10 * Gnus: (gnus). The newsreader Gnus.
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284 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
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293 Copyright \copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
295 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
298 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
299 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
300 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
301 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
302 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
303 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
304 License'' in the Emacs manual.
306 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
307 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
308 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
310 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
311 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
312 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
313 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
321 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
323 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
324 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
326 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
327 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
328 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
329 Invariant Sections being none, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
330 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
331 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
332 License'' in the Emacs manual.
334 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
335 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
336 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
338 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
339 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
340 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
341 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
349 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
352 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
353 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
355 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
357 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
358 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
359 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
360 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU
361 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the
362 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation
363 License'' in the Emacs manual.
365 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify
366 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free
367 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.''
369 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free
370 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document
371 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the
372 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license.
381 @top The Gnus Newsreader
385 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
386 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
387 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
390 This manual corresponds to Oort Gnus v0.15.
401 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
402 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
404 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
405 being accused of plagiarism:
407 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
408 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
409 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you
410 can even read news with it!
412 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
413 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
414 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
415 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
416 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
422 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
423 * Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
424 * Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
425 * Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
426 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
427 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
428 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
429 * Various:: General purpose settings.
430 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
431 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
432 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
433 * Key Index:: Key Index.
435 Other related manuals
437 * Message:(message). Composing messages.
438 * Emacs-MIME:(emacs-mime). Composing messages; MIME-specific parts.
439 * Sieve:(sieve). Managing Sieve scripts in Emacs.
440 * PGG:(pgg). PGP/MIME with Gnus.
443 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
447 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
448 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
449 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
450 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
451 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
452 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
453 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
454 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
455 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
456 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
457 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
461 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
462 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
463 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
467 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
468 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
469 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
470 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
471 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
472 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
473 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
474 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
475 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
476 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
477 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
478 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
479 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
480 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
481 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
482 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
483 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
487 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
488 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
489 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
493 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
494 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
495 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
496 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
497 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
501 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
502 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
503 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
504 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
505 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
509 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
510 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
511 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
512 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
513 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
514 * Delayed Articles:: Send articles at a later time.
515 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
516 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
517 * Threading:: How threads are made.
518 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
519 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
520 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
521 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
522 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
523 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
524 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
525 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
526 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
527 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
528 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
529 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
530 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
531 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
532 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
533 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
534 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
535 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
536 or reselecting the current group.
537 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
538 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
539 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
540 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
542 Summary Buffer Format
544 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
545 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
546 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
547 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
551 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
552 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
554 Reply, Followup and Post
556 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
557 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
558 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
559 * Canceling and Superseding::
563 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
564 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
565 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
567 * Generic Marking Commands::
568 * Setting Process Marks::
572 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
573 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
574 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
578 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
579 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
581 Customizing Threading
583 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
584 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
585 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
586 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over@dots{} but you were wrong!
590 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
591 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
592 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
593 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
594 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
595 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
599 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
600 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
601 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
605 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
606 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
607 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
608 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
609 * Article Header:: Doing various header transformations.
610 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
611 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
612 * Article Display:: Display various stuff---X-Face, Picons, Smileys
613 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
614 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
616 Alternative Approaches
618 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
619 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
621 Various Summary Stuff
623 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
624 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
625 * Summary Generation Commands::
626 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
630 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
631 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
632 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
633 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
634 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
638 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
639 * Posting Server:: What server should you post and mail via?
640 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
641 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
642 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
643 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
644 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
645 * Signing and encrypting:: How to compose secure messages.
649 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
650 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
651 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
652 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
653 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
654 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
655 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
656 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
660 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
661 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
662 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
663 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
664 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
665 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
666 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
670 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
671 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
675 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
676 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
677 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
681 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
682 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
683 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
684 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
685 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
686 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
687 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
688 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
689 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
690 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
691 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
692 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
693 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
697 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
698 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
699 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
701 Choosing a Mail Back End
703 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
704 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
705 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
706 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
707 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
708 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
713 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
714 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
715 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
716 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
717 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
718 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
722 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
723 * Expiring in IMAP:: Expiring mail with nnimap.
724 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
725 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a ``compress mailbox'' button.
726 * A note on namespaces:: How to (not) use IMAP namespace in Gnus.
730 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
731 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
732 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
733 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
734 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
738 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
742 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
743 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
744 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
748 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
749 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
753 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
754 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
755 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
756 * Agent as Cache:: The Agent is a big cache too.
757 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
758 * Agent Regeneration:: How to recover from lost connections and other accidents.
759 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
760 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
761 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
762 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
763 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
764 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
768 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
769 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
770 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
774 * Group Agent Commands:: Configure groups and fetch their contents.
775 * Summary Agent Commands:: Manually select then fetch specific articles.
776 * Server Agent Commands:: Select the servers that are supported by the agent.
780 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
781 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
782 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
783 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
784 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
785 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
786 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
787 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
788 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
789 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
790 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
791 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
792 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
793 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
794 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
795 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
796 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
800 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
801 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
802 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
803 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
807 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
808 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
809 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
813 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
814 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
815 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
816 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
817 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
818 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
819 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
820 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
821 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
822 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
823 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
824 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
825 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
826 * Predicate Specifiers:: Specifying predicates.
827 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
828 * Image Enhancements:: Modern versions of Emacs/XEmacs can display images.
829 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
830 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
831 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
835 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
836 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
837 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
838 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
839 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
840 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
841 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
842 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
846 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what you're reading.
847 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
848 * X-Face:: Display a funky, teensy black-and-white image.
849 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
853 * The problem of spam:: Some background, and some solutions
854 * Anti-Spam Basics:: Simple steps to reduce the amount of spam.
855 * SpamAssassin:: How to use external anti-spam tools.
856 * Hashcash:: Reduce spam by burning CPU time.
857 * Filtering Spam Using The Spam ELisp Package::
858 * Filtering Spam Using Statistics with spam-stat::
862 * XEmacs:: Requirements for installing under XEmacs.
863 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
864 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
865 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
866 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
867 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
868 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
869 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
870 * Frequently Asked Questions::
874 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
875 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
876 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
877 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
878 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
879 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
880 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
881 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
882 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
886 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
887 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
888 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
889 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
890 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
894 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
895 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
896 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
897 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
901 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
902 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
903 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
904 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
905 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
906 * Group Info:: The group info format.
907 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
908 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
909 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
913 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
914 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
915 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
916 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
917 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
918 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
922 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
923 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
927 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
928 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
934 @chapter Starting Gnus
939 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
940 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
943 @findex gnus-other-frame
944 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
945 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
946 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
948 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
949 variables in your @file{~/.gnus} file. This file is similar to
950 @file{~/.emacs}, but is read when gnus starts.
952 If you puzzle at any terms used in this manual, please refer to the
953 terminology section (@pxref{Terminology}).
956 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
957 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
958 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
959 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
960 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
961 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
962 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
963 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
964 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
965 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
966 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
970 @node Finding the News
971 @section Finding the News
974 @vindex gnus-select-method
976 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
977 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
978 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
979 native method. All groups not fetched with this method are
982 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
983 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
986 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
989 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
992 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
995 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
996 certainly be much faster. But do not use the local spool if your
997 server is running Leafnode; in this case, use @code{(nntp "localhost")}.
999 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
1001 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
1002 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
1003 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
1004 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
1005 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
1006 that fails as well, Gnus will try to use the machine running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
1008 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
1009 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
1010 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
1011 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
1013 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
1014 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
1015 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
1016 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
1017 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
1018 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
1019 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting. (Note that this
1020 will set @code{gnus-nntp-server}, which means that if you then @kbd{M-x
1021 gnus} later in the same Emacs session, Gnus will contact the same
1024 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
1026 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
1027 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
1028 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
1029 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
1030 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
1031 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
1033 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
1035 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
1036 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
1037 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
1038 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
1039 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
1040 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
1043 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} back end to read your mail,
1044 you would typically set this variable to
1047 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
1051 @node The First Time
1052 @section The First Time
1053 @cindex first time usage
1055 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
1056 be subscribed by default.
1058 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
1059 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
1060 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
1061 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
1064 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
1065 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is defined
1066 here as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
1068 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
1069 help you with most common problems.
1071 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
1072 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
1076 @node The Server is Down
1077 @section The Server is Down
1078 @cindex server errors
1080 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
1081 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
1082 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
1084 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
1085 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
1086 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
1087 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
1088 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
1089 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
1090 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
1092 @findex gnus-no-server
1093 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
1095 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
1096 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
1097 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
1098 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
1099 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
1100 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
1101 levels.) Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1105 @section Slave Gnusae
1108 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
1109 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
1110 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
1111 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
1113 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
1114 @file{.newsrc} file.
1116 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
1117 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
1118 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
1119 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
1120 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
1121 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
1122 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
1125 Anyway, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
1126 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
1127 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
1128 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
1129 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
1130 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
1131 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
1132 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
1134 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
1135 information in the normal (i.e., master) @file{.newsrc} file.
1137 If the @file{.newsrc*} files have not been saved in the master when the
1138 slave starts, you may be prompted as to whether to read an auto-save
1139 file. If you answer ``yes'', the unsaved changes to the master will be
1140 incorporated into the slave. If you answer ``no'', the slave may see some
1141 messages as unread that have been read in the master.
1143 @node Fetching a Group
1144 @section Fetching a Group
1145 @cindex fetching a group
1147 @findex gnus-fetch-group
1148 It is sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
1149 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
1150 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
1151 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
1152 It takes the group name as a parameter.
1158 @cindex subscription
1160 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
1161 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
1162 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
1163 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
1164 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
1165 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
1166 is @code{ask-server} by default. If you set this variable to
1167 @code{always}, then Gnus will query the back ends for new groups even
1168 when you do the @kbd{g} command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1171 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
1172 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
1173 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
1177 @node Checking New Groups
1178 @subsection Checking New Groups
1180 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
1181 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
1182 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
1183 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
1184 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
1185 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
1186 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
1187 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
1188 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
1189 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
1191 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
1192 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
1193 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
1194 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
1195 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
1196 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
1197 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
1198 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
1199 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
1200 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
1201 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
1203 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
1204 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
1205 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
1206 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
1207 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
1208 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
1211 @node Subscription Methods
1212 @subsection Subscription Methods
1214 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
1215 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
1216 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
1218 This variable should contain a function. This function will be called
1219 with the name of the new group as the only parameter.
1221 Some handy pre-fab functions are:
1225 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
1226 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
1227 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
1228 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
1229 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
1231 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
1232 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
1233 Subscribe all new groups in arbitrary order. This really means that all
1234 new groups will be added at ``the top'' of the group buffer.
1236 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1237 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
1238 Subscribe all new groups in alphabetical order.
1240 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1241 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
1242 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
1243 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
1244 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
1245 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into its
1246 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
1247 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
1248 up. Or something like that.
1250 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
1251 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
1252 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
1253 you about @strong{all} new groups. The groups you choose to subscribe
1254 to will be subscribed hierarchically.
1256 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
1257 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
1258 Kill all new groups.
1260 @item gnus-subscribe-topics
1261 @vindex gnus-subscribe-topics
1262 Put the groups into the topic that has a matching @code{subscribe} topic
1263 parameter (@pxref{Topic Parameters}). For instance, a @code{subscribe}
1264 topic parameter that looks like
1270 will mean that all groups that match that regex will be subscribed under
1273 If no topics match the groups, the groups will be subscribed in the
1278 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
1279 A closely related variable is
1280 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
1281 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
1282 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
1283 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
1286 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above
1287 (@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method}) to
1288 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
1289 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
1292 @node Filtering New Groups
1293 @subsection Filtering New Groups
1295 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
1296 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
1297 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
1300 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
1303 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
1304 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
1305 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
1306 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
1307 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
1308 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
1309 subscribing these groups.
1310 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
1311 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
1313 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
1314 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
1315 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
1316 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
1317 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
1318 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
1319 and if the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
1320 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
1322 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
1323 Yet another variable that meddles here is
1324 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
1325 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
1326 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
1327 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
1328 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
1329 that come from mail back ends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
1330 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, @code{nnmh}, and @code{nnmaildir})
1331 subscribed. If you don't like that, just set this variable to
1334 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
1335 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
1338 @node Changing Servers
1339 @section Changing Servers
1340 @cindex changing servers
1342 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
1343 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
1344 very flaky and you want to use another.
1346 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
1347 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
1351 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
1352 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
1353 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
1354 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
1357 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
1358 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
1359 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
1360 functions more than absolutely necessary.
1362 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
1363 @findex gnus-change-server
1364 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
1365 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
1366 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
1367 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
1368 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
1370 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1371 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
1372 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
1373 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
1374 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
1376 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1377 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1378 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
1379 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
1380 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
1381 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
1383 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data
1384 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1385 Clear the data from the current group only---nix out marks and the
1386 list of read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1388 After changing servers, you @strong{must} move the cache hierarchy away,
1389 since the cached articles will have wrong article numbers, which will
1390 affect which articles Gnus thinks are read.
1391 @code{gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} will ask you if you want
1392 to have it done automatically; for @code{gnus-group-clear-data}, you
1393 can use @kbd{M-x gnus-cache-move-cache} (but beware, it will move the
1394 cache for all groups).
1398 @section Startup Files
1399 @cindex startup files
1404 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
1405 information is traditionally stored in this file.
1407 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
1408 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
1409 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
1410 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
1411 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
1412 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
1413 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
1415 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
1416 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
1417 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
1418 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file. You should
1419 never delete the @file{.newsrc.eld} file---it contains much information
1420 not stored in the @file{.newsrc} file.
1422 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
1423 @vindex gnus-read-newsrc-file
1424 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
1425 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
1426 the file and save some space, as well as exiting from Gnus faster.
1427 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
1428 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right? Similarly, setting
1429 @code{gnus-read-newsrc-file} to @code{nil} makes Gnus ignore the
1430 @file{.newsrc} file and any @file{.newsrc-SERVER} files, which is
1431 convenient if you have a tendency to use Netscape once in a while.
1433 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
1434 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
1435 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
1436 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
1437 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
1438 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
1439 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
1440 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
1441 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
1442 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
1443 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
1444 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
1446 @vindex gnus-startup-file
1447 @vindex gnus-backup-startup-file
1448 @vindex version-control
1449 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
1450 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
1451 file being whatever that one is, with a @samp{.eld} appended.
1452 If you want version control for this file, set
1453 @code{gnus-backup-startup-file}. It respects the same values as the
1454 @code{version-control} variable.
1456 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
1457 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
1458 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
1459 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
1460 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
1461 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
1462 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
1463 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
1464 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
1465 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
1468 (defun turn-off-backup ()
1469 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
1471 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1472 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
1475 @vindex gnus-init-file
1476 @vindex gnus-site-init-file
1477 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
1478 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
1479 (@file{~/.gnus} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
1480 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{~/.emacs} and
1481 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff. Gnus will also check for files
1482 with the same names as these, but with @file{.elc} and @file{.el}
1483 suffixes. In other words, if you have set @code{gnus-init-file} to
1484 @file{~/.gnus}, it will look for @file{~/.gnus.elc}, @file{~/.gnus.el},
1485 and finally @file{~/.gnus} (in this order).
1491 @cindex dribble file
1494 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
1495 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
1496 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
1497 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
1498 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
1501 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
1502 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
1505 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
1506 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
1507 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
1509 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
1510 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
1511 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
1512 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
1513 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
1514 file permissions as the @file{.newsrc} file.
1516 @vindex gnus-always-read-dribble-file
1517 If @code{gnus-always-read-dribble-file} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will
1518 read the dribble file on startup without querying the user.
1521 @node The Active File
1522 @section The Active File
1524 @cindex ignored groups
1526 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
1527 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
1528 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
1530 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
1531 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
1532 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
1533 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
1534 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
1535 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
1536 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
1539 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
1540 @c if you set it to anything else.
1542 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
1544 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
1545 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
1546 reading the active file. This variable is @code{some} by default.
1548 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
1549 you actually subscribe to.
1551 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
1552 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
1553 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
1554 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
1556 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
1557 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
1558 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
1559 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
1560 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
1561 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
1563 Some news servers (old versions of Leafnode and old versions of INN, for
1564 instance) do not support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group}. For these
1565 servers, @code{nil} is probably the most efficient value for this
1568 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
1569 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
1570 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
1571 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
1572 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
1573 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
1575 If you think that starting up Gnus takes too long, try all the three
1576 different values for this variable and see what works best for you.
1578 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
1579 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
1581 Note that this variable also affects active file retrieval from
1582 secondary select methods.
1585 @node Startup Variables
1586 @section Startup Variables
1590 @item gnus-load-hook
1591 @vindex gnus-load-hook
1592 A hook run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
1593 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
1594 times you start Gnus.
1596 @item gnus-before-startup-hook
1597 @vindex gnus-before-startup-hook
1598 A hook run after starting up Gnus successfully.
1600 @item gnus-startup-hook
1601 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
1602 A hook run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1604 @item gnus-started-hook
1605 @vindex gnus-started-hook
1606 A hook that is run as the very last thing after starting up Gnus
1609 @item gnus-setup-news-hook
1610 @vindex gnus-setup-news-hook
1611 A hook that is run after reading the @file{.newsrc} file(s), but before
1612 generating the group buffer.
1614 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1615 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
1616 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
1617 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
1618 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
1619 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
1620 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
1621 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
1623 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1624 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
1625 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
1626 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
1627 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
1628 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @file{.emacs} instead.
1630 @item gnus-no-groups-message
1631 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
1632 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
1634 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
1635 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
1636 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
1638 @item gnus-startup-jingle
1639 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
1640 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
1641 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
1647 @chapter Group Buffer
1648 @cindex group buffer
1650 @c Alex Schroeder suggests to rearrange this as follows:
1652 @c <kensanata> ok, just save it for reference. I'll go to bed in a minute.
1653 @c 1. Selecting a Group, 2. (new) Finding a Group, 3. Group Levels,
1654 @c 4. Subscription Commands, 5. Group Maneuvering, 6. Group Data,
1655 @c 7. Group Score, 8. Group Buffer Format
1656 @c <kensanata> Group Levels should have more information on levels 5 to 9. I
1657 @c suggest to split the 4th paragraph ("Gnus considers groups...") as follows:
1658 @c <kensanata> First, "Gnus considers groups... (default 9)."
1659 @c <kensanata> New, a table summarizing what levels 1 to 9 mean.
1660 @c <kensanata> Third, "Gnus treats subscribed ... reasons of efficiency"
1661 @c <kensanata> Then expand the next paragraph or add some more to it.
1662 @c This short one sentence explains levels 1 and 2, therefore I understand
1663 @c that I should keep important news at 3 and boring news at 4.
1664 @c Say so! Then go on to explain why I should bother with levels 6 to 9.
1665 @c Maybe keep those that you don't want to read temporarily at 6,
1666 @c those that you never want to read at 8, those that offend your
1667 @c human rights at 9...
1670 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
1671 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
1672 long as Gnus is active.
1676 \gnusfigure{The Group Buffer}{320}{
1677 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group,height=9cm}}
1678 \put(120,37){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Buffer name}}
1679 \put(120,38){\vector(1,2){10}}
1680 \put(40,60){\makebox(0,0)[r]{Mode line}}
1681 \put(40,58){\vector(1,0){30}}
1682 \put(200,28){\makebox(0,0)[t]{Native select method}}
1683 \put(200,26){\vector(-1,2){15}}
1689 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1690 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1691 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1692 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1693 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1694 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1695 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1696 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1697 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1698 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1699 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1700 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1701 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1702 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1703 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1704 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1705 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1709 @node Group Buffer Format
1710 @section Group Buffer Format
1713 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1714 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1715 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1719 @node Group Line Specification
1720 @subsection Group Line Specification
1721 @cindex group buffer format
1723 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1724 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1726 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1729 25: news.announce.newusers
1730 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1735 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1736 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1737 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1738 asterisk at the beginning of the line?).
1740 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1741 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1742 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1743 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1744 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1745 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1747 @samp{%M%S%5y:%B%(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1749 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1750 the colon after performing an operation. @xref{Positioning
1751 Point}. Nothing else is required---not even the group name. All
1752 displayed text is just window dressing, and is never examined by Gnus.
1753 Gnus stores all real information it needs using text properties.
1755 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1756 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1757 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1759 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1764 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1767 Whether the group is subscribed.
1770 Level of subscribedness.
1773 Number of unread articles.
1776 Number of dormant articles.
1779 Number of ticked articles.
1782 Number of read articles.
1785 Number of unseen articles.
1788 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1789 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1791 Gnus uses this estimation because the @sc{nntp} protocol provides
1792 efficient access to @var{max-number} and @var{min-number} but getting
1793 the true unread message count is not possible efficiently. For
1794 hysterical raisins, even the mail back ends, where the true number of
1795 unread messages might be available efficiently, use the same limited
1796 interface. To remove this restriction from Gnus means that the back
1797 end interface has to be changed, which is not an easy job. If you
1798 want to work on this, please contact the Gnus mailing list.
1801 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1804 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1813 Group comment (@pxref{Group Parameters}) or group name if there is no
1814 comment element in the group parameters.
1817 Newsgroup description.
1820 @samp{m} if moderated.
1823 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1829 If the summary buffer for the group is open or not.
1835 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1839 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1842 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1843 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1844 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1845 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1846 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.e.gnus}.
1849 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1851 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1855 @samp{#} (@code{gnus-process-mark}) if the group is process marked.
1858 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1862 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1863 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
1864 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1865 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1866 parameter as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1867 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1872 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1873 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1874 group, or a bogus native group.
1877 @node Group Modeline Specification
1878 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1879 @cindex group modeline
1881 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1882 The mode line can be changed by setting
1883 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
1884 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1888 The native news server.
1890 The native select method.
1894 @node Group Highlighting
1895 @subsection Group Highlighting
1896 @cindex highlighting
1897 @cindex group highlighting
1899 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1900 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1901 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1902 that look like @code{(@var{form} . @var{face})}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1903 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1905 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1909 (cond (window-system
1910 (setq custom-background-mode 'light)
1911 (defface my-group-face-1
1912 '((t (:foreground "Red" :bold t))) "First group face")
1913 (defface my-group-face-2
1914 '((t (:foreground "DarkSeaGreen4" :bold t))) "Second group face")
1915 (defface my-group-face-3
1916 '((t (:foreground "Green4" :bold t))) "Third group face")
1917 (defface my-group-face-4
1918 '((t (:foreground "SteelBlue" :bold t))) "Fourth group face")
1919 (defface my-group-face-5
1920 '((t (:foreground "Blue" :bold t))) "Fifth group face")))
1922 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1923 '(((> unread 200) . my-group-face-1)
1924 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) . my-group-face-2)
1925 ((< level 3) . my-group-face-3)
1926 ((zerop unread) . my-group-face-4)
1927 (t . my-group-face-5)))
1930 Also @pxref{Faces and Fonts}.
1932 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1939 The number of unread articles in the group.
1943 Whether the group is a mail group.
1945 The level of the group.
1947 The score of the group.
1949 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1951 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather,
1952 @var{max-number} minus @var{min-number} plus one.
1954 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1955 topic being inserted.
1958 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1959 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1960 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1962 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1963 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1964 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1965 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1966 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1969 @node Group Maneuvering
1970 @section Group Maneuvering
1971 @cindex group movement
1973 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1974 expected, hopefully.
1980 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1981 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1982 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1988 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1989 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1990 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1994 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1995 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1999 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2000 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2004 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
2005 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
2006 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
2010 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
2011 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
2012 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
2015 Three commands for jumping to groups:
2021 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
2022 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
2023 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
2028 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
2029 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
2030 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
2034 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
2035 Jump to the first group with unread articles
2036 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
2039 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
2040 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
2041 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
2042 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
2046 @node Selecting a Group
2047 @section Selecting a Group
2048 @cindex group selection
2053 @kindex SPACE (Group)
2054 @findex gnus-group-read-group
2055 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
2056 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
2057 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
2058 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
2059 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{n}, @var{n}
2060 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{n} is
2061 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{n} newest articles, if @var{n} is
2062 negative, Gnus fetches the @code{abs(@var{n})} oldest articles.
2064 Thus, @kbd{SPC} enters the group normally, @kbd{C-u SPC} offers old
2065 articles, @kbd{C-u 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 newest articles, and @kbd{C-u
2066 - 4 2 SPC} fetches the 42 oldest ones.
2068 When you are in the group (in the Summary buffer), you can type
2069 @kbd{M-g} to fetch new articles, or @kbd{C-u M-g} to also show the old
2074 @findex gnus-group-select-group
2075 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
2076 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
2077 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
2078 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
2082 @kindex M-RET (Group)
2083 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
2084 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
2085 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
2086 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
2087 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
2088 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
2089 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer,
2090 which is useful if you want to toggle threading before generating the
2091 summary buffer (@pxref{Summary Generation Commands}).
2094 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
2095 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
2096 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
2097 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
2098 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
2101 @kindex C-M-RET (Group)
2102 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
2103 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
2104 doing any processing of its contents
2105 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
2106 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
2107 manner will have no permanent effects.
2111 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
2112 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
2113 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
2114 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
2115 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
2116 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
2117 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
2118 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
2121 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
2122 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
2123 @vindex gnus-auto-select-subject
2124 If @code{gnus-auto-select-first} is non-@code{nil}, select an article
2125 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
2126 Which article this is is controlled by the
2127 @code{gnus-auto-select-subject} variable. Valid values for this
2133 Place point on the subject line of the first unread article.
2136 Place point on the subject line of the first article.
2139 Place point on the subject line of the first unseen article.
2141 @item unseen-or-unread
2142 Place point on the subject line of the first unseen article, and if
2143 there is no such article, place point on the subject line of the first
2147 Place point on the subject line of the highest-scored unread article.
2151 This variable can also be a function. In that case, that function
2152 will be called to place point on a subject line.
2154 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
2155 binary group with Huge articles) you can set the
2156 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} variable to @code{nil} in
2157 @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
2161 @node Subscription Commands
2162 @section Subscription Commands
2163 @cindex subscription
2171 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
2172 @c @icon{gnus-group-unsubscribe}
2173 Toggle subscription to the current group
2174 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2180 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
2181 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
2182 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
2183 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
2189 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
2190 @c @icon{gnus-group-kill-group}
2191 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
2197 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
2198 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
2201 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
2202 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
2203 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
2204 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
2205 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
2211 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
2212 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
2216 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
2217 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
2220 @kindex S C-k (Group)
2221 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
2222 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
2223 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
2224 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
2225 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
2226 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
2227 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
2228 @file{.newsrc} file.
2232 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
2242 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
2243 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
2244 @c @icon{gnus-group-catchup-current}
2245 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
2246 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
2247 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
2252 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
2253 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
2254 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
2258 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
2259 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
2260 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
2262 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2263 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2264 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
2265 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
2266 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
2267 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
2274 @section Group Levels
2278 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
2279 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
2280 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
2281 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
2282 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
2284 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
2290 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
2291 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
2292 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
2293 prompted for a level.
2296 @vindex gnus-level-killed
2297 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
2298 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
2299 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
2300 Gnus considers groups from levels 1 to
2301 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
2302 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
2303 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
2304 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
2305 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (completely dead)
2306 (default 9). Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly the
2307 same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what articles
2308 you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and living
2309 groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely for
2310 reasons of efficiency.
2312 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
2313 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
2315 Maybe the following description of the default behavior of Gnus helps to
2316 understand what these levels are all about. By default, Gnus shows you
2317 subscribed nonempty groups, but by hitting @kbd{L} you can have it show
2318 empty subscribed groups and unsubscribed groups, too. Type @kbd{l} to
2319 go back to showing nonempty subscribed groups again. Thus, unsubscribed
2320 groups are hidden, in a way.
2322 Zombie and killed groups are similar to unsubscribed groups in that they
2323 are hidden by default. But they are different from subscribed and
2324 unsubscribed groups in that Gnus doesn't ask the news server for
2325 information (number of messages, number of unread messages) on zombie
2326 and killed groups. Normally, you use @kbd{C-k} to kill the groups you
2327 aren't interested in. If most groups are killed, Gnus is faster.
2329 Why does Gnus distinguish between zombie and killed groups? Well, when
2330 a new group arrives on the server, Gnus by default makes it a zombie
2331 group. This means that you are normally not bothered with new groups,
2332 but you can type @kbd{A z} to get a list of all new groups. Subscribe
2333 the ones you like and kill the ones you don't want. (@kbd{A k} shows a
2334 list of killed groups.)
2336 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
2337 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
2338 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
2340 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
2341 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
2342 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
2343 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
2344 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
2345 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
2346 relevant valid ranges.
2348 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
2349 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
2350 will only move to groups of the same level (or lower). In
2351 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
2352 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
2353 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
2356 If this variable is @code{best}, Gnus will make the next newsgroup the
2357 one with the best level.
2359 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
2360 All groups with a level less than or equal to
2361 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
2364 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
2365 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
2366 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
2367 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
2370 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
2371 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
2372 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
2373 use this level as the ``work'' level.
2375 @vindex gnus-activate-level
2376 Gnus will normally just activate (i. e., query the server about) groups
2377 on level @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to
2378 activate unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable
2379 to 5. The default is 6.
2383 @section Group Score
2388 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
2389 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
2390 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
2393 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can have Gnus assign a score
2394 to each group through the mechanism described below. You can then sort
2395 the group buffer based on this score. Alternatively, you can sort on
2396 score and then level. (Taken together, the level and the score is
2397 called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group that is on level 4 and has
2398 a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group on level 5 that has a score
2399 of 300. (The level is the most significant part and the score is the
2400 least significant part.))
2402 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
2403 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
2404 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
2405 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
2406 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
2407 action after each summary exit, you can add
2408 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
2409 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
2410 slow things down somewhat.
2413 @node Marking Groups
2414 @section Marking Groups
2415 @cindex marking groups
2417 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
2418 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
2419 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
2420 bidding on those groups.
2422 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
2423 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
2424 with the process mark and then execute the command.
2432 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
2433 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
2439 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
2440 Remove the mark from the current group
2441 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
2445 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
2446 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
2450 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
2451 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
2455 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
2456 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
2460 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
2461 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
2462 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
2465 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
2467 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
2468 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
2469 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
2470 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
2471 the command to be executed.
2474 @node Foreign Groups
2475 @section Foreign Groups
2476 @cindex foreign groups
2478 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
2479 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
2480 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
2481 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
2488 @findex gnus-group-make-group
2489 @cindex making groups
2490 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
2491 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
2492 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
2496 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
2497 @cindex renaming groups
2498 Rename the current group to something else
2499 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is valid only on some
2500 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
2506 @findex gnus-group-customize
2507 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
2511 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
2512 @cindex renaming groups
2513 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
2514 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
2518 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
2519 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
2520 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
2524 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
2525 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
2526 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
2530 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
2532 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
2533 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
2538 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
2539 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
2543 @cindex (ding) archive
2544 @cindex archive group
2545 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
2546 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
2547 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
2548 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
2549 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
2550 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
2551 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
2555 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
2557 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
2558 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
2559 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
2560 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
2564 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
2566 Read an arbitrary directory as if it were a newsgroup with the
2567 @code{nneething} back end (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
2568 @xref{Anything Groups}.
2572 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
2573 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
2575 Make a group based on some file or other
2576 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2577 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
2578 Currently supported types are @code{mbox}, @code{babyl},
2579 @code{digest}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward},
2580 @code{rfc934}, @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts},
2581 @code{standard-digest}, @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs},
2582 @code{nsmail}, @code{outlook}, @code{oe-dbx}, and @code{mailman}. If
2583 you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will guess at the file
2584 type. @xref{Document Groups}.
2588 @vindex gnus-useful-groups
2589 @findex gnus-group-make-useful-group
2590 Create one of the groups mentioned in @code{gnus-useful-groups}
2591 (@code{gnus-group-make-useful-group}).
2595 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
2599 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
2600 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
2601 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
2602 search engine type and the search string. Valid search engine types
2603 include @code{google}, @code{dejanews}, and @code{gmane}.
2604 @xref{Web Searches}.
2606 If you use the @code{google} search engine, you can limit the search
2607 to a particular group by using a match string like
2608 @samp{shaving group:alt.sysadmin.recovery}.
2611 @kindex G DEL (Group)
2612 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
2613 This function will delete the current group
2614 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
2615 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
2616 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
2617 absolutely sure of what you are doing. This command can't be used on
2618 read-only groups (like @code{nntp} group), though.
2622 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
2623 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
2624 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
2628 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
2629 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
2630 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
2633 @xref{Select Methods}, for more information on the various select
2636 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
2637 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
2638 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
2639 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
2640 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers. Also @pxref{Group Levels};
2641 @code{gnus-activate-level} also affects activation of foreign
2645 @node Group Parameters
2646 @section Group Parameters
2647 @cindex group parameters
2649 The group parameters store information local to a particular group.
2650 Here's an example group parameter list:
2653 ((to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")
2657 We see that each element consists of a ``dotted pair''---the thing before
2658 the dot is the key, while the thing after the dot is the value. All the
2659 parameters have this form @emph{except} local variable specs, which are
2660 not dotted pairs, but proper lists.
2662 Some parameters have correspondant customizable variables, each of which
2663 is an alist of regexps and values.
2665 The following group parameters can be used:
2670 Address used by when doing followups and new posts.
2673 (to-address . "some@@where.com")
2676 This is primarily useful in mail groups that represent closed mailing
2677 lists---mailing lists where it's expected that everybody that writes to
2678 the mailing list is subscribed to it. Since using this parameter
2679 ensures that the mail only goes to the mailing list itself, it means
2680 that members won't receive two copies of your followups.
2682 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
2683 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
2684 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
2685 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
2686 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
2687 list address instead.
2689 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-address-alist}.
2693 Address used when doing @kbd{a} in that group.
2696 (to-list . "some@@where.com")
2699 It is totally ignored
2700 when doing a followup---except that if it is present in a news group,
2701 you'll get mail group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
2703 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you have neither a
2704 @code{to-list} group parameter nor a @code{to-address} group parameter,
2705 then a @code{to-list} group parameter will be added automatically upon
2706 sending the message if @code{gnus-add-to-list} is set to @code{t}.
2707 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
2709 If you do an @kbd{a} command in a mail group and you don't have a
2710 @code{to-list} group parameter, one will be added automatically upon
2711 sending the message.
2713 @findex gnus-mailing-list-mode
2714 @cindex Mail List Groups
2715 If this variable is set, @code{gnus-mailing-list-mode} is turned on when
2716 entering summary buffer.
2718 See also @code{gnus-parameter-to-list-alist}.
2723 If this parameter is set to @code{t}, Gnus will consider the
2724 to-address and to-list parameters for this group as addresses of
2725 mailing lists you are subscribed to. Giving Gnus this information is
2726 (only) a first step in getting it to generate correct Mail-Followup-To
2727 headers for your posts to these lists. Look here @pxref{(message)Mailing
2728 Lists} for a complete treatment of available MFT support.
2730 See also @code{gnus-find-subscribed-addresses}, the function that
2731 directly uses this group parameter.
2735 If the group parameter list has the element @code{(visible . t)},
2736 that group will always be visible in the Group buffer, regardless
2737 of whether it has any unread articles.
2739 @item broken-reply-to
2740 @cindex broken-reply-to
2741 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
2742 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
2743 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
2744 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
2745 broken behavior. So there!
2749 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
2750 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
2754 If you have @code{(newsgroup . t)} in the group parameter list, Gnus
2755 will treat all responses as if they were responses to news articles.
2756 This can be useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a
2761 If @code{(gcc-self . t)} is present in the group parameter list, newly
2762 composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current group. If
2763 @code{(gcc-self . none)} is present, no @code{Gcc:} header will be
2764 generated, if @code{(gcc-self . "string")} is present, this string will
2765 be inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header. This parameter takes
2766 precedence over any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later
2767 (@pxref{Archived Messages}). CAVEAT:: It yields an error putting
2768 @code{(gcc-self . t)} in groups of a @code{nntp} server or so, because
2769 a @code{nntp} server doesn't accept articles.
2773 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
2774 . t)}, all articles read will be marked as expirable. For an
2775 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
2777 See also @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups}.
2780 @cindex total-expire
2781 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2782 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
2783 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
2784 caution. Unread, ticked and dormant articles are not eligible for
2787 See also @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups}.
2791 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
2792 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
2793 @code{(expiry-wait . 10)}, this value will override any
2794 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function}
2795 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}) when expiring expirable messages. The value
2796 can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or the
2797 symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
2800 @cindex score file group parameter
2801 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
2802 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. All
2803 interactive score entries will be put into this file.
2806 @cindex adapt file group parameter
2807 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
2808 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
2809 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
2812 @cindex admin-address
2813 When unsubscribing from a mailing list you should never send the
2814 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
2815 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
2816 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
2820 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} say which articles to
2821 display on entering the group. Valid values are:
2825 Display all articles, both read and unread.
2828 Display the last INTEGER articles in the group. This is the same as
2829 entering the group with C-u INTEGER.
2832 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
2836 Display articles that satisfy a predicate.
2838 Here are some examples:
2842 Display only unread articles.
2845 Display everything except expirable articles.
2847 @item [and (not reply) (not expire)]
2848 Display everything except expirable and articles you've already
2852 The available operators are @code{not}, @code{and} and @code{or}.
2853 Predicates include @code{tick}, @code{unsend}, @code{undownload},
2854 @code{unread}, @code{dormant}, @code{expire}, @code{reply},
2855 @code{killed}, @code{bookmark}, @code{score}, @code{save},
2856 @code{cache}, @code{forward}, @code{unseen} and @code{recent}.
2860 The @code{display} parameter works by limiting the summary buffer to
2861 the subset specified. You can pop the limit by using the @kbd{/ w}
2862 command (@pxref{Limiting}).
2866 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")} are
2867 arbitrary comments on the group. You can display comments in the
2868 group line (@pxref{Group Line Specification}).
2872 Elements that look like @code{(charset . iso-8859-1)} will make
2873 @code{iso-8859-1} the default charset; that is, the charset that will be
2874 used for all articles that do not specify a charset.
2876 See also @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}.
2878 @item ignored-charsets
2879 @cindex ignored-charset
2880 Elements that look like @code{(ignored-charsets x-unknown iso-8859-1)}
2881 will make @code{iso-8859-1} and @code{x-unknown} ignored; that is, the
2882 default charset will be used for decoding articles.
2884 See also @code{gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist}.
2887 @cindex posting-style
2888 You can store additional posting style information for this group
2889 here (@pxref{Posting Styles}). The format is that of an entry in the
2890 @code{gnus-posting-styles} alist, except that there's no regexp matching
2891 the group name (of course). Style elements in this group parameter will
2892 take precedence over the ones found in @code{gnus-posting-styles}.
2894 For instance, if you want a funky name and signature in this group only,
2895 instead of hacking @code{gnus-posting-styles}, you could put something
2896 like this in the group parameters:
2901 ("X-My-Header" "Funky Value")
2902 (signature "Funky Signature"))
2907 If it is set, the value is used as the method for posting message
2908 instead of @code{gnus-post-method}.
2912 An item like @code{(banner . "regex")} causes any part of an article
2913 that matches the regular expression "regex" to be stripped. Instead of
2914 "regex", you can also use the symbol @code{signature} which strips the
2915 last signature or any of the elements of the alist
2916 @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}.
2920 This parameter contains a Sieve test that should match incoming mail
2921 that should be placed in this group. From this group parameter, a
2922 Sieve @samp{IF} control structure is generated, having the test as the
2923 condition and @samp{fileinto "group.name";} as the body.
2925 For example, if the INBOX.list.sieve group has the @code{(sieve
2926 address "sender" "sieve-admin@@extundo.com")} group parameter, when
2927 translating the group parameter into a Sieve script (@pxref{Sieve
2928 Commands}) the following Sieve code is generated:
2931 if address \"sender\" \"sieve-admin@@extundo.com\" @{
2932 fileinto \"INBOX.list.sieve\";
2936 The Sieve language is described in RFC 3028. @xref{Top, , Top, sieve,
2939 @item (@var{variable} @var{form})
2940 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
2941 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
2942 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
2943 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
2944 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
2945 @code{eval}ed there.
2947 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
2948 A use for this feature, is to remove a mailing list identifier tag in
2949 the subject fields of articles. E.g. if the news group
2950 @samp{nntp+news.gnus.org:gmane.text.docbook.apps} has the tag
2951 @samp{DOC-BOOK-APPS:} in the subject of all articles, this tag can be
2952 removed from the article subjects in the summary buffer for the group by
2953 putting @code{(gnus-list-identifiers "DOCBOOK-APPS:")} into the group
2954 parameters for the group.
2957 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
2958 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
2959 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
2960 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
2961 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
2965 Use the @kbd{G p} or the @kbd{G c} command to edit group parameters of a
2966 group. (@kbd{G p} presents you with a Lisp-based interface, @kbd{G c}
2967 presents you with a Customize-like interface. The latter helps avoid
2968 silly Lisp errors.) You might also be interested in reading about topic
2969 parameters (@pxref{Topic Parameters}).
2971 @vindex gnus-parameters
2972 Group parameters can be set via the @code{gnus-parameters} variable too.
2973 But some variables, such as @code{visible}, have no effect. For
2977 (setq gnus-parameters
2979 (gnus-show-threads nil)
2980 (gnus-use-scoring nil)
2981 (gnus-summary-line-format
2982 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%d:%ub%-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
2986 ("^nnimap:\\(foo.bar\\)$"
2990 (gnus-use-scoring t))
2994 (broken-reply-to . t))))
2997 String value of parameters will be subjected to regexp substitution, as
2998 the @code{to-group} example shows.
3001 @node Listing Groups
3002 @section Listing Groups
3003 @cindex group listing
3005 These commands all list various slices of the groups available.
3013 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
3014 List all groups that have unread articles
3015 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
3016 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
3017 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
3018 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
3025 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
3026 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
3027 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
3028 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
3029 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
3030 unsubscribed groups).
3034 @findex gnus-group-list-level
3035 List all unread groups on a specific level
3036 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
3037 with no unread articles.
3041 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
3042 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
3043 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
3044 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
3049 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
3050 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
3054 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
3055 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
3056 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
3060 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
3061 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
3065 @findex gnus-group-list-active
3066 List absolutely all groups in the active file(s) of the
3067 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
3068 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
3069 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
3070 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list groups that
3071 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they were killed groups.
3072 Take the output with some grains of salt.
3076 @findex gnus-group-apropos
3077 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
3078 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
3082 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
3083 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
3084 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
3088 @findex gnus-group-list-cached
3089 List all groups with cached articles (@code{gnus-group-list-cached}).
3093 @findex gnus-group-list-dormant
3094 List all groups with dormant articles (@code{gnus-group-list-dormant}).
3098 @findex gnus-group-list-limit
3099 List groups limited within the current selection
3100 (@code{gnus-group-list-limit}).
3104 @findex gnus-group-list-flush
3105 Flush groups from the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-flush}).
3109 @findex gnus-group-list-plus
3110 List groups plus the current selection (@code{gnus-group-list-plus}).
3114 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
3115 @cindex visible group parameter
3116 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
3117 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
3118 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
3119 get the same effect.
3121 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
3122 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
3123 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
3124 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
3125 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
3128 @node Sorting Groups
3129 @section Sorting Groups
3130 @cindex sorting groups
3132 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
3133 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
3134 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
3135 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
3136 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
3137 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
3142 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3143 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
3144 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
3146 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3147 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
3148 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
3150 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
3151 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
3152 Sort by group level.
3154 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
3155 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
3156 Sort by group score. @xref{Group Score}.
3158 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3159 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
3160 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
3161 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}. @xref{Group Score}.
3163 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3164 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
3165 Sort by number of unread articles.
3167 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
3168 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
3169 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
3171 @item gnus-group-sort-by-server
3172 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-server
3173 Sort alphabetically on the Gnus server name.
3178 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
3179 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
3183 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
3184 some sorting criteria:
3188 @kindex G S a (Group)
3189 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3190 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
3191 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3194 @kindex G S u (Group)
3195 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
3196 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
3197 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3200 @kindex G S l (Group)
3201 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
3202 Sort the group buffer by group level
3203 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
3206 @kindex G S v (Group)
3207 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
3208 Sort the group buffer by group score
3209 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3212 @kindex G S r (Group)
3213 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
3214 Sort the group buffer by group rank
3215 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3218 @kindex G S m (Group)
3219 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
3220 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by back end name
3221 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
3224 @kindex G S n (Group)
3225 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-real-name
3226 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by real (unprefixed) group name
3227 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-real-name}).
3231 All the commands below obey the process/prefix convention
3232 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3234 When given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), all these
3235 commands will sort in reverse order.
3237 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
3241 @kindex G P a (Group)
3242 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
3243 Sort the groups alphabetically by group name
3244 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
3247 @kindex G P u (Group)
3248 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
3249 Sort the groups by the number of unread articles
3250 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
3253 @kindex G P l (Group)
3254 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
3255 Sort the groups by group level
3256 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
3259 @kindex G P v (Group)
3260 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
3261 Sort the groups by group score
3262 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3265 @kindex G P r (Group)
3266 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
3267 Sort the groups by group rank
3268 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3271 @kindex G P m (Group)
3272 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
3273 Sort the groups alphabetically by back end name
3274 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
3277 @kindex G P n (Group)
3278 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-real-name
3279 Sort the groups alphabetically by real (unprefixed) group name
3280 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-real-name}).
3283 @kindex G P s (Group)
3284 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups
3285 Sort the groups according to @code{gnus-group-sort-function}.
3289 And finally, note that you can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} to manually
3293 @node Group Maintenance
3294 @section Group Maintenance
3295 @cindex bogus groups
3300 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
3301 Find bogus groups and delete them
3302 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
3306 @findex gnus-group-find-new-groups
3307 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-group-find-new-groups}).
3308 With 1 @kbd{C-u}, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server
3309 for new groups. With 2 @kbd{C-u}'s, use most complete method possible
3310 to query the server for new groups, and subscribe the new groups as
3314 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
3315 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
3316 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
3317 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}). That is, delete
3318 all expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
3319 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3322 @kindex C-c C-M-x (Group)
3323 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
3324 Run all expirable articles in all groups through the expiry process
3325 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
3330 @node Browse Foreign Server
3331 @section Browse Foreign Server
3332 @cindex foreign servers
3333 @cindex browsing servers
3338 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
3339 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
3340 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
3341 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
3344 @findex gnus-browse-mode
3345 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
3346 will use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
3347 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
3349 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
3354 @findex gnus-group-next-group
3355 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
3359 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
3360 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
3363 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
3364 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
3365 Enter the current group and display the first article
3366 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
3369 @kindex RET (Browse)
3370 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
3371 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
3375 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
3376 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
3377 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
3383 @findex gnus-browse-exit
3384 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
3388 @findex gnus-browse-describe-group
3389 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-browse-describe-group}).
3393 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
3394 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
3395 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
3400 @section Exiting Gnus
3401 @cindex exiting Gnus
3403 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
3408 @findex gnus-group-suspend
3409 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
3410 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
3411 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
3415 @findex gnus-group-exit
3416 @c @icon{gnus-group-exit}
3417 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
3421 @findex gnus-group-quit
3422 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
3423 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
3426 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
3427 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
3428 @vindex gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook
3429 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
3430 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
3431 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
3436 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
3437 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
3438 trying to customize meta-variables.
3443 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
3444 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
3445 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
3451 @section Group Topics
3454 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
3455 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
3456 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
3457 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
3458 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
3459 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
3463 \gnusfigure{Group Topics}{400}{
3464 \put(75,50){\epsfig{figure=ps/group-topic,height=9cm}}
3475 2: alt.religion.emacs
3478 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3480 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3481 13: comp.sources.unix
3484 @findex gnus-topic-mode
3486 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
3487 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
3488 is a toggling command.)
3490 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
3491 dum@dots{} Nice tune, that@dots{} la la la@dots{} What, you're back?
3492 Yes, and now press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed
3493 under @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy?
3496 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
3497 the hook for the group mode. Put the following line in your
3498 @file{~/.gnus} file:
3501 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
3505 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
3506 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
3507 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
3508 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
3509 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
3513 @node Topic Commands
3514 @subsection Topic Commands
3515 @cindex topic commands
3517 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
3518 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
3519 definitions slightly.
3521 In general, the following kinds of operations are possible on topics.
3522 First of all, you want to create topics. Secondly, you want to put
3523 groups in topics and to move them around until you have an order you
3524 like. The third kind of operation is to show/hide parts of the whole
3525 shebang. You might want to hide a topic including its subtopics and
3526 groups, to get a better overview of the other groups.
3528 Here is a list of the basic keys that you might need to set up topics
3535 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
3536 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
3537 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
3541 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
3543 @findex gnus-topic-indent
3544 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3545 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
3546 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
3549 @kindex M-TAB (Topic)
3550 @findex gnus-topic-unindent
3551 ``Un-indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
3552 parent of its current parent (@code{gnus-topic-unindent}).
3556 The following two keys can be used to move groups and topics around.
3557 They work like the well-known cut and paste. @kbd{C-k} is like cut and
3558 @kbd{C-y} is like paste. Of course, this being Emacs, we use the terms
3559 kill and yank rather than cut and paste.
3565 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
3566 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
3567 topic will be removed along with the topic.
3571 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
3572 Yank the previously killed group or topic
3573 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
3576 So, to move a topic to the beginning of the list of topics, just hit
3577 @kbd{C-k} on it. This is like the `cut' part of cut and paste. Then,
3578 move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer (just below the `Gnus'
3579 topic) and hit @kbd{C-y}. This is like the `paste' part of cut and
3580 paste. Like I said -- E-Z.
3582 You can use @kbd{C-k} and @kbd{C-y} on groups as well as on topics. So
3583 you can move topics around as well as groups.
3587 After setting up the topics the way you like them, you might wish to
3588 hide a topic, or to show it again. That's why we have the following
3595 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
3597 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
3598 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
3599 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
3600 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
3601 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
3602 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
3606 Now for a list of other commands, in no particular order.
3612 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
3613 Move the current group to some other topic
3614 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3615 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3619 @findex gnus-topic-jump-to-topic
3620 Go to a topic (@code{gnus-topic-jump-to-topic}).
3624 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
3625 Copy the current group to some other topic
3626 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
3627 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3631 @findex gnus-topic-hide-topic
3632 Hide the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-hide-topic}). If given
3633 a prefix, hide the topic permanently.
3637 @findex gnus-topic-show-topic
3638 Show the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-show-topic}). If given
3639 a prefix, show the topic permanently.
3643 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
3644 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
3645 This command is mainly useful if you have the same group in several
3646 topics and wish to remove it from one of the topics. You may also
3647 remove a group from all topics, but in that case, Gnus will add it to
3648 the root topic the next time you start Gnus. In fact, all new groups
3649 (which, naturally, don't belong to any topic) will show up in the root
3652 This command uses the process/prefix convention
3653 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3657 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
3658 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3659 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
3663 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
3664 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
3665 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
3669 @findex gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics
3670 Toggle hiding empty topics
3671 (@code{gnus-topic-toggle-display-empty-topics}).
3675 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
3676 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
3677 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}). This command works recursively on
3678 sub-topics unless given a prefix.
3681 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
3682 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
3683 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
3684 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}). This command works recursively on
3685 sub-topics unless given a prefix.
3688 @kindex C-c C-x (Topic)
3689 @findex gnus-topic-expire-articles
3690 Run all expirable articles in the current group or topic through the
3691 expiry process (if any)
3692 (@code{gnus-topic-expire-articles}). (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
3696 @findex gnus-topic-rename
3697 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
3700 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
3701 @findex gnus-topic-delete
3702 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
3706 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
3707 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
3708 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
3711 @kindex T M-n (Topic)
3712 @findex gnus-topic-goto-next-topic
3713 Go to the next topic (@code{gnus-topic-goto-next-topic}).
3716 @kindex T M-p (Topic)
3717 @findex gnus-topic-goto-previous-topic
3718 Go to the next topic (@code{gnus-topic-goto-previous-topic}).
3722 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
3723 @cindex group parameters
3724 @cindex topic parameters
3726 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
3727 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
3732 @node Topic Variables
3733 @subsection Topic Variables
3734 @cindex topic variables
3736 The previous section told you how to tell Gnus which topics to display.
3737 This section explains how to tell Gnus what to display about each topic.
3739 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
3740 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
3741 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3754 Number of groups in the topic.
3756 Number of unread articles in the topic.
3758 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
3761 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
3762 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
3763 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
3766 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
3767 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
3769 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
3770 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
3771 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
3775 @subsection Topic Sorting
3776 @cindex topic sorting
3778 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
3784 @kindex T S a (Topic)
3785 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
3786 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
3787 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
3790 @kindex T S u (Topic)
3791 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
3792 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
3793 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
3796 @kindex T S l (Topic)
3797 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
3798 Sort the current topic by group level
3799 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
3802 @kindex T S v (Topic)
3803 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
3804 Sort the current topic by group score
3805 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}). @xref{Group Score}.
3808 @kindex T S r (Topic)
3809 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
3810 Sort the current topic by group rank
3811 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}). @xref{Group Score}.
3814 @kindex T S m (Topic)
3815 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
3816 Sort the current topic alphabetically by back end name
3817 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
3820 @kindex T S e (Topic)
3821 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server
3822 Sort the current topic alphabetically by server name
3823 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-server}).
3827 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups
3828 Sort the current topic according to the function(s) given by the
3829 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable
3830 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups}).
3834 When given a prefix argument, all these commands will sort in reverse
3835 order. @xref{Sorting Groups}, for more information about group
3839 @node Topic Topology
3840 @subsection Topic Topology
3841 @cindex topic topology
3844 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
3850 2: alt.religion.emacs
3853 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3855 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3856 13: comp.sources.unix
3859 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
3860 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
3861 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
3866 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
3867 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
3871 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
3872 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
3873 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
3874 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
3875 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
3876 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
3878 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
3879 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
3880 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
3883 @node Topic Parameters
3884 @subsection Topic Parameters
3885 @cindex topic parameters
3887 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
3888 ancestor) topic parameters. All valid group parameters are valid topic
3889 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
3891 In addition, the following parameters are only valid as topic
3896 When subscribing new groups by topic (@pxref{Subscription Methods}), the
3897 @code{subscribe} topic parameter says what groups go in what topic. Its
3898 value should be a regexp to match the groups that should go in that
3901 @item subscribe-level
3902 When subscribing new groups by topic (see the @code{subscribe} parameter),
3903 the group will be subscribed with the level specified in the
3904 @code{subscribe-level} instead of @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}.
3908 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
3909 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
3910 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
3911 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
3917 2: alt.religion.emacs
3921 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
3923 8: comp.binaries.fractals
3924 13: comp.sources.unix
3928 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
3929 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
3930 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
3931 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
3932 @* @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
3933 . "religion.SCORE")}.
3935 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
3936 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
3937 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
3938 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
3939 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
3941 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
3942 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
3943 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
3944 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
3945 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
3946 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
3947 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
3948 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
3951 @node Misc Group Stuff
3952 @section Misc Group Stuff
3955 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
3956 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
3957 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
3958 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
3959 * Sieve Commands:: Managing Sieve scripts.
3966 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
3967 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
3968 @xref{Server Buffer}.
3972 @findex gnus-group-post-news
3973 Start composing a message (a news by default)
3974 (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). If given a prefix, post to the group
3975 under the point. If the prefix is 1, prompt for a group to post to.
3976 Contrary to what the name of this function suggests, the prepared
3977 article might be a mail instead of a news, if a mail group is specified
3978 with the prefix argument. @xref{Composing Messages}.
3982 @findex gnus-group-mail
3983 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}). If given a prefix,
3984 use the posting style of the group under the point. If the prefix is 1,
3985 prompt for a group name to find the posting style.
3986 @xref{Composing Messages}.
3990 @findex gnus-group-news
3991 Start composing a news (@code{gnus-group-news}). If given a prefix,
3992 post to the group under the point. If the prefix is 1, prompt
3993 for group to post to. @xref{Composing Messages}.
3995 This function actually prepares a news even when using mail groups.
3996 This is useful for ``posting'' messages to mail groups without actually
3997 sending them over the network: they're just saved directly to the group
3998 in question. The corresponding back end must have a request-post method
3999 for this to work though.
4003 Variables for the group buffer:
4007 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
4008 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
4009 is called after the group buffer has been
4012 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
4013 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
4014 is called after the group buffer is
4015 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
4018 @item gnus-group-prepared-hook
4019 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
4020 is called as the very last thing after the group buffer has been
4021 generated. It may be used to move point around, for instance.
4023 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
4024 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
4025 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
4026 whether they are empty or not.
4028 @item gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
4029 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
4030 An alist of method and the charset for group names. It is used to show
4031 non-ASCII group names.
4035 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist
4036 '(((nntp "news.com.cn") . cn-gb-2312)))
4039 @item gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
4040 @cindex UTF-8 group names
4041 @vindex gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
4042 An alist of regexp of group name and the charset for group names. It
4043 is used to show non-ASCII group names. @code{((".*" utf-8))} is the
4044 default value if UTF-8 is supported, otherwise the default is
4049 (setq gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist
4050 '(("\\.com\\.cn:" . cn-gb-2312)))
4055 @node Scanning New Messages
4056 @subsection Scanning New Messages
4057 @cindex new messages
4058 @cindex scanning new news
4064 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
4065 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news}
4066 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
4067 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
4068 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
4069 command will force a total re-reading of the active file(s) from the
4074 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
4075 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
4076 @c @icon{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}
4077 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
4078 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
4079 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
4080 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
4082 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
4083 @cindex activating groups
4085 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
4086 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
4091 @findex gnus-group-restart
4092 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
4093 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
4094 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
4098 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
4099 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
4101 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
4102 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
4106 @node Group Information
4107 @subsection Group Information
4108 @cindex group information
4109 @cindex information on groups
4116 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
4117 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
4120 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
4121 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
4122 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
4123 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
4124 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
4125 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
4126 for fetching the file.
4128 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
4129 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
4133 @findex gnus-group-fetch-charter
4134 @vindex gnus-group-charter-alist
4136 Try to open the charter for the current group in a web browser
4137 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-charter}). Query for a group if given a
4140 Gnus will use @code{gnus-group-charter-alist} to find the location of
4141 the charter. If no location is known, Gnus will fetch the control
4142 messages for the group, which in some cases includes the charter.
4146 @findex gnus-group-fetch-control
4147 @vindex gnus-group-fetch-control-use-browse-url
4148 @cindex control message
4149 Fetch the control messages for the group from the archive at
4150 @code{ftp.isc.org} (@code{gnus-group-fetch-control}). Query for a
4151 group if given a prefix argument.
4153 If @code{gnus-group-fetch-control-use-browse-url} is non-@code{nil},
4154 Gnus will open the control messages in a browser using
4155 @code{browse-url}. Otherwise they are fetched using @code{ange-ftp}
4156 and displayed in an ephemeral group.
4158 Note that the control messages are compressed. To use this command
4159 you need to turn on @code{auto-compression-mode}
4160 (@pxref{(emacs)Compressed Files}).
4164 @c @icon{gnus-group-describe-group}
4166 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
4167 @cindex describing groups
4168 @cindex group description
4169 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
4170 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
4171 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
4175 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
4176 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
4177 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
4184 @findex gnus-version
4185 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
4189 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
4190 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
4193 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
4196 @findex gnus-info-find-node
4197 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
4201 @node Group Timestamp
4202 @subsection Group Timestamp
4204 @cindex group timestamps
4206 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
4207 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
4208 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
4211 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
4214 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
4216 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
4217 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
4220 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4221 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
4224 This will result in lines looking like:
4227 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
4228 0: custom 19961002T012713
4231 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
4232 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
4236 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4237 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
4240 If you would like greater control of the time format, you can use a
4241 user-defined format spec. Something like the following should do the
4245 (setq gnus-group-line-format
4246 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %ud\n")
4247 (defun gnus-user-format-function-d (headers)
4248 (let ((time (gnus-group-timestamp gnus-tmp-group)))
4250 (format-time-string "%b %d %H:%M" time)
4256 @subsection File Commands
4257 @cindex file commands
4263 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
4264 @vindex gnus-init-file
4265 @cindex reading init file
4266 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
4267 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
4271 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
4272 @cindex saving .newsrc
4273 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
4274 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
4275 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
4278 @c @kindex Z (Group)
4279 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
4280 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
4285 @node Sieve Commands
4286 @subsection Sieve Commands
4287 @cindex group sieve commands
4289 Sieve is a server-side mail filtering language. In Gnus you can use
4290 the @code{sieve} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to specify
4291 sieve rules that should apply to each group. Gnus provides two
4292 commands to translate all these group parameters into a proper Sieve
4293 script that can be transfered to the server somehow.
4295 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4296 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-start
4297 @vindex gnus-sieve-region-end
4298 The generated Sieve script is placed in @code{gnus-sieve-file} (by
4299 default @file{~/.sieve}). The Sieve code that Gnus generate is placed
4300 between two delimiters, @code{gnus-sieve-region-start} and
4301 @code{gnus-sieve-region-end}, so you may write additional Sieve code
4302 outside these delimiters that will not be removed the next time you
4303 regenerate the Sieve script.
4305 @vindex gnus-sieve-crosspost
4306 The variable @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} controls how the Sieve script
4307 is generated. If it is non-@code{nil} (the default) articles is
4308 placed in all groups that have matching rules, otherwise the article
4309 is only placed in the group with the first matching rule. For
4310 example, the group parameter @samp{(sieve address "sender"
4311 "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu")} will generate the following piece of Sieve
4312 code if @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is @code{nil}. (When
4313 @code{gnus-sieve-crosspost} is non-@code{nil}, it looks the same
4314 except that the line containing the call to @code{stop} is removed.)
4317 if address "sender" "owner-ding@@hpc.uh.edu" @{
4318 fileinto "INBOX.ding";
4323 @xref{Top, ,Top, sieve, Emacs Sieve}.
4329 @findex gnus-sieve-generate
4330 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4331 @cindex generating sieve script
4332 Regenerate a Sieve script from the @code{sieve} group parameters and
4333 put you into the @code{gnus-sieve-file} without saving it.
4337 @findex gnus-sieve-update
4338 @vindex gnus-sieve-file
4339 @cindex updating sieve script
4340 Regenerates the Gnus managed part of @code{gnus-sieve-file} using the
4341 @code{sieve} group parameters, save the file and upload it to the
4342 server using the @code{sieveshell} program.
4347 @node Summary Buffer
4348 @chapter Summary Buffer
4349 @cindex summary buffer
4351 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
4352 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
4354 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
4355 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
4357 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
4360 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
4361 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
4362 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
4363 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
4364 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
4365 * Delayed Articles:: Send articles at a later time.
4366 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
4367 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
4368 * Threading:: How threads are made.
4369 * Sorting the Summary Buffer:: How articles and threads are sorted.
4370 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
4371 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
4372 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
4373 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
4374 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
4375 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
4376 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
4377 * MIME Commands:: Doing MIMEy things with the articles.
4378 * Charsets:: Character set issues.
4379 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
4380 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
4381 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
4382 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
4383 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
4384 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
4385 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
4386 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer,
4387 or reselecting the current group.
4388 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
4389 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
4390 * Security:: Decrypt and Verify.
4391 * Mailing List:: Mailing list minor mode.
4395 @node Summary Buffer Format
4396 @section Summary Buffer Format
4397 @cindex summary buffer format
4401 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{180}{
4402 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary,width=7.5cm}}
4403 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-article,width=7.5cm}}}
4409 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
4410 * To From Newsgroups:: How to not display your own name.
4411 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
4412 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
4415 @findex mail-extract-address-components
4416 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
4417 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
4418 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
4419 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
4420 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined functions exist:
4421 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
4422 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
4423 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
4424 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
4425 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead:
4428 (setq gnus-extract-address-components
4429 'mail-extract-address-components)
4432 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
4433 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
4434 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
4435 with those specs that require it. The default is @code{""}.
4438 @node Summary Buffer Lines
4439 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
4441 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4442 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
4443 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
4444 lines as a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
4445 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
4447 There should always be a colon or a point position marker on the line;
4448 the cursor always moves to the point position marker or the colon after
4449 performing an operation. (Of course, Gnus wouldn't be Gnus if it wasn't
4450 possible to change this. Just write a new function
4451 @code{gnus-goto-colon} which does whatever you like with the cursor.)
4452 @xref{Positioning Point}.
4454 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n}.
4456 The following format specification characters and extended format
4457 specification(s) are understood:
4463 Subject string. List identifiers stripped,
4464 @code{gnus-list-identifies}. @xref{Article Hiding}.
4466 Subject if the article is the root of the thread or the previous article
4467 had a different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
4468 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @code{""}.)
4470 Full @code{From} header.
4472 The name (from the @code{From} header).
4474 The name, @code{To} header or the @code{Newsgroups} header (@pxref{To
4477 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
4478 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
4479 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
4480 may be more thorough.
4482 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
4485 Number of lines in the article.
4487 Number of characters in the article. This specifier is not supported
4488 in some methods (like nnfolder).
4490 Pretty-printed version of the number of characters in the article;
4491 for example, @samp{1.2k} or @samp{0.4M}.
4493 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4495 A complex trn-style thread tree, showing response-connecting trace
4496 lines. A thread could be drawn like this:
4509 You can customize the appearance with the following options. Note
4510 that it is possible to make the thread display look really neat by
4511 replacing the default ASCII characters with graphic line-drawing
4514 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-root
4515 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-root
4516 Used for the root of a thread. If @code{nil}, use subject
4517 instead. The default is @samp{> }.
4519 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-single-indent
4520 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-single-indent
4521 Used for a thread with just one message. If @code{nil}, use subject
4522 instead. The default is @samp{}.
4524 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-vertical
4525 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-vertical
4526 Used for drawing a vertical line. The default is @samp{| }.
4528 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-indent
4529 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-indent
4530 Used for indenting. The default is @samp{ }.
4532 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-leaf-with-other
4533 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-leaf-with-other
4534 Used for a leaf with brothers. The default is @samp{+-> }.
4536 @item gnus-sum-thread-tree-single-leaf
4537 @vindex gnus-sum-thread-tree-single-leaf
4538 Used for a leaf without brothers. The default is @samp{\-> }
4543 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
4544 pushes everything after it off the screen).
4546 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
4547 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
4549 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
4550 for adopted articles.
4552 One space for each thread level.
4554 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
4556 Unread. @xref{Read Articles}.
4559 This misleadingly named specifier is the @dfn{secondary mark}. This
4560 mark will say whether the article has been replied to, has been cached,
4561 or has been saved. @xref{Other Marks}.
4564 Score as a number (@pxref{Scoring}).
4566 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
4567 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
4568 default level. If the difference between
4569 @code{gnus-summary-default-score} and the score is less than
4570 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
4578 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
4580 The @code{Date} in @var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS} format.
4586 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
4587 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
4589 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
4590 article has any children.
4596 Age sensitive date format. Various date format is defined in
4597 @code{gnus-user-date-format-alist}.
4599 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
4600 be a letter. Gnus will call the function
4601 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
4602 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
4603 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
4604 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
4607 Text between @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} will be highlighted with
4608 @code{gnus-mouse-face} when the mouse point is placed inside the area.
4609 There can only be one such area.
4611 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
4612 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
4613 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
4614 that. This means that it is invalid to have these specs after a
4615 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
4616 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
4618 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
4619 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
4621 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
4624 @node To From Newsgroups
4625 @subsection To From Newsgroups
4629 In some groups (particularly in archive groups), the @code{From} header
4630 isn't very interesting, since all the articles there are written by
4631 you. To display the information in the @code{To} or @code{Newsgroups}
4632 headers instead, you need to decide three things: What information to
4633 gather; where to display it; and when to display it.
4637 @vindex gnus-extra-headers
4638 The reading of extra header information is controlled by the
4639 @code{gnus-extra-headers}. This is a list of header symbols. For
4643 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4644 '(To Newsgroups X-Newsreader))
4647 This will result in Gnus trying to obtain these three headers, and
4648 storing it in header structures for later easy retrieval.
4651 @findex gnus-extra-header
4652 The value of these extra headers can be accessed via the
4653 @code{gnus-extra-header} function. Here's a format line spec that will
4654 access the @code{X-Newsreader} header:
4657 "%~(form (gnus-extra-header 'X-Newsreader))@@"
4661 @vindex gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4662 The @code{gnus-ignored-from-addresses} variable says when the @samp{%f}
4663 summary line spec returns the @code{To}, @code{Newsreader} or
4664 @code{From} header. If this regexp matches the contents of the
4665 @code{From} header, the value of the @code{To} or @code{Newsreader}
4666 headers are used instead.
4670 @vindex nnmail-extra-headers
4671 A related variable is @code{nnmail-extra-headers}, which controls when
4672 to include extra headers when generating overview (@sc{nov}) files.
4673 If you have old overview files, you should regenerate them after
4674 changing this variable, by entering the server buffer using @kbd{^},
4675 and then @kbd{g} on the appropriate mail server (e.g. nnml) to cause
4678 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
4679 You also have to instruct Gnus to display the data by changing the
4680 @code{%n} spec to the @code{%f} spec in the
4681 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable.
4683 In summary, you'd typically put something like the following in
4687 (setq gnus-extra-headers
4689 (setq nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
4690 (setq gnus-summary-line-format
4691 "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n")
4692 (setq gnus-ignored-from-addresses
4696 (The values listed above are the default values in Gnus. Alter them
4699 A note for news server administrators, or for users who wish to try to
4700 convince their news server administrator to provide some additional
4703 The above is mostly useful for mail groups, where you have control over
4704 the @sc{nov} files that are created. However, if you can persuade your
4705 nntp admin to add (in the usual implementation, notably INN):
4711 to the end of her @file{overview.fmt} file, then you can use that just
4712 as you would the extra headers from the mail groups.
4715 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
4716 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
4718 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
4719 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar (@pxref{Mode Line
4720 Formatting}). Set @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you
4721 like. The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
4723 Here are the elements you can play with:
4729 Unprefixed group name.
4731 Current article number.
4733 Current article score.
4737 Number of unread articles in this group.
4739 Number of unread articles in this group that aren't displayed in the
4742 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
4743 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
4744 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
4745 and no unselected ones.
4747 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
4748 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
4750 Subject of the current article.
4752 User-defined spec (@pxref{User-Defined Specs}).
4754 Name of the current score file (@pxref{Scoring}).
4756 Number of dormant articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4758 Number of ticked articles (@pxref{Unread Articles}).
4760 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
4762 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
4766 @node Summary Highlighting
4767 @subsection Summary Highlighting
4771 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4772 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
4773 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
4774 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
4775 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4777 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
4778 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
4779 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
4780 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
4782 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
4783 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
4784 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) used to
4785 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
4787 @item gnus-summary-highlight
4788 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
4789 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
4790 list where the elements are of the format @code{(@var{form}
4791 . @var{face})}. If you would, for instance, like ticked articles to be
4792 italic and high-scored articles to be bold, you could set this variable
4795 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
4796 ((> score default) . bold))
4798 As you may have guessed, if @var{form} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
4799 @var{face} will be applied to the line.
4803 @node Summary Maneuvering
4804 @section Summary Maneuvering
4805 @cindex summary movement
4807 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
4808 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
4810 None of these commands select articles.
4815 @kindex M-n (Summary)
4816 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
4817 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
4818 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
4819 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
4823 @kindex M-p (Summary)
4824 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
4825 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
4826 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
4827 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
4830 @kindex G g (Summary)
4831 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
4832 Ask for an article number and then go to the summary line of that article
4833 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
4836 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
4837 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
4838 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
4839 to the group buffer.
4841 Variables related to summary movement:
4845 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
4846 @item gnus-auto-select-next
4847 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
4848 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
4849 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
4850 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
4851 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
4852 next group with unread articles. As a special case, if this variable
4853 is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the next group without asking for
4854 confirmation. If this variable is @code{almost-quietly}, the same
4855 will happen only if you are located on the last article in the group.
4856 Finally, if this variable is @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n}
4857 command will go to the next group without confirmation. Also
4858 @pxref{Group Levels}.
4860 @item gnus-auto-select-same
4861 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
4862 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
4863 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
4864 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
4865 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) If there are no more
4866 articles with the same subject, go to the first unread article.
4868 This variable is not particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
4870 @item gnus-summary-check-current
4871 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
4872 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
4873 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
4874 Instead, they will choose the current article.
4876 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
4877 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
4878 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
4879 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
4880 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
4881 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
4882 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
4883 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
4886 This variable can also be a number. In that case, center the window at
4887 the given number of lines from the top.
4892 @node Choosing Articles
4893 @section Choosing Articles
4894 @cindex selecting articles
4897 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
4898 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
4902 @node Choosing Commands
4903 @subsection Choosing Commands
4905 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
4906 and they all select and display an article.
4908 If you want to fetch new articles or redisplay the group, see
4909 @ref{Exiting the Summary Buffer}.
4913 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
4914 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
4915 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
4916 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
4918 If you have an article window open already and you press @kbd{SPACE}
4919 again, the article will be scrolled. This lets you conveniently
4920 @kbd{SPACE} through an entire newsgroup. @pxref{Paging the Article}.
4925 @kindex G n (Summary)
4926 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
4927 @c @icon{gnus-summary-next-unread}
4928 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
4933 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
4934 @c @icon{gnus-summary-prev-unread}
4935 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
4940 @kindex G N (Summary)
4941 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
4942 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
4947 @kindex G P (Summary)
4948 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
4949 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
4952 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
4953 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
4954 Go to the next article with the same subject
4955 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
4958 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
4959 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
4960 Go to the previous article with the same subject
4961 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
4965 @kindex G f (Summary)
4967 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
4968 Go to the first unread article
4969 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
4973 @kindex G b (Summary)
4975 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
4976 Go to the unread article with the highest score
4977 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}). If given a prefix argument,
4978 go to the first unread article that has a score over the default score.
4983 @kindex G l (Summary)
4984 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
4985 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
4988 @kindex G o (Summary)
4989 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
4991 @cindex article history
4992 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
4993 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
4994 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
4995 history as you like, while @kbd{l} toggles the two last read articles.
4996 For a somewhat related issue (if you use these commands a lot),
4997 @pxref{Article Backlog}.
5002 @kindex G j (Summary)
5003 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
5004 Ask for an article number or @code{Message-ID}, and then go to that
5005 article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
5010 @node Choosing Variables
5011 @subsection Choosing Variables
5013 Some variables relevant for moving and selecting articles:
5016 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
5017 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
5018 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
5019 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
5020 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
5021 the server and display it in the article buffer.
5023 @item gnus-select-article-hook
5024 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
5025 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
5026 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article. If you would
5027 like each article to be saved in the Agent as you read it, putting
5028 @code{gnus-agent-fetch-selected-article} on this hook will do so.
5030 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
5031 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
5032 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
5033 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
5034 @findex gnus-unread-mark
5035 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
5036 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
5037 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
5038 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
5039 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
5040 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
5041 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
5042 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
5043 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
5048 @node Paging the Article
5049 @section Scrolling the Article
5050 @cindex article scrolling
5055 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
5056 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
5057 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
5058 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
5059 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
5061 @vindex gnus-article-boring-faces
5062 If the rest of the article consists only of citations and signature,
5063 then it will be skipped; the next article will be shown instead. You
5064 can customize what is considered uninteresting with
5065 @code{gnus-article-boring-faces}, or set it to @code{nil} to disable
5066 this feature. You can manually view the article's pages, no matter how
5067 boring, using @kbd{C-v} in the article buffer.
5070 @kindex DEL (Summary)
5071 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
5072 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
5075 @kindex RET (Summary)
5076 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
5077 Scroll the current article one line forward
5078 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
5081 @kindex M-RET (Summary)
5082 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-down
5083 Scroll the current article one line backward
5084 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-down}).
5088 @kindex A g (Summary)
5090 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
5091 @vindex gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
5092 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
5093 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
5094 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
5095 the way it came from the server.
5097 If given a numerical prefix, you can do semi-manual charset stuff.
5098 @kbd{C-u 0 g cn-gb-2312 RET} will decode the message as if it were
5099 encoded in the @code{cn-gb-2312} charset. If you have
5102 (setq gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist
5107 then you can say @kbd{C-u 1 g} to get the same effect.
5112 @kindex A < (Summary)
5113 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
5114 Scroll to the beginning of the article
5115 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
5120 @kindex A > (Summary)
5121 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
5122 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
5126 @kindex A s (Summary)
5128 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
5129 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
5130 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
5134 @findex gnus-summary-select-article-buffer
5135 Select the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-select-article-buffer}).
5140 @node Reply Followup and Post
5141 @section Reply, Followup and Post
5144 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
5145 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
5146 * Summary Message Commands:: Other Message-related commands.
5147 * Canceling and Superseding::
5151 @node Summary Mail Commands
5152 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
5154 @cindex composing mail
5156 Commands for composing a mail message:
5162 @kindex S r (Summary)
5164 @findex gnus-summary-reply
5165 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-reply}
5166 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply}
5167 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
5168 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
5173 @kindex S R (Summary)
5174 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
5175 @c @icon{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}
5176 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
5177 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
5178 command uses the process/prefix convention.
5181 @kindex S w (Summary)
5182 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply
5183 Mail a wide reply to the author of the current article
5184 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{wide reply} is a reply that
5185 goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
5186 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers.
5189 @kindex S W (Summary)
5190 @findex gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original
5191 Mail a wide reply to the current article and include the original
5192 message (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply-with-original}). This command uses
5193 the process/prefix convention.
5196 @kindex S v (Summary)
5197 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply
5198 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article
5199 (@code{gnus-summary-wide-reply}). A @dfn{very wide reply} is a reply
5200 that goes out to all people listed in the @code{To}, @code{From} (or
5201 @code{Reply-to}) and @code{Cc} headers in all the process/prefixed
5202 articles. This command uses the process/prefix convention.
5205 @kindex S V (Summary)
5206 @findex gnus-summary-very-wide-reply-with-original
5207 Mail a very wide reply to the author of the current article and include the
5208 original message (@code{gnus-summary-very-wide-reply-with-original}). This
5209 command uses the process/prefix convention.
5212 @kindex S B r (Summary)
5213 @findex gnus-summary-reply-broken-reply-to
5214 Mail a reply to the author of the current article but ignore the
5215 @code{Reply-To} field (@code{gnus-summary-reply-broken-reply-to}).
5218 @kindex S B R (Summary)
5219 @findex gnus-summary-reply-broken-reply-to-with-original
5220 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
5221 original message but ignore the @code{Reply-To} field
5222 (@code{gnus-summary-reply-broken-reply-to-with-original}).
5226 @kindex S o m (Summary)
5227 @kindex C-c C-f (Summary)
5228 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
5229 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-forward}
5230 Forward the current article to some other person
5231 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If no prefix is given, the message
5232 is forwarded according to the value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime})
5233 and (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
5234 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
5235 as an rfc822 @sc{mime} section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
5236 forward as an rfc822 @sc{mime} section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
5237 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
5238 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
5239 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 @sc{mime}
5245 @kindex S m (Summary)
5246 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
5247 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-originate}
5248 Prepare a mail (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}). By default, use
5249 the posting style of the current group. If given a prefix, disable that.
5250 If the prefix is 1, prompt for a group name to find the posting style.
5255 @kindex S i (Summary)
5256 @findex gnus-summary-news-other-window
5257 Prepare a news (@code{gnus-summary-news-other-window}). By default,
5258 post to the current group. If given a prefix, disable that. If the
5259 prefix is 1, prompt for a group to post to.
5261 This function actually prepares a news even when using mail groups.
5262 This is useful for ``posting'' messages to mail groups without actually
5263 sending them over the network: they're just saved directly to the group
5264 in question. The corresponding back end must have a request-post method
5265 for this to work though.
5268 @kindex S D b (Summary)
5269 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
5270 @cindex bouncing mail
5271 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
5272 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
5273 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
5274 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
5275 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
5276 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
5277 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
5278 very well fail, though.
5281 @kindex S D r (Summary)
5282 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
5283 Not to be confused with the previous command,
5284 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
5285 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
5286 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
5287 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
5288 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
5289 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
5290 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
5292 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
5293 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
5294 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
5295 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
5296 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muss sein!
5298 This command understands the process/prefix convention
5299 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5302 @kindex S O m (Summary)
5303 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
5304 Digest the current series (@pxref{Decoding Articles}) and forward the
5305 result using mail (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command
5306 uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5309 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
5310 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
5311 @cindex crossposting
5312 @cindex excessive crossposting
5313 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
5314 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
5316 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
5317 This command is provided as a way to fight back against the current
5318 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
5319 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
5320 command understands the process/prefix convention
5321 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
5325 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5326 Manual}, for more information.
5329 @node Summary Post Commands
5330 @subsection Summary Post Commands
5332 @cindex composing news
5334 Commands for posting a news article:
5340 @kindex S p (Summary)
5341 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
5342 @c @icon{gnus-summary-post-news}
5343 Prepare for posting an article (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}). By
5344 default, post to the current group. If given a prefix, disable that.
5345 If the prefix is 1, prompt for another group instead.
5350 @kindex S f (Summary)
5351 @findex gnus-summary-followup
5352 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup}
5353 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
5357 @kindex S F (Summary)
5359 @c @icon{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}
5360 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
5361 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
5362 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
5363 process/prefix convention.
5366 @kindex S n (Summary)
5367 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
5368 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5369 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
5372 @kindex S N (Summary)
5373 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original
5374 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
5375 message through mail and include the original message
5376 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
5377 the process/prefix convention.
5380 @kindex S o p (Summary)
5381 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
5382 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
5383 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}).
5384 If no prefix is given, the message is forwarded according to the value
5385 of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}) and
5386 (@code{message-forward-show-mml}); if the prefix is 1, decode the
5387 message and forward directly inline; if the prefix is 2, forward message
5388 as an rfc822 @sc{mime} section; if the prefix is 3, decode message and
5389 forward as an rfc822 @sc{mime} section; if the prefix is 4, forward message
5390 directly inline; otherwise, the message is forwarded as no prefix given
5391 but use the flipped value of (@code{message-forward-as-mime}). By
5392 default, the message is decoded and forwarded as an rfc822 @sc{mime} section.
5395 @kindex S O p (Summary)
5396 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
5398 @cindex making digests
5399 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
5400 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
5401 process/prefix convention.
5404 @kindex S u (Summary)
5405 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
5406 @c @icon{gnus-uu-post-news}
5407 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
5408 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
5411 Also @xref{Header Commands, ,Header Commands, message, The Message
5412 Manual}, for more information.
5415 @node Summary Message Commands
5416 @subsection Summary Message Commands
5420 @kindex S y (Summary)
5421 @findex gnus-summary-yank-message
5422 Yank the current article into an already existing Message composition
5423 buffer (@code{gnus-summary-yank-message}). This command prompts for
5424 what message buffer you want to yank into, and understands the
5425 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5430 @node Canceling and Superseding
5431 @subsection Canceling Articles
5432 @cindex canceling articles
5433 @cindex superseding articles
5435 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
5436 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
5438 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
5440 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
5442 @c @icon{gnus-summary-cancel-article}
5443 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
5444 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
5445 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
5446 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
5447 This command uses the process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
5449 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
5450 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
5453 Gnus will use the ``current'' select method when canceling. If you
5454 want to use the standard posting method, use the @samp{a} symbolic
5455 prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}).
5457 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
5458 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
5459 your original article.
5461 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
5463 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
5464 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
5465 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
5468 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
5469 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
5470 have posted almost the same article twice.
5472 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
5473 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
5474 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
5475 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
5476 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
5477 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
5478 header by substituting one of those words for the word
5479 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
5480 you would do normally. The previous article will be
5481 canceled/superseded.
5483 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
5485 @node Delayed Articles
5486 @section Delayed Articles
5487 @cindex delayed sending
5488 @cindex send delayed
5490 Sometimes, you might wish to delay the sending of a message. For
5491 example, you might wish to arrange for a message to turn up just in time
5492 to remind your about the birthday of your Significant Other. For this,
5493 there is the @code{gnus-delay} package. Setup is simple:
5496 (gnus-delay-initialize)
5499 @findex gnus-delay-article
5500 Normally, to send a message you use the @kbd{C-c C-c} command from
5501 Message mode. To delay a message, use @kbd{C-c C-j}
5502 (@code{gnus-delay-article}) instead. This will ask you for how long the
5503 message should be delayed. Possible answers are:
5507 A time span. Consists of an integer and a letter. For example,
5508 @code{42d} means to delay for 42 days. Available letters are @code{m}
5509 (minutes), @code{h} (hours), @code{d} (days), @code{w} (weeks), @code{M}
5510 (months) and @code{Y} (years).
5513 A specific date. Looks like @code{YYYYY-MM-DD}. The message will be
5514 delayed until that day, at a specific time (eight o'clock by default).
5515 See also @code{gnus-delay-default-hour}.
5518 A specific time of day. Given in @code{hh:mm} format, 24h, no am/pm
5519 stuff. The deadline will be at that time today, except if that time has
5520 already passed, then it's at the given time tomorrow. So if it's ten
5521 o'clock in the morning and you specify @code{11:15}, then the deadline
5522 is one hour and fifteen minutes hence. But if you specify @code{9:20},
5523 that means a time tomorrow.
5526 The action of the @code{gnus-delay-article} command is influenced by a
5527 couple of variables:
5530 @item gnus-delay-default-hour
5531 @vindex gnus-delay-default-hour
5532 When you specify a specific date, the message will be due on that hour
5533 on the given date. Possible values are integers 0 through 23.
5535 @item gnus-delay-default-delay
5536 @vindex gnus-delay-default-delay
5537 This is a string and gives the default delay. It can be of any of the
5538 formats described above.
5540 @item gnus-delay-group
5541 @vindex gnus-delay-group
5542 Delayed articles will be kept in this group on the drafts server until
5543 they are due. You probably don't need to change this. The default
5544 value is @code{"delayed"}.
5546 @item gnus-delay-header
5547 @vindex gnus-delay-header
5548 The deadline for each article will be stored in a header. This variable
5549 is a string and gives the header name. You probably don't need to
5550 change this. The default value is @code{"X-Gnus-Delayed"}.
5553 The way delaying works is like this: when you use the
5554 @code{gnus-delay-article} command, you give a certain delay. Gnus
5555 calculates the deadline of the message and stores it in the
5556 @code{X-Gnus-Delayed} header and puts the message in the
5557 @code{nndraft:delayed} group.
5559 @findex gnus-delay-send-queue
5560 And whenever you get new news, Gnus looks through the group for articles
5561 which are due and sends them. It uses the @code{gnus-delay-send-queue}
5562 function for this. By default, this function is added to the hook
5563 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But of course, you can change this.
5564 Maybe you want to use the demon to send drafts? Just tell the demon to
5565 execute the @code{gnus-delay-send-queue} function.
5568 @item gnus-delay-initialize
5569 @findex gnus-delay-initialize
5570 By default, this function installs @code{gnus-delay-send-queue} in
5571 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook}. But it accepts the optional second
5572 argument @code{no-check}. If it is non-@code{nil},
5573 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is not changed. The optional first
5574 argument is ignored.
5576 For example, @code{(gnus-delay-initialize nil t)} means to do nothing.
5577 Presumably, you want to use the demon for sending due delayed articles.
5578 Just don't forget to set that up :-)
5582 @node Marking Articles
5583 @section Marking Articles
5584 @cindex article marking
5585 @cindex article ticking
5588 There are several marks you can set on an article.
5590 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
5591 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
5592 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
5594 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
5597 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
5598 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
5599 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
5603 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
5607 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
5608 * Generic Marking Commands:: How to customize the marking.
5609 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
5613 @node Unread Articles
5614 @subsection Unread Articles
5616 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
5621 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
5622 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
5624 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
5625 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
5626 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
5627 tick it. However, articles can be expired (from news servers by the
5628 news server software, Gnus itself never expires ticked messages), so if
5629 you want to keep an article forever, you'll have to make it persistent
5630 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
5633 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
5634 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
5636 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
5637 are followups to it. If you want to see them even if they don't have
5638 followups, you can use the @kbd{/ D} command (@pxref{Limiting}).
5639 Otherwise (except for the visibility issue), they are just like ticked
5643 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
5644 Marked as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
5646 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
5651 @subsection Read Articles
5652 @cindex expirable mark
5654 All the following marks mark articles as read.
5659 @vindex gnus-del-mark
5660 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
5661 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
5664 @vindex gnus-read-mark
5665 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
5668 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
5669 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
5670 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
5673 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
5674 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
5677 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
5678 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
5681 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
5682 Marked as read by having too low a score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
5685 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
5686 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
5689 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
5690 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
5693 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
5694 @sc{soup}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
5697 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
5698 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
5702 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
5703 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
5704 (@code{gnus-duplicate-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
5708 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
5709 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
5711 One more special mark, though:
5715 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
5716 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
5718 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
5719 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
5720 control expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
5721 articles marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
5727 @subsection Other Marks
5728 @cindex process mark
5731 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
5737 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
5738 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
5739 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
5740 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
5741 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}.
5744 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
5745 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
5746 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
5747 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
5750 @vindex gnus-forwarded-mark
5751 All articles that you have forwarded will be marked with an @samp{F} in
5752 the second column (@code{gnus-forwarded-mark}).
5755 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
5756 Articles stored in the article cache will be marked with an @samp{*} in
5757 the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5760 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
5761 Articles ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
5762 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
5763 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}).
5766 @vindex gnus-recent-mark
5767 Articles that according to the server haven't been shown to the user
5768 before are marked with a @samp{N} in the second column
5769 (@code{gnus-recent-mark}). Note that not all servers support this
5770 mark, in which case it simply never appears. Compare with
5771 @code{gnus-unseen-mark}.
5774 @vindex gnus-unseen-mark
5775 Articles that haven't been seen before in Gnus by the user are marked
5776 with a @samp{.} in the second column (@code{gnus-unseen-mark}).
5777 Compare with @code{gnus-recent-mark}.
5780 @vindex gnus-downloaded-mark
5781 When using the Gnus agent @pxref{Agent Basics}, articles may be
5782 downloaded for unplugged (offline) viewing. If you are using the
5783 @samp{%O} spec, these articles get the @samp{+} mark in that spec.
5784 (The variable @code{gnus-downloaded-mark} controls which character to
5788 @vindex gnus-undownloaded-mark
5789 When using the Gnus agent @pxref{Agent Basics}, some articles might
5790 not have been downloaded. Such articles cannot be viewed while you
5791 are unplugged (offline). If you are using the @samp{%O} spec, these
5792 articles get the @samp{-} mark in that spec. (The variable
5793 @code{gnus-undownloaded-mark} controls which character to use.)
5796 @vindex gnus-downloadable-mark
5797 The Gnus agent @pxref{Agent Basics} downloads some articles
5798 automatically, but it is also possible to explicitly mark articles for
5799 download, even if they would not be downloaded automatically. Such
5800 explicitly-marked articles get the @samp{%} mark in the first column.
5801 (The variable @code{gnus-downloadable-mark} controls which character to
5805 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
5806 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
5807 If the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
5808 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
5809 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
5812 @vindex gnus-process-mark
5813 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}). A
5814 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
5815 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
5816 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
5817 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
5821 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
5822 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
5823 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
5825 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
5826 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
5827 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
5831 @subsection Setting Marks
5832 @cindex setting marks
5834 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
5839 @kindex M c (Summary)
5840 @kindex M-u (Summary)
5841 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
5842 @cindex mark as unread
5843 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
5844 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}). In other words, mark the
5850 @kindex M t (Summary)
5851 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
5852 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
5853 @xref{Article Caching}.
5858 @kindex M ? (Summary)
5859 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
5860 Mark the current article as dormant
5861 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}). @xref{Article Caching}.
5865 @kindex M d (Summary)
5867 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
5868 Mark the current article as read
5869 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
5873 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
5874 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
5875 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
5880 @kindex M k (Summary)
5881 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
5882 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
5883 and then select the next unread article
5884 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
5888 @kindex M K (Summary)
5889 @kindex C-k (Summary)
5890 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
5891 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
5892 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
5895 @kindex M C (Summary)
5896 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
5897 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup}
5898 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
5901 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
5902 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
5903 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
5904 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
5907 @kindex M H (Summary)
5908 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
5909 Catchup the current group to point (before the point)
5910 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
5913 @kindex M h (Summary)
5914 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-from-here
5915 Catchup the current group from point (after the point)
5916 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-from-here}).
5919 @kindex C-w (Summary)
5920 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
5921 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
5922 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
5925 @kindex M V k (Summary)
5926 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
5927 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
5928 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
5932 @kindex M e (Summary)
5934 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
5935 Mark the current article as expirable
5936 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
5939 @kindex M b (Summary)
5940 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
5941 Set a bookmark in the current article
5942 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
5945 @kindex M B (Summary)
5946 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
5947 Remove the bookmark from the current article
5948 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
5951 @kindex M V c (Summary)
5952 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
5953 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
5954 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5957 @kindex M V u (Summary)
5958 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
5959 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
5960 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
5963 @kindex M V m (Summary)
5964 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
5965 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
5966 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
5967 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
5970 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
5971 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
5972 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
5973 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
5974 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
5975 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
5976 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
5977 The default is @code{t}.
5980 @node Generic Marking Commands
5981 @subsection Generic Marking Commands
5983 Some people would like the command that ticks an article (@kbd{!}) go to
5984 the next article. Others would like it to go to the next unread
5985 article. Yet others would like it to stay on the current article. And
5986 even though I haven't heard of anybody wanting it to go to the
5987 previous (unread) article, I'm sure there are people that want that as
5990 Multiply these five behaviors with five different marking commands, and
5991 you get a potentially complex set of variable to control what each
5994 To sidestep that mess, Gnus provides commands that do all these
5995 different things. They can be found on the @kbd{M M} map in the summary
5996 buffer. Type @kbd{M M C-h} to see them all---there are too many of them
5997 to list in this manual.
5999 While you can use these commands directly, most users would prefer
6000 altering the summary mode keymap. For instance, if you would like the
6001 @kbd{!} command to go to the next article instead of the next unread
6002 article, you could say something like:
6005 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'my-alter-summary-map)
6006 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
6007 (local-set-key "!" 'gnus-summary-put-mark-as-ticked-next))
6013 (defun my-alter-summary-map ()
6014 (local-set-key "!" "MM!n"))
6018 @node Setting Process Marks
6019 @subsection Setting Process Marks
6020 @cindex setting process marks
6022 Process marks are displayed as @code{#} in the summary buffer, and are
6023 used for marking articles in such a way that other commands will
6024 process these articles. For instance, if you process mark four
6025 articles and then use the @kbd{*} command, Gnus will enter these four
6026 commands into the cache. For more information,
6027 @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
6034 @kindex M P p (Summary)
6035 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
6036 Mark the current article with the process mark
6037 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
6038 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
6042 @kindex M P u (Summary)
6043 @kindex M-# (Summary)
6044 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
6045 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
6048 @kindex M P U (Summary)
6049 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
6050 Remove the process mark from all articles
6051 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
6054 @kindex M P i (Summary)
6055 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
6056 Invert the list of process marked articles
6057 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
6060 @kindex M P R (Summary)
6061 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
6062 Mark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
6063 expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
6066 @kindex M P G (Summary)
6067 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
6068 Unmark articles that have a @code{Subject} header that matches a regular
6069 expression (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
6072 @kindex M P r (Summary)
6073 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
6074 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
6078 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-region
6079 Unmark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-region}).
6082 @kindex M P t (Summary)
6083 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6084 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
6085 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6088 @kindex M P T (Summary)
6089 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6090 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
6091 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6094 @kindex M P v (Summary)
6095 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
6096 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
6097 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
6100 @kindex M P s (Summary)
6101 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
6102 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
6105 @kindex M P S (Summary)
6106 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
6107 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
6108 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
6111 @kindex M P a (Summary)
6112 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
6113 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
6116 @kindex M P b (Summary)
6117 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
6118 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
6119 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
6122 @kindex M P k (Summary)
6123 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
6124 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
6125 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
6128 @kindex M P y (Summary)
6129 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
6130 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
6131 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
6134 @kindex M P w (Summary)
6135 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
6136 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
6137 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
6141 Also see the @kbd{&} command in @pxref{Searching for Articles} for how to
6142 set process marks based on article body contents.
6149 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
6150 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
6151 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
6154 All limiting commands work on subsets of the articles already fetched
6155 from the servers. None of these commands query the server for
6156 additional articles.
6162 @kindex / / (Summary)
6163 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
6164 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
6165 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}). If given a prefix, exclude
6169 @kindex / a (Summary)
6170 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
6171 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
6172 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}). If given a prefix, exclude
6176 @kindex / x (Summary)
6177 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-extra
6178 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match one of the ``extra''
6179 headers (@pxref{To From Newsgroups})
6180 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-extra}). If given a prefix, exclude
6185 @kindex / u (Summary)
6187 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
6188 Limit the summary buffer to articles not marked as read
6189 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
6190 buffer to articles strictly unread. This means that ticked and
6191 dormant articles will also be excluded.
6194 @kindex / m (Summary)
6195 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
6196 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have been marked
6197 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
6200 @kindex / t (Summary)
6201 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
6202 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles older than (or equal to) that number of days
6203 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-age}). If given a prefix, limit to
6204 articles younger than that number of days.
6207 @kindex / n (Summary)
6208 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
6209 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
6210 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
6211 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
6214 @kindex / w (Summary)
6215 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
6216 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
6217 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
6221 @kindex / . (Summary)
6222 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unseen
6223 Limit the summary buffer to the unseen articles
6224 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unseen}).
6227 @kindex / v (Summary)
6228 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
6229 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
6230 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
6233 @kindex / p (Summary)
6234 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-display-predicate
6235 Limit the summary buffer to articles that satisfy the @code{display}
6236 group parameter predicate
6237 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-display-predicate}). See @pxref{Group
6238 Parameters} for more on this predicate.
6242 @kindex M S (Summary)
6243 @kindex / E (Summary)
6244 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
6245 Include all expunged articles in the limit
6246 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
6249 @kindex / D (Summary)
6250 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
6251 Include all dormant articles in the limit
6252 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
6255 @kindex / * (Summary)
6256 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-cached
6257 Include all cached articles in the limit
6258 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-cached}).
6261 @kindex / d (Summary)
6262 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
6263 Exclude all dormant articles from the limit
6264 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
6267 @kindex / M (Summary)
6268 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks
6269 Exclude all marked articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-marks}).
6272 @kindex / T (Summary)
6273 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-thread
6274 Include all the articles in the current thread in the limit.
6277 @kindex / c (Summary)
6278 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
6279 Exclude all dormant articles that have no children from the limit
6280 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
6283 @kindex / C (Summary)
6284 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
6285 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
6286 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
6287 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
6290 @kindex / N (Summary)
6291 @findex gnus-summary-insert-new-articles
6292 Insert all new articles in the summary buffer. It scans for new emails
6293 if @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} is non-@code{nil}.
6296 @kindex / o (Summary)
6297 @findex gnus-summary-insert-old-articles
6298 Insert all old articles in the summary buffer. If given a numbered
6299 prefix, fetch this number of articles.
6307 @cindex article threading
6309 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put responses
6310 to articles directly after the articles they respond to---in a
6311 hierarchical fashion.
6313 Threading is done by looking at the @code{References} headers of the
6314 articles. In a perfect world, this would be enough to build pretty
6315 trees, but unfortunately, the @code{References} header is often broken
6316 or simply missing. Weird news propagation exacerbates the problem,
6317 so one has to employ other heuristics to get pleasing results. A
6318 plethora of approaches exists, as detailed in horrible detail in
6319 @pxref{Customizing Threading}.
6321 First, a quick overview of the concepts:
6325 The top-most article in a thread; the first article in the thread.
6328 A tree-like article structure.
6331 A small(er) section of this tree-like structure.
6334 Threads often lose their roots due to article expiry, or due to the root
6335 already having been read in a previous session, and not displayed in the
6336 summary buffer. We then typically have many sub-threads that really
6337 belong to one thread, but are without connecting roots. These are
6338 called loose threads.
6340 @item thread gathering
6341 An attempt to gather loose threads into bigger threads.
6343 @item sparse threads
6344 A thread where the missing articles have been ``guessed'' at, and are
6345 displayed as empty lines in the summary buffer.
6351 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
6352 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
6356 @node Customizing Threading
6357 @subsection Customizing Threading
6358 @cindex customizing threading
6361 * Loose Threads:: How Gnus gathers loose threads into bigger threads.
6362 * Filling In Threads:: Making the threads displayed look fuller.
6363 * More Threading:: Even more variables for fiddling with threads.
6364 * Low-Level Threading:: You thought it was over@dots{} but you were wrong!
6369 @subsubsection Loose Threads
6372 @cindex loose threads
6375 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
6376 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
6377 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
6378 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
6379 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
6380 read or killed the root in a previous session.
6382 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
6383 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
6384 There are four possible values:
6388 \gnusfigure{The Summary Buffer}{390}{
6389 \put(0,0){\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-adopt,width=7.5cm}}
6390 \put(445,0){\makebox(0,0)[br]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-empty,width=7.5cm}}}
6391 \put(0,400){\makebox(0,0)[tl]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-none,width=7.5cm}}}
6392 \put(445,400){\makebox(0,0)[tr]{\epsfig{figure=ps/summary-dummy,width=7.5cm}}}
6397 @cindex adopting articles
6402 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
6403 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
6404 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
6405 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
6408 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
6409 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root-always
6410 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
6411 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
6412 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
6413 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
6414 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
6415 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
6416 If you want all threads to have a dummy root, even the non-gathered
6417 ones, set @code{gnus-summary-make-false-root-always} to @code{t}.
6420 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
6421 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
6422 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
6426 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
6427 display them after one another.
6430 Don't gather loose threads.
6433 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6434 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
6435 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
6436 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
6437 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
6438 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
6439 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subject lines. If
6440 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
6441 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
6442 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
6443 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
6445 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
6446 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
6447 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects (@pxref{Fuzzy
6450 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6451 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
6452 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
6453 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
6454 simplification is used.
6456 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6457 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6458 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
6459 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
6461 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
6463 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
6469 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
6470 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
6471 "answer" "reference" "announce"
6472 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
6477 (mapconcat 'identity
6478 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
6480 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
6483 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
6486 @item gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6487 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-functions
6488 If non-@code{nil}, this variable overrides
6489 @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}. This variable should be a
6490 list of functions to apply to the @code{Subject} string iteratively to
6491 arrive at the simplified version of the string.
6493 Useful functions to put in this list include:
6496 @item gnus-simplify-subject-re
6497 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-re
6498 Strip the leading @samp{Re:}.
6500 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6501 @findex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy
6504 @item gnus-simplify-whitespace
6505 @findex gnus-simplify-whitespace
6506 Remove excessive whitespace.
6508 @item gnus-simplify-all-whitespace
6509 @findex gnus-simplify-all-whitespace
6510 Remove all whitespace.
6513 You may also write your own functions, of course.
6516 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6517 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
6518 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
6519 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
6520 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
6521 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
6522 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process.@*
6523 The default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
6525 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6526 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6527 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
6528 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
6529 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
6530 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
6531 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever include unrelated
6532 articles, but it also means that people who have posted with broken
6533 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
6537 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6538 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
6539 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
6540 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
6542 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6543 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
6544 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
6547 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
6551 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
6552 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
6558 @node Filling In Threads
6559 @subsubsection Filling In Threads
6562 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
6563 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
6564 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
6565 more old headers---headers to articles marked as read. If you
6566 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
6567 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
6568 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
6569 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
6570 fetching old headers only works if the back end you are using carries
6571 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool},
6572 @code{nnml}, and @code{nnmaildir}. Also remember that if the root of
6573 the thread has been expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do
6576 This variable can also be set to @code{invisible}. This won't have any
6577 visible effects, but is useful if you use the @kbd{A T} command a lot
6578 (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
6580 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
6581 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
6582 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
6583 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
6584 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
6585 together articles that belong in the same thread. This will leave
6586 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
6587 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
6588 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
6589 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
6590 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
6591 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
6592 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
6593 @code{nil} by default.
6595 @item gnus-read-all-available-headers
6596 @vindex gnus-read-all-available-headers
6597 This is a rather obscure variable that few will find useful. It's
6598 intended for those non-news newsgroups where the back end has to fetch
6599 quite a lot to present the summary buffer, and where it's impossible to
6600 go back to parents of articles. This is mostly the case in the
6601 web-based groups, like the @code{nnultimate} groups.
6603 If you don't use those, then it's safe to leave this as the default
6604 @code{nil}. If you want to use this variable, it should be a regexp
6605 that matches the group name, or @code{t} for all groups.
6610 @node More Threading
6611 @subsubsection More Threading
6614 @item gnus-show-threads
6615 @vindex gnus-show-threads
6616 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
6617 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
6618 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
6619 slower and more awkward.
6621 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6622 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6623 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
6626 This can also be a predicate specifier (@pxref{Predicate Specifiers}).
6627 Available predicates are @code{gnus-article-unread-p} and
6628 @code{gnus-article-unseen-p}).
6633 (setq gnus-thread-hide-subtree
6634 '(or gnus-article-unread-p
6635 gnus-article-unseen-p))
6638 (It's a pretty nonsensical example, since all unseen articles are also
6639 unread, but you get my drift.)
6642 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
6643 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
6644 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
6645 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
6646 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
6647 threads are expunged.
6649 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
6650 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
6651 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
6654 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6655 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
6656 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
6657 this variable is non-@code{nil}, which is the default, the subject
6658 change is ignored. If it is @code{nil}, a change in the subject will
6659 result in a new thread.
6661 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
6662 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
6663 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
6666 @item gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6667 @vindex gnus-sort-gathered-threads-function
6668 Sometimes, particularly with mailing lists, the order in which mails
6669 arrive locally is not necessarily the same as the order in which they
6670 arrived on the mailing list. Consequently, when sorting sub-threads
6671 using the default @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number}, responses can end
6672 up appearing before the article to which they are responding to.
6673 Setting this variable to an alternate value
6674 (e.g. @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}), in a group's parameters or in an
6675 appropriate hook (e.g. @code{gnus-summary-generate-hook}) can produce a
6676 more logical sub-thread ordering in such instances.
6681 @node Low-Level Threading
6682 @subsubsection Low-Level Threading
6686 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
6687 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
6688 Hook run before parsing any headers.
6690 @item gnus-alter-header-function
6691 @vindex gnus-alter-header-function
6692 If non-@code{nil}, this function will be called to allow alteration of
6693 article header structures. The function is called with one parameter,
6694 the article header vector, which it may alter in any way. For instance,
6695 if you have a mail-to-news gateway which alters the @code{Message-ID}s
6696 in systematic ways (by adding prefixes and such), you can use this
6697 variable to un-scramble the @code{Message-ID}s so that they are more
6698 meaningful. Here's one example:
6701 (setq gnus-alter-header-function 'my-alter-message-id)
6703 (defun my-alter-message-id (header)
6704 (let ((id (mail-header-id header)))
6706 "\\(<[^<>@@]*\\)\\.?cygnus\\..*@@\\([^<>@@]*>\\)" id)
6708 (concat (match-string 1 id) "@@" (match-string 2 id))
6715 @node Thread Commands
6716 @subsection Thread Commands
6717 @cindex thread commands
6723 @kindex T k (Summary)
6724 @kindex C-M-k (Summary)
6725 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
6726 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
6727 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
6728 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
6733 @kindex T l (Summary)
6734 @kindex C-M-l (Summary)
6735 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
6736 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
6737 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
6740 @kindex T i (Summary)
6741 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
6742 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
6743 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
6746 @kindex T # (Summary)
6747 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6748 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
6749 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6752 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
6753 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6754 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
6755 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6758 @kindex T T (Summary)
6759 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
6760 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
6763 @kindex T s (Summary)
6764 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
6765 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
6766 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
6769 @kindex T h (Summary)
6770 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
6771 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
6774 @kindex T S (Summary)
6775 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
6776 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
6779 @kindex T H (Summary)
6780 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
6781 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
6784 @kindex T t (Summary)
6785 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
6786 Re-thread the current article's thread
6787 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
6788 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
6791 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
6792 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
6793 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
6794 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}).
6798 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
6799 understand the numeric prefix.
6804 @kindex T n (Summary)
6806 @kindex C-M-n (Summary)
6808 @kindex M-down (Summary)
6809 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
6810 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
6813 @kindex T p (Summary)
6815 @kindex C-M-p (Summary)
6817 @kindex M-up (Summary)
6818 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
6819 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
6822 @kindex T d (Summary)
6823 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
6824 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
6827 @kindex T u (Summary)
6828 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
6829 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
6832 @kindex T o (Summary)
6833 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
6834 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
6837 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
6838 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
6839 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
6840 a command like @kbd{T k} (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
6841 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
6842 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
6843 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If it
6844 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
6845 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
6846 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
6847 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
6848 that have subjects fuzzily equal will be included (@pxref{Fuzzy
6852 @node Sorting the Summary Buffer
6853 @section Sorting the Summary Buffer
6855 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
6856 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
6857 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
6858 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6859 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
6860 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6861 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-random
6862 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
6863 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-most-recent-thread
6864 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
6865 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which can be either a single
6866 function, a list of functions, or a list containing functions and
6867 @code{(not some-function)} elements.
6869 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
6870 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
6871 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
6872 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score},
6873 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-most-recent-number},
6874 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-most-recent-date},
6875 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-random} and
6876 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
6878 Each function takes two threads and returns non-@code{nil} if the first
6879 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
6880 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread.
6882 If you use more than one function, the primary sort key should be the
6883 last function in the list. You should probably always include
6884 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
6885 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
6886 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
6887 ascending article order.
6889 If you would like to sort by reverse score, then by subject, and finally
6890 by number, you could do something like:
6893 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6894 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
6895 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
6896 (not gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score)))
6899 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
6900 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
6901 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
6902 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
6903 which the articles arrived.
6905 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
6909 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
6911 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
6912 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
6915 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
6916 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
6917 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
6918 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
6921 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
6922 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
6923 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
6924 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
6925 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
6926 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-random
6927 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
6928 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or
6929 other, you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions}
6930 variable. It is very similar to the
6931 @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that it uses slightly
6932 different functions for article comparison. Available sorting
6933 predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
6934 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author},
6935 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date},
6936 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-random}, and
6937 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
6939 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
6943 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
6944 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
6945 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
6950 @node Asynchronous Fetching
6951 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
6952 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
6953 @cindex article pre-fetch
6956 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
6957 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
6958 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
6959 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
6960 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
6962 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
6963 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
6965 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
6966 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
6967 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
6968 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
6969 connection is blocked.
6971 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
6972 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
6973 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
6974 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
6976 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
6977 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
6978 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
6979 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
6982 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing@dots{} unless
6985 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
6986 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
6987 happen automatically.
6989 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
6990 You can control how many articles are to be pre-fetched by setting
6991 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
6992 that when you read an article in the group, the back end will pre-fetch
6993 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the back end will
6994 pre-fetch all the articles it can without bound. If it is
6995 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be done.
6997 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
6998 @findex gnus-async-read-p
6999 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
7000 articles, for instance. The @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p}
7001 variable controls whether an article is to be pre-fetched. This
7002 function should return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is
7003 to be pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which
7004 returns @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an
7005 article data structure as the only parameter.
7007 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles shorter
7008 than 100 lines, you could say something like:
7011 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
7012 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
7013 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
7014 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
7017 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
7020 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
7021 preferably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
7022 It's probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
7024 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
7025 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
7026 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
7027 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
7031 Remove articles when they are read.
7034 Remove articles when exiting the group.
7037 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
7039 @c @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
7040 @c If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
7041 @c from the next group.
7044 @node Article Caching
7045 @section Article Caching
7046 @cindex article caching
7049 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
7050 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
7051 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
7052 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
7053 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
7055 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
7057 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
7058 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
7059 @vindex gnus-use-cache
7060 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
7061 all articles ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
7062 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
7063 cache is flat or hierarchical is controlled by the
7064 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
7066 When re-selecting a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
7067 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
7068 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
7069 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
7070 as dormant, and don't worry.
7072 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
7074 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
7075 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
7076 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
7077 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
7078 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
7079 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
7080 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
7081 articles marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
7082 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
7083 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
7085 @findex gnus-jog-cache
7086 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
7087 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
7088 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, score them, and
7089 store them in the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this
7090 command if 1) your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really,
7091 really slow and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk.
7092 Seriously. One way to cut down on the number of articles downloaded is
7093 to score unwanted articles down and have them marked as read. They will
7094 not then be downloaded by this command.
7096 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
7097 @vindex gnus-cacheable-groups
7098 It is likely that you do not want caching on all groups. For instance,
7099 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
7100 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
7101 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space.
7103 To limit the caching, you could set @code{gnus-cacheable-groups} to a
7104 regexp of groups to cache, @samp{^nntp} for instance, or set the
7105 @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to @samp{^nnml}, for instance.
7106 Both variables are @code{nil} by default. If a group matches both
7107 variables, the group is not cached.
7109 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
7110 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
7111 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
7112 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
7113 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
7114 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
7115 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
7116 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
7117 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
7120 @findex gnus-cache-move-cache
7121 @code{gnus-cache-move-cache} will move your whole
7122 @code{gnus-cache-directory} to some other location. You get asked to
7123 where, isn't that cool?
7125 @node Persistent Articles
7126 @section Persistent Articles
7127 @cindex persistent articles
7129 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
7130 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
7131 useful in my opinion.
7133 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
7134 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
7135 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
7136 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
7137 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
7138 the expiry going on at the news server.
7140 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
7141 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
7142 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
7148 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
7149 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
7152 @kindex M-* (Summary)
7153 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
7154 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
7155 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
7159 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
7161 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
7162 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
7163 interested in persistent articles:
7166 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
7170 @node Article Backlog
7171 @section Article Backlog
7173 @cindex article backlog
7175 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
7176 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
7177 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
7178 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
7179 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
7180 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
7181 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
7182 increase memory usage some.
7184 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
7185 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
7186 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
7187 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
7188 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
7189 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
7190 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
7192 The default value is 20.
7195 @node Saving Articles
7196 @section Saving Articles
7197 @cindex saving articles
7199 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
7200 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
7201 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
7202 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
7203 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
7205 For the commands listed here, the target is a file. If you want to
7206 save to a group, see the @kbd{B c} (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article})
7207 command (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
7209 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
7210 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
7211 unwanted headers before saving the article.
7213 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
7214 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
7215 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
7216 deleted before saving.
7222 @kindex O o (Summary)
7224 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
7225 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article}
7226 Save the current article using the default article saver
7227 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
7230 @kindex O m (Summary)
7231 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
7232 Save the current article in mail format
7233 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
7236 @kindex O r (Summary)
7237 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
7238 Save the current article in rmail format
7239 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
7242 @kindex O f (Summary)
7243 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
7244 @c @icon{gnus-summary-save-article-file}
7245 Save the current article in plain file format
7246 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
7249 @kindex O F (Summary)
7250 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
7251 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
7252 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
7255 @kindex O b (Summary)
7256 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
7257 Save the current article body in plain file format
7258 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
7261 @kindex O h (Summary)
7262 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
7263 Save the current article in mh folder format
7264 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
7267 @kindex O v (Summary)
7268 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
7269 Save the current article in a VM folder
7270 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
7274 @kindex O p (Summary)
7276 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
7277 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
7278 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
7279 If given a symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}), include the
7280 complete headers in the piped output.
7283 @kindex O P (Summary)
7284 @findex gnus-summary-muttprint
7285 @vindex gnus-summary-muttprint-program
7286 Save the current article into muttprint. That is, print it using the
7287 external program Muttprint (see
7288 @uref{http://muttprint.sourceforge.net/}). The program name and
7289 options to use is controlled by the variable
7290 @code{gnus-summary-muttprint-program}. (@code{gnus-summary-muttprint}).
7294 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
7295 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
7296 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
7297 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
7298 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
7299 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
7300 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
7301 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
7302 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
7303 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
7304 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
7305 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
7309 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
7310 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
7311 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the six ready-made
7312 functions below, or you can create your own.
7316 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
7317 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
7318 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
7319 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
7320 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
7321 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
7322 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
7324 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
7325 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
7326 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
7327 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
7328 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
7329 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
7331 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
7332 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
7333 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
7334 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
7335 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
7336 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
7337 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
7339 @item gnus-summary-write-to-file
7340 @findex gnus-summary-write-to-file
7341 Write the article straight to an ordinary file. The file is
7342 overwritten if it exists. Uses the function in the
7343 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
7344 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
7346 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
7347 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
7348 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
7349 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
7350 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
7352 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
7353 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
7354 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
7355 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
7356 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
7359 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
7360 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
7361 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
7362 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
7363 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}, which creates capitalized names.
7365 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
7366 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
7367 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
7368 reader to use this setting.
7371 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
7372 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
7373 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
7374 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
7377 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
7378 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
7379 available functions that generate names:
7383 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
7384 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
7385 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
7387 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
7388 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
7389 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
7391 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
7392 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
7393 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
7395 @item gnus-plain-save-name
7396 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
7397 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
7399 @item gnus-sender-save-name
7400 @findex gnus-sender-save-name
7401 File names like @file{~/News/larsi}.
7404 @vindex gnus-split-methods
7405 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
7406 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
7407 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
7408 related to VM in @file{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
7412 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
7413 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
7414 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
7415 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
7418 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
7419 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
7420 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
7421 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
7422 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
7423 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
7424 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
7425 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
7426 called returns a string or a list of strings.
7428 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
7429 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
7430 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
7431 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
7433 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
7434 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
7435 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
7438 Here's an example function to clean up file names somewhat. If you have
7439 lots of mail groups called things like
7440 @samp{nnml:mail.whatever}, you may want to chop off the beginning of
7441 these group names before creating the file name to save to. The
7442 following will do just that:
7445 (defun my-save-name (group)
7446 (when (string-match "^nnml:mail." group)
7447 (substring group (match-end 0))))
7449 (setq gnus-split-methods
7450 '((gnus-article-archive-name)
7455 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
7456 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
7457 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
7458 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
7459 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
7460 all the files in the top level directory
7461 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
7462 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
7463 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
7464 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
7466 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
7467 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
7468 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
7469 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
7470 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
7473 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
7477 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
7478 (setq gnus-default-article-saver
7479 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
7482 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
7483 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
7484 the top level directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
7485 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
7488 @node Decoding Articles
7489 @section Decoding Articles
7490 @cindex decoding articles
7492 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
7493 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
7496 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
7497 * Shell Archives:: Unshar articles.
7498 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
7499 * Other Files:: Plain save and binhex.
7500 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
7501 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
7505 @cindex article series
7506 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
7507 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
7508 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
7509 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
7510 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
7512 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
7513 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
7514 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
7516 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
7517 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
7518 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
7520 Subjects that are non-standard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
7521 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
7522 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
7525 @node Uuencoded Articles
7526 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
7528 @cindex uuencoded articles
7533 @kindex X u (Summary)
7534 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
7535 @c @icon{gnus-uu-decode-uu}
7536 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
7539 @kindex X U (Summary)
7540 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
7541 Uudecodes and saves the current series
7542 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7545 @kindex X v u (Summary)
7546 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
7547 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
7550 @kindex X v U (Summary)
7551 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
7552 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
7553 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
7557 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
7558 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
7559 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
7560 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
7561 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
7563 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
7564 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
7565 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
7566 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
7569 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
7570 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
7571 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
7572 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
7573 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
7574 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
7578 @node Shell Archives
7579 @subsection Shell Archives
7581 @cindex shell archives
7582 @cindex shared articles
7584 Shell archives (``shar files'') used to be a popular way to distribute
7585 sources, but it isn't used all that much today. In any case, we have
7586 some commands to deal with these:
7591 @kindex X s (Summary)
7592 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
7593 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
7596 @kindex X S (Summary)
7597 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
7598 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
7601 @kindex X v s (Summary)
7602 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
7603 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
7606 @kindex X v S (Summary)
7607 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
7608 Unshars, views and saves the current series
7609 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
7613 @node PostScript Files
7614 @subsection PostScript Files
7620 @kindex X p (Summary)
7621 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
7622 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
7625 @kindex X P (Summary)
7626 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
7627 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
7628 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
7631 @kindex X v p (Summary)
7632 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
7633 View the current PostScript series
7634 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
7637 @kindex X v P (Summary)
7638 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
7639 View and save the current PostScript series
7640 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
7645 @subsection Other Files
7649 @kindex X o (Summary)
7650 @findex gnus-uu-decode-save
7651 Save the current series
7652 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-save}).
7655 @kindex X b (Summary)
7656 @findex gnus-uu-decode-binhex
7657 Unbinhex the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-binhex}). This
7658 doesn't really work yet.
7662 @node Decoding Variables
7663 @subsection Decoding Variables
7665 Adjective, not verb.
7668 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
7669 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
7670 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
7674 @node Rule Variables
7675 @subsubsection Rule Variables
7676 @cindex rule variables
7678 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
7679 variables are of the form
7682 (list '(regexp1 command2)
7689 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7690 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7692 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
7693 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @file{.au} sound file, you could
7696 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
7697 (list '("\\\\.au$" "sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio")))
7700 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7701 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
7702 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
7703 user and default view rules.
7705 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7706 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
7707 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
7712 @node Other Decode Variables
7713 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
7716 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7718 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
7719 All functions in this list will be called right after each file has been
7720 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
7721 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
7722 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
7726 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
7727 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
7730 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
7731 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
7732 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
7735 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7736 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
7737 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
7738 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
7739 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
7742 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7743 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
7744 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
7746 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7747 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
7748 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
7749 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
7750 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
7753 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7754 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
7755 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
7757 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7758 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
7759 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
7760 looking for files to display.
7762 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
7763 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
7764 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
7767 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7768 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
7769 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
7772 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7773 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
7774 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
7777 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7778 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
7779 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
7782 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7783 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
7784 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark unsuccessfully
7785 decoded articles as unread.
7787 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7788 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
7789 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
7790 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
7792 @item gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7793 @vindex gnus-uu-pre-uudecode-hook
7794 Hook run before sending a message to @code{uudecode}.
7796 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7797 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
7799 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
7800 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
7801 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
7802 @code{metamail} for viewing.
7804 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7805 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
7806 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
7807 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
7808 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
7809 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC 1153---no easy way
7810 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
7811 simply dropped them.
7816 @node Uuencoding and Posting
7817 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
7821 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7822 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
7823 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
7824 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
7825 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
7826 for you when you post the article.
7828 @item gnus-uu-post-length
7829 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
7830 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
7831 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
7833 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
7834 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
7835 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
7836 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen is able
7837 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
7838 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
7839 think that counts@dots{}) Default is @code{nil}.
7841 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7842 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
7843 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
7844 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
7845 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
7846 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
7847 Default is @code{t}.
7853 @subsection Viewing Files
7854 @cindex viewing files
7855 @cindex pseudo-articles
7857 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
7858 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
7859 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
7860 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
7861 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
7862 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
7863 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
7865 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
7866 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
7867 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
7868 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
7870 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
7871 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
7872 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
7874 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
7875 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
7876 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
7877 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
7878 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
7880 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
7881 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
7882 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
7883 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
7884 a list of parameters to that command.
7886 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
7887 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
7888 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
7890 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
7891 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
7892 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
7895 @node Article Treatment
7896 @section Article Treatment
7898 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
7899 object of newsreaders is to actually, like, read what people have
7900 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
7901 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
7902 these articles easier.
7905 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
7906 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look nice.
7907 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
7908 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
7909 * Article Header:: Doing various header transformations.
7910 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
7911 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
7912 * Article Display:: Display various stuff---X-Face, Picons, Smileys
7913 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
7914 * Article Miscellania:: Various other stuff.
7918 @node Article Highlighting
7919 @subsection Article Highlighting
7920 @cindex highlighting
7922 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
7923 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
7928 @kindex W H a (Summary)
7929 @findex gnus-article-highlight
7930 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7931 Do much highlighting of the current article
7932 (@code{gnus-article-highlight}). This function highlights header, cited
7933 text, the signature, and adds buttons to the body and the head.
7936 @kindex W H h (Summary)
7937 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
7938 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
7939 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
7940 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
7941 variable, which is a list where each element has the form
7942 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{name} @var{content})}.
7943 @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
7944 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name
7945 (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}) and @var{content} is the face for highlighting
7946 the header value. The first match made will be used. Note that
7947 @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^} prepended---Gnus will add one.
7950 @kindex W H c (Summary)
7951 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
7952 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
7954 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
7957 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7959 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
7960 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
7961 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
7963 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
7964 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
7965 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
7967 @item gnus-cite-face-list
7968 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
7969 List of faces used for highlighting citations (@pxref{Faces and Fonts}).
7970 When there are citations from multiple articles in the same message,
7971 Gnus will try to give each citation from each article its own face.
7972 This should make it easier to see who wrote what.
7974 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
7975 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
7976 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
7978 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7979 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
7980 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
7982 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7983 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
7984 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
7985 that it's a citation.
7987 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7988 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
7989 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
7991 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7992 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
7993 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
7995 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
7996 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
7997 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
7998 cited text belonging to the attribution.
8004 @kindex W H s (Summary)
8005 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
8006 @vindex gnus-signature-face
8007 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
8008 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
8009 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
8010 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
8011 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
8016 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to highlight articles automatically.
8019 @node Article Fontisizing
8020 @subsection Article Fontisizing
8022 @cindex article emphasis
8024 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
8025 @kindex W e (Summary)
8026 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
8027 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*} or @samp{/this/}. Gnus can make
8028 this look nicer by running the article through the @kbd{W e}
8029 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
8031 @vindex gnus-emphasis-alist
8032 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
8033 @code{gnus-emphasis-alist} variable. This is an alist where the first
8034 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
8035 that says what regular expression grouping is used to find the entire
8036 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
8037 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
8038 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
8042 (setq gnus-emphasis-alist
8043 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
8044 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
8053 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
8054 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
8055 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
8056 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
8057 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
8058 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
8059 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
8060 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
8061 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
8062 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
8063 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
8064 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold}, and
8065 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
8067 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
8068 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
8069 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
8073 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
8076 @vindex gnus-group-highlight-words-alist
8078 If you want to highlight arbitrary words, you can use the
8079 @code{gnus-group-highlight-words-alist} variable, which uses the same
8080 syntax as @code{gnus-emphasis-alist}. The @code{highlight-words} group
8081 parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) can also be used.
8083 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to fontize articles automatically.
8086 @node Article Hiding
8087 @subsection Article Hiding
8088 @cindex article hiding
8090 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
8091 too much cruft in most articles.
8096 @kindex W W a (Summary)
8097 @findex gnus-article-hide
8098 Do quite a lot of hiding on the article buffer
8099 (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}). In particular, this function will hide
8100 headers, PGP, cited text and the signature.
8103 @kindex W W h (Summary)
8104 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
8105 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
8109 @kindex W W b (Summary)
8110 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
8111 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
8112 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
8115 @kindex W W s (Summary)
8116 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
8117 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
8121 @kindex W W l (Summary)
8122 @findex gnus-article-hide-list-identifiers
8123 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
8124 Strip list identifiers specified in @code{gnus-list-identifiers}. These
8125 are strings some mailing list servers add to the beginning of all
8126 @code{Subject} headers---for example, @samp{[zebra 4711]}. Any leading
8127 @samp{Re: } is skipped before stripping. @code{gnus-list-identifiers}
8128 may not contain @code{\\(..\\)}.
8132 @item gnus-list-identifiers
8133 @vindex gnus-list-identifiers
8134 A regular expression that matches list identifiers to be removed from
8135 subject. This can also be a list of regular expressions.
8140 @kindex W W P (Summary)
8141 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
8142 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) cruft
8143 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
8146 @kindex W W B (Summary)
8147 @findex gnus-article-strip-banner
8148 @vindex gnus-article-banner-alist
8149 @vindex gnus-article-address-banner-alist
8152 @cindex stripping advertisements
8153 @cindex advertisements
8154 Strip the banner specified by the @code{banner} group parameter
8155 (@code{gnus-article-strip-banner}). This is mainly used to hide those
8156 annoying banners and/or signatures that some mailing lists and moderated
8157 groups adds to all the messages. The way to use this function is to add
8158 the @code{banner} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}) to the
8159 group you want banners stripped from. The parameter either be a string,
8160 which will be interpreted as a regular expression matching text to be
8161 removed, or the symbol @code{signature}, meaning that the (last)
8162 signature should be removed, or other symbol, meaning that the
8163 corresponding regular expression in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist} is
8166 Regardless of a group, you can hide things like advertisements only when
8167 the sender of an article has a certain mail address specified in
8168 @code{gnus-article-address-banner-alist}.
8172 @item gnus-article-address-banner-alist
8173 @vindex gnus-article-address-banner-alist
8174 Alist of mail addresses and banners. Each element has the form
8175 @code{(ADDRESS . BANNER)}, where ADDRESS is a regexp matching a mail
8176 address in the From header, BANNER is one of a symbol @code{signature},
8177 an item in @code{gnus-article-banner-alist}, a regexp and @code{nil}.
8178 If ADDRESS matches author's mail address, it will remove things like
8179 advertisements. For example, if a sender has the mail address
8180 @samp{hail@@yoo-hoo.co.jp} and there is a banner something like
8181 @samp{Do You Yoo-hoo!?} in all articles he sends, you can use the
8182 following element to remove them:
8185 ("@@yoo-hoo\\.co\\.jp\\'" . "\n_+\nDo You Yoo-hoo!\\?\n.*\n.*\n")
8191 @kindex W W c (Summary)
8192 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
8193 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
8194 customizing the hiding:
8198 @item gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
8199 @itemx gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
8200 @vindex gnus-cited-closed-text-button-line-format
8201 @vindex gnus-cited-opened-text-button-line-format
8202 Gnus adds buttons to show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
8203 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
8204 by these format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
8209 Starting point of the hidden text.
8211 Ending point of the hidden text.
8213 Number of characters in the hidden region.
8215 Number of lines of hidden text.
8218 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
8219 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
8220 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave
8221 shown. This can also be a cons cell with the number of lines at the top
8222 and bottom of the text, respectively, to remain visible.
8227 @kindex W W C-c (Summary)
8228 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe
8230 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-maybe}) depending on the
8231 following two variables:
8234 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
8235 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
8236 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
8237 50), hide the cited text.
8239 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
8240 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
8241 The cited text must have at least this length (default 10) before it
8246 @kindex W W C (Summary)
8247 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
8248 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
8249 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
8250 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
8251 have happen automatically (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
8255 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
8256 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
8257 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
8259 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
8260 citation customization.
8262 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to hide article elements
8266 @node Article Washing
8267 @subsection Article Washing
8269 @cindex article washing
8271 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
8272 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
8274 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
8275 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
8278 @xref{Customizing Articles}, if you want to change how Gnus displays
8279 articles by default.
8284 This is not really washing, it's sort of the opposite of washing. If
8285 you type this, you see the article exactly as it exists on disk or on
8289 Force redisplaying of the current article
8290 (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). This is also not really washing.
8291 If you type this, you see the article without any previously applied
8292 interactive Washing functions but with all default treatments
8293 (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
8296 @kindex W l (Summary)
8297 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
8298 Remove page breaks from the current article
8299 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}). @xref{Misc Article}, for page
8303 @kindex W r (Summary)
8304 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
8305 @c @icon{gnus-summary-caesar-message}
8306 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
8307 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
8308 Unreadable articles that tell you to read them with Caesar rotate or rot13.
8309 (Typically offensive jokes and such.)
8311 It's commonly called ``rot13'' because each letter is rotated 13
8312 positions in the alphabet, e. g. @samp{B} (letter #2) -> @samp{O} (letter
8313 #15). It is sometimes referred to as ``Caesar rotate'' because Caesar
8314 is rumored to have employed this form of, uh, somewhat weak encryption.
8317 @kindex W m (Summary)
8318 @findex gnus-summary-morse-message
8319 Morse decode the article buffer (@code{gnus-summary-morse-message}).
8323 @kindex W t (Summary)
8325 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
8326 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
8327 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
8330 @kindex W v (Summary)
8331 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-headers
8332 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
8333 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-headers}).
8336 @kindex W o (Summary)
8337 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
8338 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
8341 @kindex W d (Summary)
8342 @findex gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes
8343 @vindex gnus-article-dumbquotes-map
8345 @cindex M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s
8347 Treat M****s*** sm*rtq**t*s according to
8348 @code{gnus-article-dumbquotes-map}
8349 (@code{gnus-article-treat-dumbquotes}). Note that this function guesses
8350 whether a character is a sm*rtq**t* or not, so it should only be used
8353 Sm*rtq**t*s are M****s***'s unilateral extension to the character map in
8354 an attempt to provide more quoting characters. If you see something
8355 like @code{\222} or @code{\264} where you're expecting some kind of
8356 apostrophe or quotation mark, then try this wash.
8359 @kindex W Y f (Summary)
8360 @findex gnus-article-outlook-deuglify-article
8361 @cindex Outlook Express
8362 Full deuglify of broken Outlook (Express) articles: Treat dumbquotes,
8363 unwrap lines, repair attribution and rearrange citation.
8364 (@code{gnus-article-outlook-deuglify-article}).
8367 @kindex W Y u (Summary)
8368 @findex gnus-article-outlook-unwrap-lines
8369 @vindex gnus-outlook-deuglify-unwrap-min
8370 @vindex gnus-outlook-deuglify-unwrap-max
8371 Unwrap lines that appear to be wrapped citation lines. You can control
8372 what lines will be unwrapped by frobbing
8373 @code{gnus-outlook-deuglify-unwrap-min} and
8374 @code{gnus-outlook-deuglify-unwrap-max}, indicating the miminum and
8375 maximum length of an unwrapped citation line.
8376 (@code{gnus-article-outlook-unwrap-lines}).
8379 @kindex W Y a (Summary)
8380 @findex gnus-article-outlook-repair-attribution
8381 Repair a broken attribution line.
8382 (@code{gnus-article-outlook-repair-attribution}).
8385 @kindex W Y c (Summary)
8386 @findex gnus-article-outlook-rearrange-citation
8387 Repair broken citations by rearranging the text.
8388 (@code{gnus-article-outlook-rearrange-citation}).
8391 @kindex W w (Summary)
8392 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
8393 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}).
8395 You can give the command a numerical prefix to specify the width to use
8399 @kindex W Q (Summary)
8400 @findex gnus-article-fill-long-lines
8401 Fill long lines (@code{gnus-article-fill-long-lines}).
8404 @kindex W C (Summary)
8405 @findex gnus-article-capitalize-sentences
8406 Capitalize the first word in each sentence
8407 (@code{gnus-article-capitalize-sentences}).
8410 @kindex W c (Summary)
8411 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
8412 Translate CRLF pairs (i. e., @samp{^M}s on the end of the lines) into LF
8413 (this takes care of DOS line endings), and then translate any remaining
8414 CRs into LF (this takes care of Mac line endings)
8415 (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
8418 @kindex W q (Summary)
8419 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
8420 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
8421 Quoted-Printable is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending
8422 non-ASCII (i. e., 8-bit) articles. It typically makes strings like
8423 @samp{déjà vu} look like @samp{d=E9j=E0 vu}, which doesn't look very
8424 readable to me. Note that this is usually done automatically by
8425 Gnus if the message in question has a @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding}
8426 header that says that this encoding has been done.
8427 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8430 @kindex W 6 (Summary)
8431 @findex gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable
8432 Treat base64 (@code{gnus-article-de-base64-unreadable}).
8433 Base64 is one common @sc{mime} encoding employed when sending non-ASCII
8434 (i. e., 8-bit) articles. Note that this is usually done
8435 automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
8436 @code{Content-Transfer-Encoding} header that says that this encoding has
8438 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8441 @kindex W Z (Summary)
8442 @findex gnus-article-decode-HZ
8443 Treat HZ or HZP (@code{gnus-article-decode-HZ}). HZ (or HZP) is one
8444 common encoding employed when sending Chinese articles. It typically
8445 makes strings look like @samp{~@{<:Ky2;S@{#,NpJ)l6HK!#~@}}.
8448 @kindex W u (Summary)
8449 @findex gnus-article-unsplit-urls
8450 Remove newlines from within URLs. Some mailers insert newlines into
8451 outgoing email messages to keep lines short. This reformatting can
8452 split long URLs onto multiple lines. Repair those URLs by removing
8453 the newlines (@code{gnus-article-unsplit-urls}).
8456 @kindex W h (Summary)
8457 @findex gnus-article-wash-html
8458 Treat @sc{html} (@code{gnus-article-wash-html}). Note that this is
8459 usually done automatically by Gnus if the message in question has a
8460 @code{Content-Type} header that says that the message is @sc{html}.
8462 If a prefix is given, a charset will be asked for.
8464 @vindex gnus-article-wash-function
8465 The default is to use the function specified by
8466 @code{mm-text-html-renderer} (@pxref{(emacs-mime)Display
8467 Customization}) to convert the @sc{html}, but this is controlled by
8468 the @code{gnus-article-wash-function} variable. Pre-defined functions
8469 you can use include:
8476 Use emacs-w3m (see @uref{http://emacs-w3m.namazu.org/} for more
8480 Use Links (see @uref{http://artax.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~mikulas/links/}).
8483 Use Lynx (see @uref{http://lynx.browser.org/}).
8486 Use html2text -- a simple @sc{html} converter included with Gnus.
8491 @kindex W b (Summary)
8492 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
8493 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
8494 @xref{Article Buttons}.
8497 @kindex W B (Summary)
8498 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
8499 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
8500 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
8503 @kindex W p (Summary)
8504 @findex gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig
8505 Verify a signed control message (@code{gnus-article-verify-x-pgp-sig}).
8506 Control messages such as @code{newgroup} and @code{checkgroups} are
8507 usually signed by the hierarchy maintainer. You need to add the PGP
8508 public key of the maintainer to your keyring to verify the
8509 message.@footnote{PGP keys for many hierarchies are available at
8510 @uref{ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README.html}}
8513 @kindex W s (Summary)
8514 @findex gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt
8515 Verify a signed (PGP, @sc{pgp/mime} or @sc{s/mime}) message
8516 (@code{gnus-summary-force-verify-and-decrypt}). @xref{Security}.
8519 @kindex W a (Summary)
8520 @findex gnus-article-strip-headers-in-body
8521 Strip headers like the @code{X-No-Archive} header from the beginning of
8522 article bodies (@code{gnus-article-strip-headers-in-body}).
8525 @kindex W E l (Summary)
8526 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
8527 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
8528 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
8531 @kindex W E m (Summary)
8532 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
8533 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
8534 lines with a single empty line.
8535 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
8538 @kindex W E t (Summary)
8539 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
8540 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
8541 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
8544 @kindex W E a (Summary)
8545 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
8546 Do all the three commands above
8547 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
8550 @kindex W E A (Summary)
8551 @findex gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines
8552 Remove all blank lines
8553 (@code{gnus-article-strip-all-blank-lines}).
8556 @kindex W E s (Summary)
8557 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-space
8558 Remove all white space from the beginning of all lines of the article
8559 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-space}).
8562 @kindex W E e (Summary)
8563 @findex gnus-article-strip-trailing-space
8564 Remove all white space from the end of all lines of the article
8565 body (@code{gnus-article-strip-trailing-space}).
8569 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to wash articles automatically.
8572 @node Article Header
8573 @subsection Article Header
8575 These commands perform various transformations of article header.
8580 @kindex W G u (Summary)
8581 @findex gnus-article-treat-unfold-headers
8582 Unfold folded header lines (@code{gnus-article-treat-unfold-headers}).
8585 @kindex W G n (Summary)
8586 @findex gnus-article-treat-fold-newsgroups
8587 Fold the @code{Newsgroups} and @code{Followup-To} headers
8588 (@code{gnus-article-treat-fold-newsgroups}).
8591 @kindex W G f (Summary)
8592 @findex gnus-article-treat-fold-headers
8593 Fold all the message headers
8594 (@code{gnus-article-treat-fold-headers}).
8598 @findex gnus-article-remove-leading-whitespace
8599 Remove excessive whitespace from all headers
8600 (@code{gnus-article-remove-leading-whitespace}).
8605 @node Article Buttons
8606 @subsection Article Buttons
8609 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
8610 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
8611 with the minimum of fuzz when you hit @kbd{RET} or use the middle mouse
8612 button on these references.
8614 @vindex gnus-button-man-handler
8615 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
8616 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses, Message-IDs, Info links and man pages.
8617 This is controlled by two variables, one that handles article bodies and
8618 one that handles article heads:
8622 @item gnus-button-alist
8623 @vindex gnus-button-alist
8624 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
8627 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8633 All text that match this regular expression (case insensitive) will be
8634 considered an external reference. Here's a typical regexp that matches
8635 embedded URLs: @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}. This can also be a
8636 variable containing a regexp, useful variables to use include
8637 @code{gnus-button-url-regexp}.
8640 Gnus has to know which parts of the matches is to be highlighted. This
8641 is a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp is to be
8642 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
8645 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
8646 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
8647 avoid false matches.
8650 This function will be called when you click on this button.
8653 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
8654 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
8658 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
8661 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
8664 @item gnus-header-button-alist
8665 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
8666 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
8667 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
8668 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
8671 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
8674 @var{header} is a regular expression.
8676 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
8677 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
8678 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
8679 default values of the variables above.
8681 @item gnus-article-button-face
8682 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
8683 Face used on buttons.
8685 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
8686 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
8687 Face used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
8691 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to buttonize articles automatically.
8695 @subsection Article Date
8697 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
8698 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
8699 when the article was sent.
8704 @kindex W T u (Summary)
8705 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
8706 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
8707 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
8710 @kindex W T i (Summary)
8711 @findex gnus-article-date-iso8601
8713 Display the date in international format, aka. ISO 8601
8714 (@code{gnus-article-date-iso8601}).
8717 @kindex W T l (Summary)
8718 @findex gnus-article-date-local
8719 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
8722 @kindex W T p (Summary)
8723 @findex gnus-article-date-english
8724 Display the date in a format that's easily pronounceable in English
8725 (@code{gnus-article-date-english}).
8728 @kindex W T s (Summary)
8729 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
8730 @findex gnus-article-date-user
8731 @findex format-time-string
8732 Display the date using a user-defined format
8733 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
8734 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
8735 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
8736 for a list of possible format specs.
8739 @kindex W T e (Summary)
8740 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
8741 @findex gnus-start-date-timer
8742 @findex gnus-stop-date-timer
8743 Say how much time has elapsed between the article was posted and now
8744 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}). It looks something like:
8747 X-Sent: 6 weeks, 4 days, 1 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds ago
8750 @vindex gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header
8751 The value of @code{gnus-article-date-lapsed-new-header} determines
8752 whether this header will just be added below the old Date one, or will
8755 An advantage of using Gnus to read mail is that it converts simple bugs
8756 into wonderful absurdities.
8758 If you want to have this line updated continually, you can put
8761 (gnus-start-date-timer)
8764 in your @file{.gnus.el} file, or you can run it off of some hook. If
8765 you want to stop the timer, you can use the @code{gnus-stop-date-timer}
8769 @kindex W T o (Summary)
8770 @findex gnus-article-date-original
8771 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
8772 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and are
8773 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
8774 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
8775 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
8779 @xref{Customizing Articles}, for how to display the date in your
8780 preferred format automatically.
8783 @node Article Display
8784 @subsection Article Display
8789 These commands add various frivolous display gimmicks to the article
8790 buffer in Emacs versions that support them.
8792 @code{X-Face} headers are small black-and-white images supplied by the
8793 message headers (@pxref{X-Face}).
8795 Picons, on the other hand, reside on your own system, and Gnus will
8796 try to match the headers to what you have (@pxref{Picons}).
8798 Smileys are those little @samp{:-)} symbols that people like to litter
8799 their messages with (@pxref{Smileys}).
8801 All these functions are toggles--if the elements already exist,
8806 @kindex W D x (Summary)
8807 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
8808 Display an @code{X-Face} in the @code{From} header.
8809 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}).
8812 @kindex W D d (Summary)
8813 @findex gnus-article-display-face
8814 Display a @code{Face} in the @code{From} header.
8815 (@code{gnus-article-display-face}).
8818 @kindex W D s (Summary)
8819 @findex gnus-treat-smiley
8820 Display smileys (@code{gnus-treat-smiley}).
8823 @kindex W D f (Summary)
8824 @findex gnus-treat-from-picon
8825 Piconify the @code{From} header (@code{gnus-treat-from-picon}).
8828 @kindex W D m (Summary)
8829 @findex gnus-treat-mail-picon
8830 Piconify all mail headers (i. e., @code{Cc}, @code{To})
8831 (@code{gnus-treat-mail-picon}).
8834 @kindex W D n (Summary)
8835 @findex gnus-treat-newsgroups-picon
8836 Piconify all news headers (i. e., @code{Newsgroups} and
8837 @code{Followup-To}) (@code{gnus-treat-newsgroups-picon}).
8840 @kindex W D D (Summary)
8841 @findex gnus-article-remove-images
8842 Remove all images from the article buffer
8843 (@code{gnus-article-remove-images}).
8849 @node Article Signature
8850 @subsection Article Signature
8852 @cindex article signature
8854 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
8855 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
8856 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
8857 that says what is to be considered a signature is
8858 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
8859 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
8860 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
8861 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
8862 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
8865 (setq gnus-signature-separator
8866 '("^-- $" ; The standard
8867 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
8868 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
8869 ; line of dashes. Shame!
8870 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
8871 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
8872 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
8875 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
8878 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
8879 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
8880 signature when displaying articles.
8884 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
8887 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
8890 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
8891 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
8893 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
8894 in question is not a signature.
8897 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
8898 listed above. Here's an example:
8901 (setq gnus-signature-limit
8902 '(200.0 "^---*Forwarded article"))
8905 This means that if there are more than 200 lines after the signature
8906 separator, or the text after the signature separator is matched by
8907 the regular expression @samp{^---*Forwarded article}, then it isn't a
8908 signature after all.
8911 @node Article Miscellania
8912 @subsection Article Miscellania
8916 @kindex A t (Summary)
8917 @findex gnus-article-babel
8918 Translate the article from one language to another
8919 (@code{gnus-article-babel}).
8925 @section MIME Commands
8926 @cindex MIME decoding
8928 @cindex viewing attachments
8930 The following commands all understand the numerical prefix. For
8931 instance, @kbd{3 b} means ``view the third @sc{mime} part''.
8937 @kindex K v (Summary)
8938 View the @sc{mime} part.
8941 @kindex K o (Summary)
8942 Save the @sc{mime} part.
8945 @kindex K c (Summary)
8946 Copy the @sc{mime} part.
8949 @kindex K e (Summary)
8950 View the @sc{mime} part externally.
8953 @kindex K i (Summary)
8954 View the @sc{mime} part internally.
8957 @kindex K | (Summary)
8958 Pipe the @sc{mime} part to an external command.
8961 The rest of these @sc{mime} commands do not use the numerical prefix in
8966 @kindex K b (Summary)
8967 Make all the @sc{mime} parts have buttons in front of them. This is
8968 mostly useful if you wish to save (or perform other actions) on inlined
8972 @kindex K m (Summary)
8973 @findex gnus-summary-repair-multipart
8974 Some multipart messages are transmitted with missing or faulty headers.
8975 This command will attempt to ``repair'' these messages so that they can
8976 be viewed in a more pleasant manner
8977 (@code{gnus-summary-repair-multipart}).
8980 @kindex X m (Summary)
8981 @findex gnus-summary-save-parts
8982 Save all parts matching a @sc{mime} type to a directory
8983 (@code{gnus-summary-save-parts}). Understands the process/prefix
8984 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
8987 @kindex M-t (Summary)
8988 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized
8989 Toggle the buttonized display of the article buffer
8990 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-display-buttonized}).
8993 @kindex W M w (Summary)
8994 @findex gnus-article-decode-mime-words
8995 Decode RFC 2047-encoded words in the article headers
8996 (@code{gnus-article-decode-mime-words}).
8999 @kindex W M c (Summary)
9000 @findex gnus-article-decode-charset
9001 Decode encoded article bodies as well as charsets
9002 (@code{gnus-article-decode-charset}).
9004 This command looks in the @code{Content-Type} header to determine the
9005 charset. If there is no such header in the article, you can give it a
9006 prefix, which will prompt for the charset to decode as. In regional
9007 groups where people post using some common encoding (but do not
9008 include @sc{mime} headers), you can set the @code{charset} group/topic
9009 parameter to the required charset (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
9012 @kindex W M v (Summary)
9013 @findex gnus-mime-view-all-parts
9014 View all the @sc{mime} parts in the current article
9015 (@code{gnus-mime-view-all-parts}).
9022 @item gnus-ignored-mime-types
9023 @vindex gnus-ignored-mime-types
9024 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
9025 this list will be completely ignored by Gnus. The default value is
9028 To have all Vcards be ignored, you'd say something like this:
9031 (setq gnus-ignored-mime-types
9035 @item gnus-article-loose-mime
9036 @vindex gnus-article-loose-mime
9037 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus won't required the @samp{MIME-Version} header
9038 before interpreting the message as a @sc{mime} message. This helps
9039 when reading messages from certain broken mail user agents. The
9040 default is @code{nil}.
9042 @item gnus-article-emulate-mime
9043 @vindex gnus-article-emulate-mime
9044 There are other, non-@sc{mime} encoding methods used. The most common
9045 is @samp{uuencode}, but yEncode is also getting to be popular. If
9046 This variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will look in message bodies to
9047 see if it finds these encodings, and if so, it'll run them through the
9048 Gnus @sc{mime} machinery. The default is @code{t}.
9050 @item gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
9051 @vindex gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types
9052 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
9053 this list won't have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
9054 displayed or this variable is overridden by
9055 @code{gnus-buttonized-mime-types}. The default value is
9056 @code{(".*/.*")}. This variable is only used when
9057 @code{gnus-inhibit-mime-unbuttonizing} is nil.
9059 @item gnus-buttonized-mime-types
9060 @vindex gnus-buttonized-mime-types
9061 This is a list of regexps. @sc{mime} types that match a regexp from
9062 this list will have @sc{mime} buttons inserted unless they aren't
9063 displayed. This variable overrides
9064 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types}. The default value is @code{nil}.
9065 This variable is only used when @code{gnus-inhibit-mime-unbuttonizing}
9068 To see e.g. security buttons but no other buttons, you could set this
9069 variable to @code{("multipart/signed")} and leave
9070 @code{gnus-unbuttonized-mime-types} at the default value.
9072 @item gnus-inhibit-mime-unbuttonizing
9073 @vindex gnus-inhibit-mime-unbuttonizing
9074 If this is non-nil, then all @sc{mime} parts get buttons. The default
9075 value is @code{nil}.
9077 @item gnus-article-mime-part-function
9078 @vindex gnus-article-mime-part-function
9079 For each @sc{mime} part, this function will be called with the @sc{mime}
9080 handle as the parameter. The function is meant to be used to allow
9081 users to gather information from the article (e. g., add Vcard info to
9082 the bbdb database) or to do actions based on parts (e. g., automatically
9083 save all jpegs into some directory).
9085 Here's an example function the does the latter:
9088 (defun my-save-all-jpeg-parts (handle)
9089 (when (equal (car (mm-handle-type handle)) "image/jpeg")
9091 (insert (mm-get-part handle))
9092 (write-region (point-min) (point-max)
9093 (read-file-name "Save jpeg to: ")))))
9094 (setq gnus-article-mime-part-function
9095 'my-save-all-jpeg-parts)
9098 @vindex gnus-mime-multipart-functions
9099 @item gnus-mime-multipart-functions
9100 Alist of @sc{mime} multipart types and functions to handle them.
9102 @vindex mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
9103 @item mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
9104 List of functions used for rewriting file names of @sc{mime} parts.
9105 Each function takes a file name as input and returns a file name.
9107 Ready-made functions include@*
9108 @code{mm-file-name-delete-whitespace},
9109 @code{mm-file-name-trim-whitespace},
9110 @code{mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace}, and
9111 @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace}. The later uses the value of
9112 the variable @code{mm-file-name-replace-whitespace} to replace each
9113 whitespace character in a file name with that string; default value
9114 is @code{"_"} (a single underscore).
9115 @findex mm-file-name-delete-whitespace
9116 @findex mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
9117 @findex mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
9118 @findex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
9119 @vindex mm-file-name-replace-whitespace
9121 The standard functions @code{capitalize}, @code{downcase},
9122 @code{upcase}, and @code{upcase-initials} may be useful, too.
9124 Everybody knows that whitespace characters in file names are evil,
9125 except those who don't know. If you receive lots of attachments from
9126 such unenlightened users, you can make live easier by adding
9129 (setq mm-file-name-rewrite-functions
9130 '(mm-file-name-trim-whitespace
9131 mm-file-name-collapse-whitespace
9132 mm-file-name-replace-whitespace))
9136 to your @file{.gnus.el} file.
9145 People use different charsets, and we have @sc{mime} to let us know what
9146 charsets they use. Or rather, we wish we had. Many people use
9147 newsreaders and mailers that do not understand or use @sc{mime}, and
9148 just send out messages without saying what character sets they use. To
9149 help a bit with this, some local news hierarchies have policies that say
9150 what character set is the default. For instance, the @samp{fj}
9151 hierarchy uses @code{iso-2022-jp-2}.
9153 @vindex gnus-group-charset-alist
9154 This knowledge is encoded in the @code{gnus-group-charset-alist}
9155 variable, which is an alist of regexps (use the first item to match full
9156 group names) and default charsets to be used when reading these groups.
9158 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets
9159 In addition, some people do use soi-disant @sc{mime}-aware agents that
9160 aren't. These blithely mark messages as being in @code{iso-8859-1}
9161 even if they really are in @code{koi-8}. To help here, the
9162 @code{gnus-newsgroup-ignored-charsets} variable can be used. The
9163 charsets that are listed here will be ignored. The variable can be
9164 set on a group-by-group basis using the group parameters (@pxref{Group
9165 Parameters}). The default value is @code{(unknown-8bit x-unknown)},
9166 which includes values some agents insist on having in there.
9168 @vindex gnus-group-posting-charset-alist
9169 When posting, @code{gnus-group-posting-charset-alist} is used to
9170 determine which charsets should not be encoded using the @sc{mime}
9171 encodings. For instance, some hierarchies discourage using
9172 quoted-printable header encoding.
9174 This variable is an alist of regexps and permitted unencoded charsets
9175 for posting. Each element of the alist has the form @code{(}@var{test
9176 header body-list}@code{)}, where:
9180 is either a regular expression matching the newsgroup header or a
9183 is the charset which may be left unencoded in the header (@code{nil}
9184 means encode all charsets),
9186 is a list of charsets which may be encoded using 8bit content-transfer
9187 encoding in the body, or one of the special values @code{nil} (always
9188 encode using quoted-printable) or @code{t} (always use 8bit).
9195 @cindex coding system aliases
9196 @cindex preferred charset
9198 Other charset tricks that may be useful, although not Gnus-specific:
9200 If there are several @sc{mime} charsets that encode the same Emacs
9201 charset, you can choose what charset to use by saying the following:
9204 (put-charset-property 'cyrillic-iso8859-5
9205 'preferred-coding-system 'koi8-r)
9208 This means that Russian will be encoded using @code{koi8-r} instead of
9209 the default @code{iso-8859-5} @sc{mime} charset.
9211 If you want to read messages in @code{koi8-u}, you can cheat and say
9214 (define-coding-system-alias 'koi8-u 'koi8-r)
9217 This will almost do the right thing.
9219 And finally, to read charsets like @code{windows-1251}, you can say
9223 (codepage-setup 1251)
9224 (define-coding-system-alias 'windows-1251 'cp1251)
9228 @node Article Commands
9229 @section Article Commands
9236 @kindex A P (Summary)
9237 @vindex gnus-ps-print-hook
9238 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
9239 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
9240 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}). @code{gnus-ps-print-hook} will
9241 be run just before printing the buffer. An alternative way to print
9242 article is to use Muttprint (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
9247 @node Summary Sorting
9248 @section Summary Sorting
9249 @cindex summary sorting
9251 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
9252 can't really see why you'd want that.
9257 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
9258 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
9259 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
9262 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
9263 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
9264 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
9267 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
9268 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
9269 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
9272 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
9273 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
9274 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
9277 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
9278 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
9279 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
9282 @kindex C-c C-s C-c (Summary)
9283 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-chars
9284 Sort by article length (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-chars}).
9287 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
9288 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
9289 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
9292 @kindex C-c C-s C-r (Summary)
9293 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-random
9294 Randomize (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-random}).
9297 @kindex C-c C-s C-o (Summary)
9298 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-original
9299 Sort using the default sorting method
9300 (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-original}).
9303 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
9304 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
9305 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
9306 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
9307 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
9311 @node Finding the Parent
9312 @section Finding the Parent
9313 @cindex parent articles
9314 @cindex referring articles
9319 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
9320 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
9321 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
9322 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
9323 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
9324 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
9325 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
9326 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
9327 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
9329 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
9330 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
9331 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
9332 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
9333 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
9337 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
9338 @kindex A R (Summary)
9339 Fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References} header of the
9340 article (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
9343 @findex gnus-summary-refer-thread
9344 @kindex A T (Summary)
9345 Display the full thread where the current article appears
9346 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-thread}). This command has to fetch all the
9347 headers in the current group to work, so it usually takes a while. If
9348 you do it often, you may consider setting @code{gnus-fetch-old-headers}
9349 to @code{invisible} (@pxref{Filling In Threads}). This won't have any
9350 visible effects normally, but it'll make this command work a whole lot
9351 faster. Of course, it'll make group entry somewhat slow.
9353 @vindex gnus-refer-thread-limit
9354 The @code{gnus-refer-thread-limit} variable says how many old (i. e.,
9355 articles before the first displayed in the current group) headers to
9356 fetch when doing this command. The default is 200. If @code{t}, all
9357 the available headers will be fetched. This variable can be overridden
9358 by giving the @kbd{A T} command a numerical prefix.
9361 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
9362 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
9364 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
9365 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
9366 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
9367 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
9368 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
9369 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
9370 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
9373 The current select method will be used when fetching by
9374 @code{Message-ID} from non-news select method, but you can override this
9375 by giving this command a prefix.
9377 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
9378 If the group you are reading is located on a back end that does not
9379 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
9380 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
9381 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the one
9382 updating the spool you are reading from, but that's not really
9385 It can also be a list of select methods, as well as the special symbol
9386 @code{current}, which means to use the current select method. If it
9387 is a list, Gnus will try all the methods in the list until it finds a
9390 Here's an example setting that will first try the current method, and
9391 then ask Google if that fails:
9394 (setq gnus-refer-article-method
9396 (nnweb "google" (nnweb-type google))))
9399 Most of the mail back ends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but
9400 do not do a particularly excellent job at it. That is, @code{nnmbox},
9401 @code{nnbabyl}, and @code{nnmaildir} are able to locate articles from
9402 any groups, while @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder}, and @code{nnimap} are
9403 only able to locate articles that have been posted to the current group.
9404 (Anything else would be too time consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not
9405 support this at all.
9408 @node Alternative Approaches
9409 @section Alternative Approaches
9411 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
9412 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
9415 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
9416 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
9421 @subsection Pick and Read
9422 @cindex pick and read
9424 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{Netnews} on VM/CMS) use
9425 a two-phased reading interface. The user first marks in a summary
9426 buffer the articles she wants to read. Then she starts reading the
9427 articles with just an article buffer displayed.
9429 @findex gnus-pick-mode
9430 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
9431 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
9432 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
9433 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
9434 it provides one additional command for switching to the summary buffer.
9436 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
9441 @findex gnus-pick-article-or-thread
9442 Pick the article or thread on the current line
9443 (@code{gnus-pick-article-or-thread}). If the variable
9444 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key selects the
9445 entire thread when used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise,
9446 it selects just the article. If given a numerical prefix, go to that
9447 thread or article and pick it. (The line number is normally displayed
9448 at the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
9451 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
9452 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
9453 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
9454 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
9458 @findex gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread.
9459 Unpick the thread or article
9460 (@code{gnus-pick-unmark-article-or-thread}). If the variable
9461 @code{gnus-thread-hide-subtree} is true, then this key unpicks the
9462 thread if used at the first article of the thread. Otherwise it unpicks
9463 just the article. You can give this key a numerical prefix to unpick
9464 the thread or article at that line.
9468 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
9469 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
9470 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
9471 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
9472 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
9473 will still be visible when you are reading.
9477 All the normal summary mode commands are still available in the
9478 pick-mode, with the exception of @kbd{u}. However @kbd{!} is available
9479 which is mapped to the same function
9480 @code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}.
9482 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
9485 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
9488 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
9489 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
9491 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
9492 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
9493 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
9495 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
9496 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different from the
9497 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
9498 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
9499 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
9500 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
9501 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
9505 @subsection Binary Groups
9506 @cindex binary groups
9508 @findex gnus-binary-mode
9509 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
9510 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
9511 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
9512 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
9513 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
9514 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
9517 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
9518 The only way, in fact, to see the actual articles is the @kbd{g}
9519 command, when you have turned on this mode
9520 (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
9522 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
9523 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
9527 @section Tree Display
9530 @vindex gnus-use-trees
9531 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
9532 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
9533 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
9536 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
9539 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
9540 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
9541 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
9543 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
9544 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
9545 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers (@pxref{Mode
9546 Line Formatting}). The default is @samp{Gnus: %%b %S %Z}. For a list
9547 of valid specs, @pxref{Summary Buffer Mode Line}.
9549 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
9550 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
9551 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
9552 default is @code{modeline}.
9554 @item gnus-tree-line-format
9555 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
9556 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
9557 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
9558 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
9559 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
9560 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
9566 The name of the poster.
9568 The @code{From} header.
9570 The number of the article.
9572 The opening bracket.
9574 The closing bracket.
9579 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
9581 Variables related to the display are:
9584 @item gnus-tree-brackets
9585 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
9586 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
9587 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @code{((@var{real-open} . @var{real-close})
9588 (@var{sparse-open} . @var{sparse-close}) (@var{dummy-open} . @var{dummy-close}))}, and the
9589 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}) (?< . ?>))}.
9591 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9592 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
9593 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
9594 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
9598 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
9599 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
9600 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
9601 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
9602 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
9603 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}. Note that if you
9604 have several windows displayed side-by-side in a frame and the tree
9605 buffer is one of these, minimizing the tree window will also resize all
9606 other windows displayed next to it.
9608 You may also wish to add the following hook to keep the window minimized
9612 (add-hook 'gnus-configure-windows-hook
9613 'gnus-tree-perhaps-minimize)
9616 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
9617 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
9618 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9619 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
9620 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
9621 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
9622 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
9626 Here's an example from a horizontal tree buffer:
9629 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
9639 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
9643 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
9644 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
9646 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
9648 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
9653 If you're using horizontal trees, it might be nice to display the trees
9654 side-by-side with the summary buffer. You could add something like the
9655 following to your @file{.gnus.el} file:
9658 (setq gnus-use-trees t
9659 gnus-generate-tree-function 'gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
9660 gnus-tree-minimize-window nil)
9661 (gnus-add-configuration
9665 (summary 0.75 point)
9670 @xref{Window Layout}.
9673 @node Mail Group Commands
9674 @section Mail Group Commands
9675 @cindex mail group commands
9677 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
9678 invalid in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
9680 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
9681 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9686 @kindex B e (Summary)
9687 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
9688 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
9689 process (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}). That is, delete all
9690 expirable articles in the group that have been around for a while.
9691 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
9694 @kindex B C-M-e (Summary)
9695 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
9696 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
9697 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
9698 articles eligible for expiry in the current group will
9699 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
9702 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
9703 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
9704 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-delete}
9705 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
9706 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
9707 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
9710 @kindex B m (Summary)
9712 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
9713 @vindex gnus-preserve-marks
9714 Move the article from one mail group to another
9715 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9716 @code{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9719 @kindex B c (Summary)
9721 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
9722 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-copy}
9723 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
9724 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}). Marks will be preserved if
9725 @code{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil} (which is the default).
9728 @kindex B B (Summary)
9729 @cindex crosspost mail
9730 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
9731 Crosspost the current article to some other group
9732 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
9733 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
9734 be properly updated.
9737 @kindex B i (Summary)
9738 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
9739 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
9740 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
9741 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
9744 @kindex B I (Summary)
9745 @findex gnus-summary-create-article
9746 Create an empty article in the current mail newsgroups
9747 (@code{gnus-summary-create-article}). You will be prompted for a
9748 @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
9751 @kindex B r (Summary)
9752 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
9753 @vindex gnus-summary-respool-default-method
9754 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-respool-article}).
9755 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
9756 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
9757 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
9758 Marks will be preserved if @code{gnus-preserve-marks} is non-@code{nil}
9759 (which is the default).
9763 @kindex B w (Summary)
9765 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
9766 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
9767 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article-done
9768 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
9769 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
9770 (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}). If you give a prefix to the
9771 @kbd{C-c C-c} command, Gnus won't re-highlight the article.
9774 @kindex B q (Summary)
9775 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
9776 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
9777 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
9778 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
9781 @kindex B t (Summary)
9782 @findex gnus-summary-respool-trace
9783 Similarly, this command will display all fancy splitting patterns used
9784 when respooling, if any (@code{gnus-summary-respool-trace}).
9787 @kindex B p (Summary)
9788 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
9789 Some people have a tendency to send you ``courtesy'' copies when they
9790 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
9791 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
9792 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
9793 article from your news server (or rather, from
9794 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
9795 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
9796 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
9797 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
9798 just not have arrived yet.
9801 @kindex K E (Summary)
9802 @findex gnus-article-encrypt-body
9803 @vindex gnus-article-encrypt-protocol
9804 Encrypt the body of an article (@code{gnus-article-encrypt-body}).
9805 The body is encrypted with the encryption protocol specified by the
9806 variable @code{gnus-article-encrypt-protocol}.
9810 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
9811 @cindex moving articles
9812 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
9813 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
9814 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
9815 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
9816 suggestions you find reasonable. (Note that
9817 @code{gnus-move-split-methods} uses group names where
9818 @code{gnus-split-methods} uses file names.)
9821 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
9822 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
9823 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
9824 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
9828 @node Various Summary Stuff
9829 @section Various Summary Stuff
9832 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
9833 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
9834 * Summary Generation Commands::
9835 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
9839 @vindex gnus-summary-display-while-building
9840 @item gnus-summary-display-while-building
9841 If non-@code{nil}, show and update the summary buffer as it's being
9842 built. If @code{t}, update the buffer after every line is inserted.
9843 If the value is an integer, @var{n}, update the display every @var{n}
9844 lines. The default is @code{nil}.
9846 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
9847 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
9848 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
9850 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
9851 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
9852 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
9853 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
9854 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
9855 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
9858 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9859 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
9860 It is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
9861 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
9862 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
9864 @vindex gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9865 @item gnus-summary-prepared-hook
9866 A hook called as the very last thing after the summary buffer has been
9869 @vindex gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9870 @item gnus-summary-ignore-duplicates
9871 When Gnus discovers two articles that have the same @code{Message-ID},
9872 it has to do something drastic. No articles are allowed to have the
9873 same @code{Message-ID}, but this may happen when reading mail from some
9874 sources. Gnus allows you to customize what happens with this variable.
9875 If it is @code{nil} (which is the default), Gnus will rename the
9876 @code{Message-ID} (for display purposes only) and display the article as
9877 any other article. If this variable is @code{t}, it won't display the
9878 article---it'll be as if it never existed.
9880 @vindex gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9881 @item gnus-alter-articles-to-read-function
9882 This function, which takes two parameters (the group name and the list
9883 of articles to be selected), is called to allow the user to alter the
9884 list of articles to be selected.
9886 For instance, the following function adds the list of cached articles to
9887 the list in one particular group:
9890 (defun my-add-cached-articles (group articles)
9891 (if (string= group "some.group")
9892 (append gnus-newsgroup-cached articles)
9896 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-variables
9897 @item gnus-newsgroup-variables
9898 A list of newsgroup (summary buffer) local variables, or cons of
9899 variables and their default values (when the default values are not
9900 nil), that should be made global while the summary buffer is active.
9901 These variables can be used to set variables in the group parameters
9902 while still allowing them to affect operations done in other
9903 buffers. For example:
9906 (setq gnus-newsgroup-variables
9907 '(message-use-followup-to
9908 (gnus-visible-headers .
9909 "^From:\\|^Newsgroups:\\|^Subject:\\|^Date:\\|^To:")))
9915 @node Summary Group Information
9916 @subsection Summary Group Information
9921 @kindex H f (Summary)
9922 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
9923 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
9924 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
9925 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
9926 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
9927 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
9928 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
9929 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will probably
9930 be used for fetching the file.
9933 @kindex H d (Summary)
9934 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
9935 Give a brief description of the current group
9936 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
9937 rereading the description from the server.
9940 @kindex H h (Summary)
9941 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
9942 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
9943 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
9946 @kindex H i (Summary)
9947 @findex gnus-info-find-node
9948 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
9952 @node Searching for Articles
9953 @subsection Searching for Articles
9958 @kindex M-s (Summary)
9959 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
9960 Search through all subsequent (raw) articles for a regexp
9961 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
9964 @kindex M-r (Summary)
9965 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
9966 Search through all previous (raw) articles for a regexp
9967 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
9971 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
9972 This command will prompt you for a header, a regular expression to match
9973 on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
9974 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}). If the header is an empty
9975 string, the match is done on the entire article. If given a prefix,
9976 search backward instead.
9978 For instance, @kbd{& RET some.*string #} will put the process mark on
9979 all articles that have heads or bodies that match @samp{some.*string}.
9982 @kindex M-& (Summary)
9983 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
9984 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
9985 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
9988 @node Summary Generation Commands
9989 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
9994 @kindex Y g (Summary)
9995 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
9996 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
9999 @kindex Y c (Summary)
10000 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
10001 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
10002 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
10005 @kindex Y d (Summary)
10006 @findex gnus-summary-insert-dormant-articles
10007 Pull all dormant articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
10008 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-dormant-articles}).
10013 @node Really Various Summary Commands
10014 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
10020 @kindex C-d (Summary)
10021 @kindex A D (Summary)
10022 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
10023 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
10024 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
10025 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
10026 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
10027 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
10028 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages of
10029 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
10033 @kindex C-M-d (Summary)
10034 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
10035 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
10036 several documents into one biiig group
10037 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
10038 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
10039 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
10040 command understands the process/prefix convention
10041 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
10044 @kindex C-t (Summary)
10045 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
10046 Toggle truncation of summary lines
10047 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
10048 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
10049 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
10052 @kindex = (Summary)
10053 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
10054 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
10055 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
10058 @kindex C-M-e (Summary)
10059 @findex gnus-summary-edit-parameters
10060 Edit the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
10061 group (@code{gnus-summary-edit-parameters}).
10064 @kindex C-M-a (Summary)
10065 @findex gnus-summary-customize-parameters
10066 Customize the group parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}) of the current
10067 group (@code{gnus-summary-customize-parameters}).
10072 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
10073 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
10074 @cindex summary exit
10075 @cindex exiting groups
10077 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
10078 group and return you to the group buffer.
10084 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
10085 @kindex q (Summary)
10086 @findex gnus-summary-exit
10087 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
10088 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
10089 @vindex gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook
10090 @c @icon{gnus-summary-exit}
10091 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
10092 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
10093 called before doing much of the exiting, which calls
10094 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
10095 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exit
10096 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
10097 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
10101 @kindex Z E (Summary)
10102 @kindex Q (Summary)
10103 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
10104 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
10105 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
10109 @kindex Z c (Summary)
10110 @kindex c (Summary)
10111 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
10112 @c @icon{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}
10113 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
10114 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
10117 @kindex Z C (Summary)
10118 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
10119 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
10120 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
10123 @kindex Z n (Summary)
10124 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
10125 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
10126 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
10129 @kindex Z R (Summary)
10130 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
10131 Exit this group, and then enter it again
10132 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
10133 all articles, both read and unread.
10137 @kindex Z G (Summary)
10138 @kindex M-g (Summary)
10139 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
10140 @c @icon{gnus-summary-mail-get}
10141 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
10142 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
10143 articles, both read and unread.
10146 @kindex Z N (Summary)
10147 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
10148 Exit the group and go to the next group
10149 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
10152 @kindex Z P (Summary)
10153 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
10154 Exit the group and go to the previous group
10155 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
10158 @kindex Z s (Summary)
10159 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
10160 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
10161 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
10162 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
10163 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
10166 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
10167 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current group
10168 with an ``updating'' exit. For instance @kbd{Q}
10169 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}) does not call this hook.
10171 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
10172 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
10173 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
10174 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
10175 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
10176 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
10177 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
10178 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
10179 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
10180 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
10181 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
10182 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
10184 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
10186 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
10187 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
10188 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
10189 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
10190 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
10191 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
10192 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
10193 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
10194 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
10197 @node Crosspost Handling
10198 @section Crosspost Handling
10202 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
10203 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
10204 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
10205 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
10206 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
10207 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
10210 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
10211 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
10212 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
10213 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
10214 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
10216 @cindex cross-posting
10219 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
10220 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
10221 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
10222 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
10223 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
10224 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
10225 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
10226 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
10227 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
10228 the cross reference mechanism.
10230 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
10231 @cindex overview.fmt
10232 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
10233 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
10234 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
10235 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
10236 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
10237 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
10240 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
10241 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
10242 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
10247 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
10250 @node Duplicate Suppression
10251 @section Duplicate Suppression
10253 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
10254 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
10255 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
10256 approach may not work satisfactory for some users for various
10261 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
10262 is evil and not very common.
10265 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
10266 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
10269 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
10270 different @sc{nntp} servers.
10273 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
10276 I'm sure there are other situations where @code{Xref} handling fails as
10277 well, but these four are the most common situations.
10279 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
10280 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
10281 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
10282 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
10283 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
10284 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
10285 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
10288 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
10289 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
10290 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
10291 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
10292 article as read with the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
10293 saw the article in.
10296 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
10297 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
10298 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
10300 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
10301 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
10302 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
10303 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
10304 However, this means that only duplicate articles read in a single Gnus
10305 session are suppressed.
10307 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
10308 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
10309 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
10310 suppression list. The default is 10000.
10312 @item gnus-duplicate-file
10313 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
10314 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list in. The
10315 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
10318 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
10319 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
10320 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
10321 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
10322 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
10323 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
10324 to you to figure out, I think.
10329 Gnus is able to verify signed messages or decrypt encrypted messages.
10330 The formats that are supported are PGP, @sc{pgp/mime} and @sc{s/mime},
10331 however you need some external programs to get things to work:
10335 To handle PGP and PGP/MIME messages, you have to install an OpenPGP
10336 implementation such as GnuPG. The lisp interface to GnuPG included
10337 with Gnus is called PGG (@pxref{Top, ,PGG, pgg, PGG Manual}), but
10338 Mailcrypt and gpg.el are also supported.
10341 To handle @sc{s/mime} message, you need to install OpenSSL. OpenSSL 0.9.6
10342 or newer is recommended.
10346 More information on how to set things up can be found in the message
10347 manual (@pxref{Security, ,Security, message, Message Manual}).
10350 @item mm-verify-option
10351 @vindex mm-verify-option
10352 Option of verifying signed parts. @code{never}, not verify;
10353 @code{always}, always verify; @code{known}, only verify known
10354 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
10356 @item mm-decrypt-option
10357 @vindex mm-decrypt-option
10358 Option of decrypting encrypted parts. @code{never}, no decryption;
10359 @code{always}, always decrypt; @code{known}, only decrypt known
10360 protocols. Otherwise, ask user.
10363 @vindex mml1991-use
10364 Symbol indicating elisp interface to OpenPGP implementation for PGP
10365 messages. The default is @code{pgg}, but @code{mailcrypt} and
10366 @code{gpg} are also supported although deprecated.
10369 @vindex mml2015-use
10370 Symbol indicating elisp interface to OpenPGP implementation for
10371 PGP/MIME messages. The default is @code{pgg}, but @code{mailcrypt}
10372 and @code{gpg} are also supported although deprecated.
10377 @section Mailing List
10379 @kindex A M (summary)
10380 @findex gnus-mailing-list-insinuate
10381 Gnus understands some mailing list fields of RFC 2369. To enable it,
10382 add a @code{to-list} group parameter (@pxref{Group Parameters}),
10383 possibly using @kbd{A M} (@code{gnus-mailing-list-insinuate}) in the
10386 That enables the following commands to the summary buffer:
10391 @kindex C-c C-n h (Summary)
10392 @findex gnus-mailing-list-help
10393 Send a message to fetch mailing list help, if List-Help field exists.
10396 @kindex C-c C-n s (Summary)
10397 @findex gnus-mailing-list-subscribe
10398 Send a message to subscribe the mailing list, if List-Subscribe field exists.
10401 @kindex C-c C-n u (Summary)
10402 @findex gnus-mailing-list-unsubscribe
10403 Send a message to unsubscribe the mailing list, if List-Unsubscribe
10407 @kindex C-c C-n p (Summary)
10408 @findex gnus-mailing-list-post
10409 Post to the mailing list, if List-Post field exists.
10412 @kindex C-c C-n o (Summary)
10413 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
10414 Send a message to the mailing list owner, if List-Owner field exists.
10417 @kindex C-c C-n a (Summary)
10418 @findex gnus-mailing-list-owner
10419 Browse the mailing list archive, if List-Archive field exists.
10423 @node Article Buffer
10424 @chapter Article Buffer
10425 @cindex article buffer
10427 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
10428 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
10429 tell Gnus otherwise.
10432 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
10433 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
10434 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
10435 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
10436 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
10440 @node Hiding Headers
10441 @section Hiding Headers
10442 @cindex hiding headers
10443 @cindex deleting headers
10445 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
10446 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
10448 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
10449 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
10450 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
10451 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
10452 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
10453 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
10454 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
10455 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
10456 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
10458 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
10462 @item gnus-visible-headers
10463 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
10464 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
10465 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
10466 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
10468 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
10469 the article and the subject, you'd say:
10472 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
10475 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
10478 @item gnus-ignored-headers
10479 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
10480 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
10481 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
10482 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
10483 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
10485 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
10486 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
10489 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
10492 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers to
10495 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
10496 variable will have no effect.
10500 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
10501 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
10502 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
10503 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
10504 the headers are to be displayed.
10506 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
10507 and then the subject, you might say something like:
10510 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
10513 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
10514 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers listed in this variable.
10516 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
10517 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
10518 You can hide further boring headers by setting
10519 @code{gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers} to @code{head}. What this function
10520 does depends on the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a
10521 list, but this list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is
10522 lists various @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove
10525 These conditions are:
10528 Remove all empty headers.
10530 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
10531 @code{Newsgroups} header.
10533 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
10534 @code{From} header.
10536 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
10539 Remove the @code{To} header if it only contains the address identical to
10540 the current groups's @code{to-address} parameter.
10542 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
10545 Remove the @code{To} header if it is very long.
10547 Remove all @code{To} headers if there are more than one.
10550 To include these three elements, you could say something like:
10553 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
10554 '(empty followup-to reply-to))
10557 This is also the default value for this variable.
10561 @section Using MIME
10564 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
10565 while people stand around yawning.
10567 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
10568 while all newsreaders die of fear.
10570 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
10571 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
10572 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
10574 @vindex gnus-display-mime-function
10575 @findex gnus-display-mime
10576 Gnus pushes @sc{mime} articles through @code{gnus-display-mime-function}
10577 to display the @sc{mime} parts. This is @code{gnus-display-mime} by
10578 default, which creates a bundle of clickable buttons that can be used to
10579 display, save and manipulate the @sc{mime} objects.
10581 The following commands are available when you have placed point over a
10585 @findex gnus-article-press-button
10586 @item RET (Article)
10587 @kindex RET (Article)
10588 @itemx BUTTON-2 (Article)
10589 Toggle displaying of the @sc{mime} object
10590 (@code{gnus-article-press-button}). If builtin viewers can not display
10591 the object, Gnus resorts to external viewers in the @file{mailcap}
10592 files. If a viewer has the @samp{copiousoutput} specification, the
10593 object is displayed inline.
10595 @findex gnus-mime-view-part
10596 @item M-RET (Article)
10597 @kindex M-RET (Article)
10599 Prompt for a method, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
10600 method (@code{gnus-mime-view-part}).
10602 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-type
10604 @kindex t (Article)
10605 View the @sc{mime} object as if it were a different @sc{mime} media type
10606 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-type}).
10608 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset
10610 @kindex C (Article)
10611 Prompt for a charset, and then view the @sc{mime} object using this
10612 charset (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-as-charset}).
10614 @findex gnus-mime-save-part
10616 @kindex o (Article)
10617 Prompt for a file name, and then save the @sc{mime} object
10618 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part}).
10620 @findex gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip
10621 @item C-o (Article)
10622 @kindex C-o (Article)
10623 Prompt for a file name, then save the @sc{mime} object and strip it from
10624 the article. Then proceed to article editing, where a reasonable
10625 suggestion is being made on how the altered article should look
10626 like. The stripped @sc{mime} object will be referred via the
10627 message/external-body @sc{mime} type.
10628 (@code{gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip}).
10630 @findex gnus-mime-copy-part
10632 @kindex c (Article)
10633 Copy the @sc{mime} object to a fresh buffer and display this buffer
10634 (@code{gnus-mime-copy-part}). Compressed files like @file{.gz} and
10635 @file{.bz2} are automatically decompressed if
10636 @code{auto-compression-mode} is enabled (@pxref{Compressed Files,,
10637 Accessing Compressed Files, emacs, The Emacs Editor}).
10639 @findex gnus-mime-print-part
10641 @kindex p (Article)
10642 Print the @sc{mime} object (@code{gnus-mime-print-part}). This
10643 command respects the @samp{print=} specifications in the
10644 @file{.mailcap} file.
10646 @findex gnus-mime-inline-part
10648 @kindex i (Article)
10649 Insert the contents of the @sc{mime} object into the buffer
10650 (@code{gnus-mime-inline-part}) as text/plain. If given a prefix, insert
10651 the raw contents without decoding. If given a numerical prefix, you can
10652 do semi-manual charset stuff (see
10653 @code{gnus-summary-show-article-charset-alist} in @pxref{Paging the
10656 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-internally
10658 @kindex E (Article)
10659 View the @sc{mime} object with an internal viewer. If no internal
10660 viewer is available, use an external viewer
10661 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-internally}).
10663 @findex gnus-mime-view-part-externally
10665 @kindex e (Article)
10666 View the @sc{mime} object with an external viewer.
10667 (@code{gnus-mime-view-part-externally}).
10669 @findex gnus-mime-pipe-part
10671 @kindex | (Article)
10672 Output the @sc{mime} object to a process (@code{gnus-mime-pipe-part}).
10674 @findex gnus-mime-action-on-part
10676 @kindex . (Article)
10677 Interactively run an action on the @sc{mime} object
10678 (@code{gnus-mime-action-on-part}).
10682 Gnus will display some @sc{mime} objects automatically. The way Gnus
10683 determines which parts to do this with is described in the Emacs
10686 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the article
10687 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
10688 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
10689 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
10690 comes screaming out your speakers, and you can't find the volume button,
10691 because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you, and you
10692 try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the program
10693 to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly decides
10694 to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
10696 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
10698 Also see @pxref{MIME Commands}.
10701 @node Customizing Articles
10702 @section Customizing Articles
10703 @cindex article customization
10705 A slew of functions for customizing how the articles are to look like
10706 exist. You can call these functions interactively
10707 (@pxref{Article Washing}), or you can have them
10708 called automatically when you select the articles.
10710 To have them called automatically, you should set the corresponding
10711 ``treatment'' variable. For instance, to have headers hidden, you'd set
10712 @code{gnus-treat-hide-headers}. Below is a list of variables that can
10713 be set, but first we discuss the values these variables can have.
10715 Note: Some values, while valid, make little sense. Check the list below
10716 for sensible values.
10720 @code{nil}: Don't do this treatment.
10723 @code{t}: Do this treatment on all body parts.
10726 @code{head}: Do the treatment on the headers.
10729 @code{last}: Do this treatment on the last part.
10732 An integer: Do this treatment on all body parts that have a length less
10736 A list of strings: Do this treatment on all body parts that are in
10737 articles that are read in groups that have names that match one of the
10738 regexps in the list.
10741 A list where the first element is not a string:
10743 The list is evaluated recursively. The first element of the list is a
10744 predicate. The following predicates are recognized: @code{or},
10745 @code{and}, @code{not} and @code{typep}. Here's an example:
10749 (typep "text/x-vcard"))
10754 You may have noticed that the word @dfn{part} is used here. This refers
10755 to the fact that some messages are @sc{mime} multipart articles that may
10756 be divided into several parts. Articles that are not multiparts are
10757 considered to contain just a single part.
10759 @vindex gnus-article-treat-types
10760 Are the treatments applied to all sorts of multipart parts? Yes, if you
10761 want to, but by default, only @samp{text/plain} parts are given the
10762 treatment. This is controlled by the @code{gnus-article-treat-types}
10763 variable, which is a list of regular expressions that are matched to the
10764 type of the part. This variable is ignored if the value of the
10765 controlling variable is a predicate list, as described above.
10767 The following treatment options are available. The easiest way to
10768 customize this is to examine the @code{gnus-article-treat} customization
10769 group. Values in parenthesis are suggested sensible values. Others are
10770 possible but those listed are probably sufficient for most people.
10773 @item gnus-treat-buttonize (t, integer)
10774 @item gnus-treat-buttonize-head (head)
10776 @xref{Article Buttons}.
10778 @item gnus-treat-capitalize-sentences (t, integer)
10779 @item gnus-treat-overstrike (t, integer)
10780 @item gnus-treat-strip-cr (t, integer)
10781 @item gnus-treat-strip-headers-in-body (t, integer)
10782 @item gnus-treat-strip-leading-blank-lines (t, integer)
10783 @item gnus-treat-strip-multiple-blank-lines (t, integer)
10784 @item gnus-treat-strip-pem (t, last, integer)
10785 @item gnus-treat-strip-trailing-blank-lines (t, last, integer)
10786 @item gnus-treat-unsplit-urls (t, integer)
10787 @item gnus-treat-wash-html (t, integer)
10789 @xref{Article Washing}.
10791 @item gnus-treat-date-english (head)
10792 @item gnus-treat-date-iso8601 (head)
10793 @item gnus-treat-date-lapsed (head)
10794 @item gnus-treat-date-local (head)
10795 @item gnus-treat-date-original (head)
10796 @item gnus-treat-date-user-defined (head)
10797 @item gnus-treat-date-ut (head)
10799 @xref{Article Date}.
10801 @item gnus-treat-from-picon (head)
10802 @item gnus-treat-mail-picon (head)
10803 @item gnus-treat-newsgroups-picon (head)
10807 @item gnus-treat-display-smileys (t, integer)
10809 @item gnus-treat-body-boundary (head)
10811 @vindex gnus-body-boundary-delimiter
10812 Adds a delimiter between header and body, the string used as delimiter
10813 is controlled by @code{gnus-body-boundary-delimiter}.
10817 @item gnus-treat-display-xface (head)
10821 @item gnus-treat-emphasize (t, head, integer)
10822 @item gnus-treat-fill-article (t, integer)
10823 @item gnus-treat-fill-long-lines (t, integer)
10824 @item gnus-treat-hide-boring-headers (head)
10825 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation (t, integer)
10826 @item gnus-treat-hide-citation-maybe (t, integer)
10827 @item gnus-treat-hide-headers (head)
10828 @item gnus-treat-hide-signature (t, last)
10830 @xref{Article Hiding}.
10832 @item gnus-treat-highlight-citation (t, integer)
10833 @item gnus-treat-highlight-headers (head)
10834 @item gnus-treat-highlight-signature (t, last, integer)
10836 @xref{Article Highlighting}.
10838 @item gnus-treat-play-sounds
10839 @item gnus-treat-translate
10840 @item gnus-treat-x-pgp-sig (head)
10842 @item gnus-treat-unfold-headers (head)
10843 @item gnus-treat-fold-headers (head)
10844 @item gnus-treat-fold-newsgroups (head)
10845 @item gnus-treat-leading-whitespace (head)
10847 @xref{Article Header}.
10852 @vindex gnus-part-display-hook
10853 You can, of course, write your own functions to be called from
10854 @code{gnus-part-display-hook}. The functions are called narrowed to the
10855 part, and you can do anything you like, pretty much. There is no
10856 information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can change
10860 @node Article Keymap
10861 @section Article Keymap
10863 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
10864 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
10865 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
10866 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
10869 A few additional keystrokes are available:
10874 @kindex SPACE (Article)
10875 @findex gnus-article-next-page
10876 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
10877 This is exactly the same as @kbd{h SPACE h}.
10880 @kindex DEL (Article)
10881 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
10882 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
10883 This is exactly the same as @kbd{h DEL h}.
10886 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
10887 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
10888 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
10889 @kbd{C-c ^}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
10890 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
10893 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
10894 @findex gnus-article-mail
10895 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
10896 given a prefix, include the mail.
10899 @kindex s (Article)
10900 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
10901 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
10902 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
10905 @kindex ? (Article)
10906 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
10907 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
10908 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
10911 @kindex TAB (Article)
10912 @findex gnus-article-next-button
10913 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}). This
10914 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
10917 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
10918 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
10919 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}).
10922 @kindex R (Article)
10923 @findex gnus-article-reply-with-original
10924 Send a reply to the current article and yank the current article
10925 (@code{gnus-article-reply-with-original}). If given a prefix, make a
10926 wide reply. If the region is active, only yank the text in the
10930 @kindex F (Article)
10931 @findex gnus-article-followup-with-original
10932 Send a followup to the current article and yank the current article
10933 (@code{gnus-article-followup-with-original}). If given a prefix, make
10934 a wide reply. If the region is active, only yank the text in the
10942 @section Misc Article
10946 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
10947 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
10948 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
10949 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
10952 @vindex gnus-article-decode-hook
10953 @item gnus-article-decode-hook
10955 Hook used to decode @sc{mime} articles. The default value is
10956 @code{(article-decode-charset article-decode-encoded-words)}
10958 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
10959 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
10960 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
10961 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
10962 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
10963 the contents of the article buffer.
10965 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
10966 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
10967 Hook called in article mode buffers.
10969 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10970 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
10971 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
10972 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
10974 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
10975 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
10976 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
10977 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}). It
10978 accepts the same format specifications as that variable, with two
10984 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
10985 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
10986 performed. The characters and their meaning:
10991 Displayed when cited text may be hidden in the article buffer.
10994 Displayed when headers are hidden in the article buffer.
10997 Displayed when article is digitally signed or encrypted, and Gnus has
10998 hidden the security headers. (N.B. does not tell anything about
10999 security status, i.e. good or bad signature.)
11002 Displayed when the signature has been hidden in the Article buffer.
11005 Displayed when Gnus has treated overstrike characters in the article buffer.
11008 Displayed when Gnus has treated emphasised strings in the article buffer.
11013 The number of @sc{mime} parts in the article.
11017 @vindex gnus-break-pages
11019 @item gnus-break-pages
11020 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
11021 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
11022 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
11023 paging will not be done.
11025 @item gnus-page-delimiter
11026 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
11027 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
11032 @node Composing Messages
11033 @chapter Composing Messages
11034 @cindex composing messages
11037 @cindex sending mail
11042 @cindex using s/mime
11043 @cindex using smime
11045 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
11046 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
11047 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the
11048 article by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Overview, message,
11049 Message Manual}. Where the message will be posted/mailed to depends
11050 on your setup (@pxref{Posting Server}).
11053 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
11054 * Posting Server:: What server should you post and mail via?
11055 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
11056 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
11057 * Posting Styles:: An easier way to specify who you are.
11058 * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
11059 * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
11060 * Signing and encrypting:: How to compose secure messages.
11063 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
11064 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
11070 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
11073 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
11074 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
11075 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
11076 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched. If
11077 @code{nil} include all headers.
11079 @item gnus-add-to-list
11080 @vindex gnus-add-to-list
11081 If non-@code{nil}, add a @code{to-list} group parameter to mail groups
11082 that have none when you do a @kbd{a}.
11084 @item gnus-confirm-mail-reply-to-news
11085 @vindex gnus-confirm-mail-reply-to-news
11086 This can also be a function receiving the group name as the only
11087 parameter which should return non-@code{nil} if a confirmation is
11088 needed, or a regular expression matching group names, where
11089 confirmation is should be asked for.
11091 If you find yourself never wanting to reply to mail, but occasionally
11092 press R anyway, this variable might be for you.
11094 @item gnus-confirm-treat-mail-like-news
11095 @vindex gnus-confirm-treat-mail-like-news
11096 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus also requests confirmation according to
11097 @code{gnus-confirm-mail-reply-to-news} when replying to mail. This is
11098 useful for treating mailing lists like newsgroups.
11103 @node Posting Server
11104 @section Posting Server
11106 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
11107 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
11109 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
11111 It can be quite complicated.
11113 @vindex gnus-post-method
11114 When posting news, Message usually invokes @code{message-send-news}
11115 (@pxref{News Variables, , News Variables, message, Message Manual}).
11116 Normally, Gnus will post using the same select method as you're
11117 reading from (which might be convenient if you're reading lots of
11118 groups from different private servers). However. If the server
11119 you're reading from doesn't allow posting, just reading, you probably
11120 want to use some other server to post your (extremely intelligent and
11121 fabulously interesting) articles. You can then set the
11122 @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
11125 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
11128 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
11129 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
11130 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
11131 the ``current'' server, to get back the default behavior, for posting.
11133 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
11134 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
11136 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
11137 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
11140 Finally, if you want to always post using the native select method,
11141 you can set this variable to @code{native}.
11143 When sending mail, Message invokes @code{message-send-mail-function}.
11144 The default function, @code{message-send-mail-with-sendmail}, pipes
11145 your article to the @code{sendmail} binary for further queuing and
11146 sending. When your local system is not configured for sending mail
11147 using @code{sendmail}, and you have access to a remote @sc{smtp}
11148 server, you can set @code{message-send-mail-function} to
11149 @code{smtpmail-send-it} and make sure to setup the @code{smtpmail}
11150 package correctly. An example:
11153 (setq message-send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it
11154 smtpmail-default-smtp-server "YOUR SMTP HOST")
11157 To the thing similar to this, there is @code{message-smtpmail-send-it}.
11158 It is useful if your ISP requires the POP-before-SMTP authentication.
11159 See the documentation for the function @code{mail-source-touch-pop}.
11161 Other possible choices for @code{message-send-mail-function} includes
11162 @code{message-send-mail-with-mh}, @code{message-send-mail-with-qmail},
11163 and @code{feedmail-send-it}.
11165 @node Mail and Post
11166 @section Mail and Post
11168 Here's a list of variables relevant to both mailing and
11172 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
11173 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
11174 @cindex mailing lists
11176 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists
11177 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
11178 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
11179 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
11180 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
11181 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that matches the groups that
11182 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
11183 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
11184 still a pain, though.
11186 @item gnus-user-agent
11187 @vindex gnus-user-agent
11190 This variable controls which information should be exposed in the
11191 User-Agent header. It can be one of the symbols @code{full} (show full
11192 information, i.e. Emacs and Gnus version and system configuration),
11193 @code{emacs-gnus} (show only Emacs and Gnus version),
11194 @code{emacs-gnus-type} (same as @code{emacs-gnus} plus system type),
11195 @code{gnus} (show only Gnus version) or a custom string. If you set it
11196 to a string, be sure to use a valid format, see RFC 2616.
11200 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
11201 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
11202 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
11205 @findex ispell-message
11207 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
11210 If you want to change the @code{ispell} dictionary based on what group
11211 you're in, you could say something like the following:
11214 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook
11218 "^de\\." (gnus-group-real-name gnus-newsgroup-name))
11219 (ispell-change-dictionary "deutsch"))
11221 (ispell-change-dictionary "english")))))
11224 Modify to suit your needs.
11227 @node Archived Messages
11228 @section Archived Messages
11229 @cindex archived messages
11230 @cindex sent messages
11232 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail and news you
11233 send. The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to
11234 store the messages. If you want to disable this completely, the
11235 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable should be @code{nil}, which
11238 For archiving interesting messages in a group you read, see the
11239 @kbd{B c} (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}) command (@pxref{Mail
11242 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
11243 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
11244 use to store sent messages. The default is:
11247 (nnfolder "archive"
11248 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive")
11249 (nnfolder-active-file "~/Mail/archive/active")
11250 (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
11251 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t))
11254 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
11255 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likable select method
11256 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
11257 directory chosen, you could say something like:
11260 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
11261 '(nnfolder "archive"
11262 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
11263 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
11264 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
11267 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
11269 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
11270 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
11271 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
11273 This variable can be used to do the following:
11278 Messages will be saved in that group.
11280 Note that you can include a select method in the group name, then the
11281 message will not be stored in the select method given by
11282 @code{gnus-message-archive-method}, but in the select method specified
11283 by the group name, instead. Suppose @code{gnus-message-archive-method}
11284 has the default value shown above. Then setting
11285 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{"foo"} means that outgoing
11286 messages are stored in @samp{nnfolder+archive:foo}, but if you use the
11287 value @code{"nnml:foo"}, then outgoing messages will be stored in
11291 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
11293 an alist of regexps, functions and forms
11294 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
11297 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
11302 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
11304 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
11307 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
11309 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
11312 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
11314 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
11315 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
11316 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
11317 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
11320 More complex stuff:
11322 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
11323 '((if (message-news-p)
11328 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
11329 messages in one file per month:
11332 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
11333 '((if (message-news-p)
11335 (concat "mail." (format-time-string "%Y-%m")))))
11338 @c (XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
11339 @c use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.)
11341 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
11342 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
11343 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
11344 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
11345 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
11346 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
11347 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
11348 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
11349 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
11350 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
11352 That's the default method of archiving sent messages. Gnus offers a
11353 different way for the people who don't like the default method. In that
11354 case you should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil};
11355 this will disable archiving.
11358 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
11359 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
11360 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
11361 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
11362 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
11365 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
11366 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
11367 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
11370 This variable can be used instead of @code{gnus-message-archive-group},
11371 but the latter is the preferred method.
11373 @item gnus-gcc-mark-as-read
11374 @vindex gnus-gcc-mark-as-read
11375 If non-@code{nil}, automatically mark @code{Gcc} articles as read.
11377 @item gnus-gcc-externalize-attachments
11378 @vindex gnus-gcc-externalize-attachments
11379 If @code{nil}, attach files as normal parts in Gcc copies; if a regexp
11380 and matches the Gcc group name, attach files as external parts; if it is
11381 @code{all}, attach local files as external parts; if it is other
11382 non-@code{nil}, the behavior is the same as @code{all}, but it may be
11383 changed in the future.
11388 @node Posting Styles
11389 @section Posting Styles
11390 @cindex posting styles
11393 All them variables, they make my head swim.
11395 So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
11396 on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
11397 and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
11400 @vindex gnus-posting-styles
11401 One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
11402 variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
11403 came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
11404 a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
11409 (signature "Peace and happiness")
11410 (organization "What me?"))
11412 (signature "Death to everybody"))
11413 ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
11414 (organization "Emacs is it")))
11417 As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
11418 @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
11419 ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
11420 over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
11421 applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
11422 the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
11423 @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
11424 signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
11426 The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
11427 string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
11428 If it is the form @code{(header @var{match} @var{regexp})}, then Gnus
11429 will look in the original article for a header whose name is
11430 @var{match} and compare that @var{regexp}. @var{match} and
11431 @var{regexp} are strings. (There original article is the one you are
11432 replying or following up to. If you are not composing a reply or a
11433 followup, then there is nothing to match against.) If the
11434 @code{match} is a function symbol, that function will be called with
11435 no arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
11436 referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
11437 any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is
11438 said to @dfn{match}.
11440 Each style may contain an arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
11441 attribute consists of a @code{(@var{name} @var{value})} pair. The
11442 attribute name can be one of @code{signature}, @code{signature-file},
11443 @code{x-face-file}, @code{address} (overriding
11444 @code{user-mail-address}), @code{name} (overriding
11445 @code{(user-full-name)}) or @code{body}. The attribute name can also
11446 be a string or a symbol. In that case, this will be used as a header
11447 name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the article; if
11448 the value is @code{nil}, the header name will be removed. If the
11449 attribute name is @code{eval}, the form is evaluated, and the result
11452 The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function with
11453 zero arguments (the return value will be used), a variable (its value
11454 will be used) or a list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value
11455 will be used). The functions and sexps are called/@code{eval}ed in the
11456 message buffer that is being set up. The headers of the current article
11457 are available through the @code{message-reply-headers} variable, which
11458 is a vector of the following headers: number subject from date id
11459 references chars lines xref extra.
11461 @vindex message-reply-headers
11463 If you wish to check whether the message you are about to compose is
11464 meant to be a news article or a mail message, you can check the values
11465 of the @code{message-news-p} and @code{message-mail-p} functions.
11467 @findex message-mail-p
11468 @findex message-news-p
11470 So here's a new example:
11473 (setq gnus-posting-styles
11475 (signature-file "~/.signature")
11477 ("X-Home-Page" (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
11478 (organization "People's Front Against MWM"))
11480 (signature my-funny-signature-randomizer))
11481 ((equal (system-name) "gnarly") ;; A form
11482 (signature my-quote-randomizer))
11483 (message-news-p ;; A function symbol
11484 (signature my-news-signature))
11485 (window-system ;; A value symbol
11486 ("X-Window-System" (format "%s" window-system)))
11487 ;; If I'm replying to Larsi, set the Organization header.
11488 ((header "from" "larsi.*org")
11489 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
11490 ((posting-from-work-p) ;; A user defined function
11491 (signature-file "~/.work-signature")
11492 (address "user@@bar.foo")
11493 (body "You are fired.\n\nSincerely, your boss.")
11494 (organization "Important Work, Inc"))
11496 (From (save-excursion
11497 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer)
11498 (message-fetch-field "to"))))
11500 (signature-file "~/.mail-signature"))))
11503 The @samp{nnml:.*} rule means that you use the @code{To} address as the
11504 @code{From} address in all your outgoing replies, which might be handy
11505 if you fill many roles.
11512 If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
11513 you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
11514 craaazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save
11515 the message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some
11516 other day, and send it when you feel its finished.
11518 Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
11519 some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
11520 automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
11521 If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
11522 article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
11526 @vindex nndraft-directory
11527 The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
11528 @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
11529 @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{nndraft-directory} says where
11530 @code{nndraft} is to store its files. What makes this group special is
11531 that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any articles as
11532 read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
11534 If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
11535 to it. The only way to make it disappear from the Group buffer is to
11538 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
11539 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
11540 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
11541 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
11542 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
11543 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
11544 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
11545 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
11546 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
11547 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
11548 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
11549 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
11550 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
11551 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
11553 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
11554 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
11555 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
11557 @findex gnus-draft-edit-message
11558 @kindex D e (Draft)
11559 When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
11560 draft group and push @kbd{D e} (@code{gnus-draft-edit-message}) to do
11561 that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
11563 Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
11566 @findex gnus-draft-send-all-messages
11567 @kindex D s (Draft)
11568 @findex gnus-draft-send-message
11569 @kindex D S (Draft)
11570 If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
11571 doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{D s} command
11572 (@code{gnus-draft-send-message}). This command understands the
11573 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). The @kbd{D S}
11574 command (@code{gnus-draft-send-all-messages}) will ship off all messages
11577 @findex gnus-draft-toggle-sending
11578 @kindex D t (Draft)
11579 If you have some messages that you wish not to send, you can use the
11580 @kbd{D t} (@code{gnus-draft-toggle-sending}) command to mark the message
11581 as unsendable. This is a toggling command.
11584 @node Rejected Articles
11585 @section Rejected Articles
11586 @cindex rejected articles
11588 Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
11589 doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
11590 @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
11591 Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
11593 These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
11594 (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
11595 fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
11596 you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
11597 articles until some later time when the server feels better.
11599 The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
11600 (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
11601 typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
11603 @node Signing and encrypting
11604 @section Signing and encrypting
11606 @cindex using s/mime
11607 @cindex using smime
11609 Gnus can digitally sign and encrypt your messages, using vanilla PGP
11610 format or @sc{pgp/mime} or @sc{s/mime}. For decoding such messages,
11611 see the @code{mm-verify-option} and @code{mm-decrypt-option} options
11612 (@pxref{Security}).
11614 @vindex gnus-message-replysign
11615 @vindex gnus-message-replyencrypt
11616 @vindex gnus-message-replysignencrypted
11617 Often, you would like to sign replies to people who send you signed
11618 messages. Even more often, you might want to encrypt messages which
11619 are in reply to encrypted messages. Gnus offers
11620 @code{gnus-message-replysign} to enable the former, and
11621 @code{gnus-message-replyencrypt} for the latter. In addition, setting
11622 @code{gnus-message-replysignencrypted} (on by default) will sign
11623 automatically encrypted messages.
11625 Instructing MML to perform security operations on a @sc{mime} part is
11626 done using the @kbd{C-c C-m s} key map for signing and the @kbd{C-c
11627 C-m c} key map for encryption, as follows.
11632 @kindex C-c C-m s s
11633 @findex mml-secure-message-sign-smime
11635 Digitally sign current message using @sc{s/mime}.
11638 @kindex C-c C-m s o
11639 @findex mml-secure-message-sign-pgp
11641 Digitally sign current message using PGP.
11644 @kindex C-c C-m s p
11645 @findex mml-secure-message-sign-pgp
11647 Digitally sign current message using @sc{pgp/mime}.
11650 @kindex C-c C-m c s
11651 @findex mml-secure-message-encrypt-smime
11653 Digitally encrypt current message using @sc{s/mime}.
11656 @kindex C-c C-m c o
11657 @findex mml-secure-message-encrypt-pgp
11659 Digitally encrypt current message using PGP.
11662 @kindex C-c C-m c p
11663 @findex mml-secure-message-encrypt-pgpmime
11665 Digitally encrypt current message using @sc{pgp/mime}.
11668 @kindex C-c C-m C-n
11669 @findex mml-unsecure-message
11670 Remove security related MML tags from message.
11674 @xref{Security, ,Security, message, Message Manual}, for more information.
11676 @node Select Methods
11677 @chapter Select Methods
11678 @cindex foreign groups
11679 @cindex select methods
11681 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group not read by the usual (or
11682 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
11683 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
11684 personal mail group.
11686 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
11687 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
11688 list where the first element says what back end to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
11689 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
11690 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
11691 value may have special meaning for the back end in question.
11693 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
11694 we do just that (@pxref{Server Buffer}).
11696 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the back end will recognize the
11699 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
11700 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
11701 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
11702 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
11703 back end just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
11705 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
11708 * Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
11709 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
11710 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
11711 * Browsing the Web:: Getting messages from a plethora of Web sources.
11712 * IMAP:: Using Gnus as a @sc{imap} client.
11713 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
11714 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
11715 * Gnus Unplugged:: Reading news and mail offline.
11719 @node Server Buffer
11720 @section Server Buffer
11722 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
11723 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
11724 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
11725 one back end or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
11726 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
11727 back end represents a virtual server.
11729 For instance, the @code{nntp} back end may be used to connect to several
11730 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
11731 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which back end to
11732 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
11734 These select method specifications can sometimes become quite
11735 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
11736 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
11737 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
11738 Anyway, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
11739 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
11740 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
11742 To enter the server buffer, use the @kbd{^}
11743 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
11746 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
11747 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
11748 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
11749 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
11750 * Server Variables:: Which variables to set.
11751 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
11752 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
11755 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
11756 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
11759 @node Server Buffer Format
11760 @subsection Server Buffer Format
11761 @cindex server buffer format
11763 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
11764 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
11765 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
11766 variable, with some simple extensions:
11771 How the news is fetched---the back end name.
11774 The name of this server.
11777 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
11780 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
11783 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
11784 The mode line can also be customized by using the
11785 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable (@pxref{Mode Line
11786 Formatting}). The following specs are understood:
11796 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
11799 @node Server Commands
11800 @subsection Server Commands
11801 @cindex server commands
11807 @findex gnus-server-add-server
11808 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
11812 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
11813 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
11816 @kindex SPACE (Server)
11817 @findex gnus-server-read-server
11818 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
11822 @findex gnus-server-exit
11823 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
11827 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
11828 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
11832 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
11833 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
11837 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
11838 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
11842 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
11843 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
11847 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
11848 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
11849 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
11854 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
11855 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
11856 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
11857 a mail back end that has gotten out of sync.
11862 @node Example Methods
11863 @subsection Example Methods
11865 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
11868 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
11871 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
11877 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
11878 back end, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
11881 After these two elements, there may be an arbitrary number of
11882 @code{(@var{variable} @var{form})} pairs.
11884 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
11885 port 15 on that machine. This is what the select method should
11889 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
11892 You should read the documentation to each back end to find out what
11893 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example:
11895 @code{nnmh} is a mail back end that reads a spool-like structure. Say
11896 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
11897 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
11901 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
11904 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
11907 Here's the method for a public spool:
11911 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
11912 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
11918 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
11919 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
11920 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
11921 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
11922 should probably look something like this:
11926 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet)
11927 (nntp-via-address "the.firewall.machine")
11928 (nntp-address "the.real.nntp.host")
11929 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11932 If you want to use the wonderful @code{ssh} program to provide a
11933 compressed connection over the modem line, you could add the following
11934 configuration to the example above:
11937 (nntp-via-rlogin-command "ssh")
11940 See also @code{nntp-via-rlogin-command-switches}.
11942 If you're behind a firewall, but have direct access to the outside world
11943 through a wrapper command like "runsocks", you could open a socksified
11944 telnet connection to the news server as follows:
11948 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
11949 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-via-telnet)
11950 (nntp-address "the.news.server")
11951 (nntp-end-of-line "\n"))
11954 This means that you have to have set up @code{ssh-agent} correctly to
11955 provide automatic authorization, of course. And to get a compressed
11956 connection, you have to have the @samp{Compression} option in the
11957 @code{ssh} @file{config} file.
11960 @node Creating a Virtual Server
11961 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
11963 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
11964 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
11966 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
11967 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
11968 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
11970 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
11972 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
11973 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
11974 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
11975 will contain the following:
11985 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
11986 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
11987 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
11990 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
11991 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
11992 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
11995 @node Server Variables
11996 @subsection Server Variables
11998 One sticky point when defining variables (both on back ends and in Emacs
11999 in general) is that some variables are typically initialized from other
12000 variables when the definition of the variables is being loaded. If you
12001 change the ``base'' variable after the variables have been loaded, you
12002 won't change the ``derived'' variables.
12004 This typically affects directory and file variables. For instance,
12005 @code{nnml-directory} is @file{~/Mail/} by default, and all @code{nnml}
12006 directory variables are initialized from that variable, so
12007 @code{nnml-active-file} will be @file{~/Mail/active}. If you define a
12008 new virtual @code{nnml} server, it will @emph{not} suffice to set just
12009 @code{nnml-directory}---you have to explicitly set all the file
12010 variables to be what you want them to be. For a complete list of
12011 variables for each back end, see each back end's section later in this
12012 manual, but here's an example @code{nnml} definition:
12016 (nnml-directory "~/my-mail/")
12017 (nnml-active-file "~/my-mail/active")
12018 (nnml-newsgroups-file "~/my-mail/newsgroups"))
12022 @node Servers and Methods
12023 @subsection Servers and Methods
12025 Wherever you would normally use a select method
12026 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
12027 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
12028 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
12032 @node Unavailable Servers
12033 @subsection Unavailable Servers
12035 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
12036 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
12037 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
12038 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
12039 actually the case or not.
12041 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
12042 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to on server
12043 @samp{nephelococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
12044 away from you and the machine is quite slow, so it takes 1 minute just
12045 to find out that it refuses connection to you today. If Gnus were to
12046 attempt to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't
12047 attempt to do that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'',
12048 it will regard that server as ``down''.
12050 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
12051 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
12053 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{Server Buffer}) and poke it
12054 with the following commands:
12060 @findex gnus-server-open-server
12061 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
12062 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
12066 @findex gnus-server-close-server
12067 Close the connection (if any) to the server
12068 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
12072 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
12073 Mark the current server as unreachable
12074 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
12077 @kindex M-o (Server)
12078 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
12079 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
12080 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
12083 @kindex M-c (Server)
12084 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
12085 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
12086 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
12090 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
12091 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from any servers
12092 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
12096 @findex gnus-server-offline-server
12097 Set server status to offline (@code{gnus-server-offline-server}).
12103 @section Getting News
12104 @cindex reading news
12105 @cindex news back ends
12107 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
12108 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
12109 or it can read from a local spool.
12112 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
12113 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
12121 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
12122 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
12123 server as the, uhm, address.
12125 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
12126 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
12127 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
12128 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
12130 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
12131 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
12132 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
12134 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
12139 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
12140 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
12141 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
12143 @cindex authentification
12144 @cindex nntp authentification
12145 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
12146 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
12147 is run after a connection has been made. It can be used to send
12148 commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has been contacted. By
12149 default it sends the command @code{MODE READER} to the server with the
12150 @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function. This function should always be
12151 present in this hook.
12153 @item nntp-authinfo-function
12154 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
12155 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
12156 @vindex nntp-authinfo-file
12157 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
12158 server. The default function is @code{nntp-send-authinfo}, which looks
12159 through your @file{~/.authinfo} (or whatever you've set the
12160 @code{nntp-authinfo-file} variable to) for applicable entries. If none
12161 are found, it will prompt you for a login name and a password. The
12162 format of the @file{~/.authinfo} file is (almost) the same as the
12163 @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file, which is defined in the @code{ftp}
12164 manual page, but here are the salient facts:
12168 The file contains one or more line, each of which define one server.
12171 Each line may contain an arbitrary number of token/value pairs.
12173 The valid tokens include @samp{machine}, @samp{login}, @samp{password},
12174 @samp{default}. In addition Gnus introduces two new tokens, not present
12175 in the original @file{.netrc}/@code{ftp} syntax, namely @samp{port} and
12176 @samp{force}. (This is the only way the @file{.authinfo} file format
12177 deviates from the @file{.netrc} file format.) @samp{port} is used to
12178 indicate what port on the server the credentials apply to and
12179 @samp{force} is explained below.
12183 Here's an example file:
12186 machine news.uio.no login larsi password geheimnis
12187 machine nntp.ifi.uio.no login larsi force yes
12190 The token/value pairs may appear in any order; @samp{machine} doesn't
12191 have to be first, for instance.
12193 In this example, both login name and password have been supplied for the
12194 former server, while the latter has only the login name listed, and the
12195 user will be prompted for the password. The latter also has the
12196 @samp{force} tag, which means that the authinfo will be sent to the
12197 @var{nntp} server upon connection; the default (i.e., when there is not
12198 @samp{force} tag) is to not send authinfo to the @var{nntp} server
12199 until the @var{nntp} server asks for it.
12201 You can also add @samp{default} lines that will apply to all servers
12202 that don't have matching @samp{machine} lines.
12208 This will force sending @samp{AUTHINFO} commands to all servers not
12209 previously mentioned.
12211 Remember to not leave the @file{~/.authinfo} file world-readable.
12213 @item nntp-server-action-alist
12214 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
12215 This is a list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
12216 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
12217 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
12220 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
12221 '(("innd" (ding))))
12224 You probably don't want to do that, though.
12226 The default value is
12229 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
12230 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook
12231 'nntp-send-mode-reader)))
12234 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
12235 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
12237 @item nntp-maximum-request
12238 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
12239 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this back end
12240 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
12241 speed things up, the back end sends lots of these commands without
12242 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
12243 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
12244 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
12246 @item nntp-connection-timeout
12247 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
12248 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
12249 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
12250 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
12251 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
12252 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
12253 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} back end should wait for a
12254 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
12255 no timeouts are done.
12257 @c @item nntp-command-timeout
12258 @c @vindex nntp-command-timeout
12259 @c @cindex PPP connections
12260 @c @cindex dynamic IP addresses
12261 @c If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
12262 @c address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
12263 @c changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
12264 @c waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
12265 @c unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
12266 @c then, if it sits waiting for a reply from the server longer than that
12267 @c number of seconds, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
12268 @c the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
12269 @c likely number is 30 seconds.
12271 @c @item nntp-retry-on-break
12272 @c @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
12273 @c If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
12274 @c hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
12275 @c described above.
12277 @item nntp-server-hook
12278 @vindex nntp-server-hook
12279 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
12282 @item nntp-buggy-select
12283 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
12284 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
12286 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
12287 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
12288 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
12289 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks automatically whether @sc{nov}
12292 @item nntp-xover-commands
12293 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
12296 List of strings used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
12297 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
12301 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
12302 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
12303 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
12304 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
12305 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
12306 lines that you will not need. This variable says how
12307 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
12308 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
12309 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
12310 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
12311 @code{nntp} will never split requests. The default is 5.
12313 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
12314 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
12315 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
12317 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
12318 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
12319 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
12320 server closes connection.
12322 @item nntp-record-commands
12323 @vindex nntp-record-commands
12324 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nntp} will log all commands it sends to the
12325 @sc{nntp} server (along with a timestamp) in the @samp{*nntp-log*}
12326 buffer. This is useful if you are debugging a Gnus/@sc{nntp} connection
12327 that doesn't seem to work.
12329 @item nntp-open-connection-function
12330 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
12331 It is possible to customize how the connection to the nntp server will
12332 be opened. If you specify an @code{nntp-open-connection-function}
12333 parameter, Gnus will use that function to establish the connection.
12334 Five pre-made functions are supplied. These functions can be grouped in
12335 two categories: direct connection functions (three pre-made), and
12336 indirect ones (two pre-made).
12338 @item nntp-prepare-post-hook
12339 @vindex nntp-prepare-post-hook
12340 A hook run just before posting an article. If there is no
12341 @code{Message-ID} header in the article and the news server provides the
12342 recommended ID, it will be added to the article before running this
12343 hook. It is useful to make @code{Cancel-Lock} headers even if you
12344 inhibit Gnus to add a @code{Message-ID} header, you could say:
12347 (add-hook 'nntp-prepare-post-hook 'canlock-insert-header)
12350 Note that not all servers support the recommended ID. This works for
12351 INN versions 2.3.0 and later, for instance.
12353 @item nntp-read-timeout
12354 @vindex nntp-read-timeout
12355 How long nntp should wait between checking for the end of output.
12356 Shorter values mean quicker response, but is more CPU intensive. The
12357 default is 0.1 seconds. If you have a slow line to the server (and
12358 don't like to see Emacs eat your available CPU power), you might set
12364 * Direct Functions:: Connecting directly to the server.
12365 * Indirect Functions:: Connecting indirectly to the server.
12366 * Common Variables:: Understood by several connection functions.
12370 @node Direct Functions
12371 @subsubsection Direct Functions
12372 @cindex direct connection functions
12374 These functions are called direct because they open a direct connection
12375 between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server. The behavior of these
12376 functions is also affected by commonly understood variables
12377 (@pxref{Common Variables}).
12380 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
12381 @item nntp-open-network-stream
12382 This is the default, and simply connects to some port or other on the
12385 @findex nntp-open-ssl-stream
12386 @item nntp-open-ssl-stream
12387 Opens a connection to a server over a @dfn{secure} channel. To use this
12388 you must have OpenSSL (@uref{http://www.openssl.org}) or SSLeay
12389 installed (@uref{ftp://ftp.psy.uq.oz.au/pub/Crypto/SSL}. You then
12390 define a server as follows:
12393 ;; Type `C-c C-c' after you've finished editing.
12395 ;; "snews" is port 563 and is predefined in our /etc/services
12396 ;; however, openssl s_client -port doesn't like named ports
12398 (nntp "snews.bar.com"
12399 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-ssl-stream)
12400 (nntp-port-number 563)
12401 (nntp-address "snews.bar.com"))
12404 @findex nntp-open-telnet-stream
12405 @item nntp-open-telnet-stream
12406 Opens a connection to an @sc{nntp} server by simply @samp{telnet}'ing
12407 it. You might wonder why this function exists, since we have the
12408 default @code{nntp-open-network-stream} which would do the job. (One
12409 of) the reason(s) is that if you are behind a firewall but have direct
12410 connections to the outside world thanks to a command wrapper like
12411 @code{runsocks}, you can use it like this:
12415 (nntp-pre-command "runsocks")
12416 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-telnet-stream)
12417 (nntp-address "the.news.server"))
12420 With the default method, you would need to wrap your whole Emacs
12421 session, which is not a good idea.
12425 @node Indirect Functions
12426 @subsubsection Indirect Functions
12427 @cindex indirect connection functions
12429 These functions are called indirect because they connect to an
12430 intermediate host before actually connecting to the @sc{nntp} server.
12431 All of these functions and related variables are also said to belong to
12432 the ``via'' family of connection: they're all prefixed with ``via'' to make
12433 things cleaner. The behavior of these functions is also affected by
12434 commonly understood variables (@pxref{Common Variables}).
12437 @item nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
12438 @findex nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet
12439 Does an @samp{rlogin} on a remote system, and then does a @samp{telnet}
12440 to the real @sc{nntp} server from there. This is useful for instance if
12441 you need to connect to a firewall machine first.
12443 @code{nntp-open-via-rlogin-and-telnet}-specific variables:
12446 @item nntp-via-rlogin-command
12447 @vindex nntp-via-rlogin-command
12448 Command used to log in on the intermediate host. The default is
12449 @samp{rsh}, but @samp{ssh} is a popular alternative.
12451 @item nntp-via-rlogin-command-switches
12452 @vindex nntp-via-rlogin-command-switches
12453 List of strings to be used as the switches to
12454 @code{nntp-via-rlogin-command}. The default is @code{nil}. If you use
12455 @samp{ssh} for @code{nntp-via-rlogin-command}, you may set this to
12456 @samp{("-C")} in order to compress all data connections, otherwise set
12457 this to @samp{("-t")} or @samp{("-C" "-t")} if the telnet command
12458 requires a pseudo-tty allocation on an intermediate host.
12461 @item nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
12462 @findex nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet
12463 Does essentially the same, but uses @samp{telnet} instead of
12464 @samp{rlogin} to connect to the intermediate host.
12466 @code{nntp-open-via-telnet-and-telnet}-specific variables:
12469 @item nntp-via-telnet-command
12470 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-command
12471 Command used to @code{telnet} the intermediate host. The default is
12474 @item nntp-via-telnet-switches
12475 @vindex nntp-via-telnet-switches
12476 List of strings to be used as the switches to the
12477 @code{nntp-via-telnet-command} command. The default is @samp{("-8")}.
12479 @item nntp-via-user-password
12480 @vindex nntp-via-user-password
12481 Password to use when logging in on the intermediate host.
12483 @item nntp-via-envuser
12484 @vindex nntp-via-envuser
12485 If non-@code{nil}, the intermediate @code{telnet} session (client and
12486 server both) will support the @code{ENVIRON} option and not prompt for
12487 login name. This works for Solaris @code{telnet}, for instance.
12489 @item nntp-via-shell-prompt
12490 @vindex nntp-via-shell-prompt
12491 Regexp matching the shell prompt on the intermediate host. The default
12492 is @samp{bash\\|\$ *\r?$\\|> *\r?}.
12499 Here are some additional variables that are understood by all the above
12504 @item nntp-via-user-name
12505 @vindex nntp-via-user-name
12506 User name to use when connecting to the intermediate host.
12508 @item nntp-via-address
12509 @vindex nntp-via-address
12510 Address of the intermediate host to connect to.
12515 @node Common Variables
12516 @subsubsection Common Variables
12518 The following variables affect the behavior of all, or several of the
12519 pre-made connection functions. When not specified, all functions are
12524 @item nntp-pre-command
12525 @vindex nntp-pre-command
12526 A command wrapper to use when connecting through a non native connection
12527 function (all except @code{nntp-open-network-stream} and
12528 @code{nntp-open-ssl-stream}. This is where you would put a @samp{SOCKS}
12529 wrapper for instance.
12532 @vindex nntp-address
12533 The address of the @sc{nntp} server.
12535 @item nntp-port-number
12536 @vindex nntp-port-number
12537 Port number to connect to the @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{nntp}.
12538 If you use @sc{nntp} over @sc{ssl}, you may want to use integer ports rather
12539 than named ports (i.e, use @samp{563} instead of @samp{snews}), because
12540 external SSL tools may not work with named ports.
12542 @item nntp-end-of-line
12543 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
12544 String to use as end-of-line marker when talking to the @sc{nntp}
12545 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
12546 using a non native connection function.
12548 @item nntp-telnet-command
12549 @vindex nntp-telnet-command
12550 Command to use when connecting to the @sc{nntp} server through
12551 @samp{telnet}. This is NOT for an intermediate host. This is just for
12552 the real @sc{nntp} server. The default is @samp{telnet}.
12554 @item nntp-telnet-switches
12555 @vindex nntp-telnet-switches
12556 A list of switches to pass to @code{nntp-telnet-command}. The default
12563 @subsection News Spool
12567 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
12568 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
12569 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
12572 Anyway, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @code{""} (or
12573 anything else) as the address.
12575 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
12576 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
12577 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
12578 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
12582 @item nnspool-inews-program
12583 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
12584 Program used to post an article.
12586 @item nnspool-inews-switches
12587 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
12588 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
12590 @item nnspool-spool-directory
12591 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
12592 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
12593 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
12595 @item nnspool-nov-directory
12596 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
12597 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
12598 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
12600 @item nnspool-lib-dir
12601 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
12602 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
12604 @item nnspool-active-file
12605 @vindex nnspool-active-file
12606 The name of the active file.
12608 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
12609 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
12610 The name of the group descriptions file.
12612 @item nnspool-history-file
12613 @vindex nnspool-history-file
12614 The name of the news history file.
12616 @item nnspool-active-times-file
12617 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
12618 The name of the active date file.
12620 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
12621 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
12622 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
12625 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
12626 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
12628 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
12629 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
12630 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
12636 @section Getting Mail
12637 @cindex reading mail
12640 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
12644 * Mail in a Newsreader:: Important introductory notes.
12645 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
12646 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
12647 * Mail Sources:: How to tell Gnus where to get mail from.
12648 * Mail Back End Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
12649 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
12650 * Group Mail Splitting:: Use group customize to drive mail splitting.
12651 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
12652 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
12653 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
12654 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
12655 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail back ends for reading other files.
12656 * Choosing a Mail Back End:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
12660 @node Mail in a Newsreader
12661 @subsection Mail in a Newsreader
12663 If you are used to traditional mail readers, but have decided to switch
12664 to reading mail with Gnus, you may find yourself experiencing something
12665 of a culture shock.
12667 Gnus does not behave like traditional mail readers. If you want to make
12668 it behave that way, you can, but it's an uphill battle.
12670 Gnus, by default, handles all its groups using the same approach. This
12671 approach is very newsreaderly---you enter a group, see the new/unread
12672 messages, and when you read the messages, they get marked as read, and
12673 you don't see them any more. (Unless you explicitly ask for them.)
12675 In particular, you do not do anything explicitly to delete messages.
12677 Does this mean that all the messages that have been marked as read are
12678 deleted? How awful!
12680 But, no, it means that old messages are @dfn{expired} according to some
12681 scheme or other. For news messages, the expire process is controlled by
12682 the news administrator; for mail, the expire process is controlled by
12683 you. The expire process for mail is covered in depth in @pxref{Expiring
12686 What many Gnus users find, after using it a while for both news and
12687 mail, is that the transport mechanism has very little to do with how
12688 they want to treat a message.
12690 Many people subscribe to several mailing lists. These are transported
12691 via @sc{smtp}, and are therefore mail. But we might go for weeks without
12692 answering, or even reading these messages very carefully. We may not
12693 need to save them because if we should need to read one again, they are
12694 archived somewhere else.
12696 Some people have local news groups which have only a handful of readers.
12697 These are transported via @sc{nntp}, and are therefore news. But we may need
12698 to read and answer a large fraction of the messages very carefully in
12699 order to do our work. And there may not be an archive, so we may need
12700 to save the interesting messages the same way we would personal mail.
12702 The important distinction turns out to be not the transport mechanism,
12703 but other factors such as how interested we are in the subject matter,
12704 or how easy it is to retrieve the message if we need to read it again.
12706 Gnus provides many options for sorting mail into ``groups'' which behave
12707 like newsgroups, and for treating each group (whether mail or news)
12710 Some users never get comfortable using the Gnus (ahem) paradigm and wish
12711 that Gnus should grow up and be a male, er, mail reader. It is possible
12712 to whip Gnus into a more mailreaderly being, but, as said before, it's
12713 not easy. People who prefer proper mail readers should try @sc{vm}
12714 instead, which is an excellent, and proper, mail reader.
12716 I don't mean to scare anybody off, but I want to make it clear that you
12717 may be required to learn a new way of thinking about messages. After
12718 you've been subjected to The Gnus Way, you will come to love it. I can
12719 guarantee it. (At least the guy who sold me the Emacs Subliminal
12720 Brain-Washing Functions that I've put into Gnus did guarantee it. You
12721 Will Be Assimilated. You Love Gnus. You Love The Gnus Mail Way.
12725 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
12726 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
12728 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
12729 mail back end of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
12730 and things will happen automatically.
12732 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a ``one file per
12733 mail'' back end), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
12736 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
12739 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this back end will be queried for new
12740 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
12741 directory, which is @file{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
12742 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
12743 like any other group.
12745 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
12748 (setq nnmail-split-methods
12749 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
12750 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
12754 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
12755 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
12756 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
12759 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
12760 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though.
12761 Especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Back End} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
12764 @node Splitting Mail
12765 @subsection Splitting Mail
12766 @cindex splitting mail
12767 @cindex mail splitting
12769 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
12770 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
12771 to be split into groups.
12774 (setq nnmail-split-methods
12775 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
12776 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
12777 ("mail.other" "")))
12780 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
12781 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
12782 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
12783 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
12784 determine if it belongs in this mail group. The first string may
12785 contain @samp{\\1} forms, like the ones used by @code{replace-match} to
12786 insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For instance:
12789 ("list.\\1" "From:.* \\(.*\\)-list@@majordomo.com")
12792 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
12793 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
12794 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
12795 mail belongs in that group.
12797 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
12798 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{*} so that it matches any mails
12799 that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps. (These rules are
12800 processed from the beginning of the alist toward the end. The first
12801 rule to make a match will ``win'', unless you have crossposting enabled.
12802 In that case, all matching rules will ``win''.)
12804 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
12805 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
12806 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
12807 message. The function should return a list of group names that it
12808 thinks should carry this mail message.
12810 Note that the mail back ends are free to maul the poor, innocent,
12811 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
12812 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
12813 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
12815 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
12816 The mail back ends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
12817 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
12818 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
12819 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{*}) group.
12821 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
12824 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
12825 the crossposted articles. However, not all file systems support hard
12826 links. If that's the case for you, set
12827 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
12828 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
12830 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
12831 @kindex nnmail-split-history
12832 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
12833 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command. If you wish to see
12834 where re-spooling messages would put the messages, you can use
12835 @code{gnus-summary-respool-trace} and related commands (@pxref{Mail
12838 @vindex nnmail-split-header-length-limit
12839 Header lines longer than the value of
12840 @code{nnmail-split-header-length-limit} are excluded from the split
12843 @vindex nnmail-mail-splitting-charset
12844 @vindex nnmail-mail-splitting-decodes
12845 By default the splitting codes MIME decodes headers so you can match
12846 on non-ASCII strings. The @code{nnmail-mail-splitting-charset}
12847 variable specifies the default charset for decoding. The behaviour
12848 can be turned off completely by binding
12849 @code{nnmail-mail-splitting-decodes} to nil, which is useful if you
12850 want to match articles based on the raw header data.
12852 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
12853 By default, splitting is performed on all incoming messages. If
12854 you specify a @code{directory} entry for the variable
12855 @code{mail-sources} @pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}, however, then
12856 splitting does @emph{not} happen by default. You can set the variable
12857 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to a non-nil value to make splitting
12858 happen even in this case. (This variable has no effect on other kinds
12861 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
12862 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
12863 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
12864 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
12865 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
12866 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
12867 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
12868 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
12869 month's rent money.
12873 @subsection Mail Sources
12875 Mail can be gotten from many different sources---the mail spool, from a
12876 POP mail server, from a procmail directory, or from a maildir, for
12880 * Mail Source Specifiers:: How to specify what a mail source is.
12881 * Mail Source Customization:: Some variables that influence things.
12882 * Fetching Mail:: Using the mail source specifiers.
12886 @node Mail Source Specifiers
12887 @subsubsection Mail Source Specifiers
12889 @cindex mail server
12892 @cindex mail source
12894 You tell Gnus how to fetch mail by setting @code{mail-sources}
12895 (@pxref{Fetching Mail}) to a @dfn{mail source specifier}.
12900 (pop :server "pop3.mailserver.com" :user "myname")
12903 As can be observed, a mail source specifier is a list where the first
12904 element is a @dfn{mail source type}, followed by an arbitrary number of
12905 @dfn{keywords}. Keywords that are not explicitly specified are given
12908 The following mail source types are available:
12912 Get mail from a single file; typically from the mail spool.
12918 The file name. Defaults to the value of the @code{MAIL}
12919 environment variable or the value of @code{rmail-spool-directory}
12920 (usually something like @file{/usr/mail/spool/user-name}).
12924 Script run before/after fetching mail.
12927 An example file mail source:
12930 (file :path "/usr/spool/mail/user-name")
12933 Or using the default file name:
12939 If the mail spool file is not located on the local machine, it's best to
12940 use POP or @sc{imap} or the like to fetch the mail. You can not use ange-ftp
12941 file names here---it has no way to lock the mail spool while moving the
12944 If it's impossible to set up a proper server, you can use ssh instead.
12948 '((file :prescript "ssh host bin/getmail >%t")))
12951 The @samp{getmail} script would look something like the following:
12955 # getmail - move mail from spool to stdout
12958 MOVEMAIL=/usr/lib/emacs/20.3/i386-redhat-linux/movemail
12960 rm -f $TMP; $MOVEMAIL $MAIL $TMP >/dev/null && cat $TMP
12963 Alter this script to fit find the @samp{movemail} you want to use.
12967 @vindex nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once
12968 Get mail from several files in a directory. This is typically used when
12969 you have procmail split the incoming mail into several files. That is,
12970 there is a one-to-one correspondence between files in that directory and
12971 groups, so that mail from the file @file{foo.bar.spool} will be put in
12972 the group @code{foo.bar}. (You can change the suffix to be used instead
12973 of @code{.spool}.) Setting
12974 @code{nnmail-scan-directory-mail-source-once} to non-nil forces Gnus to
12975 scan the mail source only once. This is particularly useful if you want
12976 to scan mail groups at a specified level.
12978 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
12979 There is also the variable @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming}, if you set
12980 that to a non-nil value, then the normal splitting process is applied
12981 to all the files from the directory, @ref{Splitting Mail}.
12987 The name of the directory where the files are. There is no default
12991 Only files ending with this suffix are used. The default is
12995 Only files that have this predicate return non-@code{nil} are returned.
12996 The default is @code{identity}. This is used as an additional
12997 filter---only files that have the right suffix @emph{and} satisfy this
12998 predicate are considered.
13002 Script run before/after fetching mail.
13006 An example directory mail source:
13009 (directory :path "/home/user-name/procmail-dir/"
13014 Get mail from a POP server.
13020 The name of the POP server. The default is taken from the
13021 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
13024 The port number of the POP server. This can be a number (eg,
13025 @samp{:port 1234}) or a string (eg, @samp{:port "pop3"}). If it is a
13026 string, it should be a service name as listed in @file{/etc/services} on
13027 Unix systems. The default is @samp{"pop3"}. On some systems you might
13028 need to specify it as @samp{"pop-3"} instead.
13031 The user name to give to the POP server. The default is the login
13035 The password to give to the POP server. If not specified, the user is
13039 The program to use to fetch mail from the POP server. This should be
13040 a @code{format}-like string. Here's an example:
13043 fetchmail %u@@%s -P %p %t
13046 The valid format specifier characters are:
13050 The name of the file the mail is to be moved to. This must always be
13051 included in this string.
13054 The name of the server.
13057 The port number of the server.
13060 The user name to use.
13063 The password to use.
13066 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
13067 corresponding keywords.
13070 A script to be run before fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
13071 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
13074 A script to be run after fetching the mail. The syntax is the same as
13075 the @code{:program} keyword. This can also be a function to be run.
13078 The function to use to fetch mail from the POP server. The function is
13079 called with one parameter---the name of the file where the mail should
13082 @item :authentication
13083 This can be either the symbol @code{password} or the symbol @code{apop}
13084 and says what authentication scheme to use. The default is
13089 If the @code{:program} and @code{:function} keywords aren't specified,
13090 @code{pop3-movemail} will be used.
13092 Here are some examples. Fetch from the default POP server, using the
13093 default user name, and default fetcher:
13099 Fetch from a named server with a named user and password:
13102 (pop :server "my.pop.server"
13103 :user "user-name" :password "secret")
13106 Use @samp{movemail} to move the mail:
13109 (pop :program "movemail po:%u %t %p")
13113 Get mail from a maildir. This is a type of mailbox that is supported by
13114 at least qmail and postfix, where each file in a special directory
13115 contains exactly one mail.
13121 The name of the directory where the mails are stored. The default is
13122 taken from the @code{MAILDIR} environment variable or
13125 The subdirectories of the Maildir. The default is
13126 @samp{("new" "cur")}.
13128 @c If you sometimes look at your mail through a pop3 daemon before fetching
13129 @c them with Gnus, you may also have to fetch your mails from the
13130 @c @code{cur} directory inside the maildir, like in the first example
13133 You can also get mails from remote hosts (because maildirs don't suffer
13134 from locking problems).
13138 Two example maildir mail sources:
13141 (maildir :path "/home/user-name/Maildir/"
13142 :subdirs ("cur" "new"))
13146 (maildir :path "/user@@remotehost.org:~/Maildir/"
13151 Get mail from a @sc{imap} server. If you don't want to use @sc{imap}
13152 as intended, as a network mail reading protocol (ie with nnimap), for
13153 some reason or other, Gnus let you treat it similar to a POP server
13154 and fetches articles from a given @sc{imap} mailbox. @xref{IMAP}, for
13157 Note that for the Kerberos, GSSAPI, SSL/TLS and STARTTLS support you
13158 may need external programs and libraries, @xref{IMAP}.
13164 The name of the @sc{imap} server. The default is taken from the
13165 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable.
13168 The port number of the @sc{imap} server. The default is @samp{143}, or
13169 @samp{993} for SSL/TLS connections.
13172 The user name to give to the @sc{imap} server. The default is the login
13176 The password to give to the @sc{imap} server. If not specified, the user is
13180 What stream to use for connecting to the server, this is one of the
13181 symbols in @code{imap-stream-alist}. Right now, this means
13182 @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{starttls}, @samp{ssl},
13183 @samp{shell} or the default @samp{network}.
13185 @item :authentication
13186 Which authenticator to use for authenticating to the server, this is
13187 one of the symbols in @code{imap-authenticator-alist}. Right now,
13188 this means @samp{gssapi}, @samp{kerberos4}, @samp{digest-md5},
13189 @samp{cram-md5}, @samp{anonymous} or the default @samp{login}.
13192 When using the `shell' :stream, the contents of this variable is
13193 mapped into the @code{imap-shell-program} variable. This should be a
13194 @code{format}-like string (or list of strings). Here's an example:
13200 The valid format specifier characters are:
13204 The name of the server.
13207 User name from @code{imap-default-user}.
13210 The port number of the server.
13213 The values used for these specs are taken from the values you give the
13214 corresponding keywords.
13217 The name of the mailbox to get mail from. The default is @samp{INBOX}
13218 which normally is the mailbox which receive incoming mail.
13221 The predicate used to find articles to fetch. The default, @samp{UNSEEN
13222 UNDELETED}, is probably the best choice for most people, but if you
13223 sometimes peek in your mailbox with a @sc{imap} client and mark some
13224 articles as read (or; SEEN) you might want to set this to @samp{1:*}.
13225 Then all articles in the mailbox is fetched, no matter what. For a
13226 complete list of predicates, see RFC 2060 section 6.4.4.
13229 How to flag fetched articles on the server, the default @samp{\Deleted}
13230 will mark them as deleted, an alternative would be @samp{\Seen} which
13231 would simply mark them as read. These are the two most likely choices,
13232 but more flags are defined in RFC 2060 section 2.3.2.
13235 If non-nil, don't remove all articles marked as deleted in the mailbox
13236 after finishing the fetch.
13240 An example @sc{imap} mail source:
13243 (imap :server "mail.mycorp.com"
13245 :fetchflag "\\Seen")
13249 Get mail from a webmail server, such as @uref{www.hotmail.com},
13250 @uref{webmail.netscape.com}, @uref{www.netaddress.com},
13251 @uref{mail.yahoo..com}.
13253 NOTE: Webmail largely depends cookies. A "one-line-cookie" patch is
13254 required for url "4.0pre.46".
13256 WARNING: Mails may be lost. NO WARRANTY.
13262 The type of the webmail server. The default is @code{hotmail}. The
13263 alternatives are @code{netscape}, @code{netaddress}, @code{my-deja}.
13266 The user name to give to the webmail server. The default is the login
13270 The password to give to the webmail server. If not specified, the user is
13274 If non-nil, only fetch unread articles and don't move them to trash
13275 folder after finishing the fetch.
13279 An example webmail source:
13282 (webmail :subtype 'hotmail
13284 :password "secret")
13289 @item Common Keywords
13290 Common keywords can be used in any type of mail source.
13296 If non-nil, fetch the mail even when Gnus is unplugged. If you use
13297 directory source to get mail, you can specify it as in this example:
13301 '((directory :path "/home/pavel/.Spool/"
13306 Gnus will then fetch your mail even when you are unplugged. This is
13307 useful when you use local mail and news.
13312 @subsubsection Function Interface
13314 Some of the above keywords specify a Lisp function to be executed.
13315 For each keyword @code{:foo}, the Lisp variable @code{foo} is bound to
13316 the value of the keyword while the function is executing. For example,
13317 consider the following mail-source setting:
13320 (setq mail-sources '((pop :user "jrl"
13321 :server "pophost" :function fetchfunc)))
13324 While the function @code{fetchfunc} is executing, the symbol @code{user}
13325 is bound to @code{"jrl"}, and the symbol @code{server} is bound to
13326 @code{"pophost"}. The symbols @code{port}, @code{password},
13327 @code{program}, @code{prescript}, @code{postscript}, @code{function},
13328 and @code{authentication} are also bound (to their default values).
13330 See above for a list of keywords for each type of mail source.
13333 @node Mail Source Customization
13334 @subsubsection Mail Source Customization
13336 The following is a list of variables that influence how the mail is
13337 fetched. You would normally not need to set or change any of these
13341 @item mail-source-crash-box
13342 @vindex mail-source-crash-box
13343 File where mail will be stored while processing it. The default is
13344 @file{~/.emacs-mail-crash-box}.
13346 @item mail-source-delete-incoming
13347 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
13348 If non-@code{nil}, delete incoming files after handling them.
13350 @item mail-source-ignore-errors
13351 @vindex mail-source-ignore-errors
13352 If non-@code{nil}, ignore errors when reading mail from a mail source.
13354 @item mail-source-directory
13355 @vindex mail-source-directory
13356 Directory where files (if any) will be stored. The default is
13357 @file{~/Mail/}. At present, the only thing this is used for is to say
13358 where the incoming files will be stored if the previous variable is
13361 @item mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
13362 @vindex mail-source-incoming-file-prefix
13363 Prefix for file name for storing incoming mail. The default is
13364 @file{Incoming}, in which case files will end up with names like
13365 @file{Incoming30630D_} or @file{Incoming298602ZD}. This is really only
13366 relevant if @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} is @code{nil}.
13368 @item mail-source-default-file-modes
13369 @vindex mail-source-default-file-modes
13370 All new mail files will get this file mode. The default is 384.
13372 @item mail-source-movemail-program
13373 @vindex mail-source-movemail-program
13374 If non-nil, name of program for fetching new mail. If nil,
13375 @code{movemail} in @var{exec-directory}.
13380 @node Fetching Mail
13381 @subsubsection Fetching Mail
13383 @vindex mail-sources
13384 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
13385 The way to actually tell Gnus where to get new mail from is to set
13386 @code{mail-sources} to a list of mail source specifiers
13387 (@pxref{Mail Source Specifiers}).
13389 If this variable (and the obsolescent @code{nnmail-spool-file}) is
13390 @code{nil}, the mail back ends will never attempt to fetch mail by
13393 If you want to fetch mail both from your local spool as well as a POP
13394 mail server, you'd say something like:
13399 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
13400 :password "secret")))
13403 Or, if you don't want to use any of the keyword defaults:
13407 '((file :path "/var/spool/mail/user-name")
13408 (pop :server "pop3.mail.server"
13411 :password "secret")))
13415 When you use a mail back end, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
13416 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
13417 mail if you're not using a mail back end---you have to do a lot of magic
13418 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
13419 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
13420 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
13424 @node Mail Back End Variables
13425 @subsection Mail Back End Variables
13427 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
13431 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
13432 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
13433 The mail back ends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
13434 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
13436 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
13437 @item nnmail-split-hook
13438 @findex gnus-article-decode-encoded-words
13439 @findex RFC 1522 decoding
13440 @findex RFC 2047 decoding
13441 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
13442 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
13443 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
13444 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
13445 in the buffer will show up in any files.
13446 @code{gnus-article-decode-encoded-words} is one likely function to add
13449 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
13450 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
13451 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
13452 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
13453 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
13454 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
13455 starting to handle the new mail) and
13456 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
13457 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
13458 default file modes the new mail files get:
13461 (add-hook 'nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
13462 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
13464 (add-hook 'nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
13465 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
13468 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
13469 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
13470 If non-@code{nil}, the mail back ends will use long file and directory
13471 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories
13472 (assuming use of @code{nnml} back end) or files (assuming use of
13473 @code{nnfolder} back end) like @file{mail.misc}. If it is @code{nil},
13474 the same group will end up in @file{mail/misc}.
13476 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
13477 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
13478 @findex delete-file
13479 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
13481 @item nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
13482 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
13483 If non-@code{nil}, put the @code{Message-ID}s of articles imported into
13484 the back end (via @code{Gcc}, for instance) into the mail duplication
13485 discovery cache. The default is @code{nil}.
13487 @item nnmail-cache-ignore-groups
13488 @vindex nnmail-cache-ignore-groups
13489 This can be a regular expression or a list of regular expressions.
13490 Group names that match any of the regular expressions will never be
13491 recorded in the @code{Message-ID} cache.
13493 This can be useful, for example, when using Fancy Splitting
13494 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}) together with the function
13495 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent}.
13500 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
13501 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
13502 @cindex mail splitting
13503 @cindex fancy mail splitting
13505 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
13506 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
13507 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
13508 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
13509 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
13510 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
13512 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
13515 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
13516 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
13517 ;; from real errors.
13518 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
13520 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
13521 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
13522 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
13523 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
13524 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
13525 ;; Other mailing lists...
13526 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
13527 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
13528 ;; Both lists below have the same suffix, so prevent
13529 ;; cross-posting to mkpkg.list of messages posted only to
13530 ;; the bugs- list, but allow cross-posting when the
13531 ;; message was really cross-posted.
13532 (any "bugs-mypackage@@somewhere" "mypkg.bugs")
13533 (any "mypackage@@somewhere\" - "bugs-mypackage" "mypkg.list")
13535 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars_Magne_Ingebrigtsen"))
13536 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
13540 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
13541 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
13542 the five possible split syntaxes:
13547 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group
13548 name. Normal regexp match expansion will be done. See below for
13552 @code{(@var{field} @var{value} @code{[-} @var{restrict}
13553 @code{[@dots{}]}@code{]} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, the
13554 first element of which is a string, then store the message as
13555 specified by @var{split}, if header @var{field} (a regexp) contains
13556 @var{value} (also a regexp). If @var{restrict} (yet another regexp)
13557 matches some string after @var{field} and before the end of the
13558 matched @var{value}, the @var{split} is ignored. If none of the
13559 @var{restrict} clauses match, @var{split} is processed.
13562 @code{(| @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
13563 element is @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each @var{split} until
13564 one of them matches. A @var{split} is said to match if it will cause
13565 the mail message to be stored in one or more groups.
13568 @code{(& @var{split}@dots{})}: If the split is a list, and the first
13569 element is @code{&}, then process all @var{split}s in the list.
13572 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
13573 (i.e., delete) this message. Use with extreme caution.
13576 @code{(: @var{function} @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @dots{})}: If the split is
13577 a list, and the first element is @code{:}, then the second element will
13578 be called as a function with @var{args} given as arguments. The
13579 function should return a @var{split}.
13582 For instance, the following function could be used to split based on the
13583 body of the messages:
13586 (defun split-on-body ()
13588 (set-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
13589 (goto-char (point-min))
13590 (when (re-search-forward "Some.*string" nil t)
13594 The @samp{" *nnmail incoming*"} is narrowed to the message in question
13595 when the @code{:} function is run.
13598 @code{(! @var{func} @var{split})}: If the split is a list, and the first
13599 element is @code{!}, then SPLIT will be processed, and FUNC will be
13600 called as a function with the result of SPLIT as argument. FUNC should
13604 @code{nil}: If the split is @code{nil}, it is ignored.
13608 In these splits, @var{field} must match a complete field name.
13609 @var{value} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
13610 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
13611 field names or words. In other words, all @var{value}'s are wrapped in
13612 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
13614 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
13615 @var{field} and @var{value} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
13616 are expanded as specified by the variable
13617 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
13618 the @code{car} of a cell contains the key, and the @code{cdr} contains the associated
13621 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
13622 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
13623 when all this splitting is performed.
13625 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
13626 information in the headers (i.e., do @code{replace-match}-like
13627 substitutions in the group names), you can say things like:
13630 (any "debian-\\b\\(\\w+\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
13633 In this example, messages sent to @samp{debian-foo@@lists.debian.org}
13634 will be filed in @samp{mail.debian.foo}.
13636 If the string contains the element @samp{\&}, then the previously
13637 matched string will be substituted. Similarly, the elements @samp{\\1}
13638 up to @samp{\\9} will be substituted with the text matched by the
13639 groupings 1 through 9.
13641 @findex nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent
13642 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} is a function which allows you to
13643 split followups into the same groups their parents are in. Sometimes
13644 you can't make splitting rules for all your mail. For example, your
13645 boss might send you personal mail regarding different projects you are
13646 working on, and as you can't tell your boss to put a distinguishing
13647 string into the subject line, you have to resort to manually moving the
13648 messages into the right group. With this function, you only have to do
13649 it once per thread.
13651 To use this feature, you have to set @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} and
13652 @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} to a non-nil value. And then
13653 you can include @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} using the colon
13656 (setq nnmail-treat-duplicates 'warn ; or 'delete
13657 nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids t
13659 '(| (: nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent)
13660 ;; other splits go here
13664 This feature works as follows: when @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} is
13665 non-nil, Gnus records the message id of every message it sees in the
13666 file specified by the variable @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file},
13667 together with the group it is in (the group is omitted for non-mail
13668 messages). When mail splitting is invoked, the function
13669 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent} then looks at the References (and
13670 In-Reply-To) header of each message to split and searches the file
13671 specified by @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file} for the message ids.
13672 When it has found a parent, it returns the corresponding group name
13673 unless the group name matches the regexp
13674 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-with-parent-ignore-groups}. It is recommended
13675 that you set @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length} to a somewhat higher
13676 number than the default so that the message ids are still in the cache.
13677 (A value of 5000 appears to create a file some 300 kBytes in size.)
13678 @vindex nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids
13679 When @code{nnmail-cache-accepted-message-ids} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus
13680 also records the message ids of moved articles, so that the followup
13681 messages goes into the new group.
13683 Also see the variable @code{nnmail-cache-ignore-groups} if you don't
13684 want certain groups to be recorded in the cache. For example, if all
13685 outgoing messages are written to an `outgoing' group, you could set
13686 @code{nnmail-cache-ignore-groups} to match that group name.
13687 Otherwise, answers to all your messages would end up in the
13691 @node Group Mail Splitting
13692 @subsection Group Mail Splitting
13693 @cindex mail splitting
13694 @cindex group mail splitting
13696 @findex gnus-group-split
13697 If you subscribe to dozens of mailing lists but you don't want to
13698 maintain mail splitting rules manually, group mail splitting is for you.
13699 You just have to set @var{to-list} and/or @var{to-address} in group
13700 parameters or group customization and set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to
13701 @code{gnus-group-split}. This splitting function will scan all groups
13702 for those parameters and split mail accordingly, i.e., messages posted
13703 from or to the addresses specified in the parameters @var{to-list} or
13704 @var{to-address} of a mail group will be stored in that group.
13706 Sometimes, mailing lists have multiple addresses, and you may want mail
13707 splitting to recognize them all: just set the @var{extra-aliases} group
13708 parameter to the list of additional addresses and it's done. If you'd
13709 rather use a regular expression, set @var{split-regexp}.
13711 All these parameters in a group will be used to create an
13712 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split, in which the @var{field} is @samp{any},
13713 the @var{value} is a single regular expression that matches
13714 @var{to-list}, @var{to-address}, all of @var{extra-aliases} and all
13715 matches of @var{split-regexp}, and the @var{split} is the name of the
13716 group. @var{restrict}s are also supported: just set the
13717 @var{split-exclude} parameter to a list of regular expressions.
13719 If you can't get the right split to be generated using all these
13720 parameters, or you just need something fancier, you can set the
13721 parameter @var{split-spec} to an @code{nnmail-split-fancy} split. In
13722 this case, all other aforementioned parameters will be ignored by
13723 @code{gnus-group-split}. In particular, @var{split-spec} may be set to
13724 @code{nil}, in which case the group will be ignored by
13725 @code{gnus-group-split}.
13727 @vindex gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group
13728 @code{gnus-group-split} will do cross-posting on all groups that match,
13729 by defining a single @code{&} fancy split containing one split for each
13730 group. If a message doesn't match any split, it will be stored in the
13731 group named in @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}, unless
13732 some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all}, in which case
13733 that group is used as the catch-all group. Even though this variable is
13734 often used just to name a group, it may also be set to an arbitrarily
13735 complex fancy split (after all, a group name is a fancy split), and this
13736 may be useful to split mail that doesn't go to any mailing list to
13737 personal mail folders. Note that this fancy split is added as the last
13738 element of a @code{|} split list that also contains a @code{&} split
13739 with the rules extracted from group parameters.
13741 It's time for an example. Assume the following group parameters have
13746 ((to-address . "bar@@femail.com")
13747 (split-regexp . ".*@@femail\\.com"))
13749 ((to-list . "foo@@nowhere.gov")
13750 (extra-aliases "foo@@localhost" "foo-redist@@home")
13751 (split-exclude "bugs-foo" "rambling-foo")
13752 (admin-address . "foo-request@@nowhere.gov"))
13754 ((split-spec . catch-all))
13757 Setting @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{gnus-group-split} will
13758 behave as if @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been selected and variable
13759 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} had been set as follows:
13762 (| (& (any "\\(bar@@femail\\.com\\|.*@@femail\\.com\\)" "mail.bar")
13763 (any "\\(foo@@nowhere\\.gov\\|foo@@localhost\\|foo-redist@@home\\)"
13764 - "bugs-foo" - "rambling-foo" "mail.foo"))
13768 @findex gnus-group-split-fancy
13769 If you'd rather not use group splitting for all your mail groups, you
13770 may use it for only some of them, by using @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
13774 (: gnus-group-split-fancy GROUPS NO-CROSSPOST CATCH-ALL)
13777 @var{groups} may be a regular expression or a list of group names whose
13778 parameters will be scanned to generate the output split.
13779 @var{no-crosspost} can be used to disable cross-posting; in this case, a
13780 single @code{|} split will be output. @var{catch-all} is the fallback
13781 fancy split, used like @var{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group}.
13782 If @var{catch-all} is @code{nil}, or if @var{split-regexp} matches the
13783 empty string in any selected group, no catch-all split will be issued.
13784 Otherwise, if some group has @var{split-spec} set to @code{catch-all},
13785 this group will override the value of the @var{catch-all} argument.
13787 @findex gnus-group-split-setup
13788 Unfortunately, scanning all groups and their parameters can be quite
13789 slow, especially considering that it has to be done for every message.
13790 But don't despair! The function @code{gnus-group-split-setup} can be
13791 used to enable @code{gnus-group-split} in a much more efficient way. It
13792 sets @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy} and sets
13793 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} to the split produced by
13794 @code{gnus-group-split-fancy}. Thus, the group parameters are only
13795 scanned once, no matter how many messages are split.
13797 @findex gnus-group-split-update
13798 However, if you change group parameters, you'd have to update
13799 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} manually. You can do it by running
13800 @code{gnus-group-split-update}. If you'd rather have it updated
13801 automatically, just tell @code{gnus-group-split-setup} to do it for
13802 you. For example, add to your @file{.gnus.el}:
13805 (gnus-group-split-setup AUTO-UPDATE CATCH-ALL)
13808 If @var{auto-update} is non-@code{nil}, @code{gnus-group-split-update}
13809 will be added to @code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook}, so you won't ever
13810 have to worry about updating @code{nnmail-split-fancy} again. If you
13811 don't omit @var{catch-all} (it's optional, equivalent to @code{nil}),
13812 @code{gnus-group-split-default-catch-all-group} will be set to its
13815 @vindex gnus-group-split-updated-hook
13816 Because you may want to change @code{nnmail-split-fancy} after it is set
13817 by @code{gnus-group-split-update}, this function will run
13818 @code{gnus-group-split-updated-hook} just before finishing.
13820 @node Incorporating Old Mail
13821 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
13822 @cindex incorporating old mail
13823 @cindex import old mail
13825 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
13826 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
13827 back ends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
13830 Doing so can be quite easy.
13832 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
13833 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
13834 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
13835 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
13836 your @code{nnml} groups.
13842 Go to the group buffer.
13845 Type @kbd{G f} and give the file name to the mbox file when prompted to create an
13846 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
13849 Type @kbd{SPACE} to enter the newly created group.
13852 Type @kbd{M P b} to process-mark all articles in this group's buffer
13853 (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
13856 Type @kbd{B r} to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
13857 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
13860 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
13861 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
13862 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
13863 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
13864 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
13866 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
13867 back end to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
13868 using the new mail back end.
13871 @node Expiring Mail
13872 @subsection Expiring Mail
13873 @cindex article expiry
13875 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
13876 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
13877 different approach to mail reading.
13879 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
13880 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
13881 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
13882 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
13883 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
13884 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
13887 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
13888 articles as @dfn{expirable}. (With the default keybindings, this means
13889 that you have to type @kbd{E}.) This does not mean that the articles
13890 will disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
13891 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
13892 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
13893 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
13894 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
13895 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
13897 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Gnus provides
13898 two features, called `auto-expire' and `total-expire', that can help you
13899 with this. In a nutshell, `auto-expire' means that Gnus hits @kbd{E}
13900 for you when you select an article. And `total-expire' means that Gnus
13901 considers all articles as expirable that are read. So, in addition to
13902 the articles marked @samp{E}, also the articles marked @samp{r},
13903 @samp{R}, @samp{O}, @samp{K}, @samp{Y} and so on are considered
13906 When should either auto-expire or total-expire be used? Most people
13907 who are subscribed to mailing lists split each list into its own group
13908 and then turn on auto-expire or total-expire for those groups.
13909 (@xref{Splitting Mail}, for more information on splitting each list
13910 into its own group.)
13912 Which one is better, auto-expire or total-expire? It's not easy to
13913 answer. Generally speaking, auto-expire is probably faster. Another
13914 advantage of auto-expire is that you get more marks to work with: for
13915 the articles that are supposed to stick around, you can still choose
13916 between tick and dormant and read marks. But with total-expire, you
13917 only have dormant and ticked to choose from. The advantage of
13918 total-expire is that it works well with adaptive scoring @pxref{Adaptive
13919 Scoring}. Auto-expire works with normal scoring but not with adaptive
13922 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
13923 Groups that match the regular expression
13924 @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will have all articles that you
13925 read marked as expirable automatically. All articles marked as
13926 expirable have an @samp{E} in the first column in the summary buffer.
13928 By default, if you have auto expiry switched on, Gnus will mark all the
13929 articles you read as expirable, no matter if they were read or unread
13930 before. To avoid having articles marked as read marked as expirable
13931 automatically, you can put something like the following in your
13932 @file{.gnus.el} file:
13934 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
13936 (remove-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook
13937 'gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read)
13938 (add-hook 'gnus-mark-article-hook 'gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read)
13941 Note that making a group auto-expirable doesn't mean that all read
13942 articles are expired---only the articles marked as expirable
13943 will be expired. Also note that using the @kbd{d} command won't make
13944 articles expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
13945 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
13947 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
13948 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
13951 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
13952 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
13955 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
13956 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
13958 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
13959 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
13960 don't really mix very well.
13962 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
13963 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
13964 expirable article has to live. Gnus starts counting days from when the
13965 message @emph{arrived}, not from when it was sent. The default is seven
13968 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
13969 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
13970 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
13971 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
13974 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13976 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
13978 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
13980 ((string= group "mail.junk")
13982 ((string= group "important")
13988 The group names this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
13989 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
13991 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
13992 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can either be a number (not
13993 necessarily an integer) or one of the symbols @code{immediate} or
13996 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
13997 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
13999 @vindex nnmail-expiry-target
14000 The normal action taken when expiring articles is to delete them.
14001 However, in some circumstances it might make more sense to move them
14002 to other groups instead of deleting them. The variable
14003 @code{nnmail-expiry-target} (and the @code{expiry-target} group
14004 parameter) controls this. The variable supplies a default value for
14005 all groups, which can be overridden for specific groups by the group
14006 parameter. default value is @code{delete}, but this can also be a
14007 string (which should be the name of the group the message should be
14008 moved to), or a function (which will be called in a buffer narrowed to
14009 the message in question, and with the name of the group being moved
14010 from as its parameter) which should return a target -- either a group
14011 name or @code{delete}.
14013 Here's an example for specifying a group name:
14015 (setq nnmail-expiry-target "nnml:expired")
14018 @findex nnmail-fancy-expiry-target
14019 @vindex nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets
14020 Gnus provides a function @code{nnmail-fancy-expiry-target} which will
14021 expire mail to groups according to the variable
14022 @code{nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets}. Here's an example:
14025 (setq nnmail-expiry-target 'nnmail-fancy-expiry-target
14026 nnmail-fancy-expiry-targets
14027 '((to-from "boss" "nnfolder:Work")
14028 ("subject" "IMPORTANT" "nnfolder:IMPORTANT.%Y.%b")
14029 ("from" ".*" "nnfolder:Archive-%Y")))
14032 With this setup, any mail that has @code{IMPORTANT} in its Subject
14033 header and was sent in the year @code{YYYY} and month @code{MMM}, will
14034 get expired to the group @code{nnfolder:IMPORTANT.YYYY.MMM}. If its
14035 From or To header contains the string @code{boss}, it will get expired
14036 to @code{nnfolder:Work}. All other mail will get expired to
14037 @code{nnfolder:Archive-YYYY}.
14039 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
14040 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
14041 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
14042 easier for procmail users.
14044 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
14045 By the way: That line up there, about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
14046 articles, is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
14047 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
14048 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
14049 caution. Even more dangerous is the
14050 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
14051 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
14052 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
14053 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
14054 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
14055 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
14056 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
14059 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
14061 @vindex gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire
14062 If @code{gnus-inhibit-user-auto-expire} is non-@code{nil}, user marking
14063 commands will not mark an article as expirable, even if the group has
14064 auto-expire turned on.
14068 @subsection Washing Mail
14069 @cindex mail washing
14070 @cindex list server brain damage
14071 @cindex incoming mail treatment
14073 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
14074 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC 822 doesn't explicitly
14075 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
14076 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
14077 Yes, but RFC 822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
14078 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
14080 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
14081 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
14082 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
14085 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
14086 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
14087 storing the mail to disk. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
14088 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
14091 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
14092 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
14093 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
14094 grand, sweeping gestures. It is called in a buffer that contains all
14095 the new, incoming mail. Functions to be used include:
14098 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
14099 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
14100 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
14101 Emacs running on MS machines.
14105 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
14106 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
14107 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
14108 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
14111 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
14112 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
14113 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
14114 headers to make them look nice. Aaah.
14116 (Note that this function works on both the header on the body of all
14117 messages, so it is a potentially dangerous function to use (if a body
14118 of a message contains something that looks like a header line). So
14119 rather than fix the bug, it is of course the right solution to make it
14120 into a feature by documenting it.)
14122 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
14123 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
14124 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
14125 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
14126 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
14127 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
14128 also be a list of regexp. @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} may not contain
14131 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
14132 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
14135 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
14136 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
14139 This can also be done non-destructively with
14140 @code{gnus-list-identifiers}, @xref{Article Hiding}.
14142 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
14143 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
14144 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
14146 @item nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
14147 @findex nnmail-fix-eudora-headers
14149 Eudora produces broken @code{References} headers, but OK
14150 @code{In-Reply-To} headers. This function will get rid of the
14151 @code{References} headers.
14155 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
14156 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
14157 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
14161 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
14162 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
14163 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
14170 @subsection Duplicates
14172 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
14173 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
14174 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
14175 @cindex duplicate mails
14176 If you are a member of a couple of mailing lists, you will sometimes
14177 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
14178 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
14179 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
14180 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
14181 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
14182 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
14183 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
14184 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
14185 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
14186 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
14187 will insert a warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks
14188 that this is a duplicate of a different message.
14190 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
14191 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
14192 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
14193 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
14195 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
14198 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
14199 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
14203 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
14204 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
14205 ("gnus-warning" "duplicat\\(e\\|ion\\) of message" "duplicate")
14206 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
14207 (any mail "mail.misc")
14214 (setq nnmail-split-methods
14215 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:.*duplicate")
14220 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
14221 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
14222 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
14223 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
14224 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
14227 @node Not Reading Mail
14228 @subsection Not Reading Mail
14230 If you start using any of the mail back ends, they have the annoying
14231 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
14232 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
14234 If you set @code{mail-sources} and @code{nnmail-spool-file} to
14235 @code{nil}, none of the back ends will ever attempt to read incoming
14236 mail, which should help.
14238 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
14239 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
14240 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
14241 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
14242 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
14243 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
14244 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
14245 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All back ends have
14246 variables called back-end-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
14247 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
14248 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
14250 All the mail back ends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
14251 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
14255 @node Choosing a Mail Back End
14256 @subsection Choosing a Mail Back End
14258 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
14259 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
14260 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
14262 There are six different mail back ends in the standard Gnus, and more
14263 back ends are available separately. The mail back end most people use
14264 (because it is possibly the fastest) is @code{nnml} (@pxref{Mail
14265 Spool}). You might notice that only five back ends are listed below;
14266 @code{nnmaildir}'s documentation has not yet been completely
14267 incorporated into this manual. Until it is, you can find it at
14268 @uref{http://multivac.cwru.edu./nnmaildir/}.
14271 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
14272 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
14273 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
14274 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like back end.
14275 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
14276 * Comparing Mail Back Ends:: An in-depth looks at pros and cons.
14280 @node Unix Mail Box
14281 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
14283 @cindex unix mail box
14285 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
14286 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
14287 The @dfn{nnmbox} back end will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
14288 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
14289 which group it belongs in.
14291 Virtual server settings:
14294 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
14295 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
14296 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory. Default is
14299 @item nnmbox-active-file
14300 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
14301 The name of the active file for the mail box. Default is
14302 @file{~/.mbox-active}.
14304 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
14305 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
14306 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
14307 into groups. Default is @code{t}.
14312 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
14316 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
14317 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
14318 The @dfn{nnbabyl} back end will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
14319 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each
14320 mail article to say which group it belongs in.
14322 Virtual server settings:
14325 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
14326 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
14327 The name of the rmail mbox file. The default is @file{~/RMAIL}
14329 @item nnbabyl-active-file
14330 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
14331 The name of the active file for the rmail box. The default is
14332 @file{~/.rmail-active}
14334 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
14335 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
14336 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail. Default is
14342 @subsubsection Mail Spool
14344 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
14346 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
14347 format. It should be used with some caution.
14349 @vindex nnml-directory
14350 If you use this back end, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files,
14351 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the corresponding
14352 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
14353 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
14355 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
14358 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
14359 in your account, you should not use this back end. As each mail gets its
14360 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
14361 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
14362 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
14363 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
14364 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
14365 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
14367 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest back end when it comes to article
14368 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
14369 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes it possibly the
14370 fastest back end when it comes to reading mail.
14372 @cindex self contained nnml servers
14374 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnml}
14375 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
14376 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
14377 proper @code{nnml} server) and have all your marks be preserved. Marks
14378 for a group is usually stored in the @code{.marks} file (but see
14379 @code{nnml-marks-file-name}) within each @code{nnml} group's directory.
14380 Individual @code{nnml} groups are also possible to backup, use @kbd{G m}
14381 to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the nnml
14384 If for some reason you believe your @file{.marks} files are screwed
14385 up, you can just delete them all. Gnus will then correctly regenerate
14386 them next time it starts.
14388 Virtual server settings:
14391 @item nnml-directory
14392 @vindex nnml-directory
14393 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory. The
14394 default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default value
14397 @item nnml-active-file
14398 @vindex nnml-active-file
14399 The active file for the @code{nnml} server. The default is
14400 @file{~/Mail/active}.
14402 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
14403 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
14404 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
14405 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups}.
14407 @item nnml-get-new-mail
14408 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
14409 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail. The default is
14412 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
14413 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
14414 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
14415 default is @code{nil}.
14417 @item nnml-nov-file-name
14418 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
14419 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
14421 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
14422 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
14423 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
14425 @item nnml-marks-is-evil
14426 @vindex nnml-marks-is-evil
14427 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
14428 default is @code{nil}.
14430 @item nnml-marks-file-name
14431 @vindex nnml-marks-file-name
14432 The name of the @dfn{marks} files. The default is @file{.marks}.
14434 @item nnml-use-compressed-files
14435 @vindex nnml-use-compressed-files
14436 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will allow using compressed message
14441 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
14442 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
14443 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
14444 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
14445 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
14446 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
14447 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
14452 @subsubsection MH Spool
14454 @cindex mh-e mail spool
14456 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
14457 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file or marks file.
14458 This makes @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower back end than @code{nnml},
14459 but it also makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
14461 Virtual server settings:
14464 @item nnmh-directory
14465 @vindex nnmh-directory
14466 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory. The
14467 default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
14470 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
14471 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
14472 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail. The default is
14476 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
14477 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
14478 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
14479 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
14480 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
14481 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
14482 to set this variable to @code{t}. The default is @code{nil}.
14487 @subsubsection Mail Folders
14489 @cindex mbox folders
14490 @cindex mail folders
14492 @code{nnfolder} is a back end for storing each mail group in a separate
14493 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
14494 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
14497 @cindex self contained nnfolder servers
14499 When the marks file is used (which it is by default), @code{nnfolder}
14500 servers have the property that you may backup them using @code{tar} or
14501 similar, and later be able to restore them into Gnus (by adding the
14502 proper @code{nnfolder} server) and have all your marks be preserved.
14503 Marks for a group is usually stored in a file named as the mbox file
14504 with @code{.mrk} concatenated to it (but see
14505 @code{nnfolder-marks-file-suffix}) within the @code{nnfolder} directory.
14506 Individual @code{nnfolder} groups are also possible to backup, use
14507 @kbd{G m} to restore the group (after restoring the backup into the
14508 @code{nnfolder} directory).
14510 Virtual server settings:
14513 @item nnfolder-directory
14514 @vindex nnfolder-directory
14515 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
14516 The default is the value of @code{message-directory} (whose default is
14519 @item nnfolder-active-file
14520 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
14521 The name of the active file. The default is @file{~/Mail/active}.
14523 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
14524 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
14525 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
14526 Format}. The default is @file{~/Mail/newsgroups}
14528 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
14529 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
14530 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail. The default
14533 @item nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
14534 @vindex nnfolder-save-buffer-hook
14535 @cindex backup files
14536 Hook run before saving the folders. Note that Emacs does the normal
14537 backup renaming of files even with the @code{nnfolder} buffers. If you
14538 wish to switch this off, you could say something like the following in
14539 your @file{.emacs} file:
14542 (defun turn-off-backup ()
14543 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
14545 (add-hook 'nnfolder-save-buffer-hook 'turn-off-backup)
14548 @item nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
14549 @vindex nnfolder-delete-mail-hook
14550 Hook run in a buffer narrowed to the message that is to be deleted.
14551 This function can be used to copy the message to somewhere else, or to
14552 extract some information from it before removing it.
14554 @item nnfolder-nov-is-evil
14555 @vindex nnfolder-nov-is-evil
14556 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{nov} files. The
14557 default is @code{nil}.
14559 @item nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
14560 @vindex nnfolder-nov-file-suffix
14561 The extension for @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.nov}.
14563 @item nnfolder-nov-directory
14564 @vindex nnfolder-nov-directory
14565 The directory where the @sc{nov} files should be stored. If nil,
14566 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
14568 @item nnfolder-marks-is-evil
14569 @vindex nnfolder-marks-is-evil
14570 If non-@code{nil}, this back end will ignore any @sc{marks} files. The
14571 default is @code{nil}.
14573 @item nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
14574 @vindex nnfolder-marks-file-suffix
14575 The extension for @sc{marks} files. The default is @file{.mrk}.
14577 @item nnfolder-marks-directory
14578 @vindex nnfolder-marks-directory
14579 The directory where the @sc{marks} files should be stored. If nil,
14580 @code{nnfolder-directory} is used.
14585 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
14586 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
14587 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
14588 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
14589 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
14590 @code{nnfolder-directory}. This only works if you use long file names,
14593 @node Comparing Mail Back Ends
14594 @subsubsection Comparing Mail Back Ends
14596 First, just for terminology, the @dfn{back end} is the common word for a
14597 low-level access method---a transport, if you will, by which something
14598 is acquired. The sense is that one's mail has to come from somewhere,
14599 and so selection of a suitable back end is required in order to get that
14600 mail within spitting distance of Gnus.
14602 The same concept exists for Usenet itself: Though access to articles is
14603 typically done by @sc{nntp} these days, once upon a midnight dreary, everyone
14604 in the world got at Usenet by running a reader on the machine where the
14605 articles lay (the machine which today we call an @sc{nntp} server), and
14606 access was by the reader stepping into the articles' directory spool
14607 area directly. One can still select between either the @code{nntp} or
14608 @code{nnspool} back ends, to select between these methods, if one happens
14609 actually to live on the server (or can see its spool directly, anyway,
14612 The goal in selecting a mail back end is to pick one which
14613 simultaneously represents a suitable way of dealing with the original
14614 format plus leaving mail in a form that is convenient to use in the
14615 future. Here are some high and low points on each:
14620 UNIX systems have historically had a single, very common, and well-
14621 defined format. All messages arrive in a single @dfn{spool file}, and
14622 they are delineated by a line whose regular expression matches
14623 @samp{^From_}. (My notational use of @samp{_} is to indicate a space,
14624 to make it clear in this instance that this is not the RFC-specified
14625 @samp{From:} header.) Because Emacs and therefore Gnus emanate
14626 historically from the Unix environment, it is simplest if one does not
14627 mess a great deal with the original mailbox format, so if one chooses
14628 this back end, Gnus' primary activity in getting mail from the real spool
14629 area to Gnus' preferred directory is simply to copy it, with no
14630 (appreciable) format change in the process. It is the ``dumbest'' way
14631 to move mail into availability in the Gnus environment. This makes it
14632 fast to move into place, but slow to parse, when Gnus has to look at
14637 Once upon a time, there was the DEC-10 and DEC-20, running operating
14638 systems called TOPS and related things, and the usual (only?) mail
14639 reading environment was a thing called Babyl. I don't know what format
14640 was used for mail landing on the system, but Babyl had its own internal
14641 format to which mail was converted, primarily involving creating a
14642 spool-file-like entity with a scheme for inserting Babyl-specific
14643 headers and status bits above the top of each message in the file.
14644 RMAIL was Emacs' first mail reader, it was written by Richard Stallman,
14645 and Stallman came out of that TOPS/Babyl environment, so he wrote RMAIL
14646 to understand the mail files folks already had in existence. Gnus (and
14647 VM, for that matter) continue to support this format because it's
14648 perceived as having some good qualities in those mailer-specific
14649 headers/status bits stuff. RMAIL itself still exists as well, of
14650 course, and is still maintained by Stallman.
14652 Both of the above forms leave your mail in a single file on your
14653 file system, and they must parse that entire file each time you take a
14658 @code{nnml} is the back end which smells the most as though you were
14659 actually operating with an @code{nnspool}-accessed Usenet system. (In
14660 fact, I believe @code{nnml} actually derived from @code{nnspool} code,
14661 lo these years ago.) One's mail is taken from the original spool file,
14662 and is then cut up into individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a
14663 Usenet-style active file (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or
14664 CNews-based news system in (for instance) @file{/var/lib/news/active},
14665 or what is returned via the @samp{NNTP LIST} verb) and also creates
14666 @dfn{overview} files for efficient group entry, as has been defined for
14667 @sc{nntp} servers for some years now. It is slower in mail-splitting,
14668 due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the @code{nnml} active
14669 file, and additions to overview files on a per-message basis, but it is
14670 extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the indexing support
14671 provided by the active file and overviews.
14673 @code{nnml} costs @dfn{inodes} in a big way; that is, it soaks up the
14674 resource which defines available places in the file system to put new
14675 files. Sysadmins take a dim view of heavy inode occupation within
14676 tight, shared file systems. But if you live on a personal machine where
14677 the file system is your own and space is not at a premium, @code{nnml}
14680 It is also problematic using this back end if you are living in a
14681 FAT16-based Windows world, since much space will be wasted on all these
14686 The Rand MH mail-reading system has been around UNIX systems for a very
14687 long time; it operates by splitting one's spool file of messages into
14688 individual files, but with little or no indexing support -- @code{nnmh}
14689 is considered to be semantically equivalent to ``@code{nnml} without
14690 active file or overviews''. This is arguably the worst choice, because
14691 one gets the slowness of individual file creation married to the
14692 slowness of access parsing when learning what's new in one's groups.
14696 Basically the effect of @code{nnfolder} is @code{nnmbox} (the first
14697 method described above) on a per-group basis. That is, @code{nnmbox}
14698 itself puts @emph{all} one's mail in one file; @code{nnfolder} provides a
14699 little bit of optimization to this so that each of one's mail groups has
14700 a Unix mail box file. It's faster than @code{nnmbox} because each group
14701 can be parsed separately, and still provides the simple Unix mail box
14702 format requiring minimal effort in moving the mail around. In addition,
14703 it maintains an ``active'' file making it much faster for Gnus to figure
14704 out how many messages there are in each separate group.
14706 If you have groups that are expected to have a massive amount of
14707 messages, @code{nnfolder} is not the best choice, but if you receive
14708 only a moderate amount of mail, @code{nnfolder} is probably the most
14709 friendly mail back end all over.
14713 @code{nnmaildir} is largely similar to @code{nnml}, with some notable
14714 differences. Each message is stored in a separate file, but the
14715 filename is unrelated to the article number in Gnus. @code{nnmaildir}
14716 also stores the equivalent of @code{nnml}'s overview files in one file
14717 per article, so it uses about twice as many inodes as @code{nnml}. (Use
14718 @code{df -i} to see how plentiful your inode supply is.) If this slows
14719 you down or takes up very much space, consider switching to ReiserFS
14720 (@uref{http://www.namesys.com/}) or another non-block-structured
14723 Since maildirs don't require locking for delivery, the maildirs you use
14724 as groups can also be the maildirs your mail is directly delivered to.
14725 This means you can skip Gnus's mail splitting if your mail is already
14726 organized into different mailboxes during delivery. A @code{directory}
14727 entry in @code{mail-sources} would have a similar effect, but would
14728 require one set of mailboxes for spooling deliveries (in mbox format,
14729 thus damaging message bodies), and another set to be used as groups (in
14730 whatever format you like). A maildir has a built-in spool, in the
14731 @code{new/} subdirectory. Beware that currently, mail moved from
14732 @code{new/} to @code{cur/} instead of via mail splitting will undergo
14733 treatment such as duplicate checking.
14735 An article will not necessarily keep the same number across Gnus
14736 sessions; articles are renumbered starting from 1 for each Gnus session
14737 (more precisely, each time you open the @code{nnmaildir} server). This
14738 way, you don't get gaps in your article number ranges, and when entering
14739 large groups, Gnus is likely to give a more accurate article count. The
14740 price is that @code{nnmaildir} doesn't work with the cache or agent.
14741 This will probably be changed in the future.
14743 @code{nnmaildir} stores article marks for a given group in the
14744 corresponding maildir, in a way designed so that it's easy to manipulate
14745 them from outside Gnus. You can tar up a maildir, unpack it somewhere
14746 else, and still have your marks. @code{nnml} also stores marks, but
14747 it's not as easy to work with them from outside Gnus as with
14750 For configuring expiry and other things, @code{nnmaildir} uses group
14751 parameters slightly different from those of other mail back ends.
14753 @code{nnmaildir} uses a significant amount of memory to speed things up.
14754 (It keeps in memory some of the things that @code{nnml} stores in files
14755 and that @code{nnmh} repeatedly parses out of message files.) If this
14756 is a problem for you, you can set the @code{nov-cache-size} group
14757 parameter to something small (0 would probably not work, but 1 probably
14758 would) to make it use less memory.
14760 Startup and shutdown are likely to be slower with @code{nnmaildir} than
14761 with other back ends. Everything in between is likely to be faster,
14762 depending in part on your file system.
14764 @code{nnmaildir} does not use @code{nnoo}, so you cannot use @code{nnoo}
14765 to write an @code{nnmaildir}-derived back end.
14770 @node Browsing the Web
14771 @section Browsing the Web
14773 @cindex browsing the web
14777 Web-based discussion forums are getting more and more popular. On many
14778 subjects, the web-based forums have become the most important forums,
14779 eclipsing the importance of mailing lists and news groups. The reason
14780 is easy to understand---they are friendly to new users; you just point
14781 and click, and there's the discussion. With mailing lists, you have to
14782 go through a cumbersome subscription procedure, and most people don't
14783 even know what a news group is.
14785 The problem with this scenario is that web browsers are not very good at
14786 being newsreaders. They do not keep track of what articles you've read;
14787 they do not allow you to score on subjects you're interested in; they do
14788 not allow off-line browsing; they require you to click around and drive
14789 you mad in the end.
14791 So---if web browsers suck at reading discussion forums, why not use Gnus
14794 Gnus has been getting a bit of a collection of back ends for providing
14795 interfaces to these sources.
14799 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
14800 * Slashdot:: Reading the Slashdot comments.
14801 * Ultimate:: The Ultimate Bulletin Board systems.
14802 * Web Archive:: Reading mailing list archived on web.
14803 * RSS:: Reading RDF site summary.
14804 * Customizing w3:: Doing stuff to Emacs/w3 from Gnus.
14807 All the web sources require Emacs/w3 and the url library to work.
14809 The main caveat with all these web sources is that they probably won't
14810 work for a very long time. Gleaning information from the @sc{html} data
14811 is guesswork at best, and when the layout is altered, the Gnus back end
14812 will fail. If you have reasonably new versions of these back ends,
14813 though, you should be ok.
14815 One thing all these Web methods have in common is that the Web sources
14816 are often down, unavailable or just plain too slow to be fun. In those
14817 cases, it makes a lot of sense to let the Gnus Agent (@pxref{Gnus
14818 Unplugged}) handle downloading articles, and then you can read them at
14819 leisure from your local disk. No more World Wide Wait for you.
14821 @node Archiving Mail
14822 @subsection Archiving Mail
14823 @cindex archiving mail
14824 @cindex backup of mail
14826 Some of the back ends, notably @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder}, and
14827 @code{nnmaildir}, now actually store the article marks with each group.
14828 For these servers, archiving and restoring a group while preserving
14829 marks is fairly simple.
14831 (Preserving the group level and group parameters as well still
14832 requires ritual dancing and sacrifices to the @file{.newsrc.eld} deity
14835 To archive an entire @code{nnml}, @code{nnfolder}, or @code{nnmaildir}
14836 server, take a recursive copy of the server directory. There is no need
14837 to shut down Gnus, so archiving may be invoked by @code{cron} or
14838 similar. You restore the data by restoring the directory tree, and
14839 adding a server definition pointing to that directory in Gnus. The
14840 @ref{Article Backlog}, @ref{Asynchronous Fetching} and other things
14841 might interfere with overwriting data, so you may want to shut down Gnus
14842 before you restore the data.
14844 It is also possible to archive individual @code{nnml},
14845 @code{nnfolder}, or @code{nnmaildir} groups, while preserving marks.
14846 For @code{nnml} or @code{nnmaildir}, you copy all files in the group's
14847 directory. For @code{nnfolder} you need to copy both the base folder
14848 file itself (@file{FOO}, say), and the marks file (@file{FOO.mrk} in
14849 this example). Restoring the group is done with @kbd{G m} from the Group
14850 buffer. The last step makes Gnus notice the new directory.
14851 @code{nnmaildir} notices the new directory automatically, so @kbd{G m}
14852 is unnecessary in that case.
14855 @subsection Web Searches
14860 @cindex Usenet searches
14861 @cindex searching the Usenet
14863 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
14864 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
14865 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
14866 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
14867 searches without having to use a browser.
14869 The @code{nnweb} back end allows an easy interface to the mighty search
14870 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
14871 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
14872 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
14873 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
14875 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
14876 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
14877 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
14878 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
14879 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@pxref{Duplicate
14880 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
14881 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
14882 engines (Google, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
14883 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
14884 header---mark all articles posted before the last date you read the
14887 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
14888 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
14889 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
14890 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
14891 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
14892 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
14894 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
14895 to use @code{nnweb}.
14897 Virtual server variables:
14902 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
14903 are @code{google}, @code{dejanews}, and @code{gmane}. Note that
14904 @code{dejanews} is an alias to @code{google}.
14907 @vindex nnweb-search
14908 The search string to feed to the search engine.
14910 @item nnweb-max-hits
14911 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
14912 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
14915 @item nnweb-type-definition
14916 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
14917 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
14918 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
14923 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
14927 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
14930 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
14933 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
14937 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
14944 @subsection Slashdot
14948 Slashdot (@uref{http://slashdot.org/}) is a popular news site, with
14949 lively discussion following the news articles. @code{nnslashdot} will
14950 let you read this forum in a convenient manner.
14952 The easiest way to read this source is to put something like the
14953 following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
14956 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
14957 '((nnslashdot "")))
14960 This will make Gnus query the @code{nnslashdot} back end for new comments
14961 and groups. The @kbd{F} command will subscribe each new news article as
14962 a new Gnus group, and you can read the comments by entering these
14963 groups. (Note that the default subscription method is to subscribe new
14964 groups as zombies. Other methods are available (@pxref{Subscription
14967 If you want to remove an old @code{nnslashdot} group, the @kbd{G DEL}
14968 command is the most handy tool (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
14970 When following up to @code{nnslashdot} comments (or posting new
14971 comments), some light @sc{html}izations will be performed. In
14972 particular, text quoted with @samp{> } will be quoted with
14973 @code{blockquote} instead, and signatures will have @code{br} added to
14974 the end of each line. Other than that, you can just write @sc{html}
14975 directly into the message buffer. Note that Slashdot filters out some
14978 The following variables can be altered to change its behavior:
14981 @item nnslashdot-threaded
14982 Whether @code{nnslashdot} should display threaded groups or not. The
14983 default is @code{t}. To be able to display threads, @code{nnslashdot}
14984 has to retrieve absolutely all comments in a group upon entry. If a
14985 threaded display is not required, @code{nnslashdot} will only retrieve
14986 the comments that are actually wanted by the user. Threading is nicer,
14987 but much, much slower than unthreaded.
14989 @item nnslashdot-login-name
14990 @vindex nnslashdot-login-name
14991 The login name to use when posting.
14993 @item nnslashdot-password
14994 @vindex nnslashdot-password
14995 The password to use when posting.
14997 @item nnslashdot-directory
14998 @vindex nnslashdot-directory
14999 Where @code{nnslashdot} will store its files. The default is
15000 @file{~/News/slashdot/}.
15002 @item nnslashdot-active-url
15003 @vindex nnslashdot-active-url
15004 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the information on
15005 news articles and comments. The default is
15006 @samp{http://slashdot.org/search.pl?section=&min=%d}.
15008 @item nnslashdot-comments-url
15009 @vindex nnslashdot-comments-url
15010 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch comments. The
15012 @samp{http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=%s&threshold=%d&commentsort=%d&mode=flat&startat=%d}.
15014 @item nnslashdot-article-url
15015 @vindex nnslashdot-article-url
15016 The @sc{url} format string that will be used to fetch the news article. The
15018 @samp{http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=%s&mode=nocomment}.
15020 @item nnslashdot-threshold
15021 @vindex nnslashdot-threshold
15022 The score threshold. The default is -1.
15024 @item nnslashdot-group-number
15025 @vindex nnslashdot-group-number
15026 The number of old groups, in addition to the ten latest, to keep
15027 updated. The default is 0.
15034 @subsection Ultimate
15036 @cindex Ultimate Bulletin Board
15038 The Ultimate Bulletin Board (@uref{http://www.ultimatebb.com/}) is
15039 probably the most popular Web bulletin board system used. It has a
15040 quite regular and nice interface, and it's possible to get the
15041 information Gnus needs to keep groups updated.
15043 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnultimate} is to say
15044 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnultimate RET
15045 http://www.tcj.com/messboard/ubbcgi/ RET}. (Substitute the @sc{url}
15046 (not including @samp{Ultimate.cgi} or the like at the end) for a forum
15047 you're interested in; there's quite a list of them on the Ultimate web
15048 site.) Then subscribe to the groups you're interested in from the
15049 server buffer, and read them from the group buffer.
15051 The following @code{nnultimate} variables can be altered:
15054 @item nnultimate-directory
15055 @vindex nnultimate-directory
15056 The directory where @code{nnultimate} stores its files. The default is
15057 @file{~/News/ultimate/}.
15062 @subsection Web Archive
15064 @cindex Web Archive
15066 Some mailing lists only have archives on Web servers, such as
15067 @uref{http://www.egroups.com/} and
15068 @uref{http://www.mail-archive.com/}. It has a quite regular and nice
15069 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
15072 @findex gnus-group-make-warchive-group
15073 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnwarchive} is to say
15074 something like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{M-x
15075 gnus-group-make-warchive-group RET an_egroup RET egroups RET
15076 www.egroups.com RET your@@email.address RET}. (Substitute the
15077 @sc{an_egroup} with the mailing list you subscribed, the
15078 @sc{your@@email.address} with your email address.), or to browse the
15079 back end by @kbd{B nnwarchive RET mail-archive RET}.
15081 The following @code{nnwarchive} variables can be altered:
15084 @item nnwarchive-directory
15085 @vindex nnwarchive-directory
15086 The directory where @code{nnwarchive} stores its files. The default is
15087 @file{~/News/warchive/}.
15089 @item nnwarchive-login
15090 @vindex nnwarchive-login
15091 The account name on the web server.
15093 @item nnwarchive-passwd
15094 @vindex nnwarchive-passwd
15095 The password for your account on the web server.
15103 Some sites have RDF site summary (RSS)
15104 @uref{http://purl.org/rss/1.0/spec}. It has a quite regular and nice
15105 interface, and it's possible to get the information Gnus needs to keep
15108 The easiest way to get started with @code{nnrss} is to say something
15109 like the following in the group buffer: @kbd{B nnrss RET RET}, then
15112 The following @code{nnrss} variables can be altered:
15115 @item nnrss-directory
15116 @vindex nnrss-directory
15117 The directory where @code{nnrss} stores its files. The default is
15118 @file{~/News/rss/}.
15122 The following code may be helpful, if you want to show the description in
15123 the summary buffer.
15126 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-description-field)
15127 (setq gnus-summary-line-format "%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-15,15f%]%) %s%uX\n")
15129 (defun gnus-user-format-function-X (header)
15131 (assq nnrss-description-field (mail-header-extra header))))
15132 (if descr (concat "\n\t" (cdr descr)) "")))
15135 The following code may be useful to open an nnrss url directly from the
15138 (require 'browse-url)
15140 (defun browse-nnrss-url( arg )
15142 (let ((url (assq nnrss-url-field
15145 (assq (gnus-summary-article-number)
15146 gnus-newsgroup-data))))))
15149 (browse-url (cdr url))
15150 (gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward 1))
15151 (gnus-summary-scroll-up arg))))
15153 (eval-after-load "gnus"
15154 #'(define-key gnus-summary-mode-map
15155 (kbd "<RET>") 'browse-nnrss-url))
15156 (add-to-list 'nnmail-extra-headers nnrss-url-field)
15159 @node Customizing w3
15160 @subsection Customizing w3
15166 Gnus uses the url library to fetch web pages and Emacs/w3 to display web
15167 pages. Emacs/w3 is documented in its own manual, but there are some
15168 things that may be more relevant for Gnus users.
15170 For instance, a common question is how to make Emacs/w3 follow links
15171 using the @code{browse-url} functions (which will call some external web
15172 browser like Netscape). Here's one way:
15175 (eval-after-load "w3"
15177 (fset 'w3-fetch-orig (symbol-function 'w3-fetch))
15178 (defun w3-fetch (&optional url target)
15179 (interactive (list (w3-read-url-with-default)))
15180 (if (eq major-mode 'gnus-article-mode)
15182 (w3-fetch-orig url target)))))
15185 Put that in your @file{.emacs} file, and hitting links in w3-rendered
15186 @sc{html} in the Gnus article buffers will use @code{browse-url} to
15195 @sc{imap} is a network protocol for reading mail (or news, or @dots{}),
15196 think of it as a modernized @sc{nntp}. Connecting to a @sc{imap}
15197 server is much similar to connecting to a news server, you just
15198 specify the network address of the server.
15200 @sc{imap} has two properties. First, @sc{imap} can do everything that
15201 POP can, it can hence be viewed as a POP++. Secondly, @sc{imap} is a
15202 mail storage protocol, similar to @sc{nntp} being a news storage
15203 protocol -- however, @sc{imap} offers more features than @sc{nntp}
15204 because news is more or less read-only whereas mail is read-write.
15206 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a POP++, use an imap entry in
15207 @code{mail-sources}. With this, Gnus will fetch mails from the
15208 @sc{imap} server and store them on the local disk. This is not the
15209 usage described in this section--@xref{Mail Sources}.
15211 If you want to use @sc{imap} as a mail storage protocol, use an nnimap
15212 entry in @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods}. With this, Gnus will
15213 manipulate mails stored on the @sc{imap} server. This is the kind of
15214 usage explained in this section.
15216 A server configuration in @file{~/.gnus} with a few @sc{imap} servers
15217 might look something like the following. (Note that for SSL/TLS, you
15218 need external programs and libraries, see below.)
15221 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
15222 '((nnimap "simpleserver") ; no special configuration
15223 ; perhaps a ssh port forwarded server:
15225 (nnimap-address "localhost")
15226 (nnimap-server-port 1430))
15227 ; a UW server running on localhost
15229 (nnimap-server-port 143)
15230 (nnimap-address "localhost")
15231 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "mail/*")))
15232 ; anonymous public cyrus server:
15233 (nnimap "cyrus.andrew.cmu.edu"
15234 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous)
15235 (nnimap-list-pattern "archive.*")
15236 (nnimap-stream network))
15237 ; a ssl server on a non-standard port:
15239 (nnimap-address "vic20.somewhere.com")
15240 (nnimap-server-port 9930)
15241 (nnimap-stream ssl))))
15244 After defining the new server, you can subscribe to groups on the
15245 server using normal Gnus commands such as @kbd{U} in the Group Buffer
15246 (@pxref{Subscription Commands}) or via the Server Buffer
15247 (@pxref{Server Buffer}).
15249 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nnimap}
15254 @item nnimap-address
15255 @vindex nnimap-address
15257 The address of the remote @sc{imap} server. Defaults to the virtual
15258 server name if not specified.
15260 @item nnimap-server-port
15261 @vindex nnimap-server-port
15262 Port on server to contact. Defaults to port 143, or 993 for SSL.
15264 Note that this should be an integer, example server specification:
15267 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
15268 (nnimap-server-port 4711))
15271 @item nnimap-list-pattern
15272 @vindex nnimap-list-pattern
15273 String or list of strings of mailboxes to limit available groups to.
15274 This is used when the server has very many mailboxes and you're only
15275 interested in a few -- some servers export your home directory via
15276 @sc{imap}, you'll probably want to limit the mailboxes to those in
15277 @file{~/Mail/*} then.
15279 The string can also be a cons of REFERENCE and the string as above, what
15280 REFERENCE is used for is server specific, but on the University of
15281 Washington server it's a directory that will be concatenated with the
15284 Example server specification:
15287 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
15288 (nnimap-list-pattern ("INBOX" "Mail/*" "alt.sex.*"
15289 ("~friend/Mail/" . "list/*"))))
15292 @item nnimap-stream
15293 @vindex nnimap-stream
15294 The type of stream used to connect to your server. By default, nnimap
15295 will detect and automatically use all of the below, with the exception
15296 of SSL/TLS. (@sc{imap} over SSL/TLS is being replaced by STARTTLS, which
15297 can be automatically detected, but it's not widely deployed yet.)
15299 Example server specification:
15302 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
15303 (nnimap-stream ssl))
15306 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-stream} is a symbol!
15310 @dfn{gssapi:} Connect with GSSAPI (usually Kerberos 5). Requires the
15311 @samp{imtest} program.
15313 @dfn{kerberos4:} Connect with Kerberos 4. Requires the @samp{imtest} program.
15315 @dfn{starttls:} Connect via the STARTTLS extension (similar to
15316 SSL). Requires the external library @samp{starttls.el} and program
15319 @dfn{ssl:} Connect through SSL. Requires OpenSSL (the program
15320 @samp{openssl}) or SSLeay (@samp{s_client}).
15322 @dfn{shell:} Use a shell command to start @sc{imap} connection.
15324 @dfn{network:} Plain, TCP/IP network connection.
15327 @vindex imap-kerberos4-program
15328 The @samp{imtest} program is shipped with Cyrus IMAPD. If you're
15329 using @samp{imtest} from Cyrus IMAPD < 2.0.14 (which includes version
15330 1.5.x and 1.6.x) you need to frob @code{imap-process-connection-type}
15331 to make @code{imap.el} use a pty instead of a pipe when communicating
15332 with @samp{imtest}. You will then suffer from a line length
15333 restrictions on @sc{imap} commands, which might make Gnus seem to hang
15334 indefinitely if you have many articles in a mailbox. The variable
15335 @code{imap-kerberos4-program} contain parameters to pass to the imtest
15338 @vindex imap-ssl-program
15339 For SSL connections, the OpenSSL program is available from
15340 @uref{http://www.openssl.org/}. OpenSSL was formerly known as SSLeay,
15341 and nnimap support it too - although the most recent versions of
15342 SSLeay, 0.9.x, are known to have serious bugs making it
15343 useless. Earlier versions, especially 0.8.x, of SSLeay are known to
15344 work. The variable @code{imap-ssl-program} contain parameters to pass
15347 @vindex imap-shell-program
15348 @vindex imap-shell-host
15349 For @sc{imap} connections using the @code{shell} stream, the variable
15350 @code{imap-shell-program} specify what program to call.
15352 @item nnimap-authenticator
15353 @vindex nnimap-authenticator
15355 The authenticator used to connect to the server. By default, nnimap
15356 will use the most secure authenticator your server is capable of.
15358 Example server specification:
15361 (nnimap "mail.server.com"
15362 (nnimap-authenticator anonymous))
15365 Please note that the value of @code{nnimap-authenticator} is a symbol!
15369 @dfn{gssapi:} GSSAPI (usually kerberos 5) authentication. Requires
15370 external program @code{imtest}.
15372 @dfn{kerberos4:} Kerberos 4 authentication. Requires external program
15375 @dfn{digest-md5:} Encrypted username/password via DIGEST-MD5. Requires
15376 external library @code{digest-md5.el}.
15378 @dfn{cram-md5:} Encrypted username/password via CRAM-MD5.
15380 @dfn{login:} Plain-text username/password via LOGIN.
15382 @dfn{anonymous:} Login as `anonymous', supplying your email address as password.
15385 @item nnimap-expunge-on-close
15387 @vindex nnimap-expunge-on-close
15388 Unlike Parmenides the @sc{imap} designers has decided that things that
15389 doesn't exist actually does exist. More specifically, @sc{imap} has
15390 this concept of marking articles @code{Deleted} which doesn't actually
15391 delete them, and this (marking them @code{Deleted}, that is) is what
15392 nnimap does when you delete a article in Gnus (with @kbd{B DEL} or
15395 Since the articles aren't really removed when we mark them with the
15396 @code{Deleted} flag we'll need a way to actually delete them. Feel like
15397 running in circles yet?
15399 Traditionally, nnimap has removed all articles marked as @code{Deleted}
15400 when closing a mailbox but this is now configurable by this server
15403 The possible options are:
15408 The default behavior, delete all articles marked as ``Deleted'' when
15411 Never actually delete articles. Currently there is no way of showing
15412 the articles marked for deletion in nnimap, but other @sc{imap} clients
15413 may allow you to do this. If you ever want to run the EXPUNGE command
15414 manually, @xref{Expunging mailboxes}.
15416 When closing mailboxes, nnimap will ask if you wish to expunge deleted
15421 @item nnimap-importantize-dormant
15422 @vindex nnimap-importantize-dormant
15424 If non-nil (the default), marks dormant articles as ticked (as well),
15425 for other @sc{imap} clients. Within Gnus, dormant articles will
15426 naturally still (only) be marked as dormant. This is to make dormant
15427 articles stand out, just like ticked articles, in other @sc{imap}
15428 clients. (In other words, Gnus has two ``Tick'' marks and @sc{imap}
15431 Probably the only reason for frobing this would be if you're trying
15432 enable per-user persistant dormant flags, using something like:
15435 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-flag-alist)
15436 (format "gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
15437 (setcdr (assq 'dormant nnimap-mark-to-predicate-alist)
15438 (format "KEYWORD gnus-dormant-%s" (user-login-name)))
15441 In this case, you would not want the per-user dormant flag showing up
15442 as ticked for other users.
15444 @item nnimap-expunge-search-string
15446 @vindex nnimap-expunge-search-string
15448 This variable contain the @sc{imap} search command sent to server when
15449 searching for articles eligible for expiring. The default is
15450 @code{"UID %s NOT SINCE %s"}, where the first @code{%s} is replaced by
15451 UID set and the second @code{%s} is replaced by a date.
15453 Probably the only useful value to change this to is
15454 @code{"UID %s NOT SENTSINCE %s"}, which makes nnimap use the Date: in
15455 messages instead of the internal article date. See section 6.4.4 of
15456 RFC 2060 for more information on valid strings.
15458 @item nnimap-authinfo-file
15459 @vindex nnimap-authinfo-file
15461 A file containing credentials used to log in on servers. The format is
15462 (almost) the same as the @code{ftp} @file{~/.netrc} file. See the
15463 variable @code{nntp-authinfo-file} for exact syntax; also see
15469 * Splitting in IMAP:: Splitting mail with nnimap.
15470 * Expiring in IMAP:: Expiring mail with nnimap.
15471 * Editing IMAP ACLs:: Limiting/enabling other users access to a mailbox.
15472 * Expunging mailboxes:: Equivalent of a ``compress mailbox'' button.
15473 * A note on namespaces:: How to (not) use IMAP namespace in Gnus.
15478 @node Splitting in IMAP
15479 @subsection Splitting in IMAP
15480 @cindex splitting imap mail
15482 Splitting is something Gnus users has loved and used for years, and now
15483 the rest of the world is catching up. Yeah, dream on, not many
15484 @sc{imap} server has server side splitting and those that have splitting
15485 seem to use some non-standard protocol. This means that @sc{imap}
15486 support for Gnus has to do it's own splitting.
15490 Here are the variables of interest:
15494 @item nnimap-split-crosspost
15495 @cindex splitting, crosspost
15497 @vindex nnimap-split-crosspost
15499 If non-nil, do crossposting if several split methods match the mail. If
15500 nil, the first match in @code{nnimap-split-rule} found will be used.
15502 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-crosspost}.
15504 @item nnimap-split-inbox
15505 @cindex splitting, inbox
15507 @vindex nnimap-split-inbox
15509 A string or a list of strings that gives the name(s) of @sc{imap}
15510 mailboxes to split from. Defaults to nil, which means that splitting is
15514 (setq nnimap-split-inbox
15515 '("INBOX" ("~/friend/Mail" . "lists/*") "lists.imap"))
15518 No nnmail equivalent.
15520 @item nnimap-split-rule
15521 @cindex Splitting, rules
15522 @vindex nnimap-split-rule
15524 New mail found in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be split according to
15527 This variable contains a list of lists, where the first element in the
15528 sublist gives the name of the @sc{imap} mailbox to move articles
15529 matching the regexp in the second element in the sublist. Got that?
15530 Neither did I, we need examples.
15533 (setq nnimap-split-rule
15535 "^Sender: owner-nnimap@@vic20.globalcom.se")
15536 ("INBOX.junk" "^Subject:.*MAKE MONEY")
15537 ("INBOX.private" "")))
15540 This will put all articles from the nnimap mailing list into mailbox
15541 INBOX.nnimap, all articles containing MAKE MONEY in the Subject: line
15542 into INBOX.junk and everything else in INBOX.private.
15544 The first string may contain `\\1' forms, like the ones used by
15545 replace-match to insert sub-expressions from the matched text. For
15549 ("INBOX.lists.\\1" "^Sender: owner-\\([a-z-]+\\)@@")
15552 The first element can also be the symbol @code{junk} to indicate that
15553 matching messages should simply be deleted. Use with care.
15555 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
15556 called with the first element of the rule as the argument, in a buffer
15557 containing the headers of the article. It should return a non-nil value
15558 if it thinks that the mail belongs in that group.
15560 Nnmail users might recollect that the last regexp had to be empty to
15561 match all articles (like in the example above). This is not required in
15562 nnimap. Articles not matching any of the regexps will not be moved out
15563 of your inbox. (This might affect performance if you keep lots of
15564 unread articles in your inbox, since the splitting code would go over
15565 them every time you fetch new mail.)
15567 These rules are processed from the beginning of the alist toward the
15568 end. The first rule to make a match will ``win'', unless you have
15569 crossposting enabled. In that case, all matching rules will ``win''.
15571 This variable can also have a function as its value, the function will
15572 be called with the headers narrowed and should return a group where it
15573 thinks the article should be split to. See @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
15575 The splitting code tries to create mailboxes if it needs to.
15577 To allow for different split rules on different virtual servers, and
15578 even different split rules in different inboxes on the same server,
15579 the syntax of this variable have been extended along the lines of:
15582 (setq nnimap-split-rule
15583 '(("my1server" (".*" (("ding" "ding@@gnus.org")
15584 ("junk" "From:.*Simon")))
15585 ("my2server" ("INBOX" nnimap-split-fancy))
15586 ("my[34]server" (".*" (("private" "To:.*Simon")
15587 ("junk" my-junk-func)))))
15590 The virtual server name is in fact a regexp, so that the same rules
15591 may apply to several servers. In the example, the servers
15592 @code{my3server} and @code{my4server} both use the same rules.
15593 Similarly, the inbox string is also a regexp. The actual splitting
15594 rules are as before, either a function, or a list with group/regexp or
15595 group/function elements.
15597 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
15599 @item nnimap-split-predicate
15601 @vindex nnimap-split-predicate
15603 Mail matching this predicate in @code{nnimap-split-inbox} will be
15604 split, it is a string and the default is @samp{UNSEEN UNDELETED}.
15606 This might be useful if you use another @sc{imap} client to read mail in
15607 your inbox but would like Gnus to split all articles in the inbox
15608 regardless of readedness. Then you might change this to
15611 @item nnimap-split-fancy
15612 @cindex splitting, fancy
15613 @findex nnimap-split-fancy
15614 @vindex nnimap-split-fancy
15616 It's possible to set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
15617 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} if you want to use fancy
15618 splitting. @xref{Fancy Mail Splitting}.
15620 However, to be able to have different fancy split rules for nnmail and
15621 nnimap back ends you can set @code{nnimap-split-rule} to
15622 @code{nnimap-split-fancy} and define the nnimap specific fancy split
15623 rule in @code{nnimap-split-fancy}.
15628 (setq nnimap-split-rule 'nnimap-split-fancy
15629 nnimap-split-fancy ...)
15632 Nnmail equivalent: @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
15634 @item nnimap-split-download-body
15635 @findex nnimap-split-download-body
15636 @vindex nnimap-split-download-body
15638 Set to non-nil to download entire articles during splitting. This is
15639 generally not required, and will slow things down considerably. You
15640 may need it if you want to use an advanced splitting function that
15641 analyses the body to split the article.
15645 @node Expiring in IMAP
15646 @subsection Expiring in IMAP
15647 @cindex expiring imap mail
15649 Even though @code{nnimap} is not a proper @code{nnmail} derived back
15650 end, it supports most features in regular expiring (@pxref{Expiring
15651 Mail}). Unlike splitting in IMAP (@pxref{Splitting in IMAP}) it do
15652 not clone the @code{nnmail} variables (i.e., creating
15653 @var{nnimap-expiry-wait}) but reuse the @code{nnmail} variables. What
15654 follows below are the variables used by the @code{nnimap} expiry
15657 A note on how the expire mark is stored on the @sc{imap} server is
15658 appropriate here as well. The expire mark is translated into a
15659 @code{imap} client specific mark, @code{gnus-expire}, and stored on the
15660 message. This means that likely only Gnus will understand and treat
15661 the @code{gnus-expire} mark properly, although other clients may allow
15662 you to view client specific flags on the message. It also means that
15663 your server must support permanent storage of client specific flags on
15664 messages. Most do, fortunately.
15668 @item nnmail-expiry-wait
15669 @item nnmail-expiry-wait-function
15671 These variables are fully supported. The expire value can be a
15672 number, the symbol @code{immediate} or @code{never}.
15674 @item nnmail-expiry-target
15676 This variable is supported, and internally implemented by calling the
15677 @code{nnmail} functions that handle this. It contains an optimization
15678 that if the destination is a IMAP group on the same server, the
15679 article is copied instead of appended (that is, uploaded again).
15683 @node Editing IMAP ACLs
15684 @subsection Editing IMAP ACLs
15685 @cindex editing imap acls
15686 @cindex Access Control Lists
15687 @cindex Editing @sc{imap} ACLs
15689 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-edit-acl
15691 ACL stands for Access Control List. ACLs are used in @sc{imap} for
15692 limiting (or enabling) other users access to your mail boxes. Not all
15693 @sc{imap} servers support this, this function will give an error if it
15696 To edit a ACL for a mailbox, type @kbd{G l}
15697 (@code{gnus-group-edit-nnimap-acl}) and you'll be presented with a ACL
15698 editing window with detailed instructions.
15700 Some possible uses:
15704 Giving ``anyone'' the ``lrs'' rights (lookup, read, keep seen/unseen flags)
15705 on your mailing list mailboxes enables other users on the same server to
15706 follow the list without subscribing to it.
15708 At least with the Cyrus server, you are required to give the user
15709 ``anyone'' posting ("p") capabilities to have ``plussing'' work (that is,
15710 mail sent to user+mailbox@@domain ending up in the @sc{imap} mailbox
15714 @node Expunging mailboxes
15715 @subsection Expunging mailboxes
15719 @cindex Manual expunging
15721 @findex gnus-group-nnimap-expunge
15723 If you're using the @code{never} setting of @code{nnimap-expunge-on-close},
15724 you may want the option of expunging all deleted articles in a mailbox
15725 manually. This is exactly what @kbd{G x} does.
15727 Currently there is no way of showing deleted articles, you can just
15730 @node A note on namespaces
15731 @subsection A note on namespaces
15732 @cindex IMAP namespace
15735 The IMAP protocol has a concept called namespaces, described by the
15736 following text in the RFC:
15739 5.1.2. Mailbox Namespace Naming Convention
15741 By convention, the first hierarchical element of any mailbox name
15742 which begins with "#" identifies the "namespace" of the remainder of
15743 the name. This makes it possible to disambiguate between different
15744 types of mailbox stores, each of which have their own namespaces.
15746 For example, implementations which offer access to USENET
15747 newsgroups MAY use the "#news" namespace to partition the USENET
15748 newsgroup namespace from that of other mailboxes. Thus, the
15749 comp.mail.misc newsgroup would have an mailbox name of
15750 "#news.comp.mail.misc", and the name "comp.mail.misc" could refer
15751 to a different object (e.g. a user's private mailbox).
15754 While there is nothing in this text that warrants concern for the IMAP
15755 implementation in Gnus, some servers use namespace prefixes in a way
15756 that does not work with how Gnus uses mailbox names.
15758 Specifically, University of Washington's IMAP server uses mailbox
15759 names like @code{#driver.mbx/read-mail} which are valid only in the
15760 @sc{create} and @sc{append} commands. After the mailbox is created
15761 (or a messages is appended to a mailbox), it must be accessed without
15762 the namespace prefix, i.e. @code{read-mail}. Since Gnus do not make it
15763 possible for the user to guarantee that user entered mailbox names
15764 will only be used with the CREATE and APPEND commands, you should
15765 simply not use the namespace prefixed mailbox names in Gnus.
15767 See the UoW @sc{imapd} documentation for the @code{#driver.*/} prefix
15768 for more information on how to use the prefixes. They are a power
15769 tool and should be used only if you are sure what the effects are.
15771 @node Other Sources
15772 @section Other Sources
15774 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
15775 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
15779 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
15780 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
15781 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
15782 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{soup} packets ``offline''.
15783 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
15787 @node Directory Groups
15788 @subsection Directory Groups
15790 @cindex directory groups
15792 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
15793 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
15796 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp} (and its
15797 successor @code{efs}), that most wonderful of all wonderful Emacs
15798 packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I didn't think much about it---a
15799 back end to read directories. Big deal.
15801 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
15802 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
15803 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the directory name,
15804 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs} will actually allow you to read this
15805 directory over at @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
15807 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
15809 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' back end---you can't delete or expire
15810 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
15811 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
15812 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
15815 @node Anything Groups
15816 @subsection Anything Groups
15819 From the @code{nndir} back end (which reads a single spool-like
15820 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
15821 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
15824 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
15825 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
15826 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
15827 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're forgetting.
15828 @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it snoops each
15829 file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e., the first
15830 few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head. If this is
15831 just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source file),
15832 @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It will use
15833 file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
15836 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
15837 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
15838 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
15839 in the article buffer, just as usual.
15841 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
15842 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
15843 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
15844 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
15846 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
15847 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
15848 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
15849 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
15850 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
15851 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
15852 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
15853 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
15858 @item nneething-map-file-directory
15859 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
15860 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
15861 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
15863 @item nneething-exclude-files
15864 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
15865 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
15866 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
15868 @item nneething-include-files
15869 @vindex nneething-include-files
15870 Regexp saying what files to include in the group. If this variable is
15871 non-@code{nil}, only files matching this regexp will be included.
15873 @item nneething-map-file
15874 @vindex nneething-map-file
15875 Name of the map files.
15879 @node Document Groups
15880 @subsection Document Groups
15882 @cindex documentation group
15885 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
15886 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
15893 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
15898 The standard Unix mbox file.
15900 @cindex MMDF mail box
15902 The MMDF mail box format.
15905 Several news articles appended into a file.
15908 @cindex rnews batch files
15909 The rnews batch transport format.
15910 @cindex forwarded messages
15913 Forwarded articles.
15916 Netscape mail boxes.
15919 @sc{mime} multipart messages.
15921 @item standard-digest
15922 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
15925 A @sc{mime} digest of messages.
15927 @item lanl-gov-announce
15928 Announcement messages from LANL Gov Announce.
15930 @item rfc822-forward
15931 A message forwarded according to RFC822.
15934 The Outlook mail box.
15937 The Outlook Express dbx mail box.
15940 A bounce message from the Exim MTA.
15943 A message forwarded according to informal rules.
15946 An RFC934-forwarded message.
15952 A digest of Clarinet brief news items.
15955 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
15961 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
15962 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
15963 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
15966 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
15967 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
15968 group. And that's it.
15970 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
15971 new & spiffy Gnus mail back end, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
15972 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
15973 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
15974 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
15975 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
15976 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
15977 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
15978 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
15979 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
15981 Virtual server variables:
15984 @item nndoc-article-type
15985 @vindex nndoc-article-type
15986 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
15987 @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{rfc934},
15988 @code{rfc822-forward}, @code{mime-parts}, @code{standard-digest},
15989 @code{slack-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, @code{nsmail}, @code{outlook},
15990 @code{oe-dbx}, @code{mailman}, and @code{mail-in-mail} or @code{guess}.
15992 @item nndoc-post-type
15993 @vindex nndoc-post-type
15994 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
15995 a mail group. There are two valid values: @code{mail} (the default)
16000 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
16004 @node Document Server Internals
16005 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
16007 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
16008 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
16009 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
16010 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
16012 First, here's an example document type definition:
16016 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
16017 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
16020 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
16021 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
16022 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
16023 types can be defined with very few settings:
16026 @item first-article
16027 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
16028 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
16031 @item article-begin
16032 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
16033 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
16035 @item head-begin-function
16036 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
16039 @item nndoc-head-begin
16040 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
16043 @item nndoc-head-end
16044 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
16045 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
16047 @item body-begin-function
16048 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
16052 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
16055 @item body-end-function
16056 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
16060 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
16063 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
16064 regexp will be totally ignored.
16068 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
16069 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
16070 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
16071 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
16072 something that's palatable for Gnus:
16075 @item prepare-body-function
16076 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
16077 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
16078 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
16080 @item article-transform-function
16081 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
16082 meant to be used for more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
16083 body of the article.
16085 @item generate-head-function
16086 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
16087 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
16088 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
16089 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
16093 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
16098 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
16099 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
16100 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
16101 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
16102 (head-end . "^ ?$")
16103 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
16104 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
16105 (subtype digest guess))
16108 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
16109 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
16110 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
16111 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
16112 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
16114 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
16115 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
16116 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
16117 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
16118 traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for a given type @code{TYPE}. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
16119 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
16120 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
16121 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
16122 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
16123 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest valid number.
16131 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
16132 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
16133 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
16135 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
16136 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
16137 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
16140 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something that's a bit
16141 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
16142 that interested in doing things properly.
16144 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
16145 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
16148 First some terminology:
16153 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
16154 get news and/or mail from.
16157 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
16158 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
16161 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
16165 @item message packets
16166 These are packets made at the server, and typically contain lots of
16167 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
16168 default, where @var{x} is a number.
16170 @item response packets
16171 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
16172 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
16173 default, where @var{x} is a number.
16183 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
16184 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
16185 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
16186 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
16189 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
16192 You put the packet in your home directory.
16195 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} back end as
16196 the native or secondary server.
16199 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
16200 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
16203 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
16207 You transfer this packet to the server.
16210 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
16213 You then repeat until you die.
16217 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
16218 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
16221 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
16222 * SOUP Groups:: A back end for reading @sc{soup} packets.
16223 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
16227 @node SOUP Commands
16228 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
16230 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
16234 @kindex G s b (Group)
16235 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
16236 Pack all unread articles in the current group
16237 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
16238 process/prefix convention.
16241 @kindex G s w (Group)
16242 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
16243 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
16246 @kindex G s s (Group)
16247 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
16248 Send all replies from the replies packet
16249 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
16252 @kindex G s p (Group)
16253 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
16254 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
16257 @kindex G s r (Group)
16258 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
16259 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
16262 @kindex O s (Summary)
16263 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
16264 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
16265 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
16266 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
16271 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
16276 @item gnus-soup-directory
16277 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
16278 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
16279 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
16281 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
16282 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
16283 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
16284 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
16286 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
16287 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
16288 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
16289 @samp{gnus-prefix}.
16291 @item gnus-soup-packer
16292 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
16293 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
16294 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
16296 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
16297 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
16298 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
16299 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
16301 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
16302 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
16303 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
16305 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
16306 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
16307 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
16308 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
16314 @subsubsection SOUP Groups
16317 @code{nnsoup} is the back end for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
16318 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
16319 you can read them at leisure.
16321 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
16325 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
16326 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
16327 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
16328 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
16330 @item nnsoup-directory
16331 @vindex nnsoup-directory
16332 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
16333 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
16335 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
16336 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
16337 All replies will be stored in this directory before being packed into a
16338 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/}.
16340 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
16341 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
16342 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
16343 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
16344 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
16346 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
16347 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
16348 The index type of the replies packet. The default is @samp{?n}, which
16349 means ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
16351 @item nnsoup-active-file
16352 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
16353 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
16354 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
16355 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
16356 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
16358 @item nnsoup-packer
16359 @vindex nnsoup-packer
16360 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
16361 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
16363 @item nnsoup-unpacker
16364 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
16365 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
16366 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
16368 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
16369 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
16370 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
16373 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
16374 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
16375 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
16378 @item nnsoup-always-save
16379 @vindex nnsoup-always-save
16380 If non-@code{nil}, save the replies buffer after each posted message.
16386 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
16388 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
16389 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
16390 more for that to happen.
16392 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
16393 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
16394 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
16397 In specific, this is what it does:
16400 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
16401 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
16404 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
16405 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
16406 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
16409 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
16410 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
16411 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
16414 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
16415 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
16416 The @code{nngateway} back end provides the interface.
16418 Note that you can't read anything from this back end---it can only be
16424 @item nngateway-address
16425 @vindex nngateway-address
16426 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
16428 @item nngateway-header-transformation
16429 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
16430 News headers often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
16431 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
16432 transformation should be called, and defaults to
16433 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
16434 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
16437 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
16438 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address.
16439 For instance, an article with this @code{Newsgroups} header:
16442 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
16445 will get this @code{To} header inserted:
16448 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
16451 The following pre-defined functions exist:
16453 @findex nngateway-simple-header-transformation
16456 @item nngateway-simple-header-transformation
16457 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
16458 @var{newsgroup}@@@code{nngateway-address}.
16460 @findex nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
16462 @item nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation
16463 Creates a @code{To} header that looks like
16464 @code{nngateway-address}.
16469 (setq gnus-post-method
16471 "mail2news@@replay.com"
16472 (nngateway-header-transformation
16473 nngateway-mail2news-header-transformation)))
16481 So, to use this, simply say something like:
16484 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
16489 @node Combined Groups
16490 @section Combined Groups
16492 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
16496 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
16497 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
16501 @node Virtual Groups
16502 @subsection Virtual Groups
16504 @cindex virtual groups
16505 @cindex merging groups
16507 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
16510 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small groups, you can
16511 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
16512 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
16514 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
16515 regexp to match component groups.
16517 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
16518 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
16519 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it
16520 came. (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be
16521 shown in the virtual group.). To create an empty virtual group, run
16522 @kbd{G V} (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}) in the group buffer
16523 and edit the method regexp with @kbd{M-e}
16524 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method})
16526 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
16527 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
16530 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
16533 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
16534 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
16536 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
16537 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
16538 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
16539 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
16542 "^nntp\\+server\\.jp:soc\\.motss$\\|^nntp\\+server\\.no:soc\\.motss$"
16545 (Remember, though, that if you're creating the group with @kbd{G m}, you
16546 shouldn't double the backslashes, and you should leave off the quote
16547 characters at the beginning and the end of the string.)
16549 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
16550 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
16551 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
16552 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
16553 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
16555 One limitation, however---all groups included in a virtual
16556 group have to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
16557 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
16559 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
16560 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
16561 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
16562 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
16563 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
16564 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
16565 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
16566 effect if you have two virtual groups that have a component group in
16567 common. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
16568 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
16569 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
16571 @code{nnvirtual} can have both mail and news groups as component groups.
16572 When responding to articles in @code{nnvirtual} groups, @code{nnvirtual}
16573 has to ask the back end of the component group the article comes from
16574 whether it is a news or mail back end. However, when you do a @kbd{^},
16575 there is typically no sure way for the component back end to know this,
16576 and in that case @code{nnvirtual} tells Gnus that the article came from a
16577 not-news back end. (Just to be on the safe side.)
16579 @kbd{C-c C-n} in the message buffer will insert the @code{Newsgroups}
16580 line from the article you respond to in these cases.
16582 @code{nnvirtual} groups do not inherit anything but articles and marks
16583 from component groups---group parameters, for instance, are not
16587 @node Kibozed Groups
16588 @subsection Kibozed Groups
16592 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
16593 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a back end that will do this for
16594 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
16595 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
16597 @kindex G k (Group)
16598 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
16601 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
16602 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
16603 @code{nnkiboze} group. That's where most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
16604 and @code{nnvirtual} end.
16606 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
16607 must have a score file to say what articles are to be included in
16608 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
16610 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
16611 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
16612 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
16613 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
16614 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
16615 all the articles in all the component groups and run them through the
16616 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
16617 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
16619 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
16620 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
16621 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
16622 Stranger things have happened.
16624 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
16625 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
16627 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
16628 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
16629 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
16630 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
16631 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
16632 on what groups have been searched through to find component articles.
16634 Articles marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have
16635 their @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
16638 @node Gnus Unplugged
16639 @section Gnus Unplugged
16644 @cindex Gnus Unplugged
16646 In olden times (ca. February '88), people used to run their newsreaders
16647 on big machines with permanent connections to the net. News transport
16648 was dealt with by news servers, and all the newsreaders had to do was to
16649 read news. Believe it or not.
16651 Nowadays most people read news and mail at home, and use some sort of
16652 modem to connect to the net. To avoid running up huge phone bills, it
16653 would be nice to have a way to slurp down all the news and mail, hang up
16654 the phone, read for several hours, and then upload any responses you
16655 have to make. And then you repeat the procedure.
16657 Of course, you can use news servers for doing this as well. I've used
16658 @code{inn} together with @code{slurp}, @code{pop} and @code{sendmail}
16659 for some years, but doing that's a bore. Moving the news server
16660 functionality up to the newsreader makes sense if you're the only person
16661 reading news on a machine.
16663 Setting up Gnus as an ``offline'' newsreader is quite simple. In
16664 fact, you don't even have to configure anything.
16666 Of course, to use it as such, you have to learn a few new commands.
16669 * Agent Basics:: How it all is supposed to work.
16670 * Agent Categories:: How to tell the Gnus Agent what to download.
16671 * Agent Commands:: New commands for all the buffers.
16672 * Agent as Cache:: The Agent is a big cache too.
16673 * Agent Expiry:: How to make old articles go away.
16674 * Agent Regeneration:: How to recover from lost connections and other accidents.
16675 * Agent and IMAP:: How to use the Agent with IMAP.
16676 * Outgoing Messages:: What happens when you post/mail something?
16677 * Agent Variables:: Customizing is fun.
16678 * Example Setup:: An example @file{.gnus.el} file for offline people.
16679 * Batching Agents:: How to fetch news from a @code{cron} job.
16680 * Agent Caveats:: What you think it'll do and what it does.
16685 @subsection Agent Basics
16687 First, let's get some terminology out of the way.
16689 The Gnus Agent is said to be @dfn{unplugged} when you have severed the
16690 connection to the net (and notified the Agent that this is the case).
16691 When the connection to the net is up again (and Gnus knows this), the
16692 Agent is @dfn{plugged}.
16694 The @dfn{local} machine is the one you're running on, and which isn't
16695 connected to the net continuously.
16697 @dfn{Downloading} means fetching things from the net to your local
16698 machine. @dfn{Uploading} is doing the opposite.
16700 Let's take a typical Gnus session using the Agent.
16705 @findex gnus-unplugged
16706 You start Gnus with @code{gnus-unplugged}. This brings up the Gnus
16707 Agent in a disconnected state. You can read all the news that you have
16708 already fetched while in this mode.
16711 You then decide to see whether any new news has arrived. You connect
16712 your machine to the net (using PPP or whatever), and then hit @kbd{J j}
16713 to make Gnus become @dfn{plugged} and use @kbd{g} to check for new mail
16714 as usual. To check for new mail in unplugged mode, see (@pxref{Mail
16715 Source Specifiers}).
16718 You can then read the new news immediately, or you can download the news
16719 onto your local machine. If you want to do the latter, you press @kbd{g}
16720 to check if there are any new news and then @kbd{J
16721 s} to fetch all the eligible articles in all the groups. (To let Gnus
16722 know which articles you want to download, @pxref{Agent Categories}.)
16725 After fetching the articles, you press @kbd{J j} to make Gnus become
16726 unplugged again, and you shut down the PPP thing (or whatever). And
16727 then you read the news offline.
16730 And then you go to step 2.
16733 Here are some things you should do the first time (or so) that you use
16739 Decide which servers should be covered by the Agent. If you have a mail
16740 back end, it would probably be nonsensical to have it covered by the
16741 Agent. Go to the server buffer (@kbd{^} in the group buffer) and press
16742 @kbd{J a} on the server (or servers) that you wish to have covered by the
16743 Agent (@pxref{Server Agent Commands}), or @kbd{J r} on automatically
16744 added servers you do not wish to have covered by the Agent. By default,
16745 all @code{nntp} and @code{nnimap} groups in @code{gnus-select-method} and
16746 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} are agentized.
16749 Decide on download policy. @xref{Agent Categories}.
16752 Uhm@dots{} that's it.
16756 @node Agent Categories
16757 @subsection Agent Categories
16759 One of the main reasons to integrate the news transport layer into the
16760 newsreader is to allow greater control over what articles to download.
16761 There's not much point in downloading huge amounts of articles, just to
16762 find out that you're not interested in reading any of them. It's better
16763 to be somewhat more conservative in choosing what to download, and then
16764 mark the articles for downloading manually if it should turn out that
16765 you're interested in the articles anyway.
16767 The main way to control what is to be downloaded is to create a
16768 @dfn{category} and then assign some (or all) groups to this category.
16769 Groups that do not belong in any other category belong to the
16770 @code{default} category. Gnus has its own buffer for creating and
16771 managing categories.
16774 * Category Syntax:: What a category looks like.
16775 * Category Buffer:: A buffer for maintaining categories.
16776 * Category Variables:: Customize'r'Us.
16780 @node Category Syntax
16781 @subsubsection Category Syntax
16783 A category consists of two things.
16787 A predicate which (generally) gives a rough outline of which articles
16788 are eligible for downloading; and
16791 a score rule which (generally) gives you a finer granularity when
16792 deciding what articles to download. (Note that this @dfn{download
16793 score} is not necessarily related to normal scores.)
16796 A predicate in its simplest form can be a single predicate such as
16797 @code{true} or @code{false}. These two will download every available
16798 article or nothing respectively. In the case of these two special
16799 predicates an additional score rule is superfluous.
16801 Predicates of @code{high} or @code{low} download articles in respect of
16802 their scores in relationship to @code{gnus-agent-high-score} and
16803 @code{gnus-agent-low-score} as described below.
16805 To gain even finer control of what is to be regarded eligible for
16806 download a predicate can consist of a number of predicates with logical
16807 operators sprinkled in between.
16809 Perhaps some examples are in order.
16811 Here's a simple predicate. (It's the default predicate, in fact, used
16812 for all groups that don't belong to any other category.)
16818 Quite simple, eh? This predicate is true if and only if the article is
16819 short (for some value of ``short'').
16821 Here's a more complex predicate:
16830 This means that an article should be downloaded if it has a high score,
16831 or if the score is not low and the article is not long. You get the
16834 The available logical operators are @code{or}, @code{and} and
16835 @code{not}. (If you prefer, you can use the more ``C''-ish operators
16836 @samp{|}, @code{&} and @code{!} instead.)
16838 The following predicates are pre-defined, but if none of these fit what
16839 you want to do, you can write your own.
16843 True iff the article is shorter than @code{gnus-agent-short-article}
16844 lines; default 100.
16847 True iff the article is longer than @code{gnus-agent-long-article}
16848 lines; default 200.
16851 True iff the article has a download score less than
16852 @code{gnus-agent-low-score}; default 0.
16855 True iff the article has a download score greater than
16856 @code{gnus-agent-high-score}; default 0.
16859 True iff the Gnus Agent guesses that the article is spam. The
16860 heuristics may change over time, but at present it just computes a
16861 checksum and sees whether articles match.
16870 If you want to create your own predicate function, here's what you have
16871 to know: The functions are called with no parameters, but the
16872 @code{gnus-headers} and @code{gnus-score} dynamic variables are bound to
16875 For example, you could decide that you don't want to download articles
16876 that were posted more than a certain number of days ago (e.g. posted
16877 more than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} ago) you might write a function
16878 something along the lines of the following:
16881 (defun my-article-old-p ()
16882 "Say whether an article is old."
16883 (< (time-to-days (date-to-time (mail-header-date gnus-headers)))
16884 (- (time-to-days (current-time)) gnus-agent-expire-days)))
16887 with the predicate then defined as:
16890 (not my-article-old-p)
16893 or you could append your predicate to the predefined
16894 @code{gnus-category-predicate-alist} in your @file{~/.gnus.el} or
16898 (require 'gnus-agent)
16899 (setq gnus-category-predicate-alist
16900 (append gnus-category-predicate-alist
16901 '((old . my-article-old-p))))
16904 and simply specify your predicate as:
16910 If/when using something like the above, be aware that there are many
16911 misconfigured systems/mailers out there and so an article's date is not
16912 always a reliable indication of when it was posted. Hell, some people
16913 just don't give a damn.
16915 The above predicates apply to @emph{all} the groups which belong to the
16916 category. However, if you wish to have a specific predicate for an
16917 individual group within a category, or you're just too lazy to set up a
16918 new category, you can enter a group's individual predicate in it's group
16919 parameters like so:
16922 (agent-predicate . short)
16925 This is the group parameter equivalent of the agent category default.
16926 Note that when specifying a single word predicate like this, the
16927 @code{agent-predicate} specification must be in dotted pair notation.
16929 The equivalent of the longer example from above would be:
16932 (agent-predicate or high (and (not low) (not long)))
16935 The outer parenthesis required in the category specification are not
16936 entered here as, not being in dotted pair notation, the value of the
16937 predicate is assumed to be a list.
16940 Now, the syntax of the download score is the same as the syntax of
16941 normal score files, except that all elements that require actually
16942 seeing the article itself are verboten. This means that only the
16943 following headers can be scored on: @code{Subject}, @code{From},
16944 @code{Date}, @code{Message-ID}, @code{References}, @code{Chars},
16945 @code{Lines}, and @code{Xref}.
16947 As with predicates, the specification of the @code{download score rule}
16948 to use in respect of a group can be in either the category definition if
16949 it's to be applicable to all groups in therein, or a group's parameters
16950 if it's to be specific to that group.
16952 In both of these places the @code{download score rule} can take one of
16959 This has the same syntax as a normal gnus score file except only a
16960 subset of scoring keywords are available as mentioned above.
16966 Category specification
16970 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
16976 Group Parameter specification
16979 (agent-score ("from"
16980 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" 1000000 nil s))
16985 Again, note the omission of the outermost parenthesis here.
16991 These score files must @emph{only} contain the permitted scoring
16992 keywords stated above.
16998 Category specification
17001 ("~/News/agent.SCORE")
17007 ("~/News/agent.SCORE" "~/News/agent.group.SCORE")
17011 Group Parameter specification
17014 (agent-score "~/News/agent.SCORE")
17017 Additional score files can be specified as above. Need I say anything
17022 Use @code{normal} score files
17024 If you don't want to maintain two sets of scoring rules for a group, and
17025 your desired @code{downloading} criteria for a group are the same as your
17026 @code{reading} criteria then you can tell the agent to refer to your
17027 @code{normal} score files when deciding what to download.
17029 These directives in either the category definition or a group's
17030 parameters will cause the agent to read in all the applicable score
17031 files for a group, @emph{filtering out} those sections that do not
17032 relate to one of the permitted subset of scoring keywords.
17036 Category Specification
17043 Group Parameter specification
17046 (agent-score . file)
17051 @node Category Buffer
17052 @subsubsection Category Buffer
17054 You'd normally do all category maintenance from the category buffer.
17055 When you enter it for the first time (with the @kbd{J c} command from
17056 the group buffer), you'll only see the @code{default} category.
17058 The following commands are available in this buffer:
17062 @kindex q (Category)
17063 @findex gnus-category-exit
17064 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-category-exit}).
17067 @kindex k (Category)
17068 @findex gnus-category-kill
17069 Kill the current category (@code{gnus-category-kill}).
17072 @kindex c (Category)
17073 @findex gnus-category-copy
17074 Copy the current category (@code{gnus-category-copy}).
17077 @kindex a (Category)
17078 @findex gnus-category-add
17079 Add a new category (@code{gnus-category-add}).
17082 @kindex p (Category)
17083 @findex gnus-category-edit-predicate
17084 Edit the predicate of the current category
17085 (@code{gnus-category-edit-predicate}).
17088 @kindex g (Category)
17089 @findex gnus-category-edit-groups
17090 Edit the list of groups belonging to the current category
17091 (@code{gnus-category-edit-groups}).
17094 @kindex s (Category)
17095 @findex gnus-category-edit-score
17096 Edit the download score rule of the current category
17097 (@code{gnus-category-edit-score}).
17100 @kindex l (Category)
17101 @findex gnus-category-list
17102 List all the categories (@code{gnus-category-list}).
17106 @node Category Variables
17107 @subsubsection Category Variables
17110 @item gnus-category-mode-hook
17111 @vindex gnus-category-mode-hook
17112 Hook run in category buffers.
17114 @item gnus-category-line-format
17115 @vindex gnus-category-line-format
17116 Format of the lines in the category buffer (@pxref{Formatting
17117 Variables}). Valid elements are:
17121 The name of the category.
17124 The number of groups in the category.
17127 @item gnus-category-mode-line-format
17128 @vindex gnus-category-mode-line-format
17129 Format of the category mode line (@pxref{Mode Line Formatting}).
17131 @item gnus-agent-short-article
17132 @vindex gnus-agent-short-article
17133 Articles that have fewer lines than this are short. Default 100.
17135 @item gnus-agent-long-article
17136 @vindex gnus-agent-long-article
17137 Articles that have more lines than this are long. Default 200.
17139 @item gnus-agent-low-score
17140 @vindex gnus-agent-low-score
17141 Articles that have a score lower than this have a low score. Default
17144 @item gnus-agent-high-score
17145 @vindex gnus-agent-high-score
17146 Articles that have a score higher than this have a high score. Default
17152 @node Agent Commands
17153 @subsection Agent Commands
17154 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-plugged
17155 @kindex J j (Agent)
17157 All the Gnus Agent commands are on the @kbd{J} submap. The @kbd{J j}
17158 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-plugged}) command works in all modes, and
17159 toggles the plugged/unplugged state of the Gnus Agent.
17163 * Group Agent Commands:: Configure groups and fetch their contents.
17164 * Summary Agent Commands:: Manually select then fetch specific articles.
17165 * Server Agent Commands:: Select the servers that are supported by the agent.
17171 @node Group Agent Commands
17172 @subsubsection Group Agent Commands
17176 @kindex J u (Agent Group)
17177 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-groups
17178 Fetch all eligible articles in the current group
17179 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-groups}).
17182 @kindex J c (Agent Group)
17183 @findex gnus-enter-category-buffer
17184 Enter the Agent category buffer (@code{gnus-enter-category-buffer}).
17187 @kindex J s (Agent Group)
17188 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-session
17189 Fetch all eligible articles in all groups
17190 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-session}).
17193 @kindex J S (Agent Group)
17194 @findex gnus-group-send-queue
17195 Send all sendable messages in the queue group
17196 (@code{gnus-group-send-queue}). @xref{Drafts}.
17199 @kindex J a (Agent Group)
17200 @findex gnus-agent-add-group
17201 Add the current group to an Agent category
17202 (@code{gnus-agent-add-group}). This command understands the
17203 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
17206 @kindex J r (Agent Group)
17207 @findex gnus-agent-remove-group
17208 Remove the current group from its category, if any
17209 (@code{gnus-agent-remove-group}). This command understands the
17210 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
17213 @kindex J Y (Agent Group)
17214 @findex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
17215 Synchronize flags changed while unplugged with remote server, if any.
17221 @node Summary Agent Commands
17222 @subsubsection Summary Agent Commands
17226 @kindex J # (Agent Summary)
17227 @findex gnus-agent-mark-article
17228 Mark the article for downloading (@code{gnus-agent-mark-article}).
17231 @kindex J M-# (Agent Summary)
17232 @findex gnus-agent-unmark-article
17233 Remove the downloading mark from the article
17234 (@code{gnus-agent-unmark-article}).
17238 @kindex @@ (Agent Summary)
17239 @findex gnus-agent-toggle-mark
17240 Toggle whether to download the article
17241 (@code{gnus-agent-toggle-mark}). The dowload mark is @samp{%} by
17245 @kindex J c (Agent Summary)
17246 @findex gnus-agent-catchup
17247 Mark all articles as read (@code{gnus-agent-catchup}) that are neither cached, downloaded, nor downloadable.
17250 @kindex J S (Agent Summary)
17251 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-group
17252 Download all eligible (See @pxref{Agent Categories}) articles in this group.
17253 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-group}).
17256 @kindex J s (Agent Summary)
17257 @findex gnus-agent-fetch-series
17258 Download all processable articles in this group.
17259 (@code{gnus-agent-fetch-series}).
17262 @kindex J u (Agent Summary)
17263 @findex gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group
17264 Download all downloadable articles in the current group
17265 (@code{gnus-agent-summary-fetch-group}).
17270 @node Server Agent Commands
17271 @subsubsection Server Agent Commands
17275 @kindex J a (Agent Server)
17276 @findex gnus-agent-add-server
17277 Add the current server to the list of servers covered by the Gnus Agent
17278 (@code{gnus-agent-add-server}).
17281 @kindex J r (Agent Server)
17282 @findex gnus-agent-remove-server
17283 Remove the current server from the list of servers covered by the Gnus
17284 Agent (@code{gnus-agent-remove-server}).
17289 @node Agent as Cache
17290 @subsection Agent as Cache
17292 When Gnus is plugged, it is not efficient to download headers or
17293 articles from the server again, if they are already stored in the
17294 Agent. So, Gnus normally only downloads headers once, and stores them
17295 in the Agent. These headers are later used when generating the summary
17296 buffer, regardless of whether you are plugged or unplugged. Articles
17297 are not cached in the Agent by default though (that would potentially
17298 consume lots of disk space), but if you have already downloaded an
17299 article into the Agent, Gnus will not download the article from the
17300 server again but use the locally stored copy instead.
17302 This behaviour can be controlled by @code{gnus-agent-cache}
17303 (@pxref{Agent Variables}).
17306 @subsection Agent Expiry
17308 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-days
17309 @findex gnus-agent-expire
17310 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-expire
17311 @cindex Agent expiry
17312 @cindex Gnus Agent expiry
17315 @code{nnagent} doesn't handle expiry. Instead, there's a special
17316 @code{gnus-agent-expire} command that will expire all read articles that
17317 are older than @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} days. It can be run
17318 whenever you feel that you're running out of space. It's not
17319 particularly fast or efficient, and it's not a particularly good idea to
17320 interrupt it (with @kbd{C-g} or anything else) once you've started it.
17322 Note that other functions, e.g. @code{gnus-request-expire-articles},
17323 might run @code{gnus-agent-expire} for you to keep the agent
17324 synchronized with the group.
17326 @code{gnus-agent-expire-days} can also be a list of regexp/day pairs.
17327 The regexps will be matched against group names to allow differing
17328 expiry in different groups.
17331 (setq gnus-agent-expire-days
17337 If you use the list form, the last element must always be the default
17338 method---it must always match all groups. Also, for a regexp to match,
17339 it must match from the beginning of the group's name.
17341 @vindex gnus-agent-expire-all
17342 If @code{gnus-agent-expire-all} is non-@code{nil}, this command will
17343 expire all articles---unread, read, ticked and dormant. If @code{nil}
17344 (which is the default), only read articles are eligible for expiry, and
17345 unread, ticked and dormant articles will be kept indefinitely.
17347 If you find that some articles eligible for expiry are never expired,
17348 perhaps some Gnus Agent files are corrupted. There's a special
17349 @code{gnus-agent-regenerate} command to fix possible problems.
17351 @node Agent Regeneration
17352 @subsection Agent Regeneration
17354 @cindex Agent Regeneration
17355 @cindex Gnus Agent Regeneration
17356 @cindex regeneration
17358 The local data structures used by @code{nnagent} may become corrupted
17359 due to certain exceptional conditions. When this happens,
17360 @code{nnagent} functionality may degrade or even fail. The solution
17361 to this problem is to repair the local data structures by removing all
17362 internal inconsistencies.
17364 For example, if your connection to your server is lost while
17365 downloaded articles into the agent, the local data structures will not
17366 know about articles downloaded prior to the connection failure.
17367 Running @code{gnus-agent-regenerate} or
17368 @code{gnus-agent-regenerate-group} will update the data structures
17369 such that you don't need to download these articles a second time.
17371 @findex gnus-agent-regenerate
17372 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-regenerate
17373 The command @code{gnus-agent-regenerate} will perform
17374 @code{gnus-agent-regenerate-group} on every agentized group. While
17375 you can run @code{gnus-agent-regenerate} in any buffer, it is strongly
17376 recommended that you first close all summary buffers.
17378 @findex gnus-agent-regenerate-group
17379 @kindex M-x gnus-agent-regenerate-group
17380 The command @code{gnus-agent-regenerate-group} uses the local copies
17381 of individual articles to repair the local NOV(header) database. It
17382 then updates the internal data structures that document which articles
17383 are stored locally. An optional argument will mark articles in the
17386 @node Agent and IMAP
17387 @subsection Agent and IMAP
17389 The Agent works with any Gnus back end, including nnimap. However,
17390 since there are some conceptual differences between @sc{nntp} and
17391 @sc{imap}, this section (should) provide you with some information to
17392 make Gnus Agent work smoother as a @sc{imap} Disconnected Mode client.
17394 The first thing to keep in mind is that all flags (read, ticked, etc)
17395 are kept on the @sc{imap} server, rather than in @file{.newsrc} as is the
17396 case for nntp. Thus Gnus need to remember flag changes when
17397 disconnected, and synchronize these flags when you plug back in.
17399 Gnus keeps track of flag changes when reading nnimap groups under the
17400 Agent. When you plug back in, Gnus will check if you have any changed
17401 any flags and ask if you wish to synchronize these with the server.
17402 The behavior is customizable by @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags}.
17404 @vindex gnus-agent-synchronize-flags
17405 If @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} is @code{nil}, the Agent will
17406 never automatically synchronize flags. If it is @code{ask}, which is
17407 the default, the Agent will check if you made any changes and if so
17408 ask if you wish to synchronize these when you re-connect. If it has
17409 any other value, all flags will be synchronized automatically.
17411 If you do not wish to synchronize flags automatically when you
17412 re-connect, you can do it manually with the
17413 @code{gnus-agent-synchronize-flags} command that is bound to @kbd{J Y}
17414 in the group buffer.
17416 Some things are currently not implemented in the Agent that you'd might
17417 expect from a disconnected @sc{imap} client, including:
17422 Copying/moving articles into nnimap groups when unplugged.
17425 Creating/deleting nnimap groups when unplugged.
17429 Technical note: the synchronization algorithm does not work by ``pushing''
17430 all local flags to the server, but rather incrementally update the
17431 server view of flags by changing only those flags that were changed by
17432 the user. Thus, if you set one flag on a article, quit the group and
17433 re-select the group and remove the flag; the flag will be set and
17434 removed from the server when you ``synchronize''. The queued flag
17435 operations can be found in the per-server @code{flags} file in the Agent
17436 directory. It's emptied when you synchronize flags.
17439 @node Outgoing Messages
17440 @subsection Outgoing Messages
17442 When Gnus is unplugged, all outgoing messages (both mail and news) are
17443 stored in the draft group ``queue'' (@pxref{Drafts}). You can view
17444 them there after posting, and edit them at will.
17446 When Gnus is plugged again, you can send the messages either from the
17447 draft group with the special commands available there, or you can use
17448 the @kbd{J S} command in the group buffer to send all the sendable
17449 messages in the draft group.
17453 @node Agent Variables
17454 @subsection Agent Variables
17457 @item gnus-agent-directory
17458 @vindex gnus-agent-directory
17459 Where the Gnus Agent will store its files. The default is
17460 @file{~/News/agent/}.
17462 @item gnus-agent-handle-level
17463 @vindex gnus-agent-handle-level
17464 Groups on levels (@pxref{Group Levels}) higher than this variable will
17465 be ignored by the Agent. The default is @code{gnus-level-subscribed},
17466 which means that only subscribed group will be considered by the Agent
17469 @item gnus-agent-plugged-hook
17470 @vindex gnus-agent-plugged-hook
17471 Hook run when connecting to the network.
17473 @item gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
17474 @vindex gnus-agent-unplugged-hook
17475 Hook run when disconnecting from the network.
17477 @item gnus-agent-fetched-hook
17478 @vindex gnus-agent-fetched-hook
17479 Hook run when after finishing fetching articles.
17481 @item gnus-agent-cache
17482 @vindex gnus-agent-cache
17483 Variable to control whether use the locally stored @sc{nov} and
17484 articles when plugged, e.g. essentially using the Agent as a cache.
17485 The default is non-nil, which means to use the Agent as a cache.
17487 @item gnus-agent-go-online
17488 @vindex gnus-agent-go-online
17489 If @code{gnus-agent-go-online} is @code{nil}, the Agent will never
17490 automatically switch offline servers into online status. If it is
17491 @code{ask}, the default, the Agent will ask if you wish to switch
17492 offline servers into online status when you re-connect. If it has any
17493 other value, all offline servers will be automatically switched into
17496 @item gnus-agent-mark-unread-after-downloaded
17497 @vindex gnus-agent-mark-unread-after-downloaded
17498 If @code{gnus-agent-mark-unread-after-downloaded} is non-@code{nil},
17499 mark articles as unread after downloading. The default is t.
17501 @item gnus-agent-consider-all-articles
17502 @vindex gnus-agent-consider-all-articles
17503 If @code{gnus-agent-consider-all-articles} is non-@code{nil}, the
17504 agent will fetch all missing headers. When @code{nil}, the agent will
17505 fetch only new headers. The default is @code{nil}.
17507 @item gnus-agent-max-fetch-size
17508 @vindex gnus-agent-max-fetch-size
17509 The agent fetches articles into a temporary buffer prior to parsing
17510 them into individual files. To avoid exceeding the max. buffer size,
17511 the agent alternates between fetching and parsing until all articles
17512 have been fetched. @code{gnus-agent-max-fetch-size} provides a size
17513 limit to control how often the cycling occurs. A large value improves
17514 performance. A small value minimizes the time lost should the
17515 connection be lost while fetching (You may need to run
17516 @code{gnus-agent-regenerate-group} to update the group's state.
17517 However, all articles parsed prior to loosing the connection will be
17518 available while unplugged).
17520 @item gnus-server-unopen-status
17521 @vindex gnus-server-unopen-status
17522 Perhaps not a Agent variable, but closely related to the Agent, this
17523 variable says what will happen if Gnus cannot open a server. If the
17524 Agent is enabled, the default, @code{nil}, makes Gnus ask the user
17525 whether to deny the server or whether to unplug the agent. If the
17526 Agent is disabled, Gnus always simply deny the server. Other choices
17527 for this variable include @code{denied} and @code{offline} the latter
17528 is only valid if the Agent is used.
17533 @node Example Setup
17534 @subsection Example Setup
17536 If you don't want to read this manual, and you have a fairly standard
17537 setup, you may be able to use something like the following as your
17538 @file{.gnus.el} file to get started.
17541 ;;; Define how Gnus is to fetch news. We do this over @sc{nntp}
17542 ;;; from your ISP's server.
17543 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.your-isp.com"))
17545 ;;; Define how Gnus is to read your mail. We read mail from
17546 ;;; your ISP's POP server.
17547 (setq mail-sources '((pop :server "pop.your-isp.com")))
17549 ;;; Say how Gnus is to store the mail. We use nnml groups.
17550 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnml "")))
17552 ;;; Make Gnus into an offline newsreader.
17553 ;;; (gnus-agentize) ; The obsolete setting.
17554 ;;; (setq gnus-agent t) ; Now the default.
17557 That should be it, basically. Put that in your @file{~/.gnus.el} file,
17558 edit to suit your needs, start up PPP (or whatever), and type @kbd{M-x
17561 If this is the first time you've run Gnus, you will be subscribed
17562 automatically to a few default newsgroups. You'll probably want to
17563 subscribe to more groups, and to do that, you have to query the
17564 @sc{nntp} server for a complete list of groups with the @kbd{A A}
17565 command. This usually takes quite a while, but you only have to do it
17568 After reading and parsing a while, you'll be presented with a list of
17569 groups. Subscribe to the ones you want to read with the @kbd{u}
17570 command. @kbd{l} to make all the killed groups disappear after you've
17571 subscribe to all the groups you want to read. (@kbd{A k} will bring
17572 back all the killed groups.)
17574 You can now read the groups at once, or you can download the articles
17575 with the @kbd{J s} command. And then read the rest of this manual to
17576 find out which of the other gazillion things you want to customize.
17579 @node Batching Agents
17580 @subsection Batching Agents
17581 @findex gnus-agent-batch
17583 Having the Gnus Agent fetch articles (and post whatever messages you've
17584 written) is quite easy once you've gotten things set up properly. The
17585 following shell script will do everything that is necessary:
17587 You can run a complete batch command from the command line with the
17588 following incantation:
17592 emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -f -l ~/.gnus.el gnus-agent-batch >/dev/null 2>&1
17596 @node Agent Caveats
17597 @subsection Agent Caveats
17599 The Gnus Agent doesn't seem to work like most other offline
17600 newsreaders. Here are some common questions that some imaginary people
17604 @item If I read an article while plugged, do they get entered into the Agent?
17606 @strong{No}. If you want this behaviour, add
17607 @code{gnus-agent-fetch-selected-article} to
17608 @code{gnus-select-article-hook}.
17610 @item If I read an article while plugged, and the article already exists in the Agent, will it get downloaded once more?
17612 @strong{No}, unless @code{gnus-agent-cache} is @code{nil}.
17616 In short, when Gnus is unplugged, it only looks into the locally stored
17617 articles; when it's plugged, it talks to your ISP and may also use the
17618 locally stored articles.
17625 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
17626 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
17627 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
17630 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
17631 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
17632 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
17633 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
17634 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
17636 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
17637 before generating the summary buffer.
17639 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
17640 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
17641 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
17643 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
17644 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
17645 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
17646 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
17649 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
17650 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
17651 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
17652 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
17653 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
17654 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
17655 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
17656 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
17657 * Scoring On Other Headers:: Scoring on non-standard headers.
17658 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
17659 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
17660 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
17661 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
17662 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
17663 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
17664 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
17665 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
17669 @node Summary Score Commands
17670 @section Summary Score Commands
17671 @cindex score commands
17673 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
17674 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
17675 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
17676 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
17677 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
17679 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
17680 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
17681 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
17682 score file the current one.
17684 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
17689 @kindex V s (Summary)
17690 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
17691 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
17694 @kindex V S (Summary)
17695 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
17696 Display the score of the current article
17697 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
17700 @kindex V t (Summary)
17701 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
17702 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
17703 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
17706 @kindex V w (Summary)
17707 @findex gnus-score-find-favourite-words
17708 List words used in scoring (@code{gnus-score-find-favourite-words}).
17711 @kindex V R (Summary)
17712 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
17713 Run the current summary through the scoring process
17714 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
17715 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
17716 effect you're having.
17719 @kindex V c (Summary)
17720 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
17721 Make a different score file the current
17722 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
17725 @kindex V e (Summary)
17726 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
17727 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
17728 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
17732 @kindex V f (Summary)
17733 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
17734 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
17735 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
17738 @kindex V F (Summary)
17739 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
17740 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
17741 after editing score files.
17744 @kindex V C (Summary)
17745 @findex gnus-score-customize
17746 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
17747 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
17751 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
17756 @kindex V m (Summary)
17757 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
17758 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
17759 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
17762 @kindex V x (Summary)
17763 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
17764 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
17765 expunge all articles below this score
17766 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
17769 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
17770 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
17773 @findex gnus-summary-increase-score
17774 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
17778 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
17779 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
17781 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
17782 keys are available:
17786 Score on the author name.
17789 Score on the subject line.
17792 Score on the @code{Xref} line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
17795 Score on the @code{References} line.
17801 Score on the number of lines.
17804 Score on the @code{Message-ID} header.
17807 Score on an ``extra'' header, that is, one of those in gnus-extra-headers,
17808 if your @sc{nntp} server tracks additional header data in overviews.
17811 Score on followups---this matches the author name, and adds scores to
17812 the followups to this author. (Using this key leads to the creation of
17813 @file{ADAPT} files.)
17822 Score on thread. (Using this key leads to the creation of @file{ADAPT}
17828 The third key is the match type. Which match types are valid depends on
17829 what headers you are scoring on.
17841 Substring matching.
17844 Fuzzy matching (@pxref{Fuzzy Matching}).
17873 Greater than number.
17878 The fourth and usually final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e.,
17879 expiring) score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry,
17880 or whether it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score
17885 Temporary score entry.
17888 Permanent score entry.
17891 Immediately scoring.
17895 If you are scoring on `e' (extra) headers, you will then be prompted for
17896 the header name on which you wish to score. This must be a header named
17897 in gnus-extra-headers, and @samp{TAB} completion is available.
17901 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
17902 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
17903 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
17904 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
17906 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
17907 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
17908 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
17909 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
17910 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
17912 These functions take both the numerical prefix and the symbolic prefix
17913 (@pxref{Symbolic Prefixes}). A numerical prefix says how much to lower
17914 (or increase) the score of the article. A symbolic prefix of @code{a}
17915 says to use the @file{all.SCORE} file for the command instead of the
17916 current score file.
17918 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
17919 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
17920 pretend they are keymaps or not.
17923 @node Group Score Commands
17924 @section Group Score Commands
17925 @cindex group score commands
17927 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
17932 @kindex W f (Group)
17933 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
17934 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
17935 all the time. This command will flush the cache
17936 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
17940 You can do scoring from the command line by saying something like:
17942 @findex gnus-batch-score
17943 @cindex batch scoring
17945 $ emacs -batch -l ~/.emacs -l ~/.gnus.el -f gnus-batch-score
17949 @node Score Variables
17950 @section Score Variables
17951 @cindex score variables
17955 @item gnus-use-scoring
17956 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
17957 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
17958 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
17960 @item gnus-kill-killed
17961 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
17962 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
17963 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
17964 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
17965 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
17966 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
17967 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
17969 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
17970 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
17971 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
17972 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
17973 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
17975 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
17976 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
17977 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
17978 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
17980 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
17981 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
17982 @cindex score cache
17983 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
17984 score files. However, if this might make your Emacs grow big and
17985 bloated, so this regexp can be used to weed out score files unlikely to be needed again. It would be a bad idea to deny caching of
17986 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
17987 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
17988 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
17991 @item gnus-save-score
17992 @vindex gnus-save-score
17993 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
17994 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
17995 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
17997 If you do not set this to @code{t}, then manual scores (like those set
17998 with @kbd{V s} (@code{gnus-summary-set-score})) will not be preserved
17999 across group visits.
18001 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
18002 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
18003 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
18004 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
18005 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
18006 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
18007 manually entered data.
18009 @item gnus-summary-default-score
18010 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
18011 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
18013 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
18014 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
18015 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
18016 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
18017 articles will be hidden. This variable is local to the summary buffers,
18018 and has to be set from @code{gnus-summary-mode-hook}.
18020 @item gnus-score-over-mark
18021 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
18022 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
18023 default. Default is @samp{+}.
18025 @item gnus-score-below-mark
18026 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
18027 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
18028 default. Default is @samp{-}.
18030 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
18031 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
18032 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
18033 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
18035 Predefined functions available are:
18038 @item gnus-score-find-single
18039 @findex gnus-score-find-single
18040 Only apply the group's own score file.
18042 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
18043 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
18044 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
18045 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
18046 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
18047 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
18048 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
18049 then a regexp match is done.
18051 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
18052 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
18054 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
18055 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
18056 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
18057 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
18059 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
18060 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
18061 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
18062 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
18063 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE} for each
18067 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all
18068 these functions will be called with the group name as argument, and
18069 all the returned lists of score files will be applied. These
18070 functions can also return lists of lists of score alists directly. In
18071 that case, the functions that return these non-file score alists
18072 should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file functions, to
18073 ensure that the last score file returned is the local score file.
18076 For example, to do hierarchical scoring but use a non-server-specific
18077 overall score file, you could use the value
18079 (list (lambda (group) ("all.SCORE"))
18080 'gnus-score-find-hierarchical)
18083 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
18084 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
18085 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
18086 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
18087 are expired. It's 7 by default.
18089 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
18090 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
18091 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, temporary score entries that have
18092 been triggered (matched) will have their dates updated. (This is how Gnus
18093 controls expiry---all non-matched-entries will become too old while
18094 matched entries will stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this
18095 variable to @code{nil}, even matched entries will grow old and will
18096 have to face that oh-so grim reaper.
18098 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
18099 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
18100 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
18102 @item gnus-score-thread-simplify
18103 @vindex gnus-score-thread-simplify
18104 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, article subjects will be simplified
18105 for subject scoring purposes in the same manner as with
18106 threading---according to the current value of
18107 gnus-simplify-subject-functions. If the scoring entry uses
18108 @code{substring} or @code{exact} matching, the match will also be
18109 simplified in this manner.
18114 @node Score File Format
18115 @section Score File Format
18116 @cindex score file format
18118 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
18119 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
18120 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
18122 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
18126 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
18128 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
18130 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
18132 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
18137 (mark-and-expunge -10)
18141 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
18142 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
18143 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
18144 (gnus-summary-make-false-root empty))
18148 This example demonstrates most score file elements. For a different
18149 approach, see @pxref{Advanced Scoring}.
18151 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
18152 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
18153 has to be valid syntactically, if not semantically.
18155 Six keys are supported by this alist:
18160 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
18161 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
18162 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
18163 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
18164 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
18165 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
18166 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
18167 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
18168 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
18169 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
18170 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
18171 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
18172 to articles that matches these score entries.
18174 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
18175 score entry has one to four elements.
18179 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
18180 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
18184 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
18185 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
18186 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
18187 is successful. If this element is not present, the
18188 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
18189 instead. This is 1000 by default.
18192 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
18193 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
18194 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
18195 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
18196 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 BCE.
18199 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
18200 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
18201 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
18202 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
18205 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
18206 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
18207 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
18208 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
18209 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
18210 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
18211 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
18212 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
18213 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
18214 instead, if you feel like.
18217 Just as for the standard string overview headers, if you are using
18218 gnus-extra-headers, you can score on these headers' values. In this
18219 case, there is a 5th element in the score entry, being the name of the
18220 header to be scored. The following entry is useful in your
18221 @file{all.SCORE} file in case of spam attacks from a single origin host,
18222 if your @sc{nntp} server tracks NNTP-Posting-Host in overviews:
18225 ("111.222.333.444" -1000 nil s "NNTP-Posting-Host")
18229 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
18230 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}.
18232 These predicates are true if
18235 (PREDICATE HEADER MATCH)
18238 evaluates to non-@code{nil}. For instance, the advanced match
18239 @code{("lines" 4 <)} (@pxref{Advanced Scoring}) will result in the
18246 Or to put it another way: When using @code{<} on @code{Lines} with 4 as
18247 the match, we get the score added if the article has less than 4 lines.
18248 (It's easy to get confused and think it's the other way around. But
18249 it's not. I think.)
18251 When matching on @code{Lines}, be careful because some back ends (like
18252 @code{nndir}) do not generate @code{Lines} header, so every article ends
18253 up being marked as having 0 lines. This can lead to strange results if
18254 you happen to lower score of the articles with few lines.
18257 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
18258 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
18259 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
18260 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
18261 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
18262 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
18263 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
18267 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
18268 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
18269 ISO8601 compact format first---@var{YYYYMMDD}@code{T}@var{HHMMSS}. If
18270 you want to match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in
18271 every year, you could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string,
18272 for instance. (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so
18273 this will match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where
18274 the article was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the
18277 @item Head, Body, All
18278 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
18282 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
18283 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
18284 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
18285 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
18286 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
18287 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
18288 uses. (Using this match key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT}
18292 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
18293 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread started by an
18294 article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{x}, then you add a @samp{thread}
18295 match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each article that
18296 has @var{x} in its @code{References} header. (These new @samp{thread}
18297 matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching articles.)
18298 This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an entire thread,
18299 even though some articles in the thread may not have complete
18300 @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
18301 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread. (Using this match
18302 key will lead to creation of @file{ADAPT} files.)
18306 @cindex Score File Atoms
18308 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
18309 lower than this number will be marked as read.
18312 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
18313 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
18315 @item mark-and-expunge
18316 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
18317 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
18320 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
18321 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
18322 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
18323 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
18324 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
18327 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
18328 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
18331 @item exclude-files
18332 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
18333 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
18337 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
18338 ignored when handling global score files.
18341 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
18342 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}). (Note:
18343 @dfn{Global} here really means @dfn{global}; not your personal
18344 apply-to-all-groups score files.)
18347 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
18348 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
18349 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
18350 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
18352 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
18356 (mark-and-expunge -100)
18359 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
18360 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
18361 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
18362 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
18363 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
18365 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where a few
18366 interesting threads which can't be found automatically by ordinary
18367 scoring rules exist.
18370 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
18371 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
18372 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
18373 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
18374 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
18375 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
18376 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
18377 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
18378 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
18379 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
18380 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
18384 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
18385 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
18386 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
18387 file for a number of groups.
18390 @cindex local variables
18391 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(@var{var}
18392 @var{value})} pairs. Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the
18393 current summary buffer, and set to the value specified. This is a
18394 convenient, if somewhat strange, way of setting variables in some
18395 groups if you don't like hooks much. Note that the @var{value} won't
18400 @node Score File Editing
18401 @section Score File Editing
18403 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
18404 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
18405 with a mode for that.
18407 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
18408 additional commands:
18413 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
18414 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
18415 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
18416 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
18419 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
18420 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
18421 Insert the current date in numerical format
18422 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
18423 you were wondering.
18426 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
18427 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
18428 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
18429 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
18430 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
18435 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
18437 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
18438 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
18440 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
18441 e} to begin editing score files.
18444 @node Adaptive Scoring
18445 @section Adaptive Scoring
18446 @cindex adaptive scoring
18448 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
18449 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
18450 stupidity, to be precise.
18452 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
18453 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
18454 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
18455 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
18456 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
18457 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
18458 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
18459 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
18460 variable to @code{(word line)}.
18462 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
18463 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
18464 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
18465 might look something like this:
18468 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
18469 '((gnus-unread-mark)
18470 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
18471 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
18472 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
18473 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
18474 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
18475 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
18476 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
18477 (gnus-ancient-mark)
18478 (gnus-low-score-mark)
18479 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
18482 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
18483 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
18484 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
18485 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
18486 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
18487 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
18490 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
18491 will be applied to each article.
18493 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
18494 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
18495 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
18496 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
18498 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
18499 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
18500 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
18501 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
18503 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
18504 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
18505 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
18506 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
18508 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
18509 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
18510 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
18511 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
18512 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
18513 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
18515 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
18516 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
18517 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
18519 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
18520 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
18521 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
18523 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
18524 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
18525 let you use different rules in different groups.
18527 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
18528 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
18529 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
18532 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
18533 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
18534 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
18535 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
18536 the length of the match is less than
18537 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
18538 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
18541 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
18542 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
18543 headers. If you adapt on words, the
18544 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
18545 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
18548 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
18549 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
18550 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
18551 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
18552 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
18555 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
18556 word that appears in subjects of articles marked with
18557 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
18558 score with 30 points.
18560 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
18561 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
18562 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
18563 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
18564 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
18566 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit
18567 Some may feel that short words shouldn't count when doing adaptive
18568 scoring. If so, you may set @code{gnus-adaptive-word-length-limit} to
18569 an integer. Words shorter than this number will be ignored. This
18570 variable defaults to @code{nil}.
18572 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
18573 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
18574 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
18575 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
18577 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-minimum
18578 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} is set to a number, the adaptive
18579 word scoring process will never bring down the score of an article to
18580 below this number. The default is @code{nil}.
18582 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words
18583 If @code{gnus-adaptive-word-no-group-words} is set to @code{t}, gnus
18584 won't adaptively word score any of the words in the group name. Useful
18585 for groups like @samp{comp.editors.emacs}, where most of the subject
18586 lines contain the word @samp{emacs}.
18588 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
18589 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
18590 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
18592 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
18593 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
18594 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
18595 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
18598 @node Home Score File
18599 @section Home Score File
18601 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
18602 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
18603 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
18604 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
18606 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
18607 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
18608 could perhaps use the same home score file.
18610 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
18611 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
18616 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
18620 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
18621 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
18625 A list. The elements in this list can be:
18629 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-name})}. If the @var{regexp} matches the
18630 group name, the @var{file-name} will be used as the home score file.
18633 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
18634 the home score file.
18637 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
18640 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
18645 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
18648 (setq gnus-home-score-file
18649 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
18652 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
18653 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
18655 @findex gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file
18657 (setq gnus-home-score-file
18658 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
18661 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
18662 Other functions include
18665 @item gnus-current-home-score-file
18666 @findex gnus-current-home-score-file
18667 Return the ``current'' regular score file. This will make scoring
18668 commands add entry to the ``innermost'' matching score file.
18672 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
18673 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
18674 their own home score files:
18677 (setq gnus-home-score-file
18678 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
18679 '(("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
18680 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
18681 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE")))
18684 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
18685 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
18686 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
18687 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
18688 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
18690 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
18691 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
18692 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
18693 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
18694 precedence over this variable.
18697 @node Followups To Yourself
18698 @section Followups To Yourself
18700 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
18701 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
18702 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
18703 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
18704 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
18705 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
18709 @item gnus-score-followup-article
18710 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
18711 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
18714 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
18715 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
18716 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
18720 @vindex message-sent-hook
18721 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
18722 @code{message-sent-hook}, like this:
18724 (add-hook 'message-sent-hook 'gnus-score-followup-thread)
18728 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
18729 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
18733 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
18734 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
18737 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
18738 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
18743 ("<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf\\(_-_\\)?@@.*eyesore\\.no>"
18747 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
18748 is system-dependent.
18751 @node Scoring On Other Headers
18752 @section Scoring On Other Headers
18753 @cindex scoring on other headers
18755 Gnus is quite fast when scoring the ``traditional''
18756 headers---@samp{From}, @samp{Subject} and so on. However, scoring
18757 other headers requires writing a @code{head} scoring rule, which means
18758 that Gnus has to request every single article from the back end to find
18759 matches. This takes a long time in big groups.
18761 Now, there's not much you can do about this for news groups, but for
18762 mail groups, you have greater control. In the @pxref{To From
18763 Newsgroups} section of the manual, it's explained in greater detail what
18764 this mechanism does, but here's a cookbook example for @code{nnml} on
18765 how to allow scoring on the @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} headers.
18767 Put the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
18770 (setq gnus-extra-headers '(To Cc Newsgroups Keywords)
18771 nnmail-extra-headers gnus-extra-headers)
18774 Restart Gnus and rebuild your @code{nnml} overview files with the
18775 @kbd{M-x nnml-generate-nov-databases} command. This will take a long
18776 time if you have much mail.
18778 Now you can score on @samp{To} and @samp{Cc} as ``extra headers'' like
18779 so: @kbd{I e s p To RET <your name> RET}.
18785 @section Scoring Tips
18786 @cindex scoring tips
18792 @cindex scoring crossposts
18793 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
18794 the @code{Xref} header.
18796 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
18799 @item Multiple crossposts
18800 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
18801 more than, say, 3 groups:
18804 ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+"
18808 @item Matching on the body
18809 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
18810 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
18811 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
18812 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
18813 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
18814 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
18815 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
18818 @item Marking as read
18819 You will probably want to mark articles that have scores below a certain
18820 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
18821 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
18825 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
18827 @item Negated character classes
18828 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
18829 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
18830 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
18834 @node Reverse Scoring
18835 @section Reverse Scoring
18836 @cindex reverse scoring
18838 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
18839 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
18840 like this in your score file:
18844 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
18849 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
18850 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
18853 @node Global Score Files
18854 @section Global Score Files
18855 @cindex global score files
18857 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
18858 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
18859 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
18861 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
18862 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
18863 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
18865 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
18866 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
18867 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
18868 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
18869 files are applicable to which group.
18871 To use the score file
18872 @file{/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
18873 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory,
18877 (setq gnus-global-score-files
18878 '("/ftp@@ftp.gnus.org:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
18879 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
18882 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
18884 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
18885 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
18886 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
18887 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
18889 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
18890 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
18892 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
18893 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
18894 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
18895 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
18896 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
18897 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
18899 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
18905 Articles heavily crossposted are probably junk.
18907 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
18909 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
18911 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
18912 lowered out of existence.
18914 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
18915 articles completely.
18918 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
18919 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
18920 old articles for a long time.
18923 @dots{} I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
18924 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
18925 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
18926 holding our breath yet?
18930 @section Kill Files
18933 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
18934 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
18935 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
18937 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
18938 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
18939 files into score files.
18941 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
18942 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
18943 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
18944 that isn't a very good idea.
18946 Normal kill files look like this:
18949 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
18950 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
18954 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove the
18955 marked articles from the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
18957 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
18958 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
18961 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
18966 @kindex M-k (Summary)
18967 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
18968 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
18971 @kindex M-K (Summary)
18972 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
18973 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
18976 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
18981 @kindex M-k (Group)
18982 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
18983 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
18986 @kindex M-K (Group)
18987 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
18988 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
18991 Kill file variables:
18994 @item gnus-kill-file-name
18995 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
18996 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
18997 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
18998 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
18999 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
19000 course) is just called @file{KILL}.
19002 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
19003 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
19004 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
19005 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
19008 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
19009 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
19010 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
19011 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
19012 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
19013 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
19014 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
19015 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
19016 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
19018 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
19019 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
19020 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
19025 @node Converting Kill Files
19026 @section Converting Kill Files
19028 @cindex converting kill files
19030 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
19031 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
19032 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
19035 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
19036 You can fetch it from
19037 @uref{http://www.stud.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-various/gnus-kill-to-score.el}.
19039 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
19040 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
19041 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
19049 GroupLens (@uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/}) is a
19050 collaborative filtering system that helps you work together with other
19051 people to find the quality news articles out of the huge volume of
19052 news articles generated every day.
19054 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
19055 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
19056 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
19057 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
19058 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
19059 Once it has found some people you agree with it tells you, in the form
19060 of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use this
19061 prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
19064 @sc{Note:} Unfortunately the GroupLens system seems to have shut down,
19065 so this section is mostly of historical interest.
19068 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
19069 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
19070 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
19071 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
19075 @node Using GroupLens
19076 @subsection Using GroupLens
19078 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
19080 @uref{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
19081 better bit in town at the moment.
19083 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
19087 @item gnus-use-grouplens
19088 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
19089 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
19090 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
19092 @item grouplens-pseudonym
19093 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
19094 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
19095 with the Better Bit Bureau.
19097 @item grouplens-newsgroups
19098 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
19099 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
19103 That's the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
19104 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
19105 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
19106 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
19107 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
19108 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
19111 @node Rating Articles
19112 @subsection Rating Articles
19114 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
19115 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
19116 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
19117 yourself is, ``on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
19120 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
19125 @kindex r (GroupLens)
19126 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
19127 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
19130 @kindex k (GroupLens)
19131 @findex grouplens-score-thread
19132 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
19133 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
19134 threads in rec.humor.
19138 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
19139 the score of the article you're reading.
19144 @kindex n (GroupLens)
19145 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
19146 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
19149 @kindex , (GroupLens)
19150 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
19151 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
19155 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
19156 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
19159 @node Displaying Predictions
19160 @subsection Displaying Predictions
19162 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
19163 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
19164 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
19165 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
19166 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
19168 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
19169 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
19170 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
19171 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
19172 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
19173 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
19174 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
19175 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
19176 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
19177 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
19178 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
19179 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
19180 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
19182 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
19183 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
19184 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
19185 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
19187 The following are valid values for that variable.
19190 @item prediction-spot
19191 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
19194 @item confidence-interval
19195 A numeric confidence interval.
19197 @item prediction-bar
19198 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
19200 @item confidence-bar
19201 Numerical confidence.
19203 @item confidence-spot
19204 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
19206 @item prediction-num
19207 Plain-old numeric value.
19209 @item confidence-plus-minus
19210 Prediction +/- confidence.
19215 @node GroupLens Variables
19216 @subsection GroupLens Variables
19220 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
19221 The summary line format used in GroupLens-enhanced summary buffers. It
19222 accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format (@pxref{Summary
19223 Buffer Lines}). The default is @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23n%]%)
19226 @item grouplens-bbb-host
19227 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
19230 @item grouplens-bbb-port
19231 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
19233 @item grouplens-score-offset
19234 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
19235 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
19238 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
19239 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
19240 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
19245 @node Advanced Scoring
19246 @section Advanced Scoring
19248 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
19249 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
19250 about a particular subject? Or what if you really don't want to
19251 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
19252 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
19254 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
19258 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
19259 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
19260 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
19264 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
19265 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
19267 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
19268 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
19269 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
19270 non-@code{nil} value.
19272 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
19273 operator, and various match operators.
19280 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
19281 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
19282 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
19287 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
19288 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
19289 then this operator will return @code{false}.
19294 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
19295 logical negation of the value of its argument.
19299 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
19300 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
19301 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
19302 current article. @code{2-} will make score rules apply to the
19303 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
19304 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) says how far back into
19305 the ancestry you want to go.
19307 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
19308 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
19309 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
19310 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
19311 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
19314 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
19315 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
19317 Please note that the following examples are score file rules. To
19318 make a complete score file from them, surround them with another pair
19321 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
19322 when he's talking about Gnus:
19326 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
19327 ("subject" "Gnus"))
19333 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
19337 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
19344 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
19345 really don't want to read what he's written:
19349 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
19350 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
19354 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
19355 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
19356 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
19363 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
19364 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
19365 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
19366 ("body" "white.*socks"))
19370 The possibilities are endless.
19373 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
19374 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
19376 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
19377 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
19378 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
19379 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
19380 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
19381 (@samp{body}, @samp{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
19382 @samp{subject}) first.
19384 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
19385 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
19396 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
19397 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
19403 ("subject" "Gnus")))
19410 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
19411 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
19416 @section Score Decays
19417 @cindex score decays
19420 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
19421 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
19422 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
19423 use them in any sensible way.
19425 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
19426 @findex gnus-decay-score
19427 @vindex gnus-decay-score-function
19428 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
19429 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
19430 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
19431 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
19432 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-decay-score-function}
19433 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
19434 definition of that function:
19437 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
19439 This is done according to `gnus-score-decay-constant'
19440 and `gnus-score-decay-scale'."
19443 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
19445 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
19447 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
19450 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
19451 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
19452 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
19453 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
19457 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
19460 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
19463 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
19467 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
19468 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
19469 the new score, which should be an integer.
19471 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
19472 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
19477 @include message.texi
19478 @chapter Emacs MIME
19479 @include emacs-mime.texi
19481 @include sieve.texi
19491 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
19492 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
19493 * Symbolic Prefixes:: How to supply some Gnus functions with options.
19494 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
19495 * Window Layout:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
19496 * Faces and Fonts:: How to change how faces look.
19497 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
19498 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
19499 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
19500 * Buttons:: Get tendinitis in ten easy steps!
19501 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
19502 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
19503 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
19504 * Predicate Specifiers:: Specifying predicates.
19505 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
19506 * Image Enhancements:: Modern versions of Emacs/XEmacs can display images.
19507 * Fuzzy Matching:: What's the big fuzz?
19508 * Thwarting Email Spam:: A how-to on avoiding unsolicited commercial email.
19509 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
19513 @node Process/Prefix
19514 @section Process/Prefix
19515 @cindex process/prefix convention
19517 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
19518 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
19520 This is a method for figuring out what articles the user wants the
19521 command to be performed on.
19525 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
19526 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
19527 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
19528 with the current one.
19530 @vindex transient-mark-mode
19531 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
19532 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
19534 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
19535 process mark, perform the operation on the articles marked with
19538 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
19539 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
19541 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
19544 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
19545 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
19546 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
19547 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
19549 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
19550 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
19551 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
19552 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
19553 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
19554 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
19555 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
19556 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
19558 Many commands do not use the process/prefix convention. All commands
19559 that do explicitly say so in this manual. To apply the process/prefix
19560 convention to commands that do not use it, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
19561 command. For instance, to mark all the articles in the group as
19562 expirable, you could say @kbd{M P b M-& E}.
19566 @section Interactive
19567 @cindex interaction
19571 @item gnus-novice-user
19572 @vindex gnus-novice-user
19573 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
19574 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
19575 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
19576 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
19579 @item gnus-expert-user
19580 @vindex gnus-expert-user
19581 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will seldom be asked any
19582 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
19583 matter how strange.
19585 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
19586 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
19587 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
19588 is @code{t} by default.
19590 @item gnus-interactive-exit
19591 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
19592 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
19597 @node Symbolic Prefixes
19598 @section Symbolic Prefixes
19599 @cindex symbolic prefixes
19601 Quite a lot of Emacs commands react to the (numeric) prefix. For
19602 instance, @kbd{C-u 4 C-f} moves point four characters forward, and
19603 @kbd{C-u 9 0 0 I s s p} adds a permanent @code{Subject} substring score
19604 rule of 900 to the current article.
19606 This is all nice and well, but what if you want to give a command some
19607 additional information? Well, what most commands do is interpret the
19608 ``raw'' prefix in some special way. @kbd{C-u 0 C-x C-s} means that one
19609 doesn't want a backup file to be created when saving the current buffer,
19610 for instance. But what if you want to save without making a backup
19611 file, and you want Emacs to flash lights and play a nice tune at the
19612 same time? You can't, and you're probably perfectly happy that way.
19614 @kindex M-i (Summary)
19615 @findex gnus-symbolic-argument
19616 I'm not, so I've added a second prefix---the @dfn{symbolic prefix}. The
19617 prefix key is @kbd{M-i} (@code{gnus-symbolic-argument}), and the next
19618 character typed in is the value. You can stack as many @kbd{M-i}
19619 prefixes as you want. @kbd{M-i a C-M-u} means ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u}
19620 command the symbolic prefix @code{a}''. @kbd{M-i a M-i b C-M-u} means
19621 ``feed the @kbd{C-M-u} command the symbolic prefixes @code{a} and
19622 @code{b}''. You get the drift.
19624 Typing in symbolic prefixes to commands that don't accept them doesn't
19625 hurt, but it doesn't do any good either. Currently not many Gnus
19626 functions make use of the symbolic prefix.
19628 If you're interested in how Gnus implements this, @pxref{Extended
19632 @node Formatting Variables
19633 @section Formatting Variables
19634 @cindex formatting variables
19636 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables called
19637 things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
19638 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
19639 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
19640 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
19643 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
19644 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
19645 lots of percentages everywhere.
19648 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
19649 * Mode Line Formatting:: Some rules about mode line formatting variables.
19650 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
19651 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
19652 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
19653 * Positioning Point:: Moving point to a position after an operation.
19654 * Tabulation:: Tabulating your output.
19655 * Wide Characters:: Dealing with wide characters.
19658 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
19659 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
19660 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
19661 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
19662 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
19663 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
19664 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
19665 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
19667 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
19668 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
19670 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
19671 @findex gnus-update-format
19672 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
19673 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
19674 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
19675 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
19679 @node Formatting Basics
19680 @subsection Formatting Basics
19682 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
19683 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
19684 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
19686 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
19687 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
19688 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
19689 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
19690 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
19693 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
19694 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
19695 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
19696 less than 4 characters wide.
19698 Also Gnus supports some extended format specifications, such as
19699 @samp{%&user-date;}.
19702 @node Mode Line Formatting
19703 @subsection Mode Line Formatting
19705 Mode line formatting variables (e.g.,
19706 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}) follow the same rules as other,
19707 buffer line oriented formatting variables (@pxref{Formatting Basics})
19708 with the following two differences:
19713 There must be no newline (@samp{\n}) at the end.
19716 The special @samp{%%b} spec can be used to display the buffer name.
19717 Well, it's no spec at all, really---@samp{%%} is just a way to quote
19718 @samp{%} to allow it to pass through the formatting machinery unmangled,
19719 so that Emacs receives @samp{%b}, which is something the Emacs mode line
19720 display interprets to mean ``show the buffer name''. For a full list of
19721 mode line specs Emacs understands, see the documentation of the
19722 @code{mode-line-format} variable.
19727 @node Advanced Formatting
19728 @subsection Advanced Formatting
19730 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
19731 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
19732 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
19733 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
19735 These are the valid modifiers:
19740 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
19744 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
19749 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
19752 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
19757 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
19760 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
19763 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
19766 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
19772 "~(form (current-time-string))@@"
19777 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
19778 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
19779 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
19780 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
19781 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
19782 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
19783 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
19785 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
19786 last operation, padding.
19788 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
19789 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
19790 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
19791 @xref{Compilation}.
19794 @node User-Defined Specs
19795 @subsection User-Defined Specs
19797 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
19798 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
19799 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
19800 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
19801 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
19802 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
19803 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
19804 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
19805 should protect against that.
19807 Also Gnus supports extended user-defined specs, such as @samp{%u&foo;}.
19808 Gnus will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{foo}.
19810 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
19811 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
19812 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
19813 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
19817 @node Formatting Fonts
19818 @subsection Formatting Fonts
19820 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
19821 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
19822 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
19823 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
19826 Text inside the @samp{%@{} and @samp{%@}} specifiers will have their
19827 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
19828 default. If you say @samp{%1@{}, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1} instead,
19829 and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes for the
19830 @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
19831 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
19833 Text inside the @samp{%<<} and @samp{%>>} specifiers will get the
19834 special @code{balloon-help} property set to @code{gnus-balloon-face-0}.
19835 If you say @samp{%1<<}, you'll get @code{gnus-balloon-face-1} and so on.
19836 The @code{gnus-balloon-face-*} variables should be either strings or
19837 symbols naming functions that return a string. When the mouse passes
19838 over text with this property set, a balloon window will appear and
19839 display the string. Please refer to @ref{(emacs)Help Echo} (in GNU
19840 Emacs) or the doc string of @code{balloon-help-mode} (in XEmacs) for
19841 more information on this. (For technical reasons, the guillemets have
19842 been approximated as @samp{<<} and @samp{>>} in this paragraph.)
19844 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
19847 ;; Create three face types.
19848 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
19849 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
19851 ;; We want the article count to be in
19852 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
19853 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
19854 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
19856 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
19857 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
19859 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
19860 (setq gnus-group-line-format
19861 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
19864 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
19865 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
19867 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
19868 mode-line variables.
19870 @node Positioning Point
19871 @subsection Positioning Point
19873 Gnus usually moves point to a pre-defined place on each line in most
19874 buffers. By default, point move to the first colon character on the
19875 line. You can customize this behaviour in three different ways.
19877 You can move the colon character to somewhere else on the line.
19879 @findex gnus-goto-colon
19880 You can redefine the function that moves the point to the colon. The
19881 function is called @code{gnus-goto-colon}.
19883 But perhaps the most convenient way to deal with this, if you don't want
19884 to have a colon in your line, is to use the @samp{%*} specifier. If you
19885 put a @samp{%*} somewhere in your format line definition, Gnus will
19890 @subsection Tabulation
19892 You can usually line up your displays by padding and cutting your
19893 strings. However, when combining various strings of different size, it
19894 can often be more convenient to just output the strings, and then worry
19895 about lining up the following text afterwards.
19897 To do that, Gnus supplies tabulator specs--@samp{%=}. There are two
19898 different types---@dfn{hard tabulators} and @dfn{soft tabulators}.
19900 @samp{%50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
19901 50. If the text is already past column 50, nothing will be inserted.
19902 This is the soft tabulator.
19904 @samp{%-50=} will insert space characters to pad the line up to column
19905 50. If the text is already past column 50, the excess text past column
19906 50 will be removed. This is the hard tabulator.
19909 @node Wide Characters
19910 @subsection Wide Characters
19912 Proportional fonts in most countries have characters of the same width.
19913 Some countries, however, use Latin characters mixed with wider
19914 characters---most notable East Asian countries.
19916 The problem is that when formatting, Gnus assumes that if a string is 10
19917 characters wide, it'll be 10 Latin characters wide on the screen. In
19918 these countries, that's not true.
19920 @vindex gnus-use-correct-string-widths
19921 To help fix this, you can set @code{gnus-use-correct-string-widths} to
19922 @code{t}. This makes buffer generation slower, but the results will be
19923 prettier. The default value under XEmacs is @code{t} but @code{nil}
19927 @node Window Layout
19928 @section Window Layout
19929 @cindex window layout
19931 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
19933 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
19934 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
19935 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
19936 @code{t} by default.
19938 Setting this variable to @code{nil} kinda works, but there are
19939 glitches. Use at your own peril.
19941 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
19942 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
19943 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
19946 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
19947 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
19948 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
19952 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
19953 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
19954 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
19955 possible names is listed below.
19957 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
19958 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
19961 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
19965 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
19966 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
19967 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
19968 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
19969 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
19970 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
19971 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
19972 size spec per split.
19974 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
19975 @code{point}. In a @code{frame} split, the last subsplit having a leaf
19976 split where the tag @code{frame-focus} is a member (i.e. is the third or
19977 fourth element in the list, depending on whether the @code{point} tag is
19978 present) gets focus.
19980 Here's a more complicated example:
19983 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
19984 (summary 0.25 point)
19985 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
19989 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
19990 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
19991 occupy, not a percentage.
19993 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
19994 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
19995 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
19996 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
19997 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
20000 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
20003 (article (horizontal 1.0
20008 (summary 0.25 point)
20013 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
20014 @code{horizontal} thingie?
20016 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
20017 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
20018 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
20019 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
20020 the screen is to be given to this strip.
20022 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
20023 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
20024 lines from the splits.
20026 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a valid split
20030 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
20031 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
20032 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
20033 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
20034 buffer = "(" buf-name " " size *[ "point" ] *[ "frame-focus"] ")"
20035 size = number | frame-params
20036 buf-name = group | article | summary ...
20039 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
20040 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
20041 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
20042 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
20044 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
20045 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
20046 @cindex window height
20047 @cindex window width
20048 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
20049 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
20050 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
20051 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
20052 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
20053 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
20055 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
20056 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
20057 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
20058 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
20060 @findex gnus-configure-frame
20061 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
20062 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
20063 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
20064 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
20065 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
20066 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
20067 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
20068 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
20069 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
20070 configuration list.
20073 (gnus-configure-frame
20077 (article 0.3 point))
20085 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
20086 @code{frame} split:
20089 (gnus-configure-frame
20092 (summary 0.25 point frame-focus)
20094 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
20095 (user-position . t)
20096 (left . -1) (top . 1))
20101 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
20102 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
20103 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
20104 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
20105 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
20106 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
20107 Reference Manual}. Under XEmacs, a frame property list will be
20108 accepted, too---for instance, @code{(height 5 width 15 left -1 top 1)}
20110 The list of all possible keys for @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} can
20111 be found in its default value.
20113 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
20114 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
20115 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
20119 (message (horizontal 1.0
20120 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
20122 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
20127 One common desire for a multiple frame split is to have a separate frame
20128 for composing mail and news while leaving the original frame intact. To
20129 accomplish that, something like the following can be done:
20134 (if (not (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer))
20135 (car (cdr (assoc 'group gnus-buffer-configuration)))
20136 (car (cdr (assoc 'summary gnus-buffer-configuration))))
20137 (vertical ((user-position . t) (top . 1) (left . 1)
20138 (name . "Message"))
20139 (message 1.0 point))))
20142 @findex gnus-add-configuration
20143 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
20144 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
20145 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
20146 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
20149 (gnus-add-configuration
20150 '(article (vertical 1.0
20152 (summary .25 point)
20156 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
20157 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
20158 Gnus has been loaded.
20160 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
20161 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
20162 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
20163 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
20164 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
20166 If you're using tree displays (@pxref{Tree Display}), and the tree
20167 window is displayed vertically next to another window, you may also want
20168 to fiddle with @code{gnus-tree-minimize-window} to avoid having the
20171 @subsection Example Window Configurations
20175 Narrow left hand side occupied by group buffer. Right hand side split
20176 between summary buffer (top one-sixth) and article buffer (bottom).
20191 (gnus-add-configuration
20194 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
20196 (summary 0.16 point)
20199 (gnus-add-configuration
20202 (vertical 25 (group 1.0))
20203 (vertical 1.0 (summary 1.0 point)))))
20209 @node Faces and Fonts
20210 @section Faces and Fonts
20215 Fiddling with fonts and faces used to be very difficult, but these days
20216 it is very simple. You simply say @kbd{M-x customize-face}, pick out
20217 the face you want to alter, and alter it via the standard Customize
20222 @section Compilation
20223 @cindex compilation
20224 @cindex byte-compilation
20226 @findex gnus-compile
20228 Remember all those line format specification variables?
20229 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
20230 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
20231 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
20232 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
20233 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
20236 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
20237 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
20238 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
20239 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
20240 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
20241 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
20242 them into the @file{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
20246 @section Mode Lines
20249 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
20250 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
20251 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
20252 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
20253 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
20254 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
20255 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
20258 @cindex display-time
20260 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
20261 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
20262 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
20263 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
20264 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
20265 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
20266 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
20267 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
20270 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
20272 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
20273 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
20275 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
20276 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
20277 (length display-time-string)))))
20280 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
20281 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either. Note
20282 that the default is unlikely to be desirable, as even the percentage
20283 complete in the buffer may be crowded off the mode line; the user should
20284 configure this variable appropriately for her configuration.
20287 @node Highlighting and Menus
20288 @section Highlighting and Menus
20290 @cindex highlighting
20293 @vindex gnus-visual
20294 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the Gnus-prettifying
20295 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
20296 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
20299 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
20300 following elements are valid, and are all included by default:
20303 @item group-highlight
20304 Do highlights in the group buffer.
20305 @item summary-highlight
20306 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
20307 @item article-highlight
20308 Do highlights in the article buffer.
20310 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
20312 Create menus in the group buffer.
20314 Create menus in the summary buffers.
20316 Create menus in the article buffer.
20318 Create menus in the browse buffer.
20320 Create menus in the server buffer.
20322 Create menus in the score buffers.
20324 Create menus in all buffers.
20327 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
20328 buffers, you could say something like:
20331 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
20334 If you want highlighting only and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
20337 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
20340 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
20341 in all Gnus buffers.
20343 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
20346 @item gnus-mouse-face
20347 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
20348 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
20349 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
20353 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
20357 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
20358 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
20359 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
20361 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
20362 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
20363 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
20365 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
20366 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
20367 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
20369 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
20370 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
20371 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
20373 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
20374 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
20375 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
20377 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
20378 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
20379 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
20390 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
20391 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
20392 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
20393 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
20394 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
20398 @vindex gnus-carpal
20399 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
20400 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
20401 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
20406 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
20407 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
20408 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
20410 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
20411 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
20412 Face used on buttons.
20414 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
20415 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
20416 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
20418 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
20419 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
20420 Buttons in the group buffer.
20422 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
20423 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
20424 Buttons in the summary buffer.
20426 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
20427 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
20428 Buttons in the server buffer.
20430 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
20431 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
20432 Buttons in the browse buffer.
20435 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
20436 are either cons cells where the @code{car} contains a text to be displayed and
20437 the @code{cdr} contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
20445 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
20446 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
20447 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
20448 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
20449 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
20451 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
20452 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
20453 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
20455 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
20456 been idle for thirty minutes:
20459 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
20462 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
20466 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
20469 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter work together
20470 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
20471 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
20473 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
20474 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
20475 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
20476 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
20478 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
20479 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
20480 @var{idle} minutes.
20482 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
20483 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
20486 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
20487 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
20488 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
20490 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
20491 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
20492 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
20493 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
20495 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
20496 your @file{.gnus.el} file:
20498 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
20500 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections 30 t)
20503 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
20504 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
20505 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
20506 @findex gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps
20507 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
20508 Some ready-made functions to do this have been created:
20509 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
20510 @code{gnus-demon-add-nntp-close-connection},
20511 @code{gnus-demon-add-scan-timestamps}, @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and
20512 @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just put those functions in your
20513 @file{.gnus.el} if you want those abilities.
20515 @findex gnus-demon-init
20516 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
20517 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
20518 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
20519 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
20520 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
20522 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you over do it. Adding
20523 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
20524 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
20533 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
20534 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
20536 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
20537 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
20538 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
20539 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
20542 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
20543 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
20544 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
20545 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
20547 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
20548 this will make spam disappear.
20550 There are some variables to customize, of course:
20553 @item gnus-use-nocem
20554 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
20555 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
20558 @item gnus-nocem-groups
20559 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
20560 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
20561 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
20562 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
20564 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
20565 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
20566 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
20567 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
20568 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" "cosmo.roadkill" "SpamHippo"
20569 "hweede@@snafu.de")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
20571 Known despammers that you can put in this list are listed at
20572 @uref{http://www.xs4all.nl/~rosalind/nocemreg/nocemreg.html}.
20574 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
20575 ones you want to listen to. You also don't have to accept all NoCeM
20576 messages from the people you like. Each NoCeM message has a @dfn{type}
20577 header that gives the message a (more or less, usually less) rigorous
20578 definition. Common types are @samp{spam}, @samp{spew}, @samp{mmf},
20579 @samp{binary}, and @samp{troll}. To specify this, you have to use
20580 @code{(@var{issuer} @var{conditions} @dots{})} elements in the list.
20581 Each condition is either a string (which is a regexp that matches types
20582 you want to use) or a list on the form @code{(not @var{string})}, where
20583 @var{string} is a regexp that matches types you don't want to use.
20585 For instance, if you want all NoCeM messages from Chris Lewis except his
20586 @samp{troll} messages, you'd say:
20589 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" ".*" (not "troll"))
20592 On the other hand, if you just want nothing but his @samp{spam} and
20593 @samp{spew} messages, you'd say:
20596 ("clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca" (not ".*") "spew" "spam")
20599 The specs are applied left-to-right.
20602 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
20603 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
20605 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
20606 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
20607 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
20608 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
20610 If you want signed NoCeM messages to be verified and unsigned messages
20611 not to be verified (but used anyway), you could do something like:
20614 (setq gnus-nocem-verifyer 'my-gnus-mc-verify)
20616 (defun my-gnus-mc-verify ()
20624 This might be dangerous, though.
20626 @item gnus-nocem-directory
20627 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
20628 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
20629 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
20631 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
20632 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
20633 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
20634 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
20635 might then see old spam.
20637 @item gnus-nocem-check-from
20638 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-from
20639 Non-@code{nil} means check for valid issuers in message bodies.
20640 Otherwise don't bother fetching articles unless their author matches a
20641 valid issuer; that is much faster if you are selective about the
20644 @item gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
20645 @vindex gnus-nocem-check-article-limit
20646 If non-@code{nil}, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM
20647 group. NoCeM groups can be huge and very slow to process.
20651 Using NoCeM could potentially be a memory hog. If you have many living
20652 (i. e., subscribed or unsubscribed groups), your Emacs process will grow
20653 big. If this is a problem, you should kill off all (or most) of your
20654 unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Subscription Commands}).
20661 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
20662 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
20663 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
20665 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
20666 Gnus---it's all just data designed to look nice to the user.
20667 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
20668 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
20669 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
20670 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
20671 @code{undo} function.
20673 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
20674 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
20675 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
20676 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
20677 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
20678 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
20679 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
20680 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
20681 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
20682 never be totally undoable.
20684 @findex gnus-undo-mode
20685 @vindex gnus-use-undo
20687 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
20688 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
20689 default. The @kbd{C-M-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo}
20690 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
20694 @node Predicate Specifiers
20695 @section Predicate Specifiers
20696 @cindex predicate specifiers
20698 Some Gnus variables are @dfn{predicate specifiers}. This is a special
20699 form that allows flexible specification of predicates without having
20700 to type all that much.
20702 These specifiers are lists consisting of functions, symbols and lists.
20707 (or gnus-article-unseen-p
20708 gnus-article-unread-p)
20711 The available symbols are @code{or}, @code{and} and @code{not}. The
20712 functions all take one parameter.
20714 @findex gnus-make-predicate
20715 Internally, Gnus calls @code{gnus-make-predicate} on these specifiers
20716 to create a function that can be called. This input parameter to this
20717 function will be passed along to all the functions in the predicate
20722 @section Moderation
20725 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
20726 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
20727 @samp{larsi@@gnus.org} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
20730 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
20734 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
20737 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
20739 If you are the moderator of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
20744 You split your incoming mail by matching on
20745 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
20746 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
20749 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
20750 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
20753 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
20754 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
20758 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
20761 (setq gnus-moderated-list
20762 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
20766 @node Image Enhancements
20767 @section Image Enhancements
20769 XEmacs, as well as Emacs 21, is able to display pictures and stuff, so
20770 Gnus has taken advantage of that.
20773 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what you're reading.
20774 * Smileys:: Show all those happy faces the way they were meant to be shown.
20775 * X-Face:: Display a funky, teensy black-and-white image.
20776 * XVarious:: Other XEmacsy Gnusey variables.
20789 So@dots{} You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
20790 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
20791 over your shoulder as you read news.
20793 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
20802 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
20803 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
20804 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
20805 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
20806 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
20807 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
20808 @code{GIF} formats.
20811 @vindex gnus-picon-databases
20812 For instructions on obtaining and installing the picons databases,
20813 point your Web browser at
20814 @uref{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}.
20816 If you are using Debian GNU/Linux, saying @samp{apt-get install
20817 picons.*} will install the picons where Gnus can find them.
20819 To enable displaying picons, simply make sure that
20820 @code{gnus-picon-databases} points to the directory containing the
20823 The following variables offer control over where things are located.
20827 @item gnus-picon-databases
20828 @vindex gnus-picon-databases
20829 The location of the picons database. This is a list of directories
20830 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
20831 subdirectories. Defaults to @code{("/usr/lib/picon"
20832 "/usr/local/faces")}.
20834 @item gnus-picon-news-directories
20835 @vindex gnus-picon-news-directories
20836 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picon-databases} for
20837 newsgroups faces. @code{("news")} is the default.
20839 @item gnus-picon-user-directories
20840 @vindex gnus-picon-user-directories
20841 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picon-databases} for user
20842 faces. @code{("users" "usenix" "local" "misc")} is the default.
20844 @item gnus-picon-domain-directories
20845 @vindex gnus-picon-domain-directories
20846 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picon-databases} for
20847 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
20848 want to add @samp{"unknown"} to this list.
20850 @item gnus-picon-file-types
20851 @vindex gnus-picon-file-types
20852 Ordered list of suffixes on picon file names to try. Defaults to
20853 @code{("xpm" "gif" "xbm")} minus those not builtin your Emacs.
20858 @subsection Smileys
20863 \gnusfig{-3cm}{0.5cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/BigFace,height=20cm}}
20868 @dfn{Smiley} is a package separate from Gnus, but since Gnus is
20869 currently the only package that uses Smiley, it is documented here.
20871 In short---to use Smiley in Gnus, put the following in your
20872 @file{.gnus.el} file:
20875 (setq gnus-treat-display-smileys t)
20878 Smiley maps text smiley faces---@samp{:-)}, @samp{8-)}, @samp{:-(} and
20879 the like---to pictures and displays those instead of the text smiley
20880 faces. The conversion is controlled by a list of regexps that matches
20881 text and maps that to file names.
20883 @vindex smiley-regexp-alist
20884 The alist used is specified by the @code{smiley-regexp-alist}
20885 variable. The first item in each element is the regexp to be matched;
20886 the second element is the regexp match group that is to be replaced by
20887 the picture; and the third element is the name of the file to be
20890 The following variables customize where Smiley will look for these
20895 @item smiley-data-directory
20896 @vindex smiley-data-directory
20897 Where Smiley will look for smiley faces files.
20899 @item gnus-smiley-file-types
20900 @vindex gnus-smiley-file-types
20901 List of suffixes on smiley file names to try.
20910 @code{X-Face} headers describe a 48x48 pixel black-and-white (1 bit
20911 depth) image that's supposed to represent the author of the message.
20912 It seems to be supported by an ever-growing number of mail and news
20916 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
20917 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
20918 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
20919 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
20927 Decoding an @code{X-Face} header either requires an Emacs that has
20928 @samp{compface} support (which most XEmacs versions has), or that you
20929 have @samp{compface} installed on your system. If either is true,
20930 Gnus will default to displaying @code{X-Face} headers.
20932 The variable that controls this is the
20933 @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable. If this variable is a
20934 string, this string will be executed in a sub-shell. If it is a
20935 function, this function will be called with the face as the argument.
20936 If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which is a regexp) matches
20937 the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
20939 The default action under Emacs 20 is to fork off the @code{display}
20940 program@footnote{@code{display} is from the ImageMagick package. For
20941 the @code{uncompface} and @code{icontopbm} programs look for a package
20942 like @code{compface} or @code{faces-xface} on a GNU/Linux system.} to
20945 Under XEmacs or Emacs 21+ with suitable image support, the default
20946 action is to display the face before the @code{From} header. (It's
20947 nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with @code{X-Face} support---that
20948 will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native @code{X-Face}
20949 support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
20950 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and
20951 friends.@footnote{On a GNU/Linux system look for packages with names
20952 like @code{netpbm}, @code{libgr-progs} and @code{compface}.})
20954 (NOTE: @code{x-face} is used in the variable/function names, not
20957 Gnus provides a few convenience functions and variables to allow
20958 easier insertion of X-Face headers in outgoing messages.
20960 @findex gnus-random-x-face
20961 @vindex gnus-convert-pbm-to-x-face-command
20962 @vindex gnus-x-face-directory
20963 @code{gnus-random-x-face} goes through all the @samp{pbm} files in
20964 @code{gnus-x-face-directory} and picks one at random, and then
20965 converts it to the X-Face format by using the
20966 @code{gnus-convert-pbm-to-x-face-command} shell command. The
20967 @samp{pbm} files should be 48x48 pixels big. It returns the X-Face
20968 header data as a string.
20970 @findex gnus-insert-random-x-face-header
20971 @code{gnus-insert-random-x-face-header} calls
20972 @code{gnus-random-x-face} and inserts a @samp{X-Face} header with the
20973 randomly generated data.
20975 @findex gnus-x-face-from-file
20976 @vindex gnus-convert-image-to-x-face-command
20977 @code{gnus-x-face-from-file} takes a GIF file as the parameter, and then
20978 converts the file to X-Face format by using the
20979 @code{gnus-convert-image-to-x-face-command} shell command.
20981 Here's how you would typically use the first function. Put something
20982 like the following in your @file{.gnus.el} file:
20985 (setq message-required-news-headers
20986 (nconc message-required-news-headers
20987 (list '(X-Face . gnus-random-x-face))))
20990 Using the last function would be something like this:
20993 (setq message-required-news-headers
20994 (nconc message-required-news-headers
20995 (list '(X-Face . (lambda ()
20996 (gnus-x-face-from-file
20997 "~/My-face.gif"))))))
21002 @subsection Various XEmacs Variables
21005 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
21006 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
21007 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
21008 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
21009 unusual directory structure.
21011 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
21012 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
21013 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
21014 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
21016 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
21017 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
21018 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
21019 Valid values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
21020 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
21021 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
21023 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
21024 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
21025 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
21030 @subsubsection Toolbar
21034 @item gnus-use-toolbar
21035 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
21036 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
21037 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
21038 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
21040 @item gnus-group-toolbar
21041 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
21042 The toolbar in the group buffer.
21044 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
21045 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
21046 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
21048 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
21049 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
21050 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
21061 @node Fuzzy Matching
21062 @section Fuzzy Matching
21063 @cindex fuzzy matching
21065 Gnus provides @dfn{fuzzy matching} of @code{Subject} lines when doing
21066 things like scoring, thread gathering and thread comparison.
21068 As opposed to regular expression matching, fuzzy matching is very fuzzy.
21069 It's so fuzzy that there's not even a definition of what @dfn{fuzziness}
21070 means, and the implementation has changed over time.
21072 Basically, it tries to remove all noise from lines before comparing.
21073 @samp{Re: }, parenthetical remarks, white space, and so on, are filtered
21074 out of the strings before comparing the results. This often leads to
21075 adequate results---even when faced with strings generated by text
21076 manglers masquerading as newsreaders.
21079 @node Thwarting Email Spam
21080 @section Thwarting Email Spam
21084 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
21086 In these last days of the Usenet, commercial vultures are hanging about
21087 and grepping through news like crazy to find email addresses they can
21088 foist off their scams and products to. As a reaction to this, many
21089 people have started putting nonsense addresses into their @code{From}
21090 lines. I think this is counterproductive---it makes it difficult for
21091 people to send you legitimate mail in response to things you write, as
21092 well as making it difficult to see who wrote what. This rewriting may
21093 perhaps be a bigger menace than the unsolicited commercial email itself
21096 The biggest problem I have with email spam is that it comes in under
21097 false pretenses. I press @kbd{g} and Gnus merrily informs me that I
21098 have 10 new emails. I say ``Golly gee! Happy is me!'' and select the
21099 mail group, only to find two pyramid schemes, seven advertisements
21100 (``New! Miracle tonic for growing full, lustrous hair on your toes!'')
21101 and one mail asking me to repent and find some god.
21103 This is annoying. Here's what you can do about it.
21106 * The problem of spam:: Some background, and some solutions
21107 * Anti-Spam Basics:: Simple steps to reduce the amount of spam.
21108 * SpamAssassin:: How to use external anti-spam tools.
21109 * Hashcash:: Reduce spam by burning CPU time.
21110 * Filtering Spam Using The Spam ELisp Package::
21111 * Filtering Spam Using Statistics with spam-stat::
21114 @node The problem of spam
21115 @subsection The problem of spam
21117 @cindex spam filtering approaches
21118 @cindex filtering approaches, spam
21120 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
21122 First, some background on spam.
21124 If you have access to e-mail, you are familiar with spam (technically
21125 termed @acronym{UCE}, Unsolicited Commercial E-mail). Simply put, it exists
21126 because e-mail delivery is very cheap compared to paper mail, so only
21127 a very small percentage of people need to respond to an UCE to make it
21128 worthwhile to the advertiser. Ironically, one of the most common
21129 spams is the one offering a database of e-mail addresses for further
21130 spamming. Senders of spam are usually called @emph{spammers}, but terms like
21131 @emph{vermin}, @emph{scum}, and @emph{morons} are in common use as well.
21133 Spam comes from a wide variety of sources. It is simply impossible to
21134 dispose of all spam without discarding useful messages. A good
21135 example is the TMDA system, which requires senders
21136 unknown to you to confirm themselves as legitimate senders before
21137 their e-mail can reach you. Without getting into the technical side
21138 of TMDA, a downside is clearly that e-mail from legitimate sources may
21139 be discarded if those sources can't or won't confirm themselves
21140 through the TMDA system. Another problem with TMDA is that it
21141 requires its users to have a basic understanding of e-mail delivery
21144 The simplest approach to filtering spam is filtering. If you get 200
21145 spam messages per day from @samp{random-address@@vmadmin.com}, you
21146 block @samp{vmadmin.com}. If you get 200 messages about
21147 @samp{VIAGRA}, you discard all messages with @samp{VIAGRA} in the
21148 message. This, unfortunately, is a great way to discard legitimate
21149 e-mail. For instance, the very informative and useful RISKS digest
21150 has been blocked by overzealous mail filters because it
21151 @strong{contained} words that were common in spam messages.
21152 Nevertheless, in isolated cases, with great care, direct filtering of
21153 mail can be useful.
21155 Another approach to filtering e-mail is the distributed spam
21156 processing, for instance DCC implements such a system. In essence,
21157 @code{N} systems around the world agree that a machine @samp{X} in
21158 China, Ghana, or California is sending out spam e-mail, and these
21159 @code{N} systems enter @samp{X} or the spam e-mail from @samp{X} into
21160 a database. The criteria for spam detection vary - it may be the
21161 number of messages sent, the content of the messages, and so on. When
21162 a user of the distributed processing system wants to find out if a
21163 message is spam, he consults one of those @code{N} systems.
21165 Distributed spam processing works very well against spammers that send
21166 a large number of messages at once, but it requires the user to set up
21167 fairly complicated checks. There are commercial and free distributed
21168 spam processing systems. Distributed spam processing has its risks as
21169 well. For instance legitimate e-mail senders have been accused of
21170 sending spam, and their web sites have been shut down for some time
21171 because of the incident.
21173 The statistical approach to spam filtering is also popular. It is
21174 based on a statistical analysis of previous spam messages. Usually
21175 the analysis is a simple word frequency count, with perhaps pairs of
21176 words or 3-word combinations thrown into the mix. Statistical
21177 analysis of spam works very well in most of the cases, but it can
21178 classify legitimate e-mail as spam in some cases. It takes time to
21179 run the analysis, the full message must be analyzed, and the user has
21180 to store the database of spam analyses.
21182 @node Anti-Spam Basics
21183 @subsection Anti-Spam Basics
21187 @cindex unsolicited commercial email
21189 One way of dealing with spam is having Gnus split out all spam into a
21190 @samp{spam} mail group (@pxref{Splitting Mail}).
21192 First, pick one (1) valid mail address that you can be reached at, and
21193 put it in your @code{From} header of all your news articles. (I've
21194 chosen @samp{larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no}, but for many addresses on the form
21195 @samp{larsi+usenet@@ifi.uio.no} will be a better choice. Ask your
21196 sysadmin whether your sendmail installation accepts keywords in the local
21197 part of the mail address.)
21200 (setq message-default-news-headers
21201 "From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no>\n")
21204 Then put the following split rule in @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
21205 (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
21210 (to "larsi@@trym.ifi.uio.no"
21211 (| ("subject" "re:.*" "misc")
21212 ("references" ".*@@.*" "misc")
21218 This says that all mail to this address is suspect, but if it has a
21219 @code{Subject} that starts with a @samp{Re:} or has a @code{References}
21220 header, it's probably ok. All the rest goes to the @samp{spam} group.
21221 (This idea probably comes from Tim Pierce.)
21223 In addition, many mail spammers talk directly to your @sc{smtp} server
21224 and do not include your email address explicitly in the @code{To}
21225 header. Why they do this is unknown---perhaps it's to thwart this
21226 thwarting scheme? In any case, this is trivial to deal with---you just
21227 put anything not addressed to you in the @samp{spam} group by ending
21228 your fancy split rule in this way:
21233 (to "larsi" "misc")
21237 In my experience, this will sort virtually everything into the right
21238 group. You still have to check the @samp{spam} group from time to time to
21239 check for legitimate mail, though. If you feel like being a good net
21240 citizen, you can even send off complaints to the proper authorities on
21241 each unsolicited commercial email---at your leisure.
21243 If you are also a lazy net citizen, you will probably prefer complaining
21244 automatically with the @file{gnus-junk.el} package, available FOR FREE
21245 at @* @uref{http://stud2.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426626/gnus-junk.html}.
21246 Since most e-mail spam is sent automatically, this may reconcile the
21247 cosmic balance somewhat.
21249 This works for me. It allows people an easy way to contact me (they can
21250 just press @kbd{r} in the usual way), and I'm not bothered at all with
21251 spam. It's a win-win situation. Forging @code{From} headers to point
21252 to non-existent domains is yucky, in my opinion.
21257 @subsection SpamAssassin, Vipul's Razor, DCC, etc
21258 @cindex SpamAssassin
21259 @cindex Vipul's Razor
21262 The days where the hints in the previous section was sufficient in
21263 avoiding spam is coming to an end. There are many tools out there
21264 that claim to reduce the amount of spam you get. This section could
21265 easily become outdated fast, as new products replace old, but
21266 fortunately most of these tools seem to have similar interfaces. Even
21267 though this section will use SpamAssassin as an example, it should be
21268 easy to adapt it to most other tools.
21270 If the tool you are using is not installed on the mail server, you
21271 need to invoke it yourself. Ideas on how to use the
21272 @code{:postscript} mail source parameter (@pxref{Mail Source
21273 Specifiers}) follows.
21277 '((file :prescript "formail -bs spamassassin < /var/mail/%u")
21280 :postscript "mv %t /tmp/foo; formail -bs spamc < /tmp/foo > %t")))
21283 Once you managed to process your incoming spool somehow, thus making
21284 the mail contain e.g. a header indicating it is spam, you are ready to
21285 filter it out. Using normal split methods (@pxref{Splitting Mail}):
21288 (setq nnmail-split-methods '(("spam" "^X-Spam-Flag: YES")
21292 Or using fancy split methods (@pxref{Fancy Mail Splitting}):
21295 (setq nnmail-split-methods 'nnmail-split-fancy
21296 nnmail-split-fancy '(| ("X-Spam-Flag" "YES" "spam")
21300 Some people might not like the idea of piping the mail through various
21301 programs using a @code{:prescript} (if some program is buggy, you
21302 might lose all mail). If you are one of them, another solution is to
21303 call the external tools during splitting. Example fancy split method:
21306 (setq nnmail-split-fancy '(| (: kevin-spamassassin)
21308 (defun kevin-spamassassin ()
21310 (let ((buf (or (get-buffer " *nnmail incoming*")
21311 (get-buffer " *nnml move*"))))
21313 (progn (message "Oops, cannot find message buffer") nil)
21315 (if (eq 1 (call-process-region (point-min) (point-max)
21316 "spamc" nil nil nil "-c"))
21320 That is about it. As some spam is likely to get through anyway, you
21321 might want to have a nifty function to call when you happen to read
21322 spam. And here is the nifty function:
21325 (defun my-gnus-raze-spam ()
21326 "Submit SPAM to Vipul's Razor, then mark it as expirable."
21328 (gnus-summary-show-raw-article)
21329 (gnus-summary-save-in-pipe "razor-report -f -d")
21330 (gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable 1))
21334 @subsection Hashcash
21337 A novel technique to fight spam is to require senders to do something
21338 costly for each message they send. This has the obvious drawback that
21339 you cannot rely on that everyone in the world uses this technique,
21340 since it is not part of the Internet standards, but it may be useful
21341 in smaller communities.
21343 While the tools in the previous section work well in practice, they
21344 work only because the tools are constantly maintained and updated as
21345 new form of spam appears. This means that a small percentage of spam
21346 will always get through. It also means that somewhere, someone needs
21347 to read lots of spam to update these tools. Hashcash avoids that, but
21348 instead requires that everyone you communicate with supports the
21349 scheme. You can view the two approaches as pragmatic vs dogmatic.
21350 The approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages, but as
21351 often in the real world, a combination of them is stronger than either
21352 one of them separately.
21355 The ``something costly'' is to burn CPU time, more specifically to
21356 compute a hash collision up to a certain number of bits. The
21357 resulting hashcash cookie is inserted in a @samp{X-Hashcash:}
21358 header. For more details, and for the external application
21359 @code{hashcash} you need to install to use this feature, see
21360 @uref{http://www.cypherspace.org/~adam/hashcash/}. Even more
21361 information can be found at @uref{http://www.camram.org/}.
21363 If you wish to call hashcash for each message you send, say something
21367 (require 'hashcash)
21368 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'mail-add-payment)
21371 The @code{hashcash.el} library can be found at
21372 @uref{http://users.actrix.gen.nz/mycroft/hashcash.el}, or in the Gnus
21373 development contrib directory.
21375 You will need to set up some additional variables as well:
21379 @item hashcash-default-payment
21380 @vindex hashcash-default-payment
21381 This variable indicates the default number of bits the hash collision
21382 should consist of. By default this is 0, meaning nothing will be
21383 done. Suggested useful values include 17 to 29.
21385 @item hashcash-payment-alist
21386 @vindex hashcash-payment-alist
21387 Some receivers may require you to spend burn more CPU time than the
21388 default. This variable contains a list of @samp{(ADDR AMOUNT)} cells,
21389 where ADDR is the receiver (email address or newsgroup) and AMOUNT is
21390 the number of bits in the collision that is needed. It can also
21391 contain @samp{(ADDR STRING AMOUNT)} cells, where the STRING is the
21392 string to use (normally the email address or newsgroup name is used).
21396 Where the @code{hashcash} binary is installed.
21400 Currently there is no built in functionality in Gnus to verify
21401 hashcash cookies, it is expected that this is performed by your hand
21402 customized mail filtering scripts. Improvements in this area would be
21403 a useful contribution, however.
21405 @node Filtering Spam Using The Spam ELisp Package
21406 @subsection Filtering Spam Using The Spam ELisp Package
21407 @cindex spam filtering
21410 The idea behind @code{spam.el} is to have a control center for spam detection
21411 and filtering in Gnus. To that end, @code{spam.el} does two things: it
21412 filters incoming mail, and it analyzes mail known to be spam or ham.
21413 @emph{Ham} is the name used throughout @code{spam.el} to indicate
21416 So, what happens when you load @code{spam.el}? First of all, you get
21417 the following keyboard commands:
21427 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-spam
21428 @code{gnus-summary-mark-as-spam}.
21430 Mark current article as spam, showing it with the @samp{$} mark.
21431 Whenever you see a spam article, make sure to mark its summary line
21432 with @kbd{M-d} before leaving the group. This is done automatically
21433 for unread articles in @emph{spam} groups.
21439 @findex spam-bogofilter-score
21440 @code{spam-bogofilter-score}.
21442 You must have Bogofilter installed for that command to work properly.
21448 Also, when you load @code{spam.el}, you will be able to customize its
21449 variables. Try @code{customize-group} on the @samp{spam} variable
21452 The concepts of ham processors and spam processors are very important.
21453 Ham processors and spam processors for a group can be set with the
21454 @code{spam-process} group parameter, or the
21455 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. Ham processors take
21456 mail known to be non-spam (@emph{ham}) and process it in some way so
21457 that later similar mail will also be considered non-spam. Spam
21458 processors take mail known to be spam and process it so similar spam
21459 will be detected later.
21461 Gnus learns from the spam you get. You have to collect your spam in
21462 one or more spam groups, and set or customize the variable
21463 @code{spam-junk-mailgroups} as appropriate. You can also declare
21464 groups to contain spam by setting their group parameter
21465 @code{spam-contents} to @code{gnus-group-spam-classification-spam}, or
21466 by customizing the corresponding variable
21467 @code{gnus-spam-newsgroup-contents}. The @code{spam-contents} group
21468 parameter and the @code{gnus-spam-newsgroup-contents} variable can
21469 also be used to declare groups as @emph{ham} groups if you set their
21470 classification to @code{gnus-group-spam-classification-ham}. If
21471 groups are not classified by means of @code{spam-junk-mailgroups},
21472 @code{spam-contents}, or @code{gnus-spam-newsgroup-contents}, they are
21473 considered @emph{unclassified}. All groups are unclassified by
21476 In spam groups, all messages are considered to be spam by default:
21477 they get the @samp{$} mark when you enter the group. You must review
21478 these messages from time to time and remove the @samp{$} mark for
21479 every message that is not spam after all. To remove the @samp{$}
21480 mark, you can use @kbd{M-u} to ``unread'' the article, or @kbd{d} for
21481 declaring it read the non-spam way. When you leave a group, all
21482 spam-marked (@samp{$}) articles are sent to a spam processor which
21483 will study them as spam samples.
21485 Messages may also be deleted in various other ways, and unless
21486 @code{spam-ham-marks} gets overridden below, marks @samp{R} and
21487 @samp{r} for default read or explicit delete, marks @samp{X} and
21488 @samp{K} for automatic or explicit kills, as well as mark @samp{Y} for
21489 low scores, are all considered to be associated with articles which
21490 are not spam. This assumption might be false, in particular if you
21491 use kill files or score files as means for detecting genuine spam, you
21492 should then adjust the @code{spam-ham-marks} variable.
21494 @defvar spam-ham-marks
21495 You can customize this variable to be the list of marks you want to
21496 consider ham. By default, the list contains the deleted, read,
21497 killed, kill-filed, and low-score marks.
21500 @defvar spam-spam-marks
21501 You can customize this variable to be the list of marks you want to
21502 consider spam. By default, the list contains only the spam mark.
21505 When you leave @emph{any} group, regardless of its
21506 @code{spam-contents} classification, all spam-marked articles are sent
21507 to a spam processor, which will study these as spam samples. If you
21508 explicit kill a lot, you might sometimes end up with articles marked
21509 @samp{K} which you never saw, and which might accidentally contain
21510 spam. Best is to make sure that real spam is marked with @samp{$},
21513 When you leave a @emph{spam} group, all spam-marked articles are
21514 marked as expired after processing with the spam processor. This is
21515 not done for @emph{unclassified} or @emph{ham} groups. Also, any
21516 @strong{ham} articles in a spam group will be moved to a location
21517 determined by either the @code{ham-process-destination} group
21518 parameter or a match in the @code{gnus-ham-process-destinations}
21519 variable, which is a list of regular expressions matched with group
21520 names (it's easiest to customize this variable with
21521 @code{customize-variable gnus-ham-process-destinations}). The ultimate
21522 location is a group name. If the @code{ham-process-destination}
21523 parameter is not set, spam articles are only expired.
21525 When you leave a @emph{ham} group, all ham-marked articles are sent to
21526 a ham processor, which will study these as non-spam samples.
21528 When you leave a @emph{ham} or @emph{unclassified} group, all
21529 @strong{spam} articles are moved to a location determined by either
21530 the @code{spam-process-destination} group parameter or a match in the
21531 @code{gnus-spam-process-destinations} variable, which is a list of
21532 regular expressions matched with group names (it's easiest to
21533 customize this variable with @code{customize-variable
21534 gnus-spam-process-destinations}). The ultimate location is a group
21535 name. If the @code{spam-process-destination} parameter is not set,
21536 the spam articles are only expired.
21538 To use the @code{spam.el} facilities for incoming mail filtering, you
21539 must add the following to your fancy split list
21540 @code{nnmail-split-fancy} or @code{nnimap-split-fancy}:
21546 Note that the fancy split may be called @code{nnmail-split-fancy} or
21547 @code{nnimap-split-fancy}, depending on whether you use the nnmail or
21548 nnimap back ends to retrieve your mail.
21550 The @code{spam-split} function will process incoming mail and send the
21551 mail considered to be spam into the group name given by the variable
21552 @code{spam-split-group}. By default that group name is @samp{spam},
21553 but you can customize it.
21555 @emph{Note for IMAP users}
21557 The boolean variable @code{nnimap-split-download-body} needs to be
21558 set, if you want to split based on the whole message instead of just
21559 the headers. By default, the nnimap backend will only retrieve the
21560 message headers. If you use spam-check-bogofilter, spam-check-ifile,
21561 or spam-check-stat (the splitters that can benefit from the full
21562 message body), you should set this variable. It is not set by default
21563 because it will slow IMAP down.
21565 @xref{Splitting in IMAP}.
21567 @emph{TODO: Currently, spam.el only supports insertion of articles
21568 into a backend. There is no way to tell spam.el that an article is no
21569 longer spam or ham.}
21571 @emph{TODO: spam.el needs to provide a uniform way of training all the
21572 statistical databases. Some have that functionality built-in, others
21575 The following are the methods you can use to control the behavior of
21576 @code{spam-split} and their corresponding spam and ham processors:
21579 * Blacklists and Whitelists::
21580 * BBDB Whitelists::
21582 * Regular Expressions Header Matching::
21584 * ifile spam filtering::
21585 * spam-stat spam filtering::
21586 * Extending the spam elisp package::
21589 @node Blacklists and Whitelists
21590 @subsubsection Blacklists and Whitelists
21591 @cindex spam filtering
21592 @cindex whitelists, spam filtering
21593 @cindex blacklists, spam filtering
21596 @defvar spam-use-blacklist
21598 Set this variable to @code{t} if you want to use blacklists when
21599 splitting incoming mail. Messages whose senders are in the blacklist
21600 will be sent to the @code{spam-split-group}. This is an explicit
21601 filter, meaning that it acts only on mail senders @emph{declared} to
21606 @defvar spam-use-whitelist
21608 Set this variable to @code{t} if you want to use whitelists when
21609 splitting incoming mail. Messages whose senders are not in the
21610 whitelist will be sent to the next spam-split rule. This is an
21611 explicit filter, meaning that unless someone is in the whitelist, their
21612 messages are not assumed to be spam or ham.
21616 @defvar spam-use-whitelist-exclusive
21618 Set this variable to @code{t} if you want to use whitelists as an
21619 implicit filter, meaning that every message will be considered spam
21620 unless the sender is in the whitelist. Use with care.
21624 @defvar gnus-group-spam-exit-processor-blacklist
21626 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21627 customizing the group parameters or the
21628 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21629 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the senders of
21630 spam-marked articles will be added to the blacklist.
21634 @defvar gnus-group-ham-exit-processor-whitelist
21636 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21637 customizing the group parameters or the
21638 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21639 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the senders of
21640 ham-marked articles in @emph{ham} groups will be added to the
21641 whitelist. Note that this ham processor has no effect in @emph{spam}
21642 or @emph{unclassified} groups.
21646 Blacklists are lists of regular expressions matching addresses you
21647 consider to be spam senders. For instance, to block mail from any
21648 sender at @samp{vmadmin.com}, you can put @samp{vmadmin.com} in your
21649 blacklist. You start out with an empty blacklist. Blacklist entries
21650 use the Emacs regular expression syntax.
21652 Conversely, whitelists tell Gnus what addresses are considered
21653 legitimate. All messages from whitelisted addresses are considered
21654 non-spam. Also see @ref{BBDB Whitelists}. Whitelist entries use the
21655 Emacs regular expression syntax.
21657 The blacklist and whitelist file locations can be customized with the
21658 @code{spam-directory} variable (@file{~/News/spam} by default), or
21659 the @code{spam-whitelist} and @code{spam-blacklist} variables
21660 directly. The whitelist and blacklist files will by default be in the
21661 @code{spam-directory} directory, named @file{whitelist} and
21662 @file{blacklist} respectively.
21664 @node BBDB Whitelists
21665 @subsubsection BBDB Whitelists
21666 @cindex spam filtering
21667 @cindex BBDB whitelists, spam filtering
21668 @cindex BBDB, spam filtering
21671 @defvar spam-use-BBDB
21673 Analogous to @code{spam-use-whitelist} (@pxref{Blacklists and
21674 Whitelists}), but uses the BBDB as the source of whitelisted
21675 addresses, without regular expressions. You must have the BBDB loaded
21676 for @code{spam-use-BBDB} to work properly. Messages whose senders are
21677 not in the BBDB will be sent to the next spam-split rule. This is an
21678 explicit filter, meaning that unless someone is in the BBDB, their
21679 messages are not assumed to be spam or ham.
21683 @defvar spam-use-BBDB-exclusive
21685 Set this variable to @code{t} if you want to use the BBDB as an
21686 implicit filter, meaning that every message will be considered spam
21687 unless the sender is in the BBDB. Use with care. Only sender
21688 addresses in the BBDB will be allowed through; all others will be
21689 classified as spammers.
21693 @defvar gnus-group-ham-exit-processor-BBDB
21695 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21696 customizing the group parameters or the
21697 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21698 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the senders of
21699 ham-marked articles in @emph{ham} groups will be added to the
21700 BBDB. Note that this ham processor has no effect in @emph{spam}
21701 or @emph{unclassified} groups.
21706 @subsubsection Blackholes
21707 @cindex spam filtering
21708 @cindex blackholes, spam filtering
21711 @defvar spam-use-blackholes
21713 This option is disabled by default. You can let Gnus consult the
21714 blackhole-type distributed spam processing systems (DCC, for instance)
21715 when you set this option. The variable @code{spam-blackhole-servers}
21716 holds the list of blackhole servers Gnus will consult. The current
21717 list is fairly comprehensive, but make sure to let us know if it
21718 contains outdated servers.
21720 The blackhole check uses the @code{dig.el} package, but you can tell
21721 @code{spam.el} to use @code{dns.el} instead for better performance if
21722 you set @code{spam-use-dig} to nil. It is not recommended at this
21723 time to set @code{spam-use-dig} to nil despite the possible
21724 performance improvements, because some users may be unable to use it,
21725 but you can try it and see if it works for you.
21729 @defvar spam-blackhole-servers
21731 The list of servers to consult for blackhole checks.
21735 @defvar spam-blackhole-good-server-regex
21737 A regular expression for IPs that should not be checked against the
21738 blackhole server list. When set to nil, it has no effect.
21742 @defvar spam-use-dig
21744 Use the @code{dig.el} package instead of the @code{dns.el} package.
21745 The default setting of @code{t} is recommended.
21749 Blackhole checks are done only on incoming mail. There is no spam or
21750 ham processor for blackholes.
21752 @node Regular Expressions Header Matching
21753 @subsubsection Regular Expressions Header Matching
21754 @cindex spam filtering
21755 @cindex regular expressions header matching, spam filtering
21758 @defvar spam-use-regex-headers
21760 This option is disabled by default. You can let Gnus check the
21761 message headers against lists of regular expressions when you set this
21762 option. The variables @code{spam-regex-headers-spam} and
21763 @code{spam-regex-headers-ham} hold the list of regular expressions.
21764 Gnus will check against the message headers to determine if the
21765 message is spam or ham, respectively.
21769 @defvar spam-regex-headers-spam
21771 The list of regular expressions that, when matched in the headers of
21772 the message, positively identify it as spam.
21776 @defvar spam-regex-headers-ham
21778 The list of regular expressions that, when matched in the headers of
21779 the message, positively identify it as ham.
21783 Regular expression header checks are done only on incoming mail.
21784 There is no specific spam or ham processor for regular expressions.
21787 @subsubsection Bogofilter
21788 @cindex spam filtering
21789 @cindex bogofilter, spam filtering
21792 @defvar spam-use-bogofilter
21794 Set this variable if you want @code{spam-split} to use Eric Raymond's
21797 With a minimum of care for associating the @samp{$} mark for spam
21798 articles only, Bogofilter training all gets fairly automatic. You
21799 should do this until you get a few hundreds of articles in each
21800 category, spam or not. The command @kbd{S t} in summary mode, either
21801 for debugging or for curiosity, shows the @emph{spamicity} score of
21802 the current article (between 0.0 and 1.0).
21804 Bogofilter determines if a message is spam based on an internal
21805 threshold, set at compilation time. That threshold can't be
21808 If the @code{bogofilter} executable is not in your path, Bogofilter
21809 processing will be turned off.
21811 You should not enable this if you use @code{spam-use-bogofilter-headers}.
21815 @defvar spam-use-bogofilter-headers
21817 Set this variable if you want @code{spam-split} to use Eric Raymond's
21818 speedy Bogofilter, looking only at the message headers. It works
21819 similarly to @code{spam-use-bogofilter}, but the @code{X-Bogosity} header
21820 must be in the message already. Normally you would do this with a
21821 procmail recipe or something similar; consult the Bogofilter
21822 installation documents for details.
21824 You should not enable this if you use @code{spam-use-bogofilter}.
21828 @defvar gnus-group-spam-exit-processor-bogofilter
21829 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21830 customizing the group parameters or the
21831 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21832 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, spam-marked articles
21833 will be added to the Bogofilter spam database.
21836 @defvar gnus-group-ham-exit-processor-bogofilter
21837 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21838 customizing the group parameters or the
21839 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21840 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the ham-marked
21841 articles in @emph{ham} groups will be added to the Bogofilter database
21842 of non-spam messages. Note that this ham processor has no effect in
21843 @emph{spam} or @emph{unclassified} groups.
21846 @defvar spam-bogofilter-database-directory
21848 This is the directory where Bogofilter will store its databases. It
21849 is not specified by default, so Bogofilter will use its own default
21850 database directory.
21854 The Bogofilter mail classifier is similar to ifile in intent and
21855 purpose. A ham and a spam processor are provided, plus the
21856 @code{spam-use-bogofilter} and @code{spam-use-bogofilter-headers}
21857 variables to indicate to spam-split that Bogofilter should either be
21858 used, or has already been used on the article. The 0.9.2.1 version of
21859 Bogofilter was used to test this functionality.
21861 @node ifile spam filtering
21862 @subsubsection ifile spam filtering
21863 @cindex spam filtering
21864 @cindex ifile, spam filtering
21867 @defvar spam-use-ifile
21869 Enable this variable if you want @code{spam-split} to use ifile, a
21870 statistical analyzer similar to Bogofilter.
21874 @defvar spam-ifile-all-categories
21876 Enable this variable if you want @code{spam-use-ifile} to give you all
21877 the ifile categories, not just spam/non-spam. If you use this, make
21878 sure you train ifile as described in its documentation.
21882 @defvar spam-ifile-spam-category
21884 This is the category of spam messages as far as ifile is concerned.
21885 The actual string used is irrelevant, but you probably want to leave
21886 the default value of @samp{spam}.
21889 @defvar spam-ifile-database-path
21891 This is the filename for the ifile database. It is not specified by
21892 default, so ifile will use its own default database name.
21896 The ifile mail classifier is similar to Bogofilter in intent and
21897 purpose. A ham and a spam processor are provided, plus the
21898 @code{spam-use-ifile} variable to indicate to spam-split that ifile
21899 should be used. The 1.2.1 version of ifile was used to test this
21902 @node spam-stat spam filtering
21903 @subsubsection spam-stat spam filtering
21904 @cindex spam filtering
21905 @cindex spam-stat, spam filtering
21909 @xref{Filtering Spam Using Statistics with spam-stat}.
21911 @defvar spam-use-stat
21913 Enable this variable if you want @code{spam-split} to use
21914 spam-stat.el, an Emacs Lisp statistical analyzer.
21918 @defvar gnus-group-spam-exit-processor-stat
21919 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21920 customizing the group parameters or the
21921 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21922 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the spam-marked
21923 articles will be added to the spam-stat database of spam messages.
21926 @defvar gnus-group-ham-exit-processor-stat
21927 Add this symbol to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter by
21928 customizing the group parameters or the
21929 @code{gnus-spam-process-newsgroups} variable. When this symbol is
21930 added to a group's @code{spam-process} parameter, the ham-marked
21931 articles in @emph{ham} groups will be added to the spam-stat database
21932 of non-spam messages. Note that this ham processor has no effect in
21933 @emph{spam} or @emph{unclassified} groups.
21936 This enables spam.el to cooperate with spam-stat.el. spam-stat.el
21937 provides an internal (Lisp-only) spam database, which unlike ifile or
21938 Bogofilter does not require external programs. A spam and a ham
21939 processor, and the @code{spam-use-stat} variable for @code{spam-split}
21942 @node Extending the spam elisp package
21943 @subsubsection Extending the spam elisp package
21944 @cindex spam filtering
21945 @cindex spam elisp package, extending
21946 @cindex extending the spam elisp package
21948 Say you want to add a new back end called blackbox. For filtering
21949 incoming mail, provide the following:
21957 (defvar spam-use-blackbox nil
21958 "True if blackbox should be used.")
21963 (spam-use-blackbox . spam-check-blackbox)
21965 to @code{spam-list-of-checks}.
21970 Write the @code{spam-check-blackbox} function. It should return
21971 @samp{nil} or @code{spam-split-group}. See the existing
21972 @code{spam-check-*} functions for examples of what you can do.
21974 Make sure to add @code{spam-use-blackbox} to
21975 @code{spam-list-of-statistical-checks} if Blackbox is a statistical
21976 mail analyzer that needs the full message body to operate.
21980 For processing spam and ham messages, provide the following:
21987 Note you don't have to provide a spam or a ham processor. Only
21988 provide them if Blackbox supports spam or ham processing.
21991 (defvar gnus-group-spam-exit-processor-blackbox "blackbox"
21992 "The Blackbox summary exit spam processor.
21993 Only applicable to spam groups.")
21995 (defvar gnus-group-ham-exit-processor-blackbox "blackbox"
21996 "The whitelist summary exit ham processor.
21997 Only applicable to non-spam (unclassified and ham) groups.")
22005 (defun spam-blackbox-register-spam-routine ()
22006 (spam-generic-register-routine
22007 ;; the spam function
22009 (let ((from (spam-fetch-field-from-fast article)))
22010 (when (stringp from)
22011 (blackbox-do-something-with-this-spammer from))))
22012 ;; the ham function
22015 (defun spam-blackbox-register-ham-routine ()
22016 (spam-generic-register-routine
22017 ;; the spam function
22019 ;; the ham function
22021 (let ((from (spam-fetch-field-from-fast article)))
22022 (when (stringp from)
22023 (blackbox-do-something-with-this-ham-sender from))))))
22026 Write the @code{blackbox-do-something-with-this-ham-sender} and
22027 @code{blackbox-do-something-with-this-spammer} functions. You can add
22028 more complex code than fetching the message sender, but keep in mind
22029 that retrieving the whole message takes significantly longer than the
22030 sender through @code{spam-fetch-field-from-fast}, because the message
22031 senders are kept in memory by Gnus.
22036 @node Filtering Spam Using Statistics with spam-stat
22037 @subsection Filtering Spam Using Statistics with spam-stat
22038 @cindex Paul Graham
22039 @cindex Graham, Paul
22040 @cindex naive Bayesian spam filtering
22041 @cindex Bayesian spam filtering, naive
22042 @cindex spam filtering, naive Bayesian
22044 Paul Graham has written an excellent essay about spam filtering using
22045 statistics: @uref{http://www.paulgraham.com/spam.html,A Plan for
22046 Spam}. In it he describes the inherent deficiency of rule-based
22047 filtering as used by SpamAssassin, for example: Somebody has to write
22048 the rules, and everybody else has to install these rules. You are
22049 always late. It would be much better, he argues, to filter mail based
22050 on whether it somehow resembles spam or non-spam. One way to measure
22051 this is word distribution. He then goes on to describe a solution
22052 that checks whether a new mail resembles any of your other spam mails
22055 The basic idea is this: Create a two collections of your mail, one
22056 with spam, one with non-spam. Count how often each word appears in
22057 either collection, weight this by the total number of mails in the
22058 collections, and store this information in a dictionary. For every
22059 word in a new mail, determine its probability to belong to a spam or a
22060 non-spam mail. Use the 15 most conspicuous words, compute the total
22061 probability of the mail being spam. If this probability is higher
22062 than a certain threshold, the mail is considered to be spam.
22064 Gnus supports this kind of filtering. But it needs some setting up.
22065 First, you need two collections of your mail, one with spam, one with
22066 non-spam. Then you need to create a dictionary using these two
22067 collections, and save it. And last but not least, you need to use
22068 this dictionary in your fancy mail splitting rules.
22071 * Creating a spam-stat dictionary::
22072 * Splitting mail using spam-stat::
22073 * Low-level interface to the spam-stat dictionary::
22076 @node Creating a spam-stat dictionary
22077 @subsubsection Creating a spam-stat dictionary
22079 Before you can begin to filter spam based on statistics, you must
22080 create these statistics based on two mail collections, one with spam,
22081 one with non-spam. These statistics are then stored in a dictionary
22082 for later use. In order for these statistics to be meaningful, you
22083 need several hundred emails in both collections.
22085 Gnus currently supports only the nnml back end for automated dictionary
22086 creation. The nnml back end stores all mails in a directory, one file
22087 per mail. Use the following:
22089 @defun spam-stat-process-spam-directory
22090 Create spam statistics for every file in this directory. Every file
22091 is treated as one spam mail.
22094 @defun spam-stat-process-non-spam-directory
22095 Create non-spam statistics for every file in this directory. Every
22096 file is treated as one non-spam mail.
22099 Usually you would call @code{spam-stat-process-spam-directory} on a
22100 directory such as @file{~/Mail/mail/spam} (this usually corresponds
22101 the the group @samp{nnml:mail.spam}), and you would call
22102 @code{spam-stat-process-non-spam-directory} on a directory such as
22103 @file{~/Mail/mail/misc} (this usually corresponds the the group
22104 @samp{nnml:mail.misc}).
22106 When you are using IMAP, you won't have the mails available locally,
22107 so that will not work. One solution is to use the Gnus Agent to cache
22108 the articles. Then you can use directories such as
22109 @file{"~/News/agent/nnimap/mail.yourisp.com/personal_spam"} for
22110 @code{spam-stat-process-spam-directory}. @xref{Agent as Cache}.
22113 This variable holds the hash-table with all the statistics -- the
22114 dictionary we have been talking about. For every word in either
22115 collection, this hash-table stores a vector describing how often the
22116 word appeared in spam and often it appeared in non-spam mails.
22119 If you want to regenerate the statistics from scratch, you need to
22120 reset the dictionary.
22122 @defun spam-stat-reset
22123 Reset the @code{spam-stat} hash-table, deleting all the statistics.
22126 When you are done, you must save the dictionary. The dictionary may
22127 be rather large. If you will not update the dictionary incrementally
22128 (instead, you will recreate it once a month, for example), then you
22129 can reduce the size of the dictionary by deleting all words that did
22130 not appear often enough or that do not clearly belong to only spam or
22131 only non-spam mails.
22133 @defun spam-stat-reduce-size
22134 Reduce the size of the dictionary. Use this only if you do not want
22135 to update the dictionary incrementally.
22138 @defun spam-stat-save
22139 Save the dictionary.
22142 @defvar spam-stat-file
22143 The filename used to store the dictionary. This defaults to
22144 @file{~/.spam-stat.el}.
22147 @node Splitting mail using spam-stat
22148 @subsubsection Splitting mail using spam-stat
22150 In order to use @code{spam-stat} to split your mail, you need to add the
22151 following to your @file{~/.gnus} file:
22154 (require 'spam-stat)
22158 This will load the necessary Gnus code, and the dictionary you
22161 Next, you need to adapt your fancy splitting rules: You need to
22162 determine how to use @code{spam-stat}. The following examples are for
22163 the nnml back end. Using the nnimap back end works just as well. Just
22164 use @code{nnimap-split-fancy} instead of @code{nnmail-split-fancy}.
22166 In the simplest case, you only have two groups, @samp{mail.misc} and
22167 @samp{mail.spam}. The following expression says that mail is either
22168 spam or it should go into @samp{mail.misc}. If it is spam, then
22169 @code{spam-stat-split-fancy} will return @samp{mail.spam}.
22172 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
22173 `(| (: spam-stat-split-fancy)
22177 @defvar spam-stat-split-fancy-spam-group
22178 The group to use for spam. Default is @samp{mail.spam}.
22181 If you also filter mail with specific subjects into other groups, use
22182 the following expression. Only mails not matching the regular
22183 expression are considered potential spam.
22186 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
22187 `(| ("Subject" "\\bspam-stat\\b" "mail.emacs")
22188 (: spam-stat-split-fancy)
22192 If you want to filter for spam first, then you must be careful when
22193 creating the dictionary. Note that @code{spam-stat-split-fancy} must
22194 consider both mails in @samp{mail.emacs} and in @samp{mail.misc} as
22195 non-spam, therefore both should be in your collection of non-spam
22196 mails, when creating the dictionary!
22199 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
22200 `(| (: spam-stat-split-fancy)
22201 ("Subject" "\\bspam-stat\\b" "mail.emacs")
22205 You can combine this with traditional filtering. Here, we move all
22206 HTML-only mails into the @samp{mail.spam.filtered} group. Note that since
22207 @code{spam-stat-split-fancy} will never see them, the mails in
22208 @samp{mail.spam.filtered} should be neither in your collection of spam mails,
22209 nor in your collection of non-spam mails, when creating the
22213 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
22214 `(| ("Content-Type" "text/html" "mail.spam.filtered")
22215 (: spam-stat-split-fancy)
22216 ("Subject" "\\bspam-stat\\b" "mail.emacs")
22221 @node Low-level interface to the spam-stat dictionary
22222 @subsubsection Low-level interface to the spam-stat dictionary
22224 The main interface to using @code{spam-stat}, are the following functions:
22226 @defun spam-stat-buffer-is-spam
22227 Called in a buffer, that buffer is considered to be a new spam mail.
22228 Use this for new mail that has not been processed before.
22231 @defun spam-stat-buffer-is-no-spam
22232 Called in a buffer, that buffer is considered to be a new non-spam
22233 mail. Use this for new mail that has not been processed before.
22236 @defun spam-stat-buffer-change-to-spam
22237 Called in a buffer, that buffer is no longer considered to be normal
22238 mail but spam. Use this to change the status of a mail that has
22239 already been processed as non-spam.
22242 @defun spam-stat-buffer-change-to-non-spam
22243 Called in a buffer, that buffer is no longer considered to be spam but
22244 normal mail. Use this to change the status of a mail that has already
22245 been processed as spam.
22248 @defun spam-stat-save
22249 Save the hash table to the file. The filename used is stored in the
22250 variable @code{spam-stat-file}.
22253 @defun spam-stat-load
22254 Load the hash table from a file. The filename used is stored in the
22255 variable @code{spam-stat-file}.
22258 @defun spam-stat-score-word
22259 Return the spam score for a word.
22262 @defun spam-stat-score-buffer
22263 Return the spam score for a buffer.
22266 @defun spam-stat-split-fancy
22267 Use this function for fancy mail splitting. Add the rule @samp{(:
22268 spam-stat-split-fancy)} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}
22271 Make sure you load the dictionary before using it. This requires the
22272 following in your @file{~/.gnus} file:
22275 (require 'spam-stat)
22279 Typical test will involve calls to the following functions:
22282 Reset: (setq spam-stat (make-hash-table :test 'equal))
22283 Learn spam: (spam-stat-process-spam-directory "~/Mail/mail/spam")
22284 Learn non-spam: (spam-stat-process-non-spam-directory "~/Mail/mail/misc")
22285 Save table: (spam-stat-save)
22286 File size: (nth 7 (file-attributes spam-stat-file))
22287 Number of words: (hash-table-count spam-stat)
22288 Test spam: (spam-stat-test-directory "~/Mail/mail/spam")
22289 Test non-spam: (spam-stat-test-directory "~/Mail/mail/misc")
22290 Reduce table size: (spam-stat-reduce-size)
22291 Save table: (spam-stat-save)
22292 File size: (nth 7 (file-attributes spam-stat-file))
22293 Number of words: (hash-table-count spam-stat)
22294 Test spam: (spam-stat-test-directory "~/Mail/mail/spam")
22295 Test non-spam: (spam-stat-test-directory "~/Mail/mail/misc")
22298 Here is how you would create your dictionary:
22301 Reset: (setq spam-stat (make-hash-table :test 'equal))
22302 Learn spam: (spam-stat-process-spam-directory "~/Mail/mail/spam")
22303 Learn non-spam: (spam-stat-process-non-spam-directory "~/Mail/mail/misc")
22304 Repeat for any other non-spam group you need...
22305 Reduce table size: (spam-stat-reduce-size)
22306 Save table: (spam-stat-save)
22309 @node Various Various
22310 @section Various Various
22316 @item gnus-home-directory
22317 @vindex gnus-home-directory
22318 All Gnus file and directory variables will be initialized from this
22319 variable, which defaults to @file{~/}.
22321 @item gnus-directory
22322 @vindex gnus-directory
22323 Most Gnus storage file and directory variables will be initialized from
22324 this variable, which defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment
22325 variable, or @file{~/News/} if that variable isn't set.
22327 Note that Gnus is mostly loaded when the @file{.gnus.el} file is read.
22328 This means that other directory variables that are initialized from this
22329 variable won't be set properly if you set this variable in
22330 @file{.gnus.el}. Set this variable in @file{.emacs} instead.
22332 @item gnus-default-directory
22333 @vindex gnus-default-directory
22334 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
22335 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
22336 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
22337 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
22338 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
22339 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
22342 @vindex gnus-verbose
22343 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
22344 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
22345 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
22346 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
22347 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
22349 @item gnus-verbose-backends
22350 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
22351 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
22352 to the Gnus back ends instead of Gnus proper.
22354 @item nnheader-max-head-length
22355 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
22356 When the back ends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
22357 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
22358 the absolute max length the back ends will try to read before giving up
22359 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
22360 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
22361 @code{t}, the back ends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
22362 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
22363 @code{ange-ftp} or @code{efs}.
22365 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
22366 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
22367 This variable (default 2048) says how big a piece of each article to
22368 read when doing the operation described above.
22370 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
22371 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
22373 @cindex invalid characters in file names
22374 @cindex characters in file names
22375 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
22376 For instance, if @samp{:} is invalid as a file character in file names
22377 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
22380 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
22384 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
22385 Windows (phooey) systems.
22387 @item gnus-hidden-properties
22388 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
22389 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
22390 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
22391 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
22393 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
22394 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
22395 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
22396 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
22397 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
22399 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
22400 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
22401 String used to separate two shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
22403 @item gnus-invalid-group-regexp
22404 @vindex gnus-invalid-group-regexp
22406 Regexp to match ``invalid'' group names when querying user for a group
22407 name. The default value catches some @strong{really} invalid group
22408 names who could possibly mess up Gnus internally (like allowing
22409 @samp{:} in a group name, which is normally used to delimit method and
22412 @sc{imap} users might want to allow @samp{/} in group names though.
22420 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
22421 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
22423 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
22425 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
22431 Not because of victories @*
22434 but for the common sunshine,@*
22436 the largess of the spring.
22440 but for the day's work done@*
22441 as well as I was able;@*
22442 not for a seat upon the dais@*
22443 but at the common table.@*
22448 @chapter Appendices
22451 * XEmacs:: Requirements for installing under XEmacs.
22452 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
22453 * On Writing Manuals:: Why this is not a beginner's guide.
22454 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
22455 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
22456 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
22457 * Gnus Reference Guide:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
22458 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
22459 * Frequently Asked Questions::
22466 @cindex Installing under XEmacs
22468 XEmacs is distributed as a collection of packages. You should install
22469 whatever packages the Gnus XEmacs package requires. The current
22470 requirements are @samp{gnus}, @samp{w3}, @samp{mh-e},
22471 @samp{mailcrypt}, @samp{rmail}, @samp{eterm}, @samp{mail-lib},
22472 @samp{xemacs-base}, @samp{sh-script} and @samp{fsf-compat}. The
22473 @samp{misc-games} package is required for Morse decoding.
22480 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
22481 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
22483 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage,
22484 you can point your (feh!) web browser to
22485 @uref{http://quimby.gnus.org/}. This is also the primary
22486 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is
22487 known as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
22489 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
22490 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
22491 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
22492 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
22493 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
22494 appropriate name, don't you think?)
22496 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
22497 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
22498 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
22499 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
22502 * Gnus Versions:: What Gnus versions have been released.
22503 * Other Gnus Versions:: Other Gnus versions that also have been released.
22504 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
22505 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
22506 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
22507 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
22508 * Gnus Development:: How Gnus is developed.
22509 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
22510 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
22514 @node Gnus Versions
22515 @subsection Gnus Versions
22517 @cindex September Gnus
22519 @cindex Quassia Gnus
22520 @cindex Pterodactyl Gnus
22524 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
22525 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution (132 (ding) Gnus releases
22526 plus 15 Gnus 5.0 releases).
22528 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'' (after 99
22529 releases)) was released under the name ``Gnus 5.2'' (40 releases).
22531 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun, and it was released on
22532 January 25th 1997 (after 84 releases) as ``Gnus 5.4'' (67 releases).
22534 On September 13th 1997, Quassia Gnus was started and lasted 37 releases.
22535 If was released as ``Gnus 5.6'' on March 8th 1998 (46 releases).
22537 Gnus 5.6 begat Pterodactyl Gnus on August 29th 1998 and was released as
22538 ``Gnus 5.8'' (after 99 releases and a CVS repository) on December 3rd
22541 On the 26th of October 2000, Oort Gnus was begun.
22543 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a prefixed name --
22544 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Quassia Gnus'',
22545 ``Pterodactyl Gnus'', ``Oort Gnus'' -- don't panic. Don't let it know
22546 that you're frightened. Back away. Slowly. Whatever you do, don't
22547 run. Walk away, calmly, until you're out of its reach. Find a proper
22548 released version of Gnus and snuggle up to that instead.
22551 @node Other Gnus Versions
22552 @subsection Other Gnus Versions
22555 In addition to the versions of Gnus which have had their releases
22556 coordinated by Lars, one major development has been Semi-gnus from
22557 Japan. It's based on a library called @sc{semi}, which provides
22558 @sc{mime} capabilities.
22560 These Gnusae are based mainly on Gnus 5.6 and Pterodactyl Gnus.
22561 Collectively, they are called ``Semi-gnus'', and different strains are
22562 called T-gnus, ET-gnus, Nana-gnus and Chaos. These provide powerful
22563 @sc{mime} and multilingualization things, especially important for
22570 What's the point of Gnus?
22572 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
22573 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
22574 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
22575 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
22576 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
22577 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
22578 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
22579 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
22580 keep track of millions of people who post?
22582 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
22583 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
22584 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
22585 to separate the newsreader from the back ends, Gnus now offers a simple
22586 interface for anybody who wants to write new back ends for fetching mail
22587 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
22588 everywhere I could imagine it being useful. By doing so, I'm inviting
22589 every one of you to explore and invent.
22591 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-emacs} and
22592 @kbd{C-u 100 M-x all-hail-xemacs}.
22595 @node Compatibility
22596 @subsection Compatibility
22598 @cindex compatibility
22599 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
22600 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
22601 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
22606 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
22610 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
22613 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @xref{Decoding
22616 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
22617 buffers. All variables relevant while reading a group are
22618 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
22619 important variables have their values copied into their global
22620 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
22621 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
22623 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
22624 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
22625 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
22626 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
22627 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
22631 @cindex highlighting
22632 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
22633 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
22634 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
22635 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
22636 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
22637 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
22640 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
22641 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
22642 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
22643 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
22645 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
22646 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
22647 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
22648 to stop doing it the old way.
22650 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
22652 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
22654 @cindex reporting bugs
22656 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
22657 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
22658 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
22660 @vindex gnus-bug-create-help-buffer
22661 If you are in the habit of sending bug reports @emph{very} often, you
22662 may find the helpful help buffer annoying after a while. If so, set
22663 @code{gnus-bug-create-help-buffer} to @code{nil} to avoid having it pop
22668 @subsection Conformity
22670 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
22671 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
22679 There are no known breaches of this standard.
22683 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
22685 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
22686 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
22687 We do have some breaches to this one.
22693 These are considered to be ``vanity headers'', while I consider them
22694 to be consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted
22695 articles coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use
22696 either of those for posting articles. I would not have known that if
22697 it wasn't for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
22702 USEFOR is an IETF working group writing a successor to RFC 1036, based
22703 on Son-of-RFC 1036. They have produced a number of drafts proposing
22704 various changes to the format of news articles. The Gnus towers will
22705 look into implementing the changes when the draft is accepted as an RFC.
22707 @item MIME - RFC 2045-2049 etc
22709 All the various @sc{mime} RFCs are supported.
22711 @item Disposition Notifications - RFC 2298
22712 Message Mode is able to request notifications from the receiver.
22714 @item PGP - RFC 1991 and RFC 2440
22717 RFC 1991 is the original PGP message specification, published as a
22718 Information RFC. RFC 2440 was the follow-up, now called Open PGP, and
22719 put on the Standards Track. Both document a non-@sc{mime} aware PGP
22720 format. Gnus supports both encoding (signing and encryption) and
22721 decoding (verification and decryption).
22723 @item PGP/MIME - RFC 2015/3156
22724 RFC 2015 (superseded by 3156 which references RFC 2440 instead of RFC
22725 1991) describes the @sc{mime}-wrapping around the RF 1991/2440 format.
22726 Gnus supports both encoding and decoding.
22728 @item S/MIME - RFC 2633
22729 RFC 2633 describes the @sc{s/mime} format.
22731 @item IMAP - RFC 1730/2060, RFC 2195, RFC 2086, RFC 2359, RFC 2595, RFC 1731
22732 RFC 1730 is @sc{imap} version 4, updated somewhat by RFC 2060 (@sc{imap} 4
22733 revision 1). RFC 2195 describes CRAM-MD5 authentication for @sc{imap}. RFC
22734 2086 describes access control lists (ACLs) for @sc{imap}. RFC 2359
22735 describes a @sc{imap} protocol enhancement. RFC 2595 describes the proper
22736 TLS integration (STARTTLS) with @sc{imap}. RFC 1731 describes the
22737 GSSAPI/Kerberos4 mechanisms for @sc{imap}.
22741 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliant with regards to the texts
22742 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
22747 @subsection Emacsen
22753 Gnus should work on :
22761 XEmacs 20.4 and up.
22765 This Gnus version will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than
22766 that. Not reliably, at least. Older versions of Gnus may work on older
22769 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
22770 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
22771 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
22775 @node Gnus Development
22776 @subsection Gnus Development
22778 Gnus is developed in a two-phased cycle. The first phase involves much
22779 discussion on the @samp{ding@@gnus.org} mailing list, where people
22780 propose changes and new features, post patches and new back ends. This
22781 phase is called the @dfn{alpha} phase, since the Gnusae released in this
22782 phase are @dfn{alpha releases}, or (perhaps more commonly in other
22783 circles) @dfn{snapshots}. During this phase, Gnus is assumed to be
22784 unstable and should not be used by casual users. Gnus alpha releases
22785 have names like ``Red Gnus'' and ``Quassia Gnus''.
22787 After futzing around for 50-100 alpha releases, Gnus is declared
22788 @dfn{frozen}, and only bug fixes are applied. Gnus loses the prefix,
22789 and is called things like ``Gnus 5.6.32'' instead. Normal people are
22790 supposed to be able to use these, and these are mostly discussed on the
22791 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} newsgroup.
22794 @vindex mail-source-delete-incoming
22795 Some variable defaults differ between alpha Gnusae and released Gnusae.
22796 In particular, @code{mail-source-delete-incoming} defaults to @code{nil} in
22797 alpha Gnusae and @code{t} in released Gnusae. This is to prevent
22798 lossage of mail if an alpha release hiccups while handling the mail.
22800 The division of discussion between the ding mailing list and the Gnus
22801 newsgroup is not purely based on publicity concerns. It's true that
22802 having people write about the horrible things that an alpha Gnus release
22803 can do (sometimes) in a public forum may scare people off, but more
22804 importantly, talking about new experimental features that have been
22805 introduced may confuse casual users. New features are frequently
22806 introduced, fiddled with, and judged to be found wanting, and then
22807 either discarded or totally rewritten. People reading the mailing list
22808 usually keep up with these rapid changes, while people on the newsgroup
22809 can't be assumed to do so.
22814 @subsection Contributors
22815 @cindex contributors
22817 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
22818 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
22819 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
22820 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
22821 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
22822 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
22823 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
22824 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
22825 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
22826 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
22828 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for@dots{} oops,
22834 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
22837 Shenghuo Zhu---uudecode.el, mm-uu.el, rfc1843.el, webmail.el,
22838 nnwarchive and many, many other things connected with @sc{mime} and
22839 other types of en/decoding, as well as general bug fixing, new
22840 functionality and stuff.
22843 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
22844 well as numerous other things).
22847 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
22850 Joe Reiss---creator of the smiley faces.
22853 Justin Sheehy--the FAQ maintainer.
22856 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
22859 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
22860 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
22863 Kim-Minh Kaplan---further work on the picon code.
22866 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
22867 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
22870 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
22873 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
22876 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
22879 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
22882 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinski---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
22883 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
22886 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
22889 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
22892 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
22895 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
22899 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
22902 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
22905 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
22908 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports, as
22909 well as autoconf support.
22913 This manual was proof-read by Adrian Aichner, with Ricardo Nassif, Mark
22914 Borges, and Jost Krieger proof-reading parts of the manual.
22916 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
22925 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
22929 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
22939 Alexei V. Barantsev,
22954 Massimo Campostrini,
22959 Jae-you Chung, @c ?
22960 James H. Cloos, Jr.,
22964 Andrew J. Cosgriff,
22967 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
22973 Michael Welsh Duggan,
22978 Enami Tsugutomo, @c Enami
22982 Nelson Jose dos Santos Ferreira,
22990 Arne Georg Gleditsch,
22992 Michelangelo Grigni,
22996 Kenichi Handa, @c Handa
22998 Yoshiki Hayashi, @c ?
23000 Hisashige Kenji, @c Hisashige
23007 François Felix Ingrand,
23008 Tatsuya Ichikawa, @c ?
23009 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
23011 Iwamuro Motonori, @c Iwamuro
23022 Peter Skov Knudsen,
23023 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
23025 Koseki Yoshinori, @c Koseki
23026 Thor Kristoffersen,
23029 Seokchan Lee, @c Lee
23047 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
23048 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
23055 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
23060 Jens-Ulrik Holger Petersen,
23064 John McClary Prevost,
23070 Lars Balker Rasmussen,
23075 Christian von Roques,
23078 Wolfgang Rupprecht,
23085 Philippe Schnoebelen,
23087 Randal L. Schwartz,
23101 Kiyokazu Suto, @c Suto
23106 Tozawa Akihiko, @c Tozawa
23122 Katsumi Yamaoka @c Yamaoka
23127 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
23128 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
23129 (550kB and counting).
23131 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
23134 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
23135 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
23139 @subsection New Features
23140 @cindex new features
23143 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
23144 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.2/5.3.
23145 * Red Gnus:: Third time best---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
23146 * Quassia Gnus:: Two times two is four, or Gnus 5.6/5.7.
23147 * Pterodactyl Gnus:: Pentad also starts with P, AKA Gnus 5.8/5.9.
23150 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
23151 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
23152 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
23155 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
23157 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
23162 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
23163 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
23166 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
23167 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
23170 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
23173 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
23174 All the mail back ends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
23175 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
23178 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
23179 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
23180 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
23181 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
23184 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
23185 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
23188 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
23189 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
23190 (@pxref{The Active File}).
23193 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
23194 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
23197 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
23198 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
23199 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
23202 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
23203 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
23204 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
23207 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus.el}) to avoid cluttering up
23208 the @file{.emacs} file.
23211 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
23212 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
23215 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
23216 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
23219 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
23220 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
23223 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
23224 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
23227 Gnus can fetch articles, asynchronously, on a second connection to the
23228 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
23231 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
23234 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
23235 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
23238 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
23239 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
23242 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
23243 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
23246 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
23249 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
23250 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
23253 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
23257 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
23261 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
23262 configuration (@pxref{Window Layout}).
23265 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
23271 @node September Gnus
23272 @subsubsection September Gnus
23276 \gnusfig{-28cm}{0cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/september,height=20cm}}
23280 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
23285 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
23286 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
23290 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
23291 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
23295 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
23299 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
23300 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
23303 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
23307 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
23310 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
23313 A @code{trn}-like tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
23316 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
23320 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
23321 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
23324 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
23328 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
23332 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
23336 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
23340 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
23343 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
23344 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
23347 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
23351 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
23352 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
23355 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
23358 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
23359 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
23360 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
23363 Gnus has a new back end (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
23367 The Gnus cache is much faster.
23370 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
23374 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-addresses and
23375 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
23378 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
23379 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
23382 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
23383 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
23386 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
23387 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
23388 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
23391 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
23392 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
23395 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
23398 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
23401 All mail back ends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
23404 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
23407 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
23408 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
23411 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Window
23415 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
23418 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fseptember,height=5cm}}
23423 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
23426 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
23430 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
23433 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
23437 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
23440 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
23443 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
23444 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
23447 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
23448 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
23452 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
23453 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
23456 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
23460 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
23461 buffer to allow easier treatment.
23464 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
23467 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
23471 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
23475 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
23476 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
23479 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
23483 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
23484 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
23487 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
23488 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
23491 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
23495 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
23498 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
23501 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
23507 @subsubsection Red Gnus
23509 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
23513 \gnusfig{-5.5cm}{-4cm}{\epsfig{figure=ps/red,height=20cm}}
23520 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
23523 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
23524 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
23527 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
23528 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
23532 Article washing status can be displayed in the
23533 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
23536 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
23539 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
23540 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
23543 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
23547 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
23548 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}) have
23552 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
23553 Server Internals}).
23556 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
23560 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
23563 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
23564 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
23567 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
23568 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
23569 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
23572 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
23573 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
23576 There's a way now to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed
23577 when generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
23580 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{C-M-_}
23584 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
23585 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
23588 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
23589 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
23592 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
23596 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
23599 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
23603 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
23604 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
23607 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
23608 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
23611 A new command for reading collections of documents
23612 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{C-M-d}
23613 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
23616 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
23620 A new mail-to-news back end makes it possible to post even when the @sc{nntp}
23621 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
23624 A new back end for reading searches from Web search engines
23625 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
23626 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
23629 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
23630 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
23634 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
23638 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
23642 \marginpar[\mbox{}\hfill\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}]{\epsfig{figure=ps/fred,width=3cm}}
23647 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
23651 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
23655 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
23656 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
23659 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
23665 @subsubsection Quassia Gnus
23667 New features in Gnus 5.6:
23672 New functionality for using Gnus as an offline newsreader has been
23673 added. A plethora of new commands and modes have been added. See
23674 @pxref{Gnus Unplugged} for the full story.
23677 The @code{nndraft} back end has returned, but works differently than
23678 before. All Message buffers are now also articles in the @code{nndraft}
23679 group, which is created automatically.
23682 @code{gnus-alter-header-function} can now be used to alter header
23686 @code{gnus-summary-goto-article} now accept Message-ID's.
23689 A new Message command for deleting text in the body of a message
23690 outside the region: @kbd{C-c C-v}.
23693 You can now post to component group in @code{nnvirtual} groups with
23697 @code{nntp-rlogin-program}---new variable to ease customization.
23700 @code{C-u C-c C-c} in @code{gnus-article-edit-mode} will now inhibit
23701 re-highlighting of the article buffer.
23704 New element in @code{gnus-boring-article-headers}---@code{long-to}.
23707 @kbd{M-i} symbolic prefix command. See the section ``Symbolic
23708 Prefixes'' in the Gnus manual for details.
23711 @kbd{L} and @kbd{I} in the summary buffer now take the symbolic prefix
23712 @kbd{a} to add the score rule to the @file{all.SCORE} file.
23715 @code{gnus-simplify-subject-functions} variable to allow greater
23716 control over simplification.
23719 @kbd{A T}---new command for fetching the current thread.
23722 @kbd{/ T}---new command for including the current thread in the
23726 @kbd{M-RET} is a new Message command for breaking cited text.
23729 @samp{\\1}-expressions are now valid in @code{nnmail-split-methods}.
23732 The @code{custom-face-lookup} function has been removed.
23733 If you used this function in your initialization files, you must
23734 rewrite them to use @code{face-spec-set} instead.
23737 Canceling now uses the current select method. Symbolic prefix
23738 @kbd{a} forces normal posting method.
23741 New command to translate M******** sm*rtq**t*s into proper
23745 For easier debugging of @code{nntp}, you can set
23746 @code{nntp-record-commands} to a non-@code{nil} value.
23749 @code{nntp} now uses @file{~/.authinfo}, a @file{.netrc}-like file, for
23750 controlling where and how to send @sc{authinfo} to @sc{nntp} servers.
23753 A command for editing group parameters from the summary buffer
23757 A history of where mails have been split is available.
23760 A new article date command has been added---@code{article-date-iso8601}.
23763 Subjects can be simplified when threading by setting
23764 @code{gnus-score-thread-simplify}.
23767 A new function for citing in Message has been
23768 added---@code{message-cite-original-without-signature}.
23771 @code{article-strip-all-blank-lines}---new article command.
23774 A new Message command to kill to the end of the article has
23778 A minimum adaptive score can be specified by using the
23779 @code{gnus-adaptive-word-minimum} variable.
23782 The ``lapsed date'' article header can be kept continually
23783 updated by the @code{gnus-start-date-timer} command.
23786 Web listserv archives can be read with the @code{nnlistserv} back end.
23789 Old dejanews archives can now be read by @code{nnweb}.
23793 @node Pterodactyl Gnus
23794 @subsubsection Pterodactyl Gnus
23796 New features in Gnus 5.8:
23801 The mail-fetching functions have changed. See the manual for the
23802 many details. In particular, all procmail fetching variables are gone.
23804 If you used procmail like in
23807 (setq nnmail-use-procmail t)
23808 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
23809 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/mail/incoming/")
23810 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "\\.in")
23813 this now has changed to
23817 '((directory :path "~/mail/incoming/"
23821 More information is available in the info doc at Select Methods ->
23822 Getting Mail -> Mail Sources
23825 Gnus is now a @sc{mime}-capable reader. This affects many parts of
23826 Gnus, and adds a slew of new commands. See the manual for details.
23829 Gnus has also been multilingualized. This also affects too
23830 many parts of Gnus to summarize here, and adds many new variables.
23833 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} can now be a function to be
23834 called to position point.
23837 The user can now decide which extra headers should be included in
23838 summary buffers and @sc{nov} files.
23841 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} has been removed. Instead, a number
23842 of variables starting with @code{gnus-treat-} have been added.
23845 The Gnus posting styles have been redone again and now works in a
23846 subtly different manner.
23849 New web-based back ends have been added: @code{nnslashdot},
23850 @code{nnwarchive} and @code{nnultimate}. nnweb has been revamped,
23851 again, to keep up with ever-changing layouts.
23854 Gnus can now read @sc{imap} mail via @code{nnimap}.
23862 @section The Manual
23866 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
23867 either @code{texi2dvi}
23869 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
23870 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
23872 to get what you hold in your hands now.
23874 The following conventions have been used:
23879 This is a @samp{string}
23882 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
23885 This is a @file{file}
23888 This is a @code{symbol}
23892 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
23896 (setq flargnoze "yes")
23899 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
23902 (setq flumphel 'yes)
23905 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
23906 ever get them confused.
23910 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
23911 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
23912 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
23913 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
23914 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
23915 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
23916 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
23922 @node On Writing Manuals
23923 @section On Writing Manuals
23925 I guess most manuals are written after-the-fact; documenting a program
23926 that's already there. This is not how this manual is written. When
23927 implementing something, I write the manual entry for that something
23928 straight away. I then see that it's difficult to explain the
23929 functionality, so I write how it's supposed to be, and then I change the
23930 implementation. Writing the documentation and writing the code goes
23933 This, of course, means that this manual has no, or little, flow. It
23934 documents absolutely everything in Gnus, but often not where you're
23935 looking for it. It is a reference manual, and not a guide to how to get
23938 That would be a totally different book, that should be written using the
23939 reference manual as source material. It would look quite differently.
23944 @section Terminology
23946 @cindex terminology
23951 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
23952 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
23953 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
23954 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
23955 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
23959 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
23960 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
23961 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
23962 not posting, and replying is not following up.
23966 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
23970 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
23975 Gnus considers mail and news to be mostly the same, really. The only
23976 difference is how to access the actual articles. News articles are
23977 commonly fetched via the protocol NNTP, whereas mail messages could be
23978 read from a file on the local disk. The internal architecture of Gnus
23979 thus comprises a `front end' and a number of `back ends'. Internally,
23980 when you enter a group (by hitting @key{RET}, say), you thereby invoke
23981 a function in the front end in Gnus. The front end then `talks' to a
23982 back end and says things like ``Give me the list of articles in the foo
23983 group'' or ``Show me article number 4711''.
23985 So a back end mainly defines either a protocol (the @code{nntp} back end
23986 accesses news via NNTP, the @code{nnimap} back end accesses mail via
23987 IMAP) or a file format and directory layout (the @code{nnspool} back end
23988 accesses news via the common `spool directory' format, the @code{nnml}
23989 back end access mail via a file format and directory layout that's
23992 Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this is all
23993 done by the back ends. A back end is a collection of functions to
23994 access the articles.
23996 However, sometimes the term `back end' is also used where `server'
23997 would have been more appropriate. And then there is the term `select
23998 method' which can mean either. The Gnus terminology can be quite
24003 Gnus will always use one method (and back end) as the @dfn{native}, or
24004 default, way of getting news.
24008 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
24009 These are groups that use non-native non-secondary back ends for getting
24014 Secondary back ends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
24015 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
24019 A message that has been posted as news.
24022 @cindex mail message
24023 A message that has been mailed.
24027 A mail message or news article
24031 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
24036 The rest of an article. Everything not in the head is in the
24041 A line from the head of an article.
24045 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
24046 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
24050 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the back end for the headers of all
24051 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
24052 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
24053 normal @sc{head} format.
24057 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
24058 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
24059 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
24060 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
24061 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
24062 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
24064 @item killed groups
24065 @cindex killed groups
24066 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
24067 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
24069 @item zombie groups
24070 @cindex zombie groups
24071 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
24074 @cindex active file
24075 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
24076 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
24077 is rather large, as you might surmise.
24080 @cindex bogus groups
24081 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
24082 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
24083 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
24086 @cindex activating groups
24087 The act of asking the server for info on a group and computing the
24088 number of unread articles is called @dfn{activating the group}.
24089 Un-activated groups are listed with @samp{*} in the group buffer.
24093 A machine one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
24095 @item select method
24096 @cindex select method
24097 A structure that specifies the back end, the server and the virtual
24100 @item virtual server
24101 @cindex virtual server
24102 A named select method. Since a select method defines all there is to
24103 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the thing as a
24104 whole is a virtual server.
24108 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
24109 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
24112 @item ephemeral groups
24113 @cindex ephemeral groups
24114 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
24115 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
24116 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
24119 @cindex solid groups
24120 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
24121 group buffer are solid groups.
24123 @item sparse articles
24124 @cindex sparse articles
24125 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
24126 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
24130 To put responses to articles directly after the articles they respond
24131 to---in a hierarchical fashion.
24135 @cindex thread root
24136 The first article in a thread is the root. It is the ancestor of all
24137 articles in the thread.
24141 An article that has responses.
24145 An article that responds to a different article---its parent.
24149 A collection of messages in one file. The most common digest format is
24150 specified by RFC 1153.
24156 @node Customization
24157 @section Customization
24158 @cindex general customization
24160 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
24161 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
24162 for some quite common situations.
24165 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
24166 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
24167 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
24168 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
24172 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
24173 @subsection Slow/Expensive NNTP Connection
24175 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
24176 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
24177 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
24181 @item gnus-read-active-file
24182 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
24183 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
24184 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
24185 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
24186 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
24188 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
24189 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
24190 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
24191 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
24195 @node Slow Terminal Connection
24196 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
24198 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that runs
24199 Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce (as much as
24200 possible) the amount of data sent over the wires.
24204 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
24205 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
24206 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
24207 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
24208 horizontal and vertical recentering.
24210 @item gnus-visible-headers
24211 Cut down on the headers included in the articles to the
24212 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
24213 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
24214 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
24216 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
24218 (setq gnus-treat-hide-headers 'head
24219 gnus-treat-hide-signature t
24220 gnus-treat-hide-citation t)
24223 @item gnus-use-full-window
24224 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
24225 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
24226 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
24227 want to read them anyway.
24229 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
24230 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
24234 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
24235 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
24236 lines, which might save some time.
24240 @node Little Disk Space
24241 @subsection Little Disk Space
24244 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
24245 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
24249 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
24250 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
24251 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
24252 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
24255 @item gnus-read-newsrc-file
24256 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never read @file{.newsrc}---it will
24257 only read @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
24258 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
24261 @item gnus-save-killed-list
24262 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
24263 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
24264 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
24265 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
24271 @subsection Slow Machine
24272 @cindex slow machine
24274 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
24275 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
24277 Set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
24278 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
24280 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
24281 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
24282 summary buffer faster.
24286 @node Troubleshooting
24287 @section Troubleshooting
24288 @cindex troubleshooting
24290 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
24298 Make sure your computer is switched on.
24301 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
24302 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
24306 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
24307 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
24308 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
24309 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
24312 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
24316 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
24317 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
24318 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
24319 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
24320 something like that.
24323 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
24326 @cindex reporting bugs
24328 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
24330 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
24331 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
24332 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
24333 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
24335 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
24336 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
24337 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
24338 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
24341 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
24342 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you just send
24343 back ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
24344 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
24345 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
24346 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
24348 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
24349 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
24350 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
24354 If you would like to contribute a patch to fix bugs or make
24355 improvements, please produce the patch using @samp{diff -u}.
24358 If you want to debug your problem further before reporting, possibly
24359 in order to solve the problem yourself and send a patch, you can use
24360 edebug. Debugging lisp code is documented in the Elisp manual
24361 (@pxref{Debugging, , Debugging Lisp Programs, elisp, The GNU Emacs
24362 Lisp Reference Manual}). To get you started with edebug, consider if
24363 you discover some weird behaviour when pressing @kbd{c}, the first
24364 step is to do @kbd{C-h k c} and click on the hyperlink (Emacs only) in
24365 the documentation buffer that leads you to the function definition,
24366 then press @kbd{M-x edebug-defun RET} with point inside that function,
24367 return to Gnus and press @kbd{c} to invoke the code. You will be
24368 placed in the lisp buffer and can single step using @kbd{SPC} and
24369 evaluate expressions using @kbd{M-:} or inspect variables using
24370 @kbd{C-h v}, abort execution with @kbd{q}, and resume execution with
24371 @kbd{c} or @kbd{g}.
24376 Sometimes, a problem do not directly generate a elisp error but
24377 manifests itself by causing Gnus to be very slow. In these cases, you
24378 can use @kbd{M-x toggle-debug-on-quit} and press @kbd{C-j} when things are
24379 slow, and then try to analyze the backtrace (repeating the procedure
24380 helps isolating the real problem areas). A fancier approach is to use
24381 the elisp profiler, ELP. The profiler is (or should be) fully
24382 documented elsewhere, but to get you started there are a few steps
24383 that need to be followed. First, instrument the part of Gnus you are
24384 interested in for profiling, e.g. @kbd{M-x elp-instrument-package RET
24385 gnus} or @kbd{M-x elp-instrument-packagre RET message}. Then perform
24386 the operation that is slow and press @kbd{M-x elp-results}. You will
24387 then see which operations that takes time, and can debug them further.
24388 If the entire operation takes much longer than the time spent in the
24389 slowest function in the profiler output, you probably profiled the
24390 wrong part of Gnus. To reset profiling statistics, use @kbd{M-x
24391 elp-reset-all}. @kbd{M-x elp-restore-all} is supposed to remove
24392 profiling, but given the complexities and dynamic code generation in
24393 Gnus, it might not always work perfectly.
24395 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
24396 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
24398 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
24399 @cindex ding mailing list
24400 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@email{ding@@gnus.org}.
24401 Write to @email{ding-request@@gnus.org} to subscribe.
24405 @node Gnus Reference Guide
24406 @section Gnus Reference Guide
24408 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
24409 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
24410 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
24411 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
24414 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
24415 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
24416 back ends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
24417 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
24418 and general methods of operation.
24421 * Gnus Utility Functions:: Common functions and variable to use.
24422 * Back End Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
24423 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
24424 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
24425 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
24426 * Group Info:: The group info format.
24427 * Extended Interactive:: Symbolic prefixes and stuff.
24428 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
24429 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
24433 @node Gnus Utility Functions
24434 @subsection Gnus Utility Functions
24435 @cindex Gnus utility functions
24436 @cindex utility functions
24438 @cindex internal variables
24440 When writing small functions to be run from hooks (and stuff), it's
24441 vital to have access to the Gnus internal functions and variables.
24442 Below is a list of the most common ones.
24446 @item gnus-newsgroup-name
24447 @vindex gnus-newsgroup-name
24448 This variable holds the name of the current newsgroup.
24450 @item gnus-find-method-for-group
24451 @findex gnus-find-method-for-group
24452 A function that returns the select method for @var{group}.
24454 @item gnus-group-real-name
24455 @findex gnus-group-real-name
24456 Takes a full (prefixed) Gnus group name, and returns the unprefixed
24459 @item gnus-group-prefixed-name
24460 @findex gnus-group-prefixed-name
24461 Takes an unprefixed group name and a select method, and returns the full
24462 (prefixed) Gnus group name.
24464 @item gnus-get-info
24465 @findex gnus-get-info
24466 Returns the group info list for @var{group}.
24468 @item gnus-group-unread
24469 @findex gnus-group-unread
24470 The number of unread articles in @var{group}, or @code{t} if that is
24474 @findex gnus-active
24475 The active entry for @var{group}.
24477 @item gnus-set-active
24478 @findex gnus-set-active
24479 Set the active entry for @var{group}.
24481 @item gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
24482 @findex gnus-add-current-to-buffer-list
24483 Adds the current buffer to the list of buffers to be killed on Gnus
24486 @item gnus-continuum-version
24487 @findex gnus-continuum-version
24488 Takes a Gnus version string as a parameter and returns a floating point
24489 number. Earlier versions will always get a lower number than later
24492 @item gnus-group-read-only-p
24493 @findex gnus-group-read-only-p
24494 Says whether @var{group} is read-only or not.
24496 @item gnus-news-group-p
24497 @findex gnus-news-group-p
24498 Says whether @var{group} came from a news back end.
24500 @item gnus-ephemeral-group-p
24501 @findex gnus-ephemeral-group-p
24502 Says whether @var{group} is ephemeral or not.
24504 @item gnus-server-to-method
24505 @findex gnus-server-to-method
24506 Returns the select method corresponding to @var{server}.
24508 @item gnus-server-equal
24509 @findex gnus-server-equal
24510 Says whether two virtual servers are equal.
24512 @item gnus-group-native-p
24513 @findex gnus-group-native-p
24514 Says whether @var{group} is native or not.
24516 @item gnus-group-secondary-p
24517 @findex gnus-group-secondary-p
24518 Says whether @var{group} is secondary or not.
24520 @item gnus-group-foreign-p
24521 @findex gnus-group-foreign-p
24522 Says whether @var{group} is foreign or not.
24524 @item group-group-find-parameter
24525 @findex group-group-find-parameter
24526 Returns the parameter list of @var{group}. If given a second parameter,
24527 returns the value of that parameter for @var{group}.
24529 @item gnus-group-set-parameter
24530 @findex gnus-group-set-parameter
24531 Takes three parameters; @var{group}, @var{parameter} and @var{value}.
24533 @item gnus-narrow-to-body
24534 @findex gnus-narrow-to-body
24535 Narrows the current buffer to the body of the article.
24537 @item gnus-check-backend-function
24538 @findex gnus-check-backend-function
24539 Takes two parameters, @var{function} and @var{group}. If the back end
24540 @var{group} comes from supports @var{function}, return non-@code{nil}.
24543 (gnus-check-backend-function "request-scan" "nnml:misc")
24547 @item gnus-read-method
24548 @findex gnus-read-method
24549 Prompts the user for a select method.
24554 @node Back End Interface
24555 @subsection Back End Interface
24557 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
24558 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
24559 server is a @dfn{back end} and some @dfn{back end variables}. As examples
24560 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
24561 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
24562 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
24564 When Gnus asks for information from a back end---say @code{nntp}---on
24565 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
24566 function parameters. (If not, the back end should use the ``current''
24567 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
24568 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
24569 been opened, the function should fail.
24571 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
24572 name. Take this example:
24576 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
24577 (nntp-port-number 4324))
24580 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
24581 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
24583 The back ends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
24584 The standard back ends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
24585 server environments that they pull down/push up when needed.
24587 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
24588 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
24589 always check for presence before attempting to call 'em.
24591 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
24592 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
24593 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
24594 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
24595 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
24596 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
24599 Some back ends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} back ends, and
24600 some might be said not to be. The latter are back ends that generally
24601 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
24602 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
24605 Gnus identifies each message by way of group name and article number. A
24606 few remarks about these article numbers might be useful. First of all,
24607 the numbers are positive integers. Secondly, it is normally not
24608 possible for later articles to `re-use' older article numbers without
24609 confusing Gnus. That is, if a group has ever contained a message
24610 numbered 42, then no other message may get that number, or Gnus will get
24611 mightily confused.@footnote{See the function
24612 @code{nnchoke-request-update-info}, @ref{Optional Back End Functions}.}
24613 Third, article numbers must be assigned in order of arrival in the
24614 group; this is not necessarily the same as the date of the message.
24616 The previous paragraph already mentions all the `hard' restrictions that
24617 article numbers must fulfill. But it seems that it might be useful to
24618 assign @emph{consecutive} article numbers, for Gnus gets quite confused
24619 if there are holes in the article numbering sequence. However, due to
24620 the `no-reuse' restriction, holes cannot be avoided altogether. It's
24621 also useful for the article numbers to start at 1 to avoid running out
24622 of numbers as long as possible.
24624 Note that by convention, backends are named @code{nnsomething}, but
24625 Gnus also comes with some @code{nnnotbackends}, such as
24626 @file{nnheader.el}, @file{nnmail.el} and @file{nnoo.el}.
24628 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary back end
24631 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
24634 * Required Back End Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
24635 * Optional Back End Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
24636 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
24637 * Writing New Back Ends:: Extending old back ends.
24638 * Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
24639 * Mail-like Back Ends:: Some tips on mail back ends.
24643 @node Required Back End Functions
24644 @subsubsection Required Back End Functions
24648 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
24650 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
24651 @code{Message-ID}s. Current back ends do not fully support either---only
24652 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most back ends do not support
24653 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
24655 The result data should either be HEADs or @sc{nov} lines, and the result
24656 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
24657 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
24658 of HEADs and @sc{nov} lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
24660 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try fetching ``extra
24661 headers'', in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
24662 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
24663 article number in @code{articles}, and filling the gaps as well. The
24664 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the back end finds it
24665 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
24666 number, do maximum fetches.
24668 Here's an example HEAD:
24671 221 1056 Article retrieved.
24672 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
24673 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
24674 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
24675 Subject: Re: Something very droll
24676 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
24677 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
24679 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
24680 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
24681 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
24685 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
24686 these in the data buffer.
24688 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
24692 head = error / valid-head
24693 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
24694 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
24695 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
24696 header = <text> eol
24699 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
24700 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
24704 nov-buffer = *nov-line
24705 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
24706 field = <text except TAB>
24709 For a closer look at what should be in those fields,
24713 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
24715 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
24716 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that define this virtual server.
24718 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The back end
24719 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
24720 server. In fact, it should do so.
24722 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
24723 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
24726 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
24728 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
24729 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
24732 There should be no data returned.
24735 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
24737 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the back end
24738 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that back end
24739 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
24740 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
24742 There should be no data returned.
24745 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
24747 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
24748 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
24749 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
24750 attempt to reconnect to a server we have lost connection to.
24752 There should be no data returned.
24755 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
24757 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
24759 There should be no data returned.
24762 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
24764 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
24765 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
24766 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
24767 it would be nice if that were possible.
24769 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
24770 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
24771 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
24772 another, while Gnus mainly requests articles to be inserted directly
24773 into its article buffer.
24775 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
24776 the @code{car} is the group name the article was fetched from, and the @code{cdr} is
24777 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
24778 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
24779 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
24780 on successful article retrieval.
24783 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
24785 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
24786 making @var{group} the current group.
24788 If @var{fast}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
24791 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
24794 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
24797 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
24798 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
24799 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
24800 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
24801 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
24802 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
24803 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
24804 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader. If the group contains no
24805 articles, the lowest article number should be reported as 1 and the
24809 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
24810 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
24811 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
24815 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
24817 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
24818 a no-op on most back ends.
24820 There should be no data returned.
24823 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
24825 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
24828 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
24831 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
24832 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
24835 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
24836 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag. If the group
24837 contains no articles, the lowest article number should be reported as 1
24838 and the highest as 0.
24841 active-file = *active-line
24842 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
24844 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
24847 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
24848 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
24849 (@samp{=other-group}) or none of the above (@samp{y}).
24852 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
24854 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
24855 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
24856 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
24857 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
24858 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
24859 clear if the posting could not be completed.
24861 There should be no result data from this function.
24866 @node Optional Back End Functions
24867 @subsubsection Optional Back End Functions
24871 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
24873 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
24874 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
24875 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
24877 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
24878 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
24879 former is in the same format as the data from
24880 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
24881 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
24884 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
24888 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
24890 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the back end for
24891 alterations. This comes in handy if the back end really carries all the
24892 information (as is the case with virtual and imap groups). This
24893 function should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and
24894 should return a non-nil value.
24896 There should be no result data from this function.
24899 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
24901 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
24902 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
24903 user is following up on is news or mail. This function should return
24904 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
24905 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
24906 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
24907 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
24908 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
24910 There should be no result data from this function.
24913 @item (nnchoke-request-set-mark GROUP ACTION &optional SERVER)
24915 Set/remove/add marks on articles. Normally Gnus handles the article
24916 marks (such as read, ticked, expired etc) internally, and store them in
24917 @file{~/.newsrc.eld}. Some back ends (such as @sc{imap}) however carry
24918 all information about the articles on the server, so Gnus need to
24919 propagate the mark information to the server.
24921 @var{action} is a list of mark setting requests, having this format:
24924 (RANGE ACTION MARK)
24927 @var{range} is a range of articles you wish to update marks on.
24928 @var{action} is @code{add} or @code{del}, used to add marks or remove
24929 marks (preserving all marks not mentioned). @var{mark} is a list of
24930 marks; where each mark is a symbol. Currently used marks are
24931 @code{read}, @code{tick}, @code{reply}, @code{expire}, @code{killed},
24932 @code{dormant}, @code{save}, @code{download}, @code{unsend},
24933 @code{forward} and @code{recent}, but your back end should, if
24934 possible, not limit itself to these.
24936 Given contradictory actions, the last action in the list should be the
24937 effective one. That is, if your action contains a request to add the
24938 @code{tick} mark on article 1 and, later in the list, a request to
24939 remove the mark on the same article, the mark should in fact be removed.
24941 An example action list:
24944 (((5 12 30) 'del '(tick))
24945 ((10 . 90) 'add '(read expire))
24946 ((92 94) 'del '(read)))
24949 The function should return a range of articles it wasn't able to set the
24950 mark on (currently not used for anything).
24952 There should be no result data from this function.
24954 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
24956 If the user tries to set a mark that the back end doesn't like, this
24957 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
24958 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
24959 @var{mark}. If the back end doesn't care, it must return the original
24960 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
24962 The only use for this I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
24963 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
24964 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
24967 There should be no result data from this function.
24970 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
24972 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
24973 request that the back end check for incoming articles, in one way or
24974 another. A mail back end will typically read the spool file or query the
24975 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
24976 to be heeded---if the back end decides that it is too much work just
24977 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
24978 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
24980 There should be no result data from this function.
24983 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
24985 The result data from this function should be a description of
24989 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
24991 description = <text>
24994 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
24996 The result data from this function should be the description of all
24997 groups available on the server.
25000 description-buffer = *description-line
25004 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
25006 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
25007 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date format
25008 (i.e., the date format used in mail and news headers, and returned by
25009 the function @code{message-make-date} by default). The data should be
25010 in the active buffer format.
25012 It is okay for this function to return `too many' groups; some back ends
25013 might find it cheaper to return the full list of groups, rather than
25014 just the new groups. But don't do this for back ends with many groups.
25015 Normally, if the user creates the groups herself, there won't be too
25016 many groups, so @code{nnml} and the like are probably safe. But for
25017 back ends like @code{nntp}, where the groups have been created by the
25018 server, it is quite likely that there can be many groups.
25021 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
25023 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
25025 There should be no return data.
25028 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
25030 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
25031 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
25032 numbers.) It is left up to the back end to decide how old articles
25033 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
25034 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
25037 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
25040 There should be no result data returned.
25043 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM &optional LAST)
25045 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
25046 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
25048 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
25049 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
25050 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
25051 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
25052 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
25053 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
25055 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
25056 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
25059 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
25060 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
25062 There should be no data returned.
25065 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
25067 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
25068 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
25069 this function in short order.
25071 The function should return a cons where the @code{car} is the group name and
25072 the @code{cdr} is the article number that the article was entered as.
25074 The group should exist before the backend is asked to accept the
25075 article for that group.
25077 There should be no data returned.
25080 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
25082 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
25083 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
25085 There should be no data returned.
25088 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
25090 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
25091 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
25092 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
25094 There should be no data returned.
25097 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
25099 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
25100 articles in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
25102 There should be no data returned.
25107 @node Error Messaging
25108 @subsubsection Error Messaging
25110 @findex nnheader-report
25111 @findex nnheader-get-report
25112 The back ends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
25113 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
25114 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the back end
25115 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
25116 there are multiple of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
25117 This function must always returns @code{nil}.
25120 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
25122 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
25125 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
25126 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
25127 recently reported message for the back end in question. This function
25128 takes one argument---the server symbol.
25130 Internally, these functions access @var{back-end}@code{-status-string},
25131 so the @code{nnchoke} back end will have its error message stored in
25132 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
25135 @node Writing New Back Ends
25136 @subsubsection Writing New Back Ends
25138 Many back ends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
25139 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
25140 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
25141 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
25142 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
25145 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
25146 back ends when writing new back ends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
25147 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
25149 All the back ends declare their public variables and functions by using a
25150 package called @code{nnoo}.
25152 To inherit functions from other back ends (and allow other back ends to
25153 inherit functions from the current back end), you should use the
25159 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
25160 parameters. For instance:
25163 (nnoo-declare nndir
25167 @code{nndir} has declared here that it intends to inherit functions from
25168 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
25171 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
25172 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
25173 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
25175 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
25176 variables in the parent back ends to map the variable to when executing
25177 a function in those back ends.
25180 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
25181 "Where nndir will look for groups."
25182 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
25185 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
25186 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
25187 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
25189 @item nnoo-define-basics
25190 This macro defines some common functions that almost all back ends should
25194 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
25198 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
25199 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
25200 function as being public so that other back ends can inherit it.
25202 @item nnoo-map-functions
25203 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current back end to
25204 functions from the parent back ends.
25207 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
25208 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
25209 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
25212 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
25213 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
25214 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
25215 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
25218 This macro allows importing functions from back ends. It should be the
25219 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
25220 haven't already been defined.
25226 nnmh-request-newgroups)
25230 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
25231 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
25232 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
25237 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} back end.
25240 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
25241 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
25245 (require 'nnheader)
25249 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
25251 (nnoo-declare nndir
25254 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
25255 "Where nndir will look for groups."
25256 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
25258 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
25259 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
25262 (defvoo nndir-current-group ""
25264 nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
25265 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
25266 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
25268 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
25269 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
25271 ;;; Interface functions.
25273 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
25275 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
25276 (setq nndir-directory
25277 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
25279 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
25280 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
25281 (push `(nndir-current-group
25282 ,(file-name-nondirectory
25283 (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
25285 (push `(nndir-top-directory
25286 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
25288 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
25290 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
25291 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
25292 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
25293 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
25294 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
25298 nnmh-status-message
25300 nnmh-request-newgroups))
25306 @node Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
25307 @subsubsection Hooking New Back Ends Into Gnus
25309 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
25310 @findex gnus-declare-backend
25311 Having Gnus start using your new back end is rather easy---you just
25312 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
25313 enter the back end into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
25315 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the back end name and
25316 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
25321 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
25324 The above line would then go in the @file{nnchoke.el} file.
25326 The abilities can be:
25330 This is a mailish back end---followups should (probably) go via mail.
25332 This is a newsish back end---followups should (probably) go via news.
25334 This back end supports both mail and news.
25336 This is neither a post nor mail back end---it's something completely
25339 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
25340 articles and groups.
25342 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
25343 true for almost all back ends.
25344 @item prompt-address
25345 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
25346 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for back ends like
25347 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
25351 @node Mail-like Back Ends
25352 @subsubsection Mail-like Back Ends
25354 One of the things that separate the mail back ends from the rest of the
25355 back ends is the heavy dependence by most of the mail back ends on
25356 common functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the
25357 definition of @code{nnml-request-scan}:
25360 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
25361 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
25362 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
25365 It simply calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} with a few parameters,
25366 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
25369 This function takes four parameters.
25373 This should be a symbol to designate which back end is responsible for
25376 @item exit-function
25377 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
25379 @item temp-directory
25380 Where the temporary files should be stored.
25383 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
25384 performed for one group only.
25387 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{back-end}@code{-save-mail} to
25388 save each article. @var{back-end}@code{-active-number} will be called to
25389 find the article number assigned to this article.
25391 The function also uses the following variables:
25392 @var{back-end}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
25393 this back end); and @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} and
25394 @var{back-end}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
25395 @var{back-end}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
25399 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
25400 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
25404 @node Score File Syntax
25405 @subsection Score File Syntax
25407 Score files are meant to be easily parseable, but yet extremely
25408 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
25409 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
25411 Here's a typical score file:
25415 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
25422 BNF definition of a score file:
25425 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
25426 element = rule / atom
25427 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
25428 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
25429 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
25430 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
25432 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
25433 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
25434 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
25435 date-header = "date"
25436 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
25437 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
25438 score = "nil" / <integer>
25439 date = "nil" / <natural number>
25440 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
25441 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
25442 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
25443 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
25444 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
25445 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
25446 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
25447 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
25448 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
25449 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
25450 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
25451 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
25452 exclude-files / read-only / touched
25453 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
25454 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
25455 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
25456 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
25457 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
25458 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
25459 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
25460 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
25461 adapt = "adapt" [ space "ignore" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
25462 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
25463 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
25464 eval = "eval" space <form>
25465 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
25468 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
25471 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
25472 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
25473 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
25474 one looong line, then that's ok.
25476 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
25477 manual (@pxref{Score File Format}).
25481 @subsection Headers
25483 Internally Gnus uses a format for storing article headers that
25484 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
25485 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
25486 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
25488 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
25489 RFC 1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
25490 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
25491 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
25492 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
25493 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
25494 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
25496 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
25497 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
25498 @code{xref}, and @code{extra}. There are macros for accessing and
25499 setting these slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
25500 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
25502 All these slots contain strings, except the @code{extra} slot, which
25503 contains an alist of header/value pairs (@pxref{To From Newsgroups}).
25509 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
25510 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
25512 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
25513 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
25514 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
25515 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
25517 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
25521 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
25524 is transformed into
25527 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
25530 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
25531 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
25534 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
25537 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
25538 is slightly tricky:
25541 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
25547 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
25550 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
25556 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
25563 and is equal to the previous range.
25565 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
25566 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
25567 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
25571 range = simple-range / normal-range
25572 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
25573 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
25574 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
25575 number *[ " " contents ]
25578 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
25579 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
25580 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
25581 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
25582 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
25587 @subsection Group Info
25589 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
25590 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
25591 describes the group.
25593 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
25594 second is a more complex one:
25597 ("no.group" 5 ((1 . 54324)))
25599 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
25600 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
25602 ((auto-expire . t) (to-address . "ding@@gnus.org")))
25605 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
25606 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
25607 normally is a small integer. (It can also be the @dfn{rank}, which is a
25608 cons cell where the @code{car} is the level and the @code{cdr} is the
25609 score.) The third element is a list of ranges of read articles. The
25610 fourth element is a list of lists of article marks of various kinds.
25611 The fifth element is the select method (or virtual server, if you like).
25612 The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group parameters}, which is what
25613 this section is about.
25615 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
25616 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
25617 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
25619 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
25622 info = "(" group space ralevel space read
25623 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
25624 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
25625 group = quote <string> quote
25626 ralevel = rank / level
25627 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
25628 rank = "(" level "." score ")"
25629 score = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
25631 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
25632 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
25633 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
25634 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
25637 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
25638 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
25641 If you have a Gnus info and want to access the elements, Gnus offers a
25642 series of macros for getting/setting these elements.
25645 @item gnus-info-group
25646 @itemx gnus-info-set-group
25647 @findex gnus-info-group
25648 @findex gnus-info-set-group
25649 Get/set the group name.
25651 @item gnus-info-rank
25652 @itemx gnus-info-set-rank
25653 @findex gnus-info-rank
25654 @findex gnus-info-set-rank
25655 Get/set the group rank (@pxref{Group Score}).
25657 @item gnus-info-level
25658 @itemx gnus-info-set-level
25659 @findex gnus-info-level
25660 @findex gnus-info-set-level
25661 Get/set the group level.
25663 @item gnus-info-score
25664 @itemx gnus-info-set-score
25665 @findex gnus-info-score
25666 @findex gnus-info-set-score
25667 Get/set the group score (@pxref{Group Score}).
25669 @item gnus-info-read
25670 @itemx gnus-info-set-read
25671 @findex gnus-info-read
25672 @findex gnus-info-set-read
25673 Get/set the ranges of read articles.
25675 @item gnus-info-marks
25676 @itemx gnus-info-set-marks
25677 @findex gnus-info-marks
25678 @findex gnus-info-set-marks
25679 Get/set the lists of ranges of marked articles.
25681 @item gnus-info-method
25682 @itemx gnus-info-set-method
25683 @findex gnus-info-method
25684 @findex gnus-info-set-method
25685 Get/set the group select method.
25687 @item gnus-info-params
25688 @itemx gnus-info-set-params
25689 @findex gnus-info-params
25690 @findex gnus-info-set-params
25691 Get/set the group parameters.
25694 All the getter functions take one parameter---the info list. The setter
25695 functions take two parameters---the info list and the new value.
25697 The last three elements in the group info aren't mandatory, so it may be
25698 necessary to extend the group info before setting the element. If this
25699 is necessary, you can just pass on a non-@code{nil} third parameter to
25700 the three final setter functions to have this happen automatically.
25703 @node Extended Interactive
25704 @subsection Extended Interactive
25705 @cindex interactive
25706 @findex gnus-interactive
25708 Gnus extends the standard Emacs @code{interactive} specification
25709 slightly to allow easy use of the symbolic prefix (@pxref{Symbolic
25710 Prefixes}). Here's an example of how this is used:
25713 (defun gnus-summary-increase-score (&optional score symp)
25714 (interactive (gnus-interactive "P\ny"))
25719 The best thing to do would have been to implement
25720 @code{gnus-interactive} as a macro which would have returned an
25721 @code{interactive} form, but this isn't possible since Emacs checks
25722 whether a function is interactive or not by simply doing an @code{assq}
25723 on the lambda form. So, instead we have @code{gnus-interactive}
25724 function that takes a string and returns values that are usable to
25725 @code{interactive}.
25727 This function accepts (almost) all normal @code{interactive} specs, but
25732 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbol
25733 The current symbolic prefix---the @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol}
25737 @vindex gnus-current-prefix-symbols
25738 A list of the current symbolic prefixes---the
25739 @code{gnus-current-prefix-symbol} variable.
25742 The current article number---the @code{gnus-summary-article-number}
25746 The current article header---the @code{gnus-summary-article-header}
25750 The current group name---the @code{gnus-group-group-name}
25756 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
25757 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
25761 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
25762 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
25763 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
25765 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
25766 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
25767 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
25768 Gnus, that's very useful.
25770 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
25771 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
25772 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
25773 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
25774 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
25775 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
25776 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
25777 following function:
25780 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
25784 (,function ,@@args))
25788 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
25789 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
25790 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
25793 In the cases where the XEmacs function interface was obviously cleaner,
25794 I used it instead. For example @code{gnus-region-active-p} is an alias
25795 for @code{region-active-p} in XEmacs, whereas in Emacs it is a function.
25797 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
25798 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
25799 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
25802 @node Various File Formats
25803 @subsection Various File Formats
25806 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
25807 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
25811 @node Active File Format
25812 @subsubsection Active File Format
25814 The active file lists all groups available on the server in
25815 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
25818 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
25821 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
25822 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
25823 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
25824 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
25825 no.general 1000 900 y
25828 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
25831 active = *group-line
25832 group-line = group spc high-number spc low-number spc flag <NEWLINE>
25833 group = <non-white-space string>
25835 high-number = <non-negative integer>
25836 low-number = <positive integer>
25837 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
25840 For a full description of this file, see the manual pages for
25841 @samp{innd}, in particular @samp{active(5)}.
25844 @node Newsgroups File Format
25845 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
25847 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
25848 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
25849 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
25852 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
25853 Here's the definition:
25857 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
25858 group = <non-white-space string>
25860 description = <string>
25865 @node Emacs for Heathens
25866 @section Emacs for Heathens
25868 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
25869 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
25870 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{C-M-a}'', ``kill the
25871 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
25872 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
25873 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
25874 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
25878 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
25879 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
25884 @subsection Keystrokes
25888 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
25891 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
25894 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
25895 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
25896 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
25897 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
25898 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
25899 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
25901 The shift keys are normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
25902 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
25903 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
25904 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
25905 keyboard. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
25906 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
25907 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
25909 Now, us Emacs people don't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
25910 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{C-M-m}
25911 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
25912 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
25913 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
25914 ``Press @kbd{C-M-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
25915 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
25917 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
25918 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
25919 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
25920 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
25921 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
25927 @subsection Emacs Lisp
25929 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
25930 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
25931 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
25932 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
25934 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
25935 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
25936 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
25937 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
25938 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
25939 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
25940 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
25943 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
25944 write the following:
25947 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
25950 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
25951 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
25952 you can go and fill your @file{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
25955 If you have put that thing in your @file{.emacs} file, it will be read
25956 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
25957 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
25958 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
25959 previous ``form'', which is a simple @code{setq} statement here.
25961 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
25962 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
25963 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
25967 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
25971 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
25974 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
25975 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
25978 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
25981 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
25982 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
25985 @include gnus-faq.texi
26005 @c Local Variables:
26007 @c coding: iso-8859-1
26009 % LocalWords: BNF mucho detailmenu cindex kindex kbd
26010 % LocalWords: findex Gnusae vindex dfn dfn samp nntp setq nnspool nntpserver
26011 % LocalWords: nnmbox newusers Blllrph NEWGROUPS dingnusdingnusdingnus
26012 % LocalWords: pre fab rec comp nnslashdot regex ga ga sci nnml nnbabyl nnmh
26013 % LocalWords: nnfolder emph looong eld newsreaders defun init elc pxref