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4 @settitle Red Gnus 0.82 Manual
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233 \gnusauthor{by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen}
240 \thispagestyle{empty}
242 Copyright \copyright{} 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
244 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
245 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
246 are preserved on all copies.
248 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
249 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
250 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
251 permission notice identical to this one.
253 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
254 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
263 This file documents Gnus, the GNU Emacs newsreader.
265 Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
267 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
268 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
269 are preserved on all copies.
272 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
273 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
274 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
275 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
278 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
279 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
280 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
281 permission notice identical to this one.
283 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
284 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
290 @title Red Gnus 0.82 Manual
292 @author by Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
295 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
296 Copyright @copyright{} 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
298 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
299 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
300 are preserved on all copies.
302 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
303 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
304 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
305 permission notice identical to this one.
307 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
308 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
317 @top The Red Gnus Newsreader
321 You can read news (and mail) from within Emacs by using Gnus. The news
322 can be gotten by any nefarious means you can think of---@sc{nntp}, local
323 spool or your mbox file. All at the same time, if you want to push your
326 This manual corresponds to Red Gnus 0.82
337 Gnus is the advanced, self-documenting, customizable, extensible
338 unreal-time newsreader for GNU Emacs.
340 Oops. That sounds oddly familiar, so let's start over again to avoid
341 being accused of plagiarism:
343 Gnus is a message-reading laboratory. It will let you look at just
344 about anything as if it were a newsgroup. You can read mail with it,
345 you can browse directories with it, you can @code{ftp} with it---you can
346 even read news with it!
348 Gnus tries to empower people who read news the same way Emacs empowers
349 people who edit text. Gnus sets no limits to what the user should be
350 allowed to do. Users are encouraged to extend Gnus to make it behave
351 like they want it to behave. A program should not control people;
352 people should be empowered to do what they want by using (or abusing)
359 * Starting Up:: Finding news can be a pain.
360 * The Group Buffer:: Selecting, subscribing and killing groups.
361 * The Summary Buffer:: Reading, saving and posting articles.
362 * The Article Buffer:: Displaying and handling articles.
363 * Composing Messages:: Information on sending mail and news.
364 * Select Methods:: Gnus reads all messages from various select methods.
365 * Scoring:: Assigning values to articles.
366 * Various:: General purpose settings.
367 * The End:: Farewell and goodbye.
368 * Appendices:: Terminology, Emacs intro, FAQ, History, Internals.
369 * Index:: Variable, function and concept index.
370 * Key Index:: Key Index.
374 @chapter Starting Gnus
379 If your system administrator has set things up properly, starting Gnus
380 and reading news is extremely easy---you just type @kbd{M-x gnus} in
383 @findex gnus-other-frame
384 @kindex M-x gnus-other-frame
385 If you want to start Gnus in a different frame, you can use the command
386 @kbd{M-x gnus-other-frame} instead.
388 If things do not go smoothly at startup, you have to twiddle some
392 * Finding the News:: Choosing a method for getting news.
393 * The First Time:: What does Gnus do the first time you start it?
394 * The Server is Down:: How can I read my mail then?
395 * Slave Gnusae:: You can have more than one Gnus active at a time.
396 * Fetching a Group:: Starting Gnus just to read a group.
397 * New Groups:: What is Gnus supposed to do with new groups?
398 * Startup Files:: Those pesky startup files---@file{.newsrc}.
399 * Auto Save:: Recovering from a crash.
400 * The Active File:: Reading the active file over a slow line Takes Time.
401 * Changing Servers:: You may want to move from one server to another.
402 * Startup Variables:: Other variables you might change.
406 @node Finding the News
407 @section Finding the News
410 @vindex gnus-select-method
412 The @code{gnus-select-method} variable says where Gnus should look for
413 news. This variable should be a list where the first element says
414 @dfn{how} and the second element says @dfn{where}. This method is your
415 native method. All groups that are not fetched with this method are
418 For instance, if the @samp{news.somewhere.edu} @sc{nntp} server is where
419 you want to get your daily dosage of news from, you'd say:
422 (setq gnus-select-method '(nntp "news.somewhere.edu"))
425 If you want to read directly from the local spool, say:
428 (setq gnus-select-method '(nnspool ""))
431 If you can use a local spool, you probably should, as it will almost
432 certainly be much faster.
434 @vindex gnus-nntpserver-file
436 @cindex @sc{nntp} server
437 If this variable is not set, Gnus will take a look at the
438 @code{NNTPSERVER} environment variable. If that variable isn't set,
439 Gnus will see whether @code{gnus-nntpserver-file}
440 (@file{/etc/nntpserver} by default) has any opinions on the matter. If
441 that fails as well, Gnus will will try to use the machine that is
442 running Emacs as an @sc{nntp} server. That's a long shot, though.
444 @vindex gnus-nntp-server
445 If @code{gnus-nntp-server} is set, this variable will override
446 @code{gnus-select-method}. You should therefore set
447 @code{gnus-nntp-server} to @code{nil}, which is what it is by default.
449 @vindex gnus-secondary-servers
450 You can also make Gnus prompt you interactively for the name of an
451 @sc{nntp} server. If you give a non-numerical prefix to @code{gnus}
452 (i.e., @kbd{C-u M-x gnus}), Gnus will let you choose between the servers
453 in the @code{gnus-secondary-servers} list (if any). You can also just
454 type in the name of any server you feel like visiting.
456 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
458 However, if you use one @sc{nntp} server regularly and are just
459 interested in a couple of groups from a different server, you would be
460 better served by using the @kbd{B} command in the group buffer. It will
461 let you have a look at what groups are available, and you can subscribe
462 to any of the groups you want to. This also makes @file{.newsrc}
463 maintenance much tidier. @xref{Foreign Groups}.
465 @vindex gnus-secondary-select-methods
467 A slightly different approach to foreign groups is to set the
468 @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods} variable. The select methods
469 listed in this variable are in many ways just as native as the
470 @code{gnus-select-method} server. They will also be queried for active
471 files during startup (if that's required), and new newsgroups that
472 appear on these servers will be subscribed (or not) just as native
475 For instance, if you use the @code{nnmbox} backend to read your mail, you
476 would typically set this variable to
479 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmbox "")))
484 @section The First Time
485 @cindex first time usage
487 If no startup files exist, Gnus will try to determine what groups should
488 be subscribed by default.
490 @vindex gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups
491 If the variable @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is set, Gnus
492 will subscribe you to just those groups in that list, leaving the rest
493 killed. Your system administrator should have set this variable to
496 Since she hasn't, Gnus will just subscribe you to a few arbitrarily
497 picked groups (i.e., @samp{*.newusers}). (@dfn{Arbitrary} is here
498 defined as @dfn{whatever Lars thinks you should read}.)
500 You'll also be subscribed to the Gnus documentation group, which should
501 help you with most common problems.
503 If @code{gnus-default-subscribed-newsgroups} is @code{t}, Gnus will just
504 use the normal functions for handling new groups, and not do anything
508 @node The Server is Down
509 @section The Server is Down
510 @cindex server errors
512 If the default server is down, Gnus will understandably have some
513 problems starting. However, if you have some mail groups in addition to
514 the news groups, you may want to start Gnus anyway.
516 Gnus, being the trusting sort of program, will ask whether to proceed
517 without a native select method if that server can't be contacted. This
518 will happen whether the server doesn't actually exist (i.e., you have
519 given the wrong address) or the server has just momentarily taken ill
520 for some reason or other. If you decide to continue and have no foreign
521 groups, you'll find it difficult to actually do anything in the group
522 buffer. But, hey, that's your problem. Blllrph!
524 @findex gnus-no-server
525 @kindex M-x gnus-no-server
527 If you know that the server is definitely down, or you just want to read
528 your mail without bothering with the server at all, you can use the
529 @code{gnus-no-server} command to start Gnus. That might come in handy
530 if you're in a hurry as well. This command will not attempt to contact
531 your primary server---instead, it will just activate all groups on level
532 1 and 2. (You should preferably keep no native groups on those two
537 @section Slave Gnusae
540 You might want to run more than one Emacs with more than one Gnus at the
541 same time. If you are using different @file{.newsrc} files (e.g., if you
542 are using the two different Gnusae to read from two different servers),
543 that is no problem whatsoever. You just do it.
545 The problem appears when you want to run two Gnusae that use the same
548 To work around that problem some, we here at the Think-Tank at the Gnus
549 Towers have come up with a new concept: @dfn{Masters} and
550 @dfn{slaves}. (We have applied for a patent on this concept, and have
551 taken out a copyright on those words. If you wish to use those words in
552 conjunction with each other, you have to send $1 per usage instance to
553 me. Usage of the patent (@dfn{Master/Slave Relationships In Computer
554 Applications}) will be much more expensive, of course.)
556 Anyways, you start one Gnus up the normal way with @kbd{M-x gnus} (or
557 however you do it). Each subsequent slave Gnusae should be started with
558 @kbd{M-x gnus-slave}. These slaves won't save normal @file{.newsrc}
559 files, but instead save @dfn{slave files} that contain information only
560 on what groups have been read in the slave session. When a master Gnus
561 starts, it will read (and delete) these slave files, incorporating all
562 information from them. (The slave files will be read in the sequence
563 they were created, so the latest changes will have precedence.)
565 Information from the slave files has, of course, precedence over the
566 information in the normal (i.e., master) @code{.newsrc} file.
569 @node Fetching a Group
570 @section Fetching a Group
571 @cindex fetching a group
573 @findex gnus-fetch-group
574 It it sometimes convenient to be able to just say ``I want to read this
575 group and I don't care whether Gnus has been started or not''. This is
576 perhaps more useful for people who write code than for users, but the
577 command @code{gnus-fetch-group} provides this functionality in any case.
578 It takes the group name as a parameter.
586 @vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
587 If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
588 you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
589 also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
590 @code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
591 @kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
592 is @code{t} by default. If you set this variable to @code{always}, then
593 Gnus will query the backends for new groups even when you do the @kbd{g}
594 command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
597 * Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
598 * Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
599 * Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
603 @node Checking New Groups
604 @subsection Checking New Groups
606 Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
607 list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
608 dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
609 @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
610 server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
611 cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
612 groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
613 @code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
614 Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
615 Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
617 I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
618 server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
619 fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
620 @code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
621 few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
622 work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
623 supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
624 You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
625 whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
626 it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
627 @samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
629 This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
630 issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
631 subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
632 if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
633 that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
634 Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
637 @node Subscription Methods
638 @subsection Subscription Methods
640 @vindex gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method
641 What Gnus does when it encounters a new group is determined by the
642 @code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} variable.
644 This variable should contain a function. Some handy pre-fab values
649 @item gnus-subscribe-zombies
650 @vindex gnus-subscribe-zombies
651 Make all new groups zombies. This is the default. You can browse the
652 zombies later (with @kbd{A z}) and either kill them all off properly
653 (with @kbd{S z}), or subscribe to them (with @kbd{u}).
655 @item gnus-subscribe-randomly
656 @vindex gnus-subscribe-randomly
657 Subscribe all new groups randomly.
659 @item gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
660 @vindex gnus-subscribe-alphabetically
661 Subscribe all new groups alphabetically.
663 @item gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
664 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchically
665 Subscribe all new groups hierarchically. The difference between this
666 function and @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} is slight.
667 @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically} will subscribe new groups in a strictly
668 alphabetical fashion, while this function will enter groups into it's
669 hierarchy. So if you want to have the @samp{rec} hierarchy before the
670 @samp{comp} hierarchy, this function will not mess that configuration
671 up. Or something like that.
673 @item gnus-subscribe-interactively
674 @vindex gnus-subscribe-interactively
675 Subscribe new groups interactively. This means that Gnus will ask
676 you about @strong{all} new groups.
678 @item gnus-subscribe-killed
679 @vindex gnus-subscribe-killed
684 @vindex gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive
685 A closely related variable is
686 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. (That's quite a
687 mouthful.) If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will ask you in a
688 hierarchical fashion whether to subscribe to new groups or not. Gnus
689 will ask you for each sub-hierarchy whether you want to descend the
692 One common mistake is to set the variable a few paragraphs above to
693 @code{gnus-subscribe-hierarchical-interactive}. This is an error. This
694 will not work. This is ga-ga. So don't do it.
697 @node Filtering New Groups
698 @subsection Filtering New Groups
700 A nice and portable way to control which new newsgroups should be
701 subscribed (or ignored) is to put an @dfn{options} line at the start of
702 the @file{.newsrc} file. Here's an example:
705 options -n !alt.all !rec.all sci.all
708 @vindex gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method
709 This line obviously belongs to a serious-minded intellectual scientific
710 person (or she may just be plain old boring), because it says that all
711 groups that have names beginning with @samp{alt} and @samp{rec} should
712 be ignored, and all groups with names beginning with @samp{sci} should
713 be subscribed. Gnus will not use the normal subscription method for
714 subscribing these groups.
715 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method} is used instead. This
716 variable defaults to @code{gnus-subscribe-alphabetically}.
718 @vindex gnus-options-not-subscribe
719 @vindex gnus-options-subscribe
720 If you don't want to mess with your @file{.newsrc} file, you can just
721 set the two variables @code{gnus-options-subscribe} and
722 @code{gnus-options-not-subscribe}. These two variables do exactly the
723 same as the @file{.newsrc} @samp{options -n} trick. Both are regexps,
724 and if the the new group matches the former, it will be unconditionally
725 subscribed, and if it matches the latter, it will be ignored.
727 @vindex gnus-auto-subscribed-groups
728 Yet another variable that meddles here is
729 @code{gnus-auto-subscribed-groups}. It works exactly like
730 @code{gnus-options-subscribe}, and is therefore really superfluous, but I
731 thought it would be nice to have two of these. This variable is more
732 meant for setting some ground rules, while the other variable is used
733 more for user fiddling. By default this variable makes all new groups
734 that come from mail backends (@code{nnml}, @code{nnbabyl},
735 @code{nnfolder}, @code{nnmbox}, and @code{nnmh}) subscribed. If you
736 don't like that, just set this variable to @code{nil}.
738 New groups that match this regexp are subscribed using
739 @code{gnus-subscribe-options-newsgroup-method}.
742 @node Changing Servers
743 @section Changing Servers
744 @cindex changing servers
746 Sometimes it is necessary to move from one @sc{nntp} server to another.
747 This happens very rarely, but perhaps you change jobs, or one server is
748 very flaky and you want to use another.
750 Changing the server is pretty easy, right? You just change
751 @code{gnus-select-method} to point to the new server?
755 Article numbers are not (in any way) kept synchronized between different
756 @sc{nntp} servers, and the only way Gnus keeps track of what articles
757 you have read is by keeping track of article numbers. So when you
758 change @code{gnus-select-method}, your @file{.newsrc} file becomes
761 Gnus provides a few functions to attempt to translate a @file{.newsrc}
762 file from one server to another. They all have one thing in
763 common---they take a looong time to run. You don't want to use these
764 functions more than absolutely necessary.
766 @kindex M-x gnus-change-server
767 @findex gnus-change-server
768 If you have access to both servers, Gnus can request the headers for all
769 the articles you have read and compare @code{Message-ID}s and map the
770 article numbers of the read articles and article marks. The @kbd{M-x
771 gnus-change-server} command will do this for all your native groups. It
772 will prompt for the method you want to move to.
774 @kindex M-x gnus-group-move-group-to-server
775 @findex gnus-group-move-group-to-server
776 You can also move individual groups with the @kbd{M-x
777 gnus-group-move-group-to-server} command. This is useful if you want to
778 move a (foreign) group from one server to another.
780 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
781 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
782 If you don't have access to both the old and new server, all your marks
783 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use the @kbd{M-x
784 gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups} command to clear out all data
785 that you have on your native groups. Use with caution.
789 @section Startup Files
790 @cindex startup files
795 Now, you all know about the @file{.newsrc} file. All subscription
796 information is traditionally stored in this file.
798 Things got a bit more complicated with @sc{gnus}. In addition to
799 keeping the @file{.newsrc} file updated, it also used a file called
800 @file{.newsrc.el} for storing all the information that didn't fit into
801 the @file{.newsrc} file. (Actually, it also duplicated everything in
802 the @file{.newsrc} file.) @sc{gnus} would read whichever one of these
803 files was the most recently saved, which enabled people to swap between
804 @sc{gnus} and other newsreaders.
806 That was kinda silly, so Gnus went one better: In addition to the
807 @file{.newsrc} and @file{.newsrc.el} files, Gnus also has a file called
808 @file{.newsrc.eld}. It will read whichever of these files that are most
809 recent, but it will never write a @file{.newsrc.el} file.
811 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-file
812 You can turn off writing the @file{.newsrc} file by setting
813 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-file} to @code{nil}, which means you can delete
814 the file and save some space, as well as making exit from Gnus faster.
815 However, this will make it impossible to use other newsreaders than
816 Gnus. But hey, who would want to, right?
818 @vindex gnus-save-killed-list
819 If @code{gnus-save-killed-list} (default @code{t}) is @code{nil}, Gnus
820 will not save the list of killed groups to the startup file. This will
821 save both time (when starting and quitting) and space (on disk). It
822 will also mean that Gnus has no record of what groups are new or old,
823 so the automatic new groups subscription methods become meaningless.
824 You should always set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil} or
825 @code{ask-server} if you set this variable to @code{nil} (@pxref{New
826 Groups}). This variable can also be a regular expression. If that's
827 the case, remove all groups that do not match this regexp before
828 saving. This can be useful in certain obscure situations that involve
829 several servers where not all servers support @code{ask-server}.
831 @vindex gnus-startup-file
832 The @code{gnus-startup-file} variable says where the startup files are.
833 The default value is @file{~/.newsrc}, with the Gnus (El Dingo) startup
834 file being whatever that one is with a @samp{.eld} appended.
836 @vindex gnus-save-newsrc-hook
837 @vindex gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook
838 @vindex gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook
839 @code{gnus-save-newsrc-hook} is called before saving any of the newsrc
840 files, while @code{gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook} is called just before
841 saving the @file{.newsrc.eld} file, and
842 @code{gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook} is called just before saving the
843 @file{.newsrc} file. The latter two are commonly used to turn version
844 control on or off. Version control is on by default when saving the
845 startup files. If you want to turn backup creation off, say something like:
848 (defun turn-off-backup ()
849 (set (make-local-variable 'backup-inhibited) t))
851 (add-hook 'gnus-save-quick-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
852 (add-hook 'gnus-save-standard-newsrc-hook 'turn-off-backup)
855 @vindex gnus-init-file
856 When Gnus starts, it will read the @code{gnus-site-init-file}
857 (@file{.../site-lisp/gnus.el} by default) and @code{gnus-init-file}
858 (@file{~/.gnus.el} by default) files. These are normal Emacs Lisp files
859 and can be used to avoid cluttering your @file{.emacs} and
860 @file{site-init} files with Gnus stuff.
868 Whenever you do something that changes the Gnus data (reading articles,
869 catching up, killing/subscribing groups), the change is added to a
870 special @dfn{dribble buffer}. This buffer is auto-saved the normal
871 Emacs way. If your Emacs should crash before you have saved the
872 @file{.newsrc} files, all changes you have made can be recovered from
875 If Gnus detects this file at startup, it will ask the user whether to
876 read it. The auto save file is deleted whenever the real startup file is
879 @vindex gnus-use-dribble-file
880 If @code{gnus-use-dribble-file} is @code{nil}, Gnus won't create and
881 maintain a dribble buffer. The default is @code{t}.
883 @vindex gnus-dribble-directory
884 Gnus will put the dribble file(s) in @code{gnus-dribble-directory}. If
885 this variable is @code{nil}, which it is by default, Gnus will dribble
886 into the directory where the @file{.newsrc} file is located. (This is
887 normally the user's home directory.) The dribble file will get the same
888 file permissions as the @code{.newsrc} file.
891 @node The Active File
892 @section The Active File
894 @cindex ignored groups
896 When Gnus starts, or indeed whenever it tries to determine whether new
897 articles have arrived, it reads the active file. This is a very large
898 file that lists all the active groups and articles on the server.
900 @vindex gnus-ignored-newsgroups
901 Before examining the active file, Gnus deletes all lines that match the
902 regexp @code{gnus-ignored-newsgroups}. This is done primarily to reject
903 any groups with bogus names, but you can use this variable to make Gnus
904 ignore hierarchies you aren't ever interested in. However, this is not
905 recommended. In fact, it's highly discouraged. Instead, @pxref{New
906 Groups} for an overview of other variables that can be used instead.
909 @c @code{nil} by default, and will slow down active file handling somewhat
910 @c if you set it to anything else.
912 @vindex gnus-read-active-file
914 The active file can be rather Huge, so if you have a slow network, you
915 can set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
916 reading the active file. This variable is @code{t} by default.
918 Gnus will try to make do by getting information just on the groups that
919 you actually subscribe to.
921 Note that if you subscribe to lots and lots of groups, setting this
922 variable to @code{nil} will probably make Gnus slower, not faster. At
923 present, having this variable @code{nil} will slow Gnus down
924 considerably, unless you read news over a 2400 baud modem.
926 This variable can also have the value @code{some}. Gnus will then
927 attempt to read active info only on the subscribed groups. On some
928 servers this is quite fast (on sparkling, brand new INN servers that
929 support the @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command), on others this isn't fast
930 at all. In any case, @code{some} should be faster than @code{nil}, and
931 is certainly faster than @code{t} over slow lines.
933 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will ask for group info in total
934 lock-step, which isn't very fast. If it is @code{some} and you use an
935 @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will pump out commands as fast as it can, and
936 read all the replies in one swoop. This will normally result in better
937 performance, but if the server does not support the aforementioned
938 @code{LIST ACTIVE group} command, this isn't very nice to the server.
940 In any case, if you use @code{some} or @code{nil}, you should definitely
941 kill all groups that you aren't interested in to speed things up.
944 @node Startup Variables
945 @section Startup Variables
950 @vindex gnus-load-hook
951 A hook that is run while Gnus is being loaded. Note that this hook will
952 normally be run just once in each Emacs session, no matter how many
953 times you start Gnus.
955 @item gnus-startup-hook
956 @vindex gnus-startup-hook
957 A hook that is run after starting up Gnus successfully.
959 @item gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
960 @vindex gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups
961 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will check for and delete all bogus groups at
962 startup. A @dfn{bogus group} is a group that you have in your
963 @file{.newsrc} file, but doesn't exist on the news server. Checking for
964 bogus groups can take quite a while, so to save time and resources it's
965 best to leave this option off, and do the checking for bogus groups once
966 in a while from the group buffer instead (@pxref{Group Maintenance}).
968 @item gnus-inhibit-startup-message
969 @vindex gnus-inhibit-startup-message
970 If non-@code{nil}, the startup message won't be displayed. That way,
971 your boss might not notice as easily that you are reading news instead
972 of doing your job. Note that this variable is used before
973 @file{.gnus.el} is loaded, so it should be set in @code{.emacs} instead.
975 @item gnus-no-groups-message
976 @vindex gnus-no-groups-message
977 Message displayed by Gnus when no groups are available.
979 @item gnus-play-startup-jingle
980 @vindex gnus-play-startup-jingle
981 If non-@code{nil}, play the Gnus jingle at startup.
983 @item gnus-startup-jingle
984 @vindex gnus-startup-jingle
985 Jingle to be played if the above variable is non-@code{nil}. The
986 default is @samp{Tuxedomoon.Jingle4.au}.
991 @node The Group Buffer
992 @chapter The Group Buffer
995 The @dfn{group buffer} lists all (or parts) of the available groups. It
996 is the first buffer shown when Gnus starts, and will never be killed as
997 long as Gnus is active.
1000 * Group Buffer Format:: Information listed and how you can change it.
1001 * Group Maneuvering:: Commands for moving in the group buffer.
1002 * Selecting a Group:: Actually reading news.
1003 * Group Data:: Changing the info for a group.
1004 * Subscription Commands:: Unsubscribing, killing, subscribing.
1005 * Group Levels:: Levels? What are those, then?
1006 * Group Score:: A mechanism for finding out what groups you like.
1007 * Marking Groups:: You can mark groups for later processing.
1008 * Foreign Groups:: Creating and editing groups.
1009 * Group Parameters:: Each group may have different parameters set.
1010 * Listing Groups:: Gnus can list various subsets of the groups.
1011 * Sorting Groups:: Re-arrange the group order.
1012 * Group Maintenance:: Maintaining a tidy @file{.newsrc} file.
1013 * Browse Foreign Server:: You can browse a server. See what it has to offer.
1014 * Exiting Gnus:: Stop reading news and get some work done.
1015 * Group Topics:: A folding group mode divided into topics.
1016 * Misc Group Stuff:: Other stuff that you can to do.
1020 @node Group Buffer Format
1021 @section Group Buffer Format
1024 * Group Line Specification:: Deciding how the group buffer is to look.
1025 * Group Modeline Specification:: The group buffer modeline.
1026 * Group Highlighting:: Having nice colors in the group buffer.
1030 @node Group Line Specification
1031 @subsection Group Line Specification
1032 @cindex group buffer format
1034 The default format of the group buffer is nice and dull, but you can
1035 make it as exciting and ugly as you feel like.
1037 Here's a couple of example group lines:
1040 25: news.announce.newusers
1041 * 0: alt.fan.andrea-dworkin
1046 You can see that there are 25 unread articles in
1047 @samp{news.announce.newusers}. There are no unread articles, but some
1048 ticked articles, in @samp{alt.fan.andrea-dworkin} (see that little
1049 asterisk at the beginning of the line?)
1051 @vindex gnus-group-line-format
1052 You can change that format to whatever you want by fiddling with the
1053 @code{gnus-group-line-format} variable. This variable works along the
1054 lines of a @code{format} specification, which is pretty much the same as
1055 a @code{printf} specifications, for those of you who use (feh!) C.
1056 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
1058 @samp{%M%S%5y: %(%g%)\n} is the value that produced those lines above.
1060 There should always be a colon on the line; the cursor always moves to
1061 the colon after performing an operation. Nothing else is required---not
1062 even the group name. All displayed text is just window dressing, and is
1063 never examined by Gnus. Gnus stores all real information it needs using
1066 (Note that if you make a really strange, wonderful, spreadsheet-like
1067 layout, everybody will believe you are hard at work with the accounting
1068 instead of wasting time reading news.)
1070 Here's a list of all available format characters:
1075 An asterisk if the group only has marked articles.
1078 Whether the group is subscribed.
1081 Level of subscribedness.
1084 Number of unread articles.
1087 Number of dormant articles.
1090 Number of ticked articles.
1093 Number of read articles.
1096 Estimated total number of articles. (This is really @var{max-number}
1097 minus @var{min-number} plus 1.)
1100 Number of unread, unticked, non-dormant articles.
1103 Number of ticked and dormant articles.
1112 Newsgroup description.
1115 @samp{m} if moderated.
1118 @samp{(m)} if moderated.
1127 A string that looks like @samp{<%s:%n>} if a foreign select method is
1131 Indentation based on the level of the topic (@pxref{Group Topics}).
1134 @vindex gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels
1135 Short (collapsed) group name. The @code{gnus-group-uncollapsed-levels}
1136 variable says how many levels to leave at the end of the group name.
1137 The default is 1---this will mean that group names like
1138 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} will be shortened to @samp{g.emacs.gnus}.
1141 @vindex gnus-new-mail-mark
1143 @samp{%} (@code{gnus-new-mail-mark}) if there has arrived new mail to
1147 A string that says when you last read the group (@pxref{Group
1151 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
1152 be a letter. @sc{gnus} will call the function
1153 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
1154 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed a single dummy
1155 paratere as argument. The function should return a string, which will
1156 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
1161 All the ``number-of'' specs will be filled with an asterisk (@samp{*})
1162 if no info is available---for instance, if it is a non-activated foreign
1163 group, or a bogus native group.
1166 @node Group Modeline Specification
1167 @subsection Group Modeline Specification
1168 @cindex group modeline
1170 @vindex gnus-group-mode-line-format
1171 The mode line can be changed by setting
1172 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format} (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). It
1173 doesn't understand that many format specifiers:
1177 The native news server.
1179 The native select method.
1183 @node Group Highlighting
1184 @subsection Group Highlighting
1185 @cindex highlighting
1186 @cindex group highlighting
1188 @vindex gnus-group-highlight
1189 Highlighting in the group buffer is controlled by the
1190 @code{gnus-group-highlight} variable. This is an alist with elements
1191 that look like @var{(form . face)}. If @var{form} evaluates to
1192 something non-@code{nil}, the @var{face} will be used on the line.
1194 Here's an example value for this variable that might look nice if the
1198 (setq gnus-group-highlight
1200 ,(custom-face-lookup "Red" nil nil t nil nil))
1201 ((and (< level 3) (zerop unread)) .
1202 ,(custom-face-lookup "SeaGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1204 ,(custom-face-lookup "SpringGreen" nil nil t nil nil))
1206 ,(custom-face-lookup "SteelBlue" nil nil t nil nil))
1208 ,(custom-face-lookup "SkyBlue" nil nil t nil nil))))
1211 Variables that are dynamically bound when the forms are evaluated
1218 The number of unread articles in the group.
1222 Whether the group is a mail group.
1224 The level of the group.
1226 The score of the group.
1228 The number of ticked articles in the group.
1230 The total number of articles in the group. Or rather, MAX-NUMBER minus
1233 When using the topic minor mode, this variable is bound to the current
1234 topic being inserted.
1237 When the forms are @code{eval}ed, point is at the beginning of the line
1238 of the group in question, so you can use many of the normal Gnus
1239 functions for snarfing info on the group.
1241 @vindex gnus-group-update-hook
1242 @findex gnus-group-highlight-line
1243 @code{gnus-group-update-hook} is called when a group line is changed.
1244 It will not be called when @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}. This hook
1245 calls @code{gnus-group-highlight-line} by default.
1248 @node Group Maneuvering
1249 @section Group Maneuvering
1250 @cindex group movement
1252 All movement commands understand the numeric prefix and will behave as
1253 expected, hopefully.
1259 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group
1260 Go to the next group that has unread articles
1261 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group}).
1267 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group
1268 Go to the previous group that has unread articles
1269 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group}).
1273 @findex gnus-group-next-group
1274 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
1278 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
1279 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
1283 @findex gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level
1284 Go to the next unread group on the same (or lower) level
1285 (@code{gnus-group-next-unread-group-same-level}).
1289 @findex gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level
1290 Go to the previous unread group on the same (or lower) level
1291 (@code{gnus-group-prev-unread-group-same-level}).
1294 Three commands for jumping to groups:
1300 @findex gnus-group-jump-to-group
1301 Jump to a group (and make it visible if it isn't already)
1302 (@code{gnus-group-jump-to-group}). Killed groups can be jumped to, just
1307 @findex gnus-group-best-unread-group
1308 Jump to the unread group with the lowest level
1309 (@code{gnus-group-best-unread-group}).
1313 @findex gnus-group-first-unread-group
1314 Jump to the first group with unread articles
1315 (@code{gnus-group-first-unread-group}).
1318 @vindex gnus-group-goto-unread
1319 If @code{gnus-group-goto-unread} is @code{nil}, all the movement
1320 commands will move to the next group, not the next unread group. Even
1321 the commands that say they move to the next unread group. The default
1325 @node Selecting a Group
1326 @section Selecting a Group
1327 @cindex group selection
1332 @kindex SPACE (Group)
1333 @findex gnus-group-read-group
1334 Select the current group, switch to the summary buffer and display the
1335 first unread article (@code{gnus-group-read-group}). If there are no
1336 unread articles in the group, or if you give a non-numerical prefix to
1337 this command, Gnus will offer to fetch all the old articles in this
1338 group from the server. If you give a numerical prefix @var{N}, @var{N}
1339 determines the number of articles Gnus will fetch. If @var{N} is
1340 positive, Gnus fetches the @var{N} newest articles, if @var{N} is
1341 negative, Gnus fetches the @var{abs(N)} oldest articles.
1345 @findex gnus-group-select-group
1346 Select the current group and switch to the summary buffer
1347 (@code{gnus-group-select-group}). Takes the same arguments as
1348 @code{gnus-group-read-group}---the only difference is that this command
1349 does not display the first unread article automatically upon group
1353 @kindex M-RET (Group)
1354 @findex gnus-group-quick-select-group
1355 This does the same as the command above, but tries to do it with the
1356 minimum amount of fuzz (@code{gnus-group-quick-select-group}). No
1357 scoring/killing will be performed, there will be no highlights and no
1358 expunging. This might be useful if you're in a real hurry and have to
1359 enter some humongous group. If you give a 0 prefix to this command
1360 (i.e., @kbd{0 M-RET}), Gnus won't even generate the summary buffer.
1361 This might be useful if you want to toggle threading before entering the
1365 @kindex M-SPACE (Group)
1366 @findex gnus-group-visible-select-group
1367 This is yet one more command that does the same as the @kbd{RET}
1368 command, but this one does it without expunging and hiding dormants
1369 (@code{gnus-group-visible-select-group}).
1372 @kindex M-C-RET (Group)
1373 @findex gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally
1374 Finally, this command selects the current group ephemerally without
1375 doing any processing of its contents
1376 (@code{gnus-group-select-group-ephemerally}). Even threading has been
1377 turned off. Everything you do in the group after selecting it in this
1378 manner will have no permanent effects.
1382 @vindex gnus-large-newsgroup
1383 The @code{gnus-large-newsgroup} variable says what Gnus should consider
1384 to be a big group. This is 200 by default. If the group has more
1385 (unread and/or ticked) articles than this, Gnus will query the user
1386 before entering the group. The user can then specify how many articles
1387 should be fetched from the server. If the user specifies a negative
1388 number (@code{-n}), the @code{n} oldest articles will be fetched. If it
1389 is positive, the @code{n} articles that have arrived most recently will
1392 @vindex gnus-select-group-hook
1393 @vindex gnus-auto-select-first
1394 @code{gnus-auto-select-first} control whether any articles are selected
1395 automatically when entering a group with the @kbd{SPACE} command.
1400 Don't select any articles when entering the group. Just display the
1401 full summary buffer.
1404 Select the first unread article when entering the group.
1407 Select the most high-scored article in the group when entering the
1411 If you want to prevent automatic selection in some group (say, in a
1412 binary group with Huge articles) you can set this variable to @code{nil}
1413 in @code{gnus-select-group-hook}, which is called when a group is
1417 @node Subscription Commands
1418 @section Subscription Commands
1419 @cindex subscription
1427 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group
1428 Toggle subscription to the current group
1429 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-current-group}).
1435 @findex gnus-group-unsubscribe-group
1436 Prompt for a group to subscribe, and then subscribe it. If it was
1437 subscribed already, unsubscribe it instead
1438 (@code{gnus-group-unsubscribe-group}).
1444 @findex gnus-group-kill-group
1445 Kill the current group (@code{gnus-group-kill-group}).
1451 @findex gnus-group-yank-group
1452 Yank the last killed group (@code{gnus-group-yank-group}).
1455 @kindex C-x C-t (Group)
1456 @findex gnus-group-transpose-groups
1457 Transpose two groups (@code{gnus-group-transpose-groups}). This isn't
1458 really a subscription command, but you can use it instead of a
1459 kill-and-yank sequence sometimes.
1465 @findex gnus-group-kill-region
1466 Kill all groups in the region (@code{gnus-group-kill-region}).
1470 @findex gnus-group-kill-all-zombies
1471 Kill all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-kill-all-zombies}).
1474 @kindex S C-k (Group)
1475 @findex gnus-group-kill-level
1476 Kill all groups on a certain level (@code{gnus-group-kill-level}).
1477 These groups can't be yanked back after killing, so this command should
1478 be used with some caution. The only time where this command comes in
1479 really handy is when you have a @file{.newsrc} with lots of unsubscribed
1480 groups that you want to get rid off. @kbd{S C-k} on level 7 will
1481 kill off all unsubscribed groups that do not have message numbers in the
1482 @file{.newsrc} file.
1486 Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
1496 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current
1497 @vindex gnus-group-catchup-group-hook
1498 Mark all unticked articles in this group as read
1499 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current}).
1500 @code{gnus-group-catchup-group-hook} is called when catching up a group from
1505 @findex gnus-group-catchup-current-all
1506 Mark all articles in this group, even the ticked ones, as read
1507 (@code{gnus-group-catchup-current-all}).
1511 @findex gnus-group-clear-data
1512 Clear the data from the current group---nix out marks and the list of
1513 read articles (@code{gnus-group-clear-data}).
1515 @item M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1516 @kindex M-x gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1517 @findex gnus-group-clear-data-on-native-groups
1518 If you have switched from one @sc{nntp} server to another, all your marks
1519 and read ranges have become worthless. You can use this command to
1520 clear out all data that you have on your native groups. Use with
1527 @section Group Levels
1531 All groups have a level of @dfn{subscribedness}. For instance, if a
1532 group is on level 2, it is more subscribed than a group on level 5. You
1533 can ask Gnus to just list groups on a given level or lower
1534 (@pxref{Listing Groups}), or to just check for new articles in groups on
1535 a given level or lower (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
1537 Remember: The higher the level of the group, the less important it is.
1543 @findex gnus-group-set-current-level
1544 Set the level of the current group. If a numeric prefix is given, the
1545 next @var{n} groups will have their levels set. The user will be
1546 prompted for a level.
1549 @vindex gnus-level-killed
1550 @vindex gnus-level-zombie
1551 @vindex gnus-level-unsubscribed
1552 @vindex gnus-level-subscribed
1553 Gnus considers groups on between levels 1 and
1554 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (inclusive) (default 5) to be subscribed,
1555 @code{gnus-level-subscribed} (exclusive) and
1556 @code{gnus-level-unsubscribed} (inclusive) (default 7) to be
1557 unsubscribed, @code{gnus-level-zombie} to be zombies (walking dead)
1558 (default 8) and @code{gnus-level-killed} to be killed (default 9),
1559 completely dead. Gnus treats subscribed and unsubscribed groups exactly
1560 the same, but zombie and killed groups have no information on what
1561 articles you have read, etc, stored. This distinction between dead and
1562 living groups isn't done because it is nice or clever, it is done purely
1563 for reasons of efficiency.
1565 It is recommended that you keep all your mail groups (if any) on quite
1566 low levels (e.g. 1 or 2).
1568 If you want to play with the level variables, you should show some care.
1569 Set them once, and don't touch them ever again. Better yet, don't touch
1570 them at all unless you know exactly what you're doing.
1572 @vindex gnus-level-default-unsubscribed
1573 @vindex gnus-level-default-subscribed
1574 Two closely related variables are @code{gnus-level-default-subscribed}
1575 (default 3) and @code{gnus-level-default-unsubscribed} (default 6),
1576 which are the levels that new groups will be put on if they are
1577 (un)subscribed. These two variables should, of course, be inside the
1578 relevant legal ranges.
1580 @vindex gnus-keep-same-level
1581 If @code{gnus-keep-same-level} is non-@code{nil}, some movement commands
1582 will only move to groups that are of the same level (or lower). In
1583 particular, going from the last article in one group to the next group
1584 will go to the next group of the same level (or lower). This might be
1585 handy if you want to read the most important groups before you read the
1588 @vindex gnus-group-default-list-level
1589 All groups with a level less than or equal to
1590 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level} will be listed in the group buffer
1593 @vindex gnus-group-list-inactive-groups
1594 If @code{gnus-group-list-inactive-groups} is non-@code{nil}, non-active
1595 groups will be listed along with the unread groups. This variable is
1596 @code{t} by default. If it is @code{nil}, inactive groups won't be
1599 @vindex gnus-group-use-permanent-levels
1600 If @code{gnus-group-use-permanent-levels} is non-@code{nil}, once you
1601 give a level prefix to @kbd{g} or @kbd{l}, all subsequent commands will
1602 use this level as the ``work'' level.
1604 @vindex gnus-activate-level
1605 Gnus will normally just activate groups that are on level
1606 @code{gnus-activate-level} or less. If you don't want to activate
1607 unsubscribed groups, for instance, you might set this variable to
1608 5. The default is 6.
1612 @section Group Score
1615 You would normally keep important groups on high levels, but that scheme
1616 is somewhat restrictive. Don't you wish you could have Gnus sort the
1617 group buffer according to how often you read groups, perhaps? Within
1620 This is what @dfn{group score} is for. You can assign a score to each
1621 group. You can then sort the group buffer based on this score.
1622 Alternatively, you can sort on score and then level. (Taken together,
1623 the level and the score is called the @dfn{rank} of the group. A group
1624 that is on level 4 and has a score of 1 has a higher rank than a group
1625 on level 5 that has a score of 300. (The level is the most significant
1626 part and the score is the least significant part.))
1628 @findex gnus-summary-bubble-group
1629 If you want groups you read often to get higher scores than groups you
1630 read seldom you can add the @code{gnus-summary-bubble-group} function to
1631 the @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} hook. This will result (after
1632 sorting) in a bubbling sort of action. If you want to see that in
1633 action after each summary exit, you can add
1634 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank} or
1635 @code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score} to the same hook, but that will
1636 slow things down somewhat.
1639 @node Marking Groups
1640 @section Marking Groups
1641 @cindex marking groups
1643 If you want to perform some command on several groups, and they appear
1644 subsequently in the group buffer, you would normally just give a
1645 numerical prefix to the command. Most group commands will then do your
1646 bidding on those groups.
1648 However, if the groups are not in sequential order, you can still
1649 perform a command on several groups. You simply mark the groups first
1650 with the process mark and then execute the command.
1658 @findex gnus-group-mark-group
1659 Set the mark on the current group (@code{gnus-group-mark-group}).
1665 @findex gnus-group-unmark-group
1666 Remove the mark from the current group
1667 (@code{gnus-group-unmark-group}).
1671 @findex gnus-group-unmark-all-groups
1672 Remove the mark from all groups (@code{gnus-group-unmark-all-groups}).
1676 @findex gnus-group-mark-region
1677 Mark all groups between point and mark (@code{gnus-group-mark-region}).
1681 @findex gnus-group-mark-buffer
1682 Mark all groups in the buffer (@code{gnus-group-mark-buffer}).
1686 @findex gnus-group-mark-regexp
1687 Mark all groups that match some regular expression
1688 (@code{gnus-group-mark-regexp}).
1691 Also @pxref{Process/Prefix}.
1693 @findex gnus-group-universal-argument
1694 If you want to execute some command on all groups that have been marked
1695 with the process mark, you can use the @kbd{M-&}
1696 (@code{gnus-group-universal-argument}) command. It will prompt you for
1697 the command to be executed.
1700 @node Foreign Groups
1701 @section Foreign Groups
1702 @cindex foreign groups
1704 Below are some group mode commands for making and editing general foreign
1705 groups, as well as commands to ease the creation of a few
1706 special-purpose groups. All these commands insert the newly created
1707 groups under point---@code{gnus-subscribe-newsgroup-method} is not
1714 @findex gnus-group-make-group
1715 @cindex making groups
1716 Make a new group (@code{gnus-group-make-group}). Gnus will prompt you
1717 for a name, a method and possibly an @dfn{address}. For an easier way
1718 to subscribe to @sc{nntp} groups, @pxref{Browse Foreign Server}.
1722 @findex gnus-group-rename-group
1723 @cindex renaming groups
1724 Rename the current group to something else
1725 (@code{gnus-group-rename-group}). This is legal only on some
1726 groups---mail groups mostly. This command might very well be quite slow
1732 @findex gnus-group-customize
1733 Customize the group parameters (@code{gnus-group-customize}).
1737 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-method
1738 @cindex renaming groups
1739 Enter a buffer where you can edit the select method of the current
1740 group (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-method}).
1744 @findex gnus-group-edit-group-parameters
1745 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group parameters
1746 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group-parameters}).
1750 @findex gnus-group-edit-group
1751 Enter a buffer where you can edit the group info
1752 (@code{gnus-group-edit-group}).
1756 @findex gnus-group-make-directory-group
1758 Make a directory group (@pxref{Directory Groups}). You will be prompted
1759 for a directory name (@code{gnus-group-make-directory-group}).
1764 @findex gnus-group-make-help-group
1765 Make the Gnus help group (@code{gnus-group-make-help-group}).
1769 @cindex (ding) archive
1770 @cindex archive group
1771 @findex gnus-group-make-archive-group
1772 @vindex gnus-group-archive-directory
1773 @vindex gnus-group-recent-archive-directory
1774 Make a Gnus archive group (@code{gnus-group-make-archive-group}). By
1775 default a group pointing to the most recent articles will be created
1776 (@code{gnus-group-recent-archive-directory}), but given a prefix, a full
1777 group will be created from @code{gnus-group-archive-directory}.
1781 @findex gnus-group-make-kiboze-group
1783 Make a kiboze group. You will be prompted for a name, for a regexp to
1784 match groups to be ``included'' in the kiboze group, and a series of
1785 strings to match on headers (@code{gnus-group-make-kiboze-group}).
1786 @xref{Kibozed Groups}.
1790 @findex gnus-group-enter-directory
1792 Read an arbitrary directory as if with were a newsgroup with the
1793 @code{nneething} backend (@code{gnus-group-enter-directory}).
1794 @xref{Anything Groups}.
1798 @findex gnus-group-make-doc-group
1799 @cindex ClariNet Briefs
1801 Make a group based on some file or other
1802 (@code{gnus-group-make-doc-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1803 command, you will be prompted for a file name and a file type.
1804 Currently supported types are @code{babyl}, @code{mbox}, @code{digest},
1805 @code{mmdf}, @code{news}, @code{rnews}, @code{clari-briefs}, and
1806 @code{forward}. If you run this command without a prefix, Gnus will
1807 guess at the file type. @xref{Document Groups}.
1811 @findex gnus-group-make-web-group
1816 Make an ephemeral group based on a web search
1817 (@code{gnus-group-make-web-group}). If you give a prefix to this
1818 command, make a solid group instead. You will be prompted for the
1819 search engine type and the search string. Legal search engine types
1820 include @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
1821 @xref{Web Searches}.
1824 @kindex G DEL (Group)
1825 @findex gnus-group-delete-group
1826 This function will delete the current group
1827 (@code{gnus-group-delete-group}). If given a prefix, this function will
1828 actually delete all the articles in the group, and forcibly remove the
1829 group itself from the face of the Earth. Use a prefix only if you are
1830 absolutely sure of what you are doing.
1834 @findex gnus-group-make-empty-virtual
1835 Make a new, fresh, empty @code{nnvirtual} group
1836 (@code{gnus-group-make-empty-virtual}). @xref{Virtual Groups}.
1840 @findex gnus-group-add-to-virtual
1841 Add the current group to an @code{nnvirtual} group
1842 (@code{gnus-group-add-to-virtual}). Uses the process/prefix convention.
1845 @xref{Select Methods} for more information on the various select
1848 @vindex gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups
1849 If @code{gnus-activate-foreign-newsgroups} is a positive number,
1850 Gnus will check all foreign groups with this level or lower at startup.
1851 This might take quite a while, especially if you subscribe to lots of
1852 groups from different @sc{nntp} servers.
1855 @node Group Parameters
1856 @section Group Parameters
1857 @cindex group parameters
1859 The group parameters store information local to a particular group:
1864 If the group parameter list contains an element that looks like
1865 @code{(to-address . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used by
1866 the backend when doing followups and posts. This is primarily useful in
1867 mail groups that represent closed mailing lists---mailing lists where
1868 it's expected that everybody that writes to the mailing list is
1869 subscribed to it. Since using this parameter ensures that the mail only
1870 goes to the mailing list itself, it means that members won't receive two
1871 copies of your followups.
1873 Using @code{to-address} will actually work whether the group is foreign
1874 or not. Let's say there's a group on the server that is called
1875 @samp{fa.4ad-l}. This is a real newsgroup, but the server has gotten
1876 the articles from a mail-to-news gateway. Posting directly to this
1877 group is therefore impossible---you have to send mail to the mailing
1878 list address instead.
1882 If the group parameter list has an element that looks like
1883 @code{(to-list . "some@@where.com")}, that address will be used when
1884 doing a @kbd{a} in any group. It is totally ignored when doing a
1885 followup---except that if it is present in a news group, you'll get mail
1886 group semantics when doing @kbd{f}.
1888 @item broken-reply-to
1889 @cindex broken-reply-to
1890 Elements like @code{(broken-reply-to . t)} signals that @code{Reply-To}
1891 headers in this group are to be ignored. This can be useful if you're
1892 reading a mailing list group where the listserv has inserted
1893 @code{Reply-To} headers that point back to the listserv itself. This is
1894 broken behavior. So there!
1898 Elements like @code{(to-group . "some.group.name")} means that all
1899 posts in that group will be sent to @code{some.group.name}.
1903 If this symbol is present in the group parameter list, Gnus will treat
1904 all responses as if they were responses to news articles. This can be
1905 useful if you have a mail group that's really a mirror of a news group.
1909 If this symbol is present in the group parameter list and set to
1910 @code{t}, new composed messages will be @code{Gcc}'d to the current
1911 group. If it is present and set to @code{none}, no @code{Gcc:} header
1912 will be generated, if it is present and a string, this string will be
1913 inserted literally as a @code{gcc} header (this symbol takes precedence over
1914 any default @code{Gcc} rules as described later).
1918 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(auto-expire
1919 . t)}, , all articles that are read will be marked as expirable. For an
1920 alternative approach, @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
1923 @cindex total-expire
1924 If the group parameter has an element that looks like
1925 @code{(total-expire . t)}, all read articles will be put through the
1926 expiry process, even if they are not marked as expirable. Use with
1931 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
1932 If the group parameter has an element that looks like @code{(expiry-wait
1933 . 10)}, this value will override any @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} and
1934 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} when expiring expirable messages.
1935 The value can either be a number of days (not necessarily an integer) or
1936 the symbols @code{never} or @code{immediate}.
1939 @cindex score file group parameter
1940 Elements that look like @code{(score-file . "file")} will make
1941 @file{file} into the current score file for the group in question. This
1942 means that all score commands you issue will end up in that file.
1945 @cindex adapt file group parameter
1946 Elements that look like @code{(adapt-file . "file")} will make
1947 @file{file} into the current adaptive file for the group in question.
1948 All adaptive score entries will be put into this file.
1951 When unsubscribing to a mailing list you should never send the
1952 unsubscription notice to the mailing list itself. Instead, you'd send
1953 messages to the administrative address. This parameter allows you to
1954 put the admin address somewhere convenient.
1957 Elements that look like @code{(display . MODE)} says which articles to
1958 display on entering the group. Legal values are:
1962 Display all articles, both read and unread.
1965 Display the default visible articles, which normally includes unread and
1970 Elements that look like @code{(comment . "This is a comment")}
1971 are arbitrary comments on the group. They are currently ignored by
1972 Gnus, but provide a place for you to store information on particular
1975 @item @var{(variable form)}
1976 You can use the group parameters to set variables local to the group you
1977 are entering. If you want to turn threading off in @samp{news.answers},
1978 you could put @code{(gnus-show-threads nil)} in the group parameters of
1979 that group. @code{gnus-show-threads} will be made into a local variable
1980 in the summary buffer you enter, and the form @code{nil} will be
1981 @code{eval}ed there.
1983 This can also be used as a group-specific hook function, if you'd like.
1984 If you want to hear a beep when you enter a group, you could put
1985 something like @code{(dummy-variable (ding))} in the parameters of that
1986 group. @code{dummy-variable} will be set to the result of the
1987 @code{(ding)} form, but who cares?
1991 Use the @kbd{G p} command to edit group parameters of a group.
1993 Also @pxref{Topic Parameters}.
1996 @node Listing Groups
1997 @section Listing Groups
1998 @cindex group listing
2000 These commands all list various slices of the groups that are available.
2008 @findex gnus-group-list-groups
2009 List all groups that have unread articles
2010 (@code{gnus-group-list-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used, this
2011 command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default, it
2012 only lists groups of level five (i. e.,
2013 @code{gnus-group-default-list-level}) or lower (i.e., just subscribed
2020 @findex gnus-group-list-all-groups
2021 List all groups, whether they have unread articles or not
2022 (@code{gnus-group-list-all-groups}). If the numeric prefix is used,
2023 this command will list only groups of level ARG and lower. By default,
2024 it lists groups of level seven or lower (i.e., just subscribed and
2025 unsubscribed groups).
2029 @findex gnus-group-list-level
2030 List all unread groups on a specific level
2031 (@code{gnus-group-list-level}). If given a prefix, also list the groups
2032 with no unread articles.
2036 @findex gnus-group-list-killed
2037 List all killed groups (@code{gnus-group-list-killed}). If given a
2038 prefix argument, really list all groups that are available, but aren't
2039 currently (un)subscribed. This could entail reading the active file
2044 @findex gnus-group-list-zombies
2045 List all zombie groups (@code{gnus-group-list-zombies}).
2049 @findex gnus-group-list-matching
2050 List all unread, subscribed groups with names that match a regexp
2051 (@code{gnus-group-list-matching}).
2055 @findex gnus-group-list-all-matching
2056 List groups that match a regexp (@code{gnus-group-list-all-matching}).
2060 @findex gnus-group-list-active
2061 List absolutely all groups that are in the active file(s) of the
2062 server(s) you are connected to (@code{gnus-group-list-active}). This
2063 might very well take quite a while. It might actually be a better idea
2064 to do a @kbd{A M} to list all matching, and just give @samp{.} as the
2065 thing to match on. Also note that this command may list group that
2066 don't exist (yet)---these will be listed as if they are killed groups.
2067 Take the output with some grains of salt.
2071 @findex gnus-group-apropos
2072 List all groups that have names that match a regexp
2073 (@code{gnus-group-apropos}).
2077 @findex gnus-group-description-apropos
2078 List all groups that have names or descriptions that match a regexp
2079 (@code{gnus-group-description-apropos}).
2083 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2084 @cindex visible group parameter
2085 Groups that match the @code{gnus-permanently-visible-groups} regexp will
2086 always be shown, whether they have unread articles or not. You can also
2087 add the @code{visible} element to the group parameters in question to
2088 get the same effect.
2090 @vindex gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles
2091 Groups that have just ticked articles in it are normally listed in the
2092 group buffer. If @code{gnus-list-groups-with-ticked-articles} is
2093 @code{nil}, these groups will be treated just like totally empty
2094 groups. It is @code{t} by default.
2097 @node Sorting Groups
2098 @section Sorting Groups
2099 @cindex sorting groups
2101 @kindex C-c C-s (Group)
2102 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups
2103 @vindex gnus-group-sort-function
2104 The @kbd{C-c C-s} (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups}) command sorts the
2105 group buffer according to the function(s) given by the
2106 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} variable. Available sorting functions
2111 @item gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2112 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-alphabet
2113 Sort the group names alphabetically. This is the default.
2115 @item gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2116 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-real-name
2117 Sort the group alphabetically on the real (unprefixed) group names.
2119 @item gnus-group-sort-by-level
2120 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-level
2121 Sort by group level.
2123 @item gnus-group-sort-by-score
2124 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-score
2125 Sort by group score.
2127 @item gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2128 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-rank
2129 Sort by group score and then the group level. The level and the score
2130 are, when taken together, the group's @dfn{rank}.
2132 @item gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2133 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-unread
2134 Sort by number of unread articles.
2136 @item gnus-group-sort-by-method
2137 @findex gnus-group-sort-by-method
2138 Sort alphabetically on the select method.
2143 @code{gnus-group-sort-function} can also be a list of sorting
2144 functions. In that case, the most significant sort key function must be
2148 There are also a number of commands for sorting directly according to
2149 some sorting criteria:
2153 @kindex G S a (Group)
2154 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2155 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by group name
2156 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2159 @kindex G S u (Group)
2160 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread
2161 Sort the group buffer by the number of unread articles
2162 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2165 @kindex G S l (Group)
2166 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level
2167 Sort the group buffer by group level
2168 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-level}).
2171 @kindex G S v (Group)
2172 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score
2173 Sort the group buffer by group score
2174 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-score}).
2177 @kindex G S r (Group)
2178 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank
2179 Sort the group buffer by group rank
2180 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-rank}).
2183 @kindex G S m (Group)
2184 @findex gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method
2185 Sort the group buffer alphabetically by backend name
2186 (@code{gnus-group-sort-groups-by-method}).
2190 When given a prefix, all these commands will sort in reverse order.
2192 You can also sort a subset of the groups:
2196 @kindex G P a (Group)
2197 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet
2198 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2199 group name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-alphabet}).
2202 @kindex G P u (Group)
2203 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread
2204 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by the number of
2205 unread articles (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-unread}).
2208 @kindex G P l (Group)
2209 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level
2210 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group level
2211 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-level}).
2214 @kindex G P v (Group)
2215 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score
2216 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group score
2217 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-score}).
2220 @kindex G P r (Group)
2221 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank
2222 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer by group rank
2223 (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-rank}).
2226 @kindex G P m (Group)
2227 @findex gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method
2228 Sort the process/prefixed groups in the group buffer alphabetically by
2229 backend name (@code{gnus-group-sort-selected-groups-by-method}).
2235 @node Group Maintenance
2236 @section Group Maintenance
2237 @cindex bogus groups
2242 @findex gnus-group-check-bogus-groups
2243 Find bogus groups and delete them
2244 (@code{gnus-group-check-bogus-groups}).
2248 @findex gnus-find-new-newsgroups
2249 Find new groups and process them (@code{gnus-find-new-newsgroups}). If
2250 given a prefix, use the @code{ask-server} method to query the server for
2254 @kindex C-c C-x (Group)
2255 @findex gnus-group-expire-articles
2256 Run all expirable articles in the current group through the expiry
2257 process (if any) (@code{gnus-group-expire-articles}).
2260 @kindex C-c M-C-x (Group)
2261 @findex gnus-group-expire-all-groups
2262 Run all articles in all groups through the expiry process
2263 (@code{gnus-group-expire-all-groups}).
2268 @node Browse Foreign Server
2269 @section Browse Foreign Server
2270 @cindex foreign servers
2271 @cindex browsing servers
2276 @findex gnus-group-browse-foreign-server
2277 You will be queried for a select method and a server name. Gnus will
2278 then attempt to contact this server and let you browse the groups there
2279 (@code{gnus-group-browse-foreign-server}).
2282 @findex gnus-browse-mode
2283 A new buffer with a list of available groups will appear. This buffer
2284 will be use the @code{gnus-browse-mode}. This buffer looks a bit (well,
2285 a lot) like a normal group buffer.
2287 Here's a list of keystrokes available in the browse mode:
2292 @findex gnus-group-next-group
2293 Go to the next group (@code{gnus-group-next-group}).
2297 @findex gnus-group-prev-group
2298 Go to the previous group (@code{gnus-group-prev-group}).
2301 @kindex SPACE (Browse)
2302 @findex gnus-browse-read-group
2303 Enter the current group and display the first article
2304 (@code{gnus-browse-read-group}).
2307 @kindex RET (Browse)
2308 @findex gnus-browse-select-group
2309 Enter the current group (@code{gnus-browse-select-group}).
2313 @findex gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group
2314 Unsubscribe to the current group, or, as will be the case here,
2315 subscribe to it (@code{gnus-browse-unsubscribe-current-group}).
2321 @findex gnus-browse-exit
2322 Exit browse mode (@code{gnus-browse-exit}).
2326 @findex gnus-browse-describe-briefly
2327 Describe browse mode briefly (well, there's not much to describe, is
2328 there) (@code{gnus-browse-describe-briefly}).
2333 @section Exiting Gnus
2334 @cindex exiting Gnus
2336 Yes, Gnus is ex(c)iting.
2341 @findex gnus-group-suspend
2342 Suspend Gnus (@code{gnus-group-suspend}). This doesn't really exit Gnus,
2343 but it kills all buffers except the Group buffer. I'm not sure why this
2344 is a gain, but then who am I to judge?
2348 @findex gnus-group-exit
2349 Quit Gnus (@code{gnus-group-exit}).
2353 @findex gnus-group-quit
2354 Quit Gnus without saving the @file{.newsrc} files (@code{gnus-group-quit}).
2355 The dribble file will be saved, though (@pxref{Auto Save}).
2358 @vindex gnus-exit-gnus-hook
2359 @vindex gnus-suspend-gnus-hook
2360 @code{gnus-suspend-gnus-hook} is called when you suspend Gnus and
2361 @code{gnus-exit-gnus-hook} is called when you quit Gnus, while
2362 @code{gnus-after-exiting-gnus-hook} is called as the final item when
2367 If you wish to completely unload Gnus and all its adherents, you can use
2368 the @code{gnus-unload} command. This command is also very handy when
2369 trying to customize meta-variables.
2374 Miss Lisa Cannifax, while sitting in English class, felt her feet go
2375 numbly heavy and herself fall into a hazy trance as the boy sitting
2376 behind her drew repeated lines with his pencil across the back of her
2382 @section Group Topics
2385 If you read lots and lots of groups, it might be convenient to group
2386 them hierarchically according to topics. You put your Emacs groups over
2387 here, your sex groups over there, and the rest (what, two groups or so?)
2388 you put in some misc section that you never bother with anyway. You can
2389 even group the Emacs sex groups as a sub-topic to either the Emacs
2390 groups or the sex groups---or both! Go wild!
2398 2: alt.religion.emacs
2401 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2403 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2404 13: comp.sources.unix
2407 @findex gnus-topic-mode
2409 To get this @emph{fab} functionality you simply turn on (ooh!) the
2410 @code{gnus-topic} minor mode---type @kbd{t} in the group buffer. (This
2411 is a toggling command.)
2413 Go ahead, just try it. I'll still be here when you get back. La de
2414 dum... Nice tune, that... la la la... What, you're back? Yes, and now
2415 press @kbd{l}. There. All your groups are now listed under
2416 @samp{misc}. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Hot and
2419 If you want this permanently enabled, you should add that minor mode to
2420 the hook for the group mode:
2423 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
2427 * Topic Variables:: How to customize the topics the Lisp Way.
2428 * Topic Commands:: Interactive E-Z commands.
2429 * Topic Sorting:: Sorting each topic individually.
2430 * Topic Topology:: A map of the world.
2431 * Topic Parameters:: Parameters that apply to all groups in a topic.
2435 @node Topic Variables
2436 @subsection Topic Variables
2437 @cindex topic variables
2439 Now, if you select a topic, if will fold/unfold that topic, which is
2440 really neat, I think.
2442 @vindex gnus-topic-line-format
2443 The topic lines themselves are created according to the
2444 @code{gnus-topic-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
2457 Number of groups in the topic.
2459 Number of unread articles in the topic.
2461 Number of unread articles in the topic and all its subtopics.
2464 @vindex gnus-topic-indent-level
2465 Each sub-topic (and the groups in the sub-topics) will be indented with
2466 @code{gnus-topic-indent-level} times the topic level number of spaces.
2469 @vindex gnus-topic-mode-hook
2470 @code{gnus-topic-mode-hook} is called in topic minor mode buffers.
2472 @vindex gnus-topic-display-empty-topics
2473 The @code{gnus-topic-display-empty-topics} says whether to display even
2474 topics that have no unread articles in them. The default is @code{t}.
2477 @node Topic Commands
2478 @subsection Topic Commands
2479 @cindex topic commands
2481 When the topic minor mode is turned on, a new @kbd{T} submap will be
2482 available. In addition, a few of the standard keys change their
2483 definitions slightly.
2489 @findex gnus-topic-create-topic
2490 Prompt for a new topic name and create it
2491 (@code{gnus-topic-create-topic}).
2495 @findex gnus-topic-move-group
2496 Move the current group to some other topic
2497 (@code{gnus-topic-move-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2498 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2502 @findex gnus-topic-copy-group
2503 Copy the current group to some other topic
2504 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-group}). This command uses the process/prefix
2505 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2509 @findex gnus-topic-remove-group
2510 Remove a group from the current topic (@code{gnus-topic-remove-group}).
2511 This command uses the process/prefix convention
2512 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
2516 @findex gnus-topic-move-matching
2517 Move all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2518 (@code{gnus-topic-move-matching}).
2522 @findex gnus-topic-copy-matching
2523 Copy all groups that match some regular expression to a topic
2524 (@code{gnus-topic-copy-matching}).
2528 @findex gnus-topic-mark-topic
2529 Mark all groups in the current topic with the process mark
2530 (@code{gnus-topic-mark-topic}).
2533 @kindex T M-# (Topic)
2534 @findex gnus-topic-unmark-topic
2535 Remove the process mark from all groups in the current topic
2536 (@code{gnus-topic-unmark-topic}).
2540 @findex gnus-topic-select-group
2542 Either select a group or fold a topic (@code{gnus-topic-select-group}).
2543 When you perform this command on a group, you'll enter the group, as
2544 usual. When done on a topic line, the topic will be folded (if it was
2545 visible) or unfolded (if it was folded already). So it's basically a
2546 toggling command on topics. In addition, if you give a numerical
2547 prefix, group on that level (and lower) will be displayed.
2550 @kindex T TAB (Topic)
2551 @findex gnus-topic-indent
2552 ``Indent'' the current topic so that it becomes a sub-topic of the
2553 previous topic (@code{gnus-topic-indent}). If given a prefix,
2554 ``un-indent'' the topic instead.
2558 @findex gnus-topic-kill-group
2559 Kill a group or topic (@code{gnus-topic-kill-group}). All groups in the
2560 topic will be removed along with the topic.
2564 @findex gnus-topic-yank-group
2565 Yank the previously killed group or topic
2566 (@code{gnus-topic-yank-group}). Note that all topics will be yanked
2571 @findex gnus-topic-rename
2572 Rename a topic (@code{gnus-topic-rename}).
2575 @kindex T DEL (Topic)
2576 @findex gnus-topic-delete
2577 Delete an empty topic (@code{gnus-topic-delete}).
2581 @findex gnus-topic-list-active
2582 List all groups that Gnus knows about in a topics-ified way
2583 (@code{gnus-topic-list-active}).
2587 @findex gnus-topic-edit-parameters
2588 @cindex group parameters
2589 @cindex topic parameters
2591 Edit the topic parameters (@code{gnus-topic-edit-parameters}).
2592 @xref{Topic Parameters}.
2598 @subsection Topic Sorting
2599 @cindex topic sorting
2601 You can sort the groups in each topic individually with the following
2607 @kindex T S a (Topic)
2608 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet
2609 Sort the current topic alphabetically by group name
2610 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-alphabet}).
2613 @kindex T S u (Topic)
2614 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread
2615 Sort the current topic by the number of unread articles
2616 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-unread}).
2619 @kindex T S l (Topic)
2620 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level
2621 Sort the current topic by group level
2622 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-level}).
2625 @kindex T S v (Topic)
2626 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score
2627 Sort the current topic by group score
2628 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-score}).
2631 @kindex T S r (Topic)
2632 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank
2633 Sort the current topic by group rank
2634 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-rank}).
2637 @kindex T S m (Topic)
2638 @findex gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method
2639 Sort the current topic alphabetically by backend name
2640 (@code{gnus-topic-sort-groups-by-method}).
2644 @xref{Sorting Groups} for more information about group sorting.
2647 @node Topic Topology
2648 @subsection Topic Topology
2649 @cindex topic topology
2652 So, let's have a look at an example group buffer:
2658 2: alt.religion.emacs
2661 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2663 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2664 13: comp.sources.unix
2667 So, here we have one top-level topic (@samp{Gnus}), two topics under
2668 that, and one sub-topic under one of the sub-topics. (There is always
2669 just one (1) top-level topic). This topology can be expressed as
2674 (("Emacs -- I wuw it!" visible)
2675 (("Naughty Emacs" visible)))
2679 @vindex gnus-topic-topology
2680 This is in fact how the variable @code{gnus-topic-topology} would look
2681 for the display above. That variable is saved in the @file{.newsrc.eld}
2682 file, and shouldn't be messed with manually---unless you really want
2683 to. Since this variable is read from the @file{.newsrc.eld} file,
2684 setting it in any other startup files will have no effect.
2686 This topology shows what topics are sub-topics of what topics (right),
2687 and which topics are visible. Two settings are currently
2688 allowed---@code{visible} and @code{invisible}.
2691 @node Topic Parameters
2692 @subsection Topic Parameters
2693 @cindex topic parameters
2695 All groups in a topic will inherit group parameters from the parent (and
2696 ancestor) topic parameters. All legal group parameters are legal topic
2697 parameters (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
2699 Group parameters (of course) override topic parameters, and topic
2700 parameters in sub-topics override topic parameters in super-topics. You
2701 know. Normal inheritance rules. (@dfn{Rules} is here a noun, not a
2702 verb, although you may feel free to disagree with me here.)
2708 2: alt.religion.emacs
2712 0: comp.talk.emacs.recovery
2714 8: comp.binaries.fractals
2715 13: comp.sources.unix
2719 The @samp{Emacs} topic has the topic parameter @code{(score-file
2720 . "emacs.SCORE")}; the @samp{Relief} topic has the topic parameter
2721 @code{(score-file . "relief.SCORE")}; and the @samp{Misc} topic has the
2722 topic parameter @code{(score-file . "emacs.SCORE")}. In addition,
2723 @samp{alt.religion.emacs} has the group parameter @code{(score-file
2724 . "religion.SCORE")}.
2726 Now, when you enter @samp{alt.sex.emacs} in the @samp{Relief} topic, you
2727 will get the @file{relief.SCORE} home score file. If you enter the same
2728 group in the @samp{Emacs} topic, you'll get the @file{emacs.SCORE} home
2729 score file. If you enter the group @samp{alt.religion.emacs}, you'll
2730 get the @file{religion.SCORE} home score file.
2732 This seems rather simple and self-evident, doesn't it? Well, yes. But
2733 there are some problems, especially with the @code{total-expiry}
2734 parameter. Say you have a mail group in two topics; one with
2735 @code{total-expiry} and one without. What happens when you do @kbd{M-x
2736 gnus-expire-all-expirable-groups}? Gnus has no way of telling which one
2737 of these topics you mean to expire articles from, so anything may
2738 happen. In fact, I hereby declare that it is @dfn{undefined} what
2739 happens. You just have to be careful if you do stuff like that.
2742 @node Misc Group Stuff
2743 @section Misc Group Stuff
2746 * Scanning New Messages:: Asking Gnus to see whether new messages have arrived.
2747 * Group Information:: Information and help on groups and Gnus.
2748 * Group Timestamp:: Making Gnus keep track of when you last read a group.
2749 * File Commands:: Reading and writing the Gnus files.
2756 @findex gnus-group-enter-server-mode
2757 Enter the server buffer (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}).
2758 @xref{The Server Buffer}.
2762 @findex gnus-group-post-news
2763 Post an article to a group (@code{gnus-group-post-news}). The current
2764 group name will be used as the default.
2768 @findex gnus-group-mail
2769 Mail a message somewhere (@code{gnus-group-mail}).
2773 Variables for the group buffer:
2777 @item gnus-group-mode-hook
2778 @vindex gnus-group-mode-hook
2779 @code{gnus-group-mode-hook} is called after the group buffer has been
2782 @item gnus-group-prepare-hook
2783 @vindex gnus-group-prepare-hook
2784 @code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} is called after the group buffer is
2785 generated. It may be used to modify the buffer in some strange,
2788 @item gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2789 @vindex gnus-permanently-visible-groups
2790 Groups matching this regexp will always be listed in the group buffer,
2791 whether they are empty or not.
2796 @node Scanning New Messages
2797 @subsection Scanning New Messages
2798 @cindex new messages
2799 @cindex scanning new news
2805 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news
2806 Check the server(s) for new articles. If the numerical prefix is used,
2807 this command will check only groups of level @var{arg} and lower
2808 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news}). If given a non-numerical prefix, this
2809 command will force a total rereading of the active file(s) from the
2814 @findex gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group
2815 @vindex gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating
2816 Check whether new articles have arrived in the current group
2817 (@code{gnus-group-get-new-news-this-group}).
2818 @code{gnus-goto-next-group-when-activating} says whether this command is
2819 to move point to the next group or not. It is @code{t} by default.
2821 @findex gnus-activate-all-groups
2822 @cindex activating groups
2824 @kindex C-c M-g (Group)
2825 Activate absolutely all groups (@code{gnus-activate-all-groups}).
2830 @findex gnus-group-restart
2831 Restart Gnus (@code{gnus-group-restart}). This saves the @file{.newsrc}
2832 file(s), closes the connection to all servers, clears up all run-time
2833 Gnus variables, and then starts Gnus all over again.
2837 @vindex gnus-get-new-news-hook
2838 @code{gnus-get-new-news-hook} is run just before checking for new news.
2840 @vindex gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook
2841 @code{gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook} is run after checking for new
2845 @node Group Information
2846 @subsection Group Information
2847 @cindex group information
2848 @cindex information on groups
2856 @findex gnus-group-fetch-faq
2857 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
2860 Try to fetch the FAQ for the current group
2861 (@code{gnus-group-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the FAQ from
2862 @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory on a
2863 remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories. In
2864 that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
2865 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} (or @code{efs}) will be used
2866 for fetching the file.
2868 If fetching from the first site is unsuccessful, Gnus will attempt to go
2869 through @code{gnus-group-faq-directory} and try to open them one by one.
2874 @kindex C-c C-d (Group)
2875 @cindex describing groups
2876 @cindex group description
2877 @findex gnus-group-describe-group
2878 Describe the current group (@code{gnus-group-describe-group}). If given
2879 a prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description from the server.
2883 @findex gnus-group-describe-all-groups
2884 Describe all groups (@code{gnus-group-describe-all-groups}). If given a
2885 prefix, force Gnus to re-read the description file from the server.
2890 @findex gnus-version
2891 Display current Gnus version numbers (@code{gnus-version}).
2895 @findex gnus-group-describe-briefly
2896 Give a very short help message (@code{gnus-group-describe-briefly}).
2899 @kindex C-c C-i (Group)
2902 @findex gnus-info-find-node
2903 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
2907 @node Group Timestamp
2908 @subsection Group Timestamp
2910 @cindex group timestamps
2912 It can be convenient to let Gnus keep track of when you last read a
2913 group. To set the ball rolling, you should add
2914 @code{gnus-group-set-timestamp} to @code{gnus-select-group-hook}:
2917 (add-hook 'gnus-select-group-hook 'gnus-group-set-timestamp)
2920 After doing this, each time you enter a group, it'll be recorded.
2922 This information can be displayed in various ways---the easiest is to
2923 use the @samp{%d} spec in the group line format:
2926 (setq gnus-group-line-format
2927 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %d\n")
2930 This will result in lines looking like:
2933 * 0: mail.ding 19961002T012943
2934 0: custom 19961002T012713
2937 As you can see, the date is displayed in compact ISO 8601 format. This
2938 may be a bit too much, so to just display the date, you could say
2942 (setq gnus-group-line-format
2943 "%M\%S\%p\%P\%5y: %(%-40,40g%) %6,6~(cut 2)d\n")
2948 @subsection File Commands
2949 @cindex file commands
2955 @findex gnus-group-read-init-file
2956 @vindex gnus-init-file
2957 @cindex reading init file
2958 Re-read the init file (@code{gnus-init-file}, which defaults to
2959 @file{~/.gnus}) (@code{gnus-group-read-init-file}).
2963 @findex gnus-group-save-newsrc
2964 @cindex saving .newsrc
2965 Save the @file{.newsrc.eld} file (and @file{.newsrc} if wanted)
2966 (@code{gnus-group-save-newsrc}). If given a prefix, force saving the
2967 file(s) whether Gnus thinks it is necessary or not.
2970 @c @kindex Z (Group)
2971 @c @findex gnus-group-clear-dribble
2972 @c Clear the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-group-clear-dribble}).
2977 @node The Summary Buffer
2978 @chapter The Summary Buffer
2979 @cindex summary buffer
2981 A line for each article is displayed in the summary buffer. You can
2982 move around, read articles, post articles and reply to articles.
2984 The most common way to a summary buffer is to select a group from the
2985 group buffer (@pxref{Selecting a Group}).
2987 You can have as many summary buffers open as you wish.
2990 * Summary Buffer Format:: Deciding how the summary buffer is to look.
2991 * Summary Maneuvering:: Moving around the summary buffer.
2992 * Choosing Articles:: Reading articles.
2993 * Paging the Article:: Scrolling the current article.
2994 * Reply Followup and Post:: Posting articles.
2995 * Canceling and Superseding:: ``Whoops, I shouldn't have called him that.''
2996 * Marking Articles:: Marking articles as read, expirable, etc.
2997 * Limiting:: You can limit the summary buffer.
2998 * Threading:: How threads are made.
2999 * Sorting:: How articles and threads are sorted.
3000 * Asynchronous Fetching:: Gnus might be able to pre-fetch articles.
3001 * Article Caching:: You may store articles in a cache.
3002 * Persistent Articles:: Making articles expiry-resistant.
3003 * Article Backlog:: Having already read articles hang around.
3004 * Saving Articles:: Ways of customizing article saving.
3005 * Decoding Articles:: Gnus can treat series of (uu)encoded articles.
3006 * Article Treatment:: The article buffer can be mangled at will.
3007 * Article Commands:: Doing various things with the article buffer.
3008 * Summary Sorting:: Sorting the summary buffer in various ways.
3009 * Finding the Parent:: No child support? Get the parent.
3010 * Alternative Approaches:: Reading using non-default summaries.
3011 * Tree Display:: A more visual display of threads.
3012 * Mail Group Commands:: Some commands can only be used in mail groups.
3013 * Various Summary Stuff:: What didn't fit anywhere else.
3014 * Exiting the Summary Buffer:: Returning to the Group buffer.
3015 * Crosspost Handling:: How crossposted articles are dealt with.
3016 * Duplicate Suppression:: An alternative when crosspost handling fails.
3020 @node Summary Buffer Format
3021 @section Summary Buffer Format
3022 @cindex summary buffer format
3025 * Summary Buffer Lines:: You can specify how summary lines should look.
3026 * Summary Buffer Mode Line:: You can say how the mode line should look.
3027 * Summary Highlighting:: Making the summary buffer all pretty and nice.
3030 @findex mail-extract-address-components
3031 @findex gnus-extract-address-components
3032 @vindex gnus-extract-address-components
3033 Gnus will use the value of the @code{gnus-extract-address-components}
3034 variable as a function for getting the name and address parts of a
3035 @code{From} header. Two pre-defined function exist:
3036 @code{gnus-extract-address-components}, which is the default, quite
3037 fast, and too simplistic solution; and
3038 @code{mail-extract-address-components}, which works very nicely, but is
3039 slower. The default function will return the wrong answer in 5% of the
3040 cases. If this is unacceptable to you, use the other function instead.
3042 @vindex gnus-summary-same-subject
3043 @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} is a string indicating that the current
3044 article has the same subject as the previous. This string will be used
3045 with those specs that require it. The default is @samp{}.
3048 @node Summary Buffer Lines
3049 @subsection Summary Buffer Lines
3051 @vindex gnus-summary-line-format
3052 You can change the format of the lines in the summary buffer by changing
3053 the @code{gnus-summary-line-format} variable. It works along the same
3054 lines a a normal @code{format} string, with some extensions
3055 (@pxref{Formatting Variables}).
3057 The default string is @samp{%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
3059 The following format specification characters are understood:
3067 Subject if the article is the root or the previous article had a
3068 different subject, @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} otherwise.
3069 (@code{gnus-summary-same-subject} defaults to @samp{}.)
3071 Full @code{From} header.
3073 The name (from the @code{From} header).
3075 The name (from the @code{From} header). This differs from the @code{n}
3076 spec in that it uses the function designated by the
3077 @code{gnus-extract-address-components} variable, which is slower, but
3078 may be more thorough.
3080 The address (from the @code{From} header). This works the same way as
3083 Number of lines in the article.
3085 Number of characters in the article.
3087 Indentation based on thread level (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3089 Nothing if the article is a root and lots of spaces if it isn't (it
3090 pushes everything after it off the screen).
3092 Opening bracket, which is normally @samp{[}, but can also be @samp{<}
3093 for adopted articles (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
3095 Closing bracket, which is normally @samp{]}, but can also be @samp{>}
3096 for adopted articles.
3098 One space for each thread level.
3100 Twenty minus thread level spaces.
3108 @vindex gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz
3109 Zcore, @samp{+} if above the default level and @samp{-} if below the
3110 default level. If the difference between
3111 @code{gnus-summary-default-level} and the score is less than
3112 @code{gnus-summary-zcore-fuzz}, this spec will not be used.
3120 The @code{Date} in @code{DD-MMM} format.
3122 The @code{Date} in @code{YYYYMMDDTHHMMSS} format.
3128 Number of articles in the current sub-thread. Using this spec will slow
3129 down summary buffer generation somewhat.
3131 An @samp{=} (@code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark}) will be displayed if the
3132 article has any children.
3136 User defined specifier. The next character in the format string should
3137 be a letter. @sc{gnus} will call the function
3138 @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where @samp{X} is the letter
3139 following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed the current header as
3140 argument. The function should return a string, which will be inserted
3141 into the summary just like information from any other summary specifier.
3144 The @samp{%U} (status), @samp{%R} (replied) and @samp{%z} (zcore) specs
3145 have to be handled with care. For reasons of efficiency, Gnus will
3146 compute what column these characters will end up in, and ``hard-code''
3147 that. This means that it is illegal to have these specs after a
3148 variable-length spec. Well, you might not be arrested, but your summary
3149 buffer will look strange, which is bad enough.
3151 The smart choice is to have these specs as far to the left as possible.
3152 (Isn't that the case with everything, though? But I digress.)
3154 This restriction may disappear in later versions of Gnus.
3157 @node Summary Buffer Mode Line
3158 @subsection Summary Buffer Mode Line
3160 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-line-format
3161 You can also change the format of the summary mode bar. Set
3162 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format} to whatever you like. The default
3163 is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}.
3165 Here are the elements you can play with:
3171 Unprefixed group name.
3173 Current article number.
3177 Number of unread articles in this group.
3179 Number of unselected articles in this group.
3181 A string with the number of unread and unselected articles represented
3182 either as @samp{<%U(+%e) more>} if there are both unread and unselected
3183 articles, and just as @samp{<%U more>} if there are just unread articles
3184 and no unselected ones.
3186 Shortish group name. For instance, @samp{rec.arts.anime} will be
3187 shortened to @samp{r.a.anime}.
3189 Subject of the current article.
3193 Name of the current score file.
3195 Number of dormant articles.
3197 Number of ticked articles.
3199 Number of articles that have been marked as read in this session.
3201 Number of articles expunged by the score files.
3205 @node Summary Highlighting
3206 @subsection Summary Highlighting
3210 @item gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3211 @vindex gnus-visual-mark-article-hook
3212 This hook is run after selecting an article. It is meant to be used for
3213 highlighting the article in some way. It is not run if
3214 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3216 @item gnus-summary-update-hook
3217 @vindex gnus-summary-update-hook
3218 This hook is called when a summary line is changed. It is not run if
3219 @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
3221 @item gnus-summary-selected-face
3222 @vindex gnus-summary-selected-face
3223 This is the face (or @dfn{font} as some people call it) that is used to
3224 highlight the current article in the summary buffer.
3226 @item gnus-summary-highlight
3227 @vindex gnus-summary-highlight
3228 Summary lines are highlighted according to this variable, which is a
3229 list where the elements are on the format @var{(FORM . FACE)}. If you
3230 would, for instance, like ticked articles to be italic and high-scored
3231 articles to be bold, you could set this variable to something like
3233 (((eq mark gnus-ticked-mark) . italic)
3234 ((> score default) . bold))
3236 As you may have guessed, if @var{FORM} returns a non-@code{nil} value,
3237 @var{FACE} will be applied to the line.
3241 @node Summary Maneuvering
3242 @section Summary Maneuvering
3243 @cindex summary movement
3245 All the straight movement commands understand the numeric prefix and
3246 behave pretty much as you'd expect.
3248 None of these commands select articles.
3253 @kindex M-n (Summary)
3254 @kindex G M-n (Summary)
3255 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-subject
3256 Go to the next summary line of an unread article
3257 (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-subject}).
3261 @kindex M-p (Summary)
3262 @kindex G M-p (Summary)
3263 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject
3264 Go to the previous summary line of an unread article
3265 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-subject}).
3270 @kindex G j (Summary)
3271 @findex gnus-summary-goto-article
3272 Ask for an article number and then go to that article
3273 (@code{gnus-summary-goto-article}).
3276 @kindex G g (Summary)
3277 @findex gnus-summary-goto-subject
3278 Ask for an article number and then go the summary line of that article
3279 without displaying the article (@code{gnus-summary-goto-subject}).
3282 If Gnus asks you to press a key to confirm going to the next group, you
3283 can use the @kbd{C-n} and @kbd{C-p} keys to move around the group
3284 buffer, searching for the next group to read without actually returning
3285 to the group buffer.
3287 Variables related to summary movement:
3291 @vindex gnus-auto-select-next
3292 @item gnus-auto-select-next
3293 If you issue one of the movement commands (like @kbd{n}) and there are
3294 no more unread articles after the current one, Gnus will offer to go to
3295 the next group. If this variable is @code{t} and the next group is
3296 empty, Gnus will exit summary mode and return to the group buffer. If
3297 this variable is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Gnus will select the
3298 next group, no matter whether it has any unread articles or not. As a
3299 special case, if this variable is @code{quietly}, Gnus will select the
3300 next group without asking for confirmation. If this variable is
3301 @code{almost-quietly}, the same will happen only if you are located on
3302 the last article in the group. Finally, if this variable is
3303 @code{slightly-quietly}, the @kbd{Z n} command will go to the next group
3304 without confirmation. Also @pxref{Group Levels}.
3306 @item gnus-auto-select-same
3307 @vindex gnus-auto-select-same
3308 If non-@code{nil}, all the movement commands will try to go to the next
3309 article with the same subject as the current. (@dfn{Same} here might
3310 mean @dfn{roughly equal}. See @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit}
3311 for details (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).) This variable is not
3312 particularly useful if you use a threaded display.
3314 @item gnus-summary-check-current
3315 @vindex gnus-summary-check-current
3316 If non-@code{nil}, all the ``unread'' movement commands will not proceed
3317 to the next (or previous) article if the current article is unread.
3318 Instead, they will choose the current article.
3320 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
3321 @vindex gnus-auto-center-summary
3322 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will keep the point in the summary buffer
3323 centered at all times. This makes things quite tidy, but if you have a
3324 slow network connection, or simply do not like this un-Emacsism, you can
3325 set this variable to @code{nil} to get the normal Emacs scrolling
3326 action. This will also inhibit horizontal re-centering of the summary
3327 buffer, which might make it more inconvenient to read extremely long
3333 @node Choosing Articles
3334 @section Choosing Articles
3335 @cindex selecting articles
3338 * Choosing Commands:: Commands for choosing articles.
3339 * Choosing Variables:: Variables that influence these commands.
3343 @node Choosing Commands
3344 @subsection Choosing Commands
3346 None of the following movement commands understand the numeric prefix,
3347 and they all select and display an article.
3351 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3352 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3353 Select the current article, or, if that one's read already, the next
3354 unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3359 @kindex G n (Summary)
3360 @findex gnus-summary-next-unread-article
3361 Go to next unread article (@code{gnus-summary-next-unread-article}).
3366 @findex gnus-summary-prev-unread-article
3367 Go to previous unread article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-unread-article}).
3372 @kindex G N (Summary)
3373 @findex gnus-summary-next-article
3374 Go to the next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-article}).
3379 @kindex G P (Summary)
3380 @findex gnus-summary-prev-article
3381 Go to the previous article (@code{gnus-summary-prev-article}).
3384 @kindex G C-n (Summary)
3385 @findex gnus-summary-next-same-subject
3386 Go to the next article with the same subject
3387 (@code{gnus-summary-next-same-subject}).
3390 @kindex G C-p (Summary)
3391 @findex gnus-summary-prev-same-subject
3392 Go to the previous article with the same subject
3393 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-same-subject}).
3397 @kindex G f (Summary)
3399 @findex gnus-summary-first-unread-article
3400 Go to the first unread article
3401 (@code{gnus-summary-first-unread-article}).
3405 @kindex G b (Summary)
3407 @findex gnus-summary-best-unread-article
3408 Go to the article with the highest score
3409 (@code{gnus-summary-best-unread-article}).
3414 @kindex G l (Summary)
3415 @findex gnus-summary-goto-last-article
3416 Go to the previous article read (@code{gnus-summary-goto-last-article}).
3419 @kindex G p (Summary)
3420 @findex gnus-summary-pop-article
3421 Pop an article off the summary history and go to this article
3422 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-article}). This command differs from the
3423 command above in that you can pop as many previous articles off the
3424 history as you like.
3428 @node Choosing Variables
3429 @subsection Choosing Variables
3431 Some variables that are relevant for moving and selecting articles:
3434 @item gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3435 @vindex gnus-auto-extend-newsgroup
3436 All the movement commands will try to go to the previous (or next)
3437 article, even if that article isn't displayed in the Summary buffer if
3438 this variable is non-@code{nil}. Gnus will then fetch the article from
3439 the server and display it in the article buffer.
3441 @item gnus-select-article-hook
3442 @vindex gnus-select-article-hook
3443 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. By default it
3444 exposes any threads hidden under the selected article.
3446 @item gnus-mark-article-hook
3447 @vindex gnus-mark-article-hook
3448 @findex gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read
3449 @findex gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read
3450 @findex gnus-unread-mark
3451 This hook is called whenever an article is selected. It is intended to
3452 be used for marking articles as read. The default value is
3453 @code{gnus-summary-mark-read-and-unread-as-read}, and will change the
3454 mark of almost any article you read to @code{gnus-unread-mark}. The
3455 only articles not affected by this function are ticked, dormant, and
3456 expirable articles. If you'd instead like to just have unread articles
3457 marked as read, you can use @code{gnus-summary-mark-unread-as-read}
3458 instead. It will leave marks like @code{gnus-low-score-mark},
3459 @code{gnus-del-mark} (and so on) alone.
3464 @node Paging the Article
3465 @section Scrolling the Article
3466 @cindex article scrolling
3471 @kindex SPACE (Summary)
3472 @findex gnus-summary-next-page
3473 Pressing @kbd{SPACE} will scroll the current article forward one page,
3474 or, if you have come to the end of the current article, will choose the
3475 next article (@code{gnus-summary-next-page}).
3478 @kindex DEL (Summary)
3479 @findex gnus-summary-prev-page
3480 Scroll the current article back one page (@code{gnus-summary-prev-page}).
3483 @kindex RET (Summary)
3484 @findex gnus-summary-scroll-up
3485 Scroll the current article one line forward
3486 (@code{gnus-summary-scroll-up}).
3490 @kindex A g (Summary)
3492 @findex gnus-summary-show-article
3493 (Re)fetch the current article (@code{gnus-summary-show-article}). If
3494 given a prefix, fetch the current article, but don't run any of the
3495 article treatment functions. This will give you a ``raw'' article, just
3496 the way it came from the server.
3501 @kindex A < (Summary)
3502 @findex gnus-summary-beginning-of-article
3503 Scroll to the beginning of the article
3504 (@code{gnus-summary-beginning-of-article}).
3509 @kindex A > (Summary)
3510 @findex gnus-summary-end-of-article
3511 Scroll to the end of the article (@code{gnus-summary-end-of-article}).
3515 @kindex A s (Summary)
3517 @findex gnus-summary-isearch-article
3518 Perform an isearch in the article buffer
3519 (@code{gnus-summary-isearch-article}).
3524 @node Reply Followup and Post
3525 @section Reply, Followup and Post
3528 * Summary Mail Commands:: Sending mail.
3529 * Summary Post Commands:: Sending news.
3533 @node Summary Mail Commands
3534 @subsection Summary Mail Commands
3536 @cindex composing mail
3538 Commands for composing a mail message:
3544 @kindex S r (Summary)
3546 @findex gnus-summary-reply
3547 Mail a reply to the author of the current article
3548 (@code{gnus-summary-reply}).
3553 @kindex S R (Summary)
3554 @findex gnus-summary-reply-with-original
3555 Mail a reply to the author of the current article and include the
3556 original message (@code{gnus-summary-reply-with-original}). This
3557 command uses the process/prefix convention.
3560 @kindex S o m (Summary)
3561 @findex gnus-summary-mail-forward
3562 Forward the current article to some other person
3563 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3564 headers of the forwarded article.
3569 @kindex S m (Summary)
3570 @findex gnus-summary-mail-other-window
3571 Send a mail to some other person
3572 (@code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}).
3575 @kindex S D b (Summary)
3576 @findex gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail
3577 @cindex bouncing mail
3578 If you have sent a mail, but the mail was bounced back to you for some
3579 reason (wrong address, transient failure), you can use this command to
3580 resend that bounced mail (@code{gnus-summary-resend-bounced-mail}). You
3581 will be popped into a mail buffer where you can edit the headers before
3582 sending the mail off again. If you give a prefix to this command, and
3583 the bounced mail is a reply to some other mail, Gnus will try to fetch
3584 that mail and display it for easy perusal of its headers. This might
3585 very well fail, though.
3588 @kindex S D r (Summary)
3589 @findex gnus-summary-resend-message
3590 Not to be confused with the previous command,
3591 @code{gnus-summary-resend-message} will prompt you for an address to
3592 send the current message off to, and then send it to that place. The
3593 headers of the message won't be altered---but lots of headers that say
3594 @code{Resent-To}, @code{Resent-From} and so on will be added. This
3595 means that you actually send a mail to someone that has a @code{To}
3596 header that (probably) points to yourself. This will confuse people.
3597 So, natcherly you'll only do that if you're really eVIl.
3599 This command is mainly used if you have several accounts and want to
3600 ship a mail to a different account of yours. (If you're both
3601 @code{root} and @code{postmaster} and get a mail for @code{postmaster}
3602 to the @code{root} account, you may want to resend it to
3603 @code{postmaster}. Ordnung muß sein!
3606 @kindex S O m (Summary)
3607 @findex gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward
3608 Digest the current series and forward the result using mail
3609 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}). This command uses the
3610 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
3613 @kindex S M-c (Summary)
3614 @findex gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint
3615 @cindex crossposting
3616 @cindex excessive crossposting
3617 Send a complaint about excessive crossposting to the author of the
3618 current article (@code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint}).
3620 @findex gnus-crosspost-complaint
3621 This command is provided as a way to fight back agains the current
3622 crossposting pandemic that's sweeping Usenet. It will compose a reply
3623 using the @code{gnus-crosspost-complaint} variable as a preamble. This
3624 command understands the process/prefix convention
3625 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) and will prompt you before sending each mail.
3630 @node Summary Post Commands
3631 @subsection Summary Post Commands
3633 @cindex composing news
3635 Commands for posting a news article:
3641 @kindex S p (Summary)
3642 @findex gnus-summary-post-news
3643 Post an article to the current group
3644 (@code{gnus-summary-post-news}).
3649 @kindex S f (Summary)
3650 @findex gnus-summary-followup
3651 Post a followup to the current article (@code{gnus-summary-followup}).
3655 @kindex S F (Summary)
3657 @findex gnus-summary-followup-with-original
3658 Post a followup to the current article and include the original message
3659 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-with-original}). This command uses the
3660 process/prefix convention.
3663 @kindex S n (Summary)
3664 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3665 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3666 message through mail (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail}).
3669 @kindex S n (Summary)
3670 @findex gnus-summary-followup-to-mail
3671 Post a followup to the current article via news, even if you got the
3672 message through mail and include the original message
3673 (@code{gnus-summary-followup-to-mail-with-original}). This command uses
3674 the process/prefix convention.
3677 @kindex S o p (Summary)
3678 @findex gnus-summary-post-forward
3679 Forward the current article to a newsgroup
3680 (@code{gnus-summary-post-forward}). If given a prefix, include the full
3681 headers of the forwarded article.
3684 @kindex S O p (Summary)
3685 @findex gnus-uu-digest-post-forward
3686 Digest the current series and forward the result to a newsgroup
3687 (@code{gnus-uu-digest-mail-forward}).
3690 @kindex S u (Summary)
3691 @findex gnus-uu-post-news
3692 Uuencode a file, split it into parts, and post it as a series
3693 (@code{gnus-uu-post-news}). (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
3697 @node Canceling and Superseding
3698 @section Canceling Articles
3699 @cindex canceling articles
3700 @cindex superseding articles
3702 Have you ever written something, and then decided that you really,
3703 really, really wish you hadn't posted that?
3705 Well, you can't cancel mail, but you can cancel posts.
3707 @findex gnus-summary-cancel-article
3709 Find the article you wish to cancel (you can only cancel your own
3710 articles, so don't try any funny stuff). Then press @kbd{C} or @kbd{S
3711 c} (@code{gnus-summary-cancel-article}). Your article will be
3712 canceled---machines all over the world will be deleting your article.
3714 Be aware, however, that not all sites honor cancels, so your article may
3715 live on here and there, while most sites will delete the article in
3718 If you discover that you have made some mistakes and want to do some
3719 corrections, you can post a @dfn{superseding} article that will replace
3720 your original article.
3722 @findex gnus-summary-supersede-article
3724 Go to the original article and press @kbd{S s}
3725 (@code{gnus-summary-supersede-article}). You will be put in a buffer
3726 where you can edit the article all you want before sending it off the
3729 The same goes for superseding as for canceling, only more so: Some
3730 sites do not honor superseding. On those sites, it will appear that you
3731 have posted almost the same article twice.
3733 If you have just posted the article, and change your mind right away,
3734 there is a trick you can use to cancel/supersede the article without
3735 waiting for the article to appear on your site first. You simply return
3736 to the post buffer (which is called @code{*sent ...*}). There you will
3737 find the article you just posted, with all the headers intact. Change
3738 the @code{Message-ID} header to a @code{Cancel} or @code{Supersedes}
3739 header by substituting one of those words for the word
3740 @code{Message-ID}. Then just press @kbd{C-c C-c} to send the article as
3741 you would do normally. The previous article will be
3742 canceled/superseded.
3744 Just remember, kids: There is no 'c' in 'supersede'.
3747 @node Marking Articles
3748 @section Marking Articles
3749 @cindex article marking
3750 @cindex article ticking
3753 There are several marks you can set on an article.
3755 You have marks that decide the @dfn{readedness} (whoo, neato-keano
3756 neologism ohoy!) of the article. Alphabetic marks generally mean
3757 @dfn{read}, while non-alphabetic characters generally mean @dfn{unread}.
3759 In addition, you also have marks that do not affect readedness.
3762 * Unread Articles:: Marks for unread articles.
3763 * Read Articles:: Marks for read articles.
3764 * Other Marks:: Marks that do not affect readedness.
3768 There's a plethora of commands for manipulating these marks:
3772 * Setting Marks:: How to set and remove marks.
3773 * Setting Process Marks:: How to mark articles for later processing.
3777 @node Unread Articles
3778 @subsection Unread Articles
3780 The following marks mark articles as (kinda) unread, in one form or
3785 @vindex gnus-ticked-mark
3786 Marked as ticked (@code{gnus-ticked-mark}).
3788 @dfn{Ticked articles} are articles that will remain visible always. If
3789 you see an article that you find interesting, or you want to put off
3790 reading it, or replying to it, until sometime later, you'd typically
3791 tick it. However, articles can be expired, so if you want to keep an
3792 article forever, you'll have to make it persistent (@pxref{Persistent
3796 @vindex gnus-dormant-mark
3797 Marked as dormant (@code{gnus-dormant-mark}).
3799 @dfn{Dormant articles} will only appear in the summary buffer if there
3800 are followups to it.
3803 @vindex gnus-unread-mark
3804 Markes as unread (@code{gnus-unread-mark}).
3806 @dfn{Unread articles} are articles that haven't been read at all yet.
3811 @subsection Read Articles
3812 @cindex expirable mark
3814 All the following marks mark articles as read.
3819 @vindex gnus-del-mark
3820 These are articles that the user has marked as read with the @kbd{d}
3821 command manually, more or less (@code{gnus-del-mark}).
3824 @vindex gnus-read-mark
3825 Articles that have actually been read (@code{gnus-read-mark}).
3828 @vindex gnus-ancient-mark
3829 Articles that were marked as read in previous sessions and are now
3830 @dfn{old} (@code{gnus-ancient-mark}).
3833 @vindex gnus-killed-mark
3834 Marked as killed (@code{gnus-killed-mark}).
3837 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mark
3838 Marked as killed by kill files (@code{gnus-kill-file-mark}).
3841 @vindex gnus-low-score-mark
3842 Marked as read by having a too low score (@code{gnus-low-score-mark}).
3845 @vindex gnus-catchup-mark
3846 Marked as read by a catchup (@code{gnus-catchup-mark}).
3849 @vindex gnus-canceled-mark
3850 Canceled article (@code{gnus-canceled-mark})
3853 @vindex gnus-souped-mark
3854 @sc{SOUP}ed article (@code{gnus-souped-mark}). @xref{SOUP}.
3857 @vindex gnus-sparse-mark
3858 Sparsely reffed article (@code{gnus-sparse-mark}). @xref{Customizing
3862 @vindex gnus-duplicate-mark
3863 Article marked as read by duplicate suppression
3864 (@code{gnus-duplicated-mark}). @xref{Duplicate Suppression}.
3868 All these marks just mean that the article is marked as read, really.
3869 They are interpreted differently when doing adaptive scoring, though.
3871 One more special mark, though:
3875 @vindex gnus-expirable-mark
3876 Marked as expirable (@code{gnus-expirable-mark}).
3878 Marking articles as @dfn{expirable} (or have them marked as such
3879 automatically) doesn't make much sense in normal groups---a user doesn't
3880 control the expiring of news articles, but in mail groups, for instance,
3881 articles that are marked as @dfn{expirable} can be deleted by Gnus at
3887 @subsection Other Marks
3888 @cindex process mark
3891 There are some marks that have nothing to do with whether the article is
3897 You can set a bookmark in the current article. Say you are reading a
3898 long thesis on cats' urinary tracts, and have to go home for dinner
3899 before you've finished reading the thesis. You can then set a bookmark
3900 in the article, and Gnus will jump to this bookmark the next time it
3901 encounters the article. @xref{Setting Marks}
3904 @vindex gnus-replied-mark
3905 All articles that you have replied to or made a followup to (i.e., have
3906 answered) will be marked with an @samp{A} in the second column
3907 (@code{gnus-replied-mark}).
3910 @vindex gnus-cached-mark
3911 Articles that are stored in the article cache will be marked with an
3912 @samp{*} in the second column (@code{gnus-cached-mark}).
3915 @vindex gnus-saved-mark
3916 Articles that are ``saved'' (in some manner or other; not necessarily
3917 religiously) are marked with an @samp{S} in the second column
3918 (@code{gnus-saved-mark}.
3921 @vindex gnus-not-empty-thread-mark
3922 @vindex gnus-empty-thread-mark
3923 It the @samp{%e} spec is used, the presence of threads or not will be
3924 marked with @code{gnus-not-empty-thread-mark} and
3925 @code{gnus-empty-thread-mark} in the third column, respectively.
3928 @vindex gnus-process-mark
3929 Finally we have the @dfn{process mark} (@code{gnus-process-mark}. A
3930 variety of commands react to the presence of the process mark. For
3931 instance, @kbd{X u} (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}) will uudecode and view
3932 all articles that have been marked with the process mark. Articles
3933 marked with the process mark have a @samp{#} in the second column.
3937 You might have noticed that most of these ``non-readedness'' marks
3938 appear in the second column by default. So if you have a cached, saved,
3939 replied article that you have process-marked, what will that look like?
3941 Nothing much. The precedence rules go as follows: process -> cache ->
3942 replied -> saved. So if the article is in the cache and is replied,
3943 you'll only see the cache mark and not the replied mark.
3947 @subsection Setting Marks
3948 @cindex setting marks
3950 All the marking commands understand the numeric prefix.
3956 @kindex M t (Summary)
3957 @findex gnus-summary-tick-article-forward
3958 Tick the current article (@code{gnus-summary-tick-article-forward}).
3963 @kindex M ? (Summary)
3964 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant
3965 Mark the current article as dormant
3966 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-dormant}).
3970 @kindex M d (Summary)
3972 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward
3973 Mark the current article as read
3974 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-forward}).
3978 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward
3979 Mark the current article as read and move point to the previous line
3980 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-read-backward}).
3985 @kindex M k (Summary)
3986 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select
3987 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read,
3988 and then select the next unread article
3989 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject-and-select}).
3993 @kindex M K (Summary)
3994 @kindex C-k (Summary)
3995 @findex gnus-summary-kill-same-subject
3996 Mark all articles that have the same subject as the current one as read
3997 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-same-subject}).
4000 @kindex M C (Summary)
4001 @findex gnus-summary-catchup
4002 Mark all unread articles as read (@code{gnus-summary-catchup}).
4005 @kindex M C-c (Summary)
4006 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all
4007 Mark all articles in the group as read---even the ticked and dormant
4008 articles (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all}).
4011 @kindex M H (Summary)
4012 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-to-here
4013 Catchup the current group to point
4014 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-to-here}).
4017 @kindex C-w (Summary)
4018 @findex gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read
4019 Mark all articles between point and mark as read
4020 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-region-as-read}).
4023 @kindex M V k (Summary)
4024 @findex gnus-summary-kill-below
4025 Kill all articles with scores below the default score (or below the
4026 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-kill-below}).
4030 @kindex M c (Summary)
4031 @kindex M-u (Summary)
4032 @findex gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward
4033 Clear all readedness-marks from the current article
4034 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-mark-forward}).
4038 @kindex M e (Summary)
4040 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable
4041 Mark the current article as expirable
4042 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable}).
4045 @kindex M b (Summary)
4046 @findex gnus-summary-set-bookmark
4047 Set a bookmark in the current article
4048 (@code{gnus-summary-set-bookmark}).
4051 @kindex M B (Summary)
4052 @findex gnus-summary-remove-bookmark
4053 Remove the bookmark from the current article
4054 (@code{gnus-summary-remove-bookmark}).
4057 @kindex M V c (Summary)
4058 @findex gnus-summary-clear-above
4059 Clear all marks from articles with scores over the default score (or
4060 over the numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4063 @kindex M V u (Summary)
4064 @findex gnus-summary-tick-above
4065 Tick all articles with scores over the default score (or over the
4066 numeric prefix) (@code{gnus-summary-tick-above}).
4069 @kindex M V m (Summary)
4070 @findex gnus-summary-mark-above
4071 Prompt for a mark, and mark all articles with scores over the default
4072 score (or over the numeric prefix) with this mark
4073 (@code{gnus-summary-clear-above}).
4076 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
4077 The @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} variable controls what action should
4078 be taken after setting a mark. If non-@code{nil}, point will move to
4079 the next/previous unread article. If @code{nil}, point will just move
4080 one line up or down. As a special case, if this variable is
4081 @code{never}, all the marking commands as well as other commands (like
4082 @kbd{SPACE}) will move to the next article, whether it is unread or not.
4083 The default is @code{t}.
4086 @node Setting Process Marks
4087 @subsection Setting Process Marks
4088 @cindex setting process marks
4095 @kindex M P p (Summary)
4096 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
4097 Mark the current article with the process mark
4098 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}).
4099 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
4103 @kindex M P u (Summary)
4104 @kindex M-# (Summary)
4105 Remove the process mark, if any, from the current article
4106 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
4109 @kindex M P U (Summary)
4110 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
4111 Remove the process mark from all articles
4112 (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
4115 @kindex M P i (Summary)
4116 @findex gnus-uu-invert-processable
4117 Invert the list of process marked articles
4118 (@code{gnus-uu-invert-processable}).
4121 @kindex M P R (Summary)
4122 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
4123 Mark articles by a regular expression (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
4126 @kindex M P r (Summary)
4127 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
4128 Mark articles in region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
4131 @kindex M P t (Summary)
4132 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4133 Mark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4134 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4137 @kindex M P T (Summary)
4138 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4139 Unmark all articles in the current (sub)thread
4140 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4143 @kindex M P v (Summary)
4144 @findex gnus-uu-mark-over
4145 Mark all articles that have a score above the prefix argument
4146 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-over}).
4149 @kindex M P s (Summary)
4150 @findex gnus-uu-mark-series
4151 Mark all articles in the current series (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4154 @kindex M P S (Summary)
4155 @findex gnus-uu-mark-sparse
4156 Mark all series that have already had some articles marked
4157 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-sparse}).
4160 @kindex M P a (Summary)
4161 @findex gnus-uu-mark-all
4162 Mark all articles in series order (@code{gnus-uu-mark-series}).
4165 @kindex M P b (Summary)
4166 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
4167 Mark all articles in the buffer in the order they appear
4168 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
4171 @kindex M P k (Summary)
4172 @findex gnus-summary-kill-process-mark
4173 Push the current process mark set onto the stack and unmark all articles
4174 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-process-mark}).
4177 @kindex M P y (Summary)
4178 @findex gnus-summary-yank-process-mark
4179 Pop the previous process mark set from the stack and restore it
4180 (@code{gnus-summary-yank-process-mark}).
4183 @kindex M P w (Summary)
4184 @findex gnus-summary-save-process-mark
4185 Push the current process mark set onto the stack
4186 (@code{gnus-summary-save-process-mark}).
4195 It can be convenient to limit the summary buffer to just show some
4196 subset of the articles currently in the group. The effect most limit
4197 commands have is to remove a few (or many) articles from the summary
4204 @kindex / / (Summary)
4205 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-subject
4206 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some subject
4207 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-subject}).
4210 @kindex / a (Summary)
4211 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-author
4212 Limit the summary buffer to articles that match some author
4213 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-author}).
4217 @kindex / u (Summary)
4219 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-unread
4220 Limit the summary buffer to articles that are not marked as read
4221 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-unread}). If given a prefix, limit the
4222 buffer to articles that are strictly unread. This means that ticked and
4223 dormant articles will also be excluded.
4226 @kindex / m (Summary)
4227 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-marks
4228 Ask for a mark and then limit to all articles that have not been marked
4229 with that mark (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}).
4232 @kindex / t (Summary)
4233 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-age
4234 Ask for a number and then limit the summary buffer to articles that are
4235 older than (or equal to) that number of days
4236 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-marks}). If given a prefix, limit to
4237 articles that are younger than that number of days.
4240 @kindex / n (Summary)
4241 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-articles
4242 Limit the summary buffer to the current article
4243 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-articles}). Uses the process/prefix
4244 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
4247 @kindex / w (Summary)
4248 @findex gnus-summary-pop-limit
4249 Pop the previous limit off the stack and restore it
4250 (@code{gnus-summary-pop-limit}). If given a prefix, pop all limits off
4254 @kindex / v (Summary)
4255 @findex gnus-summary-limit-to-score
4256 Limit the summary buffer to articles that have a score at or above some
4257 score (@code{gnus-summary-limit-to-score}).
4261 @kindex M S (Summary)
4262 @kindex / E (Summary)
4263 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged
4264 Display all expunged articles
4265 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-expunged}).
4268 @kindex / D (Summary)
4269 @findex gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant
4270 Display all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-include-dormant}).
4273 @kindex / d (Summary)
4274 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant
4275 Hide all dormant articles (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-dormant}).
4278 @kindex / c (Summary)
4279 @findex gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant
4280 Hide all dormant articles that have no children
4281 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-exclude-childless-dormant}).
4284 @kindex / C (Summary)
4285 @findex gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read
4286 Mark all excluded unread articles as read
4287 (@code{gnus-summary-limit-mark-excluded-as-read}). If given a prefix,
4288 also mark excluded ticked and dormant articles as read.
4296 @cindex article threading
4298 Gnus threads articles by default. @dfn{To thread} is to put replies to
4299 articles directly after the articles they reply to---in a hierarchical
4303 * Customizing Threading:: Variables you can change to affect the threading.
4304 * Thread Commands:: Thread based commands in the summary buffer.
4308 @node Customizing Threading
4309 @subsection Customizing Threading
4310 @cindex customizing threading
4316 @item gnus-show-threads
4317 @vindex gnus-show-threads
4318 If this variable is @code{nil}, no threading will be done, and all of
4319 the rest of the variables here will have no effect. Turning threading
4320 off will speed group selection up a bit, but it is sure to make reading
4321 slower and more awkward.
4323 @item gnus-fetch-old-headers
4324 @vindex gnus-fetch-old-headers
4325 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will attempt to build old threads by fetching
4326 more old headers---headers to articles that are marked as read. If you
4327 would like to display as few summary lines as possible, but still
4328 connect as many loose threads as possible, you should set this variable
4329 to @code{some} or a number. If you set it to a number, no more than
4330 that number of extra old headers will be fetched. In either case,
4331 fetching old headers only works if the backend you are using carries
4332 overview files---this would normally be @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and
4333 @code{nnml}. Also remember that if the root of the thread has been
4334 expired by the server, there's not much Gnus can do about that.
4336 @item gnus-build-sparse-threads
4337 @vindex gnus-build-sparse-threads
4338 Fetching old headers can be slow. A low-rent similar effect can be
4339 gotten by setting this variable to @code{some}. Gnus will then look at
4340 the complete @code{References} headers of all articles and try to string
4341 articles that belong in the same thread together. This will leave
4342 @dfn{gaps} in the threading display where Gnus guesses that an article
4343 is missing from the thread. (These gaps appear like normal summary
4344 lines. If you select a gap, Gnus will try to fetch the article in
4345 question.) If this variable is @code{t}, Gnus will display all these
4346 ``gaps'' without regard for whether they are useful for completing the
4347 thread or not. Finally, if this variable is @code{more}, Gnus won't cut
4348 off sparse leaf nodes that don't lead anywhere. This variable is
4349 @code{nil} by default.
4351 @item gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4352 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit
4353 Loose threads are gathered by comparing subjects of articles. If this
4354 variable is @code{nil}, Gnus requires an exact match between the
4355 subjects of the loose threads before gathering them into one big
4356 super-thread. This might be too strict a requirement, what with the
4357 presence of stupid newsreaders that chop off long subjects lines. If
4358 you think so, set this variable to, say, 20 to require that only the
4359 first 20 characters of the subjects have to match. If you set this
4360 variable to a really low number, you'll find that Gnus will gather
4361 everything in sight into one thread, which isn't very helpful.
4363 @cindex fuzzy article gathering
4364 If you set this variable to the special value @code{fuzzy}, Gnus will
4365 use a fuzzy string comparison algorithm on the subjects.
4367 @item gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4368 @vindex gnus-simplify-subject-fuzzy-regexp
4369 This can either be a regular expression or list of regular expressions
4370 that match strings that will be removed from subjects if fuzzy subject
4371 simplification is used.
4373 @item gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4374 @vindex gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4375 If you set @code{gnus-summary-gather-subject-limit} to something as low
4376 as 10, you might consider setting this variable to something sensible:
4378 @c Written by Michael Ernst <mernst@cs.rice.edu>
4380 (setq gnus-simplify-ignored-prefixes
4386 "wanted" "followup" "summary\\( of\\)?"
4387 "help" "query" "problem" "question"
4388 "answer" "reference" "announce"
4389 "How can I" "How to" "Comparison of"
4394 (mapconcat 'identity
4395 '("for" "for reference" "with" "about")
4397 "\\)?\\]?:?[ \t]*"))
4400 All words that match this regexp will be removed before comparing two
4403 @item gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4404 @vindex gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject
4405 Since loose thread gathering is done on subjects only, that might lead
4406 to many false hits, especially with certain common subjects like
4407 @samp{} and @samp{(none)}. To make the situation slightly better,
4408 you can use the regexp @code{gnus-summary-gather-exclude-subject} to say
4409 what subjects should be excluded from the gathering process. The
4410 default is @samp{^ *$\\|^(none)$}.
4412 @item gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4413 @vindex gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4414 Gnus gathers threads by looking at @code{Subject} headers. This means
4415 that totally unrelated articles may end up in the same ``thread'', which
4416 is confusing. An alternate approach is to look at all the
4417 @code{Message-ID}s in all the @code{References} headers to find matches.
4418 This will ensure that no gathered threads ever includes unrelated
4419 articles, but it's also means that people who have posted with broken
4420 newsreaders won't be gathered properly. The choice is yours---plague or
4424 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4425 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-subject
4426 This function is the default gathering function and looks at
4427 @code{Subject}s exclusively.
4429 @item gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4430 @findex gnus-gather-threads-by-references
4431 This function looks at @code{References} headers exclusively.
4434 If you want to test gathering by @code{References}, you could say
4438 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
4439 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
4442 @item gnus-summary-make-false-root
4443 @vindex gnus-summary-make-false-root
4444 If non-@code{nil}, Gnus will gather all loose subtrees into one big tree
4445 and create a dummy root at the top. (Wait a minute. Root at the top?
4446 Yup.) Loose subtrees occur when the real root has expired, or you've
4447 read or killed the root in a previous session.
4449 When there is no real root of a thread, Gnus will have to fudge
4450 something. This variable says what fudging method Gnus should use.
4451 There are four possible values:
4453 @cindex adopting articles
4458 Gnus will make the first of the orphaned articles the parent. This
4459 parent will adopt all the other articles. The adopted articles will be
4460 marked as such by pointy brackets (@samp{<>}) instead of the standard
4461 square brackets (@samp{[]}). This is the default method.
4464 @vindex gnus-summary-dummy-line-format
4465 Gnus will create a dummy summary line that will pretend to be the
4466 parent. This dummy line does not correspond to any real article, so
4467 selecting it will just select the first real article after the dummy
4468 article. @code{gnus-summary-dummy-line-format} is used to specify the
4469 format of the dummy roots. It accepts only one format spec: @samp{S},
4470 which is the subject of the article. @xref{Formatting Variables}.
4473 Gnus won't actually make any article the parent, but simply leave the
4474 subject field of all orphans except the first empty. (Actually, it will
4475 use @code{gnus-summary-same-subject} as the subject (@pxref{Summary
4479 Don't make any article parent at all. Just gather the threads and
4480 display them after one another.
4483 Don't gather loose threads.
4486 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4487 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-subtree
4488 If non-@code{nil}, all threads will be hidden when the summary buffer is
4491 @item gnus-thread-expunge-below
4492 @vindex gnus-thread-expunge-below
4493 All threads that have a total score (as defined by
4494 @code{gnus-thread-score-function}) less than this number will be
4495 expunged. This variable is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
4496 threads are expunged.
4498 @item gnus-thread-hide-killed
4499 @vindex gnus-thread-hide-killed
4500 if you kill a thread and this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subtree
4503 @item gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4504 @vindex gnus-thread-ignore-subject
4505 Sometimes somebody changes the subject in the middle of a thread. If
4506 this variable is non-@code{nil}, the subject change is ignored. If it
4507 is @code{nil}, which is the default, a change in the subject will result
4510 @item gnus-thread-indent-level
4511 @vindex gnus-thread-indent-level
4512 This is a number that says how much each sub-thread should be indented.
4515 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
4516 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
4517 Hook run before parsing any headers. The default value is
4518 @code{(gnus-decode-rfc1522)}, which means that QPized headers will be
4519 slightly decoded in a hackish way. This is likely to change in the
4520 future when Gnus becomes @sc{MIME}ified.
4525 @node Thread Commands
4526 @subsection Thread Commands
4527 @cindex thread commands
4533 @kindex T k (Summary)
4534 @kindex M-C-k (Summary)
4535 @findex gnus-summary-kill-thread
4536 Mark all articles in the current (sub-)thread as read
4537 (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}). If the prefix argument is positive,
4538 remove all marks instead. If the prefix argument is negative, tick
4543 @kindex T l (Summary)
4544 @kindex M-C-l (Summary)
4545 @findex gnus-summary-lower-thread
4546 Lower the score of the current (sub-)thread
4547 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-thread}).
4550 @kindex T i (Summary)
4551 @findex gnus-summary-raise-thread
4552 Increase the score of the current (sub-)thread
4553 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-thread}).
4556 @kindex T # (Summary)
4557 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
4558 Set the process mark on the current (sub-)thread
4559 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
4562 @kindex T M-# (Summary)
4563 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
4564 Remove the process mark from the current (sub-)thread
4565 (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
4568 @kindex T T (Summary)
4569 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-threads
4570 Toggle threading (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-threads}).
4573 @kindex T s (Summary)
4574 @findex gnus-summary-show-thread
4575 Expose the (sub-)thread hidden under the current article, if any
4576 (@code{gnus-summary-show-thread}).
4579 @kindex T h (Summary)
4580 @findex gnus-summary-hide-thread
4581 Hide the current (sub-)thread (@code{gnus-summary-hide-thread}).
4584 @kindex T S (Summary)
4585 @findex gnus-summary-show-all-threads
4586 Expose all hidden threads (@code{gnus-summary-show-all-threads}).
4589 @kindex T H (Summary)
4590 @findex gnus-summary-hide-all-threads
4591 Hide all threads (@code{gnus-summary-hide-all-threads}).
4594 @kindex T t (Summary)
4595 @findex gnus-summary-rethread-current
4596 Re-thread the thread the current article is part of
4597 (@code{gnus-summary-rethread-current}). This works even when the
4598 summary buffer is otherwise unthreaded.
4601 @kindex T ^ (Summary)
4602 @findex gnus-summary-reparent-thread
4603 Make the current article the child of the marked (or previous) article
4604 (@code{gnus-summary-reparent-thread}.
4608 The following commands are thread movement commands. They all
4609 understand the numeric prefix.
4614 @kindex T n (Summary)
4615 @findex gnus-summary-next-thread
4616 Go to the next thread (@code{gnus-summary-next-thread}).
4619 @kindex T p (Summary)
4620 @findex gnus-summary-prev-thread
4621 Go to the previous thread (@code{gnus-summary-prev-thread}).
4624 @kindex T d (Summary)
4625 @findex gnus-summary-down-thread
4626 Descend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-down-thread}).
4629 @kindex T u (Summary)
4630 @findex gnus-summary-up-thread
4631 Ascend the thread (@code{gnus-summary-up-thread}).
4634 @kindex T o (Summary)
4635 @findex gnus-summary-top-thread
4636 Go to the top of the thread (@code{gnus-summary-top-thread}).
4639 @vindex gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject
4640 If you ignore subject while threading, you'll naturally end up with
4641 threads that have several different subjects in them. If you then issue
4642 a command like `T k' (@code{gnus-summary-kill-thread}) you might not
4643 wish to kill the entire thread, but just those parts of the thread that
4644 have the same subject as the current article. If you like this idea,
4645 you can fiddle with @code{gnus-thread-operation-ignore-subject}. If is
4646 is non-@code{nil} (which it is by default), subjects will be ignored
4647 when doing thread commands. If this variable is @code{nil}, articles in
4648 the same thread with different subjects will not be included in the
4649 operation in question. If this variable is @code{fuzzy}, only articles
4650 that have subjects that are fuzzily equal will be included.
4656 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score
4657 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-date
4658 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-score
4659 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
4660 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-author
4661 @findex gnus-thread-sort-by-number
4662 @vindex gnus-thread-sort-functions
4663 If you are using a threaded summary display, you can sort the threads by
4664 setting @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, which is a list of functions.
4665 By default, sorting is done on article numbers. Ready-made sorting
4666 predicate functions include @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number},
4667 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-subject},
4668 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-date}, @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-score}, and
4669 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-total-score}.
4671 Each function takes two threads and return non-@code{nil} if the first
4672 thread should be sorted before the other. Note that sorting really is
4673 normally done by looking only at the roots of each thread. If you use
4674 more than one function, the primary sort key should be the last function
4675 in the list. You should probably always include
4676 @code{gnus-thread-sort-by-number} in the list of sorting
4677 functions---preferably first. This will ensure that threads that are
4678 equal with respect to the other sort criteria will be displayed in
4679 ascending article order.
4681 If you would like to sort by score, then by subject, and finally by
4682 number, you could do something like:
4685 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
4686 '(gnus-thread-sort-by-number
4687 gnus-thread-sort-by-subject
4688 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
4691 The threads that have highest score will be displayed first in the
4692 summary buffer. When threads have the same score, they will be sorted
4693 alphabetically. The threads that have the same score and the same
4694 subject will be sorted by number, which is (normally) the sequence in
4695 which the articles arrived.
4697 If you want to sort by score and then reverse arrival order, you could
4701 (setq gnus-thread-sort-functions
4703 (not (gnus-thread-sort-by-number t1 t2)))
4704 gnus-thread-sort-by-score))
4707 @vindex gnus-thread-score-function
4708 The function in the @code{gnus-thread-score-function} variable (default
4709 @code{+}) is used for calculating the total score of a thread. Useful
4710 functions might be @code{max}, @code{min}, or squared means, or whatever
4713 @findex gnus-article-sort-functions
4714 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-date
4715 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-score
4716 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-subject
4717 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-author
4718 @findex gnus-article-sort-by-number
4719 If you are using an unthreaded display for some strange reason or other,
4720 you have to fiddle with the @code{gnus-article-sort-functions} variable.
4721 It is very similar to the @code{gnus-thread-sort-functions}, except that
4722 is uses slightly different functions for article comparison. Available
4723 sorting predicate functions are @code{gnus-article-sort-by-number},
4724 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-author}, @code{gnus-article-sort-by-subject},
4725 @code{gnus-article-sort-by-date}, and @code{gnus-article-sort-by-score}.
4727 If you want to sort an unthreaded summary display by subject, you could
4731 (setq gnus-article-sort-functions
4732 '(gnus-article-sort-by-number
4733 gnus-article-sort-by-subject))
4738 @node Asynchronous Fetching
4739 @section Asynchronous Article Fetching
4740 @cindex asynchronous article fetching
4741 @cindex article pre-fetch
4744 If you read your news from an @sc{nntp} server that's far away, the
4745 network latencies may make reading articles a chore. You have to wait
4746 for a while after pressing @kbd{n} to go to the next article before the
4747 article appears. Why can't Gnus just go ahead and fetch the article
4748 while you are reading the previous one? Why not, indeed.
4750 First, some caveats. There are some pitfalls to using asynchronous
4751 article fetching, especially the way Gnus does it.
4753 Let's say you are reading article 1, which is short, and article 2 is
4754 quite long, and you are not interested in reading that. Gnus does not
4755 know this, so it goes ahead and fetches article 2. You decide to read
4756 article 3, but since Gnus is in the process of fetching article 2, the
4757 connection is blocked.
4759 To avoid these situations, Gnus will open two (count 'em two)
4760 connections to the server. Some people may think this isn't a very nice
4761 thing to do, but I don't see any real alternatives. Setting up that
4762 extra connection takes some time, so Gnus startup will be slower.
4764 Gnus will fetch more articles than you will read. This will mean that
4765 the link between your machine and the @sc{nntp} server will become more
4766 loaded than if you didn't use article pre-fetch. The server itself will
4767 also become more loaded---both with the extra article requests, and the
4770 Ok, so now you know that you shouldn't really use this thing... unless
4773 @vindex gnus-asynchronous
4774 Here's how: Set @code{gnus-asynchronous} to @code{t}. The rest should
4775 happen automatically.
4777 @vindex gnus-use-article-prefetch
4778 You can control how many articles that are to be pre-fetched by setting
4779 @code{gnus-use-article-prefetch}. This is 30 by default, which means
4780 that when you read an article in the group, the backend will pre-fetch
4781 the next 30 articles. If this variable is @code{t}, the backend will
4782 pre-fetch all the articles that it can without bound. If it is
4783 @code{nil}, no pre-fetching will be made.
4785 @vindex gnus-async-prefetch-article-p
4786 @findex gnus-async-read-p
4787 There are probably some articles that you don't want to pre-fetch---read
4788 articles, for instance. Which articles to pre-fetch is controlled by
4789 the @code{gnus-async-prefetch-article-p} variable. This function should
4790 return non-@code{nil} when the article in question is to be
4791 pre-fetched. The default is @code{gnus-async-read-p}, which returns
4792 @code{nil} on read articles. The function is called with an article
4793 data structure as the only parameter.
4795 If, for instance, you wish to pre-fetch only unread articles that are
4796 shorter than 100 lines, you could say something like:
4799 (defun my-async-short-unread-p (data)
4800 "Return non-nil for short, unread articles."
4801 (and (gnus-data-unread-p data)
4802 (< (mail-header-lines (gnus-data-header data))
4805 (setq gnus-async-prefetch-article-p 'my-async-short-unread-p)
4808 These functions will be called many, many times, so they should
4809 preferrably be short and sweet to avoid slowing down Gnus too much.
4810 It's also probably a good idea to byte-compile things like this.
4812 @vindex gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy
4813 Articles have to be removed from the asynch buffer sooner or later. The
4814 @code{gnus-prefetched-article-deletion-strategy} says when to remove
4815 articles. This is a list that may contain the following elements:
4819 Remove articles when they are read.
4822 Remove articles when exiting the group.
4825 The default value is @code{(read exit)}.
4827 @vindex gnus-use-header-prefetch
4828 If @code{gnus-use-header-prefetch} is non-@code{nil}, prefetch articles
4829 from the next group.
4832 @node Article Caching
4833 @section Article Caching
4834 @cindex article caching
4837 If you have an @emph{extremely} slow @sc{nntp} connection, you may
4838 consider turning article caching on. Each article will then be stored
4839 locally under your home directory. As you may surmise, this could
4840 potentially use @emph{huge} amounts of disk space, as well as eat up all
4841 your inodes so fast it will make your head swim. In vodka.
4843 Used carefully, though, it could be just an easier way to save articles.
4845 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
4846 @vindex gnus-cache-directory
4847 @vindex gnus-use-cache
4848 To turn caching on, set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{t}. By default,
4849 all articles that are ticked or marked as dormant will then be copied
4850 over to your local cache (@code{gnus-cache-directory}). Whether this
4851 cache is flat or hierarchal is controlled by the
4852 @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable, as usual.
4854 When re-select a ticked or dormant article, it will be fetched from the
4855 cache instead of from the server. As articles in your cache will never
4856 expire, this might serve as a method of saving articles while still
4857 keeping them where they belong. Just mark all articles you want to save
4858 as dormant, and don't worry.
4860 When an article is marked as read, is it removed from the cache.
4862 @vindex gnus-cache-remove-articles
4863 @vindex gnus-cache-enter-articles
4864 The entering/removal of articles from the cache is controlled by the
4865 @code{gnus-cache-enter-articles} and @code{gnus-cache-remove-articles}
4866 variables. Both are lists of symbols. The first is @code{(ticked
4867 dormant)} by default, meaning that ticked and dormant articles will be
4868 put in the cache. The latter is @code{(read)} by default, meaning that
4869 articles that are marked as read are removed from the cache. Possibly
4870 symbols in these two lists are @code{ticked}, @code{dormant},
4871 @code{unread} and @code{read}.
4873 @findex gnus-jog-cache
4874 So where does the massive article-fetching and storing come into the
4875 picture? The @code{gnus-jog-cache} command will go through all
4876 subscribed newsgroups, request all unread articles, and store them in
4877 the cache. You should only ever, ever ever ever, use this command if 1)
4878 your connection to the @sc{nntp} server is really, really, really slow
4879 and 2) you have a really, really, really huge disk. Seriously.
4881 @vindex gnus-uncacheable-groups
4882 It is likely that you do not want caching on some groups. For instance,
4883 if your @code{nnml} mail is located under your home directory, it makes no
4884 sense to cache it somewhere else under your home directory. Unless you
4885 feel that it's neat to use twice as much space. To limit the caching,
4886 you could set the @code{gnus-uncacheable-groups} regexp to
4887 @samp{^nnml}, for instance. This variable is @code{nil} by
4890 @findex gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases
4891 @findex gnus-cache-generate-active
4892 @vindex gnus-cache-active-file
4893 The cache stores information on what articles it contains in its active
4894 file (@code{gnus-cache-active-file}). If this file (or any other parts
4895 of the cache) becomes all messed up for some reason or other, Gnus
4896 offers two functions that will try to set things right. @kbd{M-x
4897 gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases} will (re)build all the @sc{nov}
4898 files, and @kbd{gnus-cache-generate-active} will (re)generate the active
4902 @node Persistent Articles
4903 @section Persistent Articles
4904 @cindex persistent articles
4906 Closely related to article caching, we have @dfn{persistent articles}.
4907 In fact, it's just a different way of looking at caching, and much more
4908 useful in my opinion.
4910 Say you're reading a newsgroup, and you happen on to some valuable gem
4911 that you want to keep and treasure forever. You'd normally just save it
4912 (using one of the many saving commands) in some file. The problem with
4913 that is that it's just, well, yucky. Ideally you'd prefer just having
4914 the article remain in the group where you found it forever; untouched by
4915 the expiry going on at the news server.
4917 This is what a @dfn{persistent article} is---an article that just won't
4918 be deleted. It's implemented using the normal cache functions, but
4919 you use two explicit commands for managing persistent articles:
4925 @findex gnus-cache-enter-article
4926 Make the current article persistent (@code{gnus-cache-enter-article}).
4929 @kindex M-* (Summary)
4930 @findex gnus-cache-remove-article
4931 Remove the current article from the persistent articles
4932 (@code{gnus-cache-remove-article}). This will normally delete the
4936 Both these commands understand the process/prefix convention.
4938 To avoid having all ticked articles (and stuff) entered into the cache,
4939 you should set @code{gnus-use-cache} to @code{passive} if you're just
4940 interested in persistent articles:
4943 (setq gnus-use-cache 'passive)
4947 @node Article Backlog
4948 @section Article Backlog
4950 @cindex article backlog
4952 If you have a slow connection, but the idea of using caching seems
4953 unappealing to you (and it is, really), you can help the situation some
4954 by switching on the @dfn{backlog}. This is where Gnus will buffer
4955 already read articles so that it doesn't have to re-fetch articles
4956 you've already read. This only helps if you are in the habit of
4957 re-selecting articles you've recently read, of course. If you never do
4958 that, turning the backlog on will slow Gnus down a little bit, and
4959 increase memory usage some.
4961 @vindex gnus-keep-backlog
4962 If you set @code{gnus-keep-backlog} to a number @var{n}, Gnus will store
4963 at most @var{n} old articles in a buffer for later re-fetching. If this
4964 variable is non-@code{nil} and is not a number, Gnus will store
4965 @emph{all} read articles, which means that your Emacs will grow without
4966 bound before exploding and taking your machine down with you. I put
4967 that in there just to keep y'all on your toes.
4969 This variable is @code{nil} by default.
4972 @node Saving Articles
4973 @section Saving Articles
4974 @cindex saving articles
4976 Gnus can save articles in a number of ways. Below is the documentation
4977 for saving articles in a fairly straight-forward fashion (i.e., little
4978 processing of the article is done before it is saved). For a different
4979 approach (uudecoding, unsharing) you should use @code{gnus-uu}
4980 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
4982 @vindex gnus-save-all-headers
4983 If @code{gnus-save-all-headers} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will not delete
4984 unwanted headers before saving the article.
4986 @vindex gnus-saved-headers
4987 If the preceding variable is @code{nil}, all headers that match the
4988 @code{gnus-saved-headers} regexp will be kept, while the rest will be
4989 deleted before saving.
4995 @kindex O o (Summary)
4997 @findex gnus-summary-save-article
4998 Save the current article using the default article saver
4999 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article}).
5002 @kindex O m (Summary)
5003 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-mail
5004 Save the current article in mail format
5005 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-mail}).
5008 @kindex O r (Summary)
5009 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-rmail
5010 Save the current article in rmail format
5011 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-rmail}).
5014 @kindex O f (Summary)
5015 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-file
5016 Save the current article in plain file format
5017 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-file}).
5020 @kindex O F (Summary)
5021 @findex gnus-summary-write-article-file
5022 Write the current article in plain file format, overwriting any previous
5023 file contents (@code{gnus-summary-write-article-file}).
5026 @kindex O b (Summary)
5027 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-body-file
5028 Save the current article body in plain file format
5029 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-body-file}).
5032 @kindex O h (Summary)
5033 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-folder
5034 Save the current article in mh folder format
5035 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-folder}).
5038 @kindex O v (Summary)
5039 @findex gnus-summary-save-article-vm
5040 Save the current article in a VM folder
5041 (@code{gnus-summary-save-article-vm}).
5044 @kindex O p (Summary)
5045 @findex gnus-summary-pipe-output
5046 Save the current article in a pipe. Uhm, like, what I mean is---Pipe
5047 the current article to a process (@code{gnus-summary-pipe-output}).
5050 @vindex gnus-prompt-before-saving
5051 All these commands use the process/prefix convention
5052 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}). If you save bunches of articles using these
5053 functions, you might get tired of being prompted for files to save each
5054 and every article in. The prompting action is controlled by
5055 the @code{gnus-prompt-before-saving} variable, which is @code{always} by
5056 default, giving you that excessive prompting action you know and
5057 loathe. If you set this variable to @code{t} instead, you'll be prompted
5058 just once for each series of articles you save. If you like to really
5059 have Gnus do all your thinking for you, you can even set this variable
5060 to @code{nil}, which means that you will never be prompted for files to
5061 save articles in. Gnus will simply save all the articles in the default
5065 @vindex gnus-default-article-saver
5066 You can customize the @code{gnus-default-article-saver} variable to make
5067 Gnus do what you want it to. You can use any of the four ready-made
5068 functions below, or you can create your own.
5072 @item gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5073 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-rmail
5074 @vindex gnus-rmail-save-name
5075 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5076 This is the default format, @dfn{babyl}. Uses the function in the
5077 @code{gnus-rmail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5078 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5080 @item gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5081 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-mail
5082 @vindex gnus-mail-save-name
5083 Save in a Unix mail (mbox) file. Uses the function in the
5084 @code{gnus-mail-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5085 article in. The default is @code{gnus-plain-save-name}.
5087 @item gnus-summary-save-in-file
5088 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-file
5089 @vindex gnus-file-save-name
5090 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5091 Append the article straight to an ordinary file. Uses the function in
5092 the @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5093 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5095 @item gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5096 @findex gnus-summary-save-body-in-file
5097 Append the article body to an ordinary file. Uses the function in the
5098 @code{gnus-file-save-name} variable to get a file name to save the
5099 article in. The default is @code{gnus-numeric-save-name}.
5101 @item gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5102 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-folder
5103 @findex gnus-folder-save-name
5104 @findex gnus-Folder-save-name
5105 @vindex gnus-folder-save-name
5108 Save the article to an MH folder using @code{rcvstore} from the MH
5109 library. Uses the function in the @code{gnus-folder-save-name} variable
5110 to get a file name to save the article in. The default is
5111 @code{gnus-folder-save-name}, but you can also use
5112 @code{gnus-Folder-save-name}. The former creates capitalized names, and
5113 the latter does not.
5115 @item gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5116 @findex gnus-summary-save-in-vm
5117 Save the article in a VM folder. You have to have the VM mail
5118 reader to use this setting.
5121 @vindex gnus-article-save-directory
5122 All of these functions, except for the last one, will save the article
5123 in the @code{gnus-article-save-directory}, which is initialized from the
5124 @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable. This is @file{~/News/} by
5127 As you can see above, the functions use different functions to find a
5128 suitable name of a file to save the article in. Below is a list of
5129 available functions that generate names:
5133 @item gnus-Numeric-save-name
5134 @findex gnus-Numeric-save-name
5135 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5137 @item gnus-numeric-save-name
5138 @findex gnus-numeric-save-name
5139 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin/45}.
5141 @item gnus-Plain-save-name
5142 @findex gnus-Plain-save-name
5143 File names like @file{~/News/Alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5145 @item gnus-plain-save-name
5146 @findex gnus-plain-save-name
5147 File names like @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.
5150 @vindex gnus-split-methods
5151 You can have Gnus suggest where to save articles by plonking a regexp into
5152 the @code{gnus-split-methods} alist. For instance, if you would like to
5153 save articles related to Gnus in the file @file{gnus-stuff}, and articles
5154 related to VM in @code{vm-stuff}, you could set this variable to something
5158 (("^Subject:.*gnus\\|^Newsgroups:.*gnus" "gnus-stuff")
5159 ("^Subject:.*vm\\|^Xref:.*vm" "vm-stuff")
5160 (my-choosing-function "../other-dir/my-stuff")
5161 ((equal gnus-newsgroup-name "mail.misc") "mail-stuff"))
5164 We see that this is a list where each element is a list that has two
5165 elements---the @dfn{match} and the @dfn{file}. The match can either be
5166 a string (in which case it is used as a regexp to match on the article
5167 head); it can be a symbol (which will be called as a function with the
5168 group name as a parameter); or it can be a list (which will be
5169 @code{eval}ed). If any of these actions have a non-@code{nil} result,
5170 the @dfn{file} will be used as a default prompt. In addition, the
5171 result of the operation itself will be used if the function or form
5172 called returns a string or a list of strings.
5174 You basically end up with a list of file names that might be used when
5175 saving the current article. (All ``matches'' will be used.) You will
5176 then be prompted for what you really want to use as a name, with file
5177 name completion over the results from applying this variable.
5179 This variable is @code{((gnus-article-archive-name))} by default, which
5180 means that Gnus will look at the articles it saves for an
5181 @code{Archive-name} line and use that as a suggestion for the file
5184 @vindex gnus-use-long-file-name
5185 Finally, you have the @code{gnus-use-long-file-name} variable. If it is
5186 @code{nil}, all the preceding functions will replace all periods
5187 (@samp{.}) in the group names with slashes (@samp{/})---which means that
5188 the functions will generate hierarchies of directories instead of having
5189 all the files in the toplevel directory
5190 (@file{~/News/alt/andrea-dworkin} instead of
5191 @file{~/News/alt.andrea-dworkin}.) This variable is @code{t} by default
5192 on most systems. However, for historical reasons, this is @code{nil} on
5193 Xenix and usg-unix-v machines by default.
5195 This function also affects kill and score file names. If this variable
5196 is a list, and the list contains the element @code{not-score}, long file
5197 names will not be used for score files, if it contains the element
5198 @code{not-save}, long file names will not be used for saving, and if it
5199 contains the element @code{not-kill}, long file names will not be used
5202 If you'd like to save articles in a hierarchy that looks something like
5206 (setq gnus-use-long-file-name '(not-save)) ; to get a hierarchy
5207 (setq gnus-default-article-save 'gnus-summary-save-in-file) ; no encoding
5210 Then just save with @kbd{o}. You'd then read this hierarchy with
5211 ephemeral @code{nneething} groups---@kbd{G D} in the group buffer, and
5212 the toplevel directory as the argument (@file{~/News/}). Then just walk
5213 around to the groups/directories with @code{nneething}.
5216 @node Decoding Articles
5217 @section Decoding Articles
5218 @cindex decoding articles
5220 Sometime users post articles (or series of articles) that have been
5221 encoded in some way or other. Gnus can decode them for you.
5224 * Uuencoded Articles:: Uudecode articles.
5225 * Shared Articles:: Unshar articles.
5226 * PostScript Files:: Split PostScript.
5227 * Decoding Variables:: Variables for a happy decoding.
5228 * Viewing Files:: You want to look at the result of the decoding?
5231 All these functions use the process/prefix convention
5232 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}) for finding out what articles to work on, with
5233 the extension that a ``single article'' means ``a single series''. Gnus
5234 can find out by itself what articles belong to a series, decode all the
5235 articles and unpack/view/save the resulting file(s).
5237 Gnus guesses what articles are in the series according to the following
5238 simplish rule: The subjects must be (nearly) identical, except for the
5239 last two numbers of the line. (Spaces are largely ignored, however.)
5241 For example: If you choose a subject called @samp{cat.gif (2/3)}, Gnus
5242 will find all the articles that match the regexp @samp{^cat.gif
5243 ([0-9]+/[0-9]+).*$}.
5245 Subjects that are nonstandard, like @samp{cat.gif (2/3) Part 6 of a
5246 series}, will not be properly recognized by any of the automatic viewing
5247 commands, and you have to mark the articles manually with @kbd{#}.
5250 @node Uuencoded Articles
5251 @subsection Uuencoded Articles
5253 @cindex uuencoded articles
5258 @kindex X u (Summary)
5259 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu
5260 Uudecodes the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu}).
5263 @kindex X U (Summary)
5264 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save
5265 Uudecodes and saves the current series
5266 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5269 @kindex X v u (Summary)
5270 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-view
5271 Uudecodes and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-view}).
5274 @kindex X v U (Summary)
5275 @findex gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view
5276 Uudecodes, views and saves the current series
5277 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save-view}).
5280 Remember that these all react to the presence of articles marked with
5281 the process mark. If, for instance, you'd like to decode and save an
5282 entire newsgroup, you'd typically do @kbd{M P a}
5283 (@code{gnus-uu-mark-all}) and then @kbd{X U}
5284 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-uu-and-save}).
5286 All this is very much different from how @code{gnus-uu} worked with
5287 @sc{gnus 4.1}, where you had explicit keystrokes for everything under
5288 the sun. This version of @code{gnus-uu} generally assumes that you mark
5289 articles in some way (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}) and then press
5292 @vindex gnus-uu-notify-files
5293 Note: When trying to decode articles that have names matching
5294 @code{gnus-uu-notify-files}, which is hard-coded to
5295 @samp{[Cc][Ii][Nn][Dd][Yy][0-9]+.\\(gif\\|jpg\\)}, @code{gnus-uu} will
5296 automatically post an article on @samp{comp.unix.wizards} saying that
5297 you have just viewed the file in question. This feature can't be turned
5301 @node Shared Articles
5302 @subsection Shared Articles
5304 @cindex shared articles
5309 @kindex X s (Summary)
5310 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar
5311 Unshars the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar}).
5314 @kindex X S (Summary)
5315 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save
5316 Unshars and saves the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save}).
5319 @kindex X v s (Summary)
5320 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view
5321 Unshars and views the current series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-view}).
5324 @kindex X v S (Summary)
5325 @findex gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view
5326 Unshars, views and saves the current series
5327 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-unshar-and-save-view}).
5331 @node PostScript Files
5332 @subsection PostScript Files
5338 @kindex X p (Summary)
5339 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript
5340 Unpack the current PostScript series (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript}).
5343 @kindex X P (Summary)
5344 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save
5345 Unpack and save the current PostScript series
5346 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save}).
5349 @kindex X v p (Summary)
5350 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view
5351 View the current PostScript series
5352 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-view}).
5355 @kindex X v P (Summary)
5356 @findex gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view
5357 View and save the current PostScript series
5358 (@code{gnus-uu-decode-postscript-and-save-view}).
5362 @node Decoding Variables
5363 @subsection Decoding Variables
5365 Adjective, not verb.
5368 * Rule Variables:: Variables that say how a file is to be viewed.
5369 * Other Decode Variables:: Other decode variables.
5370 * Uuencoding and Posting:: Variables for customizing uuencoding.
5374 @node Rule Variables
5375 @subsubsection Rule Variables
5376 @cindex rule variables
5378 Gnus uses @dfn{rule variables} to decide how to view a file. All these
5379 variables are on the form
5382 (list '(regexp1 command2)
5389 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5390 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5392 This variable is consulted first when viewing files. If you wish to use,
5393 for instance, @code{sox} to convert an @samp{.au} sound file, you could
5396 (setq gnus-uu-user-view-rules
5397 (list '(\"\\\\.au$\" \"sox %s -t .aiff > /dev/audio\")))
5400 @item gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5401 @vindex gnus-uu-user-view-rules-end
5402 This variable is consulted if Gnus couldn't make any matches from the
5403 user and default view rules.
5405 @item gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5406 @vindex gnus-uu-user-archive-rules
5407 This variable can be used to say what commands should be used to unpack
5412 @node Other Decode Variables
5413 @subsubsection Other Decode Variables
5416 @vindex gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5418 @item gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions
5419 All functions in this list will be called right each file has been
5420 successfully decoded---so that you can move or view files right away,
5421 and don't have to wait for all files to be decoded before you can do
5422 anything. Ready-made functions you can put in this list are:
5426 @item gnus-uu-grab-view
5427 @findex gnus-uu-grab-view
5430 @item gnus-uu-grab-move
5431 @findex gnus-uu-grab-move
5432 Move the file (if you're using a saving function.)
5435 @item gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5436 @vindex gnus-uu-be-dangerous
5437 Specifies what to do if unusual situations arise during decoding. If
5438 @code{nil}, be as conservative as possible. If @code{t}, ignore things
5439 that didn't work, and overwrite existing files. Otherwise, ask each
5442 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5443 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-name
5444 Files with name matching this regular expression won't be viewed.
5446 @item gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5447 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-files-by-type
5448 Files with a @sc{mime} type matching this variable won't be viewed.
5449 Note that Gnus tries to guess what type the file is based on the name.
5450 @code{gnus-uu} is not a @sc{mime} package (yet), so this is slightly
5453 @item gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5454 @vindex gnus-uu-tmp-dir
5455 Where @code{gnus-uu} does its work.
5457 @item gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5458 @vindex gnus-uu-do-not-unpack-archives
5459 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} won't peek inside archives
5460 looking for files to display.
5462 @item gnus-uu-view-and-save
5463 @vindex gnus-uu-view-and-save
5464 Non-@code{nil} means that the user will always be asked to save a file
5467 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5468 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-view-rules
5469 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default viewing
5472 @item gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5473 @vindex gnus-uu-ignore-default-archive-rules
5474 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the default archive
5477 @item gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5478 @vindex gnus-uu-kill-carriage-return
5479 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will strip all carriage returns
5482 @item gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5483 @vindex gnus-uu-unmark-articles-not-decoded
5484 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will mark articles that were
5485 unsuccessfully decoded as unread.
5487 @item gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5488 @vindex gnus-uu-correct-stripped-uucode
5489 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will @emph{try} to fix
5490 uuencoded files that have had trailing spaces deleted.
5492 @item gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5493 @vindex gnus-uu-view-with-metamail
5495 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ignore the viewing
5496 commands defined by the rule variables and just fudge a @sc{mime}
5497 content type based on the file name. The result will be fed to
5498 @code{metamail} for viewing.
5500 @item gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5501 @vindex gnus-uu-save-in-digest
5502 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu}, when asked to save without
5503 decoding, will save in digests. If this variable is @code{nil},
5504 @code{gnus-uu} will just save everything in a file without any
5505 embellishments. The digesting almost conforms to RFC1153---no easy way
5506 to specify any meaningful volume and issue numbers were found, so I
5507 simply dropped them.
5512 @node Uuencoding and Posting
5513 @subsubsection Uuencoding and Posting
5517 @item gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5518 @vindex gnus-uu-post-include-before-composing
5519 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will ask for a file to encode
5520 before you compose the article. If this variable is @code{t}, you can
5521 either include an encoded file with @kbd{C-c C-i} or have one included
5522 for you when you post the article.
5524 @item gnus-uu-post-length
5525 @vindex gnus-uu-post-length
5526 Maximum length of an article. The encoded file will be split into how
5527 many articles it takes to post the entire file.
5529 @item gnus-uu-post-threaded
5530 @vindex gnus-uu-post-threaded
5531 Non-@code{nil} means that @code{gnus-uu} will post the encoded file in a
5532 thread. This may not be smart, as no other decoder I have seen are able
5533 to follow threads when collecting uuencoded articles. (Well, I have
5534 seen one package that does that---@code{gnus-uu}, but somehow, I don't
5535 think that counts...) Default is @code{nil}.
5537 @item gnus-uu-post-separate-description
5538 @vindex gnus-uu-post-separate-description
5539 Non-@code{nil} means that the description will be posted in a separate
5540 article. The first article will typically be numbered (0/x). If this
5541 variable is @code{nil}, the description the user enters will be included
5542 at the beginning of the first article, which will be numbered (1/x).
5543 Default is @code{t}.
5549 @subsection Viewing Files
5550 @cindex viewing files
5551 @cindex pseudo-articles
5553 After decoding, if the file is some sort of archive, Gnus will attempt
5554 to unpack the archive and see if any of the files in the archive can be
5555 viewed. For instance, if you have a gzipped tar file @file{pics.tar.gz}
5556 containing the files @file{pic1.jpg} and @file{pic2.gif}, Gnus will
5557 uncompress and de-tar the main file, and then view the two pictures.
5558 This unpacking process is recursive, so if the archive contains archives
5559 of archives, it'll all be unpacked.
5561 Finally, Gnus will normally insert a @dfn{pseudo-article} for each
5562 extracted file into the summary buffer. If you go to these
5563 ``articles'', you will be prompted for a command to run (usually Gnus
5564 will make a suggestion), and then the command will be run.
5566 @vindex gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously
5567 If @code{gnus-view-pseudo-asynchronously} is @code{nil}, Emacs will wait
5568 until the viewing is done before proceeding.
5570 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos
5571 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos} is @code{automatic}, Gnus will not insert
5572 the pseudo-articles into the summary buffer, but view them
5573 immediately. If this variable is @code{not-confirm}, the user won't even
5574 be asked for a confirmation before viewing is done.
5576 @vindex gnus-view-pseudos-separately
5577 If @code{gnus-view-pseudos-separately} is non-@code{nil}, one
5578 pseudo-article will be created for each file to be viewed. If
5579 @code{nil}, all files that use the same viewing command will be given as
5580 a list of parameters to that command.
5582 @vindex gnus-insert-pseudo-articles
5583 If @code{gnus-insert-pseudo-articles} is non-@code{nil}, insert
5584 pseudo-articles when decoding. It is @code{t} by default.
5586 So; there you are, reading your @emph{pseudo-articles} in your
5587 @emph{virtual newsgroup} from the @emph{virtual server}; and you think:
5588 Why isn't anything real anymore? How did we get here?
5591 @node Article Treatment
5592 @section Article Treatment
5594 Reading through this huge manual, you may have quite forgotten that the
5595 object of newsreaders are to actually, like, read what people have
5596 written. Reading articles. Unfortunately, people are quite bad at
5597 writing, so there are tons of functions and variables to make reading
5598 these articles easier.
5601 * Article Highlighting:: You want to make the article look like fruit salad.
5602 * Article Fontisizing:: Making emphasized text look niced.
5603 * Article Hiding:: You also want to make certain info go away.
5604 * Article Washing:: Lots of way-neat functions to make life better.
5605 * Article Buttons:: Click on URLs, Message-IDs, addresses and the like.
5606 * Article Date:: Grumble, UT!
5607 * Article Signature:: What is a signature?
5611 @node Article Highlighting
5612 @subsection Article Highlighting
5615 Not only do you want your article buffer to look like fruit salad, but
5616 you want it to look like technicolor fruit salad.
5621 @kindex W H a (Summary)
5622 @findex gnus-article-highlight
5623 Highlight the current article (@code{gnus-article-highlight}).
5626 @kindex W H h (Summary)
5627 @findex gnus-article-highlight-headers
5628 @vindex gnus-header-face-alist
5629 Highlight the headers (@code{gnus-article-highlight-headers}). The
5630 highlighting will be done according to the @code{gnus-header-face-alist}
5631 variable, which is a list where each element has the form @var{(regexp
5632 name content)}. @var{regexp} is a regular expression for matching the
5633 header, @var{name} is the face used for highlighting the header name and
5634 @var{content} is the face for highlighting the header value. The first
5635 match made will be used. Note that @var{regexp} shouldn't have @samp{^}
5636 prepended---Gnus will add one.
5639 @kindex W H c (Summary)
5640 @findex gnus-article-highlight-citation
5641 Highlight cited text (@code{gnus-article-highlight-citation}).
5643 Some variables to customize the citation highlights:
5646 @vindex gnus-cite-parse-max-size
5648 @item gnus-cite-parse-max-size
5649 If the article size if bigger than this variable (which is 25000 by
5650 default), no citation highlighting will be performed.
5652 @item gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
5653 @vindex gnus-cite-prefix-regexp
5654 Regexp matching the longest possible citation prefix on a line.
5656 @item gnus-cite-max-prefix
5657 @vindex gnus-cite-max-prefix
5658 Maximum possible length for a citation prefix (default 20).
5660 @item gnus-cite-face-list
5661 @vindex gnus-cite-face-list
5662 List of faces used for highlighting citations. When there are citations
5663 from multiple articles in the same message, Gnus will try to give each
5664 citation from each article its own face. This should make it easier to
5667 @item gnus-supercite-regexp
5668 @vindex gnus-supercite-regexp
5669 Regexp matching normal Supercite attribution lines.
5671 @item gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
5672 @vindex gnus-supercite-secondary-regexp
5673 Regexp matching mangled Supercite attribution lines.
5675 @item gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
5676 @vindex gnus-cite-minimum-match-count
5677 Minimum number of identical prefixes we have to see before we believe
5678 that it's a citation.
5680 @item gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
5681 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-prefix
5682 Regexp matching the beginning of an attribution line.
5684 @item gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
5685 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-suffix
5686 Regexp matching the end of an attribution line.
5688 @item gnus-cite-attribution-face
5689 @vindex gnus-cite-attribution-face
5690 Face used for attribution lines. It is merged with the face for the
5691 cited text belonging to the attribution.
5697 @kindex W H s (Summary)
5698 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
5699 @vindex gnus-signature-face
5700 @findex gnus-article-highlight-signature
5701 Highlight the signature (@code{gnus-article-highlight-signature}).
5702 Everything after @code{gnus-signature-separator} (@pxref{Article
5703 Signature}) in an article will be considered a signature and will be
5704 highlighted with @code{gnus-signature-face}, which is @code{italic} by
5710 @node Article Fontisizing
5711 @subsection Article Fontisizing
5713 @cindex article emphasis
5715 @findex gnus-article-emphasize
5716 @kindex W e (Summary)
5717 People commonly add emphasis to words in news articles by writing things
5718 like @samp{_this_} or @samp{*this*}. Gnus can make this look nicer by
5719 running the article through the @kbd{W e}
5720 (@code{gnus-article-emphasize}) command.
5722 @vindex gnus-article-emphasis
5723 How the emphasis is computed is controlled by the
5724 @code{gnus-article-emphasis} variable. This is an alist where the first
5725 element is a regular expression to be matched. The second is a number
5726 that says what regular expression grouping used to find the entire
5727 emphasized word. The third is a number that says what regexp grouping
5728 should be displayed and highlighted. (The text between these two
5729 groupings will be hidden.) The fourth is the face used for
5733 (setq gnus-article-emphasis
5734 '(("_\\(\\w+\\)_" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-underline)
5735 ("\\*\\(\\w+\\)\\*" 0 1 gnus-emphasis-bold)))
5738 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline
5739 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold
5740 @vindex gnus-emphasis-italic
5741 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold
5742 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-italic
5743 @vindex gnus-emphasis-bold-italic
5744 @vindex gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic
5745 By default, there are seven rules, and they use the following faces:
5746 @code{gnus-emphasis-bold}, @code{gnus-emphasis-italic},
5747 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline}, @code{gnus-emphasis-bold-italic},
5748 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-italic},
5749 @code{gnus-emphasis-undeline-bold}, and
5750 @code{gnus-emphasis-underline-bold-italic}.
5752 If you want to change these faces, you can either use @kbd{M-x
5753 customize}, or you can use @code{copy-face}. For instance, if you want
5754 to make @code{gnus-emphasis-italic} use a red face instead, you could
5758 (copy-face 'red 'gnus-emphasis-italic)
5762 @node Article Hiding
5763 @subsection Article Hiding
5764 @cindex article hiding
5766 Or rather, hiding certain things in each article. There usually is much
5767 too much cruft in most articles.
5772 @kindex W W a (Summary)
5773 @findex gnus-article-hide
5774 Do maximum hiding on the summary buffer (@kbd{gnus-article-hide}).
5777 @kindex W W h (Summary)
5778 @findex gnus-article-hide-headers
5779 Hide headers (@code{gnus-article-hide-headers}). @xref{Hiding
5783 @kindex W W b (Summary)
5784 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
5785 Hide headers that aren't particularly interesting
5786 (@code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers}). @xref{Hiding Headers}.
5789 @kindex W W s (Summary)
5790 @findex gnus-article-hide-signature
5791 Hide signature (@code{gnus-article-hide-signature}). @xref{Article
5795 @kindex W W p (Summary)
5796 @findex gnus-article-hide-pgp
5797 Hide @sc{pgp} signatures (@code{gnus-article-hide-pgp}).
5800 @kindex W W P (Summary)
5801 @findex gnus-article-hide-pem
5802 Hide @sc{pem} (privacy enhanced messages) gruft
5803 (@code{gnus-article-hide-pem}).
5806 @kindex W W c (Summary)
5807 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation
5808 Hide citation (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation}). Some variables for
5809 customizing the hiding:
5813 @item gnus-cite-hide-percentage
5814 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-percentage
5815 If the cited text is of a bigger percentage than this variable (default
5816 50), hide the cited text.
5818 @item gnus-cite-hide-absolute
5819 @vindex gnus-cite-hide-absolute
5820 The cited text must be have at least this length (default 10) before it
5823 @item gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
5824 @vindex gnus-cited-text-button-line-format
5825 Gnus adds buttons show where the cited text has been hidden, and to
5826 allow toggle hiding the text. The format of the variable is specified
5827 by this format-like variable (@pxref{Formatting Variables}). These
5832 Start point of the hidden text.
5834 End point of the hidden text.
5836 Length of the hidden text.
5839 @item gnus-cited-lines-visible
5840 @vindex gnus-cited-lines-visible
5841 The number of lines at the beginning of the cited text to leave shown.
5846 @kindex W W C (Summary)
5847 @findex gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups
5848 Hide cited text in articles that aren't roots
5849 (@code{gnus-article-hide-citation-in-followups}). This isn't very
5850 useful as an interactive command, but might be a handy function to stick
5851 in @code{gnus-article-display-hook} (@pxref{Customizing Articles}).
5855 All these ``hiding'' commands are toggles, but if you give a negative
5856 prefix to these commands, they will show what they have previously
5857 hidden. If you give a positive prefix, they will always hide.
5859 Also @pxref{Article Highlighting} for further variables for
5860 citation customization.
5863 @node Article Washing
5864 @subsection Article Washing
5866 @cindex article washing
5868 We call this ``article washing'' for a really good reason. Namely, the
5869 @kbd{A} key was taken, so we had to use the @kbd{W} key instead.
5871 @dfn{Washing} is defined by us as ``changing something from something to
5872 something else'', but normally results in something looking better.
5878 @kindex W l (Summary)
5879 @findex gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking
5880 Remove page breaks from the current article
5881 (@code{gnus-summary-stop-page-breaking}).
5884 @kindex W r (Summary)
5885 @findex gnus-summary-caesar-message
5886 Do a Caesar rotate (rot13) on the article buffer
5887 (@code{gnus-summary-caesar-message}).
5890 @kindex W t (Summary)
5891 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-header
5892 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer
5893 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-header}).
5896 @kindex W v (Summary)
5897 @findex gnus-summary-verbose-header
5898 Toggle whether to display all headers in the article buffer permanently
5899 (@code{gnus-summary-verbose-header}).
5902 @kindex W m (Summary)
5903 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-mime
5904 Toggle whether to run the article through @sc{mime} before displaying
5905 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-mime}).
5908 @kindex W o (Summary)
5909 @findex gnus-article-treat-overstrike
5910 Treat overstrike (@code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}).
5913 @kindex W w (Summary)
5914 @findex gnus-article-fill-cited-article
5915 Do word wrap (@code{gnus-article-fill-cited-article}). If you use this
5916 function in @code{gnus-article-display-hook}, it should be run fairly
5917 late and certainly after any highlighting.
5920 @kindex W c (Summary)
5921 @findex gnus-article-remove-cr
5922 Remove CR (@code{gnus-article-remove-cr}).
5925 @kindex W q (Summary)
5926 @findex gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable
5927 Treat quoted-printable (@code{gnus-article-de-quoted-unreadable}).
5930 @kindex W f (Summary)
5932 @findex gnus-article-display-x-face
5933 @findex gnus-article-x-face-command
5934 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-command
5935 @vindex gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly
5936 Look for and display any X-Face headers
5937 (@code{gnus-article-display-x-face}). The command executed by this
5938 function is given by the @code{gnus-article-x-face-command} variable.
5939 If this variable is a string, this string will be executed in a
5940 sub-shell. If it is a function, this function will be called with the
5941 face as the argument. If the @code{gnus-article-x-face-too-ugly} (which
5942 is a regexp) matches the @code{From} header, the face will not be shown.
5943 The default action under Emacs is to fork off an @code{xv} to view the
5944 face; under XEmacs the default action is to display the face before the
5945 @code{From} header. (It's nicer if XEmacs has been compiled with X-Face
5946 support---that will make display somewhat faster. If there's no native
5947 X-Face support, Gnus will try to convert the @code{X-Face} header using
5948 external programs from the @code{pbmplus} package and friends.) If you
5949 want to have this function in the display hook, it should probably come
5953 @kindex W b (Summary)
5954 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons
5955 Add clickable buttons to the article (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons}).
5958 @kindex W B (Summary)
5959 @findex gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head
5960 Add clickable buttons to the article headers
5961 (@code{gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head}).
5964 @kindex W E l (Summary)
5965 @findex gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines
5966 Remove all blank lines from the beginning of the article
5967 (@code{gnus-article-strip-leading-blank-lines}).
5970 @kindex W E m (Summary)
5971 @findex gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines
5972 Replace all blank lines with empty lines and then all multiple empty
5973 lines with a single empty line.
5974 (@code{gnus-article-strip-multiple-blank-lines}).
5977 @kindex W E t (Summary)
5978 @findex gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines
5979 Remove all blank lines at the end of the article
5980 (@code{gnus-article-remove-trailing-blank-lines}).
5983 @kindex W E a (Summary)
5984 @findex gnus-article-strip-blank-lines
5985 Do all the three commands above
5986 (@code{gnus-article-strip-blank-lines}).
5991 @node Article Buttons
5992 @subsection Article Buttons
5995 People often include references to other stuff in articles, and it would
5996 be nice if Gnus could just fetch whatever it is that people talk about
5997 with the minimum of fuzz.
5999 Gnus adds @dfn{buttons} to certain standard references by default:
6000 Well-formed URLs, mail addresses and Message-IDs. This is controlled by
6001 two variables, one that handles article bodies and one that handles
6006 @item gnus-button-alist
6007 @vindex gnus-button-alist
6008 This is an alist where each entry has this form:
6011 (REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6017 All text that match this regular expression will be considered an
6018 external reference. Here's a typical regexp that match embedded URLs:
6019 @samp{<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>}.
6022 Gnus has to know which parts of the match is to be highlighted. This is
6023 a number that says what sub-expression of the regexp that is to be
6024 highlighted. If you want it all highlighted, you use 0 here.
6027 This form will be @code{eval}ed, and if the result is non-@code{nil},
6028 this is considered a match. This is useful if you want extra sifting to
6029 avoid false matches.
6032 This function will be called when you click on this button.
6035 As with @var{button-par}, this is a sub-expression number, but this one
6036 says which part of the match is to be sent as data to @var{function}.
6040 So the full entry for buttonizing URLs is then
6043 ("<URL:\\([^\n\r>]*\\)>" 0 t gnus-button-url 1)
6046 @item gnus-header-button-alist
6047 @vindex gnus-header-button-alist
6048 This is just like the other alist, except that it is applied to the
6049 article head only, and that each entry has an additional element that is
6050 used to say what headers to apply the buttonize coding to:
6053 (HEADER REGEXP BUTTON-PAR USE-P FUNCTION DATA-PAR)
6056 @var{header} is a regular expression.
6058 @item gnus-button-url-regexp
6059 @vindex gnus-button-url-regexp
6060 A regular expression that matches embedded URLs. It is used in the
6061 default values of the variables above.
6063 @item gnus-article-button-face
6064 @vindex gnus-article-button-face
6065 Face used on buttons.
6067 @item gnus-article-mouse-face
6068 @vindex gnus-article-mouse-face
6069 Face is used when the mouse cursor is over a button.
6075 @subsection Article Date
6077 The date is most likely generated in some obscure timezone you've never
6078 heard of, so it's quite nice to be able to find out what the time was
6079 when the article was sent.
6084 @kindex W T u (Summary)
6085 @findex gnus-article-date-ut
6086 Display the date in UT (aka. GMT, aka ZULU)
6087 (@code{gnus-article-date-ut}).
6090 @kindex W T l (Summary)
6091 @findex gnus-article-date-local
6092 Display the date in the local timezone (@code{gnus-article-date-local}).
6095 @kindex W T s (Summary)
6096 @vindex gnus-article-time-format
6097 @findex gnus-article-date-user
6098 @findex format-time-string
6099 Display the date using a user-defined format
6100 (@code{gnus-article-date-user}). The format is specified by the
6101 @code{gnus-article-time-format} variable, and is a string that's passed
6102 to @code{format-time-string}. See the documentation of that variable
6103 for a list possible format specs.
6106 @kindex W T e (Summary)
6107 @findex gnus-article-date-lapsed
6108 Say how much time has (e)lapsed between the article was posted and now
6109 (@code{gnus-article-date-lapsed}).
6112 @kindex W T o (Summary)
6113 @findex gnus-article-date-original
6114 Display the original date (@code{gnus-article-date-original}). This can
6115 be useful if you normally use some other conversion function and is
6116 worried that it might be doing something totally wrong. Say, claiming
6117 that the article was posted in 1854. Although something like that is
6118 @emph{totally} impossible. Don't you trust me? *titter*
6123 @node Article Signature
6124 @subsection Article Signature
6126 @cindex article signature
6128 @vindex gnus-signature-separator
6129 Each article is divided into two parts---the head and the body. The
6130 body can be divided into a signature part and a text part. The variable
6131 that says what is to be considered a signature is
6132 @code{gnus-signature-separator}. This is normally the standard
6133 @samp{^-- $} as mandated by son-of-RFC 1036. However, many people use
6134 non-standard signature separators, so this variable can also be a list
6135 of regular expressions to be tested, one by one. (Searches are done
6136 from the end of the body towards the beginning.) One likely value is:
6139 (setq gnus-signature-separator
6140 '("^-- $" ; The standard
6141 "^-- *$" ; A common mangling
6142 "^-------*$" ; Many people just use a looong
6143 ; line of dashes. Shame!
6144 "^ *--------*$" ; Double-shame!
6145 "^________*$" ; Underscores are also popular
6146 "^========*$")) ; Pervert!
6149 The more permissive you are, the more likely it is that you'll get false
6152 @vindex gnus-signature-limit
6153 @code{gnus-signature-limit} provides a limit to what is considered a
6158 If it is an integer, no signature may be longer (in characters) than
6161 If it is a floating point number, no signature may be longer (in lines)
6164 If it is a function, the function will be called without any parameters,
6165 and if it returns @code{nil}, there is no signature in the buffer.
6167 If it is a string, it will be used as a regexp. If it matches, the text
6168 in question is not a signature.
6171 This variable can also be a list where the elements may be of the types
6175 @node Article Commands
6176 @section Article Commands
6183 @kindex A P (Summary)
6184 @findex gnus-summary-print-article
6185 Generate and print a PostScript image of the article buffer
6186 (@code{gnus-summary-print-article}).
6191 @node Summary Sorting
6192 @section Summary Sorting
6193 @cindex summary sorting
6195 You can have the summary buffer sorted in various ways, even though I
6196 can't really see why you'd want that.
6201 @kindex C-c C-s C-n (Summary)
6202 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-number
6203 Sort by article number (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-number}).
6206 @kindex C-c C-s C-a (Summary)
6207 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-author
6208 Sort by author (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-author}).
6211 @kindex C-c C-s C-s (Summary)
6212 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-subject
6213 Sort by subject (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-subject}).
6216 @kindex C-c C-s C-d (Summary)
6217 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-date
6218 Sort by date (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-date}).
6221 @kindex C-c C-s C-l (Summary)
6222 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-lines
6223 Sort by lines (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-lines}).
6226 @kindex C-c C-s C-i (Summary)
6227 @findex gnus-summary-sort-by-score
6228 Sort by score (@code{gnus-summary-sort-by-score}).
6231 These functions will work both when you use threading and when you don't
6232 use threading. In the latter case, all summary lines will be sorted,
6233 line by line. In the former case, sorting will be done on a
6234 root-by-root basis, which might not be what you were looking for. To
6235 toggle whether to use threading, type @kbd{T T} (@pxref{Thread
6239 @node Finding the Parent
6240 @section Finding the Parent
6241 @cindex parent articles
6242 @cindex referring articles
6244 @findex gnus-summary-refer-parent-article
6246 If you'd like to read the parent of the current article, and it is not
6247 displayed in the summary buffer, you might still be able to. That is,
6248 if the current group is fetched by @sc{nntp}, the parent hasn't expired
6249 and the @code{References} in the current article are not mangled, you
6250 can just press @kbd{^} or @kbd{A r}
6251 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-parent-article}). If everything goes well,
6252 you'll get the parent. If the parent is already displayed in the
6253 summary buffer, point will just move to this article.
6255 If given a positive numerical prefix, fetch that many articles back into
6256 the ancestry. If given a negative numerical prefix, fetch just that
6257 ancestor. So if you say @kbd{3 ^}, Gnus will fetch the parent, the
6258 grandparent and the grandgrandparent of the current article. If you say
6259 @kbd{-3 ^}, Gnus will only fetch the grandgrandparent of the current
6262 @findex gnus-summary-refer-references
6263 @kindex A R (Summary)
6264 You can have Gnus fetch all articles mentioned in the @code{References}
6265 header of the article by pushing @kbd{A R}
6266 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-references}).
6268 @findex gnus-summary-refer-article
6269 @kindex M-^ (Summary)
6271 @cindex fetching by Message-ID
6272 You can also ask the @sc{nntp} server for an arbitrary article, no
6273 matter what group it belongs to. @kbd{M-^}
6274 (@code{gnus-summary-refer-article}) will ask you for a
6275 @code{Message-ID}, which is one of those long, hard-to-read thingies
6276 that look something like @samp{<38o6up$6f2@@hymir.ifi.uio.no>}. You
6277 have to get it all exactly right. No fuzzy searches, I'm afraid.
6279 @vindex gnus-refer-article-method
6280 If the group you are reading is located on a backend that does not
6281 support fetching by @code{Message-ID} very well (like @code{nnspool}),
6282 you can set @code{gnus-refer-article-method} to an @sc{nntp} method. It
6283 would, perhaps, be best if the @sc{nntp} server you consult is the same
6284 as the one that keeps the spool you are reading from updated, but that's
6285 not really necessary.
6287 Most of the mail backends support fetching by @code{Message-ID}, but do
6288 not do a particularly excellent job of it. That is, @code{nnmbox} and
6289 @code{nnbabyl} are able to locate articles from any groups, while
6290 @code{nnml} and @code{nnfolder} are only able to locate articles that
6291 have been posted to the current group. (Anything else would be too time
6292 consuming.) @code{nnmh} does not support this at all.
6295 @node Alternative Approaches
6296 @section Alternative Approaches
6298 Different people like to read news using different methods. This being
6299 Gnus, we offer a small selection of minor modes for the summary buffers.
6302 * Pick and Read:: First mark articles and then read them.
6303 * Binary Groups:: Auto-decode all articles.
6308 @subsection Pick and Read
6309 @cindex pick and read
6311 Some newsreaders (like @code{nn} and, uhm, @code{nn}) use a two-phased
6312 reading interface. The user first marks the articles she wants to read
6313 from a summary buffer. Then she starts reading the articles with just
6314 an article buffer displayed.
6316 @findex gnus-pick-mode
6317 @kindex M-x gnus-pick-mode
6318 Gnus provides a summary buffer minor mode that allows
6319 this---@code{gnus-pick-mode}. This basically means that a few process
6320 mark commands become one-keystroke commands to allow easy marking, and
6321 it makes one additional command for switching to the summary buffer
6324 Here are the available keystrokes when using pick mode:
6329 @findex gnus-summary-mark-as-processable
6330 Pick the article on the current line
6331 (@code{gnus-summary-mark-as-processable}). If given a numerical prefix,
6332 go to the article on that line and pick that article. (The line number
6333 is normally displayed on the beginning of the summary pick lines.)
6336 @kindex SPACE (Pick)
6337 @findex gnus-pick-next-page
6338 Scroll the summary buffer up one page (@code{gnus-pick-next-page}). If
6339 at the end of the buffer, start reading the picked articles.
6343 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable
6344 Unpick the article (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-as-processable}).
6348 @findex gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable
6349 Unpick all articles (@code{gnus-summary-unmark-all-processable}).
6353 @findex gnus-uu-mark-thread
6354 Pick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-mark-thread}).
6358 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-thread
6359 Unpick the thread (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-thread}).
6363 @findex gnus-uu-mark-region
6364 Pick the region (@code{gnus-uu-mark-region}).
6368 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-region
6369 Unpick the region (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-region}).
6373 @findex gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp
6374 Pick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-mark-by-regexp}).
6378 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp
6379 Unpick articles that match a regexp (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-by-regexp}).
6383 @findex gnus-uu-mark-buffer
6384 Pick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-mark-buffer}).
6388 @findex gnus-uu-unmark-buffer
6389 Unpick the buffer (@code{gnus-uu-unmark-buffer}).
6393 @findex gnus-pick-start-reading
6394 @vindex gnus-pick-display-summary
6395 Start reading the picked articles (@code{gnus-pick-start-reading}). If
6396 given a prefix, mark all unpicked articles as read first. If
6397 @code{gnus-pick-display-summary} is non-@code{nil}, the summary buffer
6398 will still be visible when you are reading.
6402 If this sounds like a good idea to you, you could say:
6405 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
6408 @vindex gnus-pick-mode-hook
6409 @code{gnus-pick-mode-hook} is run in pick minor mode buffers.
6411 @vindex gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read
6412 If @code{gnus-mark-unpicked-articles-as-read} is non-@code{nil}, mark
6413 all unpicked articles as read. The default is @code{nil}.
6415 @vindex gnus-summary-pick-line-format
6416 The summary line format in pick mode is slightly different than the
6417 standard format. At the beginning of each line the line number is
6418 displayed. The pick mode line format is controlled by the
6419 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format} variable (@pxref{Formatting
6420 Variables}). It accepts the same format specs that
6421 @code{gnus-summary-line-format} does (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}).
6425 @subsection Binary Groups
6426 @cindex binary groups
6428 @findex gnus-binary-mode
6429 @kindex M-x gnus-binary-mode
6430 If you spend much time in binary groups, you may grow tired of hitting
6431 @kbd{X u}, @kbd{n}, @kbd{RET} all the time. @kbd{M-x gnus-binary-mode}
6432 is a minor mode for summary buffers that makes all ordinary Gnus article
6433 selection functions uudecode series of articles and display the result
6434 instead of just displaying the articles the normal way.
6437 @findex gnus-binary-show-article
6438 In fact, the only way to see the actual articles if you have turned this
6439 mode on is the @kbd{g} command (@code{gnus-binary-show-article}).
6441 @vindex gnus-binary-mode-hook
6442 @code{gnus-binary-mode-hook} is called in binary minor mode buffers.
6446 @section Tree Display
6449 @vindex gnus-use-trees
6450 If you don't like the normal Gnus summary display, you might try setting
6451 @code{gnus-use-trees} to @code{t}. This will create (by default) an
6452 additional @dfn{tree buffer}. You can execute all summary mode commands
6455 There are a few variables to customize the tree display, of course:
6458 @item gnus-tree-mode-hook
6459 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-hook
6460 A hook called in all tree mode buffers.
6462 @item gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6463 @vindex gnus-tree-mode-line-format
6464 A format string for the mode bar in the tree mode buffers. The default
6465 is @samp{Gnus: %%b [%A] %Z}. For a list of legal specs, @pxref{Summary
6468 @item gnus-selected-tree-face
6469 @vindex gnus-selected-tree-face
6470 Face used for highlighting the selected article in the tree buffer. The
6471 default is @code{modeline}.
6473 @item gnus-tree-line-format
6474 @vindex gnus-tree-line-format
6475 A format string for the tree nodes. The name is a bit of a misnomer,
6476 though---it doesn't define a line, but just the node. The default value
6477 is @samp{%(%[%3,3n%]%)}, which displays the first three characters of
6478 the name of the poster. It is vital that all nodes are of the same
6479 length, so you @emph{must} use @samp{%4,4n}-like specifiers.
6485 The name of the poster.
6487 The @code{From} header.
6489 The number of the article.
6491 The opening bracket.
6493 The closing bracket.
6498 @xref{Formatting Variables}.
6500 Variables related to the display are:
6503 @item gnus-tree-brackets
6504 @vindex gnus-tree-brackets
6505 This is used for differentiating between ``real'' articles and
6506 ``sparse'' articles. The format is @var{((real-open . real-close)
6507 (sparse-open . sparse-close) (dummy-open . dummy-close))}, and the
6508 default is @code{((?[ . ?]) (?( . ?)) (?@{ . ?@}))}.
6510 @item gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
6511 @vindex gnus-tree-parent-child-edges
6512 This is a list that contains the characters used for connecting parent
6513 nodes to their children. The default is @code{(?- ?\\ ?|)}.
6517 @item gnus-tree-minimize-window
6518 @vindex gnus-tree-minimize-window
6519 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will try to keep the tree
6520 buffer as small as possible to allow more room for the other Gnus
6521 windows. If this variable is a number, the tree buffer will never be
6522 higher than that number. The default is @code{t}.
6524 @item gnus-generate-tree-function
6525 @vindex gnus-generate-tree-function
6526 @findex gnus-generate-horizontal-tree
6527 @findex gnus-generate-vertical-tree
6528 The function that actually generates the thread tree. Two predefined
6529 functions are available: @code{gnus-generate-horizontal-tree} and
6530 @code{gnus-generate-vertical-tree} (which is the default).
6534 Here's and example from a horizontal tree buffer:
6537 @{***@}-(***)-[odd]-[Gun]
6547 Here's the same thread displayed in a vertical tree buffer:
6551 |--------------------------\-----\-----\
6552 (***) [Bjo] [Gun] [Gun]
6554 [odd] [Jan] [odd] (***) [Jor]
6556 [Gun] [Eri] [Eri] [odd]
6562 @node Mail Group Commands
6563 @section Mail Group Commands
6564 @cindex mail group commands
6566 Some commands only make sense in mail groups. If these commands are
6567 illegal in the current group, they will raise a hell and let you know.
6569 All these commands (except the expiry and edit commands) use the
6570 process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
6575 @kindex B e (Summary)
6576 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles
6577 Expire all expirable articles in the group
6578 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles}).
6581 @kindex B M-C-e (Summary)
6582 @findex gnus-summary-expire-articles-now
6583 Delete all the expirable articles in the group
6584 (@code{gnus-summary-expire-articles-now}). This means that @strong{all}
6585 articles that are eligible for expiry in the current group will
6586 disappear forever into that big @file{/dev/null} in the sky.
6589 @kindex B DEL (Summary)
6590 @findex gnus-summary-delete-article
6591 Delete the mail article. This is ``delete'' as in ``delete it from your
6592 disk forever and ever, never to return again.'' Use with caution.
6593 (@code{gnus-summary-delete-article}).
6596 @kindex B m (Summary)
6598 @findex gnus-summary-move-article
6599 Move the article from one mail group to another
6600 (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
6603 @kindex B c (Summary)
6605 @findex gnus-summary-copy-article
6606 Copy the article from one group (mail group or not) to a mail group
6607 (@code{gnus-summary-copy-article}).
6610 @kindex B C (Summary)
6611 @cindex crosspost mail
6612 @findex gnus-summary-crosspost-article
6613 Crosspost the current article to some other group
6614 (@code{gnus-summary-crosspost-article}). This will create a new copy of
6615 the article in the other group, and the Xref headers of the article will
6616 be properly updated.
6619 @kindex B i (Summary)
6620 @findex gnus-summary-import-article
6621 Import an arbitrary file into the current mail newsgroup
6622 (@code{gnus-summary-import-article}). You will be prompted for a file
6623 name, a @code{From} header and a @code{Subject} header.
6626 @kindex B r (Summary)
6627 @findex gnus-summary-respool-article
6628 Respool the mail article (@code{gnus-summary-move-article}).
6629 @code{gnus-summary-respool-default-method} will be used as the default
6630 select method when respooling. This variable is @code{nil} by default,
6631 which means that the current group select method will be used instead.
6635 @kindex B w (Summary)
6637 @findex gnus-summary-edit-article
6638 @kindex C-c C-c (Article)
6639 Edit the current article (@code{gnus-summary-edit-article}). To finish
6640 editing and make the changes permanent, type @kbd{C-c C-c}
6641 (@kbd{gnus-summary-edit-article-done}).
6644 @kindex B q (Summary)
6645 @findex gnus-summary-respool-query
6646 If you want to re-spool an article, you might be curious as to what group
6647 the article will end up in before you do the re-spooling. This command
6648 will tell you (@code{gnus-summary-respool-query}).
6651 @kindex B p (Summary)
6652 @findex gnus-summary-article-posted-p
6653 Some people have a tendency to send you "courtesy" copies when they
6654 follow up to articles you have posted. These usually have a
6655 @code{Newsgroups} header in them, but not always. This command
6656 (@code{gnus-summary-article-posted-p}) will try to fetch the current
6657 article from your news server (or rather, from
6658 @code{gnus-refer-article-method} or @code{gnus-select-method}) and will
6659 report back whether it found the article or not. Even if it says that
6660 it didn't find the article, it may have been posted anyway---mail
6661 propagation is much faster than news propagation, and the news copy may
6662 just not have arrived yet.
6666 @vindex gnus-move-split-methods
6667 @cindex moving articles
6668 If you move (or copy) articles regularly, you might wish to have Gnus
6669 suggest where to put the articles. @code{gnus-move-split-methods} is a
6670 variable that uses the same syntax as @code{gnus-split-methods}
6671 (@pxref{Saving Articles}). You may customize that variable to create
6672 suggestions you find reasonable.
6675 (setq gnus-move-split-methods
6676 '(("^From:.*Lars Magne" "nnml:junk")
6677 ("^Subject:.*gnus" "nnfolder:important")
6678 (".*" "nnml:misc")))
6682 @node Various Summary Stuff
6683 @section Various Summary Stuff
6686 * Summary Group Information:: Information oriented commands.
6687 * Searching for Articles:: Multiple article commands.
6688 * Summary Generation Commands:: (Re)generating the summary buffer.
6689 * Really Various Summary Commands:: Those pesky non-conformant commands.
6693 @vindex gnus-summary-mode-hook
6694 @item gnus-summary-mode-hook
6695 This hook is called when creating a summary mode buffer.
6697 @vindex gnus-summary-generate-hook
6698 @item gnus-summary-generate-hook
6699 This is called as the last thing before doing the threading and the
6700 generation of the summary buffer. It's quite convenient for customizing
6701 the threading variables based on what data the newsgroup has. This hook
6702 is called from the summary buffer after most summary buffer variables
6705 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-hook
6706 @item gnus-summary-prepare-hook
6707 Is is called after the summary buffer has been generated. You might use
6708 it to, for instance, highlight lines or modify the look of the buffer in
6709 some other ungodly manner. I don't care.
6714 @node Summary Group Information
6715 @subsection Summary Group Information
6720 @kindex H f (Summary)
6721 @findex gnus-summary-fetch-faq
6722 @vindex gnus-group-faq-directory
6723 Try to fetch the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) for the
6724 current group (@code{gnus-summary-fetch-faq}). Gnus will try to get the
6725 FAQ from @code{gnus-group-faq-directory}, which is usually a directory
6726 on a remote machine. This variable can also be a list of directories.
6727 In that case, giving a prefix to this command will allow you to choose
6728 between the various sites. @code{ange-ftp} probably will be used for
6732 @kindex H d (Summary)
6733 @findex gnus-summary-describe-group
6734 Give a brief description of the current group
6735 (@code{gnus-summary-describe-group}). If given a prefix, force
6736 rereading the description from the server.
6739 @kindex H h (Summary)
6740 @findex gnus-summary-describe-briefly
6741 Give an extremely brief description of the most important summary
6742 keystrokes (@code{gnus-summary-describe-briefly}).
6745 @kindex H i (Summary)
6746 @findex gnus-info-find-node
6747 Go to the Gnus info node (@code{gnus-info-find-node}).
6751 @node Searching for Articles
6752 @subsection Searching for Articles
6757 @kindex M-s (Summary)
6758 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-forward
6759 Search through all subsequent articles for a regexp
6760 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-forward}).
6763 @kindex M-r (Summary)
6764 @findex gnus-summary-search-article-backward
6765 Search through all previous articles for a regexp
6766 (@code{gnus-summary-search-article-backward}).
6770 @findex gnus-summary-execute-command
6771 This command will prompt you for a header field, a regular expression to
6772 match on this field, and a command to be executed if the match is made
6773 (@code{gnus-summary-execute-command}).
6776 @kindex M-& (Summary)
6777 @findex gnus-summary-universal-argument
6778 Perform any operation on all articles that have been marked with
6779 the process mark (@code{gnus-summary-universal-argument}).
6782 @node Summary Generation Commands
6783 @subsection Summary Generation Commands
6788 @kindex Y g (Summary)
6789 @findex gnus-summary-prepare
6790 Regenerate the current summary buffer (@code{gnus-summary-prepare}).
6793 @kindex Y c (Summary)
6794 @findex gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles
6795 Pull all cached articles (for the current group) into the summary buffer
6796 (@code{gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles}).
6801 @node Really Various Summary Commands
6802 @subsection Really Various Summary Commands
6807 @kindex C-d (Summary)
6808 @findex gnus-summary-enter-digest-group
6809 If the current article is a collection of other articles (for instance,
6810 a digest), you might use this command to enter a group based on the that
6811 article (@code{gnus-summary-enter-digest-group}). Gnus will try to
6812 guess what article type is currently displayed unless you give a prefix
6813 to this command, which forces a ``digest'' interpretation. Basically,
6814 whenever you see a message that is a collection of other messages on
6815 some format, you @kbd{C-d} and read these messages in a more convenient
6819 @kindex M-C-d (Summary)
6820 @findex gnus-summary-read-document
6821 This command is very similar to the one above, but lets you gather
6822 several documents into one biiig group
6823 (@code{gnus-summary-read-document}). It does this by opening several
6824 @code{nndoc} groups for each document, and then opening an
6825 @code{nnvirtual} group on top of these @code{nndoc} groups. This
6826 command understands the process/prefix convention
6827 (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
6830 @kindex C-t (Summary)
6831 @findex gnus-summary-toggle-truncation
6832 Toggle truncation of summary lines
6833 (@code{gnus-summary-toggle-truncation}). This will probably confuse the
6834 line centering function in the summary buffer, so it's not a good idea
6835 to have truncation switched off while reading articles.
6839 @findex gnus-summary-expand-window
6840 Expand the summary buffer window (@code{gnus-summary-expand-window}).
6841 If given a prefix, force an @code{article} window configuration.
6846 @node Exiting the Summary Buffer
6847 @section Exiting the Summary Buffer
6848 @cindex summary exit
6849 @cindex exiting groups
6851 Exiting from the summary buffer will normally update all info on the
6852 group and return you to the group buffer.
6858 @kindex Z Z (Summary)
6860 @findex gnus-summary-exit
6861 @vindex gnus-summary-exit-hook
6862 @vindex gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook
6863 Exit the current group and update all information on the group
6864 (@code{gnus-summary-exit}). @code{gnus-summary-prepare-exit-hook} is
6865 called before doing much of the exiting, and calls
6866 @code{gnus-summary-expire-articles} by default.
6867 @code{gnus-summary-exit-hook} is called after finishing the exiting
6868 process. @code{gnus-group-no-more-groups-hook} is run when returning to
6869 group mode having no more (unread) groups.
6873 @kindex Z E (Summary)
6875 @findex gnus-summary-exit-no-update
6876 Exit the current group without updating any information on the group
6877 (@code{gnus-summary-exit-no-update}).
6881 @kindex Z c (Summary)
6883 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit
6884 Mark all unticked articles in the group as read and then exit
6885 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-exit}).
6888 @kindex Z C (Summary)
6889 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit
6890 Mark all articles, even the ticked ones, as read and then exit
6891 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-all-and-exit}).
6894 @kindex Z n (Summary)
6895 @findex gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group
6896 Mark all articles as read and go to the next group
6897 (@code{gnus-summary-catchup-and-goto-next-group}).
6900 @kindex Z R (Summary)
6901 @findex gnus-summary-reselect-current-group
6902 Exit this group, and then enter it again
6903 (@code{gnus-summary-reselect-current-group}). If given a prefix, select
6904 all articles, both read and unread.
6908 @kindex Z G (Summary)
6909 @kindex M-g (Summary)
6910 @findex gnus-summary-rescan-group
6911 Exit the group, check for new articles in the group, and select the
6912 group (@code{gnus-summary-rescan-group}). If given a prefix, select all
6913 articles, both read and unread.
6916 @kindex Z N (Summary)
6917 @findex gnus-summary-next-group
6918 Exit the group and go to the next group
6919 (@code{gnus-summary-next-group}).
6922 @kindex Z P (Summary)
6923 @findex gnus-summary-prev-group
6924 Exit the group and go to the previous group
6925 (@code{gnus-summary-prev-group}).
6928 @kindex Z s (Summary)
6929 @findex gnus-summary-save-newsrc
6930 Save the current number of read/marked articles in the dribble buffer
6931 and then save the dribble buffer (@code{gnus-summary-save-newsrc}). If
6932 given a prefix, also save the @file{.newsrc} file(s). Using this
6933 command will make exit without updating (the @kbd{Q} command) worthless.
6936 @vindex gnus-exit-group-hook
6937 @code{gnus-exit-group-hook} is called when you exit the current
6940 @findex gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead
6941 @findex gnus-dead-summary-mode
6942 @vindex gnus-kill-summary-on-exit
6943 If you're in the habit of exiting groups, and then changing your mind
6944 about it, you might set @code{gnus-kill-summary-on-exit} to @code{nil}.
6945 If you do that, Gnus won't kill the summary buffer when you exit it.
6946 (Quelle surprise!) Instead it will change the name of the buffer to
6947 something like @samp{*Dead Summary ... *} and install a minor mode
6948 called @code{gnus-dead-summary-mode}. Now, if you switch back to this
6949 buffer, you'll find that all keys are mapped to a function called
6950 @code{gnus-summary-wake-up-the-dead}. So tapping any keys in a dead
6951 summary buffer will result in a live, normal summary buffer.
6953 There will never be more than one dead summary buffer at any one time.
6955 @vindex gnus-use-cross-reference
6956 The data on the current group will be updated (which articles you have
6957 read, which articles you have replied to, etc.) when you exit the
6958 summary buffer. If the @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} variable is
6959 @code{t} (which is the default), articles that are cross-referenced to
6960 this group and are marked as read, will also be marked as read in the
6961 other subscribed groups they were cross-posted to. If this variable is
6962 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, the article will be marked as read in
6963 both subscribed and unsubscribed groups (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}).
6966 @node Crosspost Handling
6967 @section Crosspost Handling
6971 Marking cross-posted articles as read ensures that you'll never have to
6972 read the same article more than once. Unless, of course, somebody has
6973 posted it to several groups separately. Posting the same article to
6974 several groups (not cross-posting) is called @dfn{spamming}, and you are
6975 by law required to send nasty-grams to anyone who perpetrates such a
6976 heinous crime. You may want to try NoCeM handling to filter out spam
6979 Remember: Cross-posting is kinda ok, but posting the same article
6980 separately to several groups is not. Massive cross-posting (aka.
6981 @dfn{velveeta}) is to be avoided at all costs, and you can even use the
6982 @code{gnus-summary-mail-crosspost-complaint} command to complain about
6983 excessive crossposting (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
6985 @cindex cross-posting
6988 One thing that may cause Gnus to not do the cross-posting thing
6989 correctly is if you use an @sc{nntp} server that supports @sc{xover}
6990 (which is very nice, because it speeds things up considerably) which
6991 does not include the @code{Xref} header in its @sc{nov} lines. This is
6992 Evil, but all too common, alas, alack. Gnus tries to Do The Right Thing
6993 even with @sc{xover} by registering the @code{Xref} lines of all
6994 articles you actually read, but if you kill the articles, or just mark
6995 them as read without reading them, Gnus will not get a chance to snoop
6996 the @code{Xref} lines out of these articles, and will be unable to use
6997 the cross reference mechanism.
6999 @cindex LIST overview.fmt
7000 @cindex overview.fmt
7001 To check whether your @sc{nntp} server includes the @code{Xref} header
7002 in its overview files, try @samp{telnet your.nntp.server nntp},
7003 @samp{MODE READER} on @code{inn} servers, and then say @samp{LIST
7004 overview.fmt}. This may not work, but if it does, and the last line you
7005 get does not read @samp{Xref:full}, then you should shout and whine at
7006 your news admin until she includes the @code{Xref} header in the
7009 @vindex gnus-nov-is-evil
7010 If you want Gnus to get the @code{Xref}s right all the time, you have to
7011 set @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{t}, which slows things down
7016 For an alternative approach, @pxref{Duplicate Suppression}.
7019 @node Duplicate Suppression
7020 @section Duplicate Suppression
7022 By default, Gnus tries to make sure that you don't have to read the same
7023 article more than once by utilizing the crossposting mechanism
7024 (@pxref{Crosspost Handling}). However, that simple and efficient
7025 approach may not work satisfactorily for some users for various
7030 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to generate the @code{Xref} header. This
7031 is evil and not very common.
7034 The @sc{nntp} server may fail to include the @code{Xref} header in the
7035 @file{.overview} data bases. This is evil and all too common, alas.
7038 You may be reading the same group (or several related groups) from
7039 different @sc{nntp} servers.
7042 You may be getting mail that duplicates articles posted to groups.
7045 I'm sure there are other situations that @code{Xref} handling fails as
7046 well, but these four are the most common situations.
7048 If, and only if, @code{Xref} handling fails for you, then you may
7049 consider switching on @dfn{duplicate suppression}. If you do so, Gnus
7050 will remember the @code{Message-ID}s of all articles you have read or
7051 otherwise marked as read, and then, as if by magic, mark them as read
7052 all subsequent times you see them---in @emph{all} groups. Using this
7053 mechanism is quite likely to be somewhat inefficient, but not overly
7054 so. It's certainly preferable to reading the same articles more than
7057 Duplicate suppression is not a very subtle instrument. It's more like a
7058 sledge hammer than anything else. It works in a very simple
7059 fashion---if you have marked an article as read, it adds this Message-ID
7060 to a cache. The next time it sees this Message-ID, it will mark the
7061 article as read the the @samp{M} mark. It doesn't care what group it
7065 @item gnus-suppress-duplicates
7066 @vindex gnus-suppress-duplicates
7067 If non-@code{nil}, suppress duplicates.
7069 @item gnus-save-duplicate-list
7070 @vindex gnus-save-duplicate-list
7071 If non-@code{nil}, save the list of duplicates to a file. This will
7072 make startup and shutdown take longer, so the default is @code{nil}.
7073 However, this means that only duplicate articles that is read in a
7074 single Gnus session are suppressed.
7076 @item gnus-duplicate-list-length
7077 @vindex gnus-duplicate-list-length
7078 This variables says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the duplicate
7079 suppression list. The default is 10000.
7081 @item gnus-duplicate-file
7082 @vindex gnus-duplicate-file
7083 The name of the file to store the duplicate suppression list. The
7084 default is @file{~/News/suppression}.
7087 If you have a tendency to stop and start Gnus often, setting
7088 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{t} is probably a good idea. If
7089 you leave Gnus running for weeks on end, you may have it @code{nil}. On
7090 the other hand, saving the list makes startup and shutdown much slower,
7091 so that means that if you stop and start Gnus often, you should set
7092 @code{gnus-save-duplicate-list} to @code{nil}. Uhm. I'll leave this up
7093 to you to figure out, I think.
7096 @node The Article Buffer
7097 @chapter The Article Buffer
7098 @cindex article buffer
7100 The articles are displayed in the article buffer, of which there is only
7101 one. All the summary buffers share the same article buffer unless you
7102 tell Gnus otherwise.
7105 * Hiding Headers:: Deciding what headers should be displayed.
7106 * Using MIME:: Pushing articles through @sc{mime} before reading them.
7107 * Customizing Articles:: Tailoring the look of the articles.
7108 * Article Keymap:: Keystrokes available in the article buffer.
7109 * Misc Article:: Other stuff.
7113 @node Hiding Headers
7114 @section Hiding Headers
7115 @cindex hiding headers
7116 @cindex deleting headers
7118 The top section of each article is the @dfn{head}. (The rest is the
7119 @dfn{body}, but you may have guessed that already.)
7121 @vindex gnus-show-all-headers
7122 There is a lot of useful information in the head: the name of the person
7123 who wrote the article, the date it was written and the subject of the
7124 article. That's well and nice, but there's also lots of information
7125 most people do not want to see---what systems the article has passed
7126 through before reaching you, the @code{Message-ID}, the
7127 @code{References}, etc. ad nauseum---and you'll probably want to get rid
7128 of some of those lines. If you want to keep all those lines in the
7129 article buffer, you can set @code{gnus-show-all-headers} to @code{t}.
7131 Gnus provides you with two variables for sifting headers:
7135 @item gnus-visible-headers
7136 @vindex gnus-visible-headers
7137 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
7138 that says what headers you wish to keep in the article buffer. All
7139 headers that do not match this variable will be hidden.
7141 For instance, if you only want to see the name of the person who wrote
7142 the article and the subject, you'd say:
7145 (setq gnus-visible-headers "^From:\\|^Subject:")
7148 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers that are to
7151 @item gnus-ignored-headers
7152 @vindex gnus-ignored-headers
7153 This variable is the reverse of @code{gnus-visible-headers}. If this
7154 variable is set (and @code{gnus-visible-headers} is @code{nil}), it
7155 should be a regular expression that matches all lines that you want to
7156 hide. All lines that do not match this variable will remain visible.
7158 For instance, if you just want to get rid of the @code{References} line
7159 and the @code{Xref} line, you might say:
7162 (setq gnus-ignored-headers "^References:\\|^Xref:")
7165 This variable can also be a list of regexps to match headers that are to
7168 Note that if @code{gnus-visible-headers} is non-@code{nil}, this
7169 variable will have no effect.
7173 @vindex gnus-sorted-header-list
7174 Gnus can also sort the headers for you. (It does this by default.) You
7175 can control the sorting by setting the @code{gnus-sorted-header-list}
7176 variable. It is a list of regular expressions that says in what order
7177 the headers are to be displayed.
7179 For instance, if you want the name of the author of the article first,
7180 and then the subject, you might say something like:
7183 (setq gnus-sorted-header-list '("^From:" "^Subject:"))
7186 Any headers that are to remain visible, but are not listed in this
7187 variable, will be displayed in random order after all the headers that
7188 are listed in this variable.
7190 @findex gnus-article-hide-boring-headers
7191 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7192 @vindex gnus-boring-article-headers
7193 You can hide further boring headers by entering
7194 @code{gnus-article-hide-boring-headers} into
7195 @code{gnus-article-display-hook}. What this function does depends on
7196 the @code{gnus-boring-article-headers} variable. It's a list, but this
7197 list doesn't actually contain header names. Instead is lists various
7198 @dfn{boring conditions} that Gnus can check and remove from sight.
7200 These conditions are:
7203 Remove all empty headers.
7205 Remove the @code{Newsgroups} header if it only contains the current group
7208 Remove the @code{Followup-To} header if it is identical to the
7209 @code{Newsgroups} header.
7211 Remove the @code{Reply-To} header if it lists the same address as the
7214 Remove the @code{Date} header if the article is less than three days
7218 To include the four first elements, you could say something like;
7221 (setq gnus-boring-article-headers
7222 '(empty newsgroups followup-to reply-to))
7225 This is also the default value for this variable.
7229 @section Using @sc{mime}
7232 Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
7233 while people stand around yawning.
7235 @sc{mime}, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
7236 while all newsreaders die of fear.
7238 @sc{mime} may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
7239 of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
7240 other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.
7242 @vindex gnus-show-mime
7243 @vindex gnus-show-mime-method
7244 @vindex gnus-strict-mime
7245 @findex metamail-buffer
7246 Gnus handles @sc{mime} by pushing the articles through
7247 @code{gnus-show-mime-method}, which is @code{metamail-buffer} by
7248 default. Set @code{gnus-show-mime} to @code{t} if you want to use
7249 @sc{mime} all the time. However, if @code{gnus-strict-mime} is
7250 non-@code{nil}, the @sc{mime} method will only be used if there are
7251 @sc{mime} headers in the article. If you have @code{gnus-show-mime}
7252 set, then you'll see some unfortunate display glitches in the article
7253 buffer. These can't be avoided.
7255 It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the summary
7256 buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
7257 group @samp{alt.sing-a-long} and, before you know it, @sc{mime} has
7258 decoded the sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song
7259 comes streaming out out your speakers, and you can't find the volume
7260 button, because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you,
7261 and you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the
7262 program to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly
7263 decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)
7265 Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental. Ahem.
7268 @node Customizing Articles
7269 @section Customizing Articles
7270 @cindex article customization
7272 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7273 The @code{gnus-article-display-hook} is called after the article has
7274 been inserted into the article buffer. It is meant to handle all
7275 treatment of the article before it is displayed.
7277 @findex gnus-article-maybe-highlight
7278 By default this hook just contains @code{gnus-article-hide-headers},
7279 @code{gnus-article-treat-overstrike}, and
7280 @code{gnus-article-maybe-highlight}, but there are thousands, nay
7281 millions, of functions you can put in this hook. For an overview of
7282 functions @pxref{Article Highlighting}, @pxref{Article Hiding},
7283 @pxref{Article Washing}, @pxref{Article Buttons} and @pxref{Article
7284 Date}. Note that the order of functions in this hook might affect
7285 things, so you may have to fiddle a bit to get the desired results.
7287 You can, of course, write your own functions. The functions are called
7288 from the article buffer, and you can do anything you like, pretty much.
7289 There is no information that you have to keep in the buffer---you can
7290 change everything. However, you shouldn't delete any headers. Instead
7291 make them invisible if you want to make them go away.
7294 @node Article Keymap
7295 @section Article Keymap
7297 Most of the keystrokes in the summary buffer can also be used in the
7298 article buffer. They should behave as if you typed them in the summary
7299 buffer, which means that you don't actually have to have a summary
7300 buffer displayed while reading. You can do it all from the article
7303 A few additional keystrokes are available:
7308 @kindex SPACE (Article)
7309 @findex gnus-article-next-page
7310 Scroll forwards one page (@code{gnus-article-next-page}).
7313 @kindex DEL (Article)
7314 @findex gnus-article-prev-page
7315 Scroll backwards one page (@code{gnus-article-prev-page}).
7318 @kindex C-c ^ (Article)
7319 @findex gnus-article-refer-article
7320 If point is in the neighborhood of a @code{Message-ID} and you press
7321 @kbd{r}, Gnus will try to get that article from the server
7322 (@code{gnus-article-refer-article}).
7325 @kindex C-c C-m (Article)
7326 @findex gnus-article-mail
7327 Send a reply to the address near point (@code{gnus-article-mail}). If
7328 given a prefix, include the mail.
7332 @findex gnus-article-show-summary
7333 Reconfigure the buffers so that the summary buffer becomes visible
7334 (@code{gnus-article-show-summary}).
7338 @findex gnus-article-describe-briefly
7339 Give a very brief description of the available keystrokes
7340 (@code{gnus-article-describe-briefly}).
7343 @kindex TAB (Article)
7344 @findex gnus-article-next-button
7345 Go to the next button, if any (@code{gnus-article-next-button}. This
7346 only makes sense if you have buttonizing turned on.
7349 @kindex M-TAB (Article)
7350 @findex gnus-article-prev-button
7351 Go to the previous button, if any (@code{gnus-article-prev-button}.
7357 @section Misc Article
7361 @item gnus-single-article-buffer
7362 @vindex gnus-single-article-buffer
7363 If non-@code{nil}, use the same article buffer for all the groups.
7364 (This is the default.) If @code{nil}, each group will have its own
7367 @vindex gnus-article-prepare-hook
7368 @item gnus-article-prepare-hook
7369 This hook is called right after the article has been inserted into the
7370 article buffer. It is mainly intended for functions that do something
7371 depending on the contents; it should probably not be used for changing
7372 the contents of the article buffer.
7374 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
7375 @item gnus-article-display-hook
7376 This hook is called as the last thing when displaying an article, and is
7377 intended for modifying the contents of the buffer, doing highlights,
7378 hiding headers, and the like.
7380 @item gnus-article-mode-hook
7381 @vindex gnus-article-mode-hook
7382 Hook called in article mode buffers.
7384 @item gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7385 @vindex gnus-article-mode-syntax-table
7386 Syntax table used in article buffers. It is initialized from
7387 @code{text-mode-syntax-table}.
7389 @vindex gnus-article-mode-line-format
7390 @item gnus-article-mode-line-format
7391 This variable is a format string along the same lines as
7392 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. It accepts the same
7393 format specifications as that variable, with one extension:
7397 The @dfn{wash status} of the article. This is a short string with one
7398 character for each possible article wash operation that may have been
7402 @vindex gnus-break-pages
7404 @item gnus-break-pages
7405 Controls whether @dfn{page breaking} is to take place. If this variable
7406 is non-@code{nil}, the articles will be divided into pages whenever a
7407 page delimiter appears in the article. If this variable is @code{nil},
7408 paging will not be done.
7410 @item gnus-page-delimiter
7411 @vindex gnus-page-delimiter
7412 This is the delimiter mentioned above. By default, it is @samp{^L}
7417 @node Composing Messages
7418 @chapter Composing Messages
7423 @kindex C-c C-c (Post)
7424 All commands for posting and mailing will put you in a message buffer
7425 where you can edit the article all you like, before you send the article
7426 by pressing @kbd{C-c C-c}. @xref{Top, , Top, message, The Message
7427 Manual}. If you are in a foreign news group, and you wish to post the
7428 article using the foreign server, you can give a prefix to @kbd{C-c C-c}
7429 to make Gnus try to post using the foreign server.
7432 * Mail:: Mailing and replying.
7433 * Post:: Posting and following up.
7434 * Posting Server:: What server should you post via?
7435 * Mail and Post:: Mailing and posting at the same time.
7436 * Archived Messages:: Where Gnus stores the messages you've sent.
7437 @c * Posting Styles:: An easier way to configure some key elements.
7438 @c * Drafts:: Postponing messages and rejected messages.
7439 @c * Rejected Articles:: What happens if the server doesn't like your article?
7442 Also see @pxref{Canceling and Superseding} for information on how to
7443 remove articles you shouldn't have posted.
7449 Variables for customizing outgoing mail:
7452 @item gnus-uu-digest-headers
7453 @vindex gnus-uu-digest-headers
7454 List of regexps to match headers included in digested messages. The
7455 headers will be included in the sequence they are matched.
7463 Variables for composing news articles:
7466 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-file
7467 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-file
7468 Gnus will keep a @code{Message-ID} history file of all the mails it has
7469 sent. If it discovers that it has already sent a mail, it will ask the
7470 user whether to re-send the mail. (This is primarily useful when
7471 dealing with @sc{soup} packets and the like where one is apt to sent the
7472 same packet multiple times.) This variable says what the name of this
7473 history file is. It is @file{~/News/Sent-Message-IDs} by default. Set
7474 this variable to @code{nil} if you don't want Gnus to keep a history
7477 @item gnus-sent-message-ids-length
7478 @vindex gnus-sent-message-ids-length
7479 This variable says how many @code{Message-ID}s to keep in the history
7480 file. It is 1000 by default.
7485 @node Posting Server
7486 @section Posting Server
7488 When you press those magical @kbd{C-c C-c} keys to ship off your latest
7489 (extremely intelligent, of course) article, where does it go?
7491 Thank you for asking. I hate you.
7493 @vindex gnus-post-method
7495 It can be quite complicated. Normally, Gnus will use the same native
7496 server. However. If your native server doesn't allow posting, just
7497 reading, you probably want to use some other server to post your
7498 (extremely intelligent and fabulously interesting) articles. You can
7499 then set the @code{gnus-post-method} to some other method:
7502 (setq gnus-post-method '(nnspool ""))
7505 Now, if you've done this, and then this server rejects your article, or
7506 this server is down, what do you do then? To override this variable you
7507 can use a non-zero prefix to the @kbd{C-c C-c} command to force using
7508 the ``current'' server for posting.
7510 If you give a zero prefix (i.e., @kbd{C-u 0 C-c C-c}) to that command,
7511 Gnus will prompt you for what method to use for posting.
7513 You can also set @code{gnus-post-method} to a list of select methods.
7514 If that's the case, Gnus will always prompt you for what method to use
7519 @section Mail and Post
7521 Here's a list of variables that are relevant to both mailing and
7525 @item gnus-mailing-list-groups
7526 @findex gnus-mailing-list-groups
7527 @cindex mailing lists
7529 If your news server offers groups that are really mailing lists that are
7530 gatewayed to the @sc{nntp} server, you can read those groups without
7531 problems, but you can't post/followup to them without some difficulty.
7532 One solution is to add a @code{to-address} to the group parameters
7533 (@pxref{Group Parameters}). An easier thing to do is set the
7534 @code{gnus-mailing-list-groups} to a regexp that match the groups that
7535 really are mailing lists. Then, at least, followups to the mailing
7536 lists will work most of the time. Posting to these groups (@kbd{a}) is
7537 still a pain, though.
7541 You may want to do spell-checking on messages that you send out. Or, if
7542 you don't want to spell-check by hand, you could add automatic
7543 spell-checking via the @code{ispell} package:
7546 @findex ispell-message
7548 (add-hook 'message-send-hook 'ispell-message)
7552 @node Archived Messages
7553 @section Archived Messages
7554 @cindex archived messages
7555 @cindex sent messages
7557 Gnus provides a few different methods for storing the mail you send.
7558 The default method is to use the @dfn{archive virtual server} to store
7559 the mail. If you want to disable this completely, you should set
7560 @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil}.
7562 @vindex gnus-message-archive-method
7563 @code{gnus-message-archive-method} says what virtual server Gnus is to
7564 use to store sent messages. The default is:
7568 (nnfolder-directory "~/Mail/archive/"))
7571 You can, however, use any mail select method (@code{nnml},
7572 @code{nnmbox}, etc.). @code{nnfolder} is a quite likeable select method
7573 for doing this sort of thing, though. If you don't like the default
7574 directory chosen, you could say something like:
7577 (setq gnus-message-archive-method
7578 '(nnfolder "archive"
7579 (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
7580 (nnfolder-active-file "~/News/sent-mail/active")
7581 (nnfolder-directory "~/News/sent-mail/")))
7584 @vindex gnus-message-archive-group
7586 Gnus will insert @code{Gcc} headers in all outgoing messages that point
7587 to one or more group(s) on that server. Which group to use is
7588 determined by the @code{gnus-message-archive-group} variable.
7590 This variable can be:
7594 Messages will be saved in that group.
7595 @item a list of strings
7596 Messages will be saved in all those groups.
7597 @item an alist of regexps, functions and forms
7598 When a key ``matches'', the result is used.
7600 No message archiving will take place. This is the default.
7605 Just saving to a single group called @samp{MisK}:
7607 (setq gnus-message-archive-group "MisK")
7610 Saving to two groups, @samp{MisK} and @samp{safe}:
7612 (setq gnus-message-archive-group '("MisK" "safe"))
7615 Save to different groups based on what group you are in:
7617 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
7618 '(("^alt" "sent-to-alt")
7619 ("mail" "sent-to-mail")
7620 (".*" "sent-to-misc")))
7625 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
7626 '((if (message-news-p)
7631 How about storing all news messages in one file, but storing all mail
7632 messages in one file per month:
7635 (setq gnus-message-archive-group
7636 '((if (message-news-p)
7638 (concat "mail." (format-time-string
7639 "%Y-%m" (current-time))))))
7642 Now, when you send a message off, it will be stored in the appropriate
7643 group. (If you want to disable storing for just one particular message,
7644 you can just remove the @code{Gcc} header that has been inserted.) The
7645 archive group will appear in the group buffer the next time you start
7646 Gnus, or the next time you press @kbd{F} in the group buffer. You can
7647 enter it and read the articles in it just like you'd read any other
7648 group. If the group gets really big and annoying, you can simply rename
7649 if (using @kbd{G r} in the group buffer) to something
7650 nice---@samp{misc-mail-september-1995}, or whatever. New messages will
7651 continue to be stored in the old (now empty) group.
7653 That's the default method of archiving sent mail. Gnus also a different
7654 way for the people who don't like the default method. In that case you
7655 should set @code{gnus-message-archive-group} to @code{nil}; this will
7658 XEmacs 19.13 doesn't have @code{format-time-string}, so you'll have to
7659 use a different value for @code{gnus-message-archive-group} there.
7662 @item gnus-outgoing-message-group
7663 @vindex gnus-outgoing-message-group
7664 All outgoing messages will be put in this group. If you want to store
7665 all your outgoing mail and articles in the group @samp{nnml:archive},
7666 you set this variable to that value. This variable can also be a list of
7669 If you want to have greater control over what group to put each
7670 message in, you can set this variable to a function that checks the
7671 current newsgroup name and then returns a suitable group name (or list
7676 @c @node Posting Styles
7677 @c @section Posting Styles
7678 @c @cindex posting styles
7681 @c All them variables, they make my head swim.
7683 @c So what if you want a different @code{Organization} and signature based
7684 @c on what groups you post to? And you post both from your home machine
7685 @c and your work machine, and you want different @code{From} lines, and so
7688 @c @vindex gnus-posting-styles
7689 @c One way to do stuff like that is to write clever hooks that change the
7690 @c variables you need to have changed. That's a bit boring, so somebody
7691 @c came up with the bright idea of letting the user specify these things in
7692 @c a handy alist. Here's an example of a @code{gnus-posting-styles}
7697 @c (signature . "Peace and happiness")
7698 @c (organization . "What me?"))
7700 @c (signature . "Death to everybody"))
7701 @c ("comp.emacs.i-love-it"
7702 @c (organization . "Emacs is it")))
7705 @c As you might surmise from this example, this alist consists of several
7706 @c @dfn{styles}. Each style will be applicable if the first element
7707 @c ``matches'', in some form or other. The entire alist will be iterated
7708 @c over, from the beginning towards the end, and each match will be
7709 @c applied, which means that attributes in later styles that match override
7710 @c the same attributes in earlier matching styles. So
7711 @c @samp{comp.programming.literate} will have the @samp{Death to everybody}
7712 @c signature and the @samp{What me?} @code{Organization} header.
7714 @c The first element in each style is called the @code{match}. If it's a
7715 @c string, then Gnus will try to regexp match it against the group name.
7716 @c If it's a function symbol, that function will be called with no
7717 @c arguments. If it's a variable symbol, then the variable will be
7718 @c referenced. If it's a list, then that list will be @code{eval}ed. In
7719 @c any case, if this returns a non-@code{nil} value, then the style is said
7722 @c Each style may contain a arbitrary amount of @dfn{attributes}. Each
7723 @c attribute consists of a @var{(name . value)} pair. The attribute name
7724 @c can be one of @code{signature}, @code{organization} or @code{from}. The
7725 @c attribute name can also be a string. In that case, this will be used as
7726 @c a header name, and the value will be inserted in the headers of the
7729 @c The attribute value can be a string (used verbatim), a function (the
7730 @c return value will be used), a variable (its value will be used) or a
7731 @c list (it will be @code{eval}ed and the return value will be used).
7733 @c So here's a new example:
7736 @c (setq gnus-posting-styles
7738 @c (signature . "~/.signature")
7739 @c (from . "user@@foo (user)")
7740 @c ("X-Home-Page" . (getenv "WWW_HOME"))
7741 @c (organization . "People's Front Against MWM"))
7743 @c (signature . my-funny-signature-randomizer))
7744 @c ((equal (system-name) "gnarly")
7745 @c (signature . my-quote-randomizer))
7746 @c (posting-from-work-p
7747 @c (signature . "~/.work-signature")
7748 @c (from . "user@@bar.foo (user)")
7749 @c (organization . "Important Work, Inc"))
7751 @c (signature . "~/.mail-signature"))))
7758 @c If you are writing a message (mail or news) and suddenly remember that
7759 @c you have a steak in the oven (or some pesto in the food processor, you
7760 @c craazy vegetarians), you'll probably wish there was a method to save the
7761 @c message you are writing so that you can continue editing it some other
7762 @c day, and send it when you feel its finished.
7764 @c Well, don't worry about it. Whenever you start composing a message of
7765 @c some sort using the Gnus mail and post commands, the buffer you get will
7766 @c automatically associate to an article in a special @dfn{draft} group.
7767 @c If you save the buffer the normal way (@kbd{C-x C-s}, for instance), the
7768 @c article will be saved there. (Auto-save files also go to the draft
7772 @c @vindex gnus-draft-group-directory
7773 @c The draft group is a special group (which is implemented as an
7774 @c @code{nndraft} group, if you absolutely have to know) called
7775 @c @samp{nndraft:drafts}. The variable @code{gnus-draft-group-directory}
7776 @c controls both the name of the group and the location---the leaf element
7777 @c in the path will be used as the name of the group. What makes this
7778 @c group special is that you can't tick any articles in it or mark any
7779 @c articles as read---all articles in the group are permanently unread.
7781 @c If the group doesn't exist, it will be created and you'll be subscribed
7784 @c @findex gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft
7785 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Mail)
7786 @c @kindex C-c M-d (Post)
7787 @c @findex gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft
7788 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Mail)
7789 @c @kindex C-c C-d (Post)
7790 @c If you're writing some super-secret message that you later want to
7791 @c encode with PGP before sending, you may wish to turn the auto-saving
7792 @c (and association with the draft group) off. You never know who might be
7793 @c interested in reading all your extremely valuable and terribly horrible
7794 @c and interesting secrets. The @kbd{C-c M-d}
7795 @c (@code{gnus-dissociate-buffer-from-draft}) command does that for you.
7796 @c If you change your mind and want to turn the auto-saving back on again,
7797 @c @kbd{C-c C-d} (@code{gnus-associate-buffer-with-draft} does that.
7799 @c @vindex gnus-use-draft
7800 @c To leave association with the draft group off by default, set
7801 @c @code{gnus-use-draft} to @code{nil}. It is @code{t} by default.
7803 @c @findex gnus-summary-send-draft
7804 @c @kindex S D c (Summary)
7805 @c When you want to continue editing the article, you simply enter the
7806 @c draft group and push @kbd{S D c} (@code{gnus-summary-send-draft}) to do
7807 @c that. You will be placed in a buffer where you left off.
7809 @c Rejected articles will also be put in this draft group (@pxref{Rejected
7812 @c @findex gnus-summary-send-all-drafts
7813 @c If you have lots of rejected messages you want to post (or mail) without
7814 @c doing further editing, you can use the @kbd{S D a} command
7815 @c (@code{gnus-summary-send-all-drafts}). This command understands the
7816 @c process/prefix convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
7819 @c @node Rejected Articles
7820 @c @section Rejected Articles
7821 @c @cindex rejected articles
7823 @c Sometimes a news server will reject an article. Perhaps the server
7824 @c doesn't like your face. Perhaps it just feels miserable. Perhaps
7825 @c @emph{there be demons}. Perhaps you have included too much cited text.
7826 @c Perhaps the disk is full. Perhaps the server is down.
7828 @c These situations are, of course, totally beyond the control of Gnus.
7829 @c (Gnus, of course, loves the way you look, always feels great, has angels
7830 @c fluttering around inside of it, doesn't care about how much cited text
7831 @c you include, never runs full and never goes down.) So Gnus saves these
7832 @c articles until some later time when the server feels better.
7834 @c The rejected articles will automatically be put in a special draft group
7835 @c (@pxref{Drafts}). When the server comes back up again, you'd then
7836 @c typically enter that group and send all the articles off.
7839 @node Select Methods
7840 @chapter Select Methods
7841 @cindex foreign groups
7842 @cindex select methods
7844 A @dfn{foreign group} is a group that is not read by the usual (or
7845 default) means. It could be, for instance, a group from a different
7846 @sc{nntp} server, it could be a virtual group, or it could be your own
7847 personal mail group.
7849 A foreign group (or any group, really) is specified by a @dfn{name} and
7850 a @dfn{select method}. To take the latter first, a select method is a
7851 list where the first element says what backend to use (e.g. @code{nntp},
7852 @code{nnspool}, @code{nnml}) and the second element is the @dfn{server
7853 name}. There may be additional elements in the select method, where the
7854 value may have special meaning for the backend in question.
7856 One could say that a select method defines a @dfn{virtual server}---so
7857 we do just that (@pxref{The Server Buffer}).
7859 The @dfn{name} of the group is the name the backend will recognize the
7862 For instance, the group @samp{soc.motss} on the @sc{nntp} server
7863 @samp{some.where.edu} will have the name @samp{soc.motss} and select
7864 method @code{(nntp "some.where.edu")}. Gnus will call this group
7865 @samp{nntp+some.where.edu:soc.motss}, even though the @code{nntp}
7866 backend just knows this group as @samp{soc.motss}.
7868 The different methods all have their peculiarities, of course.
7871 * The Server Buffer:: Making and editing virtual servers.
7872 * Getting News:: Reading USENET news with Gnus.
7873 * Getting Mail:: Reading your personal mail with Gnus.
7874 * Other Sources:: Reading directories, files, SOUP packets.
7875 * Combined Groups:: Combining groups into one group.
7879 @node The Server Buffer
7880 @section The Server Buffer
7882 Traditionally, a @dfn{server} is a machine or a piece of software that
7883 one connects to, and then requests information from. Gnus does not
7884 connect directly to any real servers, but does all transactions through
7885 one backend or other. But that's just putting one layer more between
7886 the actual media and Gnus, so we might just as well say that each
7887 backend represents a virtual server.
7889 For instance, the @code{nntp} backend may be used to connect to several
7890 different actual @sc{nntp} servers, or, perhaps, to many different ports
7891 on the same actual @sc{nntp} server. You tell Gnus which backend to
7892 use, and what parameters to set by specifying a @dfn{select method}.
7894 These select methods specifications can sometimes become quite
7895 complicated---say, for instance, that you want to read from the
7896 @sc{nntp} server @samp{news.funet.fi} on port number 13, which
7897 hangs if queried for @sc{nov} headers and has a buggy select. Ahem.
7898 Anyways, if you had to specify that for each group that used this
7899 server, that would be too much work, so Gnus offers a way of naming
7900 select methods, which is what you do in the server buffer.
7902 To enter the server buffer, user the @kbd{^}
7903 (@code{gnus-group-enter-server-mode}) command in the group buffer.
7906 * Server Buffer Format:: You can customize the look of this buffer.
7907 * Server Commands:: Commands to manipulate servers.
7908 * Example Methods:: Examples server specifications.
7909 * Creating a Virtual Server:: An example session.
7910 * Servers and Methods:: You can use server names as select methods.
7911 * Unavailable Servers:: Some servers you try to contact may be down.
7914 @vindex gnus-server-mode-hook
7915 @code{gnus-server-mode-hook} is run when creating the server buffer.
7918 @node Server Buffer Format
7919 @subsection Server Buffer Format
7920 @cindex server buffer format
7922 @vindex gnus-server-line-format
7923 You can change the look of the server buffer lines by changing the
7924 @code{gnus-server-line-format} variable. This is a @code{format}-like
7925 variable, with some simple extensions:
7930 How the news is fetched---the backend name.
7933 The name of this server.
7936 Where the news is to be fetched from---the address.
7939 The opened/closed/denied status of the server.
7942 @vindex gnus-server-mode-line-format
7943 The mode line can also be customized by using the
7944 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format} variable. The following specs are
7955 Also @pxref{Formatting Variables}.
7958 @node Server Commands
7959 @subsection Server Commands
7960 @cindex server commands
7966 @findex gnus-server-add-server
7967 Add a new server (@code{gnus-server-add-server}).
7971 @findex gnus-server-edit-server
7972 Edit a server (@code{gnus-server-edit-server}).
7975 @kindex SPACE (Server)
7976 @findex gnus-server-read-server
7977 Browse the current server (@code{gnus-server-read-server}).
7981 @findex gnus-server-exit
7982 Return to the group buffer (@code{gnus-server-exit}).
7986 @findex gnus-server-kill-server
7987 Kill the current server (@code{gnus-server-kill-server}).
7991 @findex gnus-server-yank-server
7992 Yank the previously killed server (@code{gnus-server-yank-server}).
7996 @findex gnus-server-copy-server
7997 Copy the current server (@code{gnus-server-copy-server}).
8001 @findex gnus-server-list-servers
8002 List all servers (@code{gnus-server-list-servers}).
8006 @findex gnus-server-scan-server
8007 Request that the server scan its sources for new articles
8008 (@code{gnus-server-scan-server}). This is mainly sensible with mail
8013 @findex gnus-server-regenerate-server
8014 Request that the server regenerate all its data structures
8015 (@code{gnus-server-regenerate-server}). This can be useful if you have
8016 a mail backend that has gotten out of synch.
8021 @node Example Methods
8022 @subsection Example Methods
8024 Most select methods are pretty simple and self-explanatory:
8027 (nntp "news.funet.fi")
8030 Reading directly from the spool is even simpler:
8036 As you can see, the first element in a select method is the name of the
8037 backend, and the second is the @dfn{address}, or @dfn{name}, if you
8040 After these two elements, there may be a arbitrary number of
8041 @var{(variable form)} pairs.
8043 To go back to the first example---imagine that you want to read from
8044 port 15 from that machine. This is what the select method should
8048 (nntp "news.funet.fi" (nntp-port-number 15))
8051 You should read the documentation to each backend to find out what
8052 variables are relevant, but here's an @code{nnmh} example.
8054 @code{nnmh} is a mail backend that reads a spool-like structure. Say
8055 you have two structures that you wish to access: One is your private
8056 mail spool, and the other is a public one. Here's the possible spec for
8060 (nnmh "private" (nnmh-directory "~/private/mail/"))
8063 (This server is then called @samp{private}, but you may have guessed
8066 Here's the method for a public spool:
8070 (nnmh-directory "/usr/information/spool/")
8071 (nnmh-get-new-mail nil))
8074 If you are behind a firewall and only have access to the @sc{nntp}
8075 server from the firewall machine, you can instruct Gnus to @code{rlogin}
8076 on the firewall machine and telnet from there to the @sc{nntp} server.
8077 Doing this can be rather fiddly, but your virtual server definition
8078 should probably look something like this:
8082 (nntp-address "the.firewall.machine")
8083 (nntp-open-connection-function nntp-open-rlogin)
8084 (nntp-end-of-line "\n")
8085 (nntp-rlogin-parameters
8086 ("telnet" "the.real.nntp.host" "nntp")))
8091 @node Creating a Virtual Server
8092 @subsection Creating a Virtual Server
8094 If you're saving lots of articles in the cache by using persistent
8095 articles, you may want to create a virtual server to read the cache.
8097 First you need to add a new server. The @kbd{a} command does that. It
8098 would probably be best to use @code{nnspool} to read the cache. You
8099 could also use @code{nnml} or @code{nnmh}, though.
8101 Type @kbd{a nnspool RET cache RET}.
8103 You should now have a brand new @code{nnspool} virtual server called
8104 @samp{cache}. You now need to edit it to have the right definitions.
8105 Type @kbd{e} to edit the server. You'll be entered into a buffer that
8106 will contain the following:
8116 (nnspool-spool-directory "~/News/cache/")
8117 (nnspool-nov-directory "~/News/cache/")
8118 (nnspool-active-file "~/News/cache/active"))
8121 Type @kbd{C-c C-c} to return to the server buffer. If you now press
8122 @kbd{RET} over this virtual server, you should be entered into a browse
8123 buffer, and you should be able to enter any of the groups displayed.
8126 @node Servers and Methods
8127 @subsection Servers and Methods
8129 Wherever you would normally use a select method
8130 (e.g. @code{gnus-secondary-select-method}, in the group select method,
8131 when browsing a foreign server) you can use a virtual server name
8132 instead. This could potentially save lots of typing. And it's nice all
8136 @node Unavailable Servers
8137 @subsection Unavailable Servers
8139 If a server seems to be unreachable, Gnus will mark that server as
8140 @code{denied}. That means that any subsequent attempt to make contact
8141 with that server will just be ignored. ``It can't be opened,'' Gnus
8142 will tell you, without making the least effort to see whether that is
8143 actually the case or not.
8145 That might seem quite naughty, but it does make sense most of the time.
8146 Let's say you have 10 groups subscribed to the server
8147 @samp{nepholococcygia.com}. This server is located somewhere quite far
8148 away from you, the machine is quite, so it takes 1 minute just to find
8149 out that it refuses connection from you today. If Gnus were to attempt
8150 to do that 10 times, you'd be quite annoyed, so Gnus won't attempt to do
8151 that. Once it has gotten a single ``connection refused'', it will
8152 regard that server as ``down''.
8154 So, what happens if the machine was only feeling unwell temporarily?
8155 How do you test to see whether the machine has come up again?
8157 You jump to the server buffer (@pxref{The Server Buffer}) and poke it
8158 with the following commands:
8164 @findex gnus-server-open-server
8165 Try to establish connection to the server on the current line
8166 (@code{gnus-server-open-server}).
8170 @findex gnus-server-close-server
8171 Close the connection (if any) to the server
8172 (@code{gnus-server-close-server}).
8176 @findex gnus-server-deny-server
8177 Mark the current server as unreachable
8178 (@code{gnus-server-deny-server}).
8181 @kindex M-o (Server)
8182 @findex gnus-server-open-all-servers
8183 Open the connections to all servers in the buffer
8184 (@code{gnus-server-open-all-servers}).
8187 @kindex M-c (Server)
8188 @findex gnus-server-close-all-servers
8189 Close the connections to all servers in the buffer
8190 (@code{gnus-server-close-all-servers}).
8194 @findex gnus-server-remove-denials
8195 Remove all marks to whether Gnus was denied connection from all servers
8196 (@code{gnus-server-remove-denials}).
8202 @section Getting News
8203 @cindex reading news
8204 @cindex news backends
8206 A newsreader is normally used for reading news. Gnus currently provides
8207 only two methods of getting news---it can read from an @sc{nntp} server,
8208 or it can read from a local spool.
8211 * NNTP:: Reading news from an @sc{nntp} server.
8212 * News Spool:: Reading news from the local spool.
8217 @subsection @sc{nntp}
8220 Subscribing to a foreign group from an @sc{nntp} server is rather easy.
8221 You just specify @code{nntp} as method and the address of the @sc{nntp}
8222 server as the, uhm, address.
8224 If the @sc{nntp} server is located at a non-standard port, setting the
8225 third element of the select method to this port number should allow you
8226 to connect to the right port. You'll have to edit the group info for
8227 that (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
8229 The name of the foreign group can be the same as a native group. In
8230 fact, you can subscribe to the same group from as many different servers
8231 you feel like. There will be no name collisions.
8233 The following variables can be used to create a virtual @code{nntp}
8238 @item nntp-server-opened-hook
8239 @vindex nntp-server-opened-hook
8240 @cindex @sc{mode reader}
8242 @cindex authentification
8243 @cindex nntp authentification
8244 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8245 @findex nntp-send-mode-reader
8246 @code{nntp-server-opened-hook} is run after a connection has been made.
8247 It can be used to send commands to the @sc{nntp} server after it has
8248 been contacted. By default is sends the command @code{MODE READER} to
8249 the server with the @code{nntp-send-mode-reader} function.
8251 @item nntp-authinfo-function
8252 @vindex nntp-authinfo-function
8253 This function will be used to send @samp{AUTHINFO} to the @sc{nntp}
8254 server. Available functions include:
8257 @item nntp-send-authinfo
8258 @findex nntp-send-authinfo
8259 This function will used you current login name as the user name and will
8260 prompt you for the password. This is the default.
8262 @item nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
8263 @findex nntp-send-nosy-authinfo
8264 This function will prompt you for both user name and password.
8266 @item nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
8267 @findex nntp-send-authinfo-from-file
8268 This function will use your current login name as the user name and will
8269 read the @sc{nntp} password from @file{~/.nntp-authinfo}.
8272 @item nntp-server-action-alist
8273 @vindex nntp-server-action-alist
8274 This is an list of regexps to match on server types and actions to be
8275 taken when matches are made. For instance, if you want Gnus to beep
8276 every time you connect to innd, you could say something like:
8279 (setq nntp-server-action-alist
8283 You probably don't want to do that, though.
8285 The default value is
8288 '(("nntpd 1\\.5\\.11t"
8289 (remove-hook 'nntp-server-opened-hook nntp-send-mode-reader)))
8292 This ensures that Gnus doesn't send the @code{MODE READER} command to
8293 nntpd 1.5.11t, since that command chokes that server, I've been told.
8295 @item nntp-maximum-request
8296 @vindex nntp-maximum-request
8297 If the @sc{nntp} server doesn't support @sc{nov} headers, this backend
8298 will collect headers by sending a series of @code{head} commands. To
8299 speed things up, the backend sends lots of these commands without
8300 waiting for reply, and then reads all the replies. This is controlled
8301 by the @code{nntp-maximum-request} variable, and is 400 by default. If
8302 your network is buggy, you should set this to 1.
8304 @item nntp-connection-timeout
8305 @vindex nntp-connection-timeout
8306 If you have lots of foreign @code{nntp} groups that you connect to
8307 regularly, you're sure to have problems with @sc{nntp} servers not
8308 responding properly, or being too loaded to reply within reasonable
8309 time. This is can lead to awkward problems, which can be helped
8310 somewhat by setting @code{nntp-connection-timeout}. This is an integer
8311 that says how many seconds the @code{nntp} backend should wait for a
8312 connection before giving up. If it is @code{nil}, which is the default,
8313 no timeouts are done.
8315 @item nntp-command-timeout
8316 @vindex nntp-command-timeout
8317 @cindex PPP connections
8318 @cindex dynamic IP addresses
8319 If you're running Gnus on a machine that has a dynamically assigned
8320 address, Gnus may become confused. If the address of your machine
8321 changes after connecting to the @sc{nntp} server, Gnus will simply sit
8322 waiting forever for replies from the server. To help with this
8323 unfortunate problem, you can set this command to a number. Gnus will
8324 then, if it sits waiting longer than that number of seconds for a reply
8325 from the server, shut down the connection, start a new one, and resend
8326 the command. This should hopefully be transparent to the user. A
8327 likely number is 30 seconds.
8329 @item nntp-retry-on-break
8330 @vindex nntp-retry-on-break
8331 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you can also @kbd{C-g} if Gnus
8332 hangs. This will have much the same effect as the command timeout
8335 @item nntp-server-hook
8336 @vindex nntp-server-hook
8337 This hook is run as the last step when connecting to an @sc{nntp}
8340 @findex nntp-open-rlogin
8341 @findex nntp-open-network-stream
8342 @item nntp-open-connection-function
8343 @vindex nntp-open-connection-function
8344 This function is used to connect to the remote system. Two pre-made
8345 functions are @code{nntp-open-network-stream}, which is the default, and
8346 simply connects to some port or other on the remote system. The other
8347 is @code{nntp-open-rlogin}, which does an rlogin on the remote system,
8348 and then does a telnet to the @sc{nntp} server available there.
8350 @item nntp-rlogin-parameters
8351 @vindex nntp-rlogin-parameters
8352 If you use @code{nntp-open-rlogin} as the
8353 @code{nntp-open-connection-function}, this list will be used as the
8354 parameter list given to @code{rsh}.
8356 @item nntp-end-of-line
8357 @vindex nntp-end-of-line
8358 String to use as end-of-line markers when talking to the @sc{nntp}
8359 server. This is @samp{\r\n} by default, but should be @samp{\n} when
8360 using @code{rlogin} to talk to the server.
8362 @item nntp-rlogin-user-name
8363 @vindex nntp-rlogin-user-name
8364 User name on the remote system when using the @code{rlogin} connect
8368 @vindex nntp-address
8369 The address of the remote system running the @sc{nntp} server.
8371 @item nntp-port-number
8372 @vindex nntp-port-number
8373 Port number to connect to when using the @code{nntp-open-network-stream}
8376 @item nntp-buggy-select
8377 @vindex nntp-buggy-select
8378 Set this to non-@code{nil} if your select routine is buggy.
8380 @item nntp-nov-is-evil
8381 @vindex nntp-nov-is-evil
8382 If the @sc{nntp} server does not support @sc{nov}, you could set this
8383 variable to @code{t}, but @code{nntp} usually checks whether @sc{nov}
8384 can be used automatically.
8386 @item nntp-xover-commands
8387 @vindex nntp-xover-commands
8390 List of strings that are used as commands to fetch @sc{nov} lines from a
8391 server. The default value of this variable is @code{("XOVER"
8395 @vindex nntp-nov-gap
8396 @code{nntp} normally sends just one big request for @sc{nov} lines to
8397 the server. The server responds with one huge list of lines. However,
8398 if you have read articles 2-5000 in the group, and only want to read
8399 article 1 and 5001, that means that @code{nntp} will fetch 4999 @sc{nov}
8400 lines that you do not want, and will not use. This variable says how
8401 big a gap between two consecutive articles is allowed to be before the
8402 @code{XOVER} request is split into several request. Note that if your
8403 network is fast, setting this variable to a really small number means
8404 that fetching will probably be slower. If this variable is @code{nil},
8405 @code{nntp} will never split requests.
8407 @item nntp-prepare-server-hook
8408 @vindex nntp-prepare-server-hook
8409 A hook run before attempting to connect to an @sc{nntp} server.
8411 @item nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
8412 @vindex nntp-warn-about-losing-connection
8413 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, some noise will be made when a
8414 server closes connection.
8420 @subsection News Spool
8424 Subscribing to a foreign group from the local spool is extremely easy,
8425 and might be useful, for instance, to speed up reading groups that
8426 contain very big articles---@samp{alt.binaries.pictures.furniture}, for
8429 Anyways, you just specify @code{nnspool} as the method and @samp{} (or
8430 anything else) as the address.
8432 If you have access to a local spool, you should probably use that as the
8433 native select method (@pxref{Finding the News}). It is normally faster
8434 than using an @code{nntp} select method, but might not be. It depends.
8435 You just have to try to find out what's best at your site.
8439 @item nnspool-inews-program
8440 @vindex nnspool-inews-program
8441 Program used to post an article.
8443 @item nnspool-inews-switches
8444 @vindex nnspool-inews-switches
8445 Parameters given to the inews program when posting an article.
8447 @item nnspool-spool-directory
8448 @vindex nnspool-spool-directory
8449 Where @code{nnspool} looks for the articles. This is normally
8450 @file{/usr/spool/news/}.
8452 @item nnspool-nov-directory
8453 @vindex nnspool-nov-directory
8454 Where @code{nnspool} will look for @sc{nov} files. This is normally
8455 @file{/usr/spool/news/over.view/}.
8457 @item nnspool-lib-dir
8458 @vindex nnspool-lib-dir
8459 Where the news lib dir is (@file{/usr/lib/news/} by default).
8461 @item nnspool-active-file
8462 @vindex nnspool-active-file
8463 The path of the active file.
8465 @item nnspool-newsgroups-file
8466 @vindex nnspool-newsgroups-file
8467 The path of the group descriptions file.
8469 @item nnspool-history-file
8470 @vindex nnspool-history-file
8471 The path of the news history file.
8473 @item nnspool-active-times-file
8474 @vindex nnspool-active-times-file
8475 The path of the active date file.
8477 @item nnspool-nov-is-evil
8478 @vindex nnspool-nov-is-evil
8479 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnspool} won't try to use any @sc{nov} files
8482 @item nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
8483 @vindex nnspool-sift-nov-with-sed
8485 If non-@code{nil}, which is the default, use @code{sed} to get the
8486 relevant portion from the overview file. If nil, @code{nnspool} will
8487 load the entire file into a buffer and process it there.
8493 @section Getting Mail
8494 @cindex reading mail
8497 Reading mail with a newsreader---isn't that just plain WeIrD? But of
8501 * Getting Started Reading Mail:: A simple cookbook example.
8502 * Splitting Mail:: How to create mail groups.
8503 * Mail Backend Variables:: Variables for customizing mail handling.
8504 * Fancy Mail Splitting:: Gnus can do hairy splitting of incoming mail.
8505 * Mail and Procmail:: Reading mail groups that procmail create.
8506 * Incorporating Old Mail:: What about the old mail you have?
8507 * Expiring Mail:: Getting rid of unwanted mail.
8508 * Washing Mail:: Removing gruft from the mail you get.
8509 * Duplicates:: Dealing with duplicated mail.
8510 * Not Reading Mail:: Using mail backends for reading other files.
8511 * Choosing a Mail Backend:: Gnus can read a variety of mail formats.
8515 @node Getting Started Reading Mail
8516 @subsection Getting Started Reading Mail
8518 It's quite easy to use Gnus to read your new mail. You just plonk the
8519 mail backend of your choice into @code{gnus-secondary-select-methods},
8520 and things will happen automatically.
8522 For instance, if you want to use @code{nnml} (which is a one file per
8523 mail backend), you could put the following in your @file{.gnus} file:
8526 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods
8527 '((nnml "private")))
8530 Now, the next time you start Gnus, this backend will be queried for new
8531 articles, and it will move all the messages in your spool file to its
8532 directory, which is @code{~/Mail/} by default. The new group that will
8533 be created (@samp{mail.misc}) will be subscribed, and you can read it
8534 like any other group.
8536 You will probably want to split the mail into several groups, though:
8539 (setq nnmail-split-methods
8540 '(("junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
8541 ("crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
8545 This will result in three new @code{nnml} mail groups being created:
8546 @samp{nnml:junk}, @samp{nnml:crazy}, and @samp{nnml:other}. All the
8547 mail that doesn't fit into the first two groups will be placed in the
8550 This should be sufficient for reading mail with Gnus. You might want to
8551 give the other sections in this part of the manual a perusal, though,
8552 especially @pxref{Choosing a Mail Backend} and @pxref{Expiring Mail}.
8555 @node Splitting Mail
8556 @subsection Splitting Mail
8557 @cindex splitting mail
8558 @cindex mail splitting
8560 @vindex nnmail-split-methods
8561 The @code{nnmail-split-methods} variable says how the incoming mail is
8562 to be split into groups.
8565 (setq nnmail-split-methods
8566 '(("mail.junk" "^From:.*Lars Ingebrigtsen")
8567 ("mail.crazy" "^Subject:.*die\\|^Organization:.*flabby")
8571 This variable is a list of lists, where the first element of each of
8572 these lists is the name of the mail group (they do not have to be called
8573 something beginning with @samp{mail}, by the way), and the second
8574 element is a regular expression used on the header of each mail to
8575 determine if it belongs in this mail group.
8577 If the first element is the special symbol @code{junk}, then messages
8578 that match the regexp will disappear into the aether. Use with
8581 The second element can also be a function. In that case, it will be
8582 called narrowed to the headers with the first element of the rule as the
8583 argument. It should return a non-@code{nil} value if it thinks that the
8584 mail belongs in that group.
8586 The last of these groups should always be a general one, and the regular
8587 expression should @emph{always} be @samp{} so that it matches any
8588 mails that haven't been matched by any of the other regexps.
8590 If you like to tinker with this yourself, you can set this variable to a
8591 function of your choice. This function will be called without any
8592 arguments in a buffer narrowed to the headers of an incoming mail
8593 message. The function should return a list of groups names that it
8594 thinks should carry this mail message.
8596 Note that the mail backends are free to maul the poor, innocent
8597 incoming headers all they want to. They all add @code{Lines} headers;
8598 some add @code{X-Gnus-Group} headers; most rename the Unix mbox
8599 @code{From<SPACE>} line to something else.
8601 @vindex nnmail-crosspost
8602 The mail backends all support cross-posting. If several regexps match,
8603 the mail will be ``cross-posted'' to all those groups.
8604 @code{nnmail-crosspost} says whether to use this mechanism or not. Note
8605 that no articles are crossposted to the general (@samp{}) group.
8607 @vindex nnmail-crosspost-link-function
8610 @code{nnmh} and @code{nnml} makes crossposts by creating hard links to
8611 the crossposted articles. However, not all files systems support hard
8612 links. If that's the case for you, set
8613 @code{nnmail-crosspost-link-function} to @code{copy-file}. (This
8614 variable is @code{add-name-to-file} by default.)
8616 @kindex M-x nnmail-split-history
8617 @kindex nnmail-split-history
8618 If you wish to see where the previous mail split put the messages, you
8619 can use the @kbd{M-x nnmail-split-history} command.
8621 Gnus gives you all the opportunity you could possibly want for shooting
8622 yourself in the foot. Let's say you create a group that will contain
8623 all the mail you get from your boss. And then you accidentally
8624 unsubscribe from the group. Gnus will still put all the mail from your
8625 boss in the unsubscribed group, and so, when your boss mails you ``Have
8626 that report ready by Monday or you're fired!'', you'll never see it and,
8627 come Tuesday, you'll still believe that you're gainfully employed while
8628 you really should be out collecting empty bottles to save up for next
8632 @node Mail Backend Variables
8633 @subsection Mail Backend Variables
8635 These variables are (for the most part) pertinent to all the various
8639 @vindex nnmail-read-incoming-hook
8640 @item nnmail-read-incoming-hook
8641 The mail backends all call this hook after reading new mail. You can
8642 use this hook to notify any mail watch programs, if you want to.
8644 @vindex nnmail-spool-file
8645 @item nnmail-spool-file
8649 @vindex nnmail-pop-password
8650 @vindex nnmail-pop-password-required
8651 The backends will look for new mail in this file. If this variable is
8652 @code{nil}, the mail backends will never attempt to fetch mail by
8653 themselves. If you are using a POP mail server and your name is
8654 @samp{larsi}, you should set this variable to @samp{po:larsi}. If
8655 your name is not @samp{larsi}, you should probably modify that
8656 slightly, but you may have guessed that already, you smart & handsome
8657 devil! You can also set this variable to @code{pop}, and Gnus will try
8658 to figure out the POP mail string by itself. In any case, Gnus will
8659 call @code{movemail} which will contact the POP server named in the
8660 @code{MAILHOST} environment variable. If the POP server needs a
8661 password, you can either set @code{nnmail-pop-password-required} to
8662 @code{t} and be prompted for the password, or set
8663 @code{nnmail-pop-password} to the password itself.
8665 Your Emacs has to have been configured with @samp{--with-pop} before
8666 compilation. This is the default, but some installations have it
8669 When you use a mail backend, Gnus will slurp all your mail from your
8670 inbox and plonk it down in your home directory. Gnus doesn't move any
8671 mail if you're not using a mail backend---you have to do a lot of magic
8672 invocations first. At the time when you have finished drawing the
8673 pentagram, lightened the candles, and sacrificed the goat, you really
8674 shouldn't be too surprised when Gnus moves your mail.
8676 @vindex nnmail-use-procmail
8677 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
8678 @item nnmail-use-procmail
8679 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will look in
8680 @code{nnmail-procmail-directory} for incoming mail. All the files in
8681 that directory that have names ending in @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix}
8682 will be considered incoming mailboxes, and will be searched for new
8685 @vindex nnmail-crash-box
8686 @item nnmail-crash-box
8687 When the mail backends read a spool file, it is first moved to this
8688 file, which is @file{~/.gnus-crash-box} by default. If this file
8689 already exists, it will always be read (and incorporated) before any
8692 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
8693 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
8694 This is run in a buffer that holds all the new incoming mail, and can be
8695 used for, well, anything, really.
8697 @vindex nnmail-split-hook
8698 @item nnmail-split-hook
8699 @findex article-decode-rfc1522
8700 @findex RFC1522 decoding
8701 Hook run in the buffer where the mail headers of each message is kept
8702 just before the splitting based on these headers is done. The hook is
8703 free to modify the buffer contents in any way it sees fit---the buffer
8704 is discarded after the splitting has been done, and no changes performed
8705 in the buffer will show up in any files. @code{gnus-article-decode-rfc1522}
8706 is one likely function to add to this hook.
8708 @vindex nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
8709 @vindex nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
8710 @item nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook
8711 @itemx nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook
8712 These are two useful hooks executed when treating new incoming
8713 mail---@code{nnmail-pre-get-new-mail-hook} (is called just before
8714 starting to handle the new mail) and
8715 @code{nnmail-post-get-new-mail-hook} (is called when the mail handling
8716 is done). Here's and example of using these two hooks to change the
8717 default file modes the new mail files get:
8720 (add-hook 'gnus-pre-get-new-mail-hook
8721 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 511)))
8723 (add-hook 'gnus-post-get-new-mail-hook
8724 (lambda () (set-default-file-modes 551)))
8727 @item nnmail-tmp-directory
8728 @vindex nnmail-tmp-directory
8729 This variable says where to move the incoming mail to while processing
8730 it. This is usually done in the same directory that the mail backend
8731 inhabits (i.e., @file{~/Mail/}), but if this variable is non-@code{nil},
8732 it will be used instead.
8734 @item nnmail-movemail-program
8735 @vindex nnmail-movemail-program
8736 This program is executed to move mail from the user's inbox to her home
8737 directory. The default is @samp{movemail}.
8739 This can also be a function. In that case, the function will be called
8740 with two parameters -- the name of the inbox, and the file to be moved
8743 @item nnmail-delete-incoming
8744 @vindex nnmail-delete-incoming
8745 @cindex incoming mail files
8746 @cindex deleting incoming files
8747 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will delete the temporary incoming
8748 file after splitting mail into the proper groups. This is @code{nil} by
8749 default for reasons of security.
8751 Since Red Gnus is an alpha release, it is to be expected to lose mail.
8752 (No Gnus release since (ding) Gnus 0.10 (or something like that) have
8753 lost mail, I think, but that's not the point. (Except certain versions
8754 of Red Gnus.)) By not deleting the
8755 Incoming* files, one can be sure to not lose mail -- if Gnus totally
8756 whacks out, one can always recover what was lost.
8758 Delete the @file{Incoming*} files at will.
8760 @item nnmail-use-long-file-names
8761 @vindex nnmail-use-long-file-names
8762 If non-@code{nil}, the mail backends will use long file and directory
8763 names. Groups like @samp{mail.misc} will end up in directories like
8764 @file{mail.misc/}. If it is @code{nil}, the same group will end up in
8767 @item nnmail-delete-file-function
8768 @vindex nnmail-delete-file-function
8770 Function called to delete files. It is @code{delete-file} by default.
8775 @node Fancy Mail Splitting
8776 @subsection Fancy Mail Splitting
8777 @cindex mail splitting
8778 @cindex fancy mail splitting
8780 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy
8781 @findex nnmail-split-fancy
8782 If the rather simple, standard method for specifying how to split mail
8783 doesn't allow you to do what you want, you can set
8784 @code{nnmail-split-methods} to @code{nnmail-split-fancy}. Then you can
8785 play with the @code{nnmail-split-fancy} variable.
8787 Let's look at an example value of this variable first:
8790 ;; Messages from the mailer daemon are not crossposted to any of
8791 ;; the ordinary groups. Warnings are put in a separate group
8792 ;; from real errors.
8793 (| ("from" mail (| ("subject" "warn.*" "mail.warning")
8795 ;; Non-error messages are crossposted to all relevant
8796 ;; groups, but we don't crosspost between the group for the
8797 ;; (ding) list and the group for other (ding) related mail.
8798 (& (| (any "ding@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "ding.list")
8799 ("subject" "ding" "ding.misc"))
8800 ;; Other mailing lists...
8801 (any "procmail@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "procmail.list")
8802 (any "SmartList@@informatik\\.rwth-aachen\\.de" "SmartList.list")
8804 (any "larsi@@ifi\\.uio\\.no" "people.Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen"))
8805 ;; Unmatched mail goes to the catch all group.
8809 This variable has the format of a @dfn{split}. A split is a (possibly)
8810 recursive structure where each split may contain other splits. Here are
8811 the five possible split syntaxes:
8816 @samp{group}: If the split is a string, that will be taken as a group name.
8819 @var{(FIELD VALUE SPLIT)}: If the split is a list, and the first
8820 element is a string, then that means that if header FIELD (a regexp)
8821 contains VALUE (also a regexp), then store the message as specified by
8825 @var{(| SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
8826 @code{|} (vertical bar), then process each SPLIT until one of them
8827 matches. A SPLIT is said to match if it will cause the mail message to
8828 be stored in one or more groups.
8831 @var{(& SPLIT...)}: If the split is a list, and the first element is
8832 @code{&}, then process all SPLITs in the list.
8835 @code{junk}: If the split is the symbol @code{junk}, then don't save
8836 this message anywhere.
8839 @var{(: function arg1 arg2 ...)}: If the split is a list, and the first
8840 element is @code{:}, then the second element will be called as a
8841 function with @var{args} given as arguments. The function should return
8846 In these splits, @var{FIELD} must match a complete field name.
8847 @var{VALUE} must match a complete word according to the fundamental mode
8848 syntax table. You can use @code{.*} in the regexps to match partial
8849 field names or words. In other words, all @var{VALUE}'s are wrapped in
8850 @samp{\<} and @samp{\>} pairs.
8852 @vindex nnmail-split-abbrev-alist
8853 @var{FIELD} and @var{VALUE} can also be lisp symbols, in that case they
8854 are expanded as specified by the variable
8855 @code{nnmail-split-abbrev-alist}. This is an alist of cons cells, where
8856 the car of the cells contains the key, and the cdr contains a string.
8858 @vindex nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table
8859 @code{nnmail-split-fancy-syntax-table} is the syntax table in effect
8860 when all this splitting is performed.
8862 If you want to have Gnus create groups dynamically based on some
8863 information in the headers, you can say things like:
8866 (any "debian-\(\\w*\\)@@lists.debian.org" "mail.debian.\\1")
8869 That is, do @code{replace-match}-like substitions in the group names.
8872 @node Mail and Procmail
8873 @subsection Mail and Procmail
8878 Many people use @code{procmail} (or some other mail filter program or
8879 external delivery agent---@code{slocal}, @code{elm}, etc) to split
8880 incoming mail into groups. If you do that, you should set
8881 @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{procmail} to ensure that the mail
8882 backends never ever try to fetch mail by themselves.
8884 This also means that you probably don't want to set
8885 @code{nnmail-split-methods} either, which has some, perhaps, unexpected
8888 When a mail backend is queried for what groups it carries, it replies
8889 with the contents of that variable, along with any groups it has figured
8890 out that it carries by other means. None of the backends (except
8891 @code{nnmh}) actually go out to the disk and check what groups actually
8892 exist. (It's not trivial to distinguish between what the user thinks is
8893 a basis for a newsgroup and what is just a plain old file or directory.)
8895 This means that you have to tell Gnus (and the backends) what groups
8898 Let's take the @code{nnmh} backend as an example.
8900 The folders are located in @code{nnmh-directory}, say, @file{~/Mail/}.
8901 There are three folders, @file{foo}, @file{bar} and @file{mail.baz}.
8903 Go to the group buffer and type @kbd{G m}. When prompted, answer
8904 @samp{foo} for the name and @samp{nnmh} for the method. Repeat
8905 twice for the two other groups, @samp{bar} and @samp{mail.baz}. Be sure
8906 to include all your mail groups.
8908 That's it. You are now set to read your mail. An active file for this
8909 method will be created automatically.
8911 @vindex nnmail-procmail-suffix
8912 @vindex nnmail-procmail-directory
8913 If you use @code{nnfolder} or any other backend that store more than a
8914 single article in each file, you should never have procmail add mails to
8915 the file that Gnus sees. Instead, procmail should put all incoming mail
8916 in @code{nnmail-procmail-directory}. To arrive at the file name to put
8917 the incoming mail in, append @code{nnmail-procmail-suffix} to the group
8918 name. The mail backends will read the mail from these files.
8920 @vindex nnmail-resplit-incoming
8921 When Gnus reads a file called @file{mail.misc.spool}, this mail will be
8922 put in the @code{mail.misc}, as one would expect. However, if you want
8923 Gnus to split the mail the normal way, you could set
8924 @code{nnmail-resplit-incoming} to @code{t}.
8926 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
8927 If you use @code{procmail} to split things directory into an @code{nnmh}
8928 directory (which you shouldn't do), you should set
8929 @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} to non-@code{nil} to prevent Gnus from
8930 ever expiring the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is quite,
8933 Here's an example setup: The incoming spools are located in
8934 @file{~/incoming/} and have @samp{""} as suffixes (i. e., the incoming
8935 spool files have the same names as the equivalent groups). The
8936 @code{nnfolder} backend is to be used as the mail interface, and the
8937 @code{nnfolder} directory is @file{~/fMail/}.
8940 (setq nnfolder-directory "~/fMail/")
8941 (setq nnmail-spool-file 'procmail)
8942 (setq nnmail-procmail-directory "~/incoming/")
8943 (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnfolder "")))
8944 (setq nnmail-procmail-suffix "")
8948 @node Incorporating Old Mail
8949 @subsection Incorporating Old Mail
8951 Most people have lots of old mail stored in various file formats. If
8952 you have set up Gnus to read mail using one of the spiffy Gnus mail
8953 backends, you'll probably wish to have that old mail incorporated into
8956 Doing so can be quite easy.
8958 To take an example: You're reading mail using @code{nnml}
8959 (@pxref{Mail Spool}), and have set @code{nnmail-split-methods} to a
8960 satisfactory value (@pxref{Splitting Mail}). You have an old Unix mbox
8961 file filled with important, but old, mail. You want to move it into
8962 your @code{nnml} groups.
8968 Go to the group buffer.
8971 Type `G f' and give the path of the mbox file when prompted to create an
8972 @code{nndoc} group from the mbox file (@pxref{Foreign Groups}).
8975 Type `SPACE' to enter the newly created group.
8978 Type `M P b' to process-mark all articles in this group (@pxref{Setting
8982 Type `B r' to respool all the process-marked articles, and answer
8983 @samp{nnml} when prompted (@pxref{Mail Group Commands}).
8986 All the mail messages in the mbox file will now also be spread out over
8987 all your @code{nnml} groups. Try entering them and check whether things
8988 have gone without a glitch. If things look ok, you may consider
8989 deleting the mbox file, but I wouldn't do that unless I was absolutely
8990 sure that all the mail has ended up where it should be.
8992 Respooling is also a handy thing to do if you're switching from one mail
8993 backend to another. Just respool all the mail in the old mail groups
8994 using the new mail backend.
8998 @subsection Expiring Mail
8999 @cindex article expiry
9001 Traditional mail readers have a tendency to remove mail articles when
9002 you mark them as read, in some way. Gnus takes a fundamentally
9003 different approach to mail reading.
9005 Gnus basically considers mail just to be news that has been received in
9006 a rather peculiar manner. It does not think that it has the power to
9007 actually change the mail, or delete any mail messages. If you enter a
9008 mail group, and mark articles as ``read'', or kill them in some other
9009 fashion, the mail articles will still exist on the system. I repeat:
9010 Gnus will not delete your old, read mail. Unless you ask it to, of
9013 To make Gnus get rid of your unwanted mail, you have to mark the
9014 articles as @dfn{expirable}. This does not mean that the articles will
9015 disappear right away, however. In general, a mail article will be
9016 deleted from your system if, 1) it is marked as expirable, AND 2) it is
9017 more than one week old. If you do not mark an article as expirable, it
9018 will remain on your system until hell freezes over. This bears
9019 repeating one more time, with some spurious capitalizations: IF you do
9020 NOT mark articles as EXPIRABLE, Gnus will NEVER delete those ARTICLES.
9022 @vindex gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9023 You do not have to mark articles as expirable by hand. Groups that
9024 match the regular expression @code{gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups} will
9025 have all articles that you read marked as expirable automatically. All
9026 articles that are marked as expirable have an @samp{E} in the first
9027 column in the summary buffer.
9029 Note that making a group auto-expirable don't mean that all read
9030 articles are expired---only the articles that are marked as expirable
9031 will be expired. Also note the using the @kbd{d} command won't make
9032 groups expirable---only semi-automatic marking of articles as read will
9033 mark the articles as expirable in auto-expirable groups.
9035 Let's say you subscribe to a couple of mailing lists, and you want the
9036 articles you have read to disappear after a while:
9039 (setq gnus-auto-expirable-newsgroups
9040 "mail.nonsense-list\\|mail.nice-list")
9043 Another way to have auto-expiry happen is to have the element
9044 @code{auto-expire} in the group parameters of the group.
9046 If you use adaptive scoring (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}) and
9047 auto-expiring, you'll have problems. Auto-expiring and adaptive scoring
9048 doesn't really mix very well.
9050 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait
9051 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable supplies the default time an
9052 expirable article has to live. The default is seven days.
9054 Gnus also supplies a function that lets you fine-tune how long articles
9055 are to live, based on what group they are in. Let's say you want to
9056 have one month expiry period in the @samp{mail.private} group, a one day
9057 expiry period in the @samp{mail.junk} group, and a six day expiry period
9060 @vindex nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9062 (setq nnmail-expiry-wait-function
9064 (cond ((string= group "mail.private")
9066 ((string= group "mail.junk")
9068 ((string= group "important")
9074 The group names that this function is fed are ``unadorned'' group
9075 names---no @samp{nnml:} prefixes and the like.
9077 The @code{nnmail-expiry-wait} variable and
9078 @code{nnmail-expiry-wait-function} function can be either a number (not
9079 necessarily an integer) or the symbols @code{immediate} or
9082 You can also use the @code{expiry-wait} group parameter to selectively
9083 change the expiry period (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
9085 @vindex nnmail-keep-last-article
9086 If @code{nnmail-keep-last-article} is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will never
9087 expire the final article in a mail newsgroup. This is to make life
9088 easier for procmail users.
9090 @vindex gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups
9091 By the way, that line up there about Gnus never expiring non-expirable
9092 articles is a lie. If you put @code{total-expire} in the group
9093 parameters, articles will not be marked as expirable, but all read
9094 articles will be put through the expiry process. Use with extreme
9095 caution. Even more dangerous is the
9096 @code{gnus-total-expirable-newsgroups} variable. All groups that match
9097 this regexp will have all read articles put through the expiry process,
9098 which means that @emph{all} old mail articles in the groups in question
9099 will be deleted after a while. Use with extreme caution, and don't come
9100 crying to me when you discover that the regexp you used matched the
9101 wrong group and all your important mail has disappeared. Be a
9102 @emph{man}! Or a @emph{woman}! Whatever you feel more comfortable
9105 Most people make most of their mail groups total-expirable, though.
9109 @subsection Washing Mail
9110 @cindex mail washing
9111 @cindex list server brain damage
9112 @cindex incoming mail treatment
9114 Mailers and list servers are notorious for doing all sorts of really,
9115 really stupid things with mail. ``Hey, RFC822 doesn't explicitly
9116 prohibit us from adding the string @code{wE aRe ElItE!!!!!1!!} to the
9117 end of all lines passing through our server, so let's do that!!!!1!''
9118 Yes, but RFC822 wasn't designed to be read by morons. Things that were
9119 considered to be self-evident were not discussed. So. Here we are.
9121 Case in point: The German version of Microsoft Exchange adds @samp{AW:
9122 } to the subjects of replies instead of @samp{Re: }. I could pretend to
9123 be shocked and dismayed by this, but I haven't got the energy. It is to
9126 Gnus provides a plethora of functions for washing articles while
9127 displaying them, but it might be nicer to do the filtering before
9128 storing the mail to disc. For that purpose, we have three hooks and
9129 various functions that can be put in these hooks.
9132 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9133 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-hook
9134 This hook is called before doing anything with the mail and is meant for
9135 grand, sweeping gestures. Functions to be used include:
9138 @item nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9139 @findex nnheader-ms-strip-cr
9140 Remove trailing carriage returns from each line. This is default on
9141 Emacs running on MS machines.
9145 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9146 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-header-hook
9147 This hook is called narrowed to each header. It can be used when
9148 cleaning up the headers. Functions that can be used include:
9151 @item nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
9152 @findex nnmail-remove-leading-whitespace
9153 Clear leading white space that ``helpful'' listservs have added to the
9154 headers too make them look nice. Aaah.
9156 @item nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
9157 @findex nnmail-remove-list-identifiers
9158 Some list servers add an identifier---for example, @samp{(idm)}---to the
9159 beginning of all @code{Subject} headers. I'm sure that's nice for
9160 people who use stone age mail readers. This function will remove
9161 strings that match the @code{nnmail-list-identifiers} regexp, which can
9162 also be a list of regexp.
9164 For instance, if you want to remove the @samp{(idm)} and the
9165 @samp{nagnagnag} identifiers:
9168 (setq nnmail-list-identifiers
9169 '("(idm)" "nagnagnag"))
9172 @item nnmail-remove-tabs
9173 @findex nnmail-remove-tabs
9174 Translate all @samp{TAB} characters into @samp{SPACE} characters.
9178 @item nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
9179 @vindex nnmail-prepare-incoming-message-hook
9180 This hook is called narrowed to each message. Functions to be used
9184 @item article-de-quoted-unreadable
9185 @findex article-de-quoted-unreadable
9186 Decode Quoted Readable encoding.
9193 @subsection Duplicates
9195 @vindex nnmail-treat-duplicates
9196 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-length
9197 @vindex nnmail-message-id-cache-file
9198 @cindex duplicate mails
9199 If you are a member of a couple of mailing list, you will sometime
9200 receive two copies of the same mail. This can be quite annoying, so
9201 @code{nnmail} checks for and treats any duplicates it might find. To do
9202 this, it keeps a cache of old @code{Message-ID}s---
9203 @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-file}, which is @file{~/.nnmail-cache} by
9204 default. The approximate maximum number of @code{Message-ID}s stored
9205 there is controlled by the @code{nnmail-message-id-cache-length}
9206 variable, which is 1000 by default. (So 1000 @code{Message-ID}s will be
9207 stored.) If all this sounds scary to you, you can set
9208 @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} to @code{warn} (which is what it is by
9209 default), and @code{nnmail} won't delete duplicate mails. Instead it
9210 will generate a brand new @code{Message-ID} for the mail and insert a
9211 warning into the head of the mail saying that it thinks that this is a
9212 duplicate of a different message.
9214 This variable can also be a function. If that's the case, the function
9215 will be called from a buffer narrowed to the message in question with
9216 the @code{Message-ID} as a parameter. The function must return either
9217 @code{nil}, @code{warn}, or @code{delete}.
9219 You can turn this feature off completely by setting the variable to
9222 If you want all the duplicate mails to be put into a special
9223 @dfn{duplicates} group, you could do that using the normal mail split
9227 (setq nnmail-split-fancy
9228 '(| ;; Messages duplicates go to a separate group.
9229 ("gnus-warning" "duplication of message" "duplicate")
9230 ;; Message from daemons, postmaster, and the like to another.
9231 (any mail "mail.misc")
9238 (setq nnmail-split-methods
9239 '(("duplicates" "^Gnus-Warning:")
9244 Here's a neat feature: If you know that the recipient reads her mail
9245 with Gnus, and that she has @code{nnmail-treat-duplicates} set to
9246 @code{delete}, you can send her as many insults as you like, just by
9247 using a @code{Message-ID} of a mail that you know that she's already
9248 received. Think of all the fun! She'll never see any of it! Whee!
9251 @node Not Reading Mail
9252 @subsection Not Reading Mail
9254 If you start using any of the mail backends, they have the annoying
9255 habit of assuming that you want to read mail with them. This might not
9256 be unreasonable, but it might not be what you want.
9258 If you set @code{nnmail-spool-file} to @code{nil}, none of the backends
9259 will ever attempt to read incoming mail, which should help.
9261 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9262 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
9263 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
9264 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
9265 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
9266 This might be too much, if, for instance, you are reading mail quite
9267 happily with @code{nnml} and just want to peek at some old @sc{rmail}
9268 file you have stashed away with @code{nnbabyl}. All backends have
9269 variables called backend-@code{get-new-mail}. If you want to disable
9270 the @code{nnbabyl} mail reading, you edit the virtual server for the
9271 group to have a setting where @code{nnbabyl-get-new-mail} to @code{nil}.
9273 All the mail backends will call @code{nn}*@code{-prepare-save-mail-hook}
9274 narrowed to the article to be saved before saving it when reading
9278 @node Choosing a Mail Backend
9279 @subsection Choosing a Mail Backend
9281 Gnus will read the mail spool when you activate a mail group. The mail
9282 file is first copied to your home directory. What happens after that
9283 depends on what format you want to store your mail in.
9286 * Unix Mail Box:: Using the (quite) standard Un*x mbox.
9287 * Rmail Babyl:: Emacs programs use the rmail babyl format.
9288 * Mail Spool:: Store your mail in a private spool?
9289 * MH Spool:: An mhspool-like backend.
9290 * Mail Folders:: Having one file for each group.
9295 @subsubsection Unix Mail Box
9297 @cindex unix mail box
9299 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
9300 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
9301 The @dfn{nnmbox} backend will use the standard Un*x mbox file to store
9302 mail. @code{nnmbox} will add extra headers to each mail article to say
9303 which group it belongs in.
9305 Virtual server settings:
9308 @item nnmbox-mbox-file
9309 @vindex nnmbox-mbox-file
9310 The name of the mail box in the user's home directory.
9312 @item nnmbox-active-file
9313 @vindex nnmbox-active-file
9314 The name of the active file for the mail box.
9316 @item nnmbox-get-new-mail
9317 @vindex nnmbox-get-new-mail
9318 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmbox} will read incoming mail and split it
9324 @subsubsection Rmail Babyl
9328 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
9329 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
9330 The @dfn{nnbabyl} backend will use a babyl mail box (aka. @dfn{rmail
9331 mbox}) to store mail. @code{nnbabyl} will add extra headers to each mail
9332 article to say which group it belongs in.
9334 Virtual server settings:
9337 @item nnbabyl-mbox-file
9338 @vindex nnbabyl-mbox-file
9339 The name of the rmail mbox file.
9341 @item nnbabyl-active-file
9342 @vindex nnbabyl-active-file
9343 The name of the active file for the rmail box.
9345 @item nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9346 @vindex nnbabyl-get-new-mail
9347 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnbabyl} will read incoming mail.
9352 @subsubsection Mail Spool
9354 @cindex mail @sc{nov} spool
9356 The @dfn{nnml} spool mail format isn't compatible with any other known
9357 format. It should be used with some caution.
9359 @vindex nnml-directory
9360 If you use this backend, Gnus will split all incoming mail into files;
9361 one file for each mail, and put the articles into the correct
9362 directories under the directory specified by the @code{nnml-directory}
9363 variable. The default value is @file{~/Mail/}.
9365 You do not have to create any directories beforehand; Gnus will take
9368 If you have a strict limit as to how many files you are allowed to store
9369 in your account, you should not use this backend. As each mail gets its
9370 own file, you might very well occupy thousands of inodes within a few
9371 weeks. If this is no problem for you, and it isn't a problem for you
9372 having your friendly systems administrator walking around, madly,
9373 shouting ``Who is eating all my inodes?! Who? Who!?!'', then you should
9374 know that this is probably the fastest format to use. You do not have
9375 to trudge through a big mbox file just to read your new mail.
9377 @code{nnml} is probably the slowest backend when it comes to article
9378 splitting. It has to create lots of files, and it also generates
9379 @sc{nov} databases for the incoming mails. This makes is the fastest
9380 backend when it comes to reading mail.
9382 Virtual server settings:
9385 @item nnml-directory
9386 @vindex nnml-directory
9387 All @code{nnml} directories will be placed under this directory.
9389 @item nnml-active-file
9390 @vindex nnml-active-file
9391 The active file for the @code{nnml} server.
9393 @item nnml-newsgroups-file
9394 @vindex nnml-newsgroups-file
9395 The @code{nnml} group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File
9398 @item nnml-get-new-mail
9399 @vindex nnml-get-new-mail
9400 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnml} will read incoming mail.
9402 @item nnml-nov-is-evil
9403 @vindex nnml-nov-is-evil
9404 If non-@code{nil}, this backend will ignore any @sc{nov} files.
9406 @item nnml-nov-file-name
9407 @vindex nnml-nov-file-name
9408 The name of the @sc{nov} files. The default is @file{.overview}.
9410 @item nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
9411 @vindex nnml-prepare-save-mail-hook
9412 Hook run narrowed to an article before saving.
9416 @findex nnml-generate-nov-databases
9417 If your @code{nnml} groups and @sc{nov} files get totally out of whack,
9418 you can do a complete update by typing @kbd{M-x
9419 nnml-generate-nov-databases}. This command will trawl through the
9420 entire @code{nnml} hierarchy, looking at each and every article, so it
9421 might take a while to complete. A better interface to this
9422 functionality can be found in the server buffer (@pxref{Server
9427 @subsubsection MH Spool
9429 @cindex mh-e mail spool
9431 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, except that is doesn't generate
9432 @sc{nov} databases and it doesn't keep an active file. This makes
9433 @code{nnmh} a @emph{much} slower backend than @code{nnml}, but it also
9434 makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.
9436 Virtual server settings:
9439 @item nnmh-directory
9440 @vindex nnmh-directory
9441 All @code{nnmh} directories will be located under this directory.
9443 @item nnmh-get-new-mail
9444 @vindex nnmh-get-new-mail
9445 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will read incoming mail.
9448 @vindex nnmh-be-safe
9449 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnmh} will go to ridiculous lengths to make
9450 sure that the articles in the folder are actually what Gnus thinks they
9451 are. It will check date stamps and stat everything in sight, so
9452 setting this to @code{t} will mean a serious slow-down. If you never
9453 use anything but Gnus to read the @code{nnmh} articles, you do not have
9454 to set this variable to @code{t}.
9459 @subsubsection Mail Folders
9461 @cindex mbox folders
9462 @cindex mail folders
9464 @code{nnfolder} is a backend for storing each mail group in a separate
9465 file. Each file is in the standard Un*x mbox format. @code{nnfolder}
9466 will add extra headers to keep track of article numbers and arrival
9469 Virtual server settings:
9472 @item nnfolder-directory
9473 @vindex nnfolder-directory
9474 All the @code{nnfolder} mail boxes will be stored under this directory.
9476 @item nnfolder-active-file
9477 @vindex nnfolder-active-file
9478 The name of the active file.
9480 @item nnfolder-newsgroups-file
9481 @vindex nnfolder-newsgroups-file
9482 The name of the group descriptions file. @xref{Newsgroups File Format}.
9484 @item nnfolder-get-new-mail
9485 @vindex nnfolder-get-new-mail
9486 If non-@code{nil}, @code{nnfolder} will read incoming mail.
9489 @findex nnfolder-generate-active-file
9490 @kindex M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file
9491 If you have lots of @code{nnfolder}-like files you'd like to read with
9492 @code{nnfolder}, you can use the @kbd{M-x nnfolder-generate-active-file}
9493 command to make @code{nnfolder} aware of all likely files in
9494 @code{nnfolder-directory}.
9498 @section Other Sources
9500 Gnus can do more than just read news or mail. The methods described
9501 below allow Gnus to view directories and files as if they were
9505 * Directory Groups:: You can read a directory as if it was a newsgroup.
9506 * Anything Groups:: Dired? Who needs dired?
9507 * Document Groups:: Single files can be the basis of a group.
9508 * SOUP:: Reading @sc{SOUP} packets ``offline''.
9509 * Web Searches:: Creating groups from articles that match a string.
9510 * Mail-To-News Gateways:: Posting articles via mail-to-news gateways.
9514 @node Directory Groups
9515 @subsection Directory Groups
9517 @cindex directory groups
9519 If you have a directory that has lots of articles in separate files in
9520 it, you might treat it as a newsgroup. The files have to have numerical
9523 This might be an opportune moment to mention @code{ange-ftp}, that most
9524 wonderful of all wonderful Emacs packages. When I wrote @code{nndir}, I
9525 didn't think much about it---a backend to read directories. Big deal.
9527 @code{ange-ftp} changes that picture dramatically. For instance, if you
9528 enter the @code{ange-ftp} file name
9529 @file{/ftp.hpc.uh.edu:/pub/emacs/ding-list/} as the the directory name,
9530 @code{ange-ftp} will actually allow you to read this directory over at
9531 @samp{sina} as a newsgroup. Distributed news ahoy!
9533 @code{nndir} will use @sc{nov} files if they are present.
9535 @code{nndir} is a ``read-only'' backend---you can't delete or expire
9536 articles with this method. You can use @code{nnmh} or @code{nnml} for
9537 whatever you use @code{nndir} for, so you could switch to any of those
9538 methods if you feel the need to have a non-read-only @code{nndir}.
9541 @node Anything Groups
9542 @subsection Anything Groups
9545 From the @code{nndir} backend (which reads a single spool-like
9546 directory), it's just a hop and a skip to @code{nneething}, which
9547 pretends that any arbitrary directory is a newsgroup. Strange, but
9550 When @code{nneething} is presented with a directory, it will scan this
9551 directory and assign article numbers to each file. When you enter such
9552 a group, @code{nneething} must create ``headers'' that Gnus can use.
9553 After all, Gnus is a newsreader, in case you're
9554 forgetting. @code{nneething} does this in a two-step process. First, it
9555 snoops each file in question. If the file looks like an article (i.e.,
9556 the first few lines look like headers), it will use this as the head.
9557 If this is just some arbitrary file without a head (e.g. a C source
9558 file), @code{nneething} will cobble up a header out of thin air. It
9559 will use file ownership, name and date and do whatever it can with these
9562 All this should happen automatically for you, and you will be presented
9563 with something that looks very much like a newsgroup. Totally like a
9564 newsgroup, to be precise. If you select an article, it will be displayed
9565 in the article buffer, just as usual.
9567 If you select a line that represents a directory, Gnus will pop you into
9568 a new summary buffer for this @code{nneething} group. And so on. You can
9569 traverse the entire disk this way, if you feel like, but remember that
9570 Gnus is not dired, really, and does not intend to be, either.
9572 There are two overall modes to this action---ephemeral or solid. When
9573 doing the ephemeral thing (i.e., @kbd{G D} from the group buffer), Gnus
9574 will not store information on what files you have read, and what files
9575 are new, and so on. If you create a solid @code{nneething} group the
9576 normal way with @kbd{G m}, Gnus will store a mapping table between
9577 article numbers and file names, and you can treat this group like any
9578 other groups. When you activate a solid @code{nneething} group, you will
9579 be told how many unread articles it contains, etc., etc.
9584 @item nneething-map-file-directory
9585 @vindex nneething-map-file-directory
9586 All the mapping files for solid @code{nneething} groups will be stored
9587 in this directory, which defaults to @file{~/.nneething/}.
9589 @item nneething-exclude-files
9590 @vindex nneething-exclude-files
9591 All files that match this regexp will be ignored. Nice to use to exclude
9592 auto-save files and the like, which is what it does by default.
9594 @item nneething-map-file
9595 @vindex nneething-map-file
9596 Name of the map files.
9600 @node Document Groups
9601 @subsection Document Groups
9603 @cindex documentation group
9606 @code{nndoc} is a cute little thing that will let you read a single file
9607 as a newsgroup. Several files types are supported:
9614 The babyl (rmail) mail box.
9619 The standard Unix mbox file.
9621 @cindex MMDF mail box
9623 The MMDF mail box format.
9626 Several news articles appended into a file.
9629 @cindex rnews batch files
9630 The rnews batch transport format.
9631 @cindex forwarded messages
9640 @cindex RFC 1153 digest
9641 @cindex RFC 341 digest
9642 MIME (RFC 1341) digest format.
9644 @item standard-digest
9645 The standard (RFC 1153) digest format.
9648 Non-standard digest format---matches most things, but does it badly.
9651 You can also use the special ``file type'' @code{guess}, which means
9652 that @code{nndoc} will try to guess what file type it is looking at.
9653 @code{digest} means that @code{nndoc} should guess what digest type the
9656 @code{nndoc} will not try to change the file or insert any extra headers into
9657 it---it will simply, like, let you use the file as the basis for a
9658 group. And that's it.
9660 If you have some old archived articles that you want to insert into your
9661 new & spiffy Gnus mail backend, @code{nndoc} can probably help you with
9662 that. Say you have an old @file{RMAIL} file with mail that you now want
9663 to split into your new @code{nnml} groups. You look at that file using
9664 @code{nndoc} (using the @kbd{G f} command in the group buffer
9665 (@pxref{Foreign Groups})), set the process mark on all the articles in
9666 the buffer (@kbd{M P b}, for instance), and then re-spool (@kbd{B r})
9667 using @code{nnml}. If all goes well, all the mail in the @file{RMAIL}
9668 file is now also stored in lots of @code{nnml} directories, and you can
9669 delete that pesky @file{RMAIL} file. If you have the guts!
9671 Virtual server variables:
9674 @item nndoc-article-type
9675 @vindex nndoc-article-type
9676 This should be one of @code{mbox}, @code{babyl}, @code{digest},
9677 @code{mmdf}, @code{forward}, @code{news}, @code{rnews},
9678 @code{mime-digest}, @code{clari-briefs}, or @code{guess}.
9680 @item nndoc-post-type
9681 @vindex nndoc-post-type
9682 This variable says whether Gnus is to consider the group a news group or
9683 a mail group. There are two legal values: @code{mail} (the default)
9688 * Document Server Internals:: How to add your own document types.
9692 @node Document Server Internals
9693 @subsubsection Document Server Internals
9695 Adding new document types to be recognized by @code{nndoc} isn't
9696 difficult. You just have to whip up a definition of what the document
9697 looks like, write a predicate function to recognize that document type,
9698 and then hook into @code{nndoc}.
9700 First, here's an example document type definition:
9704 (article-begin . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n")
9705 (body-end . "^\^A\^A\^A\^A\n"))
9708 The definition is simply a unique @dfn{name} followed by a series of
9709 regexp pseudo-variable settings. Below are the possible
9710 variables---don't be daunted by the number of variables; most document
9711 types can be defined with very few settings:
9715 If present, @code{nndoc} will skip past all text until it finds
9716 something that match this regexp. All text before this will be
9720 This setting has to be present in all document type definitions. It
9721 says what the beginning of each article looks like.
9723 @item head-begin-function
9724 If present, this should be a function that moves point to the head of
9727 @item nndoc-head-begin
9728 If present, this should be a regexp that matches the head of the
9731 @item nndoc-head-end
9732 This should match the end of the head of the article. It defaults to
9733 @samp{^$}---the empty line.
9735 @item body-begin-function
9736 If present, this function should move point to the beginning of the body
9740 This should match the beginning of the body of the article. It defaults
9743 @item body-end-function
9744 If present, this function should move point to the end of the body of
9748 If present, this should match the end of the body of the article.
9750 @item nndoc-file-end
9751 If present, this should match the end of the file. All text after this
9752 regexp will be totally ignored.
9756 So, using these variables @code{nndoc} is able to dissect a document
9757 file into a series of articles, each with a head and a body. However, a
9758 few more variables are needed since not all document types are all that
9759 news-like---variables needed to transform the head or the body into
9760 something that's palatable for Gnus:
9763 @item prepare-body-function
9764 If present, this function will be called when requesting an article. It
9765 will be called with point at the start of the body, and is useful if the
9766 document has encoded some parts of its contents.
9768 @item article-transform-function
9769 If present, this function is called when requesting an article. It's
9770 meant to be used how more wide-ranging transformation of both head and
9771 body of the article.
9773 @item generate-head-function
9774 If present, this function is called to generate a head that Gnus can
9775 understand. It is called with the article number as a parameter, and is
9776 expected to generate a nice head for the article in question. It is
9777 called when requesting the headers of all articles.
9781 Let's look at the most complicated example I can come up with---standard
9786 (first-article . ,(concat "^" (make-string 70 ?-) "\n\n+"))
9787 (article-begin . ,(concat "\n\n" (make-string 30 ?-) "\n\n+"))
9788 (prepare-body-function . nndoc-unquote-dashes)
9789 (body-end-function . nndoc-digest-body-end)
9791 (body-begin . "^ ?\n")
9792 (file-end . "^End of .*digest.*[0-9].*\n\\*\\*\\|^End of.*Digest *$")
9793 (subtype digest guess))
9796 We see that all text before a 70-width line of dashes is ignored; all
9797 text after a line that starts with that @samp{^End of} is also ignored;
9798 each article begins with a 30-width line of dashes; the line separating
9799 the head from the body may contain a single space; and that the body is
9800 run through @code{nndoc-unquote-dashes} before being delivered.
9802 To hook your own document definition into @code{nndoc}, use the
9803 @code{nndoc-add-type} function. It takes two parameters---the first is
9804 the definition itself and the second (optional) parameter says where in
9805 the document type definition alist to put this definition. The alist is
9806 traversed sequentially, and @code{nndoc-TYPE-type-p} is called for each
9807 type. So @code{nndoc-mmdf-type-p} is called to see whether a document
9808 is of @code{mmdf} type, and so on. These type predicates should return
9809 @code{nil} if the document is not of the correct type; @code{t} if it is
9810 of the correct type; and a number if the document might be of the
9811 correct type. A high number means high probability; a low number means
9812 low probability with @samp{0} being the lowest legal number.
9820 In the PC world people often talk about ``offline'' newsreaders. These
9821 are thingies that are combined reader/news transport monstrosities.
9822 With built-in modem programs. Yecchh!
9824 Of course, us Unix Weenie types of human beans use things like
9825 @code{uucp} and, like, @code{nntpd} and set up proper news and mail
9826 transport things like Ghod intended. And then we just use normal
9829 However, it can sometimes be convenient to do something a that's a bit
9830 easier on the brain if you have a very slow modem, and you're not really
9831 that interested in doing things properly.
9833 A file format called @sc{soup} has been developed for transporting news
9834 and mail from servers to home machines and back again. It can be a bit
9837 First some terminology:
9842 This is the machine that is connected to the outside world and where you
9843 get news and/or mail from.
9846 This is the machine that you want to do the actual reading and responding
9847 on. It is typically not connected to the rest of the world in any way.
9850 Something that contains messages and/or commands. There are two kinds
9854 @item message packets
9855 These are packets made at the server, and typically contains lots of
9856 messages for you to read. These are called @file{SoupoutX.tgz} by
9857 default, where @var{X} is a number.
9859 @item response packets
9860 These are packets made at the home machine, and typically contains
9861 replies that you've written. These are called @file{SoupinX.tgz} by
9862 default, where @var{X} is a number.
9872 You log in on the server and create a @sc{soup} packet. You can either
9873 use a dedicated @sc{soup} thingie (like the @code{awk} program), or you
9874 can use Gnus to create the packet with its @sc{soup} commands (@kbd{O
9875 s} and/or @kbd{G s b}; and then @kbd{G s p}) (@pxref{SOUP Commands}).
9878 You transfer the packet home. Rail, boat, car or modem will do fine.
9881 You put the packet in your home directory.
9884 You fire up Gnus on your home machine using the @code{nnsoup} backend as
9885 the native or secondary server.
9888 You read articles and mail and answer and followup to the things you
9889 want (@pxref{SOUP Replies}).
9892 You do the @kbd{G s r} command to pack these replies into a @sc{soup}
9896 You transfer this packet to the server.
9899 You use Gnus to mail this packet out with the @kbd{G s s} command.
9902 You then repeat until you die.
9906 So you basically have a bipartite system---you use @code{nnsoup} for
9907 reading and Gnus for packing/sending these @sc{soup} packets.
9910 * SOUP Commands:: Commands for creating and sending @sc{soup} packets
9911 * SOUP Groups:: A backend for reading @sc{soup} packets.
9912 * SOUP Replies:: How to enable @code{nnsoup} to take over mail and news.
9917 @subsubsection SOUP Commands
9919 These are commands for creating and manipulating @sc{soup} packets.
9923 @kindex G s b (Group)
9924 @findex gnus-group-brew-soup
9925 Pack all unread articles in the current group
9926 (@code{gnus-group-brew-soup}). This command understands the
9927 process/prefix convention.
9930 @kindex G s w (Group)
9931 @findex gnus-soup-save-areas
9932 Save all @sc{soup} data files (@code{gnus-soup-save-areas}).
9935 @kindex G s s (Group)
9936 @findex gnus-soup-send-replies
9937 Send all replies from the replies packet
9938 (@code{gnus-soup-send-replies}).
9941 @kindex G s p (Group)
9942 @findex gnus-soup-pack-packet
9943 Pack all files into a @sc{soup} packet (@code{gnus-soup-pack-packet}).
9946 @kindex G s r (Group)
9947 @findex nnsoup-pack-replies
9948 Pack all replies into a replies packet (@code{nnsoup-pack-replies}).
9951 @kindex O s (Summary)
9952 @findex gnus-soup-add-article
9953 This summary-mode command adds the current article to a @sc{soup} packet
9954 (@code{gnus-soup-add-article}). It understands the process/prefix
9955 convention (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
9960 There are a few variables to customize where Gnus will put all these
9965 @item gnus-soup-directory
9966 @vindex gnus-soup-directory
9967 Directory where Gnus will save intermediate files while composing
9968 @sc{soup} packets. The default is @file{~/SoupBrew/}.
9970 @item gnus-soup-replies-directory
9971 @vindex gnus-soup-replies-directory
9972 This is what Gnus will use as a temporary directory while sending our
9973 reply packets. @file{~/SoupBrew/SoupReplies/} is the default.
9975 @item gnus-soup-prefix-file
9976 @vindex gnus-soup-prefix-file
9977 Name of the file where Gnus stores the last used prefix. The default is
9980 @item gnus-soup-packer
9981 @vindex gnus-soup-packer
9982 A format string command for packing a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
9983 @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupout%d.tgz}.
9985 @item gnus-soup-unpacker
9986 @vindex gnus-soup-unpacker
9987 Format string command for unpacking a @sc{soup} packet. The default is
9988 @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
9990 @item gnus-soup-packet-directory
9991 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-directory
9992 Where Gnus will look for reply packets. The default is @file{~/}.
9994 @item gnus-soup-packet-regexp
9995 @vindex gnus-soup-packet-regexp
9996 Regular expression matching @sc{soup} reply packets in
9997 @code{gnus-soup-packet-directory}.
10003 @subsubsection @sc{soup} Groups
10006 @code{nnsoup} is the backend for reading @sc{soup} packets. It will
10007 read incoming packets, unpack them, and put them in a directory where
10008 you can read them at leisure.
10010 These are the variables you can use to customize its behavior:
10014 @item nnsoup-tmp-directory
10015 @vindex nnsoup-tmp-directory
10016 When @code{nnsoup} unpacks a @sc{soup} packet, it does it in this
10017 directory. (@file{/tmp/} by default.)
10019 @item nnsoup-directory
10020 @vindex nnsoup-directory
10021 @code{nnsoup} then moves each message and index file to this directory.
10022 The default is @file{~/SOUP/}.
10024 @item nnsoup-replies-directory
10025 @vindex nnsoup-replies-directory
10026 All replies will stored in this directory before being packed into a
10027 reply packet. The default is @file{~/SOUP/replies/"}.
10029 @item nnsoup-replies-format-type
10030 @vindex nnsoup-replies-format-type
10031 The @sc{soup} format of the replies packets. The default is @samp{?n}
10032 (rnews), and I don't think you should touch that variable. I probably
10033 shouldn't even have documented it. Drats! Too late!
10035 @item nnsoup-replies-index-type
10036 @vindex nnsoup-replies-index-type
10037 The index type of the replies packet. The is @samp{?n}, which means
10038 ``none''. Don't fiddle with this one either!
10040 @item nnsoup-active-file
10041 @vindex nnsoup-active-file
10042 Where @code{nnsoup} stores lots of information. This is not an ``active
10043 file'' in the @code{nntp} sense; it's an Emacs Lisp file. If you lose
10044 this file or mess it up in any way, you're dead. The default is
10045 @file{~/SOUP/active}.
10047 @item nnsoup-packer
10048 @vindex nnsoup-packer
10049 Format string command for packing a reply @sc{soup} packet. The default
10050 is @samp{tar cf - %s | gzip > $HOME/Soupin%d.tgz}.
10052 @item nnsoup-unpacker
10053 @vindex nnsoup-unpacker
10054 Format string command for unpacking incoming @sc{soup} packets. The
10055 default is @samp{gunzip -c %s | tar xvf -}.
10057 @item nnsoup-packet-directory
10058 @vindex nnsoup-packet-directory
10059 Where @code{nnsoup} will look for incoming packets. The default is
10062 @item nnsoup-packet-regexp
10063 @vindex nnsoup-packet-regexp
10064 Regular expression matching incoming @sc{soup} packets. The default is
10071 @subsubsection SOUP Replies
10073 Just using @code{nnsoup} won't mean that your postings and mailings end
10074 up in @sc{soup} reply packets automagically. You have to work a bit
10075 more for that to happen.
10077 @findex nnsoup-set-variables
10078 The @code{nnsoup-set-variables} command will set the appropriate
10079 variables to ensure that all your followups and replies end up in the
10082 In specific, this is what it does:
10085 (setq message-send-news-function 'nnsoup-request-post)
10086 (setq message-send-mail-function 'nnsoup-request-mail)
10089 And that's it, really. If you only want news to go into the @sc{soup}
10090 system you just use the first line. If you only want mail to be
10091 @sc{soup}ed you use the second.
10095 @subsection Web Searches
10099 @cindex InReference
10100 @cindex Usenet searches
10101 @cindex searching the Usenet
10103 It's, like, too neat to search the Usenet for articles that match a
10104 string, but it, like, totally @emph{sucks}, like, totally, to use one of
10105 those, like, Web browsers, and you, like, have to, rilly, like, look at
10106 the commercials, so, like, with Gnus you can do @emph{rad}, rilly,
10107 searches without having to use a browser.
10109 The @code{nnweb} backend allows an easy interface to the mighty search
10110 engine. You create an @code{nnweb} group, enter a search pattern, and
10111 then enter the group and read the articles like you would any normal
10112 group. The @kbd{G w} command in the group buffer (@pxref{Foreign
10113 Groups}) will do this in an easy-to-use fashion.
10115 @code{nnweb} groups don't really lend themselves to being solid
10116 groups---they have a very fleeting idea of article numbers. In fact,
10117 each time you enter an @code{nnweb} group (not even changing the search
10118 pattern), you are likely to get the articles ordered in a different
10119 manner. Not even using duplicate suppression (@code{Duplicate
10120 Suppression}) will help, since @code{nnweb} doesn't even know the
10121 @code{Message-ID} of the articles before reading them using some search
10122 engines (DejaNews, for instance). The only possible way to keep track
10123 of which articles you've read is by scoring on the @code{Date}
10124 header---mark all articles that were posted before the last date you
10125 read the group as read.
10127 If the search engine changes its output substantially, @code{nnweb}
10128 won't be able to parse it and will fail. One could hardly fault the Web
10129 providers if they were to do this---their @emph{raison d'être} is to
10130 make money off of advertisements, not to provide services to the
10131 community. Since @code{nnweb} washes the ads off all the articles, one
10132 might think that the providers might be somewhat miffed. We'll see.
10134 You must have the @code{url} and @code{w3} package installed to be able
10135 to use @code{nnweb}.
10137 Virtual server variables:
10142 What search engine type is being used. The currently supported types
10143 are @code{dejanews}, @code{altavista} and @code{reference}.
10146 @vindex nnweb-search
10147 The search string to feed to the search engine.
10149 @item nnweb-max-hits
10150 @vindex nnweb-max-hits
10151 Advisory maximum number of hits per search to display. The default is
10154 @item nnweb-type-definition
10155 @vindex nnweb-type-definition
10156 Type-to-definition alist. This alist says what @code{nnweb} should do
10157 with the various search engine types. The following elements must be
10162 Function to decode the article and provide something that Gnus
10166 Function to create an article number to message header and URL alist.
10169 Function to send the search string to the search engine.
10172 The address the aforementioned function should send the search string
10176 Format string URL to fetch an article by @code{Message-ID}.
10183 @node Mail-To-News Gateways
10184 @subsection Mail-To-News Gateways
10185 @cindex mail-to-news gateways
10188 If your local @code{nntp} server doesn't allow posting, for some reason
10189 or other, you can post using one of the numerous mail-to-news gateways.
10190 The @code{nngateway} backend provides the interface.
10192 Note that you can't read anything from this backend---it can only be
10198 @item nngateway-address
10199 @vindex nngateway-address
10200 This is the address of the mail-to-news gateway.
10202 @item nngateway-header-transformation
10203 @vindex nngateway-header-transformation
10204 News headers have often have to be transformed in some odd way or other
10205 for the mail-to-news gateway to accept it. This variable says what
10206 transformation should be called, and defaults to
10207 @code{nngateway-simple-header-transformation}. The function is called
10208 narrowed to the headers to be transformed and with one parameter---the
10211 This default function just inserts a new @code{To} header based on the
10212 @code{Newsgroups} header and the gateway address---an article with this
10213 @code{Newsgroups} header:
10216 Newsgroups: alt.religion.emacs
10219 will get this @code{From} header inserted:
10222 To: alt-religion-emacs@@GATEWAY
10227 So, to use this, simply say something like:
10230 (setq gnus-post-method '(nngateway "GATEWAY.ADDRESS"))
10234 @node Combined Groups
10235 @section Combined Groups
10237 Gnus allows combining a mixture of all the other group types into bigger
10241 * Virtual Groups:: Combining articles from many groups.
10242 * Kibozed Groups:: Looking through parts of the newsfeed for articles.
10246 @node Virtual Groups
10247 @subsection Virtual Groups
10249 @cindex virtual groups
10251 An @dfn{nnvirtual group} is really nothing more than a collection of
10254 For instance, if you are tired of reading many small group, you can
10255 put them all in one big group, and then grow tired of reading one
10256 big, unwieldy group. The joys of computing!
10258 You specify @code{nnvirtual} as the method. The address should be a
10259 regexp to match component groups.
10261 All marks in the virtual group will stick to the articles in the
10262 component groups. So if you tick an article in a virtual group, the
10263 article will also be ticked in the component group from whence it came.
10264 (And vice versa---marks from the component groups will also be shown in
10265 the virtual group.)
10267 Here's an example @code{nnvirtual} method that collects all Andrea Dworkin
10268 newsgroups into one, big, happy newsgroup:
10271 (nnvirtual "^alt\\.fan\\.andrea-dworkin$\\|^rec\\.dworkin.*")
10274 The component groups can be native or foreign; everything should work
10275 smoothly, but if your computer explodes, it was probably my fault.
10277 Collecting the same group from several servers might actually be a good
10278 idea if users have set the Distribution header to limit distribution.
10279 If you would like to read @samp{soc.motss} both from a server in Japan
10280 and a server in Norway, you could use the following as the group regexp:
10283 "^nntp+some.server.jp:soc.motss$\\|^nntp+some.server.no:soc.motss$"
10286 This should work kinda smoothly---all articles from both groups should
10287 end up in this one, and there should be no duplicates. Threading (and
10288 the rest) will still work as usual, but there might be problems with the
10289 sequence of articles. Sorting on date might be an option here
10290 (@pxref{Selecting a Group}.
10292 One limitation, however---all groups that are included in a virtual
10293 group has to be alive (i.e., subscribed or unsubscribed). Killed or
10294 zombie groups can't be component groups for @code{nnvirtual} groups.
10296 @vindex nnvirtual-always-rescan
10297 If the @code{nnvirtual-always-rescan} is non-@code{nil},
10298 @code{nnvirtual} will always scan groups for unread articles when
10299 entering a virtual group. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
10300 default) and you read articles in a component group after the virtual
10301 group has been activated, the read articles from the component group
10302 will show up when you enter the virtual group. You'll also see this
10303 effect if you have two virtual groups that contain the same component
10304 group. If that's the case, you should set this variable to @code{t}.
10305 Or you can just tap @code{M-g} on the virtual group every time before
10306 you enter it---it'll have much the same effect.
10309 @node Kibozed Groups
10310 @subsection Kibozed Groups
10314 @dfn{Kibozing} is defined by @sc{oed} as ``grepping through (parts of)
10315 the news feed''. @code{nnkiboze} is a backend that will do this for
10316 you. Oh joy! Now you can grind any @sc{nntp} server down to a halt
10317 with useless requests! Oh happiness!
10319 @kindex G k (Group)
10320 To create a kibozed group, use the @kbd{G k} command in the group
10323 The address field of the @code{nnkiboze} method is, as with
10324 @code{nnvirtual}, a regexp to match groups to be ``included'' in the
10325 @code{nnkiboze} group. There most similarities between @code{nnkiboze}
10326 and @code{nnvirtual} ends.
10328 In addition to this regexp detailing component groups, an @code{nnkiboze} group
10329 must have a score file to say what articles that are to be included in
10330 the group (@pxref{Scoring}).
10332 @kindex M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups
10333 @findex nnkiboze-generate-groups
10334 You must run @kbd{M-x nnkiboze-generate-groups} after creating the
10335 @code{nnkiboze} groups you want to have. This command will take time. Lots of
10336 time. Oodles and oodles of time. Gnus has to fetch the headers from
10337 all the articles in all the components groups and run them through the
10338 scoring process to determine if there are any articles in the groups
10339 that are to be part of the @code{nnkiboze} groups.
10341 Please limit the number of component groups by using restrictive
10342 regexps. Otherwise your sysadmin may become annoyed with you, and the
10343 @sc{nntp} site may throw you off and never let you back in again.
10344 Stranger things have happened.
10346 @code{nnkiboze} component groups do not have to be alive---they can be dead,
10347 and they can be foreign. No restrictions.
10349 @vindex nnkiboze-directory
10350 The generation of an @code{nnkiboze} group means writing two files in
10351 @code{nnkiboze-directory}, which is @file{~/News/} by default. One
10352 contains the @sc{nov} header lines for all the articles in the group,
10353 and the other is an additional @file{.newsrc} file to store information
10354 on what groups that have been searched through to find component
10357 Articles that are marked as read in the @code{nnkiboze} group will have their
10358 @sc{nov} lines removed from the @sc{nov} file.
10365 Other people use @dfn{kill files}, but we here at Gnus Towers like
10366 scoring better than killing, so we'd rather switch than fight. They do
10367 something completely different as well, so sit up straight and pay
10370 @vindex gnus-summary-mark-below
10371 All articles have a default score (@code{gnus-summary-default-score}),
10372 which is 0 by default. This score may be raised or lowered either
10373 interactively or by score files. Articles that have a score lower than
10374 @code{gnus-summary-mark-below} are marked as read.
10376 Gnus will read any @dfn{score files} that apply to the current group
10377 before generating the summary buffer.
10379 There are several commands in the summary buffer that insert score
10380 entries based on the current article. You can, for instance, ask Gnus to
10381 lower or increase the score of all articles with a certain subject.
10383 There are two sorts of scoring entries: Permanent and temporary.
10384 Temporary score entries are self-expiring entries. Any entries that are
10385 temporary and have not been used for, say, a week, will be removed
10386 silently to help keep the sizes of the score files down.
10389 * Summary Score Commands:: Adding score entries for the current group.
10390 * Group Score Commands:: General score commands.
10391 * Score Variables:: Customize your scoring. (My, what terminology).
10392 * Score File Format:: What a score file may contain.
10393 * Score File Editing:: You can edit score files by hand as well.
10394 * Adaptive Scoring:: Big Sister Gnus knows what you read.
10395 * Home Score File:: How to say where new score entries are to go.
10396 * Followups To Yourself:: Having Gnus notice when people answer you.
10397 * Scoring Tips:: How to score effectively.
10398 * Reverse Scoring:: That problem child of old is not problem.
10399 * Global Score Files:: Earth-spanning, ear-splitting score files.
10400 * Kill Files:: They are still here, but they can be ignored.
10401 * Converting Kill Files:: Translating kill files to score files.
10402 * GroupLens:: Getting predictions on what you like to read.
10403 * Advanced Scoring:: Using logical expressions to build score rules.
10404 * Score Decays:: It can be useful to let scores wither away.
10408 @node Summary Score Commands
10409 @section Summary Score Commands
10410 @cindex score commands
10412 The score commands that alter score entries do not actually modify real
10413 score files. That would be too inefficient. Gnus maintains a cache of
10414 previously loaded score files, one of which is considered the
10415 @dfn{current score file alist}. The score commands simply insert
10416 entries into this list, and upon group exit, this list is saved.
10418 The current score file is by default the group's local score file, even
10419 if no such score file actually exists. To insert score commands into
10420 some other score file (e.g. @file{all.SCORE}), you must first make this
10421 score file the current one.
10423 General score commands that don't actually change the score file:
10428 @kindex V s (Summary)
10429 @findex gnus-summary-set-score
10430 Set the score of the current article (@code{gnus-summary-set-score}).
10433 @kindex V S (Summary)
10434 @findex gnus-summary-current-score
10435 Display the score of the current article
10436 (@code{gnus-summary-current-score}).
10439 @kindex V t (Summary)
10440 @findex gnus-score-find-trace
10441 Display all score rules that have been used on the current article
10442 (@code{gnus-score-find-trace}).
10445 @kindex V R (Summary)
10446 @findex gnus-summary-rescore
10447 Run the current summary through the scoring process
10448 (@code{gnus-summary-rescore}). This might be useful if you're playing
10449 around with your score files behind Gnus' back and want to see the
10450 effect you're having.
10453 @kindex V a (Summary)
10454 @findex gnus-summary-score-entry
10455 Add a new score entry, and allow specifying all elements
10456 (@code{gnus-summary-score-entry}).
10459 @kindex V c (Summary)
10460 @findex gnus-score-change-score-file
10461 Make a different score file the current
10462 (@code{gnus-score-change-score-file}).
10465 @kindex V e (Summary)
10466 @findex gnus-score-edit-current-scores
10467 Edit the current score file (@code{gnus-score-edit-current-scores}).
10468 You will be popped into a @code{gnus-score-mode} buffer (@pxref{Score
10472 @kindex V f (Summary)
10473 @findex gnus-score-edit-file
10474 Edit a score file and make this score file the current one
10475 (@code{gnus-score-edit-file}).
10478 @kindex V F (Summary)
10479 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
10480 Flush the score cache (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}). This is useful
10481 after editing score files.
10484 @kindex V C (Summary)
10485 @findex gnus-score-customize
10486 Customize a score file in a visually pleasing manner
10487 (@code{gnus-score-customize}).
10490 @kindex I C-i (Summary)
10491 @findex gnus-summary-raise-score
10492 Increase the score of the current article
10493 (@code{gnus-summary-raise-score}).
10496 @kindex L C-l (Summary)
10497 @findex gnus-summary-lower-score
10498 Lower the score of the current article
10499 (@code{gnus-summary-lower-score}).
10502 The rest of these commands modify the local score file.
10507 @kindex V m (Summary)
10508 @findex gnus-score-set-mark-below
10509 Prompt for a score, and mark all articles with a score below this as
10510 read (@code{gnus-score-set-mark-below}).
10513 @kindex V x (Summary)
10514 @findex gnus-score-set-expunge-below
10515 Prompt for a score, and add a score rule to the current score file to
10516 expunge all articles below this score
10517 (@code{gnus-score-set-expunge-below}).
10520 The keystrokes for actually making score entries follow a very regular
10521 pattern, so there's no need to list all the commands. (Hundreds of
10526 The first key is either @kbd{I} (upper case i) for increasing the score
10527 or @kbd{L} for lowering the score.
10529 The second key says what header you want to score on. The following
10530 keys are available:
10534 Score on the author name.
10537 Score on the subject line.
10540 Score on the Xref line---i.e., the cross-posting line.
10543 Score on thread---the References line.
10549 Score on the number of lines.
10552 Score on the Message-ID.
10555 Score on followups.
10565 The third key is the match type. Which match types are legal depends on
10566 what headers you are scoring on.
10578 Substring matching.
10610 Greater than number.
10615 The fourth and final key says whether this is a temporary (i.e., expiring)
10616 score entry, or a permanent (i.e., non-expiring) score entry, or whether
10617 it is to be done immediately, without adding to the score file.
10621 Temporary score entry.
10624 Permanent score entry.
10627 Immediately scoring.
10632 So, let's say you want to increase the score on the current author with
10633 exact matching permanently: @kbd{I a e p}. If you want to lower the
10634 score based on the subject line, using substring matching, and make a
10635 temporary score entry: @kbd{L s s t}. Pretty easy.
10637 To make things a bit more complicated, there are shortcuts. If you use
10638 a capital letter on either the second or third keys, Gnus will use
10639 defaults for the remaining one or two keystrokes. The defaults are
10640 ``substring'' and ``temporary''. So @kbd{I A} is the same as @kbd{I a s
10641 t}, and @kbd{I a R} is the same as @kbd{I a r t}.
10643 @vindex gnus-score-mimic-keymap
10644 The @code{gnus-score-mimic-keymap} says whether these commands will
10645 pretend they are keymaps or not.
10648 @node Group Score Commands
10649 @section Group Score Commands
10650 @cindex group score commands
10652 There aren't many of these as yet, I'm afraid.
10657 @kindex W f (Group)
10658 @findex gnus-score-flush-cache
10659 Gnus maintains a cache of score alists to avoid having to reload them
10660 all the time. This command will flush the cache
10661 (@code{gnus-score-flush-cache}).
10666 @node Score Variables
10667 @section Score Variables
10668 @cindex score variables
10672 @item gnus-use-scoring
10673 @vindex gnus-use-scoring
10674 If @code{nil}, Gnus will not check for score files, and will not, in
10675 general, do any score-related work. This is @code{t} by default.
10677 @item gnus-kill-killed
10678 @vindex gnus-kill-killed
10679 If this variable is @code{nil}, Gnus will never apply score files to
10680 articles that have already been through the kill process. While this
10681 may save you lots of time, it also means that if you apply a kill file
10682 to a group, and then change the kill file and want to run it over you
10683 group again to kill more articles, it won't work. You have to set this
10684 variable to @code{t} to do that. (It is @code{t} by default.)
10686 @item gnus-kill-files-directory
10687 @vindex gnus-kill-files-directory
10688 All kill and score files will be stored in this directory, which is
10689 initialized from the @code{SAVEDIR} environment variable by default.
10690 This is @file{~/News/} by default.
10692 @item gnus-score-file-suffix
10693 @vindex gnus-score-file-suffix
10694 Suffix to add to the group name to arrive at the score file name
10695 (@samp{SCORE} by default.)
10697 @item gnus-score-uncacheable-files
10698 @vindex gnus-score-uncacheable-files
10699 @cindex score cache
10700 All score files are normally cached to avoid excessive re-loading of
10701 score files. However, if this might make you Emacs grow big and
10702 bloated, so this regexp can be used to weed out score files that are
10703 unlikely to be needed again. It would be a bad idea to deny caching of
10704 @file{all.SCORE}, while it might be a good idea to not cache
10705 @file{comp.infosystems.www.authoring.misc.ADAPT}. In fact, this
10706 variable is @samp{ADAPT$} by default, so no adaptive score files will
10709 @item gnus-save-score
10710 @vindex gnus-save-score
10711 If you have really complicated score files, and do lots of batch
10712 scoring, then you might set this variable to @code{t}. This will make
10713 Gnus save the scores into the @file{.newsrc.eld} file.
10715 @item gnus-score-interactive-default-score
10716 @vindex gnus-score-interactive-default-score
10717 Score used by all the interactive raise/lower commands to raise/lower
10718 score with. Default is 1000, which may seem excessive, but this is to
10719 ensure that the adaptive scoring scheme gets enough room to play with.
10720 We don't want the small changes from the adaptive scoring to overwrite
10721 manually entered data.
10723 @item gnus-summary-default-score
10724 @vindex gnus-summary-default-score
10725 Default score of an article, which is 0 by default.
10727 @item gnus-summary-expunge-below
10728 @vindex gnus-summary-expunge-below
10729 Don't display the summary lines of articles that have scores lower than
10730 this variable. This is @code{nil} by default, which means that no
10731 articles will be hidden.
10733 @item gnus-score-over-mark
10734 @vindex gnus-score-over-mark
10735 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score over the
10736 default. Default is @samp{+}.
10738 @item gnus-score-below-mark
10739 @vindex gnus-score-below-mark
10740 Mark (in the third column) used for articles with a score below the
10741 default. Default is @samp{-}.
10743 @item gnus-score-find-score-files-function
10744 @vindex gnus-score-find-score-files-function
10745 Function used to find score files for the current group. This function
10746 is called with the name of the group as the argument.
10748 Predefined functions available are:
10751 @item gnus-score-find-single
10752 @findex gnus-score-find-single
10753 Only apply the group's own score file.
10755 @item gnus-score-find-bnews
10756 @findex gnus-score-find-bnews
10757 Apply all score files that match, using bnews syntax. This is the
10758 default. If the current group is @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}, for instance,
10759 @file{all.emacs.all.SCORE}, @file{not.alt.all.SCORE} and
10760 @file{gnu.all.SCORE} would all apply. In short, the instances of
10761 @samp{all} in the score file names are translated into @samp{.*}, and
10762 then a regexp match is done.
10764 This means that if you have some score entries that you want to apply to
10765 all groups, then you put those entries in the @file{all.SCORE} file.
10767 The score files are applied in a semi-random order, although Gnus will
10768 try to apply the more general score files before the more specific score
10769 files. It does this by looking at the number of elements in the score
10770 file names---discarding the @samp{all} elements.
10772 @item gnus-score-find-hierarchical
10773 @findex gnus-score-find-hierarchical
10774 Apply all score files from all the parent groups. This means that you
10775 can't have score files like @file{all.SCORE}, but you can have
10776 @file{SCORE}, @file{comp.SCORE} and @file{comp.emacs.SCORE}.
10779 This variable can also be a list of functions. In that case, all these
10780 functions will be called, and all the returned lists of score files will
10781 be applied. These functions can also return lists of score alists
10782 directly. In that case, the functions that return these non-file score
10783 alists should probably be placed before the ``real'' score file
10784 functions, to ensure that the last score file returned is the local
10787 @item gnus-score-expiry-days
10788 @vindex gnus-score-expiry-days
10789 This variable says how many days should pass before an unused score file
10790 entry is expired. If this variable is @code{nil}, no score file entries
10791 are expired. It's 7 by default.
10793 @item gnus-update-score-entry-dates
10794 @vindex gnus-update-score-entry-dates
10795 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, matching score entries will have
10796 their dates updated. (This is how Gnus controls expiry---all
10797 non-matching entries will become too old while matching entries will
10798 stay fresh and young.) However, if you set this variable to @code{nil},
10799 even matching entries will grow old and will have to face that oh-so
10802 @item gnus-score-after-write-file-function
10803 @vindex gnus-score-after-write-file-function
10804 Function called with the name of the score file just written.
10809 @node Score File Format
10810 @section Score File Format
10811 @cindex score file format
10813 A score file is an @code{emacs-lisp} file that normally contains just a
10814 single form. Casual users are not expected to edit these files;
10815 everything can be changed from the summary buffer.
10817 Anyway, if you'd like to dig into it yourself, here's an example:
10821 ("Lars Ingebrigtsen" -10000)
10823 ("larsi\\|lmi" -50000 nil R))
10825 ("Ding is Badd" nil 728373))
10827 ("alt.politics" -1000 728372 s))
10832 (mark-and-expunge -10)
10836 (files "/hom/larsi/News/gnu.SCORE")
10837 (exclude-files "all.SCORE")
10838 (local (gnus-newsgroup-auto-expire t)
10839 (gnus-summary-make-false-root 'empty))
10843 This example demonstrates absolutely everything about a score file.
10845 Even though this looks much like lisp code, nothing here is actually
10846 @code{eval}ed. The lisp reader is used to read this form, though, so it
10847 has to be legal syntactically, if not semantically.
10849 Six keys are supported by this alist:
10854 If the key is a string, it is the name of the header to perform the
10855 match on. Scoring can only be performed on these eight headers:
10856 @code{From}, @code{Subject}, @code{References}, @code{Message-ID},
10857 @code{Xref}, @code{Lines}, @code{Chars} and @code{Date}. In addition to
10858 these headers, there are three strings to tell Gnus to fetch the entire
10859 article and do the match on larger parts of the article: @code{Body}
10860 will perform the match on the body of the article, @code{Head} will
10861 perform the match on the head of the article, and @code{All} will
10862 perform the match on the entire article. Note that using any of these
10863 last three keys will slow down group entry @emph{considerably}. The
10864 final ``header'' you can score on is @code{Followup}. These score
10865 entries will result in new score entries being added for all follow-ups
10866 to articles that matches these score entries.
10868 Following this key is a arbitrary number of score entries, where each
10869 score entry has one to four elements.
10873 The first element is the @dfn{match element}. On most headers this will
10874 be a string, but on the Lines and Chars headers, this must be an
10878 If the second element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{score
10879 element}. This number should be an integer in the neginf to posinf
10880 interval. This number is added to the score of the article if the match
10881 is successful. If this element is not present, the
10882 @code{gnus-score-interactive-default-score} number will be used
10883 instead. This is 1000 by default.
10886 If the third element is present, it should be a number---the @dfn{date
10887 element}. This date says when the last time this score entry matched,
10888 which provides a mechanism for expiring the score entries. It this
10889 element is not present, the score entry is permanent. The date is
10890 represented by the number of days since December 31, 1 ce.
10893 If the fourth element is present, it should be a symbol---the @dfn{type
10894 element}. This element specifies what function should be used to see
10895 whether this score entry matches the article. What match types that can
10896 be used depends on what header you wish to perform the match on.
10899 @item From, Subject, References, Xref, Message-ID
10900 For most header types, there are the @code{r} and @code{R} (regexp), as
10901 well as @code{s} and @code{S} (substring) types, and @code{e} and
10902 @code{E} (exact match), and @code{w} (word match) types. If this
10903 element is not present, Gnus will assume that substring matching should
10904 be used. @code{R}, @code{S}, and @code{E} differ from the others in
10905 that the matches will be done in a case-sensitive manner. All these
10906 one-letter types are really just abbreviations for the @code{regexp},
10907 @code{string}, @code{exact}, and @code{word} types, which you can use
10908 instead, if you feel like.
10911 These two headers use different match types: @code{<}, @code{>},
10912 @code{=}, @code{>=} and @code{<=}. When matching on @code{Lines}, be
10913 careful because some backends (like @code{nndir}) do not generate
10914 @code{Lines} header, so every article ends up being marked as having 0
10915 lines. This can lead to strange results if you happen to lower score of
10916 the articles with few lines.
10919 For the Date header we have three kinda silly match types:
10920 @code{before}, @code{at} and @code{after}. I can't really imagine this
10921 ever being useful, but, like, it would feel kinda silly not to provide
10922 this function. Just in case. You never know. Better safe than sorry.
10923 Once burnt, twice shy. Don't judge a book by its cover. Never not have
10924 sex on a first date. (I have been told that at least one person, and I
10925 quote, ``found this function indispensable'', however.)
10929 A more useful match type is @code{regexp}. With it, you can match the
10930 date string using a regular expression. The date is normalized to
10931 ISO8601 compact format first---@samp{YYYYMMDDTHHMMSS}. If you want to
10932 match all articles that have been posted on April 1st in every year, you
10933 could use @samp{....0401.........} as a match string, for instance.
10934 (Note that the date is kept in its original time zone, so this will
10935 match articles that were posted when it was April 1st where the article
10936 was posted from. Time zones are such wholesome fun for the whole
10939 @item Head, Body, All
10940 These three match keys use the same match types as the @code{From} (etc)
10944 This match key is somewhat special, in that it will match the
10945 @code{From} header, and affect the score of not only the matching
10946 articles, but also all followups to the matching articles. This allows
10947 you e.g. increase the score of followups to your own articles, or
10948 decrease the score of followups to the articles of some known
10949 trouble-maker. Uses the same match types as the @code{From} header
10953 This match key works along the same lines as the @code{Followup} match
10954 key. If you say that you want to score on a (sub-)thread that is
10955 started by an article with a @code{Message-ID} @var{X}, then you add a
10956 @samp{thread} match. This will add a new @samp{thread} match for each
10957 article that has @var{X} in its @code{References} header. (These new
10958 @samp{thread} matches will use the @code{Message-ID}s of these matching
10959 articles.) This will ensure that you can raise/lower the score of an
10960 entire thread, even though some articles in the thread may not have
10961 complete @code{References} headers. Note that using this may lead to
10962 undeterministic scores of the articles in the thread.
10967 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
10968 lower than this number will be marked as read.
10971 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
10972 lower than this number will be removed from the summary buffer.
10974 @item mark-and-expunge
10975 The value of this entry should be a number. Any articles with a score
10976 lower than this number will be marked as read and removed from the
10979 @item thread-mark-and-expunge
10980 The value of this entry should be a number. All articles that belong to
10981 a thread that has a total score below this number will be marked as read
10982 and removed from the summary buffer. @code{gnus-thread-score-function}
10983 says how to compute the total score for a thread.
10986 The value of this entry should be any number of file names. These files
10987 are assumed to be score files as well, and will be loaded the same way
10990 @item exclude-files
10991 The clue of this entry should be any number of files. These files will
10992 not be loaded, even though they would normally be so, for some reason or
10996 The value of this entry will be @code{eval}el. This element will be
10997 ignored when handling global score files.
11000 Read-only score files will not be updated or saved. Global score files
11001 should feature this atom (@pxref{Global Score Files}).
11004 The value of this entry should be a number. Articles that do not have
11005 parents will get this number added to their scores. Imagine you follow
11006 some high-volume newsgroup, like @samp{comp.lang.c}. Most likely you
11007 will only follow a few of the threads, also want to see any new threads.
11009 You can do this with the following two score file entries:
11013 (mark-and-expunge -100)
11016 When you enter the group the first time, you will only see the new
11017 threads. You then raise the score of the threads that you find
11018 interesting (with @kbd{I T} or @kbd{I S}), and ignore (@kbd{C y}) the
11019 rest. Next time you enter the group, you will see new articles in the
11020 interesting threads, plus any new threads.
11022 I.e.---the orphan score atom is for high-volume groups where there
11023 exist a few interesting threads which can't be found automatically by
11024 ordinary scoring rules.
11027 This entry controls the adaptive scoring. If it is @code{t}, the
11028 default adaptive scoring rules will be used. If it is @code{ignore}, no
11029 adaptive scoring will be performed on this group. If it is a list, this
11030 list will be used as the adaptive scoring rules. If it isn't present,
11031 or is something other than @code{t} or @code{ignore}, the default
11032 adaptive scoring rules will be used. If you want to use adaptive
11033 scoring on most groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
11034 @code{t}, and insert an @code{(adapt ignore)} in the groups where you do
11035 not want adaptive scoring. If you only want adaptive scoring in a few
11036 groups, you'd set @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to @code{nil}, and
11037 insert @code{(adapt t)} in the score files of the groups where you want
11041 All adaptive score entries will go to the file named by this entry. It
11042 will also be applied when entering the group. This atom might be handy
11043 if you want to adapt on several groups at once, using the same adaptive
11044 file for a number of groups.
11047 @cindex local variables
11048 The value of this entry should be a list of @code{(VAR VALUE)} pairs.
11049 Each @var{var} will be made buffer-local to the current summary buffer,
11050 and set to the value specified. This is a convenient, if somewhat
11051 strange, way of setting variables in some groups if you don't like hooks
11056 @node Score File Editing
11057 @section Score File Editing
11059 You normally enter all scoring commands from the summary buffer, but you
11060 might feel the urge to edit them by hand as well, so we've supplied you
11061 with a mode for that.
11063 It's simply a slightly customized @code{emacs-lisp} mode, with these
11064 additional commands:
11069 @kindex C-c C-c (Score)
11070 @findex gnus-score-edit-done
11071 Save the changes you have made and return to the summary buffer
11072 (@code{gnus-score-edit-done}).
11075 @kindex C-c C-d (Score)
11076 @findex gnus-score-edit-insert-date
11077 Insert the current date in numerical format
11078 (@code{gnus-score-edit-insert-date}). This is really the day number, if
11079 you were wondering.
11082 @kindex C-c C-p (Score)
11083 @findex gnus-score-pretty-print
11084 The adaptive score files are saved in an unformatted fashion. If you
11085 intend to read one of these files, you want to @dfn{pretty print} it
11086 first. This command (@code{gnus-score-pretty-print}) does that for
11091 Type @kbd{M-x gnus-score-mode} to use this mode.
11093 @vindex gnus-score-mode-hook
11094 @code{gnus-score-menu-hook} is run in score mode buffers.
11096 In the summary buffer you can use commands like @kbd{V f} and @kbd{V
11097 e} to begin editing score files.
11100 @node Adaptive Scoring
11101 @section Adaptive Scoring
11102 @cindex adaptive scoring
11104 If all this scoring is getting you down, Gnus has a way of making it all
11105 happen automatically---as if by magic. Or rather, as if by artificial
11106 stupidity, to be precise.
11108 @vindex gnus-use-adaptive-scoring
11109 When you read an article, or mark an article as read, or kill an
11110 article, you leave marks behind. On exit from the group, Gnus can sniff
11111 these marks and add score elements depending on what marks it finds.
11112 You turn on this ability by setting @code{gnus-use-adaptive-scoring} to
11113 @code{t} or @code{(line)}. If you want score adaptively on separate
11114 words appearing in the subjects, you should set this variable to
11115 @code{(word)}. If you want to use both adaptive methods, set this
11116 variable to @code{(word line)}.
11118 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
11119 To give you complete control over the scoring process, you can customize
11120 the @code{gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist} variable. For instance, it
11121 might look something like this:
11124 (defvar gnus-default-adaptive-score-alist
11125 '((gnus-unread-mark)
11126 (gnus-ticked-mark (from 4))
11127 (gnus-dormant-mark (from 5))
11128 (gnus-del-mark (from -4) (subject -1))
11129 (gnus-read-mark (from 4) (subject 2))
11130 (gnus-expirable-mark (from -1) (subject -1))
11131 (gnus-killed-mark (from -1) (subject -3))
11132 (gnus-kill-file-mark)
11133 (gnus-ancient-mark)
11134 (gnus-low-score-mark)
11135 (gnus-catchup-mark (from -1) (subject -1))))
11138 As you see, each element in this alist has a mark as a key (either a
11139 variable name or a ``real'' mark---a character). Following this key is
11140 a arbitrary number of header/score pairs. If there are no header/score
11141 pairs following the key, no adaptive scoring will be done on articles
11142 that have that key as the article mark. For instance, articles with
11143 @code{gnus-unread-mark} in the example above will not get adaptive score
11146 Each article can have only one mark, so just a single of these rules
11147 will be applied to each article.
11149 To take @code{gnus-del-mark} as an example---this alist says that all
11150 articles that have that mark (i.e., are marked with @samp{D}) will have a
11151 score entry added to lower based on the @code{From} header by -4, and
11152 lowered by @code{Subject} by -1. Change this to fit your prejudices.
11154 If you have marked 10 articles with the same subject with
11155 @code{gnus-del-mark}, the rule for that mark will be applied ten times.
11156 That means that that subject will get a score of ten times -1, which
11157 should be, unless I'm much mistaken, -10.
11159 If you have auto-expirable (mail) groups (@pxref{Expiring Mail}), all
11160 the read articles will be marked with the @samp{E} mark. This'll
11161 probably make adaptive scoring slightly impossible, so auto-expiring and
11162 adaptive scoring doesn't really mix very well.
11164 The headers you can score on are @code{from}, @code{subject},
11165 @code{message-id}, @code{references}, @code{xref}, @code{lines},
11166 @code{chars} and @code{date}. In addition, you can score on
11167 @code{followup}, which will create an adaptive score entry that matches
11168 on the @code{References} header using the @code{Message-ID} of the
11169 current article, thereby matching the following thread.
11171 You can also score on @code{thread}, which will try to score all
11172 articles that appear in a thread. @code{thread} matches uses a
11173 @code{Message-ID} to match on the @code{References} header of the
11174 article. If the match is made, the @code{Message-ID} of the article is
11175 added to the @code{thread} rule. (Think about it. I'd recommend two
11176 aspirins afterwards.)
11178 If you use this scheme, you should set the score file atom @code{mark}
11179 to something small---like -300, perhaps, to avoid having small random
11180 changes result in articles getting marked as read.
11182 After using adaptive scoring for a week or so, Gnus should start to
11183 become properly trained and enhance the authors you like best, and kill
11184 the authors you like least, without you having to say so explicitly.
11186 You can control what groups the adaptive scoring is to be performed on
11187 by using the score files (@pxref{Score File Format}). This will also
11188 let you use different rules in different groups.
11190 @vindex gnus-adaptive-file-suffix
11191 The adaptive score entries will be put into a file where the name is the
11192 group name with @code{gnus-adaptive-file-suffix} appended. The default
11195 @vindex gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit
11196 When doing adaptive scoring, substring or fuzzy matching would probably
11197 give you the best results in most cases. However, if the header one
11198 matches is short, the possibility for false positives is great, so if
11199 the length of the match is less than
11200 @code{gnus-score-exact-adapt-limit}, exact matching will be used. If
11201 this variable is @code{nil}, exact matching will always be used to avoid
11204 @vindex gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
11205 As mentioned above, you can adapt either on individual words or entire
11206 headers. If you adapt on words, the
11207 @code{gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist} variable says what score
11208 each instance of a word should add given a mark.
11211 (setq gnus-default-adaptive-word-score-alist
11212 `((,gnus-read-mark . 30)
11213 (,gnus-catchup-mark . -10)
11214 (,gnus-killed-mark . -20)
11215 (,gnus-del-mark . -15)))
11218 This is the default value. If you have adaption on words enabled, every
11219 word that appears in subjects of articles that are marked with
11220 @code{gnus-read-mark} will result in a score rule that increase the
11221 score with 30 points.
11223 @vindex gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words
11224 @vindex gnus-ignored-adaptive-words
11225 Words that appear in the @code{gnus-default-ignored-adaptive-words} list
11226 will be ignored. If you wish to add more words to be ignored, use the
11227 @code{gnus-ignored-adaptive-words} list instead.
11229 @vindex gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table
11230 When the scoring is done, @code{gnus-adaptive-word-syntax-table} is the
11231 syntax table in effect. It is similar to the standard syntax table, but
11232 it considers numbers to be non-word-constituent characters.
11234 After using this scheme for a while, it might be nice to write a
11235 @code{gnus-psychoanalyze-user} command to go through the rules and see
11236 what words you like and what words you don't like. Or perhaps not.
11238 Note that the adaptive word scoring thing is highly experimental and is
11239 likely to change in the future. Initial impressions seem to indicate
11240 that it's totally useless as it stands. Some more work (involving more
11241 rigorous statistical methods) will have to be done to make this useful.
11244 @node Home Score File
11245 @section Home Score File
11247 The score file where new score file entries will go is called the
11248 @dfn{home score file}. This is normally (and by default) the score file
11249 for the group itself. For instance, the home score file for
11250 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus} is @file{gnu.emacs.gnus.SCORE}.
11252 However, this may not be what you want. It is often convenient to share
11253 a common home score file among many groups---all @samp{emacs} groups
11254 could perhaps use the same home score file.
11256 @vindex gnus-home-score-file
11257 The variable that controls this is @code{gnus-home-score-file}. It can
11262 A string. Then this file will be used as the home score file for all
11266 A function. The result of this function will be used as the home score
11267 file. The function will be called with the name of the group as the
11271 A list. The elements in this list can be:
11275 @var{(regexp file-name)}. If the @var{regexp} matches the group name,
11276 the @var{file-name} will will be used as the home score file.
11279 A function. If the function returns non-nil, the result will be used as
11280 the home score file.
11283 A string. Use the string as the home score file.
11286 The list will be traversed from the beginning towards the end looking
11291 So, if you want to use just a single score file, you could say:
11294 (setq gnus-home-score-file
11295 "my-total-score-file.SCORE")
11298 If you want to use @file{gnu.SCORE} for all @samp{gnu} groups and
11299 @file{rec.SCORE} for all @samp{rec} groups (and so on), you can say:
11302 (setq gnus-home-score-file
11303 'gnus-hierarchial-home-score-file)
11306 This is a ready-made function provided for your convenience.
11308 If you want to have one score file for the @samp{emacs} groups and
11309 another for the @samp{comp} groups, while letting all other groups use
11310 their own home score files:
11313 (setq gnus-home-score-file
11314 ;; All groups that match the regexp "\\.emacs"
11315 '("\\.emacs" "emacs.SCORE")
11316 ;; All the comp groups in one score file
11317 ("^comp" "comp.SCORE"))
11320 @vindex gnus-home-adapt-file
11321 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file} works exactly the same way as
11322 @code{gnus-home-score-file}, but says what the home adaptive score file
11323 is instead. All new adaptive file entries will go into the file
11324 specified by this variable, and the same syntax is allowed.
11326 In addition to using @code{gnus-home-score-file} and
11327 @code{gnus-home-adapt-file}, you can also use group parameters
11328 (@pxref{Group Parameters}) and topic parameters (@pxref{Topic
11329 Parameters}) to achieve much the same. Group and topic parameters take
11330 precedence over this variable.
11333 @node Followups To Yourself
11334 @section Followups To Yourself
11336 Gnus offers two commands for picking out the @code{Message-ID} header in
11337 the current buffer. Gnus will then add a score rule that scores using
11338 this @code{Message-ID} on the @code{References} header of other
11339 articles. This will, in effect, increase the score of all articles that
11340 respond to the article in the current buffer. Quite useful if you want
11341 to easily note when people answer what you've said.
11345 @item gnus-score-followup-article
11346 @findex gnus-score-followup-article
11347 This will add a score to articles that directly follow up your own
11350 @item gnus-score-followup-thread
11351 @findex gnus-score-followup-thread
11352 This will add a score to all articles that appear in a thread ``below''
11356 @vindex message-sent-hook
11357 These two functions are both primarily meant to be used in hooks like
11358 @code{message-sent-hook}.
11360 If you look closely at your own @code{Message-ID}, you'll notice that
11361 the first two or three characters are always the same. Here's two of
11365 <x6u3u47icf.fsf@@eyesore.no>
11366 <x6sp9o7ibw.fsf@@eyesore.no>
11369 So ``my'' ident on this machine is @samp{x6}. This can be
11370 exploited---the following rule will raise the score on all followups to
11375 "<x6[0-9a-z]+\\.fsf@@.*eyesore.no>" 1000 nil r)
11378 Whether it's the first two or first three characters that are ``yours''
11379 is system-dependent.
11383 @section Scoring Tips
11384 @cindex scoring tips
11390 @cindex scoring crossposts
11391 If you want to lower the score of crossposts, the line to match on is
11392 the @code{Xref} header.
11394 ("xref" (" talk.politics.misc:" -1000))
11397 @item Multiple crossposts
11398 If you want to lower the score of articles that have been crossposted to
11399 more than, say, 3 groups:
11401 ("xref" ("[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+ +[^:\n]+:[0-9]+" -1000 nil r))
11404 @item Matching on the body
11405 This is generally not a very good idea---it takes a very long time.
11406 Gnus actually has to fetch each individual article from the server. But
11407 you might want to anyway, I guess. Even though there are three match
11408 keys (@code{Head}, @code{Body} and @code{All}), you should choose one
11409 and stick with it in each score file. If you use any two, each article
11410 will be fetched @emph{twice}. If you want to match a bit on the
11411 @code{Head} and a bit on the @code{Body}, just use @code{All} for all
11414 @item Marking as read
11415 You will probably want to mark articles that has a score below a certain
11416 number as read. This is most easily achieved by putting the following
11417 in your @file{all.SCORE} file:
11421 You may also consider doing something similar with @code{expunge}.
11423 @item Negated character classes
11424 If you say stuff like @code{[^abcd]*}, you may get unexpected results.
11425 That will match newlines, which might lead to, well, The Unknown. Say
11426 @code{[^abcd\n]*} instead.
11430 @node Reverse Scoring
11431 @section Reverse Scoring
11432 @cindex reverse scoring
11434 If you want to keep just articles that have @samp{Sex with Emacs} in the
11435 subject header, and expunge all other articles, you could put something
11436 like this in your score file:
11440 ("Sex with Emacs" 2))
11445 So, you raise all articles that match @samp{Sex with Emacs} and mark the
11446 rest as read, and expunge them to boot.
11449 @node Global Score Files
11450 @section Global Score Files
11451 @cindex global score files
11453 Sure, other newsreaders have ``global kill files''. These are usually
11454 nothing more than a single kill file that applies to all groups, stored
11455 in the user's home directory. Bah! Puny, weak newsreaders!
11457 What I'm talking about here are Global Score Files. Score files from
11458 all over the world, from users everywhere, uniting all nations in one
11459 big, happy score file union! Ange-score! New and untested!
11461 @vindex gnus-global-score-files
11462 All you have to do to use other people's score files is to set the
11463 @code{gnus-global-score-files} variable. One entry for each score file,
11464 or each score file directory. Gnus will decide by itself what score
11465 files are applicable to which group.
11467 Say you want to use the score file
11468 @file{/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE} and
11469 all score files in the @file{/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score} directory:
11472 (setq gnus-global-score-files
11473 '("/ftp@@ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/larsi/ding/score/soc.motss.SCORE"
11474 "/ftp@@ftp.some-where:/pub/score/"))
11477 @findex gnus-score-search-global-directories
11478 Simple, eh? Directory names must end with a @samp{/}. These
11479 directories are typically scanned only once during each Gnus session.
11480 If you feel the need to manually re-scan the remote directories, you can
11481 use the @code{gnus-score-search-global-directories} command.
11483 Note that, at present, using this option will slow down group entry
11484 somewhat. (That is---a lot.)
11486 If you want to start maintaining score files for other people to use,
11487 just put your score file up for anonymous ftp and announce it to the
11488 world. Become a retro-moderator! Participate in the retro-moderator
11489 wars sure to ensue, where retro-moderators battle it out for the
11490 sympathy of the people, luring them to use their score files on false
11491 premises! Yay! The net is saved!
11493 Here are some tips for the would-be retro-moderator, off the top of my
11499 Articles that are heavily crossposted are probably junk.
11501 To lower a single inappropriate article, lower by @code{Message-ID}.
11503 Particularly brilliant authors can be raised on a permanent basis.
11505 Authors that repeatedly post off-charter for the group can safely be
11506 lowered out of existence.
11508 Set the @code{mark} and @code{expunge} atoms to obliterate the nastiest
11509 articles completely.
11512 Use expiring score entries to keep the size of the file down. You
11513 should probably have a long expiry period, though, as some sites keep
11514 old articles for a long time.
11517 ... I wonder whether other newsreaders will support global score files
11518 in the future. @emph{Snicker}. Yup, any day now, newsreaders like Blue
11519 Wave, xrn and 1stReader are bound to implement scoring. Should we start
11520 holding our breath yet?
11524 @section Kill Files
11527 Gnus still supports those pesky old kill files. In fact, the kill file
11528 entries can now be expiring, which is something I wrote before Daniel
11529 Quinlan thought of doing score files, so I've left the code in there.
11531 In short, kill processing is a lot slower (and I do mean @emph{a lot})
11532 than score processing, so it might be a good idea to rewrite your kill
11533 files into score files.
11535 Anyway, a kill file is a normal @code{emacs-lisp} file. You can put any
11536 forms into this file, which means that you can use kill files as some
11537 sort of primitive hook function to be run on group entry, even though
11538 that isn't a very good idea.
11540 Normal kill files look like this:
11543 (gnus-kill "From" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11544 (gnus-kill "Subject" "ding")
11548 This will mark every article written by me as read, and remove them from
11549 the summary buffer. Very useful, you'll agree.
11551 Other programs use a totally different kill file syntax. If Gnus
11552 encounters what looks like a @code{rn} kill file, it will take a stab at
11555 Two summary functions for editing a GNUS kill file:
11560 @kindex M-k (Summary)
11561 @findex gnus-summary-edit-local-kill
11562 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-local-kill}).
11565 @kindex M-K (Summary)
11566 @findex gnus-summary-edit-global-kill
11567 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-summary-edit-global-kill}).
11570 Two group mode functions for editing the kill files:
11575 @kindex M-k (Group)
11576 @findex gnus-group-edit-local-kill
11577 Edit this group's kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-local-kill}).
11580 @kindex M-K (Group)
11581 @findex gnus-group-edit-global-kill
11582 Edit the general kill file (@code{gnus-group-edit-global-kill}).
11585 Kill file variables:
11588 @item gnus-kill-file-name
11589 @vindex gnus-kill-file-name
11590 A kill file for the group @samp{soc.motss} is normally called
11591 @file{soc.motss.KILL}. The suffix appended to the group name to get
11592 this file name is detailed by the @code{gnus-kill-file-name} variable.
11593 The ``global'' kill file (not in the score file sense of ``global'', of
11594 course) is called just @file{KILL}.
11596 @vindex gnus-kill-save-kill-file
11597 @item gnus-kill-save-kill-file
11598 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, Gnus will save the
11599 kill file after processing, which is necessary if you use expiring
11602 @item gnus-apply-kill-hook
11603 @vindex gnus-apply-kill-hook
11604 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored
11605 @findex gnus-apply-kill-file
11606 A hook called to apply kill files to a group. It is
11607 @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file)} by default. If you want to ignore the
11608 kill file if you have a score file for the same group, you can set this
11609 hook to @code{(gnus-apply-kill-file-unless-scored)}. If you don't want
11610 kill files to be processed, you should set this variable to @code{nil}.
11612 @item gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
11613 @vindex gnus-kill-file-mode-hook
11614 A hook called in kill-file mode buffers.
11619 @node Converting Kill Files
11620 @section Converting Kill Files
11622 @cindex converting kill files
11624 If you have loads of old kill files, you may want to convert them into
11625 score files. If they are ``regular'', you can use
11626 the @file{gnus-kill-to-score.el} package; if not, you'll have to do it
11629 The kill to score conversion package isn't included in Gnus by default.
11630 You can fetch it from
11631 @file{http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/ding-other/gnus-kill-to-score}.
11633 If your old kill files are very complex---if they contain more
11634 non-@code{gnus-kill} forms than not, you'll have to convert them by
11635 hand. Or just let them be as they are. Gnus will still use them as
11643 GroupLens is a collaborative filtering system that helps you work
11644 together with other people to find the quality news articles out of the
11645 huge volume of news articles generated every day.
11647 To accomplish this the GroupLens system combines your opinions about
11648 articles you have already read with the opinions of others who have done
11649 likewise and gives you a personalized prediction for each unread news
11650 article. Think of GroupLens as a matchmaker. GroupLens watches how you
11651 rate articles, and finds other people that rate articles the same way.
11652 Once it has found for you some people you agree with it tells you, in
11653 the form of a prediction, what they thought of the article. You can use
11654 this prediction to help you decide whether or not you want to read the
11658 * Using GroupLens:: How to make Gnus use GroupLens.
11659 * Rating Articles:: Letting GroupLens know how you rate articles.
11660 * Displaying Predictions:: Displaying predictions given by GroupLens.
11661 * GroupLens Variables:: Customizing GroupLens.
11665 @node Using GroupLens
11666 @subsection Using GroupLens
11668 To use GroupLens you must register a pseudonym with your local Better
11670 @samp{http://www.cs.umn.edu/Research/GroupLens/bbb.html} is the only
11671 better bit in town is at the moment.
11673 Once you have registered you'll need to set a couple of variables.
11677 @item gnus-use-grouplens
11678 @vindex gnus-use-grouplens
11679 Setting this variable to a non-@code{nil} value will make Gnus hook into
11680 all the relevant GroupLens functions.
11682 @item grouplens-pseudonym
11683 @vindex grouplens-pseudonym
11684 This variable should be set to the pseudonym you got when registering
11685 with the Better Bit Bureau.
11687 @item grouplens-newsgroups
11688 @vindex grouplens-newsgroups
11689 A list of groups that you want to get GroupLens predictions for.
11693 Thats the minimum of what you need to get up and running with GroupLens.
11694 Once you've registered, GroupLens will start giving you scores for
11695 articles based on the average of what other people think. But, to get
11696 the real benefit of GroupLens you need to start rating articles
11697 yourself. Then the scores GroupLens gives you will be personalized for
11698 you, based on how the people you usually agree with have already rated.
11701 @node Rating Articles
11702 @subsection Rating Articles
11704 In GroupLens, an article is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, inclusive.
11705 Where 1 means something like this article is a waste of bandwidth and 5
11706 means that the article was really good. The basic question to ask
11707 yourself is, "on a scale from 1 to 5 would I like to see more articles
11710 There are four ways to enter a rating for an article in GroupLens.
11715 @kindex r (GroupLens)
11716 @findex bbb-summary-rate-article
11717 This function will prompt you for a rating on a scale of one to five.
11720 @kindex k (GroupLens)
11721 @findex grouplens-score-thread
11722 This function will prompt you for a rating, and rate all the articles in
11723 the thread. This is really useful for some of those long running giant
11724 threads in rec.humor.
11728 The next two commands, @kbd{n} and @kbd{,} take a numerical prefix to be
11729 the score of the article you're reading.
11734 @kindex n (GroupLens)
11735 @findex grouplens-next-unread-article
11736 Rate the article and go to the next unread article.
11739 @kindex , (GroupLens)
11740 @findex grouplens-best-unread-article
11741 Rate the article and go to the next unread article with the highest score.
11745 If you want to give the current article a score of 4 and then go to the
11746 next article, just type @kbd{4 n}.
11749 @node Displaying Predictions
11750 @subsection Displaying Predictions
11752 GroupLens makes a prediction for you about how much you will like a
11753 news article. The predictions from GroupLens are on a scale from 1 to
11754 5, where 1 is the worst and 5 is the best. You can use the predictions
11755 from GroupLens in one of three ways controlled by the variable
11756 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring}.
11758 @vindex gnus-grouplens-override-scoring
11759 There are three ways to display predictions in grouplens. You may
11760 choose to have the GroupLens scores contribute to, or override the
11761 regular gnus scoring mechanism. override is the default; however, some
11762 people prefer to see the Gnus scores plus the grouplens scores. To get
11763 the separate scoring behavior you need to set
11764 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'separate}. To have the
11765 GroupLens predictions combined with the grouplens scores set it to
11766 @code{'override} and to combine the scores set
11767 @code{gnus-grouplens-override-scoring} to @code{'combine}. When you use
11768 the combine option you will also want to set the values for
11769 @code{grouplens-prediction-offset} and
11770 @code{grouplens-score-scale-factor}.
11772 @vindex grouplens-prediction-display
11773 In either case, GroupLens gives you a few choices for how you would like
11774 to see your predictions displayed. The display of predictions is
11775 controlled by the @code{grouplens-prediction-display} variable.
11777 The following are legal values for that variable.
11780 @item prediction-spot
11781 The higher the prediction, the further to the right an @samp{*} is
11784 @item confidence-interval
11785 A numeric confidence interval.
11787 @item prediction-bar
11788 The higher the prediction, the longer the bar.
11790 @item confidence-bar
11791 Numerical confidence.
11793 @item confidence-spot
11794 The spot gets bigger with more confidence.
11796 @item prediction-num
11797 Plain-old numeric value.
11799 @item confidence-plus-minus
11800 Prediction +/i confidence.
11805 @node GroupLens Variables
11806 @subsection GroupLens Variables
11810 @item gnus-summary-grouplens-line-format
11811 The summary line format used in summary buffers that are GroupLens
11812 enhanced. It accepts the same specs as the normal summary line format
11813 (@pxref{Summary Buffer Lines}). The default is
11814 @samp{%U%R%z%l%I%(%[%4L: %-20,20n%]%) %s\n}.
11816 @item grouplens-bbb-host
11817 Host running the bbbd server. @samp{grouplens.cs.umn.edu} is the
11820 @item grouplens-bbb-port
11821 Port of the host running the bbbd server. The default is 9000.
11823 @item grouplens-score-offset
11824 Offset the prediction by this value. In other words, subtract the
11825 prediction value by this number to arrive at the effective score. The
11828 @item grouplens-score-scale-factor
11829 This variable allows the user to magnify the effect of GroupLens scores.
11830 The scale factor is applied after the offset. The default is 1.
11835 @node Advanced Scoring
11836 @section Advanced Scoring
11838 Scoring on Subjects and From headers is nice enough, but what if you're
11839 really interested in what a person has to say only when she's talking
11840 about a particular subject? Or what about if you really don't want to
11841 read what person A has to say when she's following up to person B, but
11842 want to read what she says when she's following up to person C?
11844 By using advanced scoring rules you may create arbitrarily complex
11848 * Advanced Scoring Syntax:: A definition.
11849 * Advanced Scoring Examples:: What they look like.
11850 * Advanced Scoring Tips:: Getting the most out of it.
11854 @node Advanced Scoring Syntax
11855 @subsection Advanced Scoring Syntax
11857 Ordinary scoring rules have a string as the first element in the rule.
11858 Advanced scoring rules have a list as the first element. The second
11859 element is the score to be applied if the first element evaluated to a
11860 non-@code{nil} value.
11862 These lists may consist of three logical operators, one redirection
11863 operator, and various match operators.
11870 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
11871 one that evaluates to @code{false}, and then it'll stop. If all arguments
11872 evaluate to @code{true} values, then this operator will return
11877 This logical operator will evaluate each of its arguments until it finds
11878 one that evaluates to @code{true}. If no arguments are @code{true},
11879 then this operator will return @code{false}.
11884 This logical operator only takes a single argument. It returns the
11885 inverse of the value of its argument.
11889 There is an @dfn{indirection operator} that will make its arguments
11890 apply to the ancestors of the current article being scored. For
11891 instance, @code{1-} will make score rules apply to the parent of the
11892 current article. @code{2-} will make score fules apply to the
11893 grandparent of the current article. Alternatively, you can write
11894 @code{^^}, where the number of @code{^}s (carets) say how far back into
11895 the ancestry you want to go.
11897 Finally, we have the match operators. These are the ones that do the
11898 real work. Match operators are header name strings followed by a match
11899 and a match type. A typical match operator looks like @samp{("from"
11900 "Lars Ingebrigtsen" s)}. The header names are the same as when using
11901 simple scoring, and the match types are also the same.
11904 @node Advanced Scoring Examples
11905 @subsection Advanced Scoring Examples
11907 Let's say you want to increase the score of articles written by Lars
11908 when he's talking about Gnus:
11912 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11913 ("subject" "Gnus"))
11919 When he writes long articles, he sometimes has something nice to say:
11923 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11930 However, when he responds to things written by Reig Eigil Logge, you
11931 really don't want to read what he's written:
11935 ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen")
11936 (1- ("from" "Reig Eigir Logge")))
11940 Everybody that follows up Redmondo when he writes about disappearing
11941 socks should have their scores raised, but only when they talk about
11942 white socks. However, when Lars talks about socks, it's usually not
11949 ("from" "redmondo@@.*no" r)
11950 ("body" "disappearing.*socks" t)))
11951 (! ("from" "Lars Ingebrigtsen"))
11952 ("body" "white.*socks"))
11956 The possibilities are endless.
11959 @node Advanced Scoring Tips
11960 @subsection Advanced Scoring Tips
11962 The @code{&} and @code{|} logical operators do short-circuit logic.
11963 That is, they stop processing their arguments when it's clear what the
11964 result of the operation will be. For instance, if one of the arguments
11965 of an @code{&} evaluates to @code{false}, there's no point in evaluating
11966 the rest of the arguments. This means that you should put slow matches
11967 (@samp{body}, @code{header}) last and quick matches (@samp{from},
11968 @samp{subject}) first.
11970 The indirection arguments (@code{1-} and so on) will make their
11971 arguments work on previous generations of the thread. If you say
11982 Then that means "score on the from header of the grandparent of the
11983 current article". An indirection is quite fast, but it's better to say:
11989 ("subject" "Gnus")))
11996 (1- ("from" "Lars"))
11997 (1- ("subject" "Gnus")))
12002 @section Score Decays
12003 @cindex score decays
12006 You may find that your scores have a tendency to grow without
12007 bounds, especially if you're using adaptive scoring. If scores get too
12008 big, they lose all meaning---they simply max out and it's difficult to
12009 use them in any sensible way.
12011 @vindex gnus-decay-scores
12012 @findex gnus-decay-score
12013 @vindex gnus-score-decay-function
12014 Gnus provides a mechanism for decaying scores to help with this problem.
12015 When score files are loaded and @code{gnus-decay-scores} is
12016 non-@code{nil}, Gnus will run the score files through the decaying
12017 mechanism thereby lowering the scores of all non-permanent score rules.
12018 The decay itself if performed by the @code{gnus-score-decay-function}
12019 function, which is @code{gnus-decay-score} by default. Here's the
12020 definition of that function:
12023 (defun gnus-decay-score (score)
12026 (* (if (< score 0) 1 -1)
12028 (max gnus-score-decay-constant
12030 gnus-score-decay-scale)))))))
12033 @vindex gnus-score-decay-scale
12034 @vindex gnus-score-decay-constant
12035 @code{gnus-score-decay-constant} is 3 by default and
12036 @code{gnus-score-decay-scale} is 0.05. This should cause the following:
12040 Scores between -3 and 3 will be set to 0 when this function is called.
12043 Scores with magnitudes between 3 and 60 will be shrunk by 3.
12046 Scores with magnitudes greater than 60 will be shrunk by 5% of the
12050 If you don't like this decay function, write your own. It is called
12051 with the score to be decayed as its only parameter, and it should return
12052 the new score, which should be an integer.
12054 Gnus will try to decay scores once a day. If you haven't run Gnus for
12055 four days, Gnus will decay the scores four times, for instance.
12062 * Process/Prefix:: A convention used by many treatment commands.
12063 * Interactive:: Making Gnus ask you many questions.
12064 * Formatting Variables:: You can specify what buffers should look like.
12065 * Windows Configuration:: Configuring the Gnus buffer windows.
12066 * Compilation:: How to speed Gnus up.
12067 * Mode Lines:: Displaying information in the mode lines.
12068 * Highlighting and Menus:: Making buffers look all nice and cozy.
12069 * Buttons:: Get tendonitis in ten easy steps!
12070 * Daemons:: Gnus can do things behind your back.
12071 * NoCeM:: How to avoid spam and other fatty foods.
12072 * Picons:: How to display pictures of what your reading.
12073 * Undo:: Some actions can be undone.
12074 * Moderation:: What to do if you're a moderator.
12075 * XEmacs Enhancements:: There are more pictures and stuff under XEmacs.
12076 * Various Various:: Things that are really various.
12080 @node Process/Prefix
12081 @section Process/Prefix
12082 @cindex process/prefix convention
12084 Many functions, among them functions for moving, decoding and saving
12085 articles, use what is known as the @dfn{Process/Prefix convention}.
12087 This is a method for figuring out what articles that the user wants the
12088 command to be performed on.
12092 If the numeric prefix is N, perform the operation on the next N
12093 articles, starting with the current one. If the numeric prefix is
12094 negative, perform the operation on the previous N articles, starting
12095 with the current one.
12097 @vindex transient-mark-mode
12098 If @code{transient-mark-mode} in non-@code{nil} and the region is
12099 active, all articles in the region will be worked upon.
12101 If there is no numeric prefix, but some articles are marked with the
12102 process mark, perform the operation on the articles that are marked with
12105 If there is neither a numeric prefix nor any articles marked with the
12106 process mark, just perform the operation on the current article.
12108 Quite simple, really, but it needs to be made clear so that surprises
12111 Commands that react to the process mark will push the current list of
12112 process marked articles onto a stack and will then clear all process
12113 marked articles. You can restore the previous configuration with the
12114 @kbd{M P y} command (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
12116 @vindex gnus-summary-goto-unread
12117 One thing that seems to shock & horrify lots of people is that, for
12118 instance, @kbd{3 d} does exactly the same as @kbd{d} @kbd{d} @kbd{d}.
12119 Since each @kbd{d} (which marks the current article as read) by default
12120 goes to the next unread article after marking, this means that @kbd{3 d}
12121 will mark the next three unread articles as read, no matter what the
12122 summary buffer looks like. Set @code{gnus-summary-goto-unread} to
12123 @code{nil} for a more straightforward action.
12127 @section Interactive
12128 @cindex interaction
12132 @item gnus-novice-user
12133 @vindex gnus-novice-user
12134 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you are either a newcomer to the
12135 World of Usenet, or you are very cautious, which is a nice thing to be,
12136 really. You will be given questions of the type ``Are you sure you want
12137 to do this?'' before doing anything dangerous. This is @code{t} by
12140 @item gnus-expert-user
12141 @vindex gnus-expert-user
12142 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, you will never ever be asked any
12143 questions by Gnus. It will simply assume you know what you're doing, no
12144 matter how strange.
12146 @item gnus-interactive-catchup
12147 @vindex gnus-interactive-catchup
12148 Require confirmation before catching up a group if non-@code{nil}. It
12149 is @code{t} by default.
12151 @item gnus-interactive-exit
12152 @vindex gnus-interactive-exit
12153 Require confirmation before exiting Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
12158 @node Formatting Variables
12159 @section Formatting Variables
12160 @cindex formatting variables
12162 Throughout this manual you've probably noticed lots of variables that
12163 are called things like @code{gnus-group-line-format} and
12164 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format}. These control how Gnus is to
12165 output lines in the various buffers. There's quite a lot of them.
12166 Fortunately, they all use the same syntax, so there's not that much to
12169 Here's an example format spec (from the group buffer): @samp{%M%S%5y:
12170 %(%g%)\n}. We see that it is indeed extremely ugly, and that there are
12171 lots of percentages everywhere.
12174 * Formatting Basics:: A formatting variable is basically a format string.
12175 * Advanced Formatting:: Modifying output in various ways.
12176 * User-Defined Specs:: Having Gnus call your own functions.
12177 * Formatting Fonts:: Making the formatting look colorful and nice.
12180 Currently Gnus uses the following formatting variables:
12181 @code{gnus-group-line-format}, @code{gnus-summary-line-format},
12182 @code{gnus-server-line-format}, @code{gnus-topic-line-format},
12183 @code{gnus-group-mode-line-format},
12184 @code{gnus-summary-mode-line-format},
12185 @code{gnus-article-mode-line-format},
12186 @code{gnus-server-mode-line-format}, and
12187 @code{gnus-summary-pick-line-format}.
12189 All these format variables can also be arbitrary elisp forms. In that
12190 case, they will be @code{eval}ed to insert the required lines.
12192 @kindex M-x gnus-update-format
12193 @findex gnus-update-format
12194 Gnus includes a command to help you while creating your own format
12195 specs. @kbd{M-x gnus-update-format} will @code{eval} the current form,
12196 update the spec in question and pop you to a buffer where you can
12197 examine the resulting lisp code to be run to generate the line.
12201 @node Formatting Basics
12202 @subsection Formatting Basics
12204 Each @samp{%} element will be replaced by some string or other when the
12205 buffer in question is generated. @samp{%5y} means ``insert the @samp{y}
12206 spec, and pad with spaces to get a 5-character field''.
12208 As with normal C and Emacs Lisp formatting strings, the numerical
12209 modifier between the @samp{%} and the formatting type character will
12210 @dfn{pad} the output so that it is always at least that long.
12211 @samp{%5y} will make the field always (at least) five characters wide by
12212 padding with spaces to the left. If you say @samp{%-5y}, it will pad to
12215 You may also wish to limit the length of the field to protect against
12216 particularly wide values. For that you can say @samp{%4,6y}, which
12217 means that the field will never be more than 6 characters wide and never
12218 less than 4 characters wide.
12221 @node Advanced Formatting
12222 @subsection Advanced Formatting
12224 It is frequently useful to post-process the fields in some way.
12225 Padding, limiting, cutting off parts and suppressing certain values can
12226 be achieved by using @dfn{tilde modifiers}. A typical tilde spec might
12227 look like @samp{%~(cut 3)~(ignore "0")y}.
12229 These are the legal modifiers:
12234 Pad the field to the left with spaces until it reaches the required
12238 Pad the field to the right with spaces until it reaches the required
12243 Cut off characters from the left until it reaches the specified length.
12246 Cut off characters from the right until it reaches the specified
12251 Cut off the specified number of characters from the left.
12254 Cut off the specified number of characters from the right.
12257 Return an empty string if the field is equal to the specified value.
12260 Use the specified form as the field value when the @samp{@@} spec is
12264 Let's take an example. The @samp{%o} spec in the summary mode lines
12265 will return a date in compact ISO8601 format---@samp{19960809T230410}.
12266 This is quite a mouthful, so we want to shave off the century number and
12267 the time, leaving us with a six-character date. That would be
12268 @samp{%~(cut-left 2)~(max-right 6)~(pad 6)o}. (Cutting is done before
12269 maxing, and we need the padding to ensure that the date is never less
12270 than 6 characters to make it look nice in columns.)
12272 Ignoring is done first; then cutting; then maxing; and then as the very
12273 last operation, padding.
12275 If you use lots of these advanced thingies, you'll find that Gnus gets
12276 quite slow. This can be helped enormously by running @kbd{M-x
12277 gnus-compile} when you are satisfied with the look of your lines.
12278 @xref{Compilation}.
12281 @node User-Defined Specs
12282 @subsection User-Defined Specs
12284 All the specs allow for inserting user defined specifiers---@samp{u}.
12285 The next character in the format string should be a letter. Gnus
12286 will call the function @code{gnus-user-format-function-}@samp{X}, where
12287 @samp{X} is the letter following @samp{%u}. The function will be passed
12288 a single parameter---what the parameter means depends on what buffer
12289 it's being called from. The function should return a string, which will
12290 be inserted into the buffer just like information from any other
12291 specifier. This function may also be called with dummy values, so it
12292 should protect against that.
12294 You can also use tilde modifiers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting} to achieve
12295 much the same without defining new functions. Here's an example:
12296 @samp{%~(form (count-lines (point-min) (point)))@@}. The form
12297 given here will be evaluated to yield the current line number, and then
12301 @node Formatting Fonts
12302 @subsection Formatting Fonts
12304 There are specs for highlighting, and these are shared by all the format
12305 variables. Text inside the @samp{%(} and @samp{%)} specifiers will get
12306 the special @code{mouse-face} property set, which means that it will be
12307 highlighted (with @code{gnus-mouse-face}) when you put the mouse pointer
12310 Text inside the @samp{%[} and @samp{%]} specifiers will have their
12311 normal faces set using @code{gnus-face-0}, which is @code{bold} by
12312 default. If you say @samp{%1[} instead, you'll get @code{gnus-face-1}
12313 instead, and so on. Create as many faces as you wish. The same goes
12314 for the @code{mouse-face} specs---you can say @samp{%3(hello%)} to have
12315 @samp{hello} mouse-highlighted with @code{gnus-mouse-face-3}.
12317 Here's an alternative recipe for the group buffer:
12320 ;; Create three face types.
12321 (setq gnus-face-1 'bold)
12322 (setq gnus-face-3 'italic)
12324 ;; We want the article count to be in
12325 ;; a bold and green face. So we create
12326 ;; a new face called `my-green-bold'.
12327 (copy-face 'bold 'my-green-bold)
12329 (set-face-foreground 'my-green-bold "ForestGreen")
12330 (setq gnus-face-2 'my-green-bold)
12332 ;; Set the new & fancy format.
12333 (setq gnus-group-line-format
12334 "%M%S%3@{%5y%@}%2[:%] %(%1@{%g%@}%)\n")
12337 I'm sure you'll be able to use this scheme to create totally unreadable
12338 and extremely vulgar displays. Have fun!
12340 Note that the @samp{%(} specs (and friends) do not make any sense on the
12341 mode-line variables.
12344 @node Windows Configuration
12345 @section Windows Configuration
12346 @cindex windows configuration
12348 No, there's nothing here about X, so be quiet.
12350 @vindex gnus-use-full-window
12351 If @code{gnus-use-full-window} non-@code{nil}, Gnus will delete all
12352 other windows and occupy the entire Emacs screen by itself. It is
12353 @code{t} by default.
12355 @vindex gnus-buffer-configuration
12356 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} describes how much space each Gnus
12357 buffer should be given. Here's an excerpt of this variable:
12360 ((group (vertical 1.0 (group 1.0 point)
12361 (if gnus-carpal (group-carpal 4))))
12362 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
12366 This is an alist. The @dfn{key} is a symbol that names some action or
12367 other. For instance, when displaying the group buffer, the window
12368 configuration function will use @code{group} as the key. A full list of
12369 possible names is listed below.
12371 The @dfn{value} (i.e., the @dfn{split}) says how much space each buffer
12372 should occupy. To take the @code{article} split as an example -
12375 (article (vertical 1.0 (summary 0.25 point)
12379 This @dfn{split} says that the summary buffer should occupy 25% of upper
12380 half of the screen, and that it is placed over the article buffer. As
12381 you may have noticed, 100% + 25% is actually 125% (yup, I saw y'all
12382 reaching for that calculator there). However, the special number
12383 @code{1.0} is used to signal that this buffer should soak up all the
12384 rest of the space available after the rest of the buffers have taken
12385 whatever they need. There should be only one buffer with the @code{1.0}
12386 size spec per split.
12388 Point will be put in the buffer that has the optional third element
12391 Here's a more complicated example:
12394 (article (vertical 1.0 (group 4)
12395 (summary 0.25 point)
12396 (if gnus-carpal (summary-carpal 4))
12400 If the size spec is an integer instead of a floating point number,
12401 then that number will be used to say how many lines a buffer should
12402 occupy, not a percentage.
12404 If the @dfn{split} looks like something that can be @code{eval}ed (to be
12405 precise---if the @code{car} of the split is a function or a subr), this
12406 split will be @code{eval}ed. If the result is non-@code{nil}, it will
12407 be used as a split. This means that there will be three buffers if
12408 @code{gnus-carpal} is @code{nil}, and four buffers if @code{gnus-carpal}
12411 Not complicated enough for you? Well, try this on for size:
12414 (article (horizontal 1.0
12419 (summary 0.25 point)
12424 Whoops. Two buffers with the mystery 100% tag. And what's that
12425 @code{horizontal} thingie?
12427 If the first element in one of the split is @code{horizontal}, Gnus will
12428 split the window horizontally, giving you two windows side-by-side.
12429 Inside each of these strips you may carry on all you like in the normal
12430 fashion. The number following @code{horizontal} says what percentage of
12431 the screen is to be given to this strip.
12433 For each split, there @emph{must} be one element that has the 100% tag.
12434 The splitting is never accurate, and this buffer will eat any leftover
12435 lines from the splits.
12437 To be slightly more formal, here's a definition of what a legal split
12441 split = frame | horizontal | vertical | buffer | form
12442 frame = "(frame " size *split ")"
12443 horizontal = "(horizontal " size *split ")"
12444 vertical = "(vertical " size *split ")"
12445 buffer = "(" buffer-name " " size *[ "point" ] ")"
12446 size = number | frame-params
12447 buffer-name = group | article | summary ...
12450 The limitations are that the @code{frame} split can only appear as the
12451 top-level split. @var{form} should be an Emacs Lisp form that should
12452 return a valid split. We see that each split is fully recursive, and
12453 may contain any number of @code{vertical} and @code{horizontal} splits.
12455 @vindex gnus-window-min-width
12456 @vindex gnus-window-min-height
12457 @cindex window height
12458 @cindex window width
12459 Finding the right sizes can be a bit complicated. No window may be less
12460 than @code{gnus-window-min-height} (default 1) characters high, and all
12461 windows must be at least @code{gnus-window-min-width} (default 1)
12462 characters wide. Gnus will try to enforce this before applying the
12463 splits. If you want to use the normal Emacs window width/height limit,
12464 you can just set these two variables to @code{nil}.
12466 If you're not familiar with Emacs terminology, @code{horizontal} and
12467 @code{vertical} splits may work the opposite way of what you'd expect.
12468 Windows inside a @code{horizontal} split are shown side-by-side, and
12469 windows within a @code{vertical} split are shown above each other.
12471 @findex gnus-configure-frame
12472 If you want to experiment with window placement, a good tip is to call
12473 @code{gnus-configure-frame} directly with a split. This is the function
12474 that does all the real work when splitting buffers. Below is a pretty
12475 nonsensical configuration with 5 windows; two for the group buffer and
12476 three for the article buffer. (I said it was nonsensical.) If you
12477 @code{eval} the statement below, you can get an idea of how that would
12478 look straight away, without going through the normal Gnus channels.
12479 Play with it until you're satisfied, and then use
12480 @code{gnus-add-configuration} to add your new creation to the buffer
12481 configuration list.
12484 (gnus-configure-frame
12488 (article 0.3 point))
12496 You might want to have several frames as well. No prob---just use the
12497 @code{frame} split:
12500 (gnus-configure-frame
12503 (summary 0.25 point)
12505 (vertical ((height . 5) (width . 15)
12506 (user-position . t)
12507 (left . -1) (top . 1))
12512 This split will result in the familiar summary/article window
12513 configuration in the first (or ``main'') frame, while a small additional
12514 frame will be created where picons will be shown. As you can see,
12515 instead of the normal @code{1.0} top-level spec, each additional split
12516 should have a frame parameter alist as the size spec.
12517 @xref{Frame Parameters, , Frame Parameters, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
12520 Here's a list of all possible keys for
12521 @code{gnus-buffer-configuration}:
12523 @code{group}, @code{summary}, @code{article}, @code{server},
12524 @code{browse}, @code{message}, @code{pick}, @code{info},
12525 @code{summary-faq}, @code{edit-group}, @code{edit-server},
12526 @code{edit-score}, @code{post}, @code{reply}, @code{forward},
12527 @code{reply-yank}, @code{mail-bounce}, @code{draft},
12528 @code{pipe}, @code{bug}, @code{compose-bounce}.
12530 Note that the @code{message} key is used for both
12531 @code{gnus-group-mail} and @code{gnus-summary-mail-other-window}. If
12532 it is desirable to distinguish between the two, something like this
12536 (message (horizontal 1.0
12537 (vertical 1.0 (message 1.0 point))
12539 (if (buffer-live-p gnus-summary-buffer)
12544 @findex gnus-add-configuration
12545 Since the @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} variable is so long and
12546 complicated, there's a function you can use to ease changing the config
12547 of a single setting: @code{gnus-add-configuration}. If, for instance,
12548 you want to change the @code{article} setting, you could say:
12551 (gnus-add-configuration
12552 '(article (vertical 1.0
12554 (summary .25 point)
12558 You'd typically stick these @code{gnus-add-configuration} calls in your
12559 @file{.gnus.el} file or in some startup hook---they should be run after
12560 Gnus has been loaded.
12562 @vindex gnus-always-force-window-configuration
12563 If all windows mentioned in the configuration are already visible, Gnus
12564 won't change the window configuration. If you always want to force the
12565 ``right'' window configuration, you can set
12566 @code{gnus-always-force-window-configuration} to non-@code{nil}.
12570 @section Compilation
12571 @cindex compilation
12572 @cindex byte-compilation
12574 @findex gnus-compile
12576 Remember all those line format specification variables?
12577 @code{gnus-summary-line-format}, @code{gnus-group-line-format}, and so
12578 on. Now, Gnus will of course heed whatever these variables are, but,
12579 unfortunately, changing them will mean a quite significant slow-down.
12580 (The default values of these variables have byte-compiled functions
12581 associated with them, while the user-generated versions do not, of
12584 To help with this, you can run @kbd{M-x gnus-compile} after you've
12585 fiddled around with the variables and feel that you're (kind of)
12586 satisfied. This will result in the new specs being byte-compiled, and
12587 you'll get top speed again. Gnus will save these compiled specs in the
12588 @file{.newsrc.eld} file. (User-defined functions aren't compiled by
12589 this function, though---you should compile them yourself by sticking
12590 them into the @code{.gnus.el} file and byte-compiling that file.)
12594 @section Mode Lines
12597 @vindex gnus-updated-mode-lines
12598 @code{gnus-updated-mode-lines} says what buffers should keep their mode
12599 lines updated. It is a list of symbols. Supported symbols include
12600 @code{group}, @code{article}, @code{summary}, @code{server},
12601 @code{browse}, and @code{tree}. If the corresponding symbol is present,
12602 Gnus will keep that mode line updated with information that may be
12603 pertinent. If this variable is @code{nil}, screen refresh may be
12606 @cindex display-time
12608 @vindex gnus-mode-non-string-length
12609 By default, Gnus displays information on the current article in the mode
12610 lines of the summary and article buffers. The information Gnus wishes
12611 to display (e.g. the subject of the article) is often longer than the
12612 mode lines, and therefore have to be cut off at some point. The
12613 @code{gnus-mode-non-string-length} variable says how long the other
12614 elements on the line is (i.e., the non-info part). If you put
12615 additional elements on the mode line (e.g. a clock), you should modify
12618 @c Hook written by Francesco Potorti` <pot@cnuce.cnr.it>
12620 (add-hook 'display-time-hook
12621 (lambda () (setq gnus-mode-non-string-length
12623 (if line-number-mode 5 0)
12624 (if column-number-mode 4 0)
12625 (length display-time-string)))))
12628 If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the default), the mode line
12629 strings won't be chopped off, and they won't be padded either.
12632 @node Highlighting and Menus
12633 @section Highlighting and Menus
12635 @cindex highlighting
12638 @vindex gnus-visual
12639 The @code{gnus-visual} variable controls most of the prettifying Gnus
12640 aspects. If @code{nil}, Gnus won't attempt to create menus or use fancy
12641 colors or fonts. This will also inhibit loading the @file{gnus-vis.el}
12644 This variable can be a list of visual properties that are enabled. The
12645 following elements are legal, and are all included by default:
12648 @item group-highlight
12649 Do highlights in the group buffer.
12650 @item summary-highlight
12651 Do highlights in the summary buffer.
12652 @item article-highlight
12653 Do highlights in the article buffer.
12655 Turn on highlighting in all buffers.
12657 Create menus in the group buffer.
12659 Create menus in the summary buffers.
12661 Create menus in the article buffer.
12663 Create menus in the browse buffer.
12665 Create menus in the server buffer.
12667 Create menus in the score buffers.
12669 Create menus in all buffers.
12672 So if you only want highlighting in the article buffer and menus in all
12673 buffers, you could say something like:
12676 (setq gnus-visual '(article-highlight menu))
12679 If you want only highlighting and no menus whatsoever, you'd say:
12682 (setq gnus-visual '(highlight))
12685 If @code{gnus-visual} is @code{t}, highlighting and menus will be used
12686 in all Gnus buffers.
12688 Other general variables that influence the look of all buffers include:
12691 @item gnus-mouse-face
12692 @vindex gnus-mouse-face
12693 This is the face (i.e., font) used for mouse highlighting in Gnus. No
12694 mouse highlights will be done if @code{gnus-visual} is @code{nil}.
12696 @item gnus-display-type
12697 @vindex gnus-display-type
12698 This variable is symbol indicating the display type Emacs is running
12699 under. The symbol should be one of @code{color}, @code{grayscale} or
12700 @code{mono}. If Gnus guesses this display attribute wrongly, either set
12701 this variable in your @file{~/.emacs} or set the resource
12702 @code{Emacs.displayType} in your @file{~/.Xdefaults}.
12704 @item gnus-background-mode
12705 @vindex gnus-background-mode
12706 This is a symbol indicating the Emacs background brightness. The symbol
12707 should be one of @code{light} or @code{dark}. If Gnus guesses this
12708 frame attribute wrongly, either set this variable in your @file{~/.emacs} or
12709 set the resource @code{Emacs.backgroundMode} in your @file{~/.Xdefaults}.
12710 `gnus-display-type'.
12713 There are hooks associated with the creation of all the different menus:
12717 @item gnus-article-menu-hook
12718 @vindex gnus-article-menu-hook
12719 Hook called after creating the article mode menu.
12721 @item gnus-group-menu-hook
12722 @vindex gnus-group-menu-hook
12723 Hook called after creating the group mode menu.
12725 @item gnus-summary-menu-hook
12726 @vindex gnus-summary-menu-hook
12727 Hook called after creating the summary mode menu.
12729 @item gnus-server-menu-hook
12730 @vindex gnus-server-menu-hook
12731 Hook called after creating the server mode menu.
12733 @item gnus-browse-menu-hook
12734 @vindex gnus-browse-menu-hook
12735 Hook called after creating the browse mode menu.
12737 @item gnus-score-menu-hook
12738 @vindex gnus-score-menu-hook
12739 Hook called after creating the score mode menu.
12750 Those new-fangled @dfn{mouse} contraptions is very popular with the
12751 young, hep kids who don't want to learn the proper way to do things
12752 these days. Why, I remember way back in the summer of '89, when I was
12753 using Emacs on a Tops 20 system. Three hundred users on one single
12754 machine, and every user was running Simula compilers. Bah!
12758 @vindex gnus-carpal
12759 Well, you can make Gnus display bufferfuls of buttons you can click to
12760 do anything by setting @code{gnus-carpal} to @code{t}. Pretty simple,
12761 really. Tell the chiropractor I sent you.
12766 @item gnus-carpal-mode-hook
12767 @vindex gnus-carpal-mode-hook
12768 Hook run in all carpal mode buffers.
12770 @item gnus-carpal-button-face
12771 @vindex gnus-carpal-button-face
12772 Face used on buttons.
12774 @item gnus-carpal-header-face
12775 @vindex gnus-carpal-header-face
12776 Face used on carpal buffer headers.
12778 @item gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
12779 @vindex gnus-carpal-group-buffer-buttons
12780 Buttons in the group buffer.
12782 @item gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
12783 @vindex gnus-carpal-summary-buffer-buttons
12784 Buttons in the summary buffer.
12786 @item gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
12787 @vindex gnus-carpal-server-buffer-buttons
12788 Buttons in the server buffer.
12790 @item gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
12791 @vindex gnus-carpal-browse-buffer-buttons
12792 Buttons in the browse buffer.
12795 All the @code{buttons} variables are lists. The elements in these list
12796 is either a cons cell where the car contains a text to be displayed and
12797 the cdr contains a function symbol, or a simple string.
12805 Gnus, being larger than any program ever written (allegedly), does lots
12806 of strange stuff that you may wish to have done while you're not
12807 present. For instance, you may want it to check for new mail once in a
12808 while. Or you may want it to close down all connections to all servers
12809 when you leave Emacs idle. And stuff like that.
12811 Gnus will let you do stuff like that by defining various
12812 @dfn{handlers}. Each handler consists of three elements: A
12813 @var{function}, a @var{time}, and an @var{idle} parameter.
12815 Here's an example of a handler that closes connections when Emacs has
12816 been idle for thirty minutes:
12819 (gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
12822 Here's a handler that scans for PGP headers every hour when Emacs is
12826 (gnus-demon-scan-pgp 60 t)
12829 This @var{time} parameter and than @var{idle} parameter works together
12830 in a strange, but wonderful fashion. Basically, if @var{idle} is
12831 @code{nil}, then the function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
12833 If @var{idle} is @code{t}, then the function will be called after
12834 @var{time} minutes only if Emacs is idle. So if Emacs is never idle,
12835 the function will never be called. But once Emacs goes idle, the
12836 function will be called every @var{time} minutes.
12838 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is a number, the function will
12839 be called every @var{time} minutes only when Emacs has been idle for
12840 @var{idle} minutes.
12842 If @var{idle} is a number and @var{time} is @code{nil}, the function
12843 will be called once every time Emacs has been idle for @var{idle}
12846 And if @var{time} is a string, it should look like @samp{07:31}, and
12847 the function will then be called once every day somewhere near that
12848 time. Modified by the @var{idle} parameter, of course.
12850 @vindex gnus-demon-timestep
12851 (When I say ``minute'' here, I really mean @code{gnus-demon-timestep}
12852 seconds. This is 60 by default. If you change that variable,
12853 all the timings in the handlers will be affected.)
12855 @vindex gnus-use-demon
12856 To set the whole thing in motion, though, you have to set
12857 @code{gnus-use-demon} to @code{t}.
12859 So, if you want to add a handler, you could put something like this in
12860 your @file{.gnus} file:
12862 @findex gnus-demon-add-handler
12864 (gnus-demon-add-handler 'gnus-demon-close-connections nil 30)
12867 @findex gnus-demon-add-nocem
12868 @findex gnus-demon-add-scanmail
12869 @findex gnus-demon-add-rescan
12870 @findex gnus-demon-add-disconnection
12871 Some ready-made functions to do this has been created:
12872 @code{gnus-demon-add-nocem}, @code{gnus-demon-add-disconnection},
12873 @code{gnus-demon-add-rescan}, and @code{gnus-demon-add-scanmail}. Just
12874 put those functions in your @file{.gnus} if you want those abilities.
12876 @findex gnus-demon-init
12877 @findex gnus-demon-cancel
12878 @vindex gnus-demon-handlers
12879 If you add handlers to @code{gnus-demon-handlers} directly, you should
12880 run @code{gnus-demon-init} to make the changes take hold. To cancel all
12881 daemons, you can use the @code{gnus-demon-cancel} function.
12883 Note that adding daemons can be pretty naughty if you overdo it. Adding
12884 functions that scan all news and mail from all servers every two seconds
12885 is a sure-fire way of getting booted off any respectable system. So
12894 @dfn{Spamming} is posting the same article lots and lots of times.
12895 Spamming is bad. Spamming is evil.
12897 Spamming is usually canceled within a day or so by various anti-spamming
12898 agencies. These agencies usually also send out @dfn{NoCeM} messages.
12899 NoCeM is pronounced ``no see-'em'', and means what the name
12900 implies---these are messages that make the offending articles, like, go
12903 What use are these NoCeM messages if the articles are canceled anyway?
12904 Some sites do not honor cancel messages and some sites just honor cancels
12905 from a select few people. Then you may wish to make use of the NoCeM
12906 messages, which are distributed in the @samp{alt.nocem.misc} newsgroup.
12908 Gnus can read and parse the messages in this group automatically, and
12909 this will make spam disappear.
12911 There are some variables to customize, of course:
12914 @item gnus-use-nocem
12915 @vindex gnus-use-nocem
12916 Set this variable to @code{t} to set the ball rolling. It is @code{nil}
12919 @item gnus-nocem-groups
12920 @vindex gnus-nocem-groups
12921 Gnus will look for NoCeM messages in the groups in this list. The
12922 default is @code{("news.lists.filters" "news.admin.net-abuse.bulletins"
12923 "alt.nocem.misc" "news.admin.net-abuse.announce")}.
12925 @item gnus-nocem-issuers
12926 @vindex gnus-nocem-issuers
12927 There are many people issuing NoCeM messages. This list says what
12928 people you want to listen to. The default is @code{("Automoose-1"
12929 "clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;" "jem@@xpat.com;" "red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us
12930 (Richard E. Depew)")}; fine, upstanding citizens all of them.
12932 Known despammers that you can put in this list include:
12935 @item clewis@@ferret.ocunix.on.ca;
12936 @cindex Chris Lewis
12937 Chris Lewis---Major Canadian despammer who has probably canceled more
12938 usenet abuse than anybody else.
12941 @cindex CancelMoose[tm]
12942 The CancelMoose[tm] on autopilot. The CancelMoose[tm] is reputed to be
12943 Norwegian, and was the person(s) who invented NoCeM.
12945 @item jem@@xpat.com;
12947 John Milburn---despammer located in Korea who is getting very busy these
12950 @item red@@redpoll.mrfs.oh.us (Richard E. Depew)
12951 Richard E. Depew---lone American despammer. He mostly cancels binary
12952 postings to non-binary groups and removes spews (regurgitated articles).
12955 You do not have to heed NoCeM messages from all these people---just the
12956 ones you want to listen to.
12958 @item gnus-nocem-verifyer
12959 @vindex gnus-nocem-verifyer
12961 This should be a function for verifying that the NoCeM issuer is who she
12962 says she is. The default is @code{mc-verify}, which is a Mailcrypt
12963 function. If this is too slow and you don't care for verification
12964 (which may be dangerous), you can set this variable to @code{nil}.
12966 @item gnus-nocem-directory
12967 @vindex gnus-nocem-directory
12968 This is where Gnus will store its NoCeM cache files. The default is
12969 @file{~/News/NoCeM/}.
12971 @item gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
12972 @vindex gnus-nocem-expiry-wait
12973 The number of days before removing old NoCeM entries from the cache.
12974 The default is 15. If you make it shorter Gnus will be faster, but you
12975 might then see old spam.
12983 So... You want to slow down your news reader even more! This is a
12984 good way to do so. Its also a great way to impress people staring
12985 over your shoulder as you read news.
12988 * Picon Basics:: What are picons and How do I get them.
12989 * Picon Requirements:: Don't go further if you aren't using XEmacs.
12990 * Easy Picons:: Displaying Picons---the easy way.
12991 * Hard Picons:: The way you should do it. You'll learn something.
12992 * Picon Configuration:: Other variables you can trash/tweak/munge/play with.
12997 @subsection Picon Basics
12999 What are Picons? To quote directly from the Picons Web site:
13002 @dfn{Picons} is short for ``personal icons''. They're small,
13003 constrained images used to represent users and domains on the net,
13004 organized into databases so that the appropriate image for a given
13005 e-mail address can be found. Besides users and domains, there are picon
13006 databases for Usenet newsgroups and weather forecasts. The picons are
13007 in either monochrome @code{XBM} format or color @code{XPM} and
13008 @code{GIF} formats.
13011 For instructions on obtaining and installing the picons databases, point
13012 your Web browser at
13013 @file{http://www.cs.indiana.edu/picons/ftp/index.html}.
13015 @vindex gnus-picons-database
13016 Gnus expects picons to be installed into a location pointed to by
13017 @code{gnus-picons-database}.
13020 @node Picon Requirements
13021 @subsection Picon Requirements
13023 To use have Gnus display Picons for you, you must be running XEmacs
13024 19.13 or greater since all other versions of Emacs aren't yet able to
13027 Additionally, you must have @code{xpm} support compiled into XEmacs.
13029 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
13030 If you want to display faces from @code{X-Face} headers, you must have
13031 the @code{netpbm} utilities installed, or munge the
13032 @code{gnus-picons-convert-x-face} variable to use something else.
13036 @subsection Easy Picons
13038 To enable displaying picons, simply put the following line in your
13039 @file{~/.gnus} file and start Gnus.
13042 (setq gnus-use-picons t)
13043 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
13044 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-prepare-hook 'gnus-group-display-picons t)
13045 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-picons-article-display-x-face)
13050 @subsection Hard Picons
13052 Gnus can display picons for you as you enter and leave groups and
13053 articles. It knows how to interact with three sections of the picons
13054 database. Namely, it can display the picons newsgroup pictures,
13055 author's face picture(s), and the authors domain. To enable this
13056 feature, you need to first decide where to display them.
13060 @item gnus-picons-display-where
13061 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
13062 Where the picon images should be displayed. It is @code{picons} by
13063 default (which by default maps to the buffer @samp{*Picons*}). Other
13064 valid places could be @code{article}, @code{summary}, or
13065 @samp{*scratch*} for all I care. Just make sure that you've made the
13066 buffer visible using the standard Gnus window configuration
13067 routines---@pxref{Windows Configuration}.
13071 Note: If you set @code{gnus-use-picons} to @code{t}, it will set up your
13072 window configuration for you to include the @code{picons} buffer.
13074 Now that you've made that decision, you need to add the following
13075 functions to the appropriate hooks so these pictures will get
13076 displayed at the right time.
13078 @vindex gnus-article-display-hook
13079 @vindex gnus-picons-display-where
13081 @item gnus-article-display-picons
13082 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
13083 Looks up and display the picons for the author and the author's domain
13084 in the @code{gnus-picons-display-where} buffer. Should be added to
13085 the @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
13087 @item gnus-group-display-picons
13088 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
13089 Displays picons representing the current group. This function should
13090 be added to the @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook} or to the
13091 @code{gnus-article-display-hook} if @code{gnus-picons-display-where}
13092 is set to @code{article}.
13094 @item gnus-picons-article-display-x-face
13095 @findex gnus-article-display-picons
13096 Decodes and displays the X-Face header if present. This function
13097 should be added to @code{gnus-article-display-hook}.
13101 Note: You must append them to the hook, so make sure to specify 't'
13102 to the append flag of @code{add-hook}:
13105 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-display-picons t)
13109 @node Picon Configuration
13110 @subsection Picon Configuration
13112 The following variables offer further control over how things are
13113 done, where things are located, and other useless stuff you really
13114 don't need to worry about.
13117 @item gnus-picons-database
13118 @vindex gnus-picons-database
13119 The location of the picons database. Should point to a directory
13120 containing the @file{news}, @file{domains}, @file{users} (and so on)
13121 subdirectories. Defaults to @file{/usr/local/faces}.
13123 @item gnus-picons-news-directory
13124 @vindex gnus-picons-news-directory
13125 Sub-directory of the faces database containing the icons for
13128 @item gnus-picons-user-directories
13129 @vindex gnus-picons-user-directories
13130 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for user
13131 faces. @code{("local" "users" "usenix" "misc/MISC")} is the default.
13133 @item gnus-picons-domain-directories
13134 @vindex gnus-picons-domain-directories
13135 List of subdirectories to search in @code{gnus-picons-database} for
13136 domain name faces. Defaults to @code{("domains")}. Some people may
13137 want to add @samp{unknown} to this list.
13139 @item gnus-picons-convert-x-face
13140 @vindex gnus-picons-convert-x-face
13141 The command to use to convert the @code{X-Face} header to an X bitmap
13142 (@code{xbm}). Defaults to @code{(format "@{ echo '/* Width=48,
13143 Height=48 */'; uncompface; @} | icontopbm | pbmtoxbm > %s"
13144 gnus-picons-x-face-file-name)}
13146 @item gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
13147 @vindex gnus-picons-x-face-file-name
13148 Names a temporary file to store the @code{X-Face} bitmap in. Defaults
13149 to @code{(format "/tmp/picon-xface.%s.xbm" (user-login-name))}.
13151 @item gnus-picons-buffer
13152 @vindex gnus-picons-buffer
13153 The name of the buffer that @code{picons} points to. Defaults to
13154 @samp{*Icon Buffer*}.
13163 It is very useful to be able to undo actions one has done. In normal
13164 Emacs buffers, it's easy enough---you just push the @code{undo} button.
13165 In Gnus buffers, however, it isn't that simple.
13167 The things Gnus displays in its buffer is of no value whatsoever to
13168 Gnus---it's all just data that is designed to look nice to the user.
13169 Killing a group in the group buffer with @kbd{C-k} makes the line
13170 disappear, but that's just a side-effect of the real action---the
13171 removal of the group in question from the internal Gnus structures.
13172 Undoing something like that can't be done by the normal Emacs
13173 @code{undo} function.
13175 Gnus tries to remedy this somewhat by keeping track of what the user
13176 does and coming up with actions that would reverse the actions the user
13177 takes. When the user then presses the @code{undo} key, Gnus will run
13178 the code to reverse the previous action, or the previous actions.
13179 However, not all actions are easily reversible, so Gnus currently offers
13180 a few key functions to be undoable. These include killing groups,
13181 yanking groups, and changing the list of read articles of groups.
13182 That's it, really. More functions may be added in the future, but each
13183 added function means an increase in data to be stored, so Gnus will
13184 never be totally undoable.
13186 @findex gnus-undo-mode
13187 @vindex gnus-use-undo
13189 The undoability is provided by the @code{gnus-undo-mode} minor mode. It
13190 is used if @code{gnus-use-undo} is non-@code{nil}, which is the
13191 default. The @kbd{M-C-_} key performs the @code{gnus-undo} command
13192 command, which should feel kinda like the normal Emacs @code{undo}
13197 @section Moderation
13200 If you are a moderator, you can use the @file{gnus-mdrtn.el} package.
13201 It is not included in the standard Gnus package. Write a mail to
13202 @samp{larsi@@ifi.uio.no} and state what group you moderate, and you'll
13205 The moderation package is implemented as a minor mode for summary
13209 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-moderate)
13212 in your @file{.gnus.el} file.
13214 If you are the moderation of @samp{rec.zoofle}, this is how it's
13219 You split your incoming mail by matching on
13220 @samp{Newsgroups:.*rec.zoofle}, which will put all the to-be-posted
13221 articles in some mail group---for instance, @samp{nnml:rec.zoofle}.
13224 You enter that group once in a while and post articles using the @kbd{e}
13225 (edit-and-post) or @kbd{s} (just send unedited) commands.
13228 If, while reading the @samp{rec.zoofle} newsgroup, you happen upon some
13229 articles that weren't approved by you, you can cancel them with the
13233 To use moderation mode in these two groups, say:
13236 (setq gnus-moderated-list
13237 "^nnml:rec.zoofle$\\|^rec.zoofle$")
13241 @node XEmacs Enhancements
13242 @section XEmacs Enhancements
13245 XEmacs is able to display pictures and stuff, so Gnus has taken
13246 advantage of that. Relevant variables include:
13249 @item gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
13250 @vindex gnus-xmas-glyph-directory
13251 This is where Gnus will look for pictures. Gnus will normally
13252 auto-detect this directory, but you may set it manually if you have an
13253 unusual directory structure.
13255 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
13256 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-alist
13257 This is an alist where the key is a type symbol and the values are the
13258 foreground and background color of the splash page glyph.
13260 @item gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
13261 @vindex gnus-xmas-logo-color-style
13262 This is the key used to look up the color in the alist described above.
13263 Legal values include @code{flame}, @code{pine}, @code{moss},
13264 @code{irish}, @code{sky}, @code{tin}, @code{velvet}, @code{grape},
13265 @code{labia}, @code{berry}, @code{neutral}, and @code{september}.
13267 @item gnus-use-toolbar
13268 @vindex gnus-use-toolbar
13269 If @code{nil}, don't display toolbars. If non-@code{nil}, it should be
13270 one of @code{default-toolbar}, @code{top-toolbar}, @code{bottom-toolbar},
13271 @code{right-toolbar}, or @code{left-toolbar}.
13273 @item gnus-group-toolbar
13274 @vindex gnus-group-toolbar
13275 The toolbar in the group buffer.
13277 @item gnus-summary-toolbar
13278 @vindex gnus-summary-toolbar
13279 The toolbar in the summary buffer.
13281 @item gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
13282 @vindex gnus-summary-mail-toolbar
13283 The toolbar in the summary buffer of mail groups.
13285 @item gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
13286 @vindex gnus-xmas-modeline-glyph
13287 A glyph displayed in all Gnus mode lines. It is a tiny gnu head by
13293 @node Various Various
13294 @section Various Various
13300 @item gnus-directory
13301 @vindex gnus-directory
13302 All Gnus directories will be initialized from this variable, which
13303 defaults to the @samp{SAVEDIR} environment variable, or @file{~/News/}
13304 if that variable isn't set.
13306 @item gnus-default-directory
13307 @vindex gnus-default-directory
13308 Not related to the above variable at all---this variable says what the
13309 default directory of all Gnus buffers should be. If you issue commands
13310 like @kbd{C-x C-f}, the prompt you'll get starts in the current buffer's
13311 default directory. If this variable is @code{nil} (which is the
13312 default), the default directory will be the default directory of the
13313 buffer you were in when you started Gnus.
13316 @vindex gnus-verbose
13317 This variable is an integer between zero and ten. The higher the value,
13318 the more messages will be displayed. If this variable is zero, Gnus
13319 will never flash any messages, if it is seven (which is the default),
13320 most important messages will be shown, and if it is ten, Gnus won't ever
13321 shut up, but will flash so many messages it will make your head swim.
13323 @item gnus-verbose-backends
13324 @vindex gnus-verbose-backends
13325 This variable works the same way as @code{gnus-verbose}, but it applies
13326 to the Gnus backends instead of Gnus proper.
13328 @item nnheader-max-head-length
13329 @vindex nnheader-max-head-length
13330 When the backends read straight heads of articles, they all try to read
13331 as little as possible. This variable (default 4096) specifies
13332 the absolute max length the backends will try to read before giving up
13333 on finding a separator line between the head and the body. If this
13334 variable is @code{nil}, there is no upper read bound. If it is
13335 @code{t}, the backends won't try to read the articles piece by piece,
13336 but read the entire articles. This makes sense with some versions of
13339 @item nnheader-head-chop-length
13340 @vindex nnheader-head-chop-length
13341 This variable says how big a piece of each article to read when doing
13342 the operation described above.
13344 @item nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
13345 @vindex nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
13347 @cindex illegal characters in file names
13348 @cindex characters in file names
13349 This is an alist that says how to translate characters in file names.
13350 For instance, if @samp{:} is illegal as a file character in file names
13351 on your system (you OS/2 user you), you could say something like:
13354 (setq nnheader-file-name-translation-alist
13358 In fact, this is the default value for this variable on OS/2 and MS
13359 Windows (phooey) systems.
13361 @item gnus-hidden-properties
13362 @vindex gnus-hidden-properties
13363 This is a list of properties to use to hide ``invisible'' text. It is
13364 @code{(invisible t intangible t)} by default on most systems, which
13365 makes invisible text invisible and intangible.
13367 @item gnus-parse-headers-hook
13368 @vindex gnus-parse-headers-hook
13369 A hook called before parsing headers. It can be used, for instance, to
13370 gather statistics on the headers fetched, or perhaps you'd like to prune
13371 some headers. I don't see why you'd want that, though.
13373 @item gnus-shell-command-separator
13374 @vindex gnus-shell-command-separator
13375 String used to separate to shell commands. The default is @samp{;}.
13384 Well, that's the manual---you can get on with your life now. Keep in
13385 touch. Say hello to your cats from me.
13387 My @strong{ghod}---I just can't stand goodbyes. Sniffle.
13389 Ol' Charles Reznikoff said it pretty well, so I leave the floor to him:
13395 Not because of victories @*
13398 but for the common sunshine,@*
13400 the largess of the spring.
13404 but for the day's work done@*
13405 as well as I was able;@*
13406 not for a seat upon the dais@*
13407 but at the common table.@*
13412 @chapter Appendices
13415 * History:: How Gnus got where it is today.
13416 * Terminology:: We use really difficult, like, words here.
13417 * Customization:: Tailoring Gnus to your needs.
13418 * Troubleshooting:: What you might try if things do not work.
13419 * A Programmers Guide to Gnus:: Rilly, rilly technical stuff.
13420 * Emacs for Heathens:: A short introduction to Emacsian terms.
13421 * Frequently Asked Questions:: A question-and-answer session.
13429 @sc{gnus} was written by Masanobu @sc{Umeda}. When autumn crept up in
13430 '94, Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen grew bored and decided to rewrite Gnus.
13432 If you want to investigate the person responsible for this outrage, you
13433 can point your (feh!) web browser to
13434 @file{http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/}. This is also the primary
13435 distribution point for the new and spiffy versions of Gnus, and is known
13436 as The Site That Destroys Newsrcs And Drives People Mad.
13438 During the first extended alpha period of development, the new Gnus was
13439 called ``(ding) Gnus''. @dfn{(ding)} is, of course, short for
13440 @dfn{ding is not Gnus}, which is a total and utter lie, but who cares?
13441 (Besides, the ``Gnus'' in this abbreviation should probably be
13442 pronounced ``news'' as @sc{Umeda} intended, which makes it a more
13443 appropriate name, don't you think?)
13445 In any case, after spending all that energy on coming up with a new and
13446 spunky name, we decided that the name was @emph{too} spunky, so we
13447 renamed it back again to ``Gnus''. But in mixed case. ``Gnus'' vs.
13448 ``@sc{gnus}''. New vs. old.
13450 The first ``proper'' release of Gnus 5 was done in November 1995 when it
13451 was included in the Emacs 19.30 distribution.
13453 In May 1996 the next Gnus generation (aka. ``September Gnus'') was
13454 released under the name ``Gnus 5.2''.
13456 On July 28th 1996 work on Red Gnus was begun.
13458 If you happen upon a version of Gnus that has a name that is prefixed --
13459 ``(ding) Gnus'', ``September Gnus'', ``Red Gnus'', ``Mamey Sapote Gnus''
13460 -- don't panic. Don't let it know that you're frightened. Back away.
13461 Slowly. Whatever you do, don't run. Walk away, calmly, until you're
13462 out of its reach. Find a proper released version of Gnus and snuggle up
13466 * Why?:: What's the point of Gnus?
13467 * Compatibility:: Just how compatible is Gnus with @sc{gnus}?
13468 * Conformity:: Gnus tries to conform to all standards.
13469 * Emacsen:: Gnus can be run on a few modern Emacsen.
13470 * Contributors:: Oodles of people.
13471 * New Features:: Pointers to some of the new stuff in Gnus.
13472 * Newest Features:: Features so new that they haven't been written yet.
13479 What's the point of Gnus?
13481 I want to provide a ``rad'', ``happening'', ``way cool'' and ``hep''
13482 newsreader, that lets you do anything you can think of. That was my
13483 original motivation, but while working on Gnus, it has become clear to
13484 me that this generation of newsreaders really belong in the stone age.
13485 Newsreaders haven't developed much since the infancy of the net. If the
13486 volume continues to rise with the current rate of increase, all current
13487 newsreaders will be pretty much useless. How do you deal with
13488 newsgroups that have thousands of new articles each day? How do you
13489 keep track of millions of people who post?
13491 Gnus offers no real solutions to these questions, but I would very much
13492 like to see Gnus being used as a testing ground for new methods of
13493 reading and fetching news. Expanding on @sc{Umeda}-san's wise decision
13494 to separate the newsreader from the backends, Gnus now offers a simple
13495 interface for anybody who wants to write new backends for fetching mail
13496 and news from different sources. I have added hooks for customizations
13497 everywhere I could imagine useful. By doing so, I'm inviting every one
13498 of you to explore and invent.
13500 May Gnus never be complete. @kbd{C-u 100 M-x hail-emacs}.
13503 @node Compatibility
13504 @subsection Compatibility
13506 @cindex compatibility
13507 Gnus was designed to be fully compatible with @sc{gnus}. Almost all key
13508 bindings have been kept. More key bindings have been added, of course,
13509 but only in one or two obscure cases have old bindings been changed.
13514 @center In a cloud bones of steel.
13518 All commands have kept their names. Some internal functions have changed
13521 The @code{gnus-uu} package has changed drastically. @pxref{Decoding
13524 One major compatibility question is the presence of several summary
13525 buffers. All variables that are relevant while reading a group are
13526 buffer-local to the summary buffer they belong in. Although many
13527 important variables have their values copied into their global
13528 counterparts whenever a command is executed in the summary buffer, this
13529 change might lead to incorrect values being used unless you are careful.
13531 All code that relies on knowledge of @sc{gnus} internals will probably
13532 fail. To take two examples: Sorting @code{gnus-newsrc-alist} (or
13533 changing it in any way, as a matter of fact) is strictly verboten. Gnus
13534 maintains a hash table that points to the entries in this alist (which
13535 speeds up many functions), and changing the alist directly will lead to
13539 @cindex highlighting
13540 Old hilit19 code does not work at all. In fact, you should probably
13541 remove all hilit code from all Gnus hooks
13542 (@code{gnus-group-prepare-hook} and @code{gnus-summary-prepare-hook}).
13543 Gnus provides various integrated functions for highlighting. These are
13544 faster and more accurate. To make life easier for everybody, Gnus will
13545 by default remove all hilit calls from all hilit hooks. Uncleanliness!
13548 Packages like @code{expire-kill} will no longer work. As a matter of
13549 fact, you should probably remove all old @sc{gnus} packages (and other
13550 code) when you start using Gnus. More likely than not, Gnus already
13551 does what you have written code to make @sc{gnus} do. (Snicker.)
13553 Even though old methods of doing things are still supported, only the
13554 new methods are documented in this manual. If you detect a new method of
13555 doing something while reading this manual, that does not mean you have
13556 to stop doing it the old way.
13558 Gnus understands all @sc{gnus} startup files.
13560 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
13562 @cindex reporting bugs
13564 Overall, a casual user who hasn't written much code that depends on
13565 @sc{gnus} internals should suffer no problems. If problems occur,
13566 please let me know by issuing that magic command @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}.
13570 @subsection Conformity
13572 No rebels without a clue here, ma'am. We conform to all standards known
13573 to (wo)man. Except for those standards and/or conventions we disagree
13580 There are no known breaches of this standard.
13584 There are no known breaches of this standard, either.
13586 @item Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
13587 @cindex Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval
13588 Gnus has been through the Seal process and failed. I think it'll pass
13589 the next inspection.
13591 @item Son-of-RFC 1036
13592 @cindex Son-of-RFC 1036
13593 We do have some breaches to this one.
13598 Gnus does no MIME handling, and this standard-to-be seems to think that
13599 MIME is the bees' knees, so we have major breakage here.
13602 This is considered to be a ``vanity header'', while I consider it to be
13603 consumer information. After seeing so many badly formatted articles
13604 coming from @code{tin} and @code{Netscape} I know not to use either of
13605 those for posting articles. I would not have known that if it wasn't
13606 for the @code{X-Newsreader} header.
13609 Gnus does line breaking on this header. I infer from RFC1036 that being
13610 conservative in what you output is not creating 5000-character lines, so
13611 it seems like a good idea to me. However, this standard-to-be says that
13612 whitespace in the @code{References} header is to be preserved, so... It
13613 doesn't matter one way or the other to Gnus, so if somebody tells me
13614 what The Way is, I'll change it. Or not.
13619 If you ever notice Gnus acting non-compliantly with regards to the texts
13620 mentioned above, don't hesitate to drop a note to Gnus Towers and let us
13625 @subsection Emacsen
13631 Gnus should work on :
13636 Emacs 19.32 and up.
13639 XEmacs 19.14 and up.
13642 Mule versions based on Emacs 19.32 and up.
13646 Gnus will absolutely not work on any Emacsen older than that. Not
13647 reliably, at least.
13649 There are some vague differences between Gnus on the various
13650 platforms---XEmacs features more graphics (a logo and a toolbar)---but
13651 other than that, things should look pretty much the same under all
13656 @subsection Contributors
13657 @cindex contributors
13659 The new Gnus version couldn't have been done without the help of all the
13660 people on the (ding) mailing list. Every day for over a year I have
13661 gotten billions of nice bug reports from them, filling me with joy,
13662 every single one of them. Smooches. The people on the list have been
13663 tried beyond endurance, what with my ``oh, that's a neat idea <type
13664 type>, yup, I'll release it right away <ship off> no wait, that doesn't
13665 work at all <type type>, yup, I'll ship that one off right away <ship
13666 off> no, wait, that absolutely does not work'' policy for releases.
13667 Micro$oft---bah. Amateurs. I'm @emph{much} worse. (Or is that
13668 ``worser''? ``much worser''? ``worsest''?)
13670 I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Academy for... oops,
13676 Masanobu @sc{Umeda}---the writer of the original @sc{gnus}.
13679 Per Abrahamsen---custom, scoring, highlighting and @sc{soup} code (as
13680 well as numerous other things).
13683 Luis Fernandes---design and graphics.
13686 Erik Naggum---help, ideas, support, code and stuff.
13689 Wes Hardaker---@file{gnus-picon.el} and the manual section on
13690 @dfn{picons} (@pxref{Picons}).
13693 Brad Miller---@file{gnus-gl.el} and the GroupLens manual section
13694 (@pxref{GroupLens}).
13697 Sudish Joseph---innumerable bug fixes.
13700 Ilja Weis---@file{gnus-topic.el}.
13703 Steven L. Baur---lots and lots and lots of bugs detections and fixes.
13706 Vladimir Alexiev---the refcard and reference booklets.
13709 Felix Lee & Jamie Zawinsky---I stole some pieces from the XGnus
13710 distribution by Felix Lee and JWZ.
13713 Scott Byer---@file{nnfolder.el} enhancements & rewrite.
13716 Peter Mutsaers---orphan article scoring code.
13719 Ken Raeburn---POP mail support.
13722 Hallvard B Furuseth---various bits and pieces, especially dealing with
13726 Brian Edmonds---@file{gnus-bbdb.el}.
13729 David Moore---rewrite of @file{nnvirtual.el} and many other things.
13732 Ricardo Nassif, Mark Borges, and Jost Krieger---proof-reading.
13735 Kevin Davidson---came up with the name @dfn{ding}, so blame him.
13738 François Pinard---many, many interesting and thorough bug reports.
13742 The following people have contributed many patches and suggestions:
13751 Jason L. Tibbitts, III,
13755 Also thanks to the following for patches and stuff:
13767 Massimo Campostrini,
13771 Geoffrey T. Dairiki,
13786 Ishikawa Ichiro, @c Ishikawa
13787 Francois Felix Ingrand,
13792 Peter Skov Knudsen,
13793 Shuhei Kobayashi, @c Kobayashi
13794 Thor Kristoffersen,
13806 Morioka Tomohiko, @c Morioka
13807 Erik Toubro Nielsen,
13813 Masaharu Onishi, @c Onishi
13818 John McClary Prevost,
13825 Randal L. Schwartz,
13843 Katsumi Yamaoka. @c Yamaoka
13845 For a full overview of what each person has done, the ChangeLogs
13846 included in the Gnus alpha distributions should give ample reading
13847 (550kB and counting).
13849 Apologies to everybody that I've forgotten, of which there are many, I'm
13852 Gee, that's quite a list of people. I guess that must mean that there
13853 actually are people who are using Gnus. Who'd'a thunk it!
13857 @subsection New Features
13858 @cindex new features
13861 * ding Gnus:: New things in Gnus 5.0/5.1, the first new Gnus.
13862 * September Gnus:: The Thing Formally Known As Gnus 5.3/5.3.
13863 * Red Gnus:: The future---Gnus 5.4/5.5.
13866 These lists are, of course, just @emph{short} overviews of the
13867 @emph{most} important new features. No, really. There are tons more.
13868 Yes, we have feeping creaturism in full effect.
13872 @subsubsection (ding) Gnus
13874 New features in Gnus 5.0/5.1:
13879 The look of all buffers can be changed by setting format-like variables
13880 (@pxref{Group Buffer Format} and @pxref{Summary Buffer Format}).
13883 Local spool and several @sc{nntp} servers can be used at once
13884 (@pxref{Select Methods}).
13887 You can combine groups into virtual groups (@pxref{Virtual Groups}).
13890 You can read a number of different mail formats (@pxref{Getting Mail}).
13891 All the mail backends implement a convenient mail expiry scheme
13892 (@pxref{Expiring Mail}).
13895 Gnus can use various strategies for gathering threads that have lost
13896 their roots (thereby gathering loose sub-threads into one thread) or it
13897 can go back and retrieve enough headers to build a complete thread
13898 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
13901 Killed groups can be displayed in the group buffer, and you can read
13902 them as well (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
13905 Gnus can do partial group updates---you do not have to retrieve the
13906 entire active file just to check for new articles in a few groups
13907 (@pxref{The Active File}).
13910 Gnus implements a sliding scale of subscribedness to groups
13911 (@pxref{Group Levels}).
13914 You can score articles according to any number of criteria
13915 (@pxref{Scoring}). You can even get Gnus to find out how to score
13916 articles for you (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
13919 Gnus maintains a dribble buffer that is auto-saved the normal Emacs
13920 manner, so it should be difficult to lose much data on what you have
13921 read if your machine should go down (@pxref{Auto Save}).
13924 Gnus now has its own startup file (@file{.gnus}) to avoid cluttering up
13925 the @file{.emacs} file.
13928 You can set the process mark on both groups and articles and perform
13929 operations on all the marked items (@pxref{Process/Prefix}).
13932 You can grep through a subset of groups and create a group from the
13933 results (@pxref{Kibozed Groups}).
13936 You can list subsets of groups according to, well, anything
13937 (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
13940 You can browse foreign servers and subscribe to groups from those
13941 servers (@pxref{Browse Foreign Server}).
13944 Gnus can fetch articles asynchronously on a second connection to the
13945 server (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
13948 You can cache articles locally (@pxref{Article Caching}).
13951 The uudecode functions have been expanded and generalized
13952 (@pxref{Decoding Articles}).
13955 You can still post uuencoded articles, which was a little-known feature
13956 of @sc{gnus}' past (@pxref{Uuencoding and Posting}).
13959 Fetching parents (and other articles) now actually works without
13960 glitches (@pxref{Finding the Parent}).
13963 Gnus can fetch FAQs and group descriptions (@pxref{Group Information}).
13966 Digests (and other files) can be used as the basis for groups
13967 (@pxref{Document Groups}).
13970 Articles can be highlighted and customized (@pxref{Customizing
13974 URLs and other external references can be buttonized (@pxref{Article
13978 You can do lots of strange stuff with the Gnus window & frame
13979 configuration (@pxref{Windows Configuration}).
13982 You can click on buttons instead of using the keyboard
13988 @node September Gnus
13989 @subsubsection September Gnus
13991 New features in Gnus 5.2/5.3:
13996 A new message composition mode is used. All old customization variables
13997 for @code{mail-mode}, @code{rnews-reply-mode} and @code{gnus-msg} are
14001 Gnus is now able to generate @dfn{sparse} threads---threads where
14002 missing articles are represented by empty nodes (@pxref{Customizing
14006 (setq gnus-build-sparse-threads 'some)
14010 Outgoing articles are stored on a special archive server
14011 (@pxref{Archived Messages}).
14014 Partial thread regeneration now happens when articles are
14018 Gnus can make use of GroupLens predictions (@pxref{GroupLens}).
14021 Picons (personal icons) can be displayed under XEmacs (@pxref{Picons}).
14024 A @code{trn}-line tree buffer can be displayed (@pxref{Tree Display}).
14027 (setq gnus-use-trees t)
14031 An @code{nn}-like pick-and-read minor mode is available for the summary
14032 buffers (@pxref{Pick and Read}).
14035 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-mode-hook 'gnus-pick-mode)
14039 In binary groups you can use a special binary minor mode (@pxref{Binary
14043 Groups can be grouped in a folding topic hierarchy (@pxref{Group
14047 (add-hook 'gnus-group-mode-hook 'gnus-topic-mode)
14051 Gnus can re-send and bounce mail (@pxref{Summary Mail Commands}).
14054 Groups can now have a score, and bubbling based on entry frequency
14055 is possible (@pxref{Group Score}).
14058 (add-hook 'gnus-summary-exit-hook 'gnus-summary-bubble-group)
14062 Groups can be process-marked, and commands can be performed on
14063 groups of groups (@pxref{Marking Groups}).
14066 Caching is possible in virtual groups.
14069 @code{nndoc} now understands all kinds of digests, mail boxes, rnews
14070 news batches, ClariNet briefs collections, and just about everything
14071 else (@pxref{Document Groups}).
14074 Gnus has a new backend (@code{nnsoup}) to create/read SOUP packets
14078 The Gnus cache is much faster.
14081 Groups can be sorted according to many criteria (@pxref{Sorting
14085 New group parameters have been introduced to set list-address and
14086 expiry times (@pxref{Group Parameters}).
14089 All formatting specs allow specifying faces to be used
14090 (@pxref{Formatting Fonts}).
14093 There are several more commands for setting/removing/acting on process
14094 marked articles on the @kbd{M P} submap (@pxref{Setting Process Marks}).
14097 The summary buffer can be limited to show parts of the available
14098 articles based on a wide range of criteria. These commands have been
14099 bound to keys on the @kbd{/} submap (@pxref{Limiting}).
14102 Articles can be made persistent with the @kbd{*} command
14103 (@pxref{Persistent Articles}).
14106 All functions for hiding article elements are now toggles.
14109 Article headers can be buttonized (@pxref{Article Washing}).
14112 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
14113 'gnus-article-add-buttons-to-head)
14117 All mail backends support fetching articles by @code{Message-ID}.
14120 Duplicate mail can now be treated properly (@pxref{Duplicates}).
14123 All summary mode commands are available directly from the article
14124 buffer (@pxref{Article Keymap}).
14127 Frames can be part of @code{gnus-buffer-configuration} (@pxref{Windows
14131 Mail can be re-scanned by a daemonic process (@pxref{Daemons}).
14134 Gnus can make use of NoCeM files to weed out spam (@pxref{NoCeM}).
14137 (setq gnus-use-nocem t)
14141 Groups can be made permanently visible (@pxref{Listing Groups}).
14144 (setq gnus-permanently-visible-groups "^nnml:")
14148 Many new hooks have been introduced to make customizing easier.
14151 Gnus respects the @code{Mail-Copies-To} header.
14154 Threads can be gathered by looking at the @code{References} header
14155 (@pxref{Customizing Threading}).
14158 (setq gnus-summary-thread-gathering-function
14159 'gnus-gather-threads-by-references)
14163 Read articles can be stored in a special backlog buffer to avoid
14164 refetching (@pxref{Article Backlog}).
14167 (setq gnus-keep-backlog 50)
14171 A clean copy of the current article is always stored in a separate
14172 buffer to allow easier treatment.
14175 Gnus can suggest where to save articles (@pxref{Saving Articles}).
14178 Gnus doesn't have to do as much prompting when saving (@pxref{Saving
14182 (setq gnus-prompt-before-saving t)
14186 @code{gnus-uu} can view decoded files asynchronously while fetching
14187 articles (@pxref{Other Decode Variables}).
14190 (setq gnus-uu-grabbed-file-functions 'gnus-uu-grab-view)
14194 Filling in the article buffer now works properly on cited text
14195 (@pxref{Article Washing}).
14198 Hiding cited text adds buttons to toggle hiding, and how much
14199 cited text to hide is now customizable (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
14202 (setq gnus-cited-lines-visible 2)
14206 Boring headers can be hidden (@pxref{Article Hiding}).
14209 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook
14210 'gnus-article-hide-boring-headers t)
14214 Default scoring values can now be set from the menu bar.
14217 Further syntax checking of outgoing articles have been added.
14223 @subsubsection Red Gnus
14225 New features in Gnus 5.4/5.5:
14230 @file{nntp.el} has been totally rewritten in an asynchronous fashion.
14233 Article prefetching functionality has been moved up into
14234 Gnus (@pxref{Asynchronous Fetching}).
14237 Scoring can now be performed with logical operators like @code{and},
14238 @code{or}, @code{not}, and parent redirection (@pxref{Advanced
14242 Article washing status can be displayed in the
14243 article mode line (@pxref{Misc Article}).
14246 @file{gnus.el} has been split into many smaller files.
14249 Suppression of duplicate articles based on Message-ID can be done
14250 (@pxref{Duplicate Suppression}).
14253 (setq gnus-suppress-duplicates t)
14257 New variables for specifying what score and adapt files are to be
14258 considered home score and adapt files (@pxref{Home Score File}).
14261 @code{nndoc} was rewritten to be easily extendable (@pxref{Document
14262 Server Internals}).
14265 Groups can inherit group parameters from parent topics (@pxref{Topic
14269 Article editing has been revamped and is now actually usable.
14272 Signatures can be recognized in more intelligent fashions
14273 (@pxref{Article Signature}).
14276 Summary pick mode has been made to look more @code{nn}-like. Line
14277 numbers are displayed and the @kbd{.} command can be used to pick
14278 articles (@code{Pick and Read}).
14281 Commands for moving the @file{.newsrc.eld} from one server to
14282 another have been added (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
14285 A way to specify that ``uninteresting'' fields be suppressed when
14286 generating lines in buffers (@pxref{Advanced Formatting}).
14289 Several commands in the group buffer can be undone with @kbd{M-C-_}
14293 Scoring can be done on words using the new score type @code{w}
14294 (@pxref{Score File Format}).
14297 Adaptive scoring can be done on a Subject word-by-word basis
14298 (@pxref{Adaptive Scoring}).
14301 (setq gnus-use-adaptive-scoring '(word))
14305 Scores can be decayed (@pxref{Score Decays}).
14308 (setq gnus-decay-scores t)
14312 Scoring can be performed using a regexp on the Date header. The Date is
14313 normalized to compact ISO 8601 format first (@pxref{Score File Format}).
14316 A new command has been added to remove all data on articles from
14317 the native server (@pxref{Changing Servers}).
14320 A new command for reading collections of documents
14321 (@code{nndoc} with @code{nnvirtual} on top) has been added---@kbd{M-C-d}
14322 (@pxref{Really Various Summary Commands}).
14325 Process mark sets can be pushed and popped (@pxref{Setting Process
14329 A new mail-to-news backend makes it possible to post even when the NNTP
14330 server doesn't allow posting (@pxref{Mail-To-News Gateways}).
14333 A new backend for reading searches from Web search engines
14334 (@dfn{DejaNews}, @dfn{Alta Vista}, @dfn{InReference}) has been added
14335 (@pxref{Web Searches}).
14338 Groups inside topics can now be sorted using the standard sorting
14339 functions, and each topic can be sorted independently (@pxref{Topic
14343 Subsets of the groups can be sorted independently (@code{Sorting
14347 Cached articles can be pulled into the groups (@pxref{Summary Generation
14351 Score files are now applied in a more reliable order (@pxref{Score
14355 Reports on where mail messages end up can be generated (@pxref{Splitting
14359 More hooks and functions have been added to remove junk from incoming
14360 mail before saving the mail (@pxref{Washing Mail}).
14363 Emphasized text can be properly fontisized:
14366 (add-hook 'gnus-article-display-hook 'gnus-article-emphasize)
14372 @node Newest Features
14373 @subsection Newest Features
14376 Also known as the @dfn{todo list}. Sure to be implemented before the
14379 Be afraid. Be very afraid.
14383 Native @sc{mime} support is something that should be done.
14385 Really do unbinhexing.
14388 And much, much, much more. There is more to come than has already been
14389 implemented. (But that's always true, isn't it?)
14391 @file{<URL:http://www.ifi.uio.no/~larsi/rgnus/todo>} is where the actual
14392 up-to-the-second todo list is located, so if you're really curious, you
14393 could point your Web browser over that-a-way.
14398 @section The Manual
14402 This manual was generated from a TeXinfo file and then run through
14403 either @code{texi2dvi}
14405 or my own home-brewed TeXinfo to \LaTeX\ transformer,
14406 and then run through @code{latex} and @code{dvips}
14408 to get what you hold in your hands now.
14410 The following conventions have been used:
14415 This is a @samp{string}
14418 This is a @kbd{keystroke}
14421 This is a @file{file}
14424 This is a @code{symbol}
14428 So if I were to say ``set @code{flargnoze} to @samp{yes}'', that would
14432 (setq flargnoze "yes")
14435 If I say ``set @code{flumphel} to @code{yes}'', that would mean:
14438 (setq flumphel 'yes)
14441 @samp{yes} and @code{yes} are two @emph{very} different things---don't
14442 ever get them confused.
14446 Of course, everything in this manual is of vital interest, so you should
14447 read it all. Several times. However, if you feel like skimming the
14448 manual, look for that gnu head you should see in the margin over
14449 there---it means that what's being discussed is of more importance than
14450 the rest of the stuff. (On the other hand, if everything is infinitely
14451 important, how can anything be more important than that? Just one more
14452 of the mysteries of this world, I guess.)
14459 @section Terminology
14461 @cindex terminology
14466 This is what you are supposed to use this thing for---reading news.
14467 News is generally fetched from a nearby @sc{nntp} server, and is
14468 generally publicly available to everybody. If you post news, the entire
14469 world is likely to read just what you have written, and they'll all
14470 snigger mischievously. Behind your back.
14474 Everything that's delivered to you personally is mail. Some news/mail
14475 readers (like Gnus) blur the distinction between mail and news, but
14476 there is a difference. Mail is private. News is public. Mailing is
14477 not posting, and replying is not following up.
14481 Send a mail to the person who has written what you are reading.
14485 Post an article to the current newsgroup responding to the article you
14490 Gnus gets fed articles from a number of backends, both news and mail
14491 backends. Gnus does not handle the underlying media, so to speak---this
14492 is all done by the backends.
14496 Gnus will always use one method (and backend) as the @dfn{native}, or
14497 default, way of getting news.
14501 You can also have any number of foreign groups active at the same time.
14502 These are groups that use different backends for getting news.
14506 Secondary backends are somewhere half-way between being native and being
14507 foreign, but they mostly act like they are native.
14511 A message that has been posted as news.
14514 @cindex mail message
14515 A message that has been mailed.
14519 A mail message or news article
14523 The top part of a message, where administrative information (etc.) is
14528 The rest of an article. Everything that is not in the head is in the
14533 A line from the head of an article.
14537 A collection of such lines, or a collection of heads. Or even a
14538 collection of @sc{nov} lines.
14542 When Gnus enters a group, it asks the backend for the headers of all
14543 unread articles in the group. Most servers support the News OverView
14544 format, which is more compact and much faster to read and parse than the
14545 normal @sc{head} format.
14549 Each group is subscribed at some @dfn{level} or other (1-9). The ones
14550 that have a lower level are ``more'' subscribed than the groups with a
14551 higher level. In fact, groups on levels 1-5 are considered
14552 @dfn{subscribed}; 6-7 are @dfn{unsubscribed}; 8 are @dfn{zombies}; and 9
14553 are @dfn{killed}. Commands for listing groups and scanning for new
14554 articles will all use the numeric prefix as @dfn{working level}.
14556 @item killed groups
14557 @cindex killed groups
14558 No information on killed groups is stored or updated, which makes killed
14559 groups much easier to handle than subscribed groups.
14561 @item zombie groups
14562 @cindex zombie groups
14563 Just like killed groups, only slightly less dead.
14566 @cindex active file
14567 The news server has to keep track of what articles it carries, and what
14568 groups exist. All this information in stored in the active file, which
14569 is rather large, as you might surmise.
14572 @cindex bogus groups
14573 A group that exists in the @file{.newsrc} file, but isn't known to the
14574 server (i.e., it isn't in the active file), is a @emph{bogus group}.
14575 This means that the group probably doesn't exist (any more).
14579 A machine than one can connect to and get news (or mail) from.
14581 @item select method
14582 @cindex select method
14583 A structure that specifies the backend, the server and the virtual
14586 @item virtual server
14587 @cindex virtual server
14588 A named select method. Since a select methods defines all there is to
14589 know about connecting to a (physical) server, taking the things as a
14590 whole is a virtual server.
14594 Taking a buffer and running it through a filter of some sort. The
14595 result will (more often than not) be cleaner and more pleasing than the
14598 @item ephemeral groups
14599 @cindex ephemeral groups
14600 Most groups store data on what articles you have read. @dfn{Ephemeral}
14601 groups are groups that will have no data stored---when you exit the
14602 group, it'll disappear into the aether.
14605 @cindex solid groups
14606 This is the opposite of ephemeral groups. All groups listed in the
14607 group buffer are solid groups.
14609 @item sparse articles
14610 @cindex sparse articles
14611 These are article placeholders shown in the summary buffer when
14612 @code{gnus-build-sparse-threads} has been switched on.
14617 @node Customization
14618 @section Customization
14619 @cindex general customization
14621 All variables are properly documented elsewhere in this manual. This
14622 section is designed to give general pointers on how to customize Gnus
14623 for some quite common situations.
14626 * Slow/Expensive Connection:: You run a local Emacs and get the news elsewhere.
14627 * Slow Terminal Connection:: You run a remote Emacs.
14628 * Little Disk Space:: You feel that having large setup files is icky.
14629 * Slow Machine:: You feel like buying a faster machine.
14633 @node Slow/Expensive Connection
14634 @subsection Slow/Expensive @sc{nntp} Connection
14636 If you run Emacs on a machine locally, and get your news from a machine
14637 over some very thin strings, you want to cut down on the amount of data
14638 Gnus has to get from the @sc{nntp} server.
14642 @item gnus-read-active-file
14643 Set this to @code{nil}, which will inhibit Gnus from requesting the
14644 entire active file from the server. This file is often v. large. You
14645 also have to set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
14646 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make sure that Gnus
14647 doesn't suddenly decide to fetch the active file anyway.
14649 @item gnus-nov-is-evil
14650 This one has to be @code{nil}. If not, grabbing article headers from
14651 the @sc{nntp} server will not be very fast. Not all @sc{nntp} servers
14652 support @sc{xover}; Gnus will detect this by itself.
14656 @node Slow Terminal Connection
14657 @subsection Slow Terminal Connection
14659 Let's say you use your home computer for dialing up the system that
14660 runs Emacs and Gnus. If your modem is slow, you want to reduce the
14661 amount of data that is sent over the wires as much as possible.
14665 @item gnus-auto-center-summary
14666 Set this to @code{nil} to inhibit Gnus from re-centering the summary
14667 buffer all the time. If it is @code{vertical}, do only vertical
14668 re-centering. If it is neither @code{nil} nor @code{vertical}, do both
14669 horizontal and vertical recentering.
14671 @item gnus-visible-headers
14672 Cut down on the headers that are included in the articles to the
14673 minimum. You can, in fact, make do without them altogether---most of the
14674 useful data is in the summary buffer, anyway. Set this variable to
14675 @samp{^NEVVVVER} or @samp{From:}, or whatever you feel you need.
14677 @item gnus-article-display-hook
14678 Set this hook to all the available hiding commands:
14680 (setq gnus-article-display-hook
14681 '(gnus-article-hide-headers gnus-article-hide-signature
14682 gnus-article-hide-citation))
14685 @item gnus-use-full-window
14686 By setting this to @code{nil}, you can make all the windows smaller.
14687 While this doesn't really cut down much generally, it means that you
14688 have to see smaller portions of articles before deciding that you didn't
14689 want to read them anyway.
14691 @item gnus-thread-hide-subtree
14692 If this is non-@code{nil}, all threads in the summary buffer will be
14695 @item gnus-updated-mode-lines
14696 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not put information in the buffer mode
14697 lines, which might save some time.
14701 @node Little Disk Space
14702 @subsection Little Disk Space
14705 The startup files can get rather large, so you may want to cut their
14706 sizes a bit if you are running out of space.
14710 @item gnus-save-newsrc-file
14711 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will never save @file{.newsrc}---it will
14712 only save @file{.newsrc.eld}. This means that you will not be able to
14713 use any other newsreaders than Gnus. This variable is @code{t} by
14716 @item gnus-save-killed-list
14717 If this is @code{nil}, Gnus will not save the list of dead groups. You
14718 should also set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{ask-server}
14719 and @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} if you set this
14720 variable to @code{nil}. This variable is @code{t} by default.
14726 @subsection Slow Machine
14727 @cindex slow machine
14729 If you have a slow machine, or are just really impatient, there are a
14730 few things you can do to make Gnus run faster.
14732 Set@code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} and
14733 @code{gnus-check-bogus-newsgroups} to @code{nil} to make startup faster.
14735 Set @code{gnus-show-threads}, @code{gnus-use-cross-reference} and
14736 @code{gnus-nov-is-evil} to @code{nil} to make entering and exiting the
14737 summary buffer faster.
14739 Set @code{gnus-article-display-hook} to @code{nil} to make article
14740 processing a bit faster.
14743 @node Troubleshooting
14744 @section Troubleshooting
14745 @cindex troubleshooting
14747 Gnus works @emph{so} well straight out of the box---I can't imagine any
14755 Make sure your computer is switched on.
14758 Make sure that you really load the current Gnus version. If you have
14759 been running @sc{gnus}, you need to exit Emacs and start it up again before
14763 Try doing an @kbd{M-x gnus-version}. If you get something that looks
14764 like @samp{Gnus v5.46; nntp 4.0} you have the right files loaded. If,
14765 on the other hand, you get something like @samp{NNTP 3.x} or @samp{nntp
14766 flee}, you have some old @file{.el} files lying around. Delete these.
14769 Read the help group (@kbd{G h} in the group buffer) for a FAQ and a
14773 @vindex max-lisp-eval-depth
14774 Gnus works on many recursive structures, and in some extreme (and very
14775 rare) cases Gnus may recurse down ``too deeply'' and Emacs will beep at
14776 you. If this happens to you, set @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} to 500 or
14777 something like that.
14780 If all else fails, report the problem as a bug.
14783 @cindex reporting bugs
14785 @kindex M-x gnus-bug
14787 If you find a bug in Gnus, you can report it with the @kbd{M-x gnus-bug}
14788 command. @kbd{M-x set-variable RET debug-on-error RET t RET}, and send
14789 me the backtrace. I will fix bugs, but I can only fix them if you send
14790 me a precise description as to how to reproduce the bug.
14792 You really can never be too detailed in a bug report. Always use the
14793 @kbd{M-x gnus-bug} command when you make bug reports, even if it creates
14794 a 10Kb mail each time you use it, and even if you have sent me your
14795 environment 500 times before. I don't care. I want the full info each
14798 It is also important to remember that I have no memory whatsoever. If
14799 you send a bug report, and I send you a reply, and then you send back
14800 just ``No, it's not! Moron!'', I will have no idea what you are
14801 insulting me about. Always over-explain everything. It's much easier
14802 for all of us---if I don't have all the information I need, I will just
14803 mail you and ask for more info, and everything takes more time.
14805 If the problem you're seeing is very visual, and you can't quite explain
14806 it, copy the Emacs window to a file (with @code{xwd}, for instance), put
14807 it somewhere it can be reached, and include the URL of the picture in
14810 If you just need help, you are better off asking on
14811 @samp{gnu.emacs.gnus}. I'm not very helpful.
14813 @cindex gnu.emacs.gnus
14814 @cindex ding mailing list
14815 You can also ask on the ding mailing list---@samp{ding@@ifi.uio.no}.
14816 Write to @samp{ding-request@@ifi.uio.no} to subscribe.
14819 @node A Programmers Guide to Gnus
14820 @section A Programmer@'s Guide to Gnus
14822 It is my hope that other people will figure out smart stuff that Gnus
14823 can do, and that other people will write those smart things as well. To
14824 facilitate that I thought it would be a good idea to describe the inner
14825 workings of Gnus. And some of the not-so-inner workings, while I'm at
14828 You can never expect the internals of a program not to change, but I
14829 will be defining (in some details) the interface between Gnus and its
14830 backends (this is written in stone), the format of the score files
14831 (ditto), data structures (some are less likely to change than others)
14832 and general method of operations.
14835 * Backend Interface:: How Gnus communicates with the servers.
14836 * Score File Syntax:: A BNF definition of the score file standard.
14837 * Headers:: How Gnus stores headers internally.
14838 * Ranges:: A handy format for storing mucho numbers.
14839 * Group Info:: The group info format.
14840 * Emacs/XEmacs Code:: Gnus can be run under all modern Emacsen.
14841 * Various File Formats:: Formats of files that Gnus use.
14845 @node Backend Interface
14846 @subsection Backend Interface
14848 Gnus doesn't know anything about @sc{nntp}, spools, mail or virtual
14849 groups. It only knows how to talk to @dfn{virtual servers}. A virtual
14850 server is a @dfn{backend} and some @dfn{backend variables}. As examples
14851 of the first, we have @code{nntp}, @code{nnspool} and @code{nnmbox}. As
14852 examples of the latter we have @code{nntp-port-number} and
14853 @code{nnmbox-directory}.
14855 When Gnus asks for information from a backend---say @code{nntp}---on
14856 something, it will normally include a virtual server name in the
14857 function parameters. (If not, the backend should use the ``current''
14858 virtual server.) For instance, @code{nntp-request-list} takes a virtual
14859 server as its only (optional) parameter. If this virtual server hasn't
14860 been opened, the function should fail.
14862 Note that a virtual server name has no relation to some physical server
14863 name. Take this example:
14867 (nntp-address "ifi.uio.no")
14868 (nntp-port-number 4324))
14871 Here the virtual server name is @samp{odd-one} while the name of
14872 the physical server is @samp{ifi.uio.no}.
14874 The backends should be able to switch between several virtual servers.
14875 The standard backends implement this by keeping an alist of virtual
14876 server environments that it pulls down/pushes up when needed.
14878 There are two groups of interface functions: @dfn{required functions},
14879 which must be present, and @dfn{optional functions}, which Gnus will
14880 always check whether are present before attempting to call.
14882 All these functions are expected to return data in the buffer
14883 @code{nntp-server-buffer} (@samp{ *nntpd*}), which is somewhat
14884 unfortunately named, but we'll have to live with it. When I talk about
14885 @dfn{resulting data}, I always refer to the data in that buffer. When I
14886 talk about @dfn{return value}, I talk about the function value returned by
14887 the function call. Functions that fail should return @code{nil} as the
14890 Some backends could be said to be @dfn{server-forming} backends, and
14891 some might be said to not be. The latter are backends that generally
14892 only operate on one group at a time, and have no concept of ``server''
14893 -- they have a group, and they deliver info on that group and nothing
14896 In the examples and definitions I will refer to the imaginary backend
14899 @cindex @code{nnchoke}
14902 * Required Backend Functions:: Functions that must be implemented.
14903 * Optional Backend Functions:: Functions that need not be implemented.
14904 * Error Messaging:: How to get messages and report errors.
14905 * Writing New Backends:: Extending old backends.
14906 * Hooking New Backends Into Gnus:: What has to be done on the Gnus end.
14907 * Mail-like Backends:: Some tips on mail backends.
14911 @node Required Backend Functions
14912 @subsubsection Required Backend Functions
14916 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-headers ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FETCH-OLD)
14918 @var{articles} is either a range of article numbers or a list of
14919 @code{Message-ID}s. Current backends do not fully support either---only
14920 sequences (lists) of article numbers, and most backends do not support
14921 retrieval of @code{Message-ID}s. But they should try for both.
14923 The result data should either be HEADs or NOV lines, and the result
14924 value should either be @code{headers} or @code{nov} to reflect this.
14925 This might later be expanded to @code{various}, which will be a mixture
14926 of HEADs and NOV lines, but this is currently not supported by Gnus.
14928 If @var{fetch-old} is non-@code{nil} it says to try to fetch "extra
14929 headers, in some meaning of the word. This is generally done by
14930 fetching (at most) @var{fetch-old} extra headers less than the smallest
14931 article number in @code{articles}, and fill in the gaps as well. The
14932 presence of this parameter can be ignored if the backend finds it
14933 cumbersome to follow the request. If this is non-@code{nil} and not a
14934 number, do maximum fetches.
14936 Here's an example HEAD:
14939 221 1056 Article retrieved.
14940 Path: ifi.uio.no!sturles
14941 From: sturles@@ifi.uio.no (Sturle Sunde)
14942 Newsgroups: ifi.discussion
14943 Subject: Re: Something very droll
14944 Date: 27 Oct 1994 14:02:57 +0100
14945 Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
14947 Message-ID: <38o8e1$a0o@@holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no>
14948 References: <38jdmq$4qu@@visbur.ifi.uio.no>
14949 NNTP-Posting-Host: holmenkollen.ifi.uio.no
14953 So a @code{headers} return value would imply that there's a number of
14954 these in the data buffer.
14956 Here's a BNF definition of such a buffer:
14960 head = error / valid-head
14961 error-message = [ "4" / "5" ] 2number " " <error message> eol
14962 valid-head = valid-message *header "." eol
14963 valid-message = "221 " <number> " Article retrieved." eol
14964 header = <text> eol
14967 If the return value is @code{nov}, the data buffer should contain
14968 @dfn{network overview database} lines. These are basically fields
14972 nov-buffer = *nov-line
14973 nov-line = 8*9 [ field <TAB> ] eol
14974 field = <text except TAB>
14977 For a closer explanation what should be in those fields,
14981 @item (nnchoke-open-server SERVER &optional DEFINITIONS)
14983 @var{server} is here the virtual server name. @var{definitions} is a
14984 list of @code{(VARIABLE VALUE)} pairs that defines this virtual server.
14986 If the server can't be opened, no error should be signaled. The backend
14987 may then choose to refuse further attempts at connecting to this
14988 server. In fact, it should do so.
14990 If the server is opened already, this function should return a
14991 non-@code{nil} value. There should be no data returned.
14994 @item (nnchoke-close-server &optional SERVER)
14996 Close connection to @var{server} and free all resources connected
14997 to it. Return @code{nil} if the server couldn't be closed for some
15000 There should be no data returned.
15003 @item (nnchoke-request-close)
15005 Close connection to all servers and free all resources that the backend
15006 have reserved. All buffers that have been created by that backend
15007 should be killed. (Not the @code{nntp-server-buffer}, though.) This
15008 function is generally only called when Gnus is shutting down.
15010 There should be no data returned.
15013 @item (nnchoke-server-opened &optional SERVER)
15015 If @var{server} is the current virtual server, and the connection to the
15016 physical server is alive, then this function should return a
15017 non-@code{nil} vlue. This function should under no circumstances
15018 attempt to reconnect to a server that is has lost connection to.
15020 There should be no data returned.
15023 @item (nnchoke-status-message &optional SERVER)
15025 This function should return the last error message from @var{server}.
15027 There should be no data returned.
15030 @item (nnchoke-request-article ARTICLE &optional GROUP SERVER TO-BUFFER)
15032 The result data from this function should be the article specified by
15033 @var{article}. This might either be a @code{Message-ID} or a number.
15034 It is optional whether to implement retrieval by @code{Message-ID}, but
15035 it would be nice if that were possible.
15037 If @var{to-buffer} is non-@code{nil}, the result data should be returned
15038 in this buffer instead of the normal data buffer. This is to make it
15039 possible to avoid copying large amounts of data from one buffer to
15040 another, and Gnus mainly request articles to be inserted directly into
15041 its article buffer.
15043 If it is at all possible, this function should return a cons cell where
15044 the car is the group name the article was fetched from, and the cdr is
15045 the article number. This will enable Gnus to find out what the real
15046 group and article numbers are when fetching articles by
15047 @code{Message-ID}. If this isn't possible, @code{t} should be returned
15048 on successful article retrievement.
15051 @item (nnchoke-open-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
15053 Make @var{group} the current group.
15055 There should be no data returned by this function.
15058 @item (nnchoke-request-group GROUP &optional SERVER FAST)
15060 Get data on @var{group}. This function also has the side effect of
15061 making @var{group} the current group.
15063 If @var{FAST}, don't bother to return useful data, just make @var{group}
15066 Here's an example of some result data and a definition of the same:
15069 211 56 1000 1059 ifi.discussion
15072 The first number is the status, which should be 211. Next is the
15073 total number of articles in the group, the lowest article number, the
15074 highest article number, and finally the group name. Note that the total
15075 number of articles may be less than one might think while just
15076 considering the highest and lowest article numbers, but some articles
15077 may have been canceled. Gnus just discards the total-number, so
15078 whether one should take the bother to generate it properly (if that is a
15079 problem) is left as an exercise to the reader.
15082 group-status = [ error / info ] eol
15083 error = [ "4" / "5" ] 2<number> " " <Error message>
15084 info = "211 " 3* [ <number> " " ] <string>
15088 @item (nnchoke-close-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
15090 Close @var{group} and free any resources connected to it. This will be
15091 a no-op on most backends.
15093 There should be no data returned.
15096 @item (nnchoke-request-list &optional SERVER)
15098 Return a list of all groups available on @var{server}. And that means
15101 Here's an example from a server that only carries two groups:
15104 ifi.test 0000002200 0000002000 y
15105 ifi.discussion 3324 3300 n
15108 On each line we have a group name, then the highest article number in
15109 that group, the lowest article number, and finally a flag.
15112 active-file = *active-line
15113 active-line = name " " <number> " " <number> " " flags eol
15115 flags = "n" / "y" / "m" / "x" / "j" / "=" name
15118 The flag says whether the group is read-only (@samp{n}), is moderated
15119 (@samp{m}), is dead (@samp{x}), is aliased to some other group
15120 (@samp{=other-group} or none of the above (@samp{y}).
15123 @item (nnchoke-request-post &optional SERVER)
15125 This function should post the current buffer. It might return whether
15126 the posting was successful or not, but that's not required. If, for
15127 instance, the posting is done asynchronously, it has generally not been
15128 completed by the time this function concludes. In that case, this
15129 function should set up some kind of sentinel to beep the user loud and
15130 clear if the posting could not be completed.
15132 There should be no result data from this function.
15137 @node Optional Backend Functions
15138 @subsubsection Optional Backend Functions
15142 @item (nnchoke-retrieve-groups GROUPS &optional SERVER)
15144 @var{groups} is a list of groups, and this function should request data
15145 on all those groups. How it does it is of no concern to Gnus, but it
15146 should attempt to do this in a speedy fashion.
15148 The return value of this function can be either @code{active} or
15149 @code{group}, which says what the format of the result data is. The
15150 former is in the same format as the data from
15151 @code{nnchoke-request-list}, while the latter is a buffer full of lines
15152 in the same format as @code{nnchoke-request-group} gives.
15155 group-buffer = *active-line / *group-status
15159 @item (nnchoke-request-update-info GROUP INFO &optional SERVER)
15161 A Gnus group info (@pxref{Group Info}) is handed to the backend for
15162 alterations. This comes in handy if the backend really carries all the
15163 information (as is the case with virtual an imap groups). This function
15164 should destructively alter the info to suit its needs, and should return
15165 the (altered) group info.
15167 There should be no result data from this function.
15170 @item (nnchoke-request-type GROUP &optional ARTICLE)
15172 When the user issues commands for ``sending news'' (@kbd{F} in the
15173 summary buffer, for instance), Gnus has to know whether the article the
15174 user is following up is news or mail. This function should return
15175 @code{news} if @var{article} in @var{group} is news, @code{mail} if it
15176 is mail and @code{unknown} if the type can't be decided. (The
15177 @var{article} parameter is necessary in @code{nnvirtual} groups which
15178 might very well combine mail groups and news groups.) Both @var{group}
15179 and @var{article} may be @code{nil}.
15181 There should be no result data from this function.
15184 @item (nnchoke-request-update-mark GROUP ARTICLE MARK)
15186 If the user tries to set a mark that the backend doesn't like, this
15187 function may change the mark. Gnus will use whatever this function
15188 returns as the mark for @var{article} instead of the original
15189 @var{mark}. If the backend doesn't care, it must return the original
15190 @var{mark}, and not @code{nil} or any other type of garbage.
15192 The only use for this that I can see is what @code{nnvirtual} does with
15193 it---if a component group is auto-expirable, marking an article as read
15194 in the virtual group should result in the article being marked as
15197 There should be no result data from this function.
15200 @item (nnchoke-request-scan &optional GROUP SERVER)
15202 This function may be called at any time (by Gnus or anything else) to
15203 request that the backend check for incoming articles, in one way or
15204 another. A mail backend will typically read the spool file or query the
15205 POP server when this function is invoked. The @var{group} doesn't have
15206 to be heeded---if the backend decides that it is too much work just
15207 scanning for a single group, it may do a total scan of all groups. It
15208 would be nice, however, to keep things local if that's practical.
15210 There should be no result data from this function.
15213 @item (nnchoke-request-group-description GROUP &optional SERVER)
15215 The result data from this function should be a description of
15219 description-line = name <TAB> description eol
15221 description = <text>
15224 @item (nnchoke-request-list-newsgroups &optional SERVER)
15226 The result data from this function should be the description of all
15227 groups available on the server.
15230 description-buffer = *description-line
15234 @item (nnchoke-request-newgroups DATE &optional SERVER)
15236 The result data from this function should be all groups that were
15237 created after @samp{date}, which is in normal human-readable date
15238 format. The data should be in the active buffer format.
15241 @item (nnchoke-request-create-group GROUP &optional SERVER)
15243 This function should create an empty group with name @var{group}.
15245 There should be no return data.
15248 @item (nnchoke-request-expire-articles ARTICLES &optional GROUP SERVER FORCE)
15250 This function should run the expiry process on all articles in the
15251 @var{articles} range (which is currently a simple list of article
15252 numbers.) It is left up to the backend to decide how old articles
15253 should be before they are removed by this function. If @var{force} is
15254 non-@code{nil}, all @var{articles} should be deleted, no matter how new
15257 This function should return a list of articles that it did not/was not
15260 There should be no result data returned.
15263 @item (nnchoke-request-move-article ARTICLE GROUP SERVER ACCEPT-FORM
15266 This function should move @var{article} (which is a number) from
15267 @var{group} by calling @var{accept-form}.
15269 This function should ready the article in question for moving by
15270 removing any header lines it has added to the article, and generally
15271 should ``tidy up'' the article. Then it should @code{eval}
15272 @var{accept-form} in the buffer where the ``tidy'' article is. This
15273 will do the actual copying. If this @code{eval} returns a
15274 non-@code{nil} value, the article should be removed.
15276 If @var{last} is @code{nil}, that means that there is a high likelihood
15277 that there will be more requests issued shortly, so that allows some
15280 The function should return a cons where the car is the group name and
15281 the cdr is the article number that the article was entered as.
15283 There should be no data returned.
15286 @item (nnchoke-request-accept-article GROUP &optional SERVER LAST)
15288 This function takes the current buffer and inserts it into @var{group}.
15289 If @var{last} in @code{nil}, that means that there will be more calls to
15290 this function in short order.
15292 The function should return a cons where the car is the group name and
15293 the cdr is the article number that the article was entered as.
15295 There should be no data returned.
15298 @item (nnchoke-request-replace-article ARTICLE GROUP BUFFER)
15300 This function should remove @var{article} (which is a number) from
15301 @var{group} and insert @var{buffer} there instead.
15303 There should be no data returned.
15306 @item (nnchoke-request-delete-group GROUP FORCE &optional SERVER)
15308 This function should delete @var{group}. If @var{force}, it should
15309 really delete all the articles in the group, and then delete the group
15310 itself. (If there is such a thing as ``the group itself''.)
15312 There should be no data returned.
15315 @item (nnchoke-request-rename-group GROUP NEW-NAME &optional SERVER)
15317 This function should rename @var{group} into @var{new-name}. All
15318 articles that are in @var{group} should move to @var{new-name}.
15320 There should be no data returned.
15325 @node Error Messaging
15326 @subsubsection Error Messaging
15328 @findex nnheader-report
15329 @findex nnheader-get-report
15330 The backends should use the function @code{nnheader-report} to report
15331 error conditions---they should not raise errors when they aren't able to
15332 perform a request. The first argument to this function is the backend
15333 symbol, and the rest are interpreted as arguments to @code{format} if
15334 there are many of them, or just a string if there is one of them.
15335 This function always returns @code{nil}.
15338 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "You did something totally bogus")
15340 (nnheader-report 'nnchoke "Could not request group %s" group)
15343 Gnus, in turn, will call @code{nnheader-get-report} when it gets a
15344 @code{nil} back from a server, and this function returns the most
15345 recently reported message for the backend in question. This function
15346 takes one argument---the server symbol.
15348 Internally, these function access @var{backend}@code{-status-string}, so
15349 the @code{nnchoke} backend will have its error message stored in
15350 @code{nnchoke-status-string}.
15353 @node Writing New Backends
15354 @subsubsection Writing New Backends
15356 Many backends are quite similar. @code{nnml} is just like
15357 @code{nnspool}, but it allows you to edit the articles on the server.
15358 @code{nnmh} is just like @code{nnml}, but it doesn't use an active file,
15359 and it doesn't maintain overview databases. @code{nndir} is just like
15360 @code{nnml}, but it has no concept of ``groups'', and it doesn't allow
15363 It would make sense if it were possible to ``inherit'' functions from
15364 backends when writing new backends. And, indeed, you can do that if you
15365 want to. (You don't have to if you don't want to, of course.)
15367 All the backends declare their public variables and functions by using a
15368 package called @code{nnoo}.
15370 To inherit functions from other backends (and allow other backends to
15371 inherit functions from the current backend), you should use the
15378 This macro declares the first parameter to be a child of the subsequent
15379 parameters. For instance:
15382 (nnoo-declare nndir
15386 @code{nndir} has here declared that it intends to inherit functions from
15387 both @code{nnml} and @code{nnmh}.
15390 This macro is equivalent to @code{defvar}, but registers the variable as
15391 a public server variable. Most state-oriented variables should be
15392 declared with @code{defvoo} instead of @code{defvar}.
15394 In addition to the normal @code{defvar} parameters, it takes a list of
15395 variables in the parent backends to map the variable to when executing
15396 a function in those backends.
15399 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
15400 "Where nndir will look for groups."
15401 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
15404 This means that @code{nnml-current-directory} will be set to
15405 @code{nndir-directory} when an @code{nnml} function is called on behalf
15406 of @code{nndir}. (The same with @code{nnmh}.)
15408 @item nnoo-define-basics
15409 This macro defines some common functions that almost all backends should
15413 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
15417 This macro is just like @code{defun} and takes the same parameters. In
15418 addition to doing the normal @code{defun} things, it registers the
15419 function as being public so that other backends can inherit it.
15421 @item nnoo-map-functions
15422 This macro allows mapping of functions from the current backend to
15423 functions from the parent backends.
15426 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
15427 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
15428 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0))
15431 This means that when @code{nndir-retrieve-headers} is called, the first,
15432 third, and fourth parameters will be passed on to
15433 @code{nnml-retrieve-headers}, while the second parameter is set to the
15434 value of @code{nndir-current-group}.
15437 This macro allows importing functions from backends. It should be the
15438 last thing in the source file, since it will only define functions that
15439 haven't already been defined.
15445 nnmh-request-newgroups)
15449 This means that calls to @code{nndir-request-list} should just be passed
15450 on to @code{nnmh-request-list}, while all public functions from
15451 @code{nnml} that haven't been defined in @code{nndir} yet should be
15456 Below is a slightly shortened version of the @code{nndir} backend.
15459 ;;; nndir.el --- single directory newsgroup access for Gnus
15460 ;; Copyright (C) 1995,96 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
15464 (require 'nnheader)
15468 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl))
15470 (nnoo-declare nndir
15473 (defvoo nndir-directory nil
15474 "Where nndir will look for groups."
15475 nnml-current-directory nnmh-current-directory)
15477 (defvoo nndir-nov-is-evil nil
15478 "*Non-nil means that nndir will never retrieve NOV headers."
15481 (defvoo nndir-current-group "" nil nnml-current-group nnmh-current-group)
15482 (defvoo nndir-top-directory nil nil nnml-directory nnmh-directory)
15483 (defvoo nndir-get-new-mail nil nil nnml-get-new-mail nnmh-get-new-mail)
15485 (defvoo nndir-status-string "" nil nnmh-status-string)
15486 (defconst nndir-version "nndir 1.0")
15488 ;;; Interface functions.
15490 (nnoo-define-basics nndir)
15492 (deffoo nndir-open-server (server &optional defs)
15493 (setq nndir-directory
15494 (or (cadr (assq 'nndir-directory defs))
15496 (unless (assq 'nndir-directory defs)
15497 (push `(nndir-directory ,server) defs))
15498 (push `(nndir-current-group
15499 ,(file-name-nondirectory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
15501 (push `(nndir-top-directory
15502 ,(file-name-directory (directory-file-name nndir-directory)))
15504 (nnoo-change-server 'nndir server defs))
15506 (nnoo-map-functions nndir
15507 (nnml-retrieve-headers 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
15508 (nnmh-request-article 0 nndir-current-group 0 0)
15509 (nnmh-request-group nndir-current-group 0 0)
15510 (nnmh-close-group nndir-current-group 0))
15514 nnmh-status-message
15516 nnmh-request-newgroups))
15522 @node Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
15523 @subsubsection Hooking New Backends Into Gnus
15525 @vindex gnus-valid-select-methods
15526 Having Gnus start using your new backend is rather easy---you just
15527 declare it with the @code{gnus-declare-backend} functions. This will
15528 enter the backend into the @code{gnus-valid-select-methods} variable.
15530 @code{gnus-declare-backend} takes two parameters---the backend name and
15531 an arbitrary number of @dfn{abilities}.
15536 (gnus-declare-backend "nnchoke" 'mail 'respool 'address)
15539 The abilities can be:
15543 This is a mailish backend---followups should (probably) go via mail.
15545 This is a newsish backend---followups should (probably) go via news.
15547 This backend supports both mail and news.
15549 This is neither a post or mail backend---it's something completely
15552 It supports respooling---or rather, it is able to modify its source
15553 articles and groups.
15555 The name of the server should be in the virtual server name. This is
15556 true for almost all backends.
15557 @item prompt-address
15558 The user should be prompted for an address when doing commands like
15559 @kbd{B} in the group buffer. This is true for backends like
15560 @code{nntp}, but not @code{nnmbox}, for instance.
15564 @node Mail-like Backends
15565 @subsubsection Mail-like Backends
15567 One of the things that separate the mail backends from the rest of the
15568 backends is the heavy dependence by the mail backends on common
15569 functions in @file{nnmail.el}. For instance, here's the definition of
15570 @code{nnml-request-scan}:
15573 (deffoo nnml-request-scan (&optional group server)
15574 (setq nnml-article-file-alist nil)
15575 (nnmail-get-new-mail 'nnml 'nnml-save-nov nnml-directory group))
15578 It simply just calls @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will a few parameters,
15579 and @code{nnmail} takes care of all the moving and splitting of the
15582 This function takes four parameters.
15586 This should be a symbol to designate which backend is responsible for
15589 @item exit-function
15590 This function should be called after the splitting has been performed.
15592 @item temp-directory
15593 Where the temporary files should be stored.
15596 This optional argument should be a group name if the splitting is to be
15597 performed for one group only.
15600 @code{nnmail-get-new-mail} will call @var{backend}@code{-save-mail} to
15601 save each article. @var{backend}@code{-active-number} will be called to
15602 find the article number assigned to this article.
15604 The function also uses the following variables:
15605 @var{backend}@code{-get-new-mail} (to see whether to get new mail for
15606 this backend); and @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} and
15607 @var{backend}@code{-active-file} to generate the new active file.
15608 @var{backend}@code{-group-alist} should be a group-active alist, like
15612 (("a-group" (1 . 10))
15613 ("some-group" (34 . 39)))
15617 @node Score File Syntax
15618 @subsection Score File Syntax
15620 Score files are meant to be easily parsable, but yet extremely
15621 mallable. It was decided that something that had the same read syntax
15622 as an Emacs Lisp list would fit that spec.
15624 Here's a typical score file:
15628 ("win95" -10000 nil s)
15635 BNF definition of a score file:
15638 score-file = "" / "(" *element ")"
15639 element = rule / atom
15640 rule = string-rule / number-rule / date-rule
15641 string-rule = "(" quote string-header quote space *string-match ")"
15642 number-rule = "(" quote number-header quote space *number-match ")"
15643 date-rule = "(" quote date-header quote space *date-match ")"
15645 string-header = "subject" / "from" / "references" / "message-id" /
15646 "xref" / "body" / "head" / "all" / "followup"
15647 number-header = "lines" / "chars"
15648 date-header = "date"
15649 string-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
15650 space date [ "" / [ space string-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
15651 score = "nil" / <integer>
15652 date = "nil" / <natural number>
15653 string-match-t = "nil" / "s" / "substring" / "S" / "Substring" /
15654 "r" / "regex" / "R" / "Regex" /
15655 "e" / "exact" / "E" / "Exact" /
15656 "f" / "fuzzy" / "F" / "Fuzzy"
15657 number-match = "(" <integer> [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
15658 space date [ "" / [ space number-match-t ] ] ] ] ] ")"
15659 number-match-t = "nil" / "=" / "<" / ">" / ">=" / "<="
15660 date-match = "(" quote <string> quote [ "" / [ space score [ "" /
15661 space date [ "" / [ space date-match-t ] ] ] ] ")"
15662 date-match-t = "nil" / "at" / "before" / "after"
15663 atom = "(" [ required-atom / optional-atom ] ")"
15664 required-atom = mark / expunge / mark-and-expunge / files /
15665 exclude-files / read-only / touched
15666 optional-atom = adapt / local / eval
15667 mark = "mark" space nil-or-number
15668 nil-or-number = "nil" / <integer>
15669 expunge = "expunge" space nil-or-number
15670 mark-and-expunge = "mark-and-expunge" space nil-or-number
15671 files = "files" *[ space <string> ]
15672 exclude-files = "exclude-files" *[ space <string> ]
15673 read-only = "read-only" [ space "nil" / space "t" ]
15674 adapt = "adapt" [ space "nil" / space "t" / space adapt-rule ]
15675 adapt-rule = "(" *[ <string> *[ "(" <string> <integer> ")" ] ")"
15676 local = "local" *[ space "(" <string> space <form> ")" ]
15677 eval = "eval" space <form>
15678 space = *[ " " / <TAB> / <NEWLINE> ]
15681 Any unrecognized elements in a score file should be ignored, but not
15684 As you can see, white space is needed, but the type and amount of white
15685 space is irrelevant. This means that formatting of the score file is
15686 left up to the programmer---if it's simpler to just spew it all out on
15687 one looong line, then that's ok.
15689 The meaning of the various atoms are explained elsewhere in this
15694 @subsection Headers
15696 Gnus uses internally a format for storing article headers that
15697 corresponds to the @sc{nov} format in a mysterious fashion. One could
15698 almost suspect that the author looked at the @sc{nov} specification and
15699 just shamelessly @emph{stole} the entire thing, and one would be right.
15701 @dfn{Header} is a severely overloaded term. ``Header'' is used in
15702 RFC1036 to talk about lines in the head of an article (e.g.,
15703 @code{From}). It is used by many people as a synonym for
15704 ``head''---``the header and the body''. (That should be avoided, in my
15705 opinion.) And Gnus uses a format internally that it calls ``header'',
15706 which is what I'm talking about here. This is a 9-element vector,
15707 basically, with each header (ouch) having one slot.
15709 These slots are, in order: @code{number}, @code{subject}, @code{from},
15710 @code{date}, @code{id}, @code{references}, @code{chars}, @code{lines},
15711 @code{xref}. There are macros for accessing and setting these
15712 slots---they all have predictable names beginning with
15713 @code{mail-header-} and @code{mail-header-set-}, respectively.
15715 The @code{xref} slot is really a @code{misc} slot. Any extra info will
15722 @sc{gnus} introduced a concept that I found so useful that I've started
15723 using it a lot and have elaborated on it greatly.
15725 The question is simple: If you have a large amount of objects that are
15726 identified by numbers (say, articles, to take a @emph{wild} example)
15727 that you want to qualify as being ``included'', a normal sequence isn't
15728 very useful. (A 200,000 length sequence is a bit long-winded.)
15730 The solution is as simple as the question: You just collapse the
15734 (1 2 3 4 5 6 10 11 12)
15737 is transformed into
15740 ((1 . 6) (10 . 12))
15743 To avoid having those nasty @samp{(13 . 13)} elements to denote a
15744 lonesome object, a @samp{13} is a valid element:
15747 ((1 . 6) 7 (10 . 12))
15750 This means that comparing two ranges to find out whether they are equal
15751 is slightly tricky:
15754 ((1 . 5) 7 8 (10 . 12))
15760 ((1 . 5) (7 . 8) (10 . 12))
15763 are equal. In fact, any non-descending list is a range:
15769 is a perfectly valid range, although a pretty long-winded one. This is
15776 and is equal to the previous range.
15778 Here's a BNF definition of ranges. Of course, one must remember the
15779 semantic requirement that the numbers are non-descending. (Any number
15780 of repetition of the same number is allowed, but apt to disappear in
15784 range = simple-range / normal-range
15785 simple-range = "(" number " . " number ")"
15786 normal-range = "(" start-contents ")"
15787 contents = "" / simple-range *[ " " contents ] /
15788 number *[ " " contents ]
15791 Gnus currently uses ranges to keep track of read articles and article
15792 marks. I plan on implementing a number of range operators in C if The
15793 Powers That Be are willing to let me. (I haven't asked yet, because I
15794 need to do some more thinking on what operators I need to make life
15795 totally range-based without ever having to convert back to normal
15800 @subsection Group Info
15802 Gnus stores all permanent info on groups in a @dfn{group info} list.
15803 This list is from three to six elements (or more) long and exhaustively
15804 describes the group.
15806 Here are two example group infos; one is a very simple group while the
15807 second is a more complex one:
15810 ("no.group" 5 (1 . 54324))
15812 ("nnml:my.mail" 3 ((1 . 5) 9 (20 . 55))
15813 ((tick (15 . 19)) (replied 3 6 (19 . 3)))
15815 (auto-expire (to-address "ding@@ifi.uio.no")))
15818 The first element is the @dfn{group name}---as Gnus knows the group,
15819 anyway. The second element is the @dfn{subscription level}, which
15820 normally is a small integer. The third element is a list of ranges of
15821 read articles. The fourth element is a list of lists of article marks
15822 of various kinds. The fifth element is the select method (or virtual
15823 server, if you like). The sixth element is a list of @dfn{group
15824 parameters}, which is what this section is about.
15826 Any of the last three elements may be missing if they are not required.
15827 In fact, the vast majority of groups will normally only have the first
15828 three elements, which saves quite a lot of cons cells.
15830 Here's a BNF definition of the group info format:
15833 info = "(" group space level space read
15834 [ "" / [ space marks-list [ "" / [ space method [ "" /
15835 space parameters ] ] ] ] ] ")"
15836 group = quote <string> quote
15837 level = <integer in the range of 1 to inf>
15839 marks-lists = nil / "(" *marks ")"
15840 marks = "(" <string> range ")"
15841 method = "(" <string> *elisp-forms ")"
15842 parameters = "(" *elisp-forms ")"
15845 Actually that @samp{marks} rule is a fib. A @samp{marks} is a
15846 @samp{<string>} consed on to a @samp{range}, but that's a bitch to say
15850 @node Emacs/XEmacs Code
15851 @subsection Emacs/XEmacs Code
15855 While Gnus runs under Emacs, XEmacs and Mule, I decided that one of the
15856 platforms must be the primary one. I chose Emacs. Not because I don't
15857 like XEmacs or Mule, but because it comes first alphabetically.
15859 This means that Gnus will byte-compile under Emacs with nary a warning,
15860 while XEmacs will pump out gigabytes of warnings while byte-compiling.
15861 As I use byte-compilation warnings to help me root out trivial errors in
15862 Gnus, that's very useful.
15864 I've also consistently used Emacs function interfaces, but have used
15865 Gnusey aliases for the functions. To take an example: Emacs defines a
15866 @code{run-at-time} function while XEmacs defines a @code{start-itimer}
15867 function. I then define a function called @code{gnus-run-at-time} that
15868 takes the same parameters as the Emacs @code{run-at-time}. When running
15869 Gnus under Emacs, the former function is just an alias for the latter.
15870 However, when running under XEmacs, the former is an alias for the
15871 following function:
15874 (defun gnus-xmas-run-at-time (time repeat function &rest args)
15878 (,function ,@@args))
15882 This sort of thing has been done for bunches of functions. Gnus does
15883 not redefine any native Emacs functions while running under XEmacs---it
15884 does this @code{defalias} thing with Gnus equivalents instead. Cleaner
15887 Of course, I could have chosen XEmacs as my native platform and done
15888 mapping functions the other way around. But I didn't. The performance
15889 hit these indirections impose on Gnus under XEmacs should be slight.
15892 @node Various File Formats
15893 @subsection Various File Formats
15896 * Active File Format:: Information on articles and groups available.
15897 * Newsgroups File Format:: Group descriptions.
15901 @node Active File Format
15902 @subsubsection Active File Format
15904 The active file lists all groups that are available on the server in
15905 question. It also lists the highest and lowest current article numbers
15908 Here's an excerpt from a typical active file:
15911 soc.motss 296030 293865 y
15912 alt.binaries.pictures.fractals 3922 3913 n
15913 comp.sources.unix 1605 1593 m
15914 comp.binaries.ibm.pc 5097 5089 y
15915 no.general 1000 900 y
15918 Here's a pseudo-BNF definition of this file:
15921 active = *group-line
15922 group-line = group space high-number space low-number space flag <NEWLINE>
15923 group = <non-white-space string>
15925 high-number = <non-negative integer>
15926 low-number = <positive integer>
15927 flag = "y" / "n" / "m" / "j" / "x" / "=" group
15931 @node Newsgroups File Format
15932 @subsubsection Newsgroups File Format
15934 The newsgroups file lists groups along with their descriptions. Not all
15935 groups on the server have to be listed, and not all groups in the file
15936 have to exist on the server. The file is meant purely as information to
15939 The format is quite simple; a group name, a tab, and the description.
15940 Here's the definition:
15944 line = group tab description <NEWLINE>
15945 group = <non-white-space string>
15947 description = <string>
15951 @node Emacs for Heathens
15952 @section Emacs for Heathens
15954 Believe it or not, but some people who use Gnus haven't really used
15955 Emacs much before they embarked on their journey on the Gnus Love Boat.
15956 If you are one of those unfortunates whom ``@kbd{M-C-a}'', ``kill the
15957 region'', and ``set @code{gnus-flargblossen} to an alist where the key
15958 is a regexp that is used for matching on the group name'' are magical
15959 phrases with little or no meaning, then this appendix is for you. If
15960 you are already familiar with Emacs, just ignore this and go fondle your
15964 * Keystrokes:: Entering text and executing commands.
15965 * Emacs Lisp:: The built-in Emacs programming language.
15970 @subsection Keystrokes
15974 Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
15977 A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.
15980 Yes, when you use Emacs, you are apt to use the control key, the shift
15981 key and the meta key a lot. This is very annoying to some people
15982 (notably @code{vi}le users), and the rest of us just love the hell out
15983 of it. Just give up and submit. Emacs really does stand for
15984 ``Escape-Meta-Alt-Control-Shift'', and not ``Editing Macros'', as you
15985 may have heard from other disreputable sources (like the Emacs author).
15987 The shift key is normally located near your pinky fingers, and are
15988 normally used to get capital letters and stuff. You probably use it all
15989 the time. The control key is normally marked ``CTRL'' or something like
15990 that. The meta key is, funnily enough, never marked as such on any
15991 keyboards. The one I'm currently at has a key that's marked ``Alt'',
15992 which is the meta key on this keyboard. It's usually located somewhere
15993 to the left hand side of the keyboard, usually on the bottom row.
15995 Now, us Emacs people doesn't say ``press the meta-control-m key'',
15996 because that's just too inconvenient. We say ``press the @kbd{M-C-m}
15997 key''. @kbd{M-} is the prefix that means ``meta'' and ``C-'' is the
15998 prefix that means ``control''. So ``press @kbd{C-k}'' means ``press
15999 down the control key, and hold it down while you press @kbd{k}''.
16000 ``Press @kbd{M-C-k}'' means ``press down and hold down the meta key and
16001 the control key and then press @kbd{k}''. Simple, ay?
16003 This is somewhat complicated by the fact that not all keyboards have a
16004 meta key. In that case you can use the ``escape'' key. Then @kbd{M-k}
16005 means ``press escape, release escape, press @kbd{k}''. That's much more
16006 work than if you have a meta key, so if that's the case, I respectfully
16007 suggest you get a real keyboard with a meta key. You can't live without
16013 @subsection Emacs Lisp
16015 Emacs is the King of Editors because it's really a Lisp interpreter.
16016 Each and every key you tap runs some Emacs Lisp code snippet, and since
16017 Emacs Lisp is an interpreted language, that means that you can configure
16018 any key to run any arbitrary code. You just, like, do it.
16020 Gnus is written in Emacs Lisp, and is run as a bunch of interpreted
16021 functions. (These are byte-compiled for speed, but it's still
16022 interpreted.) If you decide that you don't like the way Gnus does
16023 certain things, it's trivial to have it do something a different way.
16024 (Well, at least if you know how to write Lisp code.) However, that's
16025 beyond the scope of this manual, so we are simply going to talk about
16026 some common constructs that you normally use in your @file{.emacs} file
16029 If you want to set the variable @code{gnus-florgbnize} to four (4), you
16030 write the following:
16033 (setq gnus-florgbnize 4)
16036 This function (really ``special form'') @code{setq} is the one that can
16037 set a variable to some value. This is really all you need to know. Now
16038 you can go and fill your @code{.emacs} file with lots of these to change
16041 If you have put that thing in your @code{.emacs} file, it will be read
16042 and @code{eval}ed (which is lisp-ese for ``run'') the next time you
16043 start Emacs. If you want to change the variable right away, simply say
16044 @kbd{C-x C-e} after the closing parenthesis. That will @code{eval} the
16045 previous ``form'', which here is a simple @code{setq} statement.
16047 Go ahead---just try it, if you're located at your Emacs. After you
16048 @kbd{C-x C-e}, you will see @samp{4} appear in the echo area, which
16049 is the return value of the form you @code{eval}ed.
16053 If the manual says ``set @code{gnus-read-active-file} to @code{some}'',
16057 (setq gnus-read-active-file 'some)
16060 On the other hand, if the manual says ``set @code{gnus-nntp-server} to
16061 @samp{nntp.ifi.uio.no}'', that means:
16064 (setq gnus-nntp-server "nntp.ifi.uio.no")
16067 So be careful not to mix up strings (the latter) with symbols (the
16068 former). The manual is unambiguous, but it can be confusing.
16071 @include gnus-faq.texi