolder "archive"
6554 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
6555 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
6556 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
6559 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
6561 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
6562 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
6563 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
6565 This variable can be:
6569 Messages will be saved in that group.
6570 @item a list of strings
6571 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
6572 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
6573 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
6575 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
6580 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
6582 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
6585 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
6587 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
6590 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
6592 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
6593 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
6594 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
6595 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
6600 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
6601 '((if (message-news-p)
6606 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
6607 messages in one file per month:
6610 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
6611 '((if (message-news-p)
6613 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
6614 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
6617 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
6618 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
6619 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
6620 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
6621 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
6622 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
6623 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
6624 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
6625 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
6626 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
6628 That's the default method of archiving sent mail. Gnus also offers two
6629 other variables for the people who don't like the default method. In
6630 that case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to
6631 @code{nil}; this will disable archiving.
6633 XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
6634 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.
6638 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
6639 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
6640 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
6641 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
6642 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
6645 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
6646 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
6647 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
6652 @c @node Posting Styles
6653 @c @section Posting Styles
6654 @c @cindex posting styles
6657 @c All them variables, they make my head swim.
6659 @c So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
6660 @c on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
6661 @c and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
6664 @c @vindex gnus-posting-styles
6665 @c One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
6666 @c variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
6667 @c came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
6668 @c a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
6673 @c (signature . "Peace and happiness")
6674 @c (organization . "What me?"))
6676 @c (signature . "Death to everybody"))
6677 @c ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
6678 @c (organization . "Emacs is it")))
6681 @c As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
6682 @c @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
6683 @c ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
6684 @c over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
6685 @c applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
6686 @c the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
6687 @c @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
6688 @c signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
6690 @c The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
6691 @c string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
6692 @c If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
6693 @c arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
6694 @c referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
6695 @c any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
6698 @c Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
6699 @c attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
6700 @c can be one of @code{signature}, @code{organization} or @code{from}. The
6701 @c attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
6702 @c a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
6705 @c The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
6706 @c return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
6707 @c list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
6709 @c So here's a new example:
6712 @c (setq gnus-posting-styles
6714 @c (signature . "~/.signature")
6715 @c (from . "user@@foo (user)")
6716 @c ("X-Home-Page" . (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
6717 @c (organization . "People's Front Against MWM"))
6719 @c (signature . my-funny-signature-randomizer))
6720 @c ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
6721 @c (signature . my-quote-randomizer))
6722 @c (posting-from-work-p
6723 @c (signature . "~/.work-signature")
6724 @c (from . "user@@bar.foo (user)")
6725 @c (organization . "Important Work, Inc"))
6727 @c (signature . "~/.mail-signature"))))
6734 @c If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
6735 @c you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
6736 @c craazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save the
6737 @c message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some other
6738 @c day, and send it when you feel its finished.
6740 @c Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
6741 @c some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
6742 @c automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
6743 @c If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
6744 @c article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
6748 @c @vindex gnus-draft-group-directory
6749 @c The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
6750 @c @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
6751 @c @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{gnus-draft-group-directory}
6752 @c controls both the name of the group and the location---the leaf element
6753 @c in the path will be used as the name of the group. What makes this
6754 @c group special is that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any
6755 @c articles as read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
6757 @c If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
6760 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
6761 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
6762 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
6763 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
6764 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
6765 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
6766 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
6767 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
6768 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
6769 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
6770 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
6771 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
6772 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
6773 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
6775 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
6776 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
6777 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
6779 @c @findex gnus-summary-send-draft
6780 @c @kindex S D c (Summary)
6781 @c When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
6782 @c draft group and push @kbd{S D c} (@code{gnus-summary-send-draft}) to do
6783 @c that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
6785 @c Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
6788 @c @findex gnus-summary-send-all-drafts
6789 @c If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
6790 @c doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{S D a} command
6791 @c (@code{gnus-summary-send-all-drafts}). This command understands the
6792 @c process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
6795 @c @node Rejected Articles
6796 @c @section Rejected Articles
6797 @c @cindex rejected articles
6799 @c Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
6800 @c doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
6801 @c @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
6802 @c Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
6804 @c These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
6805 @c (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
6806 @c fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
6807 @c you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
6808 @c articles until some later time when the server feels better.
6810 @c The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
6811 @c (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
6812 @c typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
6815 @node Select Methods
6816 @chapter Select Methods
6817 @cindex foreign groups
6818 @cindex select methods
6820 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group that is not read by the usual (or
6821 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
6822 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
6823 personal mail group.
6825 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
6826 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
6827 list where the first element says what backend to use (eg. @code{nntp},
6828 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
6829 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
6830 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
6832 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
6833 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
6835 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
6838 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
6839 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
6840 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group, in
6841 all circumstances, @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the
6842 @code{nntp} backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
6844 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
6847 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
6848 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
6849 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
6850 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
6851 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
6855 @node The Server Buffer
6856 @section The Server Buffer
6858 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
6859 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
6860 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
6861 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
6862 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
6863 backend represents a virtual server.
6865 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
6866 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
6867 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
6868 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
6870 These select methods specifications can sometimes become quite
6871 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
6872 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number @code{13}, which
6873 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
6874 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
6875 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
6876 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
6878 To enter the server buffer, user the @kbd{^}
6879 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
6882 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
6883 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
6884 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
6885 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
6886 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
6887 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
6890 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
6891 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
6894 @node Server Buffer Format
6895 @subsection Server Buffer Format
6896 @cindex server buffer format
6898 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
6899 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
6900 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
6901 variable, with some simple extensions:
6906 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
6909 The name of this server.
6912 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
6915 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
6918 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
6919 The mode line can also be customized by using the
6920 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable. The following specs are
6931 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
6934 @node Server Commands
6935 @subsection Server Commands
6936 @cindex server commands
6942 @findex gnus-server-add-server
6943 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
6947 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
6948 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
6951 @kindex SPACE (Server)
6952 @findex gnus-server-read-server
6953 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
6957 @findex gnus-server-exit
6958 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
6962 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
6963 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
6967 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
6968 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
6972 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
6973 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
6977 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
6978 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
6983 @node Example Methods
6984 @subsection Example Methods
6986 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
6989 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
6992 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
6998 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
6999 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
7002 After these two elements, there may be a arbitrary number of
7003 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
7005 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
7006 port @code{15} from that machine. This is what the select method should
7010 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
7013 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
7014 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example.
7016 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
7017 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
7018 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
7022 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
7025 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
7028 Here's the method for a public spool:
7032 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
7033 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
7037 @node Creating a Virtual Server
7038 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
7040 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
7041 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
7043 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
7044 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
7045 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
7047 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
7049 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
7050 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
7051 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
7052 will contain the following:
7062 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
7063 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
7064 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
7067 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
7068 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
7069 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
7072 @node Servers and Methods
7073 @subsection Servers and Methods
7075 Wherever you would normally use a select method
7076 (eg. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
7077 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
7078 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
7082 @node Unavailable Servers
7083 @subsection Unavailable Servers
7085 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
7086 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
7087 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
7088 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
7089 actually the case or not.
7091 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
7092 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to the server
7093 @samp{nepholococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
7094 away from you, the machine is quite, so it takes 1 minute just to find
7095 out that it refuses connection from you today. If Gnus were to attempt
7096 to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't attempt to do
7097 that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'', it will
7098 regard that server as ``down''.
7100 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
7101 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
7103 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
7104 with the following commands:
7110 @findex gnus-server-open-server
7111 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
7112 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
7116 @findex gnus-server-close-server
7117 Close the connection (if any) to the server
7118 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
7122 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
7123 Mark the current server as unreachable
7124 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
7128 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
7129 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from all servers
7130 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
7136 @section Getting News
7137 @cindex reading news
7138 @cindex news backends
7140 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
7141 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
7142 or it can read from a local spool.
7145 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
7146 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
7151 @subsection @sc{nntp}
7154 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
7155 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
7156 server as the, uhm, address.
7158 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
7159 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
7160 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
7161 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
7163 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
7164 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
7165 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
7167 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
7172 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
7173 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
7174 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
7176 @cindex authentification
7177 @cindex nntp authentification
7178 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
7179 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
7180 @code{nntp-server-opened-hook} is run after a connection has been made.
7181 It can be used to send commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has
7182 been contacted. By default is sends the command @code{MODE READER} to
7183 the server with the @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. Another
7184 popular function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which will prompt you for
7185 an @sc{nntp} password and stuff.
7187 @item nntp-server-action-alist
7188 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
7189 This is an list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
7190 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
7191 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
7194 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
7198 You probably don't want to do that, though.
7200 The default value is
7203 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
7204 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook nntp-send-mode-reader)))
7207 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
7208 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
7210 @item nntp-maximum-request
7211 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
7212 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
7213 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
7214 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
7215 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
7216 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
7217 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
7219 @item nntp-connection-timeout
7220 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
7221 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
7222 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
7223 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
7224 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
7225 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
7226 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
7227 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
7228 no timeouts are done.
7230 @item nntp-command-timeout
7231 @vindex nntp-command-timeout
7232 @cindex PPP connections
7233 @cindex dynamic IP addresses
7234 If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
7235 address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
7236 changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
7237 waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
7238 unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
7239 then, if it sits waiting longer than that number of seconds for a reply
7240 from the server, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
7241 the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
7242 likely number is 30 seconds.
7244 @item nntp-retry-on-break
7245 @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
7246 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
7247 hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
7250 @item nntp-server-hook
7251 @vindex nntp-server-hook
7252 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
7255 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
7256 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
7257 @item nntp-open-server-function
7258 @vindex nntp-open-server-function
7259 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Two pre-made
7260 functions are @code{nntp-open-network-stream}, which is the default, and
7261 simply connects to some port or other on the remote system. The other
7262 is @code{nntp-open-rlogin}, which does an rlogin on the remote system,
7263 and then does a telnet to the @sc{nntp} server available there.
7265 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
7266 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
7267 If you use @code{nntp-open-rlogin} as the
7268 @code{nntp-open-server-function}, this list will be used as the
7269 parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
7271 @item nntp-end-of-line
7272 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
7273 String to use as end-of-line markers when talking to the @sc{nntp}
7274 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
7275 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
7277 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
7278 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
7279 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
7283 @vindex nntp-address
7284 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
7286 @item nntp-port-number
7287 @vindex nntp-port-number
7288 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
7291 @item nntp-buggy-select
7292 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
7293 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
7295 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
7296 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
7297 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
7298 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks whether @sc{nov}
7299 can be used automatically.
7301 @item nntp-xover-commands
7302 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
7305 List of strings that are used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
7306 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
7310 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
7311 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
7312 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
7313 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
7314 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
7315 lines that you do not want, and will not use. This variable says how
7316 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
7317 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
7318 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
7319 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
7320 @code{nntp} will never split requests.
7322 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
7323 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
7324 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
7326 @item nntp-async-number
7327 @vindex nntp-async-number
7328 How many articles should be pre-fetched when in asynchronous mode. If
7329 this variable is @code{t}, @code{nntp} will pre-fetch all the articles
7330 that it can without bound. If it is @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be
7333 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
7334 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
7335 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
7336 server closes connection.
7342 @subsection News Spool
7346 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
7347 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups like
7348 @samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}.
7350 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @samp{} (or
7351 anything else) as the address.
7353 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
7354 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
7355 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
7356 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
7360 @item nnspool-inews-program
7361 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
7362 Program used to post an article.
7364 @item nnspool-inews-switches
7365 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
7366 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
7368 @item nnspool-spool-directory
7369 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
7370 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
7371 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
7373 @item nnspool-nov-directory
7374 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
7375 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
7376 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
7378 @item nnspool-lib-dir
7379 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
7380 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
7382 @item nnspool-active-file
7383 @vindex nnspool-active-file
7384 The path of the active file.
7386 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
7387 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
7388 The path of the group descriptions file.
7390 @item nnspool-history-file
7391 @vindex nnspool-history-file
7392 The path of the news history file.
7394 @item nnspool-active-times-file
7395 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
7396 The path of the active date file.
7398 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
7399 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
7400 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
7403 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
7404 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
7406 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
7407 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
7408 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
7414 @section Getting Mail
7415 @cindex reading mail
7418 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
7422 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
7423 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
7424 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
7425 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
7426 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
7427 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
7428 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
7429 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
7430 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
7431 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
7435 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
7436 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
7438 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
7439 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
7440 and things will happen automatically.
7442 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a one file per
7443 mail backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
7446 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
7447 '((nnml "private")))
7450 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
7451 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
7452 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
7453 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
7454 like any other group.
7456 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
7459 (setq nnmail-split-methods
7460 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
7461 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
7465 This will result in three new mail groups being created:
7466 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
7467 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
7470 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
7471 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though,
7472 especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
7475 @node Splitting Mail
7476 @subsection Splitting Mail
7477 @cindex splitting mail
7478 @cindex mail splitting
7480 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
7481 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
7482 to be split into groups.
7485 (setq nnmail-split-methods
7486 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
7487 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
7491 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
7492 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
7493 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
7494 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
7495 determine if it belongs in this mail group.
7497 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
7498 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
7499 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
7500 mail belongs in that group.
7502 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
7503 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any
7504 mails that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps.
7506 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
7507 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
7508 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
7509 message. The function should return a list of groups names that it
7510 thinks should carry this mail message.
7512 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent
7513 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
7514 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
7515 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
7517 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
7518 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
7519 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
7520 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
7521 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
7523 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
7526 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
7527 the crossposted articles. However, not all files systems support hard
7528 links. If that's the case for you, set
7529 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
7530 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
7532 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
7533 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
7534 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
7535 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
7536 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
7537 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
7538 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
7539 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
7543 @node Mail Backend Variables
7544 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
7546 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
7550 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
7551 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
7552 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
7553 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
7555 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
7556 @item nnmail-spool-file
7560 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
7561 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
7562 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
7563 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
7564 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
7565 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
7566 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
7567 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
7568 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
7569 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
7570 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
7571 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
7572 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
7573 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
7574 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
7576 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
7577 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
7578 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
7579 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
7580 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
7581 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
7583 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
7584 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
7585 @item nnmail-use-procmail
7586 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
7587 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
7588 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
7589 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
7592 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
7593 @item nnmail-crash-box
7594 When the mail backends read a spool file, it is first moved to this
7595 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
7596 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
7599 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
7600 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
7601 This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
7602 used for, well, anything, really.
7604 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
7605 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
7606 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
7607 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
7608 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
7609 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
7610 starting to handle the new mail) and
7611 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
7612 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
7613 default file modes the new mail files get:
7616 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
7617 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
7619 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
7620 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
7623 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
7624 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
7625 This variable says where to move the incoming mail to while processing
7626 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
7627 inhabits (i.e., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
7628 it will be used instead.
7630 @item nnmail-movemail-program
7631 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
7632 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
7633 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
7635 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
7636 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
7637 @cindex incoming mail files
7638 @cindex deleting incoming files
7639 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
7640 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{nil} by
7641 default for reasons of security.
7643 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
7644 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
7645 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
7646 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories like
7647 @file{mail.misc/}. If it is @code{nil}, the same group will end up in
7650 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
7651 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
7653 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
7658 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
7659 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
7660 @cindex mail splitting
7661 @cindex fancy mail splitting
7663 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
7664 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
7665 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
7666 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
7667 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
7668 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
7670 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
7673 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
7674 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
7675 ;; from real errors.
7676 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
7678 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
7679 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
7680 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
7681 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
7682 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
7683 ;; Other mailing lists...
7684 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
7685 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
7687 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen"))
7688 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
7692 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
7693 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
7694 the four possible split syntaxes:
7699 If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group name.
7701 @item (FIELD VALUE SPLIT)
7702 If the split is a list, and the first element is a string, then that
7703 means that if header FIELD (a regexp) contains VALUE (also a regexp),
7704 then store the message as specified by SPLIT.
7707 If the split is a list, and the first element is @code{|} (vertical
7708 bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them matches. A SPLIT is
7709 said to match if it will cause the mail message to be stored in one or
7713 If the split is a list, and the first element is @code{&}, then process
7714 all SPLITs in the list.
7717 In these splits, FIELD must match a complete field name. VALUE must
7718 match a complete word according to the fundamental mode syntax table.
7719 You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial field names or
7722 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
7723 FIELD and VALUE can also be lisp symbols, in that case they are expanded
7724 as specified by the variable @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is
7725 an alist of cons cells, where the car of the cells contains the key, and
7726 the cdr contains a string.
7728 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
7729 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
7730 when all this splitting is performed.
7733 @node Mail and Procmail
7734 @subsection Mail and Procmail
7739 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
7740 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
7741 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
7742 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
7743 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
7745 This also means that you probably don't want to set
7746 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
7749 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
7750 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
7751 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends (except
7752 @code{nnmh}) actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
7753 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
7754 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
7756 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) what groups
7759 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example.
7761 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
7762 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
7764 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
7765 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
7766 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
7767 to include all your mail groups.
7769 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
7770 method will be created automatically.
7772 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
7773 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
7774 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
7775 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
7776 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
7777 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
7778 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
7779 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
7781 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
7782 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
7783 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
7784 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
7785 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
7787 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
7788 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directory into an @code{nnmh}
7789 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
7790 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
7791 ever expiring the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is quite,
7795 @node Incorporating Old Mail
7796 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
7798 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
7799 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
7800 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
7803 Doing so can be quite easy.
7805 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
7806 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
7807 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
7808 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
7809 your @code{nnml} groups.
7815 Go to the group buffer.
7818 Type `G f' and give the path of the mbox file when prompted to create an
7819 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
7822 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
7825 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group (@pxref{Setting
7829 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
7830 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
7833 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
7834 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
7835 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
7836 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
7837 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
7839 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
7840 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
7841 using the new mail backend.
7845 @subsection Expiring Mail
7846 @cindex article expiry
7848 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
7849 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
7850 different approach to mail reading.
7852 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
7853 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
7854 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
7855 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
7856 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
7857 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
7860 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
7861 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
7862 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
7863 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
7864 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
7865 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
7866 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
7867 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
7869 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
7870 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
7871 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
7872 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
7873 articles that are marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
7874 column in the summary buffer.
7876 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
7877 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
7880 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
7881 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
7884 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
7885 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
7887 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
7888 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
7889 expirable article has to live. The default is seven days.
7891 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
7892 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
7893 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
7894 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
7897 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
7899 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
7901 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
7903 ((string= group "mail.junk")
7905 ((string= group "important")
7911 The group names that this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
7912 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
7914 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
7915 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can be either a number (not
7916 necessarily an integer) or the symbols @code{immediate} or
7919 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
7920 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
7922 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
7923 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
7924 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
7925 easier for procmail users.
7927 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
7928 By the way, that line up there about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
7929 articles is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
7930 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
7931 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
7932 caution. Even more dangerous is the
7933 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
7934 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
7935 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
7936 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
7937 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
7938 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
7939 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
7944 @subsection Duplicates
7946 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
7947 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
7948 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
7949 @cindex duplicate mails
7950 If you are a member of a couple of mailing list, you will sometime
7951 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
7952 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
7953 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s -
7954 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
7955 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
7956 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
7957 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
7958 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
7959 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
7960 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
7961 will generate a brand new @code{Message-ID} for the mail and insert a
7962 warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks that this is a
7963 duplicate of a different message.
7965 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
7966 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
7967 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
7968 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
7970 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
7973 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
7974 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
7978 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
7979 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
7980 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
7981 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
7982 (any mail "mail.misc")
7989 (setq nnmail-split-methods
7990 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
7995 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
7996 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
7997 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
7998 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
7999 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
8002 @node Not Reading Mail
8003 @subsection Not Reading Mail
8005 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
8006 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
8007 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
8009 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
8010 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
8012 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
8013 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
8014 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
8015 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
8016 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
8017 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
8018 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
8019 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
8020 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
8021 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
8022 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
8024 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
8025 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
8029 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
8030 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
8032 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
8033 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
8034 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
8037 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
8038 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
8039 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
8040 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
8041 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
8046 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
8048 @cindex unix mail box
8050 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
8051 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
8052 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
8053 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
8054 which group it belongs in.
8056 Virtual server settings:
8059 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
8060 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
8061 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
8063 @item nnmbox-active-file
8064 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
8065 The name of the active file for the mail box.
8067 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
8068 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
8069 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
8075 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
8079 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
8080 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
8081 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
8082 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
8083 article to say which group it belongs in.
8085 Virtual server settings:
8088 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
8089 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
8090 The name of the rmail mbox file.
8092 @item nnbabyl-active-file
8093 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
8094 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
8096 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
8097 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
8098 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
8103 @subsubsection Mail Spool
8105 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
8107 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
8108 format. It should be used with some caution.
8110 @vindex nnml-directory
8111 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files;
8112 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the correct
8113 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
8114 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
8116 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
8119 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
8120 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
8121 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
8122 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
8123 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
8124 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
8125 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
8126 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
8128 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
8129 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
8130 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes is the fastest
8131 backend when it comes to reading mail.
8133 Virtual server settings:
8136 @item nnml-directory
8137 @vindex nnml-directory
8138 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
8140 @item nnml-active-file
8141 @vindex nnml-active-file
8142 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
8144 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
8145 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
8146 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
8149 @item nnml-get-new-mail
8150 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
8151 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
8153 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
8154 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
8155 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
8157 @item nnml-nov-file-name
8158 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
8159 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
8161 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
8162 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
8163 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
8167 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
8168 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
8169 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
8170 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
8171 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
8172 might take a while to complete.
8176 @subsubsection MH Spool
8178 @cindex mh-e mail spool
8180 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
8181 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
8182 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
8183 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
8185 Virtual server settings:
8188 @item nnmh-directory
8189 @vindex nnmh-directory
8190 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
8192 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
8193 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
8194 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
8197 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
8198 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
8199 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
8200 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
8201 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
8202 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
8203 to set this variable to @code{t}.
8208 @subsubsection Mail Folders
8210 @cindex mbox folders
8211 @cindex mail folders
8213 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
8214 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
8215 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
8218 Virtual server settings:
8221 @item nnfolder-directory
8222 @vindex nnfolder-directory
8223 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
8225 @item nnfolder-active-file
8226 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
8227 The name of the active file.
8229 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
8230 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
8231 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
8233 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
8234 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
8235 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
8238 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
8239 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
8240 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
8241 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
8242 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
8243 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
8247 @section Other Sources
8249 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
8250 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
8254 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
8255 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
8256 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
8257 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
8261 @node Directory Groups
8262 @subsection Directory Groups
8264 @cindex directory groups
8266 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
8267 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
8270 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp}, that most
8271 wonderful of all wonderful Emacs packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I
8272 didn't think much about it---a backend to read directories. Big deal.
8274 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
8275 enter @file{"/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/"} as the the
8276 directory name, ange-ftp will actually allow you to read this directory
8277 over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
8279 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
8281 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
8282 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
8283 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
8284 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
8287 @node Anything Groups
8288 @subsection Anything Groups
8291 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
8292 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
8293 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
8296 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
8297 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
8298 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
8299 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
8300 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
8301 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
8302 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
8303 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (eg. a C source
8304 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
8305 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
8308 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
8309 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
8310 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
8311 in the article buffer, just as usual.
8313 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
8314 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
8315 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
8316 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
8318 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
8319 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
8320 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
8321 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
8322 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
8323 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
8324 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
8325 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
8330 @item nneething-map-file-directory
8331 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
8332 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
8333 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
8335 @item nneething-exclude-files
8336 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
8337 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
8338 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
8340 @item nneething-map-file
8341 @vindex nneething-map-file
8342 Name of the map files.
8346 @node Document Groups
8347 @subsection Document Groups
8349 @cindex documentation group
8352 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
8353 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
8360 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
8365 The standard Unix mbox file.
8367 @cindex MMDF mail box
8369 The MMDF mail box format.
8372 Several news articles appended into a file.
8375 @cindex rnews batch files
8376 The rnews batch transport format.
8377 @cindex forwarded messages
8386 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
8387 @cindex RFC 341 digest
8388 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
8390 @item standard-digest
8391 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
8394 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
8397 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
8398 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
8399 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
8402 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
8403 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
8404 group. And that's it.
8406 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
8407 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
8408 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
8409 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
8410 @code{nndoc}, set the process mark on all the articles in the buffer
8411 (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r}) using
8412 @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL} file is
8413 now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can delete
8414 that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
8416 Virtual server variables:
8419 @item nndoc-article-type
8420 @vindex nndoc-article-type
8421 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
8422 @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{news}, @code{rnews},
8423 @code{mime-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, or @code{guess}.
8425 @item nndoc-post-type
8426 @vindex nndoc-post-type
8427 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
8428 a mail group. There are two legal values: @code{mail} (the default)
8433 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
8437 @node Document Server Internals
8438 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
8440 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
8441 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
8442 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
8443 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
8445 First, here's an example document type definition:
8449 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
8450 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
8453 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
8454 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
8455 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
8456 types can be defined with very few settings:
8460 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
8461 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
8465 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
8466 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
8468 @item head-begin-function
8469 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
8472 @item nndoc-head-begin
8473 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
8476 @item nndoc-head-end
8477 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
8478 @samp{"^$"}---the empty line.
8480 @item body-begin-function
8481 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
8485 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
8488 @item body-end-function
8489 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
8493 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
8495 @item nndoc-file-end
8496 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
8497 regexp will be totally ignored.
8501 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
8502 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
8503 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
8504 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
8505 something that's palatable for Gnus:
8508 @item prepare-body-function
8509 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
8510 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
8511 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
8513 @item article-transform-function
8514 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
8515 meant to be used how more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
8516 body of the article.
8518 @item generate-head-function
8519 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
8520 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
8521 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
8522 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
8526 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
8531 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
8532 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
8533 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
8534 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
8536 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
8537 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
8538 (subtype digest guess))
8541 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
8542 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
8543 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
8544 the head from the body may contain a single spcae; and that the body is
8545 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
8547 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
8548 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
8549 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
8550 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
8551 traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for each
8552 type. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
8553 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
8554 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
8555 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
8556 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
8557 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest legal number.
8565 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
8566 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
8567 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
8569 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
8570 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
8571 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
8574 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
8575 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
8576 that interested in doing things properly.
8578 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
8579 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
8585 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
8586 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie, or you can use Gnus to create the
8587 packet with the @kbd{O s} command.
8590 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
8593 You put the packet in your home directory.
8596 You fire up Gnus using the @code{nnsoup} backend as the native server.
8599 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
8603 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
8607 You transfer this packet to the server.
8610 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
8613 You then repeat until you die.
8617 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
8618 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
8621 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
8622 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
8623 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
8628 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
8632 @kindex G s b (Group)
8633 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
8634 Pack all unread articles in the current group
8635 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
8636 process/prefix convention.
8639 @kindex G s w (Group)
8640 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
8641 Save all data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
8644 @kindex G s s (Group)
8645 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
8646 Send all replies from the replies packet
8647 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
8650 @kindex G s p (Group)
8651 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
8652 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
8655 @kindex G s r (Group)
8656 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
8657 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
8660 @kindex O s (Summary)
8661 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
8662 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
8663 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
8669 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
8674 @item gnus-soup-directory
8675 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
8676 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
8677 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
8679 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
8680 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
8681 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
8682 reply packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/}.
8684 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
8685 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
8686 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
8689 @item gnus-soup-packer
8690 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
8691 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
8692 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
8694 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
8695 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
8696 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
8697 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
8699 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
8700 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
8701 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
8703 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
8704 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
8705 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
8706 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
8712 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
8715 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
8716 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
8717 you can read them at leisure.
8719 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
8723 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
8724 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
8725 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
8726 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
8728 @item nnsoup-directory
8729 @vindex nnsoup-directory
8730 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
8731 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
8733 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
8734 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
8735 All replies will stored in this directory before being packed into a
8736 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
8738 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
8739 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
8740 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
8741 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
8742 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
8744 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
8745 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
8746 The index type of the replies packet. The is @samp{?n}, which means
8747 ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
8749 @item nnsoup-active-file
8750 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
8751 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
8752 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
8753 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
8754 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
8757 @vindex nnsoup-packer
8758 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
8759 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
8761 @item nnsoup-unpacker
8762 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
8763 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
8764 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
8766 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
8767 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
8768 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
8771 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
8772 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
8773 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
8780 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
8782 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
8783 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
8784 more for that to happen.
8786 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
8787 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
8788 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
8791 In specific, this is what it does:
8794 (setq gnus-inews-article-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
8795 (setq send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
8798 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
8799 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
8800 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
8803 @node Combined Groups
8804 @section Combined Groups
8806 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
8810 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
8811 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
8815 @node Virtual Groups
8816 @subsection Virtual Groups
8818 @cindex virtual groups
8820 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
8823 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small group, you can
8824 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
8825 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
8827 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
8828 regexp to match component groups.
8830 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
8831 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
8832 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
8833 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
8836 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
8837 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
8840 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
8843 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
8844 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
8846 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
8847 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
8848 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
8849 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
8852 "^nntp+some.server.jp:soc.motss$\\|^nntp+some.server.no:soc.motss$"
8855 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
8856 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
8857 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
8858 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
8859 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}.
8861 One limitation, however---all groups that are included in a virtual
8862 group has to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
8863 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
8865 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
8866 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
8867 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
8868 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
8869 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
8870 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
8871 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
8872 effect if you have two virtual groups that contain the same component
8873 group. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
8874 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
8875 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
8878 @node Kibozed Groups
8879 @subsection Kibozed Groups
8883 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
8884 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
8885 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
8886 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
8889 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
8892 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
8893 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
8894 @code{nnkiboze} group. There most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
8895 and @code{nnvirtual} ends.
8897 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
8898 must have a score file to say what articles that are to be included in
8899 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
8901 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
8902 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
8903 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
8904 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
8905 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
8906 all the articles in all the components groups and run them through the
8907 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
8908 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
8910 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
8911 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
8912 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
8913 Stranger things have happened.
8915 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
8916 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
8918 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
8919 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
8920 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
8921 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
8922 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
8923 on what groups that have been searched through to find component
8926 Articles that are marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have their
8927 @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
8934 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
8935 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
8936 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
8939 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
8940 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
8941 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
8942 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
8943 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
8945 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
8946 before generating the summary buffer.
8948 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
8949 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
8950 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
8952 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
8953 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
8954 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
8955 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
8958 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
8959 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
8960 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
8961 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
8962 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
8963 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus @emph{knows} what you read.
8964 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
8965 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
8966 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
8967 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
8968 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
8969 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
8970 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
8974 @node Summary Score Commands
8975 @section Summary Score Commands
8976 @cindex score commands
8978 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
8979 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
8980 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
8981 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
8982 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
8984 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
8985 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
8986 some other score file (eg. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
8987 score file the current one.
8989 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
8994 @kindex V s (Summary)
8995 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
8996 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
8999 @kindex V S (Summary)
9000 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
9001 Display the score of the current article
9002 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
9005 @kindex V t (Summary)
9006 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
9007 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
9008 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
9011 @cindex V R (Summary)
9012 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
9013 Run the current summary through the scoring process
9014 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
9015 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
9016 effect you're having.
9019 @kindex V a (Summary)
9020 @findex gnus-summary-score-entry
9021 Add a new score entry, and allow specifying all elements
9022 (@code{gnus-summary-score-entry}).
9025 @kindex V c (Summary)
9026 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
9027 Make a different score file the current
9028 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
9031 @kindex V e (Summary)
9032 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
9033 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
9034 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
9038 @kindex V f (Summary)
9039 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
9040 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
9041 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
9044 @kindex V F (Summary)
9045 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
9046 Flush the score cahe (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
9047 after editing score files.
9050 @kindex V C (Summary)
9051 @findex gnus-score-customize
9052 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
9053 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
9056 @kindex I C-i (Summary)
9057 @findex gnus-summary-raise-score
9058 Increase the score of the current article
9059 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-score}).
9062 @kindex L C-l (Summary)
9063 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
9064 Lower the score of the current article
9065 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-score}).
9068 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
9073 @kindex V m (Summary)
9074 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
9075 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
9076 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
9079 @kindex V x (Summary)
9080 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
9081 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
9082 expunge all articles below this score
9083 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
9086 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
9087 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
9092 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
9093 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
9095 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
9100 Score on the author name.
9103 Score on the subject line.
9106 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
9109 Score on thread---the References line.
9115 Score on the number of lines.
9118 Score on the Message-ID.
9131 The third key is the match type. Which match types are legal depends on
9132 what headers you are scoring on.
9176 Greater than number.
9181 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
9182 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
9183 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
9187 Temporary score entry.
9190 Permanent score entry.
9193 Immediately scoring.
9198 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
9199 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
9200 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
9201 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
9203 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
9204 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
9205 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
9206 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
9207 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
9209 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
9210 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
9211 pretend they are keymaps or not.
9214 @node Group Score Commands
9215 @section Group Score Commands
9216 @cindex group score commands
9218 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
9224 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
9225 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
9226 all the time. This command will flush the cache
9227 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
9232 @node Score Variables
9233 @section Score Variables
9234 @cindex score variables
9238 @item gnus-use-scoring
9239 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
9240 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
9241 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
9243 @item gnus-kill-killed
9244 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
9245 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
9246 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
9247 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
9248 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
9249 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
9250 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
9252 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
9253 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
9254 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
9255 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
9256 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
9258 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
9259 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
9260 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
9261 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
9263 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
9264 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
9266 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
9267 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
9268 bloated, so this regexp can be used to weed out score files that are
9269 unlikely to be needed again. It would be a bad idea to deny caching of
9270 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
9271 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
9272 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
9275 @item gnus-save-score
9276 @vindex gnus-save-score
9277 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
9278 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
9279 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
9281 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
9282 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
9283 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
9284 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
9285 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
9286 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
9287 manually entered data.
9289 @item gnus-summary-default-score
9290 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
9291 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
9293 @item gnus-score-over-mark
9294 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
9295 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
9296 default. Default is @samp{+}.
9298 @item gnus-score-below-mark
9299 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
9300 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
9301 default. Default is @samp{-}.
9303 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
9304 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
9305 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
9306 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
9308 Predefined functions available are:
9311 @item gnus-score-find-single
9312 @findex gnus-score-find-single
9313 Only apply the group's own score file.
9315 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
9316 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
9317 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
9318 default. For instance, if the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus},
9319 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
9320 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
9321 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
9322 then a regexp match is done.
9324 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
9325 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
9327 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
9328 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
9329 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
9330 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE} or @file{all.emacs.SCORE},
9331 but you can have @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and
9332 @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
9335 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
9336 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
9337 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
9338 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
9339 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
9340 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
9343 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
9344 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
9345 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
9346 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
9347 are expired. It's 7 by default.
9349 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
9350 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
9351 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
9352 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
9353 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
9354 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
9355 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
9358 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
9359 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
9360 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
9365 @node Score File Format
9366 @section Score File Format
9367 @cindex score file format
9369 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
9370 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
9371 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
9373 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
9377 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
9379 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
9381 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
9383 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
9388 (mark-and-expunge -10)
9392 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
9393 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
9394 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
9395 (gnus-summary-make-false-root 'empty))
9399 This example demonstrates absolutely everything about a score file.
9401 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
9402 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
9403 has to be legal syntactically, if not semantically.
9405 Six keys are supported by this alist:
9410 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
9411 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
9412 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
9413 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
9414 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
9415 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
9416 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
9417 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
9418 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
9419 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
9420 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
9421 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
9422 to articles that matches these score entries.
9424 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
9425 score entry has one to four elements.
9429 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
9430 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
9434 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
9435 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
9436 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
9437 is successful. If this element is not present, the
9438 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
9439 instead. This is 1000 by default.
9442 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
9443 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
9444 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
9445 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
9446 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 ce.
9449 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
9450 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
9451 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
9452 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
9455 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
9456 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp) as
9457 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types and @code{e} and
9458 @code{E} (exact match) types. If this element is not present, Gnus will
9459 assume that substring matching should be used. @code{R} and @code{S}
9460 differ from the other two in that the matches will be done in a
9461 case-sensitive manner. All these one-letter types are really just
9462 abbreviations for the @code{regexp}, @code{string} and @code{exact}
9463 types, which you can use instead, if you feel like.
9466 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
9467 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
9470 For the Date header we have three match types: @code{before}, @code{at}
9471 and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this ever being useful, but,
9472 like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide this function. Just in
9473 case. You never know. Better safe than sorry. Once burnt, twice shy.
9474 Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have sex on a first date.
9475 (I have been told that at least one person, and I quote, ``found this
9476 function indispensable'', however.)
9478 @item Head, Body, All
9479 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
9483 This match key will add a score entry on all articles that followup to
9484 some author. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header uses.
9487 This match key will add a score entry on all articles that are part of
9488 a thread. Uses the same match types as the @code{References} header
9494 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
9495 lower than this number will be marked as read.
9498 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
9499 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
9501 @item mark-and-expunge
9502 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
9503 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
9506 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
9507 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
9508 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
9509 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
9510 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
9513 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
9514 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
9518 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. This files will
9519 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
9523 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
9524 ignored when handling global score files.
9527 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
9528 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}).
9531 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
9532 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
9533 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
9534 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
9536 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
9540 (mark-and-expunge -100)
9543 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
9544 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
9545 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
9546 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
9547 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
9549 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
9550 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
9551 ordinary scoring rules.
9554 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
9555 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
9556 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
9557 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
9558 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
9559 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
9560 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
9561 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
9562 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
9563 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
9564 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
9568 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
9569 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
9570 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
9571 file for a number of groups.
9574 @cindex local variables
9575 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
9576 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
9577 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
9578 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
9583 @node Score File Editing
9584 @section Score File Editing
9586 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
9587 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
9588 with a mode for that.
9590 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
9591 additional commands:
9596 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
9597 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
9598 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
9599 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
9602 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
9603 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
9604 Insert the current date in numerical format
9605 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
9609 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
9610 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
9611 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
9612 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
9613 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
9618 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
9620 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
9621 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
9623 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
9624 e} to begin editing score files.
9627 @node Adaptive Scoring
9628 @section Adaptive Scoring
9629 @cindex adaptive scoring
9631 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
9632 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
9633 stupidity, to be precise.
9635 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
9636 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
9637 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
9638 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
9639 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
9642 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
9643 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
9644 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
9645 might look something like this:
9648 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
9649 '((gnus-unread-mark)
9650 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
9651 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
9652 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
9653 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
9654 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
9655 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
9656 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
9658 (gnus-low-score-mark)
9659 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
9662 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
9663 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
9664 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
9665 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
9666 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
9667 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
9670 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
9671 will be applied to each article.
9673 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
9674 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
9675 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
9676 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
9678 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
9679 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
9680 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
9681 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
9683 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
9684 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
9685 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
9686 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
9687 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
9688 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
9690 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
9691 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
9692 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
9693 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
9694 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
9695 aspirins afterwards.)
9697 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
9698 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
9699 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
9701 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
9702 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
9703 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
9705 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
9706 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
9707 let you use different rules in different groups.
9709 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
9710 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
9711 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
9714 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
9715 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
9716 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
9717 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
9718 the length of the match is less than
9719 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
9720 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
9724 @node Followups To Yourself
9725 @section Followups To Yourself
9727 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
9728 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
9729 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
9730 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
9731 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
9732 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
9736 @item gnus-score-followup-article
9737 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
9738 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
9741 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
9742 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
9743 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
9747 @vindex gnus-inews-article-hook
9748 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
9749 @code{message-send-hook}.
9752 @section Scoring Tips
9753 @cindex scoring tips
9759 @cindex scoring crossposts
9760 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
9761 the @code{Xref} header.
9763 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
9766 @item Multiple crossposts
9767 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
9768 more than, say, 3 groups:
9770 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
9773 @item Matching on the body
9774 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
9775 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
9776 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
9777 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
9778 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
9779 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
9780 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
9783 @item Marking as read
9784 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
9785 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
9786 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
9790 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
9792 @item Negated character classes
9793 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
9794 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
9795 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
9799 @node Reverse Scoring
9800 @section Reverse Scoring
9801 @cindex reverse scoring
9803 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
9804 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
9805 like this in your score file:
9809 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
9814 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
9815 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
9818 @node Global Score Files
9819 @section Global Score Files
9820 @cindex global score files
9822 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
9823 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
9824 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
9826 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
9827 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
9828 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
9830 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
9831 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
9832 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
9833 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
9834 files are applicable to which group.
9836 Say you want to use all score files in the
9837 @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory and the single score
9838 file @file{/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE}:
9841 (setq gnus-global-score-files
9842 '("/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
9843 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
9846 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
9847 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
9848 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
9849 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
9850 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
9852 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
9853 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
9855 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
9856 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
9857 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
9858 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
9859 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
9860 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
9862 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
9868 Articles that are heavily crossposted are probably junk.
9870 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
9872 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
9874 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
9875 lowered out of existence.
9877 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
9878 articles completely.
9881 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
9882 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
9883 old articles for a long time.
9886 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
9887 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
9888 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
9889 holding our breath yet?
9896 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
9897 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
9898 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
9900 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
9901 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
9902 files into score files.
9904 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
9905 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
9906 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
9907 that isn't a very good idea.
9909 XCNormal kill files look like this:
9912 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
9913 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
9917 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove them from
9918 the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
9920 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
9921 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
9924 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
9929 @kindex M-k (Summary)
9930 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
9931 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
9934 @kindex M-K (Summary)
9935 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
9936 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
9939 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
9945 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
9946 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
9950 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
9951 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
9954 Kill file variables:
9957 @item gnus-kill-file-name
9958 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
9959 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
9960 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
9961 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
9962 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
9963 course) is called just @file{KILL}.
9965 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
9966 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
9967 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
9968 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
9971 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
9972 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
9973 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
9974 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
9975 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
9976 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
9977 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
9978 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
9979 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
9981 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
9982 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
9983 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
9992 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
9993 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
9994 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
9996 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
9997 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
9998 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
9999 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
10000 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
10001 Once it has found for you some people you agree with it tells you, in
10002 the form of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use
10003 this prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
10007 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
10008 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
10009 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
10010 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
10014 @node Using GroupLens
10015 @subsection Using GroupLens
10017 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
10018 Bit Bureau (BBB). At the moment the only better bit in town is at
10019 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html}.
10021 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
10025 @item gnus-use-grouplens
10026 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
10027 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
10028 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
10030 @item grouplens-pseudonym
10031 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
10032 This variable should be set to the pseudonum you got when registering
10033 with the Better Bit Bureau.
10035 @item grouplens-newsgroups
10036 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
10037 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
10041 Thats the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
10042 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
10043 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
10044 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
10045 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
10046 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
10049 @node Rating Articles
10050 @subsection Rating Articles
10052 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
10053 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
10054 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
10055 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
10058 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
10063 @kindex r (GroupLens)
10064 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
10065 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
10068 @kindex k (GroupLens)
10069 @findex grouplens-score-thread
10070 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
10071 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
10072 threads in rec.humor.
10076 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
10077 the score of the article you're reading.
10082 @kindex n (GroupLens)
10083 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
10084 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
10087 @kindex , (GroupLens)
10088 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
10089 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
10093 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
10094 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
10097 @node Displaying Predictions
10098 @subsection Displaying Predictions
10100 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
10101 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
10102 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
10103 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
10104 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
10106 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
10107 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
10108 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
10109 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
10110 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
10111 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
10112 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
10113 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
10114 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
10115 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
10116 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
10117 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
10118 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
10120 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
10121 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
10122 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
10123 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
10125 The following are legal values for that variable.
10128 @item prediction-spot
10129 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
10132 @item confidence-interval
10133 A numeric confidence interval.
10135 @item prediction-bar
10136 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
10138 @item confidence-bar
10139 Numerical confidence.
10141 @item confidence-spot
10142 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
10144 @item prediction-num
10145 Plain-old numeric value.
10147 @item confidence-plus-minus
10148 Prediction +/i confidence.
10153 @node GroupLens Variables
10154 @subsection GroupLens Variables
10158 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
10159 The summary line format used in summary buffers that are GroupLens
10160 enhanced. It accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format
10161 (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}). The default is
10162 @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
10164 @item grouplens-bbb-host
10165 Host running the bbbd server. The default is
10166 @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu}.
10168 @item grouplens-bbb-port
10169 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
10171 @item grouplens-score-offset
10172 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
10173 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
10176 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
10177 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
10178 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
10183 @node Advanced Scoring
10184 @section Advanced Scoring
10186 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
10187 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
10188 about a particular subject? Or what about if you really don't want to
10189 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
10190 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
10192 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
10196 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
10197 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
10198 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
10202 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
10203 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
10205 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
10206 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
10207 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
10208 non-@code{nil} value.
10210 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
10211 operator, and various match operators.
10218 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
10219 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
10220 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
10225 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
10226 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
10227 then this operator will return @code{false}.
10232 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
10233 inverse of the value of its argument.
10237 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
10238 apply to the ancenstors of the current article being scored. For
10239 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
10240 current article. @code{2-} will make score fules apply to the
10241 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
10242 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) say how far back into
10243 the ancestry you want to go.
10245 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
10246 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
10247 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
10248 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
10249 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
10252 @node Advanced Scoring Example
10253 @subsection Advanced Scoring Example
10255 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
10256 when he's talking about Gnus:
10260 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
10261 ("subject" "Gnus"))
10267 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
10271 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
10278 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
10279 really don't want to read what he's written:
10283 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
10284 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
10288 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
10289 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
10290 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
10297 ("from" "redmondo@.*no" r)
10298 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
10299 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
10300 ("body" "white.*socks"))
10304 The possibilities are endless.
10307 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
10308 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
10310 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
10311 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
10312 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
10313 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
10314 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
10315 (@samp{body}, @code{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
10316 @samp{subject}) first.
10318 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
10319 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
10330 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
10331 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
10337 ("subject" "Gnus")))
10344 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
10345 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
10354 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
10355 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
10356 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
10357 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
10358 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
10359 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
10360 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
10361 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
10362 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
10363 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
10364 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
10365 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
10369 @node Process/Prefix
10370 @section Process/Prefix
10371 @cindex process/prefix convention
10373 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
10374 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
10376 This is a method for figuring out what articles that the user wants the
10377 command to be performed on.
10381 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
10382 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
10383 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
10384 with the current one.
10386 @vindex transient-mark-mode
10387 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
10388 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
10390 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
10391 process mark, perform the operation on the articles that are marked with
10394 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
10395 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
10397 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
10400 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
10401 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
10402 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
10403 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
10404 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
10405 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
10406 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
10407 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
10411 @section Interactive
10412 @cindex interaction
10416 @item gnus-novice-user
10417 @vindex gnus-novice-user
10418 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
10419 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
10420 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
10421 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
10424 @item gnus-expert-user
10425 @vindex gnus-expert-user
10426 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will never ever be asked any
10427 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
10428 matter how strange.
10430 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
10431 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
10432 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
10433 is @code{t} by default.
10435 @item gnus-interactive-exit
10436 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
10437 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
10442 @node Formatting Variables
10443 @section Formatting Variables
10444 @cindex formatting variables
10446 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables that
10447 are called things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
10448 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
10449 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
10450 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
10453 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
10454 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
10455 lots of percentages everywhere.
10457 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
10458 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
10459 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''. Just like a
10460 normal format spec, almost.
10462 You can also say @samp{%6,4y}, which means that the field will never be
10463 more than 4 characters wide and never less than 6 characters wide.
10465 There are also specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the
10466 format variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers
10467 will get the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it
10468 will be highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse
10471 Text inside the @samp{%[} and @samp{%]} specifiers will have their
10472 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
10473 default. If you say @samp{%1[} instead, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1}
10474 instead, and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes
10475 for the @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
10476 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
10478 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
10481 ;; Create three face types.
10482 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
10483 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
10485 ;; We want the article count to be in
10486 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
10487 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
10488 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
10490 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
10491 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
10493 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
10494 (setq gnus-group-line-format
10495 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
10498 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
10499 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
10501 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
10502 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
10503 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
10504 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
10505 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
10506 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
10507 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}.
10509 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
10510 mode-line variables.
10512 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
10513 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
10515 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
10516 @findex gnus-update-format
10517 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
10518 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
10519 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
10520 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
10523 @node Windows Configuration
10524 @section Windows Configuration
10525 @cindex windows configuration
10527 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
10529 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
10530 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
10531 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
10532 @code{t} by default.
10534 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
10535 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
10536 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
10539 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
10540 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
10541 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
10545 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
10546 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
10547 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
10548 possible names is listed below.
10550 The @dfn{value} (i. e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
10551 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
10554 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
10558 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
10559 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
10560 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
10561 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
10562 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
10563 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
10564 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
10565 size spec per split.
10567 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
10570 Here's a more complicated example:
10573 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
10574 (summary 0.25 point)
10575 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
10579 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
10580 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
10581 occupy, not a percentage.
10583 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
10584 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
10585 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
10586 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
10587 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
10590 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
10593 (article (horizontal 1.0
10598 (summary 0.25 point)
10603 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
10604 @code{horizontal} thingie?
10606 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
10607 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
10608 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
10609 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
10610 the screen is to be given to this strip.
10612 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
10613 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
10614 lines from the splits.
10616 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a legal split
10620 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
10621 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
10622 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
10623 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
10624 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] ")"
10625 size = number | frame-params
10626 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
10629 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
10630 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
10631 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
10632 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
10634 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
10635 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
10636 @cindex window height
10637 @cindex window width
10638 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
10639 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
10640 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
10641 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
10642 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
10643 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
10645 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
10646 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
10647 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
10648 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
10650 @findex gnus-configure-frame
10651 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
10652 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
10653 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
10654 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
10655 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
10656 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
10657 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
10658 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
10659 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
10660 configuration list.
10663 (gnus-configure-frame
10667 (article 0.3 point))
10675 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
10676 @code{frame} split:
10679 (gnus-configure-frame
10682 (summary 0.25 point)
10684 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
10685 (user-position . t)
10686 (left . -1) (top . 1))
10691 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
10692 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
10693 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
10694 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
10695 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
10696 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
10699 Here's a list of all possible keys for
10700 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
10702 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
10703 @code{browse}, @code{group-mail}, @code{summary-mail},
10704 @code{summary-reply}, @code{info}, @code{summary-faq},
10705 @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server}, @code{reply}, @code{reply-yank},
10706 @code{followup}, @code{followup-yank}, @code{edit-score}.
10708 @findex gnus-add-configuration
10709 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
10710 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
10711 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
10712 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
10715 (gnus-add-configuration
10716 '(article (vertical 1.0
10718 (summary .25 point)
10722 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
10723 @file{.gnus} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
10724 Gnus has been loaded.
10728 @section Compilation
10729 @cindex compilation
10730 @cindex byte-compilation
10732 @findex gnus-compile
10734 Remember all those line format specification variables?
10735 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
10736 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
10737 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
10738 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
10739 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
10742 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
10743 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
10744 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
10745 you'll get top speed again.
10749 @section Mode Lines
10752 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
10753 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
10754 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
10755 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
10756 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
10757 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
10758 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
10761 @cindex display-time
10763 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
10764 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
10765 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
10766 to display (eg. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
10767 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
10768 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
10769 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
10770 additional elements on the mode line (eg. a clock), you should modify
10773 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
10775 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
10776 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
10778 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
10779 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
10780 (length display-time-string)))))
10783 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
10784 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either.
10787 @node Highlighting and Menus
10788 @section Highlighting and Menus
10790 @cindex highlighting
10793 @vindex gnus-visual
10794 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the prettifying Gnus
10795 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
10796 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
10799 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
10800 following elements are legal, and are all included by default:
10803 @item group-highlight
10804 Do highlights in the group buffer.
10805 @item summary-highlight
10806 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
10807 @item article-highlight
10808 Do highlights in the article buffer.
10810 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
10812 Create menus in the group buffer.
10814 Create menus in the summary buffers.
10816 Create menus in the article buffer.
10818 Create menus in the browse buffer.
10820 Create menus in the server buffer.
10822 Create menus in the score buffers.
10824 Create menus in all buffers.
10827 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
10828 buffers, you could say something like:
10831 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
10834 If you want only highlighting and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
10837 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
10840 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
10841 in all Gnus buffers.
10843 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
10846 @item gnus-mouse-face
10847 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
10848 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
10849 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
10851 @item gnus-display-type
10852 @vindex gnus-display-type
10853 This variable is symbol indicating the display type Emacs is running
10854 under. The symbol should be one of @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
10855 @code{mono}. If Gnus guesses this display attribute wrongly, either set
10856 this variable in your @file{~/.emacs} or set the resource
10857 @code{Emacs.displayType} in your @file{~/.Xdefaults}.
10859 @item gnus-background-mode
10860 @vindex gnus-background-mode
10861 This is a symbol indicating the Emacs background brightness. The symbol
10862 should be one of @code{light} or @code{dark}. If Gnus guesses this
10863 frame attribute wrongly, either set this variable in your @file{~/.emacs} or
10864 set the resource @code{Emacs.backgroundMode} in your @file{~/.Xdefaults}.
10865 `gnus-display-type'.
10868 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
10872 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
10873 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
10874 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
10876 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
10877 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
10878 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
10880 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
10881 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
10882 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
10884 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
10885 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
10886 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
10888 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
10889 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
10890 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
10892 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
10893 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
10894 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
10905 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
10906 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
10907 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
10908 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
10909 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
10913 @vindex gnus-carpal
10914 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
10915 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
10916 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
10921 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
10922 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
10923 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
10925 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
10926 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
10927 Face used on buttons.
10929 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
10930 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
10931 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
10933 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
10934 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
10935 Buttons in the group buffer.
10937 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
10938 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
10939 Buttons in the summary buffer.
10941 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
10942 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
10943 Buttons in the server buffer.
10945 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
10946 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
10947 Buttons in the browse buffer.
10950 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
10951 is either a cons cell where the car contains a text to be displayed and
10952 the cdr contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
10960 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
10961 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
10962 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
10963 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
10964 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
10966 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
10967 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
10968 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
10970 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
10971 been idle for thirty minutes:
10974 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
10977 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
10981 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
10984 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter works together
10985 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
10986 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
10988 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
10989 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
10990 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
10991 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
10993 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
10994 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
10995 @var{idle} minutes.
10997 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
10998 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
11001 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
11002 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
11003 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
11005 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
11006 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
11007 seconds. This is @code{60} by default. If you change that variable,
11008 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
11010 @vindex gnus-use-demon
11011 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
11012 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
11014 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
11015 your @file{.gnus} file:
11017 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
11019 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
11022 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
11023 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
11024 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
11025 Some ready-made functions to do this has been created:
11026 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection}, and
11027 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
11028 @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
11030 @findex gnus-demon-init
11031 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
11032 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
11033 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
11034 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
11035 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
11037 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you overdo it. Adding
11038 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
11039 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
11048 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
11049 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
11051 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
11052 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
11053 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
11054 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
11057 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
11058 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
11059 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
11060 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
11062 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
11063 this will make spam disappear.
11065 There are some variables to customize, of course:
11068 @item gnus-use-nocem
11069 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
11070 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
11073 @item gnus-nocem-groups
11074 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
11075 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
11076 default is @code{("alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
11078 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
11079 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
11080 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
11081 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
11082 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;" "jem@@xpat.com;" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
11083 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
11085 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
11088 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
11089 @cindex Chris Lewis
11090 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
11091 usenet abuse than anybody else.
11094 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
11095 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
11096 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
11098 @item jem@@xpat.com;
11100 Jem---Korean despammer who is getting very busy these days.
11102 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
11103 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
11104 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
11107 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
11108 ones you want to listen to.
11110 @item gnus-nocem-directory
11111 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
11112 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
11113 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
11115 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
11116 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
11117 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
11118 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
11119 might then see old spam.
11127 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
11128 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
11129 over your shoulder as you read news.
11132 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
11133 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
11134 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
11135 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
11136 * Picon Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
11141 @subsection Picon Basics
11143 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site
11144 (@samp{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}):
11147 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
11148 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
11149 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
11150 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
11151 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
11152 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
11153 @code{GIF} formats.
11156 Please see the above mentioned web site for instructions on obtaining
11157 and installing the picons databases, or the following ftp site:
11158 @samp{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}.
11160 @vindex gnus-picons-database
11161 Gnus expects picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
11162 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
11165 @node Picon Requirements
11166 @subsection Picon Requirements
11168 To use have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
11169 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
11172 Additionally, you must have @code{xpm} support compiled into XEmacs.
11174 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
11175 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you must have
11176 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
11177 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
11181 @subsection Easy Picons
11183 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
11184 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
11187 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
11188 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
11189 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-prepare-hook 'gnus-group-display-picons t)
11190 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
11195 @subsection Hard Picons
11197 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
11198 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
11199 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
11200 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
11201 feature, you need to first decide where to display them.
11205 @item gnus-picons-display-where
11206 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
11207 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
11208 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
11209 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
11210 @samp{"*scratch*"} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
11211 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
11212 routines---@xref{Windows Configuration}.
11216 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
11217 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
11219 Now that you've made that decision, you need to add the following
11220 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get
11221 displayed at the right time.
11223 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
11224 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
11226 @item gnus-article-display-picons
11227 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
11228 Looks up and display the picons for the author and the author's domain
11229 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to
11230 the @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
11232 @item gnus-group-display-picons
11233 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
11234 Displays picons representing the current group. This function should
11235 be added to the @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook} or to the
11236 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} if @code{gnus-picons-display-where}
11237 is set to @code{article}.
11239 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
11240 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
11241 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
11242 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
11246 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
11247 to the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
11250 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
11254 @node Picon Configuration
11255 @subsection Picon Configuration
11257 The following variables offer further control over how things are
11258 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
11259 don't need to worry about.
11262 @item gnus-picons-database
11263 @vindex gnus-picons-database
11264 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
11265 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
11266 subdirectories. Defaults to @file{/usr/local/faces}.
11268 @item gnus-picons-news-directory
11269 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directory
11270 Sub-directory of the faces database containing the icons for
11273 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
11274 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
11275 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
11276 faces. Defaults to @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc/MISC")}.
11278 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
11279 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
11280 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
11281 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
11282 want to add @samp{unknown} to this list.
11284 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
11285 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
11286 The command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
11287 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
11288 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
11289 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
11291 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
11292 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
11293 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
11294 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
11296 @item gnus-picons-buffer
11297 @vindex gnus-picons-buffer
11298 The name of the buffer that @code{picons} points to. Defaults to
11299 @samp{*Icon Buffer*}.
11304 @node Various Various
11305 @section Various Various
11312 @vindex gnus-verbose
11313 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
11314 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
11315 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
11316 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
11317 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
11319 @item gnus-verbose-backends
11320 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
11321 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
11322 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
11324 @item nnheader-max-head-length
11325 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
11326 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
11327 as little as possible. This variable (default @code{4096}) specifies
11328 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
11329 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
11330 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
11331 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
11332 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
11335 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
11336 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
11338 @cindex illegal characters in file names
11339 @cindex characters in file names
11340 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
11341 For instance, if @samp{:} is illegal as a file character in file names
11342 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
11345 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
11349 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
11350 Windows (phooey) systems.
11352 @item gnus-hidden-properties
11353 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
11354 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
11355 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
11356 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
11358 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
11359 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
11360 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
11361 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
11362 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
11364 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
11365 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
11366 String used to separate to shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
11375 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
11376 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
11378 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
11380 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
11385 Not because of victories @*
11388 but for the common sunshine,@*
11390 the largess of the spring.
11393 but for the day's work done@*
11394 as well as I was able;@*
11395 not for a seat upon the dais@*
11396 but at the common table.@*
11401 @chapter Appendices
11404 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
11405 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
11406 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
11407 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
11408 * A Programmers Guide to Gnus:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
11409 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
11410 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
11418 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
11419 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
11421 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
11422 can point your (feh!) web browser to
11423 @file{http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
11424 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
11425 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
11427 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
11428 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)}, is, of course, short for
11429 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
11430 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
11431 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
11432 appropriate name, don't you think?)
11434 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
11435 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
11436 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
11437 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
11439 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
11440 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution.
11442 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'') was
11443 released under the name ``Gnus 5.2''.
11445 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun.
11448 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
11449 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
11450 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
11451 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
11452 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
11453 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
11454 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
11461 What's the point of Gnus?
11463 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
11464 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
11465 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
11466 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
11467 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
11468 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
11469 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
11470 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
11471 keep track of millions of people who post?
11473 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
11474 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
11475 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
11476 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
11477 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
11478 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
11479 everywhere I could imagine useful. By doing so, I'm inviting every one
11480 of you to explore and invent.
11482 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x hail-emacs}.
11485 @node Compatibility
11486 @subsection Compatibility
11488 @cindex compatibility
11489 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
11490 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
11491 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
11496 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
11500 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
11503 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @pxref{Decoding
11506 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
11507 buffers. All variables that are relevant while reading a group are
11508 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
11509 important variables have their values copied into their global
11510 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
11511 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
11513 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
11514 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
11515 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
11516 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
11517 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
11521 @cindex highlighting
11522 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
11523 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
11524 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
11525 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
11526 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
11527 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
11530 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
11531 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
11532 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
11533 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
11535 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
11536 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
11537 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
11538 to stop doing it the old way.
11540 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
11542 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
11544 @cindex reporting bugs
11546 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
11547 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
11548 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
11552 @subsection Conformity
11554 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
11555 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
11562 There are no known breaches of this standard.
11566 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
11568 @item Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
11569 @cindex Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
11570 Gnus has been through the Seal process and failed. I think it'll pass
11571 the next inspection.
11573 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
11574 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
11575 We do have some breaches to this one.
11580 Gnus does no MIME handling, and this standard-to-be seems to think that
11581 MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
11584 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
11585 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
11586 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
11587 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
11588 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
11591 Gnus does line breaking on this header. I infer from RFC1036 that being
11592 conservative in what you output is not creating 5000-character lines, so
11593 it seems like a good idea to me. However, this standard-to-be says that
11594 whitespace in the @code{References} header is to be preserved, so... It
11595 doesn't matter one way or the other to Gnus, so if somebody tells me
11596 what The Way is, I'll change it. Or not.
11601 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliantly with regards to the texts
11602 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
11607 @subsection Emacsen
11613 Gnus should work on :
11618 Emacs 19.30 and up.
11621 XEmacs 19.13 and up.
11624 Mule versions based on Emacs 19.30 and up.
11628 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
11629 reliably, at least.
11631 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various platforms:
11636 The mouse-face on Gnus lines under Emacs and Mule is delimited to
11637 certain parts of the lines while they cover the entire line under
11641 The same with current-article marking---XEmacs puts an underline under
11642 the entire summary line while Emacs and Mule are nicer and kinder.
11645 XEmacs features more graphics---a logo and a toolbar.
11648 Citation highlighting us better under Emacs and Mule than under XEmacs.
11651 Emacs 19.26-19.28 have tangible hidden headers, which can be a bit
11658 @subsection Contributors
11659 @cindex contributors
11661 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
11662 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
11663 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
11664 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
11665 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
11666 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
11667 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
11668 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
11669 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
11670 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
11672 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
11677 @item Masanobu @sc{Umeda}
11678 The writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
11680 @item Per Abrahamsen
11681 Custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as well as numerous
11684 @item Luis Fernandes
11685 Design and graphics.
11688 @file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on @dfn{picons}
11692 @file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section (@pxref{GroupLens}).
11694 @item Sudish Joseph
11695 Innumerable bug fixes.
11698 @file{gnus-topic.el}.
11700 @item Steven L. Baur
11701 Lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
11703 @item Vladimir Alexiev
11704 The refcard and reference booklets.
11706 @item Felix Lee & JWZ
11707 I stole some pieces from the XGnus distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
11710 @file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
11712 @item Peter Mutsaers
11713 Orphan article scoring code.
11718 @item Hallvard B Furuseth
11719 Various bits and pieces, especially dealing with .newsrc files.
11721 @item Brian Edmonds
11722 @file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
11724 @item Ricardo Nassif and Mark Borges
11727 @item Kevin Davidson
11728 Came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
11732 Peter Arius, Stainless Steel Rat, Ulrik Dickow, Jack Vinson, Daniel
11733 Quinlan, Frank D. Cringle, Geoffrey T. Dairiki, Fabrice Popineau and
11734 Andrew Eskilsson have all contributed code and suggestions.
11738 @subsection New Features
11739 @cindex new features
11744 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
11745 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
11748 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
11749 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
11752 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
11755 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
11756 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
11757 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
11760 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
11761 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
11762 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
11763 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
11766 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
11767 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
11770 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
11771 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
11772 (@pxref{The Active File}).
11775 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
11776 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
11779 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
11780 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
11781 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
11784 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
11785 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
11786 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
11789 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
11790 the @file{.emacs} file.
11793 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
11794 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
11797 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
11798 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
11801 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
11802 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
11805 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
11806 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
11809 Gnus can fetch articles asynchronously on a second connection to the
11810 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
11813 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
11816 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
11817 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
11820 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
11821 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
11824 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
11825 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
11828 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
11831 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
11832 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
11835 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
11839 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
11843 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
11844 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
11847 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
11851 Gnus can use NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
11855 This is, of course, just a @emph{short} overview of the @emph{most}
11856 important new features. No, really. There are tons more. Yes, we have
11857 feeping creaturism in full effect, but nothing too gratuitous, I would
11861 @node Newest Features
11862 @subsection Newest Features
11865 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
11868 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
11872 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
11874 A better and simpler method for specifying mail composing methods.
11876 Allow posting through mail-to-news gateways.
11878 Really do unbinhexing.
11881 And much, much, much more. There is more to come than has already been
11882 implemented. (But that's always true, isn't it?)
11884 @code{<URL:http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/sgnus/todo>} is where the actual
11885 up-to-the-second todo list is located, so if you're really curious, you
11886 could point your Web browser over that-a-way.
11890 @section Terminology
11892 @cindex terminology
11897 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
11898 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
11899 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
11900 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
11901 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
11905 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
11906 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
11907 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
11908 not posting, and replying is not following up.
11912 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
11916 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
11921 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
11922 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
11923 is all done by the backends.
11927 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
11928 default, way of getting news.
11932 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
11933 These are groups that use different backends for getting news.
11937 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
11938 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
11942 A nessage that has been posted as news.
11945 @cindex mail message
11946 A message that has been mailed.
11950 A mail message or news article
11954 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
11959 The rest of an article. Everything that is not in the head is in the
11964 A line from the head of an article.
11968 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
11969 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
11973 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
11974 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
11975 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
11976 normal @sc{head} format.
11980 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
11981 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
11982 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
11983 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
11984 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
11985 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
11987 @item killed groups
11988 @cindex killed groups
11989 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
11990 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
11992 @item zombie groups
11993 @cindex zombie groups
11994 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
11997 @cindex active file
11998 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
11999 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
12000 is rather large, as you might surmise.
12003 @cindex bogus groups
12004 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
12005 server (i. e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
12006 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
12010 A machine than one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
12012 @item select method
12013 @cindex select method
12014 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
12017 @item virtual server
12018 @cindex virtual server
12019 A named select method. Since a select methods defines all there is to
12020 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the who things as a
12021 whole is a virtual server.
12026 @node Customization
12027 @section Customization
12028 @cindex general customization
12030 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
12031 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
12032 for some quite common situations.
12035 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
12036 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
12037 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
12038 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
12042 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
12043 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
12045 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
12046 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
12047 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
12051 @item gnus-read-active-file
12052 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
12053 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
12054 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-news} and
12055 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
12056 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
12058 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
12059 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
12060 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
12061 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
12065 @node Slow Terminal Connection
12066 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
12068 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that
12069 runs Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce the
12070 amount of data that is sent over the wires as much as possible.
12074 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
12075 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
12076 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
12077 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
12078 horizontal and vertical recentering.
12080 @item gnus-visible-headers
12081 Cut down on the headers that are included in the articles to the
12082 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
12083 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
12084 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
12086 @item gnus-article-display-hook
12087 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
12089 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
12090 '(gnus-article-hide-headers gnus-article-hide-signature
12091 gnus-article-hide-citation))
12094 @item gnus-use-full-window
12095 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
12096 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
12097 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
12098 want to read them anyway.
12100 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
12101 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
12104 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
12105 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
12106 lines, which might save some time.
12110 @node Little Disk Space
12111 @subsection Little Disk Space
12114 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
12115 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
12119 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
12120 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
12121 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
12122 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
12125 @item gnus-save-killed-list
12126 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
12127 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
12128 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
12129 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
12135 @subsection Slow Machine
12136 @cindex slow machine
12138 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
12139 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
12141 Set@code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
12142 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
12144 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
12145 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
12146 summary buffer faster.
12148 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
12149 processing a bit faster.
12152 @node Troubleshooting
12153 @section Troubleshooting
12154 @cindex troubleshooting
12156 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
12164 Make sure your computer is switched on.
12167 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
12168 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
12172 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
12173 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
12174 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
12175 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
12178 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
12182 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
12185 @cindex reporting bugs
12187 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
12189 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
12190 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
12191 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
12192 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
12194 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
12195 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
12196 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
12197 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
12200 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
12201 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you send back
12202 just ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
12203 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
12204 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
12205 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
12207 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
12208 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
12209 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
12212 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
12213 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
12215 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
12216 @cindex ding mailing list
12217 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@ifi.uio.no}.
12218 Write to @samp{ding-request@@ifi.uio.no} to subscribe.
12221 @node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
12222 @section A Programmer's Guide to Gnus
12224 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
12225 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
12226 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
12227 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
12230 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
12231 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
12232 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
12233 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
12234 and general method of operations.
12237 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
12238 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
12239 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
12240 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
12241 * Group Info:: The group info format.
12242 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
12243 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
12247 @node Backend Interface
12248 @subsection Backend Interface
12250 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
12251 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
12252 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
12253 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
12254 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
12255 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
12257 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
12258 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
12259 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
12260 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
12261 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
12262 been opened, the function should fail.
12264 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
12265 name. Take this example:
12269 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
12270 (nntp-port-number 4324))
12273 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
12274 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
12276 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
12277 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
12278 server environments that it pulls down/pushes up when needed.
12280 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
12281 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
12282 always check whether are present before attempting to call.
12284 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
12285 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
12286 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
12287 ``resulting data'', I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
12288 talk about ``return value'', I talk about the function value returned by
12291 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
12292 some might be said to not be. The latter are backends that generally
12293 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
12294 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
12297 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
12300 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
12303 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
12304 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
12305 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
12309 @node Required Backend Functions
12310 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
12314 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
12316 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
12317 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
12318 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
12319 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
12321 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
12322 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
12323 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
12324 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
12326 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try to fetch "extra
12327 headers, in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
12328 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
12329 article number in @code{articles}, and fill in the gaps as well. The
12330 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
12331 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
12332 number, do maximum fetches.
12334 Here's an example HEAD:
12337 221 1056 Article retrieved.
12338 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
12339 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
12340 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
12341 Subject: Re: Something very droll
12342 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
12343 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
12345 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
12346 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
12347 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
12351 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
12352 these in the data buffer.
12354 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
12358 head = error / valid-head
12359 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
12360 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
12361 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
12362 header = <text> eol
12365 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
12366 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
12370 nov-buffer = *nov-line
12371 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
12372 field = <text except TAB>
12375 For a closer explanation what should be in those fields,
12379 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
12381 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
12382 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that defines this virtual server.
12384 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
12385 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
12386 server. In fact, it should do so.
12388 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
12389 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
12392 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
12394 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
12395 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
12398 There should be no data returned.
12401 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
12403 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
12404 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
12405 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
12406 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
12408 There should be no data returned.
12411 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
12413 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
12414 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
12415 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
12416 attempt to reconnect to a server that is has lost connection to.
12418 There should be no data returned.
12421 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
12423 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
12425 There should be no data returned.
12428 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
12430 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
12431 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
12432 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
12433 it would be nice if that were possible.
12435 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
12436 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
12437 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
12438 another, and Gnus mainly request articles to be inserted directly into
12439 its article buffer.
12441 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
12442 the car is the group name the article was fetched from, and the cdr is
12443 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
12444 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
12445 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
12446 on successful article retrievement.
12449 @item (nnchoke-open-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
12451 Make @var{group} the current group.
12453 There should be no data returned by this function.
12456 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
12458 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
12459 making @var{group} the current group.
12461 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
12464 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
12467 The first number is the status, which should be @code{211}. Next is the
12468 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
12469 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
12470 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
12471 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
12472 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
12473 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
12474 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
12477 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
12478 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
12479 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
12483 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
12485 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
12486 a no-op on most backends.
12488 There should be no data returned.
12491 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
12493 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
12496 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
12499 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
12500 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
12503 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
12504 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
12507 active-file = *active-line
12508 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
12510 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
12513 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
12514 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
12515 (@samp{=other-group} or none of the above (@samp{y}).
12518 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
12520 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
12521 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
12522 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
12523 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
12524 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
12525 clear if the posting could not be completed.
12527 There should be no result data from this function.
12532 @node Optional Backend Functions
12533 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
12537 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
12539 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
12540 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
12541 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
12543 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
12544 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
12545 former is in the same format as the data from
12546 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
12547 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
12550 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
12554 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
12556 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
12557 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
12558 information (as is the case with virtual an imap groups). This function
12559 may alter the info in any manner it sees fit, and should return the
12560 (altered) group info. This function may alter the group info
12561 destructively, so no copying is needed before boogeying.
12563 There should be no result data from this function.
12566 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
12568 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
12569 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
12570 user is following up is news or mail. This function should return
12571 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
12572 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
12573 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
12574 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.)
12576 There should be no result data from this function.
12579 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
12581 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
12582 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
12583 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
12584 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
12585 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
12587 The only use for this that I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
12588 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
12589 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
12592 There should be no result data from this function.
12595 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
12597 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
12598 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
12599 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
12600 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
12601 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
12602 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
12603 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
12605 There should be no result data from this function.
12608 @item (nnchoke-request-asynchronous GROUP &optional SERVER ARTICLES)
12610 This is a request to fetch articles asynchronously later.
12611 @var{articles} is an alist of @var{(article-number line-number)}. One
12612 would generally expect that if one later fetches article number 4, for
12613 instance, some sort of asynchronous fetching of the articles after 4
12614 (which might be 5, 6, 7 or 11, 3, 909 depending on the order in that
12615 alist) would be fetched asynchronously, but that is left up to the
12616 backend. Gnus doesn't care.
12618 There should be no result data from this function.
12621 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
12623 The result data from this function should be a description of
12627 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
12629 description = <text>
12632 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
12634 The result data from this function should be the description of all
12635 groups available on the server.
12638 description-buffer = *description-line
12642 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
12644 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
12645 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
12646 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
12649 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
12651 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
12653 There should be no return data.
12656 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
12658 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
12659 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
12660 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
12661 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
12662 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
12665 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
12668 There should be no result data returned.
12671 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
12674 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
12675 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
12677 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
12678 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
12679 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
12680 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
12681 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
12682 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
12684 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
12685 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
12688 The function should return a cons where the car is the group name and
12689 the cdr is the article number that the article was entered as.
12691 There should be no data returned.
12694 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
12696 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
12697 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
12698 this function in short order.
12700 The function should return a cons where the car is the group name and
12701 the cdr is the article number that the article was entered as.
12703 There should be no data returned.
12706 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
12708 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
12709 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
12711 There should be no data returned.
12714 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
12716 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
12717 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
12718 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
12720 There should be no data returned.
12723 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
12725 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
12726 articles that are in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
12728 There should be no data returned.
12733 @node Writing New Backends
12734 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
12736 The various backends share many similarities. @code{nnml} is just like
12737 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
12738 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
12739 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
12740 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
12743 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
12744 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
12745 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
12747 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
12748 package called @code{nnoo}.
12750 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
12751 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
12758 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
12759 parameters. For instance:
12762 (nnoo-declare nndir
12766 @code{nndir} has here declared that it intends to inherit functions from
12767 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
12770 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
12771 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
12772 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
12774 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
12775 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
12776 a function in those backends.
12779 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
12780 "Where nndir will look for groups."
12781 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
12784 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
12785 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
12786 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
12788 @item nnoo-define-basics
12789 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
12793 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
12797 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
12798 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
12799 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
12801 @item nnoo-map-functions
12802 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
12803 functions from the parent backends.
12806 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
12807 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
12808 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
12811 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
12812 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
12813 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
12814 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
12817 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
12818 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
12819 haven't already been defined.
12825 nnmh-request-newgroups)
12829 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
12830 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
12831 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
12836 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
12839 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
12840 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
12844 (require 'nnheader)
12848 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
12850 (nnoo-declare nndir
12853 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
12854 "Where nndir will look for groups."
12855 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
12857 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
12858 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
12861 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
12862 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
12863 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
12865 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
12866 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
12868 ;;; Interface functions.
12870 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
12872 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
12873 (setq nndir-directory
12874 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
12876 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
12877 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
12878 (push `(nndir-current-group
12879 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
12881 (push `(nndir-top-directory
12882 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
12884 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
12886 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
12887 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
12888 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
12889 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
12890 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
12894 nnmh-status-message
12896 nnmh-request-newgroups))
12903 @node Score File Syntax
12904 @subsection Score File Syntax
12906 Score files are meant to be easily parsable, but yet extremely
12907 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
12908 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
12910 Here's a typical score file:
12914 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
12921 BNF definition of a score file:
12924 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
12925 element = rule / atom
12926 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
12927 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
12928 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
12929 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
12931 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
12932 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
12933 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
12934 date-header = "date"
12935 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
12936 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
12937 score = "nil" / <integer>
12938 date = "nil" / <natural number>
12939 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
12940 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
12941 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
12942 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
12943 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
12944 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
12945 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
12946 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
12947 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
12948 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
12949 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
12950 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
12951 exclude-files / read-only / touched
12952 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
12953 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
12954 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
12955 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
12956 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
12957 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
12958 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
12959 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
12960 adapt = "adapt" [ space "nil" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
12961 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
12962 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
12963 eval = "eval" space <form>
12964 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
12967 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
12970 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
12971 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
12972 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
12973 one looong line, then that's ok.
12975 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
12980 @subsection Headers
12982 Gnus uses internally a format for storing article headers that
12983 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
12984 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
12985 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
12987 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
12988 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (eg.,
12989 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
12990 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
12991 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
12992 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
12993 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
12995 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
12996 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
12997 @code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
12998 slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
12999 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
13001 The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
13008 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
13009 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
13011 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
13012 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
13013 that you want to callify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
13014 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
13016 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
13020 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
13023 is transformed into
13026 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
13029 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
13030 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
13033 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
13036 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
13037 is slightly tricky:
13040 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
13046 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
13049 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
13055 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
13062 and is equal to the previous range.
13064 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
13065 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
13066 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
13070 range = simple-range / normal-range
13071 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
13072 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
13073 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
13074 number *[ " " contents ]
13077 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
13078 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
13079 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
13080 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
13081 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
13086 @subsection Group Info
13088 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
13089 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
13090 describes the group.
13092 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
13093 second is a more complex one:
13096 ("no.group" 5 (1 . 54324))
13098 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
13099 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
13101 (auto-expire (to-address "ding@@ifi.uio.no")))
13104 The first element is the group name as Gnus knows the group; the second
13105 is the group level; the third is the read articles in range format; the
13106 fourth is a list of article marks lists; the fifth is the select method;
13107 and the sixth contains the group parameters.
13109 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
13112 info = "(" group space level space read
13113 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
13114 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
13115 group = quote <string> quote
13116 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
13118 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
13119 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
13120 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
13121 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
13124 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
13125 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
13129 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
13130 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
13134 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
13135 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
13136 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
13138 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
13139 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
13140 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
13141 Gnus, that's very useful.
13143 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
13144 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
13145 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
13146 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
13147 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
13148 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
13149 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
13150 following function:
13153 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
13157 (,function ,@@args))
13161 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
13162 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
13163 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
13166 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
13167 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
13168 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
13171 @node Various File Formats
13172 @subsection Various File Formats
13175 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
13176 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
13180 @node Active File Format
13181 @subsubsection Active File Format
13183 The active file lists all groups that are available on the server in
13184 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
13187 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
13190 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
13191 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
13192 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
13193 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
13194 no.general 1000 900 y
13197 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
13200 active = *group-line
13201 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
13202 group = <non-white-space string>
13204 high-number = <non-negative integer>
13205 low-number = <positive integer>
13206 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
13210 @node Newsgroups File Format
13211 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
13213 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
13214 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
13215 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
13218 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
13219 Here's the definition:
13223 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
13224 group = <non-white-space string>
13226 description = <string>
13230 @node Emacs for Heathens
13231 @section Emacs for Heathens
13233 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
13234 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
13235 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
13236 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
13237 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
13238 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
13239 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
13243 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
13244 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
13249 @subsection Keystrokes
13253 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
13256 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
13259 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
13260 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
13261 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
13262 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
13263 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
13264 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
13266 The shift key is normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
13267 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
13268 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
13269 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
13270 keyboards. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
13271 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
13272 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
13274 Now, us Emacs people doesn't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
13275 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
13276 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
13277 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
13278 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
13279 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
13280 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
13282 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
13283 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
13284 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
13285 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
13286 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
13292 @subsection Emacs Lisp
13294 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
13295 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
13296 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
13297 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
13299 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
13300 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
13301 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
13302 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
13303 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
13304 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
13305 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
13308 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
13309 write the following:
13312 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
13315 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
13316 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
13317 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
13320 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
13321 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
13322 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
13323 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
13324 previous ``form'', which here is a simple @code{setq} statement.
13326 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
13327 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
13328 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
13332 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
13336 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
13339 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
13340 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
13343 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
13346 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
13347 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
13350 @include gnus-faq.texi